By Kay & Shadow Luckett
If you meet Buddy for the first time, he may be at the front door with MJ right behind him. He may be nestling at the top of a cat tree or even sitting up high over a kitchen shelf. Best of all, he may greet you with an odd-shaped toy or a pipe cleaner in his mouth, telling you he’s ready to fetch. Playing fetch with this adorable ginger boy while sister Bella stays comfy is a recipe for happiness—a great way to greet the day.
At times, both babies can be found sleeping on mama’s bed, cozy and safe, but as soon as the breakfast bell rings (actually the rustle of kibble), Bella is right there. The cat corner is complete with a variety of healthy kibbles, fresh water, and the blue-plate special of the day. The gurgling water fountain serves its purpose as well as adding ambiance.
Mama, known affectionately as MJ, answers the call whenever she hears a meow and, like all good cat parents, stays tuned in and ready to jump when she hears the command. She and her two gingers reside as a bonded trio. The eclectic decor that adorns her walls makes this home a pleasure to visit as well as a journey into a real cat house.
At last count, this serene cat haven boasts as many as three cat trees and five cat scratchers. The fur babies can peer out of several windows to spy on birds and crawling delights that tempt and delight. Everyone is safely separated by a screen door, various windows, and mama’s watchful eyes.
The original decorations that MJ creates joyously express her artist’s eye. Rarely seen are the ways in which she reinvents and renews her walls and windows that are rich representations of holidays, travel, and of remarkable life experiences.
A treat for both the eyes and the soul, MJ’s ornamentations send a shout-out to the fun and sacredness of each event, sharing her unique perspective of each. The best treat of all is finding those who reside here as the real treasures—two gingers called Bella and Buddy.
MJ’s active life includes a marriage, raising three sons, working as a marine biologist, an electrical engineer, and working on aerospace satellite/radar systems. At one time, she and her family lived on Kwajalein Island—four degrees off the equator—near Hawaii and Australia, which offered amazing new experiences. MJ says the island gave birth to many feral cats as the scent of grilled seafood filled the air, and where she and her family were adopted by a cat named Squirt.
This alluring lifestyle may explain MJ’s adventurous spirit and her motto of ‘Just Say YES!’ Along with her artful talents and family life, it appears that this spirit has guided MJ to some very high places.
Over the years, some of these have exceeded 17,000 feet and include hiking in the Swiss/Italian Alps, exploring in Tasmania, hiking over the Inca Trail in Peru, and finally, surviving Dead Man’s Pass where MJ and group reached 13,000 feet. They then proceeded to baptize it as Dead Women’s Pass. Whew.
Before Prescott, MJ says that Bella came for dinner in 2018 and never left. Bella was just a kitten born the year before. Her name was Ella, and she was living among trailer trash. MJ blessed her as Bella, who began to enjoy her elevated status as queen of the manor. And then, while Bella was enjoying her reign as the only cat, along came Buddy….
Buddy was a stray kitten living outside with wild animals. Though appearing in good shape, MJ was scared for him. She rescued him and, to be sure Buddy wasn’t lost, took him to a local shelter. Later, after no parents came to claim him, MJ went back to adopt him, only to be told that the lady who had saved him had first dibs.
But wait! It was she who had saved Buddy. When the cloud of confusion lifted, Buddy came with MJ to his forever home and thus became Bella’s annoying-but-lovable little brother.
MJ shares that what she enjoys about all cats—and especially about her two gingers—is their independence and their affection. She says that Buddy greets her wherever she returns home, and that she loves their game of fetch. She appreciates Bella’s patience with Buddy, and that she rarely hisses at her little brother now that they are a truly bonded family. Both enjoy chasing laser beams along the kitchen wall.
The precious lives of this happy trio continue, for every day is a holiday at MJ’s home and proves that ‘Happy is two gingers plus one.’ Meow.
