The First Step Towards Becoming The Crazy Cat Lady . . .

. . . apart from having the cats, is collecting their hair.

You see, I have a plan.

I started collecting cat hair last summer while I was in Memphis. I stopped for a while, but have now resumed. I use a special comb on TJ (a grey tabby longhair) that collects more hair per stroke. It's much kinder than the wire brushes, but he still hates it . . .

. . . even though it cuts down on the hairballs. I don't think he makes the connection.

The comb does not work as well on Sabine . . . whose coat is short, jet black and slinky. But I have managed to collect some of hers - and I just mix it in with TJ's.

When I collect five pounds of cat hair, I will do what this lady did . . . and send it to VIP fibers. They will spin it into yarn.

And then I will have it knitted into a sweater.

And, many years from now, when I am gone, my nieces can fight over who gets Crazy Aunt Mary's one-of-a-kind sweater (among other things they may want to fight over more) . . . made from the hair of the ill-tempered, travelling pussycat she named for their Grandfather.

TJ Johnson.