“It’s so hot out, I think we should play inside.”

“I agree. You doing that marshmallow again, huh?”

“It’s like an old friend. I can’t help myself.”

“I would say your friend needs a bath.”

“Maybe you should find a toy you can’t live without.”

“Maybe I’ll wait a few years to get set in my ways.”

“Call it what you will, it is still fun pulling on these strings.”

“I’m going to give this peach thing a ride.”

“I like things a little smaller.”

“Not me. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”

“I have this feeling you are not going to be content with that for long.”

“Oh, come on. I have had it for two minutes. That’s 14 in dog time.”

“I should have put money on how long you would play with that.”

“Gosh, it’s hot out there.”

“The attention span of a gnat, she has.”

“The panther senses some movement in the woods.”

‘The puma drops to the ground in the classic feet-first defense strategy.”

“The panther goes for the soft and substantial underbelly.”

“The puma takes exception to the body shaming comment and turns the tide.”

“The panther attempts to snag a jowl to effect a flip.”

“The puma is too wily and pins the panther. ”

“The substantial weight of the puma will require an extreme effort to break free.”

“The puma takes pity on the panther and gives it a break.”

“The panther asks no quarter and gives none.”

“The puma regrets giving the panther a chance.”

“The panther laughs in the face of danger and goes for a maiming shot to the leg.”

“Once again, the puma body slams the panther. ‘Say uncle.'”

“Not on your life.”

“It’s not my life we’re talking about.”

“Okay, uncle.”

“Smart panther.”

“You going to play with that stupid marshmallow again?”

“Yes. What’s the problem?”

“This is looking like last week. You and that marshmallow and me doing nothing.”

“There are lots of toys over there. Go get one.”

“I don’t want to. I think we should play.”

“Well then, you’ll just have to wait.”

“Do you know how hard it is for me to do that?”

“I do, but it is something that is good for you.”

“You are right. I should be able to play by myself.”

“Hmm. This marshmallow has some funk connected with it.”

“Does that mean you are finished?”

“I think so. Funny thing about these toys. They turn on ya after a while.”

“So, we can play?”

“Sure. Just give me a moment to get that taste out of my mouth.”

“Where are you going?”

” To the mountain top where all puma’s go to protect themaelves.”

“You need help there, Grandma?”

“Very funny. No, I don’t need help.”

“Prepare yourself for the panther attack.”

“Prepare yourself for the puma revenge.”

 

I’m sorry for the goof-up yesterday. Tempeste jumped up on the couch while I was working on the post, and poof, the post was published. It was far from finished, so I had to take it down. Sorry for any confusion.

“Ladies. Today is going to be a hot one, so it’s indoor play for you two.”

“Indoors like the whole day?”

“No, but for the majority.”

“So, Twiggy. What should we do?”

“Well, first I think we ought to take it easy and do some quiet toy play.”

“Quiet toy play? What the heck does that mean?”

“It means we each get a toy and amuse ourselves.”

“That sounds boring. How about the panther stalks the puma?”

“We can do that later.”

Oh, come on. The panther lies low, watching the unsuspecting puma while it eats a marshmallow.”

“The puma knows the panther is there but chooses to ignore her.”

“Gee whiz. I thought we could get something going.”

“I had just started on this marshmallow when dad came in, so I would like to finish it.”

“Okay then. I can take a hint. I wonder if I should play with Chicken Licken or Hello Kitty?”

“Either one is a good choice. Cookie is over there, too.”

“Yeah, I need Dad to play with cookie. I think he is outside.”

“I’m sure he would come in to play with you.”

“He’s got a hose and is cleaning something. Best to leave him alone.”

“Well, you’ll just need to pick another toy.”

“The Panther stalks Chicken Licken.”

“The puma gets ready for some kind of ruckus.”

“The panther drags its prey toward the lair of the puma.”

“The puma tries her hardest not to roll her eyes.’

“The panther prepares to climb the mountain and devour her prey.”

“The puma tells the panther not to talk wth her mouth full.”

“The panther laughs out loud.”

“The puma joins her.”

Hey, Tempeste. You have a guest.”

“Who is it?”

“Come and see for yourself.”

“Well, look at that. It’s Hello Kitty.”

“Yes. Dad just dropped her here.”

“Hmmm. Not sure playing with a kitty is a good thing.”

“Oh, come on. It’s just a stuffed toy.”

“What makes you think it’s not haunted or something?”

“My experience tells me it’s just something you can try and tear apart.”

“That is something I do well.”

“Well, why don’t you get to it?”

“I have a funny feeling about this one.”

“So how long are you going to ignore Hello Kitty?”

“Till I’m sure there is no funny business connected with it.”

“Whoa. It just moved.”

“You are just trying to scare me.”

“I’m not kidding. Look, it’s over by me now.”

“I’m hearing Twilight Zone music now. How did that happen?”

“Okay, Dad moved it.”

“Why did you do that, Dad?”

“I thought you would go after it.”

“Not only did you break the fourth wall, but you also overestimated my desire to play with something named Hello Kitty.”

“Are we going out to play today, Twiggy?”

“I’m not sure. It is mighty hot out there.”

“I was out there earlier, and it seemed okay.”

“Yeah, that was before the gates of hell opened.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“We are coming into the summer, which is laughingly called ‘Hell’s back porch.'”

“Oh, I get it. A metaphor for high temperatures.”

“Since when have you become so literal?”

“I don’t know. I guess it comes with age.”

“That’s pretty funny. Leaves one minute and philosophical musings the next.”

“Go ahead, make fun. I just think I’m getting older, is all.”

“No offense. It just seems strange hearing you say that.”

“I’ll never be as old as you, but I am maturing. Squinch over, will ya?”

“Okay, I’ll admit you are getting older. How does it feel?”

“Geez, you ought to know. You have me by half a century.”

“I know how it feels with me. I was wondering about you.”

“It is hard to say. I guess it feels good to understand things more.”

“Like what?”

“Well, like knowing it is too darn hot to go out and play.”

“That is good understanding. How about a game of tug -o- war?”

“That would be fun. Let’s use Chicken Licken.”

“Sounds good.”

“I’m tired of playing with Chicken Licken,’ Twiggy.”

“Don’t see why it’s only been an hour.”

“I suspect a little dark sarcasm in the classroom.”

“Maybe just a little. Come on down and get another toy.”

“I’m going to do Hot Dog. What about you?”

“I have a hold of Coco/DoughDough.”

You going to play with that, or do you want to try and take Hot Dog away?”

“Since the day is young, I’m going to stay with Coco/DoughDough.”

“Okay then. You don’t know what you are missing.”

“Oh, I think I do. Several minutes of running around followed by lying flat on the floor to get cool.”

“It’s not my fault you can’t catch me. Panthers are very quick.”

“So are pumas, but this one has a few years on ya.”

“Ha ha ha. Great excuse…….Oh no. There goes Hot Dog into the river.”

“You should never talk with your mouth full.”

‘What should I do?

“For heaven’s sake. Just go down the stairs and get it.”

“It’s an emergency. I have to dive for it.”

“Nooo. Don’t jump. Mom will kill you.”

“Ah, saved Hot Dog from a watery grave.”

“Who’s going to save you from the same fate?”

“It was one of those ask for forgiveness and not permission moments.”

“I don’t think Mom saw you, so I think you got away with it.”

“So all’s well that ends well.”

“This time. You’d better stop that couch jumping, or you’ll end up in the ER.”

“Yes, Boss.”

“Tempeste, why aren’t you testing the fence?”

“For one, this tasty leaf needs to be finished.”

“Is there a for two?”

“Well, from here it looks mighty wicked.”

“What do you mean, ‘wicked?'”

“It might be electrified.”

“Dad would never do that.”

“He would get pretty excited when I busted through the old one.”

“Yeah, but this looks like it is made pretty well.”

“It does look substantial. I don’t see any wires.”

“For heaven’s sake. It won’t be wired.”

“But it is all creepy and black. You can hardly see it.”

“Go ahead and touch your nose to it.”

“If I get shocked, I’m going to be really mad at you.”

“Well, you satisfied it’s not electrified?”

Sure am. Now I have to figure a way out of here.”

“I can’t believe you. You have everything you want. The fence is because you eat every leaf you can find. Why not stop the leaf habit, and I’ll bet the fence would disappear.”

“Twiggy. If I could stop the leaf habit, I would. You are right about having everything right here. It’s just there are so many leaves outside this fence.”

“How about forgetting about the leaves and just enjoying the day. A few will blow in that you can pounce on.”

“So true, sister. Alright, I’ll forget about the great escape. Why are you smelling that chair?”

“Great. I’m smelling this chair cause someone used some kind of cleaner on it.”

“That sounds like normal behavior. And you get on me about leaves.”

“Tempeste, what are you doing?”

“There is something in the cross-vine.”

“Don’t be silly. The only things in those vines are lizards and birds.”

“I think there’s some kind of creepy crawly up there.”

“You’d better get off that rickety fence.”

“Lizards could be classified as creepy crawly.”

“Hold on. I’m coming.”

“I think we could make a break from here.”

“You and your breaks. I hope you know Dad is putting a new fence in.”

“That’s why we ought to make a break while we can.”

“I think you’d better cool your jets, little one.”

“Okay, I get it. There is still something in these vines though.”

“There may have been a bird rustling, or as I said, a lizard. They live in there.”

“Live in there? Do they pay rent?”

“Don’t be silly. That would be like you and me having to pay rent.”

“I don’t know. We provide a lot of entertainment for free. Maybe that’s rent.”

“Do you have to sleep outside and catch your own food?”

“Okay, I get it. The birds and lizards live free like we do.”