Spring Birthdays

Happy
Birthday,
TJ!

....and
Helen!

What a
surprise
17 years ago...

...when he
decided
to be born...

...on my
birthday!

March 31
is a
wonderful
time to
celebrate!

And
our theme
this year
is spring!

KC
decorates...


Wait!

What's
this?!

Thank you, KC!

Recycled
newspaper
decorations!

TJ
hasn't
read the
comics yet.

Kitty
wants
to help.

Nicky
joins us
from
IUPUI.

Too bad
Al is in
California...



...studying.

And look
at the
presents!

I love
the
newspaper
wrapping!

But KC
won't give up
her
fancy
bows.

TJ
gets
a gift
of
ice cream...

I get
gifts
of
time....

...and
raspberries!

photo by examiner.com

...and

yarrow...

...for
when
the world
runs out
of oil.

Even KC
gets
a present
today!

Stubby
is
non-plussed...

...while
Dusty
gets all
the
attention.

Bring
in the
birthday
cake!



















Al
Skypes in
to help
blow out
the candles.

Now
let's go
plant
raspberries!

Right here
near
the fence!

KC!

Aren't you
going to
wear shoes?

Oh!

That hurts
just to
watch!

Set it
in the
hole...

Give it
clean water...

Feed it
fresh air...

Treat it
with
care...

Good job,
KC!

She
is
exhausted!

And
where is Tom
while we're
doing
all this work?

....doing
manly
stuff!

- Women plant,
he says
in his
fake
gruff
voice...

- Men
cut
down!

Besides,
the evil
honeysuckle
is leafing out
early....

...and he
needs
to protect
the delicate
bloodroot....

...from
honeysuckle's
dastardly
shade!

Thank you,
Tom!

It's been
a
wonderful
birthday!

We love
having
our birthdays
in the spring!

But
now
it's
time....

...to
take
a nap!

KC is Home!

KC
is
home!

Having escaped
the riots
in Cairo!

We pick
her up
at the airport...

...where she
shows us
her
souvenir.

(Tom thinks
it's just paint)

We rush her home

to see
her kitty!

....and our snow!

Excited to be home
she shows us
other souvenirs
of her days
in Egypt.

But she's already
counting the days
until she can return....

...to Cairo.

In the meantime
Al is talking
about NOLS

...mountaineering
in Patagonia
next year?

And Nicky
may want
to do
photo-journalism...

...in Australia?

But for now

in Indiana

Dusty
wants out...

- I'm warning you,
Kitty,
it's cold
outside!

He stays
next to the house
where the snow
has melted.

Look
who else
wants to
explore!

Stubby,
you're too old.

You never want
to go out.

And, besides,
look at that
silly tail!

And our
backyard
is
a sheet of ice!

Mean ol' Tom
takes Dusty out
to try
the frozen turf.

To our surprise...

- Hey, I like this!

Even more
surprising...

Stubby
wants to
follow!

Silly Stubby!

You could slip
and fall!

You could
hurt
yourself!

But,

stub held high

he ventures forth
onto the ice!

- Pretty
slick stuff,
eh, Pancha?

Dusty
sits
still...

...while
the senior cat
checks things out.

Dusty
timidly
follows...

- Hey!

Wait for me!

Down
by the birdfeeder
is snow
riddled
with
interesting tracks.

Stubbs
even
ventures
down to the pond
for exploration.

Back he goes
up into the
neighbor's yard...

...and he's trapped!

The gates are frozen shut!

And he can't fit
between these slats!

- Go get him!
KC cries!

- Why did you
let him out!

He could get lost!

He could get hurt!

- KC....

You would never let
your child go to Egypt...

...to Patagonia

...to the Down Under...

Kids need
to be free

to explore...

to take risks...

- Kids, yes! she says

But not my kitties!!!




.sigh.

OK, KC.

TJ slides out
to the rescue.

He leaps
the frozen
fence....

But before
TJ gets there...

Super Stubbs
leaps the fence....

...and trundles
on home.

Safe
back home,
Kitty
longs
for more
adventure...

Stubby
day dreams
of danger...

...and KC
plans
her next trip
to Cairo...