I was laughing out loud this morning reading about you and Rudy.  We have two cats, a sister and brother, named Lilo and Stitch.  If my son, who is nine is not in bed by 9 pm, Stitch starts lurking around him, giving him the "look".  And if I am not in bed by about 10 pm, Lilo not only gives me the "look" but also started meowing at me!  Things get a little crazy if my son is at a sleepover, as Stitch doesn't know what to do (eventually he ends up with me!)

Have a great day and it's great reading with you! – Kristen K.

This is one of your best columns, Suzanne... thank you. I've never found a real rapport with cats in general and yet, whenever I go see a friend who has a cat, the animal immediately jumps on my lap and we bond.. isn't that strange??  Keep up the good work, I love reading you.  —Regine

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I guess you can't teach an old cat new routines, either.

My 15-year-old cat is set in her ways just like Rudy is. Whenever her routine gets disturbed, she lets me know it. Past bedtime and I'm still sitting in the living room? She stares. My husband may have already gone back, but she sits and waits for me, only going into the hall when I do. She won't even go in my bedroom while I'm checking on the boys. She sits outside my door and waits for me to go in.

As soon as my husband gets home from work each day, she meets him at the door with a "meow", then promptly heads for the couch, waiting for him to sit down. She fusses until he does, and if he doesn't, she sulks.

Her worst disruptions come when we go away for a few days. She always seems to know when we're going to be gone for more than a few hours and starts sulking before we leave. And I know that when we get back, we'll be able to hear her fussing before we even open the door. She paces until we get everything unloaded from the van, then she's constantly underfoot while we're trying to unpack and put things away. It's only when we finally sit down that she's satisfied. She finds her place either in a lap or beside one of us and happily starts sucking on her foot, something she's done since we got her as a kitten. (Something we've never been able to break her of...)

It does make me wonder, though, if it's just something with older cats. I don't recall her being so strict about routines when she was a few years old. Maybe when she was a playful little kitten, things didn't matter so much. What do you think? —Ashley T.

I loved today's column - well, I love every day's column, reading them is one of the first things I do every morning when I get to work.  Sit down, log in, sip my coffee, sample a book.  But today's really resonated with me.  I find myself doing that all the time - expecting someone (mostly my husband) to know what I want without me having to say it. I think it's a particularly female problem - "if he loved me, he would do x so that I would know it.", "If he doesn't realize that I want such and such thing, then obviously he doesn't understand me", etc. etc.  But you're so 100% right - or, rather, Rudy is so 100% right! - having to say what I want doesn't mean I'm not loved, doesn't lessen the impact if I am given what I want.  I'm always telling my husband that I can't read his mind, and I guess I have to realize that (woah!) he can't read mine either!  Funny how I say it all the time to him and yet expect him to be able to do the same thing for me...  So, thanks for the insight, thanks for the books, and thanks for your column.  Happy New Year! —Melanie

I was trying to figure out how long I have been a member of the book club.  I remember looking forward to your emails when I had a position in which I traveled and I haven't worked there for 6 years already.  I'm guessing I've been a member for 8 or 9 years.  How long have you been doing the book club? —Jody

(Suzanne replies: Since June of 1999.)
 
I love to be silly!  I work at a Wastewater Treatment Plant - a very serious place!! We have a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator who plays practical jokes on people frequently….  So turn around is fair play!! On the 3rd of January (he was off work on the 2nd), I snuck around the corner of his office door and popped a Champagne Party Popper (with a loud pop and streamers!!).  I think that he jumped about 2 feet!!  I loved it!! When you’re being silly, your heart lifts, you get a little twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face! Life is way too short to be serious 100% of the time. Thanks for reminding others that there is nothing wrong with being silly! Your very silly friend —Joanne

I have a 3 year old daughter that I realized a few weeks ago I have been too busy parenting.  I was so caught up in making sure she learned everything that a young lady should learn — that she didn't chew with her mouth open, she remembered to pick up her room and straighten her bed each morning, she said her prayers before eating and bedtime, she bathed and combed her hair and brushed her teeth, and ... UGH — that I had forgotten that she was 3. I was so busy being mom that I wasn't caring for the little girl.

The day it dawned on me, I decided to do something about it. That afternoon we sat down for a tea party, had a sleep over and ate popcorn and drank pop, took a bubble bath together and played with the toys she keeps in the tub, watched silly cartoon movies, and she "did" my hair and makeup.  Not only did that one girls night give me a new look on life, it also strengthened our relationship and she has been behaving better ever since — she doesn't see me as only a disciplinarian now.  It's amazing what a little playtime can do for you AND your family!
 
Thank you for sharing your story about socks .... my wheels are turning! —Jamey

I just have to tell you that in my house, paper chains are very serous stuff. I start making them in mid August. Bags full of them.  I have a six foot section of wall in the dining-room where they are hung, snaked all over the place.  One “chain” for each day of each month from September 3rd, or 4th until Christmas Eve. Now just after supper each night the youngest child in the house gets to take a pair of scissors, the grown-up kind, and cut a chain. This happens also every day until Christmas Eve.

Children have a hard time realizing time as in three months ~ but they can realize the length of a chain. In this house they know that when the chain is gone ~ It’s Christmastime!!!  Only one more sleep to go. I can’t tell you how many children have learned how to count on my dining-room wall.   The problem in my house is that we have “run-out” of children!   My grandchildren are aged 12 to 30, so we are baby bereft!   Because of the ages and the fact that none are married, I guess that we will have to wait a few years until any of them get married.

This is a lovely game for the children to play and it can count down almost anything. Have fun with it!  Your Canadian reader, —Lily

I entered the drawing for a set of paper chains.  I always look forward to your daily comments for readers and never know what to expect.  I, being an only child in growing up never discovered the 'inner child' in me.  I am a grandmother now and I realized that I have never done anything really silly or unexpected.  I think in this New Year I may try doing some really silly things such as hanging a paper chain set up on my dining room chandelier.  I can see the surprise on my friend's faces now.  I enjoy your daily column and reading with you.  Keep up the good work and having fun.  Baby Paul is darling. —Betty

I loved your fun story about the socks on the desk.  I wish you had shown us a picture!

It reminded me of a time a few years back when I was working in a hospital. There were three of us in the office and we just had to keep our sanity, so when one of us got up to go to the restroom or run an errand down the hall, the other two of us would quickly toilet paper her entire desk and chair. We never knew when the higher ups would walk in, so we had to take it all down as quickly as we had put it up.  The whole escapade usually took about 5 to 7 minutes.  Luckily, we never got caught.  We also used to write each other riddles.  I had invented an imaginary duck named "Quackers" and if one of my colleagues sat down, I would shriek that they had sat on Quackers.  We were nuts, but the office was hectic and we had to do something crazy to keep our sanity (that sounds strange) but we always got all of our work done. I'm so glad to meet another "fellow nut!" —Dorie

Sometimes I wish we lived in the same town.  We couldn't be much farther apart physically, as I live in Washington State and you are in Florida.  At least we couldn't be farther apart in the continental United States.  I do realize that your column travels the globe and you have readers everywhere. Your e-mails make it feel like you are just around the corner, close enough to visit.

I've been busy taking care of my two grandsons.  I love the bonding time. For right now I have one of them for 10 hours a week and the other one for 50 hours a week.  They will both be three years old soon. (February and April).  I am tired, but am loving the time with them.  I did the care giving for my parents before they died and for my father-in-law before his dementia required him to be in a nursing home.  This care giving for my two grandsons feels like a real treat! 

There are so many of your columns that I've read that I want to respond to, but just don't seem to have the time right now.  I've had to give up a bit of gardening and quilt making as well, to juggle all the time I spend with my grandsons.  Soon they will be old enough that they can help grandma with gardening, so I'm not complaining.  It is the middle of the night and my mind is wandering...

Keep writing Suzanne and keeping being silly and honest.  You reach out and touch me.  It is great to read with friends. —Nancy

I am sure you will receive tons of mails about how to break the daily routine...
 
Years ago I needed some copies for an evening class and couldn't wait until my husband got home from the gym, as it would have been too late.  So I drove to the gyms parking spot and with the second key took the copies he had made for me at work out of his car. And then I had this idea!  Put my car (Volkswagen Golf) in place of his (BMW).  So that he didn't think his car had been stolen, I maneuvered so that my car was exactly in the same position and direction as his had been and I drove home. Since he had a key for my car on his ring I expected him to be shortly puzzled, then recognize my license plate and come home.
 
Around 10 pm he called and asked whether I had put my car there and then asked why. I told him and he shared the information with the gym owner (who was totally nervous that a customer's car had been stolen on his property) and the two policemen who had been called. They had thought of checking the owner thanks to the plate number....
 
I was lucky they took it with humor and all had a good laugh. Since then I think twice before playing a little prank on my husband: an Austrian (he) don't seem to think as a French (me) does.
 
By the way, half an hour before the class started five of my seven students called to cancel and since the roads were icy, the other two were happy that I called the class off for that night. I wouldn't have needed the copies after all!
 
 Hope you get many fun stories! They might inspire other readers.
 
Have a nice day in sunny Florida. —Anne-F. (Germany)

Your column today inspired me to make a New Year's resolution - Remember to play. I tend to be very task-oriented and sometimes get frustrated when my family and co-workers aren't the same.  Yet I cherish the people who can break the tension by doing or saying something random and funny.  I remember a workshop by an educator who keeps a basket of toys in her office, and gives out pipe cleaners with her PowerPoint notes at seminars.  There are a couple containers of wedding-reception bubbles on my computer shelf, and some coloring books and pony beads in the basement that I couldn't quite toss when my sons became teenagers.  I think I need a play-date with myself this week! —Marie

I read your latest column and just had to write!  My husband and I have not watched the news in years!  It's just too depressing.  A friend is always telling me that I like to live in a "bubble".  Well, it's my happy little bubble!!! Have a great day! —Lisa

You would be proud of me. Last night my girlfriend and I got invited to be part of the Graniac dance team of which you have to be 50 plus. You perform at the Dallas Maverick games. You come out in an old granny dress and the stripping music starts and you pull off the velcro dress and have skimpy silver shorts on ( of course with hose that covers leg imperfection and cellulite) and do a hip hop dance in front of 20,000 people. How is that for silliness?? We might have to have a margarita first, ha. Have a fun day as I am looking for high heel tap shoes for my other dance group I am joining. Two is one day, crazy isn't it. —Leesha

Your column today inspired me to make a New Year's resolution - Remember to play. I tend to be very task-oriented and sometimes get frustrated when my family and co-workers aren't the same.  Yet I cherish the people who can break the tension by doing or saying something random and funny.  I remember a workshop by an educator who keeps a basket of toys in her office, and gives out pipe cleaners with her PowerPoint notes at seminars.  There are a couple containers of wedding-reception bubbles on my computer shelf, and some coloring books and pony beads in the basement that I couldn't quite toss when my sons became teenagers.  I think I need a play-date with myself this week! —Marie