Fernando - Je t'aime!

It's my husband's 40th birthday today.

As a teen it was really important to me to be different, weird. I didn't like to conform to my peers. So I picked the least conforming guy I knew. He used to sell chocolate bars for school by playing his saxophone door to door. The first conversations we had, when we met at 16 years, were about fiber optics, and good names for cows. I had an instant crush.

I get bored easily, so naturally I picked out the most interesting guy I knew, to marry. He can talk about anything from knitting to xylophones to Chinese history.

I grew up with cats and said that the man I married must love cats, be willing to let me play my music out loud, and ... there was a 3rd thing I can no longer remember. I just know he filled my three requirements. One of my best friends from childhood 'til age 20 was my cat Ernie. And Fernando claims his family's cat Fluffy stood in for their absent father. Our cats have been one of the biggest bonds between us.

He also turned out to be kind. We met at a church that, at that time, had about 400 people; and Fernando introduced me to the most interesting ones the people often more on the peripheries of church activity.

It took me about 5 years but I finally managed to land the boy. Reader--I married him. And love him as much as I did when we married 15 years ago.

(Did I mention he's handsome? And cute. Cutandsome. Handscute.)

[cat photos below]

Us at 16, at some church event...

And now!

With one of our first cats, the departed Lord Tigernan (Nombly).

He and Fernando were soul mates.

No one understood Fernando like Nombly did.

But still lots of loves for our other first-cat, Lord Sherringham. Also RIP.

 Cat #3 Lady Haley

Her famous schnoogle position (sitting up up on the chest)

I um sort of forced her on him, but he now says she's the

best gift I ever gave him.

Evil Minion. Sucking on Fernando's ear.

She doesn't have a title, other than Evil.

Nothing gentle-catly about her.

In his favorite disguise (and facebook photo).

I'd like to keep him, if that's alright.