Happy Mothers Day, from the Peep

Today was Mother's Day and Peep had no idea what to do about it.  Well, obviously she couldn't do anything for her cat mommy, because she hadn't seen her since she was a tiny kitten, but what about the Mommy?  Shouldn't she do something for her?  She loved Peep and when she came home on weekends she made sure there were cat treats and sometimes fed Peep yummy things when she cooked.  Especially bacon.  Peep loved bacon. 

But what can a kitty do for a human?  They were still closed out of the Daddy's PayPal account, so she couldn't order flowers.  Mommy wouldn't appreciate a mouse, and in fact *hated* mice, dead or alive.  Peep's housekeeping skills were laughable, as she'd proved the first summer that the Mommy was away.  The only thing she could do well was to use her body as a duster, and Daddy had already swept the floors.

Peep decided to consult Rudy and LT.  Maybe they'd have some ideas.  Rudy was sunning herself in the yard, artfully arranged so that anyone coming in the driveway would see her.  "What's up Peep?  You look worried." 

"Well, Rudy, it's Mother's Day and I think we really should do something for the Mommy.  You know, show her how much we care about her."  Peep sat down in front of Rudy, figuring to share the sun with her. 

"Peep, you've been watching too many television commercials.  We're cats, not people.  Holidays were established to get people to buy things that neither the giver nor recipient need, like stupid greeting cards.  No one needs greeting cards.  If you want to tell someone something, you just do it in your own words, not with a stupid piece of paper that never says exactly what you are feeling anyway."  Having said that, Rudy gave a giant "Hummph" and turned around so that her back was to Peep.

Feeling chastised, Peep slunk off.  It wasn't true - holidays were times for people to spend time together, time they took away from work and chores and solitary activities.  Just because they cared.  Well, yeah, there were lots of companies that decided that they'd play on the humans' guilt about not being good enough to each other, or not showing they cared enough and sold stuff like cards and flowers and candy, but that wasn't why holidays existed, and there should be lots of things she could do to show the Mommy how much she loved her. 

Lets see, thought Peep.  I could...snuggle down next to her when she's sleeping and purr nicely to help her sleep better.  I could also not wake her up early tomorrow morning, no matter how hungry I am.  I could just be around her whenever she's sitting around today, jump in her lap and give her kisses and purr a lot.  Well, those were nice, but they just didn't say, "I love you the best, Mommy."  Maybe that was why humans bought presents for each other.  They didn't think that just being nice was enough. 

Peep wandered around the house and yard, thinking hard to herself.  LT was nowhere in sight, so she couldn't ask him.  As she walked by a dandelion going to seed, Peep sneezed.  Darn flowers, she thought.  Pretty, but the seeds give me allergies.  She sat down and rubbed her nose with a front paw and looked at the dandelion seeds she'd disturbed with her sneezes.  Maybe dandelions are weeds, Peep thought, but they're still pretty, and there are lots of other wildflowers growing around the yard. 

Over the next half hour or so, Peep criss-crossed the yard examining and eventually picking flowers.  She knew they'd wilt fairly quickly unless they were put in water, so she planned her strategy carefully.  The Mommy was home, and had just woken up, so if she gathered the flowers now and brought them inside, the Mommy would see them and know that Peep loved her.  Especially since Peep intended to sit by the flowers and sing once she'd gathered them.  Singing always got the attention of the humans, even if they didn't understand the words as she sung them.

Dandelion, check.  Violets, check.  Stitchwort, check.  Cinquefoil, check.  Wild strawberry flower, check.  Gill-over-the-ground, check.  Okay, thought Peep, that's a good collection.  Now to move them into the house.  She picked up the first in her mouth and approached the cat door.  How to get it in without smooshing the flower...ah, got it.  She put the flower down right outside the flap, pushed it partway open with her head, grabbed the flower and slowly opened the flap with the top of her head, keeping the flower low.  This is going to take forever, thought Peep.

Well, maybe not forever, but it did take her about five minutes to bring each flower inside and arrange them artistically on the coffee table.  Daddy was sitting at the kitchen table and watched her go back and forth with the flowers.  He poked his head around the door as she sat arranging them, quickly pulling back as Peep turned towards him. 

Jay tiptoed into the bedroom, where Mary Rose was getting dressed.  "Don't look yet, but I think the Peep is preparing a Mothers Day surprise for you." 

Mary Rose poked her head out of the neckhole of her shirt.  "What?  Please, tell me it's not another mouse!" 

From the living room Peep began to sing -

"M - is for the many things she gave me,
 O - means only that she's growing old.
 T - is for the tears she shed to save me,
 H - is for her heart of purest gold.
 E - is for her eyes with love light shining,
 R - means right and right she'll always be."

Of course, Mary Rose and Jay only heard what Rudy characterized as Peep's caterwauling.  Jay said, "I think she wants you to come see her surprise, and no, it's not a mouse." 

Mary Rose walked into the living room and saw Peep next to a small pile of flowering weeds.  Some had broken stems, where Peep had held them in her mouth.  A few were starting to close already, even though they were picked only a few minutes ago.  But all Mary Rose saw was the Peep and the lovely flowers that she'd picked, and she knew that she was loved.