The first time we visited Pigeon Forge back in the late ’80s, there was a small carnival style amusement park against a hill on one side of the road and tons of tourist shops on both sides. Dollywood was fairly new and many motels were still Mom and Pop establishments as were most of the restaurants. There were a couple of outlet malls, but there was no Titanic attraction, no Wonderworks, or Dixie Stampede, Splash Country or Hollywood Wax Museum, etc.

I have always been a person who not only celebrates, but also decorates lavishly for Christmas. As I have gotten older, I decorate sooner. I mean, why go to all that trouble to put up something that has to be taken down in a week or two? So Christmas decorations go up at our house almost as early as they do in the stores. Some time not long after Halloween. On the other hand, the tree usually goes up on Thanksgiving, usually during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. (It comes down during the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day.)

There are those who will say that dogs and cats are always natural enemies. That may have been true hundreds of years ago when canines and felines were competing for the same prey, but I contend the relationship today is much more complex. I give, as example, the friendship of Boots and Butch.

Boots was an orange Tabby kitten, with huge white polydactyl paws. He was a neighborhood stray, being cared for temporarily by friends who suddenly had to move. As the last box of dishes was being loaded in the rental truck, my friend asked, "What are we going to do with Mittens?"

My daughter, Danielle, had an amazing affinity with animals when she was younger. Her childhood was filled with all kinds of different pets. I will not forget the time I came home from work one day when she was in junior high in Athens. There she was on the front porch loving on a huge orange and white Tom cat. I think the cat was doing just as much loving back. Her first comment? “Look what followed me home!” Her second comment? “Can we keep him?”

What is it about cats that so fascinates humankind? Those who love them extol their fiercely independent natures, their lithe and beautiful lines, intelligence, and adaptability. They show endlessly cute pictures of kittens and cats playing, purring, cuddling, and meowing. On the other hand, I have seen Facebook posts where cat haters talk about how stealthy, unintelligent, nasty, and evil they are. Those people describe some of the things they would do if a cat was ever unlucky enough to sneak in their houses. That kind of polarity has been around for eons.