The first time we visited Milwaukee last summer, we made it a point to stop by the Bronze Fonz statue. Happy Days was a favorite sitcom growing up, as I’m sure it was for a lot of folks.
Milwaukee was also the setting for the Happy Days spinoff, Laverne & Shirley–another childhood fave. We’ve actually been binging Laverne & Shirley since moving into the house. It had been a long time since either of us had seen it. Verdict: still funny AF. I had forgotten how much physical comedy Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams performed.
Segue time.
(I promise the dots connect.)
The day we put Sydney down was one of the hardest of our lives. Extra bittersweet because our new house is like cat nirvana, full of windows and perches with great views of the backyard. She would have loved watching the constant parade of birds, squirrels, deer, and chipmunks. Our excitement and enthusiasm over buying a beautiful new house were certainly tempered by the fact that our beloved cat would never set foot in the place. It’s strange how life can feel both wonderful and cruel at the same time.
Our plan once Sydney was gone was to eventually have cats again. Plural, because it’s nice for them to have companionship when their humans are gone, and we have never been homebodies. We tried once with Sydney but that did not end well. As much as she loved people, she was not a fan of other cats. I guess she was just territorial that way. We decided when the time was right, we would adopt two.
Friday, the time was right. The house has felt empty without the pitter-patter of furry little feet. We’d actually started looking at shelter cats a week earlier, once all the flooring was installed. Our goal was to find a bonded pair of females, preferably young adults. We found a promising pair that were being fostered through the Madison Cat Project and drove out to meet them last Saturday. Even though we spent an hour visiting with the foster mom, we never actually saw the cats other than a fleeting glimpse as they made a beeline for the bottom of the sofa and inside the bathtub the second we walked through the door. Neither had been socialized and they were extremely shy and skittish; no amount of coaxing, even with squeeze treats, convinced them to come out and let us pet them.
They could have ended up being wonderful pets someday. Tara was willing to give it a try. But I didn’t want to settle for the first cats we found, so we decided to pass. I’ve had shy cats before, and while they always eventually warmed up, they were never overly outgoing. Sydney, by contrast, was the most loving and friendly cat ever. We knew no other cat would ever compare, but maybe if we were lucky we’d come close.
The Madison Cat Project had another bonded pair of female cats named Tiger and Lily, whom they assured me were much friendlier and outgoing, so we drove to the shelter Friday morning to see them.
And instantly fell in love.
Within an hour, they were cuddled up together in a carrier in the backseat of my car, heading home with us. While their original names were okay, we had others in mind. Here’s where it all ties together.
Meet Laverne and Shirley.
We had to. What better ode to Wisconsin than naming your cats after two of the state’s most iconic fictional residents?
Laverne is a three-year-old muted calico, which means she has gray markings instead of black. And Shirley is a 1 1/2 year-old torbie–essentially a tortoiseshell with tabby stripes. The shelter thinks they might be mother and daughter but can’t say for sure. They definitely have similar eyes and noses and are both on the petite side. Either way, they are both totally sweet and affectionate, and were already comfortable sitting on our laps that first evening.
Going from a 16 y/o mostly deaf cat who slept 22 hours a day to two young gals with boundless energy has been an adjustment (but a good one). They are energetic and love to play, constantly racing around the house (their nails clack-clack-clacking along the wood floor) and getting into mischief. I had forgotten just how much fun cats could be. Once upon a time Sydney was like that, but her laser pointer-chasing days were long behind her. At least she was very well-behaved and never climbed onto counters or got into trouble. Laverne and Shirley? Not so much.
We’re trying to dissuade them from jumping onto furniture like that. Especially the ledge at the top of the stairs; every time Shirley hops up there I nearly have a coronary, ’cause it’s a long way down. But there’s not a lot we can really do. As Tara said, “Cats are gonna cat.”
The decision to get a bonded pair? Best idea ever.
So, it’s been a fun couple of days getting to know and enjoy our new family members. I’d say we picked a pretty sweet pair.
Also fun? Our trip to the Ishnala Supper Club in Lake Delton Friday afternoon. I ended up taking the whole day off, and after getting Laverne and Shirley settled, we left home for the 1.5-hour drive north to the Wisconsin Dells. We arrived right when they opened at 3:30 and immediately headed for the bar, where we enjoyed a couple of cocktails sitting out on the deck overlooking the lake. The weather was perfect, and we struck up a conversation with a nice older couple who gave us tips on things to see and do around the area.
They buzzed us for our table at 4:15. If that seems extremely early, keep in mind that Ishnala is celebrating their 70th anniversary this year and is consistently ranked as the best supper club in Wisconsin. Because they are extremely popular and don’t take reservations, we were advised to get there early. It all worked out great; we opted for a light snack instead of lunch, and were good and hungry by the time our food arrived. Good thing, too. Between the cheese curds; wedge salad; bread; oven roasted duck with sage dressing, orange cognac sauce, and brandy cherry sauce (me) and filet & jumbo fried shrimp (Tara), we were beyond full by the time we walked out.
Every last bite of food was incredible. Afterward, we were able to walk off our dinner with a three-mile hike through the woods surrounding the property. It’s a gorgeous setting, and the place totally lives up to the hype. I can see going back once a year or so.
You know what? This may not have been the birthday weekend we’d originally planned, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it.
Mark My Words 
Leave a reply to Bijoux Cancel reply