Typing With Wet Paws: Domestic Tornado Update Edition

July 30, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers. I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. If you’ve been following us here for a while, you probably noticed we haven’t been posting lately. Mama Anna is pretty busy at the moment, so she gave me the go ahead to talk about it. First of all, meet Jennifer:

Jennifer is currently chilling with Aunt Linda at the people vet, because that’s where Aunt Linda is going to be for a little while. Cats are not allowed in hospitals (rude) but plush ones are, so Jennifer is watching Aunt Linda and reporting back to me. If you’re wondering why her name is Jennifer, it’s because Mama Anna had a dream where I had kittens. One was a mini me calico girl. Mama Anna was super surprised that I had kittens, but I told her it was okay; we only had to keep Jennifer. Why Jennifer? I liked the name. So, this is Jennifer.

Mama Anna is kind of frazzled right now, because there are things to handle at the people vet and at home. Some of that involves getting things we have too much of to people who don’t have enough/any, which is kind of hard to do since Mama Anna does not drive (apparently visually impaired people should not be operating motor vehicles. Go figure.) So, she’s still here, and actually still writing, but there is a LOT going on and she is learning new things and missing Papa, and it’s kind of a lot.

We are safe and housed, and fed, so nobody worry about that. Some of our friends from the old country have already been over to help, which Mama Anna and I greatly appreciate. Aunt Mary and Uncle Brian (with Skye puppy!) were here on Sunday. Aunt Melva was here yesterday, and they talked writing stuff in between all of the practical things they did. There is a lot more room in Aunt Linda’s room, and that means I get to explore new things in the same familiar place. That’s kind of the cat dream, actually, so I am not complaining, but I will be happy when Aunt Linda comes home. The people vet is taking good care of her. Jennifer will be reporting in on a regular basis until she and Aunt Linda are home.

In the meantime, Mama Anna will be more present on social media as she can. DMs, comments and emails are always welcome. Local people, she wouldn’t hate a visit (nor would Aunt Linda) or help with local errands. Aunt Linda comes from a long line of tough old birds, so we figure this will get sorted and she’ll be back home when the people vet says okay. Mama Anna is shy about asking for help, but calico cats are not known for shyness.

We are also coming up on August. Papa’s birthday is on the fifteenth, which will be the first birthday of his since he went to Rainbow Bridge, and then the day after, the sixteenth, is eight months since he went. We will probably be in a blanket fort that weekend, which is okay. Life be like that sometime. I am reminding Mama Anna that sleep is important self care.

Okay, that’s everything that was in my notes, so I am going to go keep an eye on Mama Anna and guard the house when she visits Aunt Linda. So far, I have kept 100% of threats away, so that’s pretty good. How’s July been treating you?

illustrated image of a redheaded woman writing in a journal as her calico cat observes. — Headbonx! — *Storm*

Typing With Wet Paws: Sunday Snoozy Edition

June 8, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws It’s June, which means summer, which is not Mama Anna’s favorite season, but she is glad it’s here because the next season is fall, which is her favorite. This is also the month where we observe the six-month half-anniversary of Papa going to Rainbow Bridge. I miss him, and I am doing my best to make sure Mama Anna is okay.

Writing is going pretty well over here, which makes me feel confident we are on the right track. Part of that, apparently, is me doing my weekly blogging duty. Since Mama Anna lets me have free rein of her office chair, next to Koolio, when she is not using it, I figure I can manage that. She is also my treat dealer. I know where the treats are, but they are high and in a drawer and I don’t have thumbs. I do have dewclaws, but they are not the same thing.

Anyway, the point of this post is that Mama Anna wants to update the graphics on this site, and one of those things is my signature photo. Big Sister Skye had a picture of her walking away, with her big floofy tail. I like sleepy pictures (I am great at napping.) Also, I am a sleek girl, so if I have a picture of me walking away, you would see the :ahem: Eye of the Storm as we call it. Which picture do you like? For those wondering, I did wake up and eat the treats that were right next to my head a few seconds after she took the picture.

In computer news, Mama Anna’s laptop caught a virus (she’ll be taking care of that ASAP) and her desktop is chugging along. The word she uses for it is “elderly.” This means that she is going to have to figure out how to turn Papa’s newest laptop into her newest laptop. That would have been easier if he had written down his password anywhere. Looks like Mama Anna is going to be on a first name basis with the computer guys at the computer store.

That’s about it for this week. What’s going on in your world?

Typing With Wet Paws: Mama Anna and the Piles of Doom Edition

May 16, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. Today makes five months since Papa went to Rainbow Bridge. We miss him, and we are finding our way. Some days are easier than others. I think this one is going to be okay.

That cake is from an outing earlier this week, one on which Mama Anna did not take me. Still salty about that. I love car rides. Something about cats not being allowed in diners, which I think is stupid. They probably have a decent seafood section on the menu, and I bet I could fit in a high chair. Anyway, sometimes there is cake. I don’t know if there will be cake today, but Mama Anna and Aunt Linda will be going to the groomer, so maybe.

Anyway, about the piles of doom. I am not allowed to post pictures of those. Mama Anna is not fond of them, and is working on sorting them all out into some semblance of order. She says physical clutter is mental clutter, and I don’t think she is too far off on that one. Suffice it to say that I get to investigate everything, and inspect anything going in or out of the house.

Here is a picture of me in my supervisory position, said position being on Mama Anna’s shoulder. Here, we are watching something on the small glowy box together. I love our girls’ movie nights. Mama Anna is learning to pace herself on this sort of thing. Right now, we are watching the new Night Court. After that, it will be Lord of the Flies. Our viewing habits have range. As far as I can tell, neither have any calico cats in them. In the latter, that is probably a good thing. I will count that as a win.

Anyway, back to the piles of doom. Those are what happen when life gets…lifey. Mama Anna figures that this is the week we bring Koolio out of retirement. That gives Mama Anna some extra comfort while going through said piles. Even more if she can listen to an audiobook while she does so. She likes that there are other things going on besides de-piling. Somehow, that makes it more palatable. Also, if I help by supervising from a distance, odds are high I will get treats. I send her love beams while she does her stuff, and remind her that this is all a reasonable reaction to a very unusual situation. Either she feels bad about the piles being there, or she feels good about having vanquished another one. All the while, she has story stuff going on in her head. Especially when she takes care of her notebooks and pens and stuff like that. I also take care of her pens, though that is usually by batting them around the floor, usually in the middle of the night. Sometimes I mix it up with parkour.

Here is a spread from one of Mama Anna’s journals. The bathtub picture is a postcard from a local art store and then the other pictures are from the stationery box that comes every month. This month’s theme is birds and foliage. I strongly approve of that theme. Maybe they finally listened to cats’ input.

What’s going on in your world?

Typing With Wet Paws: Proof of Life Edition

April 23, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws.

Mama Anna says I have to apologize for the radio silence on this blog. I have been doing Very Important Cat Things, most of which include taking care of Mama Anna, now that it is just us girls. A lot of that involves sitting directly on Mama Anna because she is not that great at knowing when to rest, and I have magic healing purr powers. Also, the new bed is super, super comfortable, which should be very good for sleep. Well, it is for me. Mama Anna, well, she is still working on that.

Right before Easter, Aunt Mary and Uncle Brian were here, with my Cousin Skye, who is a dog. They did not come actually into the apartment, because the apartment is cozy, and Cousin Skye is a big dog. That is okay because they gave me a big bunch of cat toys, all of the catnip variety. When Mama Anna came home, I tried to climb into the gift bag, because that is where my toys were. I went straight for the ones shaped like fruit slices. Mama Anna is saving the others for after I have killed all the fruit slices. She calls Aunt Mary and Uncle Brian my nip dealers.

Koolio, our air conditioner, is not on yet, because the weather has been indecisive around here. That is what we get for living in New York. Right now, there are flannel sheets on the bed, but there are pink flowery cotton ones to go on next time we change the sheets. Aunt Linda’s window is open sometimes. I like to sit in it and watch the birds.

Speaking of watching, the other day, Mama Anna put on an awesome movie specifically for me. I think it is called Aquarium. There is a blue fishie, and he swims. There is a yellow fishie, and she swims. Then there is a white triangle fishie, and you will never guess what they do. They swim. There is a squiggly eel and some plants and rocks and stuff. It’s pretty great. I sat up straight and paid super super close attention. It kept me busy while Mama Anna had to do something else. I suspect she knew that would happen.

Normally, as a cat, I am not the biggest fan of change, but there are a few up sides to the changes that are going on over here. One, the new bed is pretty awesome. My big bed fits on it, and I get my own side. Sometimes, I climb on top of all of the pillows and watch Mama Anna sleep. Also, when she moves stuff, I find interesting things like toys, hair ties, and earbuds. Sometimes, I am the one who finds the fun stuff, and sometimes that happens during human sleep time. Sometimes that turns it into human awake time.

Anyway, I am very busy supervising, because Mama Anna is doing something called a “destash.” This means finding new homes for stationery stuff that she is not using but will be of great interest to other people. We are a smoke free house, but she does have to say that we are animal friendly. Some people who have pets and do destashes mention that their pets do not plan. Mama Anna cannot say that, because there is picture proof to the contrary.

That is pretty much it around here. Mama Anna did finish reading one library book and started another, which is progress. She can rub my belly while she reads, which works out really well for me.

How are you guys doing?

Four Months

April 16, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Today marks four months since Real Life Romance Hero passed. This is not going to be one of those upbeat posts, so I totally understand if you would prefer to catch the next one. This is an Anna post, not a Storm post, because she is a kitty, and I am feeling especially human today.

Grief is strange. One day, you’re dealing, then riding the ceiling fan of anxiety because tax times and you were not the one who did that, but then again, you were not the one who did a lot of things. The weight of partnership feels extra heavy when it isn’t there.

I am fine. Having a lot of thoughts, and this is where they want to go, so here they are. Today, Housemate and I got laundry down to the car before we hit a mutual NOPE and went to lunch and errands instead. Laundry can be tomorrow. Adulting things are depending on hearing stuff from professionals, but our apartment is nice and safe.

Throughout the day, I was keenly aware of what time it was, and what was happening at that time on that day, the one when RLRH died. There was a quiet voice in my head, in one of those compassionately impartial tv presenter tones: this is the time we went into the conference room. This is when the Catholic priest came for RLRH’s sacrament. This is when the non-denominational chaplain came to be there for me. This is when I told the team I wanted to touch him as long as possible, look at him as long as possible, because this would be the last time. Somebody kept pointing out the bereavement tray, which was bags of snacks, and all I could think of was “my husband is dying; why would I want potato chips?” I did hold his hand until the end, and I remember the gap between the actual death and the official time of death. We had the opportunity to stay in the room for up to four hours, but I wanted to be with him, not it (the body.)

When we walked home that night, it was dark. Today, at that time, it was light, and temperature was in the seventies, if not eighties. There was sweat. The contrast is/was big. RLRH loved spring. I am more of a fall/winter girl. Housemate and I have been discussing when to turn on Koolio, our air conditioner, now adorned with a handlebar moustache sticker. I had joked about putting googly eyes on Koolio, to which RLRH was opposed. I told him he’d said nothing about handlebar moustaches. I could put the googly eyes on now, but I don’t think I will.

So, where does this go from here? I don’t know. I wanted to write about this, and so, I did. Evening is here now, so time for a scented bath, a good book, and then kitty belly rubs. New day tomorrow, bringing laundry and writing. The day after that, improv class. Also getting back to social media. I am now on Tik Tok as anna_log_writes, and would love to connect.

How was your day?

Typing With Wet Paws: February Snowstorm Edition

February 24, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. We have had a big snowstorm here in New York (we live in a city, but not that city) which made it an especially good weekend to stay home. Normally, this would be Mama Anna’s time to blog, but she says I owe her, so I am taking this spot for now. That’s fine. I am at no loss for words.

Mama Anna has been taking care of business around here. Part of that was getting Papa’s phone ready for its next adventure. No surprise, most of the pictures were of me. Mama Anna also found a digital camera with a full memory card. She hasn’t looked at those images yet, but that’s probably mostly me as well. Right now, her plan is to get a new card and use the camera herself, probably also mostly for pictures of me. I do not blame her. They both have excellent taste in subjects for photography.

Watching Mama Anna work on stuff around here is super fun. The other day, she found some ribbons she had given Papa to choose from (for wearing something around his neck; he didn’t like chains) and that meant we got to PLAY. I smacked that ribbon. I chewed that ribbon. I showed it what-for and showed it what’s what. We are going to do that again.

Aunt Linda is doing some research on the kinds of people food she and Mama Anna might like to buy and make. They will also be donating the wrong kinds of cat food they got by mistake. One of the nice things about living in a city is that there are humans who make it possible for us to get things we don’t need to humans and kitties who do. I want to go on record that the wrong cat foods taste fine, but I am not a pate girl. Also, turkey is no bueno for my tumtum. Enough said on that.

Back when the humans lived in their first NY apartment, when Skye was the kitty, their downstairs neighbors were a troupe of steppers. That doesn’t just mean humans who walk. It means the humans perform rhythmic movements and sounds. It also means they had to practice a lot because they did that for monies and to compete with other humans who perform the same thing. By the time they moved, my human’s (okay, Skye’s then; I wasn’t born yet) had learned some of their routines.

I mention this because with Mama Anna working on her first standup set in a very long time, she is practicing it. At some point, I will probably be able to learn the whole thing. This is not a complaint, only an observation. We cats are great at recognizing patterns. I am keeping a very close eye on all the things she is doing, be it environment stuff, writing, journals, or anything else. I am also strongly interested in the food thing. Cat food has to be in there somewhere.

In Bed, Watching Waterloo Road With My Cat

February 17, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

My first Valentine’s Day as a widow sucked exactly as much as I expected it to, but I survived it. Mostly, that was by watching Waterloo Road in bed with Storm, on YouTube. There are, to the best of my knowledge, seventeen seasons of the show, with two more contracted. Think Degrassi, but in the North of England. Storm actually has started coming to get me and leading me to the laptop, where we watch, and looking first at the screen and then at me. This is her “my show is on” signal. I am to assume the cuddle position and best not think of getting up before a full episode has passed.

My plan for the day was to not leave the house, get food delivered, and be a puddle of energy, to use one of Real-Life Romance Hero’s favorite phrases. In that, the day was successful. Not going to lie, it was hard. When the whole day is about romantic love, and mine has passed, yeah, that’s not a fun time. Getting under the fuzzy blanket on top of the weighted blanket, curling up with a soft cat, and watching a British comprehensive school’s students and staff go through a wide assortment of life experiences. Safe to say I have found my newest comfort show.

Even with the real-life complications, I am still a romance author, with a new book out, at that. Which reminds me, if you’ve read and liked Drama King, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Speaking of Amazon, we are as of this writing #284 in fake dating (under “books”) — we have cracked the top 300. If that is not actually a thing, let me have this. I have had a sneak peek at Melva’s upcoming solo title cover (it is gorgeous) and we are working on the Chasing Prince Charming reissue, to have it out this spring. After that, A Heart Most Errant, which will be the first of my first ever planned historical series. Reviews can be as short as “I liked it,” or “good story” or “Clawed is an awesome cat and should be in every book.”

Writing and publishing is actually a super good thing to keep me occupied. I met with a writer friend in person on Monday, and made plans for virtual and in-person writing sprints in the near future. They invited me to an in-person group that does timed writings, and we discussed going together to a nearby drop-in improv night. I am very much looking forward to the next round of improv class.

Both friend and I had challenging years just past, and both want to socialize more and make writing a priority. This week, I am also trying something else I haven’t done in a long time. I did a little (very little) standup in college, and I loved it. Therapy Gal thinks I can definitely get a five-minute set from recent experiences, so I am now working on my first set in decades. Since I live in a city, there are open mic nights, so here is a new adventure.

Yesterday was the two-month mark exactly. I am glad I spent it chatting with friends, doing writer things. Storm is aware she owes blogs. She has been pretty busy sitting on me, fulfilling her purr-pose as a fuzzy tricolored nurse.

That’s about it for now. Tonight is trash night, and, since we are decluttering, we have a bunch. After I put the trash out, I will grab some leftovers and return, with Storm, to Waterloo Road, under the weighted blanket.

Typing With Wet Paws: Unauthorized Changes Edition

February 8, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Tails Up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. It is super cold here in NY today, so the humans are having a hibernation day. I am fine with that, because it means many cuddles, scritches and belly rubs. Aunt Linda made somebody hunt pizza and bring it to us (I, of course, had cat food) and Mama Anna suggested I might think about posting. Since she asked nicely, okay.

Okay, maybe I’m a little mad. Cats are notorious for not liking change, and there are changes going on around here. The bed, for one thing. For as long as we have been here, Papa slept closest to the door, Mama Anna on the other part of the bed, and then me on top of or next to her, depending on my mood. Sometimes between the two of them. Since Papa had to go to Rainbow Bridge, this has meant Things Are Different.

I will start with the best part; my big cat bed is now on the people bed. It started out on Papa’s side, but due to structural issues with the bedframe, Mama Anna switched sides. Now she sleeps where Papa did, and my bed is on the side where she used to be. If that weren’t enough, the humans are talking to the dog dad across the hall, aka Maintenance Dude, about getting rid of the old bed, after which there is a new bed to set up, in a different location than the current bed. My big cat bed will be on Mama Anna’s bed when the new bed is here, so I guess that is okay.

In case you missed the last blog Mama Anna posted, Drama King is here, and yes, there is a cat in it. His name is Clawed (that exact spelling) and he is an orange boy, with strong opinions on sharing (he is not a fan.) He is not on the cover, but he is important. I was the sensitivity reader for cat-ness on this one, so I give it four paws up. Good job, Mama Anna and Aunt Melva. Shout out to my play cousins, Murphy and Ollie. They are boy cats, so they helped with the boy cat part.

If you read the book and liked it, consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. That helps the authors a lot (including but not limited to purchasing more cat treats.) A review can be as easy as “I liked it,” or “good book” or “the cat was my favorite part; the next one should have a calico girl and/or tuxedo boys.” All three of us felines are hard at work helping our humans with the next books. Do you like books with pets in them? Let us know in the comments, to keep in mind for future books.

One more thing. Some humans have asked if they have to read Chasing Prince Charming before Drama King, and the answer is no. Of course the authors hope that you will, but if Drama King is your first Love by the Book story, that is okay too.

Okay, that’s it for this week, apart from another picture of me. Cat pictures are always a good thing.

How was your week?

Typing With Wet Paws: Hello, January Edition

January 10, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws.

this is probably a Greatest Hits picture, but I have been busy

Things are taking on a new rhythm around here. I am Mama Anna’s number one emotional support since Papa had to go to Rainbow Bridge early. Big Sister Skye and Big Brother Ginger are surely giving him lots of purrs and headbonks. His side of the bed is now my side of the bed, and I am absolutely on top of all incoming mail. Literally. I like sitting on stuff.

Some of that stuff is stuff Papa ordered before, well, you know. These are so far surprises for Mama Anna and Aunt Linda, because he didn’t talk to either one of them about any incoming packages. No, they are not holiday gifts. The first one to arrive was an incense burner. Nobody can figure out why he ordered that because asthma. Mama Anna is not sure if incense and cats are a good mix. She has wax melts anyway.

Another thing that came was a sweater. At first, Mama Anna thought that a big, chunky sweater would be like a nice present from Papa, but then she had Aunt Linda check the fiber content. Aunt Linda knows basically everything about fibers. As suspected, it was a wool blend. Mama Anna is allergic to wool. Back in the package it goes, so it can keep somebody else warm.

The third thing I want to mention today is something Mama Anna found that was a secret, and is very much a gift from Papa. It is no secret around here how much Mama Anna loves journaling. Papa had made some noises about asking her to help him set up a journal like hers, but we all thought that did not happen…until Mama Anna found a small black fabric book. Hm. No words on the cover, nothing to tell her what it was, so she looked inside. Guess what? Papa had started a commonplace book, which is a type of journal where humans can keep lists of stuff they think is interesting, bits of ephemera and stuff.

Papa only wrote on a few pages, and his first list was creative ways to express irritation. Mama Anna says I am not allowed to post that kind of language, but she says it was like hearing him, and she laughed. She will pick up the book from where he left off and put in some pictures and memories, because they have the same sense of humor and had a lot of fun together. I suggest some pictures of Papa and me, because we love each other a lot. I was technically not allowed on his desk, but we all know how rules like that play out:

Not every day is easy around here, but finding things like I talked about today make things more…well, Papa-y. Mama Anna and I are getting plenty of cuddles, and I help her watch stuff on her glowy boxes, preferably while she gives me belly rubs. Belly rubs benefit both of us.

Anyway, that’s pretty much it around here this week. Okay, there was the time Mama Anna caught me trying to climb the dresser drawers to get to the drawer where my treats are. She was less than impressed by that, but if I can get my own treats, that’s one thing off her plate, and on mine (literally.)

Journal Writing During Family Emergencies

December 15, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Yesterday was a gorgeous snow day in NY state. We are not in the city, but I saw plenty of such pictures from those who were, and it was everything I ever would want from a NYC snow day. I did get to see the snow from the waiting room outside where Real Life Romance Hero is staying right now. Yesterday was a good-ish day. The day before, not so much. We are still figuring out a few things. I am not using my planners much right now, as days are pretty much the same – days are for hospital, then home for dinner and sleep. Housemate is handling domestic matters.

Journals, though, I am using a lot. Hospital journal. Personal journal. Notes on writing stuff. Not notes about blogging, because I am winging it for now. This is a time for blurting. What is on my mind is on the page. We are one day at a time-ing it over here. This is my favorite time of year, and yet this year, we are outside of it. That is what it is. I am setting up for 2026, though. I like the focus. This does include writing things. The need to write is strong. Fiction the most, because that’s my big creative love. I am interested to see what my writing will do in and after this season.

Storm is definitely doing her job. When I get home from the hospital, she meets me at the door. She leads me into the bedroom, and insists I lie on the bed, so she can jump on me, loaf, and purr. I pet her. She is warm and soft. She insists that Housemate and I give her gushy food when we have our dinner. She has a new tilted food dish that is only for gushy food. She deserves all the treats and many belly rubs.

Housemate comes with me most days now. Having the company helps a lot. Yesterday, she sat next to me and crocheted, explaining her stitches and such, even though I do not myself crochet. I like the rhythm of her stitches. I tell RLRH about what is happening at home, the weather outside, share memories and inside jokes. I write in my hospital journal, notes on RLRH’s care, and thinking on paper, much like here, whatever is in my brain. I know I need and want to be reading, though my brain is not quite there yet. I haven’t listened to Christmas music; I want to, though. My usual Christmas movie re-watches — Love Actually, The Holiday, About A Boy— I have waved at from a distance. I love them, I think about them, and I can absolutely watch them at any time of the year. Same with Christmas/holiday books, foods, etc.

Family emergencies are tough. Holidays can be tough. Combine the two, and it’s something else altogether. Like I said, we are one day at time-ing the whole thing. That is good enough for now.

Typing With Wet Nails

for the love of romance

family