Not that I’m a “cat guy,” but I’ve a grudging respect for our cat Blanca. She weighs maybe 10 pounds, is aloof, and often times, intractable. She’ll stand her ground with the toms that roam the alleys as well as 200-pound men attempting to reclaim their favorite chair.

I recently snapped a photo of her relaxing in my lap, a rarity I assure you. It’s a picture nearly six years in the making.