"There's a coyote cat in our front yard," Audrey states matter of factly after stepping outside to check the temp this morning. "Oh," Graham and I brush it off, "There's a cat out there, eh?"
I back the van out so four kids can jump in - and by the corner of the house under the pine tree sits a sick looking, slow, skinny coyote. Here comes three year old Miles, skipping along shouting "hello!", with mom right behind him. "Get in the van!" I yell. Audrey and Neve are yelling, laughing, jumping as they watch from the safety of the mini. Austin and mom come toward me as I hand her Corrina and say, "There's a coyote in the yard - careful!" Coyote Cat jumps up and hobbles toward the back yard fence. (As I write this tonight a pack of them is celebrating in the open space nearby - it's probably just a party to welcome lost coyote cat home, right?)
The term "Coyote cat" is thrown around in the car on the way to school, along with theories of how it became a coyote AND a cat. Austin finally pipes up, "There's no such thing as a coyote cat, it's just a coyote." "Nope, it's a coyote CAT!" insists Audrey. She's proud to have made this dangerous and rare discovery. Three of four kids continue to theorize the origins, habits and patterns of behavior of coyote cats as we unload in the school parking lot. Austin shakes his head with a hint of a smile. "There's no such thing!" His voice of reason is drowned out as his little brother supposes "...and then the coyote ATE the cat and that's how the coyote-cat was made." I'm laughing inside, this couldn't get any more entertaining. Thanks, kids, for infinite imagination and energy peppered with reasonable facts in this little foursome. I wouldn't trade this morning with these kids for anything.
