Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for January 23, 2022

Not really happy with where you are going but I will follow you anywhere.

- Burma Shave.

Any strip with Ludwig in it is automatically a good one.

I’m surprised Luddie stayed out that long.

Oh, the things he does for his humans! Very sweet. Love the paw in the last frame.

I love James Herriot’s books.

If you’re looking for something to read while sitting in front of a beautiful, warming fire while drinking a mug of delicious hot chocolate on a crisp winter’s day I would suggest Simon Bond’s literary classic “101 Uses For a Dead Cat.”

I had a couple of outside cats and they loved playing in the snow. I would always dig a path so they could do their business. They had my gazebo for shelter with heated beds.

My pal!

James Herriot, what a great author. Well worth reading all his books, starting with All Things Wise and Wonderful, perhaps?

my current kitty loves being outdoors, snow doesn’t deter him. he chases the flakes & kicks up his heels in his friskiness, running in & out of the kids’ snow forts to mess with them. he is one intrepid cat!

what’s that in Ludi’s arms on the way back? Is it wood for the fire?

Exactly, Mr. Herriot!

If it were only that easy in this world.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, cats ARE capable of feelings such as love, gratitude, pain, joy, and loyalty. ALL of God’s creatures with a brain are capable of it. Now…watch…someone is going to contradict me, just to be a jerk.

I’m sure this is based on a real experience. I recently had one like it myself. I live in a place where it rarely snows, but it did so last week and my cat spent a considerable amount of time sitting in the carport glaring at the falling snow. I walked to the end of the driveway to get the mail, and my cat came running after me. He hates the snow, but he wasn’t going to let me go out without him.

Magnificent quote.

We just lost a 20-year old cat two nights ago at home, and I know her last expression was one of gratitude for the food and shelter, and also for not loading her up and taking her to the vet for the dreaded deed.

That is one loyal cat!

HA! Cats— what can you do?

Most dogs are nicer than most people!

I’ve read all of Herriots books. They are wonderful.

I’m so sorry to hear of your kitty of 20 y ears. Ours are 14 and 16. It’ll be really hard to see them go, especially Boo Bear.❤️

Re-read the books before the new series last year. This year is just a great. Love seeing an Oscar winner at work.

I was informed by my grandmother’s Minister, when I was a child, that our friends, the animals, would not be joining us in Heaven as they had no “souls” – that conversation marked the point at which I stopped believing in the whole religious mythos.

Simplistically, I KNEW that I could not realistically believe in ANY place that would not admit animals. Why would I or anybody care to spend eternity in a “place” containing only humans? It truly boggles the mind!

All Creatures Great and Small is re-running here in Oregon too.

Awww, James Herriott. I remember the exact story that line’s from. He was reassuring an elderly lady who was so worried her pet wouldn’t be able to join her in heaven. Charming without being mawkish.

There are times when I’m certain that my ordinary Tom cat, Prince has a soul. Logic would usually refute this. Still that look on his face at different times support the notion that inside his tiny cat brain that he not only feels love but is happy to be with us humans. Probably some kind of projection on his part. For those moments I am always pleased he knows how I feel about him.

Didn’t get what was happening when I saw it in today’s paper, I had to come on here to better see what was going on. Or to have someone explain it, but I figured out Arlo is carrying firewood then I saw the wood pile in the 2nd panel. And best of all a nod to James Herriott, favorite books of all time.

Luddie is a sweetie. I’m glad they have him.

I give up – what is Arlo carrying in the second to last panel?

Now why would a soul be the seat of emotions unless it is our brain, not our heart, that is the seat of emotion and other things.

My cats complain the whole time I am feeding the farm animals because they don’t like the snow. I’ve told them they can wait inside, but they follow me anyway.

For sure.

According to everthing I’ve read in the Bible, Earth is a pale imitation of Heaven. So, we have beloved, loving animals here on Earth, why should they not be in Heaven? It seems illogical to exclude a facet of Earth that is so very pleasant, so companionable, so useful & all things bright & beautiful, from Heaven, which is abso-bally-lutely perfect in every way. I just loved James Herriot’s comment, and have told people that, too…our beloved “annymules” will be there, waiting for us.