Are you a cat person or a dog person? Usually when asked this question, most people will pick one and say “cat” or “dog,” pretty emphatically. Some of us, however, are both. I grew up with cats, so naturally when my husband and I were first married, I wanted a cat; but he was a “dog” person who’d never owned a cat. Well, he convinced me that dogs were cool and I got my first dog, Tonka, the cutest pug that ever lived, and he was spoiled rotten. I have to admit that both my husband and Tonka converted me from cat lady to dog mama and I never looked back, until last year when I rediscovered my inner cat fixation after spending a few months with my son’s tabby cat, Pickle Juice aka PJ.

My son attends college up north in San Rafael and he rescued the cutest kitten from the Home Depot parking lot. When he came home for winter break, he brought PJ with him and I fell in love. Okay… I became obsessed and realized how much I missed having a cat around. And, my husband liked it too, which surprised us all!

After 30-plus years of marriage and decades without cats, I have a new kitty named Oslo “Ossie” or as KCFM’s LJ likes to call her, “Lolo.” Ossie is just such a fun and sweet addition to our crazy family. Although her and my dog, Lincoln, have yet to bridge the dog versus cat stereotypical dynamic, I am still hopeful that one day they will be best friends. My husband, who swore he was not a cat person, has become Ossie’s favorite.

June is such a great month to celebrate all the father figures in our lives. In KCFM’s Reader Respond article on page 10, we asked our readers, “If your Dad was a superhero, what would his super power be?” and their answers were fantastic. Some said their dad are superheroes through their charisma, knowledge, and kindness.

Special thanks to Jenny Wilson, featured in this month’s “Hello, Happy (Unstoppable) Mama,” article written by Callie Collins on page 12. Jenny is the Director of Emergency Services at Kern Medical and the Founder and President of the Sleepy Baby Box Foundation, which she started in 2017. With 20-plus years as a nurse, she has seen many preventable accidents with newborns, which inspired her to start her foundation that provides services from infant food and material goods to safety coordination and educational outreach.

One such preventable accident with children is drowning. In fact, the CDC says that drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages one to four. KCFM wanted to give you tips that will help ensure a safe summer this year, especially around water. In the article, “Five Ways to Keep Kids Safe Around Water This Summer and Beyond,” on page 18, Callie Collins writes about how to have fun while staying safe from swimming lessons and wearing life jackets.

June is such a great month with the official start of summer on June 20th and the chance to celebrate the Superheroes in our lives that we call Dad. Whether it’s a lazy day by the pool or a quick day-trip to the beach, enjoy it all and play it safe. My goal this summer is to get my new kitty and poodle to become simpatico so we can have summer adventures together!

Happy Summer!