Mom wrote in July of 2004 to say that both girls had excellent checkups at the vet. Here they are curled up together in bed.

Update from Mom, April 2004:

The Girls have now been in their home for about nine months. And they couldn't be happier! They love sitting together on the wide window sills and watching whatever moves! They chase each other up the hall, into the bedroom, through a double tunnel, and back out again to the front door! They wrestle together and there is a permanent pile of tissue paper on the living room floor into which they dive after their rubber and paper balls, mice,or a piece of heavy rope! They love it when people come to visit, and I get a noisy royal welcome of wriggly joy whenever I come in - even if it was just to put out the trash! They love to be talked to and hugged and petted, though they aren't lap cats, and they both have to sleep with me at times on my twin-size bed! Everyone in the house in the other apartments loves them, too! They are healthy, happy, and nothing short of a delightful blessing! I can't tell you how glad I am that we came to Kitty Cottage that day last June!

July 2004: Just to let you know, the Girls had their first annual visit to the vet Monday - yes, in the pouring rain we went! My neighbor downstairs helped cage the Girls and carried Dusty for me. They passed inspection with flying colors - the vet especially liked their teeth! (Only a vet would be impressed with their teeth over their gorgeous fur! But she liked that, too - her assistant says Sammi's feels like mink!) The only thing we have to do is regulate their diet - they've grown longer, but also heavier, though they aren't out of range of being healthy yet (Dusty, the Gazzelle, is 13.4 and Sammi, the Bear, is 14.8) but we want to make sure they stay where they are and don't get fat! Aside from that, they got their shots, howled like little banchees when we took them out in the rain to get in the car, and brought them on home, where they inspected the whole house, purred, and went to sleep!