If you read “Catching Up” then you know that when I reference Paris and Nikki, I mean the Sparr sisters, not the Hilton’s. My two kittens, both Siamese Manx, were cute and spoiled and both sisters so I figured “hey, why not?”

Paris and Nikki at 2 months old.

Here Paris stretches for a hard day of mischief, food, sleep and chasing her sister around the house.

These two kittens get into mischief from time to time, but since I primarily work from home, I have been working with them and their manners. Of course kids will be kids, and I have managed to capture some of their hijinks with my digital camera.

No Nikki, stay away from the light!

As Paris and Nikki have gotten older, they sometimes decide to help me with my work. They give me feedback on usability of my software programs and even practice their PowerPoint presentations. One day, I caught Paris pink-pawed, stealing one of Jamie’s scrunchie (hair ties) so as punishment, I had her and Nikki sit in while I taught some programming practices.

Paris and Nikki, caught in the act.

As I began my lecture, they seemed quite interested and even pointed out some possibilities I had not yet considered. I was rather excited that thay had taken to my work so quickly but of course that was too much to hope for.

My two little helpers, tenatively learning their first programming lesson.

The discussion led to great topics on encapsulation and design patterns, specifically the model-view-controller (MVC) framework and database abstraction layers I had established for this new program I was designing. I was about to round the corner and cover the role-based-access-control (RBAC) when I discovered my two helpers were not as interested as I had hoped.

Who wouldn’t love to learn about programming? I guess not these two.

Well regardless of whether any of them understand what I’m talking about from time to time, I must say that I enjoy having my girls around…

Women of the house.

- Mike Sparr