Michael

Former English major, former costumer. Former husband. Not terribly good at anything with earnings potential.

Wasted nearly 20 years training largely ungrateful teens how to make clothing for people who don't exist. Ruined my marriage and my health. Now I spend my days teaching people how to use computers, and my nights tending to our little girl.

Much better. Much, much better.

(Oh yeah.. complete Dr. Who Freak.. shhhh!)

Jacquelyn

My best friend, my True Love, and the only person I have ever wanted to raise children with. She shares my frankly twisted sense of humor, and is the only person that makes me feel lonely when she's not around.

Shafted by Walgreens after working like a dog for them and setting benchmarks for performance, she now manages for Steak and Shake.

Most importantly, she is Mistress of Innisfree and Moiya's Mama

Moiya loves her and so do I

Moiya

The center of our lives.

After years of trying we had almost given up hope of having children when the call came. A baby who wasn't wanted.. were we interested? Of course we were.

And so with no preparation or preplanning we launched into the greatest adventure of our lives.

And so Moiya came home to Innisfree.

I've learned more in the past 15 months than the previous 15 years. And I've never been so much in love.

Wicker

The only member of the household that was "intended". Kind of. Against my wishes, we went to see a breeder about a cocker spaniel. A black one, if my memory serves. But while we were there, a tiny speckled puppy wandered over and nuzzled my shoe and, when I picked her up, patted my face with her tiny paw.

'Nuff said. I mean.. look at that face!

Duncan

We got Duncan from the animal shelter. Duncan is all emotion and has a heart as big as the outdoors. She mothers us all, grooming the dog, Simon, Hettie, and us, on occassion.

And she adores Moiya, enduring toddler torments without complaint.

Simon

AKA "LapShark"

Another refugee, Simon seems to have been adopted and then abandoned. We found her living in our woods. She used to come trotting out in the wee hours when I was walking Wicker to rub against my legs and purr. We took her in after something attacked her and badly raked her hindquarters. Later, after she healed, we offered her the option to return outdoors, which she declined. Simon's only desire is to sit on your lap and purr.

Hettie

One more unwanted. Hettie is the sole survivor of a group of domestic rabbits that were bought by the trailor-trash living near my in-laws in order to give their dogs something to hunt. (Hope they rot in hell). She made her way across the divide between the properties and was eating my father-in-law's fruit trees when he trapped her. Either we took her in, or she was going to be put down. No choice there, really.

Innisfree

Home to our little band of refugees. Tiny frame house built shortly after the civil war, circa 1872. I came here after a devistating divorce and immediately felt at home and at rest. Judging by the old beams visible in the cellar, she was originally two rooms, and was added to over the years.

Mock if you will, but Innisfree is more sentient than most people I know.

Behind and to the sides, she rests on 7.5 acres of woods. In front she looks over a subdivision. It is my goal in life to win the lottery, buy up all the houses, bulldoze them, and replace the trees.