The Senior Cat is up early

this morning...yawn! I am not sure how he did it. It may have something to do with the fact he curled up on his sleeping mat rather early last night. It had been a rather hot day and the kittens had come to visit for the last time on this trip.
The great-grandkittens exhausted him. He loved it. The remaining three came and spent time with him yesterday. They came running down the path, flung the front door back (it was on just the wire screen door) and tore inside calling out, "Grandpa! Grandpa, we're here!" 
Three days ago they were looking rather cautiously at him. They couldn't remember him from their last visit apart from J....having a vague idea that he was "old".
Well yes, he is old. He is also young. He genuinely enjoys young kittens. 
Yesterday he taught the eldest a "magic trick". She was in awe. It is a very simple illusion but an effective one. It was simple enough for her to handle. In return she drew him a picture and wrote on it. Her writing is far better than that of the two grandkittens across the road although they are older. Her drawing is neat and careful too. The Senior Cat promptly added it to the collection on the fridge. How do households with the new plastic fridges manage to store such gems?  Fridges were made to be art galleries of considerable importance! 
And the middle kitten climbed up next to me and demanded, "Tell me a story please." I indicated the pile of books I had left out but she looked quite cross, "No, tell me a story - not a book one, a real one."
A real story. It's interesting that she already knows the difference.
I thought for a moment and then I said, "Well, all the very best stories - even the real stories - begin this way....once upon a time..."
And we told the story between us.