October 16, 2007
Fireside Tales
This morning Linus went up into the attic (he's figured out that the cat door swings both ways; Eve hasn't), and then went back into the storage crawl space and promptly disappeared under the floor boards. Simon was in the kitchen downstairs when he heard mewing from inside the walls. Good morning, Vietnam. It took a screwdriver and a hammer and prying up ninety-five-year old planks to get the little bugger out. All the while my mind was full of visions of our poor kitten stuck down a vent shaft for three days, his legs in the splits like Baby Jessica McClure.
Luckily, he's still young and dopey enough to have emerged untraumatized, although I can't say the same for Eve. I'm quite proud of the fact that not only did she refrain from performing the Myposian Dance of Joy upon realizing her pesky little brother was trapped, but she actuallly sniffed with great worry at the crack where Linus's tiny pink nose was poking through (he didn't actually fall down into the wall), and then she looked up at me with big eyes like, "Mama, fix it."
She still doesn't like it when he jumps on her head while she's trying to nap, but I think it's a good sign that she's an equal part in their new game called Litterbox Canon, in which one of the cats gets inside the covered potty and then shoots out through the swinging door and across the room like his or her tail is on fire, with the other cat in furry pursuit down the hall, over the chair, through the table legs, around the corner, and under the bed, where Linus has ripped open the covering of the boxspring so he can roam around inside the bed and tempt the fates of Death by Pillowtop Crushing. Anyhow, there's much less growling and hissing between my two kids and they actually seem to like each other. I feel like a success.
It's been a blurry few days. I worked from home yesterday in front of the fire, which is also where I spent most of my weekend. What would you say if I told you I took over 350 photos of the cats in one day? Dedicated? Or insane? On Sunday night while we were out for Teddy's birthday at a Russian restaurant (and thank god we had a native Kazakhstani with us because I didn't understand a word anyone was saying), someone asked if we were still using our hot tub now that the initial allure has worn off. "We got in twice yesterday," was our answer, "and we just bought a full-size disco ball to hang over it." And speaking of "hang over," Simon may have drunk dialed a few of you on Sunday night, and for that I'm sorry. Kristin--we thought you'd be up because you write at night! HeatherB--we thought you'd be up because you're twenty-three!
It's rainy and gloomy outside but warm and cozy inside, and despite the fact that we no longer live in an apartment so cold that to walk away from the spaceheater is to cordially invite frostbite to take up residence in your extremities, I nevertheless still just want to sit around under fifty pounds of blankets and rest whenever the weather turns wintery. I'm not sure where the crushing fatigue is coming from, but the result is that the house is messier than it should be and I found myself thinking that if the cats go unfed for several days at least they can resort to cannibalizing each other before they contemplate eating my face. Now that I really think about it, though, I'm pretty easy prey what with the fifty pounds of blankets weighing me down and the fatigue and malaise that would make swiping away a ravenous feline just too much damn work. You know those couples who are made up of the Neat One and the Messy One, or the Responsible One and the Free Spirit? Simon and I are made up of the Blind One and the Ignorer: I left an almost-empty carton of milk on the counter because it was getting old and we'd just bought a new one. My intention was to dump out the milk and throw the carton in the recycling bin (or to have someone do it for me, hint hint), but instead it sat on the table for two and a half days, and when I poured it out it was chunky. This is the state of things.
Your fatigue might come from being the parent of two "kids." It gets worse (better) when the little bundles o' joy are human.
One time a bird got into a wall in my parent's house. My dad smashed the drywall with a hammer and the little thing flew out in a tizzy.
One can never take too many photos, no matter the subject.
Posted by: Texas T-bone at October 16, 2007 02:25 PMAwwww. So cute. There are NEVER enough pictures. I made very sure to block off and lock all entries to our crawl space. I feared finding a roasting, mewing kitty one day. The babies were also very curious about the giant hole in the wall that occured when we discovered the nail in our pipes. They do get into little itty bitty spaces.
But I'm glad they're getting along. Usually takes a few days to adjust and then the mama bear instinct kicks in on the older girl kitties. My Punk is still giving me "Mama where'd she go" looks about dear Gabby. (Can't fix that one.)
And I love the Balki Bartokomos reference.
Well, at least your laziness produces incredible pictures!
Posted by: Jennie at October 16, 2007 03:45 PMAt least you are merely sedentary. I am sedentary...while eating biscuits. Biscuits from a recipe that calls for a whole stick of butter. The dog is eyeing me eagerly and urging me to eat another biscuit. She knows the more biscuits I eat, the more tasty and tender my flesh will be.
Posted by: Moose at October 16, 2007 04:18 PMLitterbox Cannon, perhaps?
Posted by: Gretyl at October 16, 2007 04:31 PMYes, even better. :/
Posted by: Leah at October 16, 2007 04:32 PMwow. our cats would never sleep that close to each other for years. now they do, but it took at least a century before it happened.
Posted by: jeorg at October 16, 2007 05:00 PMI'm just picturing Eve and Linus playing the Litterbox Canon in D Minor by shooting out of the box and crashing into the assorted instuments in Simon's music room. Hee!
Do not worry about the milk. I have a tupperware of rice in my fridge that may or may not be ready to sprout penicillin or something. It's a science experiment!
Posted by: Ky Eliza at October 16, 2007 06:28 PMI'm just picturing Eve and Linus playing the Litterbox Canon in D Minor by shooting out of the box and crashing into the assorted instuments in Simon's music room. Hee!
Do not worry about the milk. I have a tupperware of rice in my fridge that may or may not be ready to sprout penicillin or something. It's a science experiment!
Posted by: Ky Eliza at October 16, 2007 06:28 PM[verysmallvoice]My sister and I memorized the Myposian dance of joy and used to do it together whenever some movie we really liked came on the TV [/verysmallvoice]
I lurve the pictures of your kitties. I'm serious, you're probably going to have to forcibly pry Linus out of my arms the next time I visit. ORANGE KITTY!
Posted by: Emily at October 16, 2007 06:53 PMI'm up right now! But it's like 7 there so that really doesn't count. Wait until my birthday...that will be a good night to call.
Posted by: Heather B. at October 16, 2007 07:16 PMOh my gosh, I love your cats! Also that chair they're both sprawled on.
This is pretty much what I do with my internet time.. Hang out on other peoples blogs and decide I want their stuff. :)
Posted by: Leaf, probably... at October 16, 2007 09:00 PMI actually *was* up and saw the area code and thought it was a panicked customer. So I listened to the message the next day and laughed my ass off. It is currently saved in my archives for whenever I need a boost. You two are crazy.
Also: am flying to SF tomorrow, but only for the day (and have back to back to backs)BUT I will give you a ring from the airport, though, just to say hi, I'm in your city.
Posted by: Kristin at October 16, 2007 09:26 PMYour cats are so cute. Goodness.
I think the Blind One and the Ignorer sounds much more compatible than the more diametrically-opposed combos. Yes, you may end up in some funny situations, but at least you can laugh instead of fuming about the other one.
Posted by: Brianna at October 17, 2007 02:21 AMCute, excellent shots. And kudos on the Baby Jessica reference too.
Posted by: Chris Cactus at October 17, 2007 05:45 AMThat black cat - wow, what a looker! I LOVE black cats and I would give my eye teeth to have non terrier dogs (as in dogs who would NOT consider a kitten/cat a yummy treat) so I could have a cat as well. I miss cats with all their 'tude, mostly I miss my black kitty cat that I had growing up.
Lovely pictures!
Posted by: Christina at October 17, 2007 05:52 AM"She looked up at me with big eyes, like 'Mama, fix it.'"
Sigh. That damn near broke my heart. Adorable.
Posted by: Clink at October 17, 2007 06:14 AMLOVE the kitteh pics. Send more! So cute!
Posted by: ann benoit at October 17, 2007 09:42 AMI sure love to hear (and see!) about your cats. They're VERY cute... especially that sweet pic of Linus lying down.
Posted by: Tricia at October 17, 2007 09:45 AMMaybe you're pregnant. I was exhausted at the beginning.
Posted by: Cassa at October 17, 2007 12:20 PMNah, just lazy.
Posted by: Leah at October 17, 2007 12:56 PMLinus has an incredible face. I can see his mind working in the first picture. Eve, on the other hand, has very expressive eyes. You have two great cats.
Posted by: Green Eyes at October 17, 2007 01:16 PMOh lordy, the cuteness!
Posted by: Super Sarah at October 17, 2007 03:22 PMI will never tired of the cat photos. 1) i love cats, and 2) you take fabulous photos of cats.
I am offended that Simon did not drunk dial me. I am ALWAYS up late.
xo
Posted by: jenB at October 21, 2007 03:56 PM
