Harold was on and off my lap while I was reading last night, and I was kind of surprised that he wasn't more "on", since I was away a whole week and he's been very clingy since I got back. Around 9, I went in to the bedroom and found him curled up on the bed. I talked to him, and petted him, but he didn't seem too interested, so after a couple of minutes I backed off.
Miri had come along to see what we were doing, and curled up on the other side of the bed, so I petted her for a minute. She has really soft fur, really soft, and seems to let me pet her against her better judgment: I know you'll probably kill me any minute, but that feels nice. She does not relax, is what I'm saying, but she enjoys the attention. I'm trying to get her used to my touching her paws, so that some day I can trim her claws without her going all Tasmanian Devil, so I was petting down to her paws, and they're even softer than the rest of her fur, and I was telling her this when there was a Mmrrr! from my left, and Harold boinged between us, and sat staring at me, his nose visibly out of joint. Are you sweet-talking HER?! When you are MY mother?
I had to laugh, but I also picked him up, and told him I love him, and took him into the living room to sit down and pour love on him until he relaxed and started purring. Silly cat.
And I have another animal story, this one involving geese. We have geese hanging around outside work, a not uncommon sight in this part of the country. At my office, I think they're attracted by a small dip in the lawn, which has been filled with rainwater recently: they're often crowded around it, either decorously drinking or pushing and shoving like toddlers at a wading pool.
I went in to my boss's office today, and outside her window was one single goose, facing the building. As I watched, he pulled one leg up, sticking his wing out a bit to compensate for the imbalance. I commented that it looked like he was practicing martial arts, and without looking around she said, "He's always staring right at me." And he was! It was really weird.
Now, is anyone still here?
Hello?
Well, since this is a pet-heavy post already, let's just go full monty. First, I have a book recommendation for the cat lovers out there, for Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, Or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat. The author is Gwen Cooper (which confused me mightily until I realized that the reason it sounded so familiar was that that's the name of a character on Torchwood. Nevermind.). I really, really enjoyed this book, not only for the story but the writing. You have to be a certain kind of good writer to make pet "voices" not only believable but enjoyable, and Cooper nailed it. There are a couple of sniffly bits, the overall message is very positive, and I give it two paws up.
And finally, some kitty close-ups.
The handsome devil:
Tongue shot.
Wistful.
The little girl.
Keeping an eye out.
Because you never know which way the trouble will come.
She relaxes more when I'm not in the room. Thank you, zoom camera.
If you figure out how to do the claw trimming, please share your technique. It's a two person job with my cat. Involving a blanket-straitjacket for her.
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