SUNSHINE FREEDOM!

I slept in the warming sunshine most of the morning. When I awoke it was apparent that I was starving.  She was standing there watching me while she got a cup of tea.  I checked to see if my regular Friskies nibbles were now in my bowl -- and can report that she did a careful job of cleaning out those offensive nibbles for me and refilling my bowl properly.

I ate delicately, nevertheless -- just in case.  And felt better for it.  A couple of hours later ate more.  It felt good to crunch those tasty little bits.  Reminds me of stories my dad told me of crunching mouse bones.  Yum.

Feeling better I began my regular exercise routine a bit late.  She does love playing hide-and-seek and chase with me.  I enjoy watching her try to catch me and find places to hide that I can't find....as IF.  

It's very amusing as she is obviously too big to run behind the sofas in the living room and in the study.  She is always frustrated and stamps her feet at me.  As if I am going to fall for THAT old trick!

Once I had run her off her feet and could hear her puffing a bit so I sat back down in the sun and soaked it up in victory.  Then I heard something special!  The door to Miglio's little room opened.  You know the one that looks like it is not there but really is and that I love to press my nose up against.  

She opened it.  Trust me it has been up to my elbows out there with water until today.

 

Then she started one of those pointless conversations with me again about her fear of opening the screen door and letting me go out on my favourite patio.  

"For goodness sake, girl", I mewed to her, "I am not stupid enough to jump down three stories, so open the screen for me!  That's an order!"

Well she hesitated and I put my claws in that screen to let her know I would open it myself if necessary.  She relented and I was so surprised.  I just stood there and looked out.  The air smelled so sweet I almost hugged myself. 

She chattered away behind me, expressing her fears and begging me to behave and not to fall down.  She really is a worrier sometimes.  And then she did something I did not expect.  

As I sat there transfixed by just the thought of walking out onto my patio, she left me completely alone -- mumbling that she thought it better to just trust me and Whoever was watching out for me -- and leave me in peace.  Now that IS wisdom. 

Click me gently, so I do not lose my balance: 

But I know she peeked to see what I would do.  So I hesitated and just sat inside the door until I thought she would run out of patience and walked carefully out onto the patio.  It was still a little wet in places, but I loved the feeling of the FREEDOM.  I jumped onto the ledge and just sat with my back to the sun, smiling and smiling.  I do love my balcony.

After a few hours I sauntered in to where she was still tapping away and let her know I could come in and out as I pleased.  But she chattered on to me about some inconclusive research she'd been preoccupied with about whether cats jump or fall off balconies and how she just hoped I was mature enough to realise that it was a far jump, even for one so capable as I am. 

But it was growing cooler and she said I had had enough fresh air for the day and closed the screen door and the sliding invisible (glass) door on me and locked it!  So my freedom was taken again, but I know she will let me out now because she knows I will not jump in my desire to find you. 

Oh speaking of that, have I told you today how much I miss you.  Despite her best efforts, she is not you and she is not Miglio.  Please give each other a hug for me and let me know when you will come home again.  I need one of your world-famous scritches! 

Routine Satisfaction

Since she won't let me lay on the keyboard I have found satisfaction in laying on the printer...they still both seem to humm but at least she does not annoy me all the time to get down from the printer.  I even found a way to turn it on after I convinced her that it was unnecessary to keep all this fresh and unmarked paper on top of all the buttons.  But she caught me right away.

I wanted to let you know, Sabine, that I have had great delight in getting her into my routine.  It starts with my sleeping solidly in the crook of her legs or on her hip (more on this later) and not letting her move unless I say it is alright. 

When she does awake, I ensure she does not disturb me and slips very carefully out from under the scrumptious feather doona/coverlet.  Then she takes her shower and by the time she is finished I am waiting outside the bathroom door impatiently waiting till she opens it and finishes getting dressed.

Then I escort her to the kitchen where she cleans out my bowls, washes them carefully, while I sit on the counter supervising her technique.  I must admit she is almost as good at this pre-preparation task as you are.  However, she does not choose the food I desire and sometimes I just will not eat the canned food she leaves me...hoping it will hurt her heart to pity and she will stress and try to find something I WILL eat.  Although this technique seemed to only work the first couple of times, much to my chagrin!

Then she fiddles with that big silver machine in the corner of the counter and seems to regard this frothy cup filled with whatever as a real treat (cappuccino).  She takes it with her and places it on one of those little round things (coaster) on your desk and thinks she is going to write.  Well she should KNOW better. 

So I mew a few times to distract her and she looks all worried (I do love that look), backs up from the keyboard and pats her lap and asks me stupidly, "Do you want to come up and sit here?"  As if that was rocket science or something!  Of COURSE she needs to be petting me.

Once I've worn out her petting patience and she is all soft and cuddly and warm from my wonderful attention, I jump down and leave her wondering.  But I jump down because it is my play time.  I come back and forth into the study and keep mewing and letting her know that she must stop that silly clacking on those keys and come chase me!

Eventually she gets the picture and we play hide and seek for awhile till she tells me *I* am silly!  What a laugh it is to watch her racing around and trying to hide behind doors and walls thinking I, the king of the beasts in this house, cannot find her.  It is great fun and honestly she does a good job of hiding sometimes, I must admit.

Then I must nap.  By this time, the sun may be streaming in the front room windows and I work out on the lamb's wool rug till I drift off to dream land.  I awake an hour or so later and sniff at my dish and then go and see why she is still tapping on the keys.

Then I start my real push for obedience.  Even if it is freezing (her term, not mine, of course) outside, I drive her nuts till she opens Miglio's sliding glass doors to the balcony.  When it is cold she doesn't want to open it because she feels she need to leave it open for my pleasure and she does, but she tells me she will not do this because it is way too cold outside now.  It matters little to a properly determined kitty, so I pester her till I get my way and she puts on a coat and bemoans the fact that she does not have gloves!

Of course, I only sit out there for a few minutes because it IS cold outside and so I sit inside in the doorway, taking in the warm sun rays and smiling, knowing she does not know the door can now be closed.  She is so funny looking with the coat and socks and scarf on when she finally realises she can close the door.

Then I make her feel guilty for closing the door and am so amused at her lecture about keeping me healthy and how she loves me.  She is sort of cute sometimes.  But now I want more play time with her and she always goes back to tapping the keys, so I jump on the desk and fiddle around with everything there and in my own good time make her stop and I crawl into her lap, where I will stay for a good while.  Then I jump down and curl up on the convenient beanbag chair she has brought into the office since the first day she was here, so I can be near her and warm as I rest from all my activities. 

She must get up a few times while I sleep but when I wake I want her to go and sit someplace else and start a campaign to get her moving in the direction I want her in and she turns on that big box in the front room and sits in your chair and I sit in her lap for however long I can get her to stay there.  She takes breaks to get tea and snacks (which I must report she does not share with me). 

And then will get up to fiddle in the kitchen with something that she takes to the table and I watch her consume, looking as pitiful as possible, so she is always wondering if I eat table scraps at the table and of COURSE I would never do that! 

Then she washes up the dishes and polishes the kitchen to her satisfaction and sits back in your chair to read.  She has been reading a very thick book and because I insist on sitting in her lap she cannot rest it on her knees.  I can tell her arms get tired and I just smile my best Cheshire Cat imitation smile as she shifts the book from hand to hand. 

She must pet me often and is well trained to do this and so eventually I wear her out and she asks me if I'm tired and would like to go to bed.  By now my eyes are closed and it is every man for himself.  But of course she can't sleep in the chair so disturbs me to get up and get ready for bed and then crawls under the covers with that book still in her hand. 

I insist on sitting in her lap while she gets tired and eventually puts the book down and is puzzled as to how she is going to slip down into the bed properly without disturbing me.  And she has tried some endearing ways, but so far I just look at her with disgust and move slowly off her lap and wait till she turns out the light and arranges herself in the bed and I hear that last, "Are you alright, mighty Oscar?" 

Then I make my move for the spot of my choice and fall asleep beside her, always dreaming of you and catching birds and you and catching mice and you and eating more carved beef and you and of course Miglio, who I miss so much.  I sense you will be home soon..../me smiles.