Once upon a cat

I haven’t told cat stories in a while. I don’t have accompanying pictures, alas, so you will just have to imagine the cats doing these things.

This week Wally has perfected his Puss n Boots look. You remember that look from Shrek, right? Last night was his crowning achievement. I’d been reading in bed, which I only do when Kent’s out of town, and Wally clearly thought it was time for me to turn off the lights. So he curled up sort of just under my left arm (I was lying slightly on my left side) with his head facing me and started purring loudly and patting me gently with his front paws. Between the purrs, the pats and the hugely dilated pupils, Wally had sweetness nailed. He isn’t the purrer among our cats, that distinction belongs to Eddie. But last night, Wally gave him a run for that title.

Eddie loves to carry toys around the apartment and meow through them. Lately he’s been doing that in the morning when I’m taking a shower. Sure enough, this morning I heard that loud muffled MEOW and peeked out of the shower. He stood there holding his newest toy from Ardis (and also the current favorite toy—it makes small bird-like chirps when it turns specific ways. They’re random enough sounds to keep Eddie riveted.). Once he made eye contact with me, he let out one more meow. When I got out of the shower, I saw that he’d kindly left the toy for me at the edge of the bath mat.

Chloe is mostly a snoozy cat but this week she’s been doing her 50 yard well no not yards, the apartment isn’t big enough—her 50 foot dash. All cats ZOOM occasionally and most of the ones I’ve had like to careen off walls, furniture, people, whatever. Not Chloe. She ZOOMS only in straight lines. It’s like watching a sprinter. She’ll race as far as she can in her imaginary straight line, stop, turn around, pause and then race back again. Usually about three laps is all she’ll go and then she’s out for the rest of the day.

The pink skirt is on hold. I think I can salvage the material but without gathers, I need to line the skirt and I don’t have anything suitable to use. So I’ve moved on to the pink knit dress. I’m nervous about sewing this one because I don’t have a lot of experience with knits and I’m afraid I’ll ruin it. But if I never try, I’ll never know.