Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Some assembly required.

It starts with a plastic bin that's big and awkward to pull up the stairs from the basement. I hauled it up before going shopping on Sunday and left it in the living room so they could sniff and not be afraid of it. As you can see, Pilchard claimed it as her own.

Increasingly, they aren't afraid of the new things I drag out. While they were a bit afraid with all the noise I made dragging this thing upstairs, they were very interested in it once it was in the living room.

I popped the top and started in assembling the tree. Branches have these small color and letter coded tags, some of which have faded to the point that I'm not sure which color they really are. I guess I should get maybe nail polish or something so when I take the tree down, I can mark the branches for next year.

It went well. I got about a third of the way through and the "supervisor" decided to check the work.
Half-Pint would do this. Faux did this so it must be something with the feeling of the branches. She stretched out and snuggled right down into the bin. Of course that meant trying to get the branches I needed from under or around her.

Eventually, just sitting on the branches got boring and she hopped out, right at the time I put the tree
skirt under the tree. Of course, this needs an investigation.

Where was Mija during all of this, you wonder. She was lying on the rug in front of the living room door just watching. They are doing much better about being in the same room together. Yeah, there's still hissing and growling, but the anger exhibited when they first got here seems to have disappeared. In fact, they have started to chase each other through the house, which is what I was told they did for play.

It reminds me of Shakespeare and Penney. It was okay for him to chase her through the house, in fact, she encouraged it. But when she turned the tables and chased him, we got the hissing and complaining. He would even come over to me and meow as if to say, "Mooom. She's picking on me." To see this makes me happy because I know this means a good settling in has occurred.

But once Pilchard left the bin to go under the tree and watch me finish, Mija decided to check out the bin.

By this time, I've removed almost all the branches I need. She lay down for a bit and then jumped out, having decided just lying there was boring.

It takes the better part of 3 hours to get the tree up. When they discovered this was all I was going to do, they got bored and just plopped down to watch. When I finished, I put the presents I have wrapped and the ones from Carole, under the tree. Pilchard has discovered that there is a gap at the back of the tree where it meets the wall and she can lie down there next to a vent, warm and toasty. Plus, she can see Mija as she walks through the living room. It provides a great position from which to charge. Indeed, I had to break up a hissing, meowing, growling, spitting event Sunday night.

Just doing this and hanging the wreath on the door makes the house feel more festive than it has in years.

Beverage: Coke

Deb

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