Sunshine!

While I was outside on Sunday painting the deck, I kept the front door open so they could come look out and see where I was. They still get somewhat spooked when there is a noise; a creak, a groan, a thump; all those noises that houses make. My going up and down on the front steps was going to scare them so the best course of action was to open the door so they could see it was just me making those noises. In doing this, a pool of sunlight shines onto the rug by the front door and, where there is sunshine, you'll find a cat.

Mija has always been the shyer of the two. Pilchard may run initially, but her curiosity about who people are in her house will cause her to come out and stare at you. Mija generally won't do that. She did come out, cautiously, when Carole and David were here.

Their personalities have blossomed lately. I was so used to a cat wanting my lap when I sat down that the uninterest in my lap from these two was hard to handle. Now that we're close to 3 years together, Pilchard meows when I come home and we must have lap time pretty much every day. I've not been sleeping well and, last night, I went to the recliner to see if I could get relaxed enough to fall asleep. I stretched out and, boom, 13 pounds of black cat jumped up to lie down on me. Under normal circumstances, that would lower ones blood pressure and induce relaxation, but she was talkative and demanding of ear scratches. At 1 a.m., that is hardly the thing to relax me.

Lately, Mija has been sitting with her front paws in my lap as I stitch. She purrs up a storm and is extremely content just to be next to me, not all the way in my lap yet, but partially where I can scratch easily. She's been lying down on the pillow next to me in the mornings. Val told me she used to do that when she lived with Val. I didn't see it until last month. There's nothing more soothing than a purring cat in the morning. Of course, the side effect is rolling over and getting a face full of fur.

We are doing quite well. No cat from hell here. I've been trying to get them more interested in chasing things to work off a bit of the poundage they both carry. That lasts about 10 minutes and then they aren't interested anymore. Oh well. I know that feeling.

Beverage:  Edinburgh's Finest tea

Deb