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In case you hadn’t guessed by my absence from this page (which I suppose it is presumptuous of me to assume that you’ve even noticed), it’s been a busy, stressful week. The Boss is out of the country, which you’d think would make things easier, and maybe it does, until I have a question only he can answer. The family is also out of town, relaxing on the houseboat. And by “relaxing,” I’m making an assumption that has no basis. Stress follows you wherever you go sometimes.
Biffle, the actual guinea pig (he only sounds like a wind-up toy when he squeaks) has been staying with me all week, smelling more and more ripe as time goes on but eating very well, so I know he’s not necessarily feeling the stress of being away from his very hands-on young family. Except for feeding and watering him, I pretty much ignore him, as much as the wafting rodent odor permits. I’ve been told he would be removed from my care tomorrow, and I’ll miss him about as much as you think I will.
I’ve also been spending time with Sushi, the one-eyed cat, at Suzanne’s house. I’ve been going over there once or twice a day, Kindle in hand, and staying half an hour or so, until the cat gets bored with my company and starts either (a) ignoring or (2) attacking me. Oh, she’s delighted to see me when I first arrive, and it’s kind of nice to be so appreciated (and not just for the food and water I give her, but for the friendly hand that I offer, which she uses to pet herself).
But, being a cat, she has an attention span that makes sense only to herself. Usually after twenty minutes or so, she wanders off to watch out the window for birds (or leaves, or anything else that moves). I stay another ten minutes, just in case she changes her mind, but more often than not she doesn’t even notice when I slip out the door. I wouldn’t have minded staying longer, if she’d asked me to. These were the only quiet times I had all week, and almost the only chances I had to sit and read. |
