Buttered Up

It's a wonder I don't go slipping and sliding through life (instead of bouncing off tables, etc.), Celeste has me so buttered up.  As mad as I was at her the other night, she cracks me up every morning.  Just as my routine is the same, she has one worked out, as well, and she follows her script to the letter.  I watch a bit of morning news after computer time, mainly to see the weather report, and she comes and sits on my lap and it begins.  "You're my favorite mom, Mom."  Uh huh.  The last thing I do before heading out to the barn is make a pit stop.  Celeste leads me down the hall and into the bathroom where she rubs constantly against my legs and assures me of her undying affection.  "You, Mom...only you."  Heading back to get my jacket, she carefully and vocally herds me toward the kitchen.  "This way, Mom.  That's right, you're doing good.  Right this way now," as she leads me toward the treat bag.  I will admit that, laughing at this lavish and wanton display, I weaken every day.  As I reach for the bag, she rubs her head against my hand in a final gesture and I am dismissed.  Celeste knows how to play me like a fine violin.

Both cats have a bedtime routine together in cold weather.  I always sleep on my side with one leg slightly drawn up in a figure 4.  When I settle in bed, Ralph and Celeste seem to play the current game of The Floor Is Lava (in this case, the blankets) as they leap into safety of the pocket of the configuration to snuggle.  This is a queen-size bed, but it might as well be a twin for all the room I get.  Turning over, as one does in the night, becomes a full-scale battle with two immovable objects who refuse to leave their warm nest.  If I do manage to change position, they immediately change sides and we start all over again.  One of Beau's favorite expressions when faced with the inevitable is, "Well, what can ya do?"  Sigh.

The predicted rain began after dark last night, but seems to have stopped this morning, at least Miss Bess wasn't wet when she came back in.  We're supposed to get snow sometime this week.  If it stays dry today, I may bring more wood to the porch.