Kringle in his safe place, on Ebony's former bed It was one of those nights that I hate. The wind was gusting and heavy rain would pelt in spurts against the windows. I woke from troubled dreams. In one, my cat Blackie, who passed on several years ago, nuzzled me in a comforting way. I was also aware of the presence of the cat on the corner of the bed at all times. I never wake alone. Men have come into and out of my life for periods of time. I'm on a lull in that regard. My cat seems afraid of men, and for that matter, anyone new who comes into the house. He's old, and I believe he deserves a peaceful retirement. He'll be 18 years old on April 30, the birthdate I estimated based on when he was neutered and tattooed in his ear with his unique marking.
After our breakfast routine, the wind continues to gust. I jump when the whole house seems to shiver. A tall cedar tree in the neighbour's yard looks thinner than it once was. We've had very dry summers, and if no one waters the trees, they can get brittle, break, fall. Sometimes all the green turns brown, like the former evergreens outside the produce store I frequent. They take excellent care of their fruits and vegetables, but what do they know of trees? What do any of us know? I'm in the room with a view of the cedar tree through a sliding glass door. The storm has abated. Sunlight is warming my elderly cat resting on a soft pet bed, a hand-me-down from Ebony, who preceded him. His abdomen rises and falls rhythmically. His eyes are shut tightly. His toes twitch slightly. He's dreaming. A good time to cut away pesky mats, if he thinks it's part of the dream for a while. But I've read that you need to have one place where you will never disturb the cat in repose. That was the advice of Gregory Popovich, who trains cats and other animals to perform in a comedy pet theatre in Las Vegas. I could see performing cats would need some respite, and perhaps mine would enjoy one too. So when he's lying in that corner, on his cat tree or on the nearby pet bed, he won't be annoyed. I accidentally upend my teacup and the sound wakes the cat. He rises and resettles with his back to the light, now filtered through a wall of grey cloud. I refill my teacup and sit down to write some more. I hope you enjoy this blog. I plan to share stories of my experiences with cats, reviews of cat-related books, and other content that cat lovers might enjoy. The header photo is B.J., who inspired my first Facebook page, Crazy about Cats. My blog will be in the English language, but I will continue to share reference information in both of Canada's official languages, French and English. Thank you for visiting, and for loving cats! - Irene Plett TOPICS: storms, cats, trees, Gregory Popovich, Kringle, Ebony, Blackie
2 Comments
1/21/2018 07:40:01 pm
I love the peace you embody in the rhythms and content of your work! I especially love the idea of every being having a safe space of uninterrupted solitude.
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1/22/2018 05:30:57 am
Thank you, Cynthia! Your words are beautiful, no surprise coming from an accomplished poet! A safe space for every being - what a lovely objective. I'm glad you saw peace in my writing.
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