The ownership of Christmas trees/Birds! Birds!
So, earlier this week I unthinkingly did something dangerous and deeply inconsiderate to one member of this household: I placed wrapped Christmas gifts under our little Christmas tree so it would look more festive.
I had forgotten, of course, that in the few weeks the tree has been up, the Grey One has claimed it as her personal property, and more specifically, as her personal cat toy, since it has the following indispensible cat characteristics: branches that cat paws can hit, strings of Christmas lights that little paws can play with and get entangled in, and, most critically, a hiding place beneath the tree that is ideal for small grey cats.
This hiding place is precisely where I placed the gifts, only to find, after returning home last night, that they had all been not particularly mysteriously pushed away from the tree. I put them back under the tree. This morning, they were away from the tree again. Back under they went. "You are not following the Christmas spirit," I explained to both furry creatures. I fear, however, that they are inclined to believe that the Christmas spirit involves hiding under Christmas trees, and moreover, they are inclined to blame the fish.
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Speaking of animal antics...So yesterday tgregoryt and I are driving along calmly enough when my cell phone rang, with gargoylerose on the phone explaining that her room had been invaded by a bird and that the bird wouldn't leave and that her cat had helpfully, after a decided struggle that left blood spots, retreated beneath the bed.
"I'm not laughing at you," I said mendaciously.
"I have bird shit everywhere!"
"Still not laughing," I assured her.
Apparently, hearing that I was on the other side was enough to make the bird decide to enter the closet. I attempted to tell the bird that, honestly, none of us really need to go back into the closet just because Amendment 2 passed, but this argument bore no weight with the bird. tgregoryt noted that a shotgun was one solution, but that it would probably fill the bird so full of shot that the bird would be rendered utterly useless beyond that point, also proving that if a bird comes into your house, he might not be the person to call. Also, gargoylerose objected to thought of still more blood spots in her room. He did suggest a towel, but luckily, before too many drastic measures had to be enforced, the bird decided it couldn't take the conversation any more, and flew away.
I had forgotten, of course, that in the few weeks the tree has been up, the Grey One has claimed it as her personal property, and more specifically, as her personal cat toy, since it has the following indispensible cat characteristics: branches that cat paws can hit, strings of Christmas lights that little paws can play with and get entangled in, and, most critically, a hiding place beneath the tree that is ideal for small grey cats.
This hiding place is precisely where I placed the gifts, only to find, after returning home last night, that they had all been not particularly mysteriously pushed away from the tree. I put them back under the tree. This morning, they were away from the tree again. Back under they went. "You are not following the Christmas spirit," I explained to both furry creatures. I fear, however, that they are inclined to believe that the Christmas spirit involves hiding under Christmas trees, and moreover, they are inclined to blame the fish.
***********
Speaking of animal antics...So yesterday tgregoryt and I are driving along calmly enough when my cell phone rang, with gargoylerose on the phone explaining that her room had been invaded by a bird and that the bird wouldn't leave and that her cat had helpfully, after a decided struggle that left blood spots, retreated beneath the bed.
"I'm not laughing at you," I said mendaciously.
"I have bird shit everywhere!"
"Still not laughing," I assured her.
Apparently, hearing that I was on the other side was enough to make the bird decide to enter the closet. I attempted to tell the bird that, honestly, none of us really need to go back into the closet just because Amendment 2 passed, but this argument bore no weight with the bird. tgregoryt noted that a shotgun was one solution, but that it would probably fill the bird so full of shot that the bird would be rendered utterly useless beyond that point, also proving that if a bird comes into your house, he might not be the person to call. Also, gargoylerose objected to thought of still more blood spots in her room. He did suggest a towel, but luckily, before too many drastic measures had to be enforced, the bird decided it couldn't take the conversation any more, and flew away.