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Sunday, November 21, 2010

Yesterday was a bust!

Yesterday was a bit of a bust, fully living up to my early morning thoughts. I woke up and lay for a while trying to think of something, anything that would make me smile before day's end. I missed the window of opportunity to go for a walk as the rain set in pretty seriously. A walk would have been me, on my own, anyway and I'm realizing I need some stimulating conversation. I feel somewhat pathetic that the thought of going to a store is my best hope for an interaction that actually has another human being asking "How are You?" or "How's it Going?" but I am fully cognizant of the fact that, in polite society, the cashier down at the local mini-mart doesn't really want to know!
I did pop out to get a birthday card for a friend. I'm not sure that smirking at some of the humorous sentiments in Hallmark Land qualifies as the smiles I was looking for, but beggars can't be choosers. I picked up some gnocchi, chanterelle mushrooms, parsnips and fresh bread at the veggie store next door and got home with a plan for the lunchtime menu. Coq-au-vin was the basic idea. I rarely follow recipes, so there were some deviations, especially when I tossed in the Gnocchi at the end to create a flavorful one dish wonder that hit the spot rather nicely with a dandelion, mache and butter lettuce salad on the side.
That's it! That's all I accomplished in a whole day. I read  for a few hours and, in between scintillating cerebral stimulation from the big black box in the corner of the room,  contemplated shipping one of Lovely Daughter's cats back to her in a box without air-holes, as she (the cat) has decided that there is no better scratching post than my red leather furniture. The padded arms of the over sized arm chair and the top ridge in back of the couch make a satisfying popping sound as she engages her claws in a full body destructive experience. The smooth, rich  leather is transforming rather quickly from sleek to a distressed finish.  Maybe Hubby can put her in his suitcase and take her with him when he leaves for France on Friday? (Always assuming he can locate his passport by then).



17 comments:

  1. I am sorry to hear about your furniture. Does the little darling have a scratching post or a cat tree? Those have been helpful here.

    As to brilliant conversation, this is it for me today...

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  2. Check with local pet store. There are a variety of strategies to deal with kitty. You might even get some interesting conversation.Take a class or classes, a yoga class might really be the ticket. It sounds like you need to do something just for you. Go ahead, you're worth it.

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  3. e, the little darling has the option of going outside, like her sister. Thanks for the conversation.

    Silliyak, the class I should sign up for is "Sharp-shooter" Then I'd get some respect!

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  4. Do you keep the cat's claws trimmed? That can cut down on the damage.

    I have living room furniture the cats leave alone, but my computer chair is in shreds. My cousin says her cats don't damage the ultrasuede couch in her living room. I was afraid that leather would be too cat attractive when I comes to replacing mine--fears apparently well justified by your experience--so I was wondering about the ultrasuede.

    There, now I have rambled on for some conversation noise to keep you occupied for at least 15 seconds.

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  5. Jean, Their claws were trimmed a month ago, before Lovely Daughter transferred them to us. She's on notice to return and repeat the job. I've had cats who worked on the back of a sofa or on the seat of a cane/straw chair. This is so "in my face" right on top of the arms. I didn't "choose" to increase our family by two cats. It seemed like the thing to do as Domino was so unhappy and destructive in the small apartment. Now that Domino is gone outside a lot I think Slinky no longer has a playmate to let off steam. Slinky is the shy, scaredy-cat of the two. Jekyll and Hyde, the pair of them!

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  6. I'd be sporting a nice Davie Crockett hat by now. I admire your patience.

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  7. Legend, I have several recipes that could be adapted to feline ingredients. Teaching them to sleep on the chopping block so that I can creep up on them, is another skill entirely!

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  8. Getting them to sleep on the chopping board's the easy bit . Just make it quite clear that that's the one place in the house THEY MAY NOT SLEEP .
    You'll never shift them after that , leaving you free to turn them into a pie whenever you're next feeling peckish .
    Word verification was MEATO .... !!

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  9. When you start desiring conversation with shop assistants I fear there may be little done to affect a cure...!

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  10. Um......... "Then his dick fell off?"

    Whoa, check out the new cat toy!

    Kitty Cacciatore, yup. I hear you. Bet it's just like lapin.

    I'll just get my coat, and go discuss Christmas pudding over on mine. I even have a recipe to share. It's Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding and a Bûche de Noël in the LaCheshireChat house this year. Because carbo-loading isn't just for athletes anymore.

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  11. S&S, reverse psychology, Love It!

    Steve, Pathetic, that's me. I'm realizing a lot of my friendships are a one way street. That's the true malaise.

    Kitty, Inspired, as usual! That did make me smile. See you later at your site.

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  12. I completely sympathize. Told the giant Malamute this morning that he was a Dead Dog if he tried to climb onto the grand piano to get at the cat food, which is the only place in the house other than the top of the fridge where the cat can eat in peace.
    Chewed bannisters, scratched doors, missing loaves of bread....this stuff I wouldn't have put up with from my kids, so why do I tolerate the pet????
    He's only here temporarilym fortunately. I should just blog about this.
    Human nail clippers work just fine on cat claws, btw.

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  13. i know what you feel like - i don't really get on with the people at work now (miss the people who used to make it fun so much) and most evenings i just speak to the cats: so sometimes it's refreshing to have a conversation

    The cats are surpisingly good company though :)

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  14. Deborah, you do have your hands full. That's a lot of dog. Daughter came by to clip nails. I want her to keep some responsibility for "her" cats.

    Pixie, I have to reinvent my dynamic and make some new friends.

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  15. I was going to suggest putting kitty in the oven and turning up the heat, but I see you've already got some recipes lined up... purrfect... bon appetit !

    And now that Jiggling Lucy is out of the house, maybe hubby can be tempted for some conversation with you again ?

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  16. multiple cups of tea is the only thing for lack of conversation and cat distractions! glad to see that the wobbly lady found a nice new home too :-)

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  17. I once had a sofa that I loved.

    Unfortunately, I also had a chubby little cat for 13 years that I loved equally. By the time she died, the sofa was thoroughly thrashed. Since then, no cat, and sofas have come and gone.

    I hope that your friend receives that birthday card that you went to such pains to purchase and I also wish you some wonderful conversations to slake your thirst for human companionship and interaction.

    Some days are diamonds
    Some days are stone
    Some times the hard times
    Won't leave me alone
    Sometimes a cold wind
    Blows a chill in my bones
    Some days are diamonds
    Some days are stone


    --John Denver

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