Flashback

Every now and then as a kid, I used to get what my sisters and I called 'Mexican jumping beans.' I have no idea what they really were, or where they came from, but I remember you could find them near the register of any corner drugstore.

Two beans came in every inch-square plastic case. I can't imagine why my mother thought this purchase worthwhile, except that maybe we'd done an exceptionally fine job pestering her, or maybe she too was secretly entranced by this alive but not-alive novelty.

At home my sisters and I would fight over who got to hold the case first. When it was my turn, I'd jealously cup my hand around the case, and then bring my face close to peer in. Pop! would go a bean, and I'd squeeeal!

Fast forward about twenty years. I'm grown, I live on my own, and I'm laughing on the phone to my mother, trying to describe the Mexican jumping bean that's made its way into my kitchen.

He's scrappy; he goes by the name of Kai. He puts both paws up against the wall, and leaps as high as he can, straight up. Once! twice! three times! And I squeeeeeal!

His zen gaze

Welcome to the jungle

A very loud, very disturbing thump outside the bathroom door. Silence, a low snarl, and then the sound of eight feet galloping into the next room.

When I open the door, there's Meera huddled in her customary spot. She's perfectly positioned to catch the wave of water-drenched air as I emerge post-shower. Kai is nowhere to be seen. Probably at the living room window, placidly watching birds.

"Noises? What noises?"

I envisage my kittens morphing into rhinoceri as soon as the door shuts. I'm just waiting to find rhino prints in the litter box to prove my hunch...

Totally intent, furrowed brow and all

Bright lights, and 69 degrees

Hmmm...

Up again clean

This morning I watched a little piece of carpet fluff that had attached itself to the end of Meera's nose. It snuffed in, it snuffed out, in, and out, in sync with her breath, until finally she bent down to nose a balled-up piece of tinfoil, and came up again clean.

Carnage! (they know what to do with junkmail)

Kai vs. the Spider

My (helpful?) little foghorn

Through jet black night en route from bathroom to bedroom, Kai's quiet, periodic whirr leads me in the right direction.

Lately though, he doesn't just lead the way. He leads the way and gets progressivly slower, til finally I have to give him a nudge with my foot. "Keep going!" my foot suggests. "The nest should still be warm!"

Absence makes the eyes grow...sharper?

This morning Bella Baby's stripes just popped. The darks were so dark, and her little round body was so appealingly cuddly and round.

Looked cuddly, but acted prickly. No snuggles this morning. I am snuggle-less!

Question

So how does a lampshade go askew, especially if said lamp is at least 7 feet tall, and nowhere near anything jump-offable??

Homecoming

I walked into the apartment today after being gone for three days. A lovely lady agreed to stop in on Saturday and Sunday to refill food and water, and empty the litter box.

I wondered if they would recognize my footsteps and come running. Ok, I knew that Meera wouldn't come running, but I hoped Kai would.

I walked through every room, giving everything the once over, giving the kitties under the bed (where else would they be?) a nice long opportunity to hear my feet and go all soft. The apartment looked in order. Slipcover torn from the baby chair, and lampshade askew, but nothing major.

Did either of them make an appearance? No. Not. A. Peep.

My reunion snuggle will have to wait til after work.