Cat stuff

[desperance]

I was pouring coffeebeans into a bowl this morning (to blend them with other coffeebeans, since you ask; I like to mix my own blends), and the noise or the rush of them or something startled Mac so much that he fell off the table.

And yes, Barry was watching.

And no, I really don't believe that cats do embarrassment, that's just too anthropomorphic for me; but it was a very lovely moment, and I do like to think that Baz enjoyed it as much as I did.

Also, I saw B twice make a gesture towards biting and/or biffing Mac on the bottom, like an open invitation to trouble. It didn't happen, but I do wonder if perhaps that particular worm is going to turn.

Not that he's done it yet, mind. There was an awful lot of charging up and down stairs in the dark last night, and I'm fairly sure who was chasing whom. Also, I'd left a ball of string on a windowsill upstairs. This wasn't just appropriated; from the resultant tangle (downstairs, thank you kindly), I diagnose that Barry had hold of one end of it before Mac started chasing him in and out of the table-legs, in some kind of formal courtly cat-dance. (Is that why they call string games cat's-cradle?)

In other news: launched my new book last night, before a small but interesting audience. Literary Celebrities among 'em (I am so easily impressed), and some good talking after. Not sure where the masses were: somewhere else, I guess. Having a good time too, I hope. This afternoon I have to go to the Arts Council and berate them for shoddy funding of prose events. Sigh. I shouldn't have to do this stuff...

Comments

Literary Celebrities among 'em

[durham-rambler.livejournal.com]

Anne Fine and Chaz Brenchley at the Lit and Phil

Re: Literary Celebrities among 'em

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Well, exactly. Anne Fine! At my gig!! Buying my book!!!

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

I am quite convinced that cats have something that equates to human embarrassment. I've seen it more than once, but the classic was when my cat Ophelia (maybe my favorite of all cats I've ever lived with) was rolling around on the bed, being cute, and rolled right off. At that point, she simply lay in exactly the position she landed in (which was rather an odd one), and nonchalantly began licking her paw. The message was clearly "This was my plan all along."