1. Today, my copy of Kathy Brainard's book, DB and Me arrived. Upon opening the package, I did much the same thing I did when her sister's book arrived. (Roberta Brainard Garner's book is Pay the Piper.) Rather than start right at the beginning, I jumped around, reading parts all through the book. Eventually, I read Roberta Garner's book straight through, beginning to end, and, last night, before going to sleep, I started to do the same with Kathy Brainard's book. Kathy's book seems to be about two things: first, it's a story about her mother and, second, it's a book about Kathy's writing of her mother's story. She's approached this project from different angles and so this book is presented in a variety of storytelling methods: straight narrative, jazzy word riffs, self-reflection about the writing process, transcripts of interviews, the outline for a screenplay, and others. In other words (and I use this word neutrally), it's an unusual or unorthodox approach and I'm looking forward to reading it straight through and, as we used to say, grooving on its various narrative approaches and its content.
2. I sure like to mess around in the kitchen with variations on that old hot lunch offering called Witch's Brew. I. haven't been to the store for a while so, when I got hungry this afternoon, I got out some onion I had chopped a couple of days ago and some mushrooms. I got those cooking and added part of a can of kidney beans to them. I boiled some penne pasta and then combined it all and covered in with Parmesan cheese. It was kind of an emergency meal -- I was pretty hungry but without much to easily cook around the house -- and it worked. It was delicious well beyond what I thought it would be.
3. I don't know when I'll leave Kellogg and head back east, meet up with Debbie and Gibbs, and join forces to drive back to Kellogg.
This is, as they say, a work in progress! No problem!
My concern, though, no matter when I travel to see and then travel with Debbie and Gibbs is how Luna and Copper will do when I'm gone.
I might be totally wrong, but here is what I've observed and experienced over the last seven months. Unlike other cats I've lived with in the past, Copper and Luna seem to rely much more on my company (or is it simply human company?) in order to be contented. They each have their own way of expressing this. Luna often likes to be either very near me on or right on me. When she wants to be on me, she attaches herself to my chest. Luna also, however, likes to trot upstairs and lie on our futon near the east window. She also doesn't have nearly the desire to be outside that Copper does.
Copper never attaches himself to me, but when we are in the same room, he relaxes nearby, whether on a quilt on the floor by the front door, on our sofa, or in a chair near where I'm sitting. If I go to the Vizio room, he joins me and finds a spot on the floor near the chair I sit in. Unless he's outside at night -- this is an off and on habit of Copper's --, when he's indoors he loves to sleep near my feet. Luna likes to sleep near my head -- and she loves to wake me up for food or water or just to be mischievous about three times per night.
I'm not quite sure whether Luna acts out if she feels anxious about my absence.
I know Copper does, though, and he acts out by not using the litter pan.
Why am I writing all of this?
In part, I'm getting things straight in my mind.
Mostly, though, this description is leading to a get together Christy, Paul, Carol, and I had tonight over at Carol and Paul's house.
I guess you could say it was pet concerns night for Christy and me.
Mainly, Christy is figuring out how to calm down Riley's exuberance, especially when people visit Christy and he wants to enthusiastically jump up on them, put his paws on their chest, and dash excitedly from person to person.
So we discussed Riley.
Then we talked about the care for Copper and Riley when I am gone.
We decided that we'd try this approach: when I'm gone, Christy, Paul, and Carol will come over to the house and spend time with Copper and Luna -- feed them, tend to the litter pan, give them time outdoors, let them back in, etc. To me, the idea is to cut into the time Luna and Copper are alone in the house.
Other cats I've lived with did fine with long stretches of time alone. I might be wrong, but I don't think Copper and Luna do well without human company (or is it my company? We'll see.).
In a perfect world, I'd know someone who would and could spend nights here, but I've let go of that possibility.
We are going to see how it works for Copper and Luna to have company off and on during the day and into the evening, possibly.
I'm indescribably grateful that Paul, Carol, and Christy are willing to help me out this way.
I'll be ecstatic if this approach works well for Luna and Copper.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.
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