johnpalmer

... back when I first moved back here. She was ignoring one of her favorite playthings, a toy furry octopus hanging from an elastic string. She'd pull it down from the string (which has a relatively weak clip holding the octopus on - especially weak now that it's been pulled free so often!), and come find us, mewing all the time, to drop it near us as an example of her hunting prowess.

Now, she was leaving it alone, and hiding most of the time. So I decided that I had to pick up the cats this weekend if it was at all possible.

I got an early-ish start on Friday, getting going at 3:30, but apparently it wasn't early enough. It took me until 10:30 to get the 240+ miles to Albany. If I don't leave the Seattle area early enough, traffic is hell, and Friday was no exception. Worse, it's been over a year since I remembered how important Rain-X is on my windshield when driving through western Washington winter weather... rain and roadspray made the windshield a mess. I changed that situation before I left, thank heaven!

But I did make it down, and after a bit of chatting and nibbling of Girl Scout cookies,

kightp and I retired to bed. The cats removed themselves from the bed - they hate how the waterbed shimmies when the humans start to play their silly games upon it - but while we were still engaged in those games, we heard a constant, piercing "mew" from Skitty. Sure enough, she had the octopus for us.

I guess I must be her protector, the one she looks to for safety. If I'm not around, it's time to hide.

Saturday was a wonderful visit, with some gaming, some loving, and some Babylon 5. Sunday, though... well, Sunday was quickly packing and cursing that there wasn't enough room in the car.

But after getting the cats situation, I was able to make the trip back in about four hours, plus a tiny bit. The cats are recovering from their ordeal, and already picking out their favorte places to sleep or demand snuggles and scritches.

I also got the most wonderful Valentine's Day present waiting for me. A while back, I bought a stirring corn popper (the kind with a little crank you use to stir the kernels while popping - nice, when you have an electric burner and can't get a proper shake going over a gas flame[1])

For some reason, I left it with Pat... I'm not sure why, but I've always been glad to have it while down there. Of course, there have been times I wished for one up here... well, I don't have to wish any longer!

Pat sent me one, and it arrived on Friday (after I left), so it was waiting for me to pick it up today. I've tested it out; it's a bit tricky to get the lid sealed properly, but it works nicely. Thank you, love... I really appreciate it!

For now, however, it's time for bed... I need to get to work early tomorrow, if I can, so I can pick up my badge and start digging a bit deeper into the applications I'm supporting.

[1] Over gas, you can hold the pot over the flame, and over the ceramic pieces that keep the pot over the flame. On an electric, you have to kind-of scrape the bottom of the pot across the elements. Stirring is easier and less scratchy!)