Sunday, December 22, 2013

Off-Topic: Cats & Carpets

This morning started much like any other; which it shouldn't, because it's Sunday and I am not a morning person.  Smidget, my older cat, understands this.  There are days I'll get home from work, and I doubt she's even left the bed.  When Nym wakes up, there's no going back.  During the day, you may not pick her up or snuggle her, though she might take a nap on you if you sit still long enough.  In the morning, she's happy to demand your attention and adoration.

This morning dawned at the usual hour.  Instead of a certain kitten pestering for food, she was pawing at the floor, which means she didn't make it to the litterbox.  I was out of bed in a flash.  If you want to discipline the critter effectively, you need to catch them very quickly.  That out of the way, both cats were closed in the bathroom while I dealt with the mess.

That out of the way, I flopped onto the bed next to my husband and bemoaned the ubiquity of wall-to-wall carpet.  Bare floors are just cleaner.  You spill coffee on hardwood or laminate, it's easy to mop up.  Spill it on a rug or runner, mine are thin enough to thoroughly clean (no thick, shaggy material for me, thanks).  Spill on carpet, have fun.  Pet makes a mess on the carpet, best of luck to you.  Growing up in a series of rentals – including one gloriously carpet-less, military-issued apartment – I'm ready for anything.


Real product

After whining about the unfortunate infestation that commonly plagues rentals, I got up to release the beasts and shower myself.  With the last concert of the season at hand, my choir has a busy afternoon ahead of us, and this is the least I can do to assuage some of the problems we'll encounter.  I turned the knob and attempted to push the door open.  A few millimeters' clearance showed me that one of the drawers under the sink was pulled open.  Someone also knocked a couple items off the counter, for added difficulty.

I called for an axe, hammer, and fire.  My husband used the stick end of a cat toy to knock the smaller obstructions out of the way, then bargained for food, coffee, and a trip to True Value.  Seeing as I like all three of those, as well, I accepted.  Fed and caffeinated, we confessed our woes to the guru, and she helped us find the materials we needed for this endeavor.  We didn't need a machete, but I got the next best thing.  Mine came in red.

Relevant to the problem at hand, we bought a flat slab of metal, bent it into a 90° angle, which we slipped under the door to knock the drawer shut.  I can only guess which of the two is the morning's undeserving miscreant, but they were both fed before I attended to myself.

Fortunately, this ordeal did not interfere with any clients.  While I am not a morning person by nature, I understand that there are fully-realized adults whose schedules do not respect the sanctity of early hours.  I do my best to be accommodating, but I'll be moving my standard hours off the weekend in the new year.  Despite two decades in school, I'm beginning to see the value in giving myself a couple days to recharge.  Downtime is especially nice when dealing with unruly kittens.  I take my hat off to parents.