a different sort of cattiness

The evil Virginia isn't quite so evil any more. Since Camille moved out, she's been ecstatically happy and it shows. While she spends most the day napping leisurely in the best spots, she does have another favorite activity.

Virginia perches on this part of the kitchen counter every evening when it becomes dark outside. She then waits eagerly for cars to drive past, I think on the next street over. A reflection of that light causes window-pane shaped light to dance across the wall near the counter. She likes to attack it. I should say she *lives* to attack it. I used to have a calendar hanging on the wall and when she would stare at it during the day, we thought she was obsessed with the animal pictured thereon. However, when the month changed and new wildlife was up for viewing, Virginia still stared at it just as intently. There is no longer a calendar hanging in that spot. She ripped it down while attacking the light.

In the morning, after a long night of waiting and light-chasing. she is in the mood for affection. When Virginia wants attention, she is not to be denied. Try to move past her and she will swat...and her claws will be out. Last week she wanted Moogie to accept some attention from her and when he backed away from her loving rub and tail-swish, she turned and went after him, swatting and hissing the whole way, thoroughly enjoying it as he ran from the room.

She's gotten obnoxious in the morning. She wants to see every part of my breakfast making. I've been trying to get out of my protein shake every day rut and get up a little early to make egg white omelets, etc. Virginia won't stay out of my way. No matter how many times I remove her from the counter, she's right back trying to look into my dish or cup, taste my coffee (she loves coffee), find out what is in the cabinet I am opening and if she can sneak in.

Camille was the math cat. Whenever we started to work on math, Camille would come from out of no where to lounge across the math books and beg to be pet...with pencils. Preferably mechanical pencils. She didn't really like to be pet unless it was with a writing implement. Not sure why, she was a weird cat (and a bad, stinky cat). Virginia has now taken to coming and sprawling across schoolwork as well - but only for a little while. After a long night of waiting for lights to chase, she is tried and heads off to find a nice, cozy nook to sleep in.

While it does seem like she is becoming a nicer cat, she drew blood from Pat yesterday. She was perched on the banister in the hallway upstairs yesterday afternoon and decided she wanted attention. He pet her for a bit, but then wanted to go take a nap. She got ticked at him for attempting to leave and as he moved past, she reached out and sliced into his hand. When she does things like that we always call Moogie to discipline her. He *loves* that job. He chases her off somewhere to think over the wisdom in whacking humans.

I don't even like cats, but I find myself doing what she wants. I carry her around the kitchen in the morning and we look out the window together for birds. She leans back and kisses my face, all the while purring like an engine.

~o~

Rhianna is exhausted and run down from the youth retreat she attended this weekend. She ended up calling her coach and cancelling her lesson today. We have to make it up tomorrow. She's got a lot of sleep to catch up on. I was glad not to have to go out and sit at the rink for two hours. I have some stuff to do around the house and then I need to run a couple of errands.