Melting My Heart

There’s that old time song about dancing cheek to cheek. I’m going to have to write a new version about sleeping forehead to forehead.
 

Seeking the Warmth

Norma is seeking the love only the spotlight can provide.
 

Friends

Looks like Alias made a couple of new friends. I think they might be a little smelly though.
 

Disrupted

Kenta stopped greeting me at the door when I get home. At least yesterday he did come halfway down the stairs.
 

Gee But It's Great To Be Back Home

I had to go to work after getting home after 1 a.m. and asleep after 2 a.m. I had to do an orientation for three new volunteers. Luckily it was in the afternoon so I was able to sleep in a bit. When I awoke Alias and Norma were cuddled near my feet and Kenta was sleeping by my side. This has never happened before in the morning. I guess they forgave me for abandoning them.
 

Trip

 

Flew to Berkeley California early Saturday morning to see my 53rd Bob Dylan concert. He was sharing the bill with Lucinda Williams (who I'd seen a dozen or so times, even saw her get married at a First Ave show) and Meet John Doe. It was hard leaving my housemates behind but I arranged for a friend and a pet visitor from Rover.com that I had used before, to stop by to feed them. Also saw my 54th Dylan show (and Lucinda and John Doe) Sunday evening. I really enjoyed both shows. I've been having a hard time listening to music since 2020. I think I'm finally letting my guard down and opening my heart again.

Just got home and I have to work today. I was pleased that Norma came out to visit with the two strangers as did Alias (no surprise). Kenta was the most reluctant (of course he didn't skip his meals) which didn't surprise me too much. He definitely doesn't want disruption to his sense of security and our household's routines. 

Happy to be home but it's a tired kind of happy. My housemates are all letting me know they are glad I'm back but also wanting to punish me for leaving them on their own (relatively speaking).

On/Off

I tried several times to push the power button on the remote. Alias never powered up.
 

Exposure

For one so skittish, Norma often does sit belly side up.
 

Looking Out For Her 'Little' Brother

Kenta doesn't know how much his sister keeps an eye on him.
 

Norma’s Nighttime Routine

Norma does nightly squirmies on my desk. She’ll wiggle around, flip over and stretch out. Sometimes, she forgets that the desk has sides and she’ll fall over the edge if I can’t catch her.
 

Taking Advantage of the Space

It's a rectangle shaped bed and Alias, who isn't a rectangle shaped guy, does his best to cover as much real estate as possible.
 

My New Laptop Wallpaper Pic

This recent photo is one of my favorites of Norma and Alias together. It somehow both captures their individual personalities and their special sibling bond from day one. Forget all the clutter around them, I’ve sadly become more Oscar than Felix. That said, Norma and Alias are not an odd couple in anyway. They have always been a team together. 

I’ve been blessed to get to be part of their team for coming up on the past six years. I know Kenta is feeling the same way with his time with us.

Alias’ Haiku

Sunny day, warm face

I lie on his working space

Prevents him working
 

What a Wonderful Life

You wanna know how I know there’s a higher being that created our wondrous world/reality? Because when I come home these days and turn the corner of our house to enter through the living room door and I most often see this. 
 

Messing With Me

Ok, now they’re clearly messing with me. Within the same hour, all three visited a spot that hasn’t changed at all but is a spot none of them has shown interest in before. Alias and Kenta scratch the living daylights out of the scratching posts but they never before, to my knowledge, have spent any time chillaxin in that spot. And Norma? She was the last to occupy the spot and spent the longest time there. 

 

Bob

A local radio station played 85 essential Bob Dylan songs celebrating his recent 85th birthday. I joined a couple of hours late but almost all the songs I heard were from the 1960’s and early 1970’s. Kenta napped and purred next to me for much of the playlist. It’s the first time he’s heard that much music in the house. Maybe he’s a music lover, wouldn’t surprise me. Or maybe he was impressed by Bob.

I’m a huge Bob fan. I’m going to see him three times over a little over a month. It’ll be the 53rd, 54th and 55th time I’ve seen him. From London to Chicago to Los Angeles. But with four exceptions (Boots of Spanish Leather, You’re a Big Girl Now, Abandoned Love and Where are You Tonight?) all my top 85 favorite Bob songs were written after 1981. As always I’m different from most people. Kenta would know that if he was around other people at all.
 

Lucky One

I get to spend the entire weekend with this guy. I’m pretty darn fortunate.
 

Summer is Here

It's gotten hot and muggy. Even with the air conditioner and ceiling fan going upstairs where Alias, Norma and I spend most of our time, it's a little warm Their energy level is definitely lower.
 

My Heartbeats

Three of my loves: Kenta, Alias and baseball.
 

Simply Pointing Out the Obvious

Kenta is pointing out the wood floor needs sweeping. 
 

Show Off

Norma’s showing off her tremendous whiskers. 
 

Vogue

Alias has the perfect face. He really does.
 

Splat

Kenta got hollered at for the second time. Alias was sitting belly up on my lap as I was working on my computer like he does most nights. Kenta decided he wanted to sit on my lap too so he jumped on top of poor defenseless Alias. Alias yelped and scampered away. Kenta was scared by Alias’ reaction and my immediate, “THAT WAS NOT NICE, KENTA!” And he ran downstairs. 

He often wants to join or replace Alias on my lap but usually I see him and hold my hand as a blockade. I didn’t see him this time. Around 15 minutes later Kenta returned, hopped up on my empty lap and was deeply purring and rubbing up against me as if to offer an apology. No need, I can’t stay mad at Kenta. Norma on the other hand…

The latest cat I’ve been assigned to help get adopted is Grayson, a medium grey fur one year old. When I read his profile I couldn’t  help compare him with Kenta. An extremely anxious cat at first, but a loving ball of fur once he comes out of his shell...

Four Eyes

Sometimes I feel like I’m being watched. I don’t know why.
 

Back to Norma(L)

My temporary evening part time job is coming to an end this week. I think Norma will appreciate getting back to the old routine.
 

Polite Pouncer

Kenta's ready to pounce. He's a polite pouncer, rarely landing on me but softly next to me. Norma and Alias love to use me as a springboard and often body slam me when they are jumping up next to me.
 

Visiting Petting Zoo

I got to pet a llama at work. He was very soft. Best day at work ever.
 

Pun

Norma sat on my desk as I was working last night. She sat quietly for close to an hour. Unusual behavior for her. I said, “I like mellow Norma.” Then I realized it kinda sounded like, ‘I like melanoma.’ That I hope to never say. 

We both laughed at my wicked pun.
 

Paying the Bills

I've resumed a part time remote evening job that reduces my ability to pay individual attention to my housemates. These two are having a hard time adapting. I don't think Kenta has even noticed.
 

Bonds

 A great antidote to another Monday morning. Sorry I have to go to work. 

Cardinal

I came home to see what I think is a cardinal (I’m no bird expert). I’ve never seen one in my yard before but I used to see some in the trees of my parent’s house. I came in excitedly to tell my housemates. They looked at me as if I’d gone bonkers (or more bonkers than I already was). 

 

Alias’ Ask

Alias wants to know if you’d be kind enough to scritch his chin.

Thx.
 

Patience

Kenta stole Alias’ favorite place in the house. He often likes to do what Alias is doing. Often at the exact same time. Alias is pretty patient with his younger brother. 
 

8>

Nothing melts my heart more than when the two of them cuddle.
 

Stumble

I raised my voice toward Kenta for the first time ever. He loves to rub up against my legs, particularly when a meal is being delivered. He and his siblings get fed in the basement so as I was headed toward his dish to fill it, he tried to rub up against me and I didn’t see him almost falling flat on my face not to step on him. I yelled Kenta’s name. This all clearly confused/scared him. 

I love Kenta-beans. 

Kenta Loves His Home

Sometimes it's good to sleep on something other than his favorite cat bed or cat tree or my futon or on top of Alias. 

Norma Jean

 

New Favorite Spot

Alias has found his new favorite spot in the house. It’s on the ledge above the stairway underneath a skylight. I also have to believe he knows how unbelievably handsome he is in the sunlight. 

Norma Jean

Sunday morning I woke up with Norma snuggled next to me under the covers as she often does. She won’t get up until I do. It’s one of my favorite things ever. 
 

Personality Tests

Scientifically categorizing cats personality types, like Myers/Briggs, Insights, DISC human evaluations I’ve had taken during my work years. Here are the different style types I’ve lived with: Mr. Maximoto and Kenta, window watching, deep purrers empathetic lap sitters; Diego-San and Norma, assertively independent, exploring, observations based needy needing; Thompson and Alias, peace making populists, beloved by all. Theo on his own as always. 

Scaredy Cats

So for the second time in the last few weeks, I came home and no one greeted me at the door. I felt a little snubbed, like shouldn’t they be curious about who was making noise downstairs?

Yesterday, Alias was hidden underneath my futon. Kenta was sitting up on my futon. Norma was nowhere in sight. Just like the last time this happened, I heard a noise. It sounded like a chime but I don’t have chimes in my house. Instead, it was the storm door to the kitchen entrance banging against the side of my house. The handle is broken and somehow the latch came undone causing the door to bang in the wind. Both yesterday and the time before Alias and Norma let their fear overcome their hunger. They skipped a meal rather than risk going down stairs.

Kenta had no problem eating his latest meal.

Recount

My housemates didn’t win the Pet Photo Contest at work. I thought about demanding a recount bit didn’t want to come across as a sore loser. But seriously these three are in a class of their own.
 

Cheeze

Smile and say ‘cheese’ Kenta…
 

Clean

I washed Norma’s favorite bed and it’s a completely different color now without all the fur. After the cleaning, she avoided it for a while, I’m sure it must have smelled much different, but she ended up napping in it again.