Monday, January 19, 2015

Tommy and I woke up a little early, so she got fed a little early. I went and handled the morning posts and printing and Tommy came in a couple times to check up on me. Once that was accomplished I completed all my morning Tommy chores, stripped down the bed and laundered the linens.

It was time for a play session. Tommy had gone with me into the guest bathroom to start the laundry, so she also followed me into the study. We had a rousing game of catch/touch the light. I had to laugh whenever Tommy rolled over on her back. Somehow she expects the light to magically float right above her head. The one positive when that happens is that I’m able to give her neck and chest a good petting.

After our morning play, I went to check on the laundry and Tommy went to lay on the mattress pad on the bed. I wasn’t sure if she wondered what happened to all the bedding, if she just wanted to try out the different surface, or if she just wanted some quiet time. Once I went back to the sofa to read, Tommy joined me there and curled up on her flannel throw. She napped while I read, but would wake up every so often, raise her head, and stare at me. Whenever that happened, I would pet her, always very lightly and at times just using my thumb until she fell back asleep.

When I went to refill my coffee and grab some yogurt, I also put her hairball snack/treatment on her little plastic lid/plate. Later when she woke up and was hungry she went and ate it before retreating to the now made bed to continue her nap.  Since she had left the living room, I went to the study to work on the diary transcriptions.

A little after 3:30 I got out Tommy’s late afternoon meal and she must have heard me because when I went in the bedroom to check on her, she was sitting up. I petted her and she jumped off the bed and led me into the study. I told her I was almost done with the day’s diaries and we would play in a few minutes. As I put the headphones back on, she left. I’m sure she figures that I’ll find her when I finish, and she is correct.

I found her on the bed after petting her, told her to come play, but she didn’t budge. Even when I went to the other room and made enough noise putting out her papers, she still didn’t budge. I took the fleece teaser to her and she put her paw on in to stop it and only let it go a little at a time.

Finally finished toying with me, she grabbed the end of the teaser in her mouth and “lead” me to the paper pile in the other room.  She didn’t play with it for long, so I switched to the little mouse on the wire. She played with that for a while before ending play and moving to the study. Since I had recently finished with the “neck exercises” I wasn’t ready to resume those quite yet.

We were at a standoff and we went to our respective “corners,” Tommy to the bedroom and me to the living room.  I then got her first dinner ready and she ate some of it. I was going to a movie later with friends so I showered, ate and got ready.  Tommy returned to the bedroom after eating.

Once I finished the dishes I went to check on Tommy. After letting me pet her, she went to her paper pile and scratched her ear. She made a sound I had never heard and it didn’t sound like a happy sound.  It took a while to get her to let me pick her up and she let me look at her ear. Everything looked fine, so I thought that I’d just see if this was a one-time thing, or if it continued, we’d be going to see Dr. Becky.

I left for the movie and when I returned Tommy greeted me and then right into the study. She had been missing play sessions and it was time to catch up.  She went right to her spot for playing catch the light and we had a good game although at times she would come over by me just to rub up against me or get some petting. 

We moved to the living room so I could watch the news. After the news we had a final play session with the teaser and papers and one more round of catch the light before putting everything away and moving to the bedroom.  Once I got into bed, Tommy went and sat in front of the television. I think this is her way of curbing my television viewing.  I read for a while and then turned off the lights.  Tommy’s snack was out and I’m sure she will join me when she wants her snack and it’s time for her to sleep.