Wednesday, February 25, 2015

I woke up during the night and unfortunately Tommy thought that this was her cue to get her day started.  After a couple hours of frequent reminders, I finally got up at 6:30 and fed her. She had eaten earlier in the day yesterday, so I was sure that she was hungry.

I went back to bed, but at 7:00 when the heat came on, Tommy came in and jumped up on the bed to let me know that I needed to get up.  After some petting and assurance, she left me alone for almost another hour, only stopping in once during that time to check up on me by jumping on the bed near my head and “announcing” that she was waiting.

Once I got up and completed my morning chores, Tommy seemed to settle down. Although we still hadn’t had our morning play session, I’m sure that she was at least glad to see me moving. We had a short play session before settling down on our respective morning spots, her on the perch of her scratching post and me on the sofa.

After Tommy went for a nap on the bed, I went and completed some of my transcribing before getting ready for lunch with friends.  Tommy had moved to the sofa as I got ready. I put out her hairball treat(ment). As I left she was curled up on the sofa ready to begin her late morning to early afternoon nap.

When I returned, she was curled up on the sofa, but came over to greet me.  I had received a package, so she explored not on y the contents but also the packing materials and the box. She was very curious about the Talking Stefon, especially when he talked to her. I decided to leave him out and see what she would do. After the initial novelty wore off, she left Stefon sitting alone on the chair.

I put out her grass so she could have a snack. We then spent a quiet afternoon first playing and then just lying on a sunny portion of the floor.  I was even able to take a nap in that spot.  The sun felt so good; I understand why Tommy likes to find a sunny spot in the condo to relax.

When it was time for dinner we both had our dinner and then settled on the sofa for the night.  About an hour after Tommy’s first serving she had her second serving of dinner and ate quite a bit of it. Putting it out in smaller portions has considerably reduced the amount of waste from the food being left out and unrefrigerated.  I’m very careful about not leaving her dinner out too long although I had to just leave it when I was gone to Chicago for several hours and either she finished it while it was still “safe” or when it was beyond the “safe” time and it didn’t affect her.

I tried to get in one last play session before bed, but Tommy didn’t seem to want to play. Once we went into the bedroom, she did let me hug her before putting her on the bed for her snack which she quickly ate. Once I got into bed, Tommy jumped down and began some late night exercising. 

She jumped up and climbed on the bungalow before jumping back down and tearing around the bed. This was repeated several time with her also spending time on the top of the bungalow swatting at a hanging ball that she’d been ignoring lately.  If I didn’t know her better I would have thought that she was a crazed cat.

While she was running around I decided to read since I knew that sleep wouldn’t happen for either of us while she was running around.  Once she finally settled down and curled up on the top of the bungalow, I said good night and turned off the lights. I now that before morning, she will be curled up at my feet sound asleep.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

I woke up around 6:15 and Tommy was again still asleep on the bed. I got up and went to the bathroom. Tommy woke up and moved to the door. She probably thought that it was time to start the day.

After a quick petting I went back to sleep until right before the heat came on. By that time Tommy was sitting up near my feet and let me know that it was time to get moving.  I got up and gave her a portion of her breakfast which she ate while I worked on the morning chores and postings.

When I came back out I saw that she was finished her meal, so I put out the other morning portion. She was sitting by the balcony door, so I got out the fleece teaser and we had a short play session. I love to watch her get into her stance right before she pounces on the teaser. She wiggles her little butt before she pounces. After the session I worked on continuing the morning activities while Tommy moved to the bungalow to rest. 

When I came back out almost all of her canned food had been eaten and she was sitting on the perch of her scratching post near the balcony door. This gave her a great view of a lot of the surrounding areas outside. I worked on the laptop at the dining table while she surveyed the areas outside.

As I worked she jumped down and came over to say hi before starting her morning jog around the condo. She then jumped up on the scratching post perch before moving to the sofa to curl up for her late morning nap.  Once I finished my work I joined her on the sofa.

Later in the afternoon, Tommy jumped down from the sofa and after checking out the action outside from her perch, she came up to me to let me know that we needed to do something.  I got up and followed her into the study.

I thought that she wanted a play session, but she went and sprawled out in front of the window to enjoy the sun.  When I got close she rolled over on her back which meant that it was time for a neck/chest petting.  Once that was done, she laid down next to me. I took a short nap listening to her purring and occasionally feeling the light touch of her paw on my hand or arm.

I hated to get up since I was enjoying her company and the sun, but I needed to get ready to leave for a cabaret concert in Chicago with friends.  When I left the study, Tommy followed me out and went to eat some grass and enjoy the sun on the rug in the living room.

While I got ready, Tommy sat behind the grass on the floor. I wasn’t sure if she was using it to hide or guarding it. I finally had to put it away, but got out her dinner and put it in the bedroom where she would be staying while I was gone. She followed me into the bedroom when I took in her food. I’m sure that she realized that I was leaving.

When I returned it was a little after midnight. I was really tired, but I could tell the Tommy needed some attention before I went to bed. One thing I noticed was that she had eaten her dinner which I was happy to see.  She hadn’t been eating her dinner if I was gone, so this was a big improvement.

Since the study door was open, Tommy led me into the room where we had a really good and long play session.  Tommy was reluctant to go back into the bedroom, but once she realized that it was time for bed, she scooted in and waited for me at the doorway. I’m sure that she wanted to make sure that I was also going into the bedroom and not leaving her again.

I picked her up and gave her a big hug. She didn’t fuss at all so I got to hold her for quite a while.  I put her on the bed where she found and ate her snack. I got into bed and said good night knowing that morning would arrive way too early for me.

Monday, February 23, 2015: A New Cue that Tommy’s Done Playing.

I woke up around 5:00 and Tommy was still asleep on the bed. I got up and went to the bathroom. Although Tommy woke up, she never moved from the bed. She probably knew that it was too early to start the day.

After a quick ear petting I went back to sleep until around 6:30 when Tommy checked to make sure that I remembered that it was close to breakfast time.  There was one more awakening before the heat came on.

We did the usual morning routine before Tommy was ready for a play session.  We had a good session with the light and the air pillows. Once Tommy was finished and ready to nap, she flipped over on her side and her head ended up on one of the pillows. I wished that she had stayed there long enough to get a picture, but by the time I grabbed my phone, tommy had moved to the bedroom to continue her nap.

After I finished posting and doing the day’s transcription, I went to the sofa to catch up on programs on the DVR. While I was watching, Tommy came out and curled up next to me on the sofa.  It looked like she was also hooked on Downton Abbey and wanted to learn about Spring Green from John McGivern.

I needed to get ready for class, so I went to shower and get dressed. Tommy remained on the sofa while I ran around. She only got down when I put out her hairball treats. Once they were gone, she went back to the sofa where she stayed when I left.

When I returned, she was on the sofa, but jumped down and trotted toward the door. I always love to see her enthusiasm when I return. I got out her grass and also took her food out of the refrigerator so it could lose its chill.

Once I was done we had a short play session before Tommy moved to the top of her bungalow to rest.  Occasionally I would stop in and say hi or she would come out to eat. I completely lost track of time until I noticed that it was well after 11:00.  It was time for bed.

I closed everything down while Tommy watched.  She sat under the chair in the study and stayed there when I turned out the lights.  I wasn’t until I said “Out!” that she moved and I could close the door.  She sometimes does allow me to believe that she’s obeying commands, but I know that she’s just humoring me.

She did the same thing in the main room, staying under the table until I said “Let’s Go!”  She then ran into the bedroom.  I put out her snack, picked her up and gave her a good night hug before putting her on the bed by her snack. She ate most of it while I got into bed. She jumped down from the bed before finishing her snack.  Since she hadn’t finished her dinner, I moved the little plastic lid with the remaining snacks on the floor near her by the bed.  I could tell that she wasn’t ready to settle in, so I turned off the lights and went to sleep knowing that sooner or later she’d probably curl up on the bed near my feet.

Sunday, February 22, 2015: Oscar Night

I was awakened about 4:15 A.M. by the sound of Tommy preparing to throw up.  She hasn’t had many incidents of stomach distress until two cases this week.  It looked like another hair/fur case, so it was quickly cleaned and Tommy was soothed.

We went back to bed and as I was falling back to sleep I could hear Tommy purring as she settled in by my feet. I was happy to hear her contented and happy. I fell back to sleep not to be reawakened by Tommy until around 6:40.

Once the heat came on, Tommy made sure that I got up and got her breakfast ready. I finished my chores and then Tommy and I had a short play session.  I put the sheets in the washing machine half expecting Tommy to move away from the noise and to the bedroom, but she remained in the main room and sat up on top of her scratching post enjoying the sunlight.

We had played with the fleece teaser in the main room and a while later I noticed that Tommy had pulled it near her. This was my cue to play. While she stayed on her back I dangled the fleece above her. She batted it around with her paws before grabbing it followed by chewing and pulling on the end. When she was finished playing she went to the bedroom to have a nap on the bed.

I had to run to the grocery store and Tommy remained in the bedroom napping. When I returned, she came out to greet me. After a short petting session Tommy settled on the sofa. I wanted to catch her before she fell asleep, so I picked her up and brought her over to the dining table. She was very still while I rubbed the dental wipe on her teeth.

When we finished she got her treat and grass was put out. After she ate her lunch, she went back on the sofa to finish her afternoon nap. While she slept I started getting ready for the Oscar viewing/dinner. My friends who had been here on Friday were coming back so I hoped that Tommy would spend a bit more time with us.

When company arrived, Tommy came out to greet them although I still think that she was being very cautious. During the night as we watched the Oscars and ate, Tommy alternated her time among the bedroom study and main room.

A couple times she came over and sat on the ottoman next to the chair I was in. She also spent some time near the other guests. I was glad to see that she was more comfortable with my friends and not hiding in a different room. She probably spent as much time in the room with the humans as she does when I’m the only one home.

Once the company left, Tommy let me know that we needed to have a play session. We spent some time in the study chasing the light and then moved to the main room and bedroom to chase the flashlight and laser lights.

Tommy was nice enough to give me some time to put away the food before we played and put the dishes in the dishwasher and do some general clean up after the pay session.  Once all my work was done, we had one more short play session before a good night hug and snack. Once again when Tommy was done with her snack, she remained on the bed and curled up at my feet to sleep.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

We didn’t wake up until around 6:30 and then Tommy made sure that when the heat came on I rose and took care of her needs. Once the morning tasks were completed and we had our morning play session, I began the laundry which is too noisy for Tommy, so she went to enjoy the quiet of the bedroom.

Occasionally during the morning, Tommy would check up on me either by coming out to the main room or staring at me from the bed whenever I went into the bedroom suite.  She made an appearance when I was talking to my sister on the phone. I’ll bet that she wanted to know to whom I could be talking if not her.

We had a very quiet day. It was quite productive for me since Tommy spent her time either napping or hanging out with me. At one point in the afternoon Tommy jumped up on the desk to remind me of her presence.  She likes to flirt with danger up on the desk by getting very close to the desk lamp which has a very hot bulb.

Tommy once got a bit too close and her nose probably got a bit hot, so she’s usually careful. As she walked passed the light she stopped when her tail was close to the light. She stayed there and before I could get her to move, her tail swished against the light. There was a definite odor of burned hair. Since she still hadn’t moved I assumed that a couple pieces of airborne hair from her tail had come in contact with the bulb.

Since she didn’t flinch or even seem to notice I knew that it wasn’t serious. Still I examined her tail and it appeared to be fine. We’re going to have to be a little more careful and vigilant when Tommy’s tail gets near the light. 

The rest of the day and evening were spent quietly working, napping, eating, and watching television. When it was time for bed Tommy at first remained on a dining chair, but after the last light went out and I headed for the bedroom, she raced passed me.

As usual she let me pick her up to say good night.  When I put her on the bed she ate her snack.  As she finished, I was getting into bed and rather than jumping down and either going to the top of her bungalow or some other area of the bedroom, she curled up at my feet. It seemed that we were both ready for a good night’s sleep.

Friday, February 20, 2015: Another Early Morning

Tommy started waking me up at 5:15 and continued about every half hour until she began in earnest around 6:25. She hadn’t eaten much the previous day and I could tell that she had already eaten most of her dry food in the bedroom. I knew that she was probably hungry so I got up and let her out into the main room which had more dry food for her. I went back to sleep.

When the heat came on, Tommy was back on the bed to wake me up. This time I needed to get up and complete my morning kitty tasks. Once she had some food, she came by me in the study and we had a short play session with the light and air pillows. When she was fed and played out, she retreated to her bungalow in the bedroom for her morning nap.

I hadn’t put out her usual amount of food since she had just eaten much of her dry food. At 9:00 I put out the remaining portion of her morning canned food and let her know that brunch was served. She came out and ate more of her food. With only a little left I was satisfied and discarded the remainder.

Tommy and I went into the study and had a short play session. When she just sat there I knew that I could do some work. As she sat there, the heat came on in the study and Tommy jumped up on the bed case to investigate.  Once she got a good smell, she jumped off the case and scooted out of the room.

She came back into the study and went under the desk. I guess she realized that I hadn’t followed her.  Once she was reassured, she went to her usual sitting spots, under the keyboard and near the window. I’m not sure if she was hoping for sunshine or outside activity.

Later Tommy went to the bedroom and started her nap on the bungalow, but later moved to the bed. I got ready and left to get a haircut.  When I returned Tommy was still napping. In fact she napped until her dinner time which was right before friends were coming over to watch Boyhood.

When my friends arrived, Tommy was very curious but also very shy. Usually she joins in and sits with us, but tonight she hung back and spent most of the time in either the bedroom or the study. She would come out occasionally and sit far away and watch. Once she did come through between the two places where I usually sit, but my friends were now occupying.  She backed away and didn’t come over by me since I was sitting farthest away from her.

Once the company left, Tommy got some attention, but she just wanted to sit in the study. I sat in the living room and watched a program before getting ready for bed.  When it was time for bed, Tommy went in the bedroom once all the rooms were shut down.

I picked her up and gave her a big hug before letting her down on the bed. She ate her treat and then sat on the bed until I was settled under the covers. Maybe this was her way of tucking me in.  She went to the bungalow, but surprisingly soon joined me on the bed ready to go to sleep.

Thursday, February 19, 2015: A New Toy

Last night I turned the heat up and thought that I put the thermostat back to the automatic, but during the night I noticed that the heat came on which usually doesn’t happen. By 6:00 we had both been waking up for a while and Tommy  couldn’t decide if she should go back to sleep up on the bed or somewhere else and whether she should be trying to wake me and get me to get out of bed.  She was so confused that I decided to get up and get out her breakfast.

She ate some of her meal and then went back to sleep up on her bungalow. I stayed up and decided that I could get quite a bit done if I started early, so that what I did.  While Tommy slept I completed transcriptions and postings, puzzles and burning a DVD. Tommy must have come out and eaten some more if her breakfast while I worked.

When the sun was shining throughout the condo, Tommy moved to the living room and sat on the top of her scratching post to oversee outside her “queendom.”  She would occasionally come over and let me know that she was aware of my presence and would let me know when I was needed.

As she headed to the study, she called out to me and turned around to make sure that I was following.  We played a little, but it seemed like Tommy just wanted to sit in the sun, so I went back to clearing the DVR.

When Tommy came out again, I decided that it was time to brush her teeth. Tommy let me brush her teeth although I had a little trouble brushing her back teeth so it took a bit longer. Once we were finished, Tommy ate her hairball treats and a couple blades of grass.

Later I saw her sitting in the sun near the desk. When I went to join her, she turned over onto her back and she got a good rubbing/petting on her chest and neck.  We also spent a little time playing again with the fleece.

After that she sat on her rug in the living area where there was still a small sliver of sun. As I watched the news I realized that Tommy’s dinner should have lost its chill. I wondered if she was hungry, and as I broke up her food in the dish, Tommy came running out.

She started eating her dinner as I worked on the laptop on the dining table. Unfortunately the light wasn’t great, so I turned on the flashlight to see an entry in a diary appendix.  Tommy thought that I was signaling to play and so she abandoned her dinner and jumped on the table.

I told her to finish her dinner and she went and sulked. When I finished the entries I went to put the finished diary in the box in the study closet. Tommy came to help and a double air packing pillow drifted down. I had an idea.

I separated the two air pillows and put them on the floor. I got down so that my glasses refracted light onto the floor in one of the pillows. Tommy started trying to catch the light and as she pushed the pillow away, I made sure that the light continued to move with the air pillow. We had so much fun playing with the light and the pillows. When I needed to stop to eat dinner I put the pillows away so that Tommy wouldn’t accidentally pounce on one and burst it. I wanted to be near if that happened while we were playing so I could reassure her as I know that she’d probably get scared by the noise.

I went and ate my dinner, but Tommy still didn’t touch any more of her meal.  When I placed the dish by her in the study, she did eat a bit more. No matter what I did, it seemed that she was finished with her meal. Since she also hadn’t finished her morning meal I was surprised that she didn’t finish her evening meal.

I left it out while I did the dishes giving her one last chance before I would need to dispose of it since it had been out for a while.  When I finished the dishes she still hadn’t touched any more of it, so I dumped it and washed her dish.

Once the dishes were done, I moved toward the study and Tommy bolted ahead of me. We had another rousing session with the light and the air pillows. We didn’t play as long but Tommy again was quite enthusiastic. She seemed like a kitten again as we played.

Once she grew tired of playing and only wanted to watch the light, I put the air pillows away. I wasn’t about to continue twisting If she wanted me to do that she’d also have to put forth some effort.

I finished another diary appendix while Tommy chilled in the study.  After I finished I went into the study and Tommy came over to me. I could tell that we were both tired and as I closed down the study, Tommy moved toward the door. After closing down the main room, we headed into the bedroom. It was time to sleep.

Tommy let me pick her up and give her a big good night hug without any fussing. When I put her down on the bed, she ate her snack, then jumped down and came over by my side of the bed. When she saw that I was getting in bed, she went up on her bungalow to chill out for a while before she would curl up near my feet on the bed.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Neither Tommy nor I stirred from the bed until a little after 6:00. At that point I was ready to go to the bathroom and Tommy was ready for breakfast. Unfortunately it was too early to start the day, so we stayed put. After a few minutes, Tommy checked to see if I was ready and when I didn’t move to get up, she moved to sit in front of the television.

By the time the heat came on, Tommy had already tried a couple of times to rouse me from the bed either by talking or making noise.  Once the heat was on, so was the “heated” talk from Tommy. I needed to get moving before I got in worse trouble.

We went out to the kitchen and handled breakfast, fresh water, and other chores. Once Tommy was appeased, I moved to the study and commenced my posting and printing. When I got the preliminary work done, I came back out to find Tommy waiting on her chair.

We moved back to the study and had a pet/play session. I was out of bread, so I needed to make some.  After making the dough I went to the living room while the bread rose. Tommy moved to the study, so I thought that it might be a good time to do some vacuuming.

As I got the vacuum cleaner out of the closet in the study, Tommy watched me warily.  I could see her tense up when she saw the dreaded machine. I tried to ease her fears and quickly moved the machine to the bedroom as far away in the condo from her as I could go.

I worked in the bedroom and then moved to the living room. When it was time to do the study I went in first and then put the machine behind the desk.  Tommy could see a clear path do leave and quickly exited. I followed her out to make sure that she headed to the bedroom.

 I finished the vacuuming and after putting the machine away I went to find Tommy. She was under the table at the foot of the bed.  When she saw me, she came over so I could pet her.  Once she had some attention she moved slowly out into the condo to reassure herself that the machine was gone.

I finished cleaning, backing, and burning a couple DVD’s while making sure that Tommy was given the attention that she deserved.  We played a little and then Tommy having finished a light lunch went to take a nap on the bed.

I thought that this might be a good time to run a couple quick errands. I was gone less than half an hour and when I returned Tommy came out to see what I had brought back.  She inspected the mail and the groceries.  Once she lost interest in the items she went back to the bedroom to finish her nap.

Later in the afternoon after we had another play session, Tommy went and sat in the study. I was sitting at the dining table working on my laptop when I heard a cry of distress from Tommy. Before I could get to her she came running out of the study and went flying intot he bedroom.

I followed her in just in time to see her throw up a little puke. As I went to comfort her, she pulled away and went a few feet away and puked a little more.  Once I was sure that she was done, I again went and comforted her. Her distress was probably caused by the new treat we had just tried a little while before.

Once she was calmed down, I went and cleaned up the mess.  When that was done, I went back to Tommy and continued calming and reassuring her.  Her rather loud purring told me that she was content and the issue had passed.

It was time for dinner, so I thought that I’d put out her dinner and she if she was hungry. She followed me to the kitchen and acted like she was hungry. As I went to put her bowl down she followed me and ate some of it.  She didn’t eat very much, but went back to the study to rest.

When I went to check on her she wasn’t in the study. I found her on her bungalow. Somehow she had slipped passed me.  I went to pet her and she flinched, so I wanted to make sure that she wasn’t still having stomach issues.  

I picked her up and put her on the bed. She wasn’t upset when I touched her stomach so my worries were lessened.  She then moved off the bed and sat by my feet. We then had a second calming/petting session and again Tommy was purring.  Once she indicated that she’d had enough she moved near where she had puked and just sat there.  I gave her head a little rub and then left to let her have some quiet time if that was what she wanted.

When I was typing on the laptop, Tommy came flying by and went into the study.  A few minutes later she jumped up on the table, but went and sat on the opposite side from where I was typing.  I wasn’t sure if she was tired of waiting for me, or bored, but she jumped down and went to look out the balcony door to see what was happening outside.

While the basketball game was on, Tommy stayed in the bedroom. I don’t think that she liked all the noise. We spent some time together after the game when she wasn’t napping in her bungalow.  She seemed to be a little out of sorts and I wasn’t sure whether it was because she wasn’t feeling well, or if she was just tired of my overprotective nature.

I decided to give her some space.  Later she came out of the bedroom and ran a few laps around the condo. Once she had burned off some energy we had a little play session with a couple of the lights.  Tommy was especially interested in the laser pointer. She seems to run hot and cold with that toy.

After playing Tommy headed back to the bedroom so I started getting the condo shut down for the night. Tommy came out to check on what I was doing and then went back into the bedroom. We finished our end of night activities and Tommy ate her snack early for a change. I fell asleep while Tommy started her late night up on the bungalow although I know that later she would end up sleeping by my feet.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

I woke up around 5:30 and found Tommy sleeping at my feet and her late night snack had been eaten.  A little while later I woke up again and this time Tommy was sitting in front of the television. I wasn’t sure if she expected me to turn it on, but I got up and went toward the bathroom. Tommy must have thought that it was time for breakfast because she ran ahead of me and sat by the bedroom door. I kept going toward the bathroom and when I returned, Tommy was sitting by the bed.

Once I got back into bed, Tommy came up to “talk.” Her persuading didn’t work and I rolled over and went back to sleep. She tried again a couple more times before 7:00. I woke up when the heat came on and there was Tommy by my feet grooming herself.  I wondered how long it would take her to notice that the heat was on when she was so intent on grooming herself.

It took her a couple minutes, but once she realized that the heat was on, she let me know that I’d better get moving and feed her.  Once that was accomplished, I went to the study to do the days postings and puzzle printing. When I returned, there was Tommy sitting on her chair by the table.

When I petted her head she took it as a sign that it was time to play and ran to the study.  We had a play session and then I got dressed to stop at the post office and Grebe’s Bakery to pick up some pączki.

It was almost an hour before I returned; most of the time was spent at the bakery waiting for D45 to be called. Tommy spent much of the rest of the morning seeking my attention. At one point when I came over she flopped over on her back. Once I finished petting her, she stayed in the same position, so I got out a couple toys and we had a fun and long play session.

While I worked on clearing the DVR and burning DVD’s, Tommy lounged on the sofa. As we neared lunch time, I decided that since Tommy was awake I could brush her teeth. I got everything ready and then put Tommy on the table. She continues to be very cooperative and we finished quickly. After praise and her hairball treats, she went back in the sun by the balcony.

When I went to work on some transcribing, Tommy moved to the study window where it was also sunny. Once the sun left, so did Tommy. She headed to the bedroom for a nap on the bed while I continued to work, alternating between transcribing and burning DVD’s.

At 3:00 I stopped working and went to relax for a few hours before going to choir rehearsal. Tommy came out to see what was happening and we had a short but fun play session.  Tuesday is choir night, so I needed to shower and get ready. While I did that, Tommy sat up on her bungalow. Once I was done, she reminded me that it was time for dinner.

I had already gotten out her food and it had lost the chill. I put it out and she ate some of it, but the minute I went into the study she followed to see what I was doing. I went to the computer to shut it down and Tommy jumped up on the chair next to the desk.  As I tried to type and finish up some loose ends, she moved to under the keyboard to wait for me to finish.

Once I was done, she went to the bedroom to continue her nap while I went to choir rehearsal. When I returned, Tommy was still in the bedroom but came running out when I returned. I’m always glad to see her enthusiasm when I enter the condo.

We played for a while before Tommy decided that we had played enough for a while. Of course, when it was time for bed, Tommy “suddenly’ decided that it was time to play. We had a very short session after I got ready for bed but before I actually got into bed.

Once I was in bed, Tommy played a little. She was sitting on the bungalow when I turned out the lights. She again hadn’t eaten her snack, but I knew that by morning it would be gone and she’d be a sleep by my feet.

Monday, February 16, 2015

I was awakened around 5:00 by the sound of Tommy having some stomach distress.   When I turned on the lights, I could see a small amount of puke.  I couldn’t believe how little there was given all the noise.

I got up and went to check on Tommy. She seemed okay, so I just comforted her and let her know that everything was all right. As I petted her she began purring. Her purring got quite loud, but I was glad that she was content.

After that I went and cleaned up the mess and returned to bed. I was lucky to fall back asleep until the heat came on at 7:00. Tommy was sitting up on the top of her bungalow, so I thought I might be able to sneak in a little extra sleep time. When I didn’t get up, Tommy took matters into her own paws, jumped up on the bed by my head, and loudly reminded me that it was time to get up and got out her breakfast.

I quickly complied and then went to the study to work on postings and printing while she ate. Tommy spent most of the morning hanging out while I worked on postings since I was behind.  Whenever she needed some attention, she would either jump up on the desk, or rub against my legs to remind me that my prime objective in life was to do her bidding.

On Mondays I have class all afternoon, so after lunch I left for class. When I returned Tommy was ready for a little snack so I put out her grass while we waited for her dinner to lose its chill.  We also took some time out to play.

Once dinner was ready we ate our respective meals and then settled in for a quiet night.  I had recently found a small pen light and I thought maybe Tommy would like to play with the light.  She enjoyed chasing it at times. I still needed to learn the size and speed that she most likes to improve our playing time.

When it was time for bed, Tommy again went right into the bedroom. We spent a little time having one last play session before I got ready for bed. I put out Tommy’s late night snack, but she didn’t jump up to eat it right away.  She curled up on the top of her bungalow, but I’m pretty sure that once I fall asleep if she continued her routine, she’d jump up on the bed, eat her snack and then curl up for the night near my feet.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Tommy started her wake up calls around 6:00, but only did a couple before the 7:00 A.M. call. Since I still hadn’t gotten around to ordering the thermal drapes, I had hung a flannel sheet on the window to help keep out the cold. I also wanted to see what Tommy would do before I ordered drapes.

When I had “hung” the sheet last night, Tommy had inspected it, but then left it alone. This morning it was still hanging which meant that she hadn’t tried climbing it as the tape on top would not have held her. Tomorrow I can set up the appointment for the drapes.

We had a quiet morning with me working on postings and Tommy working on her tan on the ottoman. We did have a short play session, but Tommy pretty much left me to work on the transcriptions and also doing some much needed cleaning. I also had a chance to clean her teeth and she was pretty cooperative considering that I was using a dental wipe.  Once that was accomplished, Tommy had her hairball treats and grass for lunch.

When I went to watch the basketball game (Go Badgers!) Tommy was waiting for me on the sofa. She was asleep and surprisingly stayed there during the game. She usually leaves; I don’t think that she likes all the noise during a game, especially if I’m the one making the noise.

After the game I went to run errands while Tommy continued her nap on the sofa. When I returned Tommy trotted over to greet me and remind me to get out he dinner.  After a play session it was time to eat.  Tommy finished about half her meal, saving the rest for later.  I may need to go back to the dinners # 1 and 2.

A bit later she finished her meal and we settled in to watch the SNL anniversary special. Tommy must have found it not to her liking because she left the room. She alternated between sitting in the study and the bedroom.

When the special was over I started shutting down the condo.  Tommy was in the study and since I started in there, she followed me around the condo as I worked.  When all that was left was the bedroom, she led the way.

When I went to brush my teeth Tommy sat in the doorway and watched. She’d never done that before so I wasn’t sure why she did today.  With both of us ready for bed, I put out her snack which she ate right away.  While I finished watching the news and then turning out the lights, Tommy did her usual patrolling around the bed on the floor. I know that when she’s ready to sleep, she’ll come up on the bed to her usual spot.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Tommy began her morning wake up duties at 5:30. I know that she’d been home alone quite a bit during the week and I’d also been sick, so she had gotten plenty of sleep. Although she was rarin’ to go I still needed my sleep. She tried again about every half hour until the heat came on. At that point she was sitting up on her bungalow and jumped down quickly when she saw that I was actually going to get up.

I finished the morning chores and worked on postings while Tommy ate her breakfast.  Once she was finished we had an early morning play session and then I finished getting caught up on the blogs. Tommy watched for a while, but then got bored and went to the main room to await my return from the study.

Tommy was enjoying the sun on the ottoman and later on the floor. When I went to change the laundry, Tommy came along and then let me know that it was time for a play session.  She chased the laser light for a while before stopping to take a breather back in the sun.

The afternoon was spent relaxing in the sun or chasing around. Around 2:30 Tommy came out to the living room. I thought that she wanted to play, but after exhausting most options I realized that she hadn’t had her lunch. Once I put out her treat and grass, she ate them and went back to trying to find a place in the sun.

When the sun hid behind the buildings, it was time for more play and chasing. Tommy caught and chewed on the fleece teaser. At times she’d grab it in her teeth and pull it (and me) into another room. She spent quite some time on the top of the bungalow playing with the teaser.

I finished most of the laundry while Tommy supervised in the study and living room.  Whe3n I finally got to the last load, I went to the bedroom to take the flannel sheets off the bed, and there was Tommy sitting on the bed taking a nap.  I swear the she knows when it’s time to do the sheets and always seems to be napping on the bed at that time.

When it was time for dinner, Tommy came out to eat and I was able to put the sheets on the washer. We had a quiet night with Tommy napping on the bungalow. When the sheets were finished I made the bed. I barely finished making the bed before Tommy jumped on to continue her nap. I’m sure that she wanted to relax on those nice warm sheets before they got cold.

By the time I was ready or bed, Tommy had moved to her chair at the dining table. I picked her up and took her into the bedroom. When I put her on her spot on the bed she just sat there. Usually when I place her there at night, she hops off and moves around the bedroom, but not tonight.  I got out her snack and she ate it on the bed. When I got into bed, she just curled up in her spot, so I turned out the lights and fell asleep with my little fur ball at my feet.

Friday, February 13, 2015

We woke up at our usual time. Today Tommy quickly finished her breakfast. It seemed that she was getting her appetite back.  Once the morning activities were completed we were ready to go to see Stephanie to clip Tommy’s nails.

I went to put Tommy’s collar on her and she just sat there and let me accomplish the task. That was the first time that she didn’t squirm or writhe around the floor trying to get it off. She also let me pick her up and put her in the carrier.  She usually tries to escape, so this was another major accomplishment.

As we rode the elevators, Tommy let me know how much she distained this part of the journey.  I took along a bath towel to help keep in her body heat and shield her from the cold winds.  She was very calm during the car ride.  I think that she actually likes riding in the car.

Once we got to Petco, Tommy was very compliant for three of her paws. She always gets a bit squirmy during the last paw.  Tommy (and I) got a Valentine’s gift from Stephanie. The clipping was on the house, and Tommy got a bag of treats.

Once we got home (same scenario, quiet in car and loud in elevator) Tommy was ready for a nap.  I was meeting friends for lunch and then running a few errands, so Tommy would have to fend for herself during midday.

By the time I got home I wasn’t feeling well and had a terrible headache.  I went in the bedroom to lie down. Tommy came in to investigate and came up and rubbed her face against my hand.  It’s good to know that I have a comforting little pet when I need one.

When I woke up the headache hadn’t subsided and the medication wasn’t helping.  I cancelled my evening plans and gave Tommy her dinner. She ate it all up and came back right away and kept trying to talk to me. I thought that she wanted to play, but that wasn’t it.

She led me to the kitchen and sat by the cupboard where we keep her food.  I went to the refrigerator and got out the rest of her dinner. It hadn’t been in the refrigerator very long, so it was still almost at room temperature.

When I put it out, she ate it right away.  It was good to see that she was eating all of her dinner again. Since I still wasn’t feeling well we sent a quiet night and had an early bed time.  I thought that Tommy might protest, but she was very compliant. I went to bed hoping that I’d feeling better tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Tommy got up at her usual time right before the heat went on. We had breakfast and some quality time. We spent a quiet day. When Tommy was napping I would work or read. 

We did get a new shipment of food, so Tommy had a new box to explore.  It became her new spot in the study. I even added a fleece placemat to the floor of the box to help retain the heat since the box is near the window.

I was going out to dinner and the Bucks game, so Tommy sulked on the bed while I got ready.  I fed her before leaving and again she ate some of it, but not much.

When I returned I saw that she hadn’t eaten any more of the food and again I needed to dispose of it since it had been out for a few hours.  I was growing a little concerned because it wasn’t like her not to eat. I gave her a big hug and let me know how worried I was that she wasn’t eating like she used to eat.

I opened a new can and put out some food. Tommy did eat some of it, so I felt a little better.  I hope that we aren’t going to continue to have this problem whenever I leave.  It seems like she’ll eat when I’m around, but not once I leave.

We had a short play session and then it was time for bed. I had to get up early in the morning, so Tommy would experience the alarm for the first time. I wonder how she’ll handle it.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Tommy started moving around the bedroom around 6:20. Since she wasn’t up on the bed or trying to wake me up, I fell back to sleep, only to have her awaken me about 10 minutes later.  She jumped up and came right up to my head.  After a couple pets, she jumped down again to get a drink of water.

She was back up again a few minutes later and this time after I petted her and we talked, she moved to her usual spot on the bed and curled up.  It was nice to see her back in her spot after a two week absence.

Just before the heat came on, I got up petted her and moved toward the door. I expected her to jump up and beg for the door to be opened, but she just sat by the door and waited. It seemed like someone was learning patience.  We went out into the kitchen and I got out her breakfast. 

While she ate I started on the morning posts. A while later I heard her call out so I went to investigate. We met near the dining table and we went back into the study. Tommy sat where she could see me and would occasionally come over for some attention. When she’d had enough, she went to the main room while I quickly finished typing.

We spent some time just hanging out, not really playing, but just “looking at me” while I tempted Tommy with various toys. When I went to eat breakfast Tommy moved to the bedroom to chill.  I saw that she was curled up on the bed. That was a good sign since before this morning she hadn’t been on the bed while I was home for a week or two.

We spent a quiet afternoon. I did some paperwork while Tommy napped.  When it was time for dinner, Tommy was ready, so we ate although Tommy seemed to leave more for later than usual.  I then got ready and left for a movie with friends.

When I returned I could see that Tommy hadn’t eaten while I was gone.  Since it had been out for quite a while I needed to dump it out. We had a nice place session before going to bed. Now when I turn off all the lights, Tommy enters the bedroom without needing to be coaxed.  I got ready for bed, closed the door and I fell asleep knowing that Tommy would sleep on the bed when she was tired.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Tommy again woke me up to feed her at 7:00. I got up and got out her food and completed my other duties. Since she still was in her mood, I went to the study, closed the door and worked for quite a while.

When I came out there wasn’t much change in her attitude, so let’s just say that I accomplished a lot in the morning without much interference.  I got ready for class and gave Tommy her hairball treats.  I wondered what cat would be residing in the condo when I returned.

After class I got home to a cat who was glad to see me.  We had an extended pet ‘n play session before Tommy decided to take a nap on her bungalow in the bedroom.  I worked on the DVR while she was gone.

When it was time for dinner #1 Tommy ate while I read.  We had another play session, dinner #2 (and my only dinner) before taking a break.  Tommy again retreated to the bungalow while I watched a little television.

Before bed we had one more long play session. Most of the day’s sessions had involved quite a bit of chasing, so I know that Tommy was pretty tired.  Since I wanted to reestablish the bedroom as where we spend the night, I close the bedroom door.  I wanted to see if Tommy would accept this, or sit by the door and cry.  She sat near the bed, so I got out her late night snack and gave it to her.

Once all the night time preparations were finished, we went to bed.  After I got into bed, Tommy went into the hut/box are of the bungalow.  I was probably the warmest place in the room, so I hoped that she remained there nice and warm, or move to the second warmest place on the bed.  Either way, it looked like we were starting to get back on track.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Tommy woke me up to feed her at 7:00. I got up and got out her food, but since I hadn’t gotten to bed until around 3:00, I went back to bed.  When I woke up around 10:00, I encountered a cat who was not happy that I was shirking my duties.

I did all my chores and also washed her litter box, “swiffered” the bathroom floor and cleaned her teeth. I usually use the dental wipes which she doesn’t like on the weekends. I figured that since she was already upset with me, I might as well do her teeth right away before her mood improved and then it would get worse.

After completing all the tasks, I talked to my sister on the phone and Tommy continued keeping some distance between us. After the phone call I went to work on emptying the DVR. While I was watching and burning a DVD, Tommy came up on the sofa and sat near me.  I assumed that she was in a better mood, so I cautiously tried to pet her.  She seemed to be okay and after a few minutes fell asleep. It appeared that Tommy had finished with her Marlene Dietrich impression.

When she woke up Tommy had some grass for a snack. We played a little before Tommy let me know that she’d had enough attention from me.  She went to the bedroom and napped on the top of the bungalow.  I went in a couple times and Tommy would always wake up and talk to me for a minute before letting me know that our session had ended.

Tommy came out near dinner time, but spent the time on her rug or chair. I guess my belief that she wanted to be close to me was premature. She ate her dinner and then did her Buddha impression and just sat on her rug and stared into space.  She snapped out of it when I put the rest of her dinner in her bowl.

We had a few good play sessions during the evening with the laser, fleece teaser, light beam, and a flashlight. I had been looking for something in the bedroom and when Tommy saw the light, she started chasing after it. 

When it was time for bed, Tommy was in the bedroom since we had just finished playing. I showed her that her snack was on the bed, but she didn’t want it. She also didn’t want to remain in the bedroom, so she left.  Her habit of sleeping in the main room continues.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Tommy woke me at around 6:30 and only returned once more before the heat came on. I then got up and we handled the morning chores. She ate and I did my printing followed by changing her water and clearing out the litter box.  I then went back into the study to work on the postings. I was behind on my grandfather’s diary transcription and need to spend some time catching up.

Tommy came in once to check on me and was looking for attention. I tried to pet her while sitting at the desk, but she was in barely within reach. As I tried Tommy moved away and left the room. I’m sure that she’d prefer that all my attention was directed at her, but that wasn’t going to happen. I’d try to spend time with her as I got caught up. 

Once I had the day’s postings completed I went to find Tommy. I found her lounging on the ottoman in the sun. She called out to me and we had a sort petting session before she got down. I tried to see if she wanted to play, but she didn’t seem interested. She just kept following me around. I finally picked her up, an activity she usually only tolerates for a few seconds, but this time she stays in my arms for well over a minute, a new record.  Once she started fussing, I knew that she wanted to be let go, so I put her near the chair so she’d have an easy escape.

Then we actually started a play session. She went into the sun and laid on her back. I brought the fleece teaser and she played with it for a short time before becoming bored. I then brought out the mouse on the wire and we finally had “extended play.” I swear that she sometimes uses the wire as floss. She will put it in her mouth between her teeth and then slowly pull it through.

Our play period was interrupted by the drying rack falling down in the laundry.  We went to investigate and after I fixed it, Tommy gave me a good scolding. I tried to get her to play again, but the magic was gone.  Tommy went and sat by the doorway to the bedroom.

When I came near she moved quickly into the room and looked back to see if I was following. We ended up by the window and Tommy let out a few grunts. I guess she wanted the blinds opened. We spent some time looking out with an occasional “walk by” where Tommy walked by my arms close enough so she could rub against them.

She settled in and just sat to look out the window so I figured that was my cue to handle laundry and other cleaning needs. When I came back out, she had moved to a sunny location in the living room. I went to see if she wanted to play, but it was clear that she just wanted to relax in the sun.

After returning from changing laundry loads, Tommy was sitting up. I thought that meant play time, but after a few futile attempts with the mouse and the feathers, she moved to the bedroom, probably to get away from her annoying servant.

I went to work in the study, and later when I went to take a break, I found Tommy napping on the sofa. Since it was lunch time, I got out her grass and hairball treats which she quickly ate. I decided to sit on the sofa, and when Tommy was finished, seeing me on the sofa, she left to return to the bedroom. I guess she didn’t want my company at that time.

I went back to the study to work and when I returned, there was Tommy back on the sofa. This time when I went to sit down, she didn’t move. I think she knew that dinner was forthcoming and she didn’t want to tick me off. She ate dinner #1 while I watched the second half of the basketball game.

After eating we had an extended play session using a variety of toys. She didn’t stay with one toy for long, but at least gave each one some time. We moved between the three major rooms of the condo before Tommy decided to take a break. She sat on her rug in the living room behind a heavy duty cardboard tube with her head up but her eyes closed.  I don’t know how she does that; when I try my head droops down.

 I was waiting to hear from my nieces who were in town, so we sat and watched television together on the sofa. Tommy soon fell asleep. I read some of my textbook during commercials.

Later when Tommy woke up, I decided to do the dishes. I warned her that if she didn’t finish her food by the time I finished the rest of the dishes, I’d dump the little that was left so I could wash the bowl. As I finished the dishes wouldn’t you know that Tommy would show up and eat most of her food. It’s so weird, I swear that somehow she figures out what I’ve said.

After I finished the dishes, Tommy came over to play. She rolled over and I thought that she wanted to be petted. What she wanted to do was play/bite my hand.  She hasn’t tried that in a while and I’ve discouraged it, so I gave her Mr. Rat to play with who she likes to bite and I went to finish typing.

Tommy soon joined me on the table where I was working and at first she was very sweet and wanted to be petted. A few minutes later she again tried to bite me, so I said no and she moved over to the other end of the table.

Unfortunately I needed to leave, so I petted her, and said that I’d see her when I got back. I got back late and Tommy greeted me at the door. I’m sure that she was confused because it was late and I still wasn’t going to bed. I was probably interfering with her play time. I went to the bedroom to watch T.V. while I tried to take a quick nap while awaiting a call from the nieces to pick them up and take their entourage back to the hotel.

Once the call came, I left and returned after completing my chauffeuring duties. Tommy seemed to be upset, so I petted her and went to bed. She, of course, remained in the main room of the condo where she would probably stay until morning when she’d want to be fed.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Tommy woke me at around 6:45. She didn’t return until the heat turned on at 7:00.  I then got up and we handled the morning chores. She ate and I did my postings followed by changing her water and clearing out the litter box. After she finished eating, she waited on the dining chair while I finished my morning chores.

After a short pay session Tommy sat on the ottoman to catch some rays while I worked on continuing the ongoing task of clearing the DVR. Later Tommy came over to join me on the sofa. Around noon I figured that it was time to get dressed and then I was off to run errands. 

When I returned, Tommy sat on the sofa until I picked her up to brush her teeth. After brushing, she got her treat and grass and I had my lunch. We spend a quiet afternoon.  Tommy would come over whenever she wanted attention or a play session.

When it was time for dinner Tommy came into the kitchen to supervise and then ate her dinner #1. After dinner I tried rigging up a pen light to give an even narrower beam of light to see if Tommy would chase after it. I needed a break from using my glasses since I was getting neck aches from the odd angles that were needed to get the light to refract through my glasses and on to the floor. Tommy seemed to like it, but as was the case with many play sessions lately, she quickly became bored and went to sit down.

While trying to watch some programs on the DVR after dinner #2 and washing the dishes I fell asleep. When I awoke it was time for bed.  I found Tommy sitting in the study. She followed me around as I shut everything down for the night.  Once in the bedroom Tommy jumped up by the television figuring I would watch it before turning off the lights.

When I didn’t turn it on, she jumped down and sat by the window.  I wished her a good night and turned out the lights knowing that she’d be heading to complete her night activities and sleep in the main room of the condo. I miss having her sleep on the bed and wonder if she’ll ever return since it’s now been about 10 days in a row of her sleeping in the main room.

Thursday, February 5, 2015: Seven Months Today

Tommy woke me at around 6:15, and I let her know that she had about 45 minutes before I’d even consider getting out of bed. She didn’t try to wake me up again until after 6:45, so I appreciated her patience.  Wakeup call #3 didn’t occur until 7:00 when the heat kicked on.  I then got up and we handled the morning chores. She ate and I did everything else.

We spent a quiet seven month anniversary. I worked, she napped, we played and ate.  We spend a lot of time together on the sofa. I’m either reading or watching television and Tommy is napping.  We’re usually in the same room except when I’m watching sports; I guess either I’m too loud or the program is.

Tommy likes to stay up later than I do, so once we have our last play session, I go to bed. This time we used the laser pointer during our session and at one point I aimed the light at her water dish. She went right over to it and started drinking. I tried it a second time a few minutes later and she again started drinking her water.  I wasn’t sure if she was worried about losing the water, or sharing it with the light.

Once I went to bed, Tommy left the bedroom to spend the night in the main room either sleeping on a dining chair or on the sofa.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

I woke up a little after 3:00 A.M. to the sound coming from the television. I got up to go to the bathroom and then found Tommy sitting on a chair in the dining area. I gave her a quick pet and then went back to bed and turned off the television. Right after the T.V. was turned off, Tommy came into the bedroom and laid down in front of the now quiet television. We both went back to sleep.

Tommy woke me at around 5:30, and I let her know that she had about an hour and a half before I’d even consider getting out of bed. She continued to try to “persuade” me every 20-30 minutes, but I was able to take a few cat naps during that time.  When the heat came on, Tommy came and made sure that I got up and began my duties, starting with giving her breakfast.

During the morning we played in between me completing my federal income tax returns.  Tommy was very patient with me. I made sure that we used a few different teasers to keep her amused. Tommy took her late morning/early afternoon nap on the sofa while I worked on burning a DVD from the DVR and baked. I put out her grass, but she didn’t budge. I guess her nap was more important.

When the timer went off on the oven Tommy woke up. I asked her if she was hungry and it must have looked like I was going to take away the grass because she quickly jumped down from the sofa and ate her “salad.”

When she was finished eating she came into the study where I was working. She jumped up on the desk to get her share of attention. After much petting and purring I needed to unmold the coffee cake. When I returned Tommy was still sitting on the desk waiting for me, but once I was back, we had a short petting purring session before she decided that she’d had enough and it was time to supervise me from under the piano keyboard.

Later she moved to the sofa, and then her bungalow before coming back out. Not surprisingly it was dinner time. She ate some of her food and then began tearing around the condo, I’m sure to burn off some of the excess energy from her naps. After I finished my dinner I needed to get ready and go to book club. Fortunately it’s in the building, so I wouldn’t be gone long, but before I left I put out dinner #2 for Tommy.

When I returned Tommy was right by the door. She had probably heard me talking to a neighbor, so I’m sure she was curious and wanted to see what was happening. I started to open the door and Tommy’s face was right by my feet trying to catch a glimpse at all the action.

We spent quite a bit of time playing although the sessions were in short spurts.  Tommy seemed to be enthusiastic for a minute or so, but would then lose interest.  We had a tooth brushing session in the afternoon, and she seemed a bit skittish. I know that she didn’t know that we were a day behind on the schedule, so I’m not really sure what was going on with her.

Between play sessions I watched a little television before going to bed and finished up when I got in bad.  As always Tommy was right there blocking the view of the television in the bedroom. After a few minutes she jumped down, just as I was going to turn it off. Lights out, I was ready to sleep. Tommy left the bedroom to either play or jump up on a chair in the dining area to sleep.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Around 3:00 A.M. Tommy again started to scratch the wall as she jumped around on the table near the foot of the bed. Because we had the same trouble the previous night I hoped that this wasn’t going to be a repeat.  After asking nicely and then not as nicely, Tommy finally stopped and found something else to do.  Since she had slept much of the previous day I was concerned that now that she was awake she expected me to also get up.

Fortunately Tommy didn’t disturb me again until around 4:30 when she was licking the clawing the carpet near the bed. Again I asked nicely and then not so nicely before Tommy went to find a new activity.  I hoped that I’d be able to get at least a couple more hours of sleep.

Round three didn’t occur until around 6:30 and this time Tommy jumped up on the bed to start the wake up routine.  About every five minutes until the heat came on, Tommy would come up on the bed and use different techniques to try to get me out of bed and then jump down when that method failed.  She was very sweet at first, licking my hand and talking sweetly.  When that didn’t work, she came in close to my face and talked to me. After that method didn’t work, she would come up and get close enough with her butt toward my face.  When I’d pet her, she’d moved around to face me.

Once the heat finally came on, Tommy waited to see if I’d get up on my own. When that didn’t happen quickly enough for her, she started using what can only be termed her “nagging” voice as she jumped up on the bed near me.  As I started to pull back the covers she moved and I wasn’t able to get out of bed without pushing her off.  She must have figured it out because she jumped down and stood by the bed to make sure that I really did get out of bed.

After breakfast, we had a play session and then it was time for the late morning nap. Tommy opted for taking her nap on the ottoman which provided the best sunlight.  I read most of the morning trying to finish a book for book club the next day.  I also worked for a while and Tommy came in at times to check up on me and join me at the desk.

When Tommy was ready for lunch, she jumped on the sofa and sat in the corner nearest to where her grass was placed.  I got it out and then also got out her hairball treat(ment). I ate lunch and then I settled on the sofa to work on clearing the DVR. Tommy joined me there since it was a good location for an afternoon nap.

Later in the afternoon I got ready for choir and Tommy had dinner, part 1. When I was ready to go I put out dinner, part 2.  Tommy remained on the sofa when I left, but I know that she’ll finish her dinner before I return.

When I returned, Tommy’s dinner bowl was empty. She came to greet me right away and we had an extended play session before bed.  Once I was ready for bed I put out Tommy’s snack, got in bed, and decided to watch a little television before sleeping.  Tommy jumped up on the television stand and sat in her usual spot blocking the bottom left corner of the screen.  When I didn’t turn off the television, Tommy opted to move to the living room.  I soon fell asleep with the television still on and Tommy’s snack still on her plate on the bed.

Monday, February 2, 2015: Naughty and Nice

Around 4:30 A.M. Tommy started to scratch the wall as she jumped around on the table near the foot of the bed. Because we had stayed up a little later than usual I wasn’t in any mood to be up this early.  I tried to get Tommy to stop, but she kept going back and starting in again. I had gotten up once and removed her and also had quite emphatically told her to stop. I finally tossed a ball of a pair of small socks toward the wall, and she finally got the message.

She didn’t wake me again until 6:45. Once the heat went on, she was quite adamant about me getting her breakfast. Once she was served, she could tell that I was still a little cranky from losing some sleep.  She made herself relatively scarce during much of the morning.

Mondays are class days, so I wanted to make sure that everything was okay.  When I tried to play, she rolled over like she usually does when she wants me to pet her chest and stomach. I of course obliged and then we played a little with the fleece teaser.

I went to shower and get dressed. When I came back out it took a while to find Tommy. She was reclining in the sun by a living room window. She was in the area that’s shielded from view by the sofa. We spent a little time together before I left. I made sure that she knew that we were okay.

When I came back, Tommy woke up, jumped down from the sofa and came over to greet me.  After I got my coat and boots off, I went to change out of my jeans. When I came back I picked up Tommy and carried her back to the sofa. She didn’t squirm or cry, but just stayed in my arms and slowly moved to her blanket on the sofa when I set her down.

I got out a treat for her and then put out her grass so she could eat something while we waited for her dinner to warm up. When we went to the study I thought we were going to play, but Tommy again stretched out on her back for me to pet her.  I think she knows how to tug at my heart strings whenever she needs to “apologize.”

After eating her dinner, Tommy came and joined me on the sofa. I made sure that I spent some time petting her and giving her plenty of attention.  After a short time, she fell asleep, so I tried to remain as quiet as I could so I wouldn’t wake her up. I’ll bet that she had a very stressful day.

After her second dinner, Tommy came right back up on the sofa. I thought that maybe she wanted to play as she led me into the study. She got on the guest bed case and we had a little snuggle session. After she got down I thought that she wanted to play, but I was still wrong. I went to the desk to type and Tommy jumped up and hung out with me. She hadn’t been spending much time up on the desk, so it was good to have her back up with me.

After a while she left the study and I finished my writing.  I found her curled up in her usual spot on the sofa. She was still awake and kept an eye on me to see what I would do. Once I got comfortable on the sofa next to her, she fell asleep.

When it was time for me to go to bed, I closed everything down and Tommy and I went to the bedroom.  I could tell that Tommy wasn’t ready to go back to sleep, but I was glad that she at least made an effort to come along with me.

I put her snack on the bed and she jumped up, sat by it, but kept watching me. Once I got into bed, she ate her snack and then came over by me. I petted her and said good night. I guess she figured that was her cue because she jumped off the bed and went out into the living room. I wasn’t sure if she was going to play or was going back to sleep on the sofa. I was too tired to find out, so I turned out the lights and went to sleep.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

During the night I woke to Tommy’s cries from the other room. I called out to her and she came into the bedroom to “talk.” Whatever spooked her was now gone, so I fell back asleep. Later around 5:30 I woke up and almost stepped on Tommy; she was lying on the floor right next to the bed. If she hadn’t woken up, I’m not sure that I would have seen her in the dark. She’s never slept there before so from now on I guess I’ll be turning on a light if I need to get up during the night.

When I went back to bed, Tommy was sitting by the television even though it wasn’t on. She stayed there (I assume since I didn’t hear her) until she came over to wake me. She jumped up on the bed and we had a nice little quiet time together until the heat came on about 10 minutes later.

Tommy ate her breakfast while I did the morning chores. Once the blinds were open, Tommy sat and watched the snow fall. She loved watching it and chasing the flakes along the balcony door.  I began to do the last loads of laundry for the weekend and do some cleaning.

Included in the cleaning was Tommy teeth cleaning. She doesn’t care for the wipes that I use on the weekend, but let me complete the job. After finishing she had her hairball treats and her lunch of grass.  She then headed to the bedroom for a nap.

Again this weekend I was laundering my favorite flannel sheets. Tommy spent some time “hiding” under the chair where I had put the bedspread while I did the sheets. By the time the flannel sheets were done, Tommy had moved to the bed. Once I had three corners of the fitted sheet on the bed, Tommy moved so I could finish. After finished that sheet, Tommy again took her place on the bed near the bottom.

I decided that sooner or later I’d get a chance to finish, so I’d just have to be patient.  About 15 minutes later, Tommy came out and sat next to me which gave me the opportunity I needed. I went and finished making the bed. Once I started, Tommy joined me in the bedroom and watched form near the window.  After the bed was made, Tommy jumped back up to continue her nap. Had she wanted me to finish making the bed when she came out to sit by me?

We watched the first half of the Super Bowl in the living room and ate dinner. We moved to the bedroom during half time and watched the second half laying on the bed. It was nice to have Tommy close by me. I wish I knew her past history to learn why she doesn’t like to sit on laps or be picked up. While I know that she trusts me, I don’t understand why she likes to keep some distance between us.

When it was time for bed, Tommy jumped up on the bed and ate her snack right away. She then jumped down and went to the living room. Although she had raced around during the day she either still had some energy to expel before going to sleep, or she wasn’t going to sleep in the bedroom again.