Sisters.
Cookies.
Friends. (Twins!)
Snow.
Tree.
Santa.
Christmas sunrises.
Cat.
Treats.
Love.
Happiest of Christmases to you all!
I wish for you all the brilliance and joy this bonkers world can offer.
Tag: Cats
Straight to the point
Some snaps from around the block:
Tulips.
Smelling the flowers.
Morrocan eats.
Business cat.
Saturday morning.
I think I forgot to mention it earlier, but last Thursday I was a presenter at Rain City Chronicles. I told the story of my bonkers journey down the wedding aisle. It was a fabulous night of story and song, and I feel super honoured to have had the chance to contribute to this great Vancouver arts event.
In family news, this past weekend my sister came to town for an (all too brief) visit. I was so excited because on Friday she finally got to come see one of my gigs. It was the first time that she and her betrothed got to see me on stage, doing my joke thing.
I also got to interview her last night on Vancouver Co-op Radio. If you want to listen to the show, you can do so here.
This week it is much of the same – stand-up tomorrow and Wednesday, some volunteer work, and hopefully many opportunities to run about in the sunshine.
What about you all?
For my part, I hope all of you are awash in beauty and light.
You must be joking
Some snaps from around the pond of late:
Animals.
Begbie, a nine week old Boston terrier puppy, chewing on my coat.
The beauty cat, surveying her territory.
Food.
Rocky road cupcakes.
Sushisushisushi.
Cappuccino and apricot torte.
Performing.
On stage at the Rio Theatre last Friday night.
…
So.
Remember when I told you last month about that contest that I won, and how I had moved on to the finals being held this month?
Well, I ended up winning the finals!
They were held last Friday, and I took home first prize, and $500! Amaaaaazing!
I pretty much have the BEST FRIENDS OF LIFE, many of whom came out and cheered me on, which means the absolute world to me. I’m just happy that I could put on a good show – for not only them, but for everyone!
So buckle up kids, because I really feel like this train is leaving the station.
WOOT WOOT.
Whiskers on kittens
I have a cat.
Her name is Nymeria.
This is not news to veteran readers of Rant and Roll.
But for all you newbies (WELCOME MY LOVES!) please let this post serve as a wee introduction to this little creature who takes up major real estate within the confines of my heart.
We adopted the little miss in February of 2008.
This was after five years of constant badgering on my part, to my brilliant (though long-suffering) partner Marc.
Writer’s note: Marc is now my brilliant (and longer-suffering) husband.
Seriously, I was unrelenting in vocalizing my desire to adopt a pet.
The first animal for whom I had ever before cared was a grey and white kitty named Sophie (named after the famed Sophie’s Cosmic Café here in Vancouver) who ruled my family’s roost for a number of years before she succumbed to her heart murmur at the relatively young age of eight.
Her death (which took place just before Christmas in my second year of my undergrad) was one of the most crushing blows I had suffered up until that point in my life.
I received the phone call mid-holiday party, and as I collapsed into a fit of tears, Marc ushered our well-meaning, though slightly confused guests out the door.
Wrapped up in his arms, I cried myself to sleep that night.
And the next.
My mum has since adopted two other cats – brothers Rufus and Simon who are as adorable as they are bonkers.
Simon is so sketchy, I often refer to him as a beetle, because anytime he is spooked, he will scuttle under the nearest couch, table, or bed.
Rufus is a consummate lounger – too cool for school, and utterly fabulous. Whenever I put on makeup in the bathroom, he’s right there in the sink, trying to massage his cheeks up again my blush brush.
And I love both of them, truly.
Like her cousins back east, Nymeria is also completely mad.
A calico, she speaks all the time, but especially as feeding hour approaches.
Sometimes I feel a little nuts, because I start to make noises in response her to mewls and meows, and before I really know what is happening, I’m engaged in a very strange conversation, without any idea of what it is I am hearing (or in fact saying.)
This is very similar to when I speak Russian with anyone beyond proficiency level 1.
(Babushkas man. They just love the chance to talk to anyone!)
Nymeria’s brilliant for the fact that she doesn’t destroy our furniture, but less so because she does a fabulous job of managing her stress on the carpet that covers our stairs.
She will sleep with me up until Marc gets into bed (he always retires much later than I) but then will return around 4 a.m. to sleep on my legs.
She loves to be brushed.
A giant ‘fraidy-cat, she will hunker out on our balcony, until she scares herself, and runs back inside.
She has such tiny feet, that more often than not, I will refer to her as Little Paws.
Other nicknames include: Beauty Cat, Big Eyes, Little One, Kitten, Douce Baggins (only used after a very, very stinky bathroom break), Duck (because when she sits a certain way, she looks like a duck riding the waves), and Dragon Cat.
I really, really like it when she’s Dragon Cat.
Anytime she hears a bag opening she will immediately run to the kitchen in hopes of a treat.
Anytime we come home from a trip she will shower us with the softest of kitten kisses.
Anytime I think about her, my little heart smiles.
Because she is, quite simply, our little gal.
Phone’s ringing dude
Oomph.
I am jetlagged.
The time change and long distance travel malaise didn’t hit on the way down to Nova Scotia, but coming back to fair British Columbia it certainly has done its best to knock me off my feet.
Waking up on Wednesday morning, my head felt a little foggy, but I just chalked it up to the fact that we hadn’t fallen into bed until close to 2:30am (that day!), after, literally, traversing the whole of North America the night before.
(Well, crossing the east-west divide of the continent, at the very least.)
However, after spending the day cleaning, and running, and grocery shopping, and friend hanging-outing, I literally collapsed into sleep that night (knowing full well that my first day back at work would probably be busy as a busy thing.)
And it was.
But more than that, the next morning my head fog remained (if anything it seemed thicker than before) and all of my limbs felt weighted and stiff. Here we are a day later, and this lethargy remains, and my whole body feels slightly out of whack – almost as though a key ingredient has been overlooked when putting together the recipe for my life back here on the West Coast.
I am sure that this will fade (as most fog does) but in the mean time I am excited that it is already the weekend, and I can relax and get my wits together before tackling my first full week come Monday morning.
In even better news, my older sister is here for the weekend, and tonight we are having a sleepover (which means junk food and Kids in the Hall) and on Sunday there is a big family dinner with Mel’s (her fiancée’s) family.
The excitement kids! It’s palpable!
In the meantime, let’s check what’s frying up on the stove this Friday.
Onwards!
I hear the call.
So, after living for many moons (over two years actually) without a cell phone, I finally caved to social pressure (aka my mother’s desperate pleas) and procured a personal mobile device.
What can I say – I need to keep up with the times.
And the trends.
Plus, carrier pigeons are expensive.
What time is it?
Do you have Netflix or the internet?
Do you love a good television series?
Can you see?
Do you find yourself interested in geek-chic actors, such as Ben Whishaw, or beautiful, brilliant blondes like Romola Garai?
Do you believe that Dominic West can only really play dashing cads because, in all likelihood, he probably is a dashing cad in real life?
If you have answered YES to any of these questions, you must immediately abandon everything that you are doing and start watching The Hour at once.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP2mIaLsquc
I just finished the second season and am so, so sad that it is done.
If you start watching let me know what you think.
Also, two words more of encouragement: DUCK. FACE.
Separation anxiety.
So I remarked briefly in my last post that Nymeria was really excited to see M and I upon our arrival home.
This was no mere exaggeration folks. Our little gal has been so over the moon to have us back, I’m starting to believe that she actually thought we were long-goners.
Never have I ever heard her purr like this – it’s like she’s got a tiny (but efficient) train operating inside of her, one that is running at all hours of the day.
Every night since we’ve arrived back she has either slept on my legs or feet (or sometimes even tummy) and she talks, talks, talks all the live-long day.
Hi mum! Hi dad! Don’t ever leave me again, okay? I’ll never scratch the carpet ever again I promise! Or at the very least I’ll try my hardest not to tear it apart! I love you! So glad you’re back!
I am actively destroyed every time I open the front door – whether it’s returning home from work, or coming back from a run, or with an armful of grocery bags.
(Literally too, due to the fact that as she weaves in and out between your legs it is very easy to be tripped up by this dance.)
An animal’s love, phew – it’ll get you.
Good thing we love her tight right back.
Sniff.
…
So there you have it my darlings.
What’s on the docket for you all this weekend?
Phone, text, or e-mail me – I’m rightfully equipped to hear about it all.
Rant and Roll 