Translate

Pages

Sunday, January 18, 2009

The Lap Shark at Work

Warning: Very Little Textile Content

Lap Shark is what we call Gracie these days. She circles slowly - cue Jaws theme - then leaps. Not a kitten any more, at 10 or 11 pounds.



She's one of the most imaginative cats I've ever had. She can entertain herself endlessly rearranging furniture. Just like an interior decorator friend of mine, only on a smaller scale...

Of course, the only furniture Gracie can move around is the small rug by the kitchen door. If I straighten that rug 10 times a day, she bundles it up into a nest for a toy mouse 11 times. I wove the rug, many years ago, from Pendleton felted blanket selvedges. It's one of 3 identical rugs, but this particular one is Gracie's favorite. [end of textile content]

Here's the stop-motion version:

Something's missing here

maybe a mouse would be an improvement

but I don't care for the rug this way

perhaps an origami fold or two

better, but still not quite perfect; let's reconsider

Sometimes the things you can't see are the most enticing

Nearly there, just a few more tweaks

Almost perfect

Okay, that's it. Mission accomplished.


Gracie also loves to stockpile mice in strange places. They disappear with alarming frequency, and I find them later behind the washer/drier, alongside the fridge, under the range, under the sofa, and there's probably a huge hoard under our bed. This morning, I caught her examining the gap under the dishwasher with a mouse nearby, ready to stuff in there.

Thank heaven these are the stuffed toy variety. At the previous house, they were the alive or until-recently-alive variety, both feathered and furred.

5 comments:

Valerie said...

Gracie's behavior is a lot like our Jazzy's with a wool rug I wove based on a pattern from Halcyon years ago.

Have you introduced her to the wonderful world of ping pong balls? Jazzy has a bunch of them. They disappear until I vacuum and find the newest spot where they have accumulated.

Sunrise Lodge Fiber Studio said...

I love it!!! ;) Aren't cats great?!

Gwen said...

How sweet! I have a lap shark too, although we call him our little love bug - he waits until I sit down at the computer and then strikes! ;)

Cedar City weaver said...

We inherited our daughter's cat as her husband has ashma and it was getting worse (good ole mom & dad). When Sadie, was a kitten, she loved ping pong balls too. Even now that she is about 9-10 years she loves to play with my yarn when I'm knitting or weaving. (I use a stick shuttle with a rigid heddle alot). Most of the time she is fun to watch with her antics. Barbara

Swanknitter said...

The Imp has a similar fascination with the rug in the entry way (a cheap fake oriental) but she likes attacking the rug itself, no mouse required. But is also serves as the point on which she must sit before I open the screen door so no dashes outside. Burmese have very small brains.