I just had one of those moments when the absurdity of language flashed over me (or at least the absurdity of some common phrases we use). It happened as I shouted at Maya, waving my slipper in the air as Exhibit A:

"You do not go after slippers!"

Well...obviously she does, actually. She thinks they're fabulous fuzzy toys.

Maybe that's why she looked up at me with such innocent confusion. And then proceeded to pounce on the slipper, tail spinning with glee, as soon as I set it back down on the ground.

Now she's curled up sleeping on the couch and I'm wearing my slippers safely on my feet. (Well, almost safely - she gave my right slipper a brief, tentative tug when I first put it on, then gave it up as a lost cause.)

***
Of all the books I read last week, Changeling, by Delia Sherman, was probably my favorite. Wonderfully lighthearted urban fantasy, and wonderfully fun. I especially loved the Eloise Award and the Mermaid of New York Harbor, and I found myself surprisingly grateful to read about high-caste elf-types living in America who speak in honest-to-God New York accents instead of faux-medieval tones. (I never thought I really minded the fake-medieval elf-talk in urban fantasy until I read the wonderful New York versions in this book and cheered with surprise and relief. Doesn't it make sense that, after living in America for a long time, they might have picked up some of the lingo? It's a nice change, anyway, and she handles it beautifully.)

Now I'm in the middle of reading a biography of Beau Brummell. If only it weren't overdue at the Leeds Central Library...

***
And PS: for those of you who haven't already seen this at Patrick's or Iain Rowan's journal, this is one of the funniest videos I've ever seen on YouTube or elsewhere: the French advertisement for March of the Penguins (or, March of the Emperors, as it's called in France). It made me laugh so hard Maya came racing in from another room just to see what was up. (And she didn't even try to steal my slippers that time!)

Watch it. Really. :)