My so-called office room was once a bedroom. Now it has my computer and tons of academic-type books, lectures last used more than ten years ago, and some remnants of the last person to occupy it full time, such as a model of the starship Enterprise.

I also have a double papasan chair which served me as a reading spot--before the computer and books started really taking over. When that happened I began keeping the door to the room closed to keep it cat-free. Somehow, in the last few weeks, that resolve has fallen apart. Some of that is due to the very quick Lady (aka Bad Cat), and some is due to my current slowness with the crutches etc.

The cats think the room is fantastic. The double papsan ended up becoming the place I store the other set of sheets--and blankets and afghans. Those of you with cats know that those things are ailuromagnets. My big marmalade (and marmalades are usually male) Fabian likes to sleep there. But he snores. And makes other little noises when he sleeps. Until a few minutes ago Lady was curled up about four inches from him. (She does not snore.) And about a foot away was CC--my calico cutie. She seems to really like Fabian and frequently sleeps near him. But she's still a little shy around people and often ends up under the papasan. And today Fabian decided that he wanted to be much closer to me and settled down under the computer table right where my feet go. (This is quite convenient when it is cool and I have bare feet.)

Lady (aka Bad Cat) discovered yesterday that being coy after escaping to the great outdoors can result in maybe missing the good wet food that is dinner in this household. I called her. Then I went on with the food preparation. The cats get fed on the screened front porch. Lady suddenly realized that the food was inside, and she wasn't. I have the front porch door blocked because of the dog who tore the screens badly a couple of times trying to get in during a thunderstorm. (The garage is always available and has a dog door.) So there is Lady, seeing the other cats dig in, and she can't get to the food. I hobbled back to the den to let her in, and I think she set a speed record. And she got her share of food--mostly because the other cats are polite.

CC, as I said, is on the shy side. But she likes to curl up on me at night. (Thank goodness she weighs very little, compared to 22 lb. Fabian.) She snuggles up and purrs with great enthusiasm. But she's skittish about being picked up. She was skittish at the shelter too. She came over to me just enough that I said "what the heck--I can't take her playmate (Lady) away" and adopted her too. The only way they could catch her was to let Lady loose and then grab CW (as she was known then) when she went to say hello to Lady (who at that time was Lady C.) CC has settled down a LOT since I adopted her, and she even relaxed with the cat sitter after about a week--and the cat sitter already knew her from the shelter. (Cat sitter recently retired as director of the shelter.)

All of them like Electric Blanket, and aren't too happy at this time because I'm not sleeping in bed. I'm using the couch because it is firmer and more comfortable with my positional restrictions. I can be on my back leaning against the couch back for double support. (And it's about the same distance to the loo from either place for those nighttime trips.)

Incidentally, Bad Cat is getting better and better at slipping out the door just as I open it. She's started semi-concealing herself and then making a mad dash outside, where she makes a beeline for the freshly sprouted annual rye.

(Fabian must be really soundly asleep now--he isn't snoring.)