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mb
S. Moderator
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Posted: Tue Oct 13th, 2009 03:33 pm |
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I was just going through the litany of morning exercises when Mr. MB's voice startled me out of the joy of my "bridge".
"Picasso just ran out, stupid cat."
It's my signal to pull on a pair of trousers and dash outside. I find a pair of old chinos and do the zipper as I scurry through the door and into the darkness. The wind chimes of sun and moon clatters overhead as I skip down the two stairs into the shadowy outdoors. Branches yaw and sway overhead in a mad dance with the wind. Leaves shiver in anticipation. I can smell the coming rain and the whole place seems to vibrate with the promise.
I'd foregone my glasses in the rush to find Picasso, so I watch the shadows, trying to find his sleek black coat splashed with white here and there. Is that just a shadow, or is it Picasso? I'm in my neighbor's yard, and try to move softly as they are not yet awake. I keep my eyes nailed to the form. I call to him, hoping it's the cat. "Picasso!" The shadow moves decidedly and dissolves into the inky blur of bushes.
A sudden gust of wind spurs the cat into action and he springs atop the short cedar fence overgrown with ivy which borders my neighbor's yard. He runs to the door to go back inside, but the wind has blown it shut. He stands momentarily still in the glow of the porch light before sliding into the dark on the other side of the yard. He's frightened, tail foofed and eyes like saucers when he leaps into my arms from the gloom on the side of the house.
He's an "indoor" cat, rescued from the cat shelter in Bakersfield. They requested that we keep him inside as he's never learned about the great outdoors. It's a temptation for him to dash outside on these quick field trips. But they never last long. He happily returns home and slinks around for a while - even if I don't scold him.
But this morning, it was a joy to be out in the wind, the branches leaning down to tease the grass. Inside, I hear an unusual sound; a slight tapping and smacks on the skylight. I open the front door again, dressed now in "real" clothes - jeans and a sweater. It has come. The rain is greeting the ground with her gentle touch.
"I am here," she whispers. "I will give you life." And so they become acquainted once again, this rain and the dusty, dry earth. The smell swirls around me and I breathe deeply of the hope and promise. Life is good.
Monet sits by the french doors, watching the deck now slick with rain. There are no animals prowling along, and he yawns with the moment's boredom and satisfaction before one of the feral cats slinks to the pool''s edge to get her morning drink. Picasso... Picasso is curled on the back of the blue sofa at the window, eyes drifting shut. He is warm and coddled. The is no wind within the these walls.
Me, I like the wind.
And the rain.
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Stef
Member
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Posted: Thu Oct 15th, 2009 03:34 am |
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Never quite understood Picasso. Way too subtle for simple me. Moi, give me Giotto or Michelangelo any day. Possibly slightly exagerated figures .... but I manage to understand what I see.
Pardon? Of course I'm being silly! 
While you were zipping up and daring a few drops, yours truly was battling with COLD horizontal rain. Barely 100 yards to the car and my coiffure was all ruined!
I tell you. Me thinks it's time for a swap. You like rain and wind. I love warm ocean and sun. Say .... a three months in your place and three months in my place? Just a thought. Let me know. After all. What would life be without change? 
Meanwhile. A few things are changing at my end. Me thinks I'll be in the Cafe' more often than I did of lately.
For starters.
I'm kinda peckish given the time of day for me. I'll be by the waterfall with something to nibble on. You are welcome to partake .... a glass of good red will be provided. Of course.
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mb
S. Moderator
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Posted: Sat Nov 7th, 2009 06:35 am |
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Snuggled into the blanket near the fire, flames casting odd shadows on the wall. Making up my mind as to whether I am hot or cold, I shift again and the cats glare at me with accusing eyes.
We laid Betty to rest this morning. They took her out to the cemetery, her family and friends. They went without me. I was finished for the day; a bit exhausted from playing the organ - then the piano - for over an hour solid. I had a "play list" on a sheet of green copier paper. Fairest Lord Jesus. How Great Thou Art, Precious Lord, As the Deer, Sweet Hour Of Prayer, What a Friend, Just As I Am, Have Thine Own Way, In the Garden.... to name a few. Then there was a bit of Bach thrown in here and there as well as a few neo classics.
She was 86 and was active until the last couple of weeks. What a wonderful example for so many of us. She loved the children. She loved reading stories to them, making them laugh, and spent time with every single person she encountered.
I've found myself to be a bit muzzy minded so I've taken a nap and sipped some soup. Studied my eyelids, so to speak. I can hear the gentle hints of rain against the window and am glad for the warmth of the fire. Of course, it's illegal to have a wood fire, but here in the cafe, I think we can let it go, right?
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Stef
Member
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Posted: Tue Nov 10th, 2009 01:16 am |
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Old Betty for sure sounds like being a delightful person. 86 eh? That's a quarter of a century on me .... not sure I'll manage to hang around for another quarter of a century but I'll give it a good try. Apart from anything I would really love to see man back on the Moon. I hope at some time we'll learn to redirect some of the billions we dedicate to kill each other to more constructive and useful purposes ....
Now. Any chance of you sparing a little bit of that blanket? BTW. Of course we can have an open fire at the Cafe. We're fully insulated from the world around so we'll not endanger anyone or anything.
Back to that blanket. This is my little problem tonight. Actually a very serious problem. I've run out of my pipe tobacco. No sneering please. This is serious stuff. Since the metropolis of Windsor does not have any 24 hours shops, and since my tobacco is supplied only by one place near my business place (they order this type especially for me) I'm kinda stuck.
Well, my day cannot close without my coffee night cap and a good puff. So .... I had to resort to open one of the Havana cigar boxes which I keep for special occasions (more for my guests really since am not much into cigar smoking myself). Trouble is, my better three quarters does not abide cigar smoke in the house .... even Havana cigar smoke. Soooo .... I had to open a window didn't I? Well, at past 1 am, November, UK .... yes, you got it. Kinda chilly.
Thus my begging for a little bit of your blanket. Go on, be a good sport ....
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mb
S. Moderator
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Posted: Tue Nov 10th, 2009 03:15 am |
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Of course, mio caro. Here's a generous portion of the blanket. It's enormous, so there's even room for a cat or two and possibly an armadillo. 
Smoking is baaaaad for you. But you already know that!
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Stef
Member
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Posted: Tue Nov 17th, 2009 02:38 am |
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My dearest MB. Sorry that it took a while (kinda of rush jobs at this end for the last few days) but wanted you to know I truly appreciated you sharing some of the blanket. You's forever the generous you.
Mind you. The armadillo got into an argument with the cats ... not sure about what ... and the majestic peace of the Cafe's night got a little disrupted for a while.
Still. In your inimitable fashion, you managed to calm the guys down eventually (BTW, your mastery of Armadillian and Cattian language is truly impressive) which allowed yours truly to finish his cigar with the appropriate undistracted reverence such degustation requires.
Smoking bad? Now, now. What's NOT bad? Eating could be bad. Drinking could be bad. Breathing, even, could be bad (been to Beijing lately? Or Mexico City ... or good old LA even when the wrong wind blows?).
It's all a matter of balance and moderation. Didn't you know? A FEW puffs a day keeps the "nerves" doctor away, like a good glass of red (two max) a day keeps any doctor away!
Pardon? Ok. Ok. That's my theory/excuse. It seems to work though ... for me anyway. 
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Mazel Schlimazel
Member
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Posted: Tue Nov 17th, 2009 03:38 am |
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| Stef, how is Scarlet nowadays, if I may ask? A cute bulldog..
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Mazel Schlimazel
Member
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Posted: Tue Nov 17th, 2009 03:40 am |
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My family had a cat we for 5 years, we named "Kisa." But then due to allergies in the family, we had to give it over to a family friend this summer.
And now I'm glad to know that Kisa is thriving and being pampered like a queen in her new home.
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Mazel Schlimazel
Member
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Posted: Tue Nov 17th, 2009 04:05 am |
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Kisa, when she was just a wee-little one year old cat, in our House:
[url=http://img121.imageshack.us/i/kisap.jpg/][/url]Last edited on Thu Nov 19th, 2009 04:11 am by mb
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Stef
Member
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Posted: Thu Nov 19th, 2009 01:21 am |
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Hello Mazel/Greg!
Good to see you visiting the Cafe.
Am afraid I've no clue how Scarlet is doing. As I said some way back, she's not mine.
Just a cutie who, one day, happened to be by my place of buiness and ... hey, can't resist cuties! So I had to take a few shots and share them with you guys.
Talking about cuties, Kisa is not just that. She looks very regal too.
Mind you. She's kinda BIG ...
I wonder whether MB could do something about that ....
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Mazel Schlimazel
Member
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Posted: Thu Nov 19th, 2009 03:26 am |
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Stef wrote: Hello Mazel/Greg!
Good to see you visiting the Cafe.
Am afraid I've no clue how Scarlet is doing. As I said some way back, she's not mine.
Just a cutie who, one day, happened to be by my place of buiness and ... hey, can't resist cuties! So I had to take a few shots and share them with you guys.
Talking about cuties, Kisa is not just that. She looks very regal too.
Mind you. She's kinda BIG ...
I wonder whether MB could do something about that ....
What? Put Kisa on a diet of celery and low-fat fish?
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Mazel Schlimazel
Member
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Posted: Thu Nov 19th, 2009 03:28 am |
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another photo of Kisa of when she was just a 1 year old cat...
[url=http://img22.imageshack.us/i/kisa2.jpg/][/url]
Last edited on Thu Nov 19th, 2009 04:13 am by mb
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Stef
Member
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Posted: Thu Nov 19th, 2009 03:53 am |
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Mazel Schlimazel wrote: Stef wrote: Hello Mazel/Greg!
Good to see you visiting the Cafe.
Am afraid I've no clue how Scarlet is doing. As I said some way back, she's not mine.
Just a cutie who, one day, happened to be by my place of buiness and ... hey, can't resist cuties! So I had to take a few shots and share them with you guys.
Talking about cuties, Kisa is not just that. She looks very regal too.
Mind you. She's kinda BIG ...
I wonder whether MB could do something about that ....
What? Put Kisa on a diet of celery and low-fat fish?
Absolutely no diet required! And the new picture looks even gorgeouser (ha .... the beauty English possibilities) than the previous one.
No. The "big" was a hint at you about photo scaling while posting in p.com.
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Irish Eyes
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jan 17th, 2008 |
| Location: | Montana USA |
| Posts: | 255 |
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Posted: Thu Nov 19th, 2009 04:02 am |
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Hello dear ones. Am done with chores for the day and sitting here reminiscing a bit about a chance encounter with a four-year-old that occurred on Sunday afternoon. The memory of it makes me smile.
I was in town and stopped by the grocery store to pick up some milk and a loaf of bread. As I approached the checkout area I scoped out which line appeared to be the shortest and had the fewest items to be checked. I wanted to get only what I needed and get out of there as quickly as possible. I made my decision and got in line behind a young mother holding a baby wrapped in a blanket with a little girl standing beside her. The mother looked tired and worn. Her hair was pulled back with a few errant blonde strands falling across her face. Although she obviously was not wearing any makeup she was attractive in a wholesome kind of way. I got the impression that she was probably either a farmer's wife or rancher's wife. She had handed the clerk some sort of paperwork which I thought might be WIC (a supplemental nutritional program for women, infants and children in low income families).
I contemplated moving to another checker's line because the clerk was taking quite some time to get the paperwork all sorted out when the little girl moved closer to me and asked, "Who's that?" I didn't understand which "who" she was referring to so I asked, "Which 'who' do you mean?" She pointed to the lapel of my coat that sported a photo button of my grandson in his football uniform. "Oh!" I replied, "That's my grandson." "What's his name?" she asked. I told her his name and then asked, "What's your name?" She shrugged her small shoulders but did not reply. Ah, I thought to myself, mother has probably taught her not to tell her name to strangers. No problem. "So, how old are you?" I asked. She held up her hand with four fingers at full mast and a thumb folded across her palm. "Four? Wow, you're getting to be a big girl, aren't you." She flashed a smile that revealed even, pearl-white baby teeth and replied, "I'm growing like a weed!" "I bet you are!" Her mother smiled but said nothing as she continued the process of paperwork. "So what's he wearing?" she asked, pointing to my button again. "A football uniform. He plays football". "Where is he?" "He's at home." "What's he doing?" "I'm not sure but I hope he's taking a bath." "Why?" "Because he's been working with Papa all day cleaning corrals. I'm sure he needs one about now." She pointed to my two gallons of milk on the counter and asked, "Why are you buying two? We only got one." "Well," I replied, tapping the photo of my grandson, "because this guy really likes his milk. I think he's growing like a weed too." She glanced up at me and I looked into her baby blues and at her long baby-fine blonde hair; a miniature and much younger version of her mother.
We chatted for a few more minutes before her mother finally completed her purchases and was able to depart. I softly said, "Goodbye" as they headed for the exit. Well, I thought to myself, I sure didn't pick the fasted checkout lane today. But that's okay. I wasn't in that big of a hurry anyway.
Care to share a bit of that red wine? I brought a glass.
Last edited on Thu Nov 19th, 2009 04:06 am by Irish Eyes
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mb
S. Moderator
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Posted: Thu Nov 19th, 2009 04:18 am |
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Irish, thanks for stopping by. The short line often doesn't offer the best rest or the deepest thoughts. Here's some wine... which do you prefer?
This is Madeline... she's taking in a bit of sunshine while we spend some time here in the cafe. She obviously loves zebras.
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Irish Eyes
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| Joined: | Thu Jan 17th, 2008 |
| Location: | Montana USA |
| Posts: | 255 |
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Posted: Thu Nov 19th, 2009 04:55 am |
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| Aw, Madeline is absolutely adorable! The shadows cast across her face mimic the zebra theme. Ummm... wine... well, something not too sweet but not too dry. Any recommendations?
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mb
S. Moderator
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Posted: Thu Nov 19th, 2009 03:45 pm |
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Irish Eyes, I enjoy a good glass of wine as well. The last glass of wine I had was on August 18th at 11:38 with my cast of "Odd Couple" after opening night. A friend had sent me bottles of red wine from wine.com and it was truly remarkable wine although I suspect it was partly because of the friendship and the moment.
At the risk of offending the one who sent the wine, I can't remember what particular type it was, but in general, a good rose is always a safe bet. I have the bottle still, but it's not with me at the moment. So I can't check to see what it was.
i've got some rose here - and a bottle of white zin - some merlot and a bit of Shiraz. Cabernet is another favorite for many. Take your pick!
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