Sometimes, Midnight likes to play.  Okay, he’s all cat and mostly he’d rather nap, and I can relate to that.  Quite well in fact.

That playful mood usually comes on him in the morning shortly after breakfast.  Sometimes it comes in the evening.  It usually starts with him taking off like a sprinter. I shout, clap my hands once and laugh.

When he runs he slaps those paws down hard on the carpet.  Sylvia calls him Thunder Paws when he does that.  It is an apt description of our diminutive beast. 🙂

Shortly after hiding under a bed or behind a chair, he’ll come out for more.  It quickly becomes a game, which we then play for several minutes.  It’s a lot of fun!

The other day he ran from me full speed into the dining area.  He tried to stop or change direction on the laminate floor.  Oops!  Bad mistake there Midnight.  He slammed against the wall with a mighty thump.  The fun ended as quickly as it had begun.  Our hero gathered up his feline dignity and walked off as if it didn’t hurt–not even a little bit.  I’m not so sure.

Thunderstorms moved through earlier, so I’m late getting this posted today.  In the last few minutes I see another huge bank of black clouds heading this way.  The online weather radar shows more activity headed this way.  I’m going to post this now.  I hope to see you here again tomorrow.

No doubt about it.  Midnight loves catnip.  It is his favorite treat.  There is a large group of catnip plants growing beside our back door.  The lucky kitty has staff (Sylvia and me) who will bring him a few leaves of this delectable herb.  The other day, I entered the kitchen area where Sylvia was at work with Midnight’s “help.”  In one hand, I held some catnip.  In the other, the camera for Sylvia to capture some images of our guy as he attacked the catnip.  Here is the story as told by Midnight himself:

My male staff brought me some catnip.  He let me see and sniff it and then he stood up and held it at nearly waist level.  Fortunately I’m a big boy so I can stretch up that high.  First step is to inspect the catnip.  I sniff it with my sensitive nose.  Examine it with my eyes.  Make sure it is top quality–or that it at least meets my minimal standards.

Next, I warn off anyone or any thing in the vicinity.  All need to understand that I will viciously attack any who get between me and my catnip.  It is mine.  ALL MINE!  So leave me alone!

I really do love catnip!  Why don’t hoomins eat this wonderful tasty herb?  It should add zing to those silly salads they seem to love so much.  Don’t you agree?  And why do they eat yucky onions with their greens?  I don’t understand that at all.

After reading Midnight’s words, I think I understand why he always wants to sniff my hands when I come in from outside.  Wouldn’t I be naughty if I ate some catnip out there and didn’t bring any in for him?

Mexico Update

Yesterday, Briana reported:
I have been talking and communicating in Spanish very easily the past day or so since Claudia moved into the dorm with me. I got a big headache from all the Spanish but I’m already starting to think in Spanish . . . Thanks for the prayers!

Ever wonder what a mouse might see just before . . . ?  I think I discovered that while playing Midnight recently.  It might go like this:

“Oops!  There’s a predator!  I wonder if he’s only feigning feline indifference.  Or is he eying that fly on the ceiling?  I hope he’d distracted and not merely acting.”

“Drat!  Looks like he’s turned on his search radar.  Still . . . hope remains that he won’t see me.”

“Well, forget that.  This looks like the end.  It was nice knowing you.”

Fortunately, I’m not a small furry rodent and was able to escape from the monster.  We had a lot of fun playing that afternoon.

I took these shots while laying on the floor.  Midnight was atop the back of a swivel rocker we have in the living room.

I’m baack.  The photo projects are complete and it’s time to CATch up with you my friend.  That right.  It’s I Love Midnight Monday here on Secondary Roads.  My little buddy has been watching over me making sure I’m okay.

Normally he comes around in the early afternoon to see what I’m doing.  If I’m here in the computer chair he jumps up and settles in with his butt on my lap, his front paws atop my belly and his nose just under my chin.  He then proceeds to nuzzle me under the chin.  He might even give me kitty kisses on the beard.  (I suspect he is secretly checking for any fragments from lunch that missed my mouth.)  You might think that he is such a loving friend, and it does appear to be that.  However, I know that he’s just telling me he’s ready for his afternoon meal.  I usually make him wait a bit.

In the evening, I may spend some time in the recliner in front of the TV.  Midnight usually hops up on my lap and greets me.  Anyone can tell he’s just checking to make sure I’m alive–and awake.  Once satisfied, he’ll curl up lounge with me while we watch our favorite programs.

Midnight checks on my well being

The above shot was taken in the evening with available light.  That threw the color temperature off and so the bright white spot under Midnight’s chin looks yellow.  There is probably a setting on the camera that will compensate for that, but the opportunity wouldn’t wait.  In case you have doubts, kitty is not wearing a crown.  That’s a plaque made in the shape of Michigan, which hangs on the wall behind the TV.

Unless you get the idea that Midnight is all about caring and concern, I should also tell you he has another side.  He bites those that pester him and he is a mouse slayer.  This image captures that side of his character.  Let it be a warning to you.

Look into my eyes

The pirate is a happy kitty this morning.  He caught another mouse.  Good kitty!

Well, not exactly . . .

Last week I noticed Midnight standing next to his chair and looking out the window.  He was intently watching something.  Perhaps it was a robin just a bob, bob, bobbing along?  That would surely get my guy’s full attention.  Right?

What does Midnight see?

I walked to the window expecting to see a robin or something like that.  I was wrong.  We’ll it was a bird — a big bird.  In fact, there were two very large birds doing what they do.

The Lunch Bunch Doing the Buzzard Dance.

 Two turkey buzzards were having a snack.  The action had Midnight mesmerized.  I found it interesting too.  We watched for quite a while.  Eventually, they had their fill and flew away. At that point, Midnight and I left the window in search of  more adventure.

Midnight loves to watch the action in his world.  From turkey buzzard to finch, birds are always of great interest to my guy.  His interest is not limited to birds.  If it moves, it deserves inspection.  If it doesn’t move, it should be sniffed.  Then it should be give an exploratory whack with a paw.  Kitty’s world is a place filled with wonders that need to be observed and investigated.  He even loves to watch TV with me.  We frequently do that for an hour or two in the evening.

An hour later, I found Midnight curled up in his chair.  I think he was checking his eye lids for leaks.  Do you ever do that?

Things are looking up.  On Friday, I was vegging in the recliner in front of the TV when my animated lap cushion decided to join me.  I like those moments we share together–sometimes frolicking, sometimes relaxing and frequently dozing.  Must confess the dozing part is nice.  Fortunately, I had my camera, and I had set it to the fast burst mode.  I have taken a series of frames from one sequence and turned it into this animated gif.

As stated things are looking up around here and that’s not just Midnight as you see above.  Sunday, I got out of the house to go to church and Sunday School.  I was very tired after that, but it’s a start.  Today, I’m feeling better yet. Had to take a break from writing this post to go pick up my new glasses.  They are very nice.  Expensive, but nice.

Midnight looked up (in the gif) to see what the noise from the camera was all about.  He is 100% cat.  Curious about anything and pretty much everything.  Sometimes that’s funny and sometimes it’s annoying.  Just try to retrieve a glitter ball that has been batted beneath a kitchen appliance.  Puss will be right there to bat it back under as soon as it starts to emerge.  As I said, sometimes funny and sometimes annoying.

Arrgh!  Avast matey, it’s me birthday.  Two years old today, or so they tell me.  The catnip is on the house.  Good luck getting up there if you want some.  Har har.

Now where’s me peg leg?  Has that pesky woodpecker taken off with it again?  I oughter keel haul his mangy tail feathers.  Don’t know why that Barnacle Chuck can’t get a real parrot ‘stead a that telegrapher bird.  I hope he pecks his own brains out.  Arrgh!

I’m looking for a mouse or two to party with me.  Does ya know any?  It’d be good to have someone to put the bite on if an ole tar gets hungry.  Don’t ya think?

Lately, Midnight comes looking for me about mid afternoon.  He usually has one thing on his mind.  Food!  He wants me to give him some.  And he talks to me about it.  Since the  vet put him on a diet, he’s usually hungry.  He has lost some weight, but he is in no danger of dying of hunger or malnutrition.

On a recent afternoon, we were in the midst of one of those conversations when Sylvia walked in.  Camera in hand.  And as we talked, she caught the shot above.

At that point, we both turned our attention from each other to Sylvia.  If Midnight was upset, he soon got over it.  I gave him the canned cat food he wanted.  But not before I thanked my darling wife for capturing those shots on her camera.

Maybe it’s a good idea to let kitty get a bit hungry.  He caught another mouse just the other day.  Isn’t that a good kitty?

Sylvia and I were on the phone talking with our son Scott.  It was Sunday evening and as we chatted about the previous week’s activities, I noticed midnight intently watching the pantry door.  Sylvia saw it too.  He squatted there with his rear end twitching.  He had seen something.

Then he sprang to the door and swiped his paw under it.  Out came a little mouse.  Oh what fun!

Midnight had to play with his catch.  And he did.  On the laminate floor and then on the carpet.

I’ll spare you the rest of the details.  A couple of nights later, he found another by the clothes washer.  Good kitty!  Since then he caught another in the mud room.  Those are only the ones we know about.