Contentedness Defined

Paladin naps with his favorite catnip-filled toys. His serenity is remarkable. My husband calls it “Contentedness defined,” and hence an appropriate flamboyant title, which does not disturb Paladin in the least.

 

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A Tale of Two Tails

Effie and Paladin  stay connected in various ways, including tail formations. Both had just awakened from naps in separate chairs.

Effie the Hat Girl

Effie often naps on hats we keep on a cupboard shelf above the washer and dryer. Sometimes she also plays dress-up and gets underneath my Watership sun hat.

Effie multi-tasking: Staying warm while modeling

Effie’s natural adorableness makes it a challenge to resist being a stage mom!

Effie on books

Effie mounts a stack of books atop a revolving bookcase and washes her paws after a meal. . .

Then she assumes her Egyptian goddess posture.

Life really doesn’t have to be so complicated. . .

After all, one can croon to the snow. . .

and wash all 16 of one’s toes in less than three miraculous minutes (this includes claws).

Effie’s night watch

The mouse needs watching, at all times. . .

as does the vivacious outdoor life.

Effie’s snow

We had snow last year, but we did not have Effie. Effie seems to find the snow a curious and joyful thing; she can scramble it around, taste it, pounce on it, and believe it is all for her.

And, she doesn’t seem to half mind coming in and viewing her snow through the window.

Effie: Three variations on “Good morning”

Unlike Hamlet, Effie has no reason to “feign an antic disposition.” Her adorably quirky nature and acrobatic giftedness, even for a cat, are unfeigned. Cats frequent only reality. If they find they have miscalculated, they meant to.

Effie rises to greet her feathered mouse. After perusing an array of foreign grammars and dictionaries, she decides to investigate Spanish grammar. She returns to her hammock for a nap, and stretches her tummy to greet the day–and me!–again.

Effie’s over the top this time

My husband took a series of photos of Effie climbing a new fence a couple of months ago. I cropped the original to highlight her determination–or is it defiance?