Tag: Robbie

Limping through Christmas

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn Potpourri4 Comments
  1. We both have the flu. (This is a fact and not a request for pity.)
  2. The temperature is 16° up from 13°. The wind chill is -2°, though it was lower during the night when the winds were brisker than necessary.
  3. Dear keyboard manufacturers. Why did you take the ° symbol off the keyboard so that I now have to type a COBOL routine to use it?
  4. I finally re-ordered three missing gifts for Lesa since the original shipper kept sending the items to Rangoon. They won’t get here in time, but maybe an IOU under the tree will suffice.
  5. Since nobody volunteered to send me any gumbo, we’re having chili. When I make it, it’s better than Wendy’s chili and that has to count for something.
  6. I read in the news that Putin wants to end the war with Ukraine. Okay, just withdraw your troops and stop shelling civilians and you’ll get your wish. I’m sure you recognize your spent rockets. Just don’t fire any more of them and the war will be over. It’s not rocket science.
  7. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson over at “Fox News” claims that our representatives “clapped like seals” during Zelensky’s speech. So what? Many of them are seals.
  8. My publisher Thomas-Jacob sent out a cool end-of-the-year newsletter to subscribers with news and deals. You can get in on the action by subscribing. Click on the graphic for the subscription form.
  9. Robbie, our indoor/outdoor cat has spent most of the day outdoors. What the hell is he thinking?
  10. I hope you have a great Christmas–and stay warm.

–Malcolm

Robbie knows what he wants, so he comes and gets me when he wants it

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn cats2 Comments

I’ve written about Robbie before, I think, the cat who was probably dumped out in the country by the asshole who owned him, and ultimately found us softhearted enough to feed him once we learned nobody in the neighborhood had lost a cat. He was healthy, but ultimately we took him to the vet to make sure, and now we have an indoor/outdoor cat.

Robbie has figured out how to run across my desk without hitting the keyboard or the wine or coffee that’s providing fuel for my work.

When he wants to go back outside, he runs across the desk and stands by the front door.

He leads me to the food bowl in the kitchen when it’s empty or to the water bowls when they’re empty.

Robbie expects us to watch TV at night, so if things get late, he’ll come and get me and head for the living room

Since our cats are allowed in the bedroom overnight where they sleep, but not any other time, both Robbie and Katy get antsy when the TV has been off for a while around midnight and the bedroom door is still closed. Katy sits by the closed door in a sulk. Robbie finds me and leads me to the closed door to let me see for myself that it’s not open.

Maybe he watched all the old Lassie shows on TV at his last house and got the idea that pets are supposed to go get people when somebody calls in a well or the food bowl is empty.

Oh, well whenever he sees me outside, he follows me around to see what I’m doing. I’m not sure that’s a good sign. I keep wondering where this behavior is going to lead.

—Malcolm

Earphones Winner from Audio File magazine.