furry friends

sitting out here on the zen porch with scout at my feet. beautiful day, it probably hit 80 today. you know how some days are just perfect days weatherwise for wherever you happen to live? few places have all perfect days - and austin in the summer speaks loudly and clearly for its climactic shortcomings. but today was just a great austin day. thanks for that, mother nature.

so i am sitting out here and the usual NYE fireworks are going off every once in a while in the distance. and while scout is not one of those dogs that freaks out about fireworks (that was barley's job, r.i.p.), they do make her slightly uncomfortable and nervous.

we have this on going battle of the wills, scout and i. from my side of things, i am just not a dogs-on-the-furniture kind of person. to each their own, and i love a good dog snuggle, but we happen to have a couple of canines who feel the need for a new coat every DAY so they are ridiculously prolific shedders. that makes me draw the line and so i am a not a dogs-on-the-furniture kind of person. as for scout, other than the fact that she is really a cat dressed in a dog costume, she also has delusions about her royal status and feels entitled, heck compelled, to sneak up (and i do mean sneak, with crafty eyes, a sideways glance, and quick like a fox) on to the furniture every so often when my back is turned. i know she does this way more often than i have ever caught her, as is evidenced by the well defined, circular, hair-filled impression we find on the beds and couches now and again.

this game has gone on for so long - 10 years now - she sneaks up, and if i catch her i tell her to get down. i have never waivered, she has never argued. it's our routine. in fact it has become so familiar for both of us that when i catch her, we only need to exchange a brief (sideways) glance - no words or gestures required.

so back to the zen porch where i am sitting enjoying the gorgeous evening, and a slightly skittish scout (remember the fireworks) is at my feet, and she so wants to come up here on the couch and cuddle up with me. it's like she knows she isn't allowed but she's giving me the sideways glance anyway. i swear she is wondering if i would mind, if i would let her just this once, seeing as how there are fireworks and all. out of my peripheral vision, i can see that she's actually raising one paw and putting it on the couch, all the while giving me the sideways glance. but if i turn and make eye contact with her, the paw goes down and she looks away. it's pretty funny. "who? me? what?"

i can't believe i am even considering it.

happy new year everyone. i hope the new year brings you all these things in spades: the warmth of a perfect weather day (even if your perfect day is a chilly one), the warmth of a furry friend at your feet, and the warmth of knowing that you're experiencing a life well lived.