Once the dishes are done, I dry the larger bowls and pans to put away. She’ll move from the table to the floor by my feet, looking longingly at the kitchen sink and counter. She knows cats are not allowed on that counter. This doesn’t stop her from having thoughts … thoughts of jumping up on that counter and exploring the thing that sprays water.

She looks at me and looks at the counter. Me. The counter. I know she’s waiting for me to turn my back or leave the room, so I don’t. Eventually, when all the pots and pans are dry and put away, I stand in the middle of the kitchen and stare at her, daring her to defy the long-held prohibition of cats on kitchen counters.

Thinking about it a little longer, she looks at the counter and looks at me. The counter. Me. Finally, she decides defying house rules in front of one of the humans is likely not worth the trouble. Her eyes wide and bright, her tail pointing to heaven, her ears as perky sat they can possibly be, she lets out a plaintive kitten-like mewl and rubs against my legs, then jumps onto the stool by the window to watch for birds.

Tora thinks she has snookered me with her cuteness, but I know what she’s thinking: “They have to sleep sometime! And then … I shall explore!”

And please do be ignoring the sorry, sorry state of the back yard. Seriously, I am so, so sorry. It just hasn’t been a priority lately.

After doing three paintings, Tora lost interest and a blank screen was just sitting there for a while until Ronin wandered by. He normally couldn’t care less about the iPad, other than that he occasionally likes to take a nap on it, but tonight, he jumped right in and played too! Why, he might have even burnt a calorie or two!

Myu is still completely lacking I interest in anything iPad related. She pretty much hates the thing, because it takes up valuable space on my lap she feels could be better put to use for cat naps. LOL!

And now I have to go set up her game again, because she’s pestering me for more. LOL!

I must have been out there about 30 minutes, and once Lin didn’t need me to bring him more bricks, I decided to amble back into the house to do dishes (i.e. avoid any real work). I got around the large bush near the back door, and there –looking completely freaked out– was Ronin. Behind him cowered a bug-eyed Myu. I pointed my finger at the door and informed the cats they needed to go back into the house. Myu immediately ran inside, because she’s smart (and very cowardly). Ronin turned to head toward the door, but then he got it into his head he might like to make a run for freedom. I was standing right over him as he tried to decide if he could get by me or not and where he’d go if he did (’cause he’s a coward too). He’s a 22 pound cat. Running isn’t exactly in his vocabulary. He knows he can only outrun me for about five feet. He finally chose to return to the house, after I gave him a little nudge to get him going.

Having gotten Ronin and Myu back into the house, I checked the house for Tora. No Tora. Back out I went, and there she was hiding behind the lawn tractor. She sat up, squeaked at me, and did her best to look completely adorable … which isn’t hard for her to do. She’s really got being cute down. I pointed at the door and said “Inside!” but no … she just squeaked at me again. I picked her up and carried her into the house. I do not have the time or energy to train cats today. I was just thankful she didn’t bolt for a tree, because Tora is a) fast and b) has endless supplies of energy. I’d have never caught her.

All the cats securely back in the house, I went out to laugh with Lin about the cats totally failing to properly escape. It probably took them 30 minutes to get one foot from the door, because “OMG!!! OUTSIDE!!!” Except for Tora, who started life outside. Who knows where all she ambled about while the other two cowered near the back door. I imagine she was looking for that lizard she stares at every afternoon and would very much like to eat. The other two cats think they’d like to be outside, until they are. Tora would probably like to be outside all the time, but I’m not having it, mostly because the outdoor cats are all monsters and excellent fighters. I don’t have the cash for lots of vet bills to sew ears back on, you know?

Then I came back into the house to see if the cats were having a temper tantrum about their plans being spoiled. Years ago after the last escape attempt, there was an evening long temper tantrum. No temper tantrums in progress today. All three of them were lounging on the kitchen floor … casually as though nothing at all out of the ordinary had just happened. I have never seen such a casual collection of cats, and upon seeing me enter the room, they all three yawned simultaneously and rolled over on their backs for belly rubs. As if! It’s not like they don’t know they aren’t supposed to claw open doors or go outside. No belly rubs for you lot (until later, when I won’t be able to resist)!

And of course, I didn’t have any sort of camera on me, because the cats only do silly funny things when I have no camera on me. I’d have loved to have some photos of the wild looks in their eyes when they finally experienced the great outdoors. LOL!