Well, attempting to read:
Either way, it was a good, easy weekend. Here’s to an easy week.
Toby
Eleven Years
Eleven years ago yesterday I brought Toby home from a Petsmart adoption event. He’s been the constant in my life, between houses and jobs and relationships and sorrows, and as we both reach middle age together he’s both a given and a fresh joy every day.
Sometimes I look at him and don’t see Toby, the cat whose meows I know, but this wild creature who lives in my house and will let me pet him–and I’m overcome with wonder and gratitude that such an impossible thing could even happen. Who hasn’t dreamed of having a tame tiger ?
First year babyface with a pink nose
With the dignified nose freckles of middle age
Currently a Very Distinguished Gentleman with his floppy ear
Sun At Last
The sun was shining all weekend so instead of a hike in the mountains where we’d still need snow gear, we went to the botanical garden where we wore light jackets and saw flowers in bloom.
Toby did not join us for the outing but he enjoyed the sun nonetheless.
(Pet portraiture by Doc, of course. He takes all the good ones.)
It’s Monday
Claim it like it’s a really nice Pendleton blanket that has become your own personal bath palace and give it a look of wonder.
How Is Toby?
Toby’s ear seems to be holding steady; the hematoma so far has not re-formed for a third time, which is great because recurring hematomas sometimes need surgery. However, his ear might stay permanently crinkled, just due to the nature of cat cartilage.
He clearly doesn’t mind, even though I have to get used to seeing him a little lopsided. It does make him look like a pirate cat:
(Photo by Doc, who could start a pet portraiture business any time.)
It’s Monday
Approach it with the angry vigor of a cat whose mama has dared to put medicine on his ear.
Hunkering Down
Wow, was it a rough end to a rough week: Toby ended up at the vet Saturday because his ear was swelling with a lump (cue PANIC).
He’s fine–the vet thinks he bumped it somehow, but it’s been drained and the fluid wasn’t alarming and the swelling’s going down–but we took it easy on Sunday. No hikes, no socializing, just lots of naps and sewing.
Blanket Adventures Only
When I said last week that our particular brand of illness at Chez Plague lingers, I wasn’t joking–I had a mid-week relapse and Doc is still getting everything cleared up, so we didn’t do much of anything over the weekend.
However, Toby would beg to differ about the lack of adventure: Doc’s mom made me an afghan for my birthday and Toby was very excited to have a new blanket to sniff and claim and burrow under.
Friends With Photoshop
My two friends and I send a lot of cat pictures around our group text. I snapped this one of Toby posing in front of a background earlier this week and sent it to them with the caption of “Sears Portrait Studio.” 
My friend took it to DELUXE PORTRAIT PACKAGE and just LOOK at this:
Yes, this IS the best use of Photoshop in the history of Photoshop. Yes, I DO have 8×10 glossies of this on order at Costco.
Easing Into The New Year
Doc caught whatever I was sick with–and this crud lingers–so we took it easy for the weekend.
Highlights included spending an hour shopping for fabric online and then raiding my stash and realizing I already had even better fabric (metaphor!), eating a lot of cookies, and celebrating my birthday with my family, who gave me a punching bag. I love it and felt so understood!
