Sunday, November 22, 2009

 

Big cat little bookcase

When Hodge gets restless his favorite thing to do is see how high he can climb in whatever room he happens to be in. In the living room stands my favorite bookcase, purchased from a local antiques dealer who bought it at the auction of a Bar Harbor summer estate. I love the bookcase itself, and then found out the house it came out of is just down the road from the house my parents built when they moved to Bar Harbor. So, a piece of home. And Hodge has figured out how to scale it. He launches himself from the arm of the couch, then scrambles up the last shelf. I will have to remove the fine bindings so they aren't damaged. Or move the couch.


Here he's wondering if he can climb any higher in this room (the wide ledge of crown molding up over the windows tempts him every time, though he hasn't managed to get there yet):


I think he's after the little Beatrix Potter figurine on the shelf just below him. A gift from my older sister. Lady Mouse, from The Tailor of Gloucester, one of my favorite children's books of all time (no more twist). She's going to have to find a new home too. Because obviously the cat will not be stopped from his adventuring.

We have to lift him down. Slaves, we are absolute slaves to this wonderful cat. Sometimes I am shocked to recall that he can't read. Yet.

Comments:
Maybe he's lookings for some good reading stuff by C Morley in those shelves!

Hi, from Greece Sarah
 
IN HONOR OF TAFFY TOPAZ

TAFFY,
the topaz-colored cat,
Thinks now of this and now of that,
But chiefly of his meals.
Asparagus, and cream, and fish,
Are objects of his Freudian wish;
What you don t give, he steals.
His gallant heart is strongly stirred
By clink of plate or flight of bird,
He has a plumy tail;
At night he treads on stealthy pad
As merry as Sir Galahad
A-seeking of the Grail.
His amiable amber eyes
Are very friendly, very wise;
Like Buddha, grave and fat,
He sits, regardless of applause,
And thinking, as he kneads his paws,
What fun to be a cat !

CHRISTOPHER MORLEY
 
Holy cats!

I love cats, and they do like to climb, but wow, that's pushing the envelope. Be careful, furball!
 
Asparagus, and cream, and fish. Would that that were my lunch today.

Thanks for continuing to visit here, Antony - I always enjoy your comments, as you know!

ccr - the bookcase is sturdier than it looks, it's leaning back quite strongly against the wall. But still.

I should mention that the cat isn't as huge as he looks in these pictures. The books on the top shelf are almost miniatures; the ones on the bottom shelf are nine and ten inches high.
 
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