Pages

Friday, August 15, 2014

A Whole Lotta Lovin.

When I got up this morning (way too early, per usual), I did not hear the tippy-tapping of canine toenails outside of the door.  This is unusual, since they seem to hear even the faintest rustling from behind closed doors.  Even Pepper, my knee-cozy, didn't budge.  Hmmm. 

When I walked into the living room and turned on the light, I realized they were all balled up on the sofa.  No wonder - here we are, mid-August, and it was 45 degrees.  This is not right.  Nope.  Not at all.  After making them go out (it's a lot of, "You go first.  No, YOU go.  No, YOU go." when it's cold), I made a cup of chai tea, let them back in, and sat on the chair-and-a-half to dig into a (are you sitting?) book.  Yes, Sylvie has me hooked on the Maisie Dobbs series.  Light reading, well-written, with a fine character study and an interesting period piece.  Plus it's a mystery and I love me my mysteries.

Within nanoseconds, Pepper was smooched up next to me.  I feel a tap on my knee, peer over my book, and there is Lovey.  Furrowed little brow, soft, wrinkly boxer face, white paw on my knee.  Pepper goes into my lap, Lovey smooches up next to me.  Then there is some heavy purring on the back of my neck.  Slim - he who must not be held - has snuggled tightly against my neck.  Scrappy has dibs on the favorite end of the sofa and is snoring softly(ish), his back to me, looking like the canine version of Yoda.

My mornings are filled with a whole lotta lovin.  This is especially appreciated when it's 46 degrees, fernatssake.

******

I try to keep the pity out of my face, as my office mates ask if I'd like a salad from the deli downstairs.  Poor unfortunates.  I sit with an array of salads on my desk - left to right (I forgot my cellphone at home - I hope Scrappy doesn't surf the Net all day) - thinly sliced cucumbers (mine), sprinkled with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and seasoned rice vinegar; diced tomato (mine), sprinkled with basil - green and amythest - chiffonade (mine) and a little EVOO (Italy's); broccoli salad - diced raw broccoli (mine), with Craisins (Ocean Spray's), red onion (farm in VT), diced crisp bacon (Marianne's), and dressed with a dollop of mayo (Hellman's), yogurt (mine), ACV (mine) and a teaspoon of sugar (organic somebody's).  I go close my office door, because I don't want them to see what they're missing.  I am trying to be kind.

I have this every single day, until I run out of tomatoes.

14 comments:

Susan said...

Bliss!

Deb said...

That's quite the love-in in the morning. It is cold here (Ontario), too. We are way below normal temperatures. I am with you on the tomatoes. Nothing like home-grown. Deb

Carolyn said...

Nothing better than warm, furry (although sometimes a bit on the heavy side) blankets to snuggle up with. And that salad does look delish. Poor unfortunate souls you work with.

Sandy Livesay said...

Susan,

Snuggled up with a book and your four legged critters on the couch with a hot cup of chia sounds like heaven to me.

I always laugh when others look at my lunch because they're going out and buying theirs, mine came from my garden or is homemade............

Mama Pea said...

Omigawd! That salad is picture-perfect. It probably tastes okay, too. (Hahahaha! That was a joke. I just know it tastes FANTASTIC!) Makes me want to run right out to the garden and pull one of my red cabbages right out by it's roots. (By golly, I think I'm just gonna do that!)

I can understand with no problem at all why you were inundated with your lovin' housemates this a.m.. You SAT DOWN! It's pretty hard for them to snuggle with you when you're moving like a whirling dervish around the homestead as you usually are!

Susan said...

Susan - Yes, it is. Mornings like this make all the fuss worth it.

Susan said...

Deb - If it gets as cold as a threedogthreecat night, I am covered. Literally and figuratively... :)

Susan said...

Carolyn - I bet Black Susan would throw everyone off my lap and lie in it. Right? Only my little skinny cat, Kramer, is a snuggler. Cookie is a snuggler/kneader, which is too painful.

Susan said...

Sandy - I could have stayed there all morning. Or at least an hour. It drives me crazy that people pay so much for so little - in both quantity and quality - when they buy their lunch.

Susan said...

Mama Pea - Hahahaha! You are absolutely right! I only last a chapter or two, but they sure make the most of it. And keep me toasty in the bargain. I am going to cut one of my Savoys this weekend and make coleslaw - variety!

Sue said...

I don't know how you resist the urge to eat that salad without saying Mmmmmm, ...Mmmmmmm......Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm every bite. You really ARE a kind and decent person. Wow. And you let me on your site??????

38 this morning. I don't think I'm going to see tomatoes in my little world. So, say it, Susan---Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....Mmmmmmmm
LOL!

Unknown said...

45, holy cow! I'm ready for fall, except my veggies are really starting to come in! I just bought an ebay polar fleece jacket and I'm ready to wear it:) I love snuggling with my kitty when it's cold, purr purr purr...

Casa Mariposa said...

It was 57 here the other night! Insane! But 45? Geez! My tomato plant has been a let down. It's a Mortgage Lifter than couldn't pay off a rat's nest. The tomatoes are big but it has some weird spotty disease and is losing steam. Grrr...! Your salads sound delish. :o) When I lay down to read while snuggling my dogs, I pass right out, too. :o)

Fiona said...

Ahh tomato bliss....we have a snacking problem with our tomatoes...they make it from the plant to our mouths in record time! I am dehydrating as many as I can and I have made EVO and Basil dried tomatoes for winter salads. I fine dice some fresh Basil....heat a half pint jar to 212 degrees in my oven, add 2 Tablespoons of Good Extra Virgin Olive oil, the basil and then quickly fill with dried tomatoes. 95% seal and they Taste so awesome. I am going to see how they store. I know the Olive oil tomatoes on the grocery stores are expensive and have no where near the flavor of my homegrown ones. [Our Mortgage Lifter's are doing really well]