Saturday, November 7, 2009

CatWheels and Writing

I just finished writing notes on Emily Dickinson for one of my classes. She actually had it very easy: that room in Amherst, a rich daddy, no interruptions. I can't imagine that kind of leisure. Actually, maybe I can. It would be wonderful. She didn't have to work or chase the cats or do anything really. She could spend all day on a single line of poetry if she wanted. Doesn't that sound amazing?

I sat down to write this afternoon. Just a little. Each of the kids had something to do and I had just gotten back from teaching my Saturday morning class, and I thought, Great, I can finally have an hour to work on something. That's when this innocent looking creature:



got together with her equally innocent looking counterpart/sister and invaded Baby Cat's straw fortress while Baby Cat was on watch:



which resulted in flying fur, claws and a wheel of cat spinning across the living room. The other two cats, much older than the kittens, have a feline respect for Baby Cat's spot; the kittens are more like toddlers jacked up on sugar.


After I got Baby Cat back into her spot, and put the kittens into the bathroom to calm down, Emma figured out how to get the Karaoke machine to work. I thought that phase was gone, but then I remembered: it was only gone for the boys. She was still young enough to discover it.

Our Malaysian houseguest is back and he likes to sing. He really, really likes to sing. A World Lit teacher once told me that the Asian culture has an underlying framework of shame; Western culture has an underlying framework of guilt. I thought about that, about shame and all, as he sang the lyrics to Emma's current favorite song, Fun House, by Pink. It sounded like this:

Eet use be fur house
but now it fill with effel cloows


only really, really loud. Over and over. Apparently, his particular area of Malaysia does not function on that framework of shame. The kids could not stop laughing. He then picked up a guitar and added that to the karaoke party. He had to sing that much louder to compensate for the guitar. All this caused our dog, who howls at sirens and other dogs' howling, to howl.

I thought about moving to Amherst. The only problem with moving is I would probably have to take them all with me.

10 comments:

Elizabeth Bradley said...

Too funny. I can picture him. Sorry...

Anne Spollen said...

That's ok, Elizabeth. I think you might have the easier job here of picturing it all as there's no sound.

K.C. Shaw said...

The "effel cloows" has me giggling inappropriately here at work. I don't think it would have been quite so funny if I'd had to listen to it while trying to write. You should get a little medal for each thousand words you manage to write, sort of like war medals.

Anne Spollen said...

I sort of write by scene. When I finish one, I eat a Viking portion of imported chocolate -- sort of like a medal, only these are the kind that, unfortunately, one collects on the butt.

Adrienne said...

A wheel of cat - that's hilarious! Pets always know when you're trying to concentrate. They love to ruin that.

Anne Spollen said...

They were a wheel, Adrienne. No other word describes it. And they were impossible to separate like that.

Glynis Peters said...

Gosh sounds as if you are having a problem finding a quiet spot! Lol loved the post, it brought many images to my mind.

Mary Witzl said...

Brilliant. How I would love to join your Malaysian house guest in a song fest. I have no shame or guilt either when it comes to singing: just ask my kids.

And that innocent looking kitten of yours looks EXACTLY like the one we found crouched in front of the rubbish bins a few hours ago! He's on the balcony now, being petted senseless by my daughter. Who will probably make a bid to keep him. Which will result in some fur flying around here too...

Carrie Harris said...

I'm so sorry. I don't mean to laugh. I just can't help it.

Anne Spollen said...

Thanks guys. I willl someday find a spot to work in without any interruption. Even if I have to rent it.

And why do I think Mary is going to have another cat really soon?