random thoughts – Day 1,435 – (Tuesday) – retreating

Thursdays are usually my preferred weeknight to be out socializing. This used to be satisfied at least once each month with book club, but several months ago, our meetings were switched to Tuesdays. A different Tuesday each month has long been occupied with a board meeting and ever since the book club change, the weeks are a little confused.

FUN-Raiser.

This week had another Tuesday night event, making three consecutive busy Tuesday nights this month. Tonight’s event was  a social “FUN-raiser” organized by the studio artists of The Brush Art Gallery and Studios. I "plucked a duck" and won a 15 minute portrait sketch session donated by one of the artists. 

Being out felt more like a Thursday night than a Tuesday due to several factors. The place was packed at 5:30, for one thing, far more than the usual Tuesday 6:00 book club night crowd and vibe at the same establishment. I hated sounding a retreat so early (7:00), but I know myself and having too many activities early in the week is a recipe for me to feel burned out by Thursday. 

Once upon a time, being out every night was the norm, but since I turned into a homebody who loves a long night’s sleep, being out at evening social functions requires more work and preparation. Like vitamins, which are commonly available, naps which are not available during the workday, and a pep talk to rally myself out of the house. .

Kitty has continued her search for the ultimate hiding place. Today, I couldn’t find her under the bed, behind the couch, or in the corner behind the chair. After several hours, I remembered how my friends had to saw my box spring in half to get it up the stairs when I moved in. Note: box spring is a misnomer as there isn’t a single spring inside the box, just lots of wood framing.

The slices on each side of the so-called box spring had been taped with an inferior imposter of Duck Tape, but that fell off ages ago and it wasn’t a big deal with the dogs and not like I had a ferret or a snake to worry about. I wondered if it was possible that the slinky cat had gotten into the box spring through the sliced fabric on the side. It required the cell phone to see into the space, but sure enough, there was the cat, who had backed herself into the furthest corner.

Kitty puts herself in the corner.

When I returned from the evening event, cat food had been withdrawn from the bowl and the litter box had a deposit. And the cat was nowhere in sight. A couple hours later, she ventured downstairs while I watched TV. For a cat that can disappear as silently as a shadow, she makes a rather noisy entrance thumping down the stairs.

When she went into the kitchen, I stood to get to the bag of treats to use to try and capture her attention. She heard me stand and peeled out of the kitchen in a very ungraceful and hasty retreat, skidding sideways on the wood floor before gaining traction on the area rug and then the carpeting on the stairs. And she was gone.

I tiptoed up the stairs, which is pointless because they creak and groan. I had a peace offering in the form of the bag of Temptations treats, alleged to be her favorites. I peeked in at her, tucked in the corner of her box spring fort. I inserted my hand with the treats before realizing I could be there like that all night.  A treat was planted on the edge of the wood frame of the box spring, and a couple on the floor,  and for the second time tonight, I retreated.