Crowded Spaces

So I haven't been a very good blogger lately.  The truth is my older daughter is home from college and when she returned, so did her STUFF.  She had quite a collection to sort through (read: Mommy had a collection to sort through) which included extra bedding which she announced she will never need again (why do all colleges make you buy XL twin sheets?) and an assortment of plastic cups with her college logo, books, lamps, bags, crates, and many things that need a designated corner of the house until next semester when we ship her back to school.  She will start to accumulate more stuff as summer passes because she is moving off campus, so naturally we "need" to acquire a pile of things for the apartment.  Glassware, dishes, pots/pans, more bedding, and the list goes on. The puddle of stuff spreading around the space with her things feels like quicksand.  I sigh because I can't see the carpet anymore and everywhere I turn is a pair of flip flops and a discarded sweatshirt, and this doesn't have anything to do with the group of things that has to go back to college.  I am being invaded by teenage chaos and I know as a mom I'm supposed to cherish these moments and lovingly caress the mess or something.  But instead I seclude myself in my bedroom where I thought I had my own private order.  But the mess seems to leak into my space too and there really is no escape.  Why does this affect my blogging, you ask?  Because I have very little imagination when I'm too busy massaging my temples and chanting to myself, "do NOT freak out...it's only a LITTLE messy...be more like the honey badger..."  Click to see the link to the crazyass honeybadger

Toonsis "hiding" in the paperwork

What has this got to do with cats?  The source of all DE-stressing for me lately has been related to grabbing the closest fuzzball and stroking it until it either hisses or falls asleep.  But perhaps I am a little too affectionate because they are also starting to crowd me a bit.  Just a moment ago as I was typing, Toonsis decided it wasn't good enough to sit near me, she had to crawl into the smallest space by the desk which already happened to be loaded with papers, envelopes, and our modem.  I'm sure she thinks crawling around on a shelf is great fun, but crashing our modem because she hits the rocker switch with her kneading action isn't my idea of togetherness.  What a twit.


And Tigger isn't satisfied to sit beside me either.  He has to share my chair.  He becomes a back rest or kind of a lumbar support, if you will.  At least I don't have to throw him in the microwave to keep him warm.  The vibration from the purring is kind of nice actually.  I'll keep it.

Tigger, my lumbar support

Cutest most stupid kitty

Pepper on the other hand, just sits about 3 yards away looking at me with mischief on her face.  She is the dumbest kitten I've ever known.  I don't know what she's thinking.  But I'm sure it goes something like this, "duh duh duh."  And then she will literally jump straight up and take off with her rear claws trying to get traction on the wood floor.  What a dope.  But what a cutie.  Sheesh.

Cats don't mind messes, or sharing space (mostly), or having a little too much stuff.  The more stuff the better, I think because then there is something to drag around and howl about when you're being ignored or at 3am.  The thing they are very good at is getting right up in your business and making sure you know they are there, and you MUST pay attention to them, IMMEDIATELY.  Ignoring them is not an option.  So, for now, I will just try to refocus on the cats and turn away from the habitat.  Maybe then I can get back to blogging.