After my harangue about this cat the other day, I found her sitting on the bed, waiting for me after I'd had my shower last night.
"Hello," I said. She looked at me through those golden eyes of hers. "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"
She didn't say a thing. She just stayed where she was and I got into the bed and arranged my legs beside her. She did not make her pissed-off sound nor did she leap away in anger. She did not approach me for petting and I did not offer it. She slept there all night and stayed for awhile after I got up this morning.
She's just so...unpredictable except for the fact that the odds are very good that if you get your hand or arm around her, she's going to grab it and try to bite it. Eventually.
I do love her in a very weird and probably victim-type way. "I know she loves me! She does! She just doesn't know how to show it! She had a terrible childhood!"
Etc.
And yet- no one should put up with a partner who gets violent just because they had a horrible childhood.
I know, I know.
Not the same with a cat. Not at all.
It's been a pretty sweet day. Mr. Moon left early to go out on the Wacissa with a friend of his and when he got home this evening, he told me that it had been a nearly perfect day. He also told me that it was his sanctuary- going out on the river like that. They saw no other people the entire day. They fished and returned all they caught to the water and when he was telling me about how wonderful it had been, his eyes welled up. And then mine did too.
Mr. Moon is an outdoorsman. By any definition, he is. I think he is probably more at home in the woods and on the water than he is at anywhere else on earth.
I never, ever thought I'd marry a man who'd fit that description and yet forty years after doing exactly that, I can't imagine how I could love anyone more.
Life is funny, isn't it?
Mr. Moon is an outdoorsman. By any definition, he is. I think he is probably more at home in the woods and on the water than he is at anywhere else on earth.
I never, ever thought I'd marry a man who'd fit that description and yet forty years after doing exactly that, I can't imagine how I could love anyone more.
Life is funny, isn't it?
Jessie came out today to get some things to wear for a party they're going to this weekend. It's a murder mystery party and Jessie is playing a rich fancy lady of some sort. I have some sparkly costume jewelry from when I was in plays and we went through those things and she choice a few pieces. They brought back such memories to me. But in a good way, mostly. As I was going through a vintage purse I'd used as when I was in Casablanca, I said, "Wow. That was a different life."
She said, "You've had a lot of lives."
She was right. I have.
And then we went to lunch in Monticello. We chose the Mexican because it's always good and it's such a cheerful place.
We chose well. Honestly, Rancho Grande has such good food. And of course we talked and talked. We had to laugh when we discovered that we're both listening to books by the same author- Sally Rooney. Sarah from Sussex recommended one of her books in a comment a few days ago and I am enjoying it very much.
We chose well. Honestly, Rancho Grande has such good food. And of course we talked and talked. We had to laugh when we discovered that we're both listening to books by the same author- Sally Rooney. Sarah from Sussex recommended one of her books in a comment a few days ago and I am enjoying it very much.
Let me just say though- lots and lots and lots of sex! So don't say you weren't warned! And also, lots and lots and lots of emails between two friends discussing everything from climate change to the meaning of life and everything in between. I've never read anything quite like it. An epistolary novel, for sure, but in the modern sense.
And then she had to get back to town to take the boys to get their flu shots and I busied myself with a few things here.
Although it was gray and overcast earlier in the day, it cleared later on in the afternoon, and following my friend Ross's advice to "look up" I saw this.
**********************
However. Cruelty and abuse are never, ever to be rationalized.
Of course, all of the allegations against him are indeed allegations, as yet unproven. But at this point in my life, I tend to believe the victims. And when the perpetrator is a person of power, fame, reknown, a man, and of great talent, a whole big segment of society would really rather not.
That's all I have to say tonight.
Love...Ms. Moon
Humans know, or should know, that their behaviour is unacceptable - why else would they pull the "abusive childhood" card. Cats don't, so Maurice can be forgiven for all her unpredictable characteristics.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that Mr Moon has such a close connection to the outdoors and the opportunity to enjoy it.
I have not heard of Neil Gaiman so shall scuttle off and educate myself. But I heartily agree with your sentiments.
As someone who often uses the abusive childhood card to explain (often to myself), behaviors that may seem odd. But never violence or abuse towards others. Thankfully, I do not have those issues.
DeleteMaurice can and is forgiven but that does not make the gashes and bites any less painful.
The camellias are very pretty. I understand fishing, but releasing back into the water when the fish now has an injury from the hook? I guess they heal fast and never know what happened. And it is better than dying to be eaten.
ReplyDeleteCatch and release is not 100% successful but if the proper hooks are used and the the hook is removed quickly (and hopefully, with the fish still in the water), most live.
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ReplyDeleteSo I've just added another Audible book to my wish list. Thank you. I have to admit, between Kindle, Audible, plain old fashioned books and Cheere Denise reading them on Youtube my book-reading capacity is probably full. I'm trying to make time to finish the Faith Addis series - which I love as it is so gentle and her humour just shines through! If you have a love of books you are truly blessed, aren't you!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes! This is a wonderful time to be a reader!
DeleteThere is an interesting pdcast about Neil Gaiman and I found it interesting to listen to the women explaining how subtle and quite insidious he groomed them. Not the big bad wolf but worse.
ReplyDeleteAs for Sally Rooney, welcome! We have this quote from Beautiful World stuck on our fridge:
"For me it feels like looking down and seeing for the first time that I’m standing on a minuscule ledge at a dizzying vertical height, and the only thing supporting my weight is the misery and degradation of almost everyone else on earth. And I always end up thinking: I don’t even want to be up here. I don’t need all these cheap clothes and imported foods and plastic containers, I don’t even think they improve my life. They just create waste and make me unhappy anyway. (Not that I’m comparing my dissatisfaction to the misery of actually oppressed peoples, I just mean that the lifestyle they sustain for us is not even satisfying, in my opinion.) People think that socialism is sustained by force – the forcible expropriation of property – but I wish they would just admit that capitalism is also sustained by exactly the same force in the opposite direction, the forcible protection of existing property arrangements."
Re: Neil Gaiman- And now I'm hearing that his wife may have been complicit in the abuse? How horrible.
DeleteAs to that quote! I remember reading it and thinking, "This is something Sabine would say!" and there you are- quoting the exact quote.
Your entire description of your relationship with Maurice reminded me of my mother! As for Neil Gaiman and the like, it’s good to know there are men like Mr. Moon in the world.
ReplyDeleteYes. I can see how my relationship with Maurice could be like a relationship with a mother. Or a partner. To just love them so much and want to please them, make them happy- and then to be bitten and clawed, metaphorically, at least- it's horrible. I am so sorry you had to go through that.
DeleteThere ARE good men in this world. I know that. And I am so fortunate to be the partner of one, and the friend of others. Like you.
And Neil Gaiman's wife was more than complicit. She groomed young women for him and put them in harm's way, and also took advantage of them sexually and financially. It's so disgusting. I'm writing a blog post about it all now, but it's taking me a while to get my thoughts together on it.
ReplyDeleteSo sick.
Dear god. I always got a sort of weird vibe, just from her pictures but that may have been absolutely nothing. And of course, he is a master of the darkness. However, if Stephen King has had a secret life on the side, we surely have not heard of that. I hope he does not.
DeleteI think Maurice may benefit from going on Prozac. I don’t know how you could convince her to take it…I’ve heard about it helping other pets.
ReplyDeleteShe probably could.
DeleteI feel the same way as Mr. Moon, I feel the best when I am outside, surrounded by mother nature instead of people. The natural world makes my soul happy.
ReplyDeleteOur cat and I have had a difficult relationship as well, lots of biting and blood drawn, but she has gotten old and is much more pleasant now, she even sleeps with me most nights now which I enjoy.
As for the author, I'm sick and tired of men who think they are entitled to whatever they want, who take up so much space in the world that they knock women out of the way. Do better!
i just talked to a friend today who says her plan for the next four years is to be outside as much as possible throughout them. She is very much an outdoorswoman already so I'm sure she will.
DeleteMaurice sleeps with me sometimes and I love it when she does. If I don't pet her, she doesn't bite me.
As discussed above, there are good men but my lord, there are so many that have no idea how not to be a fucking dick.
My daughter's partner is a man like Mr. Moon that enjoys the outdoors and loves to fish. He enjoys his peaceful time in nature and she does, too, so they are a good match. I hope they have many happy years together like you and Mr. Moon.
ReplyDeleteOh, me too, Ellen!
DeleteMaurice is fortunate to have you care for her. Many people would not be as patient.
ReplyDeleteIt is said, opposites attract. You and Mr. Moon are a good example. As you say, it works!