Four Hours

I went to work at 7 AM this morning, took my hour for lunch break, and left work a little after 4 PM, having worked my 8 hour day. That is a very strange  behavior for me, as I usually set an agenda and work until I complete the agenda, length of day not withstanding.  But I am trying very hard to work about 4 hours a stretch because I am bottle feeding a kitten.  She has started eating solid food, and her eating habits at lunch range from "ravenous" to "I could care less." But, I want her to have that option, and I am able to afford it to her, by going home at lunch time. So I do, and my lunch break varies from an hour and a half to 45 minutes.

Tonight, her interest in sucking milk has varied from "ravenous" to "oh, yeah, that's nice."  She is weaning herself, eating solid food, but still having trouble sticking her nose into a pool of liquid (milk or water) to lap it up.  She will learn.  Meanwhile, I will hand feed her.

I have several different "feeding stations:" in the computer room, on the sofa, at the dining table.  Generally Taki follows me to where I call her to feed, but tonight, she was very determined she wanted to be on the sofa.  I tried the computer room for my preference, and she showed little interest in eating. A few minutes later, she was back at the sofa. I tried feeding here there:  she did not want to drink, but she wanted to play on the sofa.

As a baby, she slept on me on the sofa quite a bit, while I sat on the sofa.  And last weekend, when she was feeling poorly, she slept on me while I sat on the sofa.  But a couple of days ago, while she was on the sofa, she shimmied her way down to the floor, using the slip cover and a bunched up afghan as conduit. She has been trying to climb up onto the sofa, but with no success as far as I can tell, so far.  A couple of times, she has actually climbed my pant leg to get to my knee (where she gets stuck) because she is looking for something to drink.  

So, all this happens in the early evening of my life. When I have not felt constrained to work only 4 hour blocs, and then go home to tend to Taki, I might work until close to 7 PM.  So, when I got home, took care of my family and myself, and relaxed, it might be almost 8:30 or 9 PM.  Four hours after I arrived home might be 10 or 11 PM.  Tonight, 4 hours after I arrived home was only 8 PM or a little after, and my chores were finished by 6:30 PM or so.  What a difference.  I am dealing with a culture change because of this. Not bad, just different.  Have I said that before?  You bet.

Taki is teaching me about time limits and boundaries, by which I have never been able to abide.