The Lovely Son is here, and up till now, we have had a quiet and homely time, watching tosh on DVD and pottering about outdoors. I have been tired and washed out, he has been even more tired after a long stint of work with irregular hours and no time off, and we have excused ourselves from anything that feels like work, but have lazed about and eaten much ice cream.
But such excitement in the house today! Wally arrives at lunchtime to decorate the Lovely Son's room, which for many years has had the much-hated woodchip wallpaper that seemed like a practical idea at the time. This room was once painted grey (the nearest I was prepared to go to agreeing to completely black walls), with a black fireplace, on which sat a sheep's skull (with candle). The walls were covered in an assortment of hideous and gruesome posters, and the floor was covered in hideous and gruesome clothes, interspersed with shoes, crockery, books and CDs. I tried to go in there as little as possible, telling myself that I was a tolerant and sensitive parent allowing my child to have privacy, but in reality, I was protecting my own physical and mental health from exposure to so much squalor, and avoiding warfare that I suspected I couldn't win. (Although I cracked once, and washed his denim jacket, and believe me, the repercussions of that crime could be heard streets away.)
Then the Lovely Son stopped being a teenager, and eventually left home - for the first of many leaving-homes, as he kept coming back to recover from travelling and pennilessness - and the grief of that first separation remains a terrible memory, although it was never so intense again. Over time, we acknowledged that he had really left home for good; things got packed up and stored. The room eventually became the spare, and was painted in a restorative pale shade.
The excitement thrumming through the house today is because the room has had to be emptied and set up again in the upstairs sitting room. Little cats just love furniture being moved, and have helped a great deal, diving into drawers, scooting in and out of the bed, as we were carrying it, naturally, their tails and eyes wild. Millie got trapped in the re-making, and was tucked in tightly with the bottom sheet. Soon there will be ladders and steam, and plastic bags full of soggy stripped wallpaper. Cat heaven.
But such excitement in the house today! Wally arrives at lunchtime to decorate the Lovely Son's room, which for many years has had the much-hated woodchip wallpaper that seemed like a practical idea at the time. This room was once painted grey (the nearest I was prepared to go to agreeing to completely black walls), with a black fireplace, on which sat a sheep's skull (with candle). The walls were covered in an assortment of hideous and gruesome posters, and the floor was covered in hideous and gruesome clothes, interspersed with shoes, crockery, books and CDs. I tried to go in there as little as possible, telling myself that I was a tolerant and sensitive parent allowing my child to have privacy, but in reality, I was protecting my own physical and mental health from exposure to so much squalor, and avoiding warfare that I suspected I couldn't win. (Although I cracked once, and washed his denim jacket, and believe me, the repercussions of that crime could be heard streets away.)
Then the Lovely Son stopped being a teenager, and eventually left home - for the first of many leaving-homes, as he kept coming back to recover from travelling and pennilessness - and the grief of that first separation remains a terrible memory, although it was never so intense again. Over time, we acknowledged that he had really left home for good; things got packed up and stored. The room eventually became the spare, and was painted in a restorative pale shade.
The excitement thrumming through the house today is because the room has had to be emptied and set up again in the upstairs sitting room. Little cats just love furniture being moved, and have helped a great deal, diving into drawers, scooting in and out of the bed, as we were carrying it, naturally, their tails and eyes wild. Millie got trapped in the re-making, and was tucked in tightly with the bottom sheet. Soon there will be ladders and steam, and plastic bags full of soggy stripped wallpaper. Cat heaven.
4 comments:
Oliver wishes to tell Millie that he loves ladders as well. I have casters on my big sofa and any time I've done any long distance moving of the beast - say across the room both Gus and Oliver hop on, hang on and I'm sure that I hear a little Yehaw !! coming from them.
When my floors were being installed the kittens were both locked away all day in the guest room much to Oliver's consternation (beacuse of the Wheaten Terrier guest). In the pm when the flooring elves finally left for their cottage by the sea I would open the guest room door and out they would bust. Thump, thump, thump down the stairs and sniff and climb and investigate thoroughly all and any changes, modifications, and/or newness. So funny - every night the exact same routine.
Most excellent Snoopervisors
Everything is more fun with cats around, isn't it? They add a playful element to the most mundane chores!
What about helping paint the skirting board with her tail? She'd probably love it, you might not!
Do post pics of cat heaven. Should be interestin.
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