Wednesday Night Reading

     The Evening is quiet, there's nothing on TV of interest to me, and I've a good book in hand.  Since the comfortable chair is located in the fun room, and the Lady of the house is involved in one of her last minute Christmas gift projects in that fun room, she has one of her favorite evening programs going on said TV, and I have completed my rounds of the threads and such on the interwebs,  we (the cats and I) have decided we shall settle on the big bed, they to cuddle and snooze ..... I to get into this book I mentioned.  
     We all troop down the hall, cats taking the first leap onto the bed, each aiming for the 'warm spot', knowing full well I will toss them out of it, or, should they get stubborn, I will threaten to sit on them.  Either way, I get evil looks, backs turned to me, and am, for a short time at least, ignored.  They move over, and I bail in.  
     OK!  skipping past all the rooting and squirming and fluffing of pillows and other such, I settle down, turn on the light, locate my glasses in the bit of stuff accumulated on the night table, put them on, adjust the light, open the book and start the quiet enjoyment of delving into the written account of life in another's world.  
     Soon the bed begins to move and I feel the little guys' slow but sure gravitation to me.  Buddy takes his time working his way up the outside edge of the bed on my right, Tegar takes the quick jump into the little 'donut ring' bed his Mommy sewed for their sleeping pleasure in the center at the foot of the bed.  Rowdy waits patiently until Buddy is in place curled in my armpit, little head hanging over the edge of the bed, staring at something no one can see but himself.  Then, with quiet aplomb, Rowdy takes over the guard position on that edge just below my knee. 
     So, that leaves Miki parked in his Mommy's warm spot on the other side of the bed taking an elaborate 'before nap bath'.  I'm suspecting the worst with him but soon slip deeply into the fantasy world my latest 'favorite author' has drawn me when, with a dainty hop, a monster purr, a pleading 'Meowrr', and a rough-tongued slurp on my nose, Miki lands squarely on my chest between my book and my glasses, said glasses now hanging half off my face.  

Miki's favorite pillow ..... the Large One's arm.

     After a lecture, a few scritches and chin rubs, the little House Panther takes himself off my chest to curl next to me on my left side, naturally pinning my 'book holding' arm.  So, since I am deprived of the use of my arm, the evening's reading is cut way short, and I very shortly fall fast asleep with both arms full of cats.  Around an hour or so of quiet slumber later I wake to find my right arm free of big fluffy Buddy, but with sleek little Miki still on the other side.  I fumble for the camera, get several snaps of him pinning my arm, and, even though I feel a bit of guilt having caused him to wake up because of the flash in his face, I finally get use of my arm again.  
     By this time the desire to read has completely deserts me.  In stead there seems to be the need to tend to the rumble in my stomach.  As I get up, I am aware of a four-cat escort party waiting patiently on the floor beside my shoes.  
     The trip down the hall is always a merry one ..... well, almost.  I always have to watch where I walk, occasionally bracing myself on the wall as I go to avoid stumbling over these gamboling little creatures.  Still, I feel well protected having these little pests I call 'my children' always nearby guarding, escorting, and loving me.  
     Short legged, fluffy, speaking a different language, more stubborn than I ..... Ayup!   They are the Small One's 'children', definitely not mine. 
     I feel loved.  The book will be there later, our little cats may not.  Life is Good! 
     Have you loved you pets lately?
     I'm gone again ......