Schedule and Feline Sex

Well that has to be one of the most boring words in the English language, don't you think? Schedule I mean (more about the rest later).

And pretty boring to harp on and on about it too, though I can't help it - the last weekend of March is like this, trying to figure out what your daily life is going to be like for the next year, with everyone leaving the final details until the last minute. Even the dance teacher tonight kept going on about the Fuji matsuri in May, although my quick iphone google told me the dates were in April - no-one knows any damn thing!

Quick low-down then just to get it out of my system, though you are quite free to skip it, in fact I'll tuck it away at the bottom of this post and talk about sex.

Vanilla disappeared on Friday night. While we were enjoying the bruschetta, or maybe the lasagna, one or another of the kitties opened the lounge room door. I had left it shut, but unlatched, earlier in the day when I was hanging laundry. I didn't know they were strong enough to open it. We first realized they had gone when we heard a miaow from outside! We quickly found Genki outside on the jungle gym, and Cinnamon was inside, but Vanilla was no-where to be seen. I stayed home to watch poor sleeping sickly Erica and 'hold the fort' in case of unexpected kitty return, while Kanji, Amy and Lena went out with the torch to try to find her.

No luck.

The next day, we made posters and Amy put them up around the neighborhood. All day long, either her or Lena were out looking. They did nothing all day but worry about her and try to find her. I was a bit more relaxed, having had roaming outside cats all my life, but still worried because it's spring and she hasn't been spayed, nor does she have any experience with the outdoors or with cars. I've had kittens before, but we usually took them outside very young, so they got a chance to get used to it.

By nightfall the older girls were distraught. (Erica was still feverish and sleepy). Lena cried herself to sleep.

When Kanji came in at 6am to tell me Vanilla was home I jumped out of bed even faster than I jump out of bed when I have a plane to catch! And even got annoyed that he hadn't woken me earlier.

At this point, I think Vanilla was miaowing and rolling a little more than usual in the days before she went missing - but she's a kissy, lovey cat anyway, so I might not have thought it out of the ordinary.

Then last night, all three went missing - again, that living room door, and my fault for doing laundry and not latching it after. We didn't even know until Vanilla appeared back at the door - apparently having had enough of the outdoor life, she quickly came back in. We found Cinnamon next, on the garden wall in front of the house, with White Daddy, one of the neighborhood Toms (and a possible father to my bunch). She's our scaredy-cat/homebody and allowed herself to be picked up and brought inside.

Genki, however, was a different story. For about an hour we chased her from our yard, to four different neighbors, with White Daddy following very close - too close - behind her sweet little virgin kitty bottom. She was scared out of her wits! And kind of weirdly attracted to the dirty old man. Poor cat. She kept running off. Eventually Lena caught up with her at the front neighbor's house, just after the three of us (Amy, Lena and myself) decided that we needed to stay in a yard each to catch her.

Which brings us to today, and Genki displaying the classic signs of  cat in heat - loud vocalizations, rolling around rubbing on stuff, and sticking her bits out when scratched on the back. Cinnamon is there too, but much more quietly. They have all been restless all day, and just now, Vanilla mounted Genki, which they both seemed to enjoy. OH well, at least lesbian cats can't get pregnant.







Monday: new class at a sports college in Usa. (Expect more Monday morning visits from me then Joanne)

Monday night from June: new evening class in Buzen, an hour's drive from the first class, and I have to pick up Erica and take her to karate in between the two somehow. Kanji will have to pick her up, and I will get home at either 8:30 every Monday or 9:30 twice a month, to be decided.

Tuesday, new business English at Yaskawa in Yukuhashi, even further than Buzen, in fact I will taking  the TRAIN! Yep, 16 years working in Japan, and my very first train commute. I was not expecting to work until May, but they want me to start training from NEXT WEEK! I'll have to take the Sonic (the expensive express train) to fit it in as I already agreed to do an fill-in class in the morning! As of today I have checked the train schedule and realized I have to ask one or the other boss to give me 15 minutes lee-way...

They also would not move the class to the morning, meaning I have to give up my hospital class, worse luck. After I finish in Yukuhashi, it's straight back to Nakatsu to to a private lesson, and home at 8:30.

Wednesday two kindy classes in Nakatsu, one after Erica finishes kindy. Since she's the same age as the students she's been allowed to come with me! That will be something new, but if it doesn't work out, there is a class at Keio at that time that she can attend.

Thursday and Friday, I will fell relieved to be back at OIT, a familiar stomping ground!

There is one more private lesson to squeeze in, plus the proofreading I am already doing.

Expect dust to form in this house.