2016

I've kept this blog, on and off, since 2006. In 2015 I used it to chart daily encounters, images, thoughts and feelings about volcanic basalt/bluestone in Melbourne and Victoria, especially in the first part of the year. I plan to write a book provisionally titled Bluestone: An Emotional History, about human uses of and feelings for bluestone. But I am also working on quite a few other projects and a big grant application, especially now I am on research leave. I'm working mostly from home, then, for six months, and will need online sociability for company!


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

What a lovely cat she was.

My mother sent me three photos she found of Mima, all taken by my mother-in-law, in May 96. Joel was 14 months old; Mima a few years older. Lots of things to like here: that these photos have been circulated around among two grandmothers and a mother; to see Mima sitting safely on the window sill, observing the baby, and watching over him, but out of his way; and to see Joel's stripey jumper (knitted by Mum), his little red cup which has long disappeared, and his long wispy hair. I'm afraid to say it got quite a bit longer before we thought about cutting any of it off. Also, the Paddington bear rattle at Mima's feet that Whatladder gave him. The photo of Joel would have been taken on one of Nan's Tuesdays, when she would come and play games and sing songs with him all day long. She would have carefully brushed his hair before taking his photo, too.


But here is Mima up close, looking like a goggle-eyed model for a Kliban cat cartoon. In latter years, she had become rather thin: here she is in her furry maturity.


And here she is again, wearing her most noble and wise expression:

4 comments:

elsewhere said...

Ohhh...she's got a very pretty face.

This old world is a new world said...

Yes, I was so pleased to have this: cats don't always appear at their most serene best in photographs. I have this print stuck on the side of the computer screen at the moment, pretty much just where she used to sit.

stray said...

Ah, she had that quality of Gaze that makes the recipient re-evaluate whatever it is they're doing at the time. A "You should just line my litter box with that article" look. Is that a chunk off the tip of her left ear?

This old world is a new world said...

Hello, stray. Yes, the tip came off after a sadly botched piece of minor surgery: you can read the sad story here.