Sophie's World

A big M-E-O-W to you! Nice to see you again!

First off, I’ll admit it. Sophie is spoiled. Cat toys can be found everywhere in the house. In our home, Sophie is tops. She is also very intelligent, easily getting bored with toys. It’s always a challenge, keeping her entertained.

I don’t mind, of course. Cats need mental stimulation. That’s why I bought her the Kitty Play Tunnel. It harkens back to the days when as kids, we created forts from sheets. For Sophie, it is a kitty funhouse. It took her a day or two to figure out what to do with it. Now, she loves darting in and out of it.

We’ve invented our own little games to play with her, poking a feather wand in and out of an entrance, encouraging her to lunge after it. She hangs out in her tunnel, bringing her treats in with her. I love it because she entertains herself. That’s much appreciated when I’m trying to fix dinner, and Sophie wants to play games. You can attach additional tunnels for more play options. I’m sure when it’s said and done, my living room will be Sophie’s personal kitty maze.

Kitty Play Tunnel

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I made a decision for this holiday season: I am only shopping online. I don’t want to deal with the crowds, the traffic, and pushy salespeople. I want to shop on my time, my way.

For Sophie, the cat who has everything, a gift will be a challenge. I’m looking forward to finding something unique for her. I’ll read the blogs and cat sites for some ideas. Twitter is also a good place for ideas. As I find ideas, I’ll share them too.

The hubby is another story. We’ve been spending more evenings at home, much to Sophie’s delight. It was nice because when we were in Illinois, anyway, we were part of a Wine of the month club.  Unfortunately, Minnesota law prevents us from joining a wine club, but given the opportunity, I’d do it again in a heart beat. It was always an adventure, getting a new wine, more often than not, a wine that we wouldn’t have picked up normally. The club we were a part of also included a recipe to accompany the wine. What a great experience it was! We had a great dinner at home, Sophie was happy, it was a good time.

That is the key. I want to get something for my husband and Sophie that will encourage our bonding time. Life is just too short not to be sharing it with the ones that matter most to you. Today, I was playing one of the many little games with Sophie as dinner cooked. She was so happy, purring away, so glad just for the opportunity to be with us. I think as I consider Christmas gifts this year, I’ll give her the one gift she wants most–all of us together.

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“Prowling his own quiet backyard or asleep by the fire, he is still only a whisker away from the wilds.”

~Jean Burden

Photo by lepiaf.geo

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You don’t have to know Sophie long to know that she loves food. It’s probably fortunate then that she lives with us. On any given night, our home is bathed in the aroma of exotic spices, filling the rooms with their wonderful fragrances.

I’m convinced that cats have a keen sense of culinary taste. For me, I love cooking with strong spices that create atmosphere. Different scents evoke different feelings. When I cook with homey-type of spices like sage and thyme, our home takes on this calming feeling. Sophie reflects it too. She is content and relaxed.

When I cook with more exotic spices like curry powder and saffron, the air is charged with feelings of adventure. When I’m cooking  with these spices, Sophie is more likely to be found racing around, hiding, and playing hide-and-go-seek. Her mood matches the spices, creating that sense of intrigue.

I love the romantic feeling that comes from cooking with spices. Sophie with her sharp feline sense of smell, enjoys the adventure of our culinary travels.

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“There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast.”
~Author Unknown

Photo by ilco

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