Cats, lambs, Washington DC and 3:00 a.m.

Yesterday morning the sun was out full and was streaming in the bedroom window. The cats like to bask on top of the dresser at the window, and it’s become prime territory to have spats over during peak sunning periods. The Warrior Princess usually wins this prized location, but yesterday she temporarily abdicated it to use the litter box. Clueless Wonder, ever the opportunist, moved in to the pre-warmed sunny spot. Kitten from Hell followed, and rather than attempting to roust CW from his roost, found that she fit quite nicely on the sill. Both actually co-existed for nearly three-quarters of an hour, as I got ready to go out. WP must have figured that this new two-against-one balance was more than she wanted to deal with, because rather than try to get her lounging spot back she elected to settle for a postage-stamp sized spot of sunbeam that hit the floor on the far end of the bedroom.

I met with a professor I had in vet school yesterday. It turned out that, even though we’d planned on meeting up with each other, he’d gotten slammed with work and didn’t have much time to chat. I brought him up to date on events at my company, ideas I’d been kicking around for my own future, and what a few of my classmates had been up to. He, in turn, caught me up with some of the doings at New Bolton. The biggest shock for me was that the school is going to sell off it’s flock of sheep. I can understand why – they don’t do much except eat and have lambs. Still, it’s strange to think of a spring at New Bolton without the bleatings of the newborn lambs echoing across the campus.

I told him that I was seriously considering applying for one of the Veterinary Fellowships with the American Association for Advancement of Science next year. They’re one year fellowships that have you working in Washington D.C. helping to develop policy while bringing your technical background and experience to the table. I’d love a chance to work with the Department of Ag and actually get some say on some of the current legistlation they’re working on, instead of just trying to fight with the regs after they’re passed. Don’t know if I actually have the guts to apply, though. To my surprise, his biggest concern was the amount of money I would (not) be making. He didn’t say anything about my inexperience. So maybe it’s worth a try.

I didn’t spend as much time on campus as I’d planned, so I had time to stop off at the local mega-mall on the way home and do some Christmas shopping. I was successful – took care of my sisters and my friend with the 20 cats who arranged for Kitten from Hell for me last summer. Don’t worry; I got her a rather gorgeous bright blue topaz ring for her troubles. I might complain about KfH, but I love the little thing to pieces most times.

I don’t think I’m going to have the Professor’s present in time for Christmas. It’s my own fault, as I’ve not followed up yet on something I should have done weeks ago. He pretty much knows what he’s getting and will be disappointed not to get it on time, but there’s little to be done about it now. He got a nice birthday out of me, though, so I can’t find it in me to feel too guilty at the moment. Still, when Christmas comes and I don’t have the present in hand, I’ll feel pretty damned guilty.

The Professor’s new trick of coming to bed at 3:00a.m. and then wanting to talk is wearing thin. Sunday morning he made a point of tossing and turning on his side of the bed hard enough to wake me up (he said as much) and then proceded to talk for nearly an hour when he realized he was successful in breaking my slumber. At first I was just sleepy and not much of what he was saying sunk in. His persistence managed to push me from sleepy-and-non-conversational to angry-and-knew-better-than-to-converse. When he finally got it through his head that I was tired (which I actually wasn’t at that point) he apologized and went to sleep. I lay in bed awake and fuming, until I couldn’t stand it any more and got up to fume at my computer. I went back to bed at 5:30 – I don’t think I was missed – but the cats demanded their breakfasts at 7:30, and so I had to get up again to feed them. That was pretty much the end to sleep that night.

I think I might be kidding myself that this vampire schtick the Professor follows is something I can live with. I was surly to him off and on Sunday and Monday, without addressing the real issue. I don’t know if we’re going to be able to get some of these differences resolved or not. But I find I’m starting to wonder what he’d do if we split up, since he has no guarantee of full time work past this semester (although the part time work is always there), no savings to fall back on, no friends in the area for emotional support, no place to go. In my wilder moments I imagine paying off the apartment through the end of the lease, putting all the utilities in his name and moving all my stuff out to a new place while he’s in California and I’m back here. It’s only fantasy. But what does it say about me that I’m daydreaming this?