Cat-A-Lyst

Hullo ma wee blog,

Outside the open bedroom window the sound of wind penetrates the darkness. Lying here comfortably in bed (for a change) I listen to its sound as it hisses, swirls and gently swishes around the corner of the house. The trees around the garden add a leafy sibilance as they shudder and shake like they've done across the whole windy day today. Tomorrow gales are forecast across Scotland as we experience the tail end of the hurricane that hit America recently. In all likelihood high winds will mean a bumper crop of windfall fruit from the apple and pear trees for the kitchen and probably enough to be shared out between the neighbours too.

Sleepily I decide a trip to the toilet is in order and gently slip out from under the covers. Comfortable in the darkness, I step around the bed and head towards the door which is slightly ajar to allow Jess to come and go during the night as she pleases. As I pass the end of the bed I see her rise up from the folds of the duvet in the murky light and, as I reach her, she jumps down between me and the door. I watch the white shape disappear around the impenetrable dark of the doors edge and I follow. She walks in front of me, a white splodge in the darkness that leads me along the hall and stops just beyond the bathroom door where the shape changes as she sits down, efficiently marking the point where I should turn to open the bathroom door. As usual I keep the lights off and the moonlight coming through the bathroom window is more than enough to see by. A moment or two later I turn off the tap and dry my hands before opening the door back out into the landing. The ghostly shape sits patiently waiting until the door opens and then leads me back to the bedroom. I follow a few sleepy paces behind, not quite closing the door fully behind me as I enter. A small gurn of effort tells me that she's lept back up onto the bed even before I hear the airy puff of her landing on the duvet beside the sleeping shape of G.

I climb carefully back into bed beside my wife's sleeping form but I can tell from the lack of movement when I try to pull the duvet over me that Jess is there waiting for her reward. As I prize enough duvet back from beneath her to cover my less than sylph-like figure, she steps forward until, by the time I'm successfully covered, she is by my chest. I roll onto my side facing her and after a second she sits down and lowers her head toward me. A loud purr starts when I reach out to rub her shoulders and neck and after a few seconds she collapses against me while I close my eyes and continue massaging. As penances go it's quite therapeutic really.

Some time later I wake.

Jess is still beside me, silent now and fast asleep tucked against my chest. It takes me a moment to realise what has wakened me. The room is silent. There's no sound of wind beyond the window. I listen for what seems like only a few seconds before the distinct patter of raindrops on the pantile roof drifts back to me. In the perfect silence it has an oddly musical quality that is very hard to describe, but somehow seems close to the sound of a wooden xylophone being struck by knitting needles. I lie musing on the image I've just created in my head and can't stop feeling that it's accurate as the sound of rain gets heavier and the noise of raindrops on the window and frame is added to the quietly building cacophony.

I reach out to Jess and she begins to emit a pattering sound.

Outside,  the rain purrs down.

See you later.

Listening to: