Things are quiet here. Pippin and my parent’s new puppy are, for once, not engaging in a massive battle of wills (and contests of speed). My dad is doing something on his laptop (probably involving the database he’s been designing and tweaking), my mom is cooking (preparing for the Big Meal, which we’ll have tomorrow rather than today), my bother is sleeping with his homework splayed across his chest, and well… everyone in my family seems to be settled comfortably into quietness.

Well, everyone but the pets, that is. Their quietness qualifies more as watchful than comfortable. We thought at first that they might get along. Pippin sniffed Sophie’s ears and Sophie didn’t move. Pippin even won the first staring contest. Unfortunately, Pippin then ruined any advantage he might have had by running away. Running instantly branded him as prey, or at least the Best Squeak Toy EVER. Now they spend some quality time running flat-out through the house, skidding out around corners, and then growling at each other from either side of the barrier we’ve set up across the stairs. The rest of the day, the cat lurks upstairs, behind the barrier, and glares at anyone who approaches and disturbs his grand sulk. He remembers fondly the days when he had Toby trained to turn and look docilely at a wall whenever in the Grand Catly Presence. He’s also pretty sure that it’s my fault for not explaining his Grandness and Catlines to the shepherd mix pup that is now causing him so much anxiety.

Meanwhile, the rest of us will continue to revel contentedly in each others’ company and, during this lull, I will skim some of my favorite posts, sip tea, and think gratefully of the friendships that have sustained me through this year. I don’t think I’ve ever been as grateful for good friends as I have been recently, so I expect this activity to fill a good stretch of time.

Oh, and if you’re interested, here are some of the posts that I’m re-reading:

• I Just Can’t Win
• Mail Pattern Badness (which continues, by the way)
• For Health’s Vanity’s Sake
• “Terror” is spelled V E T in cat-speak (I still hate that vet…)
• And, because I’m still figuring this out, two posts about hyperempathy