mostly david ephgrave

This week I'm cat-sitting for a friend, and judging from the cat's expression, I'm not sure I'm getting it right.  To be fair, her face sends mixed messages; while she appears to be grumpiest cat to stalk the planet (to then pretend she isn't stalking it at all, to stop to wash nonchalantly), in reality, she's a little sweetie and stupidly affectionate. I've always been a sucker for felines, so I'm easily won over, but it's nice to have her welcome me when I arrive, even if this does mean being coated liberally in a layer of fur before leaving; I'm sure she's trying to smuggle her way out of her flat on my clothing, bit by bit.  Today hasn't been just about looking in on a neighbour's pet; it generally been a low-key, below-the-radar day of watching of films with my wife. Hopefully the rest of the weekend will be more of the same, as I'm feeling the need to recharge my batteries a little bit (though this could be due ...

Most of today has been spent with my cat on my lap. In many ways, it’s been pretty eventful, it’s just that most of these events took place within a five metre radius. I managed to fit in some writing and a little rehearsal of some new material and caught up on admin. I finally had the time to read the latest issue of Private Eye, which I’ve carrying around with me for a few days, but haven’t had the chance to get to grips with it. The furthest I stepped from the sofa was to take out the recycling and do a litte housework; other than that, I’ve been my cat's human cushion for the rest of the day; it’s almost hard to tell where she ends and I begin. I think my cat’s had a nice day too. She’s been asleep for the majority, save and hour or so, when I decided to feed her wet food as a treat. Every time she pops into the kitchen she’d just as sooner come back and sit on me; it seems I’m currently in her good books, though it remains to be seen how long this will last. ...

(I should prefigure this blogpost with the fact that I’m falling asleep, so if I lapse into incoherence, or perhaps never finish it, that’ll be why.) Today, I popped into the office briefly to talk through a couple of ideas for a little bit of new stand-up. I particularly like going in there of a weekend, as I can talk aloud without fear of being overheard and sounding weird. It was nice to make a start at something new, as I I need to get on with this. I’m doing a couple of gigs this week - which are for the most part new material nights - so it would be nice to get a few lines up-to-speed enough to try them out. Admittedly, my new show may not go as far down the route of straight stand-up as my previous solo stuff (I’m thinking of using the projector more extensively), but it’s still worth chucking a few ideas about to see if they have legs. (...a confusing image.) I recorded my ramblings on my phone, using the Evernote app; brief...

Today, I was sad to learn that a friend's cat who I'd been popping by to feed and keep company for most of the week died last night. Inevitably, my first thought was 'was it my fault?'. I knew I hadn't done anything wrong, and there was no suggestion that the owner thought I had, but I still couldn't help but feel responsible. The cat had a heart condition for which she received medicine every day (cunningly hidden in a bowl of tuna), which she knocked back all week like a little trouper. Her twin sister who lived with her is slightly more predisposed to be friendly, but if you settled on the sofa and ignored her she'd eventually come to you, and roll onto her back for purry tummy tickles; I'm much the same myself. It's such a shame that she's gone. I hope her sister won't be too lonely or confused and her owner isn't too upset. On writing this while travelling on the tube, I absent-mindedly flicked a cat-hair from my jacket, before re...