The Cat Won

Robbie and the cat have a couple of things in common, they both love eating and they both think that they should have my undivided attention. The cat sits on the arm of the chair leaning against me and he becomes even more interested if I eat anything. Last night Robbie told him to go away because I was going to have something to eat. As usual the cat ignored him, so Robbie poked him and suddenly it turned into a jousting competition with the cat sitting on his hind legs waving his arm menacingly at Robbie and Robbie dancing around in his PJs as if he was having a sword fight. Needless to say, the cat won and Robbie retreated to his corner to seek solace on the Internet.

A Challenge

Laura had a lovely birthday with lots of nice presents, I will write more about that later. This morning my post is about going out for a meal last night. We had all agreed to go to Aroma, a Chinese restaurant where you can help yourself to whatever you want. Robbie saw this as a challenge and he managed about three plates of main course food and about the same of afters, by then the rest of us had admitted defeat and had given up on eating in favour of people watching (great fun) so we didn't notice Robbie sneak away from the table again. I was speechless when he came back with a huge plate of curry and I couldn't imagine how he could eat anything else, but he made short work of it. He admitted to feeling full after that and we hurried him home before he made himself ill by eating more food. I don't think he will need to eat again for a couple of days!

Feed Me Now!

Sometimes I feel that life is just one long round of feeding people! Often we are not all at home to eat our evening meal at the same time, so there is the added difficulty of producing something that can be cooked or served in stages. Then I have to think of the vegetarian option and take account of assorted food fads. No wonder it takes up so much time! In comparison you would think that the animals would be easy to feed, but they are a demanding bunch too. Meg the dog likes food and she is not especially fussy, she will eat whatever she is offered as long as it does not contain peas! She hates peas, but she will make sure she licks any gravy off them before spitting them out. Dave the cat lacks teeth but he can eat almost anything and he seems to think that food stolen from the bin tastes even better(I guess that is because he was a stray). He can tell the time perfectly and he gets very annoyed if he is kept waiting for his meals. Oreo is the greediest cat imaginable he will eat absolutely anything and every time anyone goes into the kitchen he rushes to see if there is any food for him but Shadow the guinea pig is the loudest and most demanding of the pets. If she hears a plastic bag rustle or if she hears the fridge door open she shouts for food, curly kale is her favourite, but she makes sure that she gets her '5 a day'. People sometimes say that in the future we will just take a tablet rather than eating a meal, it doesn't sound very exciting but it certainly has it's attractions!

Old Age?

I am so tired this morning I just feel like curling up and going back to sleep, but there is no chance of that because I have too much to do. As well as my work I have to pop into town because it is Robbie's birthday at the weekend and I have one or two little purchases to make. His main present has already been sorted out, but I want to spoil him a bit. He thinks he is old, but he is only going to be 37, so he must think I am absolutely ancient!

On Saturday we are going to my mum's for a special birthday tea, but he has to wait until Sunday (his birthday) for his birthday cake. Mum has made him his favourite chocolate cake. Mum and Robbie get on very well because they have a common interest – food! My mum makes it her mission in life to feed people until they beg for mercy and if eating was an Olympic sport Robbie would be a gold medallist! I'm not going to write any more about his birthday now because I don't want to spoil the day and anyway I am heading off to town.

Off Colour

Last night was so stressful! I am sick of Robbie counting my grey hairs so I decided to use one of those hair colours that washes out after a number of washes. I asked Robbie if he could help me to put the stuff on my hair so that I didn't get it on my skin. That proved to be a big mistake, he was really rough and it hurt so much when he rubbed it in that I was crying out in agony. I can't bear people to touch my head at the best of times and he seemed to be taking a perverse pleasure in my plight, clearly the power had gone to his head. I had to leave the colour on for 15 minutes and Robbie timed it to the second, I really didn't realise that one person could cause so much irritation in such a short time!

When my hair was sorted out I went to bed to calm down and do some reading. I must have dozed off because the next thing I remember is Robbie talking to me and trying to wake me up. I wasn't too keen on being woken and I tried hard to stay asleep, but Robbie had other ideas. He climbed over the bed and trod on my leg, then he put his bedside lamp on, it is like a search light and there was no way I could sleep with that thing dazzling me. He then decided that this was an appropriate time to sit up in bed and eat Minstrels. The noise of him chasing the sweets around his teeth was bad enough but the chomping was intolerable, I threatened him with dire consequences. I thought seriously about sleeping on the sofa but I just buried myself under the covers and I must have dozed off again despite the adverse circumstances. I woke suddenly to find the bed frame being bashed low down on my side of the bed. I found Robbie, naked on his hands and knees looking for an invisible cat under the bed! Words were exchanged and he finally got back in bed and was instantly asleep. Sometimes I wonder how he has managed to survive for so long!

Like Father, Like Son. 20.09.2007

Robbie arrived home just after midnight saying that the concert was really good, but he was starving - nothing new there, he's always starving. If eating was an olympic sport, Robbie would be a gold medalist. He had been to the concert with Sebastian and I had several texts throughout the evening suggesting that Seb was talking him into submission - sounds familiar! They are like two peas in a pod, not just in terms of looking alike, but in mannerisms, interests and the ability to talk the hind leg off a donkey! Robbie can't see the similarity, but they really are very similar. Seb is a bit of a legend, he has his own special interests including trains and computer games, but he really can talk about absolutely anything. The other day it was the price of eggs, yes seriously, he was talking about the best place to buy eggs - not exactly a high priority for most 16 year olds, but as I said Seb is a legend!

Of course, being the oldest boy in the family he has taught Sam a few things over the years, things like washing with 'dry' water, how to have a shower without getting wet, not to mention how to clean your teeth without touching the tooth brush! The pendulum has now swung the other way and now the men in the family are worse than the women for monopolising the bathroom.

Best Behaviour 12.02.07

Robbie went to a wedding today, not sure where, somewhere dangerously close to Wales I think. I wasn't really awake enough to check out the tie before he left, but it couldn't have been too alarming or I would have noticed. I did notice the unmistakable indication of the importance of the day - he wore shoes! Unfortunately he also wore his blue striped socks, the ones that he got married in, oh well I don't suppose I will ever change his fashion sense.

I am still sitting here with only the computer for company, wondering if the intrepid traveller will make it home before midnight. I was expecting him to be home fairly early in the evening but when I rang to see where he was he was still at the wedding and still eating - even then Mad Hatter's Tea Party didn't last that long. Robbie assured me that he was being good, but I have a horrible feeling that he was clearing everyone's plates fore them! You can't take him anywhere.