Where the Bee Comes to Oversee

I know it sounds like I was joking about the cats and the crochet, but I don't think they were. I wasn't up here five minutes, blocking these squares, before I had a visitor, apparently come to check on the progress on her blanket.

I pinned these squares out to eight inches and sprayed them on the bed. The quilt, which had been under the ripple blanket for this treatment a few days before, was totally wrinkled, so I guess I did get some water on that one after all.

The Bee is quite curious about her 'ghan. I was up here throughout the day, checking these squares and adding new ones, and every time I walked in that room, Bridget (the Bee) would come, seemingly out of nowhere, and perch nosily on bed, to see what we were doing now.

Unlike Violet, who has a hefty sense of entitlement (and whose palate is aesthetically undiscriminating), the Bee seems rather more interested. But her interest has a scary, nerve-wracking quality, as if the headmistress is looking over your shoulder, making sure you do it her way. The Bee is a bit wild. She's seven years old. We found her in the driveway with her mom and her siblings just a few days after we moved into this house. The kittens were six or seven weeks old and had clearly never been handled. We got the rest of them vaccinated and spayed and adopted, but we kept the Bee. She is not a lap cat. If she does ever step on you she does a dance like "Paws on fire! Paws on fire!" (Thanks for that one, Kathi.) Neither are you allowed to look directly at her. If you do she will punch you in your face. Getting punched by a cat, even a six-pound cat, is no picnic. So if you pet her, you must do it while looking at something else, say, a chair across the room, and imply that your fingertips just happened to rest upon her tiny head unconsciously. For any action undertaken with intention is abhorrent to the Bee, and she will flee. It's rather like owning a fairy. Or a little goblin.

But we love the Bee. She even seems to like me best, which is so rare for me, living with Andy Paulson as I do, where I'm quite sure that the only reason anyone ever puts up with me is because we're kind of a package deal. My popularity increased a bobillion-fold when we started hanging around together, and I'm not fool enough to think it had anything to do with me; I'm very, very used to creatures great and small following, fawning over, and generally preferring him. But the Bee follows me, and lets me kiss her downy forehead, and pummels my belly with her tiny paws, and watches me with her grass-green eyes. In the back of my mind I know it's probably only because I am not the one who tags her with anti-flea medicine every month (to which she responds with shock, hurt, and then incredulous fury, as if you had dropped hot oil on her collarbone; the Bee can really hold a grudge), but I'll take what I can get.

If I have to make this cat a hand-crocheted DK-weight queen-size 'ghan to get her to love me, damnit, I will.

Comments

[Lilli]

Cats DO like to get into anything you're up to, don't they.

You must have some vibe that Bee feels comfortable with. We used to have rabbit that was fine with all of us, but she LOVED our mom. Anytime our mom picked her up, Thumper (how original) would practically melt into a coma :)

[Sarah]

I have a cat that looks a lot like Bee. I got her at an animal shelter, and she's a bit wild as well. She picks and chooses her affection. She will come up and purr and cuddle with you for about a minute, and once you've gotten comfortable, she'll run off and knock something off a counter. It's like she has to balance out the nice and the destructive.

[Roberta]

I've been practicing granny squares, but mine are rather wonky...is your pattern from the book in your previous post?
Also, do you tie the threads together as the colors change...I see no joinings, totally flawless! (guess I was inspecting with Bee. :)) Beautiful!

[Mary]

I just love your posts!

[Michelle]

So, with the ripples for Violet, and the grannies for Bee, what are you going to make for yourself? After you make Audrey hers, of course...

[Anna]

Dear Alicia,
I like you just for yourself! Perhaps because I don't know Andy ;) No, just kiddin'. I adore your blog and really have come to like you. I mean, its always quite stupid to say such thing, because I do not know you for real of course, but it so much feels like it, because you seem to tell so much about you and your feelings and let us look into your soul so often. I know that many bloggers don't do that but I think you are an exeption and I really appreciate your honesty and openness (is that even an English word? we have it in German, though:) )
Love,
Anna

[Anna]

Oh, I think I did not write my blog-adress correctly... Oh well.

[Anna]

Oh, I love the Bee, and I love the granny squares! I'm thinking about getting another cat (shhhhh!) when I get back from my London trip in April, and I really want a little calico girl cat. Hopefully one that gets along with dogs and bossy resident cats.

[Beth]

I have had cats like Bee... and I am always the one they like. Growing up my mom or dad could be petting Ashley (she is deceased now, but she was my Miss Beth's Ashley Lauren), my fire red cocker spaniel, and Ashley was in heaven. I so much as pull into the driveway and she would totally ignore them. My next door neighbor's corgi does the same thing. I have no idea what this is about. Too bad I do not have this affect on men : )

Now I will say this, I do not know Andy Paulson and like you just fine. I agree with Anna, you are so open on your blog, what's not to like? You share so much you seem like an old friend, not just someone whose blog everyone reads.

[Tara]

I have to tell you, I laughed out loud at your depiction of the "joys" of living with a semi-domesticated cat. I have rescued a number of stray cats in my day and am well-familiar with the "no eye-contact" rule.
But doesn't it make you feel extra-special when the wild ones love you best? :)

[Monica Andrade]

Is always nice to visit you, not only for the eye candy but also for the beautiful way you write your posts. I think I'm reading an exquisite book, the kind of book you don't want to stop reading, and treasure forever and recommend to everyone around..
Also, because of your last posts, I'm so hungry for crochet...If I could just remember where did I put my crochet hooks a few years ago...And yarns, I need to buy some yarns pronto!!

[Crystal T]

She sounds wonderful and perhaps it her 'flaws' that make me more wonderful. (Not that they are flaws!) I love animals that have personality... We have a precious kitty who is quite moody and I love her a bit more because she does not fit so well with the rest of our zoo. Good God, we have 3 dogs and two cats!

Can I say that your granny squares are the most beautiful, stunning, fantastical and lovley squares I have ever gazed at.... Sweet Jesus woman! It is almost to striking to gaze at. But gaze I must!

[Katie]

My in laws have a cat just like Bee! The only other person she canoodles with (other than my in laws) is my 1 year old son. Go figure. I'm loving the granny squares and can't wait to see the finished product.

[Linda Thompson]

OK, not only will I never have to order another magazine as long as you keep posting pics... but I will not ever have to read another book as long as you keep writing your life stories on your blog.
You, Alicia Paulson are an amazing, funny, prolific writer!!

[stickchick]

oooh, such lucsious colors. Who knew Granny could look so yummy?!?!?

The Bee is a truly a cat like all cats seem to be, little wild tigers that let you share her life and space a bit. ;-) She's a beauty.

[brady]

Your crocheting is inspirational, so much so that I'm am going to learn how to do it, maybe today. I'm supposed to have lunch with my entire family, cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone, today. They all live within an hour of Portland and one of them is sure to know how to crochet. Thank you.

[Candlestring]

I know just what you mean about your Andy. I credit my DH for most of our circle of friends, especially when we were at school together. Ain't it great? Just think, Alicia - it's not just the Bee that loves you best, it's the cute, popular boy who loves you best, too! God bless those good men...

[earthchick]

Oh, I love your description of the Bee. And I LOVE your granny squares. I've been thinking of them ever since the picture yesterday. Dammit, I feel like I'm going to have to learn to crochet!

[misti]

There's something about cats and yarn! I drag mine out and no sooner than two seconds they are there padding at it like they own it. And when you want to turn the blanket to start another row they look at you like you are stealing their stuff!

[Alison Whittington]

I am SO glad to know I'm not the only one whose cat is not cuddly; I thought perhaps I'd traumatized him in one way or another; he acts like I'm intolerable, but follows me around everywhere. I thought he or I or both would need years in a therapist's office. Well, I do anyway, but that's a different story.

And I don't know Andy, nor do I know you, except through what you write on your blog, and I think you hold your own in the likability factor.

[jean]

Ooooh pretty granny squares! Beautiful kitty (mine has green eyes too and I think they are so lovely)! Thanks for posting so frequently, I love having something fun to read and pretty to look at when I am drudging away at work. I loved watching the progress of the ripple blanket and can't wait to watch the afghan grow.

[Karin]

I LOVE the last picture of Bee. The half interested glance and bit of a smirk under those whiskers says it all...."Yes.. I'm up here looking at the afghan...but it's not what you think. Ok, ok....if I were pressed with a catnip mouse, I would have to say I love it. But it would be completely under duress. And, don't think because I sleep on it every night curled up contently, I'm impressed with your crocheting skills.....Ok, I am impressed. But don't tell anybody. Especially violet...Ok. I have my aloof cat reputation to keep up."

That's what I got from her look :)

[Andrea]

Those granny squares are looking awesome! I love your description of Bee - I literally laughed out loud at the "Paws on Fire!" comment because that so perfectly describes it! Kitties are so funny!

[Carrie]

Awww Bee looks so sweet! It's all an act, you know. They just want you to *think* they'd rather not have anything to do with you.

The blocks are very pretty, you're doing a great job!

God bless :)

[Amy G.]

I'm with everyone above...what's not to like? We all love you here!

The pic with The Bee looking straight into the camera is priceless. It's like she's saying, "let's finish with the photo shoot here so you can get back to crocheting MY AFGHAN, please." It looks like she'd had just about enough horsing around and it was time to get back to work. And of course she is posed at just enough distance from the squares to let you know she really doesn't care, one way or the other.