Yesterday, my Renton reached a new milestone in his self-serving kitty life. He ventured into the world of the outside. Well, he has been outside before, but that was only while being confined in a carrier or his mamma’s arms, which he categorizes as ‘the usual place; different scenery.’ Yesterday was new. He went outside on his very own . . . on a leash, of course. Hey, don’t laugh — Siamese cats are very dog-like. They even drool and poop in the tub.
His daddy, Steven, and I were working on sealing the doors to the apartment. I have seen one too many lizards and way too many spiders during my time here. Renton didn’t bolt out while we had the doors open, but he was curious. His little nose twitched with the beguiling scents that a rainy Sunday can bring. He looked so cute for once (as opposed to Satan’s Housepet), that we decided to let him have a go at the world.
Not only was it his first time outside, it was his first sucessful time with the leash, too. We had tried it before, but we were inside when we did so. This cat is known to chase his tail. You can imagine what he wanted to do with a nylon string four times as long than any tail he’d ever chased before. But yesterday the smell of the cement patio was much more alluring than any prostectic tail.
It was very humbling to watch him. He stopped to sniff and investigate every inch that was around him. Each piece of dirt or spot of water was the ultimate fascination for this cat. And here we are just bustling to and from work every day, and none of us ever take the time to smell the dead leaves. Not only did Renton smell the dead leaves, he investigated the dead bugs and the live holly bush. Thankfully, he didn’t eat any of it. His palette is more geared toward Auburn afghans.
I am also glad to report that I got many a picture of Renton investigating this new world. How could I not take pictures of such a nice, non-violent point in his life? Steven remarked to me that I take so many pictures of Renton that I’m going to be worn out by the time we have kids. Grandma please! (To quote Willis . . .). When we have children, I’m going to have so many pictures of that kid, you could put them together in a flip book and make a moving picture with it. There are no worries on the wearing out of my picture-taking desire here.
Speaking of which, I need to find a place where I can buy good camera film in bulk. Steven and I did some calculating, and the wedding is in some odd 33 days or so. When you start counting in days, it’s time to start buying film.