Conversations

Bob and I went out to eat tonight (Jason's Deli) and then we were going to stop at Target for a few things. As we drove onto the access road, I looked over at the water rentention basin, and saw a swan. I wouldn't have been at all surprised to see geese, they're everywhere, but it seemed kind of unusual to see a swan. I told Bob, and he turned around and parked, and we got out to go see.

There were three swans that we could see, swimming lazily around in the pond, sticking their heads underwater to pull up -- weeds, I guess. Dinner, anyway.

We stood and watched them for awhile, then, as we were heading back to the car, one of them honked, and it gave Bob an idea. He had a snow goose call in the van, and he got it out, and stood in the parking lot and talked to the swans. And they talked back. I asked him what he said, and he said he just said "hello." He called to them several times, and every time, they answered.

Which reminds me of something about the cats. Dinah has always been a talker, but Pyewacket never was. For the first few years we had her, she never made a sound (I started to type "said a word"). She could be shut up in a closet or bathroom, and would never make a peep.

But after Dinah came, she started talking a little bit, and now she talks quite a lot. But it's mostly just announcing her presence ("I'm here!") or complaining about something, like when she wants to sit on your lap, and you put her down. She also has a little secret language that she's started using when she plays by herself at night. After we've gone to bed and the lights are out, we can hear her out on the landing batting around one of her little wads of paper and talking to it, or to herself.

The first time she did it, we both jumped out of bed and went to check on her, because really, it sounds like something is eating her. It's just the craziest noise. Now, though, we know what it is, and just lie there and listen to her, and laugh to each other about it.

Dinah doesn't do that, but you can have a conversation with her. In the evenings, when we're getting ready for bed and she comes up to be brushed, we have long talks, which just tickles me. I can sometimes make Pyewacket answer me once, but that's it. She's not one for long conversations.

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