I wouldn't be polite to say that my beloved Catch is 'programmed', but he most certainly IS seasonal.
For reasons I can't begin to understand he considers that certain things are for certain times...seasonal.
Hot cross buns is a perfect example. The stores start putting those out for purchase shortly after
Christmas, or so it seems at least, but Catch refuses to eat cross buns before Easter...when it's PROPER.
This year, through his waiting for the 'right time', he totally missed out. One crummy pack of tasteless
cross buns and then it was all over. He's the same way about crumpets. For some reason crumpets are
'winter food'. Now I don't worry too much about his seasonalness most of the time, but I have a feeling
there might be a battle looming in the coming weeks. It seems my beloved and I have different ideas
about exactly WHEN seasons arrive. He's a calendar sorta guy...I'm more the gut level-how I FEEL sort.

Here's the thing. Winter is arriving. Yeah, yeah, I know, according to the calendar it's Autumn,
but I'm sitting here with several clothing layers, a hat and a blanket over my lap. Yes, I will gladly
admit that I'm 'colder' than most folks...my internal thermostat when haywire years ago. If it gets
under about 75 degrees I'm cold. Far as I can see it works like this, it gets cold, you build a fire.
Simple right? NOPE...not around here. FIRES? IN APRIL? NOT seasonally correct...evidently. The usual
wait til June to build a fire rule is simply NOT gonna serve this year. I think I feel a nag working
itself into existence within me somewhere.

Now there are a couple of ways to approach this. I COULD just go out there, gather up what I need and
make my own fire...but I'm pretty sure there will be about a hundred reasons why I shouldn't do that.
You know, clean the chimney for the season, stuff like that. I also tend to think that Catch has
this idea that there is some 'glory' in grin and bear it. Like a 'better person' waits until the
'proper time' for things instead of dealing with what's going on NOW. Kinda hard to get around stuff
that folks thinks are the 'right thing'. Not to worry though...I do have excellent nag skills. Just
look at that beautiful pile of firewood out there...only took me a few weeks to have that arrive. Now
the next project is USING IT.

Gotta give myself a bit of credit where credit is due. I admit that I DO nag now and then. BUT
I'm FAIR about it. I do a buncha requesting before I move into nag mode. I'm even pretty good about
SAYING, right out front, am I gonna be forced to nag to get this done? I think I'm actually a
pretty good, and effective, nagger. Nagging is easier when all you gotta say is 'consider this a nag'.
Sorta makes it easier not to bring up the whole subject each time, repeat what I've already nagged
about...so I just announce...this is a nag. Hey, it works, and it's a whole lot more pleasant than
actually having to DO nagging. Nagging in its truest form doesn't actually feel all that good. Puts
you in an energetic that's not all that comfy. It's ever so much easier to just announce consider
yourself nagged about...fill in the blank. It IS nagging. It serves the same purpose as full on
nagging, but without all the 'stuff' included. You know, the victim stuff, the you never do what
I want stuff...alla that sorta stuff just goes away when you announce a nag rather than actually
perform one.

I did notice that Catch dug out a sweatshirt and put it on before he went outside this morning.
That must indicate that I've got a better than even chance here. If he's digging out winter
gear in April there's a fair chance than I might get a fire in May...here's hoping. Or maybe
this is just an 'early' cold front and things will warm back up again...that'd be my favoured
option, but I'm warming up the guys in the nag department anyway, just in case.

Ya know, sometimes it's kinda fun to pull the mind back in from all the 'big stuff' going on in
our world and just poke around in the mundane. Probably doesn't do much to actually further
humanity's ascension, but gives the thinking department a nice break.

HOLD ON! I think I've had a win. Before I even got my nag warmed up. Firewood in the
garage...this is PROGRESS!!!

yarra