Mummy Guilt

Time: 8.45 Australian Central Daylight Saving Time (Half an hour behind in time, fifteen years behind in fashion is The Adelaide.)

Location: My mother's studio apartment. Some would call it a granny flat, other's a converted shed out in the house paddock. 

Mood: Somewhat wreaked with Mummy Guilt.

Location of Lucifer: Behind my mother's computer in the main house. 

I can hear myself berating myself. He's a cat. He will be fine. He is fine, he's just being stubborn and he will come out, eat, go to the loo and start being sociable in a day or so - but for the moment, the poor lad has to get over being carted, in a cage, from Melbourne to Myponga, South Australia. He spent the night with me in a cabin, in a caravan park, in Horsham. After the obligatory hour under the bed, after four hours in the cat cage, he found a place to sleep for the night. Under the covers down near my legs. This morning, after showering, breakfasting and packing the car, I fished him out from under the blankets, still half asleep, and we drove the remaining five hours back to Adelaide. Give him his dues, he was good in the car - the odd complaint, otherwise, he slept most of the way.

Anyway, now we are here. I'm knackered, and my bed is in another building to where my cat is sitting behind a desk. To keep the cat's distress levels to a minimum, I've left him down with Mum for the night. He hates the cat carrier.  He'll eat when everybody's in bed. He's been shown where his litter box can be found. He knows where the food is. He just needs to get over himself and relax - and he will be fine. Besides, he's staying here with Mum for a month while I return to Melbourne to go back to work, paint out my flat and babysit Blarney's cats for a few days. 

It's just now, I'm up in the granny flat / studio / converted shed and my baby is down with my Mum and I have a huge case of Mummy guilt. This is the first night we've been apart since I took him in nine months ago. I hope he behaves himself. I hope he's going to be alright. He will be fine. He's a cat. he's still to discover the picture windows where he can watch the birds and the chooks and the antichinuses. When he settles, he'll be fine. 

I gather this is what if feels like to be a parent...

Today's song: