Saturday, February 2, 2013

A Help-laden Day


Tobias helps me with my reading.

He particularly enjoys the Sunday paper,


and especially the crossword puzzle!
Once again, I have been very busy doing nothing at all.  And I have been helped each step of the way by my two furry little assistants.  It’s odd that they both feel so compelled to aid me in every task I do, when my human family never felt the slightest urges in that direction.  Tobias is the really persistent one.  He needs to be involved in everything, while Margaret is usually content to stand by and offer moral support.  She is helping right now by snoozing on my footstool.  Tobias, on the other hand, wants to be a really active paws-on participant.  Oops!  He says to say that he has hands, not paws.  Other cats may have paws but….. etc. 

They both take pleasure in assisting with the laundry, and this could be dangerous, especially for Tobias.

Going where no cat should go!

Margaret enjoys the ironing part of laundry day.  She stands faithfully at my feet the whole time. 




Once the pillowcases are ironed, Tobias assists with the bed making.


Sewing is another of their enthusiasms.  Tobias helps with making the pattern, cutting it out, and of course, with the actual sewing.  






Margaret took an even more active part when I was trying (unsuccessfully, it turned out,) to make my new sewing machine make button holes (on my second pair of pajamas!)  She kept stepping on the sewing machine accelerator and actually started a button hole in the center of the front.  She would not stop, and at last had to be banished.  When I finally gave up and turned to hand-stitching the buttonholes, her help was more appreciated.  She just sat next to me murmuring, “I’m sorry you had to do this, Mom!  The buttonhole maker on your new machine is stupid!”  This was a far more useful, and a great comfort in a frustrating state of affairs.  


Dakki welcomes his assistance with her dinner.
Being a cat, after all, Tobias takes an avid interest in our dinner, and occasionally tries to help those he perceives to be in need of his aid.  

6 comments:

I. F. said...

What wonderful pets they are. So attentive and offering more competent help than most assistants.

Pru said...

Spike also enjoys assisting, although he's never attempted a machine sewn buttonhole. He's at his best with floor-based activities, particularly if they involve non-family workmen, and was extremely helpful when we had a new back door installed a few years ago. I am impressed with Tobias's aptitude with crossword puzzles.

bex said...

Margie is certainly crafty! She should come help me work my new buttonholer!

Laura said...

Tobias the beautiful and Margaret the faithful... actually Margaret is a quite cute too but Tobias is so statuesque, looking perfect in every photo.

Marta said...

Tobias makes a great bookmark!

Lorette said...

Tobias is one cool cat. I showed his photo to Lucy and she might be in love.