Things Just Keep Getting Better

So I took this picture and immediately posted it to Instagram and Facebook (I don't normally do both) simply because it was so incredibly unbelievable.

Colby, Apricot, Thimble, from left to right.

Apricot was there first. Colby climbed up and asked permission before settling down. Apricot didn't actually understand that's what he meant and growled just a little bit, and Colby instantly hunkered down, like "I was just asking!" But when Apricot didn't do anything else, Colby curled up and started his power nap.

Thimble saw this and climbed up too. He seemed a bit nervous, but climbed onto the perch he's on without actually asking permission or even looking at Apricot. My little orange cat just watched him. After a while Thimble, who had been steadfastly looking out the window, finally settled in for a nap. And Apricot put his own head down, turning half on his side which is a comfort thing for him (it indicates he's okay with the situation) and went to sleep.

I called my mom just because I had to talk to someone, anyone, before I exploded! (And I picked her because if I had to talk to someone, she's the one I'd want to be talking to.) While I talked to her, the three of them stayed napping for about 15-20 minutes before the kittens woke up and came down to play.

That was good enough, but it gets better. 

Around noon, Apricot came down. He was walking tall but he started doing strange things. Kind of ... I thought at first he was scared of them again. But I finally figured it out.

He was playing. His version of play involves a lot of ambush (thus the hiding around a corner and peering at the kittens, making me think he was scared) and a lot of pretense (thus the occasional collapse onto the floor and wash or scratch a scratching post, as if he had no other idea in the world). 

Thimble, still a bit nervous of overstepping his bounds, didn't really engage, but Colby finally figured out what he was doing and tried to join in.

The kittens' idea of playtime involves a lot of head tackling, and neither Apricot nor Colby knew how to get their play styles to come together in the middle. Apricot really didn't want physical contact, and Colby wasn't sure how to play without it. But they tried. The highlight for me was when Colby chased Apricot down the hall into the pink room, and then (before I could panic), Apricot chased Colby back through the hall into the living room. Mutual exchange. 

I was just incredulous, my jaw pretty much hanging on the floor. I tried to get video or pictures, but since most of what they were doing was long-distance, I didn't get anything that really showed it. I mean, what are you going to think, a picture of Apricot hunched behind the desk? It looks like he's scared, except for the fact that he was jumping out at Colby half the time and the other half the time Colby was coming around the corner too fast and startling him.

And it gets better.

Later, in broad daylight, some idiots who hadn't shot off all their fireworks last night decided to do so. In the middle of the day, let me repeat. Huh? Why spend money for fireworks and then use them in sunlight? This scared Apricot into the Ops Deck again.

But after a while, with the kittens sacked out asleep on my lap, he decided to join us. He came down of his own accord and over to me where he jumped into his hammock next to the settee, curled up, and slept.

All three of them, within five feet of each other. 

After supper, our new tradition is that I lure the kittens into the pink room with a ribbon dangling behind me, toss them a few treats each, and shut them in. Then I go play with Apricot with the feather toy, because there is no way they'd wait their turn. Earlier I was playing with them with a toy on the floor and Apricot actually indicated that he wanted to join, but since every time I dragged the toy in his direction it was followed closely by two bouncy kitties, he decided against the concept.

So not only did we play with the feathers tonight, but I got that same toy out and let him pounce on it a few times. He seemed appreciative. When he seemed done, I asked if he wanted me to let them out. He raced past me into the bedroom, giving me a bit of a turn as it was so similar to what he'd done this morning in hiding.

But no, he just wanted a chance to have some supper without being bothered. I waited until he finished, and then let them out. They're always very bouncy and enthusiastic after the pink room wait, and I swear Apricot and I gave each other identical looks of, "they may be nice but they're exhausting to be around!"

Let's hope the night's sleep doesn't regress anyone's behaviors!