27 March 2015

Notes - working on Pouch 9 / music

         Late morning. You did your forty minutes of exercises and before you cleaned upstairs and have downstairs to do. The deck crew is working and they are pleased with the progress, as they were afraid the rain would put them back. It is much cooler, in the low forties today but the foreman says it is much better for working. Carol is walking at the north end of Rose Hill Cemetery as you wait in the middle between two crossroads. You have the usual Friday errands to tend to, plus readying for Kim and the boys visit tomorrow and Sunday. – Amorella

         1103 hours. I probably should walk some also after my poor performance at the mall Wednesday. Without my cane I had to keep touch with the railing on the upper mall and coming back to Macy’s on the lower mall there was only one place to stop and sit a moment and no railings. There was no excuse for not bringing my cane and I need to buy an extra. I lose one about every six months. I have no idea where I leave them.

         Let’s look at Pouch Nine. – Amorella

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Diplomatic Pouch ©2015, rho (draft)

            While half dressed and sitting on the edge of their king sized bed Pyl thinks on Justin and how he is faring. I hope he and Blakey are enjoying his venture to the dig with Friendly. Both are so slow adapting, but then I am not much better. Here we are on a planet much like our own – a place with similar terrains – hills and valleys and mountains but with many more rivers and streams, fresh water lakes and larger and numerous saltwater lakes and seas. A chime that reminds her of a soft Macy’s made-a-sale-bell interrupts. “Come in,” she says in a normal voice.

            “Yermey, here.”

            Pyl is up and out the bedroom door. “Good morning.”

            “And, good morning to you. Thought I would stop by and see what you are up to.”

            I was enjoying the peace and quiet, she thought. “Nothing. I am in my robe because I haven’t decided what to wear.”

            “That’s a consideration. Mind if I sit?”

            “No, of course. Would you like a cup of our hot coffee?”

            He chuckled, “Real coffee, no thanks. You ought to be rationing that.”

            Pyl sits in the chair across. “We keep our furniture out rather than in the ceiling, walls or floors – I hope the sight is not too much clutter.”

            “You humans are a charming species,’ comments Yermey with that wickedly lovable grin of his. A waspish thought pops into his head, ‘packrats’. He rubs at his naked chin.

            Pyl mirrors his grin, “Cat got your tongue?”

            He places his hand comfortably down on his lap. “No. You know, I don’t really understand that phrase, 'cat got your tongue’.”

            “Good question. You were being silent, that is, your tongue wasn’t moving, so I asked it the cat snatched it,” invents Pyl. 

            With a spark of glee in his eyes, Yermey deadpans, “What cat?” Pyl pauses in momentary embarrassment. Yermey clips, “Cat got your tongue, Pyl?” 

            Both laugh in the awkwardness of the moment.

***

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       1204 hours. I had to look this phrase up on phraseDOTorg.

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'Cat got your tongue?' is the shortened form of the query 'Has the cat got your tongue?' and it is the short form that is more often used. It is somewhat archaic now but was in common use until the 1960/70s. It was directed at anyone who was quiet when they were expected to speak, and often to children who were being suspiciously unobtrusive.

There's no derivation that involves any actual cat or celebrated incident of feline theft. It certainly doesn't relate to sailors becoming taciturn when punished with the cat o' nine tails as some have suggested - that's pure invention. Like the blackbird that 'pecked off his nose', the phrase is just an example of the lighthearted imagery that is, or was, directed at children.

The expression sounds as though it might be old but isn't especially so. It isn't found in print until 1881, in the US illustrated paper Ballou's Monthly Magazine, Volume 53: Has the cat got your tongue, as the children say?

The demarcation of the phrase as being 'children's' suggests that it may be earlier than the 1880s. Children's language wasn't written down until it became used by adults, which may be some years after it was common parlance in the playground.

From -- http://www.phrasesDOTorg.uk/meanings/cat-got-your-tongue.html

** **

         1207 hours. I feel like I invented this dialogue out of the blue. I didn’t really have a plan, but if I did this isn’t what I would have expected. I like it though because it is not sexual in intent. It is just a joke gone awry.

         You are presently waiting for Carol at Kroger’s on Mason-Montgomery Road. Afterwards you are off to Potbelly for a take-out lunch. – Amorella

         1354 hours. We are home from Potbelly’s; no take-out this time.

         As for the joke gone awry, you have had several such female relationships in your lifetime. Some of this dialogue and relationship between Pyl and Yermey takes little to no imagination. – Amorella

         1402 hours. I am 72 and have listened, observed and read much. I know a hawk from a handsaw.

         “Words, words, words.” Post. - Amorella


         You came upstairs after watching “Blacklist” and “Bones” and tuned to Pandora’s ‘Relaxation’ and the song, Brian Crain’s “Hallelujah” in his Piano And Light album. – Amorella

         2147 hours. Carol came up to read but so far is cleaning up. I also have ‘Easy Listening’ on Pandora now and took off several of my selections after reading how to do so. This way Carol can easily find her own selections to choose from and add if she wishes. Mother and Aunt Ruthie used to play the piano when we were growing up. Eventually both sisters got too busy to play. I missed the sounds of the keys and the silence between them, that’s what made the music unique to me, the silence provided by the pianist. I can’t believe I have missed this so much. The Bose clarity brings it out. I don’t hear as well as I used to (I am tone deaf or at least tone deficient) but I love music – most kinds of music. (2157)

         Carol is beginning a new book she bought some time ago Confession by John Grisham. Carol says she likes the music playing. This makes you feel good. – The book closes and the light goes out – the music turned down. – Amorella

         2232 hours. This has been a very relaxing evening. I am ready to just listen to the music. Jadah is climbing up to rest but with her motor running.

         A good time to post, boy. - Amorella

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