Home-ish, Alone-ish for the Holidays

While it's true that I call Chicago home, it's not really what springs to mind when I think of the phrase "home for the holidays."
I'm from Massachusetts and will forever consider that to be my home for the holidays.

Hence the -ish.
I'm in Chicago tonight for the last of this year's holidays.

Also alone. -ish.
There is the ever-present Spawn of Satan that I call my roommate's cat, Mia.
While Dave is out of town, I'm here, with the cat.

Have I mentioned she doesn't really like me all that much? Which is a shame, because I love animals.

However, I do have my fun with her.
She's a weird-ass cat to say the least.
Won't let me pet her unless I catch her mid-nap with nowhere to go, or if Dave is home and holding her at the time.
However, she will deign to allow me to give her treats, the good cat food that she doesn't otherwise get (you know, the wet kind, in a pouch) and catnip.

Herein comes the fun.
I know it's nothing unusual but, she still cracks me up.

Every time I come and sit in front of my computer, I turn on my desk light - a high beam halogen light necessary for me in my relative blindness.
Within two minutes, suddenly stealth-cat is there, five feet to my left. Waiting.

I then use my headphones and swing them around, casting a shadow.
She will chase this shadow around and around more times than any dog questioning if this is really the spot he wants to lay down in.
Cracks me up. I'll offer her the real wire to bat around. Nothing doing. She'd rather be fooled by the shadow and pounce on phantoms.

Anyway. Banal, I know, but having finished watching some pretty damn exciting football today (Go Pats!), it's kinda fun to chill out here, peruse the blogs, and fuck with the cat.
The stoned cat. Gotta love catnip.

In any case - here's to a healthy and happy end to the holidays for all.
And, as always, here's to the best for everyone in the coming year.