We decided to adopt a new strategy when heading from Ullapool to Glasgow today. The cats have become very finely tuned to clues that we are packing up, no matter how subtle we try to be. They then disappear outside and don’t return to the cottage for hours. I can’t blame them because they hate the car journey, even though they seem happy in either of their homes and settle in immediately on arrival. So today I decided that instead of trying to be surreptitious about our departure, we should just pack up blatantly, let the cats do their own thing, and be prepared to set off at any time during the afternoon or even the evening. A plan like this requires two rules: -
a) stick to the plan.
b) hold your nerve.
By late morning James was breaking both of these rules. When the cats arrived into the house just before lunch time he wanted to set off early, despite the fact that we hadn’t had lunch or finished packing the car. When I let them back out again according to our plan he became quite worried. I hoped that they weren’t picking up on his nervous tone but I think they heard him and stayed away for longer than they otherwise would have. I then made the mistake of trying to pick Tom up as he sauntered past when James and I were sitting outside on the garden benches. Needless to say he gave me the slip and I ended up pointlessly chasing him down the lane. They arrived back at about 5:45 and we quickly set off homewards. In theory our plan had worked because we departed within our target timeframe, but I think we would have been able to set off a bit sooner if we had been more relaxed because Tom and Floof definitely picked up on our intentions.
a) stick to the plan.
b) hold your nerve.
By late morning James was breaking both of these rules. When the cats arrived into the house just before lunch time he wanted to set off early, despite the fact that we hadn’t had lunch or finished packing the car. When I let them back out again according to our plan he became quite worried. I hoped that they weren’t picking up on his nervous tone but I think they heard him and stayed away for longer than they otherwise would have. I then made the mistake of trying to pick Tom up as he sauntered past when James and I were sitting outside on the garden benches. Needless to say he gave me the slip and I ended up pointlessly chasing him down the lane. They arrived back at about 5:45 and we quickly set off homewards. In theory our plan had worked because we departed within our target timeframe, but I think we would have been able to set off a bit sooner if we had been more relaxed because Tom and Floof definitely picked up on our intentions.
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