"Do what must be done, Lord Vader."

Week 1 of cat-sitting is behind me. Today is the first day I saw the other people at the house - the non-cat-people who are there to enjoy being in a house instead of a teensy little apartment. It's a couple with 2 kids, a 6-week-old and a 4-year-old. When I saw a car parked in front of the house I really just wanted to turn around and come back later, except I thought maybe they'd be spending the night (they are) so that would have been silly. I introduced myself and chatted for a minute and set about taking care of the "sick" cat. He's still wearing the lampshade collar so he can't eat or drink unless I'm there. (I really should have showed them how to take it off so they could let him eat more than just the once a day, but they were pretty much like "Ohhhhhh we're so glad you're taking care of the cat, we don't want to deal with that at all!" so I didn't)

( Kids say the darnedest things )

I had wanted to do some reading while I was there but, meh. I ended up sitting by the pitiful cat (who still hates me, even though he's normally very loving and affectionate) while he bathed himself, feeling a bit awkward that I interrupted some kind of spirited discussion (there was a friend of theirs over too, so 3 adults). I had promised the kitty I'd hang out with him more today but I lied! He had less than an hour of freedom from the torturing collar.

Turns out the 4-year-old is still taking naps even though she's "too old for that" because the family's moving to China next month for a few years, and it's customary for everyone to take naps in the afternoons. Wow - why don't we do that in America? I loooove naps.

They were nice people, very friendly and very "Don't mind us, just do what you have to do" and all - I just hope they're not there this next week when I go because I'm a horrible, antisocial person who prefers to torture cats in private.