Rust Never Sleeps

Lately, the kittens have eschewed their evening naps.


And I'm exhausted.


Until recently, the routine went like this: I would get home in the evening, the kittens and I would playplayplay, I would give them their dinner (nom nom nom), we would playplayplay some more, and then, around seven o'clock, the kittens would conk out until around, say, nine-thirty or so. Which would give me a couple of hours to rest up, until they woke up again, and it was time to playplayplay until bedtime.


But for the last week or so, the kittens have decided they don't WANT a nap time. They want to playplayplay(eat)playplayplayPLAYPLAY from the time I get home until the time I go to bed. And then they KEEP playing, on and off, all night long.


What's the problem, you ask? Just let the kittens play with each other, and do your own thing?


HAH. You obviously do not have kittens. Because if you did, you would know that if you don't voluntarily play with them, they will MAKE you play with them.


Which goes something like this: You're sitting there, watching TV, minding your own business, when you look down and notice a tiny paw reaching up through the space between the chair and the coffee table. Said paw will be waving back and forth, like some kind of underwater plant, right next to you. I DEFY you not to grab said paw, with mayhem ensuing.


Another patented kitten move is the aerial maneuver. Again, you're sitting there, minding your own business, when you notice a blur out of the corner of your eye. And before you even know what's happening, a kitten has launched itself at you, spun itself around IN THE AIR above your lap, and gone flying off in another direction. YOU try not chasing after the little acrobat (after you're done laughing, of course).


Parents of actual children, I have NO IDEA how you do it. Because these two kittens are wearing me out.

And last night, in my exhaustion, the one thing that kept popping into my head was that Madeline Kahn song from Blazing Saddles, "I'm So Tired."

"I'm tired ....... tired of pwaying the game ........ ain't it a cwyin' shame ....... I'm ....... so ........ tired."

I really need some sleep.