It is early morning and like many early mornings, the reason why I can't sleep is that inspiration wants to speak. Softly tugging, until I start to stir and then finally to rise and walk over to my desk. I look out my office window, and the world is black at least that's the view. I wonder if Hemingway did the same. I have a picture of the view from his desk as a screen saver on my laptop. A view of Havana miles away. Two huge Prince palm trees frame the landscape, with miles of greenery eventually surrendering itself to the city beyond and below. I wonder if he could smell from the top of his oasis, the aroma of the salty sea, mixed with the ever-present stench of unrefined diesels. Did he, like me, stare out in the blackness hoping for light. Did the ink ever dry waiting for words. Like my fingers hovering just above the keys, wondering if the magic is going to happen. I am up before the sun and the birds this morning, so it seems. It will be a couple ho...
We play cards every other Tuesday at my sister's house. Oliver the cat is the Prince of the house. When his loyal subjects (my sister and husband) mention that my partner and I are coming over he will leave his throne (a suction cup lounge chair stuck on the window) and meet us at the door. But he isn't really interested in us as much as he is interested in escaping the condo to run down the hallway. We think he is waiting for us to acknowledge his princely persona as he allows us to pat his head and if we are lucky a tummy rub. I never rub his tummy, I have seen what happens to my brother inlaw when it goes from a tummy rub to rough housing. The cat is smart enough to know when it is suppertime and he eats his at the same time. After supper we talk a bit and then it time for cards. This is when the cat will do one of two things. Jump on the counter to see what we had to eat or walk back to the window throne but not before he gets kicked of the counter a few times....