in the deep of the night

Do cats ever suffer from insomnia? I know that this one doesn't! Taken with my camera phone last night, the little tiger has been keeping me sweet company all day and evening. He has settled in well, he really is such a lovely little companion and occupying a firm place in my heart.

It is 3 am. Another sleepless night. This time it’s mostly due to my cold and the tickly cough that seems to get worse every time I lie down. I have not really taken any medication for this cold, trying to let my body fight it off naturally, only helping with lots of rest, vitamin C, echinacea,  scarf around my neck, Vicks vapor rub on my chest and homemade chicken soup. For the most part I have managed to keep it at bay, but it’s the nighttime cough that’s driving me crazy right now. It’s not even a bad cough, not chesty or anything, just this annoying tickle at the back of my throat. And of course I have enough thoughts in my head to keep it good company, such is the curse of the night owl, too. Sigh.

Luckily I had these last two days off and I am not scheduled to be back at work until tomorrow afternoon. The next two weeks are still going to be intense but I feel that I’ve had some good rest and more than anything I have June to look forward to when my husband and I will have a whole week off together. Yay! We both need it, too, he has also been buried in work, more so than usual.

I spent part of this afternoon looking at rental apartments in this area. My husband thinks I am crazy and while I understand his reasons I think he should also know me better. Just like he enjoys looking at (and dreaming of, and sometimes buying, too) motorcycles and airplanes I love creating new living spaces; sometimes only in my head, sometimes for real. That’s just the gipsy in me. She loves moving and setting up new homes. I am probably totally in the wrong profession and should have become an architect, or interior designer. Or real estate agent. Anyway, don’t get me wrong. I love my cozy little apartment in this quaint part of town. It ticks many boxes on my list of things that make a dwelling a home. But there is always room for improvement, namely I would love a place that was lighter (my apartment is north facing and therefore quite dark) and that had two bedroom instead of just one, so that I could accomodate guests more comfortably. I love that my Canadian friends come to visit me and I want to encourage more visitors from England and Germany. My part of town is historic and a little exclusive, it really is quite lovely, but sometimes also a little too intimate for this city girl. And while I love my commute of one minute sometimes work, and our guests, feel a little too close for comfort. Having said this, if I could afford a bigger place right here then I would jump at it. But I am also focusing in on another part of town, not too far away. It’s an “up and coming” area, a little industrial, overlooking the harbor, but also where the farmer’s market is located, and quirky coffee shops and restaurants. It reminds me a little of the east side of London, which has become very hip over the years and is now heavily developed. These are the kind of areas that have always felt more “real” to me, closer to the pulse of life and perhaps a little Bohemian, too. Although I guess my current town would also fall into the latter category. And it is neater and prettier. Nonetheless, today I drove to the market and noticed a couple of nice looking newer apartment buildings, similar to the one I live in now. And they are more affordable, for only $100 more I could get a two-bedroom apartment that is west facing, has a fireplace and underground parking. The bike path is close by and I could cycle to work on dry days, it is a lovely ride along the bay. And in the summers I would just have to cross the road to get to the farmer’s market.

Alas, for now I am just dreaming. My lease keeps me here until at least August. And really, I do love my little apartment, it is very comfortable and feels good. I am sure my husband is reading this and rolling his eyes in exasperation and feeling slightly worried. So I want to assure him that I won’t do anything rash or financially insensible. Just daydreaming …

Seriously, this cat sleeps a LOT.