Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Mosaic (see yesterday for image)

My husband says she's got a rat. Even I had noticed that the tail is entirely wrong for a kitten. Helen says that she thought “rat” at first, but changed her mind because of those tiny paws, which certainly look much more like those of a kitten being suddenly removed to a new venue than of a rat struggling for life.

And the cat is striding along with very much that air of a cat who is moving her litter to a place of her choosing and you-had-better-not-interfere.

I will ask about the rest of the mosaic. The fish, clearly visible, is likely to be the Christian symbol? But what else is there in the other spaces? Could a rat be the symbol of evil? Could a kitten be part of a novel symbol of mother love? Am I transposing much later ideas of Christian iconography back into early Christian mosaics?

Knitting

Progress is slow. I have done the first cable-crossing row for the first pattern repeat of the front of the Sous Sous. Even at the current snail's pace, I should finish the repeat by tomorrow. Maybe I can get back to Kathy's Knits today. I would like to tell her about the Dunfallandy blankie, although I still think the actual thing is too complicated for public knitting on my part. She (Kathy) sells only British yarn and is particularly interested (not unnaturally) in Scotland.

Non-knit


My INR appt went well, in that my husband stayed put while I was away and came to no harm although he was unattended (as it transpired) for half an hour. My blood is too thin. The dose of rat poison has been reduced and I have to go back next week. I also have a hospital appt next week, nominally with the consultant I briefly saw when I was in hospital myself.  

5 comments:

  1. of course young kittens do have thin whippy tails - and the cat herself has a surprisingly long and slender one.....

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  2. Hello, Jean! I am so glad to hear that your appointment was okay and that your husband did just fine on his own.

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  3. I took it for a rat as well. When I ask myself why, I think it was mainly because the whole head is hidden. Do mamma cats carry kittens by the head? I've only seen it done by the scruff of the neck. Does thinner blood mean a break from the rat poison and more cider? That would be nice!

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  4. Either a rat (or unlikely, a kitten with mange and thus no hair on the tail), but I'm leaning towards rat. Could it be a cat (good servant) killing an evil, grain-stealing rat?
    I know later cats were more bad, but I'd think very early on they might not have that same association (especially since they're killing the rats and other vermin that'd otherwise could eat the grain needed for crops/food).

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  5. Glad to know you're getting some time away at your LYS. Belated congrats on finishing hubby's vest! As to the mosaic, I'm inclined to agree with him: it's a rat. Speaking of cats, have you read Franklin Habit's recent, delightful essay Talk to the Paw? http://blog.lionbrand.com/2015/11/03/talk-to-the-paw-by-franklin-habit/#more-34442
    Carol, San Diego, CA

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