Living with the Loki Monster

7

Loki, Milo, and Gizmo. Our collection of two syllable, multi-faceted, pain in the patootie, critters.

Kirk was away this week, in Toronto on business, and so I was “in charge” (not that anyone is really in charge of these creatures) for the week. Easy, right….? Well, yes and no.

Loki has one talent, he can read a clock! He really is a little pain because of it. I’m getting the morning wakeup call because Kirk is out of town. Mind you, it’s not as bad as the one won gets. At least Loki is letting me sleep a little bit more…although it’s been less every day Kirk is away. Today we battled at 6:20 am until about 7am before Loki conceded that I had one the day’s round. At 8am I had to use the washroom…so at that point, once you’re already up…well, might as well feed him. Usually he wakes Kirk up at about 5:45 am. He’s insistent. He starts by sitting next to your head. If you don’t “feel his intent” psychologically…. you’re going to feel it physically shortly. The next step is usually his very wet nose stuffed into whatever orifice happens to be most convenient…eye, nose, ear, open mouth…any will do and all usually generate the same reaction. You’ll flip over. But he is not deterred. He merely hops over you to the other side and begins again. If he still doesn’t get you up, he’ll up the ante and start his sad little Loki cries in your face. Next up is the “Loki shower” Remember that wet nose? Well, since he’s thinking about breakfast, he’s also salivating a bit and he has these massive ears that need a good shake. So he winds up and shakes his head and flaps his ears and all that moisture in his nose and mouth spray down on your upturned, sleepy face. And if all THAT doesn’t get you up. He will jump off the bed and start leaping up from the floor onto your chest, stomach, groin…whatever. And if you haven’t been up yet, you’ve probably got to pee, and that just makes it worse…so you get up…and he follows you to the bathroom and sits and smiles at you….and you go to the kitchen and feed him…because….well, you’re up anyway!