Kaye George, an Agatha nominated short story writer, is the author of CHOKE: An Imogene Duckworthy Mystery (Mainly Murder Press), as well as A PATCHWORK OF STORIES, a collection of her previously published stories, and THE BAVARIAN KRISP CAPER, available at Untreed Reads. FISH TALES: The Guppy Anthology contains her story, "The Truck Contest". She reviews for "Suspense Magazine", and writes for several newsletters and blogs. She, her husband, and a rescued feral cat named Agamemnon live together in Texas, near Austin.
Homepage: http://kayegeorge.com/
Blogs: http://travelswithkaye.blogspot.com/, her solo blog, and http://allthingswriting.blogspot.com/
Desks and Pets
by Kaye George
That's the theme, right? A picture of my desk in its normal state is below. There was a time in my life when I would have cleared it off and given you a view of pristine, maybe even shining surfaces. But I outgrew that long ago.
That's the theme, right? A picture of my desk in its normal state is below. There was a time in my life when I would have cleared it off and given you a view of pristine, maybe even shining surfaces. But I outgrew that long ago.
When my children were young, they played in the living room. They're part of the family and I never saw any reason they couldn't play in every room of the house. Consequently, their toys were on the living room floor during the day. I really did pick up almost every night. Otherwise, the house would have become unlivable. But my housekeeping was, well, relaxed.
(I read a report in the newspaper once of a home robbery. The police were alarmed at the ransacked condition of the house at first, but later, according to the article, it was decided that only a few items had been taken and the general state of the house was due to "relaxed housekeeping." I liked the term so much I adopted it as a lifestyle. Sounds nice, I think.)
Sometimes friends would come over and, occasionally, comment about allowing my children to play with their toys in the living room. I decided that was a service I was providing other young mothers. They could compare their housekeeping to mine, and it would make them feel good about themselves. A humanitarian project, really. Glad to be of service.
Such is my desk. I'll bet you feel good about yours after seeing mine.
I'll end up with a picture of Agamemnon, my twelve-year-old rescued feral cat, enjoying the t-shirt I brought home from Left Coast Crime. Everyone likes it, including Memnon. He likes to lie on top of my shoes, mostly,
but will take in a t-shirt for variety.
You can also spy him in my desk picture. That's his usual spot when I work. He's a good old guy, keeping me company. He knows who feeds him.
(I read a report in the newspaper once of a home robbery. The police were alarmed at the ransacked condition of the house at first, but later, according to the article, it was decided that only a few items had been taken and the general state of the house was due to "relaxed housekeeping." I liked the term so much I adopted it as a lifestyle. Sounds nice, I think.)
Sometimes friends would come over and, occasionally, comment about allowing my children to play with their toys in the living room. I decided that was a service I was providing other young mothers. They could compare their housekeeping to mine, and it would make them feel good about themselves. A humanitarian project, really. Glad to be of service.
Such is my desk. I'll bet you feel good about yours after seeing mine.
I'll end up with a picture of Agamemnon, my twelve-year-old rescued feral cat, enjoying the t-shirt I brought home from Left Coast Crime. Everyone likes it, including Memnon. He likes to lie on top of my shoes, mostly,
You can also spy him in my desk picture. That's his usual spot when I work. He's a good old guy, keeping me company. He knows who feeds him.

