It's a long workday (but I love it). Jim does his part to make it successful

I came into the office at about 10:00 AM yesterday, to begin my workday. As always, Jim came with me, eager to help. I have an array of harddrives set up behind my monitor. Jim climbed atop them, to keep them warm.

This is Alaska, you know.

I don't know how Alaskans without cats in the workplace keep their harddrives warm.

All that hard work dries a cat out. Jimmy leaves the harddrives and goes to the oscar tank to get a drink. Jimmy basically will not drink out of anything but a fish tank, unless no fish tank is available.

The last of the two oscars died recently, after being with Jim and me for seven years or so.

Now, I must figure out what kind of fish to replace it with. 

I have already bought ceramic pigs to create a new fish tank decor.

Then Jimmy goes to the window to see what's happening outside. Jimmy can't drink out of this tank, because there is a lid on it.

There was a lid on the oscar tank,  too.

Jimmy broke it.

He did not want to die of thirst.

A bit later, Jim comes and sits down on the keyboard. How can a person even work at a computer, if a cat doesn't sometimes come and sit down on the keyboard?

Jim decides to sit on my lap. I am skilled at working with a cat on my lap. I have a great deal of practice.

It can be a little challenging to see the screen, however. Soon, though, he will get down and I will have a clear view of the screen.

Later, he comes back. He digs his claws into my sweatshirt and pulls himself up to my chest and shoulder. He forces me to take a break.

In this way, Jimmy keeps me sane. Or at least from going more insane than I already am.

Later, he comes back and does it again.

Jim does not want me to go insane.

He does not know what insane is.

He is insane.

Maybe that's why we love each other so much.

We are both insane.

Then Jimmy steps onto my keyboard. Please take note of the photo onscreen. Something is about to happen.

Jimmy hits a certain key and the photo that I was working on disappears! Another one of the same subject takes its place!

Originally, I had considered printing this one, instead of the first. 

Now the first has disappeared. I know I can find it again, or at worst, dig up a backup copy, but I don't want to.

I think maybe Jimmy has just told me that I should print this picture instead.

But then I go back and find the other one, and print it.

Jimmy is smart, all right, but I can't let him become my picture editor.

The day wears on, the sun drops beneath the horizon, leaving only the afterglow to creep into the office.

Jimmy does not falter, but stays right here with me.

I have to print this picture several times, because ink splotches keep appearing on it. I clean the heads, print again, clean the heads, print again, and still the ink splotches appear.

Finally, I pull out a big pad of ink soaked lint. It looks like it might be made of cat hairs. The printing proceeds just fine, after that.

It grows later and later. Jimmy hangs in there with me.

Hey! This is not Jim! This is Pistol! My little Pistol-Yero. Right after we got up in the morning, he went back to bed for a nap. He napped all day.

But now he comes out to help with the night shift.

Pistol does his part.

I finally leave the office at a few minutes before 4:00 AM.

Both cats leave with me.

Only Pistol follows me into the bedroom.

A few minutes after I settle down in bed, I hear Jimmy at the door. I get up to let him in. He does not come in, but Pistol goes out.

I go back to bed. About 15 minutes later, I hear Pistol at the door. He wants back in. I let him in. He snuggles up by my head and purrs.

Fifteen minutes after that, I hear Jimmy at the door again. He wants in, badly. I get up and let him in. Margie sleeps through it.

Then the two cats pile on and we stay put, sleeping and waking, until 9:30.

And now a new day has begun.

I am in my office.

Cats are with me.

I anticipate a productive day.