Clock mode and Sirius mode
The day doesn’t start, or more accurately, the date doesn’t change, until the Mud Cat returns. The behavior that enables this ritual originated at the intersection of superstition and faith. But it seems to be effective.
The Tivoli Audio satellite radio shown in the photo was a planned purchase at Magnolia Hi-Fi, prompted by a compelling ad in Sound & Vision magazine. That was about 15 years ago. No longer sold (except occasionally as a used item on eBay) or even supported, there’s no Internet streaming when it comes to this antique. Instead it communicates with HQ* via a hard-wired Sirius clamshell antenna that works best when it’s outside and pointed East or Northeast.
*HQ – Headquarters, a metaphor for the source of the music and date & time information. Clearly, I have no idea how satellite radio works or its true power.
Tide, aka the Mud Cat, is an indoor-outdoor cat. As much as I think outdoor time adds to the quality of her life, I prefer it when she sticks close to home and returns often for a nap, snack, or hug. She has a late-afternoon curfew.
Sometimes getting her to come home takes a bit of good fortune and help from an unusual ritual.
Each morning after her breakfast, she heads out on patrol. When she comes home for the first time that day, I power up the Tivoli to Sirius mode and briefly listen to some music (usually jazz on a channel called Watercolors). When I power it back off to Clock mode, the date, magically, changes to today’s date. It won’t change by itself despite what the manual says. That’s when we are ready to start the day.
After the radio update, Tide might go back out or not. It doesn’t matter because I know the day has been blessed and she will return again safely. I’ve seen this superstition contribute to her return too many times not to have faith.
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