Sleipnir, Hrimfaxi and CATS!

Sleipnir (pronounced “SLAYP-neer”; Old Norse Sleipnir, “The Sliding One”) is the eight-legged horse of the god Odin. Sleipnir is one of Odin’s many shamanic helping spirits, ranks that also include the valkyries and Hugin and Munin, and he can probably be classified as a fylgja.
~~snip~~
Sleipnir was born when the god Loki shape-shifted into a mare and became pregnant by the stallion of a giant... (source)

Huh, Loki’s NOT just a cute cat in manga comics? I’d no idea. He’s a dude trickster god BUT he can rock the Orlando thing AT WILL. Cool or what?

Nótt and Hrimfaxi, her slobbering steed.

Yep, Loki is Sleipnir's MOM!

Now, I always pronounced Sleipnir Sleep-near and figured he was some Norse cot-time helper diety. You know, the trusty steed of Nótt,  the goddess of night and Thor’s granny. Nope, she rode around on Hrimfaxi whose spit is, brace yourself, the morning dew. ICK! I’m SO not keen on thinking of the glorious morning dew as horse drool.

An aside – DO check out that last link. It's one of my fave tunes.

So why’s all this god shit come up? The other night I was laying abed, impatiently anticipating that unreliable fucker, Hypnos and his pal Morpheus. The bastids stood me up. Again! Assholes! Instead of continuing with my obvs failed shuteye battle, I got up and came downstairs to read.

About that midnight book communing thing – I tried. Rilly! You see, Coco just LOVES company and fun and games at 2AM. We had to play a few rounds of hide and seek, catch me if you can and then she needed a thousand and one half pats and treats. Yeah, big fun night for our girl.

Meanwhile, The Amazing Bob was off in Dream Land. I shoulda been there too! Nope, I was tap, tap, tapping my foot, waiting for Sleipnir…or so I'd thought. With the Sandman Express a big fat no show, I’d loads of time to research hooky playing gods and correct errant knowledge.

Hello Dad, I'm in jail.

When TAB woke, he told me of the wonderful, happy dream he’d had while Coco and I were sprinting around the living room and kitchen. In it, I’d just arrived home, carrying a huge bag. It was full of kittens AND he was thrilled about this! (this is how me know beyond doubt it was a dream)

In real life, TAB put his foot down about having more than one cat living in our wee cottage. NO. The house is tiny, there’s not enough room, one is enough. Rocco, as you know, had other ideas/plans and that’s worked out fine BUT we really, truly ARE stopping at two. HONEST!

Still, his dream was so wonderful that I decided to stop in at the Quincy Animal Shelter to, ya know, just visit the poor homeless bambinos. I promised TAB, Coco and Rocco that I would NOT bring home new housemates. I didn’t but boyhowdy that was hard.

Of course.

All those beauties up above? They're available for adoption and totes deserve a good home. Do it – be a cat's Sleipnir in shining armor!

I have found it is surprisingly difficult to remain sad when a cat is doing its level best to sandpaper one's cheeks.
~ R.L. LaFevers, Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh