Boy, this no TV thing is standing me in pretty good stead!
Book finished? A Dog's Life by Peter Mayle. Some of you may know Peter Mayle as the author of A Year in Provence.
Very short, very funny. The dog's life written by the dog. Reminded me a great deal of reading Thurber. Nothing earth-shatteringly meaningful, but if you need an escape, a book to read on a cruise, on a plane, or at the pool, check this one out! Oh, and illustartions are by Edward Koren (whom I grew to enjoy from his New Yorker cartoons).
Here's a little excerpt from the chapter "Mano a Mano with the Cat in the Garage" (It probably helps that I am definitely a dog person rather than a cat person!):
...I never cease to marvel at the popularity enjoyed by Felis domesticus. What is he, after all, but an antisocial fur ball with delusions of superiority?
The rot started thousands of years ago, as any historian will tell you, with the Egyptians. For some reason--addled brains due to the climate, possibly, or madness brought on by building too many pyramids--they elevated the status of the cat from common mouse catcher to religious object, protector of the Pharaoh's Kitty Litter and icon in chief. Cats, of course, being altogether too pleased with themselves from birth onward, took this as their due and lorded it over the desert sands, taking a front seat at King Tut's dinner parties, having their paws annointed with sacred unguents, giving up mousing for a life of idleness, and generally being obnoxious. And that has been their lot ever since.
When the rule of the Pharaohs collapsed--which it was bound to do, given the misguided people in charge--you might have thought that the world would have learned a simple lesson in cause and effect: Namely, cat worshipers come to a sticky end. The best they can hope for is a full-length bandage and parking space in a badly ventilated tomb. And another thing: You won't find Tiddles curled up at their feet in eternal loyalty. If he's given half a chance, he's off looking for the next soft touch.
My wife went online and bought "A Dog's Life" after I relayed your 'dote. See the influence blogger's have? *grin*