During half term I decided I’d finally had enough of terrible sleep (due in part to checking my phone clock multiple times through the night to see how many hours of sleep were left; don’t pretend you don’t do it yourselves). So I treated myself to one of those Lumie Bodyclock things that wake you up to soft light and gentle sounds.

Now, we aren’t the most proficient when it comes to electronics. I am good at following instructions yet still can’t get said apparatus to function. Cat Daddy is rather less adept and considerably less patient, often throwing the item across the room and using Unrepeatable Expletives of the Worst Kind. And at half term it was still Mercury Retrograde so, during a week of zero success with electronics*, my expectations of figuring out this device were quite low.

*Cat Daddy’s bike light malfunctioned, his electric razor kept switching itself on and wouldn’t stay switched off and, to top it all off, his phone accidentally posted four unicorns on the food bank volunteers’ WhatsApp group, most of whose members he doesn’t know (although they now know who he is):

These, plus other unicorns in different poses, are now among Cat Daddy’s “frequently used” emojis.

I made it 60% of the way through the the Lumie Bodyclock’s installation process without mishap. Then, when selecting my alarm sound, I was met with some interesting and bizarre options. Click on “Sounds” on this link for the full list and to try them out in front of your cats: https://www.lumie.com/products/bodyclock-shine-300

Naturellement I was drawn to the kitten sound although, when testing it, it sounded like a disconcertingly aggressive kitten and I already have one of these who wakes me up. But I was intrigued by the goats – and by the kind of people who would want to be woken up by them – and so I couldn’t resist trying it on the clock to see whether it was as comedic as I imagined.

It was.

Then, of course, I couldn’t turn off the goaty sound. And an outraged, screaming Louis Catorze came barging in to find out why I had allowed farmyard animals to enter his Château.

Anyway, the next morning I was woken up by dreadful white noise and not by the tropical birds that I’d wanted. (White noise is the default sound and has its own button which overrides everything else, so no doubt I’d pressed it by mistake at some stage.) And Catorze, who was with me at the time, did not approve. But at least I know that it works. And the wake-up light gives Catorze some interesting shadows and an almost Steampunk look:

Sa Maj loves a bit of retro-futurism in the morning.
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21 responses to “L’horloge magique”

  1. catladymac avatar
    catladymac

    Obviously Catoirze wants you to choose the Black Noise ! And be glad you do not live with someone who keeps peacocks (as did my cousin Carl.,)

    Liked by 3 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      Oh my! I can just imagine their noise!

      Like

  2. sevencatsandcounting avatar

    Wow, le Roi has some Tortie highlights there. Amber approves. She does NOT approve of any of the sounds emanating from l’horloge.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      Hahaha! La pauvre Ambre! Did she have a particular unfavourite? 🤣

      Like

  3. Caroline French avatar
    Caroline French

    In view of the times you mention crickets in the blog, I’m surprised that wasn’t your choice! Along with the kitten purring, I adore the sound of mama cat chirruping. Adorable. I’d have gone with the osprey. We have a local buzzard which I’ve woken up to instantly! x

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      The sound of crickets unfortunately activates Catorze’s Urge To Kill switch, so this wouldn’t have worked! 🤣🤣🤣

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Kate Crimmins avatar

    Perhaps Louis can record some sounds for you to install on your app.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      Oh my word. Can you imagine? 😱😱😱

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Kate Crimmins avatar

        🙂 🙂 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Donna Florack avatar

    Those goats are frightening. I went to the webpage, and I forgot to close the window. When I opened it back up by mistake, the goats started bleating at me again. LOL

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      Imagine that being your wake-up sound! 🐐

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Donna Florack avatar

        I think goats are funny in videos – not so much in my bedroom!

        Liked by 1 person

        1. iamthesunking avatar
          iamthesunking

          And yet … someone in some focus group thought they would be a good morning sound. 🤣🤣🤣

          Liked by 1 person

  6. Belle avatar
    Belle

    Sleep? Qu’est-ce que c’est? I have found that launching “uncooperative” gadgets across the room in a fit of expletive laced pique works wonders to lower my blood pressure.🤔 Are you certain that Cat Daddys’ possesions aren’t haunted? Those unicorns look as though they have been partaking of edibles…And Catorze should be the last one to be outraged at sounds 😹

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      Your last point is so true! He’s a fine one to be outraged!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Aspasía S. Bissas avatar

    I tried a few of the sounds. Only one of my cats even noticed most of them, but they all seemed to get curious about the purring. I too would choose the goat alarm– not sure what kind of reaction it would get from the felines, although I could see there would be some agitation.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      You would choose the goats? 😱😱😱

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Aspasía S. Bissas avatar

        Partly to bug my partner (inside joke) and partly because I just think goats are funny 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        1. iamthesunking avatar
          iamthesunking

          They are funny! But I don’t know if I’d pick them as my number one wake-up sound … 🤣🤣🤣

          Liked by 1 person

  8. Aspasía S. Bissas avatar

    I mean, birdsong is nice and everything, but…goats! 😀 They’re definitely better than any kind of beeping or alarm.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      🤣🤣🤣

      Liked by 1 person

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