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Friday 25 March 2011

Real-Time Blogging: Cat-Nap

Ooh I'm very excited, these photos were taken only 5 minutes ago, and they're already on the blog!  Rachel's at home today, you see, and we do love it when this happens, because we can follow her around all day, yay!
Today it's really sunny and warm, so Lila and I went outside and showed Rachel how we like to rub our faces on the catnip and roll all around it, even though it's only tiny green stubs at the moment.  Then Lila went up the tree at the end of the garden and meowed at some magpies, who were making a right racket.  She came down covered in yellow tree pollen so Rachel got worried and wiped it off with a wet flannel, icky!  Luckily the tree is a better tree than the one on Monday, we go up and down this one all the time with no problems.
So we do love Rachel being around during the day; but after inspecting the garden, we like to nap on the big bed, and she gets a bit annoying and just can't leave us alone.  She keeps coming in and tickling our tummies and saying "ooh, who's having a little sleepy-peep?" (well, WE were, until YOU came and woke us!).  And "mmm, you're sooo soft", which is nice I guess, but a bit tiring when you're trying to sleep.  And then she gets the flashy box out and snaps at us, grrr!  Anyway since she well and truly woke me up from my 40 winks, I thought I'd show you the photos.
Pretty_cat_on_bed
Lila is much better at ignoring her than I am as you can see from this shot.  But it looks like she has far too many legs!!
Lila_ignoring_me
Oh well I guess I might as well go check on the garden again, and see if any more food has appeared in my bowl.  See you soon blog buddies!!

Tuesday 22 March 2011

A Spot Of Bother

Oh dear.  I knew it wouldn't be long before karma got its revenge on me for making Mia write that last embarrassing post.  Serves me right, I suppose, for being such a know-it-all.
It happened on Sunday - it was lovely and sunny, and Mia and I were inspecting the garden, while Rachel was busy filling pots with dirt.  The warmth of the sun on my fur reminded me of something I'd LOVED doing last summer - hanging out on the flat roof.  So up I went, via the garden fence.  You can see all across the neighbourhood from up there, and Mia is too uncoordinated to get up, so I can be Queen of the Castle!

Lila_roof2

I prowled around, investigating the new bits of moss that had appeared, and checking on next-door-but-one's new trampoline and whether there were any new cats or dogs around.

Lila_roof4

After a bit, I was feeling sleepy; a flat roof covered in gravel is no place for a nap, so I decided it was time to go back inside.  This was when I realised my fundamental error.  In my excitement to get UP to the flat roof, I had completely forgotten the correct route for the descent.  I used to get up and down fine last summer... hmm... what about through here?

Lila_roof1

No, far too small.  Um... perhaps back the way I came, via the fence?

Lila_roof3

Nope, I remember now - it's too wobbly and narrow, I can jump off it but not back onto it, unless I want to risk my furry bits.  The last resort was jumping down onto the wheelie bins, but it just looked too far.  So I sat on the roof and tried to look nonchalant, but I was starting to worry... would I ever get back down?  Luckily, at this point Rachel finally stopped fiddling with her pots of dirt and shouted to Pete.  Next thing I knew, my hero appeared to open the window and I nipped back inside as if nothing had happened.  PHEW!

Lila_roof5

So that is this week's big embarrassment, and everyone saw it too, sigh.  I hope that's it for the karma, and I have made a mental note to be nicer to Mia in future.  I'm already planning my next roof ascent, though, I WILL figure this one out.

A closely related aside: Yesterday while trying to hone my climbing skills I may or may not have got 20ft up a very tall, very dense tree and got stuck.  I may or may not have meowed in scared desperation when I heard Rachel and Pete calling my name at 9pm when they got home and realised I was missing, and they may or may not have woken the next door neighbours to borrow a ladder.  Pete may or may not have ruined his best suit trousers climbing up the tree, and Rachel may or may not have shed a couple of tears as she shook the box of Whiskas Temptations and I finally started tentatively climbing down towards Pete's outstretched arms.  There are no photos though, so YOU CAN'T PROVE ANY OF IT!


Monday 14 March 2011

Curiosity Soaked The Cat

Now I am definitely one of those kitties who's able to laugh at themselves, but I really didn't want to tell you about this.  It actually happened a little while ago, and I'd hoped that my clumsiness would have been forgotten by now, but it seems it's not to be.  To cut a long story short, Lila and I were racing in the garden yesterday and to make it a bit more interesting, we started betting with Whiskas Temptations.  15 minutes later I was knackered, Lila was victorious, and I had somehow agreed to post these photos on the blog...
So here's the story. It was late one September evening; Pete was getting ready for bed and Lila was napping, so I went to find Rachel. Unexpectedly, she was sitting in the bathroom in a huge pool of water, and there was some mystical, shimmering foam floating over the top.  I had to have a closer look, so I jumped up behind Rachel's head and leaned forward to have a sniff.  Mmm, it smelled purrfect!!

Catbubbles

There wasn't much of it near her head, though, so I decided to walk towards the huge cloud of it by her feet.  I hadn't got far when I realised I was in trouble.  There was only an inch or so to walk on, and I was wobbling all over the place.  I started to reverse, but my back paw slipped, and before I knew it I was plunging headfirst through the bubbles.  I was completely submerged!  I could hear Rachel squealing, and then I felt something under my belly, and in a second my head burst back through to the air and I was able to scramble out.  I was utterly soaked and didn't know what to do, so I shook the mystical foam off all my legs in turn, ran into the lounge and hid under a chair.

Wet_cat

Eventually I let Rachel wrap me in a towel and we had a nice cuddle on the sofa. I've cropped this photo to preserve Rachel's modesty - it wasn't just me who got out of the bath in a hurry...

Cat_in_bath

After a little while I had got over the shock and started to dry myself off.

Cat_licking

In a way it all worked out ok in the end, as we got to sleep in Rach & Pete's warm bedroom, as they were worried I'd catch a chill.  Also I smelled really delicious for at least a week, apparently it was a Lush bath bomb in the water.  But overall I wouldn't recommend it.  It was very, very embarrassing.
Are you happy now Lila?!  Humph.  I'll get you back for this!!

Tuesday 8 March 2011

A Ministerial Missive

Well so much for the first days of spring - we're freezing our pawpads off here at the moment!  Mia and I are once again fighting for exclusive evening rights to warm laps.  Mia is winning these bouts more often than she used to, unfortunately, as she's put on a couple of pounds over the winter, the little chubster!  So I am generally back on radiator duties.  It's all good though - on full whack the radiator pumps out a lot more heat than a human lap - although you do forgo the chin scratches, which is a shame.

Radiator_cat

We got an exciting letter today though, to take our mind off the icicles forming under our nose.  We saw the official Downing Street seal on the envelope as soon as it hit the doormat this morning, but not having opposable thumbs we had to wait impatiently until Rachel got home from work to see what was inside (we did try to open it with our claws, but no luck).  It's a letter from Larry the Downing Street Cat!!  Well, it's officially signed by a Mr S Caine, but it's obvious Larry dictated.

Letter_from_downing_street

We had sent some collars off to him last month when he first arrived - a blue one, and a yellow one, so that Dave and Nick (whoever they are) would both be happy.  Mia is completely star struck over the letter and I think has got a little crush on the big tabby man-cat... obviously I am far too grown up for that kind of silliness!

Larryletter2

PS: Larry if you are reading this, you can get in touch with me via the PO Box address I slipped into the envelope...

Tuesday 1 March 2011

She Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

There she was, stretching her legs in the garden - enjoying the first sunny day she'd seen in a while.  The spring bulbs were just beginning to show their colours (despite concerted efforts to dig them all up immediately after planting last November).  She stopped to delicately sniff their fresh scent, and allowed herself a moment to reminisce on the warm spring days of the previous year, when she and her clever, beautiful mother had first arrived in this paradise, and their heady days of first exploration.

Cat_and_daffs_0

She heard a rustle, and glanced up to the end of the garden, where the soft, new buds on the magnolia tree gently moved in the breeze. Oh how perfect this day is, how peaceful, she thought; as she contemplated the cool, damp soil under her paws.

Cat_and_daffs_1

But in her reverie she had not seen the black terror lurking in the woods, closely watching her every movement.  She could not have seen it; even if she had known it was there - for it sat silently as a shadow, and perfectly camouflaged (well, except for the bright yellow collar).

Cat_and_daffs_1a

The terror perched on the fence apparently still; yet every muscle was poised; every sinew taut, waiting, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, to unleash speed, power, stealth, and not forgetting great terror, upon the unsuspecting silly baby cat posing for the camera...

Cat_and_daffs_2

GOTCHAAAAAAA!!!