The Poupounette

TAMA-CHAN TUESDAY

2012-01-31T11:23:00.009+01:00

Tama-Chan: Well, the snow was a bit of an non-event, which is a relief, really. Tommy got enough to play with but there wasn't enough for #1 to be stuck here. But it's getting a lot colder. With wind chills, the night-time temps are supposed to go down as low as -15C (that's 5F!). Time to crank up the central heating!

Radiator-top space is going to be at a premium!

They say, however, that it will be sunny, so there should be a few sunpuddles to lie in:

I just love the feel of the sun on my furs!

And here is a Toesday treat for you!

By the way, Silver-G, aka Genji, is 10 months old today!

MANLY MONDAY - IT'S SNOWING!

2012-01-30T10:32:00.010+01:00

Tom: The weather people kept changing their minds as to whether it was going to snow or not today. It now looks as thought the answer to that is YES! #1 is vacillating between the liking of snow and the knowledge of how much I love it, and tricky roads to drive on. We shall see.

May I introduce my latest stuffy toy to you? Being a tiger, I think it is most manly!

Yesterday, I was able to show off my manliness to a very pretty girl. You may remember meeting Effie before. She is an English setter and a cousin of mad Fernant's. She loves to play with the tennis ball (Fernant, on the other hand, just likes to steal tennis balls...).

The lovely Effie:

My apologies for subjecting you to this "Labrabutt" but that is Fernant, after all...

Bibi-Chan: At my end, it's been photo shoot city the last few days as we have enjoyed lots of sun puddles and #1 never lets an opportunity slip!

Ahem, by the way, HOUBIBI rode again a couple of days ago!!!

Gen-Chan: I have also been photographed from every possible angle but I have also been playing bitey face with Tommy and wrestling with The Beebs

Vidock: May I ask you cross a few hooves for me this week? As you know, I am being shown again this week and hoping for better results than last time around...

As we don't have any good new shots, here is an archive one to remind you of my good, and very manly looks!

SNUGGLES ON SUNDAY - THE TOMMY EFFECT

2012-01-29T10:48:00.012+01:00

Tama-Chan: You all know, Dear Friends, that Tommy is the ultimate snuggle magnet in this house and that, even when we kitties don't snuggle with each other, we always snuggle with him. So, today's post is a tribute of sorts to our Tommy, the ultimate snuggle magnet!

He and #1 had a great time snuggling this week when #1 was watching a DVD:

And here they are having a snuggle whilst visiting some friends:

Tommy is happy to share the love, so here he is with a friend of ours a couple of days ago:

But of course, what he enjoys most of all is snuggling with us kitties! Here he is with young Genji:

Here I am having a snuggle with him:

And Sei-Chan of course!

As for The Beebs, we don't have any photos from this week of him snuggling with Tommy, but he was cuddling with #1 in bed this morning!

And Bibi and Genji have been doing some more snuggling of their own:

And finally, here is another photo of Vidock with #1 after his first clean-up session!

PS by Sei-Chan: Thank you so much for all the wonderful birthday wishes! I had a great day with lots of ham and Dreamies (Temptations European-Style). I played laser-pointer with #1, and she gave me a pedicure!

MY BIRTHDAY SEITURDAY!!!!

2012-01-28T10:29:00.015+01:00

Sei-Chan: As you know, Dear Friends, I always do a SEIturday post anyway but today is an extra, super special SEIturday because it is my THIRD BIRTHDAY!

Here, to start us off, is a photo of me at 3 months!

And here I am, aged three:

As you can see, napping has always been a favourite activity of mine!

Let me share with you photos of me as I was growing up with some of my very favourite people. Let me start with me and my Mama, Viña del Mar:

And with #1:

Me and my big sister Tama-Chan:

Me and my Tommy of course!

And with my sweet brother, Yuu-Chan, who is now at the Bridge:

As you know, I have two other brothers now, Bibi-Chan and Gen-Chan. I love them both but they are pretty boisterous. I am a very shy girl and I spook easily, so I don't really enjoy rough play but I do love to play! #1 sometimes plays with just me, which is wonderful!

I feel that my main job is to supervise #1 and make sure she is taken care of in every way. I am a lucky girl to live with my family at Poupounette Central!

FANCY FRIDAY or VIDOCK VENDREDI!

2012-01-27T12:12:00.009+01:00

Vidock: Neigh everyone! Remember that I mentioned on Monday that I was going to get cleaned up this week in preparation for my being shown next week? Several of you sent nice messages commiserating about the prospect of a bath. Well, actually, I did not get a bath yesterday. That will be next Wednesday, the day before D-Day. Yesterday's challenge was to get the encrusted mud off me, and also trim any hairy bits.

Let us start with a "before" picture:

You have to admit that I had done a pretty good job on myself, adding layer after protective layer of mud over the weeks!

Anyway, I had three ladies attending to me which, as a young stallion, I found most agreeable! And look! #1 seems pretty happy to be attending to me, doesn't she?

Here is Ms. S making sure that my ears look sleek and beautiful rather than hairy messes:

Ms. S explained that a lot of people use twitches to keep horses still whilst they are getting ear hair or chin hair taken care of, to make the horse be good and stand still. I am happy to tell you that, in my case, the effective technique consisted of lots of kisses on the end of my nose by #1!

Ms. S attending to me whilst #1 makes sure the floor is clean. Believe me, there was a lot of debris!

And here I am, all cleaned up, ready to go back to my box:

Of course, as soon as I was back in the box with Big Tom, there was quite a bit of "horsing around." #1 did tell me to be careful because, she says, bite marks don't really look good to the judges...

So, that was step 1 of "The Fancifying of Vidock." To be Continued...

PS: Our thanks to our guest, Ms. L, for providing most of the photos for today's post

Tantalising Thursday!

2012-01-26T11:12:00.004+01:00

Genji: And so, yesterday, you got to see the shiny handsomeness of my big brother, The Beebs. Today, #1 is busy and running around, so I shall leave you with a picture that shows off my tummy to full advantage:

Wonderboy Wednesday!

2012-01-25T10:46:00.009+01:00

Bibi-Chan: Don't tell me you didn't guess that I would be the wonderboy?! You all seemed to really enjoy my Mama Tama's photo shoot yesterday, and so I thought I would give you a bonus today with a photo shoot of her most spectacular product, ME!

We have had generally rainy and grey weather but as soon as the sun comes out, #1 is stalking us with one or other of her cameras. I think she did a pretty good job this time around.

Firstly, it is of course very important to make sure one is clean and shiny for the shoot:

and the tummy furs:

It is important to remain alert at all times!

Oops! A little speck of dirt on my nose!

So how about this?

That one also works for "Whiskers on Wednesday"!

And this?

And the other side, just for good measure:

Tama's Tuesday Tantrum

2012-01-24T09:43:00.010+01:00

Tama-Chan: Well actually, my tantrum was yesterday, on Monday, but it does sound rather good in the Tuesday title, don't you think? #1 is not quite sure what started it as she was elsewhere in the house but she was alerted to something when Sei-Chan suddenly started growling in the afternoon. She came downstairs quickly and I was running around growling, hissing and spitting, a very unhappy girl. I am not telling on anyone but let's face it, Sei-Chan and Tommy were upstairs with #1, so you know who that leaves as the culprits...

Anyway, the end result is that I got time out in the back room so I could calm down and relax. Even though I call it "time out" it's actually a very pleasant experience. #1 tries to stay with me as long as she can, and she grooms me at length with the Zoom Groom which I love! It makes me feel so much better. It was somewhat annoying to have Genji crying outside the door for most of the time but what can you do? I eventually relaxed properly and #1 was able to open the door once more in the early evening.

Here is my half-way between contrite and pleased photo:

The whole episode also gave #1 the opportunity to do a great photo shoot of me!

Manly Monday

2012-01-23T10:53:00.008+01:00

Bibi-Chan: Happy Monday everyone! So, yesterday, you got to see sweet and soppy pics of me and Genji, but today is the day when we show off our more Mancatly charms! So, here goes:

Getting the measure of the competition...

And Round 1 kicks off!

Round 2 started later in the evening:

Genji: My big brother is THE BEST!!!

Tom: As you know, I am much more a lover than a fighter. So here are a couple of pictures of me showing my moves that #1 took whilst we were in Normandy last week:

Vidock: And here we have my supremely muddy self:

But not for long! The countdown is about to start to my next outing, on February 2nd. So, on Thursday, #1 is coming over here with Ms. L, who will be staying for a few days, and they are going to start scrubbing me clean. I hear there are apple and carrot treats involved!!!

Snuggles on Sunday - Starring The Beebs & Genji!

2012-01-22T10:39:00.012+01:00

Tama-Chan: I have to say that, since #1 and Tommy's return, my Beebs and little Silver-G have totally outdone themselves in the snuggling department and deserve pride of place in today's post. Behold:

As this was going on, Sei-Chan was having a snuggle with #1:

And she's been catching up on her Tommy snuggles...

In on the other hand, have been snuggling in the middle of a pile of cushions and soft blankie!

Vidock: Coming through for snuggles!

SMOOOOOOOOCH!

SEItisfactory SEIturday!

2012-01-21T10:00:00.002+01:00

Sei-Chan: La la la la LAaaaaaaaaaa! Life is good, Dear Friends! We are all so happy to have Tommy and #1 back. Sheer bliss!

Yesterday evening, we were all draped around #1 as she watched an old BBC series called "Barchester Chronicles." It was so peaceful!

Earlier yesterday, I started by relaxing on my big "zabuton" cushion...

Then I moved to the hammock that hangs on the study radiator...

And I supervised Tom's towel, which he had taken away with him...

Everything is in order, and all in place for a lovely weekend!

Family Friday

2012-01-20T10:00:00.002+01:00

Tom: Yes! We're back home with #1 and really happy to be reunited with our beloved Chans! They gave us a wonderful welcome home.

Would you mind terribly if I shared some more family pictures with you? There are so many from our days in Normandy.

Here I am napping with my sister Sophie. According to Ms. A, we were really close when we were puppies and we still get on so well together!

This is my great-aunt Harri napping with little Suzie, just to show you that kitty whispering is a bit of a family tradition...

And here is another shot of me relaxing with my Mama, Minnie:

Here, at the back of this picture, is my other sister, Elsie. Isn't she pretty?

And here I am, snuggled up to #1 who had Suzie on her lap all evening!

Genji: #1 said I could have a bit of family Friday because I too want to show you a long overdue picture of my Mummy! As some of you may already know, she is called BASTET:

Isn't she gorgeous?!

But of course, the best family is the family you choose to live with in your Forever Home, and so behold a photo of me relaxing with my most excellent brother, The Beebs!

Thursday To Thelebrate!

2012-01-19T10:00:00.001+01:00

Thei-Chan: This is it. IT'S THURSDAY! #1 and Tommy are coming home today!!!! We have been really well looked after, especially by Ms. S who has been providing lots of playtime and cuddles to all of us, but we hear that Tommy and #1 have really been missing us, and we can't wait to see them!

I have been supervising the study to make sure all is in order:

Genji is on lookout:

And The Beebs is preparing in his usual way...

As is Mama-Tam!

We can't wait for OUR TOMMY to be home!

And #1 too of course!

Woofie Wednesday

2012-01-18T10:00:00.005+01:00

Tom: Hi everyone! Tommy reporting from Normandy! As you know, #1 and I have been here since Sunday afternoon, looking after my family whilst Ms. A and Mr. R are in England. Aside from the eight members of my woofie family, there are also six kitties, lots and lots of chickens, and a song thrush.

It was very sunny and very cold until today and so we enjoyed being outside and getting plenty of exercise. My two sisters, Sophie and Lydia, share my passion for tennis balls and we have the most amazing time playing together!

Here are Lydia (F) and Sophie (B), showing their amazing style!

And here are the three of us together!

And a shot of just me:

My Mama Minnie and half-sister Cora are more into digging. You should see the state they get into, and they state they put the grounds into! #1 has told me more than once that she is very relieved I am not a digger! Here they are at work:

It really was very cold yesterday morning. Here is a nice shot of Emily contemplating the partly frozen pond:

And here is Mama Minnie (L) with great-aunt Harri, tying to get some treats out of #1:

My Grandmama, Katie, is a bit cranky because she is mostly deaf and doesn't see very well, so she is kept separate from the rest of the gang. She too has been getting spoiled by #1 who has been making special yummy foods for her!

And, as #1 says, I have not lost my touch as a kitty whisperer. Behold me and Susie!

Here is another of the kitties here. Her name is Neuf (as in 9!). That's what I call a beautiful House Panther!

I realise how lucky I am to be able to share such great moments with my birth family and still have such a great Forever Home. I can't wait to see my kitties tomorrow!

Tantalising Tuesday

2012-01-17T10:00:00.003+01:00

Tama-Chan: Guess what? I received a top secret communication from #1! She said that she had been out running some errands yesterday and she came across this on sale...

... and it is now in the car and will be coming home with her and Tommy on Thursday!

She also sent a photo of one of the kitties she is looking after. She says it's a very floofy and very affectionate kitty!

As for me, I am using my time well and re-marking all furniture items on which my scent might have faded recently...

#1 says her new, new camera is acting strangely and she things it might stop working altogether any minute. So, she has been clicking away as much as she can!

Manly Monday - The Beebs Reporting

2012-01-16T12:23:00.006+01:00

Bibi-Chan: In Tommy's absence, I am the senior boy in the house so I am doing Manly Monday. We have heard from Tommy and #1. They're fine if rather cold. It's gotten very cold and the heating is, shall we say, "occasional".... You see, they should have stayed home with us! We had a lovely play and cuddle session yesterday afternoon with Ms. S and her daughter, Ms. L, and we are looking forward to Ms. S's next visit today.

In the meantime, I am busy conserving energy...

And little Genji is hoping that Tommy will come home soon:

Ms. S is bringing us daily news of Vidock. He is apparently wondering whether this is his best side?

As for Tommy, we got this picture from him:

If I remember correctly, that's his Mummy, Minnie, next to him!

Have a great week, everyone!

Solitary Snuggles on Sunday....

2012-01-15T10:00:00.003+01:00

Tama-Chan: Sigh... They've gone... Watching #1 load the car this morning, you'd think they were leaving for 5 weeks not 5 days. I just don't understand why she felt she couldn't take all of us too. After all, we already know most of the girls. Something about maybe the pussycats over there not being amused. Sigh....

I really don't know what Genji is going to do. He spends hours cuddling with #1 and Tommy every day.

Ms. S has been asked to give him lots of extra cuddles.

Who knows? Maybe Sei-Chan will break down and snuggle with him?

And what about my Beebs? What is he going to do without his Tommy?

Or his #1 for that matter. He normally sleeps glued to her under the covers at night...

And Sei-Chan is going to be wandering around, looking for her Tommy...

He, of course, is happy as a lark. He will have his #1 with him AND all the girls who will fawn over him.

As for me, I feel a seriously crabby mood coming on, so I am going to pretend that none of this is actually happening...

Sulky SEIturday

2012-01-14T10:30:00.007+01:00

Sei-Chan: There was a hard frost last night and it's a beautiful sunny day outside. I just had to investigate #1's boots when she came back in.

Did you notice my new collar? Isn't it cool?

The sulky bit is because we have just found out that both #1 and Tommy are going to be abandoning us tomorrow. Can you believe that? They are going up to Normandy, to Tommy's family to look after the girls, the kitties and the chickens, as Ms. A and Mr. R have to go to England for a few days. And they will be gone until Thursday! That's ages! We are not happy. Our neighbour, Ms. H, and Ms. S who looks after Vidock, will be coming in to feed, clean litterboxes, play and dispense cuddles but, as you know, it's just not the same...

Anyway, at least I can report that the Christmas stuff has all been taken down. #1 had to lock the boys up as she removed the tree because they would probably have taken the opportunity to do a Houbibi. We girls are much more trustworthy.

I have found a new vantage point that I really enjoy. I get a clear view of #1 as she sits at the kitchen table:

And I can enjoy the garden as I meditate:

Of course, I still enjoy hanging out with Tommy, even though his eyes are a bit scary in this photo...

Wishing you all a nice weekend.

Fun on Friday: New Friends, Hoofball and More!

2012-01-13T10:00:00.002+01:00

#1 here. There has been a lot of sadness once again on the Blogosphere so we wanted to do a happy post. Very good friends of mine just acquired a couple of two-month old pups, and I got to meet them this week. They have not yet had all their shots so they can't meet Uncle Tommy and the Chans yet but that will happen soon!

So, here first is the little girl. Her name is LILY-TOUNE:

And this is her brother, NOURS:

The toy was a gift from Tommy! The lucky pups are living with Ms. A and Ms. H. You may remember how sad they were last year at the loss of their French Bulldog, YOU, and we are very happy for them, despite all the poop and pee patrol duties!

In other news, Vidock and Big Tom are putting together a Hoofball team and wondering if anyone wants to sign up?

Our sweet friend in the field next to the big field loves getting her carrots every day. She comes right over to the barrier as soon as she hears me and Tommy approaching!

And Tommy and Genji continue to lead very stressful lives...

Thankful Thursday - Our Colours

2012-01-12T09:56:00.006+01:00

Tom: First on the thankful list today is #1. Yesterday, she received a belated Christmas gift from a friend and she is delighted with it. It is a scarf that is knitted from the same wools that are used to braid Vidock's mane and tail!

It is soft and comfortable and she is thrilled with it. Thank you. Ms. Z!

And in the same vein, I, Tommy, am also thankful because #1 ordered for me a very fancy new collar and lead which also match Vidock's colours!

Thank you, Ms. H for making it for me, and then adjusting it because it was too big at first!

As a reminder, here is Vidock with his braids:

His next official outing is on February 2nd. We can't wait!

Whiskers on Wednesday

2012-01-11T10:00:00.002+01:00

Vidock: Sorry for the wait, Dear Friends, and thank you so much for your kind words on Monday. #1 has finally succeeded in getting an adequate whisker shot of me. What do you think?

As you can see, I am naturally pretty clean-shaven. We Percherons, unlike Clydesdales, Shires and some other breeds of heavy horse, don't go in too much for hair.

Here are some sunny Genji-Whiskers:

Some very impressive Tama-Whiskers:

Some Beebskers:

Sei-Chan whiskers:

And last but not least, some sightly disorderly Tommy whiskers!

Tama-Chan Tuesday

2012-01-10T10:00:00.004+01:00

Tama-Chan: Shall we have with a little progress report from this end? I am happy to report that our Christmas collars (mine and Sei-Chan's) have gone and been replaced with more suitable ones. We girls never had to wear collars in the past, but #1 has decided that we look very cute in them so now we're stuck. Sigh... Still, she has found a new Etsy shop with some really nice collars and she is about to order fancy ones for all of us. Imagine! In the meantime, I am sporting a fancy red job she bought in Tokyo last year and which, I admit is quite cute.

That aside, the Christmas tree is still in place, with all decorations intact. Well, she did have a big conference call presentation yesterday afternoon and was preparing for it all of Sunday and yesterday morning, so I guess that may be be excuse. Shall we take bets on whether she will do it today? I can hear the excuses already, along the lines of "I have to spend hours looking through the Percheron stud book archives for 1887 to 1916, looking for stallions exported to Australia." Can you believe the stuff she comes up with?! There is clearly only one thing for a girl to do:

With just the odd bit of doing this:

Manly Monday - Goodbye Sweet Lolo

2012-01-09T10:31:00.012+01:00

Tom: Happy New Week, everyone! It is yet again grey and warmish here. Everyone is wondering where winter has gone... Needless to say I still like to frolic in the fields with #1...

But the kitties have taught me that it's good to curl up on one's bed and snuggle with one's new stuffie and favourite towel!

Bibi-Chan: The Beebs here! I don't like it when it's grey because I need sunshine to show off my furs to perfection!

Sunshine even enhances wrestling matches with mt brother Gen-Chan:

Although I suppose it is not absolutely necessary when supervising the Internet box...

Gen-Chan: I have been supervising #1's desk chair:

And enjoying synchronised bird-watching with The Beebs!

Vidock: I hate to disappoint you but I don't have a lot to show you at the moment in terms of photos of me. I am inside a lot of the time and, well, how many shots can you take of a handsome guy's head?!

In the middle of writing this post, we just read about our friend LAUTREC leaving for the Bridge last night. Lautrec, aka Lolo and LoLOVE, was one of the sweetest mancats in the Blogosphere and we are so sad that he is gone, and sad for his Mom who loved him so much and his sister Tiny and woofies Ellwood and Ginger. We know there will be some wonderful kitties waiting for him at the Bridge, but we will miss you Lolo!

Snuggles on Sunday

2012-01-08T11:02:00.013+01:00

Tama-Chan: It has been quite a while since our last proper Snuggles on Sunday and I am not at all sure if this one is going to be proper either. #1 does not seem to have done that great a job of synchronising her shutter-clicking with our snuggling of late. Sigh....

Anyway, let's see what we've got. I of course have been very good about doing my bit and spent time snuggling with #1:

And snuggling with Tommy:

Our little Genji spends a lot of time with Tommy. It's never quite sure whether he is snuggling or playing or doing both simultaneously!

With Sei-Chan, there is never any doubt. It's snuggle-city all the way!

Tommy has been snuggling his new towel at every opportunity!

And Genji is always ready for a snuggle with #1...

And here he is with The Beebs, both looking snuggly in their sky hammocks!

Although The Beebs also loves a good snuggle with Tommy:

Wishing you all a very snuggly Sunday!

SEiturday!

2012-01-07T10:00:00.002+01:00

Sei-Chan: This weekend, the 12 days of Christmas will be officially over and it will be time to take the tree and decorations down, but... today, #1 has gone off to a family lunch (we allow family lunches as she doesn't see her cousins that often and really enjoys it) and tomorrow, she has to work to prepare a presentation she is doing on Monday plus she is going to meet two new puppies at a friend's house. So, the risk of delay is great and I shall need to be stern to avoid a repeat of what happened last year: the tree stuff was all slung into a plastic crate and was only put away properly in August!!! You can see that I have a tough job.

I am quite ablush because someone said in yesterday's comments that I have the prettiest eyes! So here is another close-up:

Remember my soft and fluffy comforter bed last week? Well, I have switched to the one next to it which is bigger and therefore even fluffier!

A cover would be nice...

And note to #1: time to take off our Christmas collars!!!

Have a lovely SEIturday, Dear Friends!

Frootbat and Flying Friday

2012-01-06T11:06:00.009+01:00

Bibi-Chan: After another day of high winds and pouring rain yesterday, we have a bit of blue sky and sunshine today. Phew! I am enjoying bird TV and simultaneously taking a nap as #1 types what I dictate to her. Not a bad life, don't you think?

Anyway, #1 has managed to click between the raindrops this week and get some decent sunny frootbat photos of us, so here goes, starting of course with yours truly!

Here is a slightly unusual side view of the Pipsqueak-Bats:

Mama-Tama-Bats at rest:

And Sweet Sei-Bats!

This is apparently not the season to take good photos of our Vidock because he is inside and there are all kinds of things in the way, so this is the best #1 could do for Vi-Bats!

And how about this for Flying Tommy With Flying Ears!

Thoughtful Thursday

2012-01-05T10:48:00.009+01:00

Genji: Today, we are all thinking of ways to cheer up #1 as she is down in the dumps. She is having problems with two of her clients (not the horse people!) who are being nasty and horrible to her. The weather does not help: it is grey, windy and rainy. So, we are all rallying around. I, Genji, am showing my fangs so that the mean people know I mean business and I will bite to protect my #1!

The Beebs and I have been practicing our wrestling skills so we can better defend her against any attackers:

And I have been practicing with Tama-Chan too. She is the fiercest of us all when she is mad!

We all know how sweet Sei-Chan is, but she can roar like a lion when she is provoked!

As for our big brother Vidock, the meanies had better watch out! He has the bulk and he has the moves... And he says BIG TOM will lend him a hoof!

And last but not least, our dear sweet Tommy who of course has no idea how to be mean to anyone, but he promises to be always by #1's side.

That face would make anyone feel better!

Whiskers on Wednesday

2012-01-04T10:00:00.002+01:00

Girl Whiskers:

Boy Whiskers:

It has once gain proven a challenge to get a proper whisker shot of Vidock, so we'll have to do without this time and try to do better with the next round!

Totally Thankful Tuesday!

2012-01-03T11:08:00.010+01:00

Tama-Chan: Christmas and New Year may be over, but we got two late packages in the mail yesterday and we have lots to be thankful for!

The first package came from our Prince Edward Island friend, Ms.D. There was a book for #1 on the history of farm horses in PEI, which thrilled her no end, but look what was also in the package:

And there was also this:

Beautiful notecards from seventeenth and eighteenth century screens illustrating "The Tale of Genji." She calls them "Tributes to Gen-Chan"! We trust you now understand why she is so deserving of the Order of Canada. Thank you, Ms. D!

There was also a big box from Tommy's family in Normandy. It was packed with stuff but I shall focus on two items. We kitties got a set of really fun food bowls from our Normandy cousins:

As for Tommy, his Mama Minnie, GrandMama Katie and sisters, cousins and aunt sent him a big towel with his name embroidered on it!

It clearly was full of the most wonderful smells!

He just loves it!

Thank you to Minnie, Katie, Harry, Cora, Sophie, Elsie, Lydia, Emily and of course Ms. A and Mr. R!

I didn't want to leave you without a picture of me, so here I am, napping on the radiator in the kitchen:

Manly Monday!

2012-01-02T10:47:00.008+01:00

Tom: It is 2012 already! On the first day of the year, we had incessant rain and strong winds and #1 pointed out to me several times the depth of her dedication to me in taking me out in "that." But today, there are patches of blue sky and a little sunshine, so it was much easier, except that "Fernant the Menace" was out and about and bent on stealing my ball...

See the wild look in his eyes?

Do NOT be taken in by his attempt to look cool, calm and collected in this one!

Bibi-Chan: Look at this photo of me and my Mama-Tama:

She too is trying to look all innocent, but just look at her front left paw!

She was trying to make a grab for my tail!!!

And now look at Gen-Chan eyeing MY kickaroo!

PIPSQUEAK!!!!!

I might need to hire Vidock to keep an eye on things...

Happy First Monday of the Year everyone!

HAPPY YEAR OF THE DRAGON!

2012-01-01T10:00:00.001+01:00

SEIturday Sleep Spot & SEIlebration!

2011-12-31T10:48:00.006+01:00

Sei-Chan: #1 tells me this is the last day of the year and it will be a whole different year tomorrow. Needless to say, I am unimpressed... But we do all love the fact that she is staying home with us tonight instead of going out partying!

Anyway, I wanted to tell you about my new favourite sleep spot. There is a spare down comforter in the guest room and, right, now, it is folded over and just placed on the bed. Imagine the softness! A nest right in the middle of all those layers of down!

In case you were wondering, I am still carrying out all my supervisory duties...

A girl's work is never done!

One final news item before I leave you for this year. You may remember our dear friend Ms. D who comes and visits us from Prince Edward Island, Canada, fairly regularly. #1 met her on her very first day at university and they have been friends ever since. Well, yesterday, she was awarded the Order of Canada. We at Poupounette Central are all very proud of her! When she visited us in October 2009, Yuu-Chan had only been with us a few days, and Ms. D fell in love with him, even though she is allergic to cats! We just love this photo of the two of them:

Family Friday with Genji

2011-12-30T10:00:00.002+01:00

Genji: Guess what? I will be 9 months old tomorrow and it has been almost 6 months since I arrived here at Poupounette Central and met my Forever Family.

Here I am at the airport in early July with my breeder, Ms. S, the day I flew into Paris:

And with #1 at the airport:

I thought she was nice right from the start but now I love her!

My big brother Bibi, known as The Beebs, is very cool! He even lets me steal his food! And we have a lot of fun wrestling!

Even though he tries to eat me sometimes!

I love looking at the fire in the fireplace!

And I have great toys to play with!

But you know what? The BEST toy is my big brother Tommy! Playing bitey face with him is totally awesome!

I don't know why #1 always laughs when I throw myself at him to try and wrestle him to the floor!

And once we're done playing, we snooze together!

I love the girls too! Tama-Chan often plays chase with me, and I like to sit at the window with Sei-Chan to watch Bird TV. We'll share those photos some other time.

Genji is a happy boy!

Break Time For The Boys

2011-12-29T10:00:00.001+01:00

Bibi and Genji on bathroom break...

Vidock (in the middle), Tom and Viking on munchies break...

And Tommy on breaking the speed record for a Springer!

PS: We were delighted at all the nice comments yesterday on "Misao to Fukumaru". The book is mostly pictures, with very little text, so language is almost irrelevant. For those who would like to order it, please note that there is a little note on the upper right-hand corner of the amazon.co.jp Japanese page that says "Would you like to see this page in English?Click here." It is also possible to order it directly from the publisher through the Little More link to a page in English on yesterday's post.

Wonderful Words and Photos on Wednesday

2011-12-28T10:00:00.001+01:00

Of all the gifts that #1 received this Christmas, her absolute favourite is a little book that was sent to her from Tokyo by Ms. D, an Australian friend who has lived in Japan for many years. The book is called "Misao to Fukumaru" (Misao and Fukumaru). It is the story of the writer's grandmother, Misao, and the white cat with one yellow and one blue eye who appeared on her doorstep as a tiny kitten eight years ago. She named him "Fukumaru" (the circle of good fortune). The cat is hard of hearing, as is often the case with cats with different coloured eyes, as is also Misao. Here is the cover of the book:

The photos are absolutely beautiful, showing the love and caring between the two. Fukumaru helps Misao who is still an active market gardener:

He also helps with important tasks such as drying persimmons:

He relaxes with her when she has a well-deserved cup of green tea:

Celebrates important events, such as her 86th birthday, with her:

And is always there to make every day a happy day for both of them...

An utterly beautiful book. The author (and photographer) is Miyoko Ihara and the book was published in October 2011 by Little More. It is also available through amazon in Japan here.

Tama's Thankful Tuesday

2011-12-27T10:59:00.008+01:00

Tama-Chan: Christmas is now over but we are all still basking in the warmth and fuzziness of it all. I was most pleased with my Christmas collar this year!

We also wanted to show you the goodies that were in the amazing box we got from our Italian friends Rain.

There was a huge stash of toys and treats for us kitties!

Lots of goodies for Tommy:

There were also some yummy chewy sticks that #1 forgot to include in that picture.

And there were also treats for Vidock!

In fact, everything to make us pleasantly tired and snoozy by evening! Here I am yesterday evening, with the little "Silver Squeaker" (he doesn't meow, he squeaks!) who is enjoying the very nice red bankie from our friend Ms. L.

Manly Monday - The Boxing Day Edition!

2011-12-26T12:51:00.012+01:00

Tom: We had a most excellent Christmas here at Poupounette Central and hope it was the same for all our friends.

I got decked out in my Christmas finery...

And got lots of presents!!!

I was one happy boy!

The Beebs was also all dressed up...

He was out scouting for turkey early...

And got lots of attention:

Which left him exhausted at the end of the day!

Genji was sporting avery elegant collar in gold, red and green!

He had a most excellent first Christmas and he too was exhausted by the evening!

#1 and some of her friends went to visit Vidock after lunch, and he got some crunchy apple-flavoured treats.

Who knows? Maybe next Christmas, he will be pulling a one-horse open sleigh?!

But the one who truly passed out on the sofa last night was #1. I suppose she had quite a day of it as we hosted Christmas lunch for a bunch of friends. She of course also had the leftover Champagne...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2011-12-25T10:00:00.001+01:00

Ready For Christmas

2011-12-24T10:00:00.002+01:00

Tommy: Tonight is Christmas Eve and everything is ready at Poupounette Central!

I have been trying out some of my Christmas finery...

#1 and I went over to Ms. A's to make Christmas cookies yesterday:

Our stockings are filling up!

Gifts are piling up under the tree!

And the Champagne stocks are in!

We are good to go!

Friday Follies!

2011-12-23T10:00:00.008+01:00

Bibi-Chan: Meeeeeeeee-OWWWWWW everyone! The Beebs here with a couple of great stories for you.

For a start, I am happy to tell you that HOUBIBI RIDES AGAIN! Yes, thanks to the very kindly postman, I made a successful dash for the great outdoors a couple of days ago, with #1 and her camera in hot (or should I say tepid?) pursuit!

Of course there was no way she could catch up as I am a veritable gazelle!

Here I am as a flash of movement tearing past the hapless #1...

Do I have style or WHAT?!

I eventually took pity on #1, and there was the matter of the GIANT creature who seemed to be heading straight for me on the other side of the hedge. She was about three times bigger than the donkeys. #1 took some extra carrots to the one she calls her "Percheron Filly Friend" to thank her. Pah!

Anyway, I decided that I could also explore inside the house so I headed upwards the next day.

Hi everyone!

I do wish she had ordered some wider ledges...

Better over here...

I had a lot of fun telling Tommy all about my adventures!

Thnuggles on Thursday

2011-12-22T10:00:00.002+01:00

Thei-Chan: Everything seems to be upside down this week, somehow. We did not have an SoS post last Sunday and who knows what will happen this weekend, right? So, we decided that Thursday would be perfect for a bit of a "Thnuggle".

The Beebs has been feeling super-snuggly of late:

May I draw your attention to a certain silver-coloured tail that is wrapped around Tommy?

Anyway, Tommy and the Beebs have been snuggling a lot...

Bibi-Chan has also been snuggling with #1:

As has Tommy!

Needless to say, I have been snuggling with Tommy too!

As has Tama-Chan!

And Genji, when he's not with Tommy, snuggles ALL DAY with #1!

Sorry we don't have any snuggle pics of Vidock today. #1 is off to see him today so maybe we'll have some later.

Wow on Wednesday

2011-12-21T13:36:00.011+01:00

Genji: Hello everyone. Gen-Chan here! #1 says thank you for all the kind comments yesterday. I spent all day giving her cuddles and so she feels much better!

With a little help from Truffle and Brulee, we finally found out who sent our Secret Paws. It's The Big Fat Ginger Cat!!!! He has a very fun blog, here. Thanks, BFGC, for a bumper crop of goodies for us kitties!

But that is not all! This year, we were inspired by our friend Khyra to take part also in Projekt Wichteln which is a gift exchange organised by our friend Sally who lives in the south of France. And our package arrived yesterday. We scored BIG TIME! Firstly, the package came from ITALY! Isn't that super cool? It was from a beautiful Briard called RAIN and it was a huge box! We opened the box but we promise not to open the actual gifts until Christmas.

Here I am, with Tommy and the box:

We opened it and look!

# says the candy is for her, but there was a package for Tommy:

A big one for us kitties:

And there was even a package for Vidock!!!

We can't wait to open everything on Christmas Day but, in the meantime, a HUGE thanks to Rain and her family!

Tama's Ticked-Off Tuesday

2011-12-20T11:55:00.005+01:00

Tama-Chan: Dear Friends, we are TICKED-OFF! #1 returned as promised from Paris last night and guess what had happened to her? She had her wallet stolen on the metro (subway)! There are apparently organised gangs of thieves, mostly from Easterm Europe, who take advantage of the freedom of movement within the European community to come over and relieve honest people of their hard-earned cash. Believe me, if we had found those responsible, we would have shredded them! But we are here in our lovely countryside, not roaming the streets of the capital, so all we can do is offer comfort.

Manly Monday!

2011-12-19T10:00:00.003+01:00

Tom: You are not going to believe this but #1 has gone again! Left this morning for a day in Paree. She said it was for work, and that she was going to prepare some fancy high-flying executive for his move to Japan by telling him all about how they work over there. But I bet you she is planing some shopping as well! I man, would she be human if she wasn't?! Anyway, she promised to be home this evening, and I am supervising the kitties. Fernant's people will come over to feed them and let me out for a romp or two.

The kitties have already announced that they are planning to spend the day napping. The Beebs has been practicing:

As you can see, he's a very tidy sleeper!

Unlike a certain Gen-Chan...

I shall be eagerly anticipating #1's return!

And Vidock and Big Tom will be synchronized-watching for her next visit!

Secret Sunday!

2011-12-18T11:01:00.013+01:00

Tama-Chan: We have something a little different for you this week. Normally, we spend our Sundays here at Poupounette Central besnuggled, but today, we are befuddled! Yesterday, the man in the yellow van (La Poste does its rural deliveries in little mustard yellow vans) brought a parcel. It had La Poste tape on it so we don't know if it had torn or been inspected, but it has no return address on it and no card inside! The only thing we know is that it said "Secret Santa" on it and the postmark indicates that it comes from around Gloucester in the UK. Could this be our Secret Paws parcel? If so, we would really love to know who sent it!

In the meantime, we did open it (#1 said it was so that we could try to elucidate the mystery...) and we are a bunch of very happy kitties. Tommy, however, is sulking, having established that there was nothing there for him...

Genji was the first to check things out:

Although Sei-Chan was also on the scene pretty quickly!

Sleepyhead Bibi asked for bed delivery!

But he did eventually get up to take a closer look!

There was lots of great stuff in there...

... including a play cube, and tunnel, and crinkly balls and lots of mousies and whappy toys. THANKS!

I was of course supervising the unwrapping from above:

So, Dear Friends, we eagerly await to find out who our "Secret Santa" is!

To "wrap up" our Sunday post, we would like to show you the illustration from the December page of one of our Japanese calendars:

The caption says "If we all get together, even a little strength becomes great"! We love that thought!

Sitting and Waiting SEIturday...

2011-12-17T18:52:00.007+01:00

Sei-Chan: First of all, thanks for all the lovely comments yesterday. It seems like the bad news just keeps on coming at the moment, so we must work extra-hard at sharing both love and strength.

I am very late in posting because #1 high-tailed it out of here quite early this morning and spent all days at horsey meetings (some people's idea of fun...). So, what was I to do?

I sat on the desk chair...

I sat in the big kennel...

And eventually, I just sat at the window...

She did eventually return but it was already DARK!

Farewell Friday - Admiral and Kai

2011-12-16T10:00:00.003+01:00

Tama-Chan: We heard yesterday that our beautiful, sweet friend Admiral Hestorb had suddenly sailed away to the Bridge. We are still in shock as she and her Mom put on such a brave face all the way to the end. We will miss you, Dear Friend. Your posts were always so full of love and your comments always so generous and kind. Until we meet again...

We hope you don't mind us borrowing a photo of you.

Today, we would also like to say farewell to another friend, a magnificent woofie called KAI. He belonged to Dr. C who looks after us all with such caring and kindness. #1 says she will never forget the first time she set eyes on him. She loved those eyes. Kai was a Sarloos Wolfhound, a breed created in the Netherlands in the 1930s by crossing German shepherds and wolves. He was utterly gentle despite his very imposing stature:

We can imagine how much his sister Saka (on the right in the photo below), and Dr.C and her family will miss him.

Thankful Thursday

2011-12-15T11:04:00.011+01:00

Bibi-Chan: It is getting colder here and there are warnings of a bad storm tonight and tomorrow morning, with very strong winds expected. We will have to make sure we stay snug indoors. There is a lot to do, and there are lots of great napping places. We are very thankful that #1 put our Christmas tree up yesterday. This involved some bad language, and her excuse is that wrangling a 7 foot tree is not a job to be tackled by a person on their own! But she got it done!

We have a couple of new ornaments this year. This one is for Vidock:

And this is an Aby ornament:

Our stockings are in place...

And Genji said he wanted an official portrait in front of the tree, since this is his first Christmas:

Needless to say, I wasn't going to leave you without a photo of me! Here I am, hoping that some of the ham in that sandwich might accidentally find its way to me...

It did and I was most thankful!

Last but not least, we would like to thank our friend ZEROICHI for giving us this Liebster (nice) Blog award!

We are supposed to pass it on to 5 other blogs, and would like to honour some of our more recent friends:

Truffle and Brulée at Sweet Purrfections

Bert and his cohorts at Four Legged Views

Oliver, Ruby and Rose at The Oliver and Ruby Chronicles

OuiOui & Family at Twinkletoe Tails

and one long-time favourite:

Titus, EG and Tazo over at The Furry Kids

Wordless Wednesday Wonders!

2011-12-14T11:10:00.008+01:00

Tama's Tempestuous Tuesday!

2011-12-13T09:42:00.007+01:00

Tama-Chan: Don't worry, Dear Friends! It's the weather that's being tempestuous today, not me! It blew hard all of last night and sounded pretty grim outside when we woke up this morning. #1 gave up any idea of going riding, but Tommy was ready for the great outdoors, as usual. He clearly suspected that she only had a short gameless walk in mind, and so he found and brought along an old tennis ball. She got the message...

Anyway, when the weather stinks, it's time to catch up with the ironing!

As well as supervise #1's desk chair...

.. and look just plain gorgeous!

Oh, and here's a "Toesday" special for you!

Manly Portrait Monday!

2011-12-12T10:40:00.010+01:00

Tom: We have had some sun over the last couple of days (and lots of rain too!) so #1 has been busy with her cameras (yes, she has a new, new one, in addition to the old new one and the old one, and the older one...). Consequently, we would like to present the most manly shots she has taken for your delight today!

Me first!

The Beebs!

Genji!

And the Big "V"!

Snuggles on Sunday Redux!

2011-12-11T10:00:00.017+01:00

Tama-Chan: It seems like an awfully long time since we had a SoS post, doesn't it? Well, today is just perfect as we finally had a decent frost last night, so it is cold and perfect for snuggling!

Here I am last night, in a little bed in #1's room. Now, as you know, I normally sleep "elsewhere", being Queen and all that, but lately, I have been enjoying hanging out with the family at night!

And here I am hanging out with #1 as she watches TV:

And having a little snuggle with Tommy!

As for my Beebs, here he is this morning, totally blissed out, under the covers with #1...

Genji is spending more and more time with Tommy:

Sometimes his concept of affectionate is rather.... "bitey".....

And here he is the other evening, napping next to the Beebs:

That's when he's not in #1's arms...

Sei-Chan has of course been snuggling with Tommy:

Who likes to share his sofa with #1

And here is #1 enjoying some muddy stallion snuggles with Vidock and his half-brother, Tom:

Last but not least, young Fernant has decided that he is best buddies with our neighbour Percheron filly!

Have a Very Snuggly Sunday!

Softly Does It SEIturday

2011-12-10T13:22:00.009+01:00

Sei-Chan: Come closer, Dear Friends, as I should not speak too loudly. I think it would be best if #1 did not hear me, you see. This is terrible, but you know that I feel a great sense of responsibility towards her, and circumstances make me think that, well...., we might really need to consider an "intervention."

I mean, look at the state of her desk!

There is NO ROOM for a pussycat to even walk on!

After I looked at her most severely, she did clear enough room for me to sit on the Boogie Mat:

... But the situation remains far from perfect!

I think I may need to take a nap to consider my options...

In other news, we are pleased to announce that #1 did take both our SECRET PAWS and PROJEKT WICHTLEN packages to the post office this morning! At least she hasn't lost it altogether!

Frootbats and Flowers on Friday

2011-12-09T11:12:00.008+01:00

Genji: The weather has been completely miserable so we have been mostly inside with NO sunpuddles at all. I am feeling ticked off...

The Beebs has been watching TV...

Tama-Chan has been squatting the MacBook Pro again...

And Sei-Chan is pretending the world doesn't exist...

Sigh......

Still, #1 and Tommy have of course been out and about, and they have been seeing some strange things. You see, it IS December here too, but the flowers of the fields don't seem to have gotten the message about winter.

Tommy's Thrilling Thursday!

2011-12-08T17:35:00.008+01:00

Tom: Sorry to be late in posting but #1 and I had a busy day and only just got back. We drove about an hour away to have brunch with her friend Ms. S. We have talked about Ms. S before. She trains working sheepdog and I told you about her border collie, Jim, early in the summer. Well, this time, after brunch, we got to go for a long walk in the woods and fields with the whole family, so please meet Bosco, Lad, Bingo, Jim and Beau, my buddies!

I had the BEST time ever! Thanks, guys! Can't wait for the next time!

Working and Way-Back Wednesday

2011-12-07T10:26:00.007+01:00

Sei-Chan: It's grey and rainy today but we have been out in the run nonetheless as there are a lot of strange noises to be checked out. You see, we are having the roof of our house demossed, and broken tiles replaced, so there are two men up there!

I am not much of an outdoorsy girl but Tama-Chan tells me that the OWCB, Sen-Chan, was an amazing roofwalker and would probably have been right up there with them! Can you believe that?

Sweet Sen-Chan, now we like to think of you walking on rainbows...

We would like to send very special thoughts today to two friends, Ginger Jasper who is very ill and at the vet's, and Lucy, who suffered a nasty trauma a few days ago and remains very scared. We are purring that the treatment will help Jasper get better and want to eat again, and that Lucy will recover her joie de vivre very soon.

Tama's Terrific Tuesday!

2011-12-06T10:00:00.008+01:00

Tama-Chan: Well, Dear Friends, I am pleased with myself! After all, I did produce the Beebster, and nursed him, and raised him etc, etc... and he has turned out rather splendidly, hasn't he? I did so appreciate all the lovely comments you left on his birthday, and thanks to your enthusiasm, we were able to make a $50 Beebster Birthday Bounty contribution to Chrystal's private rescue!

And that is not all, we used a randomiser to draw all the comment makers' names out of a virtual hat and are pleased to announce that the winners of our 2012 official Poupounette Desk Calendar plus a goody bag of cat treats and toys are our friends Grrreta, and family! We are awaiting their mailing info so we can send their package off!

After all that partying, we all took it easy today, and my son and I enjoyed a nap together:

All in all, a terrific Tuesday wouldn't you agree?

And by the way, I was a pretty cute kitten too once upon a time, and I have proof!

Manly Monday!

2011-12-05T14:51:00.010+01:00

Bibi-Chan: Do you see the smile on my face? That was me last night, after a day of partying!

Actually, #1 claims that I was looking a bit green under the gills last night, and she thinks it has something to do with the mysterious disappearance of an entire roast chicken breast. I of course know nothing whatsoever about any of that....

Maybe a pot of tea would be beneficial to both of us?

Seriously, though, thanks everyone for your good wishes! I am a very lucky boy! And, with your encouragement, we will be rounding up the figure and sending a donation of $50 to Chrystal's rescue. And please keep in mind that she has LOTS of fabulous kitties who are looking for homes!

Genji: I am only a little guy and it was quite a party, so I am OUT!

Tom: Yep... it was quite a party....

Vidock: Can you believe that I didn't get an invitation? Something about space in the house. Talk about lame excuses...

Have a great week, everyone!

SECOND BEEBSDAY CELEBRATIONS!

2011-12-04T10:00:00.019+01:00

OYEZ, OYEZ, OYEZ! On this, the 4th Day of December of the year two thousand and eleven, The Beebster is celebrating his Second Beebsday!!!!!

Do you wonder, Dear Friends, why we are making such a big deal of this birthday? There is a reason. You see, The Beebs is the first Poupounette boy to make it to his second birthday! We lost Sen-Chan at 18 months and Yuu-Chan at 15 months, so it fills our hearts with utter joy to say that The Beebs is TWO!!!!

Those of you who have known us for a while know that the Beebs is our very own home boy. He was born by Caesarian at the vet's, but came home when he was about 5 hours old and has been with us ever since, nurtured by his mama Tama, his aunt Sei-Chan and his woofie bro, Tommy.

Here is Mama Tama and her babies at one day old:

She was such a wonderful mother!

The Beebs at 3 weeks:

With Mama Tama at almost 4 weeks:

Now the Beebs was supposed to leave, just like his three siblings, and go to a forever home elsewhere, but he had decided otherwise. From about 4 weeks, he ran a concerted campaign to make it impossible for #1 to give him up, and he succeeded!

Bibi at one month:

Hanging with #1:

And so The Beebs stayed and became a full member of The Poupounette Gang.

And he grew and grew... Here he is at almost 7 months:

At 10 months:

Still looking like a kitten at a year old!

At 18 months:

At 20 months:

And NOW! All dressed-up for his party!

Just to remind you that The Beebs' full name is EBISU, one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan, representing luck and prosperity. Bibi has two brothers Eifuku (Fuku-Chan) and Echigo (Gogo-Chan) and one sister, Ehime (Hime-Chan). We have lost touch with them, sadly, but wish them a Happy Birthday too.

The Beebs has some huge fans among those who know him personally, probably because he has such a sunny personality. He loves people and is always there to meet and greet. One friend has described him as "The (young) Robert Redford of the Abyssinian world" for his utter charm. He is very vocal, always trying to entice treats out of #1, and sleeps at night under the covers, right by her. He adores Tommy and "nursed" on him for a long time after Tama-Chan would whap him if he came close! In short, he is our shining star!

In celebration of this birthday, we will be making a donation to our friend Chrystal's private rescue, and the more comments there are, the bigger the donation will be! We will also draw the names of those who leave comments for a little prize consisting of the official 2011 Poupounette Desk Calendar plus some toys and treats. We will gladly ship worldwide!

Soggy SEIturday

2011-12-03T11:20:00.008+01:00

Sei-Chan: It's raining and blowing out there and #1 was clearly most reluctant to venture out this morning. But Tommy doesn't care and off they went. I think she is very brave. Us kitties are planning to spend our day snoozing in warm and cozy locations. We are also very concerned about our sweet friend Ginger Jasper and purring and purring that he will turn the corner soon.

Of course, I have to spend time on my supervisory perch overlooking #1's work area:

And when I feel that she is doing particularly well, I can wink at her...

It's a good thing we had some sunshine earlier in the week. I was able to hang out with my sister Tama and catch some rays:

But now, I think I am going to resume my position on Tommy's new bed which I do find quite comfortable:

See you tomorrow for Bibi's Birthday Bash!

Flying Ears and Friends on Friday

2011-12-02T14:16:00.009+01:00

Tom: We have had mornings that are very heavy with dew and I get pretty wet as I gallop through the fields in the morning. I was pretty pleased with this flying ears shot #1 managed to catch a few days ago!

Remember Crazy Fernant? Well he's still around and crazier than ever! Whenever he sees me, he starts running circles around me, yelping like a lunatic! If I stand very still, he will eventually calm down.

#1 is really looking forward to getting on Vidock's back next spring or summer and she has undertaken a "back in the saddle" course in reparation. The place she goes to has lots of Percherons of course, but also three dogs and a bunch of kitties. We thought we would share a few with you.

Young Faro thought that all of us smelled great and would have gladly come back for a visit (that's #1's backpack)!

Tania, the rescue Rotti, and Big Boss, the mutt:

Nougat the Lab/Sibe mix, and two of the kitties (yes, there is a black one on the back of the chair!)

May I remind you that you are all invited to join us on Sunday to celebrate The Beebster's second birthday?! We will be making a donation to our friend Chrystal's private rescue in his honour and will draw a name from comments for a little prize!

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-12-01T10:53:00.008+01:00

Genji: Hi. It's me and guess what? I am 8 months old today! Two-thirds of the way towards becoming an official mancat!

Here is a picture of me with one of my favourite toys:

And one of me napping. Do you like my collar? It has blue and white hearts on it!

I am lucky in that I have such a great family who all love me and play with me and look after me. Of course, the bestest of the bestest (aside from #1) is my woofie brother, Tommy! He gives me all kinds of great advice!

So why did I use "thoughtful" in my title today? Well, #1 has been explaining to me how each and every one of us is like a bight ray of sunlight in the lives of our people, so that when anything bad happens to us, they are terribly sad. I was not here at the time, but do you remember Mr. S and Ms. L who were here exactly a year ago, when #1 went to Japan? They were so kind and looked after everyone so well! Well, one of their kitties, Calvin, had to go to the Bridge this week after a nasty "Big C" diagnosis and we feel so bad for them. Big purrs from all of us to our dear friends, and to Calvin's brother, Hobbes.

Here is a picture of Calvin to remember him by:

Fly free, Sweet Calvin!

WonderBoy Wednesday!

2011-11-30T11:14:00.009+01:00

Vidock: Neigh everyone, Vidock here! Sorry about shirking my responsibilities on Manly Monday. I had a terrible attack of the "Hungrumblies" and simply had to stick my nose in the hay bale! Anyway, #1 came to see me again yesterday, and I told her I wanted to make it up to you and was on top form for a photo shoot!

I'm ready. #1!

OK, here is a full view of my "WonderBoy" self...

Actually, I'm getting my thick winter coat so I am pretty Teddy-Bearish at the moment, you know!

OK, a little movement? How about a canter?

And a little "horsing around" with my big brother Tom?

Followed by syncrhronised ogling of the girls as they went past out to their pasture?

So, am I forgiven?

Tama's Terrific Tuesday!

2011-11-29T14:02:00.007+01:00

Tama-Chan: Why Terrific, do you ask? Well, #1 is finally on the mend and has promised us that she has no travel plans for the moment! We are all happy to be together and looking forward to December and all the associated festivities, starting with my son Bibi's birthday this coming Sunday!

So, here I am in #1's bathroom. ..

There is a most excellent window in this bathroom from which I can have a great view of the field where the donkeys are. #1 raises the blinds just for me, her precious little Queen!

As it gets colder, I also enjoy relaxing on the radiator in the kitchen. It is by a window and next to the French doors (hah! isn't every door French around here?) out to the terrace, so also has great views. Unlike many of my friends, I actually like having my picture taken and enjoy posing for #1!

As it is Toesday, I will even throw in a toe or two...

Before I leave you, I have one more fun photo to share with you: It's an aerial shot showing me in one of the sky hammocks and my sister Sei-Chan on her Zabuton in the tatami space!

Here's hoping your Tuesday is terrific too!

Manly Monday

2011-11-28T13:29:00.009+01:00

Vidock: #1 came to visit yesterday and asked if I would kick off the Manly Monday feature but, you see, I am very busy...

So, I asked my little brother Tom if he would take over from me, and he said yes!

Tom: Here is a soulful Tommy picture that #1 took the other day. What do you think?

And more of a profile shot?

I have to tell, you.. soulful is not easy with that little Genji around...

Just look at this guy! He has no shame!

As for The Beebs, his sphere of interest this morning was how quickly the milk was going to hit #1's cereals!

Wishing you an excellent week!

Snuggles on Sunday - Sort of....

2011-11-27T10:00:00.003+01:00

Tama-Chan: We are still not up to speed on the photo-taking, so this post is going to be a mixed bag of what #1 did manage to grab this past week...

I, being a clever girl, started my snuggling with Tommy early in the week:

I also squatted for a while on #1's leg whilst she was sitting at her desk!

There was no further snuggling between the boys this week, but they did hang out together quite companionably...

Genji rather likes the "in your face" approach when snuggling with #1...

And YES, he has been snuggling with Tommy!

We will have to attribute the lack of a picture of Sei-Chan snuggling with Tommy to how poorly #1 was feeling. Snuggle she did. Believe me!

Sentimental SEIturday

2011-11-26T10:00:00.003+01:00

Sei-Chan: Well, we finally packed #1 off to the doctor yesterday evening, and it turned out to be pretty much what she thought: a bad sinus infection. So, she is on heavy-duty antibiotics and cortisone and should feel better soon. She would like to say a big thanks for all your good wishes!

Needless to say, no photos have been taken, so I decided to take you on a bit of a sentimental journey through the first few months of my life instead.

Do any of you remember when they still thought I was a boy and I was ready to take over the world?

(I was 3 weeks old at the time...)

With my Mummy, Viña del Mar, and a toy at 5 weeks:

With my Mummy again at 6 and a half weeks:

(yes, I was an only kitten!)

Watch out, world! Sei-Chan is coming!

(at 2 months)

Hanging with #1 at 10 weeks:

With my sweet sister, Tama-Chan, at 3 months:

And my woofie Tommy at 4 months:

I hope you enjoyed coming on this sentimental journey with me!

Friends and Family on Friday

2011-11-25T09:58:00.009+01:00

Bibi-Chan: #1 has been feeling off-colour all week and so hasn't been taking a lot of photos. We of course forgive her because (a) she has been inside with us most of the week and (b) we want her to get better.

She does, however, still have to go outside with a certain woofie and, on one of those walks, she took this nice photo of our lovely Percheron filly neighbour:

She is apparently a very sweet girl and comes over for treats as soon as she sees #1 and Tommy!

And yesterday evening, they came across this meeting of our neighbourhood Feline Hunters' Committee, made up of Basha and Manoushka. Sorry it's not a better shot.

We are of course making sure she is well looked after, especially when she is in bed. So this morning, she woke up to a Sei-Beebs sandwich! With a little added Genji in her face...

Mama Tama thinks we're all very silly...

Tommy's Thankful Thursday

2011-11-24T10:29:00.006+01:00

Tom: First of all, we would like to wish all of our friends in the States a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Don't eat too much turkey, will you?

Over here in France, it is just an ordinary day but of course, in our Blogospehere, it is THANKFUL THURSDAY every week, not just once a year. We are thankful today for our life, our friends, for being together and for all the small joys every day brings.

Wordless Whiskers on Wednesday

2011-11-23T11:07:00.003+01:00

Tama-Chan Tuesday

2011-11-22T11:33:00.005+01:00

Tama-Chan: As the reigning Mama-Tama of this house, it behooves me to keep an eye on young Genji to ensure that he is keeping himself clean, especially the area that was "interfered with" last week. He is doing a pretty good job:

We're enjoying another beautifully sunny and warm day. Our activity level is low-key, though. #1 brought some bug back with her from England, and has been coughing. Our advice to her is to find a sun puddle and take a nap.

Manly Monday

2011-11-21T14:55:00.014+01:00

Tom: I think I mentioned the other day that Dr. C gave #1 the go ahead to throw the Frisbee for me again whilst keeping an eagle eye on any possible limping as a result. I am happy to report that so far, so good! It seems I have forgotten none of my skills!

Here it comes!

Got it!

Back to #1!

All paws crossed that I won't have any more ligament problems.

Bibi-Chan: I fear that #1 has been rather slacking on the Beebography lately. So, I've had to go back a few weeks to find this:

And this:

And then this from when the pipsqueak muscled in on my bed. As you can see, I am firmly holding on to my tail!

Genji: #1 says that my "procedure" hasn't slowed me down one bit!

I still consider it very manly to nap tucked up against #1!

And of course I went and plonked myself down next The Beebs too!

Vidock: Just one shot from me today, showing you my muscular, and highly muddy, self trotting along in the autumn sunshine:

Snuggles on Sunday!

2011-11-20T10:16:00.012+01:00

Tama-Chan: Since he had a tough week, I told #1 that I was OK with Genji having the first photo(s) in our SoS post. And then we had friends visit yesterday afternoon who just happened to take a rather nice photo of him with #1!

And here's the funny thing: #1 was telling these friends that it was a shame the boys hadn't started snuggling together yet. But then, later that evening.....

He still of course loves to hang out with #1 best!

Sei-Chan has of course been snuggling with Tommy:

And she's been hanging out with #1 on her bed:

My Bibi has been spending time with Tommy too:

And, last but not least, I have of course been snuggling with Tommy as well!

Oh, and I mustn't forget our brother "The Big V" who is back to sharing a field with his bro, Big Tom:

Those two will be sharing winter quarters.

Wishing you all a very snuggly Sunday!

Sweet SEIturday!

2011-11-19T13:08:00.008+01:00

Sei-Chan: It is sweet indeed this SEIturday, friends! #1 is back with us and little Genji is well over his ordeal of yesterday. We are together and it is sunny. We are planning on having a great weekend!

I have been busy since #1's return. First, I had to investigate (read TRY) the new bed (yet another one!) that she brought back for Tommy:

I had to guard #1 in her bed (and her slippers too!):

And then guard her bed after she got up, whilst basking in the sun!

As I mentioned above, little Genji is back to his usual hungry and boisterous self. In fact, here is a photo of him last night, spider-hunting with The Beebs:

Wishing you all a great weekend!

PS: Our friend BOLO over at PEI IN THE LIFE is running his annual Nosevember contest, so if you haven't had a chance yet, drop by and play!

Friends, Family & Flying Ears Friday

2011-11-18T13:48:00.009+01:00

Tom: We took Genji in to Dr. C's at 9am this morning and I got my annual check-up and shots. I'm in great shape and even got the OK to try a little Frisbee again! We will be picking Genji up this afternoon and will add an update to the post then.

After Dr. C's, #1 and I went to visit a friend who lives nearby and who recently bought a puppy. He is a pure-bred Rotti an is now 4 months old. His name is Glasgow and he is very sweet. He was also quite well-behaved and I enjoyed playing with him!

As for family and flying ears, well, many of you already know that my niece Emily has the best flying ears ever! #1 got some good photos of her when she got back from England:

GENJI UPDATE! Our little Gen-Chan is back home from Dr. C's and has had a small meal. He is a little quiet but the other Chans and Tommy are being very nice to him.

Tama's Thankful Thursday

2011-11-17T10:28:00.008+01:00

Tama-Chan: #1 said I could do today's post as Tuesday didn't work out. We have a lot to be thankful for today: The wonderful care that Ms. A lavished on us whilst #1 was away, the opportunity to spend time with Minnie and Emily, and of course #1's return! She came back with a car full of stuff for us. Some of you have asked to see the stash. We've had photos of the "return stash" before and it is a bit repetitive. Lots and lots of cans of cat food and pouches of dog food are not that exciting. As for our Christmas gifts, well we're not allowed to see them yet. But what we can show you is some of the treats!

Some of you already know that Dreamies is what they call Temptations in Europe. Who knows why?

And in case you were wondering, she did bring back treats for Vidock too!

I am back at my post on #1's desk:

The boys kept her company as she watched TV last night:

Tommy really enjoyed his time with his Mama, Minnie, and little Emily who hero-worships him, but he is very thankful to have his #1 back!

Little Genji is unlikely to be thankful when he realises he is getting no more food after 7pm tonight, as he is going off to be "snipped" tomorrow morning. #1 is planning to feed him a giant meal at 6:55pm and he will then be confined to the back room. She says she might spend the night with him so he doesn't get lonely.

Wonderful Wednesday!

2011-11-16T11:29:00.006+01:00

She's back! She's back! SHE'S BACK! And she says it was a real treat to return to four cats and THREE dogs!!! Minnie, Emily and Ms. A are going home today and we will be very busy snuggling and purring! As promised, the car was full of goodies for us. She says it's going to be quite a job to find space to store everything!

#1 needs to catch up with her photo-taking, so we have just two shots for today, with The Beebs and Genji as the "Chan" representatives:

(bottom of picture are The Beebs and Minnie), Tommy is on the right and Emily on the left)

(Tommy, Emily and Genji)

Time on Tuesday

2011-11-15T10:00:00.001+01:00

Tommy: Today is Tuesday and is the day our #1 returns! So, we will all be spending time this afternoon by the door craning our necks to see if we can spot her coming!

Hurry home, #1!

Manly Monday

2011-11-14T10:00:00.001+01:00

Bibi-Chan: The Beebs here, eagerly awaiting #1's return tomorrow evening. In the meantime, I am guarding her shoes:

and looking after that little brother of mine...

Genji submitted this photo:

As for Tommy and Vidock, they sent in the following:

Tommy's been having such a great time showing off for his "girls". As for Vidock, he would like to know if you like his smile...

Snuggles on Sunday - Mother & Son!

2011-11-13T09:49:00.009+01:00

Tama-Chan: As #1 is away, we have a slightly curtailed edition of our Snuggles post, but we do have rather a fine photo to start it off for you. It's not quite a snuggle shot, but here is Tommy relaxing with his Mama, Minnie!

Don't they look happy together? And here are Minnie (L) and Emily (R), relaxing in the garden:

Before she left, #1 managed to get in some snuggles with "The Big V":

And Sei-Chan, The Beebs and Genji also enjoyed some shared nap time with #1:

As for me, what can I tell you, Dear Friends? I was otherwise engaged...

Wishing you a Snuggly Sunday.

SEIturday Sans #1...

2011-11-12T09:34:00.005+01:00

Sei-Chan: #1 is safely across the Channel and busily starting our shopping programme today. We are bearing up and I am even letting Ms. A give me cuddles! Tommy is having a great time with Minnie and Emily, and we hope to have photos for you soon. In the meantime, I do have a few SEIturday photos for you!

Here I am supervising #1 at work:

And supervising her preparing Ms. A's room:

And sharing a nap location with that little silver scamp, Genji:

Wishing you all a lovely SEIturday!

Friday!

2011-11-11T10:00:00.003+01:00

Genji: This is it! Friday! And #1 has set out on her long (car) journey to England. Ms. A arrived safely last night with Minnie and Emily who both settled in as though they have always lived with us!

Here are some Friday Frootbats, with love from me to you:

Do you remember our new friend? The Percheron filly in the field next to the big field? She asked to be included in our Friday post as she is developing a very unique "unicorn" look of her own:

And here is my big brother The Beebs, assisting #1 with work. You know the expression " I could do it in my sleep?"

And here is a low-to-the-ground flying ears Tommy:

And that's all we have for you today. Wishing you all a FUN Friday!

This and That on Thursday

2011-11-10T10:26:00.009+01:00

Bibi-Chan: Genji and I would like to lodge a complaint concerning the amount of air time we have not been getting of late. One would think we didn't even exist... sniff... So, let me start with portraits of the two of us, in case you've forgotten what we like:

Believe it or not, #1 is leaving us again. She is off to England tomorrow and will be back next Tuesday evening. You know how we feel about her leaving us, but we have unanimously agreed to grant her a special dispensation this time because (a) she is going to visit her nephew, (b) the wonderful Ms. A is coming once again to look after us and (c) she promised to do Christmas shopping for us. As for Tommy, he is doing somersaults because his Mama, Minnie, is coming to look after him, accompanied by the sweet Emily.

And Ms. A wil of course be given full instructions, especially for our late evening treat time. The girls would hate to miss their synchronised snacking!

We boys prefer competitive snacking!

or did I mean competitive smacking...?

We would like to apologise for our very intermittent commenting of late. We hope to do better, and we hope to continue posting whilst #1 is away, but no guarantees.

#1 would like to leave you with this sunset photo that she took yesterday from our the ramparts of our local medieval fortress:

Wordy Wednesday: Apples, Cider & Calvados

2011-11-09T12:53:00.009+01:00

#1 here. As you know, I have been spending the last several days accompanying a group of American apple/cider producers from the Hudson Valley (NY State) around the Perche. It has been a really interesting experience as I have visited orchards, cider works and the caves where the best (25-year old) Calvados is aged. I thought that today, I would share a few of those photos with you.

A 15th century manor house behind apple orchards:

Apples on the ground, ready to be gathered:

Mountains of apples await washing and processing at the industrial cider works:

The contrast between the stainless steel cider vats that hold up to 50,000l litres each...

and the old oak barrels in the aging cellar for Calvados:

The Calvados is aged in these barrels for 25 years before being bottled and marketed.

And this is Fernand, who has been the master "ager" here for many years. He was on the front cover of Food Arts magazine in the October 2007 issue!

Tama's Thoughtful Tuesday

2011-11-08T12:42:00.005+01:00

Tama-Chan: After being out all day again yesterday, #1 returned with a bad paw and we all had to nurse her. We did a great job (particular kudos to little Genji who showed absolute devotion) and she is a lot better today. In fact, she left to visit cider works this morning but has mercifully returned in time for lunch and a nap. We are not letting her out of the house again today so it's a good job she thought to stop and pick up ham for us on her way back!

So here is a little inspiration for her:

And we would also like to send special PURRS to our friend Cory who had to stay overnight at the vet's, and her sister Bennette who is limping. Please get better soon, both of you!

Tommy's MANic Monday!

2011-11-07T10:00:00.003+01:00

Tom: Hi everyone. Well, as I write this, Monday hasn't really happened yet but if Sunday is anything to go by, it's going to be one heck of a busy time!

#1 decked me out in all my finery on Sunday morning, and off we went!

You see, we were spending the day escorting and interpreting for a group of apple growers and (hard) cider makers from the Hudson Valley. You can read all about the project here.

So, the first part of today's programme consisted of our American guests planting cider apple trees in a new orchard, and I supervised!

That lady is so great! Her name is Elizabeth Ryan and she is a well-known cider producer in the Hudson Valley. You can read all about her here. Our soil here is very clay-y and she just took her shoes off and dug right in!

After the planting, I had to devote some time to getting cuddles as I was highly popular with the visitors! Here I am with one of the guys:

But the most fun part was when our visitors were all inducted into the ancient Brotherhood of Cider Tasters (it goes back to the early 17th century!). The masters of the brotherhood were all wearing fancy dress!

Today, we are starting out with a walking tour of a beautiful old nearby town. Then we are visiting apple orchards, having lunch at a 15th century manor house, and visiting cider works. It's going to be a busy day!

Stallion Snuggles on Sunday!

2011-11-06T09:00:00.008+01:00

Tama-Chan: Well, that title stopped you in your tracks, didn't it?! The fact is that #1 didn't get a chance to take many snuggle photos this week, but a friend of hers did take one of her snuggling with Vidock that she just adores. So, without further ado...

Boy that Vidock is a real snuggle bunny, isn't he? He was rather pleased with himself, and went to tell Tommy all about it!

As for the rest of us, I did some snoozing with #1:

And I did find time to snuggle with Tommy this week!

And notice who rolled up to observe!

And here he is again, snoozing pretty close to the Beebs!

Although guess who's still a big time Mummy's boy?!

And just in case you were wondering, yes, Sei-Chan has been snuggling with Tommy!

SEITURDAY!

2011-11-05T14:50:00.008+01:00

Sei-Chan: It's pretty much soggy Saturday here at the moment, that fine rain that gets into everything. So, no time in the run today, but #1 did snag a rather fetching portrait of me there earlier this week:

It was nice to hang out with my sister, Tama-Chan, whilst the sun was shining:

Ah well, we will have to concentrate on indoor pursuits for a while. It's always fun to help with the bed-making:

I have to say that it's getting a bit crowded around #1's desk lately. I am on the right, snuggled over the ADSL box, which is my new favourite place.

I have been hearing #1 mumbling something about a diet soon and looking at me. I believe there is even imprisonment being contemplated. Can you even imagine such cruelty? She says it will be for my own good but she must discuss it with Dr. C first. I am horrified...

Blogblast for Peace

2011-11-04T10:16:00.010+01:00

The Gang: Today is an important day when bloggers around the world join in hoping for peace. This is a dream that so many have shared for so long and yet, the world remains torn apart by conflict and war. But each of us can do our part in making our own lives full of purrs, gentle woofs and neighs.

We are convinced that peace is brought about by joy and beauty, so what better image for today than that of Tommy leaping joyfully through the fields, with his ears flying?

Or a few sets of Frootbats?

Been there, done that... How about a pair of FlatBats for a change?!

(Tama-Chan)

Tails and Toes on Thursday

2011-11-03T10:42:00.009+01:00

Bibi-Chan: More grey, wind and rain today. Sigh.... I guess we are going to have to think seriously about indoor pursuits. One location that both Genji and I really like is the bathtub! It is at its most appealing just after #1 has taken a shower and it is wet. Genji actually likes to wade! Anyway, here we are on location, displaying our extra-long trails!

Since the subject today is tails and toes, here is Genji again, displaying his fine attributes in both categories:

Warning! Mauve toe close-up!

As you know, I personally am possessed of a very fine set of coffee bean toes!

My Mama Tama has the same colour toes as I do, but Sei-Chan's pink toes are the stuff of legend...

As for our brother Tommy, he has the kind of sturdy toes you would expect to see on someone who spends all the time he can running through the fields!

Fall Colours with Vidock

2011-11-02T12:07:00.009+01:00

Vidock: Neigh everyone! Vidock here. This is the time of year when we start thinking about winter quarters, but it has been so mild that we will be staying outdoor in our field for a bit longer.

Here I am with a nice fall colours background:

An interesting perspective (please admire the caked mud...)!

A close-up of the red leaves:

Bookend grazing with my buddy Quick:

More red:

And #1 wanted to contribute this photo she took:

Tama-Chan Tuesday

2011-11-01T10:50:00.009+01:00

Tama-Chan: Today is dull, grey and rainy but it is also a holiday in France so we are all enjoying being lazy for a change... Yesterday, however, was absolutely gorgeous and we spent a lot of time out in the run. There is still some sweet grass out there!

"Stay away from my grass!"

One has to protect one's stash, you know.

It was absolutely wonderful to soak up the rays!

I felt so relaxed that when I came in for my nap, I agreed to share an armchair with The Beebs:

Manly Monday - Genji at 7 Months!

2011-10-31T10:00:00.016+01:00

Genji: Hurray! I get to go first because I am 7 MONTHS OLD today! Here, for a start is my official 7 Months Portrait:

#1 says she is very proud of me and that I am growing beautifully!

I am a pretty laid-back kind of guy...

And I love playing with my woofie brother, Tommy!

It is very manly to play with your woofie bro!!!

Tom: Sigh... Yes, little Genji is well and truly over his initial fear of me...

#1 keeps telling me that I am a saint!

Well, at least I get to run in the fields each and every day! The other day, I got in touch with my inner Greyhound:

And I think I achieved a very manly look when I managed to dye my feet red!

Vidock: I'm coming #1! Coming for cuddles!

Yes! It is very manly to roll in mud so you are totally caked in it!

You want a close-up? Sure. Why not?

Bibi-Chan: Rolling in mud?! That Vidock has some very strange ideas... I personally like to be a model of good grooming:

So that my furs always gleam:

Oh, and since it is Halloween tonight, how about a slightly scary picture of me?

Can you see the Ghost Cat in the background...?!

Snuggles on Sunday - The Extra Hour!

2011-10-30T09:29:00.011+01:00

Tama-Chan: Our clocks went to winter time last night so we got a whole extra hour in bed, making it our favourite weekend of the year. Still, #1 is going around muttering about not forgetting to feed Tommy earlier so she can take him out for his run just after 5pm as it will be dark by 6pm.

In other news, Genji went around all yesterday evening meowing (well, more chirping in his case...) with joy now that Lady Catherine Bastet has told him that he is "the sweetest, most beautiful kitten in the cyberworld." In celebration, he had a mega-snuggle with #1 last night!

Following advice from our friends, we organised a nap pile yesterday afternoon with #1. She took a nap in the back room and we took turns attending to her.

First there was Sei-Chan:

Then came my Bibi:

Genji first attended to the wingside, having discovered the snuggly sleeper!

And then moved over to share #1's pillow!

As for me, Dear Friends, I was already fast asleep elsewhere and it was just too much effort to get up. I am planning to be there today! In the meantime, here is an archive shot for your pleasure!

Sei-Chan has of course been snuggling with Tommy:

And here is Tommy snuggling with his stuffie:

Stay-In SEIturday

2011-10-29T12:56:00.007+02:00

Sei-Chan: It's a rather dull day out there today, although it is warm. We have been reading about the big snowstorm heading towards the East Coast and hope our friends there will be safe. #1 says she has caught some kind of bug (a BUG??!) and, aside from necessary ROTE and Tommywalks, she is staying in this weekend. We agree.

I will keep her desk chair warm and welcoming:

and then keep her warm when she actually sits on it:

Or keep an eagle eye on her from the radiator by the window:

And encourage her to take naps:

It's going to be a busy weekend!

PS: We are all charmed by the comments being left lately by the Lady Catherine Bastet, except for little Genji who is going around looking totally crestfallen and repeating "I don't think she likes me." He's not a bad sort, you know, little Genji... Just young and sometimes overly enthusiastic. I hate to see him looking sad.

Frootbats and Flying Ears on Friday

2011-10-28T12:34:00.009+02:00

Bibi-Chan: We cannot believe that it is already Friday. We have had some very nice days this week but it's misty and a bit grey today. The autumn colours are particularly lovely this year, with more red than usual (we generally get mostly yellow and brown).

But I digress... Friday is Frootbat day! I will kick off today with one of my rather razor-like bats. The photo is of course dedicated to Lady Catherine Bastet!

And here are some rather fetching Mama-Tama-Bats:

Glowing Sei-Bats:

And oversized Gen-Bats!

Plus, of course, one pair of Flying Ears!

or rather a whole flying Tommy!

Thankful Thursday

2011-10-27T16:21:00.009+02:00

Tom: We are a little late in posting today as #1 went off to have a massage this morning (under my supervision) for which she is enormously thankful.

I am thankful that she has taken me with her to lunches and dinners this week. Behold the scene last night:

#1 really has excellent friends!

We are thankful that the nice chimney sweep guy came today. so we can make a roaring fire in the fireplace tonight! Bibi-Chan supervised that project:

The Chans are all thankful that bedtime for #1 is treat-time for all of them, and they all gather around in expectation every evening!

And I am very thankful that #1 always lets me take a toy along when we go visiting!

And we were most intrigued by the comments left by "Lady Catherine Bastet" yesterday! Needless to say, Bibi and I are utterly charmed...

One Day Late Wednesday

2011-10-26T10:00:00.002+02:00

Tama-Chan: It did not escape my attention that "somekitten" hijacked my Tuesday post yesterday. The nerve! Well, I can tell you one thing; it's not going to be "Whippersnapper Wednesday" anytime soon!

Now where was I? I have of course been resting, as is my responsibility as Queen of this household:

Finding sunny spots can be exhausting work this time of year...

Sigh...

And we are still getting some fine days, so there is cat run patrol duty. Here I am, trying out one of our new stumps!

Tuesday TAIL

2011-10-25T11:52:00.008+02:00

Genji:

DIBS!

Or is that a "Prelude to a Snuggle"?

Or maybe just a "handle" on things?

Anyway, I love that fire blankie...

Manly Monday Miscellany

2011-10-24T11:16:00.012+02:00

Tom: We have been enjoying some beautiful sunny days of late and I have been working extra-hard taking #1 on walks.

Remember the cows that were in our garden a few days ago (yes, they were cows, not sheep!)? Well, they escaped so many times that their owner had to take them away to a different field. And in their place yesterday was this gorgeous girl:

She is a Percheron and, as you can see, of a very different build from Vidock. She is a heavy draft type. And she is extra-snuggly!

In other news, little Genji is becoming quite a climber!

Whilst the Beebs is busy looking manly...

And Vidock is enjoying the last of the summer grass: