The Princess, the Wise Cat and the Very Good Boy...

Starring...

Tama-Chan as The Princess

Sen-Chan as The Wise Cat

and Tom as The Very Good Boy

We are going t0 be TAKING A BREAK from blogging for a few days as our scribe, #1, is going off to England to her nephew's wedding. She can't take us with her, sniff...., but a very nice couple from Oz (really!), Phil and Lyndy, are here to spoil us silly. We hope to be back blogging the weekend of January 10th. In the meantime, we wish all our friends well and look forward to lots more blogging fun in 2009!

Sunny Sunday

Sen-Chan: The weather has turned colder but very sunny, with a bitter north wind blowing. For those of us who are lucky enough to be inside, in the warm, it is wonderful to bask in the sun's rays!

My eye is getting better, which is making #1 (and me!) happy. I am still sneezing and snurfling, but I have enough energy again to chase after that little minx of a sister! I have started taking the Engystol homeopathic medicine and we are hoping it will work and boost my immune system, helping me to keep future infections at bay.

Tama-Chan: #1 has been busy ironing and putting fresh sheets on the beds as there are more people arriving this evening, and again in January! Of course, I helped her by trying out the freshly made beds...

Tom: First of all, I wanted to show you on of the gifts I received for Christmas

It's an official Japan Frisbee Dog Association Frisbee. HURRAY!!!!!

Even though #1 claims it is a little chilly outside, I have been having so much fun romping in the fields!

You can probably see that my current Frisbee is beginning to look a little the worse for wear. I'm very glad that #1 keeps a supply for me!

Waistline Watch...

Tama-Chan: We all over-indulged durng the holidays and the woofies are still eating left-over turkey. Sen-Chan has to eat lots to fight off his eye infection, but I am very conscious of my waistline, and so have switched to salads. Yesterday, I discovered Arugula and I find it quite delicious!

A Fine Friday!

Tom: Today is fine both in terms of weather (sunny but with a cold north wind blowing - not great for Frisbee) and in terms of how we are feeling. We were all spoiled silly yesterday, and enjoyed having our friends over, so today we are sampling the spoils and resting!

I got this incredibly cool new chew toy from Uncle U and ViVi:

It is simply the best, with so many shapes and textures to it!

Tama-Chan: This was my first Christmas and I had the best time. I ran around so much that I was quite exhausted by evening, and did not even have the energy to play with my new toys!

Sen-Chan: I did my usual heavy-duty schmoozing, gracing everyone with my presence and purrs, even though I was not at my best, as I am suffering from an eye infection (it never stops with me, does it?). So, I am spending a little more time than usual snoozing, especially that #1 has put a rather gunky ointment in my eye.

PS: I got lots of prezzies too!!!

We Wish You...

A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

From Sen-Chan, Tom, Tama-Chan and #1!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

And everyone was being very, VERY good....

Tama-Chan Tuesday

BASKET CASE...

The Evening After the Morning Before...

Tom: We have been bad about blogging the last couple of days, not for lack of good intentions but simply due to lack of time. We had a great pot-luck lunch yesterday which started at 12:30 and ended at 7pm! Madrac and I were joined by our friend ViVi:

We just had the best time. But, by the end of the day, this was the scene at our house:

Tama-Chan: I LOVE parties, and decided to try out various kinds of food! I first tried this artichoke heart lasagna:

It was yummy! And then I thought I would take a look at the desserts:

Sen-Chan was busy schmoozing during all this time. He spent so much time cuddling with so many people that he too was exhausted by the evening:

We promise to get back to visiting all our friend tomorrow!

In-Between Saturday

Tom: We are calling today "In-Between Saturday" because we are between pot lucks! We had 14 people over last night and everyone had a great time. I got some great treats and the humans drank too much Champagne. We have another 14 coming tomorrow for lunch! More treats for me?! And this evening, one of my favourite guests, Auntie L, is arriving to spend Christmas with us!

In between all of this entertaining, #1 has found the time to take care of my exercise needs. Yesterday, Pie came over with Ms. A, plus two other doggies who were staying with them, Pam and Plume. We all went for a romp in the field and Madrac joined us too!

I ran and the girls grazed... Madrac's family has gone away for Christmas, so she is staying with us this week!

Tama-Chan: I have been taking good care of my brother, Sen-Chan, and he is almost all recovered from his attack of the blahs after his booster shots. When #1 came down this morning, she found us in full snoopervising mode.

 

There's so much exciting stuff going on at the moment: lots of visitors, furniture being moved around to make room for tables, a doggie I didn't know staying at the house. But when I need a little extra entertaining, I always go back to the tried and true...

Frantic Friday

Tama-Chan: I am writing today because my big brother, Sen-Chan, has been a little out of it since he went to the vet's yesterday for his booster shots. The lethargy apparently lasts 24-48 hours when it happens to cats, so we hope he'll snap out of it soon. When he came back from the vet's, he didn't even come out of his carrier!

#1 is frantic (as usual?) as she has a dozen or more people coming this evening. It's a pot-luck but, strangely enough, no one volunteered to come and clean the house! Anyway, she got this highly unusual shot of all three of us this morning:

We were all tagged yesterday by Bolo to show our silliest Christmas ornament, so here is ours:

Isn't it great? Especially that little white feather!

I had better stop here as my typist says she had better take Tommy out for a run, otherwise he might just explode...

"Paw it Forward" and Award!

Sen-Chan: We were very excited yesterday to receive a package from our friend Addie. It was full of toys and treats!!! It was part of the great "Paw it Forward" idea which we love and will carry on.

"The exchange focuses on doing an act of kindness without expecting anything in return other than that the recipient will, in their turn, pass the kindness along and 'pay it forward' in their own way.

This is how it works...
I am going to agree to send something fun, inspiring or uplifting to the first 3 blog owners who post a comment on this entry. In turn you will then post about this on your blog, link to me, then send something to the first three people who sign up to play along through your blog.

There are no cost restraints, BUT don't go crazy!The little something you send can be something you made, bought, were given or found. No biggie, just a gift that will make the person smile.Maybe something unique from where you live? And, remember that kindness does not have to involve money; there are untold ways to help others every single day, everywhere you go - just look around."

So, if you would like to be part of our "Paw it Forward" action, be one of the first three people to leave us a comment today! Don't worry if you are far away! If some reason, you would like to leave a comment but not receive a package, please say so clearly.

In other news, we were delighted to receive this beautiful award from our friends Goldie, Shade and Banshee over at Sumac Stories:

"This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

Thanks! We would like to pass this on to our friends ViVi and Baf at AbSharpeii, Matilda, Hero, Isis, Ramses & Tigmut'hep, and Victor

Visitor!

Tom: Despite being delayed due to what the French railway company oddly refers to as strike "action," Petey and Mica's mom did come to visit us as planned yesterday! I was the one she recognised immediately when she got off the train, even though #1 and Uncle U were also both there! As soon as I saw her, I decided she would be a friend for life!

She brought toys for all of us from Petey and Mica! Little Tama was beside herself playing with the new dangly squeaky mousey:

And the new Boogie mat was also a big hit, especially with Sen-Chan who had his appropriated by Tama-Chan!

We love having visitors! Anyone else want to come and see us?

Toesday!

 "Tender Toes"

Little Toes

Big Toes

Mancat Monday

Sen-Chan: I'm posting again, being the more responsible of the people in this house at this moment in time (no promises for later...). #1's arm-flapping continues unabated, but she did get to the post office this morning with lots of packages and cards. Anyway, here is a stress-free picture of me:

Christmas aside, the excitement is building up to fever pitch at this end because we are expecting a very exciting visitor for lunch tomorrow. Petey and Mica's mom is coming all the way from New York City! We are all beside ourselves, especially #1 who is the one who gets to clean the house and make everything look nice...

If you're wondering about the rest of the gang, Tama-Chan is tearing around playing THoE all day and most of the night, and Tommy keeps being told off by #1 for not leaving his wounded stop pad alone.

Saturday at Home

Sen-Chan: The weather absolutely stinks (and of course, it is outdoor Christmas market weekend in the town where we live!) and #1 is getting stressed out because she has not yet finished getting packages ready to mail overseas. She did some yesterday but there are several left to go plus lots of Christmas cards. She says this is what she feels like:

... arms akimbo and screaming in despair!!! She took that photo yesterday, when we had a very foggy morning.

Anyway, Tama-Chan and I are engaging in much more suitable pursuits:

Tommy actually went outside with #1 and ran around. Can you believe that?

"I told you!" and Meme

Tom: Remember when I said something a few days ago but Tama-Chan and the tree. Well, they DO say that dogs are very intuitive....

That little girl obviously thinks she's a star! The damage so far is 2 or 3 decorations (#1 had the great idea of putting the breakable ones near the top...). We have now sprayed the bottom with repellent but #1 would like to ask our friends in the blogosphere if anyone has any good ideas on ways to keep an extremely naughty kitten out of the Christmas tree?

In other news, our friends Abby and Stygia tagged us for the 6th photo meme, so #1 went looking, and this is what she found:

A wonderful image of a ride through the woods, pulled by two Percheron horses!

We would also like to thank Abby and Stygia for this award. We have received it before, so will not pass it on again, but its always an honour and a delight to receive such kindness!

Thoughts on Thursday

Sen-Chan: Only a few days left to go on my antibiotic treatment and I am feeling MUCH better. Which means I can devote more time to thinking, which is hard to do when you're all stuffed up.

I have been thinking about the changes that have come over my life recently. I mean, there I was, a footloose and fancy-free young man-cat, spending my days cuddling with #1, hanging out with Tommy, and occasionally making forays onto the roof or up trees. And then, all of a sudden, I have the care of a tiny little girl kitten. You will remember how, early on, she screamed and screamed every time I laid a paw on her, but those days are long gone. She now expects me to provide cuddles, playtime, and education!

I am taking my task very seriously:

Even when she is pretending really hard that I am her mother:

Believe me, THAT was quite a shock the first time around!

I try to get her to listen to me...

But she is a kitten after all.

Still, life is never dull, and I am never lonely anymore when #1 and Tommy go out, so I asked #1 to swing by the Tree of the Fairies in the Big Field, to say thank you on my behalf for my little sister, Tama-Chan.

You can see from the light that the fairies were in residence...

Busy!

Tom: Things are getting busier and busier around here. This morning, we got up earlier than usual and it was barely light when #1 and I walked up the lane to stretch our legs. She then left us home and was gone for a while. She says she took the car in for its repair work, and she came back with a cute little thing! It doesn't even have as many doors as our regular car!

Anyway, thanks, everyone, for your concern about my stop pad cut. #1 says I am a typical little boy, always getting cuts. The reason why this happens is that the fields around here are full of stones and some of them are quite sharp. Being the kind of dog I am, I need to run free (and fast!) at least an hour a day, so I get the occasional war wound. #1 keeps saying she is going to investigate booties. Can you see ME in booties? Anyway, here I am this morning, for anyone who was worried the cut might affect my Frisbee form:

Tama-Chan: I am the first girl cat that #1 has ever had, and she is simply overwhelmed at how helpful I am turning out to be around the house! Yesterday, she tackled the long-overdue (I think it was due since before I was born...) task of defrosting the fridge, and I was there with her all the way:

Sen-Chan: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....................