Monday 30 November 2009

Manly Monday - Up Close and Personal

Tom: Normally, on Manly Monday, we like to show you photos of me running through the fields and leaping up to catch my Frisbee, or Yuu-Chan showing off his mancat-in-training muscles or play skills. But today, we decided to go for the "up close and personal" feel, the gentler side of being manly!

#1 took this photo last night and says I look eminently kissable in it:


and here I am, chilling on one of the blankies she brought back from Canada this summer:


I think that's such a manly-looking blanket. And the other she brought actually has dogs on it!

Let's move on to my little brother, Yuu-Chan, who is a real expert at looking appealing. Here he is, showing off his beautiful red fur:



and finally for today, take a look at this:


#1 says it's a great shame she didn't take video so you could have heard him purr!

Sunday 29 November 2009

Snuggles on Sunday

Tama-Chan: We decided I would do this Sunday's post as #1 said I should get in blogging time whilst I still have the energy. No idea what my energy will be needed for, but we shall see. I have decided to be very "Zen" about all of this. There are too many questions still unanswered...

It has been a good week of cuddles this week. I got to spend some quality time cuddling with Tommy:



The other strange thing is the urge I keep getting to wash little Yuu-Chan and give him cuddles...




He certainly seems to enjoy it!

In other news, no surprises in telling you that Sei-Chan has had her usual Tommy-time, over and over and over again!



Talk about digging in!!!

Happy Sunday, everyone. I will be back when I have some kind of paradigm shift to report.

Saturday 28 November 2009

LATE Seiturday!

Sei-Chan: I am very late in my Seiturday post and it's all #1's fault! She went off first thing this morning to the season's last Percheron foal fair, and got back after 6pm... Her punishment for this has been the foulest weather possible, the kind in which you would never dream of sticking out a toe, never mind spending the whole day outside! There! She would have been so much cozier at home with us...

So, what can I start you off with? Here is an interesting shot that #1 calls my "Baboushka" picture. The B word refers to Russian grandmothers wrapped in scarves. What does this have to do with my passion for burrowing under blankies? Hmmmmm?


...and just in case you're thinking of laughing at me, believe me I can do regal too!


Yes, you may worship me....

Because he loves me so much, Tommy lets me play with some of his toys!


But I must say that the best fun these days is to be had with that littlee brother of mine. It's great to have someone to just hang out with!


See you back here tomorrow for Snuggles on Sunday!

Friday 27 November 2009

Fun on Friday!

Yuu-Chan: Today, we have a meme and an award to share, and I will be your host! By the way, we did get to the vet yesterday. As promised, I sang to #1 all the way there and back (45 minutes each way) and have no idea why she called it "screaming blue murder." Doesn't she appreciate my voice? Once at the vet's, I purred non-stop and Dr. C fell in love with me! Tommy wiggled and jiggled his way through his appointment, in what is apparently his usual fashion!

So, the first meme is one that we think we have done before but it was a long time ago and I certainly wasn't around, maybe not even Sei-Chan, so we're doing again. It came to us from our friend Simba and is the "Honest Scrap" meme.

Since there are four of us and we are supposed to write about 10 things, this could be endless, so we’ll try to make it as short as possible by dividing up into categories.

Cuddles: Tommy loves to curl up next to #1 and Yuu-Chan loves to curl up ON #1. Tama-Chan only cuddles with Tommy and Uncle U, and Sei-Chan likes to be cuddled when she is asleep or half asleep.

Human Food: Tom is a real gentlemen and never bothers people when they are eating. We kitties sometimes gang up on #1 when she is having her meal, demanding our fair share (we get fed on the table, otherwise Tommy would eat our food). Yuu-Chan is the biggest pest at the moment, but he will probably grow out of it, as Sei-Chan did.

Our Food: Tom likes everything. Tama-Chan loves yoghurt, and soft cheese, raw chicken breast, and a little ham, and “Luvs” in addition to paté type cat food. Sei-Chan is more a fan of dry food but also loves ham. Yuu-Chan is a major carnivore and will throw himself on anything raw and gobble it up.

Play: Tom adores his Frisbee and tennis balls, and also sticks of wood that he either fetches or munches on. Tama-Chan is not much into playing at the moment. She loves to be out in the cat run, though. Sei-Chan and Yuu-Chan love to play with one another, lots of games of THoE and wrestling, but also anything dangly.

Sleeping arrangements: Tom sleeps on a dog bed right up against #1’s bed. Tama-Chan generally makes her own arrangements and does not reveal them to anyone. Sei-Chan often sleeps ON #1’s bed and Yuu-chan IN #1’s bed, but sometimes neither is to be seen all night.

The Cat flap into the run: Tama-Chan is basically refusing to learn how to use it. In line with her Princess status, she expects the flap to be opened for her. Sei-Chan and Yuu-Chan have figured things out.

THANKS, Simba!

We also feel very honoured to have received the new award created by Petey from our friends Virus, Hyssing and Bajas over at The Wrigglebutts

The idea is to honour five of our friends and ask them to pass it on to five of theirs, and so on and so forth... We would like to pass it on to the following

Our woofie friend Hero who, with his buddy Tagpi and his family, will be facing a big move from the Azores to the East Coast of the United States at the end of this year.

Our kitty friends Megat, Bujang, Akira, Totoro and Tanaka, collectively known as The Amigos, over at Cat Tales. They live in Singapore with their person, San. Megat has just gone into remission after a severe bout of lymphoma, and we think it's a good enough reason to celebrate!

Our wonderful lady cat friends Siena and Chilli whose every post fills us with delight!

The gang over at The Furry Kids (one woofie and two kitties) who always make us laugh with their antics.

All the gang over at Cory's blog (Lots of kitties and one big woofie!). We love all of your stories, not forgetting you, Grete!

We would like to say that we think ALL of our friends are a true blessing, and the above is just a small selection. We have a feeling that this award is going to be circulating quickly and that no one will be left out!

Happy Friday everyone! And Happy Shopping to our American friends!


Thursday 26 November 2009

Thanksgiving With Tama-Chan




Tama-Chan: We would like to wish all of our American friends a wonderful Thanksgiving. Even though it is not a holiday here in France, we are with you in spirit. #1 asked me to say how thankful she is for all of us, a comfortable roof over our heads, and many warm and wonderful friends. Tom is grateful for his Frisbee, his tennis ball, his kitties, and his #1. Sei-Chan is grateful for her new playmate, Yuu-Chan, and that #1 finally realised how much she loves ham. Yuu-Chan is grateful for his Forever Home, and the mountains of cuddles he gets.

As for me... I am also grateful for a lovely home and a great family, but I must tell you that I am feeling a tad uncomfortable at the moment. The "bloating" is not going away and I am even beginning to have trouble jumping up onto high places. #1 says all will be well and we hope that, by this time next week, I will be purring non-stop and have lots to be very grateful for. What could it be?

There has been a flurry of activity going on in the back room. A very special box has been prepared, apparently for me! In keeping with my status as a princess, it is baby blue and comes from a certain famous New York establishment...


It still doesn't explain the weight gain...


Or the sweet dreams I have been having...


Oh well... I guess I shall have to trust #1 on this, and she says it's just a few more days...


Tuesday 24 November 2009

Toes on Tuesday - The Pink Edition


Sei-Chan


Yuu-Chan


Tom's vet visit update: #1 has "developed" a work emergency that will last until Wednesday evening, so we're not going until Thursday afternoon! By the way, our vet, Dr.C, is quite lovely. She is kind and gentle, and I enjoy visiting her. It will be Yuu-Chan's first visit to her and we hope they will like one another too!

Monday 23 November 2009

Manly Monday?

Tom: We're not at all sure how manly we are feeling today, having been informed by #1 that we are both going to the vet this afternoon. It seems I need my annual boosters and Yuu-Chan needs one more shot. Why don't the girls get to go?!

Anyway, I suppose we will be brave and think of manly things... This morning was wet, grey and windy, so we did not take any photos. But here are some from the past few days:





Yuu-Chan: I am resting up this morning as I have promised #1 that I shall sing to her all the way to the vet's and back.

Here are a couple of rather blurry photos of me at play:



#1 says I'm developing a nice physique. I wish I knew what that meant, but I think I look good for five and a half months!


Hoping your Monday is sunnier than ours!

PS: The vet just called to say she had an emergency and could we come on Wednesday instead. We have a reprieve, or is it a prolongation of the torture...?

Sunday 22 November 2009

Snuggles on Sunday

Yuu-Chan: It's snuggle time again! Well, actually, for me it's snuggle time all the time... I'm happy to be your host again. I would like to start by saying how touched we were by all the nice comments we received to our "ordinary things" post yesterday! Also, we would like to say a special thank you to all of the people who leave nice comments but don't have blogs of their own, so we cannot visit them and thank them in person.

Ths first picture is not exactly a snuggle picture but it is a great family shot of me, Tommy and Tama-Chan (Sei-Chan was sleeping on the armchair opposite)


We think that Tama-Chan may be in practice mode for things to come as I have been getting quite a bit of attention from her this week:


When it comes to Sei-Chan on the other hand, it's never absolutely clear whether it's cuddling or wrestling, and we enjoy both equally!


Needless to say, she always finds some time in the week to cuddle with her Tommy:



Just as I always find time to cuddle with #1!


Wishing you all happy snuggles!

Saturday 21 November 2009

Welcome to SEITURDAY!

Sei-Chan: As Tommy was mentioning yesterday, this week has gone really fast! We have just been doing every day things, like hanging out in the cat run because the weather has been so mild and we have even had some sunshine.


Yuu-Chan and I also like to hang out on top of the radiator in #1's study, from where we have a great view on one of bird feeders:


By the way, I am on the left and Yuu-Chan is on the right. He has a more boyish build than my delicate girly self!

This morning, #1 decided that we should have some record of almost-boring every day stuff, so ... Ta Daaaaaa... here is a photo of me having my breakfast!


And finally for this Seiturday, I always put some time aside each day for a little meditation...


By the way, we would like to announce the happy conclusion of our camera repair saga. Sony did do the right thing in the end and repaired it under guarantee, and it came home yesterday!


Friday 20 November 2009

Friday Flights of Fancy

Tom: I can't believe it's Friday already! The week has gone by so fast! We've had some nice weather the past few days, and I have been enjoying my field. #1 is not too pleased by my frisbee chewing performance, but a boy has got to have something to munch on!

Here I am this morning:


This next one is more a "dripping ears" than a "flying ears" but #1 thinks I look cute...


The kitties have been enjoying extra time out in the cat run. Here is Sei-Chan doing one of her "wild girl" foothbatty looks:


Tama-Chan is looking increasingly "regal." We held our breath yesterday as she leapt up to the hammock hanging from the beam, but she is still her usual nimble self:


When he's not cuddling with #1, little Yuu-Chan has taken a liking to these blue fleece throws:


Wishing you all a good Friday!

Thursday 19 November 2009

Tama-Chan Thursday

Tama-Chan: Fellow bloggers, it is becoming increasingly clear to me that I WAS LIED TO! Or, at the very least, kept from the truth! Something is definitely going on. I mean, just look at me:


Is this the Tama-Chan you know? This giant roly-poly sausage? How did this happen? I swear I am innocent (well, mostly...)! I no longer slink, I waddle...


#1 keeps saying soothing words to me, and assures me that this is only temporary and that I will get my figure back. Should I believe her?

Anyway, in an attempt to make me feel better, she also took a relatively non-incriminating photo of me basking in my outdoor basket (it has been quite mild these last couple of days):


Do you think I still look pretty and princess-like?