Mmmmmmmmm......ONDAY!

Tom: Joy reigns at Poupounette Central on this frosty Monday morning. #1 got back yesterday afternoon after an excellent trip to the UK and we were all so happy to be reunited. I am pleased to report that, as usual, her car was full of goodies for us. The girls started to investigate as soon as she started to unpack.

The final stash was quite impressive!

I got some great new toys including an Indestructiball and an Aerobie plus a new stuffie (just destroyed my last one...). The Chans didn't get lots of toys because they already have a humongous stash in their goody box.

I am back to my usual routine of running in the fields with #1.

And we are very happy to report that Bibi-Chan seems to be over his sniffles!

Wishing you all a good Monday and a great week!

SEIlebrating a SEIcond Birthday!!!!!

#1 here. Today is my little Golden Girl Sei-Chan's second birthday. We had lost Sen-Chan in early January 2009 and the breeder had promised me another red kitten to replace him, so when Viña del Mar had a solitary red kitten on January 28, it all seemed very auspicious. I was hoping for another boy and the breeder said it looked like a boy (!). Here is the kitten at one day old:

Viña and the baby first came to visit when Sei-Chan was just three weeks old. She fit very easily into the palm of my hand:

She came back to stay at four weeks, along with Mama Viña, an the two occupied the back room for the next two months as the kitten grew.

From early one, Sei-Chan was very sweet and attached to me:

Of course, when we went to the vet for the first round of shots, there was a surprise in store. The little boy was in fact a little girl! I had become increasingly suspicious of this and so had a girl's name ready too, thank goodness. She was named "Edo no Sei-Shonagon" after one of Japan's first woman writers, who lived a thousand years ago.

She grew into a gorgeous littel girl, with a very unique look to her:

She quickly bonded with Tama-Chan when she joined the family:

And Tommy worked his usual charm on her almost immediately!

So she felt perfectly safe squatting his bed anytime!

She very much enjoyed the inauguration of the cat run

When Yuu-Chan joined the family, the two quickly became inseparable...

And so, my Golden Girl turned one:

Sei-Chan is shyer than the others and quick to spook, but she has really gained in confidence and is much more present and playful:

When Bibi came along, she was a bit taken aback by his rambunctiousness at first but eventually got used to him

She is of course also known for her perfect pink pawpads!

And she is utterly devoted to me, always in whichever room I happen to be in. When I go to bed, she is always waiting for me, and sleeps right by my pillow or under the covers. She always looks after me, making sure I am well-groomed and taken care of!

HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY, Golden Girl Sei-Chan, from me and all your siblings. We love you!

PS: We have just realised that the header date on this post is wrong. Even though it was posted on Friday, January 28th, in Europe, it reads Thursday 27th. Maybe it wasn't yet Friday in CA? Anyway, Sei-Chan's birthday was indeed on the 28th!

Mama Tama Tuesday

Tama-Chan: Motherhood is an odd thing, isn't it? When my kits were three months old and three of them went off to other homes, Bibi stayed behind and I made it quite clear to him that he had to grow up and become a strong mancat, without hanging on to his mother's furs. I am glad to say that he has done rather well, with a lot of help from Tommy. However, he has been a little off-colour the last few days, and last night, my mothering instincts came rushing back!

He started by coming up to me as I lay napping in the living room:

He just put his front paws on the rim of the bed and closed his eyes...

Dear readers, what could I do? I opened my paws to him:

And gave him an enormous cuddle!

#1 said he looked so very happy. I hope I made him feel better. And I realised that I will always be my little Bibi's Mama Tama.

As #1 is leaving early tomorrow morning, we will be mostly absent for the rest of the week BUT... it is our little SEI-CHAN's SECOND BIRTHDAY on Friday and #1 has promised there will be a big SEIlebratory post for her!

Manly Monday - Hosted by The Bibi!

Bibi-Chan: I get to host Manly Monday this week because #1 is feeling a little sorry for me. I have the sniffles sand have been sneezing, so I have been getting lots and lots of cuddles. She has been trying to take my temperature for a while but has not yet succeeded (tee hee hee...). She did just order a pet ear thermometre online! She suspects that I do not have a fever. I am eating very well and there is no gunky stuff when I sneeze, just clear spray. I have been getting lots of Lysine, some of it mixed with Yoghurt which I love:

And a German anti-viral homeopathic medicine mixed in with another favourite, soft cheese!

#1 has been making sure I stay in warm and dry places and I helped her on that one:

And I have been hogging the bed!

Last but not least for me... now that our good camera is back, #1 took this close-up portrait of me. She says it really reminds her of my kitten face!

Tom: I don't have a lot of photos for you this week, but I really like this one which #1 took when we went for a great walk in the woods with some new friends (human and woofie) on Friday!

And here I am in my field, waiting for #1 to come through an opening in the hedge so she can throw me my Frisbee!

Now, I have some equine reporting to add to our Manly Monday post today. You know what they say about teenagers, right? So, here is a great show and tell. Firstly, we have a very manly photo of Vidock's dad, Orgueil:

He does look classy and very manly, right? It's expected, I suppose, as he is a bona fide stud, after all. Now, next we have his son, our little brother, Vidock:

As I said, teenagers.......!

One last photo for you today. Here is Titan, who finished his schooling and went back home on Saturday to be reunited with his brother, Blaze. Before he left, he enjoyed one last ride in front of the chateau:

Have a great Monday and a great week, everyone!

Snuggles on Sunday

Tama-Chan: Well, #1 has abandoned us for yet another family lunch, this time in Paris, but at least she prepared our Sunday post first!

We don't have a lot of photos today but I think it's an exceptionally fine selection. We noticed a couple of days ago that something seemed to be up with My Bibi and Sei-Chan.

And look at what Tommy and #1 found when they came back from errands today!

As for me, Dear Friends, I remain utterly faithful to MY Tommy!

Wishing you all a Snuggly Sunday!

SEIturday SoothSEIying

Sei-Chan: You know how I always end up being the one to break the bad news when it comes to #1's movements, and unfortunately I see something coming next week. Or rather I see her going next week... So, I investigated. I started by hiding behind the laptop:

Then I peeked around the corner...

And finally, I just took it over!

The upshot is that she is leaving Wednesday morning and returning on Sunday night. She confessed and says she has to go to England on car-related stuff. Sigh. I hate it when she leaves.

Anyway, so we had some nice weather this week in which to enjoy the run

Despite what she would have you think, Tama-Chan is not the only one who keeps an eye out for intruders (although some of us don't get completely hysterical at the first sight of a visitor...).

And #1 even managed to snag a couple of nice portraits of me this week!

Wishing you a very lovely SEIturday!