Snuggles on Sunday

Tama-Chan: Well, here is the problem... We do not have any photos of ME snuggling today. But wait! Is this a problem? We have been in the situation many times before (I am a very choosy snuggler) and there are plenty of other cute photos that can be used!

I look very snugglable in this, don't I?

And of course there is always my Beebs, my own flesh and blood, who has been snuggling aplenty! Here he is, glued to #1 as she was watching TV one evening:

And in this one, he is actually under the covers with her!

And hanging on to her on the bed!

Our Sei-Chan also likes to spend time on #1's bed:

Although we all know who her true love is!

We talked at length recently about how little Genji is, and he takes full advantage of his size. He also does not understand why #1 would find this in the least bit bothersome when she is trying to type...

We do have a kitty bonus snuggle for you today. Our neighbours are away this weekend (they took Fernant), so #1 is looking after "Tractor Basha" who likes snuggles as much as we do!

Now as to the two Vs, they really make the rest of us proud in their love for snuggles! Here is sweet Violette sharing a special moment with #1:

And Vidock of course is not to be outdone!

Have a very snuggly Sunday, everyone!

Soggy SEIturday

Sei-Chan: Well, Dear Friends, we had one day of sunshine. Lovely rays all day yesterday and Tommy tells us there were stars out last night, but today, we are back to pouring rain. Sigh...

So, what is there to do but repair to one's boudoir, sporting a rather grumpy face?

But I, of course, have responsibilities, and I can't just go away and sulk, can I? I have decided, now that colder weather is coming, to supervise #1's eating habits, especially breakfast which is the most important meal of the day.

I trust, #1, that you are only consuming the freshest milk and orange juice?

It is also important to supervise the landing. There is an excellent vantage point from where I can see any thundering kitties bearing down on me:

Of course, sometimes, they come from the other direction...

Wishing you all a great weekend. And our congratulations to DAISY for winning the PETTY award for Funniest Pet Blog!!!

Violette and Vidock Vendredi

Violette: Pretty Neighs, Everyone! The sun is finally shining today after nothing but rain for days on end. Despite the rain and very muddy ground, #1 did come and see us often this week. On one day, she came with a friend, so we had a bit of a photoshoot!

As you can see, I haven't been looking very clean of late, what with all that mud...

Vidock: I got a photoshoot too as the day #1 came with her friend was my Gotcha Day!

I though that cap she was wearing (it says Storeyvale Percherons) looked pretty yummy...

Here is a nice photo of me with my bro and best pal, Big Tom:

And here is a "Flying Vidock" shot for you. After all, it IS Friday!

Last but not least, we would all like to say a big Thank You to our lovely friends Hannah and Lucy for giving us this delicious "One Sweet Blog" award yesterday:

We are supposed to pass it on to five blogging friends, so it goes to The Amigos at Cat Tales, Gorogoro and Nikoniko, the delicious Chingmy over at Pei in The Life, the Gang over at Pikku Punapippuri, and Darcy and Bingley over at Purrfect Haven.

Thankless Thursday...

GENJIS-KHAN: Yes, that is my name and I am proud of it! And I am also very peeved at #1. You see, her idea of my having a good time is this:

Now, granted, I do love the new pipe cleaners she brought us from Canada, and I really enjoy playing with them. But there is more to me, MIGHTY HUNTER more! Behold:

Now I can hardly be blamed that this Blue Tit decided to fly into my cat run, which is entirely closed off to the outside world. Personally, I think it was more than a little silly to do such a thing, and YES, I caught it. The artistic nature of this photo is explained by the fact that I was busily flinging it up into the air when it fell into a crystal vase, which #1 immediately spirited away. And never again did I see my trophy, even though Beebs helped me look and look for it:

Talk about having your good times ruined.... What was there left for me to do, I ask you?

Tommy's Wednesday Miscellany

Tom: Wednesdays are often wordless in the blogging world, but we have a few things to say today, starting with big thanks from Vidock for all the wonderful Gotcha Day wishes. He did not get carrots but he got apples from our very own tree! And since #1 went to visit him and Violette with a friend, there was a bit of a photo shoot and we will be able to share those photos with you over the coming days.

As we appreciate how lucky we are, the poignancy of difficult times being faced by others is even greater. May we remind you, if you haven't had a chance to go over there yet, to visit our Pittie friends Kissa-Bull's Chip-in page. They lost everything, including 5 of their beloved dogs, in a terrible fire last December. They have been rebuilding, but life has thrown unforeseen hurdles their way and they are now facing repossession of their not-yet finished house. Nobody should have to face this kind of thing. Their chip-in button with full details here.

In brighter news, I have been hanging out with mad Fernant who celebrated his second birthday last weekend. He has been told that he is now a grown-up boy and should behave accordingly, but the message does't really seem to be sinking in... Here he is with his birthday gift from us. Notice how he insists on sitting right up against me? Sigh...

We also have a special picture for our friend Sammy over at Meezer Tails. He has been yearning for a tractor for a while now, and we wanted to show him our neighbour Basha sitting on his own vintage tractor:

It has been raining almost non-stop here since the weekend, so we are longing for a little sunshine. But #1 has managed to find one or two flowers to photograph, so we thought we would share them with you:

Some St. John's Wort:

And a late-blooming thistle:

And that's all I have for you today, apart from this photo:

Vidock's Second Gotcha Day!

Vidock: Studly Neighs, Everyone! Can you believe it? I have been a member of the Poupounette Gang for two whole years today! Neeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiigh!

When #1 first came to see me (and decided that she wanted me), this is what I looked like:

I wasn't quite a baby but I was only 16 months old!

The electricity passed immediately between her and me and I whispered to her that I would love to join the Gang!

Initially, I was only going to stay with Ms. S and Mr. E for a while, until I was schooled, but #1 quickly realised how well-cared I am for here, and also that stallions are welcome in only very few places. So, I stil live here where I was born, where my Mummy and my Daddy still live, as does my full sister, Altesse, and my half-brothers and sisters, Big Tom, Viking and Rumba.

As you know, I am a very sweet boy and I like my creature comforts:

And I started to grow! This was me in April 2011, just before I turned two:

In July 2011, I was shown for the first time and came first in my class!

I continued to grow and started going to school:

Just look at how handsome I was becoming!

But I had something of a setback the second time I was shown. The same judges who had loved me the first time around seemed to think my head had shrunk... I was not amused!

But #1 told me not to worry and to be happy in my field with my brother, Big Tom. My time would come, she kept telling me.

And she was right! On an unbelievably cold February day, I was approved by the French Percheron Stud Book Commission as a breeding stallion (see the difference in size with that first photo?)!

Lots to celebrate with Big Tom!

My schooling continued and Mr. E rode me in front of lots and lots of people at a big Percheron horse fair this August!

Soon, it will be #1 up there!

Friends, I am a happy, happy boy! I am so happy that I was Gotcha'd by the Poupounette Gang! Even though I have never actually left my birth home, Ms. S always says to anyone who visits: "Don't make a mistake. Vidock knows who his Mummy is, as does Violette. Even though she doesn't live here and doesn't always see them every day, they know it's her their hearts belong to."

Missing YUU Monday

#1 here. This is a time of year that is bittersweet for us at Poupounette Central. Three years ago in early October, our sweet Yuu-Chan came to live with us, and two years ago in late September, he left us for the Bridge. I cannot believe it has been two years already. His presence is as great now as it ever was, and I miss him more than I can say. The Poupounette is made up of some very special cats, but Yuu-Chan was special among the special, and the void he left will never be filled.

There are two words that describe Yuu-Chan thoroughly: sweet and soulful. He was the gentlest of souls, always ready to make friends and look after those who needed some extra care. And he had the most amazing eyes that looked straight into your soul. Those eyes were captured marvellously well in the portrait that Kathleen Coy did of him after his death:

Anyway, in order to once again celebrate his short life, here is a selection of photos of Yuu-Chan.

Baby Yuu-Yuu already had those soulful eyes:

He quickly made himself at home when he arrived at Poupounette Central:

He and Sei-Chan (who was only a few months older) quickly became best friends:

He loved to snuggle with me:

He watched over our short-term foster, Tora-Chan, before he was adopted by friends:

He grew into the handsomest of mancats:

He was kitten Bibi's mentor and best friend:

Always there to lend a helping paw"

He loved to wrap himself around my hand:

He loved to hang out in the garden with Tommy:

And to visit his friends, the donkeys:

The dreaded FeLV hit him like a sledgehammer, and he was gone, aged 15 months... This is one of the last photos I took of him:

Gone but never forgotten. Your sweetness will always stay with us, Yuu-Yuu.