Tama-Chan Tuesday!

Tama-Chan: Now that all the excitement of Christmas and the New Year are past, I can introduce you to my new friend:

Yes! I have my very own Kiwi bird! It was donated by Rumbles to an auction and we won the bidding! The package from Rumbles arrived all the way from New Zealand just before Christmas but we put it aside until now so we could enjoy it properly!

I loved the little Kiwi from the very beginning!

And so have claimed him as my own!

Thanks, Rumbles!

My Beebs has been very busy watching for Rusty, our squirrel friend, but I prefer to nap…

#1 finally installed our new satellite decoder, so I enjoyed the box:

But I have also continued to practice my dangle!

Manly Monday

Da Beebs; Well, it's windy and rainy but it is not at all cold. In fact, the temp is supposed to go up to 12C (53F) today. Very unlike what so many of our North American friends are dealing with.

Here I am being hugely manly on the sofa:

And helping #1 with her breakfast:

Da Genj: I guess that second is a lot better than last, so I am calling it progress! Here I am, having a little conversation with our Kiwi bird which arrived from Rumbles and Co after we won it in an auction:

Other than that, I confess I am quite exhausted by all the recent festivities, and am ready to put my Santa hat away for another year:

Vidock:  Don't I look manly and romantic in the woods like this?

…and paying attention to my teacher during lessons?

Tom: We were going to include this photo in yesterday's SoS post but forgot. Don't you wish you had a manly springer to bring you cuddles and your slipper in the morning?

And accompany you on wonderful walks?

Oh, and we do have a special guest on today's Manly Monday post! This is our cousin PIXEL, with one of his five young masters!

Pixel lives in Germany, but he comes to France often with his family!

Have a great week, everyone!

Snuggles on Sunday

Tama-Chan: This is our first SoS post for 2014. We thought we might spend the entire day in a snugglefest but no, it was not to be. #1 has abandoned us for the day to attend a family lunch with a bunch of cousins in Versailles (no. I don't think it's actually at the chateau…). Tommy is spending the day with his friend Damia. So, it's just us kitties and we will be spending the day napping and thinking of lovely snuggles.

I did enjoy some nice snuggles with #1 this week:

Here is an all-boy snuggle with Tommy, My Beebs and Da Genj:

One of my Beebs snuggling in bed with #1:

And Genji velcroed to her as she watched TV:

Any guesses as to who Sei-Chan was snuggling with?

As the Vs mentioned in their post a couple of days ago, Ms. S and Mr. E came to visit them on Thursday, and Ms. S was able to take some nice photos. So, here is one of #1 with The Big V, Vidock:

And one of her giving Violette a kiss in mid-groom:

Wishing you many snuggles, wherever you are.

SEIturday!

Sei-Chan: Dear Friends, the weather has been so crazy that I was not able to be either stormy or sunny today, or anything else for that matter. Yesterday, we had every kind of weather possible, except for snow and ice, at least twice, if not three or four times. Still, we consider ourselves lucky when compared to friends being flooded in England and snowed under in the States and Canada. Just look at this amazing rainbow shot that #1 took yesterday! That pot of gold is right in Vidock's field!

I have been able to bask in some lovely sunpuddles:

Whilst always on alert for anything of concern that might be going on:

The claws of doom await anyone who does not belong here!

If I can stay awake long enough, that is…

Last but not least, isn't this a great shot of me and Tommy hanging out together?

Have a great SEIturday!

Violette and Vidock Vendredi

Violette: Pretty Neighs, Dear Friends! I hardly know where to start… It has been two weeks since we had a dedicated post, and so much has happened since then. The most important thing, of course, is that I have moved again and am now in the same place as Vidock. Our reunion was sweet and there was much neighing on both sides! #1 just couldn't take seeing all that mud anymore, plus she calculated how much she was spending in gas, driving the half hour to see me several times a week. And the two of us being in different places was really hard on her. So, everything happened in a flash, and I moved to my new home on Monday. Mr. C, the nice gentleman from the new place, came to get me with #1 and his horse van. I am now living in a huge field with a bunch of pretty little Arab mares (Can you believe I had never seen a chestnut or bay horse before?) and one other Percheron mare. This is what my new digs look like:

In this next one, we are lined with a bunch of the girls, admiring Vidock at work in the school opposite, He has become quite a hunk!

Here I am yesterday, with #1 leading me out of the field for my grooming and treat session:

And getting brushed by #1!

And here I am with #1 and Mr. E (remember him? He is Vidock's breeder!) being measured. I am almost 17 hands high.

As we start The year of the Horse, I am thankful for all the good things in my life!

Vidock: Studly Neighs, EveryFriend!  Things have been going really well for me too, and I have to tell you, I was so pleased when I saw Violette get down from that horse van! There's nothing like old friends, especially when they're as pretty as Violette!

I did mention earlier this week that I got a hoof trim and new shoes on my front hooves. I have to say it's not a lot of fun to stand on three legs although I guess humans would find it even harder if one of theirs was yanked up like that! And the farrier was pretty sympatico.

I am continuing my lessons and doing great, and now, I get to go out to the woods almost every day. On the way back, I rinse the mud off my feet all on my own before we leave the woods!

Do I look dashing or what?!

Mr. E and Ms. S, my breeders, came to see me yesterday and they were amazed at how much I have grown and filled out. I think that, maybe, I am now bigger than either my dad, Orgueil, or my bro, Tom! I am around 17:3 hands.

Here is #1 putting the Chifney bit in my mouth before my going back to my field after working. The Chifney is a special bit used for taking stallions in hand. It can be quite severe, but I really like it and occasionally try to put it on by myself!

And then back in my field, enjoying my treat bucket of apples and carrots under #1's watchful eye. Don't worry, Violette did get a treat bucket too! So much to be thankful for!

A special thanks to Ms. S who took all the nice pics of us and #1.

Tama-Chan Thursday!

Tama-Chan: As Queen of this particular household, I thought it was fitting that I should get the first "proper" post of 2014  (not that yesterday's post was improper in any way. Tee Hee…!).

So far, 2014 has been rather tempestuous over here with wild winds blowing and rain coming down. Believe it or not, #1 went out in all that yesterday to see Vidock work and make sure that Violette was continuing to settle in well with her new friends. All is good at the "V" end of things and they will tell you more themselves tomorrow.

Before the weather turned nasty, we did get some lovely sunpuddles a few days ago, and #1 was  able to take a few photos:

I was very nice and tolerated the presence of the Shining Pipsqueak…

I have also been hanging out on my favourite cat tree in the kitchen and reflecting on life in general:

And upon all this reflection, I concluded that I have a wonderful life for which I am very thankful!

HAPPY YEAR OF THE HORSE!

Happy New Year, EveryFriend! Most of you know by now that we have a special connection with Japan, as #1 lived there for 20 years, and the Japanese align the Chinese horoscope to the western calendar, so today is the first day of "Uma-Doshi", the Year of the Horse. Vidock and Violette send you their very best neighs, and the rest of us join in with Purrs, Woofs and Hugs.