by special request

It seems that the recent cute overload is causing mild ructions in places where the almighty cat is not universally worshipped.

If that's you, then here are some reasons why parts of your family may not be over enamoured of the fluffy little beastlings.
Unneutered, they may at times spray the walls.

they like to scratch their claws, rejecting the very special cat tree you have purchased for the purpose, and instead choosing your child's toy box. and their ideas of suitable gifts are not always graciously accepted.
But still, how can you resist this?

Tia

Mostly Good

Everyone up and off in time for school; two girls into chairs with no fussing and two cats sniffing each other instead of hissing.

A long deep bath, interrupted only by the occasional pair of blue eyes peering over the side, querying why on earth I'd want to mess up a good waterbowl by climbing in with bubbles.

A minor panic at the realisation I'd left myself just four minutes to get dressed, and then an inevitable interruption - this time from school saying Miss Mog was all "white and spiteful" and Just Not Right. I did however still manage to be clothed and decent before being picked up; I'm sure my friend was grateful for that.

A diversion to collect a fairly limp and pale Mog from school, and then on to the important business of the day - coffee with the ROSY ladies (and George). Where else can you go, be introduced to someone for the first time, and find people uttering the warning "there's a lot of poo talk, just so you know"? And there aren't many places where you can sort out an evening out, babysitters for that same evening out, and the loan of a changing bench for three weeks in the summer all without having to put your coffee cup down or pick up a phone. Nor are there many circumstances where you can be sniffling over the death of a friend's child whilst simultaneously discussing the creation or arrival of each others' children - conception, birth, death, poo and parties; we cover it all in just a couple of hours.

Move from coffee on to lunch; more chat, more laughs, more yummy food and a good prowl around the antique shop. Must. Resist.

Fortunes safely unspent, and home to the post. No much awaited parcel, just a speeding notice and offer to attend a Speeding Awareness Course or else take points and a fine. Grump.

A Grannie visit, and a photo of my precious newest nephew, born on the 25th. Congratulations to the Scottish contingent! And well done on finding a name which is truly unique and sounds well beside his sister.

And then the best news of all (because new baby news I've had for a couple of days now), two cats sniffing and finally kissing before settling down in different corners of the same room.

Fluffy Stuff

Grolly is not best pleased with life right now.

There's a house invader. And he seems to be filling this house just as much as he fills the doll's house.

He's a lap surfer,
A child-fisher (it's possible she's a kitten-fisher, but it seems to be about equal),
phone hogger,

and power napper.

And her nose is seriously out of joint.

That said; it's not going too badly. They've met each other and had the odd hissy stand-off, but nothing more. Overnight, Benjamin has the sitting room and his beloved computer table, and Grolly has the rest of the house and the whole wide world. During the day, they both have most of the house, Grolly has exclusive access to my bedroom and the cat flap . And I'm only feeling a little bit like neutral territory when I have kitten on my shoulder peering down and cat at my knee, determinedly not looking up.

There is more to life than cats right now, but they do seem to be a fairly huge part of it.
Tia

New Arrival

No, not the one family are waiting for (but all the best with that, Y!) Nor yet a temporary fosling. But please meet Mr Benjamin Boots.

Please also ignore any typos, as he's standing on the keyboard trying to help me type.
Unlike Grolly and Gotcha when they came, he shows no fear.
Meep. Please come and play.

Excuse me.
Normal service may be resumed at some point when he deigns to slee.p. (extra full stop delicately inserted by one white paw).
Tia0000 (those OOs too)

Randomness

Photo from a cobblers we found on holiday.

Bump!

This letter arrived for Miss Mog the other day.
It's come from the same hospital which has repeatedly sent out letters cancelling an appointment and rearranging it for exactly the same time and date, so when I read the new appointment I initially thought this was the same thing. And then I checked the original date again, and realised that no, this was a genuine shift of date and time,

So why, then, did this appointment time ring so many bells?

All was made very clear when I opened the Little Princess' post
Sorry, tLP; your sister's stolen your appointment.

Shame; for a brief moment it appeared that I would have two children having appointments on the same day with the same consultant. It was very nearly joined up thinking...

Tia

On a lighter note...

Because things aren't all grim here, and we do actually have quite a nice jolly time most of the time,

A missed photo opportunity - Grolly Beast playing with Mog's switch. Apparently, a toggle switch is just the right shape to really get behind those ears when you're moulting. Apparently, a cat using a switch to say "Hello" repeatedly is the Funniest Thing Ever if you're a girl under ten and living in this house.

And, in other news, did you know, I am the Mother of God? There's promotion for you! Who cut her back aside, the Little Princess' other big query is "Why I not got a Daddy?" And yes, we talk about her life story, we talk about her birth father, we talk about how there's just me so if she wants to keep me as a Mummy, she has to manage without a Daddy. And then we talk about how no one has to be without a Daddy because we all have a Father/Daddy God in Heaven who will be our Father if we love Him. And we talk about how Jesus loves us, and how if we love him and ask him in, he will always be with us, so we will never ever be alone, not even if it's night time and the lights are out and everyone else is asleep in different bedrooms.

We find bits of the Bible where Jesus says anyone who loves him is his brother or sister. And tLP is delighted. She has a Daddy God in Heaven, and now she has a Brother Jesus too. A Daddy and a Brother who love her, and who will always be with her, and who are always ready to listen and to keep her safe. But wait, see, because I am her Mummy. So if Jesus is her brother, well, you see where this is going? My middle name is Mary, after all.

The world can be a very confusing place when you're six. And possibly even more confusing when you're the mother of a six year old.

Oh, question for the wise readers. Anyone got any recommendations for a nice friendly "where do I come from?" type book which is preferably literal enough not to go down confusing side alleys regarding aliens or the laying of eggs, no special sneezes, and ideally one I can adapt to include cesarean sections and adoption too? Failing that, anyone fancy writing one?

Many and varied are the conversations I never thought I'd have. One of the bonuses of having a neuropathic bladder is that you're very familiar with medical names for various body parts. Explaining that no, you don't squeeze babies out of your urethra and they won't block the catheter has to be one of the more unusual things I've done this week.

Tia