(no subject)

1. Waking up with a headache is stupid.

2. Thank goodness for having a whole wonderful week off work. In theory this should be the ideal opportunity to catch up on a few outstanding projects, but in practice nothing of the sort is likely to happen. Too much cat-wrangling to be getting on with, for one thing. Not enough brain right now, for another.

3. Bought myself a new camera last week. I'd been promising myself an upgrade ever since I was made redundant, which is 18 months ago now, but then I was out of work for longer than I'd hoped and then when I started work again I was about to move house, so between one thing and another there have just always been higher priorities, so the new camera went back on the wishlist. But then last week I was feeling tired and unwell and thoroughly out of sort and I just thought 'sod it' and went out and bought a shiny, shiny new camera to replace my tired cheap old one. Maybe not as practical as the new vaccuum cleaner I have also been promising myself for the longest time, but it will undoubtedly see a lot more use! I have yet to master all the functions, but nonetheless I already love it. *G*

4. Before you ask, yes: Alfie has landed. He and Poppy and I are slowly attempting to settle into a routine together. Picspam will follow shortly.

5. I've got Big Sis and Brother-in-Law coming to stay with me for a couple of nights next weekend, when they come to collect Sidney. It's their 5th wedding anniversary on Friday, so we'll all go out for a celebratory meal while they are here. So, I should probably spend some time tidying the house before they get here - and stock up the fridge, as well, since they will probably expect me to be able to feed them.

(no subject)

1. Waking up with a headache is stupid.

2. Thank goodness for having a whole wonderful week off work. In theory this should be the ideal opportunity to catch up on a few outstanding projects, but in practice nothing of the sort is likely to happen. Too much cat-wrangling to be getting on with, for one thing. Not enough brain right now, for another.

3. Bought myself a new camera last week. I'd been promising myself an upgrade ever since I was made redundant, which is 18 months ago now, but then I was out of work for longer than I'd hoped and then when I started work again I was about to move house, so between one thing and another there have just always been higher priorities, so the new camera went back on the wishlist. But then last week I was feeling tired and unwell and thoroughly out of sort and I just thought 'sod it' and went out and bought a shiny, shiny new camera to replace my tired cheap old one. Maybe not as practical as the new vaccuum cleaner I have also been promising myself for the longest time, but it will undoubtedly see a lot more use! I have yet to master all the functions, but nonetheless I already love it. *G*

4. Before you ask, yes: Alfie has landed. He and Poppy and I are slowly attempting to settle into a routine together. Picspam will follow shortly.

5. I've got Big Sis and Brother-in-Law coming to stay with me for a couple of nights next weekend, when they come to collect Sidney. It's their 5th wedding anniversary on Friday, so we'll all go out for a celebratory meal while they are here. So, I should probably spend some time tidying the house before they get here - and stock up the fridge, as well, since they will probably expect me to be able to feed them.

(no subject)

( SN 505-506 )

(no subject)

( SN 505-506 )

Alfred the Great

As mentioned, my wee little Tabby kitten came home to live with me on Saturday. He is now Alfie (or Alfred or Alf, depending on my mood and how well he is or isn't behaving) and we have been slowly settling into a new routine together: him and me and Poppy.

As you'd expect for a kitten about to turn 10 weeks old, he is a little hoodlum most of the time, tearing about the place constantly on the look out for mischief to get into. He is also extremely vocal - far more talkative than Poppy, who has always been a very quiet cat - and extremely cuddly, loving nothing more than to snuggle up when he is sleepy. He still doesn't eat very much, surviving mostly on milk and a few biscuits, but the vet was happy with his weight and size when he went for his first innoculation on Monday. We had a bit of a food breakthrough today, though. I had bought a turkey joint and did a roast dinner...and Alfie, who has always refused to so much as taste meat of any kind, discovered that he absolutely adores roast turkey. He ate about half of what was on my plate and was looking for more!

Honestly. Fussy cats! Hopefully he will feel more inclined to try actual cat meat now...

( Alfie pics! )

How does Poppy feel about the new addition to our household, I hear you ask? She isn't thrilled, predictably enough - her initial reaction was 'eek! A cat! Oh noes!' and she spent most of the weekend giving me tragedy eyes, all 'you know how I feel about cats, why would you bring one into the house???' But we are taking things very slowly and steadily and I have no doubt that both cats will get used to one another in time. Alfie is absolutely desperate to make friends because he wants so very much to play, but Poppy finds him a bit boisterous for her tastes, as she tends to be very intimidated by other cats at the best of times - even when they are barely a quarter of her size, as it turns out! So, it being such early days, I'm still keeping them apart most of the time, but am letting Alfie run loose for a little longer every day. Today he spent a wonderful hour or two upstairs with Poppy, the two of them chasing one another around the bedrooms, but I think he enjoyed it a lot more than she did, so didn't let it go on too long. I don't want Poppy getting too worked up and stressed! She is being pretty patient with him so far, though, so I remain confident that they will learn to tolerate one another soon, and since they both quite like company they will probably enjoy being around one another eventually - when Alfie grows up and calms down a bit!

( Poppy pics! )

Meanwhile back at my parents' house, Chloe and the rest of the kittens have adjusted to Alfie's absence quickly enough - Chloe searched the house for him for about an hour after he left, and then got over it. Sidney will be moving out this weekend when Deb and Ray come down to collect him, and Domino the week after, when Dad's friend from work is back from holidays. And then there will just be Ginger, the one they are keeping, and then that household, too, can begin to re-adjust to a more normal routine once more.

( Chloe, Ruby and kitten pics! )

Alfred the Great

As mentioned, my wee little Tabby kitten came home to live with me on Saturday. He is now Alfie (or Alfred or Alf, depending on my mood and how well he is or isn't behaving) and we have been slowly settling into a new routine together: him and me and Poppy.

As you'd expect for a kitten about to turn 10 weeks old, he is a little hoodlum most of the time, tearing about the place constantly on the look out for mischief to get into. He is also extremely vocal - far more talkative than Poppy, who has always been a very quiet cat - and extremely cuddly, loving nothing more than to snuggle up when he is sleepy. He still doesn't eat very much, surviving mostly on milk and a few biscuits, but the vet was happy with his weight and size when he went for his first innoculation on Monday. We had a bit of a food breakthrough today, though. I had bought a turkey joint and did a roast dinner...and Alfie, who has always refused to so much as taste meat of any kind, discovered that he absolutely adores roast turkey. He ate about half of what was on my plate and was looking for more!

Honestly. Fussy cats! Hopefully he will feel more inclined to try actual cat meat now...

( Alfie pics! )

How does Poppy feel about the new addition to our household, I hear you ask? She isn't thrilled, predictably enough - her initial reaction was 'eek! A cat! Oh noes!' and she spent most of the weekend giving me tragedy eyes, all 'you know how I feel about cats, why would you bring one into the house???' But we are taking things very slowly and steadily and I have no doubt that both cats will get used to one another in time. Alfie is absolutely desperate to make friends because he wants so very much to play, but Poppy finds him a bit boisterous for her tastes, as she tends to be very intimidated by other cats at the best of times - even when they are barely a quarter of her size, as it turns out! So, it being such early days, I'm still keeping them apart most of the time, but am letting Alfie run loose for a little longer every day. Today he spent a wonderful hour or two upstairs with Poppy, the two of them chasing one another around the bedrooms, but I think he enjoyed it a lot more than she did, so didn't let it go on too long. I don't want Poppy getting too worked up and stressed! She is being pretty patient with him so far, though, so I remain confident that they will learn to tolerate one another soon, and since they both quite like company they will probably enjoy being around one another eventually - when Alfie grows up and calms down a bit!

( Poppy pics! )

Meanwhile back at my parents' house, Chloe and the rest of the kittens have adjusted to Alfie's absence quickly enough - Chloe searched the house for him for about an hour after he left, and then got over it. Sidney will be moving out this weekend when Deb and Ray come down to collect him, and Domino the week after, when Dad's friend from work is back from holidays. And then there will just be Ginger, the one they are keeping, and then that household, too, can begin to re-adjust to a more normal routine once more.

( Chloe, Ruby and kitten pics! )