Sunday, April 30, 2006

Someday My Prints Will Come


An all-in-one printer really does make an excellent toy for kittens. It provides seating areas & perfect hiding spaces whilst playing 'King of the Castle'.

Oh - not to be outdone, Sydney wanted me to post this photo to show that he can look just as cute as Edmund & 'he' doesn't need any stupid dancing exercise jokes to prove it.


They've all been extremely sweet this evening. Spott has been sitting on my shoulder, watching me type, Edmund has been curled on my knee purring, whilst Adora & Sydney have been sleeping, cuddled into the small of my back. They've been exceptionally purry all evening, I think that they must have really approved of supper.

It would appear that Sardines in Sunflower oil get the Serengeti Kitten Seal of Approval.

SpecSavers of Camborne, Cornwall

I've just been doing a bit of blog hopping & have discovered that SpecSavers is actually a franchise and, judging from the experiences of some of you out there, the service that I received is the exception, rather than the rule.

So, I need to amend my grateful thanks & address it specifically to SpecSavers of Camborne, in Cornwall.

I really recommend the Camborne Branch ... you'll all have to travel down!

Thank You SpecSavers

I really cannot recommend SpecSavers the Opticians enough.

I broke my glasses on Monday, arranged for an new eyetest today in order to get new glasses as my existing pair were un-mendable & they no longer stocked the same frame.

However, after choosing my frames & sitting down to fill out the final forms my existing broken pair were taken away to see if the sellotape could be made a little more respectable. Instead of attempting to repair them, SpecSavers ground down my lenses & put them into a completely new frame.

No charge.

How absolutely wonderful of them. That's the second time that they've helped me out with broken glasses, the second time they have not charged anything for repairs.

I'm so chuffed - especially as I am so short of money at the moment.

Thank you SpecSavers. Thank you so much.

oh - incidentally, the reason why I was having double vision was because I'd selloptaped the lens back into the frame the wrong way around. Oops.

Saturday, April 29, 2006

Larder Louts

There was a special offer on in Iceland & I stocked up with 18 packets of crisps. I put them in the long larder cupboard & eagerly anticipated crunching whilst watching tv.

I think that the cats might have decided that I am over-weight & do not need the additional calories that a packet of crisps would provide. Else why would they, carnivorous cats, ransack the larder & remove the crisps?

I have only one intact packet left. Only ONE!

Okay, the dog may have helped to eat them - but I'm sure that she wasn't able to slice the packets open that neatly.

I just hope that new chilli flavour (which I haven't tasted yet) burnt their mouths - the little monsters.

But I just have the feeling that, along with paying for everyone to have crisps, I'll be paying out for extra cat litter in the morning. Crisps are bound not to agree with them.

Friday, April 28, 2006

Can-Can


This photo will be included in Edmund's upcoming book "Warm-up Exercises for Dancers".

On a Cheerier Note

The four Serengeti kittens are growing cuter daily... as are their ears.



It was more difficult to get them all to look at the camera this week - but at least that means that you get a chance to see Edmund's spots.

They're getting a bit fed-up of being trapped in here. They want to go out & play with the dog & the other cats. Every time I open the door, they rush out, screaming at the top of thier voices, moving like greased lighting down the hallway, little tails bushing out like bottle brushes at their own daring.

Feeling Sorry for the Camel

Oh dear, I think that I might be nearing the final straw.

I think that this might be a moan, so if you're not in the mood, then don't read any further ... unless, I suppose, you feel that my tail of woe might actually be amusing...

I broke the frame to my glasses on Monday. Can't manage without them & the optician no longer stocks the frames so have to wait until Saturday for an appointment to arrange a new pair. Out comes the trusty sellotape. Only other problem is that I suffer from astigmatism & so the lens needs to be in the correct position for optimum vision. I hadn't realised that if it wasn't I'd get double vision or, more accurately 'one and a half' vision ... have you ever seen a three-eyed human? No? Then envy me.

The other downside are the headaches & that I'm typing this, periodically closing one eye. I suppose that is not so bad as only the kittens can see - but walking into town? Hopefully no-one thought that the stange woman with sellotaped glasses was winking at them.

Just a little aside here because it probably is not just me that things are happening to. My friend, Pete is in hospital after having problems with his heart about four weeks ago. His son brought him clean washing last Friday. So kind. Only problem was that the washing had not been dried. Pete didn't give it to me to sort out until Tuesday. Can you imagine the smell? (Not sure if this is part of my tale of woe or his - as I was the one winking home, sellotaped glasses & extremely smelly carrier bag of heavy reeking washing on the bus that Tuesday night. Did you see me? Did you wrinkle your nose?)

Pete's other major hassle this week was last night. Yesterday he had an operation to fit an ICD - that's a sort of pacemaker but instead of working when the heart is beating too slow, it comes into action if the heart beats too fast or out of rhythm. The operation went well except that he started bleeding during the night. The application of pressure bandages just added to the pain of the incision. Pete was not a happy bunny today. However, bleeding finally sorted, the wound is covered by a clear dressing & looks as if it is healing well. He should be out of hospital & back home soon.

I've had a bad day today, all in all. Not too happy that Pete wasn't weller (I know that is not a word but who's writing this?) along with the little niggling things that are piling up.

It started today with a battery. An inoculous little AA battery that the cats had obviously been playing with in the hall. I didn't notice it (blame the broken glasses) & took a slow motion slide onto the tiled hall floor. One leg outstretched, the other bent behind me - almost the splits, which I must admit to never being able to do before. At the time, all the really hurt was my knee & hand. Later, I realised that the most damage must have been to my foot as it is extremely painful to walk & I had to hobble to see Pete in hospital this evening.

Then the cats knocked the kettle onto the floor. Not too much water but a nice crack in the plastic kettle. Fortunately it still worked as I know that I could not afford to buy a new one at the moment - especially as I am currently panicking about the water rates bill that's due.

About an hour later, the kettle was again on the floor. Loads of water this time. No burnt cats so I suppose that, sensibly, they waited till it cooled before knocking it over.

Finally, and probably now the penultimate straw, they just raided the larder cupboard. Spaghetti & string everywhere, mixed with powdered parmasan & rice. Thankfully the wet floor was dry by this time.

Did you know that when you walk on spaghetti it makes a nice crunching sound, almost like crisp, chilled, new snow?

Sigh.

Oh, by the way, it wasn't edible string. Just normal string that I'd put in the larder cupboard to keep it out of the way of the cats.

Hah!

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Part Parrot Acupuncturists

There are some new arrivals. These little guys are Serengeti kittens - a new breed being developed from the Bengal cat & Oriental or Siamese cats.


I have one of the new arrivals sleeping in my lap. His three siblings are snuggled into the chair behind me. I'm perched sort of on the edge but they are very comfortable indeed - honest!

This is the Explorer litter. From the left meet Edmund Hilary, Spott of the Antarctic, Stanley Livingston & Adorable Dora the Explorer.

They've been exploring me recently ... either they have decided that I could do with some acupuncture on my back (ooh needle sharp claws) or else they must be part parrot as the main object of impaling my back is to arrive on my shoulder & perch there. I might start worrying if they start to squawk.