Spring is thinking about visiting the mountains

To balance the overwhelming abundance of photos of my 2 cats and make up for taking so very few landscape photos since breaking my foot just over a year ago - I though I'd share this shot of the 3 sisters on a fine spring day whilst we enjoyed the beautiful weather on what could be one of our last stroller free walks.  It was actually warm enough that I was able to wear just a t-shirt by the end.

Its been both busy and quiet for the last few weeks.  The weather has also been flipping between spring and winter as it seems to be in the rest of the country.  Although, most of the snow in the valley has melted, there is still lots adoring the mountains.

The kitties are doing well.  Zoe is contentedly asleep after eating her breakfast, and Molly is sitting on the table beside me, enjoying pets and waiting for me to finish my breakfast so she can lick the spoon (yogurt) or get me to play the feather toy game with her.  She's still such a total spaz, but pretty.

There be large rocks here - sometimes called mountains

A peaceful afternoon in our household.  S. is learning how to play Dix-it by watching and episode of Table Talk. I'm fiddling with pictures.  Molly is napping in the cat-tree and Zoe is sleeping on the bed.  We enjoyed a bowl of proper home-made chicken soup for lunch and we are hoping that C, C, J and R are having a safe drive home this afternoon - since it was amazing to see them yesterday.

This is before the dump of snow we are currently getting.  The mountains are just poking out of the clouds on a bright day.  Now they are coverd in a good bit of snow as it continues to snow heavily here.

Molly is mewing for a belly rub.  She is such a suck sometimes.

Anywho.. better go be useful.  

Cuddling in the Cat-Tree

Here is the prime realestate for Cats at present and look just how nicely our two little felines who hissed and threatened to kill each other last summer are sharing it.  If the lighting wasn't so bad, I think I'd have to find one of those on-line cat sites to post it on.

You have to love Molly's giant feet hanging out in the second pictures and the way her little arm is snuggled around Zoe.  We have good kitties... or I'm just terribly biased.

Molly Undercover

Our cats have been troopers over the last month of moving, airplanes and hotels and new places.  I think it has actually made them closer to each other, although I may be biased by the fact that the two of them are snuggled together on the top of the cat tree and look quite peaceful.  Zoe as usual has surprised us with her resiliancy.  She has actually done incredibly well and done a lot of things to help Molly, who has definitely struggled more with the transitions.  Zoe is a mom at heart who I've seen come and comfort Molly when she's mewed with stress.  That said, for the most part, Molly has done okay.  Its just that Zoe has been extra caring towards her and Molly has been content to be mothered.

Molly has also grown inches in the last few weeks.  She is now noticably bigger than Zoe.  They have also taken up some new habits.  Both seem more inclined to crawl under blankets (please check for a cat before sitting on the couch or bed).  We have gotten them two new toys.  One called the hideaway which has some toys, scratch post and a hanging space with two windows for sleeping in or using as cover when you play.   The other is a small cat tree with a tube and a sleeping platform which doubles as an excellent stratching post.  See next post for more info on the tree.

We are also adapting.  We've recovered a bit from the stress of moving and managing all the bits and pieces we needed to get done in the last few weeks and are slowly gearing up for the next lot of changes.  We aren't at all sure we are ready, but I guess I hear no one every is.  

Kitten in the Hole

Molly has spent a good bit of today curled up in her hideaway.  I think she misses the feather toy... We do plan to get another one, just as soon as we get a chance to get to buy one.  She also, I swear, has grown inches since we've moved.  She already has about 2 inches in height on Zoe standing on all fours and maybe a bit more when they sit between each other.  She did, however, come and snuggle up to my knees when I was taking a nap earlier.

Kitty Sleeping Preferences Differ Between Cats

Zoe likes to sleep on soft comfortable surfaces - especially fleece.  She also preferes elevated locations that give her good sight lines of the surrounding area and plenty of sunshine is a bonus.  She espouses what one might describe as fairly typical cat sleeping preferences.

Molly, on the other hand, prefers to sleep in locations that are littered with hard, uncomfortable objects, preferably ones that the nearby humans are atempting to use.  In this picture she is on top of a physics text book, and a pile of papers, a few pens and who knows what else.  Yesterday, she fell asleep with the phone handset underneath her.  She does not appear to like sleeping in a patch of sunshine and is just as happy sprawled out on any solid surface - floor, box-top, inside of box, table, window ledge etc.  She does like high locations and also secret locations like deep in the closet and her current napping spot is curled up on a kitchen chair under the table.  You'll note that her legs are usually sprawled out unless the appartment is really cold.

And that is today's cat report.

You aren't playing with me!!

Molly loves interactive play with her humans.  She chases her feather toy with an enthusiasm and athleticism that impresses me.  She can also be amusingly demanding of it as she walks to the middle of the play area and rattles off a series of indignant meows and mrrs and chirps.  She really knows how to express herself. (Sometimes this is a bit annoying - especially before I've had breakfast.

Molly has learned to more or less stay off the counter and to get off when told.  Zoe never goes on the counter and aside from between 6-7 am in the morning - she is usually well behaved, but she worries that if she doesn't make sure I'm awake and know she is hungry then I won't feed her soon.  She generally resorts to applying generous kisses, nuzzles and head butts to me and then walking on me - although occasionally she expresses it by trying to chew on the the alarm clock.  Some days I can get her to settle down and snuggle until 7 and other days I have to send her out, so I can sneak some minutes of semi-sleep before I need to get up for work.

Zoe has recently been joining in more and more with the play.  She is actually much better at it than Molly - conserving her energy, using cover and moving shockingly rapidly for a creature that spends a good part of her life sleeping.  Last night we got her into a game of pounce the mouse - which she hasn't been so much into since we've moved up here (they were much more into chasing and pouncing toys in the south - I think because we had a long hallway.)  She was right into it with her hunting call and some serious pouncing and mauling of the toy mice. She'll even pick them up with her mouth and carry them around.  Molly is generally indifferent to mice, but as I've said before likes her springs - although she has made it clear that they are a poor substitute for the feather toy.

We went to our first flea market of the year.  We are working on selling off stuff that we don't need, aren't using, don't want to store etc.  I'm simultaneously trying to combat the build up of stuff in at work - spending quality time with the shredder and generously (depending on your point of view) passing on some resources to others - as has been done to me numerous times leading to some of the crowding.  The cats are enjoying having boxes to perch on at any rate - although presently Molly is patiently waiting for me to come play with her - but senses it'll be after i get some food into me.  Oh.. wait.. there is a sad little mew - "soon?" she asks.  I'm such a sucker :D for my cats, I'm almost afraid of how wrapped around her little fingers our baby is going to have me.

My Precious

Ah - Zoe - hoarding her precious little mice toys!!  (Or possibly resenting me taking this picture of her in an undignified pose.)  She does really like her mice - Molly could care less about mice, she likes springs better because they make her chase them.

As for Molly, she's sitting her supervising me making cupcakes.  Earlier she offered to help, but I explained to her that as much as she is a scrupulous hand washer, people would appreciate her putting her paws into my cupcakes, so she is settling for a supervisory, paws-off role - although, I suspect she'd really like to find out what it is like to have cupcake batter all over her paws.

My Blog Seems to be Having Unknown Issues

You might ask why I'm posting a picture of a disgruntled Zoe.  Apparently my blog has disappeared... I have no idea why and I'm having a tough time trying to find a way to email blogger to report the issue.

This may be my last post :(

Jennith

Lazy Molly-Kitty

A certain kitty was waiting for room service and then she couldn't be bothered to even assume eating position.  She also inexplicably managed to get soaked from head to tail.  I'm not sure what she did, or where she found the water... I'm thinking that she dunked her tail in her water bowl.

Zoe-fur sleeping

This is our Zoe... sleeping in silly positions curled up on the couch.  We think she is becoming a lap cat, at least, if its about time to feed her.

Return of the Kitties

Our kitties spent 2 weeks away, bringing joy and cheer and entertainment to 2 lovely cat loving people who are planning to get their own cats this summer.  In the mean time, they have forgiven us and Molly even (after completely ignoring me for the first few hours) came and napped on the table beside me and let me pick her up.  Zoe was friendly towards us right away.

We bought an autofeeder which we are hoping will feed them breakfast so that they stop waking me up in the middle of the night.  We only have one, so not sure how that will work with both cats, although Molly is more patient about breakfast.  Molly however has grown a few inches in the last 2 weeks and now seems to fit her long legs and tail.  Both are snuggled up in their favourite chair snoozing after the excitement of coming back home.

Its funny.  I really enjoyed my break and spending time with family - but its nice to be home.  I actually did a fairly efficient job of tidying and organizing things - so that you can actually see the desk in the office (and use it if the cats will let you).

Snow Covered Malamute

Our Malamute is just loving the snow.  Being a silly human, I worried she might be getting cold sitting out in the snow - so after I took the picture, I made her come inside so I could dry her off - which resulted in the mopping of the kitchen floor after she shook most of the snow off everywhere.  I'm sure she'll want out again soon, since she is more excited about the first snow than most of the humans for sure.

Its a beautiful night out.  There is something about falling snow that is still magical to me.  The world somehow is prettier covered in a thick blanket of flakes of water - magical the way the soft light from the street lamps casts soft silhouettes of winter-bare branches upon the snow.    I wish my camera wasn't charging or I'd show you what I mean.  The dog enjoyed eating the snow and came in covered in it.  After a quick drink of water, she really wanted to go back out, but we had to tell her it was bed time and it totaly is for me.  I'd better curl up and go to sleep before I fall asleep sitting here typing.  

Furlion Loki in the Jungle Safari

Who needs toys when you  have streamers, both toddlers and cats agree that streamers are much more fun that toys and even cupcakes....  Thank you Loki for providing me with Cat replacement therapy as I am missing my Molly and Zoe greatly.

Molly can sleep anywhere

The last few weeks Molly can be found lying atop seemingly uncomfortable piles of stuff - like having her head half in the Christmas card box.  She's such a card, our little Molly-cat.

Zoe's Mittens

Usually Zoe tucks in all of her limbs and tails and even nose when she is snoozing, but this time she left her mittened front paws out for show.  I'm missing my wee kitties while away, but its nice to see family and I know they are getting well taken care of.

I hope she is keeping her mittens out of Molly's food and that Molly is keeping her mittens out of people's drinking water.

Happy Holidays!!!

Cat and "Wireless" Mouse

We found some 25 springs for Molly hiding under the stove.  Molly has been chasing them like crazy until she needed a nap break.  Shortly after this picture was taken she went to wash her feet and then came and left wet kitty paw prints all over my lap top... Sigh.  Its a good things she is extra cute.

Now she is off to play with spring again :D

Appreciating Having the Use of 2 Feet

I'm feeling reflective and thankful and oddly profuse in my use of words.  I sometimes wonder what all the English teachers who had to force me kicking and screaming to write a journal would think of my blogging.  Not that I've been the blogger of the week for the last few years - but still more journaling than I've ever done in my life in spite of the fact that I limit what I can say to the bland and mundane and pretty pictures and cats.  Molly is sprawled out on the kitchen table, which is used more often as a desk space than a table.

I've got some music on and was doing a bit of "dancing".  I wouldn't exactly call it dancing - but it struck me with great gratitude that its the first time in months that I can move easily on both feet.  I love being bare-foot - so even having to wear shoes was a drag at home.  Breaking my foot, as random and relatively minor a set-back as it was, as greatly increased my gratitude for my feet.  I love walking, running, climbing and even sorta dancing.  I missed hiking and biking greatly this summer in Canmore - even walking around time I frequently had to sit because the underused muscles in my calf would cramp up or my foot would feel sore and now its currently too cold for a lot of walking about and furthermore my current insulated rubber boots are a size too big and I can't walk long distances in them because they make my toes on my healing foot cramp up.  I'm already looking forward to this summer when I'll be able to walk along the Bow River and hike up to Grassi Lakes and maybe even make it back up to Healy Pass this summer.  There is a deep streak of mountain girl in my soul and my feet long to carry me  Lake O'hara and through fields of alpine meadow flowers and see the spring orchids burst into life.  My eyes long to watch the sun set behind the mountains and watch the mountains disappear in heavy summer rains.  I love Baker Lake - but with the winter weather set in - I probably won't get farther than the Sewage Lagoon or Dump before we are back in the mountains.

Some Kitties Just Love their Toys

Zoe spent 20 minutes lovingly grooming this feather toy (which sits much stiller than Molly).  She has now retired to her make-shift kitty bed on the end of the couch.  S. says I can get the kitties beds when we go back south.  Molly is happily chasing a spring.  I think she has chased and lost at least 7 this morning.  I see I'm going to have to stock up on more at Christmas.

We've found a wonderful pair of cat sitters of the Christmas break who are going to spoil our kitties rotten with attention and playtime.  They said they didn't need money to babysit them, but I figure we may need to pay ransom to get them back - afterall they are two of the coolest kitties out there as long as you don't mind getting woken up at 6:30 to make sure they get fed by 7 am.  They are very strict about that.  Its definitely a relief to know that they will get lots of love over Christmas as our cats are very people oriented and I don't think they'd forgive us for leaving them alone with food for 2 weeks.  On the other hand, I'm a little worried they won't want us back after 2 weeks of spoiling.

Zoe seems to have settled at a healthy weight and Molly is starting to fill out and lose the kitten skinniness, although, she is still littler than Zoe.  If she doesn't grow any more, I think they'll end up about the same size.  We still aren't sure, based on her tail length and paw size that she is quite finished growing.  Molly has developed a complex vocabulary of meows, mrrs and squeaks, and a few whines and cries which she uses to tell us important things like "feed me", "pet me", "find me a spring", "why aren't you out of bed yet", and "Meanie!  I want to play on the counter".  I think Zoe is still in charge.  Every once and a while, I'll catch her kicking Molly off a prefered perching space - usually my feet.  Zoe definitely has favourite places.  She likes to sit on the back of the arm chair in regal cat pose, but usually sleeps curled up, tail over nose. If I think she looks really cold, I'll usually tuck a blanket around her, which she doesn't mind.  I'm such a sap some days.  Molly on the other hand tends to prefer to sleep sprawled out - sometimes even just lying on the wood floor rather than some cosy cushioned space.  Both seem to like my fleece blankets - but then again, who doesn't love fleece blankets.

Its been the first quiet weekend in a while and I've enjoyed being able to relax and get an extra bit of sleep.  While I can't believe that its 9 days into December already, I'm ready for a bit of break in the grind.  I'm sure there were a tonne of things I should have gotten done, but somehow, sleeping was what I probably needed to do to kick this silly, sneezy cold.

Molly has just lost her spring and has come chirping and rubbing my leg... which continued to a bit of whining since I decided to type first and find her spring second.    Oh, Molly and her springs :D.

I hope you've all enjoyed my rambling treatise on my cats.  They are definitely awesome.  If you happen to live in Calgary, I highly recommend adopting from AARCS as they do a really good job socializing animals and they have some 56 odd kitties looking for homes right now and more kittens to be put up on the board and more requests coming in all the time for them to rescue others if they have any foster space.  Otherwise, if you live elsewhere, there are lots of great rescue organizations out there and no shortage of cats and kittens and dogs for that matter looking for a good home.

Double Decker Cat Perch

We brought out the rocking chair (briefly) for a small gathering and the cats are thrilled (they are also the reason that we've stowed it away in the office.)  I'm pretty sure they spent the whole night sleeping here - which meant my feet were cold but I was able to toss and turn as much as I liked without injuring a kitten.  The cats were very good for our guests - although a bit too helpful during clean up and food prep phases - earning Molly a brief stay in the bedroom so we could get done.

Its wonderfully peaceful here this morning and the reorganizing S. did yesterday makes our main area look much bigger.  The cat's approve of most of it, but they regret that there is no longer an easy way to get up to the top of the barge order boxes in the hall.  Zoe looked miffed when her attempt to jump the distance didn't work out.  I think they'll forgive us as long as we leave the rocker out, but it probably isn't a great idea since they like to launch off of it.