Monday, September 27, 2004

Wowsers! Balloons!

I love birthdays! They don't even need to be mine. The Bearded One came home from his birthday dinner with three balloons! I have already started playing with them. I love to grab hold of the string and walk them around the house. The humans often laugh at me when I walk under chairs or tables while doing this, but I don't care, its great fun! I suppose they will hide them away when they go to bed tonight (something about worrying I'll strangle myself or choke), but they will probably bring them out again tomorrow.

Just thinking...

I wonder, if I wiggled enough of these balloon strings around my tummy, could I fly?!

Strange Happenings

Hi there,

Riker here. Life has not been following its normal course the last week or so. The family has been leaving early in the morning with ladders, buckets, and drop clothes in tow, and coming home late in the evening half exhausted. It all looks quite interesting. I wish I could go along. From what I have heard it has something to do with stripping wall paper for a friend. I'm not really sure what "wall" paper is... I'm a cat, and even I know paper belongs in printers, or on the floor under the printer, not on the wall!

At any rate, we cats have been spending a lot of time alone with each other lately. This last Wednesday the back door, which had not been pushed shut completely, blew open in a slight bit of wind. For a while we all stood there looking out. The backyard which looks so tiny from the upstairs window looked quite big when seen with the possibility of entering it.

At first it was a fun little field trip, we sniffed at the breeze, chased crickets (we even brought some in the house to show the family when they came home), and watched the birds from a close up range we never dreamed possible. At some point in the afternoon things took on a more ominous tone. When Freckles and Tashi came out to explore, a certain cat (who shall remain nameless) decided it would be a good idea not to let them back inside again!

The family didn't get home until after 10:00pm. Vicki noticed right away that the back door was standing open. The call quickly went out to count us. Tiba, Grace, Mother, and I were all sitting in the living room looking quite innocent, but of course Tashi and Freckles were no where to be found. The family looked under all the beds, and under the stairs. Then they grabbed flash lights and ran around the neighborhood calling for them. I really wanted to go out and help them search, but they wouldn't let me.

They finally found them huddling under the deck in the backyard. There was no way to get to them, and they wouldn't come out, EVEN FOR MILK! By this time it was about 11:00pm, and the Ashtons began pulling the deck chairs around hoping to spook them out. Finally, in desperation, Vicki got out the vacuum cleaner. Boy howdy did that work well!! Tashi always has hated that crazy thing. He came shooting out from under the deck so fast it made my head spin! Freckles followed him soon after and before long the back door was securely closed, and things settled down.

Our little taste of freedom was interesting, but I'm not sure any of us really want to repeat it any time soon. But hey, if the opportunity were to present itself, who knows.

Friday, September 17, 2004

I did it!

I caught my tail today! It was very elusive for a while. I had to perform several summer saults in an attempt to confuse and disorient it. But, in the end I was victorious!

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Togetherness

I can think of no better place to be on a chilly day, than snuggled up close to my mother. Granted, I may have been carrying it a bit far today, and she may have gotten a bit upset, but it was wonderfully warm.

Thursday, September 09, 2004

I've been framed!

How can Grace think she can pin the couch destruction on me? I don't even have claws! What Grace neglected to mention is that I was actually attacking Vicki's fingers. I am the only cat in the house allowed to do that because I'm the only one who can't hurt her.

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

A Busy Day

As if the Ocilympics haven't been keeping me busy enough these days, the Ashtons received a huge white board this week.

I, of course, took my role in the proceedings very seriously. The e-mail had said that on receipt of the package you must inspect it closely for any possible damages. I performed this check most thoroughly. I found the packaging particularly interesting, but they drug that outside rather more quickly than I would have wished. None of us had ever seen that much cardboard before, it was wonderful! But alas, it was quickly hustled out to the curb in hopes the recycling people would take it (they did).

Next, I was put in charge of making sure it didn't fall over while they moved desks and things out of the way in the classroom. They did give me a helper, the grey chair. It wasn't a very good helper though, because whenever I would jump up on it, it would rock, and that would make the white board wobble. It was a lot of fun, but I was clever enough to realize that if I wasn't careful, that chair was going to get me in trouble.


One of my other prime functions was to distract the Bearded One whenever possible.


I'm not in the next picture, but I suppose you should be able to see the result of all my hard work. This is the Ashton's home schooling classroom, complete with their nice new white board.

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Further Furniture Evidence

Hi,

Grace here. First of all I would like to bring it to the attention of the judges that the photographer missed a spot earlier. I am rather proud of this hole. When I am really motivated I like to climb inside. On more lazy days, I just drop mousie toys and pencils in there. Vicki has attempted to stitch it back together several times, but I believe it is much more pleasing to look at this way.


As an update for my performance, I would like to submit the following pictures. Bob said, and I quote, "Adtiondial ponits for lokonig pathteic if caguht in the act and dobule ponits for blainmg it on “smoe otehr cat." (She typed that herself! I think she is getting quite good.)

What I like to do when I am caught clawing the couch, is to be so cute or humorous that they will over look the fact that I was being naughty. In this picture I quickly changed gears from attacking the couch, to attacking the pencil. For some reason my humans think we are quite cute when we do silly things like that. Maybe it is just that they are relieved that I'm not scratching the furniture anymore. I'm not sure, but it seems to work.


In hopes of being able to double my points, I would like to submit the following photograph of Tiba pawing the couch as incriminating evidence. I have seen her do this many times before, and so have several other Ashton cats. {purrrrr}

Monday, September 06, 2004

A Mother's Ocilympic Journal - Part 11

Today's event has been the subject of much debate in the Ashton household. Vicki is very nervous about allowing the world to see the deplorable state her furniture has gotten into on our account. We, the cats, won out at last however (of course), so I can now pass on to you the results of the "Furniture Deconstruction" event.

Grace is an upholstery master. The Ashton's once lovely couch has, over the last five years, been slowly reduced to the shredded mess you see here. Observe the curious flap of fabric Vicki had stitched across it at one point. It didn't take long for my little girl to get it out of the way so she could go on with her scratching.


Here is a side view of the couch. This portion has been stitched and/or stapled together many times. Notice the wood frame showing through!


Tune in to Bob the Ocicat for full Ocilympic coverage.

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Friday, September 03, 2004

Did you notice?

Did anyone notice that I recovered the missing orange mouse? (look closely at Riker's last jumping picture) It wasn't easy, but I am able to get into places humans can not. They will probably never know where those silly girls hid it, but I knew. I brought it out for everyone to see, but no one seemed to notice!

A Mother's Ocilympic Journal - Part 10

The wrestling event would normally have met with great enthusiasm here, but the Ashton's made the mistake of using the vacuum cleaner on the carpets this afternoon. We were all, highly offended (as we are every week), and went to our respective corners to huff a bit about the inconvenience. I have had word from my daughter Suzy-Q in California though, that there had occured a peaceful tussle between herself and Lucy, which resulted in a nap. I'm not sure if this counts (especially as it occured in 1999), but that is as close to wrestling as any of us have come.

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A Mother's Ocilympic Journal - Part 9

At long last the day of the jumping events has come and gone. Riker has been unbearably eagar for this day since the start of the games, maybe now that it is over life can settle down (not that she isn't looking forward to future events, this is just one that she has practiced for continually). She was very impressed with Lizzy's tree climbing prowess, and regrets that she is not allowed out by the Ashtons that she might try it. She does like to climb the bathroom door molding, but Vicki was not able to snap the picture at the right time to document it. Before I set about showing you how Riker did in the climbing event, I should also let you know that Grace was not at all interested in participating today. Her official statement was that "The sun was at that perfect slant through the window. One simply can not fool around and miss enjoying something like that!" That said, here are Riker's attempts.

For her first jump, she went for her favorite place, the banister. Just to prove her balancing skill she took a little nap.


Of course, being Riker, it wasn't a very long nap. She was soon up and stretching/pacing.


She also exhibited good form as she watched the lights on the ceiling and debated whether it would be prudent to jump for the cord hanging from the drop down stairs to the attic. (She wisely decided against this)


After a short break she decided to try leaping atop some bookshelves. The viewer will note that she chose the highest point she could.


In closing I thought you might like to see where Riker got her inspiration. She was a very little kitten when this picture was taken of Lucy (aka Leaping Lucy). Lucy now lives in Southern California with my daughter Suzy-Q. As I recall, she jumped up on the towel rail quite regularly as a kitten.

Remember to tune in to Bob the Ocicat for full Ocilympic coverage.

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