For Coral

Our friend Coral let us know  that her husband Ian died today.  We feel  for her and her family  at this sad time.  Hugs to all.

4am

Mum thanked me this morning  for waking  her  up at  4am to tell her the biscuits were running out.  The bowl wasn't  empty.   I didn't  actually  want to eat any.  It was just important  that she got up at 4am  to fill the bowl.  Thank you  mum.

I was tired then and had to sleep  all day.

Neighbor

This is our neighbor cat, who is not naughty  and doesn't  try to sneak  into our house to have a sneaky nap or eat my leftovers.   So mum lets him cross our garden without chasing  him away as he lives in the apartment  next door.  The apartment's dont have any  garden space so we dont mind sharing our as long as he doesn't get too close.

Cloudy Caturday

Our city was on the news tonight.  They were talking  about the gloomy cloudy winter weather.  Apparently  we only got six minutes if sunshine in the whole week last week.  We don't  mind, as it's  winter after all. 

Mum is working this weekend.   She says that it is always harder getting up at 5.30am on weekend  days, as you know everyone  else is tucked  up in bed.  Don't  worry mum - I'll  catch some zzz's  for you.

Square Eyes

Mum let me watch some cat tv tonight before  bed.  I watched  noisy birds eating  in a forest.  I'm  only allowed 10 minutes screen time.

Poppies

The new quilt was meant to be.  It is called Poppies  and has poppy flowers  all over it.  Mum could not resist!!!  Actually  she needed s bit of brightness  on our bed this dreary  winter.  She thinks I like it, although  I am  having a sulk because she changed my fur covered pillowcase  for a clean one.

Happy Birthday  to our niece Miss Belle  who is all grown up now.  We love you Miss Belle!

Wordless Wednesday - New Quilt Approval

Foggy

Mum had to get up early this morning  to make her appointment  for her shoulder ultrasound.  That meant that she had difficulty sleeping and was tired, which was annoying.   The city was super foggy today and traffic was horrendous.   Mum made it with 5 minutes  to spare which is good.   No tears in her shoulder  or bursitis,  just frozen - so no surprises.

She was going to go out for brunch  but the cold and fog were a bit depressing,  so mum got more groceries  and came home.  She made her own brunch  at home of ham, salad and bagels which she enjoyed  and were much cheaper  than going out.

Her lack of sleep  meant s nap was needed but I woke her up at 4pm.  Dinner time for me.  I had a feast and mum made a Thai beef salad later on.  Tasty!!

Out

For the past day mum has been wondering  what I think she is doing when she leaves the house?  The only time I go out is to go to the vet or the cattery.  Is that where  mum goes when she leaves the house?  Sometimes  she smells different?  Where does she go?

Happy Solstice

We hope you have had a lovely Solstice Sunday.  Here in New Zealand it is our shortest day, and the beginning of winter, whereas for most of you it is your longest day and start of summer.  It is time for aligning the sun and dancing around Stonehenge.  Mum got to go and see the stones years ago.  She was warned that they were quite disappointing, but that wasn't mums experience.  They just appear in the middle of rolling country fields and are beautiful and amazing, and their ancient magic seems to radiate from them, knowing that our ancestors maybe built the or danced around them with flowers in their hair.  For some reason mum has no photos from her visit - she must have got her friend to take the photos and got no copies. 

Here it was cold and drizzling, but mum braved the elements and went out to meet two of her besties.  They tried a new restaurant that serves only pasta.  Mum got the baked mac and cheese with Italian sausage, with grilled young broccoli on the side.   It was lovely to talk with good friends, and mu went to see Love Sarah at the cinema, which was fairly full.  Town was busy with everyone out and about supporting local businesses.  It was nice to see cafes and bars full of people on a winters afternoon.

 We are all disappointed that Covid is back in the country with 7 cases today, all from people returning from overseas.  We don't know how you keep it out unless you keep the borders closed.

Caturday Awesome Art

Look at these fabulous prints!!!  They are made by the talented French Artist Angie Rozelaar  and you can find them at her at ArtofMeow on ETSY.    We love how snuggly the cats look and how stylish the chairs are. 

Mum was working tonight so it is a late supper for us girls.  She is putting the electric blanket on, as it is cold again, and she is looking for a nice warm bed to hop into.

We hope you had a fun Caturday and do something fun with your day.

Squirrels

We don't  have squirrels  or chipmunks  in  New Zealand.   The only ones I have seen are on cat tv on YouTube.   Can anyone send  me one?

TV Travel

Mum is enjoying  watching  and even rewatching  some travel programs on the TV.  Tonights program is Joanna  Lumley  travelling along the Silk Road, and today she watched her travel from Venice, through Albania and onto Istanbul  and Cappadocia. Mum has seen it before,  a couple if years ago in a world where  we can't  travel, the show seems quite luxurious.   Mums dream would be to win Lotto and retire, and travel the world.  If course she would have to take me in her backpack!!

Wordless Wednesday - RIP Bob from A Street Cat Named Bob

2 More

So mum found these little flowers on the way home from work today - a pretty  sight on a gloomy  winters day.

After  24 days of being Covid free, we now have 2 cases in the country  from 2 women who have come in for a family funeral.  I don't know  if we csn keep it out unless we keep our borders closed.  Just as  things  were returning  to normal.   I think we are going to be stuck  with it for some time.

It is only  8.35 pm  and mum is just going to make her lunch  for tomorrow,  wash her face and put her uniform  out for tomorrow  morning  and then she us coming to bed.  Exciting  times.

Stores

Mum is still eating  her way through her stores, the cans of soup and bags of rice she bought as lockdown  approached.  Luckily  she got me 5 big bags of temptations.  She was worried  about how upset I would get if I could not have my nightly treats.  So there will be enough temptations  for weeks to come. 

NZ has now had 24 days with no covid cases in the country.   It becomes  scary to think that the only way we can continue  to stay that way is to keep the borders closed, but we know it can't  stay like that forever.

Sun

It was a beautiful winters  day with lots of sunshine today.   Mum did get up at 8am with the intention  of heading out for a big walk and a wander.  Her sore arm wanted her to stay home though.  She feels for those living with chronic pain  all the time.  This has only been a few weeks  and mum knows how much  it has already  disrupted  her plans and affected  her daily life.

 She is aware of my arthritis  and has noticed that I too have become less active.  I now often jump on the little  chair  to get onto the bed and spend most of my day asleep.  Still this year I am 14 years old.  Not bad for a chubby girl with bad knees and a heart murmur.

Caturday

Life is returning to normal  here in New  Zealand.   Mum got on a crowded  bus and went out to a crowded  cafe for lunch with a bestie, which  was lovely with a fresh orange juice and a  favorite  chicken  salad that mum has missed eating.  It was delicious  too and mum was glad that everyone was supporting the local cafes!

Mum then went to a crowded  kmart.  The shelves were quite bare, but the girls enjoyed  just looking in a real shop.  Mum bought just a shower curtain  and a tshirt.  They even went to the mall, somewhere  they would normally  avoid  on a Saturday  afternoon.  After  lockdown  and the past few months without going to the shops it was nice to look around.  Mum enjoyed  all the nice duvets and clothes that were out for winter.  It is not the same, looking online.

Mum must have seen 100s of people today, and only  one person in a mask so people  are quite calm about Covid now.  We have been without  a case here for 3 weeks.

I was glad to get her home.  It was getting cold and I needed cuddles.  Mums feet were sore and her shoulder  was beginning  to ache.

We hope you all have a nice Caturday  too.

Cooling Down

Brrrr it's  chilly  tonight - the met service says its 8deg C outside, but feels like 5 deg..  Mum was at work  until 7pm and she found it cold coming home.  She gave me cuddles  and popped the heaters on high before  dishing out the fancy  feast. 

Mum got a better nights sleep last night.  She was thankful for a whole 6 hours and is hoping  for the  same tonight. 

She made an appointment  for a scan of her shoulder today.  The first appointment  is in 10 days time which is ok.  She knows that she probably  has frozen shoulder which  can take several  months  to a couple  of years go resolve.   The ultrasound  is just to check out if there are any tears or other causes of pain.

Groundhog  Day is on the tele tonight.  Every  day seems to have that feeling at the moment.   Mum had to Google  when it came out - 1993 people!!  Makes her feel old. 

Five

Five - that's  all it takes.  Five seconds after mum has got out of bed this morning  to head to the shower  I zoomed over and took her spot.  She did not have a chance to even pull back the covers.

Mum slept poorly  last night.  In bed by 9pm.  She read until 10.30pm then went to sleep and was awake by 1am.  She listened  to a rambling Russell  Brand podcast, some music and must have nodded off at 4am.  The alarm went at 5.44am.  So tonight she is nodding  off on the couch at 7pm.  She is hoping  that tonight she can have a good nights sleep like mine. 

Mum knows that  the combination  so sore shoulder, adjusting after night shift and being middle  aged are the things keeping  her from sleeping.  Tonight after the dishes are done she is going to have a small nightcap and see if that helps her sleep better.

Wordless Wednesday - Another Oldie

Tired

The worst  thing about finishing  night shifts is the switching  back to going to sleep at night again.  Mum feels like she has been on a 30 hour flight, and has bad jet lag and has not been very productive  today.  She got herself up and dressed and even got her jacket and bag on, but never made it outside.   Oh well, she can try again tomorrow.

Bestest

Mum says this has been  the bestest  I have ever been when she is on night shift.  I have just gone  to sleep when she has and not disturbed  her.  Of course  this was the day the landlord  decided  to clean up the garden with no warning.

Night Shifting

Mum is on the night  shifts this weekend.   She got to bed at 8am, and only woke up 5 times before finally getting  out of bed st 2pm.  The pain in her shoulder  wakes her up, so tomorrow  she might try a bit more pain relief.  I was so good and didn't  wake her up at all .  It helps that it was s cold winters day and I just snuggled up in my heated bed.  I'll  be here all winter.

Surprise

Surprise this morning, mum thought it was a courier dropping off a parcel, but it was the lawn mower man who caught mum sitting on the couch in her dressing gown, before her shower.  She went out and paid him anyway.  At least she was partially dressed and did not give him a huge fright.

Raining

It's been pouring  with rain outside and I'm waiting  for mum to finish her shift.  I've slept a while and am ready  for dinner.

She like to come home , she feeds me first then has a few wee snacks  on the couch while she watches the news.  She then needs to read her book to calm her mind.  Then sleep and snuggles and sweet dreams.

Wordless Wednesday

Supervising

Mum has had a long day.  The alarm went off at 4.44am.  Too early, even for me.  We didn't  stay  up too late on the computer,  although  that happens  some nights.  Another early start tomorrow  then we can sleep in for a week.  Mum and I are looking  forward  to that.

Talking

Today  I talked to my mum.  I told her it was 5am, it was 8am and time for her to get up, it was time to open the curtains, to turn the heater was on, to give me a brush, go give me a pat, to stop talking on the phone, that I was tired, ready  for dinner, dinner, DINNER, now, raining  outside,  dark outside, pull the curtains, pat time, snack time, bed time, pull up the covers, cover me up and let me out.  You can tell I've  been busy.