Stickgate

The Housekeeper's friend, Ian who lives in Somerset came to stay last weekend because The Housekeeper, Mr Housekeeper and he were all off to Shepherds Bush Empire that night to see Big Country in concert.

Now Ian is a generous fellow, and, it has to be said, as very soft touch when it comes to the The Housekeeper's felines. He always leaves the bedroom door ajar and more often than not has a furry companion for the night to keep him warm, however ... this MAY be due to bribery of the food persuasion.

You see, some time ago, Ian came to stay and brought the Abyssinian's some supermarket brand chewy meat and fish stick snacks. The boys LOVE them and almost inhale them rather than eating them. Crystal is a little more demure and demands that hers are broken into pieces. Amber, as per all other treats, just isn't bothered.

It has got to the point where the boys now know Ian's voice when he arrives and don't let him through the front door into the house unless he has been corralled and full bag inspection has been completed for contraband.

You think The Housekeeper is exaggerating, right !!!!

Bag opened for inspection of goods to commence

Two shy, retiring Abyssinians waiting patiently for a treat - yeah, right !!!!!!

 Jasper inhaling his treat stick

What do you mean, the rest have to be saved for another day?

Go on then, he's passed the inspection. You can make him a coffee

Love is ....

Sharing a radiator hammock with your brother, even when the central heating is broke !!

Happy Valentine's Day

Lesson of the Day - Jasper

Lessons, but NO Carols

The Housekeeper hasn't been too busy with work this week, so took time out today to spend some time in the kitchen, in particular to try her hand at making a Christmas Pudding. Its always been a family tradition that The Housekeeper's Mother makes two puddings and The Housekeeper makes two cakes and they do a swap, however with only one dog-eared (am I allowed to use that term on here?!) copy of a 54 year old recipe book and an 81 year old Mother, The Housekeeper took matters into her own hands over New Year and eventually came across a back up copy of the said recipe book on EBay. Hen and teeth spring to mind.

Lesson 1. The Housekeeper
Someone who's been making a recipe, blindfolded for over 50 years smugly telling you what you've done wrong, and laughing, when they are 80 miles away and can't be thumped with the lid of a steamer  - Is just a tad annoying, even if she is your Mother.

Lesson 2. The Housekeeper
Leaving the kitchen window open JUST 4 inches to get rid of excessive steam from the kitchen may seem like a good idea, but not when there are Abyssinian's in the house.

Lesson 3. Jasper
Climbing out through a 4 inch gap in a window might seem like a good idea, but not when there's a 7 foot drop on the other side of it, into a very cold, dark conservatory where nobody then knows where you are.

Lesson 4. Jasper
It is harder for an Abyssinian to get 7 foot up in the air and get back through a 4 inch gap in an open window than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.

Lesson 5. Jasper
If in doubt, wail like a banshee. Someone will hear you. Follow this wailing with an impersonation of an Abyssinian bouncing on a trampoline and appearing in the window, briefly, so they can SEE you!

Lesson 6. The Housekeeper
Do not leave a sink full of washing up water when you have finished washing up, especially when it is underneath a window which is not usually open and therefore subject to curiosity. It is possible that the next object you could be washing, unintentionally, could be a cat, trying to get through a small gap in a window.

Lesson 7. Jasper
Water is WET !

Come Undone

Amber has had her stitches out. She is SO much happier now they are gone and the collar is off.

She is also being very, very cheeky, sauntering up to The Housekeeper, running her face around a chair leg or human leg and then running away before she can be caught - because she can! The sheer cat ecstasy look of being able to rub her head around anything at all seems to be a great novelty.

We had a good laugh with the vet, who kept The Housekeeper waiting for several minutes for their appointment whilst he searched on the computer for the test results on Amber's lump. It was only when The Housekeeper looked at him in surprise and asked if he had changed his mind as he wasn't going to send it away that he looked sheepish and said "oh dear". Not his day. He had already sent a pot of cotton buds flying and had to clear them up.

To save further unnecessary trip, Amber also had her boosters done at the same time. However tomorrow, morning, Crystal is the lucky cat in the house ass she gets a trip to the vets to get her boosters done.

The Housekeeper would like to put in a request for no further trips to the vets until the next set of boosters are due ...... Somehow I doubt that very much .....