My friend's birthday - WOW

Birthday cake made by Colette

Well we left Telford in 1999 and my biggest lost was my friend, our kids were firm buddies from the day they were born and in fact before where my eldest and Carol's son were introduced as NCT bumps.

Happy Birthday moments

This weekend was Carol's big birthday, and as ever with my out going exuberant friend she meant to party with ALL her friends.  Even her close neighbours love her so much that they open up their house for her to have her party, an old chapel.

Fireworks across the Gorge

Unfortunately my eldest coming into teaching this year has so much on his plate that he could not come even though he really would have sooooo loved to. Therefore my daughter, who loves a party, and my youngest, who loves a party came to represent our family and to have a good time.

Colette all dressed for the 70s

Ben a true hippy, even a beard grown for the occasion!

We turned up for our accommodation not realising they had closed the whole of the village to traffic for a Christmas celebration topping with fireworks. Hence some firm negotiations and we finally were let in behind a marshall walking ahead!!!!!!  After sorting ourselves we made it down for the fireworks which were gorgeous, the explosions rippling around the river valley making your chest thunder. Then the long long long walk up the hill to party time.

People are so good loving to dress up, not my thing so I had come as 2013, however sooooo many people made the effort to dress up for an era. That's Carol's friends!!!!! I must be the odd one out!!! No presents were requested apart from donations to charity and all the costs of the drinks went to charity also, a party with the feel good feeling!!!

Youngest having a Roma cuddle

Jo keeping Carol fed

As expected Carol was on mega form, bringing together everyone somehow, socialising like a trooper and enjoying herself!!! She was the dancing Queen! It was lovely to see everyone, people coming up greeting like good old friends. Her family had definitely put their heart an soul into it, probably been whipped along by the Carol whirlwind, Keith with the music and images, Colette with a stunning cake and Ben keeping Carol sane.

Well, here is to you Carol, a superb party, no one could have managed it better, we had a lovely smashing time, Happy Happy Birthday. Hope at least some of the photos are acceptable. Love you xxxxx

Friends

Siblings

Just a moment

Hapiness

Joy

Me and my girl

Foods up

More cuddles

The kind people who hosted the party

Charlie!!!!

Looking for support

You scan still be seen

Grub

Cats - Autumn walks, general photos and quirky observations

Harvey walking by the lock

We are at that lovely time of year still when the weather does not always have that bite and there are some leaves on the trees. Yesterday I took the chance to  walk Harvey, and just a little stroll with Luna.

It still astonishes me that everyone finds it so unusal to walk a cat. Having had Louis come back to us years ago with a huge slash down his stomach barely surviving I would not wish to put any of my cats through this nor us. Although we do not live on a main road I would also hate to think that our cats could in anyway cause an accident through cars trying to avoid them. To a lesser extent there are the risks of Antifreeze poisoning (on the increase), also anti social members of society trying to cause harm to our cats, and lastly, as they are all pedigree cats, people catnapping them for sale!!

Luna striding out on one of her first walks

Harvey is our great walker, however he does dislike bicycles, dogs and people which means we walk at quieter parts of the day. Reuben could take or leave walking, he is happy at home. Monty truly dislike it and adopts his position for all horrible situations i.e. going to the vet or burying his head into your arm so he cannot see anything!! Bertie would probably be ok, although I just feel he is happy at home, however I have just started to try Luna on a harness. She has a very gung-ho  attitude to the world and I have been proved right. On her first introduction to the harness she was up and ready to go out the door and had her tail upright and eager to look around.

Cat shelves in full use

The cat shelves are soooooooo popular, my only issue is that there is only one way up and down and if more than one wants to be on there we immediately have a blocking problem, not something I foresaw!! Instead I have gone around the house look to make sure areas where they can get height, to have a bit of variation, are in general cat friendly. Although my mantlepiece is still strictly out of bounds, my lovely china  Guinea  Fowl are too fragile. Someone suggested museum putty to hold them in place, I must look into that!!
Ohh, also we've had a new success on the RAW food front DOC's - cheap and 2 out of the 3 love them so far!!!

Harvey under the autumn Acer

Monty with his piercing eyes

A few interesting observations - odd and sometimes quirky.

• Alpha cat will only allow lots of stroking when no other cats are around. Then he turns back into a kitten. It is like your teenager boy who loves his mum but when with the rest of HIS crowd he has to look cool.

Bertie, very much our fluffy Selkirk

Reuben loving the outside trees

• Alpha cat also has to be fed away from the other cats, higher or another room.
• Alpha cat can get his food nicked very easily, the kittens will just come under his nose and nick it whereas away from the bowl he would give them a swipe with his paw.
• For five cats we have four litter trays ( I know for five we should have six). They only use one for the one use while all the others get used for the other use. In the mega tray we use Worlds Best and in the smaller other ones we use Natures Gold. I must do an experiment!!
• Present number two could take on Alpha cat but it is not in his nature however when Number twos adopted babies are threatened Number two takes Alpha cat down. General behaviour would indicate a level playing field between these two. No defence given by two to Alpha, and Alpha expects none - they associate and rest amicably together.
• The sink is the best place ever, number two who doesn't like lots of strokes will shout until a towel is put in the sink and he will jump into it and expect constant stroking.
• Boxes of different sizes and things put in or holes cut in are the best toys ever.
• Except for a pop up cube which all of them try to pile into in one go!!! it collapses, it rolls, it's the best.

  

  Luna showing off her fine tail!

  
  
  
  
  
  

Cat Shelves - Yes, we've added these as well!

Well there I was at the computer looking at our  Dining room/Office walls when I decided that there was a prime area of green wall fit for a new purpose!! The cats always love being wherever someone is sitting and if I am at the computer that usually means on top of my hands while I am typing. I thought building some cat shelves could give them a perch and allow me to get on with work quicker.

Off I went to Ikea to look at shelves, and chose the Ekby Shelving system. What was so great about these was that you could cut the shelves to any length and as the bracket fits over the ends all the cut exposed shelf was then hidden. I purchased two lengths of shelving and ten brackets. I also knew that the shiny surface was not ideal to jump onto therefore cut carpet tiles adhered to the shelving with carpet double sided tape should work. The idea for these came from several websites.


I initially did mean to fit them myself but my dearest Father in Law took it upon himself to fit them. Our cats are not light weight so we used the strongest wall plugs available, enough to hold a human I believe!!!! and the shelves were put up.

Well they are great, I think they look professional and so neat. I come into the room to find often one or two of the cats asleep during the day and it is lovely to turn around when I am at the computer to see them watching me.

Yes another thing we didn't NEED but a cat enrichment which has certainly been used and enjoyed.

Family update

Whoops started this last week

Firstly,

Well I was just so chuffed with my most amazing bit of parking today that I had to take a photo of it. No going up on the kerb to get the hefty wheel behind the lines and just a full reverse and one adjustment forward. So cool.

Amazing parking

Family update:
Hubby has gone transatlantic for some time but we have found Skype after a £900 phone bill. We really don't know why we didn't do it sooner, just habit I suppose. I love it. The only trouble is the 5 hours difference so sometimes I am in the bath when he rings!!!!!!

Uni room

Son's blood cells, photo sent today!!

I went up to visit my youngest yesterday and he is definitely settled in at Uni. Room great. Seems to have come down to the activities he does like now. Unfortunately Rugby which he loved here has a different vibe up there so not so keen to join that bunch. His student colleagues in the flat seem very nice, on his course they sound quite studious!!!It'll be good for him!!!

My daughter has invested in a pair of expensive boots, I think she nearly fainted at payment time. I'm pleased as she always went for the cheap pairs that rubbed these are really nice, she's also bought a lovely dark coloured Russian style hat which goes with her long blonde hair beautifully. She is now on holiday and soon off to Bournemouth.

My eldest, I think, is ready for half term. He is really chuffed that he will be able to complete a whole year at the school he started as a supply at, as cover for Maternity leave.

Well the cats update:

Luna had to have another bath yesterday just before we were going to bed. What fun!! So in the sink she went with a proper scrub up. Not the best time as she really needed to have a lovely warm room to dry in but we sorted it, a brush up this morning and she was our fluff bundle again. Generally she is just so confident, never concerned by anything, she just bowls into everything. She adores RAW food especially bird with bones ie any sort of game bird. The only problem is she only has baby teeth still and she will spend ages knawing away on skin and bone. She came up to me at the computer with food in mouth and the most horrible messy face ever!!

Bertie is everyones love bug is chirrups and jumps up next to you burrowing in and hunkers down of an evening. His coat is just exploding with curls now. We went to a cat show at the weekend which had Selkirks on show. I can safely say his curls on his chest would beat a lot of them there hands down and he is only 6 months.

Monty is having to come inside more with the weather changing, his coat is so dense that outside is lovely and cool, now he comes in he is returning to his mute but loveable teddy self. Again with reference to the cat show he has all the correct attributes in all the right place but he was way, way chunkier than any of the others. Not fat just solid. He is like a bouncer a real cuboid shape, a perfect teddy bear.

Reuben is stunning, his coat and condition is gorgeous. He is the most loving cat to the others. He has his quirks where he likes a stoke, on the back but not his head except in the sink!! He's into greeting you with lots of leg entwining. I think he has grown in confidence  at to his position in the cat household.

Harvey is our affectionate big boy to me, but grumpy with all others humans or cats. Except Grandad whom he loves!! No accounting for taste, hehehehe. He is intrigued with Luna and exasperated with Bertie, who does not understand the hint that if Harvey is on the stool you don't jump up next to him. Monty he is beginning to see more as an equal.

Autumn walk with leaves

Harvey off on his autumn walk

Why would you sit on the gas hob??? Monty keeping warm!!!