Christmas has come and gone and now New Year is upon us, a thoughtful start.

My Father in Law with Harvey as a kitten

Well just a short post to wish everyone a fantastic New Year. I sit typing on a chilly but perfectly crisp day, the blue sky clear and the hard frost crunching under foot. The layer of ice on the pond and the canal being frozen indicates how cold it has been but a touch of snow would be nice.

Finally a day with minimal eating.....my OH adores cooking and he makes the most fantastic food although he is a bit of a tyrant, a Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen, it is his way or the highway so to speak. We have continued to eat well however there is lots now in the fridge just to finish up and no more large volumes of washing up for me!!!!!!!

Luna

The house is finally looking like a semblance of itself although we still look rather over stocked on furniture, Xmas trees forcing a rearrangement. The tree is surviving well, no interest by five cats in the tree or ornaments, I must have the oddest cats!!!!! and with watering the base we have a tree still looking good.

Bertie

Harvey

Monty

Reuben

The cats have found the frost too much especially the grass which they seem to treat incredibly suspiciously. Bertie has found launching himself up the maple gives him a good view into the neighbours gardens, I just try not to look at him coming down!! He is our slightest cat, the one who broke his leg this year and probably the one everyone feels protective to. Monty on the other hand is truly looking massive and the ground does shake when he pounds in, looking down across his shoulders I've measured his bones to be 5 inches(13 cm) across. He is just one big beautiful unit, a rugby player in a former life! Luna has now become most beautiful, her coat hangs from her as if she has been groomed daily but I barely touch her and her tail makes up half of her size, a plume to be proud of. Harvey and Reuben are most loyal in the most different of ways, Reuben detests attention but loves to be by you always, he will never be more than  a couple of metres away whilst Harvey runs to me and push in for love but I do have to say he is almost a one person cat.

On the saddest of notes, January 2nd will find us having a day of thoughtfulness as it is my Father in laws funeral, a man of great gentleness, a man I never heard a bad word from in all the 30 years I knew him. He didn't like fuss and the funeral will show no frills just those who knew him being respectful, so here is to you dear gentleman......you loved your walks, the birds, the family and the cats, especially one!!