Hello Kitty Post Box

Every time Neighbor Girl arrives, we all go find a safe place to hide. She makes so much noise, moves things around, and runs the loud household machines one after the other. We like her just fine, but when she departs, We are most grateful for the peace and quiet as well as the nice clean house she has left for us!

Today is Spyder's Adoption Birthday. Miss E brought him home one year ago today! Time surely flies as quickly as the birdies!

Though Spyder can sometimes be such a nuisance, But, We still love him dearly. We asked him what he wanted for his adopta-birthday. He said he wants Hello Kitty to come visit. He has a crush on her.

Ninja and I were making plans for how to celebrate Spyder's adopta-birthday when Neighbor Girl arrived and began sweeping the front sidewalk. She accidentally knocked the mail box off the wall and the paint chipped off. Miss E was quite understanding and insisted that Neighbor Girl not pay for a new one.

Neighbor Girl wanted to fix the mail box. But, she couldn't repaint it, so she decorated it! She didn't make any big noises, which had us very curious.

Ninja and I were curious cats and investigated as she took the old Hello Kitty calendar and cut the used pages away. We were concerned because Spyder has always said Hello Kitty is his "Calender Girl". We thought he would be disturbed to see her cut up like that. Fortunately he was asleep in our two story tentament in the back room.

It was quite rewarding to observe Neighbor Girl assemble the old pages from Hello Kitty calendar and cover the mail box with them. It was a clever craft lesson, if I do say so myself. And Ninja got to chew up the spare paper cuttings.

We are most pleased! When Spyder awoke and came out to see what was going on, he was so excited and happy because he assumed the newly covered mail box was a gift for his adopta-birthday!

And we didn't let him otherwise. Though we know it was a present for the post man... er... letter carrier.

Ninja and Street Warrior Make Friends

I've made a new friend. It's about time! I will have a mancat my own age. Someone I can discuss martial arts with intelligently. Spyder is too young to appreciate learning. Queen Bambi dismisses my training and disrespects me. But, I am an honorable mancat. I have pledged to guard, protect and serve my Lady, Queen and that is what I'll do.

Miss E and my Sensei, the Monk, call my new friend One-Eye-Jack. But, of course his secret feline chosen name is different.

But, from now on I will call him Jack. He says he doesn't mind, he's been called much worse. I smelled him in the neighborhood a few times and he smelled me, so he came by to introduce himself the other night.

He came back this evening to see us to wish Spyder a Happy Adoption day. Spyder has been so depressed, he hides inside our cat tree house and wont come out. He's been thinking of his birthplace on Crespi Way out in the tall grasses near the muddy water. I think he means the Slough. Jack told a story to Spyder about his ancestors who came from that neighborhood, and Spyder brightened right up. Queen Bambi and I thought maybe they were related.  After all, he has the same kind of fur. It's not smooth and shiny like mine. Nor is it ridge backed like my Lady Queen Bambi's. She knows a lot about geography and cat neighborhoods in this area. She certainly moved around a lot and lived loosely before she came to live with us.

Then, talking about families we discovered they really are related and possibly distant cousins. Queen Bambi is sure of it. Spyder asked his "Uncle" Jack all kinds of questions about his birthplace and Jack has promised to tell him more next time he returns. It's going to be great for Jack and I as we will have many mancat to mancat talks. After all, I'm sure we have a lot in common, both with our warrior ways and life stories!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry, we don't have a picture of One Eye Jack. He is camera shy.

Cat Fight

Sumtimes we lykes ta watch vids ov when udder cats fight so we can lern how to do better fights. Dis is a good one.

Shopping for the Queen

I was the most bored Queen today. So, we went shopping. I have to admit shopping was something I always thought would not interest me. However, I was fascinated with all I saw.

Miss E put me in a proper conveyance for one of my exalted position, and pushed me around the emporium.

Never in my life have I seen such an array of delightful items to admire.

Every sort of Cat food imaginable filled a whole wall from floor to ceiling. It took Miss E a long time to make our choices.

Normally I would have been impatient with her, but all the smells were heavenly, chicken, fish of all sorts, even duckling!

Then just for fun we went down the aisle where all the pet toys are located.

Oh, my goodness! I thought we had too many toys all over the house, but this is certainly a total extravagance, even for a queen!

We took a serious look at some cat climbing towers. We saw several very good ones.

I only saw one that would suit our family. It had a separate platform for each of us, and we would not be forced to walk over one another in order to get to our prospective places.

You can imagine what that would be like with Ninja, Spyder and I. Spyder could easily leap to the top, but Ninja would have to climb over me and I would not tolerate that from one of my subjects. It just wouldn't be proper even if he is my faithful guard.

I especially liked the one that had a separate little house in it. So perfect for me. Don't you think? However much we liked them Miss E would not make the purchase.

She bought new collars for Ninja and Spyder instead. They had nothing to compare to my royal jeweled pink collar.

The piece de resistance of the whole shopping expedition was when we found the fashion section.

As soon as I saw these two outfits I knew they would be perfect for me! Don't you think so?

Ninja Cat Haiku Corrections

The other day I wrote a Haiku without guidance from The Monk. I am most honored that my Sensei helps me today to make corrections. He's really proud of me for my advanced skills. Even though I wrote my poem in the correct form of (5-7-5) in American Cat English language, the literal translation into Japanese is not in Haiku form.

My original Haiku:

in sunlit window
sleeping cat awakens
golden eyes reflect


In order to fit the form and still have the meaning of my poem The Monk demonstrated how it would be in Japanese:

by the window
cat awakens
golden eye

This is how it is written in Japanese script, which is a combination of Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana characters. In this case the form is 5-7-6, which is called giamari and is still a correct form of Haiku.

窓ぎわの
ネコがめざめて
金色の目

This is how you would say it:

madogiwa no
neko ga mezamete
kiniro no me

Obon Festival

Wow! I never seen Ninja pout before! Bambi said he was "sulking".

We could hear da drums and smell da food cookin' but I din't unnerstand why dat make Ninja sad. It make me happy! It make Queen Bambi drool! But, she say lady queens no drool. Her just have luscious lips she say. Look like droolin' to me.

I ask Ninja why he sad. He say da Monk and Miss E went to Obon Festibal over at da Boodist Tempel and they lef him behind here at home. I finks he crazy. Why he wants ta go in da car?

He say Obon Festibal very important to him. He say it time to honor da ones what went over da Rainbow Bridge. And he say I gots to member Jeffery. I member him. He da big old snaggle toof mancat who was so growlchy when I was baby kitten.

I ask Ninja if him Sensei teacher doggies over da bridge, too. Him say no, if they go, they gonna come tell him in his dreams first. That be scarey dream, some doggies come see me when I sleepin'!

Alla sudden da breeze bring us new sniffs and Ninja look sad. He tell me they gots tarry-yucky chickin' and sushi over there! I fink he more intrested in da food then him is intrested in the Jeffery.

And dats when da drummin start up again. Ninja raise him head and listen with wishes on him face. He tell me them drums is called Taiko.

I tell him I like da drummin' very much. I feel it in my feets, an it make my ear hairs and whiskers bybrate. Then he say I very speshul young mancat. First time he call me mancat!

Wow! Obon must be Ninja favorite thing. No wonder him sad he dint go.

After while da Monk and Miss E come home and guess what? They bring sushi just for Ninja. Then he very happy again!

Tasty Mousie!

In my mouth
that's where he belongs,
or dancing on my paws, tight in claws,
or flipped in the air, tossed so high
I smack him across the room,
my best friend, Mousie.

Caught in a corner somewhere,
we play hide and seek.
"I found you! I found you!" I mew,
when I hear him squeak.
Oh, my mousie, my favorite thing!

I drop him into my water bowl
he might be thirsty, you know.
or maybe he'd like to swim
I sniff my mousie and lick him,
and take a nibble or two.
but I wont eat him.
I'd have no one to play with,
I would miss him. Wouldn't you?

I like to carry him tightly in my teeth
and hide him beneath the curtains,
under the rocking chair
or by the front door.
So, when people come in
they squeal in surprise.
I think they like mousie as much as I.

But, I don't want to share.
I take him behind the sofa
where he can sleep
way in the back to safely keep,
so the others won't find him,
and they never do.

Mousie has hard little eyes
a missing tail,
scrunched up fur
all sticky from play.
He has no more whiskers
I don't know where his ears went.
They just disappeared one day.
Really, and truly. I didn't eat them. I swear!
They must be hiding somewhere over there.

In the middle of night,
with the moon shining bright,
we are alone, Mousie and me.
Running back and forth we play joyously.
Leaping and scrabbling across the floor
we tear up rugs, throw pillows with glee.
Then, slide into the kitchen, where he hides
under the fridge just out of reach.
I stretch, and poke until my friend
is in my clutches again.

All tired out, I carry mousie
to my bed, roll on top of him
to hide him, protect him
to get myself comfy
and purr him to sleep.
I dream of him and I playing.
Oh, how I love my Mousie!

A Poem by Spyder
help with spelling and vocabulary by Miss E

Haiku by Ninja

,

in sunlit window

sleeping cat awakens

golden eyes reflect

~~~

太陽に照らされたウィンドウで、

 猫の目を覚ます睡眠

 黄金の目を反映

俳句忍者によって作成された 

Bed Partners

,

He snores beside me
that butterball I love,
waking me from dead sleep.

My black cat, Ninja,
with big claws
and buck tooth yawn,

I jiggle him.
He looks at me
those golden eyes.

Annoyed, he rolls
on his side
and begins to snore
again.

~ A Poem by Miss E

Queen of England to Visit Queen Bambi?

I understand that the Queen of England is visiting locally. She will not be visiting with me, however, no matter how much she likes cats. (Does she? I wonder) I have not sent her an invitation to visit, as my schedule is quite full.

For example, today was particularly busy with an unwelcome visit from Mr. Mockingbird. What a pest he is. He so much wants to see me that he flies in from long distances to sit upon the tall tree in our south eastern corner.  He is so persistent that he cannot keep a respectable distance and swoops down to the top of the gazebo!

Of course I watch him diligently from the window whilst pretending not to take notice of him in the slightest. After all, I sent the message I sha'n't give him audience!

I wish Ninja would shoo him away. But, alas, Ninja spends more time meditating these days and less time practicing his martial arts skills. He still teaches Spyder, but not so much by example as previously.

Needless to say, I have my own techniques which I have developed from my wild days before I came into my proper royal status, I find my methods quite useful on occasion, in order to carry out my duties and keep my subjects in line.

As I sat keeping an eye upon that pesky Mr. Mockingbird, he had the audacity, to dive down from the gazebo. Then, immediately. he swirled around the apricot tree right in front of the window!

I know he did that to provoke me. He certainly was asking for it!

So I leaped upon him with all my force and intent. He is fortunate indeed that I did not get my paws upon him! I had fiercely flung my body directly onto the window screen and no matter how I shook it, it did not budge! I could tell Miss E was a bit disturbed by this as she came in and closed the window.

A Kitty Cat's First Fourth of July

At first I thought it exciting. The birds grew quiet and I knew sumfin was about ta happen. and then begun the strangest thing I ever saw or heard. Poppin' noises! I heer dem in the distance. Pop, pop, pop! So I jump up in the window trying to figur out what going on and poppin' noises got more and many, many. Me-ow! I saw sparklee lights all dancin' in the sky! It verry purrty! I was mysty-fide. I neffur see anything like it.

I kep lookin' over at Miss E, but she kep readin' her book and frowning. I guess she din't like it, coz she gots up and close all the windows. Then she puff on her azzmah puffer. Then it got nighttime dark and smoke all over the nayborhood. Effurrybody is making the sparkees and the pop-pops on effurry street for a long time. I reely liek looking at the lights splashing. But one thing I don't lieks is more smoke! I can even smell it throo the window. Why they do that? I dunno.

Alla sudden the popping get turned into bangs. Bang! Bang! Bang! They is so many, liek effurrybody tryin' to make more noise than effurybody else. Liek it was a contest who gonna makes the most noise.

But, then... Bang! Bang! BOOM!!! It was terrible!

I din't care how purrty was them sparkee lights falling from the sky. I jump down from the window and run to Miss E's bed and lie down on her spot. I gonna stay here furrevver!