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!

Sushi for Breakfast

This morning while I was bird watching and Spyder was napping, the Monk and Miss E were having breakfast.

Ninja went to beg like an uncouth commoner! He has such bad manners, he even jumps up on the table! I would NEVER do such a thing! I stay away when they dine.

It would be unseemly for a queen to beg! Especially the way Ninja does it. Don't you agree?  Besides, I slept in between them last night right under the blankets! So, I don't need their attention the way Ninja does.

When the Monk woke up he was so surprised to see me right there by his elbow, he jumped. Of course, I found this quite disconcerting! So, I leaped like a little deer - like the Bambi deer I am named after, and I was gone in a flash.

The Monk called to me to return, and for once I decided to forgive him. So, I went back and he petted me. He's a good human, even if he already belongs to Ninja.

So, Ninja got to eat sushi again, even after they said they weren't going to give him any more, and this time his tummy was okay with it. I saw Miss E give him caviar, which I understand is fish eggs. But, he says he likes the hamachi best.

I love to watch the live fish in the aquarium and even taste their water when I get a chance, but I just cannot tolerate the idea of eating dead fish, no matter how delicious Ninja says it is!

Bird is so much better!

Sushi Cat

Ninja loves Sushi. Now he loves the Sushi Cat game.
It's easy at first.
And lots of fun.
Then it will test your thinking!

Sushi Cat

Ninja was very disappointed this week when The Monk showed up without any sushi. The same thing happened last week. Though each time the Monk comes to visit he smells like he's been eating sushi, himself. Poor Ninja, he cannot get any Zen sustenance, and he wonders if he is not the number one ninja in the Monk's life, anymore. However, I do believe I can understand why our dear Monk does not bring sushi to Ninja anymore. It is quite expensive, I understand, though probably not as expensive as the jewels I wear upon my royal collar. Have you seen my lovely collar?

The first two times the Monk brought sushi, he shared it with Ninja a bit at a time. Ninja loved it. Neither Spyder nor I care for it. Of course, it makes perfect sense that a cat named Ninja would love to eat sushi. Don't you think?

The following week Miss E and The Monk decided that Ninja could have his own personal serving instead of having to wait for one bite at a time. The Monk, so knowledgeable about Japanese cuisine, knew exactly the type of raw fish to choose for Ninja based upon his distinctive preferences. At 12 dollars a pound you would think Ninja was the royalty around here!

 So, at The Monk's next visit while he and Miss E sat down for their meal, Ninja received a lovely plate decorated with the sliced pieces of Chirashi (he called it) for his enjoyment. Apparently Sushi is raw seafood accompanied by rice and seaweed and rolled up into little pillows, whereas Chirashi is carefully sliced raw seafood without accompaniments. Purrsons use vile tasting soy sauce and even more vile tasting wasabi to dip them in.

Ninja enjoyed his chirashi so much that he finished off the whole plateful and asked for more. Miss E and The Monk were surprised, but gave into Ninja's polite nudging. He really is a gentleman cat at heart. So, the Monk, respecting Ninja's request added more chirashi to Ninja's plate. Which, amazingly Ninja finished off in no time.

Upon Ninja's request for a third helping he was given just one more piece and told that was all. Ninja happily ate that, and waddled away. By the time he got to the doorway (please excuse me for saying so) Ninja left the contents of his stomach on the floor. He was so embarrassed he decided to clean it up himself. That was when Miss E swept him up in her arms while The Monk took care of the "gift" Ninja left for him.

Poor Ninja, now his tummy was as empty as it was before The Monk arrived. But, all he was permitted to ingest at that juncture was water.

Now, do you see why there has been no more 12 dollar chirashi for Ninja?

Garden Pathway Fit for a Queen

Our lovely gentleman friend, The Monk, arrived this afternoon for a visit and tea. He did not bring any of that nasty sushi Ninja is so fond of. Thank heavens!

I was so surprised to see him, as were Ninja and Spyder. I thought he would be up in San Francisco with Miss E at the doctor. But, he drove all the way down here to check on us.

I understand that it is a long way according to Ninja who has been around longer than I. So, I must presume he knows what he is talking about. He's had so many adventures in his eight years.

I was delighted to learn The Monk brought us thirty cans of cat food! I prefer that to sushi as you know. Of course, he didn’t open them all. Ninja and Spyder were hoping for a big feast! Their eyes are bigger than their tummies. And that would be quite barbarian of them. I would not put up with it.

The Monk petted us, gave the fish their nutrients, then went out and performed some gardening.
It looks like he is going to make a royal pathway out there for me to walk upon. He is so thoughtful to think of my needs this way. I can hardly wait to see how the new garden will look when he is finished.

Cat Fish

Saturday evening the Monk arrived with wonderful treats to eat from halfway around the world. He brought SUSHI!!! I was so happy to see him! But, I was surprised when the Monk and Miss E didn't offer me any. I thought for sure they would set a place at the table for me.

It would have been a great opportunity to use my ninja skills to invisible swipe away some sushi, but I respect the Monk and Miss E too much to do that. Plus, they never looked away. However, as a well controlled ninja did not yeow like a begging kitten. I did wander around their legs and the table legs to work up my energy powers, though.

I focused my mind pointedly into their human thought waves, and produced a very simple mantra: FEED ME! Miss E succumbed first. She began to break off morsels of her salmon, then some shiro-maguro, then some snapper, then some ebi.  It pays to be a gentleman with mind control powers. I savored every delicious mouthful.

The monk is not so easily swayed. He is very protective of his food, as any wise cat would do, and adamant that he was not going to share. I had to demonstrate one of my Tai Chi poses to impress him standing upright on my haunches while balancing my upright paws. He was much delighted with the high quality of my ability to hold the pose. His resolve soon melted. Hamachi, unagi, anago, ika, kurodai, and tamago passed over my palate. A feast fit for a fine ninja, such as myself.

Ah, Near Samadhi!

Ninja Cat Imparts

The kids (Bambi and Spyder) and the old man, (Jeffery) are asleep and I've got the computer to myself. Let me introduce myself. I'm Ninja. Today was an unusual day. We had unexpected visitors.

Well, maybe Miss E knew they were coming, but she certainly didn't tell any of us. We only found out when she gathered us together and put us all in the spare room, except for Jeffery. He doesn't like to hang out with us. The few times she tried to put him together with us, he was so mean, and poor Bambi cried at the door until Elizabeth opened it. Jeffery ran out straight to the front door and begged to be let out. She always gives in to him! He is the only one allowed out. I guess cause he doesn't go very far. Bambi and I would choose to explore.

I know if I got out I would check out the whole neighborhood and not come back til I was done. I'm sure Miss E knows this quite well, cause she keeps an eye on me and I get a squirt from the Scat Spray Water bottle any time I get too close to the door. But, I just want to smell the world! Doesn't she understand that?

So, I have to use my ninja tricks to silently sneak past her so I can hang out by the door. A guy can just sniff the air can't he? I really must get out there sometime if I can just find a way! After I tore the holes in the screens those first two times I got out, they fixed it so I can't do that anymore. So, finding a way out is more challenging now. As a ninja master, I shall be patient. Everything will fall in place. I haven't learned to walk through walls yet. But with practice, we shall see.

Back to the visitors. Elizabeth's son came with a friend. So, we were introduced one at a time. I can tell her son really likes me, so I just sort of sleepily ignored him, while he stroked me. Ninjas must keep their emotions under control and not let others know what they are thinking! Since I was in the bedroom up on my special place of honor on the bookcase headboard, I didn't watch as the guests were led into the other room to meet Bambi.

Oh, she is such a hussy! Kissing up to them like that. Straining her neck to be rubbed and squirming to their sweet talk. I'm not jealous, I just think her immaturity gets in the way of her maintaining any sense of dignity.

I was surprised at Spyder's reaction. He is always so interested in everything, so curious about everything. Always checking things out, always strutting through the house as though it was his to conquer (well it is, actually), it never occurred to me that he might not be wanting to be associated with introductions to new humans.

Elizabeth had to go hunt him down. Once she finally found him she carried him out to the living room like she was about to show off a precious treasure. Well, I guess he is in a way. Though, I know this family would not be able to function without my guardianship of our treasures.

I learned how to be a guardian in my previous life. I mean the home I lived in before I came here. My Sensei's were two dogs. They weren't very good at teaching me how to meditate. They said I was better at focus and concentration than them. Guarding, on the other hand, was more difficult to learn. I can wag my tale well to welcome someone, but I just never got the barking down to a fine art. My Sensei's did tell me, though, that my deep throated warning meows are very effective. And I must agree. A good guarder doesn't need to come across as a wild cat, or a grumpy old man wild cat. One needs some finesse to carry off the job appearing threatening without appearing to be a danger. Appearing too dangerous can end up in very bad situations, about which I have only heard whispers.

Well, on with my story. Where was I? Oh, yeah. There was Spyder hiding out, trying to make himself invisible. That doesn't work very well if you are going to come running the second a feather toy is waved in front of you! So he was taken out to meet the guests. I could sense his distress. Even though they admired his oddly matched eyes and praised his pretty white hair and complimented him on his little black top hat, he was having none of it. Never relaxed, never warmed up and worst of all, never got the petting, cuddling and attention he deserved. I will have to take him under my wing and teach him how to greet guests more calmly. He has to learn first and foremost, Cats are in charge, not the other way around. If you are going to hide under the bed, then hide under the bed and stay there, while they go through all the wheedling motions to try to get you to come out. After they give up and go away, Then you can make your big entrance. They will be so much more impressed with you that way.

They all went away for a while so we listened to the stereo while they were gone. I love it when the traditional Japanese music is on. Bambi is into the sentimental music called "torch songs". I can see why. Those high female voices have great modulations. They actually can resonate quite well with our own tonal qualities. Spyder is totally clueless about music as of yet. Though, I notice he gets really calm when there is harp music playing.

When Elizabeth and her son returned, this time there were three other female humans with them. It was quite exciting, as they all smelled of fish. I could smell them when they first arrived. They were still outside and one of the girls offered sushi to Jeffery. He turned his nose up at it and walked away. Go figure!!! I guess he still prefers wild squirrel from his old forest home.

So when they all came inside, Bambi and Spyder were out there in the living room in a flash. They were right up their sniffing fingers and everything. Spyder had lost his shyness so easily, it was amazing.

So we were all given little morsels of sushi. It was really quite delicious. We were all sad when they went away.