Friskies Versus Whiskers

Oh the beautiful sunshine!  Finally!  I have been lounging around on the wonderful fluffy, lamb's wool rug that was so thoughtfully provided for me and enjoying the sheer luxury of sunshine. 

I am getting her into a proper routine in the new house though and want to tell you the latest of what has happened.  You will be surprised, so be sure to be sitting down with come catnip nearby, in case you feel faint or over excited.

My Breakfast!

This morning I nudged her sleepiness out from under the warm blankets and got her moving toward the kitchen.  She is a bit taller than you are, so I have had to resort to standing up on my scratching skyscraper, but nonetheless it is working.

She padded slowly to the kitchen - I do wish she would not scuff her feet and act so tired when I have compelled her to obey me -- and picked up my dish, carefully emptied out the old food and washed it carefully, not using that smelly soap and then drying it thoroughly.  She selected my yummy, favourite, carved beef chunks and layered it just like I want it each morning. 

My Choice

Then she hesitated when she picked up the Friskies nibbles box.  She tends to talk to me most of the time when I am near, even when I am far, and she asked me (asked ME) if I wanted to try the Whiskers in the big bag you had left.  She said something about finding out if I liked it before all the Friskies nibbles were gone.  What a planner she is!

So I told her with my most commanding "Meow" that she could present me with the new Whiskers nibbles and get on with it.  So she did.

I ate it heartily as it was so different from the Friskies nibbles.  And then I ate the lovely beef chunks and washed it all down with the fresh water she poured into my cleaned water bowl.  Perfect.

Tummy Rumble

She went to work in the office and I could hear the clatter of little fingertips and smiled.  Then my tummy started rumbling.  So I thought she should pay attention to me and called to her various times.  She ALWAYS comes when I call.  I suppose she thinks I am stupid enough to get my pretty paw caught in a door or something.  But I love her running around after me when she is here.

Each time she came to check on me, I gave her my best, "what-do-you-think-you're-looking-at" look and put my tail up and walked away from her.  She was appropriately mystified by my behaviour.  

Then went back to work once more and minutes later heard something strange, like I was fighting with something (well she really is not good at expressing what she senses, so this was the best she could offer me of what she had heard.

What she saw, was my breakfast spread out once more on the carpet.  She was most supportive and carefully picked me up and cuddled me and fussed over me.  All the while I know she was not completely focused on me as she was searching for that sweet smelling carpet cleaner and the paper towels, but heaven knows she needed to pretend she cared about my failing health.

Earnest Scrubbing

She scrubbed away while I sat, looking exhausted and near death's door (only being a bit dramatic here, for effect, by the way, so do NOT panic) point to little bits she was missing.  She was so careful, you would have been proud of her. 

After she was satisfied with her scrubbing and putting everything back carefully, she came and scooped me up (smiling here) and softly and gently cuddled me and sat me onto my favourite lamb's wool rug and cooed over me for maybe ten of her minutes. 

I ignored her and started to nap.  Losing my breakfast that way had made me tired and so resting seemed the natural thing for me to do.  She left me in peace, but disturbed me about every 15 minutes to come pet me and ask me how I was feeling.  I was just tired, for Pete's sake!  I did hear her throwing out that new Whiskers food though and good riddance to it!  It could have poisoned me!

Oskar Teil 2 – Dann kam der Regen

(English translation follows)

In all dieser Zeit fand ich Frieden in deinen Armen and ich brauchte hier nicht zu schreiben…dann kam der Regen…

Weißt du, was ich getan habe? Ich sah es nur REGNEN in den letzten zehn aufeinander folgenden, erbärmlichen, schrecklichen Tagen

Warum hast du mich verlassen? Ich bin davon überzeugt, dass es deine Schuld war, dass der Regen startete. Es ist beinahe zu viel. Ich dachte du LIEBST mich! Ist dies ein Weg es zu beweisen?

Hast du eine Idee was „Hüttenfieber“ ist? Nun, ich werde dir erzählen, was es ist. Du musst verkraften jede Minute drinnen zu verbringen und den unaufhörlichen Regen auf den Balkon niederprasseln zu hören. Mein Balkon, welcher sonst nur der Ort meiner weichen, kleinen Fußtritte war. Es war eine Quälerei für jemanden so abenteuerlustigen, wie ich es bin.

Und das Wasser kam beinahe bis in die Wohnung, es stand die ganze Zeit so hoch auf Milo`s Balkon!

Verbesserung des Wächters

Erinnerst du dich an die Dame, der du mich zu Weihnachten überlassen hast? Nun, es war eine Überraschung sie in unser Haus kommen zu sehen und dass sie übernacht blieb am Tag bevor du mein Wohnzimmer mit Gepäck überhäuft hast und mir verboten hast, darauf zu sitzen und es neu zu sortieren.

Sie ärgerte mich nicht großartig in dieser ersten Nacht, doch als du und Miglio am nächsten Tag das Haus verließt, war ich außer mir vor Sorge!

Doch du machtest mich wieder glücklich, als du in derselben Nacht um Mitternacht wieder zurück ins Haus geschlichen kamst! Es war wundervoll dich in Miglio`s Bett schlafen zu sehen, wo genug Platz war, um mich dicht an dich zu kuscheln.

Aber dann hast du mich wieder verlassen. Es war alles ziemlich stressig und verwirrend für mich. Doch meine Futterschale blieb gefüllt und das war der wichtigste Teil in diesem Abenteuer für mich.

Sie kam die Treppe herauf in dieser Nacht und ich erinnerte sie daran, wie geschickt und heimlich ich sein kann. In der ersten Nacht versuchte ich zu entkommen, aber sie erwischte mich. Sie dachte wohl wirklich, dass sie sich an MICH anschleichen könnte. Ich aber war überzeugt, dass du und Miglio wieder zu Hause seid! So eine enttäuschende Überraschung.

Am nächsten Morgen bereitete sie mein Frühstück BEVOR sie sich selber ihren Tee machte, daran erkannte ich dass sie sich an die richtige Rangfolge erinnerte, um mich glücklich zu halten. Ich aß, ich miaute und sprang dann auf den Tresen. Ich wusste einfach, dass sie mich nicht herunter jagen würde, denn sie weiß ja nicht, was du mir erlaubst und was nicht. Doch dann verließ sie mich für den restlichen Tag.

An den zwei darauf folgenden Tagen verließ sie mich auch den größten Teil des Tages, doch ich ließ sie teuer dafür bezahlen, wenn sie wieder nach Hause kam. Sie musste mich in ihrem Schoß halten und pausenlos streicheln, sie konnte weder stricken, noch herausfinden, wie der Fernseher funktionierte (sie beherrscht ihn jetzt perfekt).

Dann kamen diese zwei ruhigen Tage, an denen auch du immer hier bei mir warst. Ich glaube, ihr nennt das Wochenende. Aber am Sonntag begann der Regen. Sie sagte es goss wie aus Eimern, ich bin nicht ganz sicher, wie diese Technik funktionieren sollte, aber es war ziemlich laut!

Es blieb am regnen. Am nächsten Morgen regnete es immer noch und sie blieb zuhause! Es regnete den ganzen Tag. Es regnete die Nacht hindurch und du kennst dieses Gefühl, als wenn die Luft vollkomen feucht wäre – so fühlte es sich auch da an.

Der Innenhof war überflutet und sie war dort draußen mit dem Besen und schwappte das Wasser damit über den Balkon. Ich war diesmal nicht in Versuchung, auf den Balkon zu schleichen, ich bin schließlich kein Narr und Stiefel für mich fand ich auch keine.

Den nächsten Tag regnete es und den darauf folgenden und…na ja, du kannst es dir vorstellen. Sie staubsaugte die Flure, wusch die Teller und säuberte jedes Mal den Tresen, wenn ich ihn erklommen hatte. Sie polierte Zeugs und füllte diese komische Maschine in dem kleinen Raum mit Wäsche und Handtüchern (die Maschine, welche Sperrbereich für mich ist).

Einmal schaffte ich es, mich einzuschleichen, aber sie erwischte mich. Das Beste war, als sie diese neumodische Vorrichtung aufbaute vor der Heizung, ich saß auf all ihrer Wäsche und schaukelte vor und zurück und dachte an Milo und ihre Hängematte. Welch ein Segen.

Als wir dabei sind, wie geht es Milo?

Ernest Hemingway

Dann blieb es einfach am regnen. Jeden Tag regnete es. Den ganzen Tag und es goss wie aus Kübeln.

Du weißt dass ich keine Geduld für Schwierigkeiten habe. Doch in meiner Unruhe begann ich Nachforschungen über die Überlebensrate von Katzen in starkem Regen. Weißt du, was ich heraus fand? Nun, ich werde es sowieso erzählen.

Ernest Hemingway sprach einmal über einen alten Mann und das Meer oder so etwas, aber er schrieb auch eine hübsche Geschichte über eine Katze im Regen. Dies ist meine ehrliche Meinung, also wenn du den Regen langweilig findest, dann ist es diese Geschichte auch, doch vielleicht gibt es ja einen tieferen Sinn welcher außerhalb der Reichweite meiner Pfoten liegt – immerhin ist eine Katze vorhanden!

Morgen soll die Sonne wieder scheinen

Nun, tatsächlich schien sie sogar schon GESTERN! Es war einfach nur herrlich, sie machte einen Spaziergang und ich glaube, wir kommen jetzt zurecht. Aber damit ihr das wisst, ich vermisse dich und Miglio trotzdem.

Oscar Part 2 - Then the Rains Came

All this time there was peace in your arms and I did not have to write here....then, the Rains Came...

Do you want to know what I've been doing?  Just watching it RAIN and trying to stay warm during the last ten straight, awful, miserable days!  

Why did you leave!  I'm convinced it's your fault the rain started.  It is nearly too much.  I thought you LOVED me!  Is this any way to prove it?

Do you have any idea what "cabin fever is"?  Well, I will tell you what it is.  It's being cooped up inside every minute and having to listen to that incessant rain pelting the balcony.  My balcony that once was host to my soft little footsteps.  it has been torture for one so adventurous as I am!  And it almost came into the house, it stayed so high all the time on Milo's balcony!

Keeper Improving

You remember that lady you left me with over Christmas?  Well it was a surprise to have her come to our house and stay overnight the day before you cluttered my living room with all that luggage and wouldn't let me sit in it and rearrange stuff. 

She didn't really bother me that first night, but when you and Miglio left the next day, I was beside myself with worry!  

But you made me so happy sneaking back home that same night at midnight!  It was wonderful having you sleep in Miglio's bed where there was plenty of room for me to cuddle next to you. 

But, then you left again.  It all was very stressful and confusing for me.  But my food bowl stayed full, so that was the most important part of the adventure for me.

 

She walked up the stairs that night and I reminded her how swift and sneaky I can be.  I tried to get away that first night, but she caught me.  She thought she could sneak in on ME.  I thought it was you and my wonderful Miglio home again!  What a surprising disappointment.

The next morning she fixed me my breakfast BEFORE she made her cup of tea, so I knew she had remembered the priorities of keeping me happy.  I ate and mewed and jumped on the counter.  I knew she would not shoo me off as she doesn't know what you do with me sometimes.  But then she left me that day.

Two more days she left me all alone during the day and I made her pay dearly when she got home.  She had to hold me in her lap and pet me non-stop and couldn't knit or figure out the TV (she has it down pat now).  

Then it was those quiet two days when even you used to be here with me.  I believe you call it the weekend.  But on Sunday, it started to rain.  As she said, bucketing down and I'm unsure of the technicality of that, but it sure was noisy!

It kept raining.  The next morning it was raining and she stayed home!  It rained all day.  It rained through the night and it was cold and you know that sort of wet air feeling everywhere -- it started feeling like that. 

The patio was flooding and she was out there with the push broom sloshing it off the balcony at regular intervals.  I was not tempted to sneak onto the balcony though as I am no fool and I couldn't find my boots!

The next day it rained and the next and ...well you get the picture.  She vacuumed the floors, washed dishes, kept mopping up the counter every time I got up there.  She polished stuff and filled that strange machine in that little room with clothes and towels (the one that is off limits to me.  

I did sneak in once but she caught me.  And best of all, she set up that strange contraption in front of the heat and I proudly sat on the top of her clean clothes and swayed back and forth and thought of Milo in his hammock.  What bliss. 

By the way, how is Milo?

Earnest Hemingway

Then, it just kept raining.  Every day it rained.  All day and heavy bucketing down rain.

You know I have limited patience with inconveniences.  But in my agitation I began doing some research on the survival rate of cats in heavy rain.  Do you know what I discovered?  Well I will tell you anyway.  

Earnest Hemingway who spoke of an old man in the sea or something like that, also wrote this neat story about a cat in the rain.  In my humble opinion, if you think the rain was boring, so is this, but perhaps there's a hidden meaning just out of paw reach - but there is a cat!

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

Well actually it came out YESTERDAY!  It was glorious and she went for a walk and I think we will make it now.  But just so you know, I miss you and Miglio anyway.

Professor Oscar

Well, you know how interested I am in life-work balance!  I’m already quite skilled with the art of resting.  My skill at perching on the back of every couch and on the window ledges throughout the house, on the edges of desk and side table and bookcase – even on the highest spots I can reach in the house.

 

Anyway, wanted to share with you all what I’ve managed to teach her during this semester.  As a student, she has proven to be one of my great accomplishments.  She is rather set in her thinking and ways.  But then I am THE professor and she had no chance really once I turned on my powers of persuasion and demonstrated the effectiveness of my pretty little claws!

Scritching 101+

First I taught her how to scritch my cheeks with both hands, so she was unable to focus on anything else and my ecstasy was delved deeply into for up to ten minutes, which, sadly is the limit of her ability to concentrate on pleasing me in this way. 
 

Then I taught her that when I want to sit in her lap, she must stop everything, including that silly tap tapping on her many keys to focus only on me again.  If she is wearing those short clothes, she must keep a pillow case at hand always to put quickly over her legs. 

 

Finally she must let me take whatever time I deem necessary to test her patience, by turning around and around until I find just the right spot to settle. 

And if I am not entirely satisfied or see movement out the window or hear noises down the dark stairs, I may jump right up and leave her wondering what I am on about.  How I love to watch her surprised face under these conditions!

Like Chocolate

Also, when she is tired and ready to watch TV, she must always remember to keep the pillow case at hand so she can put it on her legs as I hop up onto the back of the couch to startle her and then slowly and gracefully step onto the pillowcase already in place for me! 

There I sit and if she is really fortunate and manages to stroke me just so, I reward her with a hearty session of purring.  You could think purring is like chocolate for her!  So easily manipulated!

Fresh Air Exercise

I’ve taught her to leave many windows open, although she still thwarts me by keeping them open only enough for me to sniff the beautiful, free and fresh air...as I dream of lazing about on that green stuff that covers the yard below.

I’ve taught her to brush me and stop when my paw touches her hand and I get THAT look in my eyes that says, if you move one more millimetre, I will scratch you beyond an inch of your life!

Night Classes, Too!

She has learned to place a very nice soft, flannel sheet on the end of her bed so I can cuddle into it and I think she is happy that it keeps me sometimes in one place). 

Oh and she never gets up from her chair at her desk that I do not claim this prized seat!  It is so cute to watch her try to move me without disturbing my rest.

 

But she has also learned that I love to roam around her as she sleeps and rest in various spots next to her body, such as in the crook of her knees or in her arms – she is such a good cuddler and never misses an opportunity to scritch me - and in such a professional manner, I can only imagine you have left the best of instruction behind!

Diet & Health

I did refuse to eat the food she offered me recently!  Certainly she could not expect me to eat without being fussy!  So I made her go to the local Woolies and exchange some of these silly flavours for my favourite.  Otherwise I would just keep being pernickety and was close to missing the box again.

Hide & Seek!

My greatest training endeavour however, will surprise you, especially you Miglio...she has FINALLY learned to play tag and hide and seek!  She was so slow in realising this was what I intended for her to do and you would have thought it was a difficult as jumping through hoops! 

 

But just this past weekend, I got that gleam in my eye and stomped my paws at her and made her start running around and hiding behind doors.  It has made her so happy to finally GET with the program.  But this special game can only be played when I say so, though she has continued to try to encourage me.  (/me rolls my eyes!).

 

All in all, I am getting her in shape, but sense she is growing a bit sad for some reason. 

For me, I am just wondering when you will come and get me and give me a proper pet!  I know she will eventually get it and I have been more than patient and gracious with her clumsy efforts.  Yet there is no one like you and Miglio!

Oscar and the Can't-Help-Its

You know it has been HOT here and I am getting tired of laying around and complaining.  What am I to do and she can't seem to change the heat either and is doing a fair bit of laying around complaining about the heat too.  But I have found a few ways to beat the heat!

But she also tells me we are rather lucky not to live in that heart-shaped part of this land, called Tasmania, as they are dealing with raging bush fires.  Here we have a little smoke that my ultra-sensitive feline nose can detect each morning in the early hours, but no fire near us at all.

Can't-Help-Its Morning Wander

I have the "Can't-Help-Its".  This is sort of like "Man Flu" but worse.  I walk from my special pink mat on the end of her bed into her closet and sniff around.  Then I walk out switching my tail.

I saunter into the bathroom and inspect the cleanliness of my box to make sure she is keeping up with me - and so far she would surprise you! 

NOTE on Lavender

She also tricked me into using those unacceptable LAVENDER scented crystals!  She MIXED them with the ones I like.  She is maddening at how she tries to thwart me.  To punish her, I held it in half a day, just to make her worry where I might go...but eventually had to give in.  Oh I HATE to lose a little skirmish like this!

Anyway, I digress.  After I inspect the standards of the bathroom, I waltz down the long hall and into the girls' bathroom, where I rarely find anything of interest other than an occasional pair of flip-flops. 

Watching Tea Bags

If she is fixing her tea, however, I love sitting right in front of the refrigerator door.  She is always so reluctant to make me move and I just smile sweetly at her, just like that famous Cheshire Cat in that movie!  Eventually I do move or she might complain.

On to the lounge room, where I do a quick reconnoiter and check to ensure if she has somehow forgotten how much to open the windows there...just in case I can pretend I am going to sneak out.  That REALLY gets her all excited and it is SO amusing!

Squirting My Fun Away!

But my best trick then is to jump onto the little table at the staircase to that mystery area down the stairs that I have only been able to get into a couple of times and I sniff around this dumb barrier she has erected against my explorations and she goes nutty. 

However, she found a squirt bottle and gives me a little spritz of water if I persist, so I only fiddle around there until I see her face grow red!

MY Office

Then I stroll into her office.  I have had her lay out my wonderful striped towel at the one window on her desk, and a pillowcase on the desk return.  I settle typically into my favourite spot in a tall window from which I may survey all my kingdom without moving.  It is bliss to have a gentle breeze flowing the underparts of my body -- well unless it is hot. 

Then I jump down when I am about settled and let out with one of my most pathetic mews to see if she is paying attention -- she does try to type all the time and ignore me, which I will never allow.

Once she is distracted and gently cooing to me...I give her THAT look and she knows to put that pillowcase in her lap so I can sit there and keep her from typing until I am satisfied her train of thought is interrupted and I am fully stroked and scritched.  She does have the longest nails and a great technique!

What's Wrong?

"What is wrong," you plead.  Well what is wrong is that neither of you are here with me.  How am I supposed to live my life without you two.

...oh where is she with that chicken I asked her to prepare!

Anyway, I hope YOU are enjoying your holiday...she is doing what she can to indulge me, but it is you two who I have twisted around my little kitty paw!

Heat Wave for Oscar

You would not believe that it is 44 C here today!  So I'm having a very lazy day dreaming of world domination again, but you would be used to that.

I'm shedding everywhere and she is saving all my hair to make me a soft cushion.  Quite thoughtful actually considering how much time I take to pamper her and sit in her lap....which, just between you and me is too small! 

Really it is so difficult to get her to just sit still enough and get this pretty purple and white pillowcase on her lap so I can balance.  But she seems to enjoy the challenges.

Because it's so hot today I have been both sleepy and grumpy because I miss sitting in all my favourite windows.  She also found a way, FINALLY, to block off the downstairs completely now and it seems to be keeping it cooler up here!

I posed for the neatest shot with me sitting on a bunch of pillows with a dog (oh don't worry, it was not a real one or it was VERY nervous) sandwitched between them.  What a coward that dog was!  But then it is me, Oscar!

I miss you both so much, but am getting her trained rather well now and as soon as she can figure out what setting she changed preventing her from uploading these cute pictures of me, I will get her to put them up right away for your pleasure. 

Quick Update from Oscar the Magnificent

Well did you realise that the way Europe and Australia market and sell Internet time is vastly different?  Yes, yes, I know you didn't realise that I was so technically savvy, but really it is 2013 now and I have to stay up-to-date on so much!

This lady I'm staying with was beside herself to discover that her three friends from France had used up five times the amount of Gigabytes in the month that she would use...and that she completely ran out.

Actually, she never realised how many hours of Internet time I was using to talk with my other Cat friends!  I would wait till she was completely asleep and then sneak out of her bedroom and fire up this machine, talking on Skype and well I do love my movies! 

More Attention!

But most of all, I wanted more of her time!  She can be rather easy to manipulate and because she has such well cared for fingernails, I am in Cat heaven with all the scratching I get her to do.  She does complain a little of the soft hairs I surrender to her grooming, but she will get over it and it gives her something to do.

One morning however, ten days ago now, I believe, she slipped in the kitchen on some water and her face turned white and she stopped moving all together.  I waited and watched closely to try to understand what was wrong.  Eventually she moved and took a long time to get up the stairs.  I can bound up them in about 4.3 seconds!

        ( Here is my belated Christmas wish for you two.  See above for reason of delay.) 

Cat Heaven

From then on till yesterday, she stayed on the couch catching up with recorded movies and segments of series she has never had time to watch.  Best of all I kept her warm and entertained by sitting on her and purring at every possible moment.  It was simply great!

But I wanted you and Miglio to know that as hard as she tries, she will NEVER be able to satisfy me as I require.  It has taken me a lifetime to get you two trained and she is only a novice...but doing reasonably well responding to my every mew!

Miss me...as I miss you, Oscar the Magnificent (and part-time nurse)