It's been a week now since we came home with Isis (little girl with ginger) and Cyrus (little white boy) and they are full of life.

I forgot what it's like to have a kitten around, and now we've got double the trouble. However they are keeping me entertained. Missy on the other hand is not impressed at all. She's met Cyrus face-to-face a couple of times and he has no fear... she was hissing at him and he still walked straight up to her as if she wasn't bothered by him. She gave him a light tap on the head to say "go away" but he just shook his head and stayed put.

Their personalities are starting to come out. Initially Isis was the adventurous one but Cyrus is showing that he is happy to dive head first into anything. He runs around like a mad man and sounds like a baby elephant while doing so. Isis is not far behind him but isn't as willing to jump in feet and all.

Isis is a little more independant, where as Cyrus does like attention when he wants it. I've noticed a pattern of a night time, once they're both ready to sleep for the night... Isis will talk for a little bit and so I give her a cuddle, she purrs away and then is happy to settle in her bed for the night. Cyrus on the other hand wants to smooch. It takes a while for him to settle because he's too busy smooching, rubbing up against me, sitting on my lap etc and the whole time his motor is going. He really wants a big cuddle before he's happy to be put to bed but tonight he wanted to sleep up on my desk next to me so he's claimed my sarong and stretched out on my old laptop.

They are very playful and really full of beans. It's so much fun having kittens around, now I wish for Missy to adopt them so she has some friends to hang with since she's still missing Pirate. We all miss Pirate because he was such a sweet, sweet boy.

Update on Pirate

The results came and it's not good... Pirate has a cancerous tumour that is spreading. The vets said they could try to chop it out but there is no guarantees he'd make it through the surgery and if he did, the surgery would be very traumatic for him. They've recommended that we just let him live his life as comfortable as we can and once he is in pain, we send him into spirit.

For my birthday, my mum painted this:-

The painting was based on this photograph:-

She opened his eyes and showed his tail. She's very clever. So now we're keeping an eye on him and at the moment he's still got his healthy appetite and getting around relatively easy. However once I see he's in pain, I'll do what is best for him.

Here he is... I took this today:-

Mum... I want some attention!

Since returning from Sydney I've been working on the computer a lot, writing training materials and preparing for courses. While I was away Pirate fretted and didn't interact with Bonnie, our cat sitter so since I've been home he's been all over me.

Actually he's been really naughty... He's been annoying Missy, he's been getting up on the table and knocking things off, he's been getting on the table and sitting on the computer or walking across it. I don't know how many times I've had to tell him to get down, and yesterday we did battle... every time I got him down, I'd turn my back and he's back on the table.

I know he's missed me and he just wants my attention... I'm writing this now because he's just gotten on the table and walked right across the keyboard as if the only thing that mattered was him.

And here's Missy saying "Oh no, not again!" Actually I think she was trying to cover her eyes because it was a bit too bright for her to have her cat nap.

When it comes down to it, they are great company when Nick's away... truly, I wouldn't want it any other way!

Blue Skies and Big Cats

WOW... Blue Skies, fluffy white clouds and lots of green, lush hills... this is what New Zealand looked like as we flew over the top and landed in Auckland. We look forward to going back and exploring more!














The first couple of days was spent catching up with friends (Ryan in the front, Nick, Richard and Meryl). Richard was so generous with his time and picked us up and showed us around on a couple of ocassions. Other days were spent exploring the sites of Auckland using the 'hop on and hop off' but as well as relaxing, relaxing and relaxing some more.

We did also manage to take a leisurely drive up North as far as Whangari. Ryan was very generous to lend us his car while he was away working. While up North we visited Zion Wildlife Garden and spend some time with some big cats as well as some cuddly cubs. Zion Wildlife Garden is a lion and tiger sanctury ran by The Lion Man (which can be seen on The Australian Network in Asia). He has a number of lions and tigers that are no longer in the wild... it was great to get up close and personal. To read more about it, I've placed a link to his website under 'Favourite Websites'.

We spent about an hour on a guided tour and then I spent 20mins in with some cubs... check out the photo's below. The first two photos are 8 month old Barbary Lion Cubs - 2 boys and 1 girl (the girl is on her back waiting for a tummy rub and the one who's enjoying the bottle).














I was also very lucky to spend some time with a white tiger cub who loves having a bottle and is only 6 months old.

He made little chuffing noises as we approached him. Tigers chuff when they greet people and he was soooo gorgeous!

Cruelty to Animals

Animal Asia Foundation are an organisation trying to stop cruelty to animals in Asia and espeically trying to close down "animal entertainment parks" such as this one in Shanghai who promote Animal Olympics.

Animal Asia is encouraging people to write a polite letter voicing your concerns and calling for urgent legislation to protect all animals from cruelty and abuse. They ask that you send your letter to your local China National Tourist Office and your local Chinese Embassy.

They explain that personal letters are the most effective, or they have a sample letter...

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you to express my concerns and horror at the recent "Animal Olympics" held at the Shanghai Wild Animal Park.

Cruel and archaic events such as these reflect poorly upon modern China and serve only to tar your international image. The use of animals for entertainment is being phased out in many countries as more and more people recognise the suffering and misery of life in captivity for performing animals.

In the light of the upcoming 2008 Beijing "Green Olympics", it is truly tragic that facilities such as these are still in existence. I urge you to do all that you can to encourage the Chinese Government to implement comprehensive legislation to protect both wild and domestic animals from all forms of abuse.

I look forward to hearing of positive changes in the immediate future.

Yours truly,

All letters can be emailed. The email address for the China National Tourist office in Sydney is sydney@cnta.gov.cn and the China Emabassy email address is chinaemb_au@mfa.gov.cn For my friends in Hong Kong, the China National Tourist office email address is 'th@hkta.org' and the China Embassy email address for your home country can be found through this link.

I am asking that my family and friends send letters because the animals can't speak for themselves.

Animals Asia have been successful in getting Disney to drop Shark's Fin Soup at Hong Kong Disneyland. Unfortunately they were not able to stop the Bullfighting event held in Shanghai but based on their protests it was not a success for the event organisers.

I hope you support this cause!

An Update: I received an email today saying that we were successful in having the Animal Olympic's cancelled - YAY!!! They will also be asking if the park can now provide a permanent home for the poor blind bear that was forced to stand for hours at a time while tourists posed with him for photographs. Thank you anyone who took the time to write a letter... obviously my letters helped the cause.

Exercise Buddies

I found myself some new exercise buddies... A couple of weeks back I bought some Billy Blanks, Tae Bo exercising DVD's as I was bored walking/jogging on the treadmill and looking at myself while I pedaled away on the bike.

Usually my exercise buddy is Melissa but this week with various commitments we're exercising by ourselves. Billy hypes things up and to motivate his audience he talks about "energy" and being "energised". Imagine a strong American accent saying those words and other words to the effects of "it's all about energy and strength and endurance", "what is it about?", "yes that's right now show me some energy".

Today Billy inspired Missy and Pirate to join me in being "energised" and "showing some energy". They were definitely energised... they ran around the lounge room chasing each other, Missy rolled around trying to catch her tail and Pirate hit and chased is ball around.

Normally Missy lies around, sometimes comes and nudges me if I'm stretching but most of the time just relaxes in the middle of the floor where I'm trying to do my exercise. Pirate sits on the stairs or under the dining table out of harms way.

I wonder if they'll join me on Thursday... Nick thinks they need it as he thinks they are a bit on the tubby side, where I say they are just cuddly.

It definitely is a cats life... after all that exercise, they are now both curled up asleep. I want to come back as one of my own cats. Hope you're having a great day too!

Who needs children...

...when you have a husband and two cats? I love that Nick talks to Missy and Pirate as if they were human, and I love that they both talk back to him as if he was a cat.

Today I've been working in the study and I could hear Nick and Missy down stairs, I think he was tormenting her (which is not unusual and he says it's because he was an only child). Next minute the door swings open and there she stands tall and proud, talking to me... I can only guess that she was telling me that Nick was annoying her and for me to tell him to leave her alone. She chats for a while and I respond by saying "really" and "oh no". She then lies at my feet and goes to sleep.

About half an hour later in comes Pirate and he's all smoochy to me and then to Missy but she's not impressed that he wants to smooch. She hisses and growls at him, then takes a swipe... luckily Pirate is quick enough and she misses. She starts telling me all about it, as if I wasn't privy to what went on.

So... who needs children when you have a husband and 2 cats (hee hee) but just like most people, you wouldn't have it any other way.

A bit of a scare!

The beginning of the week started a little rough with Pirate not very well and being diagnosed with pnuemonia - yuk and poor Pirate. Today I'm happy to report he's back to his normal self... climbing our stair railings, starting rumbles with Missy and knocking on my door at 6:30 this morning telling me that he was hungry.

He and I rumble when it's time for his medication - one tastes like chocolates (so the vet says) and we get that down a-ok however the other one tastes like sticky cough mixture. Half of it ends up on me, a quarter of it Pirate spits out and the other quarter must be doing something because he has stopped coughing.

With him now lying at my feet, I think he's forgiven me.

I hope everyone is healthy and happy... enjoy your week!