Snow- what snow?

We're not supposed to be having the white stuff- but there it is anyway !!!!!!
How lucky is that ?
The cats view it with huge suspicion and demand that the heating be turned up to the maximum.
They have heated beds and radiators - I have thermal undies and extra jumpers. There's something not quite right here.
Raya has taken to sleeping in our bed, as close to me as she can get. I must admit I'm quite grateful for the shared body heat and the odd hot flush is also quite welcome.
I'm really pleased that my trip to Holland has been done- travelling any distance once the ice and snow arrives is not my idea of fun.
Good news on the kitten front. All the reports, from the various new slaves, are indicating that kittens and humans are well pleased with one another - such a relief.
Claudia is as fat as a house- just another couple of weeks to go. I will have to turn out the wardrobe at the weekend and get things prepared - how quickly it all seems to come round again.

A new Era

The last of the kittens left for their new homes on Saturday and I packed my bags for my trip to Holland on Monday.

It took nearly as long to get to Harwich by train as it did to get to Holland on the ferry - but at least I travelled overnight and managed to get some sleep.I finally met the lovely Raya's breeder, Desiree Knoop, and all the family (both human and furry).It was a very quick visit, as we were booked on the afternoon sailing. I can't thank her enough for letting me bring this little sweetie to the UK.

After a long and tiring day we got back here at 10.30 Tuesday night -only thanks to the fact that my good friends John and Judy picked us up from Harwich and drove us home.

Raya and I spent the night getting acquainted - I hope tonight means more sleep and less of her jumping on my head and "chatting".

T'was the night before Christmas

OK so that's a slight exaggeration but it's only a couple of "sleeps" to go.
The "big" kittens have left home and the "little" ones are bent on creating havoc.
This week has been particularly busy, with extra childminding duties.
Tomorrow is the BIG SHOP - if I don't manage to get it tomorrow we are going without !!!!!!
Needless to say I am far better prepared to cater for the cats than for us.
After all it is a matter of priorities.
I just have 2 babies to find homes for and I am hoping that Christmas money will mean renewed interest in the New Year.
The new heated cat beds I ordered have arrived- impressive service, particularly for this time of year. I really wasn't expecting them to get here until 2012.
Someone asked me if I bought presents for the cats - why?
They steal the envelopes that the Christmas cards come in and have a whale of a time making "snow". Just hope that no one sent us money as they may well have eaten it :0)))

Never say never

So much for all my good intentions.

I always said that if I bred an havana girl, from one of my cinnamon girls, I would keep her.

Well I bred one havana girl and I've let her go in favour of keeping a caramel girl.

Don't ask why, just accept that I've lost the plot big time and should probably be locked up.

She's a little heartbreaker and her pedigree name is to be Bardsong Dreamcatcher - known as Constance.

All, bar two, of the current litters are booked and we will , hopefully, be a kitten free zone in early January.

Connie will be company for Raya when she gets here from Holland and I hope the girls will be best of friends.

Time wasters

It's amazing that when you have kittens people think it's perfectly acceptable to waste your time.
In between the emailers, (who just want to collect photos) the visitors,(who want a free cuppa) and those who make appointments to visit that they have no intention of keeping - I am totally FED UP!!!!!!
I have met some truly lovely people during my cat breeding time - some have bought kittens from us and some haven't - but it never fails to amaze me the number of total idiots there are out there.
My big babies have had their final jabs and vet check and we start all over again with the younger lot next week.
This weekend is taken up with kitten visitors - let's hope they all turn up or I may be forced to rant again.
If anyone needs a wall stripped of paper I have 7 willing volunteers living in my lounge - but if you need paper removing above the dado rail you might have to provide scaffolding.

As time goes by

All my good intentions have gone out of the window yet again.
Rosie's babies are 9 weeks old and have just had their first encounter with our vet, Jane.
They have been passed fit and given their 1st vaccinations - they were not very impressed by the whole process and expressed their collective disapproval by going on a 2 hour rampage around the lounge.
Sofia's offspring are nearly 6 weeks old and have relocated to my office. My hopes of the 2 girls bringing up their babies side by side were dashed when they both made it abundantly clear that they weren't having another mum or babies in the same room.
OK- back to the drawing board and some rearranging of furniture.
Unfortunately the small ones have discovered how to get out of their, carefully modified and "cat proof", pen and spend a lot of time doing the "wall of death" around my office. I have nicknamed one of the havana boys "boomerang" due to the speed with which he manages to get back out as fast as I capture him and put him in with his siblings. Whoever takes him on is going to have their hands full.
My life consists of feeding, washing up and cleaning out litter trays - entirely my own fault, I know. The big ones will be leaving us before Christmas but the younger ones won't go until after the New Year. Somehow I don't think we'll be putting a tree up this year.

Busy, Busy, Busy

I haven't written on my blog for absolutely ages.
Things became very traumatic and upsetting for a while- but seem to be calming down (or at least changing tack).
Claudia's daughter Rosie gave birth to beautiful babies in September- very prematurely. We ended up with a 3 am trip to the vet to release a stuck kitten, who unfortunately didn't make it.
having said that - we still ended up with 7 little (and I mean little) darlings. It has been an uphill struggle as, if being premature wasn't enough to cope with, Rosie only had 4 working nipples.
You don't have to be Einstein to discover that 7 into 4 doesn't go!!! So human Mummy had to pick up the slack. The babies have now been with us for nearly 4 weeks and have just discovered "proper food" - so weaning and all the attendant joys has started.
On Sunday Sofia gave birth to 6 babies - so I have, yet again, had to relinquish my wardrobe to a tetchy mummy cat and her brood.
It's a bit like Alice's Tea party as they move their offspring from place to place- and I move them back again.
More info and Photos as I get the time.