Natalie and Nadia's Visit

In January 2007, two of my students came to visit, Natalie (on the left) and her younger sister Nadia (on the right). I was Natalie's class teacher in Grade 1 and 2 and she is now going into Grade 6!!! Time does fly! Anyway, here are some pictures of their "Cat Visit"!

The cat's favourite toy remains the Da Bird (which I had to order specially from the US!!!). I can't believe how much they love it! The girls could only get it a little off the ground, but when I dangle it higher, they still manage to jump and grab it. Starbuck is so funny when he gets it in his mouth as he walks away with it growling something fierce!

I'll post more pics of their visit later!

Around the House

Here are a few pics of the boys around the house. They were taken in January 2007.

This is Torrey. You may think he's passively looking out of my 2nd floor apartment, checking out the rain and the cars passing by.... but you'd be wrong. He's chasing Da Bird - so much more interesting that passing cars!


Stalking something - although I have no idea what!


In their playroom having an excited time with Da Bird. I spend so much time with them, I can hardly even consider having kids! I wouldn't have enough time for them all! (cats are sooo much better anyway!).


Some more pics of the boys in their playroom. Although the boys are allowed anywhere in the house (but the kitchen, laundry room, pantry and my maid's room), they have their own special room called their 'Playroom'. This is also ideal as they can be put in their playroom when I have guests that either don't like cats or guests I know the boys won't like =) It's actually huge by Hong Kong standards (150 square feet-ish) and comes complete with an 8 feet cat tree, smaller cat trees, tunnels, scratching posts, water fountain, boxes, boxes and more boxes and much more!

On Top of the Dining Room Doors

If there is one thing Starbuck loves to do it's jump, especially on top of doors. Sebastian won't even consider it (he actually only started to do more jumping after the kittens arrived) and Torrey seems bored by it. But Starbuck can be found on top of almost any door, cabinet, cupboard etc. you can imagine. He even balances on top of my wardrobe door and it's got to be around 2cm wide.

Anyway, I finally decided to get a few pics of him on top of the dining room doors. I say "doors" plural because there are two sets of doors that lead into the dining room, and when they're both open they back onto each other as you can see in the pics.






These pics were taken in January 2007 when the kittens were 10 months old. Starbuck at this time simply jumped onto the top of the doors and then just sat there watching life. Now, at 1 year and 4 months old he has taken to using the tops of doors as scratching posts - I can't believe how he manages to balance and rigourously scratch! And why he does this I have no idea considering my home is littered with scratching posts and surfaces of all kinds!!!

Starbuck Jumping

The boys are getting very good at jumping! Starbuck especially can jump fast and high - so far the highest he's jumped without any support is about 6 feet, but with the support of a wall (or person, or door knob) he can jump on top of doors and kitchen cabinets with ease!

Anyway, here are two jumping pics taken in November 2006 when he was still only jumping about 5 feet. They pics aren't great, but they do show you him jumping.

Some more November pics

Here are some more pics taken in November when the boys were 8 months old. They are already so big they don't look like kittens anymore!

This is one of the boys' favourite places - behind the hall door! My living room, dining room, kitchen etc. is closed off from the bedrooms, toilets, scrapbook room etc. by a hall door, which conveniently helps me keep the boys in one area while I have company and at night. They don't like it much and make their disatisfaction known vocally!


I think pic is fun, even if not in focus and not centered!
The boys look like they're hunting in a pack - in unison! Ha ha...


Playing with a box, as usual! Their favourite toy!


My beautiful Starbuck!


Just walking out of the cat room to find something more fun to do!


Look at that tongue! Starbuck in one of my cat tunnels!


Hmm... the camera string! Looks fun... let's play!

More TV pics

Here are a few more pics of the boys playing with the TV. I even bought a Catnip DVD which they love! I should get some pics of them watching it - very funny!

It's amazing how Starbuck is so much more an explorer, but gets bored easily while Torrey takes longer to get interested in something, but then stays interested for longer! They are so totally different in personality and temperament it's amazing!

Torrey in November

I found some November 2006 pics of Torrey that I like. It's really hard to get a good pic of Torrey as he is so shy and hates the camera (or any kind of attention!). He is getting much better now (Aug 2007), but is still very, very, very shy and jumps at the least little sound.

Strutting through the living room!

Trying to figure out how to get into my scrapbook room! They love it in there with all the shelves and carts. Only problem, if they get in there, it takes me hours to clean up their mess (and by mess I mean all the paper, eyelets, albums etc. that they knock off the shelves while playing!).

While he was smaller than Starbuck in these pics, he is now considerably bigger - all muscle. I guess he just has a larger frame as he isn't as active as Starbuck.

Sebastian Simba

Ok, I figured I should do one for Sebastian, too!

Sweet and super soft

Ignores me when he feels like it!

My first cat

Beautiful, a blessing, a big, big boy!

Always a gentleman!

Tagged!

I got tagged for the middle name meme by Sadie! My first tag! I didn't even know what it was all about until today! This is fun!

Ok, so I'm supposed to post the rules first so here they are...

Rules
1. Post the rules before you give the facts.
2. List one fact that is somehow relevant to you and your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your post using your middle name and facts about it.
4. At the end of your post, choose one cat to tag for each letter of your middle name. Be sure to let each cat know she/he has been tagged. (It's okay if you don't do this... tag who you want to tag!)

I'm going to go with the middle name of Sebastian, my main coon who was given his middle name by one beautiful, talented and adored 8 year old called Chloe who lives in Swansea, Wales. His middle name is Simba. So, here goes... (I didn't use my own middle name because it was too long... Victoria! =)

Summer is great, except really, really hot! This year I went to Thailand for a quick get-away with my mum for four days. We stayed at the Four Seasons and had a blast!

I live in an apartment on Kowloon side in Hong Kong.

Most people in Hong Kong live in apartments as land is scarce and houses are rare and expensive! But, I am doing my best to save up to one day buy a real house with either a garden or a roof!

Before getting Sebastian, my first cat, I was scared of most animals larger than a rabbit - especially dogs! After fostering Sebastian, it all changed and I am now able to pet huge black dogs (with permission!) without blinking! Animals really do change us humans! Oh, and I adopted Sebastian and when I moved back to Hong Kong from the UK, brought him with me!

A senior academic teacher - that's my job! I'm at work too much because of my position and miss my three boys!

Gotta add a pic! This is my mum in Siam Paragon Mall in Bangkok, Thailand having a coffee just before heading to the airport to come back to Hong Kong. They have funky starbucks cards there! I'll have to scan some in! This is a new mall, and if you're ever in Bangkok, check it out! Take the MRT to Siam station and you're there. In the basement is asia's largest aquarium - although I gotta say, I really like the one in Hong Kong's Ocean park more!


P.S. What does meme mean? I'm sure that's a stupid question, but oh well... better asked than wondered about!

Banned from the kitchen!!!

All three cats have now been banned from the kitchen - thankfully I have a kitchen door, which ensures they don't go in, even when I'm not at home!

Anyway, I found Starbuck, on top of the kitchen cabinets (which are high!!!) considering how to get down. Usually he would walk over to the door and jump down, but not today! Today he decided to take the scenic route to the window and down over my lovely washed dishes!

As you can imagine, everything was re-washed, thoroughly (especially as my mum is
allergic to cats) and all three cats have not been allowed in the kitchen since
(it's now August 2007).