BubbaChic

Cat House

I came across this wonderful post last week and immediately forwarded it to my hubby at work...at last, proof that you can add a safe outdoor area for cats that isn't a complete eyesore!

I have been badgering Jay for a couple of years to make my kitties a place they could sit outside in safety.

After seeing the post by 'Cookoo for design' he agreed to make one (yay!!)

I constructed a very detailed drawing of what I wanted and he set to work!

There is still one more piece of wood to add to the front and then the whole thing needs staining, but we were far too eager to see what the kitties thought of it.

They love it! I was woken up at 7am by Maddy asking if she could open the window to let the cats out, as they were all sat there waiting!

I love the idea of extending it later on and adding tunnels to another bigger cat house...oh the possibilities!!

 

 

Hunting

These cats of mine are having fun watching all the wildlife in our garden right now. In addition to very cheeky squirrels, they have bunnies, doves and a huge variety of birds regularly strutting their stuff, right in front of their little furry noses!

 

 

You can tell when Winny is getting wound up - because his ears will flatten out...this usually comes just before he starts to crawl on his belly (commando style) to the other windows overlooking the garden, to get a new angle of his prey...

 

 

Surgery and procedures

Maddy had her 'big' orthodontist appointment, the one where she got one of these jaw expanders fitted:

She doesn't have enough room in her mouth right now to fit all of her teeth, which is preventing her front tooth from coming through. This expander will gradually make that room (by turning a tiny screw once a day for two weeks) and when all of her front teeth have popped through she can have it removed and have a brace fitted. It looks and sounds medieval though.

She is learning to talk around it, or in spite of it and sounds different. I must admit, just 12 hours in there are still some words I am not understanding. It reminds me of the toddler days when they know exactly what they are trying to convey but understanding them can be a challenge.

She is not in any pain though, praise the Lord!

Winny (my big boy cat) and Hammy (hamster) made a trip to the vets on Monday morning. Hammy had developed what I thought was an ulcer on his lip over the weekend. By Monday is was pretty big and looking sore. As I was making the long trip to the vets, Winny came along with me to get 'fixed' Our breeding days are on hold. There is so much expense associated with breeding well and this year we need a break.

The vet took one look at hammy and wanted to operate. The ulcer was in fact a lump

I picked up both Hammy and Winny a few hours later. The lump turned out to be much bigger and deeper than first thought and possibly cancer, so the vet had to get rid of as much as he could and sew him up. I had to make him a new cage whilst he was under the knife. A big tupperwear box (huge) with holes drilled in the sides and top for ventilation, to stop him from chewing on the bars of his cage.

very bad iphone picture of Hammy

Winny breezed through his surgery althought he now sits down very gingerly, a far cry from the 'throwing himself down' Winny I know.

But both of them are on the mend.

Today, I am staying home and trying my hand at painting a picture for the playroom. A Winny-inspired picture, I have not attempted to paint anything other than walls since leaving college at 18, i'll let you know how it goes...

Winny's World

 

Hammy came out for some 'stretch his legs' time on Friday night, Winny took advantage of the open cage::

He's a character, i'll give him that!!

 

DIY Friday - The Cat Post

I bought this cat post for our first set of kittens in October 2010 when they were about 2 months old:

Hope and Holly

Since then another set of kittens (Izzie and Bruno) and 4 cats have happily used it also, which is why it ended up like this:

The smaller shelf broke off completely after a certain 7 year old insisted (on numerous occasions) that it could take her weight - well apparently not. The carpeted post was in tatters from 2 big Birman boys scratching at it (and not the tiny paws of kittens that it was intended for) It had become an eye-sore.

So, rather than throwing it away, I researched and found that Lowes carries sisal rope, which is what most cat scratching posts are made of...perfect, I can recover it!

Yesterday I attempted it...with help

Look at those fierce ears, Kimmie means business!

When Jay came home he drilled another hole for the shelf to be screwed into et voila! One new-old cat post!

I have given Maddy strict instructions not to sit on this one (in the hopes we can get another 2 years of play out of it!)

I have done well this week working towards my 2012 Goals:

3 exercise classes completed: kickboxing cardio, spin and bootcamp

New dinner made for Jay - lemon chicken and rice made with artichokes (only I forgot to add the rice so we had it with baked potatoes)

Master bedroom re-do will be cranked up this weekend when we get some additional help moving heavy stuff upstairs

$0 spent on crafts!

One baby blanket made from a brand new pattern

and I have most definitely been blogging more!

This weekend we are looking forward to having dinner with friends on both Friday and Saturday night and a sneaky date night for Jay and I on Sunday, recipe for a good weekend methinks!

 

 

 

 

 

I had big plans for today....

...sewing projects that need to be finished, gifts for new babies to make, cleaning and tidying to do. But alas the sniffles have taken over and this Mama is admitting defeat.

Taking my cue from Rudi and Kimmie, I am taking my cup of tea and going back to bed...

catch up!

Strep wiped me out for a good few days last week...closely followed by a trip to Austin to pick up our wonderful new addition - Miss Kimmie from Bumblebe Birmans, we are smitten, completely.

So, whilst I attempt to put my house back into something resembling order, I will be listening to this today, cooking this rather wonderful looking recipe for dinner, working on a project for this amazing ministry

So much to do!

 

Tuesday

A week today I will be packing, packing for a trip home to England. Alone.

6 days to visit friends and family and eat as much lamb as I can (I miss lamb!) and perhaps have the occasional girly night with my girlfriends, possibly involving some kind of Australian chardonnay...and shopping...ooooohhhhh shopping at Gunwharf visiting French Connection......getting carried away...and seeing all my family *happy sigh*

I have a special day coming up on Saturday before my trip, I am not a runner at all...I really don't enjoy running but this has a purpose, a purpose that I believe in finding a solution to. Particularly as two amazing ladies I know are going through treatment for breast cancer right now and I want to do anything I can to help. Maddy was quite perplexed at hearing that I was running in a race "why are you running in a race Mum? I can run faster than you, I should be in the race!"

 
very random photo of Josh from today with his cat - Rudi

I guess its kinda like the first time I was visiting my Mum at work as a teenager and one of her employees walked into her office and asked if it was ok to do......' and I sat there thinking 'why are you asking Mum if thats ok?' Luckily I didn't say it out loud and I came to my sense pretty quickly and realise Mum was, in fact, the boss!

Tomorrow I will share a stack of projects I have on the go - all at once with an idea that I thought I may get them finished before England, but it doesn't look very probable....such is life

Sweet Boo

Sweet Boo aka Bruno aka Isombard Brunel in all his handsome glory this morning.

 

Gosh I am going to miss this little guy, it looks like Boo will be heading to Canada within the next month to be a very spoiled stud boy for another breeder. I am excited and sad all rolled into one.

The Art of Pancake Making

On this lazy Saturday morning, we made a little extra effort on the pancakes..

 

The kiddies made their own too...

 

Maddy made a sun and Joshy made a Death Star (ala Star Wars)

 

All good fun!

 

And all under the watchful gaze of this little fella...