May 26, 2016

Gazette is gone


My old little Gazette went over the rainbow bridge yesterday.
It feels odd. Gazette was at least 17 years old. He arrived in my life in 2000. You can read about him here.
That's 16 years together, that's a long time. I took for granted he'd forever be around. I always suspected Gazette was one of the "Little People",one of the faeries, who  for some reason decided to live among humans for a while.
I always thought he'd just disappear one day, just the way he suddenly appeared...or maybe that he'd vanish into thin air like Yoda in Star Wars.


Of all the cats I've met Gazette was the most unusual... His appearance would change a lot...sometimes he looked a lot like a black fox.
His unusual name, which was picked by accident, turned out to have a famous predecessor...the Cardinal de Richelieu (yes, the one from the 3 Musketeers) loved cats and he had one named Gazette.

Gazette had lots of little habits...he loved to suck the end of his tail, to have his nose booped and rubbed. He loved being wrapped in a blanket, papoose style. He loved cakes (especially lemon) and muffins and all pastries really. He'd need to taste all my food.

He'd sit on my lap for pretty much every meal, just sitting and looking...not trying to steal any food


At one point of his life, Gazette became a mom. Yes, he  was a boy but he decided to adopt a feral kitten, Elvis. It was kind of unusual to see an adult male cat grooming and looking after a kitten. The 2 stayed very closed until Elvis's untimely death from FIP.


When we were still at the old house, Gazette had lots of people friends...he'd go visit several neighbours. Some were sad to see him move.
He would never miss a chance to do something odd...like that time he reeked of lavender perfum. It took me forvever to find out he had been rubbing himself in a hard to reach house perfume.

Though pretty much entirely black, he fancied himself a tuxedo kitten, thanks to about 10 white hair in his neck...and later in life a pink patch on his black nose after an injury.
He had the softest jelly beans you can imagine...like a newborn kitten.

 He enjoyed wearing hats and ribbons and badges...by badges I mean banana or kiwi stickers that he'd wear proudly like a boy scout.
As you can see he had a "hat head" :)



 

He would always help during photoshoot too. Because Gazette was always busy, he always had something to do. His big weekly job was to go check all the neighbourhood trash cans and bags...and pee on selected ones.
He was a cat with a job to do, and nothing could stand in the way of his mission!
He was never sick or unwell, he went to the vet for the first time 3 years ago to have a tooth removed...and again a few month ago when he health started to decline.
He was a cat of a few meows, for years I thought he was mute...but he purred a lot!
Gazette eating a blueberry muffin.

May 20, 2016

The birthday boys

 
Bob and Frank turn 7 today! They had breakfast together :)





An older photo...but they do nap together...from time to time...

May 19, 2016

My Alice in Wonderland collection - Afternoon Tea presentation plates


Yes, from Japan ;)  This presentation plate set is so pretty that it deserved its own blogpost!


It comes in a lovely golden box.









I don't use it very often...and it doesn't go in the dishwasher when I do ;)

May 16, 2016

Kamikaze bird


Target acquired

I have this crazy bird with a deathwish who keeps stealing cat food...

Getting closer

And closer

He spotted me...

...and he spotted Bruno

Checking the other side...just in case...



I got noms!

Let's go eat it somewhere quiet...
Still puzzled that a bird would want to eat catfood...which is probably made of many birds too...

May 09, 2016

Taking it easy



Summer is here, at least for a few days. One of my favorite things is to have breakfast in the garden with a book.
I am recovering from 3 days of mean flu so I am taking it extra easy.


Bruno the Fabulous stays by my side.

May 05, 2016

My Alice in Wonderland collection - Mattel Mini Collection


 In the late 90's Mattel released a series of Polly Pocket style Disney toys. Incredibly (at the time) they made some Alice ones too. Let me tell  you that my heart skipped a beat when I found the first one in a local toy store.
Mattel made 2 sets (+ an extra small one), a larger one with a house and Mad Tea Party and river which was the most common (and that I'll show you some other time) and this one, that is much more rare.


It is a cute little heart-shaped box.


When  you gently  press the heart button you get to the "secret make-up" compartment with a mirror and a lip gloss.


And when you press firlmy you open the main compartment, complete with a White Rabbit House, Tea Party and garden.






The details are perfect, really well thought out.


And you also get this cute little teapot...when you click on the button...

...the dormouse appears!

May 02, 2016

Mother of all dragon...flies


This weekend while walking in the garden I got caught in a cloud of dragonflies...I ran to the house to get my camera and some were left in the bushes when I came back.
I would have loved to capture the swarm...I seriously have never seen more than one dragonfly at a time before ...and on very rare occasions too.


Most were red but this one was brown...
I didn't manage to take a photo of one in flight as they were all way too fast for me...but I'll keep trying...hopefully I'll see more from now on.



After the excitement of seeing dragonflies, that cute little chubby spider was kind of boring...


and the ladybug was completely lame...