Saying goodbye to a busy year.

As I look back over 2011,  it was an exciting year with our grand-daughter, Riley's 1st birthday, our son's wedding, my husband's retirement, my daughter, Jess & Mike's purchase of their new home and my daughter, Allie's trip to South America.  Of course, there were losses too,  this year. We said "good-bye" to a friend, a relative and our little Burmese, Ginny. They will all be missed so much.

Also, the busiest year for cat-sitting has come to a close. These photos were taken throughout the year.

 I am so happy to have met many new clients and their beautiful cats and to care once again for some of my regulars. Their coats are shining and silky smooth from our grooming sessions and they enjoyed their time with me over the holidays.

The owners have all returned from their travels and been met with very contented cats.

Do you see the giant shadow cat?

 I look forward to another year of providing the best care for their home-alone cats in 2012.

So, soon it will be a new year. Hasn't it gone fast. Life is moving along so quickly.
My wish for the world this new year is for us all to have compassion towards animals & to strive for peace amongst us all. Without these two things we really are a sorry mess. 


I wish you all your best year yet. Whatever it holds for you, I hope it makes you happy. 

                                 

                          Looking forward to a great year.
                              "Happy New Year, friends "


hugs, Deb

quiet time

I love the quiet after the

Christmas rush.

When the frenzy is over and the mind returns to its' familiar place. 

                               The calmness before the New Year begins.


Time to enjoy all the 'pretties' from Christmas. "Thank you, Martha..my friend".

                                                                       Sierra
I have 2 homes to finish up today and bid the kitties farewell. I will miss them a lot but most I will see again. It was a season of no 'catastrophes' and all the kitties were a joy to care for. I tried to get a photo of every cat but was not too successful this time. It's hard to stage a feline.

It's time to work on the blog now and try to make it more fresh and interesting.

See you soon.=^..^=
"Happy New Year"

hugs, Deb

Feed me, please

How was your day today?  I fed lots of little mouths and played many games of catch the feather and follow the laser light.

I had help from this guy.

Simba

Simba always helps me prepare breakfast for he and his 2 buddies.

It was a snow-packed and fun-filled day and other than white knuckling it on the highway, I enjoyed each and every kitty today.

Most of the owners are home now. Tomorrow the last of them return. 

I hope they all take a winter vacation so I can once again care for these gorgeous cats. 

I'll miss them. I know that, for sure.

Back home, Ed enjoyed the winter sun through the window.

Ed has a strong constitution and has enjoyed many meals of turkey this week. No problem for him.

But, perhaps your cat had a bit too much turkey this Christmas.

Cat tip for the day=^..^=calming the constipated cat

"I need some pumpkin"

To keep kitty 'regular' add a half of a teaspoon of pumpkin daily to it's soft food. Plain pumpkin in the can will do fine although I noticed you can buy organic pumpkin in the can in some pet stores now. If kitty loves it, great. If kitty hates it, try a bit of cooked yam (sweet potato) instead. 

No one wants a constipated cat.

hugs, Deb

Misao & Fukumaru

I have many beautiful gifts from family and friends to now enjoy since the holiday season is winding down. After taking a look at a post this morning, I decided I may get myself one more little Christmas gift to enjoy in the New Year. A book...a special book that I thought you, too, may enjoy. Please pop over to http://thepoupounette.blogspot.com to read about Misao & Fukumaru (meaning the circle of good fortune) and their amazing relationship. Beautiful photographs to enjoy with your coffee this morning.

It is a winter wonderland in our parts. I have 10 homes to visit today to feed and care for home-alone cats so I must get on with it. Driving will be slow on very treacherous roads.

Have a restful, beautiful day.

hugs, Deb

snow at the sugar shack.

Dec. 27th and I want to take down all the decorations and bid adieu to another Christmas. Once it's over I am back to wanting less around me. Back to purging all that I don't want or need. That includes weight, too. This  is the year to 'clean house'.

But before putting Christmas behind us, the family and I took off to a local pancake house for brunch today.

Hot coffee and hot pancakes were plentiful. I'm tired of the holiday food and ready for something different. I know....CALORIES..but there are trails to hike on in the bush so with all the sugar-overload and heart-burn it sounded like a great idea. The trails were packed with snow and the temperature was mild. Perfect day.

We decided on a 3km trail after breakfast and took off with Kane. Kane always leads because he is a herding dog, after-all.

He may be going on 12 but he is like a puppy when he gets out in the snow in the bush.

Riley had the best seat and a huge smile on her face 'til she conked out.

I had some great subjects for a few photo opportunities.

Seeing I had little time for pics at the Christmas dinner I grabbed the opportunity to have a 2011 family photo taken.  ok...it's a little crooked but I like it. The blue pipes behind us are used when the trees are tapped in the spring for sap that is then boiled and made into maple syrup.

Jon, Allie, Jess, Mike, Riley, Brit, John, me, the retired-guy & Kane. 

My favorite photos are out-door ones and this turned out to be another wonderful memory. See my little blonde baby...I'm so glad she's home now. She's just returned from an 11 week tour of South America.

A sweet little girl woke up just in time to give us all a kiss goodbye.

"Bye Riley, see ya later"

After our outing I had houses to visit for cat-sitting so off to Almonte and then a few in our town. Tonight I am vegging-out along with many of you, I'm sure. It was a fun Christmas once again and now I look forward to an easier pace and visiting with some of my kitty clients who will be home-alone a few more days.
I'll have lots of pictures of kitties to show you by the end of the week.
Have a great night, everyone. It is snowing here right now and the flakes are the big, fluffy ones. :-) I just want to show you one of my favorite pics from last year of my kitty-client, Josephine. She is the queen of her residence and was very accommodating when asked to sit nice for a photo.

hugs, Deb

a few of my charges and why I must hike

"You may never see her. She will hide in her crawl-space if she is scared. Don't worry, she'll still eat and use her box, though."

See the hole in the floor. That is where this cat hides whenever someone comes into the home.

As you can see, she's not hiding.

 Hmmmm....I never like to hear that I probably won't see the cat the whole time I am caring for it but I would never refuse a cat because it is scared of strangers. So, off I went to pick up the key and meet Jetta and within a few minutes of talking to her she approached my hand and let me pet her. I'm pretty sure I even heard a "prrrt".  She walked toward the crawl-space but changed her mind. I even got to say "good-bye" to her. End of story. I love this cat, Jetta.

We are friends now.
This photo is blurry because Sammy never stands still. He is a new client who is a senior and my 2 days caring for him was just the sweetest ever. He is such a little doll and would paw me for me to keep petting him. "Hope I see you again, Sammy"

Off to see Bailey and Winston in Almonte. 2 big boys who were shamelessly friendly.

"Just a bit more to the left, cat-sitter"

Beautiful Bali, how I have missed seeing you. You and your strikingly, glorious coat.

Then off to the river I go

to visit with Maggie

and the big bully, Calaus who's picture I took outside last summer. He likes to roam the neighbourhood and yes, he is a bit of a bully but with me he was like a kitten. I guess he knows not to bite the hand that feeds him.

and Lola

and Otis

and Rosie

who are like my own because I have cared for them for so many years. Christmas wouldn't be the same without spending a few days with these three scalliwags.

So that's a few of my charges this Christmas. I'll be showing more as the week goes. Today the family is off to a pancake house in the area for brunch. We are hoping to get in a hike after since we are all suffering from sugar over-load and heartburn. Awwww.....Christmas.

hugs, Deb

The quiet time on Christmas.

7 am Christmas morning before company arrived...

The love-bugs are tired after their visit with Santa. There are plenty of cat beds but they always share one.

Sleepy Kane & Audrey watching the snow fall.  Annie waiting by the fire

It's always so peaceful very early Christmas morning.

Hope your Christmas day was wonderful. We had the whole gang over for breakfast and most of our family back for the Christmas dinner. I was so busy I didn't take any good photos. Hectic but lots of fun. Drop by tomorrow to meet some of my kitty-clients. It was the busiest Christmas yet for cat-sitting.

Hugs, tired and covered in kitty-hair, Deb