Our Holiday Letter

Greetings! Hope all is well with you and yours. 2009 sure was a long year for the boyz and David. This was mostly due to David accidentally changing the clocks back in the spring instead of ahead. Boy did that blunder sure throw things off the rest of the year. The appointments missed, the sleep lost…

Much of Diego-san’s year was spent being groomed. The whole family took turns but Diego especially enjoyed the nightly strokes of the furminator. Diego’s fondness for the furminator became so strong that David looked unsuccessfully into 12-step programs. With the nightly ball of Diego’s fur, the house project became building a life sized statue/monument honoring Diego’s self proclaimed greatness.

Thompson continues to hobble around (in the best sense of that word). He sure enjoys long communal naps and isn’t picky who he chooses to nap with. He also enjoys long (or longing) gazes out the window. His gazes suggest that Thompson could share some great stories about his days as an outdoor cat (perhaps next year). Thompson continues to be the glue that holds the household together, the one everyone turns to when turning to is necessary.

As everyone who has ever visited can attest, Theo is far and away the best licker in the house (especially since his chief competition is the cheap whiskey stored somewhere in one of the messy cabinets). Theo loves to lick David’s freshly showered legs in the morning. He loves to lick his brothers (much to Diego-san’s chagrin), and he loves to lick his own tail like a self contained pacifier. Because Theo can be a little squirrely, David is really proud of his ability to hold his licker.

And so it goes. Sorry for the brevity of this year’s holiday letter but the household is still trying to catch up from that daylight savings time blooper/gaffe. Everyone got through the year mostly unscathed except for a few bumps and bruises and an occasional concussion. Here’s to a great 2010.

All the best,

dma, thompson, diego-san, and theo

Double Duty

I'm spending the next few days house sitting Kurbie and Torii- my friend's two rat terriers. This means running back and forth between our two homes and also means the boyz will be on their own more than usual. Hopefully all involved will survive...

Bye Bye Tuesday

I told the boyz today is the final Tuesday of the decade. I'm not sure that fact blew their minds as much as I thought it would.

It's a Book

Honestly I was just sitting reading a book when I looked up to see this look on Theo's face. Granted I don't read as much as I used to, but still, it wasn't that odd of behavior...

Let it Snow

We got about 10 inches of snow the past three days. It's been a good time to stay at home and join the boyz in a lotta of lounging around.

Bah Humbug

After receiving just a few catnip toys, Diego-san thinks all this hype about Santa Claus is way overrated...

Merry Christmas

Tolerance

I don't think my boyz would have this much tolerance and patience. Diego would probably whap the puppy on the top of the noggin.

New Cuisine

A new Szechuan restaurant opened near my house. They serve frog legs. I've always wanted to try frog legs so I ordered some (sorry Kermit). Yes they taste like chicken (a fishy chicken). I told Thompson what I was eating and I don't think he quite believed me...

T and T

It starts as brotherly love. Then it turns to playful wrestling. Soon it becomes not so playful wrestling (with an admonition from me... 'not too rough boyz...'). Next is the hissing and growling. And the whole thing repeats itself pretty much nightly...

Out of Place Sunday

Diego-san had a rough Sunday. He was sitting on my lap when Thompson decided he wanted to join us. Thompson kept nudging his way closer to my lap and Diego finally decided he would give up his spot. Later, I was taking a nap downstairs and Theo came to sleep on my chest. Diego-san came downstairs and was ready to take his usual spot on my chest when he saw Theo had already beat him to the spot. I didn't see much of Diego the rest of the day...

Golden Globe Groomer

The award for the best groomer in the house goes once again to... Thompson.

Noggin

None of us is real sure what goes on in that little noggin of Theo's... Whatever it is, the facade usually makes sure it is something pretty darn cute.

'Xplainin

This is Diego-san's "you haven't been home much this week, you have a whole lot of 'xplainin' to do" look.

Merry Xmas

I switched the boyz litter from wheat based to pine based. I wasn't entirely happy with the clumping ability of the wheat based litter so I thought I'd give something else a try.

So far so good. The pine based litter does seem to clump better and it makes our house smell more like Christmas. The boyz don't seem to mind the change at all either...

Accomodating Brother

Theo told Thompson to go ahead and use his head as a foot rest. So Thompson obliged.

Taking a Breather

With two weeks left in the year, Theo has decided it's finally time to take a little breather from his normal busy playtime.

Premature Spring Fever

It's only a few weeks into winter, with one bad snowstorm, but I'm already tired of the cold and snow. And given the increasing frequency of the boyz's wrestling matches, maybe they are a tad stir crazy too (even though they are indoor cats only).

Pearls Before Swine

It's All Good

Diego-san thinks it's OK that we all live in his house.

A Place for the Weary

Every kitty needs a place or two to rest his weary head. Thompson has no problem locating these places.

Snow Day

We got around seven inches of snow yesterday and because I had a morning meeting near my house, I spent the rest of the day working from home. The boyz were surprised by my schedule. They also were absolutely speechless about me trying to shovel the sidewalk and coming inside afterward huffing and puffing and talking like a sailor.

True Teamwork

Diego-san's one assigned chore in this house is to catch any bug that should make its way into the house. He's pretty darn impressive at doing his job- usually seeing a bug long before I do.

Two nights ago Diego spotted a fly flying around the bedroom ceiling light. It was late and I tried to catch the fly but couldn't. I told Diego we'd get the fly in the morning, shutoff the lights and tried to go to bed. Diego was having none of it. He stood there on my stomach looking up toward the light fixture.

The next morning I tried to find the fly but couldn't. A little later on Thompson was upstairs with me and I saw him looking at the light fixture. So I looked closely and sure enough saw the fly. This time I was able to catch it and dispose of it. When Diego came upstairs I broke him the good news that Thompson and I teamed up to catch the fly.

He didn't seem too impressed.

Dude... Check it Out...

Theo found something new upstairs...

Monday Monday

After a relaxing weekend, for some of us it's time for... more relaxing.

The Coast is Clear

Sometimes Diego-san goes to great lengths to get away from Theo following him around everywhere...

Sportscat of the Year

I brought my mail in and was looking at the current copy of Sports Illustrated. On the cover was the Yankees Derek Jeter with the caption, "Sportsman of the Year." I rhetorically asked the boyz, "So guess who's the sportsman of the year?" As I was asking the question Theo hopped up on the kitchen table and looked at me as if he thought he may have won the award. Sorry Theo. As active as you are, you didn't quite make the final cut...

Cheerleadin'

Give me an 'S'...

The Cutest Cat Video... EVER

Hunkering Down

I took the battery out of my scooter and hooked it up with a trickle charger. I then fired up the snowblower to make sure it's working. Ah... the life of a Minnesotan. When I got back inside I told Diego-san it's time to hunker down for the winter. He then went and demonstrated his version of hunkering down.

Tangled Up in Tuesday

It's not easy to take a picture with two boyz planted on your chest and stomach but somehow I managed.