Brave and bold - an adventure

It was Sunday. Ellen was having drinks in the driveway. I decided to be brave.

She left the front door open and so I too ventured out into the driveway. It was fun. At first I found a comfy spot beneath the bushes in the neighbour's front garden. From here I had a great view down the driveway, and could watch E with all her silly friends.

Then I decided to do some exploring. From unit 4, I stole stealthily down to the front grass and garden area of unit 3. Here, under the cover of shade of the lemon tree, I snooped around the garden, which was strangely fenced off by chicken wire.

Then I went even further. Emboldened by my success (and the lack of the usual driveway felines -- not sure where they were) I slunk into the garden of unit 2! This was the furthest I have ever progressed. Ellen and her silly friends were marvelling at my bravery. I even took advantage of the earth to . . . er . . . well I'm sure you can guess.

Alas, my adventure was interrupted by one of the silly neighbours thundering out the door and startling me. Just in case he brought with him Fluffy-no-ears or Zimmy-the-trespasser I scampered back to our own front door, where E let me inside.

After that I reclined on my cushion watching all from this splendorous comfort. Enough adventuring for one day.

Best weekend ever!

What a great couple of days! The only slight hiccup in my weekend of freedom came this evening when I chucked up my dinner in my bowl, so I had to wait for E to come home and feed me again. (Because, unlike some felines, I do NOT like to eat regurgitated foodstuffs if I can avoid it.)

But, otherwise, I had a fantastic time! There was the inevitable altercation with the evil ginger cat, plus I had some fun chuckling at White Fluffball, who's had his ears cut off. (I shouldn't laugh, I really shouldn't, particularly when I'm in danger of having my eye cut out! All we need is for Zimmy to lose his tongue and the driveway cats will resemble the three wise monkeys . . .) Anyway, I'd rather lose my ears than my eye . . . But I digress . . .

Home alone . . . no rules or regulations, no curfew . . . no noise to wake me up from snoozing. It really is a great life.

Now E's home though, I do rather like snuggling up and getting cuddles. It's the best of both worlds!

Farewell Chug

Chug moved away the other day. Much as he was a pesky little canine critter, I think I'll miss poking fun at him through the window.

Ah well, life goes on. There are still Fluffy and Zimmy to laugh at as the cars in the driveway play chicken!

Meeting the neighbours

Ellen doesn't seem to be home very much these days. And when she IS home, she seems to be hanging out in the driveway outside with the neighbours. (How weird is that?) Most of the time, I'm left stuck inside watching through the window, with the neighbours poking fun at me if I stick my head through the venetians. Mean.

Last night, E came home and they were dancing in the driveway. Yes, dancing. They'd been doing it for quite a while before she came home, and sure enough she came inside, fed me, locked my cat door, and then went outside to join them. Not sure I saw her dancing per se, but I definitely heard her singing.

Anyway, she left the front door open in invitation for me to go out and join in as well. So I thought I might as well go see what was so exciting about the neighbours. After all, some of them are the ones who have those pesky driveway felines -- Fluffy (white fluffball) and Zim Zam (the ginger cat). And sure enough, they were there too. I was a bit nervous, because Zimmy and I have had many an altercation in the past (when he invades MY GARDEN), but I've not had much to do with Fluffy (who never strays far from the driveway) except to laugh every time E nearly runs him over.

Fluffy was immediately heading in my direction, perhaps being friendly, not sure. I certainly wasn't sticking around to find out. But then I got braver and came out again, and Fluffy and I eyed each other off from a distance.

But then Zim Zam showed up again and ruined everything. He bolted up and pounced on Fluffy, telepathically screaming: That's my favourite tormentor-plaything. Mine. You keep away and don't spoil all my fun!

Zimmy and me really are NOT friends.

After that, Fluffy kept his distance and I went back inside to wait for Ellen, who finally came in and then I snuggled up beside her and went to sleep.

Crotchety neighbours

I'm not sure whether I should be amused or annoyed -- but I think I'm amused.

Ellen got an earful from some of the neighbours today -- not the nice friendly ones, but the crotchety elderly couple in unit 3. They accused me of defecating in their garden and making it all smelly so they can't open their window.

I mean, REALLY!

The only time I ever go out into the driveway is when Ellen lets me. She tried to explain that I only ever use the back garden (right under Ellen's window, in fact, and I've never heard her complain), but they wouldn't believe her.

Then they said they'd SEEN me. What liars! And then it turned out that they'd 'seen' me at 1am and Ellen was able to smugly tell them that I'm always locked in overnight (except for when she's away and leaves the cat door open, but she didn't mention that).

It all started getting quite nasty, with the little old woman moaning about how they were surrounded by cats on all sides (and this is in fact true, although why they had to pick on me when there are two other cats that practically live in our driveway), but then the old man started backing down and trying to be reasonable.

Who knows how it will all turn out. All I can say is that no neighbours are perfect, and it's not such a good idea to get people offside, particularly when everyone else is so chummy. Chug the spoodle next door will no doubt be the next one to incur their wrath. I saw him in their garden this afternoon . . . he'd better watch out!

Fluffy and ZimZam

This evening -- I still can't believe it -- Ellen hobnobbed with the owners of white fluffball and the ginger cat!! She got all friendly with them and everything!!

I feel so demeaned. Trivialised.

One thing to come out of it though is that I now know that white fluffball's name is "Fluffy" and the ginger cat is "ZimZam". What kind of name is that? They're both boys, which only reinforces my poor impression of them.

Peace again

Thank goodness the child has gone home and I have peace again. I couldn't even get near Ellen's bed, because the child was there! I had to sleep on the sofa all night.

Today has been much better. All calm and quiet -- save for the stoush I almost had with white fluffball this evening, just as Ellen came home. What that stupid cat meant by coming up my end of the driveway, I'll never know.

A poem

white intruder skulking

dark skies over driveway again
white fluffball arrives, struts about
looking pathetic and sly
the only curious part--that intruder
skulking near silence
where feline awaits

now white intruders fade
into dark beginnings
then feline once more

by Chenna

Winter woes

We are having a very cold and wet winter. I don't go outside much at the moment. Instead I stay inside all day on my cushion. And right now I am happily curled up on Ellen's lap. So comfy and warm, even if she will clack away at the computer for hours -- I can hardly get her to focus on my blog!

Yesterday, though, my door got stuck and I was trapped outside all day! It was very miserable. Not even the knowledge that white fluffball was similarly afflicted could make it worthwhile. I was so happy when Ellen came home!

Canine for a worthy cause

Survived the weekend with Jeddah. One of the highlights was watching him terrorize the other cats in the driveway -- white fluffball and ginger cat both scampered away like kittens!

As for me and Jeddah, well, we get along OK. He knows who's boss, that's for sure. So long as he doesn't get in my way, he doesn't get hurt.

I was a bit miffed, though, that he monopolised my garden all day. It's much better now he's gone. But for what he did to those other moron cats . . . definitely worth it!

Driveway daydreaming

Feeling better today. Have eaten most of my food.

For the first time in months I slept on my cushion by the window. It's an excellent spot -- incredibly comfortable and provides an excellent vantage point for looking down the driveway. For the past four years it's been my favourite spot in all the world. I can't think why I've avoided it recently. It was wonderful to be back.

I was there when Ellen came home today. It allowed me to witness the most delicious incident when she almost ran over both the ginger cat and white fluffball. Oh the joy, the rapture! But, alas, she drove slowly and those stupid animals (which were sauntering down the middle of the driveway) finally deigned to saunter out of the way.

One day, ESP will work.

on the prowl

Ha! Got to stay out late again tonight. Ellen went out and instead of locking me in, I was out on the prowl. Sooo much nicer than being cooped up inside with nothing to do. I often see my neighbours (primarily white fluffball and ginger cat from down the drive, but also Oscar sometimes) out and about in the driveway after dark. It's like they're having a party but didn't invite me!

Another fluffball almost hits the dust

There's this white fluffball feline that lives halfway down the driveway (on the other side of Oscar's house). I often watch her lounge about in the driveway, paying total disregard to whose garden she's in. She acts as if she OWNS the place (I think it's a she).

Anyway, this morning, Ellen almost ran her over in the car! I was watching from inside, and that stupid animal actually sauntered across in front of the car, so that Ellen actually had to stop for it!

I tried using ESP to get Ellen to run her over - it would have served her right - but it didn't work. Damn and bother!

At least she's never ventured into MY garden.