Olli....

What, with one thing and another, I can quite honestly confess that the last few years have been the most challenging I've experienced. (And I am using "challenging" as an euphemism.) Sure, there have been plenty of high points, exceptional experiences and laughter. There was the arrival of The Cheeky Monkey and visits to and from loved ones. But there has also been much difficulty and a fair bit of substantial, sentimental loss.

Not least of which, was Olli.

We didn't actually loose Olli, in the misplaced sense of lost. We lost him because he developed kitty-lukemia.

It really doesn't seem that long ago that Olli joined our family. 

Olli and the Caspi-Man did some substantial growing up together and after the arrival of The Cheeky Monkey, I referred to him as my middle child. He coped quite well with being a sandwich sibling... and while he was a bit miffed with me for a few days after bringing The Cheeky Monkey home, he embraced his younger brother from the outset.

I am quite grateful that apart from loosing a bit of weight and being a bit lethargic he showed no symptoms until the last week. The vets assured us that he wouldn't have been experiencing much pain. I'm not so sure of that because as anyone with a little Cheeky Monkey in their house would know- they are not the most gentle of creatures. The outcome would've been the same but we would have all been sad much earlier...

Olli was put to sleep last March, and I still miss him. 

Cat treats in our house are still called "olli lollies", and it is only recently that I don't feel a sharp pang whenever the phrase is mentioned.

Vale Olli. You were much loved.

"Deck the halls with -NO! NO! Olli !!!!!!"

Last week was the Caspi-Man's 4th birthweekend. (Yes, LONG birthWEEKEND. Why have just a birthDAY when international timezones, and local superstitious customs, mean the festivities can last soooo much longer?)

THE CASPI-MAN IS NOW FOUR and had no less than 3 parties to celebrate it.

I should note here (for the official record) that only one of these parties was his actual 'birthday party'. (Saturday). The second was instigated by the in-laws (Sunday), and the third (Monday) was necessitated by the Kindergarten. (Needless to say I was expected to cater for them all...)

So, with the Caspi-Man's birthday well and truly celebrated - we were free this weekend to prepare in earnest for the upcoming Christmas Season.

"How about we go get a Christmas tree this afternoon?" said the Ger-Man over breakfast yesterday morning.

"Endlich!!! [Finally!!!!]" exclaimed the Caspi-Man in a manner that implied we'd been purposely depriving him of some essential life element, "Unseren Weihnachtsbaum!!!!! [Our Christmas Tree!!!!]"

And, so yesterday, we found our Christmas Tree.

And this afternoon, it was decorated.

And tonight, someone thinks it's Christmas. (And that someone is definitely NOT either Herr & Frau Grumpypants downstairs!)

The Ger-Man said -

that this picture of Olli, that the Caspi-Man and I had photoshopped to adorn this year's Christmas Cards, could be viewed as "undignified"...

To which, I said:

Sorry, firends and family. But sometimes these things have to be done...

No emails today!

Last week, my mother, (hi mum!) forwarded an email to almost everyone on her contact list that said:

No Emails Today!
Something has crashed on my computer.
And the mouse is missing!






Cute, huh?

But this week, this has started to happen:

The mouse is still there, but you wouldn't believe the google searches that have occurred, and my opening page is now a "syntax error"....

No crying over spilt milk, please.

The Caspi-Man wanted "pink milk" as a "bedtime drink".

(It's a Charlie & Lola thing.)

A bit of ice-cream & red food colouring and he was sorted.

But then he wanted Olli to have pink milk too.

He knows that regular milk is not good for Olli. I stood firm - I WOULD NOT be colouring cat milk for Olli. (Once certain lines are crossed - heaven knows where we'll end up.)

So the Caspi-Man decided that he'd share his...

When I told the Caspi-Man that he had to help clean up the mess - this wasn't really what I had in mind:

11pm Monday Night...

It's raining, it's pouring,
The Caspi-Man is snoring,
Olli the cat,
Is frollicking round the flat,
Unaware his bits are being snipped in the morning!

Kunst

The Caspi-Man likes to draw. And paint. And cut. And stick.

And to be honest, so do I. And we really don't do these things often enough. But, one thing we do seem to be doing quite often is drawing on the computer. Or, rather drawing with the computer. (We're not allowed to draw ON the computer... although this doesn't stop one of us trying...)

Portrait of Olli

Caspi-Man & PJ Mel September 2008

Rub-a-dub-dub-there's-a-cat-in-the-tub...

Seriously, I'm beginning to doubt Olli's sanity. What self-respecting cat would, by choice, hang around the bathroom while two young boys take a bath?

Needless to say - things (and fur) eventually got soaked. But even that wasn't enough to deter Olli...

And what is Art?

A family portrait?

...

Or, could it be Olli?

Or, perhap the Caspi-Man & Olli?

OK, maybe these aren't really "Art" as such, but still .... this site that allows you to put your pictures in a gallery is lots of fun!

Rainy Sunday antics...

Sometimes, on rainy Sunday mornings, the Ger-Man and the Caspi-Man like to spend quality hours constructing the "ultimate" in railway systems.

This can be both complex and time intensive, as they have quite a collection of bridges, tunnels, and alarmed crossings that HAVE to be incorporated into the overall design. The systems have been known to encompass our entire living room, and are often not allowed to be dismantled until photographic evidence of their constructual brilliance has been obtained.

Um, yeah, must be a boy thing...

This morning, we didn't have plans, it was raining, and so Olli was introduced to this ritual. And, to be honest, he didn't need much encouragement. Little engines, propelling themselves along the track? Well, what cat wouldn't be intrigued?





Then, either the Caspi-man or the Ger-Man (and I can only but speculate who) decided that Olli's involvement could be enhanced (for their joint enjoyment) by placing some dried cat food into one of the train wagons... and then I was called to witness the promised entertainment.

I watched as Olli stalked the train... I saw Olli's ears point forward towards the prey... then, Olli's nose twitched as he sniffed the scent... I swear I saw him raise an eyebrow ... and I'm sure I glimpsed a light bulb flash on above his head... and then his muscles tensed ... preparing... and with great power he leaped .... high ...up... and then ... sprung OVER the train.... and then at full speed - he ran into the kitchen -to his food bowl - where he then proceeded to gorge himself...

And, in doing so - proved himself, by far, to be the cleverest member of our household.

A Picture.

In which Olli can be seen admiring his gorgeous caramel eyes, reflected in an exquisite pill-box that my darlink- sister sent me for my birthday (which was a few months ago).

The pill-box is beautifully inscribed with the rather scary question:

"What if there is no PMS and this is

really
my personality?"

What if, Indeed?

A retraction.

Did I really say that the Caspi-Man has always been extremely respectful of all animals?

Perhaps I’d better now be changing that to read –‘HAD always been extremely respectful of all animals’, as Olli’s arrival in our household last Saturday is definitely amending that notion…

But on the up-side, following are a few things that I fully expected to have to say to the Caspi-Man, but (surprisingly) have not (as yet) needed to:

1. “Please don’t eat the cat’s food.”

2. “Please do not chase Olli with your water pistol.”

3. “Don’t tell fibs. Olli did not go to the fridge and eat the chocolate/cheery/ice-cream.”

On the other hand, here are a few things that I never- in a million years- dreamt I’d be saying – but, in the last few days have:

1. “Olli, get your paw out of the washing-up water!”

2. “No, Caspi-Man, Olli really does not want to play with mummy’s lipstick.”

3. “I said NO, Caspi-Man, DEFINITELY NOT. You are not, under ANY
circumstances, allowed to make piddles in Olli’s litter box.”

And two of these- would you believe- I’ve said more than once!

How it all came to pass...

One of the key factors that struck me when I moved to Germany - was just how dog-friendly it was. (And still is.)

Coming from a country that has slowly over the years adopted an attitude that man's-best friend is best left at home, and preferably even there muzzled and restrained, I find it delightful how here - your dog is welcomed on the streets, can accompany you shopping, or out to dinner, and is even covered by your ticket on public transport.

Initially fighting homesickness, and spending way too much time alone, I became convinced that a dog would greatly enhance our lives. At the start of my second year here I desired a canine friend with fierce longing.

(A cat was out of the question. My beloved feline creature was still in Oz with my mum, too old and set in his garden-loving ways to ever adapt to inner-city German life. To casually acquire a second seemed callously disloyal.)

The Ger-Man was way more skeptical. But not completely opposed. We endlessly discussed the pros and cons. "We travel too much," said the Ger-Man. "We live on the fourth floor without a lift," he continued. "We like to sleep in," he said.

Eventually, he concluded: "A dog is an enormous commitment. It would completely change our lives. I really don't think we're ready for that much responsibility. How about we have a child instead?"

Yep, I kid you not... those were pretty much his exact words.

About 10 months later the Caspi-Man joined us and all thoughts of a dog were somewhat succeeded.

Over recent months, however, we've been revisiting the pet idea.

The Caspi-Man has always been extremely respectful of all animals, endlessly interested, and has now reached the age where (hopefully) a mutually beneficial relationship could develop. And as my beloved antipodean feline passed away a few years ago, the possibility of a kitten arose. (Unfortunately, as we still live on the fourth floor without a lift- a camel, the Caspi-Man's pet of choice, is somewhat out of the question. Besides which, I'm not sure there'd be room on the couch- let alone the bed- for the four of us.)

So, last Saturday, the newest member joined our family. He is small, gorgeous, cheeky, adorable, and I suspect by Wednesday, will be totally ruling our household.

And so it came to pass...