Diamond

An Awardie from Huffle

2012-01-17T04:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks Huffle for the awardie. I think your comment is quite correct. I do have problems with Lynettea as she is very slack about letting me get near the computer. I have to keep reminding her about all sorts of things lately.
Huffle Mawson

I have to do all sorts of linking and writing on other blogs for this award. I might have to do it later, because I think it is time I supervised Lynettea to get to bed. If we are up too late she might be even worse at helping me tomorrow. The latest thing is that she won't let me attempt to catch the rats that are eating the grapes because she is afraid I might get rat bites. So as soon as she sees me looking into the ferns she picks me up. I can't get into my fern hollow any more, as the ferns have grown over it, so I have to listen to rat sounds from the path.

AND THANK YOU ADAN AND LEGO FOR THE LOVELY CARD FROM TAIWAN. Lynettea is jealous, as she never gets a card from Taiwan. Michico has done me a lovely painting of Adan and Lego.
Adan and Lego

My Haiku NOT Mentioned

2012-01-11T16:11:00.000-08:00

I wasn't very please to see that my haiku did not rate a mention in the review of the Haiku Bindii journal. You will remember that Lynettea used some of my haiku in the book without crediting me. I feel sure that if my name had been credited I would have done better. I notice that no poems with cats in them have been quoted.
Lynettea was very pleased with the review and ignored my feelings. When I complained she said, 'Don't be silly Diamond, It is a good review and a lot of poems are quoted.'
I am not silly.
Review of Haiku Bindii

I am an official Bequest Pet

2012-01-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

My card and disc came yesterday, so Lynettea says I am now an official Bequest Pet. She has to carry my card around with her in case anything happens to her. Then if it does (which I hope it won't) somebody would find the card and see that there was a special pet to be looked after and ring the RSPCA emergency number IMMEDIATELY, so someone could rush to my side.
There was also a nice letter thanking me for publicizing the Bequest Pet Program on my blog. RSPCA South Australia Bequest Pet Program

As I don't wear a collar, I couldn't have the disc attached to me. I am an inside cat, so I just have my microchip. I am not sure where the microchip is. We weren't sure what to do with the disc, so Lynettea put it around the neck of the model of the ancient Egyptian cat on the dresser. Lynettea got the model at the Egyptian exhibition when it came to the SA Museum. I couldn't go because cats were, as usual, excluded. Which is rather odd, as the Ancient Egyptians regarded cats as sacred.

I am not sure about the cat near me in my picture. It doesn't move around at all, so I don't bother with it too much. I think Lynettea should have moved it to give a better view of my noble form.

Not available in China

2012-01-08T18:47:00.000-08:00

Lynettea tells me that my blog cannot be seen in China. How disappointing for all the many cats in China. Also my Friendship Bear Emma cannot see my blog. Maybe they think I have a seditious blog. Maybe I am a politically incorrect cat?

nǐ hǎo to all the cats in China.

I wonder if any Chinese cats have their own blogs. I would like to see one.

2012 A New Post

2012-01-04T03:58:00.000-08:00

I haven't made an official first post for 2012 yet, because of the difference in time from where I live in Adelaide to wherever the hosts of my blog live in Catland. Catland is behind Adelaide in time. Maybe that gives me a second chance, before the real Catland time comes around. I could change my mind numerous times before it was the real time.
I can hear Lynettea saying, 'Don't be silly Diamond!' She is always saying things like that. We will see who is the silly one.
Miaow Miaow Miaow Miaow and for a change Purr Purr Purr Purr.

SO HOT

2011-12-31T19:24:00.000-08:00

I am lying on the table in the kitchen on a few of my newspapers. I am feeling so drowsy that I can't even be bothered to read them.
Just managed to choke down some chicken after Lynettea put it right in front of my mouth and I think I will now do some serious miaowing. A chorus of miaowing to bring in the New Year.
Happy New Year to all kitties and their humans.
Miaow Miaow Miaow Miaow

Waiting

2011-12-27T04:43:00.000-08:00

Lynettea posted off my letter and I am waiting to get my Bequest Pet details. She thought that other cats might like to look at the program and I should put a link, so here it is. RSPCA South Australia Pet Bequest Program
They don't have all the details about it on the web site, as Lynettea received a special letter from the lady in charge.

We had a quiet Christmas as Lynettea got quite ill with gastroenteritis for days and couldn't do anything. I had to sit in front of her on a small table and keep staring at her to make sure she didn't pass away. I thought she was going to go a few times, but my efforts helped her pull through. When she was a bit better I sat on her most of the time to make sure she kept breathing. It was exhausting work and consequently I am having to rest a lot now.
Fortunately she was able to get to the chicken shop just before it closed for Christmas. She looked terrible and there was also a heatwave, so I was impressed that she managed to walk down the street. Worried too. It was a relief when she reappeared and I smelt the hot savoury smell of the sage stuffed chicken wafting down the hallway.
Otherwise it would have been a lean Christmas for me.

My Important Letter

2011-12-21T03:28:00.000-08:00

Today Lynettea wrote my Important Letter to the RSPCA. She put in it all about me (as she sees it, so not all that accurate) because she is requesting them to look after me as a Bequest Animal if anything should happen to her. She has left money in her will and spoken to the Bequest Animal lady who explained the program to her. Bequest Pets are looked after by special people who are on a waiting list to look after these special pets. The RSPCA still looks out for the pets and is their 'owner', so they pay for Vet bills etc and look after the pet for the rest of their life.

I am now waiting to receive my special Bequest Pet tags, or tag.

I don't think I really want to be a Bequest Pet, as I would prefer to stay here. So I will have to try to make sure Lynettea stays healthy and can look after me. I will have to start supervising her more closely as to her diet and exercise program. Also she needs to remain mentally stimulated. I am already working on some of these issues. One of her visitors today commented that I was very vocal. It is awkward, as I have to issue instructions constantly. The question remains: will she ever be fully trained?

The picture shows me resting after a training session. As you can see it was a tiring session.

Cat

2011-12-10T16:56:00.001-08:00

Lynettea said she read a poem about me at the Box Factory Market on Saturday. She said people chuckled when they heard it, which isn't very nice. She says her poem was realistic, but I don't think so if people were smiling. I do my best to be taken very seriously and this will undermine my credibility.

Steamed up

2011-12-02T16:55:00.001-08:00

Well the atmosphere around here is intense. Lynettea needs to practise her haiku sequence for the launch this afternoon. She hasn't chosen something of mine to read. I wonder why.

Spent most of the night sleeping on one of Lynettea's hats on a small table in the lounge room. It wasn't all that comfortable. She was trying to entice me to sleep on a chair in the bedroom, but I chose not too. The bedroom is getting so full with my basket on the floor and now the extra chair. I did sleep in the basket for a few nights over a month ago, before I got the Arthur medication. I gave up sleeping on the bed after I fell out twice and jarred my legs.

Woke up at 6.30 and threw up a large hairball. After that I waited on the dressing table for Lynettea to struggle out of bed. I tend to leap onto the dressing table and throw all the unneccessary papers to the floor. A bit like the end of a ski-run as I leap from the chest of drawers. Lynettea says she is at her wits end. What does that mean? She isn't used to all my pro-active help in tidying up.

I think I will go outside and sit on my upper sundeck for a while.

where some of my poems are (under the wrong name)

2011-12-01T03:45:00.001-08:00

My haiku are in this book called Haiku Bindii which is being launched on 3 December.
Lynettea said I can't go and read my poems, as no one would understand what I am saying. 'All they will hear is miaow miaow miaow, Diamond,' she told me. How rude!
'And,' she said, 'you would be far too nervous, as you hate a crowd and a lot of people will come to buy the book.'
http://haiku-bindii.blogspot.com/
Some of the poems are also by Lynettea and by other poets in her group. She said they all know which are my poems, as they are mostly cat or moon poems. Although some of my poems are now on other topics.

Lynettea went to get more Arthuritis medicine for me at the Vet today. The receptionist told her to mix my fresh roasted chicken pieces with my dry kidney food to see if I would eat it. So Lynette tried that and I didn't eat it. I did pick at a few pieces. So she had to go to the shop and get fresh chicken and then I ate some.

AT LAST A NEW POST

2011-11-24T16:17:00.001-08:00

I have been experiencing the usual trouble with Lynettea. She is too uncoordinated to properly help me. Even access to the computer is not easy for me. The most I can do is crouch on the external hard drive and look pleadingly at her while she ignores me. I am sorry that I haven't even been able to post the comments of my dear friends for a while. As for visiting them!!!!

I found out that she has secretly used some of my poems in a new book. I suspected that she was using them without telling me. I can only look into the books when she happens to leave one open.
This is really not fair. I notice that she has not acknowledged my contribution and they are all under her own name. I will have to speak to her about this.
I suppose it will turn out that cats have no rights, as usual.

Medicine on a little spoon

2011-10-31T01:35:00.000-07:00

Lynettea says she is about to give me my medicine on a little spoon. I am looking at my little red striped toiletries bag and purring. My bag has my Catlax, my brush and my new Arthur medicine. I think she had better hurry up while I am still purring. I am about to dissect the packet. Hurry up! Hurry up and where is my plate of chicky chicky.
What I really like is smorgasbord. A plate of dried food with at least two choices ( I can eat one and leave the other until desperate), a plate of fresh chicken (preferably fresh and hot from the chicken shop) and some of my foil packed kidney food (I like to lick that all over and Lynettea can throw out the dried remains).
Well she is a slow coach - I have knocked my toiletries bag to the floor and also my Arthur packet.
She will have to look after me now.

Arthur right us

2011-10-30T00:39:00.000-07:00

Is what the vet says I have. It sounds silly. arthur wrong us. arthurwrongus. I am not sure who arthur is. Maybe he came to visit when I was quite young and don't remember, although, in spite of what Lynettea thinks, I have an exceptionally good memory.
I have to take some medicine squirted with a plunger, which is quite difficult for Lynettea. Although my Vet carefully showed her how to do it twice (as it is very important and affects ME ME ME) she still isn't very good. I don't like having my mouth jerked open, but the taste is quite nice.

She needs to go to the chicken shop very shortly.

'You are developing quite a nasty miaouw' she said to me this afternoon.

And that was after I had sat on her lap to make her feel wanted. Maybe I will go to sleep now and let her wake me gently to brush my fur and feed me a few tidbits. A nice dream.

Feeling a bit droopy

2011-10-26T06:04:00.000-07:00

I was sitting on the external hard drive and on the tray table and feeling a bit droopy ...

Lynettea didn't seem to want to nurse me and she put me on the floor when I tried to use the keyboard. so I am sitting on some of the papers and feeling a little bit sleepy and droopy or dropy.

Jumping and missing

2011-10-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

Posted by Lynettea
Diamond seems to be jumping up and missing his footing. Sometimes he falls off things. A few nights ago he fell out of bed twice and last night he fell from the bedside chest of drawers. I put a basket for him to sleep on the floor beside the bed and he went there for a while. I think I will take him to his medical practitioner for a check.

Diamond: I saw that. She thinks I don't know what 'medical practitioner' means. I am having trouble getting her to let me at the computer lately. Sometimes I sit on the external hard drive for ages staring at her. You would think she would get the message.
MIAOWWW.

I think I have put on some weight

2011-10-21T03:53:00.000-07:00

As Lynettea has often been running to the chicken shop to get a hot chicken wing quarter for me.
The people at the shop at the end of our street know it is for me and they select the best one. They are very interested in how much I eat and how I like it. I am eating a whole chicken quarter every two days.
On the day when I am finishing off the chicken quarter from the previous day I also eat a foil packet of my kidney diet food and pick at some of my kidney diet and teeth crunchies.
Lynettea keeps shifting my plate and looking at me while I am eating. I have no privacy nowadays.
The weather is getting hot and my fur is moulting. Russian cats have a lot of underfur. Lynettea has to brush me a lot to get rid of the loose fur.
So that is my life. Not so fascinating perhaps.
I sit on the external hard drive to meditate. That is quite difficult, as I have to gather in my paws and sit quite still. Maybe I am meditating and maybe I am half asleep. Lynettea doesn't know and I am not about to tell her.

Brief note on Chicken

2011-10-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

Living in a strict Vegetarian household is not easy. On Sunday a friend of Lynettea's came round bringing her lunch and brought me a new smell sensation. I am choosy with my foods and Lynettea buys me special Vet type food for my kidneys and my teeth.
I sniffed a most savoury smell and tried to get a bit closer. I was in a frenzy of anticipation as she took off the cover. Lynettea tried to make me stay inside, but I managed to get around the door, as I am still quite agile and her friend said not to bother, as she didn't mind if I sat close to her while she was eating.

After she had finished her food there was still quite a bit left and she offered me a a few pieces. Delicious, savoury. I seized a large chunk and bolted it down with a few chews. So she decided to leave me the rest of the chicken.

The next day Lynettea went down to the chicken shop (what a nice kind of shop - I would like to go there) and brought me back a quarter chicken. As soon as she opened the packet I tore into it, devouring large chunks. It may be my favourite food.

Just in case you are wondering about my strict diet, my Vet recently said to Lynettea that I should eat anything I liked, as I needed to put on more weight.

I AM FIFTEEN

2011-09-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

Thank you to my kitty friends who dropped by today. I will try to visit you as soon as I can. Lynettea had to be out a lot of today, including this evening, so she hasn't even let me have a photo to put on my blog. I haven't been able to visit most of my friends for a while, so I hope you will forgive me.
Today started off with a big storm. Rain came gushing down and I stayed hiding under my blanket on my big bed until noon, when Lynettea suddenly made me get up. She said she wanted to make the bed before she went out.
Why did she have to go out on my birthday?
She had written something about me in Japanese that she was taking to her Japanese class. When her teacher saw what Lynettea had written she said, ' you have used the wrong verb for Diamond!!!' It turns out that Lynettea had used the verb for an object not a living creature. Well, what an insult.
Fortunately for me I was resting quietly at home on my heated pad, so was not upset.
When Lynettea got home she served me several helpings of my evening meal before she went out again.
She is watching every bite and sometimes says,'bite and chew, Diamond! Don't just lick at your food.' I have little privacy nowadays.
I must go back to having more of my nap. I hope we go to bed soon as it is already late.

My Birthday on 28th September

2011-09-27T03:13:00.000-07:00

I will be fifteen years old tomorrow. We aren't having a special party, as Lynettea says she doesn't know what to give me. I am not eating all that much, so I don't have any special treat foods that she could give me.

I am sure she will give me a big hug. And take me outside for a sit if there is any sunshine. Today was nice and I lolled on the path for a while when Lynettea was doing outside type things such as bringing in the washing and watering the plants in the pots. Then she sat in the garden chair and rested while I did some more lolling about. Then she picked me up and carried me down the street a bit to see Orla looking at us through the gate next door.
I haven't been able to wear my halter for a little while because Lynettea doesn't want to scrape at the wound or get it rubbed. It is nearly better, she says, although she can still see a bit of dried blood.

So she decided she would carry me around outside on the footpath instead of me walking. I don't mind going to see Orla. Orla is always excited to see us and whirls around and around and wags her tail. We don't stay very long.

If anyone wants to drop by tomorrow they would be most welcome.
Happy Birthday to any other cat who is also celebrating their special day.

I can't see the wound

2011-09-24T02:35:00.000-07:00

I can't twist my neck to see my WOUND, but Lynettea had a good look at it for me so I could let everyone know. It seems to be healing over okay, she said, but she noticed there was a little bit of blood this morning. I must have been rubbing at the bits that had crusted over. I can't let you know exactly how I got the wound, as Lynettea has taken to checking my blog recently and I haven't told her yet. I hope she will stop checking my blog all the time.

She had an afternoon tea with some friends from her haiku group at the Museum on Thursday and also some visitors from Interstate (Near Sydney - where I went BY MYSELF on the plane) and from Brisbane in Queensland. I am telling you this because the visitor from Queensland couldn't believe that I was capable of running my own blog.

Lynettea couldn't believe so many cats were interested in my welfare. I tell you if it wasn't for the support of my kitty friends I would just fade away. I am just about to be offered some food, so must go now.

Thank you to all the generous kitties who have offered their well wishes to me.

Rushed to My Veterinary Surgeon

2011-09-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

What a nasty surprise! Lynettea was feeling my neck when she discovered I had a wound. She rang up my Vet staff straight away and then phoned a taxi. Before you could say 'one thousand kittens' very quickly a few hundred times, we were in the taxi and speeding down the road to My Vet. My usual Veterinary Surgeon was busy, but I had an appointment with one of the others, who felt me all over and then jabbed me with a needle. It stung a bit, so I winced and cried out (not loudly, as I have to be stoic like a gentlecat). My weight has got less, so Lynettea says I will have to eat up or I will fade away to nothing.

Then we took another taxi back home. This taxi driver started to drive the wrong way, which worried me a bit, but Lynettea was very alert (for once) and told him to go the other way. He went the wrong way several times and as we got near my place Lynettea had to shout 'Stop. Stop', so we could get out. Maybe he couldn't hear too well.

It was good to be home again. I saw two dogs at the Vet. One was a small black spaniel type dog with short legs and flappy ears and the other was a giant pale cream labrador. Fortunately neither of them came near my personal transport module. Lynettea had put a towel over the top of it, but left a gap at the front so I could look out secretly.
I think I will go to bed now and have a rest.

Advertisements and sunshine

2011-09-16T01:58:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed someone is putting sneaky ads on my blog without my permission. I found one hovering over my cat widget to day. I was thinking of making a lot of money through ads on my blog, but I decided not to: so where are they coming from?
Today I spent most of the day either lying on my airconditioning unit in the sunshine at the side of the house or lounging on the garden chair. Lynettea was outside, so I could supervise her. Occasionally I lost concentration and fell asleep as the warmth was so delicious. She was sieving a lot of sand and stones that have been lying around for a long time (maybe the stone age).
Lynettea saw this and she said, 'don't be silly Diamond.'
I was watching a TV program about lands that were drowned after the Ice Age. That was in the Mesolith or middle stone age. It feels like that here sometimes.

Teasing the cat Widget

2011-09-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

I was just roused from a sound slumber on the lounge by a lot of silly giggling. You won't believe it but my human Lynettea was busy with her computer mouse teasing the cat widget on the front of my web site. She was doing it for several minutes at least. Apparently if you run the mouse above the head of the cat widget a paw comes up and lashes at you.

No wonder I have such a lot of trouble with her. Next she will be trying to use me like some kind of Wii instrument. I will have to try to keep out of the way, which is difficult where we live.

My moon haiku showcase

2011-08-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

Lynettea helped me make a special page for my moon haiku. I can post my haiku there so other kitties can enjoy them.

I may be needed a little bit

2011-08-20T03:58:00.000-07:00

Today it was warmer and sunny and I took Lynettea outside a little while. She sat in a chair near me while I sat in the sun on the top of the reverse cycle air conditioning unit. It is on the ground so I can hop up there easily. I can't leap up as high as I could when I was younger.

Lynettea read a book called 'The Six Thinking Hats' by Edward de Bono. She is thinking of doing something on that with her Philosophy group. I was glad to see she was sitting quietly and improving her mind.

We cats don't need to read about thinking methods. Edward do Bono probably got all those ideas from a cat, although he would not admit it. Much the same as Isaac Newton's cat Diamond and the falling apple problem. Gravity - you only have to watch a cat leap to learn about that.

Anyway, after a while sitting together and relaxing, she decided to go and get herself some nuts for afternoon tea and brought out some of my kidney diet crispies for me and put them near me where I was sitting. So we both had a snack. So maybe she does need me a bit.

I am sitting on my cushion on top of the lounge now and think I might need a cuddle. Projecting thought waves .........

Does she need me to help her anymore?

2011-08-18T23:45:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if Lynettea still needs my help. She is so busy with the other blogs she made that she forgets I still need time to connect with my own friends. Also she is very nasty about shutting me out of the room when she is preparing food. I don't know why that is. I am concerned that if she doesn't let me sniff at the food she may try to eat something bad. She knows that I have a much more developed sense of smell than she does.
So I sit and wait and sometimes I wonder what I am waiting for.

Census

2011-08-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

On Friday we had a visit from the lady who is in charge of collecting the Census information. I went up to the door, as usual, to see who was visiting. Much to my surprise, Lynettea said to her,'I suppose this will be another instance of discrimination against cats!' I wondered if I was hearing voices in my head. SHE must be telepathic. The Census lady laughed in a very inconsiderate manner, which I thought typical of a callous government official and said that pets were not included in the Census. I could see she was staring at me.

I have included a couple of photos of me enjoying the sun on the windowsill. This was before I went out.

hO hO hO AN AWARDIE FOR me

2011-08-01T02:58:00.000-07:00

Thank you Mr Puddyfor this sweet award.

15 unknown facts about me. That will be hard, as I have been open about my life, narrow though it may appear to have been.

I may have told you some of these before:

1. Did you know I once flew to Sydney by myself many years ago?

2. When I went to Sydney (without Lynettea) she strapped a Valium tablet to the top of the transport module so the Specialist staff in Sydney would give it to me on my way home.

3. They forgot to give me the tablet, so I was very nervous with all the noise in the plane. I was away a lot of time (days and days).

4. When I was sent away I didn't see the harbour view, although Lynettea told me to look from the plane window. She obviously didn't know that I would not be in a glamorous window seat.

5. ON arrival I was transported away in a special van designed to collect pets no-one accompanied. You can imagine how concerned I would have been at this point, except that Lynettea had forced me to swallow a Valium tablet before DUMPING ME AT THE AIRPORT IN ADELAIDE. So I was still quite drowsy.

6. Lynettea kept phoning me in Sydney, but she couldn't get through, as they didn't let cats come to the phone. Another instance of unusual and cruel discrimination against cats.

7. She spoke to the Specialist Neurologist, who had poked at me and given me an MRI scan to see if she could see what was wrong with me. (She couldn't).

8. So after all this travel I finally returned home in a solitary manner in my cage.

9. Lynettea went with a friend to pick me up. She was wondering if they had sent the right cat back. I felt a bit dazed after all the flying. Cats aren't meant to fly, otherwise they would have wings. No, I didn't see any puffy white clouds.

10. As further discrimination against cats they had put my transporter where I couldn't see out of the window and I didn't receive any inflight meals.

11. On my return home Lynettea made a lot of fuss of me. She said she had wondered if she would ever see me again.

12. I had to take cortisone tablets every day.

13. My specialist here could hardly believe it when Lynettea told him I seemed to be getting better. (my back leg had been giving way).

14. Lynettea after a long time started to cut down on my cortisone tablets and I still kept getting better. The specialist was very surprised when I showed him how I could walk across the floor of the surgery.

15. Then I got a lot better and was able to stop taking any tablets and could climb up the grapevine and bolt here and there. So I stopped going to the specialist and had to start training Lynettea again. She had got quite out of hand while I had been ill for all that time. At least she was a lot more cheerful now.

I am passing this award to the last fifteen cats who have left messages for me. Thank you kitties and your messages are all carefully read and appreciated.

Mo Mo of Floof and Fur

Huffle Mawson

Tobi the Cat

Cats of Wildcat Woods

Clooney

Camies Kittens

EXTRAS

Willow

MY PHOTOS

2011-07-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

I only have time to load one of my photos from my photo-shoots. Maybe more later today or tomorrow. Lynettea says she is going out to see Othello, which is a play by Shakespeare. There aren't any cats in it, so she thinks I won't be interested. She must think I have a very limited view of the world.
I think my photo shows me in rather a commanding pose. Enjoying the winter sunshine. A pity she got garbage bins in the background. I am wearing my diamond studded walking outfit.

See where my bear friend Emma lives

2011-07-28T05:40:00.000-07:00

We just got an email letter from the people who look after my Bear Friend Emma. It has a lovely movie of where Emma lives. This is where Lynettea went in May.
Emma is my Friendship Bear. I am not sure if she is in the movie, but I have a photo of her on our dresser in the kitchen.
We had a special photo shoot this morning of Me Me Me, so I may have some photos for my blog soon. Once Lynettea puts them on the computer, that is.

Bear Sanctuary Movie

another of my moon haiku

2011-07-20T05:46:00.000-07:00

I am busy writing one of my moon haiku for a web site where I am a member. I am not sure if they know I am a cat. I don't think I will tell them, as I fear discrimination. We all know humans think they are the only ones who can do anything important.
my moon haiku

climbing and other speculations

2011-07-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

Since I have grown older I have begun to speculate about all sorts of things. Such as: what is the taste of peanut butter? what is the taste of curry? (I found that out and it is too hot and spicy for me).
I had never run into the street without my jewelled halter, but a few days ago when it was sunny I squeezed under the front gate and sprang lightly up into the street tree. Unfortunately when I got to the first branch I saw people coming down the street, so was forced to jump off quickly. Lynettea tried to grab me, but I was too quick for her.
She said, 'that's pretty good for your age Diamond. I hope you haven't hurt your pawsies jumping down,' and a few other insulting remarks. She knows that I don't really like 'baby talk' and as for references to my age (fourteen years and ten months), how rude.

MAURICE?

2011-07-14T03:22:00.000-07:00

Lynettea was away most of the day. She told me she was visiting a small poodle called Maurice or Morrie for short. He must be VERY attractive. Maurice's human said she might bring him here to visit me. I DON'T THINK!!! I will have to keep looking out the window all the time. It is an awful thing if one can't feel safe in one's own home.

Lynettea was reading in the newspaper about some government, which has declared that humans that keep pets should be called Guardians rather than Owners. She thought that was a good idea, but she thought that she felt more like a Mummy than a Guardian. I am not sure about that.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2011-06-29T18:54:00.001-07:00

YET ANOTHER SURPRISE VISITOR

2011-06-29T05:21:00.001-07:00

Tonight we had another visitor. Not a small child, so I must be grateful for that. I was shut in the front of the house for a long time. I am not sure why. I was only trying to test the odour of the food on the kitchen bench. I feel responsible for Lynettea's diet, especially as it is so poor - she never eats meat, for instance.
She doesn't like me sniffing at her food. I quite like to test the scent of: weetbix, nuts, peanut butter, vegemite, savoury nut loaf, crispbread, any kind of breakfast cereal with soymilk on it.
After they finished eating she opened the kitchen door. By that stage I had lost interest and stayed resting on my Snugglesafe. Of course it is all, "are you alright, Diamond?" then and stroking and patting. I have my dignity to consider.

SMALL CHILD

2011-06-28T03:51:00.001-07:00

I just had a small child visiting here. He was quiet at first, so I let him touch my soft and pretty furs while I lay quietly. I observed him closely, but preferred to stay on my warmer for a long as cattily possible (as it is winter here). Finally, when he started jumping up and down in an excited manner I had to go. I went and sat on Lynettea's usual chair in the kitchen and busied myself quietly looking at the Japanese language lesson that she had been reading. It didn't mention any cats though, so consequently was rather boring. I am not sure why so many documents that amuse humans do not mention us. Is it a lack of appreciation or just the usual human ignorance?
When the small boy tiptoed out to the kitchen he couldn't see me at first as i stayed quite motionless, hoping he would go away.
Now at last I have returned to my beloved Snugglesafe and hope there will be no further disturbance for this evening. At my age I really need adequate notification of any 'lovely surprise visits'.
MESSAGE FROM SANKA
My correspondent in Queensland, Sanka, wrote to me recently very briefly enquiring about my health. I am quite worried about Sanka, who apparently has to sleep in a shed at night, so was relieved to hear he is still in the land of the living. Whether we will ever be able to meet in the fur, I don't know. Both of us are getting on in age.

Purrs from the bears

2011-06-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

This is a disabled bear lying in a special comfortable hammock at the sanctuary. The disabled bears may be blind or have other problems which can be managed and the bears looked after so they have quality of life. These bears cannot live with the bears who are strong and vigorous, so they have special areas of their own to live in where they can feel safe and secure.

The bears in the bear sanctuary at Chengdu have sent us a special greeting, as they are so pleased to be featured on a cat blog.

'please send purrs to Diamond and gentle bear hugs from the bears'

Kari asked me if anything can be done to help the bears. I read on the Animals Asia web site http://www.animalsasia.org/ that a lot of people in China are getting angry about the way the bears are treated.

Some celebrities are publicizing the plight of the bears. WSPCA (World Society for Protection of Animals) also works to try to make people aware of the suffering of the bears.

I suppose kitties could talk to their humans and those humans could let other humans know about this. When a lot of humans are annoyed about the situation perhaps they will get the Chinese government to change the laws.

Quite a few of the provinces have outlawed bile farms and bears are not allowed to be caught from the wild and put in bear farms in China. Probably some humans still do that though and sometimes the bears even lose a paw when they are caught.

If the people who use bear bile for medicines were to stop doing that and use some of the alternatives, then no-one could sell the bear bile anymore.

Then homes would have to be found for all the poor bears in the cages. I hope they can have nice homes to live in. That is my dream. I think about that when I am lying on my Snugglesafe warmer, with the warm air from the heater flowing around me.

If you can afford to give a little to help the bears you could do that too.

thank you kitties! here are my bear photos

2011-06-12T01:12:00.000-07:00

I tried most of your advice: batting Lynettea with my paw, miaowing in a 'very strident fashion Diamond', snuggling and purring, leaping onto the food preparation area, which is 'very bad, Diamond. What is making you so naughty', staring into her eyes and using my will power.

Now after all my efforts she has put my friendship photos on the computer so I could put them on my blog.
My photo is at the top like a guardian looking after my bear friend Emma. Lynettea said I could also put her photos of the type of cage in which Emma was imprisoned for ten years and Emma was also forced to wear a metal corset like those shown in the photo. I am glad Emma is now safe in her special place at the sanctuary.
The bear in the grassy area is called Caesar. Caesar is a female brown bear and the one that ran up to Lynettea from where Caesar was standing on the hill. Lynettea didn't have a photo of Emma in the sanctuary.
You can get more information on the moon bears at http://www.animalsasia.org/

I will put some photos of the food treats for the bears and the bears in their enclosures later.

the cages in which the bears are imprisoned are really small.

MY CAMPAIGN STARTS

2011-06-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

Thank you dear friends for your advice. I am going to try all your suggestions.

my certificate

2011-06-06T06:49:00.000-07:00

I have a certificate of my friendship bear Emma, but Lynettea hasn't photographed it to put in the computer so I can put it on my blog.

She really does need quite a bit of retraining. I am not sure how I will manage this, as I am rather feeling my age and the cold. I am spending a lot of time on my Snugglesafe heating pad or under the blanket on the bed. I don't want to lose the opportunity to publicize my bear though.
Maybe I need to give Lynettea some kind of a reminder.I don't like to slap at her or bite her, as she does try to look after me in her rather limited way. What do you suggest?

baby pandas in the trees

2011-06-01T08:13:00.001-07:00

because it might not be a good idea to hold baby pandas, I have now put a picture of pandas in the trees instead. If you think about it humans holding pandas isn't really natural. Pandas should be shy of humans, or they might adopt habits that will put them in conflict with villagers. That is what I think, as a kitty anyway. You can't really trust humans except your own human and even then you have to be careful because she might accidentally step on you.

Which can be quite painful, as we all know.

Now Lynettea has been away and out of my control for some time I am considering quite an extensive program of retraining her.

I am befriending a special bear

2011-05-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

When Lynettea went to China she visited the Animals Asia bear sanctuary at Chengdu. She got really upset when she saw a bear called Diamond who had been brutally treated for many years (15 or so), being imprisoned in a small cage with tubes stuck in Diamond's gall bladder to extract bile for use in Chinese medicine. Poor Diamond, after years of unimaginable torture, is now living in a beautiful place with grass and trees, swimming pool and climbing areas, scratching post etc.

After I heard about the bears' situation I was upset, so Lynettea decided she would let me befriend a friendship bear. Unfortunately Bear Diamond was not on the list of friendship bears, so I decided to befriend Bear Emma. You can read her story here.
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?UID=MXLPG2LTCRN2

When Lynettea was at the sanctuary she was taking a photo of a beautiful brown bear standing on a hill. The Brown Bear suddenly saw Lynettea standing by herself at the fence and ran down the hill and across the paddock to say hello. Lynettea says she will never forget that. It was like meeting a huge wild friend.
If any of you kitties want to read about the beautiful bears and tell your humans about their situation go to the Animals Asia web site. They also support cats and dogs in trouble in Asia.
http://www.animalsasia.org/
I might be able to post some photos later.
Just to correct any mistake, there are still around 94 bear bile farms in China alone, so thousands of bears are still in these vile prisons. This video is pretty shocking, so please advise sensitive human carers to keep their eyes shut while you look. They may not be as upset if they only listen without looking at the pictures.
http://www.youtube.com/user/HKAAF#p/u/7/uKSMfZbBT18

a few China photos

2011-05-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

Lynettea has allowed me to look at her photos of China and select a few for my blog. It wasn't hard to choose a few, although she has so many it takes ages to load them all.

After all my devotion and suffering miaouwww miaouww it was the least she could do for me.

I may put up some other photos later. Well they have loaded in a higgledy piggledy fashion. One photo is of glorious me on my return home. You will be glad to see that I am still looking alert and capable. I need to be alert in this household if anything is to function.

the photo of Lynettea holding the baby panda has been removed. It may not be a good idea to hold baby pandas even if you have lots of plastic garments on.

Another photo shows Lynettea holding a large and awkward panda baby. She had to put on plastic gloves (her real fingers don't look like that) and also a blue plastic robe. The panda kept chewing at pieces of bamboo while she clutched it. (It wasn't interested in Lynettea at all!) She has hold of its little leg and foot and one arm under the panda's arm to try to keep it on her lap.

Then we have a photo of the beautiful Nine Village Valley. Lynettea says she doesn't think any of my kitty friends will have such a pretty photo. She walked for many kilometres on the wooden walkways around these beautiful bodies of water that ran straight from the glaciers. It was quite hot in the middle of the day after walking for hours and she wished she had taken fewer woollies and more bottled water. Maybe next time she will take me too and I can remind her.

And lastly a photo of a kitty in the street in Xian (China). There was a little shop nearby and we hope that this kitty belonged to the lady in the shop. There were also a lot of spoilt looking fluffy doggies out in the streets with their owners.

Home from my Holiday

2011-05-23T01:05:00.000-07:00

I barely had time to have my essentials re-packed into my little red striped bag and my big shopping bags before I was suddenly whisked back home to take care of Lynettea. Without my constant supervision she caught a bad cold in China. She told me it was really an Australian Cold, as one of the group had brought it on the tour. Anyway she is lying in bed snuffling and sniffing and I am trying to keep her warm.
The hotel was better this time for me, as I had special luxury quarters in The Spare Room section, with a small human female designated to brush my soft furs and pat me. Lynettea says it was nice for me to have made another little friend.
It is good to be back home though, in spite of all the extra work looking after Lynettea. She hasn't even put her photos on the computer yet.

Diamond off safely to holiday camp

2011-05-05T04:39:00.000-07:00

Diamond has asked me to post a message for him. He left at around 3 pm this afternoon. The lady in charge of the camp, Pam, collected him and let him ride in the front seat of her car. He took his two Snugglesafe heating pads and a fluffy towel to put around them, his renal dry food and a lot of sachets of his renal moist food. His cat lax and brush also went with him.

Pam said she was thinking of letting Diamond stay in the camp house, so she could keep a close eye on him and make sure he is okay. So he would have a nice room to himself with lots of fluffy blankets.

Diamond was eating his food better when he left, so I hope he will keep on eating while at the camp. Pam has a card for Diamond's vet, if she has any questions about looking after him.

AWAY SOMEWHERE TOMORROW

2011-05-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

This is a recent photo of me before I found out I had to go away again to the 'cat holiday camp'. The suitcase is out and Lynettea is going to work as a keeper with the pandas in China. She is only going to be a pretend sort of keeper for a day. 'No,' she says, 'I will be doing real duties, Diamond.'

How can she do this when I am in need? I have been eating up my food again and she says she is pleased with me and I must keep eating well while I am on my holiday. I must come back looking like a 'Hollywood kitty of the silver screen.' I have some of my kit packed in an Adelaide Zoo bag: my foods and a big towel and a smart red and white striped toiletries bag with my cat lax and my soft brush. My two Snugglesafes will be packed tomorrow.

Now I must get a good sleep, as I doubt I will be able to sleep properly for several days. Rough cats meowing will probably keep me awake.

I hope I survive! Especially as I am not feeling up to any disruption at my time of life ...

I hope to be able to write again soon after I return.

Fending for myself

2011-04-29T06:46:00.001-07:00

More details of my being left (abandoned). I feel like the orphans in the wood in Hansel and Gretel. Lynettea says I would be Hansel, as I am a boy cat. You can see how indifferent she is!!!!

No suitcase has come out yet. I think I will stay on the sofa all the time so she can't put it there to pack. She says I can take all my special foods and my heaters and blankets with me and even my fur brush if anyone wants to brush me. I don't think anyone will brush me, as my fur was quite unkempt when I got home again last time. I am used to having my fur brushed with a soft baby brush twice a day.

Will she leave me alone again?

2011-04-27T06:33:00.000-07:00

I heard her talking about going away again. Is it heartless to leave me in my less than peak condition?
She keeps pestering me to eat my food. I even have to try to eat my food when I am lying down in my blankets. Miaouwwww. I cannot help it if I am thinner and bonier. I have the same number of bones, but not so well covered.

Back to my Vet

2011-04-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't been feeling well again and Lynettea took me to my Vet in the taxi yesterday. My cat carrier tipped over in the cab when the driver swerved around a corner. It wasn't pleasant being tossed against the wire bars. Strangely enough the Vet who saw me was the same Vet who saw me at the specialist emergency centre a few weeks ago. He was thinking of putting me on the drip again, but then let me come home with some medications. Lynettea has been giving me the soft food and some water while I am lying down on my heated pad. I did manage to lick up some of the food and water and then in the night used my litter tray. I have to take some Cat Lax. That sounds a bit like 'lazy cat.' Lynettea put it on my paws a long time ago, but this time she put it on her finger and let me lick it off. I was doing her a favour really, as it is difficult to remove once it gets stuck on you. Sometimes I think of her as my Ignorant Little Kitten. The picture is of me resting after reading the TV Guide. There aren't many shows of interest for the intelligent cat viewer.

BINGO

2011-04-09T01:43:00.000-07:00

Lynettea told me that one of her friends told her my blog was really silly and she should concentrate on playing bingo instead. What will I do if she plays bingo instead of switching on the computer for me?

She said, "Don't worry, Diamond. I don't like bingo and am not going to take up playing bingo." But I am still worried. Miaouw Miaouw. I try to offer my honest opinions, although I haven't had the chance to go to University and get a good education. But I still regard myself as a thinking cat.

New Food

2011-04-02T01:05:00.000-07:00

Lynettea got me some new food which comes in small foil sachets. When I ate some she got very excited and went down to My Vet straight away to get some more for me. It is soft food for a kidney diet. She thinks it might help me if I eat some of this food. I don't really like talking about my Bowel Movements or Using My Litter Tray. All that stuff is too personal and who else could be interested. I haven't been able to get to my friends' blogs lately to post. but I will soon. I am feeling deprived not knowing what all of you are doing. Thanks to the dear friends who have come and put your nice messages on my blog.

Resting comfortably

2011-03-29T23:09:00.000-07:00

My human, Lynettea, says I need to put on more weight. I do try, but I think I may be getting more skinny. I wonder if my bones will stick out of my furs. At the moment I am resting comfortably on my heater. We went outside into the sunshine earlier, which was nice, but Lynettea had to go out to meet a friend and have some green tea. She said she had to go out, but I really think she wanted to go. Maybe she didn't want to stay with me? Sometimes I have these negative thoughts. Lynettea tells me not to be negative, as it is important to have a sunny personality, not spend all your time peering into the yard next door from your pergola shelf to see if the black kitty there is doing something he shouldn't. I don't think he should be there. His human has built him a little enclosure so he can go out into the sunshine.

When Lynettea got back she tried to go out again to look for the letters (she said) and I rushed out and the door banged into my left thigh. Lynettea said sorrry sorrry Diamond, but it did hurt, even though she picked me up and cuddled me. Of course we cats don't show that we have had a nasty knock, so I said nothing, not even meow.

As she looked upset I let her give me some kisses and hold my pawsie - sorry 'paw.' She wasn't happy when she found this morning that I had been hiding some of my tablets around the house.

'I didn't know you could hold the tablets in your mouth so long, Diamond!' she said. I haven't had any tablets for ages now. I hope she doesn't force me to have any more.

The picture shows me relaxing after hiding one of the tablets.

Koala at the sale

2011-03-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

Lynettea was at the Harris Scarfe sale today when she should have been at home looking after me. When she got up to the counter after a long queue, she saw that a lady ahead of her had a koala baby nestled up to her shoulder. This little koala was wrapped in a white cloth and peeked out at the top with his or her little arm on the carer's shoulder. The little koala seemed quite undisturbed by all the people and noise around.
What an amazing world!!!
Lynettea didn't say Miaouw to the little one, as she said koalas don't miaouww. I don't know how she knows this. She often says things I am expected to take on trust.

Litter tray and other matters

2011-03-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

Dear friends, Lynettea says I should tell you at once that I seem to be better and better. I did take my tablet for a few days, but managed to spit it out this morning. I did swallow it after Lynettea said she was prepared to keep putting it in my mouth all morning if necessary. I think I may have had enough tablets by now, as I AM USING MY LITTER TRAY and EATING MY FOOD.

Now I have the nice basket on the floor near my computer I often use it for grooming sessions, sleeping at night and generally relaxing.

Lynettea read a few of my haiku at the State Library on Wednesday with her group, but she didn't say they were by me. She said that the authors were only mentioned together, not each haiku, but she showed me the video from her camera and I couldn't hear 'Diamond' mentioned. I think she is ashamed to acknowledge that I wrote some of the haiku.

She let me use her picture dressed in a kimono, as she was one of the musicians for the reading. She isn't a proper musician - she just banged the gongs occasionally. The library may be putting a film of the readings on their web site.

A pity that I won't be acknowledged, but I find there is such a lot of discrimination against cats. Now I am feeling better I will protest MIAOUWWWW MIAOUWWWW!!!!!!

I wonder if anyone will listen.

Diamond still resting

2011-03-15T00:15:00.000-07:00

Lynettea said I could write a little bit, although I am spending most of my time lying in my basket, which she has put in the lounge room near my computer. For years the basket has been on top of the washing machine, but she got it down for me last night, as I only felt like sitting on the carpet, instead of jumping up onto one of my seats in the chairs.

I worry that Lynettea has made my private health problems so public. I tell her it can't interest anyone if I have used my litter tray. Anyway I have done a few little bits, if anyone is interested. I took my tablet this morning, as I felt sorry for Lynettea. She sat there brushing my coat a lot and worrying about me. I can tell that she is worrying, because she keeps on saying things like, 'I love you Diamond. Get well!' or, 'Do you want a cuddly now Diamond?'

I didn't like it at the Vet Hospital. They gave me a cosy to sleep in which rolled over when I turned around and threw me out. Lynettea came to visit and told the nurse about me falling out of the cosy. They gave me chicken to eat - but I don't like it. And they kept sticking things into me, which they called enemas. I felt really poked about and pulled about and my arm was bandaged so stiffly with the drip that Lynettea thought it was a sticking out part of the cosy, until she saw a bit of my furs coming out the end of the bandage.

I am trying to rest, so don't think I will write any more now. Thank you to my friends for all your wishes.
Diamond

Diamond home

2011-03-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

Diamond is not feeling up to posting yet. He came home this afternoon after a lot of blood tests, fluid drip, injections for nausea and enemas. The Vet is still not sure exactly why Diamond was vomiting.

He gave me some tablets and tried to give one of them to Diamond before we came home, then said he didn't realize a cat could hold a tablet in his mouth for so long and then spit it out. Diamond doesn't like tablets much. Eventually, after another try, he did swallow the tablet. I hope he takes them tomorrow.

Thank you to all the kitties who wrote to Diamond. He is sitting quietly on the carpet now, but still hasn't used his litter tray properly.
Lynettea

Visit to Diamond in Hospital

2011-03-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

I visited Diamond in hospital this morning to take him some of his Kidney Diet food. He wasn't eating any of the chicken they had given him. He ate some of his regular food, picking at it slowly three times while I stayed with him. I was there about an hour.

He spent quite a lot of time grooming, had a good patting session and was settling down for a nap when I left. He stayed in the cosy they had provided for him while I was there, but I could open the door of the container ward and reach in to pat him in the cosy. I think he is quite nervous, and not surprisingly, as he has an arm bandaged up with a drip and has had a couple of enemas and extensive blood tests.

The blood tests show his kidney complaint, but they were not really bad. He is very blocked up with constipation and they are waiting to see if that clears. I have to ring at 3 pm for more discussion on his condition. Diamond asked me to keep his kitty friends posted.
best wishes,
Lynettea

Diamond in hospital

2011-03-13T03:41:00.000-07:00

I am posting this message on behalf of Diamond. He suddenly had to go into hospital this evening and is staying overnight for some tests. I may know more later this evening.
He is a very brave kitty.
Lynettea

Fern Hollow

2011-03-07T02:22:00.000-08:00

This is a nice resting place in my garden. I call it Fern Hollow. I am not sure why Lynettea made this little hollow for me. She ripped out a lot of the sword ferns, in her usual brutal fashion. She may have been looking for rats or lizards, but gave up when she didn't find any.

I quite like to poke around in here and it is cool on a hot day. Not that I go out much on a hot day, as it is too hot for Lynettea. I don't want to be responsible for her getting dehydrated.

She is careless enough as it is. I have quite a big job supervising her. No wonder I get tired out. I heard we may be getting a new cat next door, but as it is going to be a house cat I might not see much of it.

Just a note to Sanka, if he gets a chance to read this blog: I haven't heard from you Sanka and hope you are not shut in the shed. Sanka went to literacy classes, but seems not to be able to get to the computer. His human must be quite thoughtless.

New computer

2011-02-22T04:48:00.000-08:00

we are supposed to be getting one tomorrow. I am hoping I get some time to write on it. Maybe some more of my haiku.

Lynettea is going to read some of my moon haiku in the State Library. I bet she doesn't say they are mine. She says that CATS are not a legal entity. I am not an entity, as I am a cat, but I am sure I am legal. Otherwise I would be arrested. Maybe I should stay inside if I am on the run. If I am illegal. It is all too confusing for me.

I am not allowed to go to the reading either. Cats, as usual are not allowed. I wonder if the library has a sign saying NO CATS ALLOWED. Cats are quiet, not like dogs.

How will we improve ourselves if we are not allowed to access books? Yet another case of discrimination against our species. if I am not allowed to improve myself I think I will go to sleep.

ARTHUR OR MARTHA

2011-02-11T03:11:00.000-08:00

I hardly get to post with the computer playing up all the time. It doesn't know whether it is Arthur or Martha (that is what Lynettea says), but computers aren't alive, are they? it is just flickering lights and metal. Although something warm definitely lives inside the box, which is why it is so comforting to drape over in cold weather.

We are getting some new equipment in the post from Telstra: a new modem and a new T-hub. Maybe that will fix it up.

Lynettea says she is getting to be a nervous wreck and I am finding it difficult to keep her calm. Sometimes when I try to calm her by sitting on her lap she just pushes me off, so I go to sleep on my little special wool rug instead. Maybe I can calm her from my world of dreams ...

I haven't even been able to jot down any new haiku and we haven't seen the moon for a while. I hope it is still there.

TO THE VET

2011-01-20T01:20:00.000-08:00

I am posting in a hurry, as the computer may be going away tomorrow. It may be a bit sick or something happened to its insides. I hope not too bad, as I rely on it for my correspondence. No pictures provided as yet.

This morning I heard Lynettea mention the Vet. She must think I am stupid. Well as soon as she went outside to hang out some washing I went out and stood around. I usually just stand around and look at the pots and the vegetables and sniff at my grass or perhaps lie under a tree for a bit while she is outside. She thinks that if she keeps an eye on me I won't do anything she doesn't want me to.

As soon as she went back for the second lot of washing I wandered off slowly down to the quince tree and I won't tell you what I did then, as Lynettea might see this and I don't want her to know. Well she couldn't find me anywhere and our neighbour also came in and they searched the house and garden. Finally I was sorry for her and came out.

We went inside and I lay on my chair in the kitchen, but when she tried to pick me up I got really tense. My limbs spasmed. In spite of this she was able to put me in the pet carrier. I miaouwed all the way to the Vet. The taxi driver asked if I was ill.

We had to sit in the waiting room for a long time. Some dogs came in and out. This Vet specializes in large dogs, I think. They don't look all that smart, but their humans follow them around, so they can't be all that silly. One dog had a lady with silky hair that looked just like her.

Finally the Vet got hold of me and took me to the BACK ROOM. I know about the secret room where they jab you with needles, but I didn't flinch.Useless struggle just wears you out.
He told Lynettea I was a perfectly behaved cat.

The Vet just rang to say all my blood tests were good.

No special treats for dinner, just the same old stuff. I don't mind the taste though and there is always plenty of it. But you would think after my ordeal ....

A QUICK THANK YOU POST

2011-01-17T04:03:00.000-08:00

As I have not been able to get near the computer keyboard even to upload the comments from my loyal kitty friends.
I have mostly been resting under protest.
Only got one small and feeble looking raggy fabric mouse for Christmas, which is so long ago now. It amused me for around two and a half minutes.
I did manage to telepathically stun a rat on the footpath at the side of our house. Lynettea nearly fell over it.

And I was nearly able to stun a gecko on the kitchen ceiling with my thought waves, but Lynettea made me go into the bedroom and I had to sit on the bed in the dark dungeon while I could hear her scuttling around. When I finally got back to the kitchen the gecko had vanished.

I can't see any improvement in Lynettea for the new year. Well 2011 already and I can't see any resolutions she has kept. The year rolls on. I might feel a bit less jaundiced if I get to post some pictures next time. The camera is full of splendid poses of me me me.

Thank you to the kitties who posted me delightful cards and greetings. I posted a card back to the Kitty Quartet: Keiko, Kenji, Pricilla and Yuji. I hope you got my card. I loved the little ginger kitten on the front and the little black kitty inside.

Shumble from Wollongong and Sanker from Ipswich also sent greetings. Sanker has done really well at writing now he has taken literacy classes. This goes to show that it is never too late for a cat to improve himself. Sanker, I hope you managed to keep your humans under control during the flood and that you kept your furs dry.
Well that is all for today.

Christmas Greetings

2010-12-23T01:53:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally got my e-Christmas card on line. What a performance! I let Lynettea work on it for me under my instructions, but she has made most of my fur look as if it is plastered on rather than soft and pretty. I told her I would pose in front of the balloon display, but didn't expect to have my fur and my whiskers treated in this fashion.
Also the writing is much smaller and not as bright as I had anticipated.
Happy Christmas Kitties! PURR PURR PURR

More on Japan

2010-12-14T02:16:00.001-08:00

I found some more of Lynettea's pictures to share with you.

The first one is of some koi in a creek near Asakusa shrine in Tokyo. They look quite tasty, don't they. One of them, the pale one on the right, reminds me of one of my fish called Dawn. My biggest fish, actually. Of course I don't eat my fish, as they are my pets. At night she went to a Sizzler restaurant which was overlooking the harbour.

She went on to the balcony outside to take some photos and the guide told her there was a typhoon coming. Well, everyone tried not to show they were scared.
I bet she wished she hadn't left me at home, as I could have been of some help with my advice.

Before she found out about the possible typhoon Lynettea took pictures of the lights in the street outside her hotel.

'But your sparkling eyes are prettier Diamond,' she says. I know she is just trying to soft soap me, but I pretend to be flattered and jump on her lap and purr.

MY DUTIES

2010-12-08T04:50:00.000-08:00

I have not been able to get on the computer since posting a few photos of Japan a while ago. I promise I will put some more on soon.

Meanwhile I will share with you that I recently left a food parcel for Lynette on the floor of the lounge room. I am not sure whether she ate it or not, because by the time she found it I was sleeping peacefully in bed.

This time I opened it up so she could see that the organs were nutritious. My previous attempts to feed her did not work and I reasoned that she found the skin too difficult to tackle. Her teeth are not as sharp as mine.

When I roused myself later in the day my little training offering had gone. I am encouraged to think that she might have tasted at least some of it. She didn't say anything to me about it, but concentrated on brushing my furs, so I must assume she was grateful for the gift. She is not very good at expressing gratitude. I must learn to be tolerant.

Feeling a little calmer now

2010-11-15T02:18:00.000-08:00

Lynettea let me put this picture on my blog, as she was concerned that I didn't believe her reasons for having to send me to the cat hotel. It is a picture of her beside the statue of Basho (revered ancient Haiku poet) in Tokyo. I am not sure why she is smiling when I am not there. It was all climbing up stairs to get to this place. No wonder she got tired.

In the small street below this place dedicated to Basho there was a 'fox shrine'. You can see the fox in the photo if you look hard. Its face is near the central column in the photo just above the grass blade. (the fox shrines are important to farmers as the fox is considered the messenger of Inari the kami of rice. Maybe foxes protect the crop?

The next picture is of Asakusa Shrine, a very famous shrine in Tokyo. A Japanese couple offered very kindly to take Lynettea's photo. After they took it she couldn't see anyone else in her party and spent some time wandering round feeling nervous before she located them. (If I had been there this would not have happened, as I am exceptionally alert and would not have got lost).

Then she went up the stairs of the shrine you can see and managed to get her fortune forecast. It was a most fortunate fortune, telling her she that her worries and troubles are almost over and her hopes and desires 'come true'. I hope this does not go to her head. Of course she is very lucky that she has me ...

Some of the party who were given papers with bad fortunes on them were told to tie them to a tree so the bad luck would be blown away.
I am feeling a bit more rested now after my stressful 'holiday'.

Disturbed Behaviour

2010-11-09T21:11:00.000-08:00

I am back home. I got here on Monday evening with the lady from the cat hotel. I ran out down the back so she couldn't get me again. I had to stay under a cushion most of the time in the hotel, because she had a strange kind of 'reflector bed' that I couldn't get the hang of.
There was a Burmese next door who ate cheese. I had a little bit too, because I couldn't see why he should have favours while I had no compensation for being in the dungeon.
Now Lynettea says my behaviour is 'disturbed' and she doesn't like me clawing her and running to the door miaowing anxiously when she goes out and comes back.
No-one brushed my furs while I was away and clumps of under fur came out when Lynettea brushed me.
Well they did give me food, but I just can't get used to hotels.
Lynettea didn't see any cat cafes in Japan. She did pat a cat at a shrine, after asking the carer. The cat was white and sitting in a little cardboard box. She thought it might be an older cat.
She didn't write many haiku, as it was mostly sightseeing. If she had taken me I could have helped her with her haiku.
I will try to get some photos of Japan from her camera. She is still deaf from the plane and very tired, so it will take a while.
Much better for her to stay at home and do her duties.

NERVOUS

2010-10-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

I am waiting nervously to see what happens next. The case is packed, in spite of my efforts to hide inside and there is no room for me to get in. I tried sitting on the lid, but Lynettea didn't like that. She picked me straight off, so I spent a long time lying on the couch checking the case was still there.
I am recuperating on my mat in the sunshine outside when I can, trying to relax before the cat hotel lady comes. Lynettea says she will be in Japan (where is that? I don't like the sound of it.)
She says she will try to go to a cat cafe and take me some photos. I would prefer her to be here and I notice her itinerary does not mention a cat cafe. I wonder if the cats sit around sipping milkshakes.

So I won't be away too many years. Lynettea says, 'Don't be silly, Diamond.' She is fond of saying that. 'I won't be away long and you will hardly notice.'
As if I won't notice being in a cat hotel, away from all my usual comforts.

Does she really care for me?

2010-10-25T01:04:00.000-07:00

I overheard a familiar voice on the phone last night. I remembered it from last year when I went to stay with 'Aunty Pam and my younger sister Katinka.' I sat there on the rug with my most mournful expression, but Lynettea didn't seem to notice. I wonder if she bothers about me at all!
I told her previously that I don't want to go to any cat holiday camps or cat holiday hotels.
I am on the alert now to see if she tries to get me into the cat carrier. Her suitcase is standing around and there are piles of assorted objects that look as if they are to be packed. No amount of her saying, 'You will be really well looked after, Diamond,' or, 'Well, I can't leave you alone here while I am away, Diamond,' will pacify me.
Maybe I should give her some sharp swipes with my paws so she can see I mean business this time. I don't mind staying here by myself as long as there is plenty of my special food left out for me.

More 'helpful' computer scammers

2010-10-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

We had another group ring us yesterday, saying our computer was full of viruses and broadcasting warnings to their helpful computer service centre.

After our previous experience, in which Lynettea was annoyed to lose fifty dollars, (because she was too trusting and silly) we were most interested. Lynettea tried to keep the man in conversation.

It was difficult to understand him and he had to keep repeating things. At first we thought he was saying 'cure' and then 'pure' and then it turned out to be 'PC'. Lynettea asked him where they were located and he said the UK. When she tried to find out in which city they were operating he hung up suddenly.

I am thinking of starting up a cat detective agency to trace these scammers, but Lynettea thinks they are too tricky for me. At least I can post a warning to alert other kitties so they can advise their humans.

HARVEST MOON

2010-10-19T03:32:00.000-07:00

There was so much interest in my haiku writing that Lynettea thought I should really compose one instead of going to sleep 'as usual,' she said.

harvest moon
poking into crevices
for lizards

I particularly like writing moon haiku, as you can see from my winning entries. This one has a more feline flavour than usual.

silence
the moon traps a face
in the fishpond

(Lynettea didn't like the one above. She said, 'whose face, Diamond?' I thought it was obvious, a fish face. Who would be interested in anything else.)

All quiet today

2010-10-11T05:57:00.000-07:00

After all the excitement of THE GREAT ESCAPE I have had a quiet couple of days. Since it was pleasant sunny weather I took Lynettea out for her walk and supervised her while she did her favourite garden pastimes of snipping things and weeding things. (Yes, you are right there is a cruel streak there ... thank goodness it is not directed at me).

This morning after her outdoor expedition she spent some time reading The Narrow Road to the Interior (which is not about our hallway) at the table in my enclosure. I lay on the table too, with a couple of my carpet pieces to protect my sensitive body from the wood.

It is nice out there, with only a few popping noises from my goldfish to disturb the silence. I might even feel a haiku coming on as I sink into a dream.

NAUGHTY KITTY

2010-10-08T01:01:00.000-07:00

Lynettea says I have at last earned my badge for the Naughty Kitties' Club. I think I was just asserting my right to be a NATURAL CAT. As you know I have long wondered what it would be like to adopt the free wandering life of a natural cat. To stretch my legs and sniff the wind on the open moor (more or less).

I took Lynettea out for a brief walk this morning and then I went back inside my enclosure. She refused to come back in and stayed outside pulling out tiny plants that she refers to as 'weeds'. I am not sure why she is always pulling out these harmless plants. She had removed my halter and was quite away from my supervision.

This rather annoyed me, so I went out quietly and climbed up the fence, then walked along the fence rail and jumped on the roof of the shed next door. By this time Lynettea had realized where I was and was running along below waving her arms and shouting, 'This way Diamond! You can get down here. There is a dog next door and it might bite you.'

She must think I am an idiot. Orla wasn't barking, so she must have been inside. It was nice up there and I could see all around. Finally I got back onto the fence rail and was walking towards the back of the yard to explore some more when Lynettea managed to grab my leg and pull me down.

Then we went inside, as she had 'had enough' she said. She thought she would change my bucket of water. So I sat on my scratching post near the tap and put out my paw to touch her shoulder in affection, as she was filling the bucket. She got a fright (she said) and the bucket tipped over and watered her shoes and socks and her slacks. This would have given them a good freshen up!
After that I went for a nap on my heated Snugglesafe, as the day wasn't all that warm.

AT THE ZOO

2010-10-04T00:30:00.000-07:00

This is Funi, up a tree. She is not trying to escape, just looking around.

Lynettea was at the Zoo, not me. I wouldn't like to live there, although Lynettea says they have meerkats. I am not a mere cat. I am Supercat Russian Diamond. Whenever Lynettea is out and can't see me I put on my supercat outfit and whoosh around supervising the fish. They are forced to hide under the waterlily leaves if they want privacy. Lynettea wonders why they are so timid about coming out.

But they all rush up to get their food. Even if I prowl around the edge of the pond they don't take much notice if they are concentrating on getting their food. Maybe they regard me as their Protector. I would like to think so.

I AM HER PROTECTOR

2010-10-03T04:36:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was quietly taking Lynettea for a walk on the path at the side of our house. She had sat down on the edge of the front porch for a rest, after we had been into the street so she could look at the gazanias and tell me how well they were flowering and gaze around as usual (why do they do that) and I was just standing quietly, when I saw it!

So I ran quickly down the side of the house and I didn't know Lynettea could still run so fast. She was quick at coming up behind me and yelling stop Diamond, don't get into a fight with a cat.
But it jumped on top of the fence. So I let it go. It had been sufficiently warned. And Lynettea picked me up and gave me a cuddle and called me her Protector.

Then we went in and I had some fresh crispies for my dinner straight away. She doesn't like me to get into a fight and I don't. But I have to protect my place from intruders, even if there are a lot of rough kitties living round here.

More visitors. Welcome Kitties

2010-09-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

Thank you my kind cat friends for visiting to cheer me up on my birthday. I am now bouncing with energy and waiting to take Lynettea out for her walk. The technicial person has just been to look at the Internet connection and he says it is okay, but you never can tell with intermittent faults.

Maybe the cables have worn out through Lynettea using them such a lot. All those flashing lights here and there from computers, modems, TV, must use up a lot of energy and they might get worn out. I asked Lynettea what they ate to keep up their strength and she said, 'Electricity, Diamond,' as if I was silly.

Well I know that it is electricity. But I shouldn't think that is very nourishing. I wouldn't like to eat it. Miaouwwwww!

Thank You Huffle and Welcome Kitties

2010-09-29T02:43:00.000-07:00

I was so surprised to find all my kitty visitors. Then Lynettea told me Huffle had sent them to me.
Thank you Huffle - you are a generous cat. I will try to visit all of your blogs soon. I already know some of my visitors, but others are new, so welcome to my blog!

While Lynettea was helping me put some comments on my blog she tried to put a lot on at once and it all broke down. Goodness! Everything went into a seizure and she had to ring up her Internet Provider. They are sending a tech out tomorrow to look at her modem.

Now it is all working again, so we don't know what happened. She told her Internet person, who was quite hard to hear over the phone, that the modem was flashing again, but the lady said according to her we were still not connected.

The human world is hard to understand. I have spent another quiet day resting after all Lynettea's fussing on my birthday. Too much cuddling, brushing and patting can be quite tiring.

You have all made me feel special on my birthday.

my September moon haiku published

2010-09-28T04:02:00.000-07:00

http://haikubanditsociety.blogspot.com/2010/09/september-2010.html

You will find my September moon haiku here. It is one of the haiku chosen by Dottie for the September moon viewing.
Diamond
p.s this was a nice birthday present. You can share it my kitty friends by going to the link.

A quiet birthday

2010-09-28T03:19:00.000-07:00

I spent a quiet birthday with some extra 'spoiling' as she calls it, from Lynettea.
I slept in late under the polar fleece on the bed. Lynettea didn't have to go to her Philosophy class, as it is school holidays, so she didn't try to make my bed too early. Then, when she picked off the polar fleece and started to heat up my Snugglesafe, I had a brush with my 'baby brush' and I do enjoy that. The sensation of it going through my fur is very pleasant. I even have my face brushed. Of course I close my eyes when my face is brushed, as I don't want bristles in my beautiful green eyes. (even if they are soft baby bristles).

After that I took Lynettea out for a quick walk in the sunshine. She fussed around a bit pulling out some weeds and held a piece of my tall grass clump down so I could take a few bites.
After a while I went back to bed to rest on my Snugglesafe warmer and spent the afternoon there.

When I got up I threw up in the lounge room. On the wood floor. Which Lynettea cleaned up quickly. We went for a walk outside then.
None of my kitty friends came for a visit. Lynettea says not to be disappointed. Maybe some of them will notice my post later at some time.

My Birthday: I will be fourteen on 28 September 2010

2010-09-27T03:58:00.000-07:00

Because it is my birthday tomorrow I have put on a few photos to share with my kitty friends.

I didn't think I would be able to post anything. I sprang on the computer to try to get Lynettea to listen to me, but she was busy and put me back on the floor. She can be quite thoughtless sometimes. After a while she looked around and saw I was still sitting there patiently and she suddenly remembered it was my birthday. She picked me up and took me for a 'special cuddle' on the lounge and then let me post my messages to my friends. She even took some portraits of me in my favourite places in the last few days. One on my airconditioner in the garden (with my halter on). I let her off the halter to take some photos, as long as she stayed in my sight.

I also have included a photo of me in the sun on the bedroom windowsill. The bluebells I can see from this position and the flowering crabapple is at the end of my garden.

You can see my grass too, in one of the photos. It has grown rather wild, I am afraid, as because of the rain I haven't been out often enough to get it under control. The white flowers in the garden are rocket, which Lynettea eats (the leaves not the flowers). All I can say to that is UGH!

And she won't even try any of the grass clumps. She got me to smell a violet the other day, so I humoured her, although the scent was so sharp my nose wrinkled.

If anyone wants to drop by for a visit you would be welcome. I can share any of my snacks with you, although I do like to have a nap in the middle of the day. We could have a nap together.

My Generous Nature

2010-09-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

YES the beads do look nice on me, but I thought Lynettea should wear them. I hardly need enhancements for my elegant appearance. Besides don't you think that beads are a bit hippyish? No one would call me a hip cat. I write haiku, not beat poetry and I never rap. My fur is sleek and shiny, not full of dreadlocks.

Lynettea doesn't have dreadlocks either and she doesn't rap. So why does she want to wear beads?

This is a picture of me grooming myself. I have posted it as a treat for any of your humans who may be looking at my blog. Most humans seem mesmerized by my soft shiny fur. I have a heating pad under my beach towel from Adobe. They sent the towel to me because of all the art work I do on the computer. The red side is supposed to be underneath and the white side is really the underside of the towel.

As I lie there enjoying the winter warmth I sometimes feel as if I am gliding on a wave rushing towards the shore. Then I wake up in a fright, eyes staring and ears pricked up, until I realize I have been having a nightmare.

Sometimes I think I should write directly to the manager at Adobe to thank him or her for the towel and let the company know that I appreciate their generous gift and use it a lot. I have clawed at it here and there, so there are a quite a few threads sticking up.

I return

2010-09-18T01:24:00.000-07:00

After all the fuss about which lot of humans were going to run the country, the green socks people and the Independents decided the red-haired kitty had the best food bowl and they all settled down for a feed together, while the men in business suits had to look hungrily in at the window. Life is sometimes fair and sometimes unfair, but a bowl of dried food is a good standby in hard times.

Lynettea put these special glass beads on me to see if they looked better on me than her. Well, I ask you! She makes them, so I couldn't be too rude. I suggested that they might suit her better.

WHAT A WORRY

2010-08-25T19:28:00.001-07:00

The picture is of Wang Wang at Adelaide Zoo. Lynettea will have to do better next time. I want some nice new portraits to post.
She tells me that the red haired kitty is still battling it out with the men in business suits. The people in green socks are feeling good because more people than before said they also wanted to buy green socks. I hope I don't have to wear green socks on my paws. Dressing up is not for me. Meanwhile we can't work out what the three people in between the red haired kitty and the men in business suits are wearing. They look very pleased with themselves, but aren't giving much away.
If any real cats had been allowed to stand in the election (or vote), then we would have all settled back comfortably by now at our food bowls.

Lynettea can't find out much from the newspaper, as the delivery man is throwing it into a puddle every morning now it is raining and the pages are all soggy.
Maybe next week it will all settle down.

I think I might consider a long rest on the bed until then. I don't like getting my pawsies wet (sorry, paws) and I don't like nasty wet splashes of rain on my beautiful fluffy coat.

Election battle

2010-08-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

I think it is the battle of the colours: the red-haired kitty, the people with the green socks and the men in the business suits with the blue ties. Although Lynettea says they don't always wear the business suits nowadays. Some are in swimming costumes. How can that be? It is too cold to go swimming.

She says that she wants to save the bush. Well our grevillea bush is looking rather dried out in parts and needs a trim. Will the red-haired kitty come to do it? Or the people in green socks? I think she is living in a foolish dream, as they will be too busy shouting at one another to come to our place. What about all the other bushes, are they saving them?

Well, I think I will just stay in my heated bed and take a rest. Lynettea says that kitties are still not allowed to vote. And it is the twenty-first century. It is hard to believe, I know.

SORRY I haven't posted for a bit

2010-08-19T02:39:00.000-07:00

My dear friends, I have not been able to post, although I am well. I just have a very recatricant human in charge of the computer. Also she got caught out by a computer scam recently.
Some people rang her saying they would fix up her computer, which was sending floods of warning messages to their Windows Support On Line Centre in Chatswood. It seemed they were very overloaded with trying to deal with all the error messages sent by her computer and had rung up to try to stop them. They showed her lots of the Window's Error Messages on her computer and said the ones in RED WERE PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS. AND NOT TO OPEN THEM ON ANY ACCOUNT.
Then they said they would help her and all for free!!!! She was pleased to hear this, because my cat food is quite expensive and she can't afford to waste money. Unfortunately when they asked her to type in her six digit code so they could help her ---- she had no code. Can you believe that?

They said everyone has a six digit code (except Lynettea). She really felt out of it when they told her that. Everyone else had the code. Well the nice man she was speaking to said he could get her a code for $50, which did not seem all that expensive when she looked at his other plans (up to $350.) So she paid for the code and let them start fixing her computer.
That was not a good idea.
After a little while (7 minutes) she noticed that the tech was not there on the chat line anymore, although he said that he would be around forty minutes fixing it all up for her. He also told her that the company would ring her every year and fix her computer for free now she had the lifetime code.
So she put the six digit code in the little box again. I was sitting on the lounge watching her do all this and was quite concerned. The lifetime six digit code said it had expired. Then when she tried again the message said the six digit code did not exist. So she rang the bank in the middle of the night and the lady told her she should put a bar on her credit card and search the computer for viruses. Then Lynettea found none of the nice people's phones at the Windows support on line in Chatswood were answering. Perhaps they had all gone home?
She is feeling a bit grumpy about this and especially as she has had to cancel her credit card.
Well I let her have a little space to tell you this information. I am sure none of the kitties reading my blog would fall for this trap, but what about your humans? Can they be trusted with the computer? Or the phone?

KEEPING WARM

2010-07-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

I am on my heating pad on the bed most of the time lately. It is cold and gloomy. Just outside for a very brief walk to munch on a blade or two of grass and check my territory. Also to give Lynettea a little much needed exercise. She tells me she goes out for a walk by herself - but I don't know how much exercise she gets doing that.

All I know is that I prefer to keep WARM.

I noticed again that there are no kitties standing for Member of Parliament in the election (Australia), apart from the red haired kitty, that is. She looks lively enough. Lynettea says she isn't really a kitty, as she doesn't have enough fur. Now she tells me.

I am not prepared to stand for election, as I don't think I would like the travelling or standing around on drafty platforms in the COLD trying to answer foolish questions. Lynettea tells me kitties are not allowed to stand for Parliament. How can that be?

Palm trees swaying in the wind

2010-06-29T05:22:00.000-07:00

is what I am thinking of. It was raining today, although Lynettea told me (because she like to listen to the radio and then tell me these things), that we are well below our average rainfall. She wasn't too pleased when all the rainfall we did have fell on her this morning and wet her rucksack and her papers inside it as well as even her socks inside her shoes. (she did have a raincoat).

Well I think it is pretty silly to go out in the rain anyway. I am resting under the downdraft of the heat from the airconditioner at the moment and then I might have a small snack before getting into bed.

I had to help Lynettea by posing for some light effects in an illustration she was doing. She messed up the photo by doing different filters on it, so I thought I would post it here to show more of my true beauty.

another haiku awardie - I helped to write it this time

2010-06-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

We are one of the haiku winners in the May Dottie awards. You can see I helped Lynettea with her haiku this time. She recognizes that I am the real expert when it comes to moon viewing.

http://haikubanditsociety.blogspot.com/2010/05/may-2010-dottie-dot-awards.html

Winter Thoughts

2010-06-03T04:54:00.000-07:00

Now the winter evenings are shutting in I like to take Lynettea out on the path for a bit of hunting training. You will wonder why I persevere with this, when she has been so completely untrainable in the past. I am worried about her future though. She is always muttering about global warming (although it is quite cold at the moment) and I fear if things change for the worse and the SUPERMARKET, where she does her clumsy form of hunting, closes, what will she do for food.

I don't think I could feed both of us at my stage of life. I can only climb half way up the grape vine now, even after I have rushed right down the side of the house from the end of the yard as a run up. Lynettea thinks I have either put on too much weight or my legs are too weak because of age.

She bought me a new velvet style blanket in the sales yesterday. It is big enough for both of us to sleep under. I have it draped around me at the moment. No picture yet.
As far as the hunting training goes, no sign of improvement. She thinks she has taught me to sit on command. I sometimes let her think that, as I have a good sense of humour.

a COMPLIMENT

2010-05-29T23:16:00.000-07:00

Lynettea told me I am very controlling. I was surprised she noticed at last and feel quite flattered.
I have at last got her used to sleeping on the other side of the bed and she didn't even complain last night when she had to get out onto the cold floor without the mat. The mat is on my side of the bed. I used to sleep on the other side of the bed, but find the new side much more comfortable, especially as the mat is warmer on my paws if I have to get up.
I don't usually have to get up until Lynettea makes up my daybed for me on top of the bed with my heated Snugglesafe and futon. I don't really see the point in this, as I could stay in bed all day under my polar fleece blanket.
This is a picture of me supervising Lynettea through the open door. You need to biggify it to see me properly in all my furry glory. I feel sorry for humans without any fur in this weather.

Roses - did I get any? No

2010-05-25T23:24:00.000-07:00

I finally got a rose photo from Lynettea's ginko at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. But she didn't bring me any roses.

'Well, here is a nice photo for you, Diamond of some roses.'

'You can't smell digital photos,' I said, 'they don't even smell of photo paper. And the computer doesn't smell attractive. It smells like metals and I don't think too much of that glowing light can be good for you. Not if you use the computer all the time. Perhaps if you let me have a go now and then you wouldn't strain your eyes!'

Here is a photo of the Bicentennial Conservatory. There were no cats in there, although they do have some birds and some butterflies. Cats weren't even allowed to buy tickets to go in.

Lynettea saw a tiny dog on the bus today. I wonder if cats are allowed to buy tickets to go on the bus.

Not allowed to play?

2010-05-24T21:31:00.001-07:00

not allowed to play with rats, snatched away from lizards, no butterflies to bat. does she think i can be amused by neon coloured flannel mice and feathers on a stick? NOT ALLOWED to touch the fish in MY POND, best if you don't jump over the fence Diamond, trees and vines are not meant as playgrounds DIAMOND. If you eat that grass you will probably throw up Diamond. DO NOT PRETEND TO BE A JAGUAR, DIAMOND OR YOU WILL KNOCK ME OVER.

It's not much fun around here. Well I do get plenty of DIET food and water and my fur brushed a couple times a day, and she carries me round when I want (often) and heats up my snugglesafe warming pad and puts it on my futon for me to sleep. And sometimes we go outside with me controlling her on the lead - which is a lot of work for me, I must say. Sometimes I feel like running off on my own, ignoring my responsibility, even if I am generally a 'caring cat'.

And I don't get to post on my blog much. Do you think this necklace is too feminine for me?

No Rat in the Morning

2010-05-23T23:03:00.001-07:00

We stayed in the bedroom all night with the door shut and in the morning the rat had gone. So I can't even have rat friends in the house now?

a BAD situation

2010-05-20T04:59:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say I am trapped in the hallway. Lynettea has shut the door into the kitchen. She saw me having a game with the RAT under the kitchen table. Unfortunately the RAT ran behind the stove. I was watching for it to come out, but Lynettea decided we would have to come into the front of the house. I have been waiting for her to open the door for hours ........

the quick cat

2010-05-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Lynettea wrote me a haiku, but I don't know if it is satisfactory as an apology. It seems a bit equivocle.

the quick cat
almost catches a moth
autumn twilight

I have just given her a sharp signal that I am ready for bed. My snugglesafe warmer has been freshly heated and I have some soft wheatbags around it.
Thank you for your other suggestions. I will see if Lynettea does any of them. She is not easy to train.

I will try to get some of her pictures she took at her ginko on Saturday at the Botanic Gardens. She said all the roses in the Rose Garden were flowering. I had to stay home. No cats are allowed in the Botanic Gardens - another example of discrimination against cats.

I saw her using my name

2010-05-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

Lynettea thought I was asleep, but she didn't notice I had one eye open and I could see she was using my name on another blog.

She got an awardie for a haiku about the April moon. I was surprised, first to see that she had written on the moon, which we know is my subject, and that she dared to use my picture in her comments.

I will have to think of some punishment. Any suggestions? (not too cruel). I don't want to be thought of as Cruella Diamond.
http://haikubanditsociety.blogspot.com/2010/05/dottie-mascot-and-editor-in-chief-of.html

Thank You My Friends

2010-04-24T02:06:00.000-07:00

Thank you my kind friends for your well wishes. I have more friends sending me their CARE AND CONCERN than Lynettea does if she is feeling unwell. Oh well, at least she has me to look after her; she should be grateful for that. She should be grateful I remind her to do all sorts of things too. She can be very forgetful.

And also she should be grateful I didn't claw her friend this afternoon. I kept my claws sheathed as her friend no longer reeks of DOG. I don't try to claw her, it is just a nervous reaction of my claws going in and out. Apparently the dog the friend took walking went to the Rainbow Bridge a little while ago. I hope there are not too many dogs at the cat Rainbow Bridge. Gentle small dogs would be welcome, if they are quiet and well behaved.

I need Lynettea to put out my food now, so must go.

I have put on a picture of a meerkat, as I have no new photos of myself uploaded. I don't think it is really a cat though, as it doesn't look intelligent enough. Also I don't think meerkats purr. Maybe it is a deviant sideline on our evolutionary tree.

My miaouw goes quiet

2010-04-22T05:09:00.000-07:00

Lynettea was worried because my miaouw went very quiet and scratchy. She rang up the vet and the nurse said to keep an eye on me and put some water on my crispies. So she put water on some of my crispies, but I didn't eat any of the watered crispies (disgusting).

Today my miaouw is a lot better. Lynettea said she never thought she would say how much she appreciated my loud miaouw. Is that an insult?
I think I will take it as a compliment and note of concern. I let her brush my dear furs quite a bit, as it seemed to relieve her tension.

We went out for our walk, with me trying to control Lynettea, with difficulty. She had her notebook and stood there writing in it. Then I realized she was standing in a place where the ants were going about their business. So the ants stopped going about their usual activities and jumped on Lynettea. Shortly after that we had to go inside again so Lynettea could take off her clothes to find all the stray ants.

What a lot of noise and jumping around. I didn't have time to look for any morsels.