Xmas Impressions

    A belated happy holidays from the merry spinsters! Three days of meeting, greeting, and eating are now very much behind me. The weather has been just wonderful as well. I think Neko's getting used to my being around all the time. A shame I have to go back to work in a week or so, eh?
    On the other hand, Neko does very well for herself in keeping busy.

    I've had to hide the poor doggy now, as it seems I've trained her to attack it on sight. And they say you can't train a cat! But I digress. My tree, as I said earlier, looks ridiculous, but I was able to find one respectable picture of the tree to show you.

    On the presents front, it was a fine haul of loot. Last year I received no calendars. This year I got three. I also got many gift cards and a few wonderfully unexpected things for my space. I plan to pay many more visits in 2014, so please stay tuned. Happy New Year!

In Winter's icy embrace

         For the merry spinsters it's our first Xmas in the condo. I just got the tree up and it looks downright ridiculous. Considering I haven't put the tree up since I first moved into my apartment (Xmas 2009) I think it's a passable effort. Neko sees the tree as just another thing to chew on, and now that I've gone to the trouble of decorating it she takes great delight in playing with the pretty balls. Good thing they're plastic - I learned that lesson while still living at the house and observing the venerable Mr. Schneider.
         Speaking of the house, I usually spend Xmas Eve and New Year's Eve with the family on the couch downstairs. Since I don't feel right about leaving her alone overnight I have no choice but to bring her with me. In 2012 Mr. Schneider passed away and was succeeded by Dende. Last Xmas and New Year's Eve Dende took pleasure in keeping me sleepless for a while. This Xmas Dende's sharing his space with an intruder.
         For the record, this is Dende.

         As neither cat's spent much time with their own kind, my family's worked to try and bring them together. Main goals; avoid a screeching bloodbath and try to get some sleep in heavenly peace. Experiment #1 lasted a few hours and ended with Neko hating her pet carrier. Experiment #2 was grounded in 'out of sight, out of mind' and lasted for half the day. Experiment #3 was our longest attempt to date - a whole day of hoping there would be at least tolerance. I've come to understand that my cat's a little bully around other cats. She was spoiling for a fight and all Dende wanted to do was be friends. Poor Dende.
        Xmas will see Neko spending time in the basement and Dende upstairs while we're away with the extended rels. This way she won't be able to kill the poor dude. Next time I post I'll try to get a good pic of my abysmal tree.