While I was sorting out our study-cum-craft room last month making space for my new crafting equipment from Fellowes I found some old photos. And when you find old photos, there's only one thing to do isn't there?
Yes, dive right in and look back on those memories.
The photos I found were of my lovely puss cats.
SMALL CAT #1: DYLAN, ROARING LIKE A LION
SMALL CAT #3: BOB LEARNING TO EAT FROM A BOWL
SMALL CAT #2: TESSA (SNUGGLING WITH HER DYLAN)
SMALL CAT #4: QUICKLY, THE SPOILT YOUNGEST
In an earlier life I had the potential to become a crazy cat lady, clocking up four fiercely independent moggies over a few years. From top clockwise they were:
- Dylan, a black long-haired softie named after the spaced out rabbit in Magic Roundabout, who was "lovingly" renamed the big black hairy one by MOH and also the one that made my heart melt from the day I picked him up.
- Tessa, a white and tabby soppy thing who idolised Dylan as you can tell from the photo. She was named for Tessa Sanderson in an Olympic year, and years later proved her daftness by completely failing to master our open tread spiral staircase.
- Next came Bob - or Bob Bob - as she quickly became known. And yes she was super tiny and I thought at the time the most challenging (but little did I know!) Bob was born at a local factory and rescued just before a cull, she was too tiny to be away from her mum and I was told off by the vet until I explained the circumstances. She was so tiny he couldn't be sure if she was a he or a her. She was a her and was named for Kate in Blackadder, so that dates her.
- The finally there was Quickly who bewitched us all. Anyone who's been owned by a ginger tom will testify that they really are characters and he was just that. Cats are renowned for doing their own thing and even at meal times they'd often take persuading to come and eat. I'd regularly be calling for "Dylan, Tessa, Bob quickly" before he arrived and so rather than insert a new name, he became Quickly. And it suited him.
Poor Dylan and Tessa - there was six months between them, but longer between the others and in some ways had an affinity with each other they never had with the others. Bob also adored Dylan, and he was alpha male. Quickly, when he arrived, thought that was his role and he pushed his luck until the occasional swipe reminded him he wasn't.
I should have known he was going to be the cheeky one from this photo alone shouldn't I?
CUTE AND CHEEKY
AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BEING THE BABY
Quickly arrived most probably in 1991 or 1992, so a good few years ago. They all moved to this house with us and I'm never sure who tolerated who most, and by that I mean MOH and the cats. Bob was the last to go around ten years ago - she made it to the wedding reception, making a brief appearance for some of the photos, but by then being a grumpy old lady and not too keen on company was happy to head back to her basket.
I wouldn't have been without them, and couldn't imagine how life would be without them, but now it seems a lifetime ago (and one where I had long hair!)