Sunny day slurping

Loyal readers, it has been HOT! It has been sweltering and we have been laying out in the sun, and then retreating to the shade. Äiti has allowed us to have the back door open, provided she can see pikku prinssi. He has not tried to escape, so we are all pleased. Yes, even me. Look at this for evidence: who would have thought that the young Sampo squab and I would get along?!

He has a little eye infection right now so I am making sure his hygiene is good, by washing behind his ears.

Tomorrow our great Abandonment starts.  We have a good cat-sitter and hopefully Kisu and Reetu's human will come to play with us. Sampo will be getting eye ointment too, and we have lots of tasty food. None of this makes up for the huge betrayal of abandonment of course.
In the meantime, Äiti has taken loads of sunny photos to ensure daily blog posting. But there will be no catio access so my apologies to catiocam watchers.Pöh.

Sunny Saturday

Can it be true ? Has summer arrived ? We have been massing on the catio, enjoying the sunshine and making photos really hard for Äiti.

Look at the blinding whiteness of Pekka-poika's tummy as he rolls around with delight!

And the best news is that Tessie-kilpikonna went outside, and she ate! The first dandelions (voikukka) were in flower and these are her favourite. 

Äiti had to coax her to eat, and it must be very hard when your last meal was 6 months ago, but she managed a little. She is very much missing Harris, and we have been worried about her. Hopefully some sunshine will encourage her to eat much more.

Fed Up Friday

Loyal readers, enough is enough!  I have much patience and am a fair and generous King, but I have reached my limit. I don't even get privacy when I am on my royal throne. Yes, this is little extension of Poo Corner which I sometimes use - and would like to use in peace!

This is just the last straw for me. In recent months I have welcomed a little kitten into perheeni. Yes, welcomed -I have done all the right things (except the occasional hiss); I have eaten more to please Äiti; I have provided many hours of warmth for her left hand while she types with the right; and I have done many things to help her quality of life. And my reward? Well, where to begin ? She's commenting pathetically on other blogs - for which I wholeheartedly apologise. I am so embarrassed. She spends time studying and that's less play for us. She locks the catio access - because she is not around 24/7 to supervise the little Sampo who could still squeeze through the wires if he so wished. And now the biggest betrayal: she is going away next week with her class. And where to? Ruotsi! Stockholm indeed. Not even somewhere in our wonderful kotimaa. And she has not decided what access I will have to MY blog and MY loyal readers.
I am not amused.

Tooth Floss Thursday

Mirsku knows he has to look after his teeth - it's not long since he had to have them cleaned. What can be better than a piece of dead grass to floss with ?

 It's pretty chewy.

Chomp, chomp.

Rub, rub.

'Sniff my breath then, Jaava - what do you think ? '

'Okay, maybe I should remove the floss first.....  But look what I can do with my tongue.... '

Wednesday Catio Work

At the weekend, in the damp and drear, Äiti started to sort the catio for its summer configuration. The tarps were pulled back and shelving removed. Jura inspected the state of weathering.

I was the first to inspect the assembled unit, and to point out there was no access hole to the top shelf - Äiti had to reorder them. 

There's a barbecue under this cover, but ut'll take a few sunny days before that gets used.

Aila-sisko goes to find out if anything new is behind the Rock of Norway.

And now Jaava and Sampo inspect the skyway shelves - but these have not yet been put in place as Äiti isn't so sure about whether she'll put them up or not as we didn't use it that much last year.

And in the garden there's a sign that finally spring is here - a couple of crocuses and some real greenery.

And there are birds out there too - we're watching! Pikku prinssi Sampo is fast learning the delights of ornithology. So far we have a magpie nesting in a nearby tree, and pikku varpunen in the snack dispenser at the bottom of the garden. Oh yes, summer looks as though it holds great promise.