Greetings Humans!

Quick! Checkers! Check the door. Is she gone?

Yessss!! She's gone! I never thought we'd get that woman away from the keyboard in 2012 long enough for us to get a meow in edgewise.

As Checkers and I look back over 2012, we have noticed a serious discrepancy in these blog posts: a serious lack of four legged creature input (Editors note: a serious lack of Checkers pictures too. Best rectify that in 2013). We are putting a stop to that right now. But first, let me introduce myself. My name is Bella. I am the newest of the four legged creatures to grace the inside of a house owned by Patty and her DH (and their litter). I am a female calico cat now about three years old who came to this house to stay after having two litters on the streets of downtown St. John's and being rescued by a lovely friend of Patty's just days before having my third litter (and Patty complains about three children. Try eight!). There wasn't much of an issue getting my offspring to head out on their own to a variety of nice looking house mates but there seems to be a lack of people interested in taking adult cats. Luckily, Patty and her family were looking for one just like me (though I have overheard them talking sometimes about having a cat with a little less personality might have been nice...no idea what that means. After all a cat with less personality than I would be what? A doily?).

Once Checkers and I got over our initial introductions and my two weeks of forced confinement in what has become the kitten Finlay's bedroom, I began to make my mark on the house and its occupants. I provide great incentive to clean up dirty dishes as I will do the work all by myself if anything interesting is left on the plates (NO idea why I get shooed out of them. A licked plate is a clean plate as far as I'm concerned). I sincerely love the floor space underneath that kitten Finlay's chair. It is covered in ham (the humans call it back bacon. Whatever) most mornings and, if I'm particularly vocal, Finn just chucks pieces of meat to me! It is amazing how easy humans are to train at such a tender age.

I am quite the acrobat and the bannisters have the marks to prove it. If Patty can ever find the pictures she took of my walk down the railing (silly human!), she says she will post it for you to be amazed by my prowess. As you should be.

Keeping an eye on my humans and those pesky birds.

I love to watch the birds at the bird feeder outside this house. My only complaint is that my head gets sore from beating it off the patio door when I make a leap for a particularly tasty looking Blue Jay or Junco that is out on the deck. Patio doors are a cruel joke as far as I'm concerned. Then again, at this winter time of the year, I guess they do come in handy keeping that nasty white stuff outside where it belongs.

My sister Checkers seems to be a fine cat. She is the boss of the house (which means that she gets first priority on the master bed but I seem to be slowly infiltrating that space with my wily ways). We growled and hissed at each other for a few days when I first got out of solitary confinement but now only play fight at night. We love sneaking up and running at one another. Good fun I say! Checkers might be the boss of the bed but I don't think she was on the streets for too long. She is too gentle (except when it comes to that bed. No worries though. I have simply taken over the most recent chair purchase in the house. It. Is. Mine. ALL. MINE).

Bella hasn't just taken over the chairs...

Checkers is about six years old now. She is much better with the human kittens than I am. Her solution is avoidance but I am a more social cat. Unfortunately that means that my tail gets pulled a bit more often than hers. I have only had to discipline the kitten named Aidan a couple of times. I felt bad about it but what's a cat to do with a three year old human in her face or yanking on her tail? I think he's learned his lesson. I did the same thing with the kitten Finlay but got in trouble. I guess he is too young for my kind of discipline. I am slowly getting used to him tugging on my tail a bit before his mother comes running to save me. I suppose it is a small price to pay to live inside in the warmth with all the food and water that I need plus access to the lazer beam play thing that Patty's DH hauls out every night, to shut me up he says. I figure I've got him well trained too.

Just in case any of you remember, Patty and her family used to have a dog named Para. Apparently she passed away in September of 2011. Now, I didn't meet her but hear she was a fine dog. She lived to 16.5 years which is not too bad for the stupider species. Her family still misses her; the Aidan kitten still talks about her from time to time. Checkers really missed her too as her sister Tobi passed away in May 2011. It was a bad year for losing pets around here. Luckily, I arrived in the winter of 2012, a MUCH better year for surviving animals.

As you can see, Bella isn't at all happy in this house.

I must run. It's after dark and there are corners to explore and cat nip toys to pounce upon now that the human kittens are in bed. Besides, with the way my claws are clicking on the keyboard Patty might get the idea that they need a trim. They don't. Ever. And don't worry, we will be back.

What?!? Oh. Patty says to type 'Hi!' to M in Kingston. Meow!