firsts

Happy New Year, everybody.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And once more for good measure...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

So here we are, at the almost start of 2025.  I say almost, of course, on account of today bein' January 5th, and not the 1st.

But what's a few days amongst pals?

MOUSES!

So it's the not-quite-first day of the month.

But it IS the first month of year.

And, of course, the first week, as well.

So all in all, I'm doin' pretty well with the firsts.

MOUSES!

Now let's see, what other firsts do we have.  Hmmm...

Okay, so Peepers and I are readin' this wonderful book by our pal Linda Reilly called You Feta Watch Out, and we are totally lovin' it, for sure.  Now let me state right here and right now, our lovin' one of Linda's books is most definitely NOT a first of any kind.  On the contrary, we've loved ALL of the books Linda has written.  Yup, each and every one of 'em.

MOUSES!

But what is a first is that we're readin' it, as planned, durin' the Christmas season.  That's right, a nice cozy Christmas-timed mystery to be readin' at Christmas, WHICH IS WHY even though Peepers ordered the book when it first came out, she saved it for the season.

Okay, so this one is only KINDA a first.  The plan was to read it ON Christmas and had we been up to date with our readin' and done that, it would definitely have been a first.  But it seems like we're always behind and so we started it late, missin' Christmas Day, entirely.

Okay, so I guess that's not any kinda first, at all.  Once again, Peepers and I are not doin' our readin' on time.

But the important thing is, the book is super good and we both highly recommend it, for sure.

MOUSES!

Now let me think of another first.  And maybe this one will actually be one.

Hmmm....

Oh!  *claps paws*  We had a white Christmas.

Now it's not an all-time first, or anythin' like that.  It's not like we've never had a white Christmas before.

I mean, this IS Canada, right?

But honestly, I can't remember when we last had a white Christmas so I'm countin' this one as a somewhat kinda perhaps maybe sorta first.  

Or somethin' like that.

MOUSES!

Of course, after Christmas it got really warm.  Then it rained and the snow all melted away.  But then the other day that ol' snow came back, along with lots and lots of cold air.

And the up and down, down and up, 'round and 'round we go weather is most definitely NOT any kind of first, as of late.

MOUSES!

But here's a big first: the tree is still up.

Okay, that part's not a first.  I, Seville the Cat, have never once knocked a tree down in all my nine lives.  And as far as I know, neither has Saffy.

BUT THE ORNAMENTS are still all in once piece, and that is a first, to be sure.

Saffy has a thing for shiny round balls, you see.

Especially ones that shatter when knocked to the ground.

MOUSES!

And our neighbours had fireworks on New Year's Eve.  Another first.

Well, to clarify, some of our neighbours have done that before, but not these particular ones so that is a first to record.

The peeps watched 'em.  The fireworks, I mean.  They couldn't not watch, I suppose, as you could see 'em through the window.

At least that's what I'm told.

Saffron and I were too busy to watch, hidin' under the furniture.

MOUSES!

I actually have a few other firsts to relate, but I think I might save 'em for a post on a later date.

'CAUSE WE WOULDN'T WANT THIS POST -  FOR THE FIRST TIME, EVER! - TO RAMBLE ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND...

What?  What's that, Peepers?  What's that you're babblin' on about now?

What do you MEAN I tend to ramble on and on, anyway?  What do you MEAN my doin' so wouldn't be a first?  What on earth can you possibly MEAN?

Well if you're gonna talk like that, you can just keep that kinda talk to yourself.

After all, we wouldn't want me to have to apply the first smacky-paw of the year now, would we.

Although now that I think about it, it wouldn't actually be the first.

But perhaps the first one of which YOU happen to be aware

As long as you don't talk to Saffy.

MOUSES!

the arrival

So, so far in this so-called winter, we've had rain and we've had wind.  And yes, sometimes we've had rain and wind together.  We've even had slush.

Yeah, that's right, I swear that one day, it rained slush.

MOUSES!

And we've also had snow that changed to rain, before changin' to more slush.

And the wind!  Did I mention the wind?  Boy-oh-boy have we had wind.

And sometimes it has been cold.  Not super-duper cold, but cold enough that I wanted to be inside all day where it was nice and toasty.  And sometimes it has been mild!  We broke a mildness record in January, I do believe, on account of it bein' so mild.

MOUSES!

But two days ago...

Two days ago, on Monday...

Winter officially arrived.

MOUSES!

It snowed and it snowed and it snowed.  Then it snowed again, some more.

Did I mention it snowed?

And this time, the snow stuck around.  Here it is, Wednesday, and there's still a whole whack of snow on the ground, with no sign of it meltin' and disappearin' any time soon.

MOUSES!

Now as a Canadian kitty, you'd think I'd be used to all of this snow.  Truth be told, I kinda am.  But the fact is, snow is snow, and it makes it awfully difficult to get around.

You have any idea how hard it is for a kitty to wade through a foot of snow?  I mean, I'm only like...  well, around a foot tall.  How the mouses am I supposed to lift my legs high enough to walk through that kinda snow?

MOUSES!

But luckily for me, Peepers went out first thing Tuesday and shovelled all around.  Oh sure, snowplow guy came late Monday, but he only plows the driveway.  I, Seville the Cat, was in need of some paths just for me.  And Saffy, of course.

But, you know...  Mainly for me.

MOUSES!

Well I've got my paths, now.  A kitty can now walk from the front door to the back, and back 'round to the front, once more; without havin' to wade through all that freezin' cold snow.  I can walk out to where Peepers feeds the birdies, too.  I can even walk over to the compost, if I want.  Which I really don't.  But if I want to, I can.

MOUSES!

And...

And Peepers managed to shovel all that snow without slippin' or slidin'.  Or trippin', for that matter.  She didn't fall down.  Not even once.  Not once!

And if I'm bein' totally honest, that was kinda disappointin'.  Her not slippin' and fallin', I mean.  'Cause let me tell you somethin', my friends...

Let me tell you...

Let me tell you somethin', my friends; when a kitty gets all comfy on the windowsill, EXPECTIN' a fun-filled humorous show, A KITTY EXPECTS TO SEE HIS PEEP SLIP, TRIP, AND EVENTUALLY, FALL DOWN.

At least one time.

Instead,  Peepers put on THE MOST BORIN' SHOW of all time.

THERE'LL BE NO EMMY FOR HER.

MOUSES!

*******************************

And remember:

IF IN DOUBT,

DON'T. GO. OUT.

Continue to practice SOCIAL DISTANCIN' measures

AND KEEP WASHIN' YOUR PAWS.

MOUSES!

Remember to mask up, too.