A hot way to end the year

After a reasonably mild Christmas period, the weather has really warmed up in the last few days. Today, it was particularly hot - 32C (that's almost 90F!). While the heat makes me grumpy, I also like to toast my furs on the hot hot concrete.

But one can only roast one's fur for so long. Now it's off to my secret snoozing spot in the neighbours' garden for a well-earned nap.

Happy New Year, everycat!! 2008's gonna be an awesome year. I can feel it in my well-toasted furs.

Cheers,
--Pabs

Hey Adan, look what I got!!!

My very own miracle grass!!

The cat grass was a late housewarming present from my friends Owen and Yvonne. They were the perfect housewarming party guests, because 1) they obeyed my instructions and didn't come to the party, and 2) even though they didn't come, they gave Kate a gift to pass on to me! Thanks, Owen and Yvonne!!

Here I am pretending to be a tiger, letting out a mighty roar from behind the jungle camouflage of my awesome new cat grass. Cat grass ROCKS!!

Cheers,
--Pabs

A Furry Merry Christmas!

Well, Kate didn't have much luck getting me to pose in the Santa hat from Poppy Q... so this is my Christmas portrait for 2007. I hope that everycat and everybean and everydog and every bun and every... everything(!) has a great Christmas. Lots of love and purrs to you all. I'll try and get around the blogosphere and say hello to all my mates, but if I miss you, Merry Christmas from Pablo Downunder!! Hope that all your stockings are filled with juicy morsels of chicken.

Cheers,
--Pabs

Thank you, Poppy Q!!!

When Nick and Kate (and Kate's dad. And the d-o-gzillaz.) came home from the cricket yesterday (see my previous post), my Secret Paws present was in the letterbox!

It was from the lovely Poppy Q in New Zealand!
Wow! So many presents!

Let's see what I've got...

Hey everycat, Secret Paws rocks!! I got three different bags of kitty treats, some kitty toys, a feather mousie... and a Santa hat! Good luck getting the hat on me, Kate!

That feather mouse is asking for it...

I had to teach him a lesson straight away. He's definitely my favourite pressie so far.

Poppy Q even got my beans some presents! Nick got some chocolate and marshmallow fish (but because they're from NZ, you have to say 'fush')...

...and Kate got this most beautiful necklace (in Kiwi colours! Lucky she didn't wear it to the cricket... hey, see her cricket sunburn? On her neck. And she sat undercover all day. I'm so glad I've got furs).

And she also sent me a crazy card, and a lovely portrait of herself so that I can always remember who my awesome presents were from. Thank you so much, Poppy Q, from all of us... glad you were ok after the earthquake in NZ!

Did I mention that Secret Paws rocks?

Cheers,

--Pabs

Where are those crazy d-o-gzillaz now?

Oh wow! They're at Bellerive Oval in Hobart, watching an international cricket match with Nick, Kate and Kate's dad! (For those who don't know, the d-o-g-zillaz were a prize I won in a competition held by the great Jeter Harris. Nick and Kate have been showing them the sights of Tasmania since they arrived here in winter)

See that bunch of guys in green huddled in the middle of the ground? That's the Australian team, celebrating a wicket (that's when you get a batsmen out). You can see the guy in black with his head down walking out of the left of the frame... he's a New Zealand player- he's the one who just got out. The guys in red are the umpires.

Hey d-o-gzillaz, why aren't you watching the cricket?

Oh, they're just trying to get a glimpse of the action up-close on the replay screen. (PS I would NEVER go to the cricket... too many people!!)

Here's Nathan Bracken in action (he's the bowler, centre of the photo).

... and here's the great Mr Cricket himself, Michael Hussey, in the outfield near the d-o-gzillaz.

Looks like a great day was had by all, especially Australia, who beat New Zealand (sorry, Poppy Q) to take a 2-0 lead in the best of 3 series and regain the Chappell-Hadlee trophy.

Thanks for coming to Hobart to entertain the d-o-gzillaz, Australian cricket team! Come and visit me next time you're down. Bring chicken.

Cheers,
--Pabs

I read the news today, oh boy...

This was on the front page of my local newspaper on Thursday! Vishus snakes!! You can read all about it here, but basically, Jelly the cat, having just been on an adventure, wandered back into her family's yard in a nearby country town called Sorell (about 30 minutes' drive from my place) with this copperhead snake twisted twice around her neck and knotted under her chin! Here's a closer look:

Crazy stuff!

Hmmm... says here that some reptile rescue guy came and removed the snake from Jelly's neck, and that Jelly seemed fine... until the next morning, when she was paralysed by the vishus snake's vishus venom! They took Jelly to the vet for treatment, and she's fine now.

This story was big news in Hobart, and around the country! My good friend Felicity even did a story on it which was broadcast on a national current affairs radio program on the ABC (that's like NPR for you Americats and BBC for you Britcats). You can listen to it here. I'm very proud of Felicity- finally, after covering small-time issues such as the federal election and the controversial pulp mill development in northern Tasmania, she's been handed the cutting-edge scoop of the year. She interviewed Jelly herself (wow!) and found out that Jelly bit the snake before the snake bit her.... but she forgot to ask Jelly what the snake said to her to provoke the bite. Never mind, Felicity... better luck next time.

Be alert, but not alarmed, everycat. Mao and Rocky, the cats of Tasmania need some Vishus Snake Repellant, stat!!

Cheers,
--Pabs

It was warm already

Nick and Kate had a housewarming party last weekend, so that all their friends could see our awesome new house. For the record, nobody asked if it was alright with me to have a million people come and invade my personal space for a whole afternoon/evening. But Kate must have felt a little guilty, because she gave me the task of putting together an invitation for the party. I think I did a pretty good job of making it as appealing an event as I could:

Despite my attempts to keep people away from the party, they actually came. Can you believe that they thought that the invitation was a joke? So I spent the day in self-imposed exile on Uncle Simon's sleeping bag in the guest room:

Sleeping bags are the COMFORTABLEST BEDS EVER! Big shout out to Uncle Simon for making it available to me (feel free to leave it at our place when you move into your new apartment...).

Happily, a few people took the 'presents for Pablo' portion of the invitation seriously:

Here's the loot I scored from the party: an awesome new bowl from my friend Kath, a Hobart Cat Centre card and a bag of crunchy treats from my friend Possum (who used to blog, but is now helping her mum and dad get ready for the arrival of their baby boy!), and a can of chickeny, stinky goodness from my friends Penny, Martin and Hannah!

Hey Kath, it works!

So even though a thousand million people ignored my wishes and came to the housewarming party, the fact that I got a few cool presents out of it, and got to snuggle on Uncle Simon's sleeping bag, meant that it wasn't such a bad party after all. And housewarming parties only happen once, right?

Kate, I thought I made you promise not to post this photo?!

Cheers,
--Pabs

Pablo's political post

[The K-Rudd's campaign logo]

Not sure if you've heard, but it's been a big week in Australian politics, everycat. After 11-and-a-half years in power, Prime Minister John Howard (the leader of the Liberal Party, which, for you US cats, is a bit like the Republican party) was voted out by the Australian people last Saturday in favour of a brand new leader, Kevin Rudd (leader of the Labor Party - think Democrats). Somecats might have seen a clip of Kevin (or the K-Rudd, as I like to call him) eating his own earwax that was shown recently on both Leno and Letterman. So what? I've eaten worse...

During the election campaign, Nick and Kate watched a LOT of news and current affairs shows (they're politics nerds, embarrassingly), so I managed to pick up on a few key election issues. Unfortunately, neither party had an explicit Vishus Deer policy, from what I can gather... but I did learn that 'ratifying the Kyoto Protocol' was a very important issue. Howard has refused to do it for YEARS, many beans believe that Kevin's promise to ratify this document was one of the reasons that he won. For those of you who don't know, to ratify something is to chew it up 'real good' as if it were a rat. Now, I happen to be very good at 'ratifying' documents. And I'm willing to offer my services to the new administration free of charge, for the good of my country. Especially if it means I can get a paw in the door with the K-Rudd on that Vishus Deer policy...

I have a lot of experience ratifying document, even political ones. Here is an example of my work ratifying a newsletter sent to residents in the Hobart area by Labor MP Duncan Kerr. I think you'll agree it's quite a comprehensive ratification:


So Kevin (I'm sure he reads this blog at least weekly), just send me an email when you need that Kyoto thing ratified -- I'm your mancat!

[I was with you all the way, K-Rudd!!]

Cheers,
--Pabs

Thursday Thirteen: Thanks!

[A picture of me with Uncle Dave's shoes. I'm going to miss them - I mean- him. See below.]

Happy Thanksgiving, everycat! I know we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia, but why should Americats have all the fun (and all the turkey)? Here is a list of 13 things that I'm particularly thankful for at the moment...

1. That Nick's brother, Uncle Dave, came to stay with us for a week or so. He lives in northern Tasmania, and I don't get to see him that often. Come and stay anytime, Uncle Dave, and bring your sneakers. They smell GREAT!!!
2. That Nick's other brother, Uncle Simon, is staying with us now, while he's between rentals. Not sure what his shoes smell like yet. He needs to leave them lying around in the living room more often (are you reading this, Uncle Simon?).
3. My new nip bee toy from IKEA - thanks, Sarah and Macsie!
4. That my good friend Phoebe is feeling a little better.
5. That it is only 2 sleeps until the Australian election... I'm sick of Kate yelling at the TV!
6. That it's nearly summer here in Australia, which means that the sun gets up nice and early so Kate lets me outside early and I can stay out until late hanging out in the garden with Kate.
7. That I've got an awesome new backyard to play in and explore.
8. That I haven't had a fight with any of my new neighbours... yet...
9. That I have an awesome big new house. With awesome wooden floorboards on which I can practise my Tokyo drift.
10. That my NFL team, the Minnesota Vikings, beat the Raiders 29-22 last weekend. Skol, Vikings, skol!!!
11. That God made chickens and turkeys and cows and tunas and sheeps and pigs... yum!!
12. That I have a great life in West Hobart with Nick and Kate.
13. That I have so many awesome friends in the Cat Blogosphere. Thanks for being my mates!

Cheers,
--Pabs

New toy Tuesday

Hey everycat! Check out my new toy! It's a nip bee from IKEA! My good friends Sarah and Macsie bought it for me as a housewarming present. It's kinda special, 1) cause it's from my good friends Sarah and Macsie, who live in Melbourne (in mainland Australia, 1hr flight from Hobart) and 2) cause it's from IKEA, my favourite Swedish furniture and homewares store, and we don't have IKEA in Tasmania.

Here are some more pics of me and my new nip bee: one is serious and one is fun...

And guess what? Someone else has a new toy. It's my good friend Daisy, with the pink feather that she won as part of my AWESOME footy finals competition! Look at how much she loves it:
Happy new toy Tuesday, everycat!

Cheers,
--Pabs

Easy like Sunday morning...

Hope all you Americats are having a great Thanksgiving holiday [11/19: whoops, just realised that I'm a week early with these wishes. sorry. The thought of all that turkey just got me a bit excited!]. Me? I'm just having an extended Sunday sleep-in. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Cheers,
--Pabs

Tabbying it up on a Tuesday

Here I am tabbying it up on the oriental rug in our loungeroom. Even though it's nearly summer here, I'm just practising lounging in front of the fire so that I've got a good look ready for winter 2008. A mancat can never be too ready for next season! Hey Trip, if you biggify this one, you can kinda see my FURCHIN.

Aah, it's great to be a tabby on Tuesdays!

Cheers,
--Pabs

PS A big shout out to my very good friend Phoebe, who's not feeling so good at the moment. Please stop by her blog and send her your best purrs!

Famous Friday!

Check out this AWESOME tag that Kate discovered on a container at a construction site on her way to work (on the city end of Regent St, for those of you familiar with Hobart):
It's lucky that Nick was driving, cause Kate went crazy when she saw it! The funny thing is, at work the the day before she had been reading a paper on tagging as a social literacy practice among young people (whatever that is). Here is a quote from the paper: 'Tags can be a youth's signature moniker, a slogan, a protest, a message, and occasionally a lengthy tribute.'* Well, this one isn't lengthy, but it's obviously a tribute.

The Legend of Pablo continues to grow...

Cheers,
--Pabs

PS I did not do this tag, by the way. I find it too hard to hold a spray can in my paws.

*MacGillvray, L. & Curwen, M.S., 2007, 'Tagging as a social literacy practice', Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, v.50, n.5, pp.354-69.

A curious similarity?

Hey, I was just reading all about the Kitty Kookies that Parker's family made (check them out, they look AWESOME), and I noticed a curious similarity between the shape of the 'Kookies':
and the shape of my home island, Tasmania (I live in Hobart, the capital city):

Map of Tasmania by Tourizm Maps ©2006

What do you think? Am I the only one who can see the resemblance? Have I got Tasmania-mania?

Cheers,
--Pabs

My favourite spot in the new place (so far)

Well, after almost a month of shedding my furs and rubbing my signature scent around the new place, it's finally beginning to feel like home. Here is my favourite spot so far, in a corner of the living room:

It's a great place to relax...

...except for when Mr Evil Blue Feather shows up!

Hey Parker, see my Paw of Death?

Awesome!!

Looks like I'll have to stay on guard, even when I'm chilling out!

Cheers,
--Pabs