La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
ALL I HAVE TO DO is begin a sentence with “So” (with a bit of feeling). I didn’t plan it that way. I said it once, “So, boys…” before asking the cats if they wanted their treats (yes, a rhetorical question). The next day, I happened to say, “So” and they came running from the other room. I marvel at how quickly they can learn.
Speaking of training cats, I’ve never liked the idea of cats walking across tables or kitchen counters. Hygiene, you know. So, I’ve made it very clear that’s not permitted in our house. I had great success with our California cats in that regard. Well, specifically with our cat Dobie. But that may have been because he was incapable of jumping that high.
You can see from today’s images that I’ve given up on Dudo and Moose. I still reprimand Dudo for jumping up on the kitchen counter (when I’m looking). He does it rarely in my presence, often in San Geraldo’s, whom they both know is a pushover.
San Geraldo bought me Ben & Jerry’s “Caramel Brownie Party” ice cream the other night. For some reason, that reminded me of “a party in my pants” although I have no idea where that came from.
We finished off another apple cake yesterday (recipe). As SG cut our penultimate servings after breakfast Sunday, he said, “I’m so glad I didn’t cut this evenly the first time we had it. That means all our slices are oversized now.”
I’m not exactly sure how that worked, but I didn’t complain. We love this apple cake. He’d probably make one every few days if he didn’t have to hand-grind the cloves with a mortar and pestle (he hasn’t found ground cloves in a local shop). Maybe we should order some online.
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TODO LO QUE TENGO QUE hacer es comenzar una oración con “Entonces” (con un poco de sentimiento). No lo planeé de esa manera. Lo dije una vez, “Entonces, chicos …” antes de preguntarles a los gatos si querían sus golosinas (sí, una pregunta retórica). Al día siguiente, por casualidad dije: “Entonces” y vinieron corriendo desde la otra habitación. Me maravilla lo rápido que pueden aprender.
Hablando de entrenar gatos, nunca me ha gustado la idea de que los gatos crucen mesas o mostradores de la cocina. Higiene, ya sabes. Entonces, he dejado muy claro que no está permitido en nuestra casa. Tuve un gran éxito con nuestros gatos de California en ese sentido. Bueno, específicamente con nuestro gato Dobie. Pero eso puede haber sido porque era incapaz de saltar tan alto.
Puedes ver en las imágenes de hoy que he renunciado a Dudo y Moose. Todavía reprendo a Dudo por saltar sobre el mostrador de la cocina (cuando estoy mirando). Rara vez lo hace en mi presencia, a menudo en San Geraldo, a quien ambos saben que es fácil de convencer.
San Geraldo me compró el helado “Caramel Brownie Party” de Ben & Jerry la otra noche. Por alguna razón, eso me recordó a “una fiesta en mis pantalones”, aunque no tengo idea de dónde vino.
Ayer terminamos otro pastel de manzana (receta). Cuando SG cortó nuestras penúltimas porciones después del desayuno del domingo, dijo: “Estoy muy contento de no haberlo cortado uniformemente la primera vez que lo comimos. Eso significa que ahora todas nuestras rebanadas son de gran tamaño.”
No estoy exactamente seguro de cómo funcionó, pero no me quejé. Nos encanta este pastel de manzana. SG probablemente haría uno cada pocos días si no tuviera que moler a mano el clavo con un mortero (no ha encontrado clavo molido en una tienda local). Quizás deberíamos pedir algunos en línea.
Dudo en la mesa de centro.
Moose en la mesa de comedor.
So boys……that Apple Cake looks very good! I may give it a whirl.
The look on Moose’s face!! lol
Jim:
The apple cake is definitely worth a whirl.
I love how they come running in the video as soon as you say “So boys” LOL!
Debra:
I was stunned (and cracked up) the first time it happened.
Dudo and Moose are really expressive. Those eyes do not allow one to turn away.
Mary:
I never knew cats’ faces could be so expressive. Dudo’s shows everything.
good boys, you have your daddies trained!
that ice cream looks fab; there WOULD be a party in my pants as I narf down the entire pint in one sitting!
anne marie:
The ice cream is delicious. But I’m not a fan of cookies in ice cream. I prefer a crunch.
I only ever had one cat…and thank goodness she never got up on anything except the one loveseat and the bed. I have a friend who let’s his cat walk anywhere including tables and counters….. Creeps me out everytime…especially in the kitchen. I don’t get it.
Mistress Maddie:
Counters get cleaned before and after every use. Ditto tables. It does bug me. My mother and my aunt that our California cats were allowed on any furniture. “You let them on the sofa? On your bed?”
So boys, I use an electric coffee grinder to grind spices – works a charm. We finished the last of our figgy, rummy, chocolate ice cream night before last. The B&J’s looks wonderful.
Wilma:
We thought of buying a new coffee grinder. Figgy, rummy, chocolate sounds good!
Oh, the boys! I so needed this today. I just lost my favorite brother-in-law and my great aunt within a few hours of each other. Both in San Diego, not covid related. A little resting cat face helps a lot, Scoot .
Deedles:
I am so sorry! Sending you and your family love and sympathy. I’ll give you resting cat face any time.
Great post today. Love the video of the Kitties.
If you can find a import store get a Japanese mortar and pestle. The dish has a rough surface and you can grind anything in it. I have several from big to small. The small ones are for you to grind your own spices at the table as you wish for certain dinners.
When Merida and Oliver used to roam the house before iwinston appeared they were never allowed on the kitchen counter or dining room table. I have a photo of Oliver sitting on a chair looking through the glass table at Son eating. They could roam everywhere but those two places.
cheers
Parsnip:
I hadn’t thought of it but I’ve never seen a Japanese import shop or gift shop here. Great idea though. I proudly told my mother (when she complained about our California cats sitting on the sofas and chairs) that they did NOT go on the tables. Then I left for work and my mother said she walked into the dining room and there was one of the cats… on the table. They never left paw prints. These two cats are out on the terrace all the time, so they leave paw prints wherever they go inside.
Ha! Animals learn quickly, don’t they?! I could MAIL you some ground cloves, but they expired about eight years ago. Not sure that matters. LOL
Steve:
Oh, expiration dates matter to the master chef in this house. He throws things away if they expired the day before!
Loved the video of your cats. The apple cake looks soooo good.
mcpersonalspace54:
The apple cake is our new favourite. Except for grinding the cloves, SG says it’s simple to make. It DOES take him no time. The fragrance when it bakes is delicious. And it tastes really fresh and healthy. I recommend it.
I will have to try it.
Bert has started jumping up on the kitchen counter. After ten years. Ken screams and yells “Scat cat!” when he does it. I like how you give D and M their treats on, dare I say it, bread and butter plates. How civilized!
Walt the Fourth:
Yeah, the bread and butter plates. SG started using those. I cringed at first. Now I don’t even think about it. I really should get them their own special dishes. Amazing that after 10 years Bert is now jumping on the counter. He must be feeling his oats now that Tasha’s in charge.
That Ben and Jerry’s must be a new flavour! I never saw it when I was buying B and J’s. Once I discovered Haagen Daz Salted `Caramel I haven’t looked any further, but that one looks fab!
Love the way the cats ran for their treats. I had 5 cats over a period of about 45 years. Never ceased to be amazed at how different they all were. Hope you have recovered from the storm. Has the beach been cleaned up yet?
Frances:
I had never see the B&J flavour either. I’m not one for cookies in ice cream. But the taste is excellent. And, yeah, I LOVE Haagen Daz Salted Caramel. I regularly comment on how different the cats are. We had two brother/litter mates in the States, too. And they were opposite in every way. The beach was cleaned yesterday and today. Now, there are several mountains of debris to be trucked away.
So, Boys… and a Cat stampede ensues, hilarious! Fortunate that no Cat we’ve had ever jumped on kitchen table or countertops so I didn’t have to Freak Out about it, as like you, the hygiene issue would have made me a bit Mental if they had. I miss our dearly departed last Cat, the Grandchild wants a Kitten, but I just am not ready for a long term commitment at this Season of Life now… so will have to llive vicariously thru other people Cat’s Own.
Bohemian:
These cats have really changed how we do everything. They understand “NO” but only when we’re there to say it. We had a really good friend whose daughter had an enormous cat that walked across the dining room table when it was set for dinner. No one did anything about it and we then ate off those plates. I did so once and then said, “Sorry!” the next time before picking up my setting and washing everything again.
Love the cats, they have you very well trained to let them know when you are going to save them from starvation.
David:
Yep. These cats have us completely trained. Dudo has even taught me how (and when) to play fetch.
This made me laugh and I told Gregg about it. Our George wants to go out and walk ALL THE TIME and we can’t say anything now that even slightly indicates we might be thinking about it. We can’t say (or even spell) “walk” and other clue words are “ready” “put on my shoes” and even “how cold is it outside?”. Any of those words or phrases will make him jump up and run over to where we keep the leash! Hahaha.
Glad we’re not the only ones forced to cater to furry inclinations! 🙂
Jennifer:
That IS funny. If one of us starts a sentence with SO, which is not uncommon here, the cats come running.
Oh, those crazy cats! etc.
My cats were not capable to stay off of tables and high shelves. Might as well be shooting for the moon.
Urspo,
I realize now the only reason our one cat in California was so well behaved was because he couldn’t jump!
The phase party in my pants comes from Black Adder I think Rick Male said it lol