Hello, kitty

Off to Leiden for a house-extension-warming party at Jessica and Maarten's. And what an extension! Two big rooms added on top of the house, giving great views across the rooftops and increasing the size of the house by 50%. I am deeply envious.

As an added bonus, I got to meet Mustapha the cat. PJ was very taken with him too, as unlike most cats of his acquaintance, Mustapha was happy to hang around in the same room -- and could even be persuaded to pose for a picture or two.



Tick tock, tick tock. We'd better buy a house soon. I really NEED a cat.

What's that coming up over the sofa?

Is it a bagpuss? Is it a bagpuss?


Why yes. Yes, it is. And isn't he cute? (Shut up! My cat plans have been put on hold for another year as the stupid UK rental market doesn't generally allow pets. I have to let out my feline urges somehow.)

Sunday afternoon in Dumpling Towers

PJ is doing vital work, killing zombies in a shopping mall. I head out to forage for food and take photos, and then come back to ironing, blogging, and listening to a free Daily Mail CD of The Stranglers. We are both content, after our own fashion.

Meet Zizou

Zizou lives with Laetitia and Chaim. He loves cuddles in the morning, rummaging in cupboards for toys, and eating tomato sauce out of the pan. He also enjoys trying to steal food from your plate, but usually fails, thanks to Chaim's vigilant eye -- the paw-print on the chocolate fondant last night was clearly an abberation.

Seven nights, five beds, one cat

I've led an itinerant life for the past week, sleeping in five different beds:

1. Dumpling Towers, Norwich: quiet and comfy.
2. The Notting Hill boutique B&B I have access to: luxury writ large.
3. A Jacobean cottage, Chipping Campden: thick duvet, overly soft mattress, bloody freezing!
4. Imogen and Adrian's, Vauxhall: a reversion to childhood, with fish fingers, potato waffles and spaghetti hoops for dinner, washed down with hot Ribena. Yum!
5. Chez Vince Ray/Miss Katie, Stoke Newington: It may only be a couch, but it's very comfy AND comes with a cat. Jackie has been exceptionally well-behaved, settling down at my feet each night and staying put until I get up. She's so much quieter than puppies -- and sorts herself out in the morning, rather than needing to be taken for a walk. And given how cold it's become, that is a good thing. I'm swinging back towards favouring cats after my recent puppy conversion -- which is just as well, given that we're planning to get two on our return to the UK.



And it doesn't end there: Thursday night sees me in a hotel in Central London, before heading up to Naarich on Friday afternoon. Exhausting stuff.