Aby-a-Day – 29 February: Walk and Roll (Hipstamatic Monday)

Jacoby has always loved to go out in the hallway of our building, but it’s been a while since he’s gone out there. This is due in part to the fact that we now live closer to the elevators, and there are more people around. But the other day, Jake decided it was time to take a walk.

And, of course, a good roll on the hallway carpet. He’s always loved doing that, even now that we have carpet in our apartment.

Apparently the carpet in the hallway is superior rolling material.

He went back to the door of what was our apartment on the other floor, and gave it an affectionate rub.

Then he was off again, trotting merrily along.

Aby-a-Day – February 28: Out and About with Strollercat (Selfie Sunday)

So the display on my MacbookPro was acting up…and, as any owner of an Apple product knows, this can mean only one thing…a trip to the Genius Bar!

Since it’s been crazy warm in Boston lately – especially for February! – I took my buddy Jacoby with me to reacquaint Boston with Strollercat.

Here we are on Boylston Street…in February…without even a jacket on!

Aby-a-Day – 27 February: “Leap” (Saturday Photo Hunt)

This week’s Photo Hunt subject is “Leap.”

This was Jake’s leap last 29th February. Unlike Gun-Hee, Jake is mostly good at jumping down from things.

And here is a leap from Angel. She doesn’t do it often, but when she wants to, she can make some great leaps, too.

Aby-a-Day – 26 February: Gun-Hee’s leap (Friday Flashback)

Back on Leap Day, 2008, I posted photos of Gun-Hee leaping for Leap Year.

He was really great at jumping – and he could jump really high!

He was also really, really fast…

Aby-a-Day – 25 February: Just TRY to eat meat around Angel…

I was eating some beef and potatoes while FaceTiming with Björn.

I was trying to eat it in the living room.

I should have known better.

This is what happens.

Angel always swoops in from the back of the sofa and tries to steal my food right off the fork

Missed it that time…

Really Angel? Really?

Next bite, she’s right back at it, grabby Aby hands in action.

She’s really relentless.

Jacoby and Tessie wanted some, too, and they were sitting in front of me watching hopefully.

Not Angel, though.

For a cat who’s as skittish in so many situations as she is…it’s really amazing how aggressive a beggar and food snatcher she is.

Since my hands were full, I tried to push her away with my head.

That did not work.

She came right back!

She even went so far as to try to fake me out. Here, she tried to make me think she’d given up.

Nope! Abys never give up when there’s food involved!

Aby-a-Day – 24 February: Wordless Wednesday (This just happened…)

Aby-a-Day – 23 February: Office sketching – Part 3 (Cartoon Tuesday)

And now, some notebook doodles of Jacoby!

It’s funny, but without even looking at the dates, I can tell which sketches are Gun-Hee and which are Jake. They may be half-brothers, but they look different.

Like this one. It could easily be either one…but something about the ears and the sassy expression tell me it’s Jake and not Gun-Hee.

Of course, I did a sketch of Jake at this most recent meeting, too. Here he is!

Aby-a-Day – 22 February: Deadman’s Curve (Hipstamatic Monday)

Jacoby loves his S-curve scratcher.

I mean, he really, really loves it.

He scratches on it regularly, every single day.

And when he’s not scratching it, he just sits on it.

Tessie will scratch it, too…but really, it’s Jake’s baby.

It’s getting quite beat up. I really need to get him a new one.

And I’m definitely going to need to bring one with us to Sweden!

Aby-a-Day – 21 February: Awkward…(Selfie Sunday)

Jacoby often drops by while I’m FaceTiming with Björn.

Just an ordinary lazy Sunday, spending time with my best boys…

…one of whom, frustratingly, is 5800km away…

…and the other who apparently can’t sit still.

Ow! Watch where you put those paws, Jake!

What is this I don’t even.

Other People’s Abys – Calendar Cats

Today’s Page-a-Day Calendar cat is Espresso from Thousand Oaks, CA:

The caption says that she’s “One Cool Cat,” but I think a better title would have been “Large and in Charge.” She’s quite a round little girl, isn’t she?

Aby-a-Day – 20 February: “Fit” (Saturday Photo Hunt)

This week’s Photo Hunt subject is “Fit.”

The cable box in my room is pretty coveted real estate.

However, only one cat will fit on it.

And this morning, Jacoby was on it first. But Tessie wanted it.

However, he’s not a pushover like Angel.

Neither will he fall fall victim to her subterfuge again.

Tessie, of course, tried her best to pull one of her patented non-hostile cable box takeovers.

But this morning, Jake wasn’t falling for it.

Tessie tried her usual tricks, but to no avail. Jake wasn’t budging.

So, finally, Tessie gave up. Score one for the Abys…this time.

Aby-a-Day – 19 February: Jake and Tessie (Friday Flashback)

Jacoby and Tessie have always had a special bond.

These photos were taken on 9 August 2009, a little more than a week after Jake came to live with us.

As you can see, Tessie quickly became fond of the little boycat.

And even today, almost seven years later, they’re still best friends.

Aby-a-Day – 18 February: Dis iz mah fort. No gurls allowed.

Jacoby has this crazy fascination with the laundry closet.

Whenever the door is opened, he bolts into the closet and hides behind the washer. I mean, he literally comes running when he hears the door opening.

And once he goes in there, it’s nearly impossible to get him to come out. Not even treats will dislodge him from his lair.

I’ve even tried shutting him up in there for a few minutes so he can see how boring it is in there. Apparently, it’s not boring to him. He’ll stay in there as long as he can.

When he wants to come out, he just pushes the door open if it’s closed. I just don’t understand what he finds so interesting in there. There’s nothing behind the washing machine! What are you doing back there, Jake?

Aby-a-Day – 17 February: Wordless Wednesday (I knead you)

Aby-a-Day – 16 February: Office sketching – Part 2 (Cartoon Tuesday)

Here are some more sketches of Gun-Hee that I did during meetings at work.

I really like this one. I think I actually used it as an icon back when I was active on LiveJournal.

Not sure what this is…I think I was trying to draw Gun-Hee as Peter Hasselbom’s infamous Raptor Kitten.

A little drawing of Gun-Hee with a ball.

And then there’s this one – before I got married and before Gun-Hee died – with me and my Best Cat in our wedding finery. I never got the chance to do this, though. Maybe I will with Jacoby when Björn and I have our Swedish wedding.

Last but not least, this little scene – which actually happened. Gun-Hee was standing over my head while I was sleeping and he sneezed all over me…Thanks, kitten.

Aby-a-Day – 15 February: Cold Snap! (Hipstamatic Monday)

It’s been really cold in Boston this weekend. I mean, really cold.

This is how Angel coped with it. Smart girl, our Angel.

Aby-a-Day – 14 February: Valentine’s Day

So today is Valentine’s Day. And it’s a bit rough…my human Valentine is in Sweden while I am here in the States.

I sent Björn a package for Valentine’s day…

…and he sent me one, too, of course.

We opened our packages today together over FaceTime.

And of course, Jacoby helped.

Despite us being 5800km and six hours apart, this was the best Valentine’s Day I’ve had in a very long while. Jag älskar dig, Björn!

Aby-a-Day – 13 February: “Pet” (Saturday Photo Hunt)

This week’s Photo Hunt subject is “Pet.”

Cats are a pet of humans.

Or are they?

The word “pet” implies ownership.

But when it comes to cats…who owns whom?

Are cats our pets?

Or are we theirs?

It’s an interesting question.

Especially when it comes to the interactive and tactile creatures that are cats.

Ownership is a hazy concept at best when it comes to cats.

Even if you say, “the ones who do the petting are the ones who aren’t ‘pets'” doesn’t work. Kylie regularly pets humans by patting them on the head. So the one doing the petting isn’t the default “owner.”

So, am I Jacoby’s pet? Or is he my pet? Or…are we each other’s pet? It’s hard to say.

Aby-a-Day – 12 February: Jake’s man bun (Photoshop/Fashion Friday)

So okay. Man buns, stupid as they may be, are a thing. Björn sent me this gallery of politicians rocking the man bun, and I was hit with inspiration.

Oh, yes I did. I took this photo of Jacoby and this Pinterest photo of a sad, sad hipster and brought the magic.

And there you have it: Jake with a man bun. Now can we stop this madness?

Aby-a-Day – 11 February: Angel’s spa day

On Sunday, I decided to give Angel a bath.

The second I shut the bathroom door with her inside, she knew something was up.

She hasn’t had a bath in a very long time…at least two years (and probably more like four or five). Her fur was starting to look and feel a little greasy in a way that Jacoby’s fur never does.

Angel’s spa day started off with a mani-pedi, and then a good Furmination. I actually got this Furminator with an “eject button” as a free gift from Blog Paws, and I have to say, it’s much better than the non-ejecting model.

Don’t worry, Angel. Your hair won’t go to waste. I have plans to make Jake a Trump wig out of it. It’s just the right colour!

Then, I put her into the tub…she wasn’t thrilled with that. I have to say, though, having sliding glass doors on the bathtub really makes bathing cats a lot easier!

See? She can’t escape!

No matter how hard she tries…

…she can’t get the doors open.

It really makes a difference. I can bathe a cat without any help. It’s nice. When we move, we’ll be back to shower curtains…but we’ll also have a hand-held shower head, so rinsing will be easier. It’s a trade-off I can accept.

Finally it was time to dry off.

I usually blow-dry Jake, but if I tried that with Angel she would freak out.

So with her, it’s towel dry, lick, and shake.

Angel, doesn’t it feel good to be all clean and sparkly?

Er…I’ll ask you again once you’re all dry.