Aby-a-Day – 2 Augusti: Alfred is such a ham! (Hipstamatic Monday)

Yesterday when Björn and Emma were making breakfast, they gave the cats a little bit of ham…and a piece fell on Alfred’s back.

He could smell it, but couldn’t figure out where the delicious ham was.

Meanwhile, here it is.

Meanwhile, Izaak is wondering why we are all giggling and taking photos.

“Mooooommmmmm…where’s the haaammmmm..?”

“Wait? There’s ham? I thought I smelled ham…”

I thought for sure Izaak would clock the ham on Freddy’s back.

Because I am a meanie, I tried to get Zak to notice the ham on Freddy’s back.

I almost thought he was going to see it.

But in the end, Freddy managed to knock the ham off of his back and eat it. Sorry, Zak.

Aby-a-Day – 1 Augusti: Emma and the cats outside (Swedish Cinema Sunday)

Today we took the cats out with us to take out the recycling. Emma got to handle Lorelai’s leash.

It’s been raining most of the week, so the cats haven’t been outside in a while.

While we usually let Izaak and Alfred follow us at their own pace, Emma wanted to try and keep them all with us.

When we first saw this little Yorkie, I was afraid it was going to start yapping and being annoying, but it actually seemed curious about the cats.

Rory was curious, too. We let them say hello.

Rory and I continued to the garbage bin whilst Björn and Emma tried to get Zak to follow us (he had been spooked by the neighbour boys and was hiding from them). On the way we passed one of the rug racks being used for its actual purpose.

In the end, Björn and decided Zak would be fine until we got back, and finally made it to the bins. When we got there, we met an adult Vallhund!

At first, the dog was a little too eager for Rory’s liking.

But don’t worry. Although she be small, Rory is mighty fierce. She can hold her own.

Eventually, the Vallhund settled down, and they and Rory had a nice little meeting.

Freddy got to meet the Vallhund, too.

When Björn went to Stockholm yesterday to collect Emma, he’d left his bicycle next to the bus stop. It was very convenient to fetch it on the way back from the bins. As Björn was wheeling it up the path, Rory did something surprising: she jumped up on the chain guard!

The thing is…she didn’t jump off even when Björn continued to move the bike!

She rode on that chain guard for a while, too.

Long enough, in fact, that I was able to make a little video. Click on the image to watch it in a new window on Flickr.

Aby-a-Day – 31 Juli: Emma Hellqvist is in the house! (Swedish Sunday)

Björn’s daughter Emma is visiting us this weekend! She’s here for her birthday, which was last Friday, but as Björn’s holiday started today, here’s here from today until Wednesday morning.

Tonight, we had options for dinner, and Emma chose ribs.

So, we had ribs.

And when we had finished, we let the cats gnaw the meat of said ribs.

Emma doesn’t have a cat at home in Stockholm, so she was quite amused to watch the feeding frenzy that ensued.

After the cats had their ribs, Emma had her cake.

She also mentioned that she didn’t like wearing a mask, so I gave her my two cat-face masks. I mean, if you don’t like wearing a mask, it’s easier to wear a fun one, amirite?

Aby-a-Day – 10 Augusti 2020: Happy Gotcha Day, Dashiell!

One year ago today, Dashiell arrived in Finland. As you may recall, it was an insane day, and we didn’t actually “get” him until the next day, so I guess we have a two-day Gotcha holiday.

But we were in the same country at the same time, so today counts.

But even once we had him…we still had to get him home.

First by ferry…

…then by train…

…And finally by taxi.

Little did Dash know when they met that Izaak was destined to be his best friend.

There really weren’t any real problems integrating Dash into the family.

…Well, okay…maybe there was a little bit of hissing.

We also introduced Dash to the outside world, including Markis.

Look at him now! He’s still a little skittish, but he’s getting braver every day.

Happy Gotcha Day, Dash!

Aby-a-Day – 21 Juli 2020: Happy 10th birthday, Emma! (Cartoon Tuesday)

Björn’s daughter Emma’s 10th birthday is on Thursday. Usually, she and her mom come here to celebrate and Björn makes her a special cake. But because of Covid-19, that’s not happening, so Björn mailed her a birthday card today. As usually, I did a quick cat sketch…it’s meant to be Izaak, but meh. Also rethinking my choice of gold pen. But here it is.

Aby-a-Day – 14 April 2020: Emma’s Baby Yoda (Cartoon Tuesday)

The other day, Titti sent us an Easter drawing Emma made. Little creatures in Easter eggs: a lion, an elephant, and…

…Baby Yoda! This kid is going to grow up to be awesome!

Aby-a-Day – 8 Mars 2020: Alfred, Lorelai and the boys (Swedish Sunday)

When we went outside with Emma and the cats yesterday (just Alfred, Lorelai and Izaak; Angel and Dashiell didn’t want to go outside…hell, Zak didn’t really want to go out, but I wanted him to get some fresh air), we ran into the two brothers who LOVE Freddy. I really wish I could remember their names; I have trouble remembering the names of most of the kids who play with the cats, partly because of the language barrier.

The older boy really loves cats, but the younger one has been in love with Freddy for almost two years.

He hasn’t really learned that the best way to get a cat to let you pet him is NOT to chase them, but he’s only around four years old (I think).

After a while, the little boy wanted to see Rory. Of course he did. She is the most difficult cat to catch! But it kept the boys occupied, so Freddy was happy with that.

Freddy eventually went around front to hang out with Emma.

Interestingly, the boys didn’t seem to be interested in Zak. And he was mostly hanging out by the front door, waiting to go back inside the house. When we go out and the neighbourhood girls are out, he’s the one they all want to hold.

Eventually, Rory made a mistake, and tried to hide in the stroller that is perpetually parked outside our building.

That allowed the older boy to pick her up.

The little boy was so happy to hold Rory! He wasn’t holding her perfectly, but he was gentle and doing the best he could. Having bathed her, clipped her claws and medicated her, I knew she was perfectly capable of twisting free from his hands.

I think she understood how happy it made him to hold her.

And he was so happy. He even hugged her! His older brother has said that they want to get a cat, but I think their parents won’t let them. However, the older one told me that they did get a hamster, and it’s really cute. So at least they have a pet. I think they could grow up to be wonderful cat guys.

And don’t worry about Rory…she was perfectly fine.

Aby-a-Day – 7 Mars 2020: Happy Birthday, Kalle and Björn! (Swedish Saturday)

Since Kalle’s birthday is today, and Björn’s birthday is the 10th, we generally celebrate them both together. Björn always makes the cake…and this year, he made a Coronavirus cake.

Kalle is is turning 17, so instead of candles, Björn put 17 gumdrop Coronaviruses on the cake instead. Because, you know…blowing out candles would spray germs all over the cake, right?

Izaak says, “Really? A Coronavirus cake? Do you really think that’s appropriate?”

Björn did a really good job on the viruses, though.

Lorelai wanted some of the viruscake.

“Look, mom! I am washing my hands and everything!”

“What do you mean, NO?” Rory is channelling her inner Abernathy here.

In no way related to the Coronavirus, but oddly apropos, my birthday gift to Björn was a Swiss Army gas mask from WWII. I ordered it in December (after getting him a Swiss Army pair of snow goggles for Christmas from the same seller), way before we knew about the pandemic.

Björn was pleased with his gift.

…and then he started posing with props.

Emma was really happy to get to spend time with the cats.

Happy birthday, Kalle and Björn!

Aby-a-Day – 23 August: After the vet visit

On the way home from the vet, when we changed buses, we took a detour through our downtown shopping mall Commerce. We stopped at Systembolaget (the state-run liquor store)…

…and basically smuggled Dashiell in the store. As they say in The Paper,” “A clipboard and a confident wave will get you into any building in the world!” Which is, act like you belong there and you’re not doing anything questionable, bringing a cat into a shop is easy. Of course, I have a lot of practice with that and Jacoby.

Dash seemed really interested in the wine…that’s my boy!

After buying our wine, we stopped in at Björn’s work so his coworkers could meet Emma and Dash.

Then we went to wait for our bus home. Emma wanted to carry Dash.

She did an excellent job managing Dash in his carrier.

On the walk from the bus stop to our apartment, we tried to walk Dash the way we walk home from the stop with the other cats. He wasn’t very enthusiastic about walking. But he does like trees.

So Emma carried him instead.

We ran into a mother and a small child who were interested in our kitten. Look at Emma introducing Dash to them!

I was especially impressed at how Emma introduced Dash to the child.

If therapy cats ever become a thing in Sweden, I think Emma would be a natural.

I wish Emma lived closer to us…she and Dash make a great team.

Aby-a-Day – 19 Augusti: Dashiell’s first Swedish vet visit (Medical Monday)

Last Wednesday, we had to take Dashiell to see our veterinarian in Skultorp, not because there was anything wrong with him, but because we needed a health certificate to send to the insurance company to start his health insurance. We also needed to get him his EU passport.

As he was on the ferry and the train, Dash was much happier in his carrier with the top open.

Emma sat beside him and managed him on the bus ride.

Dash rode the bus like a seasoned professional.

It’s a long trip from our apartment to the vet, and we have to change buses in central Skövde. It’s not usually a long wait, and the weather was nice. Dash seemed happy enough.

Look at this bus riding champion!

When we arrived, we were put into the same examination room all the other cats were in when we went in for our annual checkup back in June.

Like any good Abyssinian, the minute we let him loose in the room, he proceeded to explore it thoroughly.

The first thing we did was put him on the scale and weigh him.

2.85 kg (6.25 lbs). Exactly the same as Lorelai!

Emma helped the vet with Dash’s exam.

She’s definitely a natural when it comes to taking care of cats.

This actually happened by accident, but we thought it was funny: I gave Emma one of the vet’s free magnets and it jumped from her hand onto his round tag!

Waiting for the passport to be completed, Dash got sleepy and laid down on his show book. Well, he’d only been in Sweden two days after his long trip from the States, so I guess he deserves to be a little tired.

After the visit was over, we got back on the bus and headed home.

Aby-a-Day – 18 Augusti: Welcome to the family!

After all the travelling, we finally brought Dashiell home and put his carrier down in the living room. Björn did the honours of unzipping the top whilst Emma looked on.

Alfred, Izaak and Lorelai were on the scene as well, of course. And, much like when we introduced him to everyone when he was a kitten, Freddy was the first to hiss.

Emma thought that perhaps a personal introduction between Zak and Dash might be a good idea.

It wasn’t a bad idea; neither Zak or Dash hissed.

And, in fact, Zak is the one cat Dash is closest to here.

We also introduced Dash to the Trump cat toy.

Like many of us, Dash didn’t know what to do with him. Join the club, Dash!

Then Angel came to meet the newcomer, in typical Angel roundabout fashion.

She skulked around the edges of the room, and then circled around the back of the couch to get a look at Dash.

Then she lept off the sofa and ran right over Dash and out to the hallway.

That made Dash hiss!

He may be young and small, but he stands up for himself!

“Yeah, big cat! Don’t do that again!”

Aby-a-Day – 12 Augusti: The train home to Skövde (Hipstamatic Monday)

When we got back to Sweden from the ferry from Helsinki, we met up with Björn’s ex to get Emma to spend a week with us and the cats.

We got there a little ahead of them, so we had to chill out in Stockholm Centralen until they arrived.

Emma loves cats. I am sad that she doesn’t get to live with any.

If ever a girl deserved to live with a cat (or cats), it’s Emma.

Emma was amazing with Dash. I think he’s going to miss her when she goes back home.

Dash also looked out the window at the passing scenery, just like Jacoby and all the other cats who ride trains.

Finally, the train arrived in Skövde. Emma wanted to carry Dash’s carrier.

From the train station, a quick taxi ride home.

Dash was quick to feel at home in our bedroom. And after the long, long, long journey…He was finally home.

Aby-a-Day – 3 April: Wordless Wednesday (Emma and Izaak)

Aby-a-Day – 27 Mars: Wordless Wednesday (Emma and Jacoby = BFFs)

Aby-a-Day- 19 Mars: Kalle’s birthday card from Emma (Cartoon Tuesday)

Last week I posted the birthday card Emma drew for Björn. Turns out, she also drew one for Kalle! (Björn and Kalle’s birthdays are three days apart.) And, like Björn’s card, Kalle’s card features cats that look especially Abyssinian-like. And, even though she’s coloured brown, she has a bow on her head, so I think she’s meant to be Lorelai.

I find the drawing on the inside of the card particularly hilarious. The first side says, “Congratulations you are now 16 years old!” but the other side…it says, “That was not me.” Even though she doesn’t live with cats 24/7, Emma clearly understands cats. I suspect this is meant to be Jacoby.

Emma added another drawing on the back of the card. It’s a black and white version of the cat on the front…perhaps it was meant for Kalle to colour in?

Aby-a-Day – 12 Mars: Björn’s birthday card from Emma (Cartoon Tuesday)

Björn’s birthday was on Sunday, and Emma came for the weekend to celebrate his and Kalle’s birthdays. She made him a birthday card which we are fairly certain is meant to be Jacoby. It definitely looks like a ruddy Abyssinian!

Here is the inside of the card. On the left it says “Congratulations for 54 years life! Meow! Meow! Meow!” On the right it says, “A stupid cat has eaten up my sauce!” And that stick toy the bottom cat is playing with looks a lot like the stick toy Emma and Lorelai played with last summer…

Aby-a-Day – 12 Februari: Till Koshka att måla (Cartoon Tuesday)

Along with the thank you note Emma drew for Björn, there was something for me, too. I have given Emma a couple of Top Model kitten colouring/sticker books, and she sent me one of the pages to colour in myself.

I decided to scan it and colour it on my laptop. The kitten she sent me kind of looked like a Singapura, so that determined my colour scheme.

The only problem was that, when I was finished, the eyes looked…wrong. Not very Singapura-y…basically, they were just too small. So, I enlarged them. Not quite sure I like the way they look, but they bother me less than the original.

Aby-a-Day – 9 February: Playing with Izaak (Singapura Saturday)

Whilst Emma was busy playing with Lorelai, Björn and Izaak played together with the Ferocious Friends mousie on a stick. It’s very well made and sturdy enough to play with outside.

Zak just loves mousies of any sort, as you know.

This mousie is no exception.

I often wonder what Zak would do if he ever saw a real mouse.

Look how intent he is on his prey!

…uh, Zak..?

<

…Where are you going…? The mousie is back there…

Oh. Leaves.

Okay, well, I guess those are fun, too.

I think Zak had almost as much fun playing with the leaves as he did with the mousie on a stick!

Aby-a-Day – 8 Februari: When Emma first met Angel and Jacoby (Friday Flashback)

Emma first met Jacoby and Angel when she came here to celebrate her sixth birthday in 2016, a month after I moved here.

Emma, of course, fell in love with Jake.

I mean, why wouldn’t she? He is such a charmer.

She was mesmerised by him.

Angel is always a tougher nut to crack…but Emma loved her, too.

She went to pet Angel, and Angel didn’t run away, which is something for Angel.

Angel was so sweet with Emma. It’s like she knew how much Emma loves cats and let her love on her.

Björn loves it when she comes to visit, even if she says she’s going to see “cats…and Pappa and Kalle.”

What does Jake think about Emma coming to visit us?

He’s definitely a fan!

Aby-a-Day – 7 Februari: The possible inspiration of Emma’s drawing (Thursday Things)

Emma’s birthday is at the end of July, and she came to celebrate with us and the cats. As you saw yesterday, she also fell in love with Lorelai (and The Lego Movie).

Björn always makes her a cake when she comes for her birthday, but this year she wanted to decorate it herself. She was pretty proud of her handiwork.

Björn loves it when Emma comes to visit.

You don’t need a DNA test to tell that she is his daughter!

Emma loves coming to see her dad, and Kalle, and me…but we come in second to her excitement at getting to see the cats! She loves Jacoby, and Angel and Alfred…but I think she really fell in love with Rory. It’s no wonder, really…they have a lot in common, personality-wise.

Emma and Rory had a lot of fun with the stick toy.

She also played with both Izaak and Rory on the rug beating rack.

Of course, Emma loved Zak, too…little girls especially seem to love that little guy.

He seemed to like her, too. He followed her around outside the same way he follows me. It was so cute.

Like I said on Tuesday when I posted Emma’s cartoon, the cat she drew could be either Rory or Zak, right down to the curly tail.