Mancat Monday

The week was a good one for us all...I was able to get away and do some scrapbooking at a state park.  Great scenery, good food, lots of fun and very productive.

I focused on Journaling the story of the photos of the boys.  Each boy usually has a volume for each year.  I had been good about getting photos on the pages, but not telling the stories.  My goal was to get caught up.  I didn't get everything done, but made a nice dent in the pages.  I was able to complete Harrison's 2017 and 2018 pages, Tanner's 2017, Flynn's 2017 and Oliver's 2017.  My shoulders neck and arms are DONE with writing for a while!

The boys were home and we had the pet sitter come in because Auntie went to Asheville to help a friend again.  Flynn was happy to play when we returned, but quickly needed a rest!

Cousin Lenny enjoys toting this green chicken around and talking with it in his mouth.

All the panthers looking to see if we are going to play again...

The fur is growing back on Harrison's tail...looking darker again.

Hung up this mouse toy and Flynn enjoyed playing with it.  I have heard negative things about it getting wrapped around necks, etc...so it is put away when  we are not there to supervise.

Rusty wasn't very impressed...

We finally got a bit of snow last Thursday...it was beautiful, and the kind we like...gone on Friday :)

Hope you all had a nice week.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday Travels - Wakayama the City

After spending the morning visiting the Tama train, we were ready for some lunch.  We heard that Wakayama was known for a special type of Negi (green onion) Ramen, so we wanted to try it.  There were a few well-known places to experience this type of ramen, so we picked one and headed to it.

The negi ramen did not disappoint!  It was delicious!  The onions helped to cut the otherwise greasy pork broth and were very refreshing.  We did an order of handmade gyoza as well.

Next, we headed for Wakayama Castle and gardens.  The Japanese known how to create a beautiful and serene garden...we enjoyed strolling around.

The sun helped created some beautiful reflections in the water...

Looking back at the path we had traveled down...

Gorgeous fall leaves and a glimpse of the castle

A large torii marks the entrance to the castle...

Views as we approach...I have probably mentioned before, but just know that everything worth seeing in Japan is up a large steep hill! 

In the courtyard

An unusual sign, but one I was thankful for!  This castle has been rebuilt and restored so it isn't the original, which is why you can leave the shoes on.

Views of Wakayama from the castle

Another beautiful city and one we are glad to have visited, at least for a day.  I think this region is one you could spend several days exploring.  Maybe on the next trip :)

Back in Osaka, we settled for tempura udon for dinner because we were still pretty full from lunch!

Mancat Monday

I will start today with Harrison's tail update.  Last week, he was spending the day at the vet getting his tail lanced and drained from an abscess.  I picked him up from the vet about 4:30 and he was ready to come home!  He was given an antibiotic injection and a long lasting pain injection.  He was high as a kite!

The tail oozed for a day or so, and he had to wear the cone of shame.

I picked him up a soft padded cone and it worked well.  The Velcro is very strong, so Harry was not breaking out of it!  It made for one pitiful kitten though.

After a couple of days, the tail was looking better and Harrison was out and about, cone free!  Except for the funny shave job, he is back to normal.

This morning was recheck day, and he was given a clean bill of health.

Does everyone's living room look like mine with numerous cat things all over the floor?  The boys enjoy variety...and I like to keep them entertained.

Rusty and Harrison both think they see a poltergeist in the fireplace.

Flynn is wiped out...weekends are for resting!

Harrison cooking in the heated bed...

Harrison has been trying to destroy the ski chalet...I think ski season is over!

Good boy Rusty...that's the way to sharpen those nails!  Rusty was terrified of Harrison in the cone...he is so dramatic!

Oliver has been doing well.  He is a sweet boy that still likes to scream at Lenny sometimes.  We are working on it.  Oliver is definitely a jealous boy.  It takes him longer than others to adjust to change.

Tuesday Travels - Wakayama - Tama Train

This post is photo heavy...

One of the places we wanted to go was to Wakayama, to ride the Tama Train.  This train is designed to look like a cat, and the station master is a cat.  The original Tama died in 2015, but Tama the second has taken over.  Tama the fourth is apprenticing at another station.

Tama the third's owner decided they couldn't part with her, so she never took office :)

We arrived at Wakayama, which was about an hour from Osaka.  Then we looked for the Wakayama Electric Railway line, which thankfully, was marked with a cat icon on the signs!

There were cats marking our path to the right platform

Platform 9 it is...

Beautiful countryside as we traveled along...

Kishi station is the last one on the line.  Tama is here!

Everything Tama!!  This railway line was about to be out of business.  They fired all the station masters, and had volunteers business owners assume the role.  This station decided to have a cat as their station master.  The cat brought in tourist and basically saved the line!

Nitama, or Tama the second on duty.

Cat shaped snacks from the cafe...very tasty.

Shrine to the original Tama.  Her ashes are entombed here.

If you step across the street, you can see the building is shaped like a cat too!

We wanted to ride the cat train, so we had to kill time at the station.  There isn't anything to do in the town.  There are four themed trains on the line.  Umeboshi (pickled plums), Strawberries, and toys.  This area is known for growing plums and strawberries.

Finally, the Tama train approaches!  We rode the Plum train on the first trip.

The outside is decorated with over 100 Tama designs...

Inside there are cats and cat fabrics everywhere!

We stopped off to see Tama the fourth, or Yontama.

Her station master hat...

We had to wait about 30 minutes before another train would come by to take us back to Wakayama, so we looked around the station some and thought about what we were going to do once back to civilization :)

Next week, Wakayama the city