More is Better?

We flew to the USA a few days ago. This is the first time I have got to the Internet to write my blog.

We flew on the airline's seating class that is a bit better than economy. The seats are wider (a big advangtage for about half the passengers who have used them on our previous trips). The legroom is a little better - but not sufficiently to allow the seat they fit to actually set up its legrest properly. Best of all, there is a wide armrest between each pair of seats which is just right for a toy cat to stand on.

Now, my human Andrew fits in to the ecomony seat. He is too short to make use of the foot rest (and even if he wasn't they are badly designed for normal height users)in the larger seat. Worst of all, he is visually impaired and the extra legroom puts the tv screen in the seat back beyond his vision unless he leans forwad uncomfortably. He spent this flight reading and re-reading a magazine. It was an added misfortune that in one of the articles, the contributor pointed out how comfortable the seats were in a rival airline's economy class.

Back at home, we have lots of plush toy Figaros and I am sure that if there is a new design on sale one will come home with us. I treat them all as family and respect them all. Some are bigger: some were more expensive. I am very glad the humans still treat me as "No 1".

Happy Birthday Mickey - How Old?

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse (and Minnie Mouse but I have to be quiet about that because my Mikki doesn't like the way Minnie tried to steal Andrew - and that's another story).
It's an old joke but it's worth saying: there must be lots of human Hollywood stars who wished they would look as good as Mickey does 80 years after his first performance. And let's not push the joke too far by counting how many makeovers Mickey has had and how many a human would need! We now know (thanks to "Who Framed Roger Rabbit") that toon stars can have different ages and personalities on and off screen. "Toy Story" told you humans something similar about us toys, so Mickey's birthday makes me wonder about how old I really am.
I celebrate my "birthday" at Christmas because that's when Mikki gave me to Andrew as a present. She found me in a Disney Store in Liverpool, in the north of England. That was in 1992 - so in human years I will be at least 16 this Christmas. That would be quite old for a cat but how long are "toy cat" years. What is the normal life expectancy of a cuddly toy cat? What happens to toys after kids play with them for a year or two (or even just a day or two at Christmas)? I know I am very lucky not to have ended up in st****e. My Mikki has a box somewhere where there are some teddy bears she played with as a child. I have heard Andrew say his mother has some old toys of his in the top of her cupboard. I wonder how they feel. Are they all still waiting for the day when someone will say, "I will always love you"?
Hey! Stop! This is getting too serious for the day we leave for Walt Disney World. It's clearly time for me and my humans to revive the "child within": to prove we are among the young at heart of all ages.
Many more Happy Birthdays, Mickey.

Getting Ready for Holidays

We are spending a lot of time getting ready for our holidays in and around Walt Disney World - starting next week.
First off, Mikki had to check the reservation. This caused her at least one sleepless night when even having a cute toy cat to cuddle couldn't settle her competely. I'll explain. My humans joined the Disney Vacation Club (DVC)in 1992 - very soon after it started. DVC has a wonderfully flexible system where you use points to book accommodateion. You do need to keep a close track on your points, however. LIke everything these days, it depends on computers - and when things are working it is all visible on the web. Now Mikki is a bit of an internet enthusiast, so she checks the DVC web site and discovers that part of her reservation isn't showing. Inevitably, this was just before the weekend so she had to wait until Monday to telephone Disney in Florida. Fortunately, everything was actually fine. It was just the web site that was having an off day (or three).
Next is the Christmas card list and annual letter to friends. We will hardly be home in time to post cards in time for Christmas so we will have to write them all and put stamps on them and arrange for friends to put them in the post about the right time while we are away. Andrew has the job of doing the first draft of the letter that goes out with cards. I am disapponted to notice that I am not in any of the pictures this year. I shall have to arrange something especially appealing for next year.
In between, some things are getting put out ready for packing. Like most people visiting Wald Disney World, we always come back with much heavier bags than we go out. For recent trips, one thing in the suitcase going out is another suitcase!
Also, of course, we have continued to study Tinker Bell's movie so we know who her friends are when we meet them. I think I have the names now, Rosetta, Fawn, Iridessa and Lucy Liu (Hmm, more study - and maybe a little less help form Andrew - required). I also see the "Sneak peaks" are already promoting Tink's second movie!
Oh, Mikki rang up to check the time yesterday evening. I don't think she can remember what tme it was but she liked listening to Tink telling her.
I'm adding this bit a couple of days later. We are off tomorrow. Mikki wanted to be packed by today but someone didn't give her all the clothes they want to take. I just have my fur coat so it isn't me. They are both still unable to make their minds up about the weather so may take extra sweaters and coats. I shall be fine in my fur coat as usual - even though it is not a thick as it used to be. I am getting quite old for a kitten - but then Mickey is getting quite old for a mouse! Happy Birthday for tomorrow, Mickey.

Tinker Bell

I am out of the bath now and have mostly dried out. My back paws are still a little stiff but the humans are telling me I look very smart and clean - they mean even more smart and clean. This is so I can look my best when we visit Walt Disney World.

I am looking forward to one of the new attractions: meeting Tinker Bell and her fairy friends. Naturally, both I and my humans had to learn more about then and this meant buying the Tinker Bell DVD that came out today. Mikki looked up internet prices before we went into town (we had other things to do anyway). In town, she checked out several stores before discovering Woolworth had the cheapest price of anyone. This was an added bonus for us because we had some vouchers for Woolworth as well.

The DVD comes in a pretty box with lots of advertising for Blu-Ray high definition movies. I notice "Pinocchio" is coming out soon. The humans say there's no point because we don't have a blu-ray player. That's a pretty feeble excuse to my way of thinking - and it looks as if I've got until March.

We put on the Tinker Bell DVD. Andrew is apprehensive. He says it is brave of Disney to reveal the story of a loved character like Tink when lots of people will have their own ideas and may be disappointed. He wasn't. First, the film is absolutely delightful to look at. The story grew on us as we watched. Also Tink's character grew on us as we saw elements we recognised come out. The humans kept saying words like "Enchanting" and "Charming" as we watched. I can tell you that Cheese the mouse is really cute. I can say that even though he's a mouse and I'm a cat. You see, he's not a real mouse and I'm not a real cat. We are both Disney characters (so of course we are both cute).

Two factual notes for US readers. First, spring does not really come in England that quickly. Second, there are no longer any red squirrels in London. They have been driven out by the grey ones that came from . . . never mind.

Well, we're now trying to learn all the names and other details of the other fairies we will meet. Perhaps I will need to get them to read some books. This is a holiday you will be going on: no time to relax and enjoy yourselves!

Bath Day

Figaro is a star in his own right and appeared in several short films after "Pinocchio". In a couple, he had the ultimate accolade: his face before the title. One of those is "Bath Day", in which Minnie Mouse forces him into the bath, cleans him up, ties a bow on him and even sprays him with perfume. The poor little kitten then has to face alley cats but masterfully defeats them all.

Well, today has been my "Bath Day". I put up with it because I know this is preparation for going to Walt Disney World where I can have lots of pictures taken and meet lots of people. I want to look my best for that. My bath day doesn't involve tying a bow on me - and certainly no perfume - but I have had a long soak and was then put in the washing machine. After that, it's a long wait drying out. That bit's not too bad. I suppose it's just standing or lying around doing nothing - which is what toy cats do most of the time anyway. Come to think of it, it's what real cats do most of the time too if they can.

Halloween and Bonfire Night

I am being told I should write my blog more often so I shall tell you about the parties in the last week. We had one for Halloween in our house. The humans decorated it with ghosts, hanging spiders and things like that. They even covered the walls of one room with a fake stone "dungeon" wall. Fortunatly, they didn't make me dress up (this time). It's probably just as well that I'm not an all black cat. Lots of neighbours came and lots of them dressed up.

The humans discouraged people from coming upstairs so I was able to hide in the bedroom. I only had to look after lots of coats that were put on my bed.

A few days later, the humans went next door to a firework party. There was no big fire but one of the other neighbours set off some lovely big fireworks. They also had some sparklers that several of the humans lit and waved about like they used to do when they were children. I am so glad humans never really grow up. If they did, they might stop playing with toy cats or enjoying taking them to Disney World.

My humans have now caught me typing and insist I say that I must have mistaken what I saw then do. Surely, they obeyed all the health and safety instructions and only held the sparklers perfectly still at arms' length while a long way away from anyone else. Gosh, yes, that sounds like much more fun!

Anyway, I stayed safe in the bedroom again but I could see the fireworks from the bedroom window. It was just as well nobody looked to see if I was watching. Being a toy, I am not frightened by fireworks - at least when they are outside and I am inside. Oh yes, and as long as the bits that drop from the sky have stopped burning and miss my roof.

About Time Too!

Hello and a warm welcome to my diary. I don't know what took my humans so long to set it up for me. For years they have made me write their trip reports to Walt Disney World on discussion boards. They have promised (threatened) to let me (make me) do a year round diary. Well, here goes.

Not surprisingly, all the news this morning is from America. Perhaps it is a good day for starting something new after all.

Here in England, we use 5th November to celebrate Guy Fawkes - who tried to blow up Parliament. These days, my humans ask if we celebrate the fact he was caught or the fact that he tried.

Lots of real cats are frightened of the fireworks and other noise tonight will bring but this is one of many ways where a toy cat if much better than a real one. I may come back to these later.

That's enough of a start. My paws are getting tired.