I Have Been Busy - Honest

Many apologies to all my fans.  I know you must have been missing my blog posts terribly over the last month.  Please understand I have been busy and I have lots to tell you now.  I have been in Florida with my humans for about 3 weeks of the time.  We spent a few days in Tampa and then went on to Walt Disney World for the rest of the time. Here is one of Disney's Photopass pictures of my human Mikki with the mouse whose name sounds like hers.

While we were there, I had lots of pictures in new places or with other characters.  I also worked very hard writing a Trip Report for the Intercot discussion board.  I am afraid it has not gone up there yet but I am hoping Mikki will be able to deal with it soon.

Meanwhile, I shall also be using my human, Andrew's Instagram account to show you some of the pictures I had taken.  You can find them by looking for andrew1987young on Instagram.  I'm afraid that he does sometimes up up pictures that don't have me on them but I have given him enough good pictures to keep him busy for the next few days.

There are lots more I will be telling you about.  For one thing, I have a new cousin - "Flat Tail Figaro".  As so often, I'm not sure about the name the humans give to my family members but the new Figaro is really cute.  Look out for another post about him.

And here's a photo from our final day - again by Disney's Photopass.  Rapunzel was so nice and pleased to see me but I think it was Cinderella's idea that they both give me a kiss.

I like kisses - and cuddles.

Prrrrr.

Disney Pin Trading

My humans and I have been visiting Walt Disney World for a long time now.  We remember lots of changes.  One big one is the arrival of ;in trading as a "big thing".  Like everything, it appeals to some people more than others.  You can meet some lovely people through it - but also some rogues who will try to rip you off.  It can get very expensive - but it can also give you fascinating a beautiful mementos at a much smaller cost (and taking up much less space) than some alternatives.

My Mikki has enjoyed some pin trading over the years although she is much less active now than once.  We have a collection of various pins.  Obviously, Mikki collects Mickey.  Less obviously, Andrew has a small collection of Tinker Bell.  Here I am with my favourite pins.

There are nothing like as many Figaro pins as for some other characters.  Some people say this is because he is not popular but I can't believe that.  I think it must be because he is rare and special.  Whatever the reason, it means that I never get any objection when I see one and tell my humans to buy it or trade for it.  They really are beautiful, aren't they?

But not as cuddly.

Prrrr

Oh, we're off now so maybe no posts until I'm back.  We fly to Florida tomorrow and are in WDW from next Monday.

The Moods of Minnie Mouse

Just a week to go until we set out for our trip to Walt Disney World and I am still thinking about the fun I am going to have with the other Disney characters.

In the classic shorts, Figaro lives with Minnie Mouse so it's natural that we all want to see her.  Here is a picture of her being very nice with me when we visited in January this year.  This was taken at the temporary "Character Spot" in Epcot.

Minnie was very nice for this photo.  About the worst thing is that you will see my humans made me wear "mouse ears".  How undignified!  I have noted the hat is still about in our house and has been seen near the packing for this trip.  I would arrange for it to get lost but I suppose they'd only buy a new one.  My Mikki can get so determined.

Here is Minnie again on a different visit during our January stay.  No, that's not me.  It's our latest addition to the Figaro family, named "Twin".  This is because he is quite old and looks like I did when I was new.  Poor "Twin" has not had a lot of cuddles like I have but has, I fear, spent a lot of his time in sto**ge.  We like to give all the new arrivals their chance of a picture with characters - but only once.  Twin is not going anywhere near the packing this time.

And here's Minnie Mouse in a very different, and unusual, mood.  Mikki caught this shot of her in the "Character Spot" before its latest revamp.

Mikki was almost as surprised as the cast member "minder" and the families in the line behind us when Minnie grabbed Andrew as if to take him for herself.  We didn't get photographic evidence of her holding up her hand to push Mikki away.  And in case anyone from Disney is reading this, Mikki isn't jealous really.  We love this sort of silliness!

And I need not remind anyone that I love cuddles too.

Prrr.

Familiar Characters

I like my picture with other Disney characters.  I always hope for new characters but I love the familiar ones too.  Here are some from the Hundred Acre Wood.

I think I've put up some pictures of Tigger on the blog previously and I have lots with Pooh so I thought it might be a little different to show this one of me playing around in his Hunny pot.  Disney are very clever with the Hunny pot.  I stood right on the hunny but hardly got sticky at all!

Next, here's one with Piglet.  The picture was taken at one of the character breakfasts at Crystal Palace.  They are a lot of fun even if a little noisy and busy.  The atmosphere's really happy.

Piglet's quite big, isn't he.  I admit I sometimes get confused by the size of characters at Walt Disney World.  But they all seem happy to give me a cuddle, so that's all right.

Finally, I have a picture with one character who doesn't look happy - Eeyore.  I do my best to cheer him up, letting him hold me and cuddling up to him, but his face doesn't change at all.

Someone has told Mikki there is a chance to see less familiar characters at the Studios before Fantasmic.  We'll probably try to find them, but meanwhile I am still very happy seeing the familiar characters:  Mickey, Minnie, princesses, fairies and even Pooh and friends.

They all give me cuddles.

Just two weeks until we set off!

Prrrr.

Travelling in Style

Just three weeks until we leave home on our next trip to Florida and I am looking forward to a nice comfortable aeroplane ride.  My human Mikki did a very good deal when British Airways had a sale on earlier in the year.  She found she could go Club Class for very little more than the class we normally fly so booked it quickly.

I enjoy flying in style.  Here is a picture from the last time I did so.  This is Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic. My cousin Floppy Figaro was travelling with us.

Everyone was very nice to Floppy and me on the plane.  The humans had seats that turned into beds and for most of the time Floppy and I relaxed on those.  We didn't stay long on the bar stools.  You see, we don't drink.  We are toys!

The humans were able to travel one way on Upper Class using the loyalty points they had saved up over the years.

Another great feature about travelling in the more luxurious parts of the aeroplane is that you also get to go in a nice lounge at the airport.  Here I am with Mikki in the Virgin lounge at London Gatwick.

Things are getting closer and closer.  We are all getting excited and Mikki, who does most of the preparations, is working very hard.

Looking forward to a lot of fun.

And cuddles.

Prrr Prrr

Four Weeks (plus a bit) to go

I'm starting to get excited about our next trip to Walt Disney World.  One of the things I like to do is to have my picture with the other Disney characters.  This is the sort of thing I mean.  Here I am with two of my favourite characters, Pinocchio (who appears in my film) and, of course, Mickey Mouse himself.

Yes, yes, it would be a little unusual to see these two together and I admit I have not seen them together in Walt Disney World.  This picture was taken in Paris a few years ago.  But I think it captures my excitement about pictures with characters.

I will also be happy (and my humans even more so) if I can gets lots of my pictures indoors in air conditioned rooms.  This will be the first time for many years that we have visited in August and it will be hot.  We do not intend to spend a lot of time standing in lines in the sun. In England, we are practising for the heat by having our first long hot spell for several years.  The temperatures are about 10 degrees F lower than Florida and it is already too hot for my humans.  They will be glad that there is lots of air conditioning in Florida.

We fly out 4 weeks from today (16th July).  We are visiting some other places as well so it will be a few days more than 4 weeks before we get to Walt Disney World. My humans have already arranged for me to meet up with some of my fans over there. Lots of opportunities for cuddles!  Prrrrrrrr

An English Summer

Tomorrow will be the longest day of the year, so some people might think we were enjoying high summer.  No, this is England.  Far too many of the summer days have been like this one.  And that's even when the weather forecasters promise it will brighten up by the afternoon.

Would you believe this window has the finest view from our house - when it's not raining?

But we have had just a couple of nice evenings in the last couple of weeks - and when they happen it is a delight to get out in the sunshine.  Sometimes the humans invite friends and neighbours round to relax on the deck beside the river that runs along the bottom of our garden.  Sometimes we just all go down and relax on our own.

Those few days when we can get into the garden or relax by the river like this are instant reminders of how little we miss London.

Sunshine is also a reminder of when we will next be in Walt Disney World (Prrrr).  It will be August.  That's normally far too hot for us but we have to go then because we are meeting some friends at a (non-Disney) event on the same trip.  Only a couple of months to go.