78. A delay with updates

Hello all my lovely readers and followers!

First of all, I'm super sorry I didn't make a post yesterday about the kitten and the myths about dogs and cats. I was at Anna's super late, and was really tired. That is one reason.

The other reason is that I have been doing so many things lately, and I simply need some rest. I need a break from all the work, even the fun ones - even my blog. Therefore, an update will simply be delayed, don't know for how long, but I'll start posting again when I feel like it. I never wanted to make it an obligation to post and keep up a blog without energy and motivation; Symphonicats is a feel-good blog for everyone, even for me.

I do feel motivated to continue posting, just not in a while. I need more time for myself and my family and friends outside this blog, if you understand.

Thank you for your attention, your understanding and your support, I love you all!

See you!

77. Adventurous holidays

Yo!

I promised you a full load of pics from my mini family trip to Tampere, and your wish shall be granted!

Here we have the many animals that were in an area of Särkänniemi called Koiramäen Puisto (= Koiramäki Park), everything between geese and ducks to puppies, and from donkeys to peacocks! Personally I loved all of them - without being a FitzChivalry Farseer who can feel ultimate empathy and the thoughts of animals, I can tell you it was delightful to watch these lovely souls play around or lie in the sun, each a different colour on the canvas of Koiramäki's painting!

Whoa!

I made a quick video also to show the Delfinaario (= "dolphinarium", like an aquarium but with dolphins) and the lively dolphins there. I enjoyed the show a whole lot, the tricks the dolphins performed, the connection between the sea animals and the staff and the fun all of them (and us) had went right into my heart! I'll work on the video tomorrow!

And here are the remaining pics from that day! First we've got a beautiful view from Näsinneula Tower and the little souvenirs I have from Särkänniemi!

Is the post over, because now we shall proceed to cat stuff? No sir, not at all - I thought I'd do something different and take the news and updates from the lives of Elsa, Bimbo and Emi from the end, and scatter them all across the page. Variety is the spice of life, 'innit? ☺

Elsa has been in my room mostly - as usual ☺ And little Emi has stayed in the lounge outside my room, enjoying the small rays of sun that are cast upon her marvelous tortoiseshell fur.

But I managed to catch something quite unusual - both little ladies were enjoying the heat and the sun in my parents' room, together! Though some distance between them, neither of them appeared minding the other. I thought this was amazing and super cute - and the sun made the photographs wonderful, with a beautiful glow!

Selfie time!

I recall Bimbo also being in the room, though doing other stuff of importance - I guess that is what he calls sleeping...

And as I said, the day after we arrived home from Särkänniemi, two of my cousins came over (at different times), and we, meaning me, my cousin, my youngest brothers, my father and the cousins' Westie dog, Idefix, went to my Dad's parents' summer cottage. Talk about much visiting in different summer cottages this summer, whew! During the trip driving there, which took a few hours, the little doggie decided to jump in my lap and watch the forests pass by! I asked my cousin to take pictures of this cute situation, and despite I looked a bit funny (I had had a 'makeup experiment' earlier that day, and had forgot to wash it away - stupid me!) I thought the pictures came out quite good, expressing the cuteness well enough to be published here. ☺

Idefix is the definition of West Highland Terrier - friendly, active, happy and a whole lot silly! Although he doesn't make much of a rescuer or watch dog, he's a little matey who is fun to watch, play with, sleep with, and photograph! Me and my cousin Aukku (that's her nickname - I like to keep it that way here, in the blog), the cousin who came along that day, slept in what our grandparents call the girls' cottage - with Idefix among our feet! At times that silly little Doge (as we call him) buried himself deep beneath the blankets only to be found between us, on our pillows!

Before we left home, Idefix got an opportunity to get to know Elsa, Emi and Bimbo. And everything happened almost exactly as expected: Queen Elsa hissed at this horrid, furry abomination; Emi ran for her life; and Bimbo, after a while of withdrawal, wanted to make acquaintance with the doggy. But poor Idefix ran away from his serious look (or as serious a look as two big, gentle, silly yellow eyes can be), all the way to Aukku's embrace! I didn't get to photograph the happenings, which is a pity because it was so amusing to watch!

But instead, watch this blooper video of Idefix, with an unexpected twist...

The days at the summer cottage were very exciting for the little doggy. One day we played fetch with Ide, which he enjoyed to the fullest and which I followed through the lens of my camera! Many photos were taken of the lively little one, and many videos, that I am going to gather into a YouTube video tomorrow!

The day after was a morning of a nightmare for Idefix - it stormed like heck in the morning! The thunder was right above our cottage, the rain fell heavy from the sky and the flashes of lightning made not only us humans a bit tense, but Idefix too - or shall we say, he was scared for his life of the storm! Me and Aukku calmed him down with our jokes - "it's Thor who plays with his hammer, darling", and "it's Zeus who's mad at some fish in the sea, nothing to be afraid of".

Luckily the storm ended, slowly but steadily, and me, my grandma, my Dad and my brothers got to go into the small village-town to buy food essentials and ice cream. And I also found this beauty there...

After we got back (and after a couple of hours of a nap) Aukku and I decided to go fishing in the lake, or at least rowing around for funsies. Idefix is such a mommy's boy that he can't be left alone without my cousins or their parents, so we had to take him with us - and let's be clear: it was not an obligation, it was a pure honour! Though Idefix is not exactly a sailor himself, he was happy to at least have Little Mummy and That-Silly-Girl-Who-Has-The-Scariest-Strange-Dog-Thingies-In-The-World as company. We had lots of fun taking panorama photos (which sadly was too crazy and poor on my simple digital camera, I didn't get anything good), fishing for two whole minutes and eating potato chips and biscuits, and generally had a lovely time, with a little confused Doge aboard. ☺

A dragonfly!

Idefix looks so serious...

Here are pause pictures of the sunsets and foggy waters I took from the whole trip!

And the last day, today, was the most exciting of them all: we made an agility course using a badminton net, boots, a darts 'wall' and other random things, and with Lauantaimakkara (= Saturday sausage, something you put on your bread) we made the little Westie jump over and run below obstacles. He did super! Or, at least after a few tries, he caught the hint of jumping and running under certain things rewarded him with yummy sausage.

Video will be here soon!

After Idefix's "show" we went swimming, such a hot day it was. And poor Idefix got worried as always, barking on dry land as if calling for help, which I believe he did. What did Aukku do? She put little Ide in the water, and boy did he get grumpy! Not much barking after that!

And the cherry on top of the excitement cake was that when everyone else but Aukku got off the water, she took Idefix with her in a rubber dinghy for a tour in the water. Idefix got confused for his life and was so paralysed he didn't know what to do - he was aboard a boat again, with Little Mummy, and there was water surrounding him, yucky water that didn't feel good with the white locks of fur... I think I understand his confusion, just a bit.

Some misc landscape pics for you! ☺

So today we drove home and arrived around 20:30 (8:30 p.m.), which was when I started writing this blog entry. Now the clock is ticking closer to midnight and bedtime... but has the time come for it yet?
Nope!

I still have some World of Warcraft in my mind - I've been listening to soundtracks every now and then, quite frequently to be true - but before that, I have something in my mind for You guys and gals!

There has been a magazine floating about in the car, with an article about myths dogs - and cats! - have got during their years with modern humans. Everything revolving around raising them, their emotions, and such things. I've read it a few times and from each read have got the determination: that is something I want to show my readers!

But since it's getting late, all I will do this evening is to translate the article, so that you all can enjoy it tomorrow!
And tomorrow will be a special day: I am going to Anna's, to photograph their new kitten!! Anna has sent me pictures of a little, smoke-grey ball of fur, and I can't wait to see it with my own eyes!

Before I begin my translation job I'll give you all a bit of Bimbo, Emi and Elsa, that got so happy when coming home!

My mother had taken Emi out with Bella's leash some days ago - pity I wasn't there to watch it happen! It surely would have been super interesting and fun to watch. Little Emi prowled in the grass for a while before rushing back to the door, wanting to go inside. The barn and hay days are long gone it seems!

Overall Emi has become a loving little kitty, who likes to sleep with both Bimbo and my mother, and starts purring if you pet her. Such a cutie she is!

It's going to be sometime after midnight that I publish this, but we can always pretend this was written on the 18th of July, right? :P

Off I go translating that article! I'll see you tomorrow!

Bye!