August 2022 Update

Time flies. I can’t believe we’re already at the end of August. Time flies so I guess I must be having fun… There were good things and there were bad things. The heat and drought in Europe could be the worst in 500 years. It almost makes me long for the winter. Jimi seems to enjoy these warm and hot days. He refused 3 times to come inside in the evening and spent the night outside, while I was laying awake worrying about him.

Jimi’s birthday is coming up later this week. He turns 4! The next day he’s scheduled for the yearly checkup with his vet. I requested a home visit because Jimi doesn’t like the car rides and I’ll spare you from the nasty details.

But I’ve got also some sad news for you. Jos, the cat from my dear friends got wounded in a fight with another animal and needed surgery. Unfortunately they had to amputate his tail. Jos has recovered well and is doing okay right now.

My neighbours were away for 2 weeks and asked me to take care of a stray cat living in their garden. After a few days the cat was already waiting for me and we almost became friends.

So let’s enjoy this summer and don’t think too much about autumn or all the bad things in the world. And the bloodiness barbaric inhuman Russian army. Enjoy all the little things around you and cherish your family and close friends. Invite them over for a drink. And ice cream.

Enjoy this beautiful day, my friends, wherever you are. Peace, love and understanding.

Summer of 2022 Update

It’s been a while. Europe is suffering from deadly heatwaves and intense wildfires. From India and Pakistan to Tunisia and the US of A, numerous countries have suffered heat waves this year. Sweltering temperatures hit much of Western Europe last week. We’ve recorded the second highest temperature ever. It’s hard to deny there’s something wrong.

Once a year I invite my close friends and family for a low profile garden party. Unfortunately, we had to stay inside because it was raining the whole day, (the only day with rain since months). Jimi was not amused because he thinks “two’s company, three’s a crowd”. Thank goodness the chocolate cakes, ice cream and fresh fruit was delicious!

The next day Jimi had a great time outside chasing butterflies and drinking rain water. But it’s always disappointing when you just have to deal with a setback: no leftovers from the chocolate cakes…

Enjoy this beautiful day, my friends, wherever you are. Peace, love and understanding.

Jos, 2 Years Later

Hello there, Jos! A few days ago, I paid my best friend a surprise visit. Thank goodness he’s also an espresso aficionado and dark chocolate lover. We talked about our art, design and musical projects while having some delicious espressos. We also love to share our sources of frustration on a global scale. And it was fun seeing Jos again. The little furry friend is 2 years old now and a very handsom fellow.

Enjoy this beautiful day, my friends, wherever you are. Peace, love and understanding.

33

Back to normal. Mr. T has left building and our country but the heat is still on. Temperatures are set to soar above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) the next days. This is not fake news. Mr. Bowie is chilling out and gets plenty of fresh, clean and cool water. I was invited by my best friend to try some healthy vegetarian and (hot hot hot) Mexican food. So delicious…

Enjoy this beautiful day, my friends, wherever you are. Peace, love and understanding.

Sleep Sleep Sleep

Question. Is it ok to take a little human back home when they are disrespecting Mr. Bowie’s rules? He doesn’t want to play anymore, kiddo. All Mr. Bowie wants to do is sleep sleep sleep…

Enjoy this beautiful day, my friends, wherever you are. Peace, love and understanding.

Snow Dome

New mail from Australia! Mr. Bowie received a letter from his Aunt Sharon. Sharon lives in Australia and she’s a devoted HoB follower. Her letter contained a beautiful gift from the Australian Outback: a lovely snow dome. A good natural medicine to fight our upcoming SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

Thank you so much, Sharon. Wishing you all the best. Mr. Bowie says “Meow!”

Enjoy this beautiful day, my friends, wherever you are. Peace, love and understanding.

Jos

Introducing Jos. A neighbour’s cat from my friend decided to move into his house. I think they have to work something out with the neighbours because the kitty decided to stay for good… However, Spotty, their own senior cat would love the see the new kid leave the house. She doesn’t like to be chased by this junior cat. For the time being, they call him Jos, Flemish for Joseph.

Enjoy this beautiful day, my friends, wherever you are. Peace, love and understanding.

Ready

Pancakes! A few days ago, Joke, Mr. Bowie’s foster-mother when he was a baby, invited me to her house for pancakes. Pancakes… saying “no” wasn’t an option! It was a welcome break from struggling in the studio on two new songs. It would be great if I could release one song on SoundCloud next month.

It was also nice seeing Pritty and Dixie again, Mr. Bowie’s mom and brother. Hey human, get your pancakes ready, Dixie is waiting… Can you see the family resemblance in that face?

The Great Grey Hunter

Intruder. Letting some fresh air inside your house each morning is always a good idea. But what about the intruder entering the house through a back window? That’s no problem for Mr. Bowie, the Great Grey Hunter.

Live and let live — that’s my motto. I wanted to get a live trap so I could set the poor thing free but Mr. Bowie was way too fast for me. Meanwhile, Mr. Nano the Great White Hunter says that Mr. Bowie has a special membership in the Boys of Salmon Brook Farm Club, the Belgian Division. Thank you so much! Mr. Bowie says “Meow!”

Girlfriend

The new girlfriend. Last October, Glippie, the beautiful little kitty of my best friends son passed away. A few weeks ago, a new and strange cat walked right into their home and decided to stay! My friend checked out the neighbourhood and the local Vet to see if someone was missing a cat. Nobody lost a cat so the little one got a new home. They called her Spotty. Welcome home, little girl. Mr. Bowie says “Meow!”

You’ve Got Mail

Wow! For the first time ever, I got mail from Australia. Mr. Bowie received a special package via air mail. It’s a surprise gift from gentlestitches, a.k.a. Sharon, a loyal and devoted HoB follower. She’s passionate about all things stitchy and environmentally sustaining. She loves to make, write about and teach, crochet, knitting and hand sewing.

 

Mr. Bowie enjoys his anipal mini-me. I think he would like to join his little friend in the reversible cat bed… Find out more about Sharon on her blog gentlestitches.

Thank you so much, Sharon. Mr. Bowie says “Meow!”

Pancakes Contest

I like pancakes! I was invited for pancakes at Joke and Seb’s place. It’s also the place where Mr. Bowie’s mom and brother live. I had a great time while enjoying their company. As always, the pancakes were delicious! Thank you, my dear friends. Love you.

PS: We hoped Mr. Bowie would join us but, apparently, he had other plans.

Dad & Mr. Bowie

Life is too short to worry about stupid things. I’m going through a major transitional period right now. But these two boys have always helped me through tough times over the years. Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mr. Bowie.

Let’s shake hands. Let’s shake paws. Don’t let people bring you down. Have fun and regret nothing. Life is too short to waste on negativity.

Facts About July 26, 2014

July 26 is the 207th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 158 days remaining until the end of the year. Mr. Bowie’s Gotcha Day was a week ago. My birthday was a week ago. Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to postpone the party and move it to July 26.

Fact #1: As a self-confessed perfectionist, Mr. Bowie couldn’t wait to impress his first party guests with hospitality. Mr. Bowie was responsible for greeting and welcoming guests. A guest’s first impression is even more critical these days because of social media. The human made his Wi-Fi network available for everyone.

Fact #2: All guests received a special badge. These badges gave the guests special privileges at the dessert buffet. No party is complete without a table filled with chocolate mousse, pudding, cake, ice cream, blueberries and fresh fruit salad.

Fact #3: The best festive drinks. Just like last year, the fabulous vodka cocktail recipe and the intense Gato Negro Chardonnay from Chile made the Gotcha Day party a delicious success. It was hard to convince Mr. Bowie to only drink water. We all deal with setbacks, Mr. Bowie, but we can overcome them.

Fact #4: Party crashers beware! Whether the concern is party crashers or paparazzi, security is a smart way to create a safe and comfortable environment for Mr. Bowie’s guests. My 89-year-old Dad got back on his bike to come to the party and he entertained a famous Belgian celebrity.

Fact #5: Mr. Bowie loves kids! Mr. Bowie didn’t leave the kids alone at the party. He was prepared and took care of them. Mr. Bowie took the kids for a walk and he even gave away his favourite football cards.

Fact #6: Precautionary measures were taken. Last year, kids formed a coalition and kicked my ass during a water fight. This time, a powerful water gun was safely hidden away from the kids.

Fact #7: Never lose sight of your cake. Never lose sight of Mr. Bowie. We did.

Thank you all for showing up that day. You gave me such a wonderful time. I love you all.

Dear HoB visitors and followers, I deeply appreciate your kindness in reading, following and leaving comments on my blog posts. Mr. Bowie says “Meow!”

PS: No photographic evidence, sorry. Totally forgot to take photos of the main dessert buffet table but I can assure you it was delicious!

 

A Feline Afloat

You are what you read. Don’t leave credit card info on your computer. There is no doubt that unauthorized use of a credit card is a bad thing. I consider myself very lucky, Mr. Bowie only gave himself a belated birthday gift.

Now, Bailey, can we get your pawtograph, please?

Being Cool

Why do celebrities wear sunglasses indoors? Well, to look cool and to help them see while all the lights are focused on them, i.e. flash photography, spotlights… That’s why Mr. Bowie was interested in my Dad’s sunglasses.

My Dad braved the winter chill just to say hello to Mr. Bowie and see how he’s doing.

Update: We have made an appointment with an experienced cat dermatologist next Monday. The lab results were negative but Mr. Bowie’s ear problem isn’t solved yet. I’m so disappointed right now…

Randy

We stick together, we can see it through
‘Cause you’ve got a friend in me
You’ve got a friend in me

Facts About July 21, 2013 Part 2

July 21 is the 202nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 163 days remaining until the end of the year. I was born on July 21, some say it was on July 22, though. July 21 is also Mr. Bowie’s Gotcha Day.

Fact #6: It was a hot day. But it was fun to be outside on this hot, sunny day.

 

Fact #7: Prepare your weapons to hold a water fight. Keep in mind: kids will form a coalition and kick your ass.

 

Fact #8: White wine from Molina – Chile. This intense Chardonnay is clean and light yellow in colour, with aromas of peaches, tropical fruit such as pineapple, and a hint of banana that blend beautifully with a rich note of vanilla. Bright acidity enhances the fresh fruit flavours and lends perfect balance to the sweet sensation that lingers on the deliciously long and pleasing finish.

 

Fact #9: The future’s so bright. Girls gotta wear shades and drink a Linizio Lungo.

 

Fact #10: It was a private party. No doggies allowed. It was forbidden to feed Mr. Bowie. Some of the guests asked me not to put their photos on HoB. I respect that. It’s not easy being a celebrity, you can ask Mr. Bowie.

 

Hail to the King! Hail to Mr. Bowie! Hail to myself!

Related post on HoB: Something Big Is About To Happen, A Matter of National Interest,  (Almost) A Full Moon, This Must Be the Place and  Facts About July 21, 2013 Part 1.

Facts About July 21, 2013 Part 1

July 21 is the 202nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 163 days remaining until the end of the year. I was born on July 21, some say it was on July 22, though. July 21 is also Mr. Bowie’s Gotcha Day.

Fact #1: New King In Town. Belgium celebrated both independence day and the coronation of Prince Philippe and his wife, Mathilde, as king and queen. As I said before, in my opinion this is unsatisfactory. No, I am not a royalist. Not at all. Mr. Bowie was ready for the job. I say, Mr. Bowie for King or President!

 

Fact #2: Blue Skies. Ideal weather conditions for a guerrilla-surprise-pudding-party! The birthday cake was a surprise gift from my Dad.

 

Fact #3: Free Tattoo. Every guest got a free Mr. Bowie-Paw-Tattoo, even this young talented football player from FC Barcelona.

 

Fact #4: 87. Age difference means nothing at a guerrilla-surprise-pudding-party. Who were the oldest and youngest guest? My Dad and Alice, his great-grandchild.

 

Fact #5: The blonde pillow thief didn’t show up. I wasn’t disappointed because these beautiful and lovely women accepted my invitation.

Wonderland

Rabbit hole. A funny thing happened to me on my way to a birthday party. Yesterday, I fell into a rabbit hole and bumped into Ies, the local Cheshire Cat.

Fortunately, I was back right on time for the chocolate birthday cake. Happy Birthday Alice! Can I have another piece of chocolate cake?

 

Introducing the youngest and the oldest descendant of my family: Alice and my Dad.

Related post: Alice

Glippie

Bon appétit! I was invited to a home-cooked meal by my friend, the graphic designer, and his wife. I also got some great digital camera tips and essential photography advice to improve my photos in no time. But did I pay attention this time? I did, because there was a lot of dark chocolate.

Their lovely son introduced me to Glippie, his cat. She’s a very beautiful little kitty and I believe she would like to meet Mr. Bowie sometime.

PS: The meal was delicious! Thank you my friends.

Straight from the Heart

Security breach! Someone hacked into my personal email account. Fortunately, there’s no harm done. They left  a proposal of marriage for Mr. Bowie and a picture of a beautiful kitty.

Should parents check their cat’s emails and text messages? I know that we should all trust our cats, but even the best cats will test the boundaries.

PS: Mr. Bowie’s email address will remain secret.

All Shook Up

Throwing a stuffed tiger up in the air. Introducing the biggest little fan of Mr. Bowie: Interaction, or, going back to summer.

Message From My Cat #14

Introducing: Ushi, my Grandmother. Doesn’t she look good?

Editor’s Note: Dear Mr. Bowie, so that’s where you get your looks from…

All above pictures reproduced courtesy of Wiske.

Flair

There is no way to happiness – happiness is the way. Joke, Seb & Abebe, Bowie’s beste vrienden en de baasjes van zijn ma en broer, staan deze week in Flair. Iemand interesse in een gehandtekend exemplaar?