Daphne and Maris.

Great photo, isn't it?

Nowadays the cats are a good bit bigger. This was taken at Christmas, nearly two years ago. Maris is on the left, and Daphne on the right. You can tell we're huge 'Frasier' fans.

The reason the cats are on here is because of something that happened today. I was doing a quiet spot of weeding and the animals were out in the yard with me. Now I know that Cavaliers are not renowned for being brave and savage creatures, but it's getting a bit pathetic when Maris can leap out from behind a bush, whack Molly on the rump, and then chase her yelping up the path. Then... she did the same thing to Murphy. He was just as useless. I couldn't believe my eyes. The dogs got told off about chasing the cats when they were kittens, but the pendulum has swung a bit too far.

I yelled at Maris and scared her off. She sat under the clothesline and pretended that I hadn't had any effect on her at all. The dogs then came up for a cuddle to calm their nerves. I don't know who I was more disgusted with... the cat or the dogs.

But having said that.... one of the best things I ever did was go to Lort Smith to buy the kittens. Jordan wanted a cat for Christmas after our previous cat, Daisy, was killed, so I went kitten shopping a week before Christmas. The best thing about Lort Smith is the price. It cost only $55 for a kitten, and that price includes desexing, microchipping and vaccinations. How amazing is that?? The second best thing is that you're saving little lives who would otherwise be in a very desperate situation. (Maris was found up a very high tree in Collingwood when she was around 8 weeks old, and Daphne was dumped in a park with the rest of her litter.) The third best thing is how well the people socialise the kittens. They bring them home, litter train them and get them used to being around people. Well worth a phone call if you're looking for a pet and you're not fussed about pedigrees. (For dogs I am, but not for cats...)

I carefully chose Maris after half an hour of evaluating the kittens. She was elegant and her coat went with my decor, so what else could we want? When I was filling in the paperwork for her they brought another litter in. Daphne's little face was peering at me from under the woman's arm, and I fell in love. I squealed with delight at how cute the kitten was and they grabbed her and brought her over. (They're not stupid!)

"Your grey one needs a friend", they said.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" I said, hoping it was male. (We have a rule that we only have female pets. Too many males already without adding more.)

When I was informed it was female, I said "Shit!" like any lady would do.

"Did you want a boy?" they asked.

"NO!" I wailed, and they immediately started filling in the paperwork. If it was a pet shop, where they sell moggies for ridiculous amounts of money (I've seen them for $140) then there's no way I would've come home with two. But for only $55, it was do-able, so I did it.

It's been fantastic having two kittens growing up together. They play together, sleep together, have their little spats and then make up.... it sounds like they're married, doesn't it? But the weird thing is that they really suit their names. Maris can be an absolute .... (w)itch. She's thin, elegant and very into herself. So like Niles' first wife. Daphne, on the other hand, is just like Daphne Moon.... chatty, friendly and always up for a snuggle. I can't take credit for being a brilliant namer... I named them before they came home.

Mum and Dad are home from Bali, so Murph has gone. Jack has been in full biscuit production this afternoon. I think he's up to 120 biscuits and he's still going. It cost him $30 for the makings, including chocolate buds and mini m& m's. These biscuits are HUGE, and very chocolate-y. He wants to charge $1 each, or 3 for $2. He should make a killing. They look fantastic and they taste delicious. Currently I'm flash freezing them before I pack them away in big snap lock bags in the freezer awaiting Friday. I hope he does well.