This post was originally entitled “Christmas: Day 7,” and was published on December 21, 2012. It got exactly ZERO comments. It features cat #3, our long-haired tuxie, Daphne and an additional two paragraphs at the end. I apologize for the poor quality of the photos. They were taken before the days of digital photography and scanned.
Daphne was another kitty crazy for Christmas. In her early years, I hung apple ornaments from the garland wound around the bannister. She could spend hours batting at and removing the apples so she could play with them on the hardwood floors. For a few years I would continually replace the apples after she removed them. And each year I would buy new apples as they inevitably cracked and lost their paint when they hit the floor. Eventually I gave up and threw them away as the whole process became exceedingly tedious.
It has been at least two decades since I’ve hung apples from the garland, but every year as I am decorating the stairs, Tom asks me if I am going to attach the apples. I know he does this to tease me, but I also know he enjoyed the game between human and cat and would love to watch a whole new caboodle of cats doing just as Daphne once did.
Daphne also enjoyed waiting for her holiday fan mail. She would take up residence in our Christmas mailbox, created by Tom’s sister, Bonnie, and wait to be swamped by her greetings of love and adoration. Of course, she wasn’t opposed to the fact that her nest was atop a nice warm radiator.
We only had five cats when Daphne was a youngster, and we were still erecting the tree in the foyer. I also managed to wrap gifts prior to Christmas Eve giving kitties access to lots of ribbons and bows. In the photo above, Daphne begins unwrapping gifts early while Cat #2, Steamer, watches.
The current passel of pusses are so deprived. It’s a good thing they don’t have any idea of what went on in the early days at The House of Blue Cats!
