This post originally appeared on December 21, 2012, and was entitled “Christmas: Day 7.” As I received exactly ZERO comments, I expect it’s a pretty good bet that none of you have ever seen it. It features kitten Daphne (1991-2010), the third cat to join our family.
Daphne feigns disinterest.
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 (or so I thought *) as the whole process became exceedingly tedious.
Daphne caught in the act.
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 had.
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.
Daphne waiting for her fan mail.
Daphne begins unwrapping gifts early while Steamer watches.
Meowy Christmas!
* 2014 Addendum: Just last week I found a box of those apples in the backroom of the basement when I was looking for another long-lost decoration. I didn’t tell Tom as I don’t want to be pestered to hang them!
Such wonderful memories! Finding those apples must have been such a sweet reminder of beautiful Daphne. Caster loves to play with all of the Christmas decorations around here. He has batted several ornaments off the tree. But he hasn’t climbed it!!! We are all so surprised. Anyway, we enjoyed your flashback photos and loved hearing about Daphne. What a beautiful girl. Sending lots of love and purrs, and Sampy sends trillions of billions of kisses to Astrid.
What sweet memories 🙂 Daphne sure was a cute girl 🙂
Cuuute picture on Daphne on the stair pawing at the apples <3
My mom-person say´s she is glad that she can close the door into the livingroom where the CATmas tree is 😀
XOXO
Daphne was a very beautiful tuxie. I feel a bit fainty!!
Sweet post… I always have a pang of bittersweet memories when I take out the Christmas decorations… especially seeing the stockings of kitties past…
Thank you for sharing that story!
Lots of Noodle hugs…
Noodle and crew
Love the photo of Daphne on the stair pawing at the apples. She looks so little.
I vote you hang the apples!
I guess you didn’t want to eat the apples after they hit the floor cos of the 5 second rule. I like eating my food offa the floor. Daphne sure was pretty. You mean cats got cards before the interwebs?
Oh c’mon…hang those apples UP!
How fun! Er, or yeah, how tedious! We think this is the exact reason our Christmas-decorations-lovin’ mom hasn’t put anything up in three, long years. To be fair, she does hang decorations up high. We just have to work harder to get to them and then, the fun begins! Christmas is supposed to be fun, right? *wink*
Awww, what a sweet story! 🙂 xx Roxy & Tigerlino <3
Daphne sounds like a character kitty. We don’t have anything like that but we have soft dangle ornaments on the tree….mom puts them at the bottom so we can reach them if we stretch up.
(((Shoko)))
Our mom hangs apple ornaments on our tree. She calls them “filler” ornaments. And we LOVE to knock them off and play with them. In fact, she found one under the china cabinet this past summer…left over from last Christmas. 😉
We love sweet memories! Thank you for sharing!
What a heartwarmin’ posty. Dat Daphne sure wuz a cutey. We fink you shuld hang those apples as it did bwing such joy to yous furmily. As da mommy weez unnewstand dat it also bwought lots of work, but hey, it’s only fur a little while after all and anytime spent makin’ kitties happy is a worff while event.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
And a big happy Christmas to all the furbabies, with lots of red apples to chase 🙂
That sweet one sure had lots of fun!
What a sweet story and beautiful kitty!
Purrs xx
Athena and Marie
Daphne was such a pretty girl. It’s a lovely flashback to her enjoyment of Christmas and sweet memories..
LOL I got a good giggle about the apple story. Daphne sounds a lot like my cat Elli…they sure can keep us entertained can’t they? Always full of mischief! 😉
Thank you for linking up with us at the Oh My Heartsie Girls Wordless Wednesday Link Party and we hope you will join us again next week.
Wishing you a FABULOUS week.
xx
Lysa
Co-Host OMHGWW
Daphne was a beauty. Poor Admiral had plenty of posts in her beginnings that had no reply…I sometimes go to her site and bring up her first 6 months. She had about given up when someone answered at last and used the initials CB. Had no idea what that was and decided to google it. Welcome to the warmth of other kitties and doggies. She had about given up.
Daphne, was lovely and what a fun game the apples made. We thinks you should hang the box you found. Whapping them sounds like so much fun.
Oh what a beauty Daphne was. Thank you for reposting this beautiful story. I’m sure it must have brought back some beautiful memories.
Hugs from C S Charles’ Mom
Inge
What a great memory. Thanks for sharing it with us again! We love the idea of the apples as part of the unbreakable ornament collection and will tell the head peep we’d like to have some to play with.
Great story about Christmas apples! I bet finding those apples stirred a lot of memories of former Kitties Blue residents…..bittersweet of course…..Daphne was a beauty!
Hugs, Pam
LOL we laughed at the apples story. We can just picture it. Have a tremendous Thursday.
Best wishes Molly
What a sweet memory! Glad you reposted!
Christmas apples sound like fun!
A nice memory…thanks for sharing it (again) — I didn’t get to see it the first time around. I think cats LOVE Christmas.
Aw, I think it would be lots of FUN to play with Christmas apples!
Daphne was very cute ! But aren’t Chrissymouse ornaments made for kittes fun ? Purrs
Its always fine here until the peeps go to bed…and goodness knows what they might find in the morning, MOL!
Its nice of you to share your memories of your sweet kitty…doing her job of removing apples, MOL!
What a sweet story about Daphine she is a cutie!!! She looks alot like our Digger with the same markings!!! Im wondering what will happen this year when the decoration go up with our 2 kitties. I know its late but would love for you to share on my WW from this week.
Purrs and Hugs
Karren