Amber & Squirrel Nutkin

This morning when we woke up, Woody and I discovered that Squirrel Nutkin had left an acorn necklace hanging from the door of the dresser!
We knew it was Squirrel Nutkin because he had left necklaces for Diana's class after they gathered acorns and gave them to the squirrels in the park. I'm not sure what I did to deserve my necklace, but I am very grateful that Squirrel Nutkin paid me a visit.


I'm pretty sure it wasn't Squirrel Nutkin who left the clock after Awesome Club. I think that was Squirrel CRD.

Amber & Evidence

Remember my theory that the squirrels are advancing a plot to take over the world? Well, Nick managed to capture evidence on film. Or, not on film, but in digital facsimile.


Now, it may be hard to tell what's happening there (other than Nick keeps his Sure cool by the window), but that is a squirrel climbing on his screen! Nick thinks this is the same squirrel that lived in his air conditioner last year. Notice how fast the squirrel is, how advanced his physical training has been. He makes James Bond look wimpy.

This is a shot of the squirrel moments before his stealthy run.

Amber & Squirrel Season

Don't worry: my lack of a post yesterday wasn't a sign that I was kidnapped by Diana's friends the squirrels. But, boy, are they abundant these days! I guess they are busy storing nuts for the winter, but it also seems possible that they are plotting to take over America while our economy is so weak. Maybe they're been saving up all these years and plan to buy out the remaining banks with acorns.

A squirrel wandered into my hallway a couple of weeks ago and seemed very confused. But maybe he was really just acting confused and on a reconnassaince mission. Maybe he is planning on buying my building! I bet squirrels would be great landlords. Although, their policies might not be so cat-friendly.

I think we should study up on our new masters and their squirrely ways. Nick found this photo gallery as a start.

Amber & Friendship

Over at Internals Plural, CRD posted this examination of the nature of interspecies friendship. Amongst the examples was this photo which is, in fact, an allegory of my friendship with Diana, wherein our parts are played by our respective animal obsessions.

Only, Diana and I have different interpretations of the moral. Diana thinks this is an allegory about how she likes to sniff hedgie me. I think it's about how I am sickie (see my little cast?), and Squirrel Diana comes to give me her well wishes in the form of a little woodland kissy.

(Photo of Diana and Peter by Jimmy)

Thanks, Diana, for being my squirrel friend.

Amber & Birthday Booty, Nick Style

Today is the Saturday of my weekend. Mostly, I have home chores to do, but I also need to buy a frame for my Art which Nick gave me for my birthday.


To commemorate my entrance into the world, Nick gave me this reproduction of an original painting by Susie Ghahremani. (He got it on Etsy.com from the artist's shop there.)

I don't know if you noticed, but my Art is a hedgie playing a piano with his nose. What's going on there? Why is that so cute it makes me squeal? It's a hedgie, and he's playing a song on the piano with his tiny pink nose. See the musical note? That's how we know he is playing a song and not just sniffing the keys. Diana has a t-shirt by the same artist with a squirrel playing a snare drum. Who knew little animals were so musical?

I love Art.

Amber & Birthday Treats

Diana made a delicious ice cream terrine with layers of rhubarb frozen yogurt, Italian plum sorbet and peach sorbet. It is frakking delicious!

Holy crap, Diana. You are amazing.

[Update 11:37 pm: I added these photos to show a) that Kevin was not bored by the terrific terrine, but rather with my photojournalistic intrusion...

...b) what a joyous and lovely laugh Diana has...

...c) it was a birthday celebration, and d) I can fill up my cheeks like a squirrel does but with air instead of nuts.]

[P.S. Don't I look oddly like Woody Allen in that shot? Look at the eyebrows.]

Amber & Kitty Profiles: Ginger

Tragedy was narrowly averted last night. I was in the midst of cooking dinner and Ginger jumped up on the stove and singed the ends of his tail fur on the open flame! He seemed unphased, but I thought to myself, What if that had been the end of Ginger? What if Amber & readers never really got to meet him? And then I resolved to tell his tale. And tell about his singed tail.

Photo by James

Ginger is small. He has petite little paws and weighs nearly nothing when you lift him. He still has all of his milk teeth, and is struggling with a sinus infection. Like cat mommy like baby kitty!

Ginger is a patched brown ticked tabby. This means he has some big brown tabby parts, but then some completely white parts. The most fascinating aspects of his coloration are the black backs of his feet-- like little soles on his slippers-- and his gigantic squirrel tail. Luckily, you often get to view these features because he is usually running away from you to chase something or cause mayhem in general. Also, his britches are tan and extremely long.



Ginger loves standing on his back legs to watch the water go down when I flush the toilet. (There was no way I was going to photo document this.) He seems to like all kinds of water: he watches me shower, he tries to get up on the counter when I am using the sink, and he is amortizing the value of the freshy flow quite well, although he usually sits in the basin rather than drinking from it. He loves toys, napping on the cat condo near the window, suckling on fleece blankets, and his brother. He also loves shoes. At first I thought he loves shoe laces, specifically, but then I caught him with his face stuffed inside my clog, licking the foot bed.

Photo by James

Ginger does not like being growled at by Woody (he usually dives under the covers), taking his medicine (he usually dives under the covers), or loud noises outside (ditto). He's a generally agreeable kitten, and took his first lap nap over the weekend. Since then, I don't think he has stopped running.
In fact, it was nearly impossible to take the requisite photo of us together because hes just so darned wiggly. I sure love his little wiggle self. Singed fur and all.

Amber & Puffy Tails

Can you believe how puffy this tail is?

I plan to spend my whole week off contemplating how a tiny cat could have such a puffy tail and not be a squirrel.

That and clean my house, finish painting, and relax.