Cats and knitting

Christmas is getting closer. We are forgoing the Christmas tree this year because of the cats. They knocked down the tree within minutes last year so I'm not even trying this year.

Still knitting. I'm working on the armholes now. Some years Tetsu opens his present, tries it on and finds it too tight or short or flimsy and I spend all of New Years re-knitting the thing. You would think with all the years of making him vests and sweaters that I would be a better judge of how something is going to turn out.

And though you can't see the progress on the vest you can see how we all gather around the kerosene stove in the morning trying to keep warm. Of the cats, only Vel is missing from this picture.

And here's another one of a cat ball. Four cats in that ball. Chip can't find anyplace to squeeze in. This is a no-no of course because Mi is not supposed to be in there. I took her away after I snapped this shot. Mi so wants to be with the other kitties and she wants to cuddle. But she is not supposed to be licking the others nor vice versa so I have to disrupt this bundle of content and put her by herself. Well, she can't be in a completely perfect situation and I remind myself that she is loved and fed and warm...

And here is Mi on a favorite place, Tetsu's chest. She gets her cuddling from him when he is home.

"How much closer does she want to get? Her whiskers tickle!"