Gorogoro & Nikoniko

Nightmare

2012-01-29T16:50:00.001-05:00

It's getting late.
Let's go to bed, Goro.

In the night,
Goro usually stays wherever his Dad is.

Niko and I usually go to bed together.
He curls up next to me and goes to sleep.

One night, I had a nightmare.

It was a scary ghost in my dream.

Obviously I was screaming very loud.

I woke up everyone in the house.

I woke up, too. Glad my nightmare was over.

Interesting thing happened then.

Goro stayed with me for the rest of the night.

And another couple of nights - which made

two family members unhappy.

(1) Niko

(2) His Dad

Eventually Goro went back to

his usual spot - Dad's side - in the night.

But I think Goro was trying to protect me. He

decided to go off duty as he made sure I was okay.

Now Goro is napping.

It's my turn to protect him in case he has a nightmare.

I think he is having a good dream :-)

Niko under the Influence

2012-01-22T19:41:00.001-05:00

Hi, Niko.

This is "Matatabi Mist" from Japan.
I got it for you and Goro.

Let me spray this in the air...

"Matatabi" can be referred to as Japanese catnip.

So it can make Niko very happy...

...and turn shy Niko into a bold and strong tiger.

...Or not.

Matatabi makes Goro hyper, too.
(He does not need it to get hyper, though.)

It's a good stuff, but like catnip,
be careful not to take too much!

Working Hard

2012-01-15T18:56:00.001-05:00

Hello, this is Niko.

Long time no see.

Mom has been very busy at work so she couldn't get online
to blog. She is working hard, coming home late every day.

Mom working hard (image)

Mom says to Goro and me,

"I work hard, earn money, and make deposit so that
I can get lots of food and toys for you.

Mom says so with smile, but she looks exhausted.

Mom being exhausted (image)

So I asked my brother Goro
if there is anything we can do to help her.

Goro says "being cute" is our job.

Doing our job is supposed to help Mom.
And Goro is dedicated to his job.

He works hard,

earns lots of reward,

and makes a huge deposit.

Us working hard seems helping Mom.
She looks happy.

Mom being happy (image)

"But then, why does she still get so exhausted?"
I asked Goro.

I wonder if there is anything we can do to help her.

Can I?

Mom: It's been quite busy for the last couple of weeks.

I'm sorry I haven't visited you. I miss you all. I think
things are getting back to normal now. Goro and Niko are
source of my energy and always bring peace to my mind.

Friends and Christmas

2011-12-26T18:30:00.002-05:00

Now Christmas is over, but I want to post

about what happened around the holiday :-)

First, we had Clooney Claus visiting our house from

Clooney's Num-Num Fund to bring us a special present!

He got us Liebster Blog Award!! "Liebster" means dear,

dearest, favorite or beloved in German. Isn't it sweet? We love

funny, handsome Mr. George Clooney and his beautiful secretary

Neytiri. And their wonderful human! She truly loves and cares

about her fur babies. Thank you so much and we love you!!

Another thing, I got a package from Japan.

It was sent by my dear friend from college, N-chan.

Goro, calm down.

Let me show you...

It's a 2012 calendar with kitty pictures!

(Sorry, Goro's head is in the way.)

A laser pointer. I can use it for presentation.

(Please ignore the gray blur.)

And my tube tent.

I can use it when I go camping in summer.

Goro, these are mine.

Would you stop acting like they are yours?

Do I? Uh...

Does it? Um...you will let me play with

your presents, right? Remember, sharing is good.

Thank you, N-chan, we all love your present.

Your friendship is the very precious and true gift for me!!

For Christmas dinner, I cooked tuna and chicken for kids.

Happy faces of Goro and Niko make me very happy.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas :-)

The Liebster Blog Award wants us to pick five blogs

to pass it on. We have five of our dear friends we cherish.

Grrreta : Clarence and Ambrose are such adorable

brothers. We are looking forward to updates on everyone!

I am Matilda : Our doggy friend :-) We love Matilda's pretty

round eyes and beautiful scenery of places she goes.

Kitcaboodles : Mr Darcy and Sookie are funny, fluffy fur babies

we adore so much. They make us laugh and smile all the time :-)

Life with Fae : It's been "Life with Fae and Iggy" for a while.

They seem to kiss each other a lot :-) They are so cute together!

The Island Cats : Zoey, Ernie, and Wally are one of first

friends we made. We always love visiting their fun-filled blog.

Thank you for always visiting us. We love you!

We wish you a very Happy New Year!!

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T22:43:00.001-05:00

Last weekend...

Goro, Niko, Dad, and I all went to a store.

It was "photo with Santa" event going on.

We had kids' picture taken with Santa.

And here are the photos...

Goro looks handsome and confident.

He enjoys any kind of excitement.

Niko looks a little uncomfortable.

He is shy around strangers.

Well done, Goro and Niko!

Did you ask Santa what you want for Christmas?

Maybe Goro didn't care about the man in a red suit.

But looks like he asked real Santa what he wants.

Niko asked me to let Santa know his wish.

I put the photos in a living room.

They will stay as a happy memory with my kids.

I wish everyone a happy holiday season with

your loved ones. Even if a distance or rainbow bridge

keep you apart, I believe you are together in hearts

and I hope lots of wonderful memories fill your heart.

Happy Holidays :-)

Cleaning with Niko

2011-12-12T18:36:00.000-05:00

Niko is cleaning himself.

I guess I have to start cleaning the house, too.

Thank you, Niko.

But you don't have to groom the house.

Don't fall, don't fall.

Let's go freshen your mouth.

I get you a special snack for helping me.

Niko sure polishes the house and makes

it sparkle with his bright smile :-)

Just Imagining

2011-12-04T19:50:00.000-05:00

"Nessie" the Loch Ness monster

I found this legendary creature in my bathtub.

I'll be famous for this discovery.

I call it "Tubby" the Bathtub monster.

Not "Tabby," I mean "Tubby."

...Wait, you don't look like Nessie at all.

Well, my dream of becoming famous was shattered.

But I decided to keep him.

He threatened me... I mean,

convinced me to do so by his cuteness.

But...

Oh, no way! Can he be...?

"Sphinx" the mythical creature

Not "Sphynx," I mean "Sphinx."

On a Suitcase

2011-11-27T19:24:00.000-05:00

I'm back from my short trip.

After I unpacked, Niko made himself

comfortable on my suitcase.

It's always great to come back home and
see my kids' happy (and even frowning) faces :-)

Just for a Short Time

2011-11-13T20:08:00.001-05:00

I was preparing for my upcoming short trip.

Oh, Goro, Niko...

I am, but just for a short time.

Besides, I make sure you are happy while I'm away.

I've got new toys for Goro to play and kill

so that he does not get bored.

I'm leaving my clothes with my scent around Niko's

sleeping spots so that he doesn't feel lonely.

I cooked chicken for Goro and Niko so that
they can enjoy a lot of snacks.

But...

I can't be here to stop Goro from playing with
inappropriate toys and hurting himself.

I can't be here to make sure Niko is sleeping

in a comfortable position.

I can't be here to serve snacks for them

and have fun time together.

Oh, no... Goro, Niko.

I DON'T THINK I CAN GO.

Good thing is that Dad will stay home with kids.

I'll be thinking about them all the time while I'm away.

Turbo Track

2011-11-06T19:27:00.001-05:00

I finally got the Turbo Track for my kids. I've seen

this at many blog friends' pages and always wanted one.

While I was assembling it, Goro kept me a company.

All set! Goro, you can play with it now.

Goro seems to enjoy Turbo Track very much.

This toy was a good choice.

But soon he returned to the box.

Is it me or is Goro enjoying the box more?

Later in the evening...

And day after day, Goro continued a

good relationship with the box.

* "I love my box" song written by Goro

Until he began to eat it.

We had to throw away the box.

But don't worry - Goro has moved on to another

box (and is ignoring the Turbo Track. Sigh...)

Halloween Weekend

2011-10-30T19:31:00.001-04:00

Hi, Goro!

Are you practicing for Halloween?

O...K. I will get you some. Don't do mischief, please.

Actually I was planning to serve a special Halloween

treat for my kids. Halloween = pumpkin and they love it.

I baked it in a toaster oven. Isn't it fancy?

Come on, kids! I've got pumpkin pie for you.

Goro immediately lost his appetite.

Niko was trying to eat it, but eventually he gave up.

So I gave them unbaked pumpkin.

They enjoyed it, of course...

Don't worry, kids. Children in our subdivision

usually go to the mall on Halloween night.

And I'm thankful for that because...

Niko is terrified of strangers coming to the door.

I hope everyone will have fun Halloween :-)

Niko's 2nd Birthday

2011-10-23T19:21:00.001-04:00

October 25th, 2010
~ Niko's 1st Birthday ~

I know, Niko. It's terrible.

* If you are interested in what happened last year,

please see Niko's 1st Birthday.

I know! It's my fault. I was a bad photographer.

I am very sorry, Niko.

(Wow...look at his heavenly tummy.)

Uh-huh, uh-huh.

(It looks fluffier every day...)

Huh?

Oh, uh...of course, Niko!

I mean, I care about you, obviously. Look, since your

2nd birthday is coming soon, I got you a present!

What?

Ahhh! Goro, stop, stop it!

Niko will be 2 years old on October 25.

I will make the day special (and not screw up)

for my special boy :-)

Award & Drive-thru

2011-10-16T20:06:00.001-04:00

Phew, I had such a busy, tough week!

In difficult times, though,

there is always something to smile about :-)

My dear friend Tooki gave me two awards.

Wow, really? Thank you, thank you, thank you

very much, Tooki! You made my day!!

There was another nice thing happened to me.

*

On the way to a store,
I decided to get a cup of coffee at drive-thru.

At the payment/pickup window,
coffee shop staff said...

What? I don't even know the lady!

I don't know why she bought me a coffee.

But there is no doubt that she did with a good

heart. She sure gave me a positive energy.

Since she has already gone, I could not say thank you.

So instead, I decided to buy whatever the person

in a car behind me ordered at drive-thru next time.

I hope this someone will have a nice day :-)

Now I'd love to pass on the

awards to two of my dear friends;

Mom And Me, Kassey

Urban Hounds

I hope everyone has a nice day ahead!!

Award & Hanten

2011-10-03T18:44:00.001-04:00

Our lovely, sweet friend, Kassey visited

us and kindly left a message that her Mom

wanted to give us this shiny award!

You brightened our day!! Thank you so much for

thinking about us. Kassey and Mom, you are wonderful!

Though I got sunshine and it's been sunny outside,

mornings and evenings are getting quite chilly.

So I pulled out this winter coat from the closet.

This is Japanese traditional clothing called Hanten.

It's light, warm, and comfortable. I love wearing it at home.

Goro likes to wear it, too.

How do you like Hanten, Goro?

I like sharing clothes with my kids.

I have not seen Niko wearing Hanten, though.

There was one time when he came to knead it...

Maybe this is why Niko does not wear Hanten.

Now I'd like to pass on the Sunshine Award to

Tooki from Living With 6 Hamsters (And 2 Dogs).

I enjoy reading about her fur babies and learning about

Malay culture. They sure give us sunshine!!

Goro's 2nd Anniversary

2011-09-25T19:32:00.000-04:00

Cheer up, Goro.

We are going to have chicken for dinner today.

September 22 was Goro's 2nd Gotcha Day.

We celebrated with special chicken dinner.

My dear son, Goro.

You make me smile every single day.

I love you so much and I do anything

I can to make you happy.

Happy anniversary :-)

Laundry

2011-09-18T19:19:00.007-04:00

I was doing laundry when...

Oh, no, Niko.

Than you, but don't go into the dryer.

Come here, it's dangerous.

I collected clothes, towels, etc. to be washed

and piled them up on the laundry basket.

When I'm done...

........

.....Did I hear something?

Oh! Niko.

What are you doing upside-down?

Are you okay?

Here, let me move the basket.

I think he went in there, tried to

turn back and got stuck.

Probably Niko could manage to get out of there

by himself. But still, I'm glad I was there to save him.

Laundry can be quite dangerous!

Award & Wish

2011-09-12T18:30:00.001-04:00

I am very happy that Mom of Urban Hounds
gave us this great award.

Premio Destellos Brillantes en el Cielo Azul

(Bright Flashes in the Blue Sky Award)

In this wonderful blog, you will find 5 dogs and 3cats

living happily in a city with their Mom and Dad. I love

their interesting stories and delicious recipes they share

occasionally. Mmm! Thank you again for the award!

This award wants us to describe what we

dream or wish for most in the world. It's a tough one

as I have many wishes; forever loving home and

healthy, happy life for all animals/humans, taking

my kids to cruise trip, no animal cruelty, ability to

speak cat language, etc, etc...

Goro. How about you? What do you wish for?

Goro, peace! Don't attack Niko. Peace!

This award also wants us to nominate 6 blogs to pass it on.

It's a tough one, too, as I can pick only 6 out of so many

wonderful blogs. I managed to pick these lovely friends;

Cat's Cats

You are all handsome and your mom is so sweet!

Clooney's Num-Num Fund

My favorite man! You are both sexy and funny :-)

Luna Kitty

I'm excited that you are welcoming new kitties!

OK Cats

Two beautiful girls. Zoe, can I jump into your tummy?

The Meow Factor

I want to take a nap with all of you together :-)

Whisppy

Thank you for saving fur babies. And you are so funny!

I hope everyone a wonderful week!!

Toy Bear

2011-09-05T16:58:00.001-04:00

I posted before, but Niko had a childhood
friend; Toy Bear. It was a cute red bear.

But Goro killed it.

(I can't show the lower body as it's torn apart.)

The other day, I found this small red bear.
I got it for Niko.

Goro's idea of sharing is different from everyone else's.

After a while, Goro got distracted.

Goro is naive and innocent like a small child.

I think he just loves having fun.

Niko might not agree with me, though.

Tail Grooming

2011-08-28T19:02:00.001-04:00

Niko is grooming

with both his legs in the air :-)

I like the way he holds his tail when grooming it.

Meanwhile Goro was...

He was grooming the toy. (Why?)

...Goro. It's not your tail.

(Then what is that affectionate look on his face?)

Next day...

I found the toy soft and fluffy :-)

Cat Bed

2011-08-21T19:06:00.001-04:00

I saw this cat-shaped cat bed in a store.

It was so cute that I had to get it.

As usual, Goro came right over to

check it out. He loves anything new.

As usual, Niko was a little scared.

But he was showing an interest, too.

I put the cat bed on a chair in

the living room, hoping they will use it.

One night, I saw Niko playing around the

cat bed. He seemed more comfortable with it.

Good morning, boys. Niko, I saw you

making friends with the cat bed last night.

What?

Well... The bed can be kind of spooky with two

eyes looking at me. But there is no way it can roam...

Oh my gosh, it's gone!

No, no, no, it can not happen!!

Dad: "Oh, I moved the cat bed upstairs."

I... know that, Goro.

It was an incident that made my

hot summer day a little cooler.

Nail Trimmer

2011-08-14T19:44:00.001-04:00

One morning...

It was found on the kitchen floor.

This is one of nail trimmers for Goro and Niko.

Obviously broken.

We usually place nail trimmers on the wine rack on

kitchen counter. This means someone dropped it,

causing it to crash down to the floor. Who did this?

Prime suspect : Goro

Goro is a natural mess maker.

He plays with things he is not supposed to.

So, Goro. I believe you got on a counter and

had a little too much fun with the nail trimmer.

.....Goro? Are you listening to me?

Would you stop flashing your belly?

It is very distracting.

I could not continue questioning because my face

went into Goro's belly fur. (I call it a "happy place.")

Second suspect : Niko

Niko does not like his nails trimmed. It must

be convenient for him if the nail trimmer is dead.

So, Niko. I believe you have a strong motive. Only,

your miscalculation is that we have two nail trimmers.

That's true. You are a good boy, Niko.

But you can be a little naughty sometimes...

( Evidence Photograph )

Oh, no, no, no. I'm sorry, Niko.
I do, I trust you!

*

Third suspect : Their Dad

Maybe he dropped the nail trimmer by accident and
left it on the floor to make me believe it was done by
one of the kids. But he denied any cover-up attempts.

*

So I guess this case must remain unsolved.

I'm sure many households with fur babies

have unsolved cases like this as well.

Niko's Thought

2011-08-07T19:50:00.002-04:00

(Image in Niko's head: Goro in foreign country)

(Image in Niko's head: Goro in a restaurant)

(Image in Niko's head: Goro being exchanged)

Mom: "Niko! We are home!"

Actually Goro, Dad, and I were at the Vet.

Earlier this week, I came back home and found right

side of Goro's face was swollen. There was a dead bee

on a floor, so I guess he was playing with it and got

stung. (We don't know how the bee got in the house.)

Anyway, we rushed to the Vet and Goro got two shots.

By the end of next day, swelling was gone.

(I was just trying to take photos as medical record!)

It was a scary experience but we are glad
Goro has recovered and is doing good now :-)

Belly Check

2011-07-31T19:37:00.000-04:00

Goro has got an athletic body.

Niko is more like fur ball.

Anyway, Goro likes to keep himself busy. And

by being active, he has been in pretty good shape.

But.....

Goro?

Have you gained weight?

I think you look a little flabbier these days.

Especially your belly...

Is it?

OK...maybe. If you say so.

Um... Hey, Goro.

Look, your belly is hanging!

It's definitely flabbier.

(FBI: Flabby Belly Inspector)

N...no, no. I am saying it's not just your fur.

Oh, Goro...

It is growing. Growing towards the ground.

As their mother, I have to make sure

my kids keep a healthy weight.

(Personally, though, I'm very fond of flabby belly.)

Unusual Visitor

2011-07-24T17:01:00.001-04:00

Goro and Niko are looking out of

window very intently.

What is it? Deer? Big bird?

I don't see anything.

But guessing from the size of Niko's tail...

It must be something very unusual.

What, Goro?

Oh, my gosh! It's a snake!

This snake looks kind of aggressive.

And making Niko's hair stand on end.

Niko is out now.

Snake left, too.

Goro wanted to play with it a little longer.

If Goro was an outdoor kitty,

maybe he could make friends with it.

(Or eat it.)

And Niko...

I'm glad he is an indoor kitty now.

Dad's Little Boy

2011-07-17T14:23:00.001-04:00

Goro and his Dad are buddies.

Dad: "Goro, do you want to go out on a deck?"

Goro loves to go outside.

He does not like wearing harness, though.

Dad: "Don't be a drama queen and let's go."

It's a relaxing time for Dad and fun time for Goro.

Dad: "What are you watching, Goro?"

Dad: "Dinner?"

Dad: "Oh, you mean deer!"

Dad: "Uh... I'd rather go to a grocery store, Goro."

After dinner (no, we did not have deer,)

Goro and Dad took a little nap together.

Goro is Dad's sweet little boy.

Award & Untold Story

2011-07-10T15:19:00.000-04:00

I'm very happy to say that our sweet friend Cat from
Cat's Cats gave us this delicious-looking award!

I love visiting Cat and her boys - Casper, Ben, Archie, and

Jimmy. I always enjoy their sweet , fun stories and photos.

They are truly loved and reading about them makes me

happy all the time. Thank you, Cat, for thinking about us!!

This award wants us to tell 7 unknown things about ourselves.

So I'm going to share some memories of my boys' childhood.

*

From the day one, Goro settled right in his new home.

Niko, on the other hand, hid under the dresser for a while.

Goro was outgoing and enjoyed his 1st shopping trip.

Niko always felt secure and happy inside the house.

Although Goro was always cheerful and friendly,
he showed signs of becoming a toy killer.

Niko had a childhood friend; Toy Bear.

However, this adorable red bear is no longer with us.

Sadly, he was killed by someone.

I'm glad Goro and Niko have each other.

They are good brothers. :-)

Now I'd like to pass on this award to Michiko. Her blog

is not about cats but very interesting topics she picks

for each post. I enjoy reading what she talks about

and I also love her sweet comments she leaves for us :-)

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

Meow Meow Meme

2011-06-26T16:26:00.002-04:00

A while ago, we were tagged by cute and funny Oklahoma girls,
Fuzzy and Zoe from OK Cats and beautiful and adventurous
(I'm referring her runaway episode) Angelina with her family Tom,
Nicole, Michael, Nikki, and Brad from The Meow Factor for
Meow Meow Meme! Thank you so much for thinking about us!

1. Where do you like to hang out?

Niko loves to hang out on his grass bed.

2. Who is your kitty crush?

Probably none for Goro. He doesn't like cats.

He was very unhappy when we adopted Niko.

I'm glad Goro and Niko are good brothers now :-)

3. What is your favorite scent?

Both Goro and Niko loves the scent of cotton swab.

4. What is your favorite TV show?

Of course Bird TV!!

5. What is your favorite movie?

Niko loves "The Devil Wears White Bib."

Story: Innocent and sweet Nikory gets a job as

the assistant to the famous Cat Gourmet magazine

editor, ruthless bib-wearer Goronda Priestly.

Goro loves "Gorona Jones and the Last Catfight."

Story: Catfoodologist Gorona Jones goes on

adventure to find his father who

went missing while pursuing the Holy Quail.

6. What is your favorite feline wisdom?

Having feline in your life is like having

sunshine in your heart.

My kids are my furry sunshine :-)

I'm supposed to tag three friends, but great

many of you have already played and being

tagged for Meow Meow Meme. So I just want to say

I enjoyed playing and reading everyone's answers :-)

I don't know who started, but it's so much fun!!

Niko and Cat Grass

2011-06-19T18:37:00.001-04:00

Goro loves to go out on a deck.

On the other hand, Niko is terrified of being outside.

So in order for Niko to look like a

mighty jungle cat like this...

He has to be inside the house.

I'm not sure if this is the proper way to

enjoy cat grass. He looks happy, though :-)

I guess Niko does not like to be outside,

but still enjoys the smell of nature.

When Niko was rescued, he was trapped in a ditch.

The melting snow almost gave him hyperthermia.

We never know how long

he had to live outside before he was rescued.

But I imagine, maybe on sunny days, he looked for

a grass bed warmed by sunshine to take a nap.

Now I'm here for him to warm his bed.

Goro's Table Manner

2011-06-12T18:54:00.001-04:00

Hello, this is Goro.

Today I'm going to talk about a quality mealtime.

As we all know, plenty of

tasty food makes your tummy happy.

Example of happy tummy

However, a good manner is important to

fill your heart. Here are some table manner lessons

I'd like to share with you.

Lesson 1

Use your paws when eating dry food.

It's more fun this way.

Lesson 2

When you are offered a beverage, drink it.

Lesson 3

Don't be afraid to make a mess.

Floor will clean itself.

Lesson 4

Bury your left-over food after you finish eating.

Lesson 5

In case you don't like your dish, just sit on it.

You will get a fresh food - I guarantee it.

If you are already using these table manners, great!

If not, I hope my lessons will help

you enhance the quality of your mealtime.

(Niko...not the lesson 5...

Please don't take the lesson 5...

- by your Mom.)

Award & Riddle

2011-06-05T19:24:00.003-04:00

I'd like to say a big "Thank you!" to Catherine from

Corner of Cat's Mind for the Kreativ Blogger Award.

I always enjoy visiting Catherine's blog.

It is filled with sweet minds and beautiful photos!

You always feel good when you visit her :-)

This award wants me to say 5 things about us.

I have 5S for my kids;

Goro is SMART and STRONG.

Niko is SWEET and SENSITIVE.

They are both very SPECIAL for me!

Special note with love: SEXY for Mr. Clooney :-)

It's time for me to pass the award. This is

the difficult part as I love all the blogs I know!

I'm trying to decide... It will take a while...

Please play a riddle below while I'm thinking.

Which creature in the morning goes on four legs,

at mid-day on two,

and in the evening upon three?

The answer must be a CAT.

(No? It's not?)

Now I'd like to pass the award to two of my lovely friends;

Admiral from The Adventures of Admiral Hestorb:

She is such a sweetheart and our hearts

always feel warmer when visiting her.

Spitty from SpittySpeaks:

He is such a funny, handsome mancat and

we love the way he sees his human :-)

We wish you all have a wonderful week!!

Goro's 2nd Birthday

2011-05-30T10:15:00.001-04:00

Today we celebrate Goro's 2nd birthday.

Goro is like a big child.

He does not like being left alone.

Goro plays hard.

In a play-fight, he gets very excited.

...Sometimes too excited.

But I say these with love

because I love him just the way he is, and...

No matter how old they are,

my kids are always my babies :-)

Happy birthday, Goro!

Tale of Tail

2011-05-22T19:22:00.002-04:00

I don't know if it is said worldwide, but in Japan,

I hear that kitties born with hooked tail bring happiness.

Hooked tail... Or kinked? Crooked? Curled? I don't

know the proper word, but it is a tail which is not straight.

You can? Niko?

Oh, it is very neatly folded. Well done, Niko.

You can? Goro?

Oh...it reminds me of a candy swirl. Mmm!

You boys bring me happiness every day :-)

Long time ago, when I was still living in Japan,

I had a girl who had a hooked tail.

She was born prematurely and I thought she

would not make it. But she grew big and beautiful.

She sure brought me a lot of happiness.

Unconditional Love

2011-05-15T21:09:00.001-04:00

I'm sure everyone with cat child(ren)

has the same kind of experience.

Niko, mommy got a bed for you.

Do you want to use it?

Sigh . . .

Niko, I have to throw that away.

Goro, mommy got a toy for you.

Do you want to play with it?

Sigh . . .

Goro, I have to throw this away.

We give and give and give, even though what

we get in return most of the time is a cold reaction.

So why can't we stop giving?

Well... It's because of love, and

because we get to rub that...

Goro ~, thank you for the reward :-)

Ouch, ouch.

Grooming Time

2011-05-09T18:20:00.000-04:00

Goro is grooming Niko.

When he does, Goro tends to start biting Niko.

So Niko usually runs away or they end up fighting.

Maybe I can take fun wrestling photos

for my blog - hee hee.

Okay, I have my camera set for continuous

shooting mode. You can start fighting.

Come on, kids.

Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man. ♪

♪ Bake me a cake as fast as you can. ♪♪

♪ Roll it up, roll it . . . up . . . . .

O...Oh! I'm sorry, Goro.

Is Goro a better groomer now?

Or is Niko being patient?

I didn't expect to take cute snuggling photos.

But it's always nice to see them being sweet :-)

Goro's Wish

2011-05-02T21:01:00.000-04:00

It was Sunday morning when Goro came to see me.

Of course, Goro!

Niko, we will go shopping.

Do you want to join us?

We will, Niko.

Goro, his Dad, and I went to the store.

Goro, have you found what you need?

Later Goro found what he wanted.

We put it in a shopping cart and checked out.

So what Goro got at the store is...

We have a bird feeder hanging off the deck.

It has been empty for a while.

Now it is filled, birds will come to have a meal.

I know Goro wants to eat those birds.

Sorry, Goro...

I don't think your wish will come true.

But I will cook chicken for you and Niko :-)

Be Strong

2011-04-24T15:55:00.001-04:00

Goro has nothing to fear.

Compared to him, Niko is very sensitive.

But he has to have a tough skin

in order to live with Goro.

Niko learned a lot and now he has become

much stronger both mentally and physically.

He even chases Goro and

makes an active attack in a play-fight.

Still, Goro is the big brother who

Niko looks up to.

I'm sure Niko will catch up to Goro some day :-)

By the way, Goro uses our bed as his airport.

I happened to be in the bed twice in a past when

he flew and he landed on my FACE both times.

Well...I guess I have to have a tough skin

(literally) in order to live with Goro.

Tap Water

2011-04-17T15:41:00.001-04:00

Like many other kitties,

Niko does not like getting wet.

When being bathed, he gets scared and fights

as if it is the end of the world.

(We discontinued giving bath for now as it is too

stressful for Niko and replaced it with cat wipes.)

So I was pleasantly surprised when

he began to show interest in running water at sink.

Of course, Niko!

Let me turn on the faucet.

Is it good, Niko?

.....Niko?

Hey, your hair...

O...Oh.

Niko, your hair is standing up!

Are you okay?

Uh...should I stop water?

You look kind of frightened.

I wonder if Niko is interested in running water

but at the same time terrified of getting wet.

As for Goro,

he does not like getting wet, either.

When being bathed, he gets uncomfortable and screams

as if it is the end of the world.

But he does not mind having a wet head.

Butterfly

2011-04-10T21:40:00.000-04:00

I got this toy the other day.

Kitties on a box looked very happy, and

I wanted my kids to have fun.

As expected, Goro came to check out the new toy.

Thank you, Goro.

But I don't think I need the instruction.

It's pretty easy to put together.

No, I didn't mean it's ready.

Let me put the ball on a platform.

Goro, you are supposed to let

butterflies fly out of the ball.

Now you can play. Go!

Yes, yes. You can dance, too.

Like the kitties on a box!

Don't you want to dance, Goro?

Goro...?

Goro?

...It turned out the toy had a

sleep-inducing effect on Goro.

His reaction was different from what I expected.

I think he enjoyed it, though.

Niko ran away from the toy.

(It was kind of expected as his first reaction.)

Maybe I will report back when

he decides to play with it.

Beautiful Crime

2011-04-03T16:01:00.000-04:00

It was found in a water fountain

on early Sunday afternoon.

Looks like it is someone's eye.

Later the body was found under a dining table

about 5 feet from the crime scene.

Upon determination that a kitty is responsible

for the murder, FBI began investigation.

*FBI (Feline Behavior Improvement):

Non-profit organization whose mission is to

help households owned by a naughty cat

by improving his/her behavior.

FBI conducted interviews with toys,
but they kept silence.

FBI agent: "These toys must be controlled with fear."

But they got a solid information from
a source who refused to be identified.

(Mr. N, speaking on condition of anonymity)

FBI agent: "Bathroom! Let's go!"

They ran to the bathroom and
saw fierce act of vandalism.

FBI Agent: "Oh my gosh...
He is eating bathroom tissue."

They managed to capture suspect Goro.

FBI Agent: "No, we are going to teach you
how to behave nicely. You will learn playground
manners, table manners, etc..."

FBI Agent: "Save it, Mr. Goro. We don't take bribes."

FBI Agent: "Wha...what?"

FBI Agent: "Really?
I mean, stop right there, Mr. Goro."

FBI Agent: ".........."

***

FBI concluded it was not a murder but a suicide.

FBI Agent: "It was a belly...eh, uh, very
difficult case. But there is no wrongdoing in this house."

This story is fictitious. Any resemblance to real
names or organizations is purely coincidental!

Goro and Niko in a Cat Tree

2011-03-27T16:20:00.004-04:00

Niko is on the top of brown cat tree,

enjoying the view from the window.

Goro came in anyway.

...I may have to rescue Niko now.

There used to be enough room for

both of them to relax together.

Picture taken in May 2010

Maybe for Goro, Niko is still a small baby.

Award & 7 Things

2011-03-20T18:43:00.000-04:00

We are very happy to say this blog is given the
"Awesome Blog Award!" We want to say big thank
you for this amazing award to our favorite girl, Kassey
in Mom and Me, Kassey, smart and adorable Carolyon
in Carolyon, and handsome (and our kids' evil twin)
Mr. George Clooney in Clooney's Num-Num Fund.
Thank you so much for thinking about us!!

It's my turn to pass this award but many of you have

already gotten it. And you are all awesome! So I

just want to say I enjoy reading your blogs. I am

very happy to have known you and become friends.

This award wants us to share the fact about us.

Here I have 7 things to tell you...

#1
After meal, Niko stretches and goes ralaxing.

After meal, Goro buries his food with invisible sand.

But Goro does not bury after using bathroom.

(No it does not! I am the one who

fights the deadly smell every day.)

Instead, Niko does all the burying

when he uses bathroom after Goro.

After using bathroom, Niko cleans himself.

Goro loves to watch me clean dishes.

I wait to start dish washer until my bedtime

so that I can include all the dirty dishes of the day.

And this is when everyone gathers

in the kitchen because.......

#7
We have happy hour right before bedtime.
Kids eat a little treat and then we say good night.
We go to bed happy and greet another happy day.

Sweet Dreams

2011-03-13T17:30:00.001-04:00

Goro's blooming tummy fur.

He loves to nap with one or both of us around.

Goro is like a jello with fur when he is asleep.

Niko and his favorite blanket.

He is a sleep-kneader.

Niko kneads while he is sleeping.

Maybe he is dreaming about being a baker.

One of the things that make me happy is

to see my kids sleeping peacefully, with no worries.

I hope those who are worried about their

loved ones' health, who lost loved ones,

who are affected by disasters and living in fear

can find anything to smile about.

I hope payers and purring will reach them

and everyone can have a good night's sleep.

Cold

2011-03-06T15:26:00.001-05:00

I caught a cold.

Thank you, Niko.

But I'm not sure

if I'll be comfortable in your bed.

...I will borrow it when I feel like kneading.
Enjoy the bed, Niko.

Oh, you are so sweet, Goro.

Let me go get sugar to add to the tea.

T...thank you, Goro.

Did you wash your hands after using bathroom?

Thanks to devoted care by my kids,

I got over the sticky cold.

We can catch a cold easily when seasons change.

Please take care not to fall sick,

and I wish everyone a good health.

Niko's 1st Anniversary

2011-02-27T14:44:00.001-05:00

Niko came to our home on February 28, 2010.
My fiance and I adopted him from a shelter because we wanted Goro to have a friend. At the first meeting, Goro did not like Niko. Goro growled and hissed at him. We kept Niko in a guest bedroom to let both of them slowly adapt to the new situation.

Three days after Niko came here, I found a bald spot over his left eye, which was diagnosed as ringworm.
Since ringworm is infectious and can be passed with direct contact or via environment including shed hair, we had to keep him completely separated from Goro. Niko had to stay in the guest bedroom much longer than we planned.

It became a daily routine to wash clothes and take shower immediately after spending time with Niko. Every time we left the room, Niko cried and cried behind the closed door. It broke my heart but we could not let him out. Goro's hissing continued whenever he noticed Niko in the room or in a carrier when going to the vet. We gave Goro a treat in front of the closed door in order to let him relate Niko to something good.

One day, I was spending time with Niko. I put him on my lap and looked at him.
His face looked strange because hair over his eyes was shaved by the vet for topical application of medicine. He was skinny and bony. His coat covering his tiny body was rough and dry. His nails were cracked. He obviously lacked nutrition, which I think was because he was stray for a long time. When the volunteer lady at the shelter found him, he was in a ditch, in a melting snow, with broken pelvis. We don't know how long he was trapped there. And now he has to be confined in this room.

Feeling sad and sorry for him, I stroked Niko's neck gently.
Then he began to purr. He looked at me and purred. It was loud and strong. This was the moment I really fell in love with him.

About one and half months later, Niko was free from ringworm. Finally it was time for him to come out of the room. But we were not sure how Goro would react to it.
To our pleasant surprise, when Niko came out, Goro did not hiss or growl at him. Goro looked at Niko with a curious look on his face and touched Niko with his paws. We gave both of them a treat.

Soon they began to play with each other, became friends and now they are real brothers. We don't know what changed Goro's mind. After all, maybe this one and half months was what Goro needed to accept Niko. Or did all the treats work as we desired? Or maybe Niko's crying behind the closed door made Goro feel sympathy for Niko and warm up for him.

It doesn't matter. We are just happy that Niko is a happy kitty now. Niko has gained a lot of pounds. His coat is soft and shiny. His nails are strong. He is safe and he stays warm in winter and cool in summer. He is our son and Goro's brother.
Thank you for coming to our life, Niko. Your happy face, cute voice, fluffy tummy, your shyness and sweetness, your everything brings us so much happiness and we love you from the bottom of our hearts. Happy anniversary, Niko.
..........Niko?

Niko? Goro? Have you fallen asleep?

Niko...sorry it was very long. I will make it short for your next anniversary.

Away from Home

2011-02-21T21:59:00.000-05:00

About 10 days ago...
I was preparing for my little trip.

Yes, Goro, but just for a short period.

Will you be okay without me?

I.....hope you will keep a regular bowel movement.

You and Niko, both.

What do you mean?

Oh, no! Don't say that!

I... I always think about

Niko's and your happiness, Goro.

Now, would you give me my passport?

I did not ask you to pass me a pork, Goro.

My passport is under your tummy.

Are you trying to keep me from going away?

Later I found Goro packed himself in my suitcase.

Unfortunately, I could not take him or Niko with me.
(I wish I could.)

But when I came back,
Goro was happy and Niko had all his hair.

I don't think I'll go on a trip for a while.
It was very hard to be away from my kids.

Annual Vet Visit

2011-02-05T19:35:00.002-05:00

It was Saturday morning, when I saw...

Goro! Stop attacking Niko.

We need to go to the Vet today.

I mean, Niko, Dad, and I need to go.

You don't have to run, Goro.

Today was the day for

Niko's annual veterinary exams.

Now, time for exam.

Niko got vaccinations and he is a healthy, happy boy :-)

Goro, we are home!

Goro...?

Are you okay?

Oh, Goro. It was just a regular Vet visit.

Niko is home, too.

Yes, he went upstairs.

Goro! Stop attacking Niko!

*

There was another time when
Niko had to be at the Vet for a while
and Goro was depressed at home.

Goro is sometimes rough but
he sure loves Niko :-)

Award & 7 Facts

2011-01-30T15:03:00.002-05:00

Hello, it's Goro and Niko.

Usually our Mom posts a blog but this time

we will, because we got a special award from

sweet Admiral in Adventures of Admiral Hestorb!

Also wonderful Lucy and Sam in A Tale of 2 Kitties

left us a comment that they want us to have

this award. Thank you, Admiral, Lucy, and Sam

for thinking about us!

This award wants us to tell 7 things that people out

in blog land may not know. OK, here we go.

Niko: I sometimes pretend I don't feel like eating

so that Mom puts a little snack in my bowl.

Goro: I sometimes pretend I don't feel like eating

so that Mom spoon-feeds me.

Goro: I tried to chew up Mom's cabin kennel

to stop her from going on a trip.

Niko: I saw Goro chewing up Mom's

snack-case and I was going to tell her.

...But I didn't, because

I didn't want her to go away either.

Niko: I'm half-Japanese because Mom is Japanese.

I am studying Japanese to surprise Mom

by speaking her native language.

Goro: I'm half-Japanese because Mom is Japanese.

But Niko is not

because he was adopted when he was a baby.

Finally #7

Goro & Niko: Anyone, regardless of

who you are or where you are from, can make a

real happy family. (We don't need to be related by birth
or belong to the same species.) All we need is love :-)

Oh, we just realized #7 does not apply to

"a thing people may not know" because all of you

here already know it!

Here is another #7

Our Dad is allergic to cats so he gets allergy shots

to be around us. He loves us so much!!

Now, we want to pass this award on to 7 blogs

that are stylish. We wanted to pick more than 7

but this award wants us to pick only 7. So hard.

Animal Shelter Volunteer Life

Carolyon

Clooney's Num-Num Fund

Have a happy weekend!!

Goro's Toy

2011-01-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

Goro is an adorable boy.

But his true identity is a serial toy killer.

Victim #1 Big bird
Stuffing is coming out, not foaming at the mouth

Victim #2 Rat

Face is eaten. Too graphic to show without mosaic.

Victim #3 Feather toy (Left)
Same toys: Right is new, left is after being attacked.

They are just the tip of an iceberg.

Goro is looking for the next victim,

and toys are trembling with fear.

"How long will this toy killing spree continue?"

"Who will be the next victim?"

Meanwhile, Niko is enjoying his kneading time.

*Kneading song "Holiday Biscuit" written by Niko

?

Niko? Is something wrong?

I hope Goro knows Niko is not a toy.

Snow Day

2011-01-16T15:02:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week...

I found Goro moving like a snake.

Ah, he was after a bird outside.

We can, Goro.

But you have to get dressed first.

And you can't hunt that bird.

We had a heavy snow here in Southeastern U.S.

To go out, Goro has to wear harness.

Goro, I've seen you jumping around

in that harness before. Let's go.

(He is kind of a drama queen.)

Anyway, as he is dressed properly, we went outside.

But it was so cold that we came back in 3 minutes.

It's not a good idea to go out

on such a cold, snowy day.

By the way, I haven't seen Niko...

Goro, do you know where Niko is?

After occupying the spot in front of fireplace

and warming himself, Goro went upstairs.

For a while, though, neither he nor Niko came back

to downstairs, so I went to check on them.

Maybe they are snuggling up to

each other on a bed :-)

It's a good way to warm up

on such a cold, snowy day.

.....No, they are not on a bed.

Where did they go?

...Wait.

I hear a noise coming from the bathroom.

Ah, there they are, dancing.

It's another good way to warm up
on such a cold, snowy day.

*

Snow has mostly melted around where I live
by this weekend. I hope everyone who has snow
stay warm and safe, and everyone who does not
have snow also stay comfortable and safe.

Caring Goro

2011-01-09T19:33:00.003-05:00

I imagine toys do not like being played by Goro.

I think so because Goro sometimes
gets a little rough when playing.

Soaking of a toy is often followed by tearing.

(By the way, Goro. You don't have to bring

the WET toy to us in the MIDNIGHT.)

Goro...is attacking necessary?

Goro tends to groom Niko during fight or attack.

(I don't understand why.)

I know Niko does not like being groomed by Goro.

I think it's because Goro sometimes
gets a little rough when grooming.

Grooming Niko is often followed by biting.

But I think Goro is a caring brother after all.

...I think.

Playground

2011-01-01T14:30:00.000-05:00

Niko loves to play on the bed

in the guest bedroom.

I move the wand toy under a blanket,
and Niko chases it!

Goro does not "join."

He takes over.

After playing comes a grooming time.

We wish everyone a very happy, healthy, and
wonderful New Year!!

Christmas Present

2010-12-26T20:07:00.004-05:00

On Christmas Eve,

we opened presents.

Goro, this is from your Dad.

This is a tunnel. You can go in and play!

Do you like it, Goro?

Oh, Niko. You like your tunnel, too!

OK, Niko. It's your turn.

Why don't you open the present from Mom?

Look! It's a Santa Hat!

You can go in there and it makes rustling noise!

(Goro ended up opening the present and

Niko is back to tunnel.)

(Obviously, neither Goro nor Niko was

impressed by my present.)

G..Goro...

Thank you, Goro.....

It makes me feel better, a little bit.....

Anyway, dinner is almost ready.

Goro, Niko, let's move to the dining room.

Goro, it is a little Christmas decoration

that I put for your dining table.

Oops, I guess it had a small amount of catnip.

I happened to make Goro really happy with

something I did for kids for Christmas.

It seemed both Goro and Niko enjoyed

their Christmas dinner :-)

We had a great time together.

I wish you all had a wonderful holiday, too!!