End of the Decade, Brand New Year

Melbourne saw out the 2000s with a scorcher, temperature wise. It was in the high 30s for most of day, but as anticipated, a storm broke over the city at 9.00 pm last night, Mother Nature putting on a show that rivalled the fireworks, and dropping a deluge of welcome rain to mark the year’s end.

I didn’t celebrate the turning of the decade in any real way, having a quiet night at home, playing one of my Tex Murphy games. That is, until I thought the thunderstorm was getting too severe to keep my computer safe from power surges, as dramatic lighting displays and rumbles of thunder disturbed the atmosphere.

So to welcome in the New Year an update on cat politics with a few recent cat photos.

The first photo is of Willy, caught lounging in the living room. He has been very erratic about eating this past week, though today with the cool change he was back to normal. He’s not a cat that hangs out for food, unlike Lizzie, and tends to turn up when he feels like it. He also has the peculiar habit of trying to bury his food plate, going through the motions when he has finished.
Update:changed Willy’s pic for a better one I shot today

Here is Lizzie posing on the dining table. She always occupies a corner, the better to call attention to herself. Me me me, she says. It’s her 14th birthday on Tuesday, so she’s getting on in cat years and slowing down. She doesn’t bother going after birds any more, and the birds realise this, just shuffling out of her way when she ventures outside. Even the blackbirds, so vigilant to threat when Pickle (a neighbour’s cat) is in our back yard, fail to raise a peep when Lizzie passes by.

To welcome in the New Year I tested my luck once again with a small bet on the Perth Cup which was run today. It’s still looking rosy, as I had small each way bets and a quinella on Lords Ransom, who won, and Ma Chienne who ran second, resulting in a $49.00 payout. Whoopee!

I hope the hunches and luck continue as the year progresses, especially as the start of the autumn racing carnival is only a few weeks away.

I wish all readers of this blog a very happy 2010. May you all have more wins than losses and may benign fortune smile on all your endeavours.

PS. I know this post says 31 December 2009, but it really is meant to be 1 January 2010 - Blogger won't let me change the post date.