Bomble, posing for me, twelve years on

Just before Helena left for work this morning, she mentioned that is was Bomble's twelfth anniversary. Actually she explained that it was twelve years since we brought him home after we found him in a local rescue centre. We knew immediately we saw him in a large outdoor cage and heard his 'chat' to us that we would take him to live with us.

We think he was about three years old when we got him, and being a bit of a tearaway although extremely friendly to humans, he had been a difficulat cat to look after for several people. We were also told that he lived outdoors in a garden for the first year of his life. I expect and hope Helena will add more tales of Bomble to this celebration.

I had gone out to the garden to fill the bird feeders, one of which hangs in the tree to the left of where Bomble is sitting on the fencepost. He has never really bothered the birds although other cats have tried to. Now he is old he rarely runs and climbs up to high points in trees, onto cabin roofs, or up ladders as he used to do. We think he has arthritis but he still fights off the challenges of the rather 'horrible' stray cat who torments all the neighbourhood gardens.

As soon as I saw that Bomble had joined me in the garden I went inside to get my camera and he happily looked art me when I called him. I'm glad to have a suitable portrait of him in his element to celebrate him once again. We love him dearly, as do all visitors to our home. As soon as anyone arrives he will come to greet them, much like a dog does, and often has a few sounds to add as well. A few minutes ago he arrived right here and jumped up onto my knee, sat in front of my computer and nuzzled his incredibly soft furry head against mine. Aaahhh!! What a delight.