Sunday 11 March 2018

Snow snow go away!



This is my selfie for the week:-



Ah-ha! I hear you say, caught in the act of blatantly napping!

Well at first glance that is what it may appear to be. BUT
I am actually undertaking a new therapy treatment called thermo-elastic-acclimatisation or TEA as we now know it here at the Palace.

All you need to do is use your heated mat, and stretch out and gently, and here's the important bit, SLOWLY allow the heat to warm the body. After a hour or so of this you'll be as right as rain (plenty of that in the UK at the moment) and be as supple as a kitten. Just right in fact to get up and inspect my afternoon tea bowl.

Please note the long term use of tea towels on the heated bed is not recommended, especially if they happen to be Mrs Hudson's best quality, just washed sort of a tea towel!



To see what all our pals have been up to, click the links below.



And now it's story time!



This weeks story is............... Snow snow go away!






Erin sat looking out of the tower window at the snow drifts on her recently completed golf course, and sighed to herself. It had been a particularly fraught few weeks and waves of snow had blown in and out more times than someone stuck in a revolving door. In fact she knew this was a at least 53 times, as the gardener had got stuck in the one fitted to the maze and clocked up 52 visits before he could slow it down enough to climb out through the top of the doors.

Being the charitable sort, she had said he could pay off the entry costs of the fifty two visitors' tickets that had been dispensed, on a one per week basis, with an off peak and frequent user discount applied.

If only the snow would go, she mused, things could be so much more fun.

She and her new housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, had wiled away the hours playing games, between naps. When she could rouse her, Mrs Hudson had proved to be a worthy adversary, and suitably adept at losing most games that Erin wanted to play. There were however only so many times you could play pin the tail on the mouse, before said mouse lost interest in the game, and indeed the living part of it too.

"Mrs H, I think we need to come up with a new set of games that we can play. I just can't get the enthusiasm up for this any longer. We haven't had a case all winter and the accounts are looking a bit sparse."

"Well, Erin, we could always play Monopoly but with real houses. I think you own a few quite a few mouse holes in the village and you could foreclose on a few so that I could buy them. Then we could use the four village streets as the board and see who can get the most in a week. Given how quick them mice breed you could put up a block of apartments and a few retirement complexes and and have them filled in no time!"

"I know, Mrs H, and it does sound fun, but think of the running costs of maintaining it all. Though to be fair I do like collecting the rent a nibble at a time. Maybe I could have the apartment blocks named after me, Princess Towers, or Erin Heights. I mean if the President can do it then I, a mere princess should be able to. Granted I don't have the leverage, but I do own the biggest golf course in the world."

"Yes dear, on paper maybe. But that may not technically be true. Just because you have a course with over two hundred holes doesn't make it big. Challenging yes and there isn't a hole that is under a par ten on account of the moles blocking them up and making new ones. And all the work the gardener has to do to renumber those holes each day is quite wearing for the lad. Still, keeps him occupied and off the streets, and there aren't many seventy somethings that can boast that."

Erin nodded and then pondered for a while. "By Jove I have it! Mrs H, get out the inflatable beach toys and get pumping, we're going to have ourselves some fun."

An hour and much puffing later, Erin and Mrs Hudson could be found outside, each astride their own inflatable beach toy. Mrs Hudson was in front, perched on an inflatable banana, whilst Erin had the inflatable hotdog that was tied to the banana's stalk. 

They sat at the top of the sloping green to the 89th hole of the golf course. "OK, on my mark push off and paddle like mad with those oars, Mrs H, and then sit back and enjoy the ride!"


Mrs Hudson looked at the pair of oars that had been taped to the side of the banana, then to the forty-five degree slope on the green,  and then the slalom coarse arranged around the various holes on the coarse, marking their route down the slope to the finishing line beside the gardener's shed. "Erin dear, I think getting a head of steam up will be the least of our problems! Have we any steering, or brakes?"

She looked around and saw Erin poised rodeo style on a tartan cat blanket, that had been secured like a saddle around the hot dogs girth. The sun sparkled on her ski goggles and the pink scarf, that matched her mittens she had knitted her, fluttered in the breeze as she bounced up and down on its thin inflated rubber surface. She looked, she mused, like a cross between Amy Johnson and an actor called Louise B. Lindley Jr, both of whom she had bumped into whilst on a flying visit to America.

"Yee-haw!" Erin shouted, and waved her paw in the air. "Brakes, Mrs H, are for dudes. We're going to ride this here pony... Er... hot dog and banana like pros. No wimps, no brakes, just grit, and a dollop of nip ketchup to spice it up. Let go that anchor and paddle like there's no tomorrow!"

Mrs H let out a sigh and unhitched the unlikely culinary duo from the potted aspidistra that provided an obstacle on the putting green. Striking off with the oars, she sent plumes of the soft snow flying wildly all over Erin. Then, having got some traction with the wooden blades, their rubberised mounts inched forwards towards the edge of the green and onto the sloping fairway.

"Hold on Erin, we're about to......" Mrs Hudson didn't get to finish her sentence as the banana toppled over the edge of the green, and zipped down the slope, taking a WHOOPING Erin with her.

Hanging onto the saddle was the least of Erin's problems, as Mrs H was sending up showers of snow as the oars dug into the snow in an attempt to steer the duo through the makeshift chicanes on the course. And whilst she managed to keep fairly on course, the hot dog with Erin on board, was swinging wildly from left righting demolished most of the flags and more than a few of the garden gnomes that sat fishing around the various water features.

Mrs Hudson had a look of grim determination frozen onto her face, and not just from the windchill, though her eyes glistened from the thrill as she hung on like a motorcycle rider from days of old. Just like the old days in the Corps, she thought, as she dug her boots into the snow to take a particularly tight turn around the 14th hole's bunker. They couldn't catch me then and they'll not get me now she muttered to herself, and then ducked automatically to avoid a low branch, her mind recalling how she had dodged more life threatening obstacles through the years.

Erin's 'Yeeee-Haw!' and 'Ride em cowboy!' cries had abated somewhat with the onslaught of snow spraying into her face from the twists and turns of the course. In fact her whiskers now had icicles and she had long since lost feeling in her nose. Still, she mused, this was all good training for Mrs H who had probably never done anything much more exciting than steering her way through a knitting pattern!

Sensing, rather than hearing the quiet behind her, Mrs Hudson glanced back as they took the final turn onto the home straight and the checkered flag planted outside the potting shed. Erin was hanging on to the saddle strap, grim determination on her face, and bouncing rather than sitting on her hotdog. Stopping would be fun, she thought, in fact there was a possibility that stopping wouldn't happen at all. 

The pair crossed the finish line at breakneck speed and headed for the moat. Panic gripped Mrs Hudson's face as the moat, and the thought of losing her princess into it loomed up large. She dug the wooden oars in, but found ice rather than the soft snow, and they snapped like kindling. Inspiration and training took hold, and she pulled out the knitting needles that had been holding her errant bun in place, and plunged them through the rubber skin of the inflatable. Its started to whine, but the decrease in size was not quick enough so she started stab wildly with both hands.

Stopping had not crossed Erin's mind, at all. Least ways it didn't until she saw the 'Caution, Moat Ahead' sign get flattened beneath he rubber stead. She looked towards Mrs H, and could see through her goggles that she was pounding the banana with the knitting needles. Her bun, Erin noted, now freed up, was being batted left and right by the wind. It would, she thought have made for quite an entertaining game in another circumstance. In truth, it wasn't so much a bun, more a large bagel or a plain cinnamon doughnut dusted in icing sugar. Neither of which Erin liked, though the hole in the middle was great for mice to climb through as part of their Mouse Cadets assault course at the summer camp.

Erin snapped back to reality. Mrs H's bun was the solution, well bread to be precise. Erin managed to get her claws back into the tartan blanket and then started to knead her way through its now crisp and cold surface. Then suddenly she hit rubber and frantically started to pierce the dogs skin.

Eighteen popping sounds and a whistling and whining of air signalled success, and Erin and the now almost flat dog dragged along the snow like an out of date cabbage leaf. The extra drag was sufficient to slow them enough to miss the moat, but it had swung them off course and they hit the potting shed side ways on, sending an array of ladders scattering across the finish line.

A loud BANG, followed by a less than ladylike sound, indicated that Mrs Hudson's blunt needles had finally made their mark. The Banana sank rapidly to the ground and, with the hotdogs brown and tan surface they looked some very strange discarded snake skins.

Mrs Hudson pulled herself onto her feet and tried to straightened her skirts that had frozen in a swept back fashion. As they were having none of it, she put on one of the gardeners aprons that had fallen to the floor. "Well Erin, dear me this is quite a mess. I dare say the gardener will have some moans tomorrow about this as he'd only just managed to get the ladders arranged how he liked them."

Erin pulled off her goggles and revealed two nice clean areas where the snow and ice hadn't formed. She looked around and smiled. "That was awesome, Mrs H, don't suppose you timed it did you? If we get cracking we could do it all again!"

"No dear, I did not keep time!" Mrs Hudson said with a grimace on her face. "Now don't you go getting any ideas either, young lady. Whilst it was all good fun, I do think that this sort of thing is a bit too risky for princess. She winked at Erin and pulled a little black box from the front of her waistcoat and showed it to Erin. "I did however use my Go Professional personal body camera! I got some really nice shots too, especially around the corners and I bet the crash at the end will look awesome too!"

"Well I never, Mrs H, you are full of surprises. I doubt you got any shots of me though."

"Oh yes dear, I did. Quite a few as it happens." She smiled broadly and pointed to the front of Erin's dog. There was a camera on yours, just above the tomato relish dollop at the front." She bent and unhooked the small black box. I dare say, with a bit of editing and some action music we can have a load of fun showing this later on. What say we head in and warm up with a nice cup of tea?"

"Wow, this could be better than Arnie, or Bond!" Erin smiled, and then, realising she was actually rather cold and her whiskers were starting to thaw, said "Tea sounds wonderful, though I think I've had enough of hotdogs for a bit!"

Later that afternoon, Erin and Mrs Hudson sat in the tower and savoured a hot cup of tea and some fresh made nip scones beside the roaring flames in the hearth. Erin stared out through the window, and sighed as she looked down upon the scene of devastation around the potting shed. Then, taking on an askant look, she called Mrs Hudson over, and pointed to the scattered ladders and snake-skin like deflated banana and hotdog skins.


"Mrs Hudson, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Mrs Hudson sighed and nodded. "Well Erin, just one game as I've only just got my skirts dry. I'll go and get some of that black spray paint and mark out a grid if you you'll dig out those toy dice from the toy basket. I have to warn you though, I play a mean game of Snakes and Ladders!"



The End




56 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Can't beat a nip scone not long out of the oven, with cream and sprinkles!
      Toodle pips
      ERin

      Delete
  2. Oh that is such a great story. We enjoyed reading that one.That game looks like such fun. You all have a great day..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, it's all happening around our place at the moment, but there is the start of a new adventure next week!
      Toodle pips
      ERin

      Delete
  3. Old Man Winter needs to give it up! Love your snuggy selfie Princess!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup, he sure does need to go on his own winter holiday!
      Toodle pips
      ERin

      Delete
  4. Mee-you ERin Purrincess thee TEA treetmint lookss an soundss luvley!!! Mee iss goin to try it fur sure. mee wunderss if mee can get LadyMum to do it with mee??? Mew mew mew...
    Hope you will come visit mee an reed mee post. LadyMum started her EMDR therapee an thee session werked!!! Therapee iss GOOD :)
    ***nose kissesss*** Siddhartha Henry xXx
    Pee S: Yur story was berry kewl all so!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I sure thought your post today was a good one, and thank goodness your mom has some good therapy to help her going forwards. You both have a great week!
      Toodle pips and head bumps
      ERin

      Delete
  5. That was quite an adventure ladies. Very clever to pop that hot dog with your nails :) Great selfie.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, a once only adventure I think as the snows gone and we have rain now. Of course I could turn the golf course into a wild rapids novelty canoe course....
      Toodle pips
      Erin

      Delete
  6. Wow Princess! That was quite the ride you had! The hot dog and nanner inflatables were certainly a creative and splendid idea of fun! But oh - I was so-o worried you would plunge into the moat. I was about to dispatch Herms to see if I could borrow Mosey and rescue you myself. But I see everything worked out. You and Mrs. H make a great team! Paw Kisses, dearest! -Valentine (& Mom) of Noir Kitty Mews

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do have a bit of a knack to make up these games... thank goodness Mrs H is such a good sport!
      Toodle pips and purrs
      Erin

      Delete
  7. We think we just might partake of that TEA therapy! MOL
    Hope your Sunday is a great one.
    XOXO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I definitely recommend it. Of course you have to have a nap afterwards to recover. MOL
      Toodle pips and purrs
      ERin

      Delete
  8. Nip scones do sound divine! Winter sure is determined to hang on, isn't it? Enjoy your nap :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I had another two just now which should tide me over until spring.
      Toodle pips and happy napping
      ERin

      Delete
  9. Erin you look sooo pretty (and so comfy!) against that yellow blankie! xoxo catchatwithcarenandcody

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. Mrs H took the tea towel back again after the photoshoot and had one of those reproving looks on her face! I best use the red one next time MOL
      Toodle pips and purrs
      ERin

      Delete
  10. Frankly, I'll take the TEA therapy any day over a romp in the snow! Happy Sunday! An aside -- I just found this blog. Your link that comes to my email in-box sends me to what appears to be an old blog that hasn't been used since 2016. I'm so glad I found this one! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, TEA therapy is proving to be popular amongst my readers! Hmm I am not sure which link that is, could you mail details of it to me please, and I will have look and try to resolve with the help of Mrs H.....
      Toodle pips and purrs
      ERin
      Erinthecatprincess@gmail.com

      Delete
  11. My goodness! Quite the story! Our human is thoroughly impressed at your story writing talent and marvels how you find the time to be so creative! Purrs from the Zee/Zoey gang

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh, thank you for the compliment. Well being a retired household there is a bit more time for such things.... but I do insist that Mrs H does all her other duties such as gardening, washing, cleaning, shopping etc before she sits down to eat and take dictation. Of course, being a multitasking housekeeper, she has to do both at once.
      Toodle pips and purrs
      ERin

      Delete
  12. The TEA therapy works well here where I am as well. I am so glad to see another lovely Tuxie also holds with the ceremony. XXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, tradition needs to be followed else where would polite society be? Of mousing and such I bet, and that really does sound fun, but not on a cold snowy or wet day MOL
      Toodle pips and purrs
      ERin

      Delete
  13. We're gonna try that TEA, Erin. We have a heated mat that will be purrrrfect for it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do tell me how you get on. Maybe we could start TEA sessions for busy office cats..... could call them TEA breaks. Mol

      Delete
  14. Oh my mouses, Erin! What a fun afternoon you and Mrs. H had. Shame 'bout the banana and hot dog but great you can put 'em to a new use. purrs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes it was a great game, dare say better than Olympics! Hmm that’s s point, I wonder if I should drug test Mrs H? That nip was purely medicinal use only and not performance enhancing. Mol

      Delete
  15. TEA therapy sounds pawsome to us.

    The Florida Furkids

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely worth a try.... for at least a month or until the weather picks up. Mol
      Toodle pips and purrs
      Erin

      Delete
  16. That is a very peaceful looking selfie.
    I hope you realise that my hubby had to come and see what was going on when he heard me roaring with laughter. The picture in my mind of you and Mrs H. careering flat out through the snow on a banana and hot dog cracked me up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HeheheI was fun too. The down side is I now have loads of complaints from the gnomes who got run over, and had their fishing rods broken. The nerve, I mean its not as though they ever catch anything MOL
      Toodle pips and purrs
      Erin

      Delete
  17. Erin, Darling! Your selfie is precious! It made me feel all melty.
    The thing you did with the banana and hot dog...superb! That sounds like the best slide EVER! You could make a mint on selling tickets for that!
    Purrs
    Marv

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm, sell tickets, huh? You could be onto something there, Marv. trouble is now the snow has gone it has sort lost its appeal and slip..... although if it rains any more we'll be able to turnout into. mud slid MOL
      Toodle pips and purrs
      ERin

      Delete
  18. Wow, Erin! What a rollicking adventure you had with Mrs. H! We think that TEA therapy sounds quite nice, actually. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was, but I got very cold in the process. The snakes and ladders was fun too, but I did have to help tidy up afterwards though, and that isn't fun at all! Mol
      Toodle pips and purrs
      Erin

      Delete
  19. That is quite a peaceful napping, er, TEA therapy selfie, Erin. And what an excellent snow day adventure! I am glad you got stopped before you reached the moat, though :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, I’m quite into these alternative therapies, so restful. Yes quite a day, and when the snow melted we had a mudslide as well as white after rapids off the putting greens Mol
      Toodle pips and purrs
      Erin

      Delete
  20. Do those nip scones work on humans? Mum could do with some I think :)

    Purrs xx
    Athena

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sure do, well they seem to on Mrs H, as does nip tea. Start small with a cracker, and then work up to the x=scones would be my advice to the novice human nip user.
      Toodle pips and purrs
      ERin
      PS Don't blame me for any broken plates caused in the process, I have loads of Mrs H's to sort out MOL

      Delete
  21. ERin; ya lookz gorgeouz two day in yur selfeez az all wayz N thiz storee iz WAY
    better N any oh de storeez frum de winter gamez !!!!! ewe noe; ewe could open a winter
    park; knot that ya wanna SEE snowz again but just sayin; think oh it; hot dogz, nannerz,
    an applez, why even a fish inflate wood werk :) ☺☺♥♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh I do like how you have some of the best money making schemes. Inflatable fish would work really well in the UK summer, what with all the rain we have. MOL I'm working on an inflatable mouse for the next time we have snow, and also an inflatable cat to chase it!
      Toodle pips and financial purrs
      ERin

      Delete
  22. ERin, we must tell you that your tucked up selfie is a purr-fect 10! Is that what they mean by "curling" in the Winter Olympics?! You've got it down to an art!
    We're jealous! We want to ride on an inflatable banana!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh now that sort of curling would be fun! Though I would insist that it was static and done on non icy stuff as that is way too cold, brrrrrr. You are more than welcome to pick an inflatable tasty chicken and join us in the slope of the 89th green if you wish... maybe leave Mr Shark at home though. Mol
      Toodle pips and purrs
      Erin

      Delete
  23. Can I come for the TEA, Purrincess...and maybe have a banana ride afterwoods..YEEHAW :D You just gave that smile that you have on your face to us too :) Pawkisses for a Happy Day :) <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course you can, anytime. We'll just have to time the use of the warming mat so we both can have a session. Now as to the banana ride, as soon as we have more snow, then your welcome to my banana..... as soon as all the puncture holes are sorted MOL
      Toodle pips and purrs....

      Delete
  24. Wow! It's like you have an a-mews-ment park at your house! I want a banana ride, too. No steering either, cuz that would slow it down. I wanna zoom! Also, I'm interested in Snakes and Ladders. Sounds like something my mom wouldn't like, so that means it would be lots of fun for me. Purrs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never thought of it that way, but you are right, a game for every season. Yup please feel free to fly over and enjoy the snow next time it comes. If you come when it's raining, we do white water canoeing off the 89th green, down to the potting shed and into the moat, if you want to have a paddle with the kraken. MOL
      Toodlepips and purrs
      ERin

      Delete
  25. Oh Erin, you look so comfy all snuggled up there on your tea towel. What an adventure you and Mrs. H had. Sorry you're havin' all that snow, but it does sound like it was the purrfect way to spend a day. Y, We think even we would have enjoyed that. Keep warm. Big hugs

    Luv ya'

    Dezi and Raena

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Was all fun but being so cold and wet, being back indoors on your heated bed was wonderful too. You can come over and enjoy the winter season whenever you want... problem is we never quite know when the snow is due, even in summer, whenever that is MOL
      Toodle pips and purrs
      ERin

      Delete
  26. What a great story!
    Have a happy St. Patrick's Day...

    Noodle and crew

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, it was rather fun, maybe better than the winter games themselves!
      Toodle pips and purrs
      Erin

      Delete
  27. What an adorable photo of you! And great story <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, for both comments, I tries my best to look good for the selfies and for my story too.
      Toodle pips and purrs
      ERin

      Delete
  28. Hey Erin do those nip scones come with extra thick clotted cream with added nip purr chance? Or do mew have a nice bit of crumpet and extra strong nip jam to go with that TEA?

    Big hugs

    Basil & Co xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don’t tell anyone else, but I do have both! Toucan have an extra side of nip grass too if you fancy?
      One per customer, excludes weekends holidays and when I have run out of cream. Further T&C’s apply and subject to age restrictions too :)
      Toodle pips and purrs
      Erin

      Delete