So, some of you have said that you’d like to hear more about our cat. Well, because I respond to my readers’ requests, here you go.

Whitey (or Беляк), is a fantastic kitty. Some info about our little “Varmint”:

Color: White and grey

Origin: Our Dacha (Summer house)

Age: ~5+ months, born early August, 2008 – Born in Вища Дубечня

Mother: “Yoda” – her second litter of the year. First litter sac’d by the peasants across the road.

Father (sire): Unknown, but presumedly the big grey cat at our Dacha! (see pic below)

I snapped this photo of him a couple of weeks ago – New Year’s Day, 2009!

Markings: Has a “heartlike” grouping of grey spots on his back – very cute. Also, pink ears.

Health: Perfect. We eradicated the ear mites he got at the summer house. And yesterday, he received his booster shot for various infectious diseases. He’s ready to travel, and he even has his own “cat passport!”

Claws: Very Sharp.

Teeth: Also very sharp. (and I think he’s losing his “baby teeth” at the moment).

Memory: Very short (thankfully) – he doesn’t remember the beatings.

Other characteristics: Enjoys sleeping next to the heater, sleeping next to our heads, sleeping next to the portable radiator, sleeping next to me while sitting on the couch, sleeping on the printer, sleeping.

Fine… he also loves playing “hide and seek” and “peek-a-boo”. And he is definitely a “trouble-maker”

He also enjoys playing with his “mouse on a string” toy. He scratches his twine covered post a lot. He tends to have a quiet little whine – which is kinda like a whimper. He almost never howls. Only when the beatings resume (kidding!)

He eats, always, but isn’t the most easy cat to please. It’s hard to tell what he likes – often we provide food and he turns the other way. We mistakenly gave him some roasted chicken the other day. I think we are doomed: he loves chicken. Oh, did I mention that he’s spoiled too?

Meet Whitey, aka. Varmint:

Click here to see his Mum.

We are also practicing for our baby. We hold him, pet him, snuggle with him, sleep with him, etc…

Here he is fulfilling the role of “sleeping baby.” We’re getting ready for the real thing.

And recently he has been cleaning up after us. Thank heavens, because I need it (I hate cleaning up).

Perhaps this movie will explain what I mean a bit better….

Lick it, Whitey!

and here’s another video…. Whitey being a super sleuthey kitty….

The Sleuthey Cat

That’s all for now, gotta get cracking on the day — Wooo-hooo, it’s snowing again!!!!

And thankfully, our Ukrainian government has kept the gas flowing to Kiev. VERY unfortunately, they have (apparently) shut it off on our neighbors to the west (Bulgaria, Hungary, etc…). Actually, I feel quite bad about all of this gas pipeline business. It’s a bunch of BS if you ask me. All political games. Big brother, little brother, East vs. West, power struggles, “show me the money,” etc… Garbage. Total Garbage. People high up in governments almost never feel the pain which is often caused by their direct actions.

But for the time being, I’d like you all to know that we are staying warm and happy.