I managed to dodge all the invitations, and there were some really
tenacious inviters.  But all I wanted was a day to spend with my cats,
and that's what I got.

Called my dad, who wasn't home.  This is a good thing for the 'Peace on
Earth' doohickey, as my dad and I have, er, trouble communicating.  I'll
call him again during the week but at least Xmas didn't get spoiled.

I gave the cats three presents today.  First, I opened one of the windows
so they could breathe fresh.  I generally do that only when the outside
temperature is within five degrees of the inside temperature, but today
is Xmas, so 41 outside and 48 inside was close enough.  While they were
at the window, I made a box for them.

A little background: Pi is a very grabby cat, always wants the best of
everything for himself.  I sometimes call him 'Princess Pi' or 'Pi the
Piglet'.  It may be his personality, or it may be that he's aware of the
special bond I have with Doc, and thinks he has to assert himself.  
Either way, Doc's a pretty mellow fellow and generally lets Pi have his
way.

Since it's so cold in here, they naturally gravitate to the warmest
spots.  I'm one of them, but there's also the stove top.  There are two
pilot lights for the four burners, and I have rectangular burner covers
with thin pads on each of them.  Now, you'd think that each cat would
curl up right above one of the pilot lights, where it's warm, right?  Not
if Pi's got anything to say about it - he stretches out across both of
them.  And if Doc is on one of them, Pi nudges and leans and makes a
nuisance of himself, and the next thing you know Pi is across both pilot
lights, and Doc is a U-shaped bit of fur around Pi's head.

That didn't seem quite fair to me, and for a while, I would push Pi off
when he did that, so he didn't do it.  For as long as I was watching.  
Then I took some cardboard and made a divider between the two burner
covers, and that ended the stretching out.

However, they've both decided that the right-hand burner cover is better,
so if Pi is there, Doc just curls up on the other.  If Doc is on the
right one, Pi sits next to him, so close that they can't both inhale at
the same time.  Sometimes Doc gets tired of it and leaves, sometimes he
doesn't, and the two of them look so cozy together.  (Appearances can be
so deceiving.)

I'd thought for a long time that I'd like to make some sort of tent or
cave for them, with blankets, but that just wasn't an option, since I do
have to use the stove top every morning.  Today, however, I had a
brainstorm.  I got one of the many boxes around here, turned it on its
side, and cut off the side on the bottom, all but an inch or so at the
edges.  A little duct tape to keep the flaps in place, and voila! a cave
for a kitty.  I put it on the left side, because I figured if Pi ended up
in it, that would mean that they like it.  Sure enough, Pi had to be the
first to check it out, and promptly lay down in it for a comfy snooze.  
Success!

I gave them their third present then, a generous pinch of catnip.  They
get catnip from time to time, but I don't give it very often, as it makes
Pi paranoid, as well as giving the little ChubMeister the munchies.  But
they got a good dose today, and really loved it.  Pi being Pi, he soon
chased Doc away from his portion, (Doc had eaten most of his) and was
rolling in it.  Doc took the opportunity to get onto the stovetop and
into the box.  Heh - guess what?  When one cat is in there, it's nearly
impossible for the other cat to pry him out.  :-)  So I made a second
box, for the right side, and now they're both quite happy, snoozing away.

I'm so happy that the boxes worked right and that they really like them.  
That's a better present to me than anything anyone could have given me.

!oH !oH !oH  (I got this from the girl who lives downstairs.  She put Ho!
Ho!Ho! wrapping paper on the front door, but got it upside down.  So now
we have a very surprised front door.)

!oH !oH !oH to everybody!

Chak