A series of anecdotes with or without any connection to the running of a restaurant.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

The Cat's Whiskers...

This was my first blog posting ever! I think it is appropriate for this week's Illustration Friday "Cat" theme.

One of our younger patrons shyly confessed that she had named her pale-blue-eyed cream cat after me. What a great surprise!
I asked if he was house trained. Her dad, an old acquaintance of ours, said: "He is but he's out most nights!" Now, there's another surprise! I wondered if his whiskers matched mine. I asked why the young lady had taken such an unusual step. A shrug of the shoulders was the answer. Maybe, the exclusivity factor was the motive.

In Algeria most cats go by the name of Minouche for a female and Minou for a male. Not that original, you'll agree but in a country where the word Whiskas could be mistaken for a double shot of Scottish nectar, one cannot expect much in terms of welfare for our feline friends! One thing though, don't you ever stand on your doorstep shouting for your cat... A horde, (can you say that?) of Minouches or Minous will barge past you, heading for your kitchen and your unfortunate cat's dinner! That may be last night's leftovers, but don't you fret, Algerian cats are not allowed to be fussy.
Karen, are you listening? Our 13-year-old Henry, the spit of television feline celebrity Arthur, is regularly treated to roast turkey or poached chicken, fresh salmon or even Scottish smoked salmon by that soft-hearted wife of mine! I once caught her feeding him the last tin of John West tuna. I had earlier earmarked it for my supper. "Spit it out, now!" "Meaow..."

I can't say I am cross to have a cat named after me but this may lead to awkward situations. Just imagine this innocent young lady admonishing her cat within earshot of neighbours and passers-by!
"Now, Cream, if you don't finish your dinner, you're not getting anything else!" "Cream, I told you to use the litter tray, you dirty thing!"

Andrea has just pointed out another post that shows the photo of my feline namesake! Le chat me ressemble

23 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a cat called Minouche once. She was killed crossing the Champs Elysees last summer.
Jumped out of the open window of my apartment.
Minouche is a French cat name, you know.

31/8/05 1:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Henry, eh? I once had a cat called Belle de Jour! She slept all day and spent all night on the tiles! I hope you don't start eating cat food, Tiger! xx

1/9/05 11:09 PM  
Blogger DCveR said...

GH almost got us a cat named Alex, the most stupid cat ever (belongs to a friend of ours), falls on his back (first cat I've ever seen falling on his back), acts dumber than anything one can imagine.

21/1/06 11:37 AM  
Blogger Cream said...

Strange cat, DC! I thought all cats landed on their paws...I bet it didn't get to use its nine lives:{

21/1/06 12:34 PM  
Blogger andrea said...

I looked at your Sept. 12 post. What a magnificent-looking cat your namesake is! Feel proud. :)

21/1/06 4:41 PM  
Blogger Cream said...

Thanks, Andrea for pointing it out! I had completely forgotten that the girl had sent me the cat's photo.

21/1/06 5:17 PM  
Blogger Mike said...

We've got a cat who's having his 15th birthday sometime this year. He used to be an evil little monster, but he's become meek in his old age. Then there's the 9 year old scaredy cat-- She jumps if her shadow moves to fast! Her exact opposite is the 2 year old my brother found in a swamp last year-- He likes to sleep in the middle of the street. And you know what? I don't like any of them! Not a cat person :)

21/1/06 9:37 PM  
Blogger DCveR said...

Alex is still alive.

21/1/06 11:28 PM  
Blogger Cream said...

Wendy, you are welcome to come and live with us as long as you don't pinch my tuna!

Viking, you are a soft guy at heart! Not a cat person but you talk about the species as though you are a cat-afficionado!

DC, that Alex must be a very lucky cat!!

22/1/06 2:39 AM  
Blogger valerie walsh said...

that is the sweetest thing! you must have felt touched that she named her cat after you! your illo is so cute too!

22/1/06 4:34 AM  
Blogger Caroline said...

Hmm... so cream are you a cat really?

the one in your illustration could easily be called Coffee...

hope everything is going well at Case del Mar... ready for the photos you've promised us!!!

22/1/06 10:52 AM  
Blogger neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Do you catch mice 'n' rats?

A friend in Jamaica told me this cat story: the doc. at the hospital for the mentally ill told her.

There were many cats at the hospital. Then they started disappearing, one by one.

The medical staff finally found out why.

One of the inmates was catching them, cooking them, and selling the food.

Enterprising, eh? Or catastrophic?

22/1/06 11:11 AM  
Blogger Cream said...

Yes, Val very honoured! Other people have streets, bridges, prizes, etc... named after them! Me a cream cat! Although, he does look beautiful in the photo.

Caro, I'm cream on the cat's whiskers!)
Casa is looking very good! The mirrors were cleaned today and I have to clean the last mosaic. Then I will take photos and post them!

Gigi, the only things I seem to catch are rotten colds!
Very enterprising our mentally challenged friend!
I know that in some parts of Algeria, there have been lots of cats going missing. The reason: Chinese contruction workers all over the country building all sorts of stuff. No joke! I was even told that young kids were catching cats and selling them to our Pekinese imports!

22/1/06 2:37 PM  
Blogger DCveR said...

Curiously whenever a new Chinese restaurant or shop opens in a neighborhood here in Portugal the number of stray cats and dogs diminishes...

22/1/06 3:36 PM  
Blogger Radha a.k.a Ratlion said...

Love this...simple, yet effective! Besides, that cat in the illo is adorable! :)

22/1/06 4:01 PM  
Blogger Twisselman said...

Forget Minouche or Minou, I'll have Whiskas straight up. Oh, and very cool illustration! Peace.

22/1/06 4:44 PM  
Blogger modroom said...

I remember Arthur the cat on telly! Henry was also the name of a bloodhound or something for a dog food advert with Clement Frued. Freud. Like the pic!

22/1/06 4:59 PM  
Blogger merlinprincesse said...

You are a nice cat CREAM. HehHeh...
;o)

22/1/06 7:16 PM  
Blogger TheTart said...

Wonderfully simple!

Love the big big eyes & yellow sun!

Smooch,
The Tart

22/1/06 9:02 PM  
Blogger neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Oh Lor. The things I learn. Cats landing on their backs...Dcver, man, maybe that poor cat has an inner ear problem, balance or something.

HAHAHA, do you know, we used to say the same here about the Chinese restaurants and dogs. And the North Koreans...somehow their dogs were always disappearing.

I actually came back here to tell you Cream how I like your illustration...makes me think of childlike play and dreams.

22/1/06 9:34 PM  
Blogger Cream said...

DC, our Henry is quite safe as he's 14 now and doesn't go out much! In fact this morning he used our bathroom floor as his bathroom! Karen nearly gave him an early funeral!

Thanks Ratlion and for visiting!

Twisselman, Henry DEMANDS gourmet food nowadays! He turns his nose up at Whiskas!

Modroom, Henry looks exactly like Arthur although he has started losing weight lately!

Merci, Princesse!

Jody, only simple cos it was my first attempt with Corel Painter. Thanks!

Gigi, in the Algerian Sahara, the Tuaregs eat Camel, Lizard, Cricket, etc... so why not cats? I think it only sounds horrible because they're domesticated.
Cat Bourguignon sounds ok! LOL:)

22/1/06 10:30 PM  
Blogger Caribbean Colors Belize said...

There's a Belizean guy here who's nickname is Minouche. Now I know what it means.

23/1/06 5:14 PM  
Blogger Rachelle said...

Nice illustration. I love your banner artwork as well.

24/1/06 5:43 AM  

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