01/01/2024 – Welcome 2024 and a 2023 Recap

Happy 2024! © Colehauscats.com
Happy 2024! © Colehauscats.com

From all of us here at Colehaus Cats, we wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2024! Whatever’s going on around your house, we thank you for visiting us, for reading our words, enjoying our photos, and leaving comments. We hope what we’re doing works for you and that your visit here puts a smile on your face. As always, we’re open to suggestions to help make this a better place to visit.

Many THANK YOUs go to our Friends of Colehaus who thought of us recently and over the past year and helped us during tough spots. Your generosity will never be forgotten, nor will your thoughts, prayers, comforting words, and supportive and sometimes, hilarious comments. Thank you.

Helpful Pia © Colehauscats.com
Helpful Pia © Colehauscats.com

Our start to 2023 began with less-than-helpful January kitties and a vet visit for Quint. If anyone tells you cats are great at rolling up strings of Christmas lights, do everyone a favor by correcting this person. Tell them it’s not cats, but llamas who are masters at holiday un-decorating. Why, personally, we expect every strand of lights Mom hung out there to be taken down, bagged, and tagged for next year in no time at all by our local llama de-lighting crew.

Quint did good on his vet visit, we heard a first meow from new outside visitor Murray who turned out to live around the corner and is a boy named Mr. G., Tessa lost a couple of teeth at a dental visit, and due to a big wind storm, we removed a huge, leaning arborvitae tree from our backyard. Mom mourned its loss but cheered over more flower bed space. Typical gardener at heart. Excited about digging in the dirt in January.

Viola's kissable belly © Colehauscats.com
Viola’s kissable belly © Colehauscats.com

February 2023 started with visiting ants, kissable belly spots, and soft Tooth Fairy toys for Tessa to clasp, chew, and nap with, and ended with lots of outside visitors, help and gifts from Friends of Colehaus, and a snowy goodbye to a short month.

Snow Day at Colehaus © Colehauscats.com
Snow Day at Colehaus © Colehauscats.com

In March, we came through with photo proof of late February’s record snowfall and boy, did that stuff last a long time! But, it wasn’t long before winter sun puddles returned and outside visitors came back for kibble and treats. The Colehaus Cats napped the chilly month away, when not digging through toy baskets and changing up sleeping spots while Mom was outside, determined to whip the garden into shape in a single day. Not the smartest move, she says now (but we all know she’ll do the same again this year).

Things on Cats, Quint-style © Colehauscats.com
Things on Cats, Quint-style © Colehauscats.com

An overworked Mom, a handful of toys, cooperative kitties, and a camera. Yep, April brought the return of Things on Cats, an attempt to reason with cats and ants, and lots of time observing Quint and angel Olivia snuggling. We had blooper photos, lots of flowers, a proper introduction to visitor Colby and others, and Pia, who, at long last, caved to switching to canned food, and had her long overdue vet visit that went wonderfully well.

Grumpy Tessa - © Colehauscats.com
Grumpy Tessa – © Colehauscats.com

While it was hard for the cats not to be grumpy early in May, Mom and Dad were tickled pink over the last house repairs finished up from the shower leak way back in 2022. They were even more thrilled when elusive visitor Murray came up to Mom for sniffs. Elsewhere, there were soft meows from Tessa no less, more Things on Cats, opportunities found, spring flowers bursting everywhere, and we celebrated what a perfect cat angel Olivia was.

Angel Olivia and her love of summer fruit © Colehauscats.com
Angel Olivia and her love of summer fruit © Colehauscats.com

June brought Tessa’s usual grumpy self, outside visitor Murray finally accepted petting and a much needed brushing, Pia peed, boxes were approved, and angel Olivia had her first of several vet visits. Pia “may” have regretted being mean to her only brother Quint, to which Quint “may” have held a grunge. Lastly, Viola discovered unattended cherries. Woe to those cherries.

We discovered in June our email wasn’t getting to intended parties and what did get through, seemed hit or miss. Months later, we were notified some email clients no longer support email coming from Comcast, our email provider. We’re STILL trying to find a workaround that won’t cause as much pain as leaving Comcast will, and Mom is still fairly livid over this, despite all cats insisting she chill and let it go.

Murray waits for attention © Colehauscats.com
Murray waits for attention © Colehauscats.com

Early July is usually noisy around here with fireworks going on and on every day for weeks. And expecting that, we took a week off from blogging. Silly us. We barely heard a single boom or bang outside of July 4th. We figure either those fireworks-crazy people finally moved from our area, or all our neighbors have been replaced with space aliens.

Three babies visiting © Colehauscats.com
Three babies visiting © Colehauscats.com

July also brought raccoon babies a-visitin’. These three were from mama Skinny who taught them where the fountain playground is and sometimes, leftover visitor kibble can be found. Inside, the Colehaus Cats enjoyed hot summer naps, rifling through a toy basket, and not having to lift a finger to help Mom do yard work.

Viola asks why © Colehauscats.com

“Why” was the word for August. Olivia had more test results that showed nothing, there were cat accusations and general grumpiness, garden flowers and lots of visitors, and we finally found Murray’s parents who live very close.

Outside visitor Lloyd always looking for friendly hello © Colehauscats.com
Outside visitor Lloyd always looking for friendly hello © Colehauscats.com

Surprising us all over the summer, September brought new canned-food-lover Pia’s usually thick and rough fur growing in soft and luxurious and without a heavy undercoat. No late summer haircut needed for her this year and she was very happy over that.

Dapper Napper Quint © Colehauscats.com
Dapper Napper Quint © Colehauscats.com

Despite hot September temperatures, Quint stuck to his normal fort-making, fort-napping routine. We had mysteries, outside visitors, a Friday flashback with angel Olivia, and a troublesome Tuxie. The Colehaus Cats settled into Autumn, Mom wrapped up her multiple to-do lists, we replaced our 23 year old failing heater, and our summer flowers gave a big final push of beauty.

Nothing innocent about murder mittens © Colehauscats.com
Nothing innocent about murder mittens © Colehauscats.com

October ushered in snuggle weather with Quint (Hint: It’s ALWAYS snuggle weather for Quint), past fosters near and far The Niblets celebrated their ten year birthdays, and we checked in with Olivia who agreed with Mom that cheese is LIFE! Note to Tessa: there’s nothing innocent about murder mittens. Olivia declared she needed a cat lawyer and high-and-mighty counter bananas proved to need supervision. There were outside visitors, a cheese discussion, and just in time for Halloween, Viola completed her annual inspection of our home security trebuchet. Like you do.

Nose freckle check! © Colehauscats.com
Nose freckle check! © Colehauscats.com

Under supervision in November, we finally wrapped up the year and a half long shower leak fiasco by painting the cured drywall and repainting our living room ceiling and walls. An outside peeper made Tessa throw a fit, our confusion over the point of Daylight Saving Time continued, and Autumn weather finally caught up to our garden outside. We conducted an all-important nose freckle check and since there were no volunteers for our Christmas e-Card photo shoot, Pia and Quint were “volun-told” their cooperation would be expected.

Angel Olivia, July 2012 - December 1, 2023 © Colehauscats.com
Angel Olivia, July 2012 – December 1, 2023 © Colehauscats.com

December began with mourning the loss of sweet Olivia who had been struggling to keep her weight up most of the year. A quiet stillness settled over Colehaus. Winter sun, comforting words, acts of kindness, and e-card bloopers, past and present, helped heal our hearts and got us moving forward again.

Kitties waited to see if Santa Paws would bring them something this year and the waiting seemed to never end. Isn’t anticipation supposed to be part of the holiday? Tell that to cats. When Christmas day finally arrived, all were rewarded with vintage, long-marinated Yeow-w-w toys and a new cardboard scratcher. And despite what Tessa says, we thought she looked appropriately festive wearing lights. Thank you, sweetie.

The lighting of Tessa, 2023 © Colehauscats.com
The lighting of Tessa, 2023 © Colehauscats.com

Throughout the year, there were naps and snuggles, hissy fits and victories. We had setbacks and worked to find all the silver linings. You were there the whole way, visiting us, reading our posts, leaving comments when you could. We can’t begin to thank you all for making us feel welcome in this cat blogging world.

We’re looking forward to what 2024 will bring and wish you a new year filled with joy, happiness, and excitement. And most of all, peace and love. Happy New Year!

Thank you for visiting. Thank you for reading us.

The folks of Colehaus Cats, with Tessa, Pia Bean, Quint, and Viola Niblet.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A Colehaus Cats flashback:

2023 – No post
2022 – No post
2021A 2020 Recap and Happy 2021!
2020 – No post
2019 – No post
2018A Look Back at our 2017
2017 – No post
2016A 2015 Recap and Happy 2016!
2015 – No post
2014Happy 2014 and a 2013 Recap
2013 – No post
2012 – No post

This entry was posted in Angels, At Colehaus, Friends of Colehaus, Goodbyes, Holidays, Niblets, Olivia, OtRB, Outside Cats, Pia, Quint, Tessa, Toys, Vet Visit, Viola, Visitors, Yard and Garden and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

10 Responses to 01/01/2024 – Welcome 2024 and a 2023 Recap

  1. guyz! heerz two a happee mew yeer two ewe all N mom and dad all
    sew, with pawsum awsum cheez filled dayz a head, and tell
    mom de food gurl total lee getz de “ data izzuez “ ….anda happee
    24 two de nayborz az well ( may bee they can sneek sum cheez inta
    de houz 🧀🧀🐟😺‼️💚

  2. Great recap, what a year ! Happy New Year ! Purrs

  3. Dearest Colehausecats,
    Wishing all of you a stress free 2024 in good health!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

  4. Happy New Year to all!
    Let’s kick 2023 to the curb, and launch into 2024.

  5. Memories of Eric and Flynn says:

    That was a great recap. Happy New Year to you all!

  6. Brian's Home Blog says:

    That was quite the lookback. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2024. Happy New Year!

  7. 15andmeowing says:

    Wonderful photos. Wishing all you kitties and your wonderful parents a happy and healthy new year! XO

  8. meowmeowmans says:

    Such a wonderful and beautifully written recap of the year that was at Colehaus. And we always love seeing your photos. Happy, healthy, prosperous New Year to you, dear friends. Love and purrs to you, and always!

  9. Katie Isabella says:

    I loved every word and every line.

Comments are closed.