Sue Vincent's Daily Echo

Dear Santa,

How’s it going? Hope you are getting a bit of rest before the big night?

I need to ask you another question, Santa.

How come my advent calendar has friends in it… but Sonu Singh has treats in his?

I’m not saying that I want to swap or anything… but treats are good too. I don’t see why, if he gets doors and treats, I can’t have friends and treats. In fact, as friends are more important than doors anyway, I should maybe get extra treats!

Now, both my two-legs and Sonu Singh’s seem to think we are getting too many treats as it is, and that we need to be on a diet. I keep mentioning that her rear end isn’t getting any smaller these days… and that chicken is low fat and low calorie… so, if she wants to go down the diet route, it could have its advantages…

But in the meantime, special daily treats would be good. As well as all the ones I normally manage to make her give me.

So, have a word with her, Santa…

I’ll make sure she leaves you an extra mince pie (and her sausage rolls are pretty good too.)

Much love,

Ani xxx

Hello everyone, it’s Sonu Singh (and Her), here, to talk all about that whole Catvent calendar thingie.
Who knew Two leggses could get so excited about a daily treat? If I’m good, I get one from my two-legged Daddy, but don’t tell Her.
I’m meant to be on a diet…
Still, there are these special treats that come about once in a while… and the best thing, they are daily. A treat. And first thing in the morning, too!

Let me poetically tell you my story…

I know I’ve told you all about
How she likes to dress me up
The Santa coat, now that was cute
The reindeer – not so much!

But recently, she hasn’t tried
Because, well, I’ve put on weight
So, instead, she spends her time
Checking what I ate!

When I was small, just a kitten
And it was very cold
She bought these funny boxes
With treats inside, I was told

The little two-leggses jumped around
Excited on Day one
So I joined in and got a treat
Well, this could be fun!

Each morning when we woke
She appeared with doors to open
Every day I waited for my turn
Chicken today? I was hopin’

But no, these funny green things
Would always be my treat
They tasted good, at first
Then got boring to eat

I turned up my nose on Day fifteen
And simply walked away
If you won’t treat me with chicken
Then I’ll not come out to play

The treats, one day, just disappeared
And normality resumes
Until a year whizzed by
And more treats came to be consumed

But, what is this? Where’s my treat?
She didn’t buy my box!
“You didn’t eat then last year
So I bought myself some chocs”

My miaows of complaint must have been heard
For that night, before bed
She appeared by my side, with a box for me
Gave a treat and scritched my head

Now every year, I know the drill
And on the First, I wait
It’s calendar time, we get a treat
Not chicken, but still it’s great!

Sonu Singh 2019

Now, I’d better hand (paw) over to Her…

Hello all, and may I say, before I start, a hearty and happy festive season to you all!
Now, I’ll just clear up a few things here, that my dear Sonu Singh raised.
Yes, we bought our fur baby a Catvent calendar on his first Christmas with us, and he enjoyed it… for a while, before becoming less enamoured of the catnip treats.
I tried again the following year, and he did the same. midway through the calendar, he decided ‘No.’
So the next year I made the decision to not buy him one.
And I was amazed that as the kids got excited about their day one choc, Sonu Singh had joined the fray, and looked so disappointed when no treat for him was forthcoming.
Boy, did I feel guilty then…
The plan was that we pop out after school to grab a calendar for him from Pets at Home, if they still had any. Only that night my son, Lil Man came home with a terrible bumped head. I wanted to get him to the hospital straight away, but he wouldn’t let me take him until we had played fair with his Kitty brother!
Thankfully, they were in stock and calendar bought, we satisfied the miaows before finding out from the local friendly doc, that Lil Man was concussed, and he spent the next ten days in bed!
I learned from my mistakes and made sure from then, that we always bought all three of our children (and me) a calendar each; two advents, one catvent.
Now everyone is happy!
Sonu Singh still amazes me, how he remembers that there are special treats at a particular time. He knows when I reach up for the boxes and sits patiently, waiting for his treat to be presented, miaowing his thanks!
Bless him, and every other furbaby out there!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

About Ritu Bhathal

Ritu Bhathal was born in Birmingham in the mid-1970’s to migrant parents, hailing from Kenya but with Indian origin. This colourful background has been a constant source of inspiration to her.
From childhood, she always enjoyed reading. This love of books is mostly credited to her mother.
The joy of reading spurred her on to become creative in her own writing, from fiction to poetry.
Winning little writing competitions at school and locally gave her the encouragement to continue writing.
As a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and teacher, she has drawn on inspiration from many avenues to create the poems that she writes.
A qualified teacher, having studied at Kingston University, she now deals with classes of children as a sideline to her writing!
Ritu also writes a blog, a mixture of life and creativity, thoughts and opinions, which recently was awarded first place in the Best Overall Blog Category at the 2017 Annual Bloggers Bash Awards.
Ritu is happily married, and living in Kent, with her Hubby Dearest, and two children, not forgetting the furbaby Sonu Singh.
She is currently working on some short stories, and a novel, to be published in the near future.

Find and follow Ritu

Author Website     Blog    Twitter    Instagram    Facebook
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And by clicking HERE you get to Ritu’s  author profile on Amazon, where you can find the link to her poetry book, Poetic RITUals.

Delve into a book of verse exploring different topics and different genres, all with a RITUal twist.
A collection of poetry drawing on the experiences of the writer, ranging from matters of the heart, love for the family, situations in life and some verses written with a humorous twist.

“Bhathal encourages us to seize the moment. To reflect, learn, and smile any which way life takes us.” Extract from Amazon review.