Herbert and Darth

Well, the T’s are dotted and the I’s are crossed – we are officially new parents! Here’s our 3-year-old bouncing baby boy:

Herbert the Tonkinese

I’ve got to tell you a little bit of Herb’s story. Skip down a bit if you’re not a cat person. Herby was surrendered to a local animal shelter because the owner’s son had developed allergies. What most people don’t know about Siamese and Siamese-type breeds is that they tend to have a strong bond with their people – more similar to what dogs have. This trait combined with native intelligence can make a Siamese freak out in a shelter situation – and that’s what happened to Herb. The shelter was going to euthanize him because he was deemed “unadoptable,” “anti-social,” and “catatonic”!!

That’s when a good-hearted tech (who was familiar with how badly the shelter experience can affect Siamese) called Rocky Mountain Siamese Rescue. The good folks at RMSR picked up Herby and found him a foster home. For 4 months Paige at RMSR fostered him, until my family “discovered” Herb at a local cat show (RMSR had a booth there), just waiting to become part of a forever family.

Here I am on my kitty perch in the window, having a snooze.

Herb is a sweet, loving boy who loves to be petted and talked to. He and Bailey are in negotiations as to who will be the dominant cat. Each day they get a little bit closer to one another, and their “conversations” are getting progressively more civilized. If you’re interested in giving a remarkable kitty a second chance, please check out Rocky Mountain Siamese Rescue. They are great to work with, and their dedication to homeless animals is an inspiration.

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Here are my most recent photos of Darth Vader (unblocked). As you can see, I’m almost half done.

(Yes, the back is supposed to be longer than the front. )

There is a little bit of a “neck sag issue” in the back. There is a finishing band added around the edges at the end, and I think I will pick up fewer stitches along the back neck edge than suggested to help tighten the line here.

Ellen from my knit group is also knitting a Ballerina now. It is amazing how different our fabric looks – Ellen’s is much firmer and more “professional” looking. Mine reflects a certain fondness for beer. But, as you can see on Mitzy, it fits, and that’s all that really matters, right?

Right.