Hamster Dancin' Around the World

Penny is definitely a participator. She's game to try just about anything.

she's certainly equipped for that!

Hey, everybody! Guess what, I've just arrived in sunny (but cold) California!

I'm here at Cyphercat's house, and the minute I got here I told her and Mr Cyphercat that before anything else, I had to log in and let you all know that I got here safely-- I know how you guys worry...

By the way, you'll never guess what I found out when I got here-- Cyphercat isn't really a cat at all!! just another person Kinda disappointing! Oh well, there are still two cats and two rabbits and a guinea pig here too, and I've met them all and they're really cool, so that's okay... Anyway, I'll start posting some pics tomorrow, but right now I already have to get ready to go out again! I've barely gotten a chance to settle in and unpack and freshen up a little, but cypher has a final in one of her classes that she wants me to go to, to give her moral support... so off we go! I'll talk to you all more tomorrow!

Hiya Penny!

Great to see you, and glad you arrived safely.

Wish Cyphercat luck for her final from me!

yes, keep your paws crossed. i'll cross every which extension i have.

glad to know you're doing well! california must be super nice compared to what we have here: ice and freezing rain and then more ice. so while you get to slide on the side walks, which is fun for about 5 minutes, you also get to slip and fall right on your bum. But then again, remember Penny that things are never so grave that you can't make fun of yourself, so with that strategy i get by.
We miss you here, but you really are better off in California right now. Have fun, enjoy!

Hey there Penny!

I'll bet you were glad to be able to get your luggage unpacked and shake your fur up a bit.

Glad to see you're there in time to lend Cyphercat some support!

OK so...

After Penny hangs out with Cyphercat for a while, let's go ahead and send her back here (I'll PM you my address, Cyphercat), and then I'll send her on to margo. We (margo and I) had a PM exchange this morning -- thanks for contacting me, margo! -- and it looks like she can be the first on the Oz leg. I think msolga, dlowan, and maybe dadpad are interested too -- I still have to double-check that part.

But anyway that takes us into January or so, and Penny can be in Oz for Australia Day! (I told margo that sozlet is learning in school about holidays from around the world and is much enamored of Australia Day, especially a certain song, which she belts out at regular intervals, so she'll be thrilled if Penny's there for the festivities.) (I don't know the name of the song, and all I can remember right now is an especially loud "CEL-uh-BRATE!!" somewhere in the middle, plus the date.)

All right, I finally have a few minutes to post some of the pictures we've been taking the last few days!

The first picture is right after I arrived-- I was feeling pretty good in the brand-new outfit that Beth helped me pick out! Here I am wearing my sheer red wrap and my beaded skirt.




Next, I was introduced to some of the gang... This is me meeting Biggs...




Apparently I smelled VERY interesting! I guess they could all tell how many exotic locales I've visited, because everyone wanted to sniff me!
This is Aero greeting me-- he was almost TOO friendly!

Next I met the cats...




They were both really nice, but the big guy, Rufus, was especially interested to sniff all about where I've been and who I've met...





Then Aero came back over for more-- he really was QUITE friendly...



They're a nice bunch, really... but no one's been using me as a neck roll, so it's not quite the same as hanging out with Bailey and Cleo!

But anyway that takes us into January or so, and Penny can be in Oz for Australia Day! (I told margo that sozlet is learning in school about holidays from around the world and is much enamored of Australia Day, especially a certain song, which she belts out at regular intervals, so she'll be thrilled if Penny's there for the festivities.) (I don't know the name of the song, and all I can remember right now is an especially loud "CEL-uh-BRATE!!" somewhere in the middle, plus the date.)

I'm in, but I'll take my turn after everyone else (or whatever suits) because I had a turn with Rocky.

The next thing we did after the introductions was head out to a class at the college that cyphercat/Dora goes to. On the car ride, I rode with Spongebob on the dashboard-- I was happy to see Spongebob since Sozlet likes him!






Then, before class we looked at a show that's on display in the art building. It was some interesting stuff!

Here I am looking at some of the paintings and sculptures...



I loved how furry these guys were!


I wanted to climb these, but apparently there's some rule about not climbing on artwork or something... boooorrring!

That was the first day. The next day I helped Dora finish up some drawings for her last final, and then we went and I sat in on critique. It was interesting but we couldn't take pictures cause we'd have been disrupting class and Dora said it wasn't a teacher with much of a sense of humor...

After that we went over to the printmaking studio so I could see some of the big presses that they make prints on -- they're pretty cool! I got to climb around on them and see how they work. This one is a lithography press. I couldn't reach the handle to try it out, though...




Then I went over to try turning the handle on one of the etching presses, and I met Dora's favorite teacher, Sarah, who teaches printmaking...she jumped right into the photo we were taking of me working the press (I'm back there turning the handle)!

Yesterday we went on a walk on a trail in Redwood National Park. Here I am at the beginning of the trail-- it was dedicated to Lady Bird Johnson in 1969, because she'd been here and thought it was really cool.




The trail starts from a bridge over the road, which was fun to go across! Here I am waving at the camera before I go over the bridge.





Next we came to a box with pamphlets for people to read while they walk on the trail-- I thought I might wait a few minutes and play a prank on the next person who came by!






(but then it got boring so I got out and caught up with the others...)


Well, I have a bunch more to post, but it's getting late *yawn* and I'm sleepy! We've got a big test to take in the morning, and I've gotta go help Dora study -- I know some math stuff that littlek taught me that I think might come in handy...

Penny - you look fabulous and cyphercat is sure showing you a great time. That's some great art work you're looking at.

I can hardly wait to tell the guys at work where you are now - they keep asking about you. You became quite a favourite with the I.T. lads.

~~~

After Dora's done at school, you might want to give her some bellydance lessons.

You're having a good time, Penny! (And thanks God, you're writing the diary to re-call later where you've been and whom you met!)

THAT's what that's about. She looks great! And bellydance-loving sozlet will be thrilled with the outfit, too. (Just saw the first pic and had to comment -- "A-ha!" -- on to the others now!)

Oh wow, this is great stuff. (Though the school pics triggered some rather extreme Art Major flashbacks... I'll be OK with some of these smelling salts... don't mind me...)

The animals pics are fantastic!! I love that crew you have.

And the forest... oooh, ahh. I want to go there again sometime (I did as a kid and loved it).

[size=8]pssst - bellydancing translation - at the studio Ioana explained that we call the red chiffon piece a veil, and the beaded belt is called a hip scarf.[/size]

I'm impressed by a critter whose wardrobe contains those sorts of items!

heeheehee! Yeah, art classes, eesh. I do have the occasional little pang of sadness when I think about how close I am to being done with it, but mostly it's just a relief!

Those pictures were so much fun to take! They really were just fascinated with how Penny smelled. I was surprised how much the rabbits wanted to sniff her, for some reason it didn't seem like they'd care so much, but they were just enthralled... the whole gang was just milling around her, we were cracking up watching them. I still need to introduce her to our guinea pig and see what they think of each other-- they're almost exactly the same build, so they'll be cute together

Beth, thanks for the clarification on the outfit terminology!

More pics shortly...