The adventure begins

The Cat, Panda and Woo have received their travel documents and their passports are in their happy paws. The Panda has again proved that you can get blood out of a stone by  squeezing the travel agents and flight centres until he dragged the best deals out of them. The Cat filed her nails and the Woo flapped her wings in excitement. This was going to be a great journey of discovery for the three adventurers. They were off to the UK to visit Dana Banana, Andy and baby Sia. Old friends and family are on the list of people to see. Places to see include the great stones of henge and the changing of the guard. London swinging like a pendulum awaits the intrepid crew.

Thirty three sleeps .

You may well ask who are Cat, Panda ,Woo and Jools? What is the connection? All will be revealed over time. However to be fair some hints are provided for those not in the know.

Cat and Woo are sisters. Not that they are alike and not that they are unalike. One is a cat and the other a woo. They have a brother Benji Bear, a true-blue Koala who works for the Federalies. It is not unusual for Bear to phone from far flung corners of the former Empire and slur "I am a Koala not a Bear" which is code for "I have had too much sake and I miss my sisters". Cat and Woo love their Bear and think him too funny for words so they hang up on him. This happens often.

Cat and Bear tolerate the Woo as only older siblings can. They tell her she is adopted. They  hint at the  great unspoken mystery of an Owl and a Pussy Cat and a pea green boat. This is a digression, a whole other telling for another time. This is the now story of adventure sharing with Cat, Panda and Woo. The story cannot stray from the preparations for the great adventure.

The Panda and  Cat share their little house near a wooded spring with two of their three pandaroos SamiKoo and the Jade Dragon.Middle offspring KimiKoo has  bedded down not far from the spring with a bunch of like minds.

In a country faraway where magpies warble lives Cat and Panda's favourite ducklings Courtney and Zachary. It is for the duckings this story is written, though every attempt is made to hold hand of the inner child playing within the largest of readers.

Back to the travellers plans  to leave the shore on a silver bird. The day is set for the 28th day of the month of August. The silver bird is from Singapore. Once in London Dana and her family will take the three to Kent and show then a great many things. By the 6th September they will have out worn their welcome and eaten all the crisps and cake and be ready to move on to London town. There they will visit the Queen . Woo is looking forward to seeing changing of the guard. The Panda thinks every thing will be new and cool but has concerns about the busby's worn by the changing Guards  "What do you mean they are made of BEAR skins" he said shaking a worried head.
"Don't concern yourself Panda, they are all black, not black and white," soothed Cat. There in London Cat will meet old friends from York. There is also a plan to meet a cousin,  the Fischer King.  He is cousin to Cat and Woo from their father's side (well perhaps only Cat's fathers side - pea green boat, owl and pussycat - remember) .

By now having grown totally bored with London the adventurers will catch a Trafalgar bus and go on tour. In Paris they will meet up with Jools . She has been with her cousin, living in the south of France, chewing the fat and unripened grapes. Mostly just staring over the fence into Gerard D's vineyard. Hoping for a chance encounter with a younger brother.

Now an even number the travellers four will drive through France, Switzerland and Italy before retuning home. Same silver bird this time going in the opposite direction.

So for Jools it is only 33 sleeps away, for Panda it is only 5 snoozes, for  Cat about 3,975 naps and the Woo will probably not sleep at all. Cat hopes she has packed enough poise for the journey.

Preparations and distant drums

The Cat has reprised her walking regime and begins each morning of the weekend contemplating the cold outside. On this particular morning Cat stretched and sighed and crawled out from beneath her covers. She shivered as she turned her electric blanket off and quickly put on her walking clothes. There was no movement from the Panda.

Coffee and eggs for breakfast, a quick brush of the fangs and she was out the door. As arranged  Cat had rung the Woo on both her home phone and her mobile.
"Call me when you leave and I will join you on your walk", she had instructed Cat the day before. Both phone calls rang out - no answer.

The walk to  Woo's house was an easy path until the hill that had to be climbed  With determination the cat wheezed up the hill convinced that  the reward would be a fitter Cat on the trip to the Old Dart.

Finally Cat opened the door to  Woo's small cabin. The cozy nest was home to the Woo's three juvenile possums (Benbo, Samwise and Tay). Sometimes  Dr Si who was the Woo's snuggle would also sleep over.

The Cat spoke nicely to Axel the house guard and asked permission to enter. Axel gave a ruff reply and Cat entered the cabin.  She padded down the hallway and entered Woo's nest.

There on her bed  curled up in her doona lay the Woo with her owly pj's and a sad look on her face.
"I cannot go walking with you today Cat. I have been attacked by bubbles and my head hurts".
"Oh dear" said Cat as she curled up on the bed and patted Woo gently. "Can I get you a cup of tea?"
"No thank you" moaned the Woo.
"Hmmmm, it must be a very bad attack of the bubbles if you don't want a cup of tea. Perhaps you will feel better if I make you some breakfast. Would you like some sardines on toast" said Cat brightly.
"Not so loud please" moaned Woo" the bubbles have swollen my brain and it is thumping on my skull like a big drum."
Woo whispered "I need a drink of water." Cat watched as Woo weakly sipped from her water bottle. With Cat's full store of sympathy now used up she was ready to leave.
"Where is Dr Si ?"she asked.
"He has gone to get me some willow bark for my drum head,"whimpered Woo.
"Well I am off "said Cat springing from the bed. "Perhaps you should stay and sleep today and let the bubbles settle".  The covers on the bed snored.

Cat walked outside and said goodbye to Axel who would have loved to come for a walk but was still on guard. The day was bright but chilly and Cat was mighty pleased she had grabbed a warm scarf before she left home. After some time (not that far really) the Springwood Coffee Club beckoned Cat to come and have a cuppa. When she entered the establishment she saw that Dr Si was finishing off a latte and reading the paper. Cat went over and sat down. A flat white coffee was ordered. Dr Si and Cat talked about politics and the state of the world. Eventually Cat asked, "How's the hunt for willow bark going?
Dr Si smiled "I found some earlier at the apothecary's once I have finished my coffee and the paper I will take it home to the Woo"?
"She seems quite felled by the bubbles this time. Perhaps she needs to rethink her plan of attack for next time. Take on smaller numbers, one on one, rather than two at a time" murmured Cat.
"It is a big battle," sighed the Dr. "Yet the Woo is the only one keen to take them on?" mused Dr Si who liked to cogitate and analyse such things deeply. Cat felt her limbs begin to stiffen and knew it was time to start walking again. She offered to pay and was refused by a wave of the Dr's hand.
"Thanks for the coffee" she said and began her walk home.

The sun was now shining weakly and not quite warm enough for Cat to take off her scarf. The breeze cut lazily through her jacket and Cat wondered how cold September would be in Kent.

Cat passed the Woo's cabin and thought she heard a sad and mournful moan followed by a low distant drumming.
"Poor Woo. Bubbles are bad" reflected Cat.

The adventure begins

The Cat, Panda and Woo have received their travel documents and their passports are in their happy paws. The Panda has again proved that you can get blood out of a stone by  squeezing the travel agents and flight centres until he dragged the best deals out of them. The Cat filed her nails and the Woo flapped her wings in excitement. This was going to be a great journey of discovery for the three adventurers. They were off to the UK to visit Dana Banana, Andy and Zoe. Old friends and family are on the list of people to see. Places to see include the great stones of henge and the changing of the guard. London swinging like a pendulum awaits the intrepid crew.