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.