I've started so I'll finish...

Today's blog begins with some more random Kitties. How could I have been expected to resist this lovely butterfly when the patterns on her wings glow in the dark?!This pink sparkly one came on the top of a really naff pen with a big plastic heart on the top but I just loved the whole flares look so I ditched the pen and gave Kitty pride of place on the mechanical pencil of the moment!




The Butterfly turned up a couple of years later in a different colour, and I was suckered! This odd looking thing I acquired in a "Happy Bag" one new year, Kitty is dressed as a Daruma. It's kind of difficult to explain exactly what a Daruma is, but essentially it's to do with New Year and your wishes for it. It starts with no eyes and then when you fulfill a wish or resolution, you draw in an eye. No one seems to know what you are supposed to do if you have more than two, or indeed, what happens to the luckless buffoons who do not achieve their desires....

Sleepy Kitty on the left was actually made by a Monster Book Store as their mascot. Mel bought this for me, but I can't for the life of me remember why....!

Here we have two Kitties that were given to me by a student who happens to work for one of these companies. Tobu Spacia is a particular train that runs North from Asakusa to a place called Nikko which is famous for some really gaudy temples called Toushogu and Rinnoji... You can check the spelling, I am clueless! It's an express that only stops at a couple of places, hence the fancy name. The other one is from a major supermarket and is another New Year Kitty, year of the Rooster it was but I forget whether it was last year or the year before... This cat she is disguised as is often seen at the doorway of small businesses, it's supposed to beckon in good fortune or prosperity.. or something.

My dear, dear friend, Adam gave me this Winter version the Chrsitmas before he left Japan to join the Peace Corps and go to Vanuatu. Or wherever.

Sumo judge Kitty was bought at the insistance of some of my housewives who took me to the Sumo. She's cross-dressing again but it seemed like a better option than Yokozuna Kitty who was very scantily clad indeed!

Here, Kitty and her boyfriend, Daniel are dressed as Hina dolls. The Hina Festival is a girls' day some time in March when all houses with daughters display these dolls, some simple, some extremely elaborate and eat special food. The story goes that if you display your dolls either before or after the right time (I forget which) you will never marry.... This charming pen and pencil set was a leaving present from a little girl when I transferred from Asakusa to Kinshicho. The little girl was charming, too, I quite miss teaching her actually! This yellow thing came free on the top of a bottle of Lipton Tea. There is a new range at the moment called Kitty and Rody; Rody appears to be the yellow thing (or the blue thing, or the red thing) but quite what or who it is, I haven't managed to fathom. Anyway this is getting ridiculous so more next time when we meet Kitty as movie characters and household items!