Revisiting Cat's Eye

I blogged last year about the manga series Cat's Eye. More specifically, its anime adaptation, quite popular when I was around ten. It was about three sisters who were also cat burglars, the Cat's Eye(s) of the title, who also owned by day a coffee shop named... Cat's Eye. They were stealing the art works of their long lost father, because they wanted to find him by... stealing his paintings? To complicate matters, one of the girls, the main character, is dating a young police detective determined to capture the mysterious and elusive cat burgling trio. And yes, he doesn't really suspect that his girlfriend is one of them. He is pretty clueless. I was not a big fan, the plot being far too humorous and filled with glaring plot holes. So yes, they made an adaptation which I found on Disney+. So I gave it a watch. It's entertaining enough, but gripping police drama this is not. Even as a caper, you need to seriously suspend your disbelief. Like not notice that the Cats don't wear gloves and accepting that they are impervious to smoke bombs and tear gas, while the police is not. I laughed out loud a few times at how absurd things were. Still, it's entertaining enough and as I grew quite fond of Japanese anime, I will watch it all. Also, I am a sucker for nostalgia, even if I can be critical of a cultural product.

"My cat is named Odin"

 Oh the things you discover sometimes thanks to old friends. My Italian friend sent me this picture a few months ago and I wanted to share it here. This is the book she read to her two boys during the summer holidays: Il mio gatto si chiama Odino. Translated into English, the title would be "My cat is named Odin". The book is about a black cat with one eye. My long-time readers will remember that I once had a black cat with one eye, also called Odin. I guess I was not entirely original naming him. He was the best of cats and I miss him very much. So I think I need to brush up my Italian and get my hands on that book to read it.

Des nouvelles de la Bouquinerie du Plateau

Vous vous rappelez peut-être que j'avais appris avec inquiétude il y a deux mois la fermeture de la Bouquinerie du Plateau. Bonne nouvelle via leir page Facebook: la fermeture n'est pas définitive. En fait, elle serait dûe à un incendie et ils commencent déjà à faire des achats à domicile, voir la photo plus haut. Donc, si vous pouvez les encourager, ce serait bien.

La Bouquinerie fermée

Triste nouvelle apprise de mon frère PJ et confirmée sur la page Facebook de la Bouquinerie du Plateau: elle est fermée jusqu'à nouvel ordre. Pourtant, sa page Facebook avait pris encore tout récemment les couleurs de l'automne (cette photo date du 14 septembre). Je ne sais pas ce qui se passe, mais j'espère que la durée indéterminée sera courte. Ou, au moins, que ce ne sera pas une fermeture permanente. La Bouquinerie est une institution sur le Plateau et on y trouve vraiment des trésors.

September Witches

 I am not the only one thinking about Halloween already: my father took this picture recently, someone is my home town of Chicoutimi has decided to go grand for Halloween and to start early. But September is, after all, Halloween eve. I also read somewhere (in this book, to be more specific) that one of the dates for witches' sabbath is the 23rd of September. So here it is, I think that's what it was. Do you see the witches, raising the dead and greeting the dead? Ghosts and skeletons, there's even a ghostly Jack O'Lantern in the background. I love this display. Anyway, I must remember to do something special every 23rd of September to remember that witches gather on that date.

Déjà l'Halloween à Chicoutimi

Mon père m'a envoyé es photos de sa dernière promenade à Chicoutimi. Il semblerait que pour des citoyens de ma ville d'origine, l'Halloween est déjà arrivé. Je suis d'accord et très heureux.

Cat’s Eye

Well, I didn't expect that. Have you ever heard of the manga series Cat's Eye? It's a caper series about a trio of sisters who are also cat burglars, one of them in love with a young police officer who is bound to catch their cat burglars alter ego. I never read it, but when I was a kid I did watch its anime adaptation. Growing up on Japanese anime, I was bound to come up with it, but I enjoyed it far less than other animes. In fact, I borderline hate watched it at times: too over the top, even for an anime, with a bumbling cop heroic antagonist who was seriously stupid, burglars who did not wear gloves... Well, I wasn't a fan. A few years later, I rewatched a few episodes on YouTube, and frankly it didn't change my mind. Of all the Japanese cartoons we young Quebeckers had, Cat's Eye was one of the silliest. So why am I blogging about it tonight? Because it got adapted again. You can see the trailer below. I might give this one a chance, if only because it's a new adaptation and I (re)discovered recently with Wolfie that I enjoy Japanese cartoons. Worst case scenario, this Cat's Eye will be as bad as the 80s one. Anyway, did any of you ever watched the old anime or read the manga? Tell me in the comments.

Retour sur un calembour atroce

Je reviens sur mon billet du 16. J'avais alors commis un calembour atroce: "mi-août, miaou". En fait, c'était pas le mien, mais le calembour involontaire (mais quand même atroce) de bien des connaissances quand j'étais enfant. Or, j'ai vu que Stéphane Laporte l'a commis dans une chronique, La nostalgie du présent. Et en plus, il l'a commis volontairement. Je ne sais pas quoi en penser, sauf ayoye. Outre cela, je ne suis pas vraiment d'accord avec ce qu'il pense de ce mois-ci ou du suivant, mais ce sera (peut-être) pour un prochain billet.

Mi-août, miaou

Nous étions hier la mi-août. Que je prononce mi-ou. Mais quand l'étais jeune, il y avait des camarades de classe qui disaient "mi-aou". Comme miaou. Je trouvais la prononciation un peu colonne et le calembour, bien qu'involontaire, partièrement atroce.

"Summer Heat"

I hope this will end. I mean, I really, really, really, want it to end. I am talking of course of the current heat, this summer heat that won't quit. All right, so it might not be a heatwave every day, but it is still painfully too hot. It might cool down (and rain!) soon. Now that I'm a grownup, I only ever enjoy summer in books. I took this image in the Ladybird Book What to Look for in Summer. It tells you a good deal about the heat.

Domino sous les pivoines

Cela faisait longtemps que je n'avais pas blogué sur notre chat Domino. Nous l'avons toujours, depuis maintenant dix ans en fait. Il passe le beau temps à drmir, à l'intérieur ou à l'extérieur, mais surtout dans le jardin, où il a trouvé un nouveau coin pour faire la sieste: sous le plan de pivoines, lequel est là depuis que l'on a acheté la maison. Le plan a d'ailleurs pris des proportions quasiment sauvage, mais je l'aime bien, alors je le laisse pousser en sauvage. La morale de l'histoire: il n'y a vraiment rien de trop beau pour la classe féline.

Bookshop(s) this January

 This imae is from Books Are My Bag. I share it here for two reasons: 1)I find it very cute, with the cat and all. And 2)I want people to remember to bookshop this January. In local bookshops. Make it one of your new year's resolutions. Oh, and another resolution of mine: I must read more books this year.

Bastet Plushy

This picture comes from the Facebook page of the British Museum.Today is International Cat Day and to celebrate, they are giving away plush toys of Egyptian goddess Bastet. I doubt I will win one, but she looks uber cool and uber cute.

Domino et Amy

 J'ai déjà blogué sur Amy, la chatte de la voisine et la seule chatte résidant dans notre rue à part Domino. Domino, qui n'aime pas les autres chats d'habitude. Il est vraiment hostile en fait. Mais pour une raison quelconque, pas Amy, avec laquelle il s'entend bien. J'appelle même Amy sa copine ou sa fiancée. Ils passent beaucoup de temps chez la voisine, puisqu'Amy ne sort guère. Je ne les avais pas vus ensemble depuis longtemps. Mais, il y a quelques jours, ils ont joué ensemble dans le jardin. J'ai pu prendre cette photo.

#CosyReadingNight

 Mark your calendar, at least if you live in the UK: in a month's time, for Independent Bookshop Week, a special event has been organised to mark its end: #CosyReadingNight. I don't know what kind of activities there will be, but I guess the name is pretty much self-explanatory. And I am all for a quiet night spent reading in a comfy chair. So yeah, I have one Saturday evening sorted out.

'Tis the season to be watching!

This has become a staple of our Christmases at home: the Christmas edition of Radio Times. I buy it every year we are here and this year is no exception. I found it on Monday night and got it right away. I don't watch all that much television during Christmastime, however I do love to have a reliable TV schedule and reading the articles and interviews of RT is part of the celebrations. You recognised on the cover Judith Kerr's Mog, who gets her own adaptation this year. I intend to watch it with Wolfie.

Le dressage du chat

 Un ami a partagé sur Facebook ce meme, que j'ai trouvé très drôle. J'ai donc tenu à le partager ici.

Odin, In Memoriam

My long time readers remember Odin the one-eyed black cat who we used to have. He was the best, sweetest cat we ever met. He died ten years ago today. You cna read his eulogy here. We miss him to this day. I had to commemorate his tragic passing.

Les santons des sorcières

Photo trouvée sur la page Facebook sur les Santons de Charlevoix. Une superbe photo de sorcières bien traditionnelles avec des chats noirs et des citrouilles pour faire bonne mesure. Il me faut des santons pour l'Halloween prochain. Je partage rien que pour le plaisir, mais aussi parce que j'ai eu mon atelier de création littéraire aujourd'hui et que j'ai présenté une histoire d'horreur avec une sorcière justement. Elle a eu un franc succès, ce qui m'a bien fait plaisir.

Odin for Friday the 13th (and Halloween)

For today's countdown to Halloween post, given that it is Friday the 13th, I propose a trip down memory lane: ten years ago, I had a black cat named Odin. he was named because of his right eye that was white due to a cataract. We loved him very much. My wife found an old picture of him recently, taken round this time if year. destiny was calling. I had to share it today, because you need a black cat for Friday the 13th and for Halloween.