I feel it incumbent upon me to report Clive Bond’s first helicopter ride.
He has an increasing propensity towards gung-ho action movie behaviour. Daniel Craig would be proud of him.
He has long since mastered the dog. Ambush practice begins and ends with the long-suffering hound of the house, Macaulay. Drill involves assessing the dog’s trajectory. Bond positions himself where he predicts the dog will walk past, hidden under the stairs or behind the sofa or some similar out-of-the-way hidey hole. He waits until the dog is about to pad past on the way to some doggie activity like lying on a sofa, or sitting having a decent scratch, or watching at the gate for passing dogs to bark at.
And then Bond flies out. Not a cute, kitteny pounce but a full-blown Daniel Craig dive, usually heading straight for the dog’s voluminous moustache.
It’s impressive, unless you are The Dog, and then it’s rather irritating.
Macaulay has begun to stop, inexplicably, in hallways and on landings, and look with loaded meaning at a human for assistance.
Sure enough, when we investigate, there is a kitten a little further up the passage, poised for ambush-practice.
Poor old dog.
This morning Clive ratcheted up the excitement another notch. Felix has been using a favourite helicopter in complex games which involve a lot of Lego figures, a viking longship and a couple of rowing boats. The helicopter was poised on the arm of the sofa, awaiting unspecified enemy action.
The enemy action appeared from an unexpected source.
For Clive had positioned himself on the other arm to take the dog by storm. The dog gave a spirited defence which sent the cat bowling and somersaulting, straight towards the helicopter. Clive Bond landed on top of the toy helicopter, which, spurred on by the velocity of the arrival, shot off the edge of the sofa with Clive on top.
It was a few delightful split seconds. But any of the Shrewsdays will swear that Clive Bond rode that helicopter .
And no-one will ever forget it.
Kate Shrewsday 
Like riding the bomb in Dr. Strangelove.
😀 It is, Lou. Whoop and all.
Oh I needed this laugh!
We guffawed when it happened, Julie…
Family life is indeed magic. Thanks for the story which is so good in itself and also so much a trigger for reminders of one’s own cat/dog/child experiences
They come up with some unforgettable moments, don’t they, Elspeth?
Ha ha! I guess Clive will think twice about ambushing the dog now!
Let us hope so, Deepa 😀
Too funny! And with the wonderful way you told the story, I could have sworn I was right there watching it all. 🙂
It was quite a sight, Carrie 😀
this was so cute and I would have loved to see a video of it!!!!! thanks for the laughs. I need those in my life
Terry, you are welcome. My reflexes are deplorably slow and getting the film to the cat and the helicopter with a two-second window was beyond my reaction times, I fear 😀 Words will have to suffice….
Throw in a train set and you have the set of Skyfall.
😀 Yes, you do! I could get rich using this cat!
Should have had the “Ride of the Valkyries” playing as I guess Clive loves the smell of napalm in the morning.
I shall procure a copy for his next stunt, Roger.
I’m so grateful Clive Bond had an audience 🙂
Oh yes, it would have been so sad to miss this…
Too cute 🙂
😀 Children and animals, Tandy, children and animals….
He saw Mr Bond parachtuing into the Olympics with the Queen and neededto try it out?
I think so. And I also think this is only a warm up. I am quaking in my slippers.
Hehe you have forgotten the abilities of a young supple cat
Loved it!
😀 Thanks Jim. The kitten wrote the script.
What a brave little kitten!! Admirable!
I hadn’t thought of it as brave, Barbara. I just saw the comedy skidaddle. But now that you mention it….
Helicopter riding cats! They certainly like trying out new things, don’t they Kate?
New experiences are the spice of a kitten’s life, Tom, as I’m sure Spudley will recall…
Poor Macaulay. His nerves must be worn to a frazzle.
As you described Clive Bond’s stealthy attacks, the image that came to mind was of Cato who would try to surprise Peter Sellers (as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films).
Ha! That’s exactly how he does it, Judy, like Cato! Thank you!
🙂
I can see Macauley sniggering in the corner now. 😀
He must be thankful he was not on the helicopter, Nancy. He is a little on the portly side. It would not have ended well.
Totally fab, Kate! 🙂 No-one who witnessed that is ever going to forget it – least of all Bond himself!
No indeed. These kittens do provide unforgettable moments, don’t they?
A heli-cat-ter?
;-D Definitely, Pseu…
amazingly written. your house sounds like these kinds of stories happen regularly!
Thanks 🙂 Things do seem to happen here, that’s for sure! Apologies for taking so long to answer – thanks for taking the trouble to read and leave a comment.
These are the moments that make life worth living, at least for kittens. Warning: William is roughly the size of Macaulay, and he still lies in wait to ambush unsuspecting humans. Doesn’t bring down helicopters, though. That’s for the younger generation.
Ah, yes, our whippersnapper thinks nothing of taking a helicopter to work, Kathy 😀
Wonderfully told Kate. Clearly an appropriately named kitty!
Indeed: an adventurer.
Clive needs an agent, Kate. There must be a call for stunt kittens! 🙂
There must! I wonder if Daniel Craig would like him alongside…
If Clive could talk he might say, “I intended to ride that helicopter! I completely planned that!”
I am sure you are right, Lame. He has hidden depths.
Dear Kate, I find myself as drawn to Clive Bond as to your nephew. You write so endearingly and with such wit about both of them whom you clearly cherish that I am drawn willy-nilly to any story about either of them. I can just see Clive on that helicopter. I bet Felix hooted in delight! Peace.
Felix and the rest of us, Dee 😀 It was a wonderful moment.
The tail … tale of that 007 is guaranteed to bring smial to dial!
I wonder what he would make of a radio controlled ‘copter?
Don’t put the idea into his little kitty brain, Col! He would be off in a trice!
You really should enter Clive Bond stories in the Chicken Soup for the Soul books about cats. He would win them over for sure.
😀 He is good for all of us, Jennifer. Lovely to have around.
Time to scold the Shrewsdays: why don’t you have a 24hr camera feed for the rest of us to enjoy the mayhem?
Good question, Tilly. We really should set one up.
Clive Bond: A Hero for the Ages.
Unless of course, you are Macaulay.
Indeed. To Macaulay he is just the kamikaze jumper-outer.