Three years ago, SUPERSWEET x moumi (under the umbrella brand SUPERSWEET) relaunched as an independent clothing brand - By Moumi. That makes this our 12th year in existence, and that's exactly how old the boss, Miss Moumi, is. She's the reason By Moumi started, Choltida's obsession, with the need of having her baby love with her everywhere. Any by everywhere, we have done that to the core.
Starting off in London, born in Bangkok, the kitties that joined and made this brand came from Perth, and New York. Already that has made us what we like to call "all over the place". We've refused to accept being from a certain country, and lately we've got that yearning to not be based anywhere.
We have called England home, but since then we have travelled extensively to what seems to be non-destinations to most people, sometimes with the cats, and sometimes without. It took Choltida a while to realise that it's not abnormal to not be able to happily settle down anywhere, and that there is noting wrong with not feeling rooted, some people are not made that way, and that it's OK to take things one day at a time without planning ahead.
Though we did have a plan to move back to where it all started. It was going to be the Great Big Move. Then the pandemic hit and we were all stuck in Thailand where we discovered the other kind of possibilities by and in the sea. And yet we still planned to move to London this year. It was big and long-term planning.
A week before shipping off, we were told by the pet moving company that Myogi, the Burmilla, would not travel well at this age due to her short button nose. We were given the scenario of "first she won't be able to breathe comfortably enough through the nose, she will start panting to get the air in through her mouth. Then after that she might collapse... and there's not supervision in the cargo." Within a minute our three-year plan came falling down. There was no weighing, or attempt to reconfigure this, it was final. We're never going to be able to move out of the country. We means Choltida, Moumi, Myogi, and Kikilala - as long as we're still alive; we operate as a unit, we're not leaving anyone behind. If she can't go, we won't go.
And now what? We are remaining in Thailand indefinitely, but it doesn't mean anywhere in particular. We'll be spending time in Bangkok, as well as our beloved Island - Koh Tao. Then who knows, it's likely we'll move on.
We became By Moumi today, exactly three years ago. We're blogging this as a memo to self, and to sum up the takeaway from this - there's no point in planning things. If it will happen (or not), it will. Being in the present is the best we can do. And that your pets are family. Don't abandon them because they suddenly become an inconvenience or too much a responsibility.
Happy Valentines Day!
Choltida, Moumi, Myogi, Kikilala xxxx