Monday, June 30, 2008

Cricket Asks, "Does Kitten Taste Like Chicken?"


Before I even had my coffee this morning I had to break up a hissy fit fight between Cricket and Toeshee. He thought it was all playing. She wanted to eat him. I'm fairly certain that's what Cricket was thinking; "I will eat you!"
She is coming downstairs more, but wow can she growl and hiss! It's not a noise you would want to hear in the dark in the middle of the night.

My To Do List is growing again. How does this happen?
Dishes
Fold Laundry
Make Dinner
Take Daughter to Hair Appointment
Get Cat Food and Supplies for Daughter's Visit to Her Friend's Cabin.
Get My Meds 'script Filled
Most of this must be done today. Cat food, dinner and hair cut are not optional because the appointment is for 7:30 pm and the stinky goodness supply is very low. Chicken is thawing to be cooked for tacos and I must have dinner ready by at least 5:30.

Toeshee is a little piggy. :) He loves to eat! He does burn it off though, which is good. When he's older he might get a little tubby if I don't watch him. I think tubby tabbys are cute, but the VET will not agree.
I have been trying to get an action shot of him, but when I try it comes out as a blur! He is so fast! I'll keep trying to get a non sleeping picture.
He needs to learn to pose like Cricket. She's so pretty. I'm glad she still sleeps with me at night. I would be sad if she were angry with me about the kitten.
Well, I better get busy blog hopping before I start my to do list. I hope you all have a Mellow Monday. HUGS!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Dreaming Of An Ocean View With Happy Cats


It feels like it's been a long week. I would love a weekend of idleness. A walk along the beach, sipping coffee and looking through glossy magazines, finishing one of the many books I'm half way through, even pulling weeds.

The title of this painting is called Idleness. The lady and kitten have nothing pressing to do. They are relaxing in the sunshine with an ocean view.
If you had a weekend with nothing pressing upon you, no deadlines, no laundry, nowhere important to be, what would you do?

Toeshee was a tiny bit calmer today because it was very warm. Billie and Cricket are still hissy pissy, but Billie stayed downstairs today instead of hiding in my bedroom. Cricket came down a few times to stalk around and give us the "stink eye". I have still been bringing her food to her because I feel sorry for her. Poor Naughty Noodle isn't the youngest anymore. :(
Things will settle. Time and patience are needed. I just wish I wasn't so high strung and such a worrier. I always fear the worst outcome. If Billie or Cricket somehow become ill because I took in a kitten it will be my fault. Can emotional stress make a kitty sick? Sigh...

It is a warm rainy night here, very nice. I should try to relax, light a candle, (up high) and think about just being idle.

I hope you all have a weekend of relaxation and summer fun. Sending Hugs!

Thursday, June 26, 2008

It's Another One Of Those Days...


Cody and I like to go out to the front porch to relax and get some fresh air. He is content to sit with me and listen to the birds. The rose is one that I have had for quite a while. It's planted in the front yard and behaves and blooms much more nicely than my roses in the back yard.

In the past couple of days Toeshee has gone from angel to demon. He tears around the house and jumps on us and bites. The big kitties avoid him like the plague and Cricket insists on eating upstairs and spends most of her time there. I have to go up several times a day to let her know I still love her.
Billie is very pouty too. I feel really bad. What if she and Cricket suffer ill effects from the stress of a wild kitten in the house? Why is he so naughty? I'm not used to having such a hyper active kitty. Cricket has her agressive moments but she has never bitten or scratched us.

Just when I'm ready to throw in the towel Toeshee will come to me, mewing softly and lay on me or up against me like a sweet velcro kitty.

Right now, though he has just bounced off of me after biting my shoulder and is now tugging on the livingroom drapes. Ow! Okay, he is biting a lot! I don't think this is normal kitten behavior. None of my other kitties ever behaved like this. Would it be mean to time him out in a small room or in the big cat carrier?
If he's this aggressive now, how will he be when he's older? Is this fair to the other kitties?

Well, Blogger is being tempermental too,(or it's my laptop) so I guess I better finish. I hope everyone has a nice stress free Thursday. I will be visitng as time and possessed kittens, and daughter who wants new clothes for her next week end away from parents, allows. Any experienced advice from rowdy kitten owners would be wonderful!
Hugs. <3

Monday, June 23, 2008

Why Do Cats Get All The Naps? And Awarding My Friends





Okay, first before I forget, JB the cute little Jelly Bean passed along an award to me. It's a You Made My Day Award. I would now like to pass it on. I would like everyone who stops by to read my blog to please accept this award because I think you all make my day better by just saying Hi. So, please take this pretty Victoriana award and pass it along if you wish. I know Miss Peach's Mommy Karla loves Victorian Images as much as I do. :)

Toeshee is the most energenic kitten I have ever had! Not even Cricket tore through the house like he does. I think because he is so young. Cricket was about 6 months when she came to us. Toeshee is about 11 weeks now.
Billie was very young when we brought her home, but she has always been very mellow, just a very sweet, cuddly kitten. Cody was a big boy when he came, kind of rowdy, but not too bad.

Yesterday was just too busy, not relaxing at all! I couldn't get on the computer, and our waterbed had a leak and needed to be drained, patched and refilled. (we don't have one of those old style slooshy ones, it is a nice waveless, heated which is great in the winter, bed) Laundry had piled up and my family was hoping I would make chocolate chip cookies, so I did. Kitten Face was wild and harrassing Cricket terribly and I needed to intervene constantly. Yikes! Today I really must fold all of that laundry, but I missed visiting all of my friends yesterday. :( I missed Daisy's Sunday comics, Miss Peach's Sunday Art and all of my other friends I try to visit, if not comment to. There's so many that I haven't been to in a while. Karla, who is very wise, told me not to make myself crazy trying to visit so many blogs every day. I know she's right. Know that I care even when I do not visit, Okay? :)

I will be popping in throughout the week. Have a wonderful day!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Wait, Saturday All Ready?


Billie's idea of helping me fold laundry is to crawl into a comforter I'm trying to fold. She is not fond of Toeshee at all. After I tuck him in for the night in the upstairs bathroom she comes for some attention and has been jumping up on to the bed to sleep along side me. Cricket is still sleeping on my legs or tummy. :) Cody doesn't seem bothered by the new addition much. Toeshee will actually follow him, watching him eat and groom himself before a nap. I think he looks up to Cody. Probably because Cody hasn't growled and hissed at him like the girls do.
This kitten is a ball of energy. He practical bounces off the walls and hops more than walks. When he's ready to snuggle and nap he's very sweet and purry. Maybe someday he will be a fat snuggly potato. :) Right now, I'm just tired trying to keep him out of trouble. I will have to put him in a cat carrier when I take a shower. It's for big kitties so it will be like a playpen for him. He will cry and complain and I will feel bad. (sigh...)
My husband is working today and I'm home with kitties and a bored daughter. I'm tapering off of the nasty Predisone. It helps with the stiffness, but makes me irritable and puffy. I will be starting a disease modifyer next week called Plaquinel. Blah... I just want some energy back. I really need it now.
I will come by to visit as soon as I can. Have a really fun first full day of Summer. I hope it's a wondeful season for everyone, full of fun and relaxation. Big Hugs! =^..^=

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Be Careful What You Wish For : )




I never told my daughter to bring back a kitten. They went to the farm to pick up one for her friend. Well, there were two. One was a tabby with a cute little "m" on his forehead. He was cuddly and affectionate. Now he is ours!
My husband grumbled for only a few minutes, then held him. :) We are a 4 cat household again.
I have been calling him Toeshee. He has really cute toes, some are like Daisy's raisin toes. :) My daughter says that Toshie is a Girl's name in Japan. I think she's right, but it just fits him so well and I am spelling it differently.
Oh, isn't Michico's sister named Toshie? Well it is a very cute name and I don't think the kitten will mind, he just likes the baby-talk.

Cody is tolerating him, Billie is ignoring him and Cricket, of course, is furious. We have been trying to give everyone equal amounts of attention. I never want any of my babies to have hurt feelings so it's a delicate balance right now. At night he sleeps in the upstairs bathroom. He's just so tiny! He is 10 weeks old. I thought if I ever adopted another kitty I would get a girl. Toeshee is so sweet and cuddly though. He follows me around and mews when he sees me. He cuddles with me any chance he can when he's not playing, or when I'm not with another kitty or busy. He likes my husband a lot too, which I think really worked in his favor. Cats are not dumb, they know who they have to win over.

So, right now I am kitten proofing the house and trying to keep everyone happy. He is really healthy too. No fungus, good apetite and uses a litterbox perfectly. I can't believe he is a farm kitty, raised outside.

I admit to feeling a little guilty, like I'm betraying Tookie. I know that's not really the case. She is happy at the Bridge and knows how much I love her and that we will be together again. I think it's because Toeshee is number 4 relacing Tookie as fourth in the house. But, he's really not replacing her, especially in my heart. Maybe Toeshee should be thought of as kitty number 5.

I will be popping in to visit all of you my friends. Whenever I'm not tending to kittens and jealous big kitties or cleaning or cooking... ok, I'm making myself tired. :) Wish us luck adjusting, especially my Naughty Noodle.
(((Hugs)))

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Scenes From Summer






Here are the rest of my Saugatuck pictures. The statue of the little girl holding a puppet is dedicated to a local man who was famous in town for his love of puppetry. She is in another of the pretty areas of green space in Saugatuck. Across the Kalamazoo River are several quaint old cottages. I think some might even be available to rent. The pretty ferry boat is operated with a chain attached to a crank that the operator turns. It takes people across the river several times throughout the day into early evening.
The gazebo is a nice place to sit and watch the boats go by and there's lots of places to have a picnic and relax in sun or shade.
It's such a pretty town to visit in the summer. It's pretty in the Fall too when many stores decorate with pumpkins and the leaves cast golden reflections off of the water. In the winter the lakeshore gets lake effect snow and harsh winds. I am not fond of snow and cold, so I don't really like to venture out that way in the winter.
In July there is a Venetian Festival with a night time boat parade. The participants decorate their boats with lights and dress in costumes. Many go with a theme and play music. We have seen "Viva Las Vegas" with a boat full of Elvis', "I love New York" with Lady Liberty and "Mardi Gras" with a New Orleans theme and jazz music playing. After the parade there is a fireworks show over the river. We went last year and it was kinda fun. Last summer was rough for me emotionally, so I didn't get into it too enthusiastically. Maybe we will give it another try this year.

My daughter is back from camping, but she is gone again today with her friend to go pick up a kitten at a cousin's farm. (No, the kitten isn't for us, it's for her friend.) I wish I could have a kitten though...
I do miss my daughter, but I don't want to hold her back from having fun this summer. Hanging around me in the house certainly isn't a fun way to spend vacation, but I miss watching t v with her in the evening and having dinner together as a family. She thinks she might be back in time for dinner tonight. I hope so.
It's really chilly here today! The kitties are curled up napping and steel gray clouds occasionally drift over the sun. I hope summer returns soon.

I hope it's sunny where you are! I will be visiting soon. (((hugs)))

Sunday, June 15, 2008

A Little Time For Fun




Yesterday, my husband and I went to a town called Saugatuck. It's about 40 minutes away from our house on the lake shore. It is a beautiful resort town with several blocks of shops, restaurants, Bed and Breakfasts and small motels. It's a harbor town with a big dock area for people to keep their boats and basically live there all summer long. I took quite a few pictures and thought I would share them. These pictures are from the rose garden across the street from Kilwin's Fudge and Ice Cream. (Yummy!)
It is so pretty inside the wrought iron fence. Roses, Clematis, Hostas, and even sculpture. The sculpture above is call The Cyclists. The tall man with the nice smile is my husband. He's holding the camera. He has very long arms, he's 6'3! I'm there, next to him. I' 5'3. I think my meds are finally at that point where they are making my cheeks puffy. :( Oh, well. There's worse things in life than chipmunk cheeks.

I also have some pretty water pictures and some more pretty statuary. I
have some more Cody and Cricket pictures too. :)

By the time we came home yesterday I was so sore! Even my rib cage hurt. Turns out part of the problem was a low pressure front that came in. The wind was crazy last night! 50 mph gusts! My body is a pressure gauge. ;)
I think I should do the weather forecast for the local news.


I know there is so much sadness right now. It's so hard to say good bye to our Beloved Fur Babies... My heart hurts for everyone who is missing their babies. I'm sending loving thoughts and hugs to all.

I will stop by to visit bloggies soon. Don't let me forget to help Cricket do a House Panther post this week. She has lots of deep thoughts and opinions to share. HUGS! =^..^=

Friday, June 13, 2008

Sweet Kitty , We Love You


She is the true meaning of Courage, Grace, and Love. I will keep her and her family close to my heart. Give Tookie a gentle head but and tell her I love her.
Bless you always sweet Storm.
Big Hugs and Love to everyone today.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Just Me And My Three




It's just me and my kitties in the house during the day for a bit. My 17 year old daughter is slowly breaking me into that empty nest syndrome many parents talk about. She's camping at a campground near the race track wear the Nascar races will be here in Michigan. They will be going to some of the races. My husband is very busy at work and isn't getting home until 5:30-6:00 pm. Saturday he is going to a "son only" father's day breakfast at his dad's retirement home. He said that "maybe" we could go somewhere fun if he doesn't have work to do around the house and if he isn't too tired.
That doesn't sound too promising to me, but we shall see...

Cricket has been invited to be a House Panther! She will spread the joys of kitty naughtiness whenever she feels in the mood to do so. ;) She may allow Cody to post on occasion too. Billie is fine with just doing updates about herself here. She's still feeling good , Temptations free. She will sit on my lap and purr for a bit and nap for a bit, then she goes to her favorite sleeping spot on the sofa. Cody will come for some scritchers and baby talk and Cricket will allow petting and compliments. They are each very different personalities, but I think they love me equally in their own way. :)

I feel like I am behind again on visiting blogs. There are so many friends that I have met especially since Billie's illness and my sadness over the one year of Tookie going to The Bridge. I am going to try to find a balance between chores and blogging so I don't fall behind. Please know you are all dear to me and I enjoy making new friends even if I can't always comment. <3
I must also make time to clean up my side bar. I want to add lots to my favorites and delete some that are no longer up. Because I am not tech savvy at all I must do this very, painfully... slowly. Seriously, I can not for the life of me figure out cut and paste! Yes, I feel stupid. I'm amazed that I am actually blogging at all. I'm one of those learn by doing people, so maybe I just need more practice. I'm just afraid of messing up and never being able to fix it.

Well, I hope you are all having a good Thursday. I will say hi again soon! =^..^=

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Time To Catch My Breath

Like the White Rabbit said to Alice, "I'm late! I'm late!" I have not had a chance to get on line at all today. Every time I turned around there was another mess to clean. Our dvd player broke so we had to disengage it from it's home on the entertainment center. That required moving knick knacks, dusting and putting knick knacks back.
Then, our ceramic soap holder, loosened from the humidity, fell off into the bathtub. We need to buy some new stronger adhesive for it.

My daughter has a friend over today and tomorrow she is leaving with her friend and her family for a camping trip. Last night we had to get all the sample sized shampoos and stuff and she decided she needed a new duffel bag. I will miss her while she's gone. I don't think she's getting back until Monday.

The Alice in Wonderland mug reminded me of the first edition Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking glass book my Grand Da gave me. It had Victorian era pictures through out and the pages were thin and yellowing. Sadly, I left it at my mother's house when I went into foster care and I haven't seen it since. But, I do have the memories and I found a very nice edition in a bookstore a few years ago.
Of course the Cheshire Cat is my favorite. :)

Cricket managed to behave herself after all of the kids left Sunday. I haven't had to clean up after her so far. Our weather has finally calmed down. There has been some flooding in communities near rivers and lots of people lost power. Fortunately we kept ours the whole time, but we do have a weird theory about why our dvd player broke. It stopped working right after the last round of heavy lightning and my husband used his meter to trace it to the power supply. He said typically a surge of power would cause it. I had wondered if perhaps lightning had caused it because I had heard of it traveling strangely like that. He thinks that could be the cause. That's a little too close for my comfort!

I hope I can visit as many friends as possible tonight and tomorrow. I think I will probably have more time on my hands later this week with my husband at work and my daughter camping.

Have a really great week! (((Hugs)))

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Cricket's Weather Report

Momma tried to catch me playing. I was moving me head really fast to keep track of red mousie. She though she got the shot, but my eye looks funny.
You have to be quicker than that to catch a Cricket at playtime!

It is scary outside! Thunder, lightning, wind and rain, plus it's really dark. It was scary last night too. Do you know what's scarier? Teenagers! They invaded the house today to walk with the teenage girl who ignores me all the time to that art festival. They were loud and they had big feet. So, I pulled a Cody and hid! They got caught in the storm and are waiting it out in a Subway. Do you think she will bring me back some turkey from her sandwich? Mmph! I don't! She owes me big time for letting strange people in to my house. Momma is wondering if I will exact vengeance. If I do she will just have to clean it up! I don't mean to cause Momma trouble but, I can
not let this act of treason go unpunished.

What's that Momma? Oh, she says that while I'm here I should tell you that the storm is over and we didn't have any damage. She is worried about Mo because there is a tornado Warning for the county he lives in. I hope his kitties are not frightened. If Isis is frightened she can't be naughty!

Momma wants to visit as many Blogging Friends as she can today. She is worried she will have a house full of wet, hungry teenagers later. She's worried? Do you know how much peeing I will have to do to show my displeasure? She's just lucky she has a new bottle of magic smell remover and that stupid liquid sucking machine. I hate that thing. It's too loud! Mmm... maybe I should pee on that too. ;)
Remember kitties, if you're bored or displeased do something naughty. It's fun! =^..^=

Friday, June 6, 2008

Freshly Bloomed Friday




This Iris bloomed sometime over night and greeted me early this morning. It's like an Easter bonnet! The colors are so cheery and sweet. Like candy, like Jelly Beans. :) So, this is Iris Jelly Bean, sweet and pretty like the kitty!

For a while Irises had me frustrated. The leaves would grow, but I didn't have blooms, then I learned. The crown of the bulb (the top) must be above ground when it's planted. The in the fall I cover it lightly with leaves. Now, I want to try all kinds of fun colors. Wait until my lillies bloom! I hope they are ok, they look a little spindly yet, but summer just started. When they bloom, I'll describe them and then maybe come up with more kitty names. I have always named my plants. I don't know why.

See the tornado watch? Yup we're in for it. It has become really dark, the wind is picking up and thunder is rumbling. Cody is hiding. It's really warm and humid, near 90! There is a festival of the arts downtown and I think they are going to have to close for a while. They just kicked off at noon too. It goes on all weekend. We might go, if we can dodge the pop up storms all weekend.
Oh, it's getting even darker! I should probably unplug the dinosaur desk top computer. I think I can let everything else go. Our dish network will loose it's marbles as the storm gets closer. I have mixed feelings about storms. The thunder and rain sounds so nice, but the lightning scares me silly. A teenage girl was nearly struck by lightning yesterday morning a few miles from here. She was on her bike and it hit close enough to give her a nasty jolt. She's ok now, but that had to be so scary!

:) Cody; I just heard him groan his little bear noise under the sofa. He feels safe enough to sleep under there.

I hope you all have a relaxing first weekend in June. (((Hugs)))

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Storms Will Pass


Thank You All for your kindness. A pet is not just a pet. They are family. You get that ,or at least understand how others feel that way. I am very grateful for all of the wonderful people and their fur babies that I have met.

I will get better. I don't think Time really heals all wounds, it just helps them scab over and sometimes, there's a scar. And, even though scars remain they usually fade enough to not be a bother, just a reminder.

I will try to find some happier things to talk about. I have such a cool little camera and I need to find some neat things to take pictures of.
I will try to visit as many blogs as I can over the next few days.
I hope you all are having a lovely summer evening.
HUGS <3

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

One Year Later...I Miss You I Love You




...the yearning to be near you I do what I have
to do, but, I have the sense to recognize
that I don't know how to let you go.
I don't know how to let you go ~Sarah McLachlan

...If all of the strength and all of the courage
come and lift me from this place
I know I could love you much better than this
full of grace, full of grace my love ~Sarah McLachlan

O divine master grant that I may not so much
to seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood
as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
~Prayer of Saint Francis

Monday, June 2, 2008

Angel Kisses And Flowers






I put new batteries in my camera yesterday and took pictures of what is in my heart. I have a beautiful Iris blooming right now. I don't remember planting it! I don't know it's actual name, so I named it based on it's colors. It is buttery daisy yellow with warm peach infused through it's ruffles. I call it Daisy Peach! I now have a gorgeous flower to remind me of two curly cats. :) My next Iris to bloom will have soft pastel Easter candy colors. Kinda like Jelly Beans. ;) It's also very ruffly and "Princessy " Maybe I will just rename all my flowers to honor my kitty friends!
I lit two candles for some kitties that have gone to the Bridge and for Kitties that are very sick. The little candle is called Angel Kisses. I want to send Angel kisses to everyone in need. The larger one is Vanilla Peach. It smells really nice.
Cricket and Billie wish to send happy kitty thoughts too. Cricket has been a little more affectionate and she really likes the windows being open. Billie is just happy to nap on her plaid scarf with Secret Squirrel.

To be honest this is kind of a hard week looming over me. One year ago, June 4, Tookie went to the Bridge. I still feel her loss so sharply sometimes it takes my breath away. I didn't have a digital camera when I had her, so I can't share pictures of her very well. We have a scanner, but our desktop computer is too old to be compatible with it. She was/is so beautiful.
It's difficult to be the only one still mourning her. I can't really talk about how much I miss her. Usually I get, "I know." or "She wouldn't want you to be sad." Well, duh! She's a kitty. She loved me the best way a kitty could and I loved her enormously. I got her in 1987 and she was all ready around two or three years old. I can't just get over it. I'm tired of feeling sad, but no way am I ever going to stop missing her.
This is how I feel and if I can't say how I feel in my blog, then I don't have anywhere else to go. Okay, probably too intense for a Monday. I do take solace knowing that there are so many in the blogasphere that I know of that would probably feel the same way.

I really hope you all have a lovely first week of June. May the weather be just the way you like it and may you find something summery to enjoy. Hug your kitties and woofies. Even if they are the grumpy sort, they love you too. =^..^=