Bookstore Kitties

Here are the bookstore kitties! They are Zelda, (the white and orange kitty) and Dickens (the black cat). They are so sweet and friendly. Lovely companions while browsing among all those books.
I have been so behind on visiting my blogger kitty and bean friends. :(
I will try to pop in for a few throughout the next couple of days. I need to get some more pictures taken too. I hope to get some of my flowers before they go to sleep for the season. My sunflowers should be opening soon.

Have a Happy Weekend! Lots of Hugs and Purrs from me and The Fab Four; Billie, Cody, Cricket and Toeshee

Moody Monday

Cricket is sad. It has become very cold here and we are getting ss...snow. :(
She knows that the windows will not be open now until at least May.
As I'm typing this she has gone upstairs to bed. I don't blame her.

I got the new Mrs. Murphy mystery this weekend. It will be nice to curl up with. I also received the pin I bid on in Miss Peach's auction to help some kitties in need. I wish I could have taken a better picture. It is a momma cat and kitten hand made by Mommy Karla. She is so talented! I'm in awe of what she can create. I bet you can see a better picture of it on her blog.

My doctor has me on higher doses of Prednisone. My scalp tenderness is due to vascular inflamation. I forget RA can cause inflamation in areas besides the joints until I get something weird going on like this. I have had rib cage pain, skin rashes, ear joint pain, and eye infamation. Yeesh! I think I'm going to be on that darn Pred forever!
My fingers are pretty much stuck. I can go on another disease modifyer, but there's no undoing the damage all ready done. I just need to learn how to work with them the way they are. I do not want to give up crafting and gardening and typing. I will just need to take more breaks to rest them I guess.
I know there are people with worse problems than this. The Taylor Catsssss Mommy needs serious surgergy. She's bed ridden! I feel so badly for her...

So, that's what's going on. I look forward to visitning my blogging friends this week. Yes, I will try to rest my fingers. To be honest they are hurting a bit right now, but I'm so stubborn! :)

My kitties and I send you Love!

Pop! Goes The Kitties!

Toeshee and I would like to share a cute little pop up book called Kittens. The art work is by Leslie Anne Ivory. I have always loved pop up books. I would like to learn how to do pop ups in my paper crafts. It looks really difficult though.

I help Cricket and Cody blog at House Panthers and Billie over at Floof and Fur and I am way, way behind with both! I feel so bad! Time has just been running away from me lately. I'm behind on visiting blogs too. I'll keep trying to visit a few every day.

My daughter has gone camping with her friend and family until Monday. I'm having a case of the" lonelys." She has had a very "fun time" Summer, going here and there which is what she wanted. This coming school year is her senoir year in high school so she will be very busy.

I can't believe it's Thursday all ready! I hope the coming weekend is restfull and restorative for every one. Our hearts are full and our minds are reeling with all of the sadness this week. Maybe our fur babies can bring smiles to our faces and some sunshine to our days. Go visit Daisy and Miss Peach and the Purrchance to Dream Gang. Visit Sweet Praline and Jelly Bean and Quasi. Say hi to Mickey and Prinnie and Adan and Lego. Stop by The Zoolatry crew The NYC kitties, Team Tabby, Gandolf and Grayson... and my oh my! There are so many! Kitties, Woofies, Hammies, Gerbils, and awesome people. I feel better just thinking of them all. :)
Hugs!

Hey Kitty, What's Your Sign? ; )

I'm back! Moving slowly, but I'm here. :) I wanted to share with you a book I have had for a while. It is called Star Cats (A feline Zodiac) by Leslie Anne Ivory. It is a beautifully illustrated book and even you are not into astrology the pictures of the kitties are just really lovely to gaze at.

I found some interesting coincidences in this book; Under the sign of Capricorn which is sweet Miss Peach's sign the kitty is a curly cat with striped apricot fur! Capricorn kitties are serious and sensitive cats who like their comforts.

Under Aquarius which is cute little Daisy's sign there is a pretty tabby. Aquarian kitties are relentlessly curious and need to acquaint themselves with anything new in their environment.

Under the sign of Cancer the crab which is My Miss Billie's sign along with Mickey's and Adan's there is a black and white kitty that looks just like Adan! Cancer kitties are dreamy yet very aware. They are sensitive and moody and respond warmly to affection.

These descriptions sound pretty accurate to me! :) If you would like to know about your kitty's sign let me know in the comments and I will post it in your comments at your blog. I will take some pictures of the pages maybe at some point, but I don't think I better post the whole book. I'm sure you can find it on Amazon if you would like.

I didn't have a chance to get on the computer at all yesterday so I have lots of visiting to do. I have been staying up too late with sore hips and sleeping in until 8:30-9:00 am. Toeshee is still wild, but he seems to be taking more nap breaks. I am letting him explore more of the house and he seems to like my bedroom window. He gets a treetop view up there to bird and squirrel watch.
Doesn't that sound nice?

I hope you all take time to relax like a cat. I think if we all did we would be much less stressed! :) No one can chill like a kitty!

Hugs to all! =^..^=

Cricket's Book Review

Hello, Cricket here. Today I am going to tell you about a book that I have discovered and absolutely adore! Now, usually I do not read the books Momma purchases. I have no interest in sappy romances and fairy tales. I do enjoy the mystery novels that feature the cat as the intelligent protagonist who has the mystery figured out before the humans.
Yesterday morning before heading to the shower to stand under water (shudder)
Momma gave me this book. "Here Cricket. This is that book that really cute kitty named Quasi wrote."
I read the title. "The World Is Your Litter box." Hmm... this looked promising. And, Quasi is a very fine Mancat. (blush)
I must tell you kitties; this book validates everything I have been thinking and all of my behavior! I'm not naughty! I am merely feeling free to express my true cat self! The chapter on How To Get Away with Unacceptable Kitty Behavior is pure genius. Cody loves How To Wake Up Your Human From Even The Deepest Sleep. And Billie was totally into How To Look Cute.
This book is a must read for all kitties! Momma has been picking it up and reading and giggling for the past two days. She thinks it's just a cute funny book for kitty parents to enjoy, but trust me kitties, it goes much deeper than that.
Quasi is a weaver of words. He tells the truth Brother and Sister Cats. Everything you need to know about being the best cat you can be and how to cope with the humans you live with is in this book.
Now, I'm not ready to completely relinquish the word "naughty" from my vocabulary. It's a fun word and it's part of my nickname that Momma lovingly calls me. I love it when she coos, "Hi Naughty Noodle!" But, I have learned that what humans think of as naughty is really perfectly normal cat behavior. Thank
You Quasi! <3
Okay I'm done gushing now. Just get your "bean" to buy the book.
Oh, and I will still say this; Do something naughty kitties! It's fun!

I'm Wating Along With Demeter

Today while grocery shopping I picked up potting soil so I can start my seeds. I actually can't start seeds until around March 10, then supposedly by mid May I can set the seedlings out in the ground and in the pots on the patio. These pictures are copies of antique seed packets. They are also two of my favorite flowers. I have read that the Fairies love them too. ;)
I think I will start some catnip sometime this week though. They like the dried and they like it when I roll their toys in it, but fresh nip really gets them excited.
*Sigh* The snow is still so deep and it's so cold. It feels like Spring will never come. I gazed out my kitchen window this morning and the sun streamed in. It felt warm on my face and I imagined I heard a whispered, "I am coming. Hold on." Maybe it was Persephone. :) That was one of my favorite Greek myths as a child. Pandora's Box scared me. I don't think the illustrations of all the nasties that came from the box helped. Yes my imagination gets out of hand sometimes. Now, I must face reality and finish making dinner. Then hopefully I can get back to my Mrs. Murphy mystery: The Purrfect Murder, by Rita Mae Brown and her co author, her cat Sneaky Pie. Happy Weekend!

Pain, Pain Go Away

I found out that the jaw is vulnerable to RA damage too. Ow... :( The ol' hinge joint hurts when I open my mouth or chew. I upped my anti-inflamatory meds and then I needed extra acid blocker meds to protect my tummy. (The med circle goes round and round.) I've been putting off the Biologics because even with insurance they are very expensive. They also suppress the immune system down to like, nothing. That means I would have colds and other nasties on a regular basis and the side effects can be rather unpleasant. They do prevent joint damage, but I've been told that after a while their effectiveness wears off and you must switch to another one. I'm just not sure what to do. I'm tired of being in pain, tired of being tired, and tired of feeling like I'm constantly coming down with the flu. I know damage is being done. I feel it in every move I make and I see it in my bent fingers and crooked toes.
Ok, enough whining. On a more pleasant topic; I read that the next Harry Dresden book "Small Favor" will be released in late April. That's very close to my early May birthday. ;) I haven't heard about the new Sookie Stackhouse book yet. Usually one comes out around my birthday too. My husband can spot the distinctive artwork on sight and takes my 'hint" and picks it up. At least I make it easy on him. Hmm, maybe I'll get two books this time. *-*

Books, oh how I love them

I don't have a lot of magazine subscriptions because they can really add up, but one I have to have is Romantic Times Book Reviews. This magazine reviews all kinds of fiction, not just romance: Mystery, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mainstream Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance Inspirational Romance and E-books in all categories. And, not just reviews; they have author interviews, tips for writers and publishing industry news. It's also loaded with glossy adds for all kinds of books. Oh, they also review Erotica and while there's never anything x-rated, sometimes the adds for those books can be a little racy, so if you have curious kids be aware. ;) Their reviews are never snarky and usually pretty good. And each category has all the books listed by author, book title, and publisher. (Makes a great shopping list.) Their website is www.romantictimes.com. Wouldn't that be a great job? Just think; reading books then telling what you thought about it, then getting paid for it! I wonder if they're hiring?

Bookstore= Happy

Friday evening I had my bookstore fix. Actually, I wish I had more time than I did. So many books and so little time. I bought Sherrilyn Kenyon's latest, Upon a Midnight Clear and Kresley Cole's Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night. I will have to add them to my books list. While in the bookstore browsing, I found a book called Ghost Hunting By Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson from the Sci Fi channel's Ghost Hunters. (one of my favorite shows.) It basically chronicles the cases they've investigated on the show and several cases from their early years and their personal experiences that led them to investigate haunting activity. I would like to buy it at some point, but I'll have to work it into my book budget.
I'm still in a mood about all the housework that's been left up to me to do. It's just that I'm so tired and my joints have been really cranky lately. :( grumble, grumble...
Maybe I need to start napping again it really helped, but I let guilt talk me out of it. Silly, I know. If one has a chronic illness they should rest. They should drink hot tea and read books that make them happy. So there; guilt can shove it. :)

Can I read and hibernate at the same time?

Darkness settled in around 5:30 this evening. That is way too early, I mean I'm ready to put my pj's on! I am so not ready for this. If I can manage to stay dressed, :) I would like to go to the bookstore this week. It's just absolutely one of my favorite things to do. I don't always buy a book, but I could happily wander around looking at books in every section of the store. It seems there is something of interest in almost every category. Well, ok maybe not computer programming or mathmatics, but pretty much anything else. Fiction though is what really draws me in. After I gather a stack of books, I like to settle in at a table and order a mocha or a hot tea. If I'm feeling really indulgent there's usually brownies or cheesecake to tempt me. Wouldn't it be fun to be locked in your favorite store for an evening?
I've been reading a few blogs, (actually trying to catch up on my favorites) and I'm noticing quite a few people seem to be rather down in the dumps. Maybe it's the change of seasons and looming holidays, I don't know, but I'm feeling it too. Hmm... Maybe we all could use a cup of tea and a few good books. now, if only the bookstore would let me wear my flannels. :)

A book with bite

I found another good book! It's called Many Bloody Returns with short stories by: Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Kelley Armstrong, P.N Elrod, Tanya Huff, and many other sci-fi authors. The theme is vampires and birthdays and so far the stories have been quite good, with some being more disturbing than others. Charlaine Harris and Jim Butcher are two of my favorite authors. I love her Sookie Stackhouse books and Jim's Dresden Files are great. I plan on checking out Tanya Huff's and Kellie Armstrong's books soon. The book is dedicated to Joss Whedon and all the "Buffy Buds." (That would me:) ) And yes, Harry stars in a story with his brother Thomas and Sookie and Eric attend a birthday party for the real Count Dracula, but will the guest of honor really show up? On other paranormal entertainment news; the new season of Ghost Hunters on Sci-Fi returns next Wednesday. I swear this is that network's last chance with me after they canceled Dresden Files. If they cancel Ghost Hunters I will boycott them :( grrr... Ok, rant over. Hope you find something good to read or watch!

What not to wear, who cares?

It has become quite chilly here in the last couple of days, so I have taken to wearing my oh so fashionable hoodies. Call Stacy and Clinton from "What Not to Wear" I don't care, I love my hoodies. I buy them a size too big (sometimes two sizes) and most of them are the pull-overs with kangaroo pockets. Now I have never been a Fashionista. Is that how it's spelled? Comfort always wins out and slim fit jeans and tailored fitted anything just feels so constricting. I will, if forced, wear a skirt, but I prefer the flowing broomstick style. I liked the long feminine tunics that have been in stores for the past couple of summers and I'll wear them with capris, but again most of my Summer tops are loose fitting tee shirts.
Yup, send me to the mall with a wad of cash and I'll end up in the bookstore after half heartedly looking at jeans and tops in JC Pennys. Books are never a waste of money for me and browsing shelves is a lot more fun than browsing through racks of clothes that may or may not fit over my, ahem, curves... And don't get me started on sizing! Grrr... I'm not even an unusual size and I have a hard time finding things that flatter. Designers please, I like being able to breathe. Clothes do not need to fit so snugly over the boobs, ribs and tummy, and I don't care what celebrities are wearing. They're just silly. There, fashion rant over. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to put on my flannel pajama pants and I'll be very comfy. :)

Weekend stuff

I bought Devil May Cry this weekend. Sherrilyn Kenyon is one of my favorite authors and she's at her usual level of exellence with this book. Bonus: it was on sale at the big box store we shop at for around 5 dollars off the original price. Not bad for a hardcover. ;) We also went to the nursery to get some end of season plants to fill in some bare spots. Hibiscus, Daylilly, Artemesia, and some little Violas. The artemesia and daylilly are white and will go in what I'd like to be a moon garden. The violas went in a planter and the big showoff hibiscus went in the front garden. I also managed to get a little writing in last night, but I was so tired that I'm sure most of it didn't make sense. If I get back to it tomorrow I'll probably have to do a bit of tweaking. I know I did too much physically yesterday, because all of my joints are throbbing and of course the pain is nearly perfect symetry. I'm hoping tomorrow I can make time to relax and do that inner peace searching I think I need. Oh, and I'll have to catch up on all those cool blogs I love to read. I need those with my coffee like I need cream. Nighty night all.

Mundane Monday Musings

I'm not a very dedicated blogger am I? I admire people who have something new to share every day. I'm not one of them. I worked on my latest manuscript the other night. I know where I want to go with it, but turning it into something that resembles a cohesive story is proving to be difficult. It's funny how I can have the entire book play out in my head, but getting it on paper takes forever. I write in longhand (first draft) before typing it out in Word.
I read a lot of writer's blogs for inspiration and it's nice to see that they deal with the same day to day family issues while trying to write that I do. Of course they are much more prolific than I am too. Speaking of writers, the new month means new books being released by some of my favorite authors. I'll add them to my books list. I've also heard that the 1st season of The Dresden Files will be out on DVD. Mmm... Paul Blackthorn; be still my heart :) (He plays Harry on the SciFi series) Well, back to Mundania for me. Bye!