Freeeeeduuuuumm!

So there I was kitties... Alone, ALL ALONE in that room. It was so dark (even with the night light on) and COLD (even with my fleece blanket and towel, and rug and cushie bed). I was deprived of all susten....sisten....food (except for those kibbles and some water) There was nothing to do in there but plot my revenge. My brain was spinning... I had nothing to keep my mind off what tortures my captors had planned for me (except my favorite mousie toy, my new plague rat with nip in it, my ping pong ball *that goes really good in the bathtub* and my litter box) BUT OTHER THAN THOSE eensie weensie trifles, it was HELL I TELL U!

I can't tell you all the bad things in case there's babie kitteh's reading... Even when one of my jailers would come in and try to pla...plaka....make me feel better; I would have none of it! I was brave, strong, and as mancatly as I could be. (and not one bit sorry for whatever lies the Demon Queen and her Spawn are claiming that I did!)

In the nightime; they tried playing the good cat/bad cat game on me. The Demon Queen came in and took all the toilet paper so I couldn't sneak anymore notes out! Then... The Spawn came in with all babie talk and kibble in some attempt to try and make me talk! AS IF!

So the night wore on into the hours of the morning and then; when I had entered a trancelike zen state from the hunger, the door opened a crack and more kibble was shoved through the door. I didn't even get up! I was so weak by then (it had been at least seventybillion hours since I had eated last) I could only stare ling..lonn...a long time at the food as I lacked even the strength to stand. *sigh*

The Spawn was home all day (I heard the Demon Queen say she was sick but I'm SURE she was home to make sure I couldn't keep yelling for the cops!) She was under strict orders from the Demon Queen I was NOT to be let out. So I waited...

And the seconds turned into minutes and then the minutes stretched into a half an hour and I lang....lien...I got sleepy. (I had to take long naps to keep up what little strength I had left)

Just when I was resting in the arms of the great Sphynx herself; I was rudely waked up by the door opening and my poor brain and stomach that was yelling and confusing me.

OH NOES! Not the Stinky Food! Oh what horrid females you people are! Have you no shame? How could you do this to such a lovely, sweet mancat like myself? Nooooooooooo! And to top off my humiliation? They filmed it! *see below since blogger took three days to upload the vid and THEN wouldn't let me move it into the correct position* pphghfrjrthghtht!!!!

As you can plainly hear, I told those Ebil females OFF! But let's face it kitties, a night in the klink to 'Think About What You Did!" would make anyone a bit peaky.

Oh, iz soorry... wmwphmwat was aww saiing?

oouummmmpphh oohhhh dis good nooommmmssmmpphhh.....

My Ebil plan of revenge will comm...cimen....start later.

This Just In...

click to embiggen

Wordless Wednesday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our Dear Mr. Pierro!

Furdresser's Apron

If you'd like to see the finished apron go here.

Friendship

Miss Jack and Miss Ellie BFF

Nothing better!

Because it was Sunday,
Because we were in the sun
and because her fur is as soft as flour

I can't keep my lips off her!

I'm too Sexie for my...

Weeell, Heeelloooooo all you sexie kitties~ See me here giving my 'ultra sexie come hither mancat squint'?. I'm helping my 'Mistress' (snicker) work on this new apron for her furdresser. It's some kind of special stuff called PVC. It's all black & shiny like plastic. They both like it because the way it 'lays on the body' makes all their curves look even sexier. Humans... Go figure. Give me a Ginger girlcat with green eyes any day!

Anyway, this stuff gives my Mistress fits because according to her you can't pin it as it will leave holes so she uses this blue sticky tape that I find truly facinating; especially when it's rolled in balls and shot across the floor! Once it got stuck on my paw & I'm not sayin I was askeerdy cat of it but she laughed so hard when I was trying to get it unstuck. I was waving my paw like crazy and it finally flew off really far and of course, I immedately forgot my apprehension and ran after again!

This apron will have hand pleated bubblegum pink organdy ribbon across the bottom and pink silk chemise pockets with black PVC trim. The neck wrap & ties will be pink satin ribbon. It has to be ready by Fuurriday so I'd better get off it now so she can get to work. I was a very good mancat and didn't use my recently manicured claws at all.

I did however, roll all over it so much that she gave me my own piece for myself. I can't wait to put it in my TeePee bed; all I would need is to get the disco ball out of the closet & THEN my Kittens, it's ON! Party at Larrys! I'll keep ya posted.

Easy like Sunday Morning...

Good morning kitkats! Jengs here with a quick ppuurrrrrrroooowww for Sunday. As you can see I'm on my favorite quilt, it's sunny and I'm happy cos She doesn't have to rush off to her 'office'.

Hope you are all having a lovely leisurely Sunday morning too.

Aaaahhhhhhh

Happy Caturday kitties!
Wake me when Monday comes I have the house to myself again!

Excuse Me?!!

YES! You see the above photo? That's RIGHT, it's ME on MY Pedestal!



The other felines in this house have been presuming to take over MY blog (the unmitigated nerve!) I have also continually been slighted in the treats category as well as having to endure alien smells and fur remnants on My woobie. Well, I've had just about as much as anycat can take.



I saw where That Woman had the bloody cheek to complain that I was 'widdling in the hallway' . How often do I need to remind Her that I don't speak Hooman? HEELLoooOOO??? I see no reason why I should cease my protests until my just demands are met and I am provided with wet cat food on a continuing basis anytime I ask for it!



I'd also like to make a correction to a prior post by 'Larry'. That male cat sure has some ego. I'm here to tell you he does NOT in fact, weigh only 5 lbs.; I saw the copy of the VET bill and it was clearly written on there that he weighs 8 pounds! (And here I thought only Gurlie Cats lied about their weight~sheesh!) Furthermore, if he thinks he is the 'king of frootbats' he's got another thing coming! My given name is Stellaluna. I was given that name by the Gurl when she and I were both very small. She named me after a character in one of her books. It's the story of a giant Fruit Bat! She and That Woman love Janell Cannon's books so much they still have the collection. So THERE Mr. Wannabe Mancat!



While we are on the subject of weight, those two cats that post from yesterday for Wordless Wednesday? Well let me tell you something (In all sympathy with Mr. NoFurNo-my heart throb) That striped one weighs nearly 15 lbs now! And the Pied? Well, That Woman insists that she's just 'short' but that cat could give Laughing Budda door-stop statues a run for their money. (In fact, I'm sure I've heard That Woman refer to her as a door-stop) And unlike my heart throb, they don't have medical conditions! I'm certain the title was 'Wordless Wednesday' was because those two had probably eaten all the captions! (you know, like fortune cookies MOL!)



Then we have the issue of the other Queen in the house. Yes, you read that right... the Other Queen is who That Woman calls 'Jenga'. She came here 13 new moons ago... SHE gets to live in That Womans' room! SHE gets to have That Woman (and the bed) all night to herself! SHE even gets the new cat tree that was MINE because as That Woman tried feebly to explain: "Now Stel, Miss Jenga requires more vertical real estate than you do and since you weren't using it just deal with it!" To which I replied *HHhhiiiiiiissssss* and backed it up with 1'The Claw!" That taught her a lesson! The nerve of her speaking to my like that. Appalling! Just because One chooses not to use their own property, it's still THEIRS! *sigh*

You can all clearly see now how I have been made to suffer and am well within my rights to wage wars of protest.



I should have the cat tree. I should get the hooman bed to sleep in at night (with the hooman in it for warmth) AND my woobie should be unsoiled of silly boycat smells or other catfurs on it! Wet cat food is my right~not a privilege! Cat treats should be given anytime I ask, not just when I come in from the patio when she has the nerve to think she has summoned me. I know all my cat blogosphere friends out there will back me up on this.



So to all the cats within the realm of my communications I'm Mad as Hell, and I'm NOT going to take it anymore. Do you hear that sound?



Ya, that's the sound of of a different can opener... and it's openin a can of 'WhuupCat' so be forewarned, be smart and stay the heck off my woobie if you know what's good for ya! I'm watchin you!



Ms. Stella(luna) O'Houligan


1 I don't use 'The Bitey' ever on my humans, My claws are much more sharp & and do considerably more damage than ANY bite I could inflict... Besides, it takes WEEKS to get that hooman taste outta yer mouth!"

Wordless Wednesday

Helping, hiding and Jenga has the last meow!

So there I was, feeling better & helping That Woman with her ironing. (don't ask me; she puts this hissy thing on the flat part up there & rubs it all around then moves FUN part down here and starts over again~my job is to make sure the part she finished is all flat...humans are so weird! Don't know why she just doesn't lick it flat!)



Anyways, after I was done helping, I went exploring with my lazers on and LOOKIE what I FINDED! I was all snuggled in until That Jenga said "Hey Scoobie Doofus! You'd better watch your tail coz that thing belongs to Ms. Stella & she won't like it if you're in it! The last cat who tried that got all their furs melted right off when she looked at them with her GINORMOUS eyeballs and FIRE shot out of them and the next thing you know That Woman had to get the giant sucky thing to clean up the mess!

WHAT??!!

Giant Fireballs! Big Sucky Thing?! Jenga, I think yer pullin' my paw! I mean like, dude I've only ever seen anything like that in a comic book!

Ms. Jenga just smiled and said: "Suit yourself string bean! Hey? Can I have your old curliebed after yer gone?"

That's SO not even funny! I think she's just trying to scare the beejeebies outta me!

~moment~

Well maybe, um.. I mean, I'd um... rather be over here anyways... YAaah.. Cos um... I'm not askeerd of her! Some girlie cat! HaHA... wull. and plus I haven't seen her all day.

I think I'll hide out in "The Great Wrinkle of Doom!" There's like, NO WAY she'd ever find me in here!

MeowOutLoud!...Silly Boy! All these girlie cats and he's the only boy...and he's such a baby!.. I should prolly tell him the truth...

but *yawn* it's my naptime now and I need my beautysleeps...

Face Time

From: Mr. Lawrence (Larry)

As anycat can see; I'm in the ARMS of THAT WOMAN being HELD!! How did this truly appalling thing happen you ask *shudder* ? Well let me tell you.

As you know, I was staying in The Gurl's room but since I was being a good mancat, I was also given one third of the house to myself. That includes (but is not limited to) The Gurl's room; Her litterbox room; and That Woman's sewing room .

The sewing room is quite grand I assure you, everycat should have one! There is a huge window looking out at the backyard and there's a bird feeder there that gets all kinds of action daily! There are tons of way up high places to perch and soft blanketie places to lie down and cupboards to open (and lie in) with all manner of things to sniff and shred with my lovely claws.

She had some stuffed tiny bird shaped things she made 'by hand' but I showed her exactly what they were really made for even without nip in 'em! Now of course, they are completely mine (well duh!?) as she 'can't use them for anything now.' The ONLY drawback was That Woman put all and every kind of really fun things to play with AWAY!! I can't tell you how hissed off this makes me! I mean Seriously! There used to be this really cool yellow plastic handled thing with a super sharp shiny silver wheelie on it; it was so shiny I could see my regal face in it (to make sure not a whisker was out of place) and SHE had the nerve to put it AWAY! Some lame excuse that I could 'cut myself to ribbons on the blade' . She went through the room and I heard her reading her checklist of things to hide... (scissors, check! pins, check! thread, check! mixed media ephemera, check!) Now, all those things that filled me with curiosity are in a drawers that even SHE has trouble pulling out. What's a mancat to do? So, I make sure all flat surfaces, softie fabric things, and chairs have my lovely silver furs all over them. That'll fix Her! Plus, I can leap down on her head anytime I feel like it!

*sigh* but I digress. So anyway, one of the blanket things was all black, it was my favorite thing to lay on. One day when She came in to get something she looked very carefully at it. "Oh Dear" she mumbled. Next I heard her talking on the tiny jingle box she carries around.

..."yes, he needs a visit

...he has tapeworms...(NO idea what she meant by this, she wouldn't even let me play with her Tape Measure thing)...

....yes I'm sure. I know what they look like; 3pm today? Great, see you then...click."

Well I can tell you kitties, the way She looked at me then sent shivers of ice down my spine! I had no idea what she had said to the box but iI wasn't about to wait around to find out. I ran for my rug and became my persona : "El Purrito". I was safe there until The Gurl lured me out with my favorite toy! I must work on steeling myself in the future.

The Woman told The Gurl to put treats into my TeePee bed and naturally I went in after them! (NO, I'm NOT a treat whore! I'm starving All The Time!) so there I was, enjoying my treats when all the sudden! ZZZZIIIIIIIIPPPP! What The PAW was that??? OH NO, now I'm trapped! (I secretly was askeerd I was being sent back to the other house where I lived (only they kept me in a pen in the garage)!

And from there the day just went downhill. I found myself in my TeePee on The Gurl's lap IN THE CAR! You know what THAT means kitties??? Oh Ya you DO! Next thing I knew, I was in some room where there were too many smells to count, my heart was beating like mad, my furs were falling out en masse! I was so askeerd that I sough refuge in Her arms, you can't see my lips moving praying to Bast that 'I will never go outside the box again..' and I 'promise to let them pet me' and 'I promise not to bold out the door anytime it's opened and to only play with toys I'm supposed to' and...well, you get the picture. And through all of my prayers I could hear That Woman and The Gurl talking as if nothing in the world was wrong!!!

Then... The door creaked open and even though my eyes were shut tight I could hear a Man's voice and heard the door creak closed and then all of them were talking and then I could feel the cold steele table on my delicate feets, it was friggin COLD! I kept my eyes shut, I was shuddering more than a loose screen on a windy day and then the Man said; " He's a beautiful cat!" Ok, vanity be damned, I simply had to look to see what an obviously well bred human and super intelligent person this was! I let him weigh me (I only weigh 5 lbs.) He was so nice I wanted to tell him I hadn't been feeling well for along time but he was so smart he all ready knew that! He said it was a good thing That Woman was paying attention as "Cat's are such good maskers of illness." They are pretty sure I've had the tapeworms for a while since I have been eating like mad since I came to stay and am still so underweight. Just when I thought this man could read my mind and I was quite ready to go with him where ever he wanted he left! Then some other Boy came in with some other Gurl and THEN do you know what happened??? WELL! The Boy put the 'momcat grab' on the scruff of my neck and the Gurl stuck me! To my mancatly credit, I did not yowl or hiss or bite anyone. Though I did give a few mock charges at them from my TeePee after they put me back! YA! I showed THEM who was boss!

I had been perfectly quiet in the car and a good mancat to My Ladies but as soon as I could smell the garage opening, I was yowling like mad to get out! The Gurl carried me to my side of the house where it was blissfully cool and I was given plenty of treats and TWO new clean litter boxes! So to that I say:

Here's lookin' at you kid!

addendum from That Woman:

Mr. Larry was having improper elimination habits as well which did prompt me to watch him more closely. He had been urinating on Ellen's bed of all things: specifically on one blanket in particular even after it had been washed mulitple times. So, I called Marilyn over at Bengal Rescue and she gave me some tips to try. Most important was to get his current litterbox (that had a cover) out of El's closet, take the lid off and place it out in the open. She said cats want to be able to see all around them when they do their business for safety. That is why he was using El's bed; he could have a clear view of the entire room from there. Also; we were to get him this type of box. It's a sterilite container sans the lid. She indicated to put one cup of old litter in it on top of at least three inches of new litter. Place both boxes in plain view in the room. I asked if I should cut space in the side for easier access but she assured me it was only 12" high & he should jump right in but he'll still be able to see out. It took him all of an hour to figure out he could use that box & now almost uses it exclusively.

I did get one more & put it out in the entryway where my own cats seem to have developed a flair for widdling there in the night. It's been a week and though Ms. Stella jumped in it once and walked around inside, not one of them has used it. That'll be my next problem to solve. But for now, Mr. Larry is doing much better, seems happier and though he still won't let us voluntarily hold him, (and you can bet I soaked up that vet visit holding for all it was worth!) he seems to understand we aren't going anywhere & we do love him and want to care for him until he finds his new furrever home.

Thanks for reading!

Frootbat Friday (er... Caturday!)

Here is Mr. Larry in his glorious frootbatty-ness!

He's quite lovely and lanky & loooooong!



We are in love with all his stripes!



Ms. Stella O'Houligan certainly gets her face time and the old girl (15) doesn't look one bit her age nor does she act it!! LOL



Finally, the only one of our cats who gives the most righteous, 'eyeglasses removed while you wait' headbutts; Ms. Scraps. If she didn't also drool like a hound dog smelling bacon; it'd be all right!

Wordless Wednesday

Would you ever have guessed?

You are the fastest bird in the world!  You dive at over 200 miles per hour!  You are renown for your aerial dynamics!  Death on swift wings!   You capture and; kill your prey in mid air!  And how do you sleep? Like this!   Check out those orange legs sprawled out!  Flat on their bellies!  These are the eyases of the Red Deer Tower in Canada.  This is a nest box 312 feet up on a pole with a camera installed.  You can watch these guys on Ustream.  The third chick hatched on my birthday June 13th~!  Such a cool gift!

Here's dad w/the babies.

These are one of my favorite bird species.  The chicks grow so fast! 

Peregrine falcons mate for life and breed in the same territory each year. The male courts the female for about one month, using aerial displays. (This means the male must work at it every year even though they are mated!) They make a nest, or scrape, (which explains why the next box has rocks in it)  on ledges and in small caves located high on a cliff. Some peregrine falcons will use man-made structures such as bridges and skyscrapers to nest.  One of my favorite things was watching the  pair alternately sit the nest & each one would rearrange the tiny pebbles each time!  I always envisioned their inner voices like this 'Gal dang!  I just put this rock over here!  That male thinks he can just come in here and..."  And the Male:  "For pity's sake woman!  Leave me rocks alone!")

Did You Know?

Peregrine Falcon chicks, called eyases, eat an incredible amount of food - in six days, they double their weight, and at three weeks are ten times their size at birth!  ( I can vouch for this; feeding times are fast, brutal and facinating to watch!)

Reproduction
Mating season: Late March through May.
Gestation: 29-32 days for egg incubation.
Clutch size: 3-4 eggs.  (This pair have three)
Both the male and female incubate the eggs for about one month. The chicks start to fly in about 42 days, but are still dependent on their parents to learn how to hunt. Peregrine falcons are very territorial during breeding season and will vigorously defend their nests.

info courtesy of Defenders of Wildlife

Hi! My Name Is...

Luke Skywalker.  I didn't choose this name for myself but it was given to me by my previous people's little human.  I am staying at Ms. Stella O'Houligan's house until I get a new person.  I am 18 months old and am a Snow Bengal.  I am reaallllly skinny (especially compared to my other housemates here) That Woman who takes care of us has been soooo nice & everytime I meOOOWWW really loud she brings me foodz.  It's so cool!  And you'll never guess! There's treats here too!   I will do anything for a treat!  The Gurl say's I'm a 'Treat hor' but she laffs so it must be funny.  

I get to stay in The Gurl's room.  It's fun in here!  It's like being in a giant gifty box with all the pretty colors!  I sit in this window looking out at the front yard where That Woman has put bird seed in the grass so I have something exciting to watch during the day! 

I was really askeerdy cat when I first got here; there was so many new smells & I am not allowed outside.  At the other house where I used to live (on the beach)  they let me out  and I would leave for days at a time. 

They never knew where I went to hide.  My sister still lives with them.  She was not bothered by the move to that new house, the two small humans or the new goggie who was little and would scare me all the time.  I miss my sister. 

There is a cat here who looks just like her but she stays in That Woman's room even though I got to see her once and I meowed hello and chirped thinking it may have been my sister (only she was GIANT!) we weren't allowed to 'socialze' yet.  I hope I can see her again soon because I want another cat like me to play with. 

I have been a 'Good mancat' in training and don't 'go' anywhere but my litterbox.   My favorite time is when That Woman comes home and I let her pet me now and I purrsss till I drool.  She laffs.  I haven't let anyone pick me up 'cos I'm not ready.   It's really nice not to be grabbed at all the time.  I didn't used to let any buddie touch me I was so askeerd  they would pull my tail or squeeze me too much. 

I also like that she puts a orange ball in the bathtub and let's me go in there and play with it!  It bounces all over the place and I can jump reallllllly high!  One time I was let out in the room where the box with the moving pictures is.. I got to smell all kinda stuffs out there & look out the backyard where the other kitties were let on the patio to lay in the sun outside.  I wanted to go too but there was still sunbeams on the carpet so I took a catnap there.  

It's okay here and I can tell That Woman & The Gurl like me way lots, but I need my own person so if you are interested please visit The Bengal Rescue 

My pic's aren't up there yet but they will be soon and you can still fill out the adoption form & email it to Marilyn. 

xo 

What are we doing?

I have tried to distance myself from news of the Oil disaster for fear of becoming utterly despondent (or militant!). I wonder how one can try to scrape together feelings of hope when hearing news from the 'front lines' about the latest failure in dealing with this environmental disaster. It's not just a 'tragedy'; it's not just an 'accident' it's a pre-apocalyptic natural disaster and it appears we are frightfully impotent to handle it.

Just when it started to seem microscopically possible that in a few years time we might yet be able to pull out of the economic mess; any sparks of that renewed spirit are being suffocated to death just like the birds and sea creatures on the gulf coast. It is horrible sitting here with the feeling of utter helplessness at not being able to do anything to help solve this problem.

But enough of my rant; for real facts and information; please visit Sharon Steitler's site. That 'Birdchick' has got it goin' on as evidenced in her last paragraph copied here with her gracious permission:

I recall with the passing of the health care bill that Vice President Biden remarked it was a big “effing” deal. If I would like to see any profanity from the higher office, it would be now. Enough of everyone giving carefully worded and not so carefully worded statements of dismay and apologies without taking responsibility. I want President Obama to channel some Samuel L. Jackson in Snakes on a Plane in dealing with BP. I want an immediately assembled “think tank” of the world’s underwater engineering experts, wildlife experts, middle school and high school science fair winners and the entire staff of MythBusters to pitch ideas on how to stop the leak.
Sharon Steitler aka Birdchick

Sunday Sun

That woman I live with used to buy all manner of yarns and sell the 'scarves' to other naked necked beings.   She kept my toy box boxes full with all the leftovers rolled into little balls. Occaisionally I had to endure her complaining when she would need to regularly fish them out from under the couch for me she apparently decided enough was enough.  She said she should use all those leftovers cos she paid a small fortune for all that fancy yarn.  So she got the long sharp sticks out again and took all the little balls & tied them all end to end.  You can bet I was immensley helpful in that task and of course my efforts were completely unappreciated!  She made a 'shawl' which she said was just a bigger neck wrapping.   . Well, I'm not one to brag; but you can see that I guard it well considering it's so valuable.  If you come to our house don't let her tell you it's my woobie.  That is simply ridiculous!  I don't even know what one is but it sounds far too kittenish for the drama queen stealthy guardian/huntress I am! 

The Creamy Center

If That Woman thinks she can get away with posting pictures of me like this, she's got Another Thing Coming! I mean really! I am a wild animal, I eat mice, I kill rats, I catch lizards, I'd catch birdzez too if she'd let me OUT! Wuss Puss' need not apply! I have a reputation to uphold! Do not ever think you would be allowed to actually touch that creamy center! Oh this is just too much; She's gone too far this time. I'll show Her~as soon as I'm done typing on this clacky thing...

wha?

what the PAW???


a plastic coating???


NOoooooo!!! FOileD aGaiN!!! EviL WitCh! oh this just hisses me off! She's so lucky I don't sleep in her room.

SSSSSsssssssspit!

I'm a Thief, I admit it!

I just swiped this off another persons blog; BUT; she didn't write it either so just as she did, I'm properly citing the author. And when I can; I'm going to get his book. Thank You Grace!

Curmudgeon - Me

(Quote from Jon Winokur, Author of "The Portable Curmudgeon")

A curmudgeon's reputation for malevolence is undeserved. They're neither warped nor evil at heart. They don't hate mankind, just mankind's absurdities. They're just as sensitive and soft-hearted as the next guy, but they hide their vulnerability beneath a crust of misanthropy. They ease the pain by turning hurt into humor. They attack maudlinism because it devalues genuine sentiment. Nature, having failed to equip them with a serviceable denial mechanism, has endowed them with astute perception and sly wit.

Curmudgeons are mockers and debunkers whose bitterness is a symptom rather than a disease. They can't compromise their standards and can't manage the suspension of disbelief necessary for feigned cheerfulness. Their awareness is a curse.
Perhaps curmudgeons have gotten a bad rap in the same way that the messenger is blamed for the message: They have the temerity to comment on the human condition without apology. They not only refuse to applaud mediocrity, they howl it down with morose glee. Their versions of the truth unsettle us, and we hold it against them, even though they soften it with humor.

Pass the Ben & Jerry's (Cherry Garcia)

I don't know why... (most likely as Terry Pratchett says you can't map laughter)

But this single LOLcat made El laugh so hard that it not only brought tears to her eyes but then her laughing made me laugh 'till I cried and it's become a standing joke at our house ever since.

*sigh* but I digress.

I hate those times when you feel as though you are slogging uphill through an avalanche while wearing cement shoes.

I knew yesterday I had an important deadline for a quilt entry I was really looking forward to. So after arriving home; eating dinner, I went online, opened my projects and the online entry form from the site to get it done. I started to complete the forms when all of the sudden I realize the only key that is responding is the 'L' key and when I strike it, it's typing 'lo'. Even after attempting my normal work around for this problem (which basically involves striking it harder and faster) the only response I got was lololololo. Which only reminded me of Lilo & Stitch when Nane calls Lilo a 'Lolo' head for being silly which I find completely appropriate for my reaction.

I come to be aware that every time I strike the l key, my fingertip feels funny too. Upon inspection, I see that is because it's wet. "*F***!*" "Every cat in my house better be finding some place to hide really fast right now!!!" I scream. I've completely HAD it with this! This keyboard is toast! And this keyboard isn't even mine! It's the one I had to borrow from work as they all ready ruined mine a three weeks ago by this same means of sabotage! "*F***!*" OH, and just so you might know, I've had to resurrect the CRT monitor we had out in the garage. After an apparent re'tail'iation last week when I had foiled their assault on the new keyboard with a plastic bag; they peed directly onto my flat panel monitor & shorted it out, completely ruining it! This is not something I can afford to replace; so I'm left with this CRT which was originally banished for jumpy picture & inadvertently shutting off if it feels like it.

I have told my cats that Little Saigon is not far away & there are a couple of them I could sell BY THE POUND & could easily get enough to replace the monitor and BOTH keyboards!!! Note the stress level here kicking up a few notches? Ya... I'm NOT HAPPY! **deep breath**

So, I go in and ask El, 'Wanna drive me to wallymart so I can get a cheapo keyboard?" She nods, and off we go. I couldn't believe they actually have keyboards that are $11.00. Some how only having to spend $11.00 of our grocery money isn't so bad. So we get home and I plug the keyboard in to finish my applications that were all ready in progress, and my computer says it must 'install the new hardware'. It's a feckin keyboard... what's to install? I don't know, but it took over half an hour to do it! I was seething but onward!

I finally got the application parts completed & two sets of photos uploaded; I uploaded the last set & clicked submit and do you know what happened? Nothing. Nada. It went back to the main screen page for the entry where all I got was a little green line that said 'Sorry, that action is not allowed'. Apparently, during the course of my tribulations, they stopped receiving entries.

About that time; my daughter came running out from her room into the kitchen. She knows I will occasionally swear. But she was hearing words and phrases she'd never heard from me nor, she told me later ever even had heard at her school. Strangely I was perversely proud of that. But I was crying by then too and it wasn't just the stupid website, the stupid computer, the stupid cats, the stupid economy, it was just the last, stupid, straw... Later that night in my private journal I used an entire page in caps wondering how often and how many conjugations I could use the 'F' word. And you know what? There's LOTS! I felt a bit better, slept a bit longer and woke to a brand new day.

And next time; I won't wait till the 'last day' to enter no matter what they tell me.

Live Hawk Nest Cam!

Hey all you hep cats & kittens! Wanna watch some REAL bird TV??? Check it out!

The Franklin Institute Hawk Nest

Upstanding Kittizen...

This is what my cats must have looked like today as the fledglings left their nest.

Empty Nest

Before you go thinking I've pawned off my teenager; rest assured she's still here.

I am referring to the Bushtit nestlings. It hardly seems like a last weekend they were a loud & happy bunch as each parent would flit back and forth to and from the nest with beaks full of spiders, flies and tiny gnats to feed their nestlings. I only went out for an hour or two this morning and when I sat in front of the slider around 2pm; no longer did I hear them; I waited & read (Crow Planet) and realized after a hour or so; they must be fledged. *sniff* I missed it. I so had wanted to see those tiny feathered miracles leave the nest. I had rather hoped it would take a few days, you know... Try and fly, end up tail over beak on some nearby twig... but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

This Bushtit’s nest is a 9 inch long pendulous sack, made of spider webs and fuzz, grass, string and lichen. The nest is so snug, the adults need only spend 40% of daylight hours incubating the eggs. To learn more about the Bushtit, please visit BirdWeb.org. You can see the tiny dark whole that is the door. Over the last couple days when a parent would fly into the nest; you could see the sides get all wobbly & sticky outy where there was obviously a commotion going on of tiny gaping beaks and loud peeps! My camera phone's microphone was too lousy to capture it. But you could hear them from across the yard!


I wouldn't have ventured this close when the nestlings were still inside for fear of stressing the parents.

Nesting

There is some evidence of communal nesting by Bushtits, but it is limited to southeastern Arizona. Helpers at the nest are usually adult males. During nesting season, flocks break up, and pairs establish loose territories, although they appear to tolerate other Bushtits within their territories. Both members of the pair help build the nest. The nest is an impressive, woven, hanging basket with a hole high up on the side of the nest and a passageway to the nest chamber at the bottom. It can be up to a foot long, and is generally built of spider webs, moss, lichen, and other plant material. Inside, the nest is lined with plant down, fur, and feathers. If the pair is disturbed during the early stages of nest-building, they will abandon the nest and find a new location, sometimes finding a new mate as well. Both parents incubate the 4-10 eggs for 12-13 days, sometimes at the same time. Both brood the young and bring them food until shortly after they leave the nest at about 18 days. They generally raise two broods a year.

And from this cool blog: Bestiarum I got this darling shot of what a fledgling looks like

Note the diminutive size! Is that a daily 'squee' or what?

Well, all we can hope is that the pair return for possibly one more brood before nesting season is over in July. But I was truly inspired to be host to such a wonderful natural event.

For the Love of Ginger

My first two cats; Ginger & Taffy. I was 19 or 20. On my own in my first apartment in Arizona. I went to a woman's house who had put the add in the paper 'Free Morris cats'. (LOL Back when cat lovers knew who Morris was). When I arrived I was directed to the barn. The kitten I first picked had run out to me from under a tractor. She became 'Taffy' (she is the cat on the right in the grouped photos) and the one just above by herself. She was SO Orange and SO white. She is also pictured on my antique sewing machine below in the window light.

Then; as I didn't want to have one kitten who would be alone while I worked all day; I needed one more. This proved daunting considering the only other kitten available was hiding; way under the tractor; with the black widow spiders. (now y'all know I like those spiders but I don't want to be bitten thank-you-very-much! and technically they'd be well within their rights considering I was intruding on their home turf!) Anyhow...



The woman grabbed a broom & 'shooed' the poor wretched mewling thing out from under the tractor & before she could scramble back. One of the woman's kids grabbed her first by her tail and then by the scruff of her neck & thrust her at me. She was hissing; trembly and growly and she appeared to be covered in grease! It was love at first sight (for my part).

I took both cats and put them in my car. This was before I knew there was such a thing as a cat carrier. I had a VW van (my first car too) and it had a bed in the back with a giant quilt on it; they both burrowed under the quilt and stayed there till we got back to my tiny apartment where I had to fish them out amid screams (mine) & claws (theirs).

That marked the start of a relationship that lasted over the next 20 years. Almost instantly after getting them inside and finding my bed (which was a mattress on the floor) we all lived quite wonderfully from that night on. Both curled up as you see them from then on; usually against me somewhere.

So many memories of my beloved Gin. When I got her home that day I washed her so much her poor fur was almost coming off till I realized she wasn't supposed to be the same color as her sister! Taffy was the wayward wanderer; fearless; hang from the drapery rods kind of cat. Gin; on me; on my lap; in my hair at bedtime for the next 17 + years.


My beloved Ginger Girls. I miss them e.v.e.r.y. d.a.y. And I can't wait to see them again.