Tuesday, July 31, 2007

loving the zoom groom

that ball of fur next to ben is dense after 5 runs with the zoom groom brush. could you imagine if all cat moms and dads gather the kitty fur? think of the clothes we could make! mom would love to have a kitty scarf or sweater.

a star in the making...?


mom noticed that lucy likes to watch tv. when the tv's on, lucy pays close attention. maybe she's planning to be a screen star?

Sunday, July 29, 2007

sleepy sunday - kitten version

when she looks like this, i'm willing to forgive her for just about everything! (including the tail pounces) her big pounces make her look like a swimmer doing the butterfly stroke...shoulders back and both paws swinging together.

the vet who gave lucy her first shots thinks that lucy was born near the beginning of may. since mom is using may 2 as her birthday, lucy's almost 2 months old. she's getting bigger, cuter, funnier, and smarter every day. mom will weigh her on tuesday.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

saturday morning at the golf course

while not hot, it has been quite warm here. this morning, jade and i are going for a stroll at the golf course that's right outside my window.


it's lovely green, well-kept, and known as the 'driest course' in seattle thanks to a sophisticated drainage system.

we'll stroll the paths for awhile...watching the squirrels, chuckling over the territorial hummingbirds, staying clear of the golfers. at the 9th hole, we'll switch to a golf cart. i don't want to tire jade too much. it's a long trek.

when we return to the clubhouse, we'll feast at the weekend brunch and sip the 'nip coolers i've brought along.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

i was tagged for the proverb meme too

Jade tagged me for the proverb meme. i've been thinking about all the things i could say:

If a lap is made on the couch, the cat should be on the lap on the couch

Tummy kisses are best enjoyed as surprises

Feisty sisters come in small packages

Love can come at any time

The well-shaken can of stinky goodness contains the most gravy

i think the last is my life's philosophy. i am always pleased when mom shakes the can well. i want that gravy!

for tagging, i pick my cousin daisymae maus and her cousin, zoey (even though zoey's computer is out of commission for the moment.

Lucy's first meme

Ben: i am trying to teach her that using all capital letters is like shouting. she doesn't seem to understand. if i can, i'll try to edit her volume, ok?

LUCY-FURR: I WAS TAGGED BY MISS PEACH FOR THE NEW MEME THAT'S GOING AROUND. SHE HEARD ABOUT IT FROM MOSAIC CATS WHO SAY THAT THEY HEARD IT FROM SKEEZIX WHO HEARD IT FROM DAISY WHO HEARD IT FROM WE THREE. IT'S SPREADING FAST--ALMOST AS FAST AS I CAN RUN--AND I GET TO WRITE A PROVERB!

FIRST, HERE'S THE BLOG DEFINITION OF A PROVERB:A proverb is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of catkind.

SECOND, HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF OTHER CATS' PROVERBS:

Willie & Bianca: There are only twenty-four hours in a nap.

Sadie: Morris 5:37,38 "No one puts new clean litter into dirty old litter boxes, or else the new litter will touch the poo poo parts, and it will be stinky, and the clean litter will be skanky. But new litter must be put into clean litter boxes, and both are good. No cat having scratched new litter immediately desires old, for he says, ‘The new is better.’ "

Miss Peach: Gather ye Catmint while ye may,
the time is right for drying.
For this same Catmint here today,
tomorrow will be steamrolled flat
by a herd of bulldozer cats!

THIRD, HERE'S MY PROVERB

BE WARY OF THE TAIL
IT MIGHT BE SWISH
OR COULD BE THRASH

FOURTH, I'M GOING TO TAG PRINNIE, MARIE, AND MARILYN.

I THINK I'D BETTER STOP. I CAN'T COUNT ANY HIGHER THAN FOUR.

Ben: i'm sorry you guys, she just doesn't get the necessity of an indoor voice. did you know that she's talking about MY tail in her proverb?

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Monday, July 23, 2007

bad mom on mancat monday

here it is...my first really important mancat monday. i mean, i have a new baby sister, and it's really important that i establish myself as the mancat of the house. mom didn't take any pictures! she spent the weekend: reading, drinking diet coke and entering codes into 'mycokerewards.com', eating gluten-free pizza, playing scrabble, and finally filling food bowls and changing water. no misunderstanding: she made sure we had what we needed: plenty of fresh water and food in our bowls..but STILL no pictures! i think i might have guilted her into doing a better job. we'll see when she gets home tonight...

baby lucy-furr here: GUESS WHAT? I'M NOT AFRAID OF THE WHIRLY BIRD! (ben: shhh, luce, you don't have to shout.) BUT I'M SO HAPPY! SO EXCITED! LOOK! I POO'ED IN MY BOX! I BITED MOMMY'S FINGERS! I POUNCED ON YOUR TAIL! I BUNNY-KICKED THE 'NIP MOUSIE! I RUN LIKE THE WIND AND MOMMY CAN'T CATCH ME!

and i hissed at you, thrashed my tail, licked mom's fingers, used my box like a gentleman, let you play with my 'nip mouse, and sat on mom as much as she would let me.

Mom here: yes, the baby is full of energy and mischief. Ben looks staid compared to her. I can tell he wants to play with her, and who knows what they'll do when I leave for work in about 20 minutes. Ben is sure the baby food is for him. Lucy-furr is sure that everything is for her!

Saturday, July 21, 2007

no spoilers

mom toni here: there are no spoilers here, i promise. i will say that i read hp7 all the way through, and it was worth it. of course, nothing else happened here today: laundry, vacuuming, etc. that's what tomorrow's for, right?

not time for me...

mom's on her way out the door to buy a book...and then she's going to spend the day reading.

want to take a guess what she's buying? i bet you already know!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Thursday Thirteen

thirteen things to love about kittens (or more specifically--our kitten):

1. she's got a round little tummy after every meal
2. her toes spread when a finger is run along a toe pad
3. her tail is long and skinny...and she hasn't yet realized it belongs to her
4. bright eyes...huge bright eyes that see everything...and frequently don't have any clue what it means
5. curiosity: there's a paw under the door and a hissing kitty hiding somewhere. hmmmm. oh! they're attached!
6. speed: eating, drinking, purring, running, skittering, catching fishing toys.
7. jumping ability: our kitten can jump straight up into the air for reasons that neither mom nor i can figure out
8. our kitten has a very big purr. a huge purr in fact. and this is one tiny cat!
9. she lifts her head and shoulders in anticipation of some stroking
10. she's willing to recline on her back with tickles on her tummy
11. she already knows how to bunny kick...and she demonstrates excellent form
12. she hasn't yet realized that if mom has made a lap, the best place to be is in that lap
13. she sleeps in the nursery and i sleep with mom

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

bears

this is a somewhat political post. i'm writing because i think most of us kitties care about other animals. we're the lucky ones who can blog and share information with the rest of the world.

i was tagged by 5 cat style and the flyer with this info about the bears in asia. there's some horrible stuff going on there...and i'm willing to stand up and say 'STOP!'

first, be aware that this information might be hard some young tender cats.

there are people in the world who use bear bile as a health aid. new developments have shown that herbal replacements are at least as effective as bear bile. the following story describes what happens to the bears when their bile is harvested.

"Sadly, in China, Korea & Vietnam the bear bile trade is still a thriving industry despite the fact that herbal substitutes have been found to have the very same medical properties that bear bile is supposed to have.

"Bear bile is obtained from a variety methods, including daily puncturing of the gall bladder to extract the bile, making a permanent open incision to the bear's bladder for daily drainage of the bile, and slaughtering of bears in front of customers to ensure 'authenticity' of the bile. For more information please visit this link: Bear Bile Industry.

"Please help to spread the message of Animals Asia's campaign to stop bear bile farming in China, as well as those of other animal welfare organisations."

*****
not many of you know that mom loves polar bears. we've got lots of polar bear art around our house, and mom frequently wears polar bear jewelry (and a tiny tattoo on the inside of her left ankle).

legislation introduced this past spring is asking that it be illegal for a trophy hunter--or anyone else--to bring a polar bear pelt into the us. there are well-reasoned arguments for this request, and i'm in full support of it.

if you're interested in either (or both) issues, do a web search (mom speaking...
i'd type more, but ben is putting the bitey on me...he wants to go to bed!)


Save the Bears



Polar Bear Protection Act

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

introducing...

our new little tuxie kitten. she's had several names throughout the day...testing them out to see which one fits best.

mom says that she doesn't quite look like a 'ravenna'.

she thought about 'katharine' with the nick name of 'katie'.

'ruth' because she came to us through mom's work at ruth dykeman children's center.

'lucy' because of her little black moustache...like lucille ball used to wear sometimes.

at the moment, mom's been calling her 'lucy' because it seems most like her. i guess we'll have to wait a bit to see. feel free to submit your vote and/or ideas!

for my part, i'm not too sure. i'm growling and hissing a bit. there's been no major argument, and i'm not feeling mean toward her. mom has the nursery set up so that the little one and i don't have to be together all the time. i'm feeling a little smug that i get to sleep with mom tonight and she doesn't. (i really sound like a big brother, don't i?)

and now...who you've been waiting for:

can you see the little nick in my ear? mom thinks i tangled with one someone who took a real bite out of me!



can you see what i see? birds, bugs, squirrels, and really big mushrooms

i'm sure i can open this window...i need an opposable thumb! mom!!!

a little young for a tummy picture, but it is awfully cute!

this is the lady who found our girl and brought her to us. her name is daintry.

she's here!

at least she's at mom's office for the day! she's a little cutie...black and white with a little moustache. looks like she's already had a brief battle and someone nibbled her ear.

mom has her door closed today because this little girl has already raced all the way to the end of the hall and crawled under the tv and the couch (sounds like a neat office, doesn't it?).

she lets mom hold her on her back, and doesn't mind having her tummy stroked.

pictures tonight! (mom got the camera working!)

Monday, July 16, 2007

camera fussing

it's a good thing mom still has her other camera...because she can't get the one to transfer the pictures to the computer. it's too bad, because she got some good pics of my tummy and toes for tuesday. customer service opens at 5 am...so she'll try in the morning.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

a mini fashion show

mom went to a birthday party a couple of months ago. they did some tie dying. she made this shirt for me.


wishing it was a sleepy sunday

i think mom has forgotten that today is 'make a lap for the kitty' day.


mom has pledged to install her new camera's software before tuesday so that when she takes pictures of the new baby, she can post them.

we're waiting for the baby to tell us her name. mom's good at listening to learn kitty names: for example, suzanne very clearly told mom that she was suzanne. benjamin 1 did too.

believe it or not, i was already named benjamin--by the lady who kept me in a van with 5 other cats--when mom adopted me.

if the baby doesn't have any suggestions, mom might call her ravenna. (in her odd--insane?--moments, mom sometimes thinks she'd like a pair of basset hound girls: she'd name them jadwin and ravenna. if she names the baby ravenna, then she doesn't have to have the dogs.)

Saturday, July 14, 2007

humid on saturday

our high temperature today was only 83. the humidity was pretty high, though, and it wasn't all that comfortable. mom keeps fussing with windows and fans.

while we live in a condo, we rent. mom's thinking of asking our landlord if he'll do the labor of putting a new ceiling fan in the bedroom if she buys it. then when (if is more like it) we leave, we'll leave the fan here. i know that daisymae's mom can install ceiling fans herself...so maybe mom just needs to learn some basic electrical wiring. or ask the landlord. mol

with the humidity, mom finally tried the pool. it did the trick! she was almost cold when she got out. anyway, her bathing suit is drying for tomorrow when friends come to visit (and want to play in the pool).

Friday, July 13, 2007

babies

did you know that uncle omer's kitty had babies? go see here.

mom's going to meet a 9 week baby girl this next week. she asked to be rescued last weekend when she was found on a hiking trail in snohomish county. she's healthy and has had her first shots.

i think it's probably ok that she does this. i am lonely (except for when mom's home with me). even though i wasn't the nicest to suzanne, i miss the snuggle naps. i miss eating whatever she's left on her dinner plate. i miss the company.

friday

we like fridays! lots. especially this friday. the computer system at work is down so mom took the day as a vacation day. yippee! sleeping late...cuddle time. yep, good stuff.

mom says she may go to a movie. hp5 maybe. or transformers. racking up those points at regal cinemas. points mean free movies, drinks and popcorn. for some reason, regal is the theater of choice around here. there are a few amc and independent theaters, but most are regal. so regal it is...and those lovely points!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

not wordless...

we're going to tell a suzanne story today. it seems fitting as it's been a month since she crossed the rainbow bridge.

this is how most mornings went on the days that mom went to work. suzanne stood on the bed, walking around on it so that mom could reach her for extra petting. suzanne pushed up into mom's hands for love. mom stopped getting dressed and loved on her...pets, kisses, tummy rubs.

when mom sat on the bed to put on her socks, suzanne sprawled beside her. she moved so that her back was against mom's leg. mom dropped her sock and stroked suzanne's tummy. suzanne purred. she was a great purrer.

sometimes, mom curled onto the bed--half dressed for work--to cuddle with suzanne. suzanne liked this best. she snuggled into the circle of mom's arms, her back to mom's chest. she rested her head on mom's forearm. mom rubbed her tummy and gently stroked her face. suzanne liked to have her chin massaged. mom sneaked in an occasional stroke down suzanne's nose (kitty nose velvet has an interesting nap. half way up--or down--the nap switches direction).

on those--and almost every other--days, mom would have happily stayed home to be with suzanne. the argument that got her up was that suzanne needed food and temptations. mom had to work.

everyday is hard. mom is glad for these memories...and glad it's ok to talk about them.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

tummy tuesday

i've been practicing my full monty. i had it down until mom reached for the flashy box. it became a 3/4 monty at that point.

bring on the tummy kisses!

Monday, July 9, 2007

tagged by prinnie and caesar for dragonheart's meme

What were you doing 10 years ago?
i wasn't even a twinkle in my mom's eye, but...
10 years ago, suzanne was 6. she'd just had her gotchaversary (7/3). ben was almost 6. they and mom were living in maine for the summer working at a conference center practically on the beach. the little cottage was unfinished, and there were interesting places to hide...like on top of the shower stall! that summer was the first time mom ever saw a digital camera.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
one year ago, it was really hot. mom was getting to leave on vacation. she left me, suzanne and dad at home while she went to the beach. while on vacation, mom got to take a cruise on the 'hawaiian chieftain'...a tall ship berthed at grays harbor--where mom grew up.

Five snacks you enjoy
temptations x 4 (heh)
feline greenies
while i like to nibble and munch, i don't like anything but cat food.

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics
the breakfast song
the dinner song
the naptime song
the bedtime song
the snack song

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire
pay off mom's student loans and any other debts.
buy a permanent place for us to live
buy mom a car that doesn't have a leaky engine and transmission
arrange to have kitty food delivered once a week
invest so we could live off the interest

Five bad habits
sitting on mom...very close to her face...so it's hard for her to breathe
leaning on the computer keyboard when mom is on the computer
sometimes (not very often) scratching on the furniture
refusing to try any new treat that wasn't made expressly for kitties
leaning across the water bowl so that my chest gets wet while i drink

Five things you like doing
cuddling while looking into mom's eyes
purring...sometimes purring in mom's ear!
napping
eating breakfast, lunch, dinner and lots of snacks
sprawling on my back while perfecting my full monty position

Five things you would never wear again
i don't wear anything except fur, and i'm ok with that

Five favorite toys
catnip mousies
balls with bells
my new feather wand (i'm still scared of the whirly bird!)
a bag of catnip from sinda and nelix
mom

that was fun!

tag to anyone who wants to play:
daisymae?
zoey and the furballs?
forty paws?
samantha and tigger?
karl and anastasia?
boy?

Saturday, July 7, 2007

an award

my friend mao nominated for the rockin' boy blogger! i'm so honored!

i nominate:
my dad, oscar
karl
tigger
bogdan
obi at forty paws

my mom should get a sleep award. we were in bed at midnight. she was up at 5:30 and back in bed right away. up again at 7:30...awake until 9. then back in bed until 11:00. aunt donna called...or we'd probably still be sleeping. i like those long times in bed. i can sit on her and she pets me. aunt donna said she could me purring over the phone.

we've been having humidity with our heat. it's not like mid-west or southern heat and humidity, and it's still plenty hot and wet. i'm going to hope for cooler temps until i get my next lion cut. mom, will call and schedule it please?

the new camera gets here on monday. we're a little surprised at how long it's taking...since costco is a seattle-area company. i guess it doesn't ship from around here.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

i'm baaaaaaccccccccckkkkkkkkkkk

as promised, i'm back today. mom and i have had some terrific cuddles. first thing in the morning, last thing at night and lots of times in the middle!

thank you everyone! thank you for not forgetting about us while we had some time off. it was good, and what we needed. mom's still having a bit of a hard time...and i'm still loving on her lots.

i've been 'secret paw'ed, received suzanne's secret paw, gotten extra presents, and mom has realized i just want to eat friskies stinky goodness like i used to.

in the food department, i've gotten to practice the 'back of disdain'. it's taken awhile to train her. even so, i'll give her credit for opening so many cans of stinky goodness to tempt me. even with her lack of delicate scent awareness, i know she didn't like the smell much more than i did. (heh)

we didn't do much in the picture department over the past week. mom does wish she had snapped a few of my sprawling on my back with my tummy relaxed and soft (not engaging in bunny-kicking warfare). she says this is a good step as i haven't sprawled on my back in several months.

mom ordered her new old lady camera on monday and it should be here next monday. it has 'image stabilization' so the pictures should be clearer. a friend at work is buying the old young lady camera. (heh)

on to the pictures we did take:
my new zoom groom. the 'teeth' are soft, so there are no more gouges in my tender skin. i love this...and like others, i purr up a storm while getting a session.



there were presents from cousins daisymae and the feline americans. see my new little squillion? he looks a lot like me. the one that looks like suzanne is awfully sweet! and stinky goodness, yay! (there was a cute box of note paper...mom has that at work)


thank you to my secret paws, bartholamew and pepper from roanoke, virginia. this is some swag! i've already eaten the stinky goodness!

thank you to suzanne's secret paw, bat in houston, texas. bat, mom said i can keep some of suzanne's presents, and then we're going to share with another kitty who didn't get to participate in secret paws. we hope that's ok.

Monday, July 2, 2007

look for us on the 4th

mom and i have been enjoying our time together. she got me a zoom groom and i REALLY like it. we're fiddling with my stinky goodness and have discovered some stuff i don't like. i'm not a seafood eater (neither's mom...although she does like shrimp, crab and lobster). i like beef, but not every kind of beef. i'm getting tired of turkey. i refuse to eat human food. she's got to buy some more stinky goodness for me before she comes home today (or i may not let her in the house! heh).

we'll be back with posts, pictures, and commenting on the 4th.

we LOVE you!