as you drift to sleep...

many of us have experienced great pain and sadness this week with the passing of family and friends.

please remember that we can and do support one another. we let sorrow guide our steps as we continue to dance to the rhythm of life.

this is a celtic symbol for the rhythm of life

more sad news

While I'm sure there's a joyous reunion at the bridge today, there are sad tears here as we say good bye to Oscar. He crossed the bridge this morning.

Please go to his blog to support his family. (Mom Kim is out of town and hasn't posted anything yet, but I know she and the rest of Oscar's family will appreciate your kind words.)

Oscar adopted Suzanne shortly before she crossed the bridge. The family quickly grew to include Miss Peach, Marilyn Monroe, me, Uncle Omer (a brother to dad Oscar), Pounce (dad's new wife), and Lucy.

We will miss our sweet, kind, loving, generous Oscar. Daddy.

Scattergories meme

I'm going to pick this one up because it looks fun...
Rules:
Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the questions. Your answers must be real: places, names, things, nothing made up! You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question. If your name happens to start with the same letter as mine, sorry, but you can't use my answers!

My name: Benjamin

1. Famous Singer: Bruce Springsteen

2. Four letter word: Brat

3. Street: Boulevard

4. Color: blue

5. Gifts/Presents: Books

6. Vehicle: Benz (mercedes, that is!)

7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Bandanas

8. Boy Name: Brandon

9. Girl Name: Beth

10. Movie Title: Bell, Book and Candle

11. Drink: Bubble tea

12. Occupation: Bamboo gardener

13. Celebrity: Bela Lugosi

14. Magazine: Better Homes & Gardens

15. U.S. City: Burien, WA (just south of our home)

16. Pro Sports: Bruins (Boston, Hockey)

17. Fruit: Blackberries

18. Reason for Being Late for Work: Bed fur (like bed-head...you get the picture!)

19. Something You Throw Away: Bread (if it has gluten in it)

20. Things You Shout: Be careful!

21. Cartoon Character: Bugs Bunny

day one

ahhh, mom's on vacation. life's good. fettuccine alfredo (thai rice noodles are great!), fresh cantaloupe, a swim, and then a long nap on the couch.

she did one hard thing today...although even in being hard, it's a good thing. mom sold her ring. it was time.

the vacation will continue for the rest of the week! yippee!

Anastasia, Karl, and their staff need our help today!

(thanks, Skeezix, for the artwork)

photo hunter - happy

this is uncle jerry. he's mom's brother...the ABSOLUTE BEST BROTHER anyone could ever want!

Ben's responses to the Middle Name Meme

When we started this meme 2 weeks ago, I thought I wouldn't be able to do it. The two Zs are sort of daunting. However, being the fuzzy mancat that I am, I decided to accept the challenge that was given to us by Lucy on the blog that she shares with Bounce and Trixie.

First the rules:
1. Post the rules before you give the facts.
2. List one fact that is somehow relevant to you and your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your post using your middle name and facts about it.
4. At the end of your post, choose one cat to tag for each letter of your middle name. Be sure to let each cat know she/he has been tagged. (It's ok if you don't do this...tag who you want to tag!)

My middle name is FUZZ.

F = Fun, funny, friendly, fuzzy (of course), faithful. I'm a happy guy...a good sense of humor, glad to meet new people, loyal...

U = Understanding. This is a requirement with a kitten in the house! It wasn't all that long ago that I was a youngster, and I do understand Lucy's need to chase, bite, rassle (what? wrestle? big deal!), and cuddle.

Z = Zippy. Mom's featured some pictures of me on widebody Wednesday. Even though I'm a full-figured gentleman, I can be very fast. Pull out the sucky monster? I'm GONE...so fast I'm just a blur.

Z = Zzzzzzz. Oh yes, I love my naps. There are several varieties of Zzzzz, and I am well-versed in each of them: Sleep, nap, doze, snooze, veg, rest. Zzzzz by any other name ... mol (that's the "F" in me)

That's my meme! Is there anyone who hasn't played?

I think that Faz was so busy in space that she might not have had a chance: Faz, now's your chance to give us some info about your middle name!

thursday thirteen

Lucy: i like to play:
1. cloth and felt mousies
2. the white furry mouse. i carry it around in my mouth. i've done a little surgery (daisy, you're such a good role model), and removed all the innards.
3. ben's tail. he doesn't mind too much
4. ben. i pounce on him and we rassle! (what? oh. you don't spell rassle that way? wrestle? big deal. i LIKE rassle)
5. temptation chase. a bed time, mom tosses a small handful of temptations onto the floor and i hunt them down. yum!
6. whirly bird. i've already chomped one feather set and am half through the second. ben's a big scaredy cat. I think the whirly bird is the BEST
7. mom
8. her fingers
9. her arms
10. her toes
11. her heels
12. her shins
13. i'd like to play with new baby squillion (thanks cousin dmm's mom! she looks just like ME!) but mom won't let me.

what do you like to play with?

picture day!

the little girl is growing up!

"I keep my furs very clean"

"Birdies on the deck"

"What?"

the family reunion is done...until next time!

this reunion was so much fun! did every kitty have good and safe travel home?

what was your favorite event or activity?

ben: i loved the cruise on the Lady Washington (until I dropped mom's camera)

lucy: i liked the bellhop (what? i'm not supposed to talk about that? ok...) i had lots of fun at the beach barbecue! smores and wave chasing!

both: and seeing all of our friends and family!

Sunday August 19, 2007

10:00 am - 12:30 pm Brunch at the Space Needle in their revolving restaurant. We take an elevator to reach the restaurant.We've reserved the entire restaurant, so there's no need to rush. It makes a full revolution every hour...and the view is incredible! Let's enjoy one another's company.
12:30 pm until your departure

With new and old friends, visit any one or several of the following local attractions:
Pike Place Markethome of the famous fish market, and other fresh foods, herbs, flowers, and Pacific Northwest goods.

Nordstrom - the original flagship store

REI - the huge store of this Seattle-based retailer

XXX Rootbeer - the last of the rootbeer drive-ins...in the Country!

The Hospitality Suite remains open!

It's been arranged with the hotel that your luggage will be packed for you and taken to the airport so that you can participate in activities without worrying about check-out times.

Family Reunion Activities for today

The Sweet 16s Family Reunion got off to a great start last night! The hotel is worthy of its 5-star rating. It's been great to see you! Please join us for today's activities. I've posted them here, too. There are lots of places to go (click the links), things to do, and time to spend with your friends and family (see the hospitality suite).

Welcome to Saturday's Events

Photo courtesy of Miss Peach.

Saturday August 18, 2007
Breakfast: On your own

11:00 am - 2:30 pm Picnic and beach walk on Alki Beach with view of downtown Seattle. Talk, eat, take pictures, and walk the beach to see tidal pools, sand sculpture, and the Alki Point Lighthouse (open for tours). Watch the ferries enter and exit Elliott Bay as they transport passengers around Puget Sound and out to the San Juan Islands.

3:00 pm - 5:30 pm Walk the plank to take a cruise on the Lady Washington. Tour Puget Sound aboard a faithful reproduction of the tall ship Lady Washington. The Captain politely requests that cats refrain from climbing rigging, unless the cat is willing to sign on for a three week tour of service--which is not recommended as ship staff are not noted for scooping the litter boxes regularly.
OR
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm Visit and tour some of the Northwest Signature Companies:
Starbucks
Costco
Microsoft

Nintendo
Tully's Coffee

Amazon.comWhile the sign reads "Pacific Medical Center", the medical offices occupy only the first floor!
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Barbecue at Seahurst Park on Puget Sound.
Marilyn Monreow who has, together with Mickey Mantle, written a poem for us. Mickey is unable to be with us this weekend. Marilyn will present their poem this evening.

Afterward, we will eat delicious barbecue, talk, tell stories, build a fire on the beach, roast marshmallows and make s'mores (with moist towelettes to clean sticky fur).

9:30 pm - 1:00 am Travel to Dale Chihuly's Museum of Glass
via a fleet of chartered stretch limousines. Visit the Hot Shop to watch as the artists make practice pieces. A few lucky audience members will take pieces home!
Sample items from the dessert buffet catered by Dilettante--using feline-friendly ingredients of course!

We'll see you at the Sweet 16s Family Reunion

It's the place to be this weekend! Friday's activity schedule has been posted.

getting ready

mom says to tell you that she's sorry that i haven't been able to posts in the past few days. it's for a good reason, though! we're getting ready for the Sweet 16s Family Reunion!

it's going to be so much fun! be sure to bring your camera!

The Middle Name Meme

The Middle Name Meme

I found this meme recently while I was surfing. It looks pretty fun...so I'll start it here.

First the rules:
1. Post the rules before you give the facts.
2. List one fact that is somehow relevant to you and your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your post using your middle name and facts about it.
4. At the end of your post, choose one cat to tag for each letter of your middle name. Be sure to let each cat know she/he has been tagged. (It's ok if you don't do this...tag who you want to tag!)

I was going to use my own middle name...but Fuzz is a tough one! That means it's Lucy's turn. Even though she gets called 'Lucy-furr', her official name is 'Lucinda Suzanne'. Suzanne just fits, and some of the words that get used for Lucy also fit for our Suzanne who recently crossed the bridge.

S = spirited, spunky, sassy, sweet, silly, soft. Lucy is certainly spunky, sassy, and sweet. Suzanne was spirited, sweet and soft.

U = unique, unusual. Lucy asked to be rescued after she was abandoned. She happily joined our household. Suzanne was the original skitter kitty.

Z = zealous. Lucy is zealous in her play; 20 pointy claws and who knows how many teeth...and all ready to play! Suzanne was zealous in her love of cuddles under the covers.

A = ambitious. Lucy is working on the world record of moving from cuddly kitty to 'I'll bite your fingers, wrist, toes, chin, nose, ankles, heels, calves'. Suzanne's ambition was to teach mama about love.

N = nice. When Lucy is drowsy or sleepy, she is very nice. In mama's eyes, Suzanne was always nice.

N = naughty. Lucy seems to have the naughty thing down: climbing the furniture, climbing the curtains, nipping mom's toes and other body parts when mom is not expecting it. Suzanne could find places to hide when mama needed to find her fast. It led to cursing that no kitty should have to hear!

E = energetic. There's an equal sign between Lucy and energetic. She can go and go and go and go... When Suzanne was young, she had that same battery-bunny quality.

That's 7 letters, so 7 tags:

Our sister, Miss Peach
Our sister, Marilyn Monroe
Our cousin, DaisyMae Maus
Our sister, Marie
Our cousins, Prinnie and Caesar
Our uncle, Omer
Our great friend, Dragonheart

photo hunter - row

the silly side of me says that if it's in a row, it's meant to be counted. so today, i'm featuring the Count who will help us with our pictures:
18 mice in one row. One row with 18 mice!
18 mice in two rows. Two rows with 18 mice!
18 mice in three rows. Three rows with 18 mice!

18 mice in four rows. Four rows with 18 mice!

friday's the best...at least this week!

after a less than fun work week, mom's very glad that it's friday. i am too.

did you know that poppy q is holding a 100th post contest? you can enter your guess by leaving a comment or using the 'c box' on the side. she's at post #92. hurry!

Number 200!

here it is: post number 200! that's a lot of posts since November 2006. it's been so much fun...and lots of great things have happened because of this little blog.

we're going to talk about family in this blog. someone asked about all the family relationships, how they got started, who is related to who, etc. so let's get started.

last year--in november 06--mom had a myspace blog. mom's niece jessica suggested that mom might like blogger better. mom read jessica's blog and realized that she liked it better too. daisymae and the feline americans are my cousins.

at first, suzanne wrote the blog. it was called 'under the bed' because that's where suzanne spent her time when she was scared. i think she was the original skitter kitty! suzanne was 15 when she started writing. she turned 16 in may, and then crossed the bridge in june.

before she crossed the bridge, oscar told suzanne that he had always wanted to be a dad, but had not fathered any children. he asked if suzanne would allow him to be her father. suzanne agreed, and oscar adopted her. at almost the same time, oscar adopted miss peach.

the family continued growing: marilyn monreow became a sister, pounce married oscar and created more family relationships.

when suzanne crossed the bridge, i started writing the blog. i changed the name to 'the fuzz factor' because i am fuzzy. i felt close to omer and asked him to be my uncle. that made him and oscar brothers. omer's kitty girl forest has recently had kittens. that makes us cousins.

when lucy came to live with us a few weeks ago, marie said she had always wanted to be a big sister. lucy adopted her.

update: mom forgot to include one of our favorite aunties: auntie tina. she writes a great blog! cats, sheep, flowers, life. mom says 'sorry! i had a brain cramp. we LOVE having auntie tina as part of our family!'

that's our family--at the moment!

199th post

mom's coming down with a little bug...she just coughed and thought her head might explode. off to bed with her. we'll see you tomorrow...with post #200!!!

sleepy sunday

mom's trying to post a sleeping picture. i'm sprawled on the desk top so that the keyboard is only the desk by the weight of her left hand. she's calling me a rascal and threatening to take me back to bed for a bit more sleep. such a threat!

Thursday Thirteen

these are thirteen random things...about me and lucy and mom. no particular order. no particular guarantee that they are anything less than inane:

1. mom used to think that i liked 'sliced' stinky goodness. she was wrong.

2. i like to look into mom's eyes. mom says that lots of kitties don't like to make eye contact. when i look, i can see that she loves me as much as i love her.

3. mom loves to have lots of ice in her diet coke. if she can't have lots of ice, she doesn't want any.

4. we live under one of the approach/departure runways for sea-tac airport. mom's learning to identify different jets by the way they sound.

5. king county--where we live--is the most populated area in washington state.

6. lucy would rather eat the grown-up iams kibble. i want her baby food.

7. lucy's learning to sleep on the bed next to mom. she's doing a great job...she can take up almost half of the bed!

8. mom avoids watching new tv shows because she doesn't want to get hooked on anything new.

9. while it takes almost a whole year for my fur to grow to full length after a lion cut, mom's hair grows almost a whole inch per month!

10. mom canceled her cell phone service a few months ago, and she doesn't miss it.

11. lucy has played so hard with the whirly bird, that most of the feathers have broken off. (lucy's only lived here for 2 weeks!)

12. mom doesn't like to eat fish. neither do i.

13. like a teenager, mom can listen to same song over and over and over (and over and over and over)