7.29.2011

Floofy Friday

Maybe Mom thought it was unfocused Friday?

Ah well, I still rock it.

I haven't heard anything back from G Warming. Maybe this weekend. So what do you all have planned for this weekend?

Mom is threatening Summer Cleaning (yeah, she's a little late for Spring Cleaning, although she would argue she's early for Fall Cleaning). I'm all for it - unless it involves de-floofy any part of the house, or the Evil Dyson, or throwing out my sack (I have it perfectly tamped down)... maybe I don't really want her to clean after all. She's even threatening to call the carpet cleaning company. Hopefully she looses steam, she usual does. No cat wants strangers in the house with major equipment.

Have a great weekend friends. Stay cool or warm as the case may be.

Oh yeah, has anyone seen July? Mom keeps saying she has no idea where it went.

7.28.2011

Global Warming

Dear Mr Global Warming,

Let me begin by saying my initial draft of this letter was a bit terse, but then I tried to put myself in your shoes (do you wear shoes? I digress). I realized you're like the new kid in school, and that can be difficult to navigate.

Mother Earth and Mr Sun have been around forever and you're new on the scene. Let me give you a few tips Warm, may I call you Warm?

First of all no one likes a show off, and you're clearly show boating. You're like the nerdy kid in the front row with all the answers. Take it from me, no appreciates a show boater.

Second you need to chill. If you wanna hang with the cool kids, you need to be cool, and so far you haven't really shown that to be your strong suit.

Maybe you have a little thing for Mother Earth, but you're gonna need to dial it back. A lady doesn't appreciate you coming on all hot and heavy. Take a chill pill, and give it time buddy. I'm sure she'll come around in time.

Your new pal,

Finny De Floof

7.27.2011

Wooly Wednesday

Baa. Baa. That was my sheep impression.

Actually I'm told my floof is "Mink Like" and not really wooly. I guess I should have done Minky Monday, but it doesn't have the same ring.
Boy I must say that I am getting a little tired of the hots. It's also been humid here. I'm lucky that as a desert cat we are well cooled. I am sorry for my friends that are dealing weather that is so unexpected and miserable. Maybe I need to write another letter to Mr Sun or the Storm Family. 

It's hard to determine who's at fault here. I hear Global Warming may be at the heart of all this trouble. I wonder how they prefer to be addressed? Mr or Ms Warming? Maybe something more casual and chummy, like Globe? I guess I'll nap on it.

7.25.2011

Biscuits

I know many of my feline friends enjoy making biscuits. For those of you not familiar with the term, you'll likely recognize the description.

A kitty is thought to be "making biscuits" when they knead soft dough with their front paws. Some kitties are advance biscuit makers and can also knead with the back paws too.

The dough? Well, any soft substance will do, blankets, etc. but the best dough is tender human flesh.

The more tender the better, less work to soften it up. Sometimes you knead the biscuit dough to make your future nap spot just the way you like it, pliable and soft, and sometimes you make biscuits when you're enjoying your pets (these are happy paw biscuits).

For me, no dough is better than the soft, flabby, and tender flesh of the back of Mom's upper arm. As a kitten I loved when she would lay on her side and expose my favorite spot. I would push into the dough with my wet nose too. Nice.

I purr so loud that I don't even hear "Seriously cat, can you move those paws around? I'm numb in that spot." I like to concentrate on one perfectly tenderized spot.

I don't make biscuits as often as I used to, Mom is pretty tender, but I do have my moments. Sometimes I forget myself in the process and remember being a tiny kitten with Mother Tabby. It's a nice memory.

Anyone else love making biscuits?

7.22.2011

Floofy Friday

Well it happened friends... Mom found the extreme close up option on the camera.
Lovely grannycat coming at you.

Luckily I am able to pull it off with style.

I'm guaranteed a chin scritch with this one.
This is my pensive look.

So what are your plans for the weekend friends? I have my usual planned, naps, eating, and keeping my family in line. I feel like I need to mix things up a bit. Everyone is a little too comfortable. I don't like anyone to think I'm too old to cause a little trouble. Maybe I'll find a way onto the table (not allowed) or the desk (not allowed either). I'll have to give it some thought... right after my nap.

7.18.2011

Attention Grabber

Sure, I could meow by my dish when I'm feeling hungry, but frankly it's been done. A kitten can do it. I feel a grannycat of my stature needs to bump it up a notch. My twist?

Stand in the middle of the living room - two rooms away from my dish and meow as loud as I can. When the volume of the television goes down (so the parents can see if they really heard the aforementioned meows) you turn the meows to off.

When the television volume goes back up, begin to meow again.

Eventually one of the parents will get off their asterisks and come to see what's wrong. As soon as I hear they are up (amidst the complaints) I race for my dish and begin my dance.

"Seriously? All that meow business and you were just hungry?"

Well, it gets their attention. So far, it's worked every time. Snack happy friends.

7.15.2011

Floofy Friday

Ah Friday, where ya been all week?

Mom's camera is out of batteries and since she's too lazy and blahed busy she has yet to replace them. So this may be a repeat photo. At least I look amazing.

I on the other hand am feeling much better than Mom. I am super hungry tonight. Mom calls it The Hum-Grumblies or The Hungries. After a day of nothing but gravy licking I am ready to eat any time someone looks sideways at the kitchen. I just start up the obnoxious appropriate meow and they comply. Yes, life is good when you have human can openers at the ready.

So friends, what do you have on schedule for the weekend? We hope you have the very best weekend.

7.13.2011

The Blahs

Do you ever get a case of The Blahs? We have em. Nothing is wrong.  Just blah.

I have a knot in my floofy tocks that Mom can't help trying to get out every time I try to get a little love. Sigh. If I see those little scissors in her hands - I'm out.

I'm a little fussy about what I feel like eating too. I'm eating, but not with my usual gusto cause it's the same old. My usual food is getting all the gravy licked off and then I demand my other flavor of choice.

It's hot and humid here. Sigh. No one wants to hang out on the porch.

My Garden is not looking it's best. Sigh. Sun 2 Squash 0. Hoping that everything will perk up again when the Hots take a break.

Mom had a Frecklectomy last Thursday and although we're sure it's fine, she's anxious to hear the results. Sigh.

What about you friends, do you have The Blahs? I think we need a little fun around here. We're going to put our heads together.

7.12.2011

My Weekend - A Screenplay

Fade In

Small darling Grannycat Fin lays on the kitchen floor with back paw held by front paws.

Fin: Lick, Lick, Lick

Sound Cue: Distant rumbles

Fin (Stops bathing, drops back paw, and telescopes ears): What was that? Hm, Human check, Mom in chair - Check, Dad in chair - Check. Must be nothing. (Moves to groom cataloons) Lick, Lick

Sound Cue: Closer rumbles

Fin (Stops bathing and looks about with growing concern): What's that?! Is that Thunder?

Sound Cue: Crack, Bang, Boom

Darling Grannycat runs for the closet to finish bath in the safety of the blanket pile.

Fade Out

7.08.2011

Floofy Friday

Hard to imagine it's already Friday again. I've noticed when Mom and Dad have short work weeks it tends to throw my schedule off too. Seems like I was just getting Mom off to work and now it's Friday. Not that I'm complaining, I like lap time with my nap time.

There was one nice thing that happened while our A/C was out last weekend - this little fella came in the house.

I'm a fan. No I am.
I can't say why I love it so, but I like to feel those little grate bar things on my paws. I reach all the way to the top with my front paws for a nice stretch and then slide all the way down it. So fun! It's great to lean on too, as you can see. I did not care for it when it was on, but when it's off, I'm right there. Mom is threatening to take my new friend back out to the garage... What? It's not right.

So what do you have planned for your weekend friends? We hope it's filled with all the things you love.

7.07.2011

Farwell Friend

Mom and I are so sad to learn that my dearest Whicky Wuudler has passed. 
Wuudles was one of my first friends when I started to blog and he was my kitty sweetie pie. Despite the miles between us (he lived in England with his Human Apes and his two brothers Gerry and Oliver) we had a special bond.

Lord Wuudleton even was a guest poster on this blog, before he had his own. He was funny, kind, handsome and the very best a cat can ever hope to be. He will be greatly missed.

Purrs to you my dearest, and to your family.

Love your Lady Floofington
& Mom

7.05.2011

And We're Back

How was your weekend friends? We hope you had a good one. Mom had a great time with her visiting pal, lots of fun and lots of frolic, the rest of the weekend had its ups and downs.

Things took a dicey turn on Saturday at Casa De Housecat when the A/C went out, again. Yes, on the hottest day of the year in the desert southwest, our A/C went down for the count. I spent the afternoon lolling on the granite hearth, it's nice and cool. Mom on the other hand tended to lose her cool. We are all chilled up now, thank Cod.

Sunday night Mother Nature decided to have a fireworks show all her own. A big storm with thunder, and pouring rain - very dramatic - rolled thru our side of town. I spent the evening in the closet. It seemed as good a time as any other to do a little blanket check (all were accounted for). 

It was so nice in the closet, I spent Independence Day evening there too. I'm not a fan of the fire in the sky. I did enjoy some lazy lap time in the afternoon as Mom attempted to watch the last Harry Potter movie. I have no idea why (because there is plenty of excitement) but those movies put her right out. We call it the Potter Narcolepsy. Fifteen minutes in (this one she made it to almost the forty minute mark - I was hopeful) and she is snoring loud enough to keep a kitty from enjoying her nap, almost. Luckily I can sleep through almost anything.

7.04.2011

Happy Independence Day

In a Casa De Housecat tradition - Here is my Mom's post about her memories of her human Mom, hope you enjoy it. Happy Independence Day America!

Red, White and True

I don’t remember the first time that I participated in my Mom’s Fourth of July Parade. There is a picture though… I'm young, perhaps two or three years old, and I'm perched on top of a pony with my mother by my side. A small crowd is gathered around us and we all smile and wave for the camera, taken on a rural road outside my grandparent’s home.

The summer when I was six, our family moved to our new home in Studio City, California. By the Fourth of July my sister and I had only had time to make one new friend, Darren, a boy who lived four houses down from us. We had already bored of the summertime activities.

We begged my mom to think of something to entertain us. She suggested we have a Fourth of July Parade, like she the one she started back home. Often she told us the story of how she started the parade, how each year the number of participants grew, and how fun it could be if we started the tradition in our new neighborhood.

Naturally we fought the idea initially as there were only three of us (Mom suggested we take the dog too). Eventually we dressed up in red, white and blue outfits, we found flags, we decorated our dog in crepe paper streamers, and we carried pots and wooden spoons to create marching music.

Mom cheered from the front lawn as we marched down the sidewalk from the front of our home down to Darren’s. We waved our flags proudly and tried to bang out “The Star-Spangled Banner” on pots, although it frightened the heck out of the dog (and any other hearing being).

It was not long before we began to gain the attention of the other neighbors (I don’t wonder why) who stoically watched our determined route back and forth. Passing cars honked appreciatively. We grew tired of parading pretty quickly and we were sure the new neighbors thought we were nuts.

The following year in June my Mom again suggested the parade. I complained bitterly that I didn’t want to do it because we looked foolish (a parade of three), I didn’t like the cars honking at us, and the pot banging simply had to go. I felt certain, at age seven, this reasoning would get me out of it. Instead she conceded to gathering additional resources to join us, changing the parade route to the quieter side street, and following in a car with the radio blaring marching music.

The parade was on. I was doubtful, but true to her word she invited all the families we knew and lured them with the promise of free lemonade and spaghetti dinner at the end of the parade.

We started about six blocks from our house with about ten to fifteen people. We picked up anyone willing to join us along the way and ended with about twenty people at my house, with the free lemonade and spaghetti promised for participation.

Each year the participants swelled. Mom’s parade discouraged no one from participation. This is no formal affair as you can see… if you want to lead the parade, you just move to the front… if you want to be in the drum line, you bring your pot and spoon…. if you want to ride in a float, you make your own.

As we grew older, my sister and I began to spend the summer away with my dad. My Mom continued the tradition without us for a time, but eventually it became too much for her to manage. She decided she could not host the parade. Luckily the new guard of neighborhood mothers took up the cause and the tradition continued (without the free spaghetti).

About five years ago my Mom decided to sell her home, and follow her heart to the Napa Valley. Before she moved, we decided to go back and see the parade one last time. We watched with amazement at all the people gathered. Someone in the crowd recognized my mother and pulled her into the gorgeous red convertible that was leading the parade. Her face was flushed with joy as she looked at the “little” parade she started so long ago.

Does the parade still continue? I really hope so, because when I think of the “Spirit of America”, I think of that parade… of kids on their bikes and pulled in red wagons waving the flag, of dogs decorated in crepe paper steamers, but most of all… I think of my Mom, who always encouraged us to take the single step from the curb into the street and not just watch the parade go by, but to risk looking like a fool and make one of our own.

7.01.2011

Floofy Friday

In honor of National Box Day...

No, I don't think it's too small.

Who needs to have the tail in?

What's everyone up to this weekend? Mom's best pal is coming to town so she is hoping for lots of fun and frolic. I may let her post her story about Independence Day, I'm considering.

I'm not a big fan of America's Birthday celebration. It's too loud, and where's the cake America? Hope you all have a great weekend, with lots of cake, and lots of quiet time for napping.