Spa Day

Mom: Come on Finny, it's Spa Day! I need your help.

Fin: Oh no, not again. Does Dad know?

Mom: No. I don't know. Come on, lots to do. I'm gonna dye my hair blond, do my nails, and then tie some pink tinsel in my hair. Heck maybe even a facial mask too!

Fin (Following Mom to the bathroom sink): What color are you going with? Mouse Brown again? You know it's my favorite.

Mom: No! It's lightest possible medium blond, or something like that. Ash Blond.

Fin: What? Oh ASH blond, I thought I heard something else. Did you do a strand test?

Mom (Slathering stinky goop on head): Strand tests are for wimps! Now stand back a bit so I don't dribble dye on you, but if I miss a spot, meow out.

Fin: That stuff stinks, I feel faint. Maybe you should crack a window?

Mom: It's so cold out. Maybe it's a good idea. I guess I'll do my nails while I wait.

Fin: I'm gonna nap, tell me when it's over.  

Mom: Finny wake up. Look it's done. What do you think?

Fin: Did you dye it? Looks like Light Mouse. ::Bats at tinsel:: Are you gonna put this shiny stuff in there too?

Mom: I think I'll wait till after my big meeting this week.

Fin: Proud of you Mom, you had a spa day and didn't really ruin anything or get hives.

Mom: Yeah! Maybe I should wax my eyebrows?

Fin: Dad! Dad! Come quick!

600 Posts!

Put you paws in the air, mew, mew, mew, mew!

It's time to party like a cat star! Grab a meowgarita and some catnip temptations!

This is our 600th post! We can hardly believe it. Who knew I'd have so much to say!

Mom and I have to tell you that without you sitting in your part of the world reading this, we wouldn't be hitting anything close to 600 posts. Knowing that you're right there, reading this, it makes it all worth it. We hope you'll always want to keep coming back for more. 

I was going to mention something else today... what was it? Hm? Oh yeah, we were going to announce our idea for the new book. 

About a year ago we had a theme week to celebrate the Olympics and the cathletes among us. Mom had this idea of taking two imaginary announcers (Jim and Bob) and have them narrate pictures of me doing vaguely athletic things. We invited our friends to play along and "Host" events too. Well it was so much fun and we laughed and laughed. 

I don't know why we didn't think of it sooner, but why not a Cat-A-Lympics book?

Now here is where I hope some of you will want to play too, even I have to admit that as a senior kitizen I don't do enough to fill a whole book with my athletic prowess, so I'm hoping some of you will be willing to donate pictures that Jim and Bob can narrate. I'm really hoping you'll help, cause otherwise Mom may feel the need to get a kitten and name it Sequel.

We have to get the specifics figured out (required picture sizes, a form that allows us to use your pictures, etc). At this point we're thinking we'll have an open call for pictures for specific events and then we'll add the narration. When we finish one event, we'll move onto the next.

Paws are crossed that you'll all love the idea, and for those of you still on the fence, we might re-post some of the original action so you can get in the mood.

Interpretation

Fin: I'd like to discuss interpreting the human word "no." As many cats will tell you, it's one of the most confusing words in the human language.

Mom: It's really not. And it's not open to your interpretation either.

Fin: You're wrong Mom. For example when you say "No Snacks" what you really mean is "At some point I will get tired of hearing your mewing and I'll cave and provide you with some snacks"  the only interpretation is, how long I have to mew.

Mom: That's not right! Wait, is it?

Fin: No. Just kidding, yes.


Big News Alert: Tomorrow is my 600th post! I will have a big announcement of what our next book is gonna be too. 

Katnip Lounge Mom Watch: She's back at home! Purrs of healing are still welcome.

Update on Moms

Mom is chums with the delightful Mom over at the Katnip Lounge, and today The Katnip Mom had surgery. Seemed she needed to be fixed too. I haven't met her in person yet, but Mom never mentioned her being broken. Humans are odd. 

Anyway she left a message for Mom, and she came through her surgery with flying colors and is doing very well. Mom is hoping to talk to her in person soon. She sounded great and only mildly hopped up on the good pain meds and that can never be a bad thing. We're sure your continued healing purrs are welcomed. She has 13 cats to care for so a speedy recovery is a great thing.

On a side note my mom now has a cold. Seriously, again Mom? Take some vitamins lady.

Mousey Monday

It was very cold and rainy here this weekend. Perfect snuggle weather. I was so excited to spend some serious snuggle time with Mousey, and that is when things turned scary.

Mousey was missing. I searched high and low, meowing for him the whole time.

It was very upsetting. It took almost a full day of my meowing before my parents realized there was a serious problem that required a family intervention. Mom joined in the hunt by lifting anything on the floor and Dad was on look under furniture duty.

Mom finally uncovered him, tucked in a shoe, with a towel over top, on the closet floor. The world was right once again. Of course I played it very cool and acted like it was no big deal that he had been missing, but he knows how much he means to me.

Purrformance Review

Fin: Mom, please take a seat. Now, as is traditional, I will sit on you during your review.

Mom: Fin, can you get your tail out of my face?

Fin: I'm just settling in... now, during your last review, I was a little worried I was gonna have to let you go.

Mom: What?

Fin: Well circumstances have changed, and I'm happy to report that I've decided to keep you on. I know it's a tough economy. I see you've really been trying over the last year and even though there are, em, areas of improvement, overall I'm pleased.

Mom: Well thanks sweetie, I'm glad you're pleased. You know I worked really hard getting your book published. Wait, areas of improvement?

Fin: Yes. I'd like to see you spend more time marketing, blogging, commenting, snuggling, supervising my porch time, feeding me, and of course starting to write our next book.

Mom: Wow. You know that's a lot of time, and I still have my regular job too.

Fin: Yeah I've been thinking about that and it seems like a real stressful time waster. I'd like to see you dump it so you can focus more on me.

Mom: Well, I'd love that too, but they pay me and you, not so much. That money keeps us in litter and kibble. So I think it's gonna have to stay in the line up.

Fin: Well alright then, let's put a pin in that for now. Let's keep up the good work. You know, if you provide neck scritches during your next review, you may even get a bonus.

Again?

2:30AM Valentines Day

Mom: Ug. I don't feel so hot. 

Fin: Mom? Are you up? That's great, cause I was feeling a little peckish.

Mom: I think I'm gonna be sick... Yep.

Mom runs to the restroom with darling Fin following behind. Unspeakable noises come from the restroom. 

Fin: Mom? Are you okay in there?

Mom: Uhhhh, I think I'm dying. 

Fin: Again? Weren't you sick just last week? Well, okay. Anyway, I see you're busy right now, but when you're done can you drop by my dish and fill er up?

Mom: Get your dad, I think I'm dying.

Fin: Good idea. He'll feed me. 

I've spent the last two days being nurse maid Fin. Thank Cod she's getting better. It hasn't been easy, what with all the moaning, but Mom's been so hot with fever she's been a pleasure to sleep on. 

I know, I'm selfless, but that's what you do when you love someone.

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope you all had a great weekend. I spent some porch time on Saturday with Mom. Sunday I napped so hard Mom said it was like I was getting paid for it.

Today is the day for love. I'm so happy that there is so much love in my house. My parents love for each other, my love for them and theirs for me. Of course my love for Mousey could fill a whole post. I'm a lucky cat.

Still, can a grannycat ever have too much love? Maybe I should entertain offers of e-romance? After all, love is like a great liver pate, it should be spread around liberally and often.

Floofy Friday

It's been a tough week here at Casa De Housecat. First it was the bad pot, and pan, then Mom didn't feel great and my snuggles were required. I'm so glad the weekend has arrived!

I plan on demanding lots of porch time. Mom and I need to start planning my garden, yep this year I am demanding a garden of my own. Mom is going to order a garden box that has its own water reservoir so she can't kill the poor little plants. Of course she'll have Dad tend the garden, with my input of course.

Should I go with catnip or cat mint? Who am I kidding, fresh nip sounds delish. Why not both?!

Yes Mom, I'd like the planter to go right here.

No! What do you mean Mittens and the Chubby Tabby may eat my catnip! When does the sharing ever end?

What do you have planned for the weekend friends? We hope you have it warm and pleasant and let's all keep it healthy shall we?

Mystery Solved

My sudden avoidance of the great room as been resolved.

You see it all started innocently enough, Mom headed out on Saturday to return a rejected purse, and while she strolled by the housewares department she spotted the ceramic pot she had been dying to try at 60% off. Her Cheapness was unable to resist such a bargain. She wrestled it off the pot rack like a champion, and fortified her strength with a new pan to match.

The new purchase started a chain of unfortunate events at Casa De Housecat. She put them on the dining table so she and Dad could admire her kill. I gave them a few sniffs and settled in for a nap.

Dad decided to make room for the new pot and pan, starting a clang-fest like nothing I've ever heard before. I HATE it when Dad makes his way into the kitchen by the Evil Cabinet where the pots live. He wrestles those pots to within an inch of their lives. Clang, Bang, Boom. I run for the hills as soon as he gets close to the cabinet, on a good day.

His reorganization of the Evil Cabinet led to other cabinets and it scared me into hiding. Now that things have calmed down I able to warily enter the great room again.

So it wasn't a ghost after all, just some bad pot... and a pan.

Mom on Monday

My girl is spooked. She's not saying why, but she is avoiding our great room like it's anything but great. Unfortunately it's also the room that has her food, her water dish and her parents.

Hubby was the first to notice she was not hanging out with us in the afternoon yesterday. She seemed agitated and was meowing in the living room but would just breeze through the great room and right back out.

I was worried about her last night, but this morning she seemed really hungry and thirsty, but still wouldn't eat much. I turned on the bathroom sink and after a few encouraging pets she drank for a long while. I gave her some Catnip flavored Temptations (Yes Virgina, there really are catnip temptations) and she gobbled them down. I decided to bring her food dishes in our bedroom and she wolfed it down...

Okay mid-type my girl came out from the bedroom and demanded more food and then took over my lap for some extended snuggle time. I think we're okay now. Wonder what had her so spooked? Maybe she'll tell me at 4:30am...

Inspurration

I know Mom complains, often, that I wake her up at all hours of the morning. Sometimes it's 2am and 4:30am the next night might be 12am and 3am. I like to mix it up, keep her guessing is my motto.

One thing that never changes, no matter how much she complains, is the start of the day time. 5:30am. Everyday. Most days, the days she goes to that place she calls work, she welcomes my persistence. On the weekend things are a bit different.

The classic struggle begins. I like to run a tight ship, and I don't care for a lot of guff.

I used to get quite irritated at her lounging in the bed till the uncodly hour of 8am, snoring to raise the roof. I used to knock things off the bed side table till she could no longer ignore me. At first when we started our creative collaboration and I thought it was a fluke, but now I've realized something critical, this is the best time to pass her my ideas. Planting tiny seeds of inspiration in the semi-fertile soil.

At 5:30am I take up my place on the bed side table and I quietly meow into her ear. Not loud enough to fully wake her, but just enough to keep her in a semi-conscious state. She wakes up full of creative ideas, even brags about how she gets her best ideas while she's dreaming during these early hours.




Yep. It's all you Mom. I like to think I'm going to help her to break through many a creative block with my new method.

It's already working. We've come up with the idea for the new cat book we're going to be working on next! More news to come soon but we're both super excited, and the best part is that we're hoping you're going to help us.

Floofy Friday

Oops, she did it again!

That's right, day two of her easy breezy lifestyle. Who cares about the kitty back at home? Luckily Dad (Of course I was right in liking him best all these years). Mom did not report home till 7:15, again! 

Where was she you might ask? Out drinking it up with the Katnip Lounge Mom. At least this time she brought enough cat toys for all 13 of them. I even convinced Her Cheapness to throw in a sack of catnip flavored Temptations (I know right! Of course she forgot to get me own sack, another poor mark on her upcoming purrformance review).

So in her margarita induced haze this is the best Floofy Friday she can muster. 

This weekend we will be celebrating the Super Bowl in the standard way, record it and fast forward through the game to watch the fun commercials while my parents eat my weight in guacamole. We also watch the half time show and anytime it looks like something exciting happened. The rest of the time we watch the Puppy Bowl. Good times.

What do you have planned this weekend friends? We know so many of you have bad weather where you are so stay safe and toasty whatever you do!

What? on Wednesday

There I was waiting at the back door at 4:45pm for the return of my Mom from her "Work" (Don't get me started on that) and - nothing.

5:30 - Nothing (Thank Cod Dad was home to feed me!)

6:30! - Nothing (I wasn't still waiting by the door of course, but I had my ears turned towards the door)

7:15 - She strolls in like she owns the place. Did she grovel at my paws for this egregious breech of etiquette?  No. Of course she tried to scoop me up and shower me with kisses, but I was having none of it.

7:30 - She settles into our chair and has the nerve to think she can dash off a quick blog post!! Where are my snuggles? Where is my lap? I demanded a full hour of attention before I decided I'd had enough.

The worst of it friends? She said she is going "out" tomorrow night after "work" again! I hope my Floofy Friday won't be late! This is all being carefully documented for her upcoming Purrformance Review.

Mittens

Hey y'all! It's Mittens.

The other day I was hanging out in the back yard, when the door cracked open and out came LOTH (Lady of the House) and follwing right behind was LLOTH (Littlest Lady of the House). I was already hunkered down behind a bush and I didn't want to startle the Ladies so I just stayed where I was. 

It was pure luck that LLOTH didn't spot me over yonder. I stayed real quiet like as LLOTH strutted around Our Porch. She was fit to be tied friends (seemed she could tell I'd been enjoying a sun puddle on the lounger earlier). 

Finally LOTH carried the little lady inside, and I was beside myself when LOTH returned. Dear Cod, is she carrying a sack of chow? Yes, she was. 

LOTH is a generous pourer and she did not disappoint. She looked right at me (seemed she spotted me from the start), and invited me over for my meal. So civilized. I enjoyed a hardy round of neck scritches before I settled in for a snack. It was a pleasant afternoon.