Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year!

I can't believe today is New Year's Eve ... where has the year gone? So much has happened in one year, and much too much to try to recollect, but to say we've had ups and downs, but more ups than downs. Thank you all for bringing that special something to our lives that we never knew we were missing until we had it.

I know I've been lax on visiting and commenting lately with the holidays and such, and I promise to get back on track in the new year (no, not a resolution -- those you break, this I won't). To make up for not visiting as much as I should be, I offer you the following photos of us watching squirrels:

It takes a yard full of birds and a squirrel to bring them all to one window
We all got very excited -- the yard was full of birds and a squirrel was digging in the flower bed just in front of the dining room window. It takes a special event to get us all in one window.

Maggie on squirrel patrol
Maggie was very intrigued by the activity of the squirrel, who was either burying or digging for dinner.

Squirrel that digs up the mulch
Look at him giving us the business! Sassy squirrel!

Jasper on patrol
I decided to give him the business right back.

Huggy Bear and Jasper squirrel watching out front
Look at him, Bear!

Huggy Bear watching the squirrel out back
Bear found another squirrel on the back porch. (The dead plant isn't really there, and is just a figment of your imagination. It's Dad's fault...)

Sassy squirrel
Mom's sister-in-law said we had a lot of squirrels. Dad said he thinks it's just two squirrels, over-and-over again. Either way, it's fun for us to watch.

Squirrel up in the tree out back
He's even taunting us from the tree!

OK, enough squirrel pics for now, I guess ... it was a busy day of squirrel watching, really, and not a bad way to kick off the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Be safe and watch out for the fireworks!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Tummy Tuesday

All blogged out
Some days it just wears me out blogging with no thumbs and I just need to lie back and take a nap mid-sentenzzzz...

Monday, December 29, 2008

Christmas gift from Santa

Santa left us a Christmas gift ... a crinkle hat. I guess this is like what his elves wear.

What's this thing?
At first, we weren't real sure about it.

Maggie inside the crinkle hat
Maggie was the first to go in and explore it. I think she was really after the fresh cat nip inside.

Josie prefers the bell
Initially, Josie was satisfied to just study the bell at the tip of the hat. The crinkling made her a little nervous.

Josie exploring the crinkle hat
Eventually she did go in the hat. She was trying to sneak up on the bell, I think. She ended up pushing the hat around the kitchen for a few minutes. We're still trying to figure out this thing, and decide if we like it or not. (I think the hammock from Secret Paws is winning, right now.)

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Our house is our house again

Our company is gone ... they left this morning and we are now snuggling with Mom and Dad. It was nice having visitors. We got lots of garage time because they needed the outside fridge for overflow food and drinks, so the door was opened a lot. And Brittany, the 16-year-old niece, would play feather on a stick a lot. But there was a lot of feet and movement, which made us just a little nervous. On the other hand, because we were a little unsettled, we got a lot of treats (and ham) for being good.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas to all ...

... and to all a good night (of thundering herd of elephants, and snuggles with Santa). I hope Santa brings you everything you wished for and more.

Maggie in the Christmas tree

This is why we have shatter-proof ornaments
This is Maggie in the other tree. Our bigger tree is in the living room, but not visible to the street, so Mom put one in the entryway by the stairs. Of course Maggie had to try out both trees to see which is best. (I don't think she's decided yet, and we expect more tree testing soon.)

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Secret Paws is here!

Our Secret Paws package arrived today and our Secret Paw is Forty Paws! It is such an honor to be Secret Paws with someone we've been following for so long, and they really spoiled us.

Our Secret Paws is here!
Maggie and Huggy Bear helped empty the box.

What's in the box?
Josie inspected the empty box very closely.

Look at all these presents
Look at all this stuff!

How did it all fit in this box?
How did it all fit in this box?

I want to open this one first!
Huggy Bear picks which one he wants to open, then opened it with his teeth! It was the hammock.

Lick those lips ... look at the Temptations!
Temptations ... worth licking your lips over, for sure!

Jasper claims the orange Temptations and the catnip
I was very excited about the fresh nip and the orange bag of Temptations.

Fresh catnip!
Nip is good!

Hmm... where's this end go?
"Where's this end go?" Maggie helped Dad assemble the hammock.

Maggie likes the hammock
Maggie modeled with the collection of presents.

All tuckered out
But then got so tuckered out she needed to nap on the hammock.

Look at our great gifts!
I think Maggie thinks these are all hers.

Girls, there's no reason to fight over the hammock
We were told to share, but someone didn't listen too good.

Josie testing the pink cat hammock
Once Maggie agreed to share Josie hasn't gotten out. Josie loves the hammock I think even more than Maggie.

Thanks everyone at Forty Paws for our amazing Secret Paws package -- we love it!

[On a side note, you may notice a little blue line on some of the pictures. Our camera is goofing up with one week left on the warranty, so we'll be sending it off and going low res on our pics for a few weeks. Bummer!]

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Tuxie Tabby Tuesday

We had a visitor on Sunday. Mom and Dad were making themselves busy around the house when all of a sudden they turned around and saw this...

Bella from next door visits
Huggy Bear was right by the door, too, but had his back to the window and missed all the excitement. (Please pretend there isn't a dead plant out back ... it was an annual and got shocked by the cold and Dad has been lazy.)

 A little girl visitor
This is little Bella from two doors down. Every once in a while she will come over for a brief visit, but usually gets spooked by Mom and Dad ooh-ing and goo-ing all over her through the window. HB and I think she's coming over because she knows there are two stunning Mancats in this house. (Josie and Maggie laugh at this, though.)

On Monday, one of Dad's patients who works for Chick-fil-a brought them all stuffed cows. Dad shared the cow with us.

Josie finds a message she can get behind
Josie likes the cow's message: Eat Mor Chikin'.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Mancat Monday

Sweet Praline asked where I was during the packing of the Secret Paws package ... well, I was in my favorite computer snoopervising spot.

Jasper in front of the monitor X2
Remember Friday's picture? Ironically, Dad caught me in the same spot, looking at the picture.

Company starts showing up today, so we'll all be busy trying to put our hair back from where Mom and Dad removed it. Otherwise how will they know this is a cat house?

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Secret Paws is in the mail!

Mom and Dad mailed off our package to our Secret Paws friends yesterday. It should get there just in time for Christmas, hopefully.

Do we have to give this toy away?
We helped Mom and Dad pack up the Secret Paws gifts so we knew that they were packed right. Maggie liked this wand toy, and really didn't want it to go. Maybe Mom and Dad will go back to World Market and get her one for Christmas.

Why are there dog treats with these cat toys?
There were some dog chews in with everything, too. Josie was a little confused by this, and tried to separate the dog stuff from the cat stuff, but Mom explained that this family has cats and a dog, and we couldn't leave the dog out.

Huggy Bear helps pack the box
Huggy Bear inspected the packing, making sure that everything fit in the box just right.

So Secret Paws friends, you don't know who you are yet, but your stuff is heading your way right now! I hope you like it...

Friday, December 19, 2008

Finally Friday

It seems that Mom and Dad are requiring quite a bit of snoopervision lately. We've been doing all kinds of snoopervising lately ... wrapping presents (especially the ribbon), putting the tree up, making treats and party snacks ... you know, all the important stuff this time of year.

Jasper snoopervising Jeni on the computer
Here I am snoopervising Mom on the computer. See how I'm only partly blocking the monitor? That's me being good so that I can get some Christmas treats.

Mom and Dad will be doing a whole lot of cleaning and straightening in between a Christmas party and the Nutcracker ballet. We get visitors Monday, and more on Wednesday, including possibly two droolers (yikes!). I can't believe this time next week Christmas will be over. (And cold cats, don't be mad at me, but our windows are open today and we've been sniffing the air...)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Playing Christmas card catch-up

Mom and Dad have been chasing their tails for the last month or so, but are finally settling down to get things done that they should have done before. That includes sending out some Christmas cards. We had some addresses from last year, so those are going out today, but we have some cards still and want to send out some more Christmas wishes. So if you'd like to receive a Christmas card from us, please email us at jenianddean(at)gmail.com.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The Christmas tree is up!

Finally, after one excuse or another, Mom and Dad have our Christmas tree up -- the first one, at least. Dad says he's putting another one up tomorrow and putting ornaments up.

Huggy Bear in mid-jump
We all helped snoopervise, and Huggy Bear did some serious investigating of the box the tree came in. Here he is just starting to leap onto the box (he didn't go through the lid, although it looks like he could). Although he doesn't show it too often, HB does have an athletic side.

Huggy Bear enjoys the Christmas tree box
Huggy Bear liked lounging on the box while Dad strung some extra lights on the tree.

Josie and the Christmas tree box
Josie liked the box too, and was trying to relax under the flap when Dad insisted on flashing the camera at her. (Yeah, Dad, what's up with using the flash and making her squint?)

Maggie up in the Christmas tree (again and again)
This will be a familiar sight for the next few weeks ... Maggie up in the Christmas tree. This was her first climb. Later on, when the camera wasn't around, she climbed almost to the very top of the tree.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Mancat Monday

Dad was being lazy about putting the luggage away so I turned it into a bed and started putting my hairs on it. Then, and only then, did he decide to put it away. Really, I think I was putting it to good use -- at least better use than to help Mom and Dad take off again.

Jasper sleeping on the luggage
This was much more comfortable than it looks to the untrained eye.

Mom and Dad were mumbling and grumbling about wanting just one day to spend at home to get caught up and decorated. They were so busy with the annual volunteer dinner at the theatre that the tree is still not up. I'm not giving up home quite yet. Maybe since the tree is going up late, they should leave it up further into January.

[Update: This dog looks like he's having fun in the snow, but that video just reminds me why I'm an indoor cat.]

Friday, December 12, 2008

Finally Friday

Yes, finally Friday! Mom and Dad are running up to Atlanta for a quick overnight to see Aunt Tiff. Aunt Tiff just graduated from nursing school and we are all very excited for her, and Mom and Dad are going up to celebrate with her. But they'll be back tomorrow and then we get our Christmas trees!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sixth photo meme and Sassy explanation

Well, I guess it was a little wrong to put a picture of Sassy up on Wordless Wednesday without an explanation. Sassy is Aunt Kelly's dog (but we all know she's really Dad's dad's dog). She has always been a big fan of Mom, and Mom and Dad got to spend some time with Sassy last weekend when they were up in Cincinnati. (She really liked Mom when Mom was cutting up some turkey...)

Snow Dog
Here's Sassy out in the snow. She's a 14-year-old papillon and although she has arthritis and gray hair and moves a little slower than she used to, she's still full of spunk and will get out in the snow and explore all around.

Sweet Praline tagged us a little while back with the Sixth Photo Meme. We have a lot of photo folders, but this is about us cats, really, so I'm bypassing all the human stuff and going to the good pictures.

Josie
This is from February 2006. Josie is apparently bathing by the sink in a very dimly lit picture. This is back in the old apartment in the guest bathroom. Looks like Josie might be licking some water off her paw, but I'm not too sure.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Mom's new laptop

Just because we don't sit on her lap doesn't mean she can replace us with one of these things...

Huggy Bear looks at Flickr pictures on the new laptop
You can see Huggy Bear's strategy -- get as close to her as he can and distract her from the new laptop. On the other hand, if she can take her computer around the house with her, maybe she'll let us visit more blogs!

Monday, December 08, 2008

Mom and Dad are home ... late, but home

Mom and Dad came home, finally! Their plane was delayed in Charlotte so their one and a half hour layover became a five hour layover and they got home around 11:45. But we know they love us because first thing they did was give us love, change our water and scoop our poop. Now it's time to get some more love. I promise a better post Tuesday...

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Very belated Blogoversary post, and a false start on a template update

October 25 was our four year blogoversary, and somewhere, somehow, it all got lost in the shuffle of life. I can't believe I've been a blogging cat for four years now. This community continues to grow and evolve in so many wonderful ways. I know in stressful times we can turn to the cat blogosphere and find a picture or video or story to brighten our days. Thank you all so much for this little unexpected nugget of joy you have contributed to our lives. I just can't imagine being a cat without a blog and blogging friends.

After four years it's about time for me to update the blog. Blogger has new customize features and I know there are things I'm not taking advantage of. Plus somewhere in the back of my mind I feel like eventually I will be forced to upgrade, and that the upgrade will be more stable.

I know William lost a bunch of links when he did the update. Also, for a while now Mom has been saying we need to alphabetize the blogroll. So I'm putting my old list here in case I lose any links. This list does have a reason why it is the way it is ... with the exception of Ginger, Timothy and William, all the others are listed in the order they were added, which for the first half is essentially the order I met them. (Ginger, Timothy and William are alphabetical, but I first met William, then Ginger, then The Fluffy Tribe, then Timothy, then Scooby, Shaggy and Scout (pre-blog), then the list gets in order of visits... if you really wanted to know.)

[Dad messed with it for a while, but we lost our Haloscan comments, even though they have an auto-setup and are supposed to work. I know I could go with Blogger comments, but I hate to lose four years of comments in the switch. (Any tips?)

Until Dad figures out the comment thing, I think I'll be sticking with the old template, but maybe alphabetizing the blogroll. In the meantime, and more for reference than anything else, the old blogroll and some links...]

Cats with blogs
  • Ginger the Cat
  • Timothy Dickens
  • William the Cat
  • The Fluffy Tribe (aka Poi Rats and Cats)
  • The PsychoKitty Speaks Out
  • Cat Tails by Mia & Ghost
  • Stumpy Kitty
  • Edsel/The Pooch
  • Scooby, Shaggy & Scout
  • Oreo
  • The Adventures of Buddah Pest
  • Timothy's Wildlife Watch
  • Oscar and friends
  • Mattingly
  • meep & Twizzler & Bear (and Buzzerbee)
  • Derby, The Sassy Cat
  • Crew's Views
  • Diva Kitty, Fiona Bun, and Orlando Bun
  • Four Furry Cats
  • The Calico Girls
  • Victor Tabbycat and Nina the Torbie (and Bonnie Underfoot)
  • 2Carolina Cats
  • Fat Eric and Friends
  • Gigolokitty!
  • Yaffa and Sebastian
  • Meezer Tails
  • MacVet's Pets (formerly 5-Cat Style & The Flyer)
  • Les Trois Chats
  • Luna
  • Caturday
  • Prince Diaper
  • Princess Mia
  • Feline Oligarchy
  • Flock O' Fuzzies
  • Manx Mnews
  • Grr, Midnight & Cocoa
  • Random Drift
  • Forty Paws
  • The Cats Stephens
  • HRH Yao-Lin
  • Eric and Flynn
  • Daisy the Curly Cat
  • Chey's Place (Cheysuli and Gemini)
  • Kaze, Latte and Chase
  • Chase
  • Kaze
  • Latte
  • Dragonheart and Merlin
  • Jimmy Joe
  • Captain Jack and Dante
  • Kellie the Orange Cat
  • Cat Banter with Kimo and Sabi
  • Riley & Tiki (& sometimes Kesey)
  • Henry Helton and Clyde
  • P,B,&J (Pearl, Bert, & Jake)
  • Fat Cat Muffin
  • Vincent and Mike
  • Kashim & Othello
  • Lyra & Caesar
  • Gandalf & Grayson
  • Zippy, Sadie & Speedy
  • Churchill
  • Hendrix the Kitty
  • Sultanfus & Guy
  • Samantha & Tigger
  • Wrigley & Cobalt
  • Castor & Pollux
  • Perfectly Parker
  • House of the (Mostly) Black Cats
  • Sweet Praline
  • Tybalt
  • Monty, Survival of the furriest
  • The Cat Blogosphere
  • Pet Prayer & Praise
  • "This blog is full of crap"

  • Our affiliations
  • The Gorgeous Gingers -- Jasper
  • Tuxedo Gang -- Josie
  • House Panthers -- Huggy Bear
  • Attack of the Tabbies -- Maggie
  • Secret Paws

  • Other links
  • Pets Inc.
  • Project Pet
  • Low cost spay and neuter programs
  • Disapproving Rabbits!
  • Kitty Cat Dance

  • If you haven't seen the Kitty Cat Dance on Albino Black Sheep, I highly recommend it.

    Saturday, December 06, 2008

    PhotoHunt: Breakfast

    Today's PhotoHunt theme is Breakfast, and this theme is just too perfect to let pass, because breakfast is one of our favorite meals. I searched and can't believe I couldn't find a picture of Maggie stalking Dad's cereal bowl. I did find one of Huggy Bear and I surrounding Dad as he ate some cereal, but it just wasn't a good picture. (It lacked "sticky person" cuteness...)

    So I went into the vault and pulled some of my favorite breakfast snack pictures. This is from a while back, when Gracie visited and spent the night. Gracie is probably our favorite sticky person (because her little sister hasn't learned how to feed us yet).

    Huggy Bear eating from Gracie's hand
    Here's gracie giving Huggy Bear a treat. Look at her concentration.

    Open up!
    And then Gracie's showing Maggie how to open her mouth to get her treat. Although Gracie makes us work for it, the Temptations are worth it in the end.

    Friday, December 05, 2008

    Finally Friday: Flying out on Friday

    Mom and Dad got up very early and flew out to Cincinnati to watch Aunt Kelly play the tuba in her senior recital at The University of Miami at Ohio. We're excited about them coming home, not just because we don't like when they are gone, but because when they come home they are putting up the Christmas trees. Yes, that's right, trees. Three of them! That's three times the tree-terror from Maggie. So even though we're not happy about them leaving, it means we're that much closer to having an indoor forest.

    Jasper and Maggie sharing a spot in the garage
    Unfortunately, we won't get garage time with Mom and Dad gone. This was a rare moment the other day, when I allowed Maggie to snuggle with me on an old comforter in the garage. I'm realizing that I am a cold weather cat, and I really like to hang out in the cool garage this time of year, even though Mom and Dad insist I'm nuts and that a warm blanket is better.

    I guess Dragonheart and Merlin are still having some computer issues because they haven't updated in almost a month. I hope they get the issues resolved because I miss those guys.

    Thursday, December 04, 2008

    Tattle tail Thursday

    Josie napping on her couch
    Well, this looks like where Josie will be spending most of her weekend, resting on the couch, wondering where Mom and Dad are -- they're heading up to Cincinnati to visit with Dad's family. It's going to be cold up there, I'm sure, and they have to fly, so I'm happy to be waiting here. Huggy Bear was acting out this morning, chewing on whatever he could just to get attention. And Maggie was snuggling with Mom and making it hard for her to get out of bed.

    (Oh, and in yesterday's Wordless Wednesday Josie was looking at a piece of trash that had blown out of a recycling bin and ended up in our bushes.)