Mancat Monday

While Huggy Bear is about the biggest lover in the house, he also likes to show off his mancatliness every now and then. The other morning he was posed in a very mancatly way on the stairs.


He was in a nice, midway-up perch where he could take in a good view of everything going on in the front part of the house and out the front windows by the door.

Easy Like Sunday

Mom and Dad have been spending a few late nights out doing some things at the theatre while they have a show going on, which means they haven't been having as much quality time with us. So today the plan is to spend time with us! Right now, Dad's trying to play Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook (a one-minute timed game) so our new game is "stand in front of the monitor while Dad tries to play a one-minute timed game." So far, I think we're winning.

Froggy Friday

This is our friend Freddie the Freeloader. He's either a frog or a toad, but since this is Friday we're going with frog (if it was Tuesday or Thursday the safe money would be on toad for the consonance). Sometimes, if we're lucky, he'll sneak into the garage and play with us. I'm convinced this is one of the main reasons the Maggie will assault the garage door, and use every trick she has to slip past whoever is coming in from the garage. I'm also pretty sure that Freddie is the one that Josie licked a long time ago, and then foamed at the mouth and created all kinds of excitement for us (apparently Freddie tastes bad).


Here's a slightly closer (and blurrier) picture of Freddie. He was enjoying the sprinkler the other night, but not enjoying the camera.

Wordless Wednesday

Tabby Tuesday

Mom and Dad took off for an extended weekend and got back late Monday night. Now that they're back, we're counting on a good amount of this...

Finally Friday

Boy, this week just seemed to go on and on. Thanks everyone for your input to my question in yesterday's post.


Josie is the patroller in our house. She's the one who will know where the squirrel is first, or if someone is walking a dog, or there's an intruder cat on the back deck. She stakes out all the best perches to watch from. This is her new spot ... on the small old desk in the parlor. Not only is this a good spot to watch the outside activity, but it also insures that she'll be the last one to see anyone before they leave the house so she can put her stink on them at the door. And that's a very important job.

Feed reader

I know this conversation has gone on before in the Cat Blogosphere, but we've been getting behind on keeping up with our friends' blogs and I wanted some opinions... I've set up Google Reader in the past, but never got in the habit of using it (honestly, it seemed that I could read the post, but then still had to go visit the site to leave a comment and I think that's why it never caught on for me).

So my question, which reader do people seem to prefer? Is one dramatically better or easier or more convenient than another? I want to find an easy way to keep tabs on everyone and not miss and be able to comment more efficiently ... (really, how DOES Daisy visit everyone?)

Thanks for your input.

Wordless Wednesday

A tale of two tails on Tabby Tuesday

The other day I was hanging out on the bed with Mom when Maggie decided to jump up and cuddle up against me. I was in a very good mood so I let her get right up beside me. Then, to Mom's joy and amazement, we intertwined our tails.


Here we are with our tails wrapped together.


And an even better picture.


This is why Mom and Dad always have a camera ready. There's just no telling when we'll be this cute and sweet together again.

And a quick Mom update: She's just sore with a raspberry on her elbow. She has full range of motion in her arm now that the swelling is going down. It seems she had a nice stinger to the elbow with a good bit of bruising. Thanks for all the good thoughts. With a beach trip this weekend, Mom said if her elbow had been broken she would have officially declared a do-over on this summer, or an early start to fall (no pun intended).

Quick Mom update

Mom is feeling a little better, really just sore. Dad may shoot an xray today, but she's doing better. She's still icing it a lot, which is helping. I think it's up to us McKitten-Cats to nurse her back to full health. We'll have some cute pictures tomorrow...

Moving Aunt Tiff

Aunt Tiff is moving into her own place this week, which is exciting for her, but a little sad for us. That's one fewer person to give us treats and pets and squeezes. On Friday, Mom and Dad helped Aunt Tiff move her bigger items over to the house she's renting. On the very last run, moving the very last large heavy box, the ramp on the U-Haul wobbled and Mom took a tumble and landed hard on her left elbow. It's pretty painful and swollen and she can't straighten it all the way, or bend it up all the way. So tomorrow they're going to Dad's office to get an x-ray. Keep your paws crossed that it's just a bad bad bump and not broken.

Update: Mom's elbow is feeling better this morning. She's been icing it a lot, and Dad wrapped it for her last night (only one clumsy bump to Mom's elbow while wrapping it) and can move it better today. If it's still giving her trouble she may still go get an xray, but for right now she's feeling better. And yes, Aunt Tiff is only about 10 minutes away, and will surely be by for dinner.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuxie Tuesday

Mom and Dad are fussing because we haven't had much rain and the grass isn't real green, but we've been enjoying the sunny spots we've been having.


Josie has a schedule now ... she starts on the front side of the house for the morning sun, then works her way to the back side for the evening sun. That way she's constantly in a sunny spot. It keeps her pretty busy.

[And speaking of pretty busy, I have been very lax about visiting my friends lately, and hate using the "busy" excuse. I know we all go through these phases, but I want to let you all know that I'm going to be better about visiting and commenting. Thanks...]

Mancat Monday

I think Huggy Bear missed Mom the most. This weekend he was at her side constantly. He is such a softy, to be such a big mancat.

Easy Like Sunday

We were up late with Mom and Dad, and helping Aunt Tiff prepare for another three night shifts. She likes the night shift a lot, though.


Today looks like a good day to nap. Huggy Bear's napping by the bookshelves in the parlor. This room gets good sun and is becoming one of our favorite new hangouts.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Fourth of July everyone! I hope everyone has a safe Fourth and there aren't too many fireworks where you are.


I'll be hanging out with a good box today. Aunt Tiff ordered some new nurse clothes (they call them scrubs, but she's not scrubbing anything...) and she also ordered us a box. Here I am testing out the box to see if it fits.


Maggie wanted to see if both of us would fit. But I decided to share and leave it for her.


It's a good box, because it fits a big cat like me, and a little cat like Maggie!

Now I think I'm going to sit on Dad's hand while he tries to use the mouse. It's my new favorite game.

Finally Friday

It's finally Friday, Mom is home, all is right in the house again.


Maggie can stop looking for Mom out the window and start watching for those silly mockingbirds again. They just keep chattering all night and driving us crazy.

Thankful Thursday

We are thankful for all the nice purrs and prayers for Mom's dad to get better -- he's doing much better. He's doing so well, in fact, that Mom is flying home today! After work, Dad is heading up to Charlotte to pick her up!


Josie has been hanging out in the parlor looking out the front window because she knew Mom was coming home soon. We're planning to put our stink all over her because we heard there was a d-o-g where she was, and we'll have to cover that stink right away.

Wordless Wednesday

Tabby Toesie Tuesday

I'd been hanging on to this picture of Maggie for today, because she's just too cute on top of the fridge, and I though this was a perfect Tabby Toesie Tuesday picture.


But then she went and curled up beside the dish towels that Dad had just olded. He decided to leave them there for her because she was so cute with her nose tucked between her toes, and I can't blame him. She was so cute that Dad was forced to sit with her and watch a movie until she got up.

Mancat Monday

We spent a good bit of the weekend hanging out with Dad, since Mom's still away with her dad. But boy did it get hot here in Columbia!


When I wasn't biting Dad's calf for attention, or bouncing the shirts he was trying to fold, I was hanging out in the cool sink. It's definitely summer in the South.

Finally Friday

It's finally Friday, and hopefully some sense of normalcy will return. Dad is staying home this weekend, doing house things so everything looks like it should when Mom gets home next week. Mom's dad is out of the hospital and home, thankfully. Thanks to everyone for their purrs and prayers. I know it has helped, and will continue to help. This has been an incredibly stressful week for Mom, and not just because she doesn't have us curling up with her at night. So knowing that you have been thinking about her has really helped. Hopefully she will trek home on Wednesday. That's the plan right now, so long as everything stays like it has been. Thanks so much for your emotional support. It has meant so much.

Stinky shoes

OK, the shoes don't stink ... I put my stink on Mom's shoes before she left. That way everyone in Ohio knew exactly who she belonged to. We don't want any confusion.

Huggy Bear thinks he's a good hider but as you could tell by yesterday's Wordless Wednesday he's not always hidden. It's hard when you're a big mancat and full of floof.

Also, Dad thought this YouTube video of Advanced Cat Yodeling was funnier than we did... (from the same guys who brought us the Engineers Guide to Cats.)

Wordless Wednesday

Huggy Bear waiting for Mom

Huggy Bear said he'd wait for Mom by the window in the bedroom.


It's a nice sunny spot, and he decided it was a good place to wait. I'd have to agree with him. Of course, we decided that it was OK for him to leave the window if there were treats, or fresh food, or he needed to go hunt his toys. Otherwise, he'll be in the window.

Mom's dad is doing better, and is out of the ICU, but still in the hospital recovering from his surgery. Thanks for all your purrs and prayers. It means so much. I'll keep you posted on his recovery.

Dad's home, Mom's not

Dad drove home from Toledo yesterday, 11 long hours... Mom stayed up to help her dad. He's up and down right now. Please keep him in your prayers as he recovers from his heart surgery.

Mom and Dad in Toledo, Ohio

Mom and Dad are in Toledo, Ohio. Unfortunately it's not to visit our cool cat friends from Ohio. Mom's father needed quadruple bypass surgery (on Mom's birthday of all days) so Thursday Mom and Dad drove about 11 hours to be up there. Please keep him in your prayers. His recovery is going well so far.

Thankful Thursday

Thanks to everyone for their birthday wishes. Maggie was so flattered to get all this attention (like she doesn't get enough). But everyone's comments were so nice and appreciated. Maggie is loving her tent. (Mom got an ice cream maker for her birthday, so we're trying to get her to make stinky goodness ice cream. No luck yet...)


Look what's in the hanging fern on the front porch ... baby birds! We've been spending a lot of time in the front room listening to them and watching their mom fly around and bring them snacks. We had an awful storm last night and the wind whipped the fern around pretty good, but Dad checked and the bird he saw was giving him a very dirty look, so he's OK. And that's also something to be thankful for.

Happy 4th birthday Maggie!

Well there's been a lot of buildup, for sure ... an entire week's worth. And I think Maggie is pleased with what she waited for. Monday, after Mom and Dad's friends left, Mom and Dad headed up to Charlotte and visited IKEA. They had been looking at these cool tents there, and decided Maggie needed a new one.

So here are Maggie's cool 4th birthday presents!


Here's Maggie first checking out the tent. They say it's a "pup" tent, but we're sure it's a cat tent.


It didn't take Maggie long to get settled in and check it out.


I think she likes the cool camo/cat design.


Mom was afraid the tent wasn't girly enough for Maggie, so she got her a pink cat tunnel too. Maggie can stretch completely out in the tunnel and still be inside it.


But Maggie likes to be ready to pounce at all times, especially from a tunnel.


She did relax from "pounce mode" long enough to curl up and show off some other tunnel features, like the side entrance.


Maggie was also nice enough to share her tent with the rest of us. Here I am blending into the orange camouflage.

Thanks to everyone who has been coming by during the last week and giving Maggie birthday wishes. She has really enjoyed having a week all about her. Tonight we'll be getting her official stinky goodness cake (while Mom has her birthday cake too -- it is Mom's birthday also).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAGGIE and MOM!

Tabby Tuesday

Mom and Dad had visitors this weekend, and Mom got her birthday presents early. That meant that Maggie got her first gift early, too -- a gift bag to play in!


Maggie spent the better part of Sunday hanging out in or on this bag. Bags make great gifts, but Maggie's getting something even better for tomorrow's post.

Also, Dad found a neat cat t-shirt today.

Finally Friday

It's Finally Friday -- Dad's half day at work. Unfortunately, Mom and Dad have company coming in late Saturday so it'll be yard work and house cleaning today and some tomorrow. Maggie says this hubbub is in preparation for her birthday on Wednesday. I tried to explain that Mom's birthday is also Wednesday and it's probably more about Mom than Maggie, but she'd hear none of that.

Yesterday, I commented that Maggie is a spoiled sister. Mom is now making me explain why she is spoiled. You see, Maggie was very ill when she was little, and it was very touch and go as a new kitten. She had a bad upper respiratory infection that took her eye. Mom didn't know if Maggie would be around long, so she wanted to give her as much love as she could while she could. Well, Maggie recovered thanks to all of Mom's loving and now she's a spoiled sister.


Now, she might be spoiled, but she's awful cute too. I have to give her that.

Hangin' with Clara Ann

Clara Ann came to visit last week. She was hanging out with us and "playing" with us the way sticky people do.


I was spying out the back window, minding my own business.


Then Clara Ann saw me. I know this because she said "Kitty!" followed by a toddler's giggle.


First she wanted to see what I was seeing.


Then she wanted to see more of me, instead.


But then she got a little too close for me. You can see me starting to accordion back away from her.


From then on, I took up a more watchful pose. You can never be too careful with little people around.

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We started the week-long buildup to Maggie's birthday yesterday (she always gets her way -- spoiled sister).


Maggie decided that a nap with Josie in the afternoon sun was a good way to start the preparation for her birthday.

Wordless Wednesday

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[Just a quick note: Maggie's birthday is next Wednesday. The CB got an early jump on her birthday, and now Maggie thinks we should celebrate her all week.]

Tuxie Tuesday

This is a great time of year with so much to look at outside. Josie likes to hang out in the window behind the couch and watch out back.


Here's Josie hanging out with ... well, Josie. I think she was hoping to see a squirrel. Maggie and I have been hanging out in the front parlor because there's another bird's nest in the fern and the birds are getting ready to hatch! We hope to get some baby bird pictures later.

Cat t-shirt

Dad found this cat t-shirt online and thought there were some beans out there who might need it. They have ones with dogs, and dogs and cats together, too. (Now get back to work, Dad!)

Quick weekend report

We had a lot of snoopervising this weekend. On Friday when the cable guy was here (for seven hours!) we were able to stay out, staying away from him more than snoopervising, but at least not trapped in the bathroom like I had feared. Sunday, Mom and Dad painted the upstairs hallway, which they will probably finish tonight. So plenty of good snoopervising this weekend.

Mom helped watch Clara Ann last week too, and I've got a series of pictures that I'll try to get posted for tomorrow...

Finally Friday

It's a possibly traumatic Friday, with a guy from AT&T coming to switch us from Time Warner Cable to AT&T U-verse Cable. But the guy could be here for as much as four hours, with us most-likely locked in the bathroom while he does his thing. Yikes.


Since Mom and Dad had to move the entertainment center out, it meant the books were all cleared out. And what would a project be without some cat snoopervision? Or more precisely, four cats snoopervising.

Your standard general Thursday catch-all post

Thursday posts always seem to challenge me the most ... I don't know why. Other days have themes that seem to work real well so when I'm in a pinch I can turn to the theme and be sure to give everyone a worthwhile post. Then there's Thursday. The T13 is fun, but can be a bear (not a Huggy Bear) some days. So instead, here's a few comments on the last week:

Yesterday's Wordless Wednesday:
Yes, SSS, that was Aunt Tiff's shoe, and actually a ball Aunt Tiff gave us for Christmas. As for who was responsible for the ball ending up in the shoe, I have to say most likely Huggy Bear, since that's his thing, or possibly Maggie. I hang out upstairs and the shoes are down, so I didn't see it happen.

On Tuesday:
Mom was definitely asking for the raspberry from Maggie (but then, Mom likes raspberries -- both the kind from Maggie and the kind you eat, so I don't think she minded too much).

The hidden girl in the Mancat Monday post:
I forgot to mention this on Monday's post, and you'd probably have to biggify the picture to really see her, but Josie is hiding in the background of the Mancat Monday picture, almost right in the middle of us, like she's trying to steal our Mancat thunder.

And my public service announcement: if you have a wireless keyboard, keep extra batteries around. In mid-comment to William my keyboard's batteries died on me. Talk about a train-of-thought killer!

I leave you with a riddle today (with no answer, because I'm not even sure):


Am I sitting on the step behind me, or standing on the step below me?

Wordless Wednesday

Tabby Tuesday

Ever wonder how sassy Maggie is ...


I think she was done with Mom messing with her and loving on her.

Mancat Monday

How about double the Mancat!


Sometimes Huggy Bear and I will hang out together. We don't necessarily snuggle, but we get along good enough that we can share the same space without it turning into a wrestling match in 10 seconds. Plus this is a great spot to watch out the window, so it's worth sharing.