Two for Tuesday

Josie and Huggy Bear took on their yin/yang pose last night. For just a second Mom and Dad thought they might snuggle, but then they got distracted by picture taking and other activity.

Don't forget to teleport over to Dolce and Baci's for their birthday celebration. Their place was our first teleporting, back for Magoo's birthday a few years back. They know how to throw a birthday party, for sure!

Maggie Monday

It is our favorite time of year, when the weather begins to cool from summer and the windows start to open. Last week was perfect temperatures and we had lots of window time.


Maggie likes to look out over the deck out back and see what's around. No birds or squirrels out there, but Maggie keeps looking. I think she likes to smell the air and feel the wind as much as anything.

Easy Like Sunday

Thanks again to everyone who came by and enjoyed the Week of Jasper. I think it's time for me to find Josie and Huggy Bear and Maggie and see what they've been up to all week. It's been a nice week with the windows open, so we've had a lot of patrolling to do. I had to look around the house to see where everyone was.


Then I saw that the garage door. "Anyone out here?" And then I saw them! "That's where you've been hanging out all week!"


Josie likes to stretch out on the cool garage floor.


Huggy Bear was sitting by the pile of boxes. These boxes were for a friend who was moving, but who never came to get them so hopefully one day they will become a super cool cat fort for us.


Maggie is in her favorite high perch on top of some boxes. This is where she always goes in the garage.

Welcome back to the blog guys! I know you've got some pictures you want to share next week.

PhotoHunt: View

Today's PhotoHunters theme is view. As it turns out, I had a perfect picture for this, and it's a picture of me, so I guess the Week of Jasper gets an encore today! I like to sit in the window of the office and look out over the back yard. I like the view of the back yard a lot.


From this view I can see the magnolia tree Mom and Dad planted. This was the first tree they added to the yard. Beneath the tree is an Isabel Bloom bird that stays out until it starts to get too cold. It's not a real bird, but I like to keep an eye on it, just in case.

Finally Friday

OK, to be honest, I'm not really thinking "Finally Friday!" as much as a few siblings who have not been featured all week. Yes, the Week of Jasper comes to an end today. I've enjoyed being all about me. But then, who wouldn't? On the other hand, there are some great pictures I didn't get to share because they featured "other cats" that aren't me. Thanks to everyone who visited this week. Hope you're all enjoying the cool, open window weather as much as we are!

Thursday Thirteen #35 -- Jasper tidbits

To continue the Week of Jasper, I thought I would do this Thursday Thirteen all about me, and share some little tidbits about me before there was Josie and Huggy Bear and Maggie. It's not that I don't like my brother and sisters, but this week is all about me.

1. I was named after the fat crook on 101 Dalmatians ... well, not actually "after" him, because I'm not a fat puppy thief, but more because Dad always thought that would make a good cat name.
2. I was adopted from a no-kill shelter in East Moline, Illinois.
3. I was born in the shelter and my mother was a Manx who was later adopted by a friend of a friend. Mom and Dad suspect my dad was Maine Coon.
4. The lady at the shelter had a rude name for me because I must have been a little mischievous but I've proven her wrong by being a super sweet mancat.
5. Although I was born in Illinois, I lived across the river in Iowa for almost two years before moving to South Carolina.
6. I went outside a few times on a leash, but didn't like the wind (first time out) or the snow (second time out). Snow?!? What were they thinking?
7. I once emptied an entire box of Kleenex tissues that was upstairs, bringing them downstairs by the mouthful to Mom and Dad. I was on a mission that day.
8. I have always liked sleeping in bowls, and will even now open a cabinet and curl up in a bowl.
9. I've always had freckles on my nose and lips, and Dad did research and found out that this is normal on orange cats.
10. I don't like riding in the car at all. Mom and Dad tried a test drive with me before we moved to South Carolina and I think I lost about a pound of fur in the car. (I don't think I'll ever be brave like Timothy when it comes to the car.)
11. When we were in Iowa Mom and Dad suspected a mouse was in the house. Although I never caught it, it was only seen once. I think it got sight of me and knew better than to come back.
12. My first day home Mom and Dad put me in the bathroom since I'd never been out in a house before. I unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper. That was fun.
13. I was the last of my litter to be adopted. I was waiting for Mom and Dad to show up. I'm just thankful that they saw the flier at the printing shop and that Mom was all "Aww.... aren't they cute? I want a kitten" and that Dad said "OK" and that they came on the day they did and saw the cutest orange kitten they'd ever seen and that that kitten was me.

Wordless Whisker Wednesday

Tattle Tail Tuesday

Well, this is where you might normally expect to see a Tabby Tuesday or a Tuxie Tuesday, but since this is the Week of Jasper today is a Tattle Tail Tuesday instead, and boy do I have a beef with Mom. You see, Aunt Tiff came for a visit this weekend for Dad's birthday (I have a really cute picture of her with Maggie, but this is the Week of Jasper and I can't derail it with a Maggie picture, no matter how cute it is -- it will just have to wait for next week.) When she arrived she had this action figure for Mom. It is a Crazy Cat Lady action figure. Unknowingly, Aunt Tiff busted Mom, because plain as day, all of our likenesses are there along with the crazy cat lady. I think Mom has sold our likenesses to this action figure company and is keeping the cash monies all for herself.


I inspected this very closely, and I'm pretty sure this is me.


If you look you'll even see, along with me in the lower right, Josie (top right), Huggy Bear (middle right) and Maggie (middle left) all represented and not compensated. I think we're going to have to talk to Mom about this, for sure.


On the back there is a checklist to let you know if you are a crazy cat person (like there was ever any doubt). Click to biggify it on Flickr if you can't read it.

Mancat Monday

I've been very good about sharing my blog with Josie and Huggy Bear and Maggie. Really, since I started this blog almost four years ago, Josie and Huggy Bear have played an integral part on my blog. But not this week. I have decided to take back my blog. This is The Week of Jasper -- all Jasper, all the time.

And what better way than to show off my Mancatliness. Here I am helping Mom and Dad make the bed. And the best part of making the bed is when they either fluff the sheets or puff up the pillow case to put the pillow in.


I'm ready ...


Oh! Here comes a pillow case now!


That corner is just so close I can taste it.


Almost there. I think this is it.


Got it! It's all mine now!

Easy Like Sunday

Wow, is it almost 5:00 p.m. already? At which point does this just become a Monday post? This was a very easy Sunday because today is my Dad's birthday so we all stayed up late last night enjoying the company of friends (and by we I mean Mom and Dad, because we meaning the cats were cautiously observing things from a distance and avoiding four-year-old Gracie and 18-month-old Clara Ann, who did a good job of giving us treats, but also chased us some). So we all slept in some, then napped during football. We were very happy because Aunt Tiff came in town, and she's one of our favorite visitors. We're going to go back to napping, I think, and pick this up tomorrow (I know, not even a picture). I have big plans for this coming week, though...

Meow like a pirate

Ahoy there, kitties ... shiver me timbers if it aren't Meow Like a Pirate Day. Arrrr ye' meowin' piratey ta-day? 'Tis one-a me paw's fav-o-right day, fer shore. An' despite tha wee hour, aye still wanted to show ye me own pirate mate, Maggie the Pirate!


Here's Maggie in her pirate cave, sportin' a first class pirate patch over her lost eye in true pirate fashion. Don't ye make tha mistake of mockin' her patch unless ye're askin' ta need a patch too.

(Ah, who am I kidding, Maggie wouldn't hurt a fly. Next year we'll have to be more prepared and less over-scheduled and do it up right. Hope you all have a great Meow Like a Pirate Day and score lots of Temptations booty!)

Maggie Snugglebug

Maggie was in snuggle mode all last weekend. She is by far the most snuggly of all of us, but that doesn't mean she's always a snuggler. But this weekend it seemed she couldn't get enough snuggle time. Saturday morning she curled up in Dad's lap for a good 20-30 minutes. There is no photographic evidence of this since the camera was out of reach, and since we're just not lap cats Dad wouldn't do anything to disturb her. But then later that day she curled up in Mom's lap and Dad was able to get a picture.


She was very sweet laying in Mom's lap. She rested her head on her leg, and then gave Mom a bath too.


Then Mom stretched out and Maggie curled up behind her leg in a spot just the right size for her.

I think maybe Maggie's been reading Dragonheart and Merlin's blog and seeing how they snuggle and cuddle and curl up in all kinds of warm places because after she got out of Mom's lap she nuzzled and burrowed into her orange blanket (yesterday's Wordless Wednesday). If her tail wasn't sticking out of the blanket no one would have even known that she was in there.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

[The past few days have been a little busy so we haven't been able to visit everyone to thank you for the birthday wishes, but we will be coming around to everyone as soon as we can! And now, back to our regularly scheduled Wordless Wednesday.]

Birthday party

Since Monday was Josie and Huggy Bear's fourth birthday Mom and Dad made them a big 4 out of wet food (a rare treat for us) and we had a little birthday celebration. Mom and Dad were going to go out and get them presents but we had a crazy storm and they didn't make it to the store, so that'll be later in the week.


Here is the 4 birthday cake. Dad's getting pretty good at these. I think the hardest part is fending us off.


Josie and Huggy Bear got first dibs at the cake.


But Josie was nice and quickly made room for Maggie to get some.


I got my own bowl and impressed Mom by cleaning my entire bowl.

Happy Birthday Josie and Huggy Bear

I can't believe that it was four years ago that Mom and Dad found you two, and your brother and sister, outside our apartment sleeping on the stairs and handrails, just some of the cutest kittens ever. I knew Mom had fallen for Josie instantly. When they came in and joined our family I welcomed them eagerly. My life has been more full and I have experienced a more fulfilling version of family and love because they are my sister and brother.


Josie and Huggy Bear are very sweet, and were caught in a loving moment. We'll be celebrating their birthday today and hope to have some actual birthday pictures up tomorrow.

And here are Josie and Huggy Bear snuggling together as kittens.

Look how little Huggy Bear was ...


... and what a big mancat he's grown in to.


And then there's little tiny Josie. She was so so sweet, and loved this high spot on the second floor of the apartment walkway.


And now look at what a beautiful Ladycat she has grown in to. She watches out for all of us, the little mother of our group.

Goodbye Pixie

Goodbye sweet Pixie. I am at a loss for words. I know your heart was weak, and I wish we all could have shared just a little bit of our hearts to give to you. I know Daisy will miss you, but we will look out for her. When you cross the bridge, there's a gray and white tuxedo named Fluffy who will show you around.


I tried to eat a banana in you honor. (OK, I sniffed it, does that count?) You touched our lives, and we are better for it.

Easy Like Sunday

Jimmy Joe posted about his huggy chair that he naps in, and suggested that Huggy Bear needs a huggy chair.


This isn't quite the same type hugging chair that Jimmy Joe is hanging out in since the chair doesn't actually hug back, but you can definitely see that Huggy Bear has claimed this as his.

PhotoHunt: Wild

Today's PhotoHunt theme is wild. Well, Huggy Bear had a wild adventure Friday afternoon -- his first stroller ride. He did very good in the stroller. Sure, he fussed a little bit, but I think everyone fusses a little bit on their first ride (I couldn't say since I haven't been out in the stroller yet). Mom and Dad were very proud of him. We're very proud of Mom and Dad for sticking to this walking thing (and taking us along).


Huggy Bear was a little nervous about his wild ride in the stroller at first. He was licking his lips nervously, like when Charlie Brown concentrates.


Huggy Bear asked Dad "Are we home yet?" toward the end of the ride. I think he enjoyed himself, but I think he liked coming back inside where it was air conditioned, too.


Despite being a little nervous, and being out with the wild outside smells and noises (barking dogs, chirping birds, cars...), Huggy Bear still managed to relax a little and enjoy his ride. Having the Kitty Kozy in there with him surely helped.

Finally Friday

Thanks to Goldie over at Sumac Stories for the I Love Your Blog award. It means so much to receive these awards.

I think Maggie was trying to reveal something to Dad in her latest photo.


If you look at the shadow, it looks like Batman, so I wonder if Maggie is just a secret identity and that she's really a supercat? She does seem to fly around the house some days, fast as a speeding bullet. (wait, that's Superman, not Batman...)

It's finally Friday, Dad's half day and Mom's home all day today. Maybe Huggy Bear or I will try going for a stroll with Mom and Dad during the day, if it doesn't rain.

Thursday Thirteen #34 -- Stroller ride

I really can't believe it's been over a month since my last Thursday Thirteen. Thursdays have turned into a bit of a catch-all day for awards and updates and giving thanks lately. But I'm back on track with the Thursday Thirteens, I think.

Maggie and Josie have been alternating going for walks with Mom and Dad. This really helps Mom and Dad stay motivated in their goal to walk more.


Here are thirteen things that Maggie and Josie have experienced during their recent walks.

1. Mom and Dad went for a walk Friday afternoon with Josie. A neighbor's dog had gotten out from the fence and came to visit Dad.
2. The dog wanted to visit Josie but Mom wouldn't let her.
3. But Josie did meet a nice neighbor lady and her two boys.
4. Then a light rain started and Josie scooted into the back of the stroller to stay dry.
5. Josie's walk was cut a little short because of the rain, but she got extra treats when she got home for getting misted on.
6. Tuesday night is the night before trash day, so Maggie got to sniff all kinds of stinky trash cans.
7. Her walk was a little longer than Josie's and she got to sniff the air on the street where a lot of dogs live.
8. Maggie hasn't seen any dogs on her walks recently.
9. She did get to see a big dummy driving way to fast up the street.
10. For walks when it gets a little dark Mom and Dad have a headlamp attached to the stroller so Maggie has some extra light.
11. Maggie likes to sniff the air on her walks and she also likes to curl up on her Kitty Kozy during her rides.
12. At first she freaked out when she was reintroduced to going for walks and Mom and Dad had to cut the walk short.
13. Maggie likes to nap in the stroller when it is in the house, and sometimes she will sleep on the top of the canopy.

Wordless Wednesday

Tattle Tail Tuesday

This should have been a Tuxie Tuesday and a Tabby Tuesday all wrapped up in one talking about strollers and walks and good stuff like that. It was all planned with pictures of Maggie and everything. But then Monday's "Garage Incident of 2008" happened. I guess I'm partly to blame, but I'm putting most of the guilt on Mom. Here's what happened...

See, our prediction on the end of the garage embargo was correct. Come Saturday Huggy Bear and Maggie had persisted enough that Dad caved at allowed us back into the garage. So Monday morning Mom was giving us some garage time. She had an errand to run, and she saw that Maggie and Josie and Huggy Bear had come in from the garage. Now, I had been spending most of my time upstairs on the craft table (my new favorite spot) so Mom didn't even suspect that I was in the garage when she shut the door and turned off the light! And then she left me out there while she ran her errand. Then, once she returned, she called Dad and while she was talking she commented that Maggie was pestering her and biting her and been especially needy. Sounds like Maggie was trying to tell Mom something, if you ask me.

Suddenly, Mom realized that she hadn't seen me in a while and opened the door to the garage and here I come, trotting in. On the plus side, Mom did give me some Temptations.


This is Maggie doing her re-enactment of trying to tell Mom that I'm shut in the garage.


Here I am back on my new favorite spot. I guess I should just stick to the table for a while, huh?

Mancat Monday

Huggy Bear understands that being a mancat means helping Mom with projects, and that there's nothing un-mancatly about helping Mom. In fact, he's learning that it is very mancatly to help Mom.


Mom likes to use her lap desk for projects when she's upstairs in the bedroom. She likes to spread her stuff out on the bed so she can see everything. Huggy Bear likes to spread himself out on the lap desk so it doesn't go anywhere.


Mom will cut articles out of her magazines and keep them in three-ring binders so she doesn't have stacks of magazines lying around the house. Here's Huggy Bear inspecting one of the sheets.


If you biggify this picture you can see that it is a recipe for grouper. At first I think Huggy Bear thought this was a big party, which he was excited about since his birthday is coming up, but then he learned that it is a type of fish, and he was even more excited about that.

PhotoHunt: String

Today's PhotoHunt theme is string. We love strings. I love to chew them and chase them and eat them. But for the PhotoHunt, I chose this picture of Huggy Bear with our Squiggles because I really like this picture and we LOVE our Squiggles.


The challenge here is deciding which one to play with first!

Finally Friday

It's Finally Friday! These short weeks really confuse me because I had an extra day with Dad on Monday, but then he seemed more tired at the end of the day, even though he had more rest.


I say find a good hangout and get some rest today. I thought I'd found a peaceful place on top of the cabinets, but then Maggie joined me and crowded me until I got down. Last night Maggie was nuts, flying up to the top of the cabinets and racing back and forth like she was chasing a ghost or something. But then she wore herself out and took a good nap, so maybe it wasn't all bad.


Also, thanks to Eric and Flynn for the Brilliante Weblog award. I know I'm supposed to pass this on, and I promise I will, but I wanted to go ahead and say "thanks" first...

Thankful Thursday

We received two awards on Tuesday (Two for Tuesday?)

Thanks to The Island Cats for giving us the Gold Card award!

I want to pass this along to Ginger, William and Scooby, Shaggy and Scout because they've been there since the beginning.

Sweet Praline passed on the I Love Your Blog award.

I'm supposed to pass this on to seven others. (I hope I'm not overlapping anyone.) First, Gandalf and Grayson for their interactive Tuesday stories, Four Furry Cats for the Story Chair, Victor and Nina, Chase, Kaze and Latte all together, Diva Kitty and the buns, meep, Twizzler and Bear, and PB&J! I could link everyone, of course, because I love all of your blogs, but I had to pick seven.

And while we're giving thanks, how about a big "thanks a whole lot" to Dad, who told Mom about the dead lizard he found in the poop room. We have a boot mat that is supposed to be to put your muddy boots, but since Mom and Dad have no muddy boots they have it in front of the litter box to catch the kick outs. Well, we hid the "overplayed with" lizard under the mat so Mom wouldn't find it. But Dad was cleaning up and lifted the mat and there it was, looking like a used up toy. He grabbed it real quick in case it was playing possum (can a lizard really play possum ... good question for Daisy) so Dad grabbed it with a paper towel and put it in the bag with the scooped litter. "Tough guy" acted so quick that he didn't even take the time to get a picture of our big game hunting.

So the "thanks a lot" is because, now that Mom knows of a second lizard in the house, that means no garage time until it cools down some and the lizards find some other place to hang out. (We'll see how long this lasts ... I say about a week.)


Here's Huggy Bear guarding the crack that lets the lizards (and spiders and frogs) in. He's been like a gargoyle in the garage guarding the two edges of the door whenever he can get in there.


Maggie's always ready to help in the hunt, but she's giving Dad that innocent, "I'm just watching" look. Since we've been banned from the garage, now we're just staring at random corners around the house to freak Mom out until she lets us back in the garage.