New Year, New Blog Plans

So, I'm thinking of changing the blog up a bit...but can't quite figure out how. I'd like a 3 column, not unlike my good friend Daisy's or perhaps Skeezix'. They just have lots of room for stuff..you know, like awards and badges and just interesting things in general. Just thinkin'. I don't want to lose what I've got in the process, so I 'm not quite sure how to go about it.

Last night was no fun. I don't know what was wrong with me, but I felt terrible. I was laying down in unusual places and feelin' a little too warm, and I even hissed at the English Major! Just not like me...I think I ate something that didn't agree with me. Thank goodness this morning I felt myself again...but mom is paying extra special attention to me, which is kind of nice...maybe I should stretch this out a little.

Just kidding!

Christmas Means Carnage!...

As Ferdinand the Duck would say. We're all pretty much pooped, here. I've killed everything in sight at least once, hidden from strange people, gotten bits of ham, Definitely,d-d-Definitely NOT taken nearly enough naps, and am way overdue for a few extra skritches for putting up with this massive change in my daily routine.
I've so enjoyed all the well wishes from my friends all over the world! And now, I wish for everycat a relaxing day, filled with laps and skritches, plenty of Stinky Goodness, naps, naps, and more naps....

Happy Sleeping!

Mancat Monday-Christmas Eve...

And Santa Claus is on his way! Mom has been tracking him via Google Earth..it updates all the time and he's just finished India and is now in the Indian Ocean Islands!

I hope that all my friends in the blogosphere, and all those whom I've not yet met, have the most wonderful Christmas Day with their families and friends! I hope that everyone is safe, that everyone is well and happy, that you are with those you love and who love you.

Merry Christmas!

Skeeter and LC...

are tellin' a skeery-skeery Chrissy Mouse story over here. You've got to go read it!

I Elfed Myself!

I decided to have a little fun today, 'cause it's Fun Friday! Anyway, I elfed myself
So, you can click on over an see my smooth Christmas moves!

Presents, Presents, Yeah, Pt. Deux!

Please pardon the Spot #13 flash here, but I just LOOOOOOOOVE this toy, and I can't get my mom to take it off of the cardboard thingy so I can really KILL it!
I know, I know, Mom, but I am really enjoying this...oh, um, yeah. DAISY MAE MAUS AND THE FELINE AMERICANS, I LOOOOOOOOVE YOU! You were so generous and thoughtful and wonderful and WOW generous and I have more toys than I could kill in a month, or, er, two. I really like all these wonderful things! My fevver-butt mouse on the wand that has the little dingle bell on it-I LOVE THIS TOY! The long stringy chirpy thingy on the wand and the fevver carrot with some awesome 'nip in it, and the fishy flakes-I LOVE THOSE SO MUCH!, and the Temptations in a flavor I've never tried, and the GOURMET Stinky Goodness, and the paper bits on the wire and all the mousies with fevvers and the Whapping toys, and My Very Own Christmas Stocking (so cute!-mom), and the hard kitty with the hole in his back (What IS that for? ) (It's for me, Angus-Mom-Thank you, Jessica!) and I have so many toys to play with....Can we pleeeeeeeease open this now? Pleeeeease?Wooooohoooo! I am gonna bunnykick the heck out of this thing!

Thank you, thank you Daisy Mae Maus and the Feline Americans-you guys are so wonderful to me!

Angus

Presents, Presents, Yeah!

I started this post on Sunday night, but then my mom came down with this horrendous (her word) head code ad has beed dalkig lige dis ever since. So, just now, I'm getting to work on it again.
My Foster&Smith order came! Woot! Now I can put together my Secret Paws gift and send it off with the man in the blue shorts...
But first, I need to inventory the contents and make sure everything came. Yep, yep, that's everything...ooooo, I like this pink and blue boa-thing..Hey mom! Can I keep just this one thing? No? AAaaawwww.
Then, look what came! For me! My very first package from anybody
Newspapers?
Oh, OHHHHHHH, looky, presents!
OOoooo, I like this one. Can I open this one now? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeease?Don't mind me. You just go ahead and look over all this great stuff..I'll just be over here.Ok, you've got a point. There's other great stuff in here, let's take a look.
Can you give me a hand? There's something fevver-y in here and I can't reach it.
Somebody must like me, 'cause they put all this wonderful stuff in here, just for me! Who sent it, Mom?

Christmas Time is Here...

Happiness and Cheer...I got Mail!!! My good friends Adan and Daisy Mae Maus and the Feline Americans sent me Christmas Cards! Today, I've been making out my Christmas Card to all my friends. They're all stamped and ready for the man in the blue shorts..but he walks kinda slow, so I think I'll take them to the people in the blue shorts house and put them in the blue box myself. That way they'll leave in the early mail.

I know it's Sunday and lots of cats and their folks are resting, or shopping or doing other holiday things, so there's not as much visitin' as usual. But I know we're all thinking of each other!

Saturday Snoozin' under the Christmas tree

It snowed a little last night and is brrrr-y cold outside. My apologies to my friends in the Northern Wastes, where snow is as the air they breathe. Here in the Panhandle it's a novelty that still surprises us. The little brown featherballs cluster around my bird feeder, jostling and fluttering to plunder it of millet and sunflower seeds. Meanwhile, I'm under the Christmas tree in my favorite spot, snuggling in for a nap. The tree lights radiate a pleasant warmth from above which can't help but make me sleepy.

The men in the blue and brown shorts have been often, but my special box from the special pet place hasn't arrived yet. It's special because it carries the special gifts for my Secret Paw. I have the box, and several other items, but I ordered some really great things for my Secret Paw friends and I wish they'd hurry and get here!

To Take a Tone

My mom says that I may not have struck quite the right tone in my letter to Santa Claus yesterday. I told her that I only spoke in the feline way, which does tend to sound a bit haughty or perhaps even supercilious. She advised I tone it down a bit and remember who I'm speaking to..it's not as if it's her. This is a personage from whom I hope to receive gifts on Christmas morning, according to my good behavior throughout the year..not, repeat NOT a Staff member.

She may have a point.

Perhaps I should try again.

Dear Santa Claus,

I have been a good cat this year. I have been sorry when I yakked up on the carpet, and have done my best to be a comfort to my mom by many hours of lap-napping, biscuit-making and playing for her amusement. I have earnestly attempted to limit my shang-hai attacks on her legs to the barest minimum for a self-respecting cat. May I have a new Da Bird? and perhaps some fevver butt mousies, and maybe a new furry toy?

Yours truly,

Angus Mhor

P.S. I humbly apologise for drinking out of your milk glass last year. Oh, and for licking some of the frosting off of your Christmas wreath cookie. I wouldn't worry about cat spit..my mom is sure that she owes her continued good health to daily intake of same as well as daily inhalation of cat dander and hair. She swears by it!

AM

Do you think this sounds better? I hope so..I would not like Santa Claus to think badly of me..I really am a good cat.

A Christmas Wish

Dear Santa Claus,

As the photo above clearly illustrates, my Da Bird is woefully skimpy these days. As is my feather wand. And my fevver-butt mousie. In fact, all my toys are in very sad shape, including my favorite fur toy:which has fallen into the drink time out of hand. ( I use drink loosely) (although I did get 2 points for it, and it didn't exactly fall)

So, Santa, I would like some new toys for Christmas. I would like to say that I have been a good boy, and for the most part, I have. I mean, we accentuate the positive, do we not? We need not mention the occasional yak, or the great pile of sand that accumulates in front of my litter box-it does stick between my toes, and having seven of them on each front paw, I could hardly be blamed for that. My daily attempt at freedom is nothing more than a feline desire to lurk in shadows and sniff for mice.

With this in mind, I'm sure that you could not fail to recognize that I am a cat par exemplar, and worthy of your kind attention.

Yours,

Angus Mhor

P.S. I promise not to drink out of your milk glass this year. Should I not receive that which I feel is my due though, all bets are off for next year. AM

Brown Box, Black Stripe

There are some peculiarities afoot at my house. The man with the brown shorts visits almost every night. He never stays long, not even long enough to suffer my disdain. He leaves boxes behind.
Brown boxes with black stripes on them. At first, I found this slightly unnerving. After all, I am brown with black stripes. Upon opening, I found they contained items utterly useless to me-books and toys and DVD's. I jumped into one of them to investigate. Surely one of them contained something useful to a cat? Treats, perhaps, or a toy. Perhaps even a cat bed like my good friends Skeezix and Mao share? But no. Nothing for the cat. This is just WRONG on so many levels. What to do.....hmmm. My mom should know better than to allow the man in brown shorts to come without gifts for me. This will take some thought. When I decide upon a suitable method retribution will be swift indeed.

Speaking of presents for ME, I'm busy putting together gifts for my Secret Paws friends-yes, that's friends. I've directed the Staff to shop for some particular items known to please these friends of mine and I delight in anticipating their joy when the man in BLUE shorts brings gifts to their door.

Have I mentioned PUDGE lately? Well, I should.. mine is growing apace. After the New Year, I'll be posting a special PUDGE song. Those of you similarly afflicted will enjoy my Ode to The Pudge.

It's a Lip, It's a Lip, It's a Lip, Lip, Lip

I love my lips. (Where have I heard that before?) Kitty lips are exquisitely useful organs. Perfectly organized to accomplish that for which they are meant...sensing stray bits of Stinky Goodness clinging to the sides of my bowl, skillfully storing stray particles for later licking and reminding me of flavors sampled only moments before. Aaaah, my lips. The small single hairs projecting from my lips can winkle out toys hidden in small nooks where a deft whap has secreted them, enabling my seven-toed greatness to draw them forth for yet another whap. Nuzzling! They're extremely good for nuzzling. Comfortably ensconced on my mom's sleeping form, I patiently wait as her lashes flutter of a morning, signaling that breakfast is soon to be served. Should those lashes tarry and her eyes remain stubbornly closed I carefully rest my lips on her eyelid. This usually produces the desired result.

Suffice it to say that I love my lips. (Where have I heard that before?)

This post was inspired by my friend Chase's handsomely displayed lips...

Mancat Monday-Studies in Shadow

I'm feeling very artistic today, which is a stretch, for me. It's a grey, misty day outside, cold and dreary, and I thought my photo today should have a sort of "atmosphere" to it. It has been a loooooooong week, with my mom going 'round the house, screeching at the top of her lungs, for something she calls a "Christmas Program". Then, she leaves me in the cottage, ALONE, and goes off, only to come home and fall into the people bed. I've had barely enough Temptations this week to bother counting. I mean, any less than 20 is just neglect, wouldn't you agree? I've so missed checking in on all my friends and leaving comments and stuff, too.

I'm excited about sending Christmas Cards to all my friends and if you'd like one from me, please send me an email to angusmhorATgmaildotcom including your snailmail address. I'm also excited about preparing my Christmas Secret Paws gifts! I've already got a part of it together and will work on the rest today and tomorrow.

Happy Monday to ALL!

Mancat Monday-Merry Whapping To You!

So, I was tellin' ya'll about the Christmas Tree and how it's my favorite place to sleep, hide, and just generally hang out. The only problem with this little arrangement is the terrible temptation you see hanging there next to me. And the only question that can be asked is: "To whap or not to whap?"
Now, under ordinary circumstances I'm your basic Whap-it-all kind of guy. I mean, what else is it there for, but to be whapped? Anything-fallen buttons, hanging shade cords, fringe on blankets, twisty ties and bottle caps. Of course, the toys from the toy box are legally whappable. But Christmas Tree Whappage is a little different. Those items only come out once a year and are extremely shiny and sparkly. What's even better is the effect it has on the Staff when I do whap them. It gives me a strange thrill to sit under the tree with all the lights and branches and have that sparkly ball hanging just within reach. It really tests my self control.
But, I am a Manly-type mancat, and I do have some measure of self control. So I won't whap.

Except when nobody's looking!

I Got Mail!

Before my recent brush with death, I received my first mail ever! But between my procrastinating mom and gettin' over my illness, I didn't post about it, and it was really cool, so, here goes:

I've never had a package addressed to me before-hey, Mom, can you help me open it?
Mom, can you please help me open my package? Pleeeeeeeaase?
OK, the gloves are off-OPEN IT NOW! (all of which took place it about 60 seconds)
OOOooo, furs! And they're not my furs, they're somebody elses-who's are they, Mom? I gotta sniff this really, really hard.

Hey, I know, they're Millie-furs! Thanks for sending your furs to me, Millie! (Angus, that's not all she sent)
Oh, yeah, this is the coolest ever-my very own Gizzy Quilt! Woot!
I'm likin' this quilt! (looks to me like you're licking it, Angus)
AAAAaaaaah, sooo comfy, Millie! (Hey, what about Millie's mom-she worked very hard to make this for you, Angus, and Millie supervised!)
This is such a comfy quilt, I like it very much! Thanks, Millie's Mom, for sewing me such a comfy quilt! And thanks, Millie, for doin' such a good job snoopervising! I really appreciate it!

(My mom wanted me to mention the colors and how they go so well with her daykor, and the fabric patterns and how they're juxtaposed against each other to provide maximum contrast effect, but I told her she was full of baloney-I just need it to be comfy!)

Thanks, Millie!