Wordless Wednesday

I Just Want To Thank You!

I got so many beautiful cards from all of you this Christmas and I wanted you to know how much I appreciated the time, effort, and green papers it took to do this for me. Heavens To Mergatroid! The postage on some of them was enough to keep me in Tempations for a furry long time! Especially our friends who live outside of the US who spent so much to send cards to those of us who live here, and to others in the big world-and, it's another testament of the connection this particular group of friends share and I am grateful for it.

Thank you!

This Is Makin' Me Nuts!

Mom's gettin' old. Yep. She is. It was inevitable and now it's come. So, I'm tryin' to make some changes in order to make her life a little easier. While she's not needin' a walker yet, or one of those mondo-neat pick-up sticks, she desperately needs to make some changes on my blog that make it easier to read. Sukie's mom mentioned weeks ago that she found it hard to read and my mom realized that it was for her, too! So, now to make the changes. I'd like a little feedback-how can I make it easier for you to read all about my life? 'Cause you know you want to!



Some of you guessed that I might be acquiring a furbling..(meaning a furry sibling). Weel, she's furry alright, but I'm not quite disposed to think of her in that way-no, my friends, not YET. The furball you see there, in the picture above, is a young lady of tender years (10 months) whom we rescued. Yes, I say, rescued. Her story is as follows:

Jazzmin (the name on her adoption sheet) showed up in a humane trap about two months ago. The trap was set by a woman caring for a colony of feral cats who'd taken up residence out in the country somewhat near her and near an abandoned building. Jazzmin proved to be a friendly young lady, making the woman think she belonged to someone who lived nearby and she'd wandered away. The woman released Jazzmin who remained in the vicinity and ate of the food the woman left out. Meanwhile, the woman continued her work of trapping the ferals in order to provide them with inoculations and to spay/neuter them and see to any hurts they might have suffered. Jazzmin remained on the outskirts of the colony and would hide in the building, so the woman made sure to leave some food and water for her there. Then, Jazzmin showed up in a trap again and the woman decided she might be adoptable and so took her home for a few days. Jazzmin proved to be very sweet and affectionate. The woman took her to the v-e-t where she was inoculated and provided with papers for adoption and put in the care of the West Texas Humane Society, who took her to PetSmart! So enters the Sticky Kids mom, who could not resist her charms and she came home to live in The Big House. At some point in her very young life the cornea of her right eye was injured. Her vision remains in that eye, although somewhat obscured by a residual cloud over a rounded pie shaped section on the outer aspect. This affects her depth perception a little and sometimes her peripheral vision is shown to be affected as well. She seems to compensate most of the time.

So, there you have it! At this point, she and I have briefly met but not come to any understanding. And, given her behavior over the last few days, it's unlikely that we will! That is, if I have anything to say about it!!! That's Chapter Two! Tune in tomorrow!

Just 'Cause I'm a Comment Hog

This is me, happy. No, really! I'm ecstatic. Just jumpin' up and down for joy. Can't you tell?

All on account o' this:

I haven't even STARTED to tell you all about it. You just hang tight. It's gonna be a bumpy week.

I'm just sayin'...

Paying It Forward...LATE!!!

An eon or so ago, Tesla started a neat "Pay It Forward" round and I signed up to be a part..Then, LIFE invaded and I've been a slave to aliens ever since.

Either that, or LIFE happened and I've been buried in wrapping paper and styrofoam peanuts and strings of LED Christmas lights.

But maybe it was really that LIFE happened and it was called Christmas and Christmas program at church and trip to Albuquerque for family wedding and the flu and then a cold and cooking and...oh, you get it, I know.

Anyway, I got this very cool package from Tesla that I wasn't too thrilled about at first:


Then, mom pulled out this interestin' lookin' stockin', which is way too big for me to wear, by the way and I kinda started to take notice:
Well, what do you know? There's stuff inside! You can see the comfy blanky right there, all covered in cute lil' penguins..and a little pillow perfect for batting around, or sleepin' on, whichever.
Oooo, a dingle ball! I love dingle balls! Lets just get that right on out o' there, eh?

And a catnip mousie! Even tho' I'm not much of a catnip guy, unfortunately, I still like to whap it around.
And, look at these leeeeetle bitty things made from the fleece! They're pretty neat to play with as I demonstrate in this very blurry action shot!

Shew! I'm pooped! I'm gonna rest on this here comfy blankie for awhile and tell you a little about this fun thing to do:
If you'd like to participate, here's how it goes:

"The exchange focuses on doing an act of kindness without expecting anything in return other than that the recipient will, in their turn, pass the kindness along and 'pay it forward' in their own way.

This is how it works...
We are going to agree to send something fun, inspiring or uplifting to the first 3 blog owners who post a comment on this entry. In turn you will then post about this on your blog, link to us, then send something to the first three people who sign up to play along through your blog.
There are no cost restraints, BUT don't go crazy! The little something you send can be something you made, bought, were given or found. No biggie, just a gift that will make the person smile. Maybe something unique from where you live?
And, remember that kindness don't have to involve money; there are untold ways to help others every single day, everywhere you go - just look around."
SO PAY IT FORWARD..."

Now, I realize the holidays have just come and gone, so I would understand if I'm a day late and some green papers short, but I have some gifts picked out already and just waitin' for somecat to send'em to...And, mom will make something special for the mom person in your life. Do you want to play? The first three commenters will get prezzies from ME!! If not, that's okay, I know I'm MUY MUY late on this one.

I do want to say FANKS EVER SO! to Tesla and Hans, cuz I like them and they're neat. And I really liked all the presents they sent me.!!!

That's All There Is, There Isn't Anymore.

After all the holidayin' and par-tayin' and rustlin' of tishoo paper and the slither of ribbon through wrapping paper, I've had just about all a guy can handle. I mean it. Just about ALL.



I have some great pictures to post of my wonderful Secret Paw presents and the gifts my girlfriend, Delilah, sent me..but not today. I just can't. I can hardly lift a toe, much less a paw! And I've got seven of'em per front paw, so that's a lots o' liftin'! And I just can't. Do. It.

I'm gonna sleep and sleep and sleep. Then, I'll probably sleep somemore and somemore. Then, maybe I'll wake up and take a nap.

But that's a real big maybe.

BTW-I have so many friends to be thankful for, both new and old. And cards, too! Not just gifts, lest you think I value the one over the other. I'm just thankful you notice me.

I'll be catchin' up soon as I can, my friends.

No Coal For Me! Nuh-UH!

I was such a good boy this year that I got two, count'em, TWO stockings!

Awwww, Santa! You shouldn't have!

::whispers:: (Can you guess what I asked him for whilst sitting on his knee?)

And they couldn't have been given to a nicer mancat! I'll take real good care of them!

I PROMISE! ::wink, wink::

Disclaimer: No rodents were harmed in the staging of above photos and were only used as props in cat-themed humor.

Forces of Nature

There's no happier sound than, "Angus, I'm home!". Don't you think? Except maybe for the sound of the lid to the Stinky Goodness bein' peeled back. Now THAT's a sound to transport one into the raptures of heaven!  But, "Angus, I'm home!" sounds pretty good, too.  

Anyway, she's home, so she'll be needin' my help with the wrappin' of the gifts. And I do a daily patrol around the perimeter of the tree for fallen ornaments. 'Cause you know that ornaments fall. It's kind of like the fact that birds fly, rain falls, and little boys find the sound of certain bodily functions highly comedic. Such that they feel the need to repeat them again and again while laughin' hysterically as if hearin' it for the very first time.  But, I digress. Ornaments, by virtue of their position hangin' from a tree, are subject to certain physical laws, such as gravity and whapping. What? You didn't know that 'whapping' is a law of physics?  "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction." So, you whap the ornament and the force applied causes it to move away from you-FAST!  Isn't that fun?

Now, you don't think I tell on myself where whappin' ornaments is concerned, do you? Noooo. I either scoot'em under the tree skirt or I blame the dog. Hah!

I Can Only Handle This Just So Long

At the risk of sendin' my girlfriend Delilah into a swoon, I'm postin' this picture of meself to satisfy the deep longin' of all the girls what missed my usual photograph yesterday. I know, I know. A day without a picture of me is real hard on ya and I do apologize with all the mancatly sincerity in me Big Mancat Heart.  You know that there's no harm wished upon ye and I hope you're "Angus" meter is topped off.

Now, my mom, who is way out west in Albuquerque, wants everyone to rest assured that she left me with someone to feed me and care for my mortal needs, but the needs of my heart and soul can only be met by Herself and she's comin' home TODAY!!! 

(Of course I'll act the "pooooooor kitty cat, left ALL alone and pitiful with no one to feed him or pet him or scritch his itches")

Delilah, honey, my heart belongs to you!

Hang a Left at Albuquerque

Edited to Add:

Well, from the far away desert of Albuquerque, mom has managed to upload my photo via Picasa Web Album and wants to add this:  She's coming home tomorrow and I have my own substitute staff who feed me but will probably not give me any treats, which is very phooey.

I know yesterday's picture, the one of the little fevver snacks, was not a very good one.  I purrooofed my Staff's work after it was posted and you can be sure I'll take her to task and punish her severely!

When she gets back from Albuquerque..which, of course, is where Bugs always takes a left.

Which is why I have no picture for you today.

Sooo, I'll have to content myself with tellin' you that I have ACTUAL film of those four-legged tree chickens (otherwise known as sqwirls) firin' their unwanted plant matter at me! And I'm editin' it as we speak! 

I wish it would snow at my house.

I'm hungry. 

I wish my mom would hurry up and come home.

I'm gonna go take a nap.

I Thought You'd Appreciate A Snack

These scrumptious lil' fellers are fattenin' themselves up JUST for me-dontcha' think? I find it fascinating how they're camouflaged...you have to look with catly super-vision to see them well, which is as it should be. Did you know that pe-CAHNS are high in fat? YUM! That means juicy brown-fevvered morsels! 

Do try not to drool on the keyboard, eh?

Of Fruit and Nuts

Okay. This is beyond..beYOND the pale and I do mean the PALE! Not only are those bushy-tailed rats makin' free with the pe-CAHNS, they're usin' some new ammo. You know how they are-the worst of libertines! They flit from branch to branch, detaching pe-CAHNS from their husks and lobbing them at unwary folk. They're wasteful fiends, taking a mere bite from one pe-CAHN and flinging it to earth, while so many pe-CAHN lovin' types are doin' without! It's wrong! JUST WRONG! 

Oh! And guess what? Now they're shootin' at me! REALLY! And you'll never guess what with?  

See, I knew you wouldn't guess! POOP! Those disgusting rodents can actually draw a bead and -purposefully-fire using the remnants of their digestive processes, all the while screechin' raucously at the top of their 4-legged tree-climbin' chicken-lungs. 

Film at 11.

Oh! And get this. Mom's wanderin' around in a package-wrappin' haze mutterin' strange words and makin' funnny gestures. Somethin' about apples and heads. Now, I'm not much of a fruit eater, matter of fack', I leave that to Shell-E Osbert, our resident Slider, and heads are just fine with me as long as they're thinkin' of givin' me treats for no really good reason.  And the gesturin'? If I didn't know better, I'd say she's measurin'-keeps mumblin' things like-"ought to fit here, let me see..this much by this much, yeah, that might do", and stuff like that. 

Now, look up there. No, I really mean it, LOOK up at my picture-up there! Yeah, that one. Am I not the picture of disgruntlement? 

I'm just sayin'.

No Peeking

Remember when I Twittered about mom wrapping presents? I LOVE helping! The crinkly paper sound-ah, it makes me wild! Ribbons-curly and bows and just plain string-y. Woohoo! And tape! Tape is fun! Except when it is ON you and then it's annoying .  And it's really annoying when she puts a sticky bow on my head! But she's wrapping my present now, so I have to hide my eyes. Or at least try!

For the faint of heart-I do abjectly apologize for the, uh, random belleh flash you see up there.  Do try NOT to snorgle your computer monitor screen-it leaves smudges!

Wordless Wednesday

Can't Tape The Boxes 'Cause I Got Fur On My Paws!

Shopping, shopping.

Christmas shopping. 

Last minute shopping. 

Shop, shop, shop, 'til I drop!

And drop I did! I've been wrapping gifts today. 

Oh, and sparrow watching. Squirrel hunting, too.

I killed a floof-toy and left it in my food bowl.

Tried to hunt squirrels but it was 15 degrees here! So, I'd go outside and stay 'til my paws got too cold-approximately 2 nanoseconds-and then I'm at the door maowin' to come in. So, in-out, in-out, in-out...I don't know how many times. 

Snoopervisin'! I did a lot of snoopervisin'.  Mom was makin' some gifts to go in the gifts and that involved little round things and sparkly things and all kinds of little things to whap around. She didn't think she needed snoopervisin', but somebody's got to provide quality control!

Heaven's to Mergatroid! I owe so many meme's and visits and replies-I'm 'bout to keel over from all the stress and pressure! I'm gonna catch up as quick as I can-I promise!

How you doin'?

Mancat Monday

On this gorgeous, but cold, Monday, my thoughts turn to our people. Beans, Lap Lady, Food Lady, #1, mom, mommie-oh, our names for them are as varied as we are. Our staff (as I call mine on occasion) are the center of our existence. From them we receive food, shelter and medical care. They manage our environment. But what's most important is their love.  They show their love in a myriad of ways. Special treats. Toys. Beds. Lap time. Sleeping spots in their beds. The way they talk to us. They come look for us when we're not in their field of view. Oh, and of course with kisses and hugs, stroking and petting, belly rubs and skritches. Snorgles! Let's not forget the snorgles! 

Aren't you thankful for her? Or him? I am. 

On this Mancat Monday, I encourage you to demonstrate your love and appreciation to your person. It's a stressful time of year, for lots of reasons. They need all the love we can give them!

Go snorgle your person!

Sunday Starts With SUN!

Ooooh, yes. This is it. This is my spot. All day. All the time. It's brrry cold outside and this likely all the warmth I'll find, so I'm stayin' put. I don't sleep the whole time I'm here, tho'. I snooze, and then I think. I sleep and then I purray. HEY!!!! Did you know-my mom says I TALK in my sleep? I didn't know it either! She says that sometimes I mrow and sometimes I do a growl/purr sort of thing. I'm thinkin' the mrowin' is about food, and the growl/purr is really a growl and it's at those evil squirrels.

A Taste Is As Good As A Feast!

The English Major showed my mom this over at Dark Roasted Blend:

AND this:

You don't know any Huskies who would do a thing like THAT, do you?

I didn't think so!

You Stop A Leaking Heart

I've been a little down today. I've been thinkin' of my friend Skeeter and those he left behind. And some of our other friends we've lost this year, like Bonnie and Pixie and soooo many others. I know they're fine! More than fine! No more pain or fear. And they're with friends. It's those of us who're left behind that have holes in our hearts. A Skeeter-sized hole, or a Pixie-shaped hole, or a Bonnie-shaped hole...that's a lot of holes.

Whiskers, The Cat Who Came Before, went to the v-e-t one day and didn't come home again. And there was no one for my mom to tell. No one to share it with. She was a Very Good Cat and had been with my mom since she was a youngster. She was 13. 

With so many holes in so many hearts in the Cat Blogosphere (and the Dog Blogosphere) it's a wonder we all don't just leak ourselves empty-but for each other. I'm thankful for all of us, for all of you. Tho' we only know each other (mostly) through the internet we've managed to build a community of loving, caring cats and dogs and the people whom we care for. 

I'm so glad you're all there.

It's All In The Presentation

What's this? Hey, this is new. Is it some kind of contraption? Oooo, ::sniff, sniff::

Well, would you lookee here? What do my eyes feast upon?

It's a wee snack! Oh, I mean, uh..a wee hamsterette! That's right, that's Rachel. And she's been given to me in such a colorful dish! I mean, pink and purple are really more up Skeezy's alley, but, hey, I'll take it! I mean, her! I'll look at her!

::drool::

Wordless Wednesday

Things To Do

This little fuzzy thing is one of my FAV-OR-ITE toys. I get mom to throw it for me-like a dart-and then I go keeeeelll it! But, I think I felt an infinitesimal speck in between one of my many toes and I just had to stop to get it out. 

Anyway, I've got so much for my secretary to do. I want her to catch up with some meme's that I owe: the Letter Meme and the Random Things Meme. I also want her to do a post about the cool stuff I got in the mail today! I also want her to take my awards and put'em in one of those slide show thingies  for me. I've got a couple of Top Secret projects to get her to work on, too.

But what does she spend her time doing? Crafting Christmas gifts out of beads and wire and sparkly things, which I LOVE to sit in the middle of and WHAP the heck out of! But, she keeps hoisting me off and shooing me on my way-we can do that about fifty bazillion times in ten minutes before she gets tired of it and distracts me with Temptations! (Shhhh, she just thinks she's distracting me with them...it's really what I wanted all along!) 

Plus, I've met lots of new friends! I want to get to know them all and visit EVERYBODY! Oh, and Twitter! I like Twitter. 

Is there anycat or anywoof out there who's runnin' their day help as hard as I am?

Fur Is NOT To Be FLUSHED!

Mancats have certain inalienable rights. Like food where we want it, when we want it, and of a kind of our choosing. We have the right to the best sleepin' spot in the house-even if somebody or somecat is already in it. And we have the right to play, play, play-whenever we feel like it-AND with whatever we choose as a plaything. 

Now, before you get to thinkin' I'm just tootin' the Mancat Horn here, let me ask you one question. Before you go in the litterbox or in the wild-whichever-do you or do you not sniff around for the appropriate spot and dig? Or, bein' a woofie, you guys don't dig-but you at least look for the spot first, right? Let me tell you somethin' you may not already know. Human beings do not look before they go! They just sit and go! Not only have I observed this-as have many of you-I have had a particular cat-astrophe happen, just yesterday.

I engaged in a normal, routine midnight play session with my favorite furry toy, which is probably made out of rabbit fur. I prefer to imagine it is one of the evil squirrels. Anyway, at the end of my play, when I was ready for another nap, I delivered a hook-shot, off the backboard and into the toilet-nothin' but seat! (that's toilet seat). 

Some hours later, I hear my mom, freakin' out, and fishin' my furry toy out of the drink-post use but prior to the Big Flush. She's all "ratzen-fratzen" this and "Angus Mhor, you fratzen-ratzen" that. She washed my toy and set it in front of the heater to dry. I just shrugged my shoulders. 

Yeah, I'm lucky she loves me and fished it out and all that. But let me say this to that:  It never would have happened had she looked first-like most intelligent beings!

It's a Grate Day To Say Thanks!

Back at the end of September, when Skeezy was substituting over at Snuzzy while the Snuzzmeister was movin' his base of operations, I submitted a photo and won me some gen-u-wine Skeezy swag! Well, what with one thing and another, it finally got here and now I'm showin' all of you what the Grate Skeezix the Cat sent me!

From skeezy sends swag

This is a very cool cap, suitable for wearing at most occasions

due to it's high style and clever design.

From skeezy sends swag

While it is a wee bit too large for my head,

I'm sure it will be employed most skillfully by mom 

on her many bad hair days!

From skeezy sends swag

I also received some cool Skeezy buttons. I especially appreciate the button with

Skeezix wearing his all-famous propeller beany, which can

only be worn by really intelligent young cats!

Thank you, Skeezix!

Stealth in the Red Light District

I love this time of year! They put up the Christmas tree the other day and the second that red tree skirt was spread beneath-BAM! I was there! 

I think it's the best place in the house to lie in wait for ankles to cruise by...especially unsuspecting ankles! Then, I can fly out from under the tree and "Hi-YAHHH!"  After that, it's all over but the squealin'.  'Course, bein' a cat, and the aforementioned activity bein' amongst the natural behaviors of a cat, I earn no censure from Santa Clause. In fact, I think he'd expect nothing less.

Wake Me When It's Over

What a week! This is all I've got. There isn't any more.

I'm just plumb wore out with the tellin' of the Tale of Mr. Big n' Slobbery!

So, what are you doin' this weekend?

If it's cold and snowin' where you are, 

you can come over to my house!

Yes, Officer..He was a BIG FELLA, Brown and Slobbery!

Well, then. After the excitin' cliffhanger yesterday, I'd like to tell you I burst through the glass door and put the whoop on that strange dog in my back yard what had the effrontery to come up to MY door! In MY backyard! Where the Sam Hill did he come from? How did he get inta MY backyard? Was there nowhere safe for a respectable mancat such as myself? My very backyard was bein' made free in by a STRANGE DOG!

Then I looked and I saw this:

That's the Sticky Kids mom! What's happenin? Is that Strange Dog kidnappin' her? Or is she takin HIM somewhere?

Bein' in a bit of a puffed up state I wasn't really listenin' to much of what my mom was tryin' to tell me. As a matter of fact, it took me some time to "decompress":

After I de-poofed and started payin' attention to my mom again, this is what she told me:

Apparently, the SK's mom was outside, puttin' up Christmas decorations when she noticed the brown, slobbery fella wanderin' around without his person. She looked around, thinkin' somebody must be nearby for him, but she saw no one. She called him and he came right over all friendly-like and then she saw an old beat up pick up truck cruisin' along the street...reeeeaaaalll slow-like. A guy stuck his head out the window and asked if that dog belonged to her and she replied he didn't but she was sure he belonged to a neighbor. They cruised on past. Then, the SK's mom brought Mr. Brown and Slobbery around to the backyard and that's where I came inta the story. The long and short of it is this: Mr. Brown and Slobbery didn't belong to any of the nearby folks we thought he might, so the SK's mom took him to the SPCA-who recognized the collar he was wearing-seems he was a frequent flyer! They knew they'd get him back home safely. Meanwhile, that beat-up truck circled the block a couple of times and we figger they were just tryin' to help themselves to a new dog! Well, not on our watch! Our neighborhood is real big on watchin' out for each other's pets and we knew, 'cause he was so friendly (the SK's mom said he was "sweet"-but you'd've never heard that out of ME!) he was somebody's furbaby.

The End