Finally, A Path

MARLEY: Here we were yesserday, waitin fer TBT ta come an shovel a path on the deck so we could go out.

He said there was no rush cuz it was too cold fer us ta go outside annyway.

But we said we at least wanted ta see there WAS a path fer when it WAS warm enough ta go out.

So, he went an got his shovel and scraped off a path.  An ya know what?  He shoveled OUR path on the deck before he went out an shoveled the driveway.  That was good, because later in the day it did get above freezing and he let us go out then.  He's OK.  Usally...

Waiting For A Path

IZA:  It snowed again, but TBT hasn't cleared a path out on the deck.  So we are all stuck inside.

Ayla is focussin on her nap...

While *I* am alertly focussed on the deck.  Im hopin ta see the path appear again soon.   And there IS the occasional birdie.

I dont know where Marley is right now, but he might be poking around in the basement lookin fer that cricket we heard last night...

Werdless Wensday

Feeling Reflective

IZA:  I like the early morning sun in Winter.  It comes in low an bright and I can even have bright sunlight on my furs sittin up on the TV table.

In fact, the sunlight is so strong it even reflects off me enough to show a reflection on the TV when its off.  

TBT says mebbe I should move before I poof into flames, but I think I can stand some more warming...

Birdie Hunting

MARLEY:  The birdies keep comin to the feeder tray.  Its drivin me crazy ta see them so close, but I cant stop watchin them.

So I decided ta try an catch one.  Iza decided ta join me in the attempt.  I was lookin fer a good place ta hide, but iffen ya look real careful, ya can see that Iza found a good place first.

I thought she had a great place, so I copied her.

Iza watched the seed tray an I watched fer them approachin.

A few landed but we were too far away.  So I decided ta try "hidin in plain sight, a lot closer.  "Stop laffin Ayla.  Iffen one just goes straight fer the tray, Im close enough ta grab it!"

So I watched an watched an waited an waited...

It dint werk, so I went back inside an demanded some kibble-treats.  THOSE, I got!

Still Snowy Sunday

AYLA:   I finally went outside ta look around.  I immediately spied somethin new on the snow.  Apparently TBT put out a tray of BIRDSEED!

I was pretty sure they werent gonna come while I was standing out there (I should be so lucky), so I decided to get back inside.

Meanwhile, Marley was still struggling to get somewhere without steppin in the snow.  He has pretty good balance (fer a boycat) dont ya think?

So I said "Hey Marley, TBT turned on The Birdie Channel.  Lets go inside an watch".  He was quite ready ta go in annyway.

We sat around watching; waiting fer the show ta start.

It dint take long.  The first one was there in just a couple minnits!  It took TBT a while ta get a picture though.  They kept skooting off everytime he stuck the camera against the glass door.  As ya can see, the tray was nearly empty by the time he finally got a picture.

There was even an evil skwerl there once, but TBT made some skwerlish noises at it and it ran all the way back across the snow to the fence.

So we're havin a pretty good Sunday!

Caturday Saturday

MARLEY:    Thursday, TBT shoveled a path clear out on the deck!  An yesserday it was all dry.  He invited us ta come outside.  We we none too sure about going out.

 But Iza finally did.

She even walked on the snow itself a bit.  Here she is starin at her own pawprint.  We dont see those much.

So I hadda go out too.  It was nice ta be OUT again, but there wasn't annywhere ta GO.

We got to go out on the path a few other times durin the day...

I licked some of it, but it was real cold!

Computer Problems

Sorry we havent been postin fer a few days (and not visiting longer).  Things were goin slow so TBT did a cleanup.  We think he managed ta delete some files we need in Firefox.  Cant even open our dashboard.

We've snuck in through Safari, but it doesnt werk too well.  We cant load anny pictures an there isnt even the preview function.  We just hope THIS publishes so you all wont think we have left...

UPDATE:  We're fixed!  After fussin with things on and off fer 2 days, TBT was ready to try deleting Firefox, dowloading it new and then setting up all the bookmarks again (copying the bookmarks html file never HAS werked fer him).  But then he saw this little button in Firefox's Preferences that said "Restart to Update" so he tried it and guess what?  All the bookmarks were there and they even WERKED!!!  So we're back.

A quick new post and then we will start visitin friends... 

Almost A Day Late

MARLEY:  Oh man, it's my GOTCHA DAY today an that's IMPORTANT an we almost missed it!

But TBT is making up fer it. 

He took out the big package of ham an cooked it to safely.  He brought out the BIG container of turkeys and thawed it.  An he thawed out shrimpses just fer all of us!

There is NIP too.  Liquid an Leaf.

 An there is the big TV box an I am guessin we can fit 20 kitties in THERE.  We are kinna stuck inside cuz there is 5" of snow outdoors, so we sure dont wanna go out.  Its NOT gonna be a mousie night.

The new HDTV is gonna show the Cat-sitter DVDs all day, so there are mousies a birdies ta watch while we are stuck inside.

The tunnels AND cube are in the living room, so teleporting will not be a problem.  Coordinates are 0-0-0 our place.

Also, TBT says he is ready ta play wand toys an toss rattley mousies until he falls asleep. (but that should be  good long time).

 An have WE got toys!  Come an choose. We are ready ta go with anny of them!

An he says we can ALL pile on him on the big heated watery bed tonight fer scritchies, so that will be warm an good.

An he says (an I'm not makin this up), we can run up an down stuff wifout him complaining, not even the curtains cuz they are WAY old annyway.

An even better, he says we can eat up ALL the Wellness cans cuz he will just order more from Chewy!  And Barfs are fergiven in advance!!!  He says he will just clean up with Iza's Squeegee and avoid tails carefully..

PARTY TIME! 

Answer Your Cats's Questions Day

TBT here, ready and willing (but no so sure about able) to answer The Mews' questions.  I'm hoping they don't get TOO personal...

1.  IZA:  Why don't you feed me as much as I want to eat?

TBT:  Well, first, you will eat until you throw up.  That doesn't do either of us any good.  Food costs ME money and it can't be a lot of fun for YOU to throw up.  And then I have to clean it up.

2.  MARLEY:  Why wont ya let me out after dark?  Thats the best time ta catch mousies!

TBT:  That's also the best time for owls to catch cats.  Remember that nature show where we watched owls catching rabbits?  You are the size of a rabbit.  And as good as your night vision is, an owl's is MUCH better.  I would cry and cry if you vanished some night.

3.  AYLA:  Why do you bring us to the V-E-T ta get stabbed and poked?

TBT:  I want you all to stay healthy and live long happy lives.  The vet stabs you to put tiny things you can't even see into you.  Those fight other tiny things you can't see that want to eat you up inside like a million ticks.

4.  AYLA:  Wait, a millions ticks sounds bad, but how can something so small I cant see it harm me?

TBT:  Well, until about 60 cat generations ago (or 15 Bein generations ago) we Beins dint know about them either.  But when we learned about them, we started helping our anipals too.

5.  ALL:  Why do you let it get really cold and snowy outside sometimes?  We don't like that.

TBT:  I don't cause that.  This may come as a great surprise, but I mostly don't cause what happens outside.  I may cause water to fall on some of the yard sometimes, but when it happens all over, that's not me doing it.  Its the same with the hots and colds, and the snow.  Even *I* don't control those larger things.  I know you all sometimes glare at me when I open the deck door and it's raining or snowing, but really, *I* didn't do that.  I know you are disappointed to realize I don't control EVERYTHING, but its true.

But that's why I arranged to build this wonderful cave we all live in; to protect us all from the things I can't control.  I did it for me first, but then I brought each of you into it to share the most comfortable life I could arrange.  I can't control the rains and snows, but I can protect us all from it pretty well.

6.  MARLEY:  I still wanna discuss this "outside at night thing.  I've got big claws.  I can protect myself.

TBT:  Marley, set your paw up against mine.  See the size difference?  Now imagine that MY fingers were all claws like yours but THAT much bigger.  Who would win? 

MARLEY:  Me!

TBT:   No Marley.  I doubt that any housecat has ever brought a cat-killed owl or hawk to the deck door (OK, I bet there is a video out there of that .  You are a great natural hunter Marley.  But I could kill you in a dozen ways.  And I don't even have claws.  You have never met anything bigger and more dangerous than you outside, and I sure hope you never will.  But there ARE some out there.   I sure hope you never see an eagle!

7.  IZA:  Well, why don't I get more laptime or mousie-tosses?

TBT:  Well, mostly because you seem to love the kibble tosses better.  But I toss the mousies too.  Just yesterday, I loaded my pockets with rattley-mousies and tossed them over your head in your favorite ways for almost an hour (and it was YOU who wore out first).  But you are right I haven't been doing that as OFTEN as I used to.  I will get better at that.

8.  MARLEY:  And more wand toys for me?  I love wand toys.

TBT:  Yes Marley, more wand toys again.  We will return to having an hour each day of wand toys and tossed rattley mousies.  I'm sorry I let the habit slip.  My bad!

9.  AYLA:  Why do you let Marley and Iza eat my foods?

TBT:  Well, I have to defend myself here, Ayla.  It is YOU who has been retreating from your food.  You used to eat in the kitchen with the others,  Then you wanted your bowl in the hallway even when Marley and Iza wern't going after it.  Then into the bedroom, into the bathroom, and finally onto the windowsill there.

I watch you in the evening when I open the dinner can of food.  You all wrassle then (just dinner) for some reason.  You hold your ground just fine.  You can bunny kick and whap along with them.  So why do you retreat further and further?

OK, I know you are outweighed by Marley and Iza.  They are 11-12 pounds and you are 7.  But that didn't used to cause you any problems.  And you stay in the bedroom most of the day.  I've talked to you about this before recently.  While I have always had a decent reputation as a cat-whisperer, you aren't listening as much anymore since you got the 3rd (and finally successful) spay operation.  Did that remove your confidence in some way.  Was the third operation just too hard?

AYLA:  The 3rd time was just too much.  I felt them each time more than you know.  I need Special Treatment!  And I'm a Princess, you know.  I deserve Special Attention too!  My last question to you:  Can I have that the rest of my life if I need it?

TBT:  Yes Princess Ayla, for as long as you need it...  And may it be forever for all of you.

Tummy Tuesday

IZA:  My favrit day of the week!

Not So Easy Sunday!

MARLEY:  Well Poofs to them!  Ayla an Iza ganged up on me.  It was a bed-using thing.  They were both on it an decided they dint want me up there.

Seriously, I hadn't done annything wrong.  I just hopped up on the bed with them.  TBT was stayin up late, so it wasn't like he was favorin annyone. 

Ya won't believe it, but they both told me to get off!  OK, they were sittin close but not like all THAT close.

But when I hopped up there fer a nice Easy Sunday, they both GLARED at me.

I know when to leave girlcats alone.  Even Iffen I don't unnerstand WHY.

They just said "the bed was THEIRS tonight" 

Whatever.  I'm not here ta fight about stuff, ya know?  I sat in the hallway (feeling a bit aggrieved if ya must know).

But then I realized that TBT was in the TV room~  So I went and crawled inna his lap.

I've been liking that a LOT lately.  The Girls are drivin me crazy lately with their weird ways, but I'm allus understanding as best I can.  But TBT is allus a comfy safe spot.

I don't mean I'm not doin my job.  When they get all fussy, I come between them and settle things down all nice like.  But sometimes they dont want me around, ya know?

That's when I go looking fer TBTs lap.

Caturday

Since we dint have anny new pictures today, we picked one out from this time last year...

We hope evryone has a nice day!

A Bright Winter Morning

Bright morning is great!

We know foods is coming...

And we get the best foods first.

Its the 16th already?

AYLA:  OMC, we got so distracted!  But yeah, it's our Gotcha day...  My 6th and Iza's 5th!

WOO HOO!  Lets have a party!  TBT says he has chick-hen, shrimps, an ham.  We gots toys, Nip, and treats!  Marley says he can get a few mousies in the tub.

We kinna got caught by surprise, thinkin it was only like "the 10th".  Well, we don't have good calendars yet.

But we are READY!!!  We got great boxes and bags, and iffen ya ever wnne ta taste Wellness cubed stuffs, we got LOTS!

There is plenty of space fer THoE down the hall and Queen of the Hill.  An we got the worlds BIGGEST box from the new TV!!!

Lets GO!

Ayla's Note

AYLA:  As a result of Brian's great suggestion, I had TBT make a note to post next ta MY windersill... 

I hope it werks!!!

An mebbe I better clean my window so I can see out better.  TBT can help wth that.  He has "cleaning stuff".   The camera shows things ya dont normally notice.

Temperature Last Wensday

OK, this wasnt today.  TBT was just getting old pictures loaded from last week from the old camera.  But it DID get real cold then an we MEOWED at him ta post the proof.  Lets just say some claws were involved...

An BTW he got this at the Wall Mart and it werks really good.  It was down ta 5F outside. 

But it got worser! 

An that was DAYTIME!  It actally got down to -5F here in late night.  TBT says we are on a cold slope an all the colds flow down on us when there is no windies ta spread them around.  But the -5 pictures from late night was unreadable.

We did NOT go out that day.  TBT said our tails might snap right off an we werent takin anny chances with THAT!

MY Windersill!

AYLA:  I am guarding my special spot!!!

Marley better leave me alone here!

I love him, but  want my private space...

Mancat Tuesday

MARLEY:  Well this was supposed ta be for Mancat Monday, but it was LC's Bridge Day yesserday and we dint have anny toesie or tummy pictures ready fer today, so here I am.

You may remember that Ayla likes the high windersill in the little water room off the bedroom to sit on an watch outside and eat from cuz neither Iza or I can get up there.  Iza cant jump that high or far, and while I can jump that high, I cant stay up cuz its narrow.

Guess who finally figured out how to land properly up there!

ME!

TBT might have been right surprised but AYLA was PISSED!  In fact, ya can see me lookin around the door inta the bedroom where Ayla is yellin at me ta "GET OFF MY WINDERSILL"!!!

I know she liked having a private spot, but mebbe she shouldn't have starting eatin up there (see the little red bowl?).  Cuz if there is uneaten food somewhere Im GONNA get to it eventually.  Plus, I figure iffen 2 cats can get to a spot, it logically isn't "private" annymore. 

I'm not trying ta be mean, but there was food involved...

Missing LC

TBT here:  Dear girl,

I know you were always oriented toward Skeeter for all your life and only came up on my lap after he left us.  You faded from this world slowly after your dearest brofur/friend/protector Skeeter was gone from it.  That laptime was a precious year for me in spite of your sadness.  And you were pretty kind to young Ayla.  You both missed him.


Your last days, you spent eating your meals happily in the sunny spots.

 I had no clue there was any problem...  Your end came so suddenly.

When I heard a crashing sound in the basement one morning, I got up and searched around but I did not find anything wrong.  When I did finally find you later,  it was a terrible shock.  I don't know what caused you to push your way into a cluttered part of the basement. 

I never did learn what caused your sudden trip to the Bridge...  I found you comotose and rushed you to the vet.  He did his best, but you left a few hours later.  The cause didn't really matter, after all.

But that was the end of a long time of my life, with you and Skeeter; 17 years is long even to us Beings.  The old days were gone. 

Remembering you today, LC.  Little Cow, Lucky Cat...  I can't forget the day I found you.  You did NOT want to come home home with me.  The shop owner held you while I loosened your claws from the other side of the cage.  And we stuffed you in a box to get you home...

But it was worth it over the years, wasn't it girlcat?  You loved the house, the yard, and the toys well enough...  But if it wasn't for me, you would never have met Skeeter, the true love of YOUR life (as he was mine as well).

So, remembering you this date...  And missing you too.  Can it be only 4 years now?  It seems so much longer.

Caturday Annoyedday

IZA: We couldnt go outside cuz it was raining, there were strangers IN OUR HOUSE, we were locked in the bedroom fer an hour, I threw up dinner an TBT dint give me MORE, some stuff got rearranged, we have a HUGE box but its all filled with plastic an stuff,  and TBT dint help us ta post earlier.

So Im giving him the STINK EYE fer today!

Purple Paw!

MARLEY:  I had a purple paw a few days ago.  TBT was scared he had somehow stepped on my paw and really hurted  it.  See how purple me paw was?

My other paw was just fine!

I was discolored in spots.  TBT felt sick he had done something to me.

But it wasn't his fault an he dint step on my paw.  I dipped my paw in his wine glass!!!  Well, I was curious...  MOL!   I licked it all clean in 2 days and I din't get even get high from the wine.  Apparently, the human Nip evaporates all fast.

But I sure scared him.