Karl and Ruis' Wedding

Here is the official picture of the wedding party.  From left to right are Princess, Miss Peach, Sassy, Karl, Ruis, Momo, Opus and Roscoe.  The wedding was quite a spectacular affair and everyone had a wonderful time.  For lots more information and pictures, see Karl and Ruis's blog.  The reception will start later today.  You can see lots of pictures of the guests at the reception blog.  I am so happy to see these two darling boys united in their awesome love for each other.

                                    Karl got married to Ruis.
                                    It was a wedding designed to please.
                                         We wish all joys
                                         To these marvellous boys
                                    And many happy years to Karl and Ruis.

Cato

Cato is an indoor/ourdoor Siamese cat who lives in the Napa Valley of California.  This tree is one of his favorite spots to hang out.  Cato is a mighty hunter and catches all kinds of birds and small animals, which he then eats.  When he comes in for the night, he is also a mighty sleeper with a mighty snore.  His human has threatened to get him a kitty-sized anti-snoring mask, but that hasn't happened yet. Cato is currently running for President and I like his platform.  He is also quite a philosopher and writes some very interesting things on his blog. For instance, he maintains that all cats are saints, even if they are naughty, because their purring and lap cuddling can be quite miraculous in making their humans feel better.  At present, he is running an "I'm too sexy" Catwalk Contest and the entrants are amazing.

                                      Cato is a philosopher kitty.
                                      You should read his blog; he is quite witty.
                                              Every cat is a saint,
                                              Even if you think you ain't.
                                       Remember that purrs have helped many a kitty*.

And dog and human and hamster and many others.
                                              

Memorial Day

Sunday was Poppy Day and this is my poppy.  I get one every year.  Memorial Day is the day we set aside to remember all our dead from all our wars.  Mostly we focus on those who died in battle, and that is as it should be.  They gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we could continue to live in liberty.  I salute them, one and all.  There are others, though, that I think we should give a little thought to.  My brother's best friend in high school was a consciencious objector to the Vietnam War.  When he was drafted, he agreed to go as a medic.   He came home totally broken in mind.  He committed suicide within a year.  I have read that every month, every week, maybe even every day veterans of the wars Afganistan and Iraq come home broken in mind the same way and they also commit suicide.  To me, they are as much war casualties as those who died on the battlefield.  Please take a moment to remember these casualties, too.

Goodbye, Bonnie Underfoot

Bonnie Underfoot showed signs of feeling ill early Thursday morning and was rushed to the emergency vet, where her heart stopped a little after noon.  The vet used CPR and brought her back once, but the second time her heart stopped, nothing worked.  This is devastating news.  Bonnie and Victor have been blogging since December 2005 and are well known and loved all over the Cat Blogosphere.  Theirs was one of the first cat blogs I started reading when I discovered cat blogs a couple of years ago.  I always adored her feistiness.  She was the inspiration for the Attack Tabbies club.  She loved her Man and tolerated the Woman and the Boy, but she never got used to having Victor around.  Sitting in boxes was one of her favorite things and she won the Silver Medal in box sitting in the Cat Olympics.  I found Bonnie quite inspirational and wrote two limericks for her, which can be found here and here.  I am really going to miss her.  My deepest condolences to her family and especially to Victor, who always wanted her to like him.

                                  Bonnie Underfoot has left us behind,
                                  But we will always keep her in mind.
                                          We love her dearly;
                                          Our hearts are nearly
                                 Broken to pieces 'cause she left us behind.
                                  

Archi Ann

Mickey suggested in a comment on my last post that my limericks come from my Happy Place and most of them do.  However, some of them come from a very Sad Place.  I found out last night that one of my bunny buddies, Archi Ann, had gone to the Rainbow Bridge very unexpectedly on Sunday, May 18th.  I can't bring myself to write about what happened -- it's just too sad. Archi Ann was a brown and white Dutch bunny with a great sense of fun.  She was happy, clever, witty and very sweet (when she wanted to be).  She also had a lot of character and was just loaded with bunnitude.  I am very sad that I never wrote her a happy limerick while she was alive.  Maybe I'll be able to do that someday, for her Mom, who misses her very much.  I will also miss her terribly.  I enjoyed visiting her blog so much and she was a regular visitor to this blog.  Her Mom will leave up Archi Ann's blog in her memory and continue her own blog at Archi's Mum.  Both are well worth a visit.

                          She hopped to the Bridge, did Archi Ann.
                          She left much too soon and all we can
                                  Do is say good-bye
                                  And bravely try
                          To remember the good times with Archi Ann.

Stuff

I'm not doing so great lately.  I'm healthy, just a bit stressed and depressed.  I am putting in about an hour of overtime per day and that puts a crimp in my blogging time.  I hope to get back to the limericks soon, but it will probably be at least a day or two.  I'm not really complaining; I just don't want any of you to worry about me.  I'll be fine.

Anita

Anita is a calico cat who lives in the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain.  She blogs in both Spanish and English, though her earliest blog entries are in Spanish only.  She is a gatorrista with plans for world domination.  She has done a pretty good job of dominating her Mami and Papi with both adoring looks and demands.  That just leaves the rest of the world.  She loves to go outside on her balcony for fresh air and bird observation.  She also likes to taste her Mami's plants out there.  Lately she has had her sun time restricted because she slept in the sun for too long and, despite her Mami having put sunscreen on her ears, her ears got sunburned.  Anita is very playful and one of her favorite toys is a felt rat.  She also likes to play with crumpled up balls of tinfoil.  Anita really loves her food and got too fat at one time.  She got put on a diet and lost the extra weight.  Some time ago she was diagnosed with renal failure, but with good food and medication she seems to have overcome this problem.  The last time she went to the vet, her prognosis was very good.  Anita was born in a closet to a Siamese mother.  Her Mami had always wanted a cat, but hadn't had good luck with adopting one.  Her Mami heard about some kittens through a friend of the niece of the woman who lived with the Siamese who had given birth.  In August of 1997, Anita and her Mami first saw each other and it was love at first sight.  They have been together happily ever since.

                                  Anita is a gatorrista.
                                  World domination is in her vista.
                                              She dominates her beans
                                              By various means.
                                  She works hard for the cause of the gatorrista.

Aelou

Aelou is a little tuxie girl who doesn't blog much, so I don't know a whole lot about her.  She recently moved from Illinois, where she lived in an apartment with her two human slaves and Thaddeus, the dog, to California, where she now lives with four human slaves and the dog.  She approves of the move because she now has a glass door, which she regards as one of the best inventions ever. Aelou is a kitty with big plans.  She intends to take over the world via the internet and she is working hard at it, which may be why she blogs so little. Aelou is a great fan of the creative things which can be done with toilet paper.

                                  Aelou loves to look out of her glass door.
                                  She can see much more than ever before.
                                          She plays with TP,
                                          Happy as can be,
                                   Then goes back to look out her door even more.

Dana

This picture of Dana is from when Tybalt nominated Dana as the Best Fur Sibling.  Tybalt chose Dana because she was the first furry to love him and she is the one he spends the most time with.  The funny thing is that Dana loved Tybalt as soon as she met him, but Tybalt didn't know what to make of Dana.  She is quite active and exuberant and would run up to Tybalt to lick him, but she scared him and he would hiss at her and run away.  He soon got used to her and now they are best friends.  The hissing didn't bother Dana at all, because she was born totally deaf.  Dana is a purebred miniature Australian Shepherd, but was the victim of poor breeding practices.  She didn't do too well in her first home, because her people didn't realize that she was deaf and thought she was just being naughty and disobedient.  The Mom found her through a deaf dog rescue group and decided that she was just the dog companion that Loki needed.  Loki and Dana have a great time doing patrols of the back yard together and playing together.  Dana has great eyesight and will bark at any intruder squirrels she sees.  Being an Australian Shepherd, Dana doesn't have a tail, so she wags her whole backside instead. She adores all the kitties and will give them kisses until they are quite soggy.  She also prefers cat toys to dog toys, but the cats don't mind.  Ivy adores Dana and is always checking up on her and snuggling with her. Dana is so glad to have found a home where she is accepted for what and who she is that she is always happy.  She never gets grumpy or sad or loses her patience with the kitties.

                               Dana was born deaf, but that can't slow her down.
                               She is one of the happiest dogs around.
                                       She gives kitties kisses;
                                       Her tongue never misses.
                              She doesn't even know how to make a frown.

Loki

Loki loves lying on this couch.  It has been his favorite place since he was a puppy, about four years ago.  You can see that the couch has a bit of wear and tear from Loki's bouncing and romping on it.  When his Mom first moved into the house, it was her first time to live all on her own.  She got furniture from Goodwill, then decided what the place needed was a good dog.  She went online to find what dogs were available for adoption in her area and found Loki.  He was named Blue then, but he turned out to be a bit of a mischief-maker, so his name got changed to Loki.  He is an Australian Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix and has one brown eye and one blue eye.  He is very friendly and thinks that he is a lap dog, in spite of his size.  His Grandmama used to come over to check on him and play with him while the Mom was at work when he was the only furry and he still gets all excited whenever she comes over and insists on sitting in her lap.  Before Dana, the other dog, was adopted he used to amuse himself in the backyard by herding sticks and tree limbs.  Loki is the guardian of the house.  He makes several tours of inspection around the house and yard each day to make sure that there are no intruders around.  He loves the cats, though he has gotten a little grumpy with them at times, and lets them cuddle with him.  He wasn't too fond of Tybalt when Tybalt was first adopted.  Tybalt was fascinated by Loki's feathery tail.  Loki had quite a time convincing Tybalt that his tail was not the best kitty toy ever.  They are good friends now.

                                    Loki was a mischievious pup.
                                    He always wanted to know "What's up?"
                                          He bounced on the couch
                                          Until it said, "Ouch!"
                                    He doesn't bounce so much now he's all grown up.

Ivy

I'm using this picture of Ivy again because it shows her in her favorite place.  She's sitting in her nip bed in front of the heater box.  The nip bed was supposed to be for all the cats, but the others have a hard time getting a turn.  When Ivy hears the clicking noise that means that the heater is coming on, she maked a beeline for the bed and curls up contentedly.  Ivy gets very disappointed when the weather warms up and the heater box stops coming on.  Ivy and Holly are both very mischievious cats, but Ivy is the one who gets into the most trouble.  That is because she is always getting caught.  Ivy chirps excitedly when she is up to something and this tips her Mom off that she better investigate what Ivy is up to.  Last Christmas, Ivy was the one who decided to climb the Christmas tree.  Holly and Tybalt were content with a little ornament whapping.  Ivy is the one who waits by the door to the basement to make a break for it when her Mom comes home from work.  The basement is also the garage, which makes it a dangerous place for kitties, so it is off-limits.  That doesn't keep Ivy from trying it every day, though.  All three cats are very fond of the dogs' food.  Tybalt likes the kibbles, mostly to bat around the floor, but he eats them sometimes.  He also leaves one on his Mom's pillow for her quite often.  Holly and Ivy like the dog version of Stinky Goodness and will "help" Loki and Dana eat their dinners.  Mom leaves the can in the sink for Ivy to fish out any leftovers. She dips her paw into the can and licks the gravy off her paw.

                                    Ivy's the one who gets into trouble.
                                    She's not more mischievious than her Tortie double.
                                              She just gets caught more
                                              In her pranks galore,
                                    'Specially when she dashes for the door on the double.

Holly

Today I'm starting on the Terrible Tortie Twins, as their Mom calls them.  I chose this picture of Holly because it shows off her thumbs.  Holly has extra toes on her front feet and she really knows how to use them.  She can open cabinet doors and drawers with them and she has learned how to turn doorknobs, as well.  She hasn't yet figured out how to push or pull the door open while turning the knob, though.  Holly and Ivy were dumped off near a highway one winter near Christmas.  The Mom's cousin found them and took them in.  They were half-starved and very bedraggled-looking, but still very playful.  The Mom was thinking of adopting a kitty at the time because she missed having cats around and Loki, a woofie, needed a playmate.  The Mom decided to adopt both Holly and Ivy as soon as she saw them.  They turned out to be a real handful.  There is no end to the mischief they get into.  However, they both took to Loki very quickly and Loki likes them, too.  They are three-and-a-half now.  Holly has found out that banging cabinet doors at 3am will get her attention.  She doesn't really like to sleep on the bed with Mom, Tybalt and Ivy unless it is very cold.  She does like to pat her Mom's face to wake her up, but will run away if her Mom picks her up and puts her on the bed.  Holly loves to snuggle with the woofies (there are two in the house now).  It seems that woofies make great pillows.

                               Holly's a tortie who has lots of toes.
                               They work like thumbs and she knows
                                         How to open the doors
                                         To the shelves where Mom stores
                              The kittycat treats.  She wants some of those.

Tybalt, the Prince of Cats

Tybalt is the youngest member of his furry family and the latest to be adopted.  He was found abandoned in a quarry at six weeks old.  The people who found him and rescued him couldn't keep him, because they already had as many cats as they could take care of. Tybalt's Mom found out about him and decided that she could add one more kitty to her household.  Tybalt is now two years old and a real sweetheart.  His Mom thinks he is an American Bobtail.  There are two stories about how this breed came about.  One is that a bobcat and a Siamese mated and the other is that a naturally short-tailed tabby and a Siamese mated.  However it happened, the breed looks like a lynx-point Siamese with a short tail. Tybalt was named after the character in Romeo and Juliet, a story of which his Mom is very fond. Tybalt loves his Mom dearly and is always wanting to sit in her lap or snuggle with her in bed.  He often calls to her to go to bed, because he is ready for a long night's snuggle. Tybalt really enjoys his toys -- mousies and wand toys and feather toys and catnip toys, but his favorite toy of all is a straw.  He especially enjoys the ones that he manages to steal out of his Mom's glass.  Tybalt is a very good cat most of the time, but sometimes he allows himself to be led astray by his wild tortie sisters.  He is very good at giving his Mom the "I'm completely innocent" look, but she doesn't always buy it.

                                 Tybalt just loves to play with straws.
                                 When his Mom has one, it just draws
                                            Him to her side
                                            To steal and hide
                                His favorite toy -- his Mommy's straws.

Ceramic Kitties

This is my new Squillion kitten that I got from Beau's auction.  I have named him Kelly, after a couple of orange cats that I know from the Cat Blogosphere.  He should feel right at home with his brother, Eric.


I have given up trying to get a picture of myself wearing the earrings that I got from Zevo Calamari's auction.  I am just not very good at self-portraits.  I decided to let Star model them instead.  Star is Eric and Kelly's older sister and she will look after them well.  I love these earrings.  They are so unique and fun.  You may click on the pictures to biggify.  I strongly suggest that you biggify Star wearing the earrings, so you can really see them.

What's in a Name?

I found this over at Roxy's blog and decided to try it out.  I liked the results, so I thought I would share them with you.

What Karen Jo Means

You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you. You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries. You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What I found really interesting is that I share a lot of traits with Roxy.  I think that's great.  My job has really been taking a lot out of me lately.  I will post about my new Squillion kitten tomorrow and try to get back to the limericks very soon.  I've got a couple of days off, so I hope that I can get my batteries recharged.

Tortoiseshell Cats

Holly

Ivy
Holly and Ivy asked me to write a limerick about Tortoiseshell Cats.  Tortoiseshell Cats are a color variation in the American Shorthair, or Domestic Shorthair.  Their basic coat color is black and they have patches of red, cream, brown and orange scattered over their bodies.  Dilute Tortoiseshell cats are also quite common.  Not all Torties will have all the colors, but at least black and two other colors are what makes a cat a Tortie.  There are lots of Torties in the Cat Blogosphere and they are all different.  One thing that I have noticed is that Torties have quite an attitude and they can be really tough.  You can find lots of references to Tortitude and Tough A** Torties.

                                     Tortoiseshell Cats have lots of attitude.
                                     Character they have in plentitude.
                                              They're tough and smart.
                                              They'll steal your heart
                                     With their cunning ways and Tortitude.

Ariel and Nana

Here are Ariel and Nana in Dobby's new bed.  Dobby got to spend about a minute in it before Ariel and Nana chased him out of it and claimed it for their own.  Luckily, Dobby has a red cave that he likes better, anyway.  When Dobby's Mom first got an apartment all by herself, she decided that she wanted to adopt a cat or kitten.  She went to the Dumb Friends League and found Ariel.  The people at the shelter wanted to check with Dobby's Mom's landlord to make sure that she could really have a cat in her apartment, so the Mom put a hold on Ariel, who was a kitten at the time, and came back to pick her up when the people called her to say it was all right.  When the Mom got to her apartment and let the kitten out of the carrier, she discovered that it wasn't the kitten she had picked out.  She went back and found out that Ariel and Nana were littermates and someone at the shelter had simply mixed them up.  The Mom decided to take both kittens, so the sisters could stay together.  They have been together ever since and do everything together. Ariel and Nana are pretty calm cats and don't get flustered when Scarlett sniffs their butts.  They didn't even get much upset when Dobby showed up and started stealing their toys.

                                     Ariel and Nana stole Dobby's new bed.
                                     They worked together and planned ahead.
                                               When he was alone,
                                               They made it their own.
                                    Now Dobby uses his red cave instead.

Teacup and Earrings

Gretchen let each of us attending her tea party take home a lovely teacup and saucer as a souvenir.  This is one I chose and I love it.  Thank you so much, Gretchen.  I had a lovely time at the garden party.  It was a memorable occasion.

I won the auction for the earrings on Zevo Calamari's blog and they arrived a few days ago.  I have been meaning to somehow get a picture of me wearing them, but my life has gotten hectic again and I just haven't managed to get it done.  The earrings are lovely and I also got four very nice postcards.  Thank you, Zevo and Nubi.

Knock, Knock

I am being a little big naughty, because all Doctor Who images are copyright of the BBC.  I got this picture from here and I hope nobody minds too much.  This is my favorite Knock, Knock joke.

                                                Knock, Knock

                                                 Who's there?

                                                The Doctor.

                                                Doctor who?

                                               Precisely.