I've recently discovered I have cat-whisperer superpowers. Walked to the shops the other day and had a gorgeous tabby follow me down the road asking for head rubs. She was something of a flooze though, and was easily distracted by another couple happy to oblige with the head rubs, so I continued on my merry way. Walking home half an hour later, I passed the same road, and on a whim made kissy kissy cat noise to see if Flooze way around. She wasn't but this long haired grey beauty came charging over to me from three houses down and demanded belly rubs. After a good fussing I tried to leave. Grey cat followed. Gave him another fuss, tried to leave, Grey cat followed. In the end I stopped with the strokes, and still this cat followed me. All. The. Way. Home. That's half a mile from where I found him! Cheeky puss waltzed right into my house and started eating my cat's catnip and rolling around on the carpet!!! Eventually I had to pick him up and carry him back to where I found him, and even then I had to wait for him to be distracted before I could make a run for it!
Is this the universe telling me I am destined to be a crazy cat lady?
In keeping with the feline theme.... My mind has been preoccupied lately because my daughter made me Grandma Kitty again! She had a girl, and her 14+ yr-old brother sings Soft Kitty to her.
"I'm hoping to post results around noon, but you guyz are NOT making this easy on me."
Of course not! Mission accomplished all!
I won't get to see results until I get home tonight. I'm off to Raleigh to see Mom shortly. We are planning to visit Dad's grave today...hard to believe it will be one year since he passed this Thursday. But. It is going to be a beautiful day here, sunny and nice for a drive.
Sweet kitty! I've always loved black cats, but recently I've been getting all anime-eyed over tabbies too. And I also hope everyone's Monday is a good one!
Her grace is cashing in and my workday just started with a severe case of the allergies...
I'm getting itchy eyes just looking at gossamers mug. My own kitty wouldn't leave me alone last night, which is the sweetest thing ever but by the end of the night my eyes looked either severely caffeinated or drug induced. But I couldn't bear to get rid of her.
Everyone dies some day. I'd prefer to do so with a cat on my face.
That's a lovely face to wake up to! Wouldn't you know that I prepared this week and it wasn't necessary. Here's my unsolicited long list:
Just Jan - clever and cracked me up. Fun is good for me. 2n’s - faked her death. Didn’t see that coming. Marie Mckay - The boy retreated to the garden gives this paragraph a beautiful downbeat, I want to call it, which drew me in. Latenighthobochef - Entertaining, original story. Amy Schaefer - Had to think about it. I liked that and the result of my efforts. But I still don’t get “blown-kit.” Clever and fun. Humans sure have a strange gallows humor. French Sojourn - engaging and a great rewrite. Word Wacker - brought me down to earth. It’s not far away! EM Goldsmith - Another enjoyable story. Very clever. I would read a much longer version.
All hid the prompt words cleverly enough. All in all, I would say this is the queue at the finish line. I don’t dare judge anymore!
Janet did hint yesterday that the results might be a little late in coming. Again, take your time, Mighty QOTKU. Look after those clients of yours. :)
BTW, yesterday got a bit busy so I didn't comment on the WiR. What more could I add to everything that was said, anyway. A good life lesson: when everything's been said that needs to be said, shut up. :)
Heidi, and all our other geographically antipodean friends (at least from the US perspective): Time differences suck, and yours especially. Mind you, while I'm at work having lunch, you'll be snuggled up in bed, so I think the envy goes both ways. ;)
Ahh, cats. Two weeks ago a third kitty decided it wished to live with us. We have an older torbie that I named Brindle because she looks most like a brindle dog in coloration. The second is a smaller black and white toe biter.
This last one has a grey tabby head and grey tabby spots. It seemed like a sweet kitty. Turns out it wasn't a kitty at all. It is a Spotted Cuddle Bug. If it is in your lap and you put it down it will be back in your lap before you can stand up. It glues itself to you when you sleep too.
I feel sorry for those who are allergic and can't experience the little beasts themselves.
We were setting stone around the fireplace all weekend and still aren't done so I missed everything this weekend :( So far though, nothing's fallen off the wall after the first debacle.
I want Gossamer. I want a cat.
I won't be able to play catch-up either today so I'll just read the finalists later tonight. We're supposed to get another 6 inches of snow between tonight and tomorrow around noon so I need to get as much done at work today as I can. I'm not staying tomorrow if it snows that much again.
Craig - Aw, Cuddle Bugs! My little Bear was a cuddle bug. Used to leap on you as you were sitting down so as not to miss any lap time! He also didn't approve of us being 'shower fresh', he'd roll around on my bare feet until I smelt sufficiently of cat again! Daft Kitty.
On the flash fiction contest. It would take me two to three weeks to be able to sort through all ninety six stories. I will be in awe of anything faster.
About 15 years ago, I was doing a writing workshop. For every three chapters or short stories you reviewed, one of your chapters or short stories would get reviewed. One writer I reviewed wrote this amazing opening to her story about a cat that had once been a God and was now a house cat. Kate's comment reminded me of those chapters. It began...
"Everyone knows that all good dogs go to heaven and that some cats used to be gods; therefore, they do not much get along."
I have often wondered if that author finished her book and if it were ever published. It was very funny in first draft. Does it sound familiar to anyone? It would have been YA fantasy.
Laura Mary, I GET to stare at Gossamer all day. In fact, pretty much every day for the past four days, because hooray for the flu.
Lucikaku - Goss sends his best kitty vibes for you - I would never survive a year with out him.
Brian, virtual pals are hypoallergenic. :) AND I can't give you the bug I've had, but we can commiserate at least. Wah for not feeling tip-top.
Lennon, I now have "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" running through my head, and that's all to the good (um, except the Asian racist moment at 1:47). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rrXR6n0RTY
nightsmusic, I'd sure love to let you have Gossamer, but then I would not have Gossamer, which is probably impossible for me to manage. He does, however indulge a lot of visits to go see Janet, so if you time it right you might get some visitin' time in.
Diane, I had to give my loaner cat back to my daughter last weekend and even with the Dobes, it just feels a little emptier in the house, you know? I told my husband I'd be very happy with a handicapped kitty, blind, three legged, didn't matter so the cat would stay off the counters and he'd be okay about it but no, no dice. He refuses to have any cat but Shorty because she's too fat to get on the counters and she eventually leaves :(
I miss having a cat...
And why don't any ever follow me home or show up on my doorstep???
There's a puddy in my neighborhood I call Sylvester because he's black and white (and apparently I have a penchant for Looney Toons cat names). If he is homed at all, it is not very well done, because this guy is out at all hours in all weathers. For a long time, I wanted to hate him, because he sits across the way from Penelope's fence and stares at her, and she goes ape barking and wanting to get at him. Sigh, but he turns out to be a complete loverboy. He's a nice little bean, and I'd be tempted to take him in, but Pen may not be the best adoptive sibling for the guy.
I lost my cat, Mikey, two years ago. He was 12 and unexpectedly died from what we believe was lung cancer, which we didn't know about until the day he got sick and I had to put him down. He was a black and white Norwegian Forest cat--gorgeous, gorgeous animal...and didn't he know it.
He was very chill, just a really cool cat who didn't act like a cat at all (no jumping on the counters, no climbing curtains). My dad called him a miniature mountain lion, which was probably more accurate. I'm fairly certain he's the only cat I'll ever have--no one can really follow him. These animals, man...they know how to sneak into the empty space in your heart and fill it right back up.
I'm so sorry to everyone who has lost a kitty. Mine died in my arms. I was getting her ready to take her to the vet for her final time and she died. :(
Diane, I keep hoping one will follow me home and then I could keep it! Once in the door, I'm not sure my husband would be able to say no. And I would love it and hug it and squeeze it and call it George...
I'm so sorry to everyone who has lost cats (or dogs). It's just a heartbreak. My childhood cat was a beautiful black-and-white named Oliver, and he had a pink nose. I still miss him sometimes.
Nightmusic, if you can't get a cat permanently, have you thought about fostering? A lot of cats need a home to crash in for awhile before they get adopted. The risk, of course, is that you end up adopting the cat yourself. That's what happened to me!
Johnny was a grumpy 1 year old shelter cat who'd never lived outside a shelter or vet clinic. He fought with this other cat named Thunder, and so he never got out of his kennel. That made him so grumpy and mad that he never got adopted, because he would swipe and growl at any potential adopters. I ended up being his foster mom, because he'd been in the shelter for 6 months straight.
Well, the second I brought Johnny home, he ran up and down the stairs exploring this new, vast playspace. After about fifteen minutes of exploring, he jumped up on my lap and started purring. Now he's the sweetest, happiest boy you could imagine! He just needed out of the kennel.
Bethany, he wouldn't let them in if it was pre-planned which is what a foster is really. No, I'll get over it and go visit my daughter's cats when I can, but it's not quite the same, is it? :(
My fiancé is allergic to cats, so even though I've had them in the past, they're a no-go for me nowadays. Elka has tried to be Disney friends with every cat she's seen, in her very abrupt "I'M HUGE LOVE ME I LOVE YOU" way. The cats are not impressed, except one which stopped by on our porch one day and had a conversation with her through the screen door before continuing on.
Gossamer the Editor Cat and Penelope the Publishing Pup get along in their way, but they are not cuddle buddies. Over Christmas, they got as close as they ever have to snuggles - sitting within a foot or so of one another, when G-TEC was under the tree, feeling protected: http://dianelmajor.blogspot.com/2015/12/because-aww.html. Goss had his eyes closed, which is high praise from a kit.
It warmed the cockles of my heart, it did.
Okay, time for me to shut up now. Goss sends his purring, fuzzly love to all.
Well if everyone is talking about their cats, I have to jump in. Several of my dearly departed cats used to break into the neighbors houses to rifle through the resident cat's stash of nip, then go to sleep on the couch. One cat had quite a party and threw catnip all over the bedroom. My current cat, Mehitabel, is one month away from being 20. When she goes, I may try to remain catless for a while, because it would be nice to be able to travel without dealing with the who will take care of the cat dilemma. I will definitely consider fostering, but as was mentioned, there is always the danger of getting stuck in the kitty love eyes tractor beam, and then once again, you have a cat.
Inside Cat aka The World's Most Boring Cat is a rescue. She is the Official Cat of Kneale Manor. She's not as snuggly as I would prefer, and she's as skittish as all out, but she's got her moments. Her legal name is Lucky Kitty.
Outside Cat used to belong to the neighbors until they got a rottie puppy. Outside Cat abandoned them for us with our Ladyships who love to snuggle kitties. Now Outside Cat lives on our front porch, keeping the ghosts away.
Her legal name is Courageous Orange because her former owners named her Courage, Their Ladyships heard "Orange" instead (and when she was a kitten her face looked like she'd stuck it in a cheetos bag), so we combined the two.
31 comments:
No good deed goes unpunished. But it is a great workout for your fin-ieal gland.
Aw I could stare at Gossamer all day :-)
I've recently discovered I have cat-whisperer superpowers. Walked to the shops the other day and had a gorgeous tabby follow me down the road asking for head rubs. She was something of a flooze though, and was easily distracted by another couple happy to oblige with the head rubs, so I continued on my merry way.
Walking home half an hour later, I passed the same road, and on a whim made kissy kissy cat noise to see if Flooze way around. She wasn't but this long haired grey beauty came charging over to me from three houses down and demanded belly rubs. After a good fussing I tried to leave. Grey cat followed. Gave him another fuss, tried to leave, Grey cat followed. In the end I stopped with the strokes, and still this cat followed me.
All. The. Way. Home.
That's half a mile from where I found him! Cheeky puss waltzed right into my house and started eating my cat's catnip and rolling around on the carpet!!!
Eventually I had to pick him up and carry him back to where I found him, and even then I had to wait for him to be distracted before I could make a run for it!
Is this the universe telling me I am destined to be a crazy cat lady?
Gossamer's sleepy face makes me miss my Misty. She's a grey tabby, too, and I haven't seen her in nearly a year. *sniffle*
I want to be all Snuggly like Gossamer. Hope everyone's Monday isn't too Mondayish
In keeping with the feline theme.... My mind has been preoccupied lately because my daughter made me Grandma Kitty again! She had a girl, and her 14+ yr-old brother sings Soft Kitty to her.
Congratulations Kitty!
"I'm hoping to post results around noon, but you guyz are NOT making this easy on me."
Of course not! Mission accomplished all!
I won't get to see results until I get home tonight. I'm off to Raleigh to see Mom shortly. We are planning to visit Dad's grave today...hard to believe it will be one year since he passed this Thursday. But. It is going to be a beautiful day here, sunny and nice for a drive.
Good luck to all on your FF entries!
I'm jealous of Gossamer. To lie there all snuggled, content and well-loved.
It's a grey day here. I'm meeting my parents for breakfast then get back to writing. I seem to have moved past last week's funk.
Yes, I'm afraid today was a very Monday sort of day at the Day Job. Couldn't get out of there soon enough.
At least Outside Cat was happy to see me when I got home.
Y'all realise that noon EDST is really 1am WAST. I've got to wait until tomorrow morning before I can see the results of the contest.
It's good that we're making it hard. But still, bummed we have to wait.
Sweet kitty! I've always loved black cats, but recently I've been getting all anime-eyed over tabbies too. And I also hope everyone's Monday is a good one!
Her grace is cashing in and my workday just started with a severe case of the allergies...
I'm getting itchy eyes just looking at gossamers mug. My own kitty wouldn't leave me alone last night, which is the sweetest thing ever but by the end of the night my eyes looked either severely caffeinated or drug induced. But I couldn't bear to get rid of her.
Everyone dies some day. I'd prefer to do so with a cat on my face.
That's a lovely face to wake up to! Wouldn't you know that I prepared this week and it wasn't necessary. Here's my unsolicited long list:
Just Jan - clever and cracked me up. Fun is good for me. 2n’s - faked her death. Didn’t see that coming. Marie Mckay - The boy retreated to the garden gives this paragraph a beautiful downbeat, I want to call it, which drew me in. Latenighthobochef - Entertaining, original story. Amy Schaefer - Had to think about it. I liked that and the result of my efforts. But I still don’t get “blown-kit.” Clever and fun. Humans sure have a strange gallows humor. French Sojourn - engaging and a great rewrite. Word Wacker - brought me down to earth. It’s not far away! EM Goldsmith - Another enjoyable story. Very clever. I would read a much longer version.
All hid the prompt words cleverly enough. All in all, I would say this is the queue at the finish line. I don’t dare judge anymore!
Janet did hint yesterday that the results might be a little late in coming. Again, take your time, Mighty QOTKU. Look after those clients of yours. :)
BTW, yesterday got a bit busy so I didn't comment on the WiR. What more could I add to everything that was said, anyway. A good life lesson: when everything's been said that needs to be said, shut up. :)
Heidi, and all our other geographically antipodean friends (at least from the US perspective): Time differences suck, and yours especially. Mind you, while I'm at work having lunch, you'll be snuggled up in bed, so I think the envy goes both ways. ;)
This picture does make me want to be a cat.
Congrats, Kitty. That sounds like a great big brother :)
Donnaeve - hope your visit goes peacefully.
It's gray & gloomy here. My favorite kind of day, as long as I don't have to go in to work.
Ahh, cats. Two weeks ago a third kitty decided it wished to live with us. We have an older torbie that I named Brindle because she looks most like a brindle dog in coloration. The second is a smaller black and white toe biter.
This last one has a grey tabby head and grey tabby spots. It seemed like a sweet kitty. Turns out it wasn't a kitty at all. It is a Spotted Cuddle Bug. If it is in your lap and you put it down it will be back in your lap before you can stand up. It glues itself to you when you sleep too.
I feel sorry for those who are allergic and can't experience the little beasts themselves.
We were setting stone around the fireplace all weekend and still aren't done so I missed everything this weekend :( So far though, nothing's fallen off the wall after the first debacle.
I want Gossamer. I want a cat.
I won't be able to play catch-up either today so I'll just read the finalists later tonight. We're supposed to get another 6 inches of snow between tonight and tomorrow around noon so I need to get as much done at work today as I can. I'm not staying tomorrow if it snows that much again.
Egyptians worshiped cats and cats have never let us forget that fact.
Insert "Writers" for Egyptians and "Sharks" for cats.
I must remember that patience is it's own reward.
And to thank Janet that she does this contest for us despite the other minor demands on her time.
Craig - Aw, Cuddle Bugs! My little Bear was a cuddle bug. Used to leap on you as you were sitting down so as not to miss any lap time!
He also didn't approve of us being 'shower fresh', he'd roll around on my bare feet until I smelt sufficiently of cat again! Daft Kitty.
On the flash fiction contest. It would take me two to three weeks to be able to sort through all ninety six stories. I will be in awe of anything faster.
About 15 years ago, I was doing a writing workshop. For every three chapters or short stories you reviewed, one of your chapters or short stories would get reviewed. One writer I reviewed wrote this amazing opening to her story about a cat that had once been a God and was now a house cat. Kate's comment reminded me of those chapters. It began...
"Everyone knows that all good dogs go to heaven and that some cats used to be gods; therefore, they do not much get along."
I have often wondered if that author finished her book and if it were ever published. It was very funny in first draft. Does it sound familiar to anyone? It would have been YA fantasy.
Laura Mary, I GET to stare at Gossamer all day. In fact, pretty much every day for the past four days, because hooray for the flu.
Lucikaku - Goss sends his best kitty vibes for you - I would never survive a year with out him.
Brian, virtual pals are hypoallergenic. :) AND I can't give you the bug I've had, but we can commiserate at least. Wah for not feeling tip-top.
Lennon, I now have "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" running through my head, and that's all to the good (um, except the Asian racist moment at 1:47). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rrXR6n0RTY
nightsmusic, I'd sure love to let you have Gossamer, but then I would not have Gossamer, which is probably impossible for me to manage. He does, however indulge a lot of visits to go see Janet, so if you time it right you might get some visitin' time in.
Diane, I had to give my loaner cat back to my daughter last weekend and even with the Dobes, it just feels a little emptier in the house, you know? I told my husband I'd be very happy with a handicapped kitty, blind, three legged, didn't matter so the cat would stay off the counters and he'd be okay about it but no, no dice. He refuses to have any cat but Shorty because she's too fat to get on the counters and she eventually leaves :(
I miss having a cat...
And why don't any ever follow me home or show up on my doorstep???
There's a puddy in my neighborhood I call Sylvester because he's black and white (and apparently I have a penchant for Looney Toons cat names). If he is homed at all, it is not very well done, because this guy is out at all hours in all weathers. For a long time, I wanted to hate him, because he sits across the way from Penelope's fence and stares at her, and she goes ape barking and wanting to get at him. Sigh, but he turns out to be a complete loverboy. He's a nice little bean, and I'd be tempted to take him in, but Pen may not be the best adoptive sibling for the guy.
I lost my cat, Mikey, two years ago. He was 12 and unexpectedly died from what we believe was lung cancer, which we didn't know about until the day he got sick and I had to put him down. He was a black and white Norwegian Forest cat--gorgeous, gorgeous animal...and didn't he know it.
He was very chill, just a really cool cat who didn't act like a cat at all (no jumping on the counters, no climbing curtains). My dad called him a miniature mountain lion, which was probably more accurate. I'm fairly certain he's the only cat I'll ever have--no one can really follow him. These animals, man...they know how to sneak into the empty space in your heart and fill it right back up.
I'm so sorry to everyone who has lost a kitty. Mine died in my arms. I was getting her ready to take her to the vet for her final time and she died. :(
Diane, I keep hoping one will follow me home and then I could keep it! Once in the door, I'm not sure my husband would be able to say no. And I would love it and hug it and squeeze it and call it George...
;)
I'm so sorry to everyone who has lost cats (or dogs). It's just a heartbreak. My childhood cat was a beautiful black-and-white named Oliver, and he had a pink nose. I still miss him sometimes.
Nightmusic, if you can't get a cat permanently, have you thought about fostering? A lot of cats need a home to crash in for awhile before they get adopted. The risk, of course, is that you end up adopting the cat yourself. That's what happened to me!
Johnny was a grumpy 1 year old shelter cat who'd never lived outside a shelter or vet clinic. He fought with this other cat named Thunder, and so he never got out of his kennel. That made him so grumpy and mad that he never got adopted, because he would swipe and growl at any potential adopters. I ended up being his foster mom, because he'd been in the shelter for 6 months straight.
Well, the second I brought Johnny home, he ran up and down the stairs exploring this new, vast playspace. After about fifteen minutes of exploring, he jumped up on my lap and started purring. Now he's the sweetest, happiest boy you could imagine! He just needed out of the kennel.
Bethany, he wouldn't let them in if it was pre-planned which is what a foster is really. No, I'll get over it and go visit my daughter's cats when I can, but it's not quite the same, is it? :(
My fiancé is allergic to cats, so even though I've had them in the past, they're a no-go for me nowadays. Elka has tried to be Disney friends with every cat she's seen, in her very abrupt "I'M HUGE LOVE ME I LOVE YOU" way. The cats are not impressed, except one which stopped by on our porch one day and had a conversation with her through the screen door before continuing on.
Awaiting the results with bated breath!
Gossamer the Editor Cat and Penelope the Publishing Pup get along in their way, but they are not cuddle buddies. Over Christmas, they got as close as they ever have to snuggles - sitting within a foot or so of one another, when G-TEC was under the tree, feeling protected: http://dianelmajor.blogspot.com/2015/12/because-aww.html. Goss had his eyes closed, which is high praise from a kit.
It warmed the cockles of my heart, it did.
Okay, time for me to shut up now. Goss sends his purring, fuzzly love to all.
Well if everyone is talking about their cats, I have to jump in. Several of my dearly departed cats used to break into the neighbors houses to rifle through the resident cat's stash of nip, then go to sleep on the couch. One cat had quite a party and threw catnip all over the bedroom. My current cat, Mehitabel, is one month away from being 20. When she goes, I may try to remain catless for a while, because it would be nice to be able to travel without dealing with the who will take care of the cat dilemma. I will definitely consider fostering, but as was mentioned, there is always the danger of getting stuck in the kitty love eyes tractor beam, and then once again, you have a cat.
Inside Cat aka The World's Most Boring Cat is a rescue. She is the Official Cat of Kneale Manor. She's not as snuggly as I would prefer, and she's as skittish as all out, but she's got her moments. Her legal name is Lucky Kitty.
Outside Cat used to belong to the neighbors until they got a rottie puppy. Outside Cat abandoned them for us with our Ladyships who love to snuggle kitties. Now Outside Cat lives on our front porch, keeping the ghosts away.
Her legal name is Courageous Orange because her former owners named her Courage, Their Ladyships heard "Orange" instead (and when she was a kitten her face looked like she'd stuck it in a cheetos bag), so we combined the two.
Bethany Elizabeth WOW. Congrats.
Janet, thank you, thank you for your kind words. Because I am so stuck, and comfortable in non fiction, your words mean the absolute world to be.
Congrats to all. This was funner than fun.
Meow.
Post a Comment