My How Time Flies!

Is it that time again?

Time sure does fly.  Twenty-six years ago today we tied the knot at the courthouse before the Justice of the Peace and immediate family.  It was a full day beginning with signing the loan documents on the house we still live in today.  After the ceremony, we loaded the car and headed to the beach.  While it is a day of many memories, oddly this one stands out.  It was the only time my Mom ever asked to borrow my car.  She made a last minute trip out to get a flower for me.  Since it was a simple ceremony, no one had thought about flowers.  

Happy Anniversary, Sweetie.  I'm looking forward to another 26 years.

Too Busy?

 

I've been busy at multiple tasks this morning, and thought there's no way I can get a post up today.  I don't have any ideas, and I'm just too busy to take the time, so I figured I'd just share a picture.  In looking for just the right one, I found this one of Dood when he lived outside.  

It reminded me that no matter how busy we are or how long our "to do list" is,  we should remember to take time to relax and enjoy the good things in life.  

So as you face the busy day ahead or look forward to the weekend activities, take a little time to stop and smell the flowers.

Here Kitty Kitty

For all the cat lovers out there, here are just a few of the funny cat pictures in my seemingly endless collection.

 I can haz french fry?  Purty pleeze?

You can't really see me can you?

 Arrgh! 

Look, I got the girl.

I said "NO". 

Sometimes bad shots are funny.

You should see that feather now.

All About Dood

It is day 17 of the 30 minus 2 days of writing hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese.  Today's prompt is "Whatever, Dude".  Visit Nicky's post for more entries from those still able to string two words together.

Our black and white cat's official name of record is R.P., but I started calling him Doodle, which eventually got shortened to Dood.  Rosie usually takes center stage, so I thought this would be a good time to let Dood shine a bit.  He is such a little dude and really does love his Rose buddy.

I'm feeling a little stressed out.

I don't get no respect.

This is my spot in the sun.

Can you see me now?

Are you talking to us?   Whatever, dude!

Up a Tree

This picture makes me happy!

Rosie will be 16 years old in June.  As you know, he has been struggling with diabetes for several years now, and he is currently on insulin about twice a day depending on his blood sugar levels when we test him.  In addition, he suffers from allergies, chronic sinus issues and ear and skin conditions which cause him to cough, sneeze and scratch.  He goes to the vet regularly for shots to control his symptoms.  These shots in turn raise his blood sugar.  

In spite of all this, Rosie is still a happy cat, or as we like to say "an awesome cat".  He still loves life.  However, he has good days, and not so good days. 

So why does this picture make me happy?  This was one of his very best days lately.  He loves Sophie and he was chasing her around the house.  But amid chase, Sophie went up her tree.  Uncharacteristically, Rosie followed - at least to the first perch.  He's feeling good, and that makes me happy!

On top of the world.

Sophie is the only one who uses the cat tree.  It is her escape and a good place to oversee the outside, or just catch a few uninterrupted zzz's.  Occasionally, Rosie will lay on the base and soak up a few rays.

It's nappy time!

Special Delivery

Internet shopping equals boxes and boxes equals a happy cat.  Just another reason to love Christmas! 

Sticky Business

It's hard to believe another Christmas is almost here.  Another tree carefully selected and decorated.  Gifts ordered with the click of my mouse.  So what is different about this year?  Well, this is the year that my 15 1/2 year old cat started taking insulin.  We have been fortunate to maintain his condition for nearly 3 years with food,  Alas, that time has passed.  Now it is twice daily shots for Rosie B.

He's a good boy and so patient with all of our sticking and pricking.  He, as well as Sophie and Dood, are really enjoying the Christmas tree.  The tree skirt rumpled and covered in cat hair, but I don't mind.  It is as much for them as it is for us.

Waiting for Santa

Rosie and Sophie

Wordless Wednesday...no words required!

The Good Stuff

Click to enlarge

While it's no secret that we enjoy a nice wine, and have traveled many miles to taste the fruit of the vine, we only traveled as far as our local wine shop for this delicious Grüner Veltliner from Austria.

This food-friendly white wine from the Skeleton label is bottled, not in the standard 750ml bottle - but a full liter, and instead of the traditional cork or screw cap, as is becoming more popular, this wine had a pop top like soda bottles used to have.

We really enjoyed this, and as you can see it was quite a hit with Sophie, too.

Remember, leave a comment and you are automatically entered in the Roses to Rainbows Third Anniversary Giveaway.

Welcome to Autumn

From our house to yours - have a great weekend!

Today is the first day of Autumn 2012.  Unlike Septembers of recent years, there is a crispness to the mornings, and the daytime temperatures are more in keeping with the changing seasons.  Many years, September is just an extension of summer in our neck of the woods.  One year I was blowing leaves in 90 degree heat.   In my mind there was something really wrong with that picture.

This year takes me back to my elementary school days, where the start of school meant sweaters in the mornings, and enjoying the warmth of the sun rather than longing for shade. With luck we'll have a long Autumn before the arrival of old man winter.

What are some of your favorite Fall activities?

Remember, leave a comment and you are automatically entered in the Roses to Rainbows Third Anniversary Giveaway.

If The Shoe Fits

Can I get that for you in a smaller size?

Sophie trying on my shoe

I hope I have better luck with these!

My first mail order shoes

Do any of you order shoes online?

In the First Place

Written for the 30-day creative writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese.  Today's prompt is First Place.  This is the 15th outrageously entertaining day of this challenge.  Check out the Linky at WWFC for more winning stories.

I am struggling a bit with today's prompt.  Taking first place, winning contests, competitions, sports, spelling bees are not things I ever did.  While other kids were joining teams and taking lessons, I was playing outside in the yard by myself or with my family.   There aren't any awards for that.

However there were rewards.  I was an only child, and so my parents were my best friends.  Sure, there were some neighborhood kids, but most were boys and somewhat older than me.  This made our family really close.  We played badminton, kickball, grilled out (that's a barbeque for some of you), had picnics and had lots of fun.  These things were worth more than taking first place in any competition.

First place had another meaning.  Mom would occasionally use it when I should have done something differently, or that the outcome would have been different, if I had I listened to her "in the first place".

Now I leave you with a few contenders for my choice of first place.  First, may I present my hubby, who has survived over 25 years of marriage to yours truly.  That is no small feat to be sure.  You see he brings home the bacon and I eat it.

My wonderful hubby

And in the snuggle-bunkins category, we have three fabulous felines.  While they are all friends, what you probably won't see is Sophie and Dood in a snuggle like this.

Rosie and Sophie

Rosie and Dood

To me they are all winners, which makes me the biggest winner of all.

Miss Molly

If you ask me about any of my feline friends, I would say he or she is or was just the sweetest thing.  These are the words of a true cat lover.  Yet they are all different.  Each cat is a unique entity with his or her own special personality.  Each has their own way of bonding with the people they share their homes with.  That's right, nobody truly owns a cat.  They let us live with them.

This was Molly.  She was a very special lady, long and slender with a tail to make any cat proud.  Molly came to live with us when she was 3 1/2 years old.  Her story is told in more detail here.

 

1998 - 2007

As you see, she liked to help me at the computer.  I would be sitting there working on something, oblivious to the world, and feel this tap on my leg..."Hi Mama".   Other times she would just launch straight to the back of my chair.  I would be startled, but she never missed.  This was her way of bonding with me.  It was our special thing.

Like most cats, she liked the high places, and would frequently be found sitting on top of the bookcase.

I'm on top of the world.

Am I not just the sweetest thing ever?

We miss you, Molly!

My Buddy

I have boxes full of pictures taken before we had a digital camera, so why not take advantage of the wealth.  Looking back to early 2001, we see Dood in an over-sized kennel.

I'm here for you!

When Dood (short for Doodle) was just a baby, he lost his mama and was adopted by Red, an old Tom.  Dood, like most kittens, loved to explore and apparently found his way under the hood of a car.  Regrettably his tail was injured when the car was started.  

He was friendly, but skittish about being picked up, so we worked with him to gain his trust. The smaller carrier on the left is how we rounded him up for a trip to the vet.  I left it open and he wandered in and I closed the door behind him.  Uh, what now?  Take him to vet, of course.  What?  Here was this never before contained kitten, that I had to single-handedly take to the vet.  This isn't what we'd planned...it just happened.  So, looking somewhat like a wild thing myself, I grabbed my keys and away we went.  

I was trying to keep him and me calm - singing, praying, and all the while figuring he would never trust me again.  I had called hubby and he called the vet to tell them we were coming, and that I'd probably need a sedative (no, unfortunately they can't give people sedatives).   

Sadly, he had to have part of his tail amputated, and while he was there we had him neutered, too.  We borrowed the large dog kennel from the Humane Society, and turned it into a mini suite, complete with a loft perch for him to enjoy while he convalesced.  His 10-day confinement allowed us to give his medication on schedule.  Like any good friend, Red was never far away, so we provided him a comfortable place to visit.  

Here they are several years later in their "summer house".  They were the best of friends for years. 

Me and my buddy

Traveling Cat?

Ahhh...zzzzzz

No, Sophie doesn't travel.  What she does do is eagerly await her Daddy's return no matter whether he's been away for a week, at work for the day or out for an hour.

This was the scene one day as I was unpacking his overnight bag.  There are two favorites in her life.  One is her Daddy, and the other is finding great snuggly places.

This is the best of both worlds - she can nestle in with stuff that smells like her favorite human.  It just doesn't get any better!

Good Morning To All!

There is nothing extraordinary about this sunrise...unless you consider that I snooze right through most of them.

 

Between the time change making sunrise later, and my inability to sleep any longer this morning, I saw the sun rise.  Lest you think I'm a total slug, I do get the occasional glimpse of dawn breaking when I make my way to the kitchen to feed our...

Awesome Cat

Rosie's internal clock tells him (and me) when it's time for breakfast!  After which I pad back to bed.

He has been dubbed an "awesome cat" in part because of all his health issues, and how he takes it all in stride and remains a happy, loving kitty.

A Lesson in Patience

The mama cat sat staring into the weeds at the edge of the farm.  Only the tip of her tail moved.  "Patience is a virtue", she tells her litter, as they watch her.

Suddenly she pounces into the weeds and turns back with a plump field mouse.  Our patience has been rewarded.  We have dinner."

Looks like there's no dinner for you guys!

Written for Friday Flash 55.

The Nature Channel

Dood relaxing in front of Nature TV.

We "turn on" Nature TV on for him every morning.  However there isn't much on his favorite channel today.  It is a rainy, dreary day, and Dood is nowhere to be found.  I suspect he is curled up in his box in the basement. 

Yep, I know my cats!  

Where do your cats (or dogs) like to sleep the rainy days away?

On the Edge

Sophie on the edge

Position precarious

Prepare for landing

It's a Good Life

A few of my favorite shots to brighten 

an otherwise dreary day.

I love my blankie

Queen Sophie

A sunny spot

Three's Company

Have a great weekend!