MCAF

Weekends Are For Catblogging

2006-06-01T17:17:00.000-04:00

The Friday Ark is boarding over at The Modulator. If your animals want to set sail with the others you can use Ferdy's Handy Carnival Submission form to secure them a spot. The Ark is not just for kitties, though they are my personal favorites. There is room on the Ark for all sorts of animals. And keep in mind this week's Carnival Of The Cats is to be hosted by TacJammer. Visit there to get more info, or just use Ferdy's Handy Carnival Submission form once again. Entries need to be submitted by 6pm CST on Sunday. See ya'll there!

It Worked! Finally! (Kind Of)

2006-06-01T16:13:00.000-04:00

Well I don't know what happened, but I had the day off and decided to try again to get things going on the domain I bought a couple months ago, mycatsarefrench.com. I had no success publishing before - couldn't understand anything about ftp and how to download it or use it once I did. Tried a bunch of times and gave up. Well...evidently in my absence this last month, my site provider upgraded some things. I was fed up and decided to just work on building my blog/webpage and then I would get my much more computer literate buddy to help me download and set up the ftp program and then open it for me one time and then I'd be good to go. All day I worked on my page. Then what the heck, after calling my friend and asking if I could come by tonite for some guidance, I decided what do I have to lose, and clicked on "Publish". To my utter amazement, the darn thing did. All my links work! I've even got an "Email Me" link that pops up an Outlook form addressed to my domain!! Whoo-hah!! Now we're cookin' with gas! Still don't know what happened. Don't know where the ftp program came from. I don't have a real blog per se yet (it's set in a normal website format right now, as opposed to a blog format), although I have a link to this blog on my front page to get by until I figure that part out. Learning the HTML to make posts and archives etc., will be cake compared to the ftp stuff. Maybe tedious, but not so incomprehensble. In celebration, here is a picture of the stars of my website, the Gang of Three. You can tell by the looks on their faces that "Mommy" is standing just beyond the doorway. I am looking forward to working on this blog again. The difficulties I had encountered with my new domain had really got me to the point of not giving a rat's rear end. Got my enthusiasm back now. I think the first thing I will add is the cats' "Mission Statement" to the "About Us" page. (Killing vermin? Stealing food off my plate? Hacking up hairballs on the freshly laundered bedding? THAT all seem to be part of their mission.) Suggestions from anyone who stops by would be appreciated if you have any ideas on how to import this site to my new one or if you could point me towards a place that I can find the html templates I need to set up posting and archiving. Thanks to all who have been visiting in my absence, and golly am I glad to be back.

Kitty Movie Monday!

2006-05-01T17:34:00.000-04:00

It is Kitty Movie Monday! Visit our furry friends and post your own videos too. Much thanks to Laurence Simon for getting Kitty Movie Monday up and running. This is going to be great fun. Every cat gets a chance to be the star they were born to be. If you are not familiar with YouTube, please go check it out. Even a total non-techie like me is able to post my videos and embed them in my website with absolutely no hassle. A great place to store an extra copy of your favorites.

How Old Is Your Cat?

2006-05-01T09:16:00.000-04:00

For those who have never seen this before, here is a handy chart for converting your cat's age into the approximate equivalent of human years. I see that in August of next year my boys will actually become 6 months older than me. Here is a picture of my queen cat - Smokie. She passsed away almost 2 years ago at the ripe old age of 92. Had her since she was a kitten and I still miss her little ways. Smokie definitely ruled the roost and brooked no nonsense from the triplets. My human boys could not remember life without her and were heartbroken when she died. Smokie always loved sitting outside under the lilac shrub and other bushes. When we knew she was failing that last week, I bought a beautiful Hydrangea and when the time came, Jim & Michael buried her and marked her spot with it. Smokie would be pleased.

Carnival Time

2006-04-30T11:48:00.000-04:00

It's Sunday! That means it is time for the Carnival Of The Cats. This week's Carnival host is Furry Paws. Go pay a visit to Sebastian and his Momma Yaffa and be sure to get your submissions in before 7pm (use Ferdy's handy Carnival Submission Form) if you would like to see your feline(s) included. The Gang Of Three will be at the Carnival and they expect to see many old friends there and meet some new ones also. There is also a new place to get your fill of kitties. Laurence Simon of This Blog Is Full Of Crap has come up with a great idea. Kitty Movie Monday! This new venture is only a couple week's old, but I am betting it is an idea whose time has come. It's really easy to post your video on YouTube so go on and give it a try. I am planning to get something editted of my boys being frisky and cute. Of course if I want a video of them they will not cooperate. Probably will do absolutely nothing all day that would warrant more than a still camera. Just lay around soaking up the sun that was so very absent the last few months as Zath'ras is doing here.

Teach Your Children Well

2006-04-26T17:49:00.000-04:00

I've spent some time thinking about a few stories in the news. The Duke Lacrosse team story, Natalie Holloway, the lady who is charging rape after her roommate's drunken friend went into the wrong bedroom in the middle of the night and had sex with her (she thought it was her boyfriend who had fallen asleep on the couch. It was consensual until the next morning when she saw in the light of day who was in her bed.) Now I am not saying anyone deserves anything bad that happens to them. I am not blaming the victim or saying that anyone who committed a crime should get away with it. I think though, that these stories should serve as warnings. We learn to look both ways before we cross the street and to wear our seatbelts. These are normal, rudimentary precautions. We learn not to get in cars with strangers, not to walk out of the bank after cashing our paychecks with the cash in hand. I think we need to teach our children a whole lot more. I only have boys, but I sure as hell taught them how to act if the police pull them over. Turn on your interior light, keep your hands on the steering wheel where they can see them. Yes sir, no sir. If they ask for your registration or license don't make any sudden moves - say "it is in my wallet", "in my glovebox", whatever - "may I get it?" No sudden moves. I don't want my boys getting shot because they fit the description of some fleeing felon. I taught them not to be sleeping with any girls they don't like well enough to be spending the rest of their life with, because if any children are conceived they sure as hell ought to be getting married, and that if they don't they will still be putting up with her for the rest of their lives. Our daughters should be told they are not going to Aruba (or Cancun or wherever) with what is basically an undersupervised group of kids in unfamiliar territory who don't have the life experience to know when a situation is dangerous. We need to let our girls know that it is not a good idea to go with a girlfriend to strip at a frat party. Sure it's a "job", quick money, but once you're there, then what? What exactly are you going to be able to do if a bunch of guys decide to rape you or worse? Even if the guys get arrested later, you still went through the trauma. And if you are in a situation and get a bad vibe and decide to leave, for God's sake don't get talked into going back. Trust your instincts ladies!!! And perhaps you shouldn't have a roommate who brings strangers home from a bar. Maybe you should have a deadbolt on the inside of your bedroom if she does. Maybe you shouldn't get so drunk you can't tell if it's your boyfriend or not and perhaps you should have known your own boyfriend well enough that there's no way a mistake like that could happen. There are so many bad, dangerous, foolish choices most us make when we are young. Most of us are lucky - we live to tell and don't get raped or beaten or robbed. We need to warn our children that the world is not solely full of people like them. Tell them about the people out there who are evil & ammoral, and about how bad things can & do happen - even if you're a really nice person. To hell with not scaring them. By the time they are teenagers they need to hear this stuff and hear it often. Scare the daylights out of them. I'd rather have a live child who thinks I'm an old fogey than a traumatized or dead one. And the guys need to hear it too. All the boys in these cases made terrible choices that, if they are innocent, have cost them dearly. Don't be alone with girls you don't know real well. Don't have sex with hot, horny drunk girls no matter how tempting. That hour of fun can cause a lifetime of misery. Don't put yourself in a position where you can ruin your life - or worse. She could have a boyfriend who will think nothing of killing you in a fit of passion. And to hell with anyone who cries "Hypocrite" because, after all, if you're not perfect how can you tell anyone else not to do what you once did yourself. If that were the case we could never learn anything. I know what dumb things I did and I know how lucky I was to not have some very bad outcomes. A couple times it was dicey and could have gone either way. I would be remiss and an a**hole besides to not try and save others from what I know to be a serious danger. If you had bought a lemon car or received poor service somewhere you would tell everyone. Would it have been more correct to not say anything because "After all, I bought it/shopped there. Who am I to tell anyone what to do." Of course you wouldn't say that. And that's not even anything potentially life threatening. Warn your children. Warn your grandchildren. Sure, they'll do what they want, or feel, at the moment sometimes. But deep down they remember your words. And come what may at least you will know you tried to warn them. Don't put yourself in the position of regretting that you never warned them. I have one that did not listen to my warnings. I visit his grave. At least I know I tried.

No Way To Spend A Day Off

2006-04-24T15:34:00.000-04:00

Today was quite eventful - took all the cats to the vet. They give a discount if I bring them all at the same time. I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it, but the thought of having to make seperate trips is not very appealing either. It's not quite as tortuous now that we only have 3 cats, but it is still a huge undertaking. Logistics are important. The first thing I do when having a cat roundup is get the carriers out a couple days ahead of time so the boys get used to their presence in the dining room and lose their fear of them. Then on the morning of the doctor visit I don my protective gear. Gloves are optional, but long pants & sleeves are a must. Next, I feed them all a favorite treat and while they are snarfing it up, the basement door and doors to all bedrooms are closed. An important part of the operation is to grab the feistiest one first, so that by the time they realize what's happening, the ringleader is under control. It works best if one person controls the cat and an assistant is in charge of holding the carrier still and closing the gate - trying not get any fingers pinched in the rush to slam the cell door shut before an escape attempt. Once all are safely in their carriers, I start dragging them out to the van while the neighbors stare and wonder just how many I have there and discuss how I am a "crazy cat lady". (There used to be five. The neighbors are not quite as appalled now.) Next the chorus ~~sings~~ screams loudly as I drive to the vet. At the office pet owners look at me like I'm nuts for even attempting such a Herculean task and wonder just how many times I am going to go back to the van to fetch a crate. The other patients either want to make friends or start a fight and my gang wants no part of it - they shrink to the back of their crates and once in the exam room are just as reluctant to come out of their cells as they were to go in. I end up having to "pour" cats out of crates. One by one, all are inspected and given their shots. The gang behaves quite well through this part - they are scared silly and seem to believe if they sit real still, no one can see them. Luckily they are much easier to put back in their crates - they are VERY anxious to get away from the doctor and return to the safety of their cells. Another rendition of the "Howleluiah Chorus" as I drive home. Lug them all back into the living room and open the gates - looks like the start of the Kentucky Derby as they make a mad dash to their favorite spots to lick themselves back into serenity. Then I find the Bactine, bandages & bourbon. Day off my ass. It's less stressful to go to work. Not to mention the $975.

Family Feud

2006-04-23T17:35:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of the Drudge Report we learn of a wedding fiasco... Bride's Father, Brother Stabbed In Alleged Fight Over Wedding Cake Witnesses Say Man Was Growing Impatient About Cake Cutting I've been to some wild family gatherings, but this tops 'em all. It seems the bride's 36 year old stepfather is the one who did the stabbing. You can read the whole story and check out the video here. Honestly I was expecting the family to be a whole bunch of PWT, but they seem pretty normal. I was kind of surprised however that the bride's 2 sisters were talking to reporters rather than hightailing it to the hospital to be with their dad & brother. Also kind of surprising that the bride's mom was in the car with her husband as he fled the scene.

Calling All Cats!

2006-04-23T12:26:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday we missed the Carnival Of The Cats. I had technically made the deadline by a couple hours, but perhaps the host needed to get the Carnival up early, or maybe something went awry with my submission. So this week's entry will be the one I had planned for last week. (Mr. Bigglesworth was so disappointed about missing the Carnival. Had to give him extra skritches.) This week's Carnival is being hosted by Animal Family. This is a very nice cat oriented site, so do take a look around when you go visit the Carnival this evening. Sure to be lots of familiar whiskers there and probably will be some new paw prints as well. If you have a cat (You DO have a cat, don't you?) they can have their photo included by clicking on Ferdy's handy submission form. Ferdy's form is useful for a lot of Carnivals other than COTC, so check out the list. You may find some other interesting places to visit. Since Biggie is the star of this week's Carnival entry, I must feature Pumpkin & Zath'ras on this page to keep peace in the family. Biggie is not the only kitty that enjoys a stroll in the sunshine.

Cat & Mouse Game

2006-04-18T20:40:00.000-04:00

Over at Cat Addiction there is a truly sweet and amazing sequence of photos of a cat and mouse (rat maybe?). No Photoshop, no staged stuff here, just two little furballs making friends. I guarantee it will make you smile. See it here.

Step This Way! Carnival Of The Cats!

2006-04-16T15:47:00.000-04:00

The Carnival Of The Cats is due to take place in just a couple hours. This week the host is Begin Each Day.

If you are owned by any fabulous felines who would like to take part, hurry up and get your links entered. Use Ferdy's Handy Carnival Submission Form (It works for lots of carnivals, not just COTC, so be sure to look around.)

I barely got my website back working after all the cra* that has gone on (new computer, new headaches - you all know the drill), but I am going right now to submit Mr. Bigglesworth's photos for this weeks gathering.

Mr Bigglesworth

2006-04-16T15:09:00.000-04:00

The weather here has been beautiful the last few days and all the cats have been loving it. Mr. Bigglesworth decided to go for a walk yesterday and indulge in one of his favorite pastimes - getting filthy. First a little stroll to find the purrfect spot..... Found it! Drop, flop and roll.... Oh yeah, got a pretty good amount of dirt, leaves and dust on me now.... But not quite enough. Let's rock and roll a bit more.... That's it! Now I can finish my walk. I can't believe that filthy little dirtbag sleeps on my bed.

Proud New Owner

2006-03-27T19:53:00.000-05:00

Well I went and bought my domain. "My Cats Are French" is no longer only a site on blogger.com or wowway or msn.groups. I’ve got mycatsarefrench.com locked up. Just about as traumatic as closing on a house. I’m waiting for “buyer remorse” to kick in. But REALLY I feel like - "Yertle, the Turtle, oh marvelous me. For I am the ruler of all that I see." (Thank you Dr. Seuss.) Don’t quite know how I am gonna convert this all over, but I am glad to have decided to make the move after only 4 months of blogging and not 4 years. It took all day to claim my domain and move this blog. I am no techie and though I can do basic things, it was scary to try to figure out who to register the domain with, what kind of support will I get, what’s the best deal, what will be easiest to figure out. Hope I won’t be disappointed. Had to fill in waaaaaay too many forms wanting user names and passwords (I made a file to try and keep them all straight.) Feeling schizophrenic about who I am right now and what my name is. LOL But so far, so good. It all doesn’t look exactly the same, but it is close enough. I was having nightmares and getting ulcers from thinking of the amount of work it would take to move everything manually. Word Press was able to import all my posts, archives and comments. I need to fix headings and links and pics, but that is small potatoes compared to trying to do the rest from the beginning. Hopefully by the end of April (Hey, I'm a slow learner and technophobic to boot.) all will be redirected to my new home.

Cat Toys For Less

2006-03-25T10:40:00.000-05:00

Please God, give me the sense to quit buying fancy cat toys at extravagant prices. Will I ever remember that what they really want is the tab from the top of a milk jug, an old sock filled with catnip, or a few sheets of tissue paper? Biggie is going to tame that tissue paper. Zath'ras is laying low, waiting for the paper to make a move. Pumpkin has his paper subdued and is resting on his laurels. (Check out the size of those laurels!)

The Ark Is Boarding

2006-03-24T06:20:00.000-05:00

The Friday Ark is boarding over at The Modulator. Last week the boys were a bit too late to get on board, but I have sent my submission for the cat section plenty early this time. The Ark is not just for kitties, though they are my personal favorites. There is room on the Ark for all sorts of animals. Submit your favorite photos by going to the site and following the simple directions at the top. Some animals have boarded already, but as the day goes by there will be more and more guests. And don't forget to find a picture or two for the upcoming Carnival Of The Cats to be hosted by Scribblings. Visit there to get more info, or just use this handy Carnival submission form. All entiries are due by 6pm CST on Sunday. (You can use the submission form to board the Ark also.)

It's No Myth

2006-03-19T15:44:00.000-05:00

A new addition to my blogroll, The Religious Policeman, has a lot of great reading. Mr. A is a Saudi living in the U.K. and he is one terrific writer. Today's story about having to go shopping with his wife in Saudi Arabia to protect her "from the mythically lecherous Lebanese men" is LOL funny.

As we have prejudices about virtually every nation in the world, it won't be a surprise that we have strong prejudices about our fellow-Arabs, the Lebanese. We see them as "smoothies", louche, French-influenced, into all sort of Haram entertainment, particularly belly-dancing and cabaret-singing, although their cooking is quite good.

I have some experience dealing with Middle Eastern men & Lebanese men in particular.. Indeed they do think they are God's gift to women. My first day living in Dearborn, Michigan I was walking down the street and two of them pulled up beside me in their Pontiac Firebird (THE cruising-for-chicks car of choice for young males at the time) and wanted to know if I'd like to go for a ride. They looked like a couple of "wild & crazy guys" and added that they had Led Zeppelin tapes. Whew-wee!! Now there's a an offer I found hard to refuse. Those silver-tongued devils almost talked me into it. /sarc off The rest of my two years in Dearborn were pretty much downhill from there. Same old, same old. I'm no beauty to be sure, but I don't have a face that frightens small children. I was young then (early twenties). And I was blond. Guessing I must have looked pretty stupid/naive too. Not a day went by that I didn't get hit on by at least one gold-chain-sporting, too-much-cologne-wearing, glib-talking jackass. This one in which he explains the Muslim Offense Level (similar to our Terrorist Alert Level) is excellent also. Right now we are at "Elevated"...

Meaning - We are definitely cross, because people keep blaming us for 9/11, Parisian cars getting torched, Saudi women getting stoned Non-Muslim response - Pretend that these things have nothing to do with Islam or Muslims, tell everyone how we brought algebra to 9th Century Spain Consequence of non-compliance - We will cause even more mayhem. Did you leave your car out in the street?

Definitely worth a visit & a bookmark.

Carnival Of The Cats Turns Two!

2006-03-19T15:17:00.000-05:00

Time for the 104th Carnival Of The Cats. This 2nd anniversary edition of the Carnival is being hosted by Music and Cats. A big thank you to Kimberly! Go visit the grand birthday bash here to get your fill of sweet, sassy and silly kitties.

Sometimes Paranoid People Have Real Enemies

2006-03-19T14:47:00.000-05:00

Gates of Vienna brings us this button that I would wear proudly if someone could make them up. CafePress perhaps? The Baron notes,

The term “Islamophobe” is fast joining “racist”, “homophobe”, et al., as a reliable tool of politically-correct argument, a way of silencing the Left’s opponents and consigning dissenters to the phobic outer darkness beyond the pale of polite discourse.

The Baron has made it into a small size also, suitable for a sidebar if anyone would like to include it on their blog or web page as I have done. Get it here. I don't believe there is a darn thing wrong with being a bit phobic about people who have made it quite clear, on numerous occassions, that they WANT TO KILL YOU!!!! Seems like common sense. And at the risk of not sounding PC & "tolerant", they had best be fearing me too. I didn't buy my guns for skeet shooting.

Wide World Of Web

2006-03-19T08:07:00.000-05:00

Spanning the globe to bring you a constant variety of entertainment... A hat tip to Ace Of Spades for alerting us to this product. Thank goodness the company goes into so much detail about how to use their product, I'd never have known what to do. (Perhaps that info is for the ROPers who are accustomed to using use their hand or a rock.) And it brings us to the question of the day - Fold or Crumple? (I prefer crumpled.) And while we are talking about crap, Laurence Simon at This Blog Is Full Of Crap has a sad story of yet another Palestinian work accident here. No virgins for you Abdul. You failed to take out any infidels when you blew your dumb ass up. Over at Joe Sherlock's The View Through The Windshield he writes about the possibility of GM going bankrupt. Joe seems to think it is unavoidable. A sample...

All of us are convinced that GM is well on its way to bankruptcy. Forget sophisticated cash flow analysis, reading the details of 10-K filings, etc. It's a gut feel - based on lack of good product, GM's severe and continuing misreading of the market, the number of GM cars seen in rental lots, the substantial off-price deals being offered on most models ('March Madness' being the latest) and the lack of interest by any of our friends in owning anything made by GM. Oh, and the fact that it's trying to sell GMAC - its most profitable entity - is a big signal, too. Another tip-off is the bankruptcy of several key Tier I suppliers.

Joe knows the auto industry. If he thinks it's this bad, I believe it.

One of my car buddies remarked, "Because of warranty issues that might result from these bankruptcies, I can't - in good conscience - recommend a Ford or GM product to anyone. It hurts me to do this (he's been a loyal Ford man for 40+ years) but I'm telling people to check out Honda and Toyota if they're thinking of a new car."

Go read the whole thing. Scroll down to March 15th. And finally we have video of a a rather insane dog. Be sure to have your speakers turned up as you watch him try to protect his chew toy from a perceived thief.

Biggie - The Bad, Bad Bunny Biter

2006-03-18T12:17:00.000-05:00

The Easter Bunny will not be making his scheduled deliveries. Blame Mr. Bigglesworth. (If you are really sensitive and/or really unaware of the natural instincts of cats, DO NOT scroll down.) Elmer Fudd says "He's a wabbit swayer!" Mr Bigglesworth was just culling the herd. Any bunny with parents dumb enough to still be living in our yard probably will not live long anyway and should be cut out of the gene pool. I mean really, I have had cats for the entire time we have lived in this house. No rabbits until the last 5 years. What do they not understand about the smell of cat pi**? Kind of a "Hey, maybe we shouldn't live here" signal in my book. I used to get upset and go outside hollering at the cats, turning the hose on them to get 'em to let the bunnies loose. (Did you know rabbits can scream? I didn't.) But I have finally decided the heck with it. Survival of the fittest. I just wish I had noticed that Mr. B. was carrying something before I let him in the house. When I finally saw what he had, it scared the B'jezus out of me. (Boy did he growl at his brothers and I as we tried to take it away from him.)

Michael Gets His Stone

2006-03-18T08:53:00.000-05:00

Well, I have finally done the hardest part. The hardest part for me anyway - everyone is different and there is no right or wrong in this situation.

Today I bought a tombstone for my son.

Back in August of 2005, when Cindy Sheehan had first come into public view, Dymphna, at Gates Of Vienna wrote an open letter to her - no sarcasm, no reproach, just a letter from one grieving mother to another. People who have lost a child belong to a group that none hope or plan to join. And no matter how much we want to, there is no leaving the group - ever. I found a lot of what Dymphna said about her loss to be so true for myself also. But I had not been able to sort things out into any way that made sense - they were just random thoughts flying around wildly in my totally scattered brain. Dymphna's words helped to clarify some of my feelings.

When a husband or wife dies, we call the surviving partner the widow or widower. Why do you think it is that there is no one word to describe our condition, Cindy? Mother-of-a-dead-child is the best we can do? The lack of a name gives you some inkling how much our culture avoids the knowledge of this sorrow. If we named it we'd have some power over it. But the condition you and I share is unnamed because since time immemorial parents have dreaded this loss. It is the worst. There is nothing else that can be done to us. A motherless child is a pitiful creature and carries a life-long emptiness he or she tries to fill with other grown-ups. A childless mother is a crazy person and nothing can fill the hole, not if she had a baby a year for the rest of her life. Do you have other children? I have three. And when people ask me, pleasantly, "how many children do you have?" I look at them blankly. It is all I can do to not to run screaming from the room.

Oh so true. I hate being asked that. Not because it hurts, but because I honestly do not know how to answer. If I say "One", I feel I am dishonoring or ignoring that Michael ever existed. If I say "Two", the next question invariably is "How old are they?" Now that is a whole new answer to ponder. Will Michael be 25 this year or does he forever stay 22? If I say "Two, but one passed away." the questioner is taken aback - sure they have hurt me and sorry they ever asked. (They haven't - I enjoy thinking of Michael. It keeps him alive in my heart.)

Let me tell you the most important thing, Cindy: none of this matters. Not one piece of it. The only important part, the only piece with any real existence is Casey's death. He is as gone as though he never existed. And you are so filled with sorrow and grieving you do not see how you will ever turn back from this road of vengeful crying out like some prophet who has wandered in from the desert. Perhaps you never will. Not all of us come back, and certainly none of us return as the people we were before our child died. We are some other person, a stranger even to ourselves sometimes. But you will be less afraid of death yourself. Your son has gone before you, and that is harder than our own passing. Much, much harder. The lump in your throat will probably never disappear either.

Absolutely on the mark. I do not fear death at all. I fear lingering in pain beforehand, but Death will reunite me with my child. He will be waiting for me just as I remember him. And he will recognize me even though I will have changed much. I will hold him once more, touch his hair, hear his voice, see his smile. Finally the empty, dull, stabbing feeling in my heart will be gone for good.

Well. When you own a burial plot it is you who decides what headstone will go there. And if you decide there will be no headstone, then no headstone it is. So my beloved Shelagh, despite our entreaties, lies in an unmarked grave and I cannot bear to go visit where she lies there because of that. For a long time, I considered her father's behavior simply cruel and evil, but having had these two years to contemplate such a bizarre thing, I have come to think that perhaps it is his way of not having to face her death. No headstone? No dead daughter. It makes a crazy kind of sense, doesn't it?

This was the big truth I learned from Dymphna. I had not done anything about a marker for Michael. I knew what I wanted in precise detail. I just hadn't managed to get around to it somehow. You would think that would be so important that one would fly to the monument company to get the job done yesterday. Dymphna's words made me realize that I wanted so hard to deny his death that I could not bear the thought of seeing my son's name chiseled in cold marble. Everything else I had done without hesitation... I had handled all the funeral arrangements. I went to the undertaker's to see Michael when they brought him home. They advised me not to, fearing I would become hysterical, but I had to see my child, as he really was, one more time before the funeral directors got hold of him and did their work. I did not break down. I prepared and printed the memorials myself. I did not want some sterile, generic, impersonal cards for my son. I wanted his pictures, my thoughts, my selections for his final tribute. I did a good job for him. I went and selected his burial plot. I found a suitable, lovely, peaceful, thoroughly unwanted place. I recorded 4 cd's of music to be played at his wake - I did not want the mindless drone selected by the funeral home, the one-size-fits-all variety. There were my favorites, his father's favorites, his grandmother's favorites. Some of Michael's favorites too. Everyone liked the music. I selected his pallbearers. It was hard to ask his friends and his brother & sister to do this, but they all were glad to have been asked. He would have approved of the choices. I prepared a eulogy and read it myself at his service. It was difficult to do, but I did not falter. I picked and recorded the music for his funeral. I know he was pleased to hear the Dropkick Murphys' version of "Amazing Grace" being played as he was carried to the hearse. And finally, I stayed at the cemetary as they laid him in the ground. (An unheard of thing in our area.)I brought three shovels and buried my child, with help from his brother and a few close friends who also wanted the privilege of doing the last they could for my precious son. I did that all because there was no choice, it had to be done. If I could/would not do it, someone else would have to and no way was I willing to relinquish those details to anyone. I am his Mother. But the stone....the stone. It did not have to be done. That was more than I could bear. It would be the last thing I could ever do for him. If I could just avoid dealing with that, somehow it would never really be over. Never really be true. But the time is at hand. Summer will be here - Michael's third summer in that place. His spot needs to be marked. His friends go and leave flowers. I want more than an unmarked spot for my child. And I am strong enough now to do it. The stone will not be the end. I am ready to face the fact that the end was nearly two years ago no matter how hard I try to run from that. I can still tend his space. I can make sure it is fertilized and weeded and decorated. That I can do for him. Make sure his grass is the greenest, his flowers the brightest. Remember Michael with love and laughter, and of course, tears. That is what I can do for him now. I am ready to give him his stone. Thank you Dymphna.

Carnival Of The Cats

2006-03-17T18:53:00.000-05:00

OK, this week will be the 2nd Anniversary of the Carnival Of The Cats. Sorry about screwing up the anniversary date last week. Thank you to Music and Cats for hosting this Sunday's event. You can make your submisiions up until 6pm CST Sunday by clicking here on Ferdy's handy carnival submission form. A big thank you to Laurence Simon of This Blog Is Full Of Crap for starting the COTC! A must see for anyone who is anyone. (And all us nobodies too.)

St. Patrick's Day Catblogging

2006-03-17T18:25:00.000-05:00

Well the boys don't really care for corned beef too well (they'd rather have pork). So for the holiday I decided to give them mass quantities of catnip. It all started out fine. Everyone was having fun. But you know how what happened. Someone always ends up overindulging and getting a tad belligerent, trying to pick a fight. Biggie is feeling froggy, and Pumpkin is not about to back down. And finally all hell breaks loose. The picture wouldn't have been so blurry, but the photographer was beatin' feet when she heard the noises coming out of these two. If you would like to see some better behaved kitties (and then again, maybe not) please check out the Friday Ark at The Modulator.

Cat Butts

2006-03-17T12:42:00.000-05:00

Mind of Mog has a cat that believes in fastidiousness. Check Bazel out. I wish I were that limber. I also wish my brats would try cleaning their butts a bit more frequently. (Especially Pumpkin - a dirty butt shows up so badly on an orange cat.) The boys like to stroll down the stairs ahead of me most mornings and it is sure not an appetizing sight to be greeted by three dirty cat asses winking at you before you've even had that first cup of coffee. I'd try to wash their butts myself, but at 20+ pounds minimum per cat, I would have to have assistance. Probably protective gear of some sort also.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2006-03-17T12:02:00.000-05:00

Well, I am not Irish, but I do have a couple of half-Irish sons. I put the eldest on a plane to Boston yesterday morning. It will be his third year in a row spending the holiday there. His best friend, who moved to Indianapolis this year, arrived on a later flight. I imagine they are having quite the time by now. The eldest belongs to The Irish-American Society, hopes to join the Gaelic League when he is eligible, and is beginning to study Gaelic. He says his goal is to eventually be Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick's Day parade here. An honorable ambition to my mind. (Although personally I would be just a smidge more thrilled if he took some interest in learning Polish and being president of the Michigan Polka Association.) Best wishes to all the sons & daughters of Ireland on your special day. Thanks for helping to build this great nation.

Cats As Guards

2006-03-14T21:22:00.000-05:00

Got to sleep in this morning (til 6am!). Went to descend the steps from the bedrooms and what do I find? All 3 of the boys, lined up in the same order as they do for their food dishes, sleeping at the edge of the top step. Can't possibly make it to the first tread, 'cause they are so wide & so long & packed so dense that I can't get around 'em. (Well I could've, if I'd been willing to stomp/kick one of them, but they hadn't held me prisoner long enough to justify that sort of behavior.) Have to beg and plead and cajole to get one of them to move enough so I can get to the downstairs. The little suckers are cunning. They are learning more every day how to work in concert. I fear for the future.

Taquiya & Jihad

2006-03-14T20:07:00.000-05:00

Cox & Forkum have it right about CAIR. They ain't foolin' me. I've lived in (or near) Dearborn for the last 32 years. Taquiya to the max. The Koran says it is perfectly OK to lie to infidels. Why do so many people persist in taking them at their word for anything . And then there is this lovely woman running for a seat on the Palestinian legislative council (that is so many oxymorons I don't even know where to begin.). She wishes she had "100 sons to sacrifice." Well, I for one, will be happy if she merely sacrifices all the ones she has - hopefully before they reproduce. (Hope he** doesn't run out virgins before her youngest becomes a "martyr". ) /sarc Gonna make me wear a burka or hijab - yeah right. Come on over here and try to do it lady. I turned 50 today but I have no doubt I can take her.

I Blew It

2006-03-12T22:52:00.000-05:00

Thanks To Steve for pointing out to me that the 2nd anniversary of The Carnival Of The Cats will be next Sunday, the 19th of March. But that does not in any way detract from this week's COTC (the final Carnival of year #2) being hosted by Justin's Random Thoughts. Click on over and have a look. Pretty, sassy, silly felines of every stripe can be seen here.

To Hell With Understanding

2006-03-11T10:52:00.000-05:00

Emperor Darth Misha I of the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler does a terrific fisking of Karen Armstrong's article from today's The Guardian. Her stupidity in the face of Islamofacism makes me ill. What don't the LLLs get about this threat? How can they be so stupid as to not realize the true agenda of the politcal-system-disguised-as-a-religion known as Islam? Nor do they realize that they & their ilk will not be killed last, they will be killed first. The Emperor is on a roll with this one. Just wish he wouldn't hold back so much and would let us all know what he really thinks. /sarc off Here's a sample, read it all. (Article in black, Emperor in red.)

The Muslim view that the west has double standards has been entrenched, and reconciliation postponed And the view among non-Dhimmis that muslims are a bunch of savage, howling monkeys who’ll use any excuse to burn, rape, pillage and murder has been proven true. So what’s your point? The crisis occasioned by the Danish cartoons, which depicted the prophet Muhammad as a terrorist, And he wasn’t? Some remedial koran-reading would seem to be in order here. Oh, and don’t you just love the assertion that the crisis was “occasioned by the Danish cartoons?” Those poor misunderstood muslims who understandably demonstrated, murdered and burned down embassies and churches were completely innocent. After all, in the opinion of the tolerant and inclusive natterati, you can’t very well expect anything else from the darkies, can you? The Emperor hits it out of the ballpark again. I get so sputtering angry and incoherent when I read things like Ms. Armstrong's or talk to dhimmis like her. The PC, "tolerant" crowd. I never know where to begin deconstructing their fallacious reasoning. Thank you Emperor.

Spotted While Surfing

2006-03-11T09:26:00.000-05:00

A few interesting things I came across while sipping my coffee this morning. Over at Ace Of Spades you can find a picture of the newest taste treat to be introduced at the ballpark - a burger topped with cheese & bacon. Big deal you say. Oh but wait. The special bun it is served on is what makes my arteries harden just thinking about it. Check it out here. Leslie's Omnibus brings us this little bit of silly fun.

C	Casual
F	Fabulous
O	Organic

M	Mischievous
A	Astounding
H	Huge
M	Meek

Huge? Huge?!!! WTF? Sure I am chowing down a lot more since quitting smoking, but I'm not huge - yet. And meekness is certainly not one of strong suits - especially not after a couple glasses of wine. However, I do wholeheartedly agree with fabulous and mischievous. Cat Addiction has video of a cat masseuse at work. The dog seems to be just as content as the kitty. Here's the link. Coffee's kicking in. Time to get to work.

Milosevic Dies In Jail

2006-03-11T08:53:00.000-05:00

Well good riddance. The man was horrible and hopefully now situated in the seventh level of hell with Hitler, Stalin & Pol Pot, among others. I like the irony of his eternal punishment including bunking with the Muslim terrorist leader Arafat. Although he was a murdering bastard, Milosevic was correct when he warned the western nations that we would find out about and have to deal with the problems of Islamic savagery. I guess it's true that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has died, the UN tribunal said on Saturday, just months before his war crimes trial was expected to conclude. "Milosevic was found lifeless on his bed in his cell at the United Nations detention unit," the tribunal said in a statement. "The guard immediately alerted the detention unit officer in command and the medical officer. The latter confirmed that Slobodan Milosevic was dead."

Read it all here.

Carnival Of The Cats 2nd Anniversary!

2006-03-10T22:44:00.000-05:00

This Sunday will mark the 2nd anniversary of The Carnival Of The Cats. Wow! Nice to see how this has grown. I lurked for months and finally started a blog just so my boys could participate.This is certainly the time to break out your best/favorite/funniest/sweetest cat pix to share with everyone. The host for this mega event will be Music & Cats. You can learn all about the Carnival here. If you already have a blog and would like to make a submission, you can just click on Ferdy's handy form here. If you don't have a blog - well gee wiz - get goin'. Your cats will thank you.

Friday Ark Is Setting Sail!

2006-03-10T21:30:00.000-05:00

Hoping the boys can still get on the Ark before it leaves port. Ark's make you think of twosomes, but we have three brothers, so Pumpkin has consented to dress like a bird and hope he can find a spare partner. He is larger than his brothers and therefore is unafraid of the consequences of wearing a bird costume around them. Check out the Modulator here for lots of pretty pets.

In Spring, A Young Cat's Fancy Turns To...

2006-03-10T20:29:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day to seem like spring. You could smell it in the air. It smelled wet & wormy - the wind was gusting just right for kite flying. The birds were hollering. And there was this strange, orange, glowing thing in the sky. Haven't seen that for months it seems. Our winter was mild as far as snowfall and cold, but my god it was gray and dreary. Usually the brilliant glare of the sun on the snow has me needing to wear shades more than in summertime. Came home from work to find all "the boys" out front. Zath'ras was doing his thing - rolling in the dust on the driveway. Biggie was trotting down the porch to greet me, and Pumpkin was ensconced on the table beneath the front window. His human Daddy had placed a nice fluffy towel on the tabletop so a cat could get cozy and comfy. The CEO had also opened one of the front windows (sans bug screen) so that the gang could run in and out - and in & out and in & out.... all day long. There are only a couple of months in early spring & late fall when the bug population is low enough to allow the boys the luxury of free rein for their comings and goings. Also the only couple months when the humans are not slaves to the cats who can never seem to get it together enough to all go out or come in at once. A normal day - 7am - Biggie out. Pumpkin looks but doesn't move. Zath'ras sleeps. 7:10am - Pumpkin out. Zath'ras looks but doesn't move. 7:25am - Zath'ras out, Pumpkin in. 7:45am - Biggie in, Pumpkin out. 7:55am - Zath'ras in, Biggie out. 8:10am - Pumpkin out. 8:11am - Biggie in. 8:12am - Biggie out. 8:15am - Zath'ras in. 8:19am - Biggie in. And so it continues all day. CEO Dad is new to this game having only retired a few months ago. He still finds it charming and amusing. But it has been winter. The boys have been much less demanding. CFO Mahm will be waiting to see how the CEO feels about it after a few more months.

Ban The Auto-Flush Toilet!

2006-03-07T21:02:00.000-05:00

Nick Schulz over at Slate has a wonderfully funny article about The Crappiest Invention of All Time - Why the auto-flushing toilet must die. I am squarely in his corner on this one. Hate those damn things. The first one I encountered scared the sh*t out of me (well it would have had I not already ... well, you know.). Here's a sample... "To understand why hands-free toilet technology stinks, you must first understand three things that any well-designed loo should permit you to do. 1) Clean the pool. You must be able to flush the toilet easily before sitting down, in case any detritus remains from a previous, inconsiderate visitor. 2) Clean the pool, again. You must be able to flush more than once after you are done. Some of us are more prolific than others, and courteous patrons will want to ensure that Point 1 is unnecessary for whomever follows. 3) Issue a courtesy flush. If you plan to settle down with the sports page, you should flush immediately after dropping the kids at the pool. There's no need to let the kids linger any longer than absolutely necessary. This is for the benefit of other visitors. Remarkably, the automatic-flush toilet makes all three of these tasks more difficult." Nick also has a few issues with those hands free faucets. Gosh I despise those too. I almost ripped the first one I saw right out of the sink, yanking and pushing and pulling, trying to figure out how to turn the damn thing on. Read the whole article - it is quite funny.

9 1/2 Hours

2006-03-06T16:21:00.000-05:00

When I got to work this morning, I only had 3 cigarettes left. I figured I would go get some at the corner gas station on my first break. But then Laura came in and out of the blue said "Well I quit smoking today." Laura's been saying for a couple weeks that she and her friend were gonna quit the first Monday morning in March. Well that did it. I've been wanting to quit, I've been smoking way too much lately - especially when I spend any time at the computer. I'm hackin' and gaggin'. I'm sick of it. The expense, the mess, the having your life revolving around making sure you've got enough when you get home to last til you go back out. If Laura can do it, I should be able to do it. Misery loves company, and we work basically the same hours, so we can give each other moral support, "Atta girl"s and pats on the back. It'll be hard to shake the habit, but I think I can do it with some friendly competition and encouragement. Just got to not have a beer or a glass of wine or anything like that these first couple weeks, 'cause then I may give in to the temptation of "just one". "Just one" will lead to "just one pack", to just one more week (till I quit), etc. I told Laura I will still have those three cigarettes left in the pack when I see her at work tomorrow morning. But if I don't get up and away from this computer desk RIGHT NOW I'm gonna blow it. Gotta go.

Sunday Night Catblogging

2006-03-05T22:01:00.000-05:00

The 102nd Carnival Of The Cats is up and running at the website Catcall. All the usual suspects are there, plus a few new faces for your enjoyment. If you have a feline friend who would like to be part of next week's Carnival (to be hosted by Justin's Random Thoughts) you've got till next Sunday to make your submissions here. I hope to have a good video of the boys by then. I have a few clips, but want to get some footage of their daily hamstravaganza with good lighting and clear shots of their faces. And lots of meowing too as they sing for their supper (Sure, it is really just their 10am snack, but to a gang of 20 pound cats, anytime is suppertime). Meanwhile, here is a rare photo of the boys all lounging together.

David & Goliath

2006-03-05T11:40:00.000-05:00

I thought this video was laugh out loud funny. The little guy sure has some cojones. And the big guy certainly puts up with his foolishness pretty well. Wish the quality was better. I have to recommend youtube.com for anyone who would like to share their videos. The sign up is free, they don't require a bunch of personal info, it's very easy to use, and I really like how you can email a link to your friends or just embed the video on your website. Quite cool.

Pumpkin Tale

2006-03-05T10:42:00.000-05:00

When you have a tail, you always have a game to play....

How I'm Spending My Millions

2006-02-28T17:50:00.000-05:00

So it's still abour 5 hours till we know the numbers for the Michigan Megamillions drawing. At my place of work, 12 of the 17 employees of the store went in on tickets. We figure after taxes we would each get a bit over $10 million. I am enjoying the fantasy while I can. The biggest fantasy is going in to work tomorrow morning in my jammies, bathrobe & slippers and waiting for the bosses in the office to come try to give me some shit about it. (Probably they would be more concerned about me showing up drunk, for if we hit, I guarantee I will be drinking champagne all night long.) I also enjoy the fantasy of 2/3 of the workforce just sayin' "Nah, don't want to be here." and walking out of the place. (We are physically attached to the headquarters and the folks in the office and warehouse would be up a creek scrambling to try and carry on operations they have no real knowledge of how to do.) But enough about that. Here is my list of things I'm using my $10 million dollars for-

Electrolyisis so I never have to shave my legs again.
A minivan with those remote control doors on both sides - and a remote starter too.
Liposuction on my fat ass - as many times as needed :-D
A 6 burner stove w/ a griddle in the middle and it has to go three ways - gas, wood & coal.
An Absopure water cooler.
Wine in bottles, not boxes. - Little bottles, not Carlo Rossi by the gallon.
Cowboy boots in every style and color I want.
New socks.
My nails done every 2 weeks instead of every three to four.
I'm gonna sign up for a bunch of legit music services and quit illegal downloading.
A new notebook computer and a new desktop so the family doesn't have to fight for time on the one anymore.
A new robe.
More flamingos for the yard. More gazing balls too.
More tuna for the cats - solid white, not just chunk light.
A place in Tennessee.
A car & driver on call 24/7. (OK, actually needed to work from 3pm to 3am)
New golf clubs and a whole bunch of golf balls. (No more pulling out a crappy ball when I'm on a water hole.)
A visit to my sister in California.
Some new lipstick & nailpolish.
I want to go see -

The Grand Canyon Mount Rushmore Mammoth Cave (again) Washington D.C. (again - especially the Smithsonian) How would you spend yours?

I'm Not Fat, I'm Just Big-Boned

2006-02-26T22:09:00.000-05:00

A 33-pound cat in Qingdao, China has a 31 inch waist and is so heavy it needs the help of its owner to get onto a bed. The 9-year-old cat eats six pounds of chicken and pork each day according to its owner. Click here to see more photos.

When Cats Attack

2006-02-26T21:52:00.000-05:00

Well this video turned out to be a whole lot funnier than I thought it would be. You go Pinky! To heck with that silly human and his da** leash.

Muslim Rave Party Sensation

2006-02-18T12:41:00.000-05:00

If the followers of the ROP *spit* were allowed to have music....and fun....here is what a wild time they would have cutting loose at a Rave Party. Hat tip to a number of folks over at LGF. Fatwah on me in about 5, 4, 3...

It's In The Koran!

2006-01-28T12:30:00.000-05:00

It's funny, it's scary, it's true..... It's In The Koran! UPDATE: This song has been banned from so many websites in the past two weeks that it has become very difficult to find a working link. However, Charles at LGF has posted it on his site and since Charles does not have to answer to frightened, dhimmi, webhosting sites it will remain in the archives. Click here for a listen.

Weekend Cat Blogging!

2006-01-22T12:47:00.000-05:00

This week's Carnival of the Cats is being hosted by Meryl Yourish. Get your submissions in by 6pm Central Time today. Use Ferdy (of Conservative Cat)'s handy submission form. The Friday Ark sailed without my boys this week but there are a lot of other fabulous felines to enjoy at The Modulator's website. If anyone out there knows where or how I can upload some video of my boys and have a short enough link to it for use on blogger.com, please drop me an email or leave a comment. I've done quite a bit of searching, but have not come up with anything that works as yet. (Also, I am no techie, so it has to be fairly easy.) Oh yeah! If you didn't check out last week's Carnival Of The Cats, it's certainly not too late. Host for Carnival #95 was Niobium. Biggie & Pumpkin agree it was a great Carnival. Zath'ras is resting up just waiting to see this week's.

Heating Costs Too High?

2006-01-22T12:07:00.000-05:00

The Boys have been concerned that with the price of natural gas on the rise there may be cutbacks in the CFO's budget to cover the expense. Worried that their ham rations might be slashed, they have volunteered to do their part by keeping the humans warm so we can lower the thermostat more at night and save on the heating bill. If they were just a bit bigger we could save on air conditioning costs in the summer too by letting them provide shade.

Kids Sure Can Surprise You

2006-01-07T09:14:00.000-05:00

What a great kid. Child #1 did something sweet, special and thoughtful for his mom yesterday. After work he called to see if I would be home Friday evening. I told him that I would and he said great he would see me later. After a while he calls again hoping to talk to CEO Dad. Seems Child #1 is somewhere south of Toledo and there is a bunch of highway construction he hopes his father can route him around. (The CEO used to work in that area.) I asked him what in heck was he doing down there? He tells me he is on a mission to fetch a belated Christmas gift and I'll see when he gets home. Curiosity piqued. What in the world is he up to? I'm not THAT big a fan of Tony Packo's, he's surely not driving all the way to Cleveland to get us a Slyman's corned beef sandwich, it's the weekend and they close up about three in the afternoon. Cedar Point isn't open. Well, he arrives home about 8:30, having made a roadtrip to get his mom a case of..... Left Handed Milk Stout! The best beer I have ever had – well it is a stout actually. While on a trip to Tennessee with a friend of mine back in '04, we went to see a band (The Carburetors, check out their website. Rockabilly at it's finest!) at Barley's Tap Room in Knoxville. The place had a huge selection of microbrews, many that are unavailable in Michigan. I really love a nice dark beer and tried several of the ones available, but once I tasted the Left Hand Milk Stout, I knew this was the beer of my dreams. Full, rich, thick, the milk sugar gives it just a hint of sweetness and the chocolate hops add a delicious subtle undertone to the brew. Unfortunately when I came home and looked up the website of Left Hand Brewing Company I found that they do not have a presence in Michigan and the nearest distributor was about 150 miles away. Child #1 got hold of the distributor last week and arranged to have a case set aside for him at the nearest point to us that they deliver to. It was waiting for Child #1 with his name on it. The boy drove 130 miles after working all day to put a big smile on his mom's face. We each had one last night - well actually the CFO had 2 - and while I don't think he liked it as well as I do, he thought it was pretty fair. (We do have different tastes in beer, and now he definitely knows the type I like best.) The effort and thoughtfulness that went into his surprise will make every one of those beers all that much sweeter.

Get On Board!

2006-01-06T21:59:00.000-05:00

The Friday Ark is sailing. Go to The Modulator if you want to join the cruise. Bring your favorite furry, feathered, scaled or ....whatever ...friends. There is separate seating for all, so no fights will break out and no one will get eaten by accident. And be sure to get your submissions in to the Carnival Of The Cats for this week. Host will be Pages Turned.

The Holidays Are Definitely Over

2006-01-04T21:13:00.000-05:00

The holidays are over officially. I took the tree down on New Years Day and feel damn virtuous about it. Got up at 9am (with no hangover) and set to the task. In fact, cleaned the entire dining room, which was where the tree was housed, including sucking up about 5# of dust bunnies, cobwebs and cat hair. Sorted all the drawers and cupboards and dealt with the pile of papers (I had TOTALLY forgotten there was a table underneath that stuff.) Here's a picture of how Pumpkin reacted when he came in and found everything clean and reaaranged. Pumpkin disproves the saying that if you don't have eyebrows it is impossible to look surprised. At least I hadn't messed with his favorite sleeping spot. Biggie was a little scared of the changes and took refuge in the basket. Guess we'll have to wash those socks again. Zath'ras was p.o.'ed that his favorite snack food (Aluminum Christmas tree) had been removed, so he chose to sulk. I should get the rest of the year off. Surfing the web today, checkin out my favorite blogs, and found a link to this new product - a toilet bowl cleaner shaped like a windsurfer. Too bad the little dude hangs on the rim instead of floating around the bowl. If the guy floated around he could have been pretty handy when I was potty training my boys. They would have been enthralled with trying to capsize him. Come to think of it, I'd enjoy doing that too. First time in my life I've even come close to having "penis envy". (Hat tip to Joe at A View Through The Windshield. Hope you'll be feeling better soon. ) The 93rd Carnival Of The Cats is up at Elms In The Yard hosted by Missy & Her Ladyship. Lots of lovely and handsome cats to admire. Seems like most of them have been enjoying the holiday season immensely. If you would like to participate in Carnival of the Cats #94, use the handy Carnival submission form from Ferdy of The Conservative Cat or you can submit to SFP at Pages Turned.

Over at The Right Place there is a truly funny article about the care and feeding of moonbats - in case any of you were unfortunate enough to receive one for Christmas - "Many moonbats are herbivores, reacting angrily at the sight of meat, fish or dairy products. They can exist happily on granola, fresh fruits and vegetables, twigs, tofu, diet soda, Evian and yogurt. For other moonbats, you may need to provide an extensive array of snack foods such as Hostess snack cakes or anything ending in -itos! They also frequently enjoy Triple Mocha Latte Cappuccinos from Starbucks, but these can be rather expensive. Often, moonbats also liberally use tobacco products and may smoke funny little herbs that resemble oregano. It is recommended, however, that you discourage this last behavior, as it leads to binge snacking and nonsensical babbling --- that is to say, more than usual. Many also crave copious amounts of alcohol, but this is also considered dangerous and should not be permitted."

Read the whole thing here.

Mark Steyn has another of his excellent articles at Opinion Journal today. A long piece about the demographics of Western civilization vis-à-vis Islam. He takes on the left's insane value of tolerance and multiculturalism above national interests and its love of liberal social programs to explain why Europe as we know it may soon cease to exist. "The design flaw of the secular social-democratic state is that it requires a religious-society birthrate to sustain it.... There are many trouble spots around the world, but as a general rule, it's easy to make an educated guess at one of the participants: Muslims vs. Jews in "Palestine," Muslims vs. Hindus in Kashmir, Muslims vs. Christians in Africa, Muslims vs. Buddhists in Thailand, Muslims vs. Russians in the Caucasus, Muslims vs. backpacking tourists in Bali. Like the environmentalists, these guys think globally but act locally..... What will London--or Paris, or Amsterdam--be like in the mid-[2000]'30s? If European politicians make no serious attempt this decade to wean the populace off their unsustainable 35-hour weeks, retirement at 60, etc., then to keep the present level of pensions and health benefits the EU will need to import so many workers from North Africa and the Middle East that it will be well on its way to majority Muslim by 2035. As things stand, Muslims are already the primary source of population growth in English cities. Can a society become increasingly Islamic in its demographic character without becoming increasingly Islamic in its political character?" Read it all here- maybe a little bit at a time if you need time to digest this kind of deep thinking like I do.

Over at This Blog Is Full Of Crap, Laurence Simon has an interesting tale of a naked man and a police officer in his piece Welcome To Houston.

Sissy Willis at Sisu summed it up right about the horrible turn of events at the WV coal mine disaster. Read it here.

(Comments by cfomahm) Whoever overheard/misheard and called those families without concrete proof their loved ones had survived, well, I can understand the impulse to want to make them happy, ease their pain and perhaps hoping for yourself to be the *first* one with the good news but geez, you d@#n well better be sure. I hope the person who did this feels tortured in their soul for a long time and learns a well-needed lesson. But shame on the press for going with it. The MSM is supposed to have "standards. They look down on the blogosphere. They are obviously nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. Still the blame goes to the morons who made those phone calls. We the public were deceived, but that is NOTHING compared to pain inflicted on those families.

And then there is Psycho Kitty. Psycho Kitty has a lot to say about the Holidays and how he views this past year. Fun reading from a cat's point of view here.

Visit The Carnival Of Christmas

2005-12-26T21:06:00.000-05:00

Busy Holiday. Now that we have slowed up a bit, you will want to go check out the Carnival Of Christmas being hosted at Adams Blog. Excellent Christmas stories that will make you laugh, cry, contemplate and just plain enjoy. Don't neglect to read about some of the excellent charitable organizations he highlights here. And especially don't forget to make a donation. We are all so blessed to just have been born here and not in some God-forsaken hell hole.

Losing My Cats For Christmas

2005-12-26T19:55:00.000-05:00

Day after Christmas. Back to work. Child #1 had today off as his Christmas holiday - I will get to take my holiday on Thursday. Which is fine. I had Friday off for my Christmas Eve and so had a 3 day weekend. Next week as well I get an extra day off since New Year's falls on a Sunday. Gonna get spoiled working only 4 days for three weeks in a row. CEO Dad has every day off since his sudden disability retirement this year. He just grins at Child #1 and me as we trudge out in the cold and dark. Not that we mind - he put in 37 years at his job. Out in the weather, working as much as 84 hours in a week at times. There were a lot of Christmases that he did not arrive home until noon or later. The man has earned an early retirement. Plus he's turning into a great little wife! The dishes are done. My work uniforms are always washed, dried and folded. He goes to the grocery store. He's even doing some cooking. (Asked me if there's anything I would like him to fix, but when I said "pasta" he said no way 'cause he is sure I will not like how it turns out. I say he's got to try making it a few times before he'll get the hang of it, but he wants a RECIPE! for crying out loud. How can you give anyone a recipe for meat sauce or meatballs or lasagna? You just have to grab a bunch of recipes and lay them out on the table and take a smattering from each as you think it appeals to your tastes. After a while you just know how to make it.) But I digress. The thing that is beginning to worry me is that the cat hair gets vacuumed. The litter boxes get emptied. He has taken to feeding the cats their evening meal of "Stinky Goodness". (Hat tip to PsychoKitty at PsychoKitty Speaks Out for that exquisite turn of a phrase.) I am beginning to believe that he is trying to STEAL MY CATS. He admonishes them when their game of "Bite My Brother" gets out of hand. He lets them sit on the kitchen table and feeds them HAM at 10am promptly every morning.

He keeps their favorite blankets washed, dried and in their preferred spots. CEO is also trying to usurp MY job as "Keeper of the Door". And this picture is the ultimate proof.... my Zath'ras, my Squeaky Boy, my Little Bad Cat, caught on film in the arms of another.

Luckily the cats are afraid of the C-Pap machine and still want to sleep in their Mommy's bed. Usurper.

Carnival Of Christmas

2005-12-21T21:10:00.000-05:00

Adam's Blog is running a Carnival of Christmas and is looking for submissions. They must be in by Friday, so hurry and post your best Christmas stories, poems, videos, etc. You can read the guidelines for the Carnival here. Everyone has something to share I'm sure, so don't be shy!

Revealed

2005-12-19T22:29:00.000-05:00

A rare photo of The Keeper of the Can Opener as she went to a Christmas dance last weekend. There are few times a skirt like this can be worn without looking silly and with the fur trimming it must kept far away from the boys. (They would tear it to shreds in about 5 minutes is my guess.) But it is fun to drag out once a year. I love how it moves when my partner spins me, but I'm just not a skirt kind of girl. It's so much easier to wear jeans - they have pockets, no purse required.

Carnival Of The Cats # 91!

2005-12-18T23:15:00.000-05:00

This week's Carnival Of The Cats is up and running at Music and Cats. Be sure to visit this terrific roundup of Friday catblogging. Next week the Carnival will be hosted by Watermark. You can make your submissions for the next Carnival here. And the Friday Ark #65 has set sail at The Modulator. Sure, I'm partial to the kitties, but The Modulator has something for everyone. Check it out. If you just don't have time to visit all these sites right now, here's a picture of a couple pretty kitties to tide you over. Zath'ras snuggles up to Pumpkin in a show of brotherly love.

Another Use For Kitty Litter

2005-12-18T13:32:00.000-05:00

It is snowy here in Michigan. The cats are loathe to go outside and that means a lot more litter box cleaning. Which reminds me of a favorite work story. The trucks our drivers use are small domestic pickups that handle poorly in the best of conditions. We try to put a little extra weight in the back during the winter season. Two years ago, when I was still driving, we threw a couple 40# bags of Ice Melt in back of each. Unfortunately my bags got stolen while I was making a delivery. (I swear some people will take anything that isn't tied down.) I was furious that anyone would be such a lowlife and wanted to figure out something I could put in the bed that no one would be able to take - or would regret if they did. It came to me a couple days later. At the time we had 5 cats. Lots of poop. I was cleaning the litter boxes thinking how "This stuff sure weighs a lot more used than it does new." The light bulb came on and I put all the garbage bags full of used kitty litter inside the empty kitty litter bags and taped them back up. It took a couple weeks till I had enough, but in the winter of 2003, I drove around with 100# of nastiness in my truck bed. One of those bags got stolen as well and I still smile imagining the surprise that thief got when he opened his ill gotten gains. Got plenty for our drivers this season. Good Kitties. Mommy's little poop machines.

Friday Night Strange

2005-12-16T23:47:00.000-05:00

This is the purr-fect gift for Christmas. Especially if you have a cat with a tender tummy like my Zath'ras. Hat tip to Texas Oasis. This video is a hoot - thank goodness the woman didn't get hurt or it wouldn't be a chuckle. Hat tip to Allen.

Friday! Time to Catblog!

2005-12-16T21:07:00.000-05:00

It has been a busy week. There have been a couple people on vacation this week at work, so I have worked a little overtime. The extra $$$ will be nice but it was hard to find a chance to blog without giving up some other activity. In my case that would be dance classes. I would rather skip the blogging than miss a class. Right now I'm doing classes three nights a week. On Saturdays (sometimes Fridays as well) my partner and I go out and get to practice what we've been learning. I have learned that I do not know how to count to eight. But today is Friday and I have to make time to catblog. The boys have been pretty well behaved this week. They must be trying to make a good last minute impression on Santa Claws. Or perhaps it's just the snow and cold that has made them lazy and docile and I am mistaking that for good behavior. Except for Zath'ras of course - he is always up to some mischief. I wondered how they would like the big tree - it was absent last year and I wasn't sure if they would have any memories of it. Mr. Bigglesworth could not wait for the tree to go up. He had to get under it as soon as the first three layers of branches were attached. Zath'ras waited patiently till the decorations were on and then proceeded to be a bad, bad kitty. As if he doesn't hack up enough hairballs without adding aluminum Christmas tree bits to the mix. Pumpkin had no interest in a fake tree that can't be climbed or used for claw sharpening and has no tasty birds perched in it. For all you cat lovers, be sure to visit the Friday Ark, and also get your submissions in for this week's Carnival Of The Cats. Carnival #91 will be hosted by Music and Cats. The boys and I wll see you there. Carnival # 90 is running right now at Quite Early One Morning. The triplets are just three of the many fine felines participating. Enjoy!

Ever Gleam Forever

2005-12-11T10:05:00.000-05:00

Today is the day for putting up the trees. Yes, that's right - trees. Try to stifle your jealousy that I am the owner of not just one, but two, aluminum Christmas trees. There is a 4 foot vintage Ever Gleam made by Aluminum Specialties Company back in the 60's. The other is a 7 foot beauty purchased new in 2002 from National Tree Company over the internet, for about $170. It is the tree of my dreams, gorgeous, full, fluffy (and easy to assemble). It gleams like a multi-colored diamond with the color wheel (a gift from my dearest friend) trained on it. It is so nice to not have to deal with putting the lights on. The shifting colors are soothing and transform the appearance of the tree as they change. Child #1 is into kitsch and likes it fine, Child #2 thought it is corny and tacky (Corny perhaps, but the new tree is definitely NOT tacky). The fur balls enjoy sitting under it, but prefer a real tree that they can climb. However, their combined weight of 70 pounds is enough to topple a tree and I am glad it's not necessary to anchor the tree to the wall with wire coat hangers and nails anymore. The Ever Gleam tree is one of the trees of my childhood. Seems kind of sparse now, but back in the day my Nonnie had one and I thought it was the coolest thing. This one was for sale at an estate auction in the summer of 2004. When I saw the tree in its beat up box I was filled with desire. I would bid as high as necessary to make it mine. I was envisioning having to pay about $50. Silly me. There was little interest in the thing. Bidding opened at $1 and the only other bidder seemed half-hearted. At $5 the other bidder dropped out. Oh the joy! There were even some old ornaments in their original boxes inside. Perfect. Here's how it looks in all its magnificence.

Last year only the small tree went up. It was the first Christmas without Child #2 and I had no heart for the holiday. The small tree was doable because it had never seen a Christmas with my child. I debated this year if I wanted to put up one tree, both trees or no tree at all and changed my mind several times. But this afternoon I will do it. Hope to not get too weepy over the special ornaments. The fancy, unusual ones we bought yearly in sets of 4 or 6 and were divided among the (human) boys and me. They were meant to connect us forever and over the miles at Christmas once the boys grew up and had their own homes and trees. Child #2 will never take ownership of his box of ornaments. I guess Mom will have try to look at them and smile about the memories, not just grieve over the loss. I will post an updated picture of the big tree once it is decorated.

You can read and see more about aluminum trees at these sites -

The Aluminum Tree & Aesthetically Challenged Seasonal Ornament Museum and Research Center (ATOM) will display 50 to 60 vintage aluminum trees in Asheville, North Carolina this Christmas season.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has an exhibit this year named "Ever Gleaming: Wisconsin and the Aluminum Christmas Tree" It tells the story of the origin and development of the aluminum tree at Aluminum Specialty Company of Manitowoc, Wisconsin and will feature the trees and their accessories such as rotating tree stands and colored light wheels.

The Manitowac Herald Times Reporter has this article about the trees.

UPDATE: Big tree is assembled & decorated, complete with cats underneath. Can't find the gosh darn color wheel. Grumble, grumble. Where the heck did I put it? May have to buy a new one (the surest way to make the old one turn up). Oh well, I do have TWO aluminum trees. Guess I should have two color wheels.

Carnival Of The Cats # 90!

2005-12-10T10:45:00.000-05:00

I have to admit that the reason this blog exists is so that the boys could participate in the Carnival Of The Cats and the Friday Ark. You have to have a permanent link to their photos in order to participate. Can't just send a jpg. Well I know that my little darlings are the finest cats in the entire world and I had to get a blog going in order to share their splendor with the entire blogosphere. I am expecting many proposals from the females of the species when they see these handsome brothers. For those unfamiliar with the Carnival Of The Cats, you can check out last week's Carnival (hosted by the Meowers Of Death at When Cats Attack) here. And be sure to check the Friday Ark #63 at The Modulator for more catblogging and other animal photos. If you have a cat photo you would like to share, the 90th Carnival Of The Cats will be taking submissions until 7pm ET on Sunday. If you have a permanent link to a picture of your cat, you can get the info needed to submit your photo at http://carnivalofthecats.com/ This week's Carnival will be hosted by Quite Early One Morning.

They Gotta Learn How To Relax

2005-12-09T07:55:00.000-05:00

No, this is not Jonestown - they did not drink the Koolaid. But Zath'ras, Pumpkin & Biggie did eat the ham. Lots and lots of ham. Now it is time for their early mid-morning nap. (Not to be confused with the late mid-morning or mid-late afternoon nap.)

Mental Illness & The LLL

2005-12-09T07:10:00.000-05:00

In the name of freedom, the left said people who are unable to cope have the right to refuse medication and help. These poor unfortunate souls now get attorneys to help them enforce their rights - including the right to be able to live on the street in misery. I have family that are Democrats. Not crazy LLLs, just folks who grew up Democrat and refuse to see how the party has changed and been taken over by the moonbats. One family member works for the state in the mental health field. They are always raving about how all the layoffs in their department are the fault of the Republicans. I tell them that it was the Dems who insisted you can't lock up or force the people into treatment. What's the government supposed to do - keep the asylums open when there is no one to populate them? I know asylums had a bad name and there were abuses, but the libs went too far. It is almost impossible to get someone committed now. If you manage that, they get released as soon as their meds kick in and they can function. Then out they go to a world where they are not supervised in the taking of said meds and well, the obvious happens. And the Dems complain about the problem of the homeless and mentally ill THAT THEY CAUSED!! There was a great place near my home. Eloise, the county mental health hospital. Huge acreage out in what was a fairly rural area when it was built. The patients had their own farm and gardens, stores and library and church. It resembled a college campus with many dorms, large and small. The patients were able to live in peace and safety away from the predators and their own demons. Sure it would be ideal if they could have lived in the world. But they couldn't and it is a shame that they have all been thrown to the wolves now. Eloise is long gone, we have the mentally ill living sad, dangerous, desperate lives out in the world, but the Dems in my family just don't get it.

Thoughts On The Miami Airport Shooting

2005-12-09T06:45:00.000-05:00

First off I want to make it clear that I am sorry that a person died in this incident. IF the facts are as has been stated, it is a darn shame. However,

Good for the Air Marshals. They had no choice.
No, they could not have shot to wound, not kill. If he did have a bomb they had to be certain that he would not be able to finish his mission.
The Air Marahals would have been remiss to listen to the wife. Had there been a bomb and they had hesitated because of her protestations the man may have succeeded in killing many.
I want to see proof he was mentally ill and supposed to be on medication. Medical records please. We only have his wife's word that he was mentally ill. Trust, but verify.
This could have been a dry run, a probe of our security. The terrorists have done that before.
It's not our fault he chose to go off his meds. He made that decision.
If he was mentally ill and off his meds what in heck is wrong with his wife that she didn't make sure to slip them in his o.j. for a couple days before the flight.
If a person claims to have a bomb, that's good enough proof for me.
If you do not comply when law enforcement tells you to get on the ground and not move but instead reach for something, they are justified to shoot you.
If anyone should be blamed for this, it is the Islamofacists who changed our world on 9/11.

All I Want For Christmas

2005-12-07T07:14:00.000-05:00

Now I know what I want for Christmas! I read in this month's issue of "Family Handyman" that there is now a table saw which has a blade that senses the touch of skin and will stop and retract the blade (within 5 milliseconds) upon accidental contact. Watch what happens when they (try) to run a hotdog through it. Barely a nick. You probably wouldn't even need a bandaid. Absolutely unbelievable the speed with which the blade disappears. So amazing that I had to watch it more than once. The blade and brake assembly have to be replaced after being set off ($70), but way cheaper than the cost of a trip to the ER. I've always wanted a table saw, but was afraid, having been present when my Dad mangled himself (not seriously) with his. Maybe I can get one now. Check out the video here. There is also a slow motion video you can click on at the site. I envision this becoming standard equipment in shop classes very soon. The cabinet model is quite expensive, but the SawStop company is supposed to be coming out with a reasonably priced contractor's model in '06.

Won't Get Fooled Again

2005-12-05T20:23:00.000-05:00

Meet the new boss, The same as the old boss. After 7 weeks of not having a manager at my place of business, we finally have one. Big deal. I hope he will do well and help the situation we have been dealing with, but fact is, this is manager #9 for me in just over 2 years. I don't even bother to learn their names until they have been there two weeks. And to paraphrase Bill Cosby - "I've seen the boss's job and I don't want it."

Day One

2005-12-04T17:00:00.001-05:00

First? ;-D Someday, if I am really blessed, people will be posting here and asking that, hoping that they got the distinction. This blog is being dedicated to my cats, but it will certainly be about more than just "the boys". The Gang Of Three is a good place to start though - who couldn't love a group like this? Pumpkin is front and center, Mr. Bigglesworth (aka Biggie) is back left, Zath'ras is back right.