Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tag Game - You're It!

WOW!  It's been exciting around here again!  I've not only been tagged once for this fun game, but 3 times.   Imagine 3 times - all within a day apart.  The three friends who tagged me are:

http://maxthequiltcat.com/    -  den along came
http://cokiethecat.blogspot.com/     - den
http://yodaheltman.blogspot.com/

I encourage you to check out their blogs too as each one is different and special reflecting the true personality of each friend.. 

Now the game works like this:

1.  Open your first photo folder
2.  Scroll down to the 10th photo
3.  Post the 10th photo and tell the story about it
4.  Pass the game along to 5 other bloggers

Here's my 10th photo in my 1st file folder:

This was a #pawpawty prize I had won from my pal @Frugaldougal.  The yellow thingy is a lazer pointer and the other is a key chain (which M promptly claimed cuz she collects dem).  Now I love the lazer pointer, and it's special because it's from Frugaldougal and the UK.  So different from any lazer pointer we have in the US.

Now I'm supposed to pass this on to 5 other blogger friends.  Well, I have so many friends, most of whom have already been tagged, that I'm going to leave this open to any reader wishing to play the game with us.

Don't be shy now.  It's fun to play and would be interesting to see what your 10th photo would be.

Stay tuned for my next post - Happy Dance News.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Bad News/Good News Update on Gwim, Abby and @Catsalady

Well my friends, we'll have to postpone doing the "Happy Dance" with @Catsalady (Gwim & Abby's mom) for a little while longer.  @Catsalady has decided not to take the Assisted Living Center dat she visitied about two weeks ago.  She said to M dat it was not "toally wheel-chair accessible (no lowered counters, etc.)"   But, her caseworker has found two other locations that will have openings soon.  In fact, she is going to visit one of dem on Monday, March 29th.  Both of these places will let her bring her kitties with her.  (They'd better or I'll round up my friends and we'll all hiss at the assisted living places).

In addition to her many other health problems, @Catsalady has been diagnosed with Meniere's Syndrome.  M xplained to me dat you feel very dizzy all the time and the room spins around you.   I guess it's called "vertigo" (whatever dat word means).  So, she has spent much of her time in bed and has not been able to put her things in boxes for the move.

Now the good news is - Abby and Gwim will get all three of their shots (Rabies, Dystemper, & Feline Leukemia) tomorrow, Saturday, March 27th.    Dat nice lady vet is going to @Catsalady's house.  he he - @Catsalady told M it should be interesting because it might take 2 oomans to hold dem down to get the shots.  She is going to put the kitties in their carriers though  before the lady vet comes so dey can't run and hide!  I'm happy Abby and Gwim will have all the shots dat could possibly be required by any of the assisted living places and they will meet the state code requirements for kitty shots.

More good news - The caseworker has approved additional home help time so @Catsalady will have more help in the packing up of her things.  They still have to work out the details of how they will move, so if anyone knows of someone in the Phoenix area willing to lend a hand, just contact @Catsalady on Twitter or let me know.  Otherwise, they will have to hire a moving van.

So friends, please stay tuned for another update.  In the meantime keep dem in your thoughts and prayers dat they find a suitable assisted living place.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Beautiful Blog Award

Hi Friends,
It’s been another pawsome week full of surprises. Two days ago my Twitter & Blogger Friend, @Glogirly (on Twitter) or http://glogirly.blogspot.com/ blog site) presented me with the Beautiful Blogger Award. Please check out @Glogirly’s blog, which is co-written by her kitty, Katie. Just click on the Beautiful Blog Award picture on the right-hand side of dis page and the linky will take you to their blog. Their blog truly is beautiful! I feel so honored and humble dat dey would think mine is beautiful 

1. I don’t usually like to play with toys by myself (I have a whole basket full ). I used to like to play with small balls, but now I only want to play with string things. My oomans have to drag the string on the floor for me to chase. He he – I like to see dem work! Here’s a picture of me playing with a string.
 
2. Many of you already know my meower is broken. But after I had all my toothies pulled, my meower is a little louder. I don’t use my meower much at home cuz life is pretty good here.

3. I get mad at M sometimes if she doesn’t play with me long enough – den I bite her if she tries to pet me. She just laughs at me cuz I have no toothes to bite with.

4. When the doorbell rings, I beat my oomans to the door cuz I’m a very friendly guy and want to greet the visitors.

5. A little Chipmunk teases me on the other side of the patio screen door. It sits right there looking in at me through the window as if to say “hehe – you can’t get me.” One of these days tho I am really going to catch him.

6. Oh, I started out on Twitter as a girl (@Ladycat3) Dat’s a long story and I’ll save it for a blog post in a few weeks.

7. M says I is the first kitty they have had dat doesn’t try to play with her jewelry if she leaves it sitting on the dresser. She also says I must not have had much of a kittenhood!

And now ….here’s just 7 of my MANY beautiful blogging friends. Congratulations! I can’t wait to read YOUR 7 things.

1. A Cats View of Life http://winstoncattails.blogspot.com/

2. Cat with a Garden http://catwithagarden.blogspot.com/

3. JazzyDaCat’s Bloggy http://jazzydacat.blogspot.com/

4. JinJin Doggy and Pixel Doggy’s Bloggy http://jinjinpixelsbloggy.blogspot.com/

5. Life Without Borders (as if) http://dogstoyevsky.blogspot.com/

6. Rumblebum http://rumble-bum.blogspot.com/

7. Syds Great Adventure http://sydpie.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your award friends.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Happy Dance

Let's join @Catsalady, Abby and Gwim in doing the  "Happy Dance".   She has approved of the new assisted living facility.  In fact she said it is a "very nice place and even has a balcony and storage."  They will be moving there on March 29th. I know you will want to wish them well in their new home too. When M told me the news, I started chasing my tail cuz I was so very happy for them.  @Catsalady even tweeted she was doing the "Happy Dance."  (Not easy to do in a wheelchair!)

Here's a picture of Abby and Gwim as it appeared in my bloggy awhile back.



Abby on the left and
Gwim on the right.

Now we have even more good news.

When M was searching for a mobile vet to go to @Catsalady's house to give the necessary Rabies and Feline Leukemia vacinations, she was given the name of a lady veterinarian, who was giving up her fulltime practice and going partime on a limited basis due to her own health issues. M told her about @Catsalady's situation.  The lady vet said she would be more than willing to go to @Catsalady's house and handle the needed shots, but she would not be back in Phoenix until March 15th.  M told her she'd keep her name just in case the moving date was delayed.  At the time, we were thinking @Catsalady would be moving about the 16th.

Well, when M found out @Catsalady wouldn't move until the end of the month, she called this nice lady vet back. She said she'd be happy to give the shots and maybe even give a break on the price!! Well, we were so estatic dat I started chasing my tail again.  (Yes, I'm a cat, not a dog, but I get happy too.).

M talked to @ForeverGinger, as she is in charge of the donations that were given by so many kind anipals and their oomans. The donors had already told @ForeverGinger to use the funds toward whatever was needed to provide the kitties with a good home. Because this nice vet is not going to charge as much as was quoted by the only other mobile vet, there should be money left after the lady vet has been paid.

@ForeverGinger suggested that the extra funds could then be applid to the fee that the assisted living facility charges people to have an animal live with the resident. (Stupid rule if you ask me, but what do I know -I'm only a cat and don't know about dat money or rule stuff). M and I both thought dat Ginger had a fabulous idea.   So, we  voted "YES" immediately.

@ForeverGinger is contacting the lady vet to make arrangements to pay her.  M has emailed @Catsalady the lady vet's name and phone number so she can schedule the appointment.   It's like the purrfect ending to a fairy tale - well, maybe not quite dat happy.   I'm sure @Catsalady would rather have her own place, good health, and all her kitties back again.  But this is the next best thing to a purrrfect ending.

Well, friends dat's where the real life story of @Catsalady and kitties ends for today.   Stay tuned for my next post for a hopefully happy ending . Meanwhile, let's all celebrate and do the HAPPY DANCE with @Catsalady, Abby and Gwim.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Sunshine Award

Just before we all left on vacation for 2 weeks, my good friend Mookie (known as @Schnille on twitter) at http://mookiepig.blogspot.com/ send me the Sunshine Award.  Because we were leaving the next day, M and I just didn't have time to work on passing it on.  Then, yesterday, my good friend @JinJinDoggy at http://JinJinPixelsBloggy.blogspot.com/ also presented me with the Sunshine Award.  Oh my gosh - what an exciting few days this has been.
Now it's my turn to pass the award on to 12 other bloggers that put a smile on my face.  That's easy because all of the bloggies I read put a smile on my face!  Here are 12 in alphabetical order. I'd like to list all the bloggies I follow, but that wouldn't be fair to the people I'm passing on to - they need bloggers to pass the award on to also.

A Cat's View Of Life  http://winstoncattails.blogspot.com/
Adventures of a Blind Dog in a Big World   http://blindmaximus.blogspot.com/
Brutusthedane's Blog  http://brutusthedane.blogspot.com/
Cat with a Garden http://catwithagarden.blogspot.com/
Glogirly http://glogirly.blogspot.com/
Hollie Ferguson6 http://hollieferguson6.blogspot.com/
Kruse Kats  http://krusekats.blogspot.com/
Life With Baron  http://baronvons.blogspot.com/
Love Always, Bear  http://lovealwaysbear.blogspot.com/
Rumblebum  http://rumble-bum.blogspot.com/
The Duckie Club  http://theduckieclub.blogspot.com/
World's Most Stunning Cat http://stunningkeisha.blogspot.com/

Now for the rules (not difficult - so don't panic):

By accepting the award, you have to give sunshine to 12 other bloggies that light up your everyday life. Link the nominees in your post about the Sunshine award and let them know they were nominated by commenting on their blog.  It's as easy as that.  So, come on - pass the sunsine.!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Catsalady, PeroDaCat, and Siblings Mini UpDate

GREAT NEWS

Most of you already know that PeroDaCat and MamaKitty have already been placed (together) in their new home.  I was so happy to learn that when we returned from vacation.  Pero's previous caregiver (@Catsalady) told M recently that they are very happy in their new home and even have a screened-in front porch so they can watch the birdies and enjoy the fresh air. (They are so lucky - I'd like one of those too.)  Of course Catsalady misses them terribly, but she is grateful they have found such a nice home and are adjusting nicely.

Now for possibly even more GREAT news! 

@Catsalady told M yesterday that she is investigating a new Assisted Living Facility that will be willing to accept her two remaining cats - Gwim and Abby.  @Catsalady will visit the facility on Tuesday, March 10th and will let us know shortly thereafter what her plans will be.   I know all of you join me in wishing her well.  We hope this new facility will work out for her and that she can keep Gwim and Abby. 

The Assisted Living Facility will require proof from a veterinarian that both Gwin and Abby have updated Feline Leukemia and Rabies shots.  Catsalady has no means to take the kitties to the Vet nor the funds to do so.  @ForeverGinger and M discussed the possibility of using the donations collected in the Transportation Fund for that purpose.  Ginger immediately started contacting donors to get that permission, and they all agreed to use the funds for that purpose.  Everyone just wants to see those kitties go to a good home - what better home than with their own mama.

M immediately got on the phone and found a veterinarian in Phoenix that has a mobile unit and will go out to visit Abby and Gwim at @Catsalady's house.  There would be enough in the fund to cover the shots for both kitties and the cost of the mobile unit visiting the home.

Now we are waiting to see if @Catsalady approves of the new facility before proceeding with plans to have the veterinarian go to their home to give the shots.  We will update you when we have more news.

Keep your paws crossed friends because this would be a big WIN for @Catsalady, Gwim and Abby.

Mario

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Mario's Great Adventure - Part 1

I knew those things called suitcases meant bad news. Yup – my peeps left me for 2 whole weeks and shipped me off to my sisfur’s house to live with her husband (I’ll call him Bro) and their two cats (Missy Hissy Keiko and Big Guy Amos) and their two gerbils (Cena and Pronzo).



Missy hissy on the right and Big Guy on the left watching their gerbils. 



I hate to admit dis, but it really wasn’t so bad being there. In fact, I did have some fun. The gerbils were extra fun to watch. They are such busy little guys.  At one point I even stood on top of the screen protecting their box from us kitties. He he – I got yelled at tho cuz I was scaring the gerbils. The gerbils have no fear of cats, but their natural preditor is a birdie. So, when I planted myself on top of their cage, dey thought I was a birdie out to get dem. I really didn’t mean to scare dem – just wanted a better look. So, Bro yelled at me to get down.


It's okay if I watch them like shown on the righthand side.  I don't scare dem this way.





Cena on the left.  (His name means lunch in Italian, he he)









This is Pronzo on the right (means dinner in Italian).



This is Big Guy and me.  You can see, we kinda want to play, but not quite used to each other yet.  Big Guy and I got along fine – he’s quite nice and we played bat bat a few times. Nothing too hard tho cuz he is a senior citizen (M told me to say dat - whatever it means). I even took a couple of pieces of kibble out of his dish while he was eating. Bro thought I’d get my nose swatted for doing dat, but Big Guy didn’t mind at all.

Big Guy could beat me up if he really wanted too, but he’s a very gentle, loveable guy. In fact, he and I even shared sisfur’s lap one day. Big Guy was there first. Sisfur saw I wanted to get up there too, so she invited me up, but said I had to share cuz Amos was there first. I did settle down for a couple of minutes but couldn’t get comfy because Amos is so big and hogs the whole lap, so I left. Big Guy didn’t care at all. (M says you should not feel too sorry for me cuz I still got plenty of lap time on sisfur’s lap when Big Guy wasn’t there.) (Bro also let me sit on his lap while he was at the puter).

Then there is Missy Hissy, who lives up to her name. 

Sisfur told M dat Missy Hissy kept looking at sisfur with those purdy, pleading eyes that said “Isn’t he ever going to leave?” Fortunately for me, Missy Hissy sleeps on susfur’s bed most of the time and only comes out for meals. But whenever she and I were in the same room, she let out a big hisssss. It was funny tho cuz whenever Bro got the string out to play with me, Missy Hissy would come running to play too. So Bro got quite good at making us take turns with the string. Den when we were thru playing string, Miss Hissy would let out a big hisssss again! Sisfur said I was a good boy and didn’t stalk Miss Hissy once while at their house. He he – I’ll save that trick for when they come to my house – on my turf!

You probably are wondering where I slept.  Well, with sisfur and Bro of course - where else would a friendly guy like me sleep.  Missy Hissy was down by their feet on her blanket, so I had plenty of room.   Big Guy has a touch of arthritis now, so he doesn't like getting up on the bed anymore, even with a stool to help him. 

I really did have a great adventure afterall.  I wouldn't mind going back again some time.  he he - I not sure sisfur agrees with dat cuz she told M & D dat I is a high-maintenance kitty (whatever dat means) because I want constant attention.   DUH - Well, what else should be expected of me since I was in a shelter for 2 months after I was found wandering the streets.   I just love my peeps and being around dem.

Now I promised M some air time cuz so many of you had asked about their vacation.  The next post is hers.  Read on ........

Mario's Great Adventure - Part 2 Mom and Dad's vacation

This is M talking. Many of Mario’s friends on Twitter have asked about our trip and want to see a few pictures. We didn’t take many pictures because we’ve been to all the islands a few different times. I won’t bore you with more than 4 as I’m just sharing a little of Mario’s blog.  I basically wanted to share what had happened at the end of our trip.

We flew to Charleston, South Carolina – a beautiful, historical city for those of you who have never been there. It snowed 2 inches our first night there – here we were trying to escape the cold and snow. The local people were having so much fun with us because it never snows in Charleston – this was the first time since hurricane Hugo. Coming from snow country ourselves, it was quite amuzing to hear everyone make such a big deal out of it. Two of our three guys even built a small snowman for the waitress that served the continental breakfast each morning. 

Here's a picture of Don (on the right) and our friend (on the left) having a great time building that snowman the morning after the 2 inch sowfall.  You'd think we had never seen snow before!

We spent 2 delightful days driving around to the various beach communities. One couple in our group has spent quite a bit of time in Charleston, so they made good tour guides and had rented a van so we could get around town.


The beach on Foley Island, South Carolina.  notice the touches of snow still lingering after 2 bright sunny days.  We were freezing in our sweatshirts and light jackets with the strong north wind blowing.

On Monday we boarded the Mercury ship, owned by Celebrity Cruise Lines (now owned by Royal Caribbean). Our port of calls were the islands of: Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, and Tortolla.

Here is a picture (righthand side poto) of beautiful Megans Bay on St.Thomas  - voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world.  (my most favorite place).  No, that isn't me (Mario's mom)  in the chair.

Now keep in mind that we are old (ancient, in fact) people. We didn’t even get off the ship in Pureto Rico or St. Kitts. We have been to those two islands many times, have seen everything we want to see, bought everything we want to buy, and taken all the tours we want to take. We just enjoy cruising and it’s a very economical way to take a restful vacation and escape the cold, snowy north (most years anyway).

At St. Maarten we went to another beach and relaxed, read, and listened to the waves pounding on the shore.  Heaven for sure.                  




Here's one picture of the drive to the beach in St. Maarten. 





Our last island to visit was Tortolla. I was really looking forward to seeing that island as we had never been there before. We had a half day tour scheduled while our friends were going to a beach. Don woke up that morning with the flu bug – or so we thought. After calling the ship’s hospital, we found out the Norovirus had become active on the ship. Don was confined to his cabin for 3 days. I cancelled the tour we had planned so I could watch over him and make sure no complications set in.  Also, I  figured I’d probably end up getting it myself and wanted to stay close to the bathroom.  I did come down with it – the next day. Each of us was confined to the cabin for 3 days as it is highly contagious. We were lucky that it didn’t hit us both at the same time – would have been difficult with only 1 bathroom.

Fortunately, after the stop at Tortolla, we had 3 sea days to get back to Charleston, so we didn’t miss much except good meals, fresh air, and the company of good friends.

The cruise line did everything they could possibly do to contain the virus.  From the moment we boarded the ship, they were encouraging passengers to wash their hands thoroughly after bathroom breaks and before and after eating. They also had crew stationed at the entrance to all the main gathering places squirting liquid hand sanitizer solution on our hands – even if you had just washed.

After the cruise line realized they had an outbreak on their hands, they announced that all sick people had to report via telephone to the ship hospital and be quaranteened to our individual rooms for 48 hours after the last symptom was experienced. Apparently, you can still spread the virus up to 24 hours after your last symptom. Cabin Stewards were at our beckoned call, room service was available 24 hours a day with a menu plan designed by the ship's doctor and captain especially for those of us recovering. I do not know what more they can or could have done in a situation like this.

I do not know how many passanger were ill.  We heard media reports of 300 to 500.  I do know that some of the crew also got it. 

I wanted to share this story because I think sometimes the media slants the news just slightly – sometimes negatively aimed at the cruise line – whatever line it may be. It’s a good reminder for all of us to simply stay home (or in your cabin if on a cruise) if you are sick.    It's not so bad being quaranteened - the first day you are so sick you only want to be in bed anyway.  The second day you still don't feel that great and are content to sleep most of the day.  By the third day, the cabin is getting smaller, but you realize the end is in sight.  It kind of like being in cruise-ship jail - much like Twitter jail when Mario talks too much.

Mario’s next post will be an update on Perodacat and Mamacat's adopotion and the status of Pero's siblings. Mario said he hopes to do that in 3 or 4 days after transportation is found for Abby's transport to her new home.