YAY - I'm Normal

You missed my tummy M -Bad Aim!

Hi Pals,

It's been an exciting two days.   First, on Thursday, a photographer, from Associated Press, came to our house to take a picture of ME!!    Now to find out why, you are going to have to wait a few days to see what this is all about - in fact, I'm going to have to wait myself.   Waiting is sooooo hard!  But, it has nothing to do with what happened yesterday when we got a call from Joan Ranquet.

Remember on a few days ago when I said I won a contest over at KrittersThatTwitter.  Well, yesterday I had the interview with Joan Ranquet, Animal Behaviorist, Communicator And Author of this book:  (If you go over to KrittersThatTwitter, you can read all about Joan and her background - very impressive background, and I'm so lucky to have been interviewed by her).

After saying hello to M and introducing herself, Joan requested a few minutes of silence so she could channel in to me -  here's what she had to say:

   1.  I'm a very normal kitty who loves my M and D and is very happy with my home.   (True)
   2.   I had an unhappy previous life - perhaps from a family going thru a divorce!   (In reality, I was found wandering the streets, in pretty bad shape, and turned into an animal shelter.    Did my previous family have to move into an apartment because of a divorce?    We'll never know for sure).
   3.   I now live in a happy home where there is a lot of laughter.   (True)
   4.   M and D laugh at lot at me - I amuse them.  (True)
   5.   D is the funny one in the family.   (True)
   6.   I'm a little on the lazy side and happy I don't have to work so hard catching my meals anymore.   (True)  (he he 0 I don't even work very hard at playing)
   7.  I feel like I'm taking care of M and D because of their health issues.

Then M asked her a couple of questions:
   1.  Why do I sometimes try to bury my dish with my front paws after eating?   (It's a throw back from his days on the streets - covering his tracks so to speak so no one knew he had been there - a survival instinct).
   2.  Why do I bite M when she just wants to pet me but I don't bite D?   (Because I see M as a litter mate and I see D as the alpha.  M is the one who usually plays with me.  Yes, no one ever talks about it, but cats do have an alpha status just like doggies).   Remember, I chose D when living at the animal shelter by always walking up to him first - my way of saying take me home with you and maybe I looked at him then as the alpha..  

M says this was a very interesting experience and now she can't wait for the book and CD to arrive.   I can't either - it should be fun and who knows what else we'll find out.  Again thank you to KtittersThatTwitter for sponsoring the contest.

Thank you also to Joan for spending about 45 minutes on the phone with M.  

Now stay tuned in a few days to see why the photographer was here.  It's exciting M says and I'll be soooo happy!

Mario

I've entered the Saturday Blog Hop - you can too.

Thankful Thursday Tirbute To Great Pals

Cheriswan

Hi pals,

Cheriswan and I are so very thankful for all the wonderful, generous friends who contributed to her chip-in.   I see in the comment section of my last post that she thanked you there too.   I know this means a lot to Cheri and her mom and that she was very embarrassed to even have to ask for help.   Once again the anipal world came thru and we are forever grateful to each of you.  The anipal community is the absolute BEST with the biggest hearts around.

Cheri wanted to take the chip-in down immediately when it reached $500,  But M suggested she leave it up and let it go over goal a bit because M felt she really needed to make that trip to San Francisco for her hubby's surgery with a little extra money for a cushion.  At the rate gas prices keep going up and up, plus what if there is some sort of hidden, unforeseen expense that happens while she's traveling.   M is big on planning for the unexpected, or what if she needs to stay a day or two longer to be with her hubby.   This is serious surgery and there is always the risk of something happening.   So, M feels better now that she has a few extra green papers.

Cheri's mom also was thankful for all your suggestions on where to get help.   Some great ideas were passed on to her and I know she followed thru with checking them out.

Once the surgery is over and Cheri's mom is back home, M will ask her if she'd like to do a guest post on my bloggy so we all know how things went. 

Until then, we wish the very best for Cheri's dad with his surgery.   If you can, please purr for him or say some purrayers, send some positive energy for healing, and anything else that you can think of doing.

If you still wish to contribute, there is still time to do so.  You can be sure Cheri's mom will spend the money wisely and any extra will go to taking care of the 2 doggies and 1 kitty in the family.    And please, no apology is necessary if you can't.    Cheri didn't want anyone to give up their last green paper just to help her.   Cheri's mom was very clear on that point when M talked to her about doing a chip-in.  M says she can't always give to everything either.

The anipals and their oomans are the BESTED in the whole big world.

Oh yes, be sure to to visit my next post cuz there is going to be something very exciting to talk about.

Love you all,

Mario

HELP Needed By One Who ALWAYS Has Helped Others First

@Cheriswan

Hi Pals,

We has a serious issue to talk about today.   Did you ever notice how some pals are always right there when help is needed?   They are the first to jump right in and get the rest of us moving on providing help for an anipal or pal.  They always have that "can do" spirit and don't give up no matter what happens or what bridges have to be crossed.  

Well, dat pal is @Cheriswan.  Cheri is the first one who plunged right in to trying to save Call Me Graham when Graham was turned in to the Bay Area Humane Society's shelter in Green Bay because her first ooman thought she was faral and couldn't keep her any longer.   Cheri didn't give up on trying to save Graham and find a new home for her.   We all remember that story and the happy ending it has.  Of course Graham isn't the only kitty she has helped.   She has been right there for so many in the past 3 years I've been on Twitter.

Now Cheri's oomans desperately need our help.   Cheri's ooman father has some very serious stomach issues (Chron's Disease for one), and needs to have some serious stomach surgery soon.    He is a disabled veteran and will have to have this surgery in a VA hospital in San Francisco - a long way away from their home in the mountains of northern California - like 300+ miles from home in mountain driving.   

Cheri's ooman mom lost her job (just like half the world) and only picks up free lance type of work when she can get it.   She is the sole caretaker of Cheri's ooman dad.   They have no money for hotels and/or food so dat Cheri's ooman mom can afford to go to San Francisco to be with Cheri's dad when he has that surgery, and she desperately wants to be there and should be there.   Their savings has been eaten away due to being dragged into court by a neighbor who thinks their sweet doggie is mean and might want to harm them.   They lost the court case and now have to pay half of the court fees of the neighbor, plus their own attorney fees - they have even had to sell one car to put towards this huge bill.     Their full story is written up in the Chip-In home page if you wish to read it.  http://mariodacat.chipin.com/cheriswan.  

Some of my Twitter pals suggested we do a Chip-in to raise some money so Cheri's mom could at least go to San Francisco and spend 3 nights there to be with  Cheri's dad until he's in stable condition.  She thinks she can do a motel/hotel and have a little money for food and maybe gas expenses for $500.   (M thinks she should allow more quite frankly, but we'll start with $500, which would be bare minimum - hotels/motels are not cheap in big cities).

Cheri's mom was very reluctant to ask for this help (so typical of those who help the most) as she'd rather "help" than "be helped."  So many oomans are out of work these days and also have no money.   The last thing Cheri's mom wants is for someone to feel like they have to give to her when they have nothing themselves.   (So typical of Cheriswan's mom to think of "others" before herself.)

So, if you have a little spare change and want to help Cheriswan's mom out, it will be greatly appreciated and she and I will be forever grateful.  The chip-in is in the side bar on this bloggy. 

M Said she'll keep Cheri and her husband in her prayers, and I'm going to do some serious purring for his surgery too.   We just know this will have a happy ending too.  

Thanks Pals,

Mario  

YIPPIE - I'm a Grand Prize Winner On Thankful Thursday

OH MY CAT - Pals,

The most exciting thing happened last night right in the middle of when I was tending bar at #nipclub. @Tannawings, @Petiethecat and I are all winners over at KRITTERS THAT TWITTER blog. 

I can't believe all the neat things I won:

By Joan Ranquet, Author & Animal Behavioralist and Communicator

1. Free half hour phone session with Joan Ranquet, Animal Communicator, Author and Speaker (valued at $90.00)
2. Signed copy of “Communication with all Life, Revelations of an Animal Communicator” published by Hay House
3. A Communication with all Life Guided Meditation CD

I simply can't believe this has happened to me.   This is just so exciting.  I is a little worried tho about what Jean Ranquet might have to say about a kitty that tends bar at #nipclub!  This is going to be so much fun and interesting.

Now Pals - you simply MUST follow the http://www.krittersthattwitter.com/ Blog because @IisaIllman (Inventor of the Kritter Kondo)  runs various great contests throughout the year.  In fact, she has another one going right now - so get on over to her blog and start following it.  You too might be a winner.   Sometimes she even has a contest going where you can win a Kritter Kondo, and I know so many of you have admired mine.  If I can win, you can too!  Oh, all kritters are welcome to join her blog - it's not just for kitties.

Thank you Lisa - you made our week here.   M said she can't wait to talk to Jean Ranquet.  Who knows what she'll learn about me.

I'm also using this for @CokieTheCat's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.  Needlesstosay, I'm very Thankful for Thursday and winning this great prize.  Cokie's mom is having fun over at Blog Paws and was too tired last night to get the link set up.   We'll all be adding it soon, whenever Cokie's mom gets it set up.   Have fun Cokie's mom - M wishes she were there too.

Mario

NipClub Honors The Dr. Dolittle Of Twitter - @DanaPixie

Hi Pals,

The Anipal World of Twitter is blessed to have some very wonderful oomans as our very dear friends.   But one stands out in particular - @Danapixie!

I like to think of @Danapixie as Twitter’s very own Dr. Dolittle-Pixie.   If you haven’t read the series of Dr. Dolittle books, I suggest you tell your oomans Mario said they just had to read the books.  You can also watch the Dr. Dolittle movie together.

Doctor Dolittle is a doctor (or v.e.t.)  “who shuns human patients in favor of animals, with whom he can speak in their own languages.”   The first book was written way before my time in the 1920’s by Hugh Lofting because the news back then was horrible and all about World War I stuff.   Thus he created the series of children’s books with Dr. Dolittle as the main character.

When I think of the Nipclub’s guest of honor this week - @Danapixie -  I think of her as Twitter’s very own Dr. Dolittle-Pixie.  She certainly is a friend to ALL the anipals on Twitter and deeply loves all of us.  She’s the creator and record keeper of the #pawcircle and started it because she wanted us anipals and our oomans to know that when we are hurting or suffering, we are not alone.   All of the anipal Twitterworld is thinking of us, sending us positive energy and thoughts so we get well.  And if we can’t get well and must cross dat bridge, she’s right there bringing comfort to our oomans and keeping the rest of her anipal kingdon posted.  She notifies @PepiSmartDog when someone is about to cross so Pepi has time to prepare the welcome banquet and also to alert all the OTRB anipals that a new arrival is about to join them.   When we hurt, Dana hurts too.   She deeply cares for each one of us.  No one knows that better than @Danapixie’s “pawsome” friend, @HollieCatRocks, who will be the hostess of Nipclub that evening.  

Please join us at  #nipclub Thursday night to help us honor this great lady for all she has done to help all the anipals on Twitter.   Check http://nipclub.blogspot.com/  for times and plans for the evening.   I know it's going to be a great, fun event. 

You might also enjoy seeing @Danapixie's #Pawcircle blog, which is where we anipals can go to catch up on the needed #pawcircle if we happened to miss the tweets during the day.   Dana does a magnificent job of keeping this up every day.  It's a big job to keep track of all her anipals.

@Danapixie has a life outside of Twitter too.  She is married to someone we call Mr. P, and they have a pawsome kitty named TSK, who loves to hike in Mr. P's backpack, or go skiing with Mr. P & DanaPixie, and who also rides in Dana's special basket in the front of her bicycle when they are cycling as a family. 

Dana Pixie and TSK

Enjoy your night Dana and know all your anipals on Twitter love you and appreciate you (and of course that includes Mr. P and TSK too).   Here's a special Mario SMOOCH just for you.

Your pal,

Mario

What The Heck Is PD? / Thankful Thursday

That's NOT supposed to be there!

Hi Pals

I need to share some news with you and am making this part of the Thankful Thursday blog hop because we are thankful at our house.  Things can always be worse.   All of  my Twitter pals already know , but somehow I has been too busy with important stuff in the blog to share it with all of you.

M and D both have some kind of disease called Parkinson's.   Dat's such a big word and I don't know xactly what it means, but I do know D was told last summer dat he had it, and M was told I guess in February.   All I know is, whatever it is, I hope I won't catch it too.   I also know dat both of dem shake a lot, and M has trouble walking.   D is on some kind of medicine dat helps him, but when the ooman v.e.t. tried to give it to M, she got sick, was coughing up hairballs or trying to, walked funny, kept bumping into things, and stayed in bed a lot.   She said it made her brain funny and head dizzy!   he he - I told her she's usually dizzy anyway.  

Den dat ooman v.e.t. took her off dat medication and gave her some other kind.  She's not coughing up hairballs anymore and doesn't walk funny or bump into things, but now she shakes more.    Sometimes all dat shaking is worse den at other times.  

The the other day she was back to the ooman v.e.t. because she her fingers were starting to go numb. Dat v.e.t. gave her an EMG test where he stuck some needles (shudder) in her arm den shocked her with a zapper. She said it was something like sticking your finger in an electrical outlet (whatever dat is). So now she also has cubital tunnel syndrome. (She sure has some funny sounding things going on). I guess dat means nerves are squished in or around her elbows. She has decided she'd better do something bout correcting this cuz the v.e.t. said he would have to cut her open and fix the nerve. (shudder). So, she's trying to be careful with how her arms are positioned when she's at the puter  and takes breaks. 

She said I should send her apology for any mistakes she makes in commenting on bloggies  or  tweets.   Sometimes she can hardly keep her fingers on the right keys, and other times she can type pretty good.   One of my friends on Twitter (TinyPearlcat)  says we should get one of those fancy puters dat you can talk into and it types words for you.   We probably will consider dat at some point, but M keeps hoping eventually the medication will work - she says the ooman v.e.t. said they would be playing around with medications until they get it right and it will take time.  She also hoping she can correct the Cubital Tunnel Syndrome by watching what positions her arms are in.,   So she's extra careful with how she sleeps at night to - no more self-hugs.  he he

Hmm, I wonder if one of those fancy puters understands cat language!  ooo, that could be fun - I'd just meow at the puter and it would type for me.   I'd have free use of the puter!

I had heard M and D talking bout moving a few weeks ago, but den dey bought one of these gizmos (called  a stair climber).

Some men came one day and put this on our basement steps.  I inspected their work when they left, and they did a good job.  M said it has to sleep in the basement, and they just push a button on a little box and the funny thing starts moving up the steps all by itself.  One of these days I'm going to race it up the stairs.  Bet I can beat it!

It's not scary at all.  After it had been here for a few days, M picked me up and put me on her lap for a ride.  I just don't look very happy because, well,

I like to climb the steps myself.   But M thought I should have a ride to get used to it.   (Shhh, M's not sad, that's just how people with PD look - they quite often forget to smile for the camera cuz she was busy trying to keep me from escaping and getting hurt.

I'm excited bout the stair climber thing cuz now my peeps don't talk about moving again.   I didn't like dat idea at all cuz all my smells are in this house, and I have it furred up just the way I want it. 

The grandson of some friends  (Harrison) comes once a week and mows the grass for D, so he doesn't have to mow.  D said he will find someone to help with snow shoveling too in the winter.   And, M is happy because D uses the stair climber thingy to send things up and down the steps.   Now M doesn't worry about him falling down the steps like she did before.

So, pals, we has a lot  to be thankful for at our house.

Dat's all for dis time.  Sorry this is so long.

Mario

Now it's your turn to hop on the blog hop and tell us what you are thankful for.

Thankful Thursday - Yeowww Nip Banana

Hi Pals,
I'm thankful for a lot of things but today I'm specially thankful for the prize I won at a pawpawty, donated by my pal @Smokey8.  .   It arrived in the mail yesterday and it's a WOW prize - a Yeowww Banana.   Those Yeowww nip things are the bestest.

I'z been licking it so much dat it wants to escape - so put the paw down on it and show it who's boss.   I just LOVES this banana.
Thank you soooooo much @Smokey8.  You have really made my week pal. - you couldn't have chosen anything better.  
Mario