The Mews Monday

We were very nice to Dad yesterday.  Lori played with the TurboTrak, 

Laz sat on his lap, and Marley and Laz wrassled close to him.  Ayla came out from the bedroom a few times (but wasn't quite confident enough to go out on the deck - Laz and Lori were lounging out there).  But she did lie down next to him that night and he enjoyed that.

We helped him cook chicken outside by staying out of the way (seriously, we don't cook and he worries about us near the hot box).  

We chased an introoder cat out of the yard.  Well, Marley and Laz did.  I (Lori) am too inexperienced for that, but I came to the deck all tail-poofed so Dad would know there was an "issue" outside.  He went out, but Marley and Laz had the indrooder fleeing over the fence by then.

We all got treats for that.

Laz caught another mousie and gifted it to Dad.  And he let me claim it was part of my gift too.  He is a good Brofur.  He catches about one a day (that we see, and maybe more).  

Marley sat on Dad's lap to warm him.  

Dad had a good day and that's what Father's Day is all about.  None of us ever met our actual Dads, so he's our real Dad in all impawtant ways.

Thankful Thursday

AYLA:  Today I am thankful for the mat that Auntie Ellen from 15&Meowing sent to me.  She saw my Star Wars mat was a bit small for the back of my chair, so she sent a bigger one.  MUCH bigger!

It was all rolled up, so I dint know how big it was.  An, BTW, it is blooer than this.  The bright red confoosed Mr Camera.  The last ones are better.

So TBT unfolded it once...

Twice...

Threes...

And a Fourth time!

Then he folded it back in half an draped it over the chair.  I was up there in a flash.  An this is the right color of it...

I pawed it all around.

I can even have dinner on it!

Thank you so much, Auntie Ellen!

Twofur Tuesday

LAZ:  Marley and I are sharing the day.   

MARLEY:  So I get MY turn right?  

So I was walking on the deck.  And Laz told me there were incoming control signals from the CIA (Cat Inspection Agency) and I had better get unner cover or they would take control of me.  

I had never heard of THAT, but it is good ta be careful.  So I went unner a mesh chair.  That should help, right?

Then he said "June Fools".  Well, OK, that was clever, but I really gotta take the kid aside and explain that "April Foolies" only happen on April 1st...

On the other paw, he is PRETTY SMART AND CLEVER.  I'm older and more experienced than him, but he thinks of stuff I dont sometimes.  I suspect my Good Brofur Laz and I will be trading thoughts for the next few years.  His cleverness for my experience.

I taught him ta hunt mousies among planty stuff by listening and pouncing.  But he does it a differnt way.  He stalks through the plants, careful paw-moment by careful paw-movement.  He is better at it than I am.    

Hey, it doesn't bother me ta recognize mousie-catching talent.  I have it; he has more.  He caught 3 shrews in a couple hours; it took me 2 days.  

I had in my own youth a habit of catching many mousies a day too.  But I'm heavier on my paws than I used to be,  so things change.  One nice thing about Laz is that he actually likes me and brings me one of his catches for a bit of playtime.

And I appreciate the way he likes ta nap near me.  TBT says there have never been Brofurs here before; just Sisfurs and a single Brofur.  He has become a good member of The Mews.  

Peace reigns...  And that is what I am here for.  I create peace among other cats.  Not the only reason I am here of course.  TBT and I have a special relationship.  The day he walked into The Lady's condo and she called me downstairs, TBT sat on the floor and I crawled right onto his lap.  I KNEW he was the right Bein (and Lady was allergic to me).  

She saw me go onto his lap and cried in relief, knowing I had made a choice and seemed happy with him.  She had been SO worried she would send me off to a "wrong" Bein.

If choosing "which corner of the bed" as the best place to sleep for the night, and you are safe and secure and loved, it means you are a very fortunate cat.  As I know most of you are.

Thankful Thursday

TBT Here:  We received a special gift today.  No, not a new member of The Mews.  That has to wait.   But it was very special nonetheless.  It was a beautiful Memorial Plaque for Iza.

We are unsure of the sender, but we want to say "Thank You".  It arrived from Chewy.com (and I don't think they know Iza went OTB or would send such a lovely thing on their own) and without a note or any indication of who sent it.  If that was intentional, then please accept our thanks.  If there was supposed to be a note or if you want to whisper in our ear "glad you liked it", our email is on the sidebar.  If you want to stay anonymous, we understand (having sent a couple of anonymous gifts ourselves over the years).

I have constructed the memorial box for Iza (will post soon on my own blog about that) and have a 10" resin cat figurine to put on the top that matches the ones on Skeeter and LC's marker boxes.  I think I will continue that tradition for uniformity over the years.

But, since the Memorial Plaque does not name Iza specifically, it gave me an idea.  I was already intending to have a collection of the graphics we were sent for Iza professionally printed.  I think I will go back and collect a few pictures of Skeeter and LC and have them printed also.  I will frame each separately.  Then hang them in The Mews Room together with the Memorial Plaque as it certainly applies to them all (and The Mews that follow them).

The plaque will be the loveliest of accompaniments to all of the framed pictures.

So, to whomever sent it, thank you so very much.  It was a kind and generous gift and very much appreciated.

In Gratitude and Catitude,
Mark

Thankful Friday

THE BIG THING:  Last month, we had a 2,000th Post Party.  The door prize was won by Shaggy and Scout at Little Cat Feet. 

Well, I put things off sometimes, and we were late to send the door prize (happily, arrived by now). 

But I want to say  how much I appreciated PetSmart's contribution.  I arrived in a slight state of confusion (it was before Noon), and Jessica Jones helped me a lot.  First, I couldn't find the usual rattley mousies that Iza loves and that I wanted to send to Shaggy and Scout.  But she found some REALLY FANCY RATTLEY mousies sold individually.

It was a bit more than I was expecting to pay for a Door Prize, but when I mentioned the reason I wanted some, Jessica did some cool friendly form to allow her to donate the fancy rattley mice as a gift.

A GIFT from a store?  That's cool!  And it meant that I could buy a fancy electronic squeeky mouse and some fancy chicken treats to add to the Door Prize!

Now, obviously, I am thankful to PetsMart and to Jessica in particular, so I can't claim to be unbiased in thanking them.  But I haven't gotten FRIENDLIER service at the "other" local big pet store, and that matters to me on a personal level.  Products differ, but friendly service is most important to me.

Thank you, Jessica Jones.  You deserve a raise...  And thank you PetsMart for allowing Jessica to do that for us...

Mark