tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-210741902012-01-29T15:25:24.521-05:00<p>Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence. <br> —Robert Frost </p> <br> <p><i>NOTE: The contents of this blog are not approved by my employer, nor do they represent my employer's opinions on any subject. The opinions expressed on this blog are mine and mine alone. All names have been changed.</i></p> <br>Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.comBlogger16181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-44625647354331866562012-01-29T09:05:00.005-05:002012-01-29T09:11:39.448-05:00

Isn't it a pain when you can't locate the .jpg file you need? On and off for a week, I've been looking for an image I downloaded from iStockPhoto a couple years ago. It's in my iStock download history—I know it's on my computer, or somewhere on one of my various external/USB drives. However, I still haven't found it. And I'm almost too cheap to download it again. The old saying goes, "If you

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-37956836456606947292012-01-26T05:03:00.002-05:002012-01-28T19:49:24.734-05:00

While cleaning out the many boxes of junk from my old Division II University office, I found about a dozen pages of essay bloopers I'd scribbled during Regents' Exam and Freshman Writing Project rating sessions. Reading over them, I realized that I hadn't yet shared most of them with you. So what to do with them? Divide them up into more Student Essay Insanity™ posts! As always, these bloopers

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-56669955136073880412012-01-23T17:53:00.002-05:002012-01-24T23:40:04.107-05:00

You'll recall my last post about longtime E&P reader Syd's predicament—after having lost her job and her home, she had to move in with an acquaintance. The acquaintance loves cats, but Syd would have to find homes for many of her 14 rescued, formerly-stray kitties. As you can imagine, Syd's been completely heartbroken over this, and wants to place her cats with loving homes. Last Friday, after

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-33933666050767282002012-01-19T17:55:00.002-05:002012-01-19T18:14:44.019-05:00

Many longtime E&P readers know Syd, who's been reading my blog since, oh, about 2007 or so. Syd's a cat lover and has done the trap-neuter-release thing for over a dozen of the stray cats who've shown up at her house over the last few years. She's been hissed at, spat at, probably shat at, bitten, and clawed, all in the name of helping our feline friends. And she's adopted quite a few of those

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-50331487867895398622012-01-16T08:32:00.001-05:002012-01-16T08:33:30.539-05:00

In memory of my dad, who passed away this day 15 years ago. I love you, Daddy, and miss you every day. Love, Kitty

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-3753703666473351732012-01-15T10:53:00.001-05:002012-01-15T10:53:24.220-05:00

Martha Ann (aka Squirrel) smelled Hook's silent-but-deadly when I did. Good Lord! She's disappointed, of course, but that's how Squirrel rolls. Everyone and everything always lets her down. As for me, I bow to Hook's gas mastery. Too bad he's a kitty; he can't claim that one as his own.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-50960512135559711232012-01-10T16:29:00.002-05:002012-01-10T16:38:53.558-05:00

If you live west of the Mississippi, you may have heard of Money Management International (MMI). They're a Houston-based non-profit credit counseling and debt management organization that often works with Consumer Credit Counseling Services to help people in dire financial straits. I happened upon MMI in 2002, when I was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and had run out of options—or so I

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-39758361009620959802012-01-08T05:03:00.002-05:002012-01-08T05:03:00.261-05:00

Photo from Wikipedia Elvis Presley would have turned 77 years old today. Thankya, sir, thankyaverrmuch.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-50423599506553902262012-01-05T13:33:00.000-05:002012-01-05T13:33:12.495-05:00

Yep, it's 2012. Feels weird to type it, especially since I'd just gotten used to typing 2011. Oh well, that's how it goes sometimes. 2011 was difficult, but not terrible; I learned a lot, had some great experiences, and made new friends. I didn't have much money, but that's not the end of the world. It makes things more difficult and limits some of my options, sure. But there are many things

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-3723157141985342022012-01-01T00:22:00.002-05:002012-01-07T20:55:55.507-05:00

May this new year bring joy, laughter, peace, and prosperity to you and your loved ones---whether they have two legs, or four. Blessings and love to you all! Sincerely yours, Miss Kitty (and all the critters here at the Happy Kitten Cottage)

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-87201356732303483462011-12-26T23:57:00.002-05:002012-01-07T20:55:07.225-05:00

Clark E. Pie didn't want to move from his snuggly warm spot on my side of the bed, so I wrapped him up in the covers just to see what he'd do---nothing! He looked so cute as a big, kitteh-filled pierogi (traditional Polish filled pie). You can't spell pierogi without Pie! Joining us on the bed during this rainy Christmas holiday are Ernest (background, all photos) and Kamakura (third photo).

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-77849763055150192192011-12-25T10:47:00.001-05:002011-12-25T10:47:01.401-05:00

To all of you celebrating Christmas, ithe critters and I wish you joy, peace, and love. It's raining today in Small Town as I prepare homemade macaroni & cheese, and my first-ever pot of collard greens. The kitties, such as Clarky here, are taking it easy (like they do every other day of the year). Later, I'm heading to Mom & El Seebeno's house for our holiday meal.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-85607200720911621392011-12-23T09:40:00.001-05:002011-12-23T09:40:36.832-05:00

Okay, not so much stolen as "fabric which I claimed before she even saw it because I knew she would crap herself and demand a dress made from it." Mom showed it to me first. Nyah-nyah-nyah-NYAH-nyah!

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-54795532243303569392011-12-21T05:03:00.001-05:002011-12-21T05:03:00.179-05:00

Mild chorizo. Wonder if that's an oxymoron.Cats in. Cats out.Forget non-stick. How about a self-cleaning skillet?There has to be a way to unclog pores. Maybe nobody's discovered it yet.Fiber. Hmm.A waffle iron—would we use it?Feet cold. Butt cold.Wish I liked eggplant.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-36021150108696829282011-12-20T05:03:00.001-05:002011-12-20T05:03:00.350-05:00

Those Kardashians "are multiplying like head lice!" Ohh, the ladies from Absolutely Fabulous deliver the best put-downs. Ouch!

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-68758296551821421872011-12-16T00:50:00.002-05:002011-12-20T22:10:03.938-05:00

...three's a crowd!Why is the bathroom sink the first place these three clowns go when they come indoors? They take turns lying in the sink, sometimes meowing at me to let the faucet drip, and sometimes not. Sometimes they just sit on the counter and stare while I try to use the toilet. "Do you MIND, cat? I'm kind of busy here!" All those magazines help distract from the piercing feline gaze

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-1076952499868394692011-12-14T09:04:00.003-05:002011-12-14T19:19:31.774-05:00

Davy (Hook) has started coming indoors at night. He's mostly been a good boy, as long as the other cats leave him alone (and as long as he and Ernesto aren't in the house at the same time). Here, he weighs down one corner of the bed, daring the other kittehs to get near him. Amber was thinking about starting some trouble, but she decided otherwise and made herself comfortable elsewhere. I am done

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-15441826136018906062011-12-10T11:26:00.012-05:002011-12-10T11:59:56.559-05:00

This picture has not been Photoshopped—what you see really is a 4.25" tan-and-black striped slug gloopity-glopping across my front porch. It was about half an inch thick in the middle, and was so heavy/gross/suctioned to the boards that I couldn't move it off the porch with a stick as I do with most slugs.Poor cross-eyed Davy (aka Hook), who's never been the sharpest tool in the shed, came up to

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-63033073321597346982011-12-05T20:31:00.002-05:002011-12-20T22:10:55.361-05:00

...El Seebeno rescued a sweet, rumpled-looking little gray tabby kitten from a drug dealer's porch. That little kitty came to live here at the Happy Kitten Cottage, where we named her Joy. However, she's also known by various other name: Rumpled-stilskin, Joie, Bent-Eared Girl, and Smallness.Thank Bastet for this sweet little kitty, and for her big-hearted Paw-Paw Seeben, too!

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-46738018144316860832011-12-03T08:44:00.001-05:002011-12-03T08:44:29.764-05:00

It must be cold outside if Hook stays indoors for the first time in two years. And he's stayed indoors for the last three days, too. When I put him out, he runs right back in the next time I open the door. Maybe I'm just getting soft. I think he and Ernest, who also came in the house Wednesday night when the temperature dropped to 21 degrees, may have forgotten where the cat boxes are. Or maybe

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-55888832673259160292011-11-29T23:49:00.001-05:002011-11-29T23:49:31.673-05:00

Ohai, E&P reedurs! Iz Clark E. Pie heer wif a gest poast wyle mai Mama iz srsly bizzy wif skool projex an gradin papurrs. Mama haz lots uf stuf 2 git dun dis week, an she wuz wurried dat teh blog wud go wifowt. "Butt (!) dat iz wat ur kittehs r foar!" I tolded her. "I rites 4 ur blog til yu haz tiem 2 rite agin!" So heer I sitz, purrin awn Mama's bed an lookin kyoot. Nawt 2 wurry, Mama wil b bak

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-85264065488326154182011-11-27T05:03:00.003-05:002011-11-27T05:03:00.830-05:00

Unlike the videos I've posted for the last few weeks, this one was not directed by Godley & Creme. Nonetheless, it's still one of the most memorable music videos of the 1980s. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" catapulted Yes onto many people's "Legendary Videos" list.The weird part in the middle, where four of the band members transform into animals, really bothers me. I didn't understand it back then;

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-22615452018116619632011-11-26T08:51:00.001-05:002011-11-26T08:51:02.159-05:00

This Saturday after Thanksgiving finds the weather mild and overcast in Small Town, GA. I'm on my way to meet Mom, El Seebeno, my sister, and her husband for breakfast. The kittehs have been only semi-traumatized by all the holiday visitors, which is pretty good considering some of the shy cats around the HKC. Crooked-eared little Joy here, who recently turned 12, still wants her daily snuggles

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-60244282602766259082011-11-24T13:18:00.004-05:002011-11-24T13:22:05.924-05:00

And here's a Thanksgiving video to brighten up your day, just in case the in-laws are making you crazy. "Put the F*cking Turkey in the Oven" is what Mom would probably call her own holiday cuisine program. I disagree with "Aunt Mary," though—holiday turkey can be excellent. Mom's Thanksgiving bird is truly awesome.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-43346981750816770202011-11-24T05:03:00.001-05:002011-11-24T05:03:00.393-05:00

Hope you're all having a wonderful Thanksgiving day. My sister and brother-in-law arrive late this evening, and our family Thanksgiving dinner will be on Friday. I'm making corn souffle, homemade cornbread, and perhaps homemade macaroni and cheese, if I can get to the grocery store in one piece and find everything I need. Perhaps the crowds will have thinned out some by the time I do my shopping

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-762562473787303762011-11-22T13:21:00.004-05:002011-11-23T19:51:32.807-05:00

But not to attend school, unfortunately. A few weeks ago, Mom noticed a large blurry spot in her left-eye peripheral vision. She had also been seeing floaters and flashes of light at weird times---none of which are normal. Her optometrist examined her and found fluid building up behind her left eye---also not normal, and a bad sign. Today we're at the Emory University Eye Clinic so a retinologist

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-6628424115403496292011-11-21T09:45:00.000-05:002011-11-21T09:45:07.190-05:00

Lengendary UGA broadcaster Larry Munson dies at age 89 | ajc.com

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-76102950794834378192011-11-20T05:03:00.005-05:002011-11-20T05:03:00.274-05:00

Asia's "Heat of the Moment" came out in April 1982, according to the Music Video Database. I was nine years old then, and don't recall having heard this song at the time. But that's probably because most of the adults Pixie and I knew listened to country music. Don't even get me started on crappy early-'80s country. We'll be here all day. "Swangin'," anybody? Yes, I know the song's title is "

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-50217386150813102852011-11-18T00:15:00.001-05:002011-11-18T00:15:40.059-05:00

Umm, kitteh? How am I supposed to get out of bed if you're weighing me down? Hmm, kitteh?Kamakura's taken to staying indoors now that nighttime temperatures are (mostly) at or below freezing. She's a sweet and affectionate kitteh, especially in the morning when it's time to head back outside. She snuggled right in the middle of my back just as I was about to crawl out of bed and feed the cats.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-78276085926528877572011-11-13T05:03:00.001-05:002011-11-13T05:03:00.874-05:00

Growing up, I was obsessed with Huey Lewis & the News. My childhood nickname is a play on that of the band's original bassist, Mario Cipollina. He was my heartthrob all through junior high school. I still love HLN's music, and have nearly every album they've ever made. Sadly, I've seen them in concert only once, in January 1987.As with the other videos I've posted lately, Godley & Creme directed

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-61061394003645922011-11-12T01:08:00.001-05:002011-11-12T01:08:50.043-05:00

It's finally autumn. All the cooking magazines now feature much heartier recipes than the light, cool fare we read about all summer long. This is wonderful. While I love love LOVE seasonal food and fresh vegetables right out of the garden, I also love stick-to-your-ribs food. Meat, potatoes, crusty bread, and thick, savory sauces make me happy. But many of these dishes sit too heavy in my stomach

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-41293104727868262332011-11-11T08:13:00.001-05:002011-11-11T08:13:14.678-05:00

On Wednesday, the Colonel treated me to a belated birthday lunch. The meal was wonderful---blackened salmon with green tomato relish and Boursin cheese grits, anyone? Pumpkin creme brulee rounded out the meal, complete with the candy-corn pumpkin on top. At this birthday lunch, I also ate a Brussels sprout...and liked it. For the first time in my life. They were meant mostly as a garnish, lightly

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-20662096230276143802011-11-10T05:03:00.002-05:002011-11-10T05:03:01.241-05:00

Beyond. Awesome.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-55893398346679746002011-11-08T05:03:00.002-05:002011-11-08T05:03:00.547-05:00

From I Can Has Cheezburger. (Where else?)I haz 38 yrs today! Rly sry, I iz teechin 4 mai birfday, butt (!) iz okais. Will celebrayt later lulz!

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-60201426664895465032011-11-06T05:03:00.000-05:002011-11-06T05:03:00.120-05:00

With the recent comments about Godley & Creme having directed some of the best-known music videos of the 1980s, I thought I'd post another of their creations. Wonder what Wang Chung are up to these days? Song-wise, I like "Dance Hall Days" a lot better than this number.Which music videos do you think are the most memorable of the 1980s? Good or bad—let's hear 'em!

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-57606961156595626122011-11-04T08:11:00.001-04:002011-11-04T08:11:41.809-04:00

Photo snapped very quickly through the screen door---Davy (aka Hook, Captain Hook, and Shithook) lies down to laplaplap water from the water dish on the front porch. In El Seebeno's words, "Hook! You sorry sack of shit!" Hook is by far the largest and most in charge of ANY of my cats. While Clarky weighs in at 17 pounds, Hook breaks Mama's bathroom scale at 22 pounds. And that's *after* having

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-26408070767849382262011-11-02T22:38:00.003-04:002011-11-02T22:42:09.326-04:00

ME: Oh, hell.MOM: What?ME: Kim Kardashian's got a new line of clothes at Sears. Ugh! MOM: Well. Sometimes whores need nice clothes, too.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-91935074983313360322011-11-01T07:49:00.005-04:002011-11-02T10:01:56.553-04:00

[An exchange on the discussion board of the Technical Communication Practices course I'm taking.]PROFESSOR: Document design is just as important as content, whether in print or online. Be careful with fonts! If you've got 50 pages of text, pick something intriguing yet readable that won't give your reader a headache.STUDENT 1: That means no Comic Sans, right?PROF: Right. NO COMIC SANS! Ever again

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-47524977362465556952011-10-31T00:07:00.003-04:002011-11-02T10:02:13.986-04:00

Happy Halloween, everyone! Hope your All Hallows' Eve is safe and fun. Not much going on around these parts. I have to be at work early Tuesday morning, so staying out late isn't an option. Anyhow, here are some non-scary chicken photos for Chicken Monday. I'm sending this from my cell phone, so I can't properly caption the pictures:#1 & #2: Ida B. Workin in all her sweet, humble egg-laying glory

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-78996113728505533542011-10-30T05:03:00.004-04:002011-10-30T05:03:00.976-04:00

...set them free!When "If You Love Somebody (Set Them Free)" came out in 1986, my sister and I were captivated first by this song, the debut single of Sting's solo career, and later by the rest of the album. Twenty-five years after its release, I can still sing nearly all the words to nearly all the songs on The Dream of the Blue Turtles. The record is that good.Naturally, this video is yet

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-48686614104363621712011-10-28T08:52:00.002-04:002011-10-28T20:26:20.255-04:00

The weather is steadily getting cooler; it's no longer just a "cold snap" here and there. Daytime temperatures are finally in the high 60s-low 70s, and lows range from the mid-40s down to the mid-30s. It's about time, too. The chillier temps mean that feline detente is more or less the rule these days at the Happy Kitten Cottage. Kittehs who usually swat/swipe/spit at other kittehs now tolerate

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-18689360997109890372011-10-25T05:03:00.005-04:002011-10-26T11:36:28.617-04:00

A couple weeks ago, I updated everyone on what I'm doing these days—teaching part-time at a different university, going to school part-time, working between 50-70 hours a week between the two, and so on. Now I'm back with a not-so-unexpected update.I'm still burned out on teaching, and must get back out.I don't make enough money to pay my bills.My savings are dwindling much faster than I'd hoped,

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-69379083814861995602011-10-23T05:03:00.002-04:002011-10-24T00:23:00.750-04:00

It was weird in 1983, and it's weird now—the innovative video for Herbie Hancock's "Rockit." Did you know Hancock also composed the soundtrack for Fat Albert?Godley & Creme directed this video, too.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-65344098714878430002011-10-21T22:57:00.002-04:002011-10-22T14:28:41.373-04:00

Now that the weather's cooling off, Clark E. Pie is humping the blanket even more than usual. Other people have to sleep on that blanket, Pie. Pie? You hear me, Pie? Oh, good grief! Kinky cat!

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-19467350337987040362011-10-20T05:03:00.000-04:002011-10-20T05:03:00.224-04:00

From I Can Has Cheezburger (naturally).

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-65880152452133044682011-10-16T05:03:00.002-04:002011-10-16T05:03:00.473-04:00

A truly groundbreaking video from the era when music videos were still an art form. Did you know Godley & Creme directed this one? And to think most people know them only for "Cry."

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-47273450333731902352011-10-14T09:10:00.001-04:002011-10-14T09:10:02.015-04:00

The weather's been wet and cool this week---fall is finally here. Joy (left) and Hobo Kitty know it, too. There's been a lot more peaceful snuggling on the bed, and more kitties tolerating other kitties' presence. When I snapped this photo, Smokey and Clark lay elsewhere on the bed, but too far away for me to include them in the shot.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-74842801135432021642011-10-13T05:03:00.002-04:002011-10-13T05:03:00.680-04:00

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-12351403275808714472011-10-12T08:46:00.001-04:002011-10-12T08:46:24.418-04:00

Clark always practices his own style of yoga in the morning. Even though the little electric radiator isn't plugged in today, he lies right up against it as if it were.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-23433723735977922422011-10-09T05:03:00.001-04:002011-10-09T05:03:00.233-04:00

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-80992138293086698852011-10-06T05:03:00.008-04:002012-01-21T22:51:04.558-05:00

It's been eons since the last Student Essay Insanity™, I know. But I wanted to share with you a "quickie" blooper I found this afternoon. My students are currently reading the short story "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," from Tim O'Brien's amazing novel The Things They Carried. (If you haven't read it, get thee to a bookseller.) The main character in the novel, and hence in this story, is also

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-28464619664654139542011-10-05T19:26:00.002-04:002011-10-05T19:26:50.139-04:00

My dad would have been 65 years old today.Rest in peace, Daddy.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-68773283752478206912011-10-01T11:13:00.011-04:002011-10-06T20:22:43.554-04:00

Ernge looks ecstatic standing on the little table on the front porch. Totally thrilled kitteh! "I can has exuberance?" The look of disappointment rivals even that of Martha Ann, aka Little Miss Disappointment. Sorry I haven't posted very often lately. So much has been going on, and I've been hesitant to write just a super-busy, half-ass post. But in an e-mail conversation yesterday with longtime

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-41729840392156685492011-09-28T05:03:00.002-04:002011-09-28T05:03:00.755-04:00

Yes, this is basically how it goes.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-2957359538220763052011-09-25T00:08:00.001-04:002011-09-25T00:08:55.245-04:00

Clark E. Pie has claimed my stylish, nap-friendly red boots as his favorite new spot. Meanwhile, the silver-plated candlesticks in the background add haphazard elegance to the picture.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-14485932230244264272011-09-24T05:03:00.001-04:002011-09-24T05:03:00.421-04:00

Iz ur birfdai, Pixie & Guy!Iz ur birfday, kthxbai!(Photo from I Can Has Cheezburger, of course.)

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-29971895178061475912011-09-22T16:34:00.002-04:002011-09-22T16:36:34.780-04:00

ME: You've got your underwear on inside-out.COL: So? My fat ass and my pecker can't tell the difference.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-35465280416553578962011-09-21T09:47:00.007-04:002011-09-22T16:38:17.064-04:00

Recently, I found out about this wonderful shelter for FIV+ and other special-needs kitties. Puffy Paws Kitty Haven is located in Englewood, Florida, and provides end-of-life care for over 200 terminally ill and handicapped cats.The folks at Puffy Paws are in desperate financial straits these days, and need $800 to pay their Florida Power & Light bill. Can you help? Every penny goes straight to

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-36017005853724179532011-09-20T07:47:00.001-04:002011-09-20T07:47:08.596-04:00

As I refilled the chickens' food and water Monday evening, Lucky suddenly got very excited at something in the bushes between the chicken-pen fence and the neighbors' garage. Not a big surprise; lots of critters wind up in that 24-inch-wide space, especially in the early evening. "Hush, Lucky," I said. "You don't need a possum, okay?" I didn't know what it was, but that was my educated guess. But

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-6711539822131203072011-09-19T00:51:00.003-04:002011-09-19T08:03:10.659-04:00

Boo-Boo the Wonder Truck rolled past 200,000 miles yesterday afternoon. A member of the family since 1991, when my dad bought her for Pixie's 16th birthday, Boo-Boo is a faithful, sturdy companion...and the best $850 I ever spent.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-51086889653928409972011-09-16T21:16:00.003-04:002011-09-19T08:03:47.722-04:00

Joy loves to snuggle with Mama. That's a lot easier now that all the books and papers are off the recliner. Isn't Joy's expression sweet? And isn't her crooked ear adorable? Readers may remember Joy's urinary tract infection, and her subsequent week-long hospital stay, a few months back. When my bent-eared girl came home from Dr. Mike's, she smelled funny, and had lost her rank in the kitteh

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-19208572730067209602011-09-13T18:54:00.002-04:002011-09-19T08:04:06.143-04:00

I'z bout 2 nomnomnom mai toez. Maek it kwik.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-49384932811581853852011-09-10T08:52:00.002-04:002011-09-10T13:01:06.134-04:00

Since 1988, I've had the same alarm clock. My dad decided one day that I needed my own alarm clock, and out of the blue brought home this cute little model. I still recall how odd it was that he'd gone to the trouble of choosing a clock for me, but not for my sister. If Daddy bought one of us a gift just for the heck of it, he always did so for the other. "Umm...thanks?" I probably said as I took

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-30492572476244295402011-09-09T07:15:00.002-04:002011-09-19T08:04:34.740-04:00

What a week! Thank goodness it's finally over. If this crazy pace keeps up---and so far, nothing indicates that it won't---I'll have to rename my home the Busy Kitten Cottage. Whew! Can't I sit down for a minute before the next life-or-death-important task?Even Clark E. Pie feels like a wrung-out dishrag. But after he lay in that first position a while, he recovered enough to roll over on his

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-78188146809011051972011-09-06T23:30:00.002-04:002011-09-19T08:05:35.682-04:00

Thanks to Tropical Storm Lee (or what was left of it), we finally got some nice, steady rain in Small Town. Whew! Last week's high temps reached into the mid-90s, so you can imagine my surprise this morning when I stepped onto the front porch in my usual summer-weight nightgown to feed the kitties. EEEK! 59 degrees and rainy feels COLD! But surprisingly, the outdoor kittehs haven't welcomed cool

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-56382918268677732882011-09-05T09:21:00.011-04:002011-09-05T09:32:45.904-04:00

Ummmm...chickens?What are you doing outside the coop at 10:00 at night? I mean, I know it's cool out, but shouldn't you be safe inside? You know, heads under wings, perched on roosts, et cetera? Why are you walking around clucking when it's dark out?This is what all the commotion's about? Little part-Siamese Emmylou on the chicken-house roof? With her one little cream-dipped paw?The chickens are

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-20229619177291521452011-09-03T23:40:00.003-04:002011-09-04T08:01:48.576-04:00

B: Who's that talking up there now? A: You don't recognize her? B: Uh-uh. A: That's Barbara. B: Barbara? A: Gene's first wife. Lives in the trailer over on— B: [gasps] No way! C: Yes way! B: Damn. She sure has aged. A: More like "put on 50 pounds."*******Preacher: So she asked that everyone be allowed to stand at the graveside, family and friends, and everyone who wanted to could stand up and say

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-88475122794588892302011-09-02T00:08:00.002-04:002011-09-04T08:03:06.277-04:00

Clark E. Pie looked so peaceful and happy the other morning, and as I snapped these photos I could hear his fierce purring. That's my sweet, cuddly, large-and-in-charge boy!

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-44700811087849705202011-08-31T22:55:00.002-04:002011-09-04T08:03:25.964-04:00

In the middle of a day where just about everything went awry, this public restroom graffiti made me smile.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-85454362516044814342011-08-29T05:03:00.001-04:002011-08-29T05:03:00.135-04:00

Here are some recent photos of eggs I gathered in the HKC chicken coop. Sometimes eggs have dirt, poop, or feathers stuck to them, so it helps to gently scrub them off before you use them.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-78968473103080779452011-08-27T07:11:00.007-04:002011-08-27T11:28:28.580-04:00

"Ugh, that place! I swear, it's like B.F. Skinner meets Sesame Street."

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-89859086192404966492011-08-26T08:53:00.002-04:002011-08-26T23:29:56.216-04:00

O hai. Mai name iz Holly, an I'z 1 uf Dr. Bill's offiss/blood donur kittehs. I iz moastlee Siameez. Also, I iz srsly unimprezd wif Miss Kitteh an awl dis tweekin uf mai eerz. Evry time she bringz in her Hobo, evry week or sew, I haz 2 put up wif awl her pettn an "ooh, ur a purrty girl." Plz, hoomin. Wut-EVAR. Nao gib me mai cheezburger, kthxbai. Ur dizmissd.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-5356636836170352382011-08-24T15:09:00.010-04:002011-08-24T15:16:06.482-04:00

Here are some doggie pictures from a couple Sundays ago, when Mom and El Seebeno spent most of the day installing two new window-mounted air conditioners at my house. I've featured Lucky a lot in the past, but haven't posted many pictures of sweet little Pomeranian-mix Bella. So these pictures are mostly of her. I also took some hilarious photos of Mom and El Seebeno as they were working, and

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-14333330732392727212011-08-22T07:59:00.007-04:002011-08-22T22:20:12.440-04:00

Mom and El Seebeno spent all day a couple Sundays ago installing two new air conditioners at my house. Anyone who's owned by cats knows that no DIY project can happen without the "help" of said cats. So of course, Clark E. Pie, more frequently known as Pie (or Pah, as we pronounce it down South) had to make himself useful. Or at least part of the action. Yeah, that's more like it. Mom opened the

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-12688030179964947032011-08-20T14:15:00.003-04:002011-08-20T15:03:07.611-04:00

Ida B. Workin, so named by longtime E&P reader Woolywoman, is the most picked-on chicken in my flock. She's lowest in the pecking order—why, I'm not sure, but that's how it goes. And yes, that's where the phrase "pecking order" originated. Chickens are very social animals. Not necessarily friendly, but social. There is always a hierarchy with chickens, whether it's an all-fowl or mixed-species

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-29820078893937536422011-08-17T15:09:00.021-04:002011-08-27T11:20:48.806-04:00

(Note: All names have been changed.) My lone commercial writing client, Bob, is in his late fifties and one of my former Division II University students. A Vietnam-era veteran and longtime small-business owner, Bob is in the Honors program and has earned accolades as a top-notch tutor. He's just two semesters away from finishing his political science degree with a minor in Southeast Asian

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-65328416077396341682011-08-16T10:05:00.002-04:002011-09-04T08:04:43.132-04:00

These three little sweeties were in a crate in the waiting room at Dr. Bill's vet clinic when Hobo and I came in for another post-surgery checkup. The two black kittens played so hard that they turned into a small, dark funnel cloud of fur and feet and ears and "Meowowwwrrrrr!" The gray kitten, quite a bit larger than its litter mates, managed to get in on the hell-raising and deliver a few

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-59972283819677271492011-08-15T00:52:00.004-04:002011-08-15T12:49:06.549-04:00

Sunday morning after breakfast. For a change, the three of us have finally beat the Baptists to Shoney's. At Home Depot, we plan to buy two window-mounted air conditioners for which I have carefully budgeted my limited funds, and which Mom and El Seebeno will then spend the day installing in my den and kitchen. Walking through the tool section, Mom and El Seebeno salivate over drill bits,

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-26462797568248375332011-08-12T10:16:00.002-04:002011-08-12T11:00:47.364-04:00

Like many kitteh people, Mom and I always have empty 40-pound cat litter containers sitting around. Rarely, though, do we send them to the recycling center before getting several years' use out of them. Mom uses them for collecting rainwater, transplanting and dividing all kinds of plants, soaking stained clothing, dyeing fabric, painting, cleaning, moving frogs and/or turtles out of the

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-6058326630986100832011-08-11T00:33:00.020-04:002011-08-11T12:14:12.083-04:00

I like my neighborhood. My mortgage payment is very reasonable. The little kid in me delights in the comforting sound of freight trains rumbling by and sounding their horns at all hours. (The HKC is a few hundred feet from a very active rail corridor.) The neighborhood lies just two minutes from the hospital, and four minutes from three different grocery stores. It's within the city limits, the

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-80645537736080563672011-08-09T05:03:00.011-04:002011-08-09T05:03:01.442-04:00

Yesterday evening, I took my last dose of heavy-duty antibiotics to ward off infection after feral kitteh Skunk bit me on July 29. And not a moment too soon, either—I sure am tired of everything tasting weird. Gourmet root beer tastes tinny and wrong. Bottled water now tastes like bitter plastic. Same for city water, country well water, fancy Cuisinart-filtered water. I'm glad not to have

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-33044886690182400552011-08-08T05:03:00.001-04:002011-08-09T14:53:50.185-04:00

Just for fun—and also because I've been very lax about updating you on my kitteh-induced injuries, which I'll be getting to tomorrow—here are some vintage and reproduction patterns from my collection. The first two I picked up recently during a Vogue special. Originally published in 1946, this 65-year-old design is infinitely more stylish than what's on the runways today. Where will the

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-14974393773960991092011-08-05T00:57:00.003-04:002011-08-06T10:48:38.441-04:00

"We are NOT going to get any more cats. We need another kitty like we need another hole in our heads. El Seebeno says, 'Aww, babies need a home, Mama!' when we drive past that house up the road with the FREE KITTENS sign on the mailbox. He has lost his damn mind. You can't just get one kitten. You have to get a pair or they'll drive you batshit. He doesn't remember how bad Oliver and Squirt were.

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-51621373124644667382011-08-04T05:03:00.015-04:002011-09-04T08:05:40.540-04:00

This summer has not only been one of record-breaking heat, but of record-breaking flea infestations. Poor Lucky and Bella have been crawling with fleas—and I do mean crawling, as in OMG I can see fleas swarming all over their bodies! crawling. Usually I deal with fleas by using prescription back-of-canine-necks flea stuff, but my puppehs' fleas were so bad that they needed relief right now. I

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-53568398746500479332011-08-02T05:03:00.002-04:002011-08-02T05:03:00.247-04:00

Okay, so I'm not actually wearing this today, because it's August and still so nasty-hot and humid...but I'll be wearing it as soon as cooler autumn weather arrives: Six weeks ago, Mom and El Seebeno drove up to Michigan to visit her family. During their stay, Mom raided Grandma's attic in search of vintage fashion WIN. This green synthetic boucle dress, trimmed with green faux fur, was among her

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-22802119704615880582011-08-01T11:05:00.003-04:002011-08-02T10:36:49.805-04:00

The prescription labels on many powerful antibiotics direct people to take them with food, and not on an empty stomach. Augmentin XR's label doesn't state this, but I'm no fool; antibiotics sometimes make me nauseous. I'd better take them with a large meal. But I didn't have much food in the house the other night, and couldn't use my hands to chop or stir whatever dish I might prepare. The

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-25420719972007686542011-07-30T17:26:00.002-04:002011-07-30T17:32:12.005-04:00

Thanks for all your kind words and wishes after Skunk sliced me up yesterday. Here are some pictures and a 12-minute YouTube video talking about what happened and how I'm progressing. Believe it or not, these wounds actually hurt less today than they did yesterday—weird, but true. And I haven't yet been in enough pain to take a painkiller. Of course, this is only Day 2. We'll see how I feel come

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-24333681824808757232011-07-29T11:05:00.006-04:002011-07-30T00:13:26.003-04:00

Okay, so I usually post adorable, cuddly cats for Friday Kittehs. However, this Friday finds me dealing with some not-so-adorable, not-so-cuddly cats. I volunteer with a feral cat rescue group that I'll call "Small Town Cat Savers" here on E&P. Our mission is to trap, neuter, and release as many local stray and feral (wild) cats as possible to humanely reduce cat overpopulation in the county. In

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-45575690441955078142011-07-27T05:03:00.001-04:002011-07-27T05:03:00.189-04:00

Mom has been visiting my sister in Denver for the past week or elebenty days, and there has been much hilarity over at Why Architects Drink. And naturally, Mom's dispensing advice (and ass-whoopins) while out on the road, too.Please skip on over to my sister's blog for Ask Mom™ Mile High 2011 Edition, where Mom addresses longtime E&P reader St. Blogwen's sewing dilemma, plus many other reader

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-48911160306641896282011-07-26T05:03:00.004-04:002011-07-26T05:03:00.675-04:00

Well, mostly old patterns. The last one is a Vintage Vogue reproduction, originally released in 1957.I've featured some of these patterns in past posts, but it's been a while since we saw them last. The retro/repro Vogue I bought a while back at Hancock Fabrics; all the old patterns except one came from eBay and Etsy. The Hollywood pattern was a gift from Mom's friend Cheryl. Cheryl's elderly

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-89670007063208558562011-07-23T15:27:00.003-04:002011-07-23T15:34:46.882-04:00

Over the last week, my computer has slowed way, way down—I've gone from a pretty fast system (although loaded with a lot of programs and docs) to a slow, mouse-pointer-freezes-up-and-I-have-to-turn-it-off-and-back-on-to-work-again system. My anti-virus software hasn't detected anything, and it runs daily. I use Adobe CS 5 Standard, Camtasia Studio 7, SnagIt—all programs that require a LOT of

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-36084879680935209672011-07-22T00:12:00.003-04:002011-07-23T15:21:13.663-04:00

Hobo Kitty has had a crappy year. In early July 2010, the vet removed nearly all of her back teeth due to a nasty dental/gum condition most succinctly explained as "gingivitis meets kudzu." It was very difficult and painful, and Hobo refused to let me pick her up for months afterward. (Can't say I blame her.) She improved some in the months that followed, but back in the spring the telltale

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-32553070806084625922011-07-21T00:22:00.002-04:002011-07-21T10:34:44.206-04:00

Silver/black iridescent douppioni 54" wide silk, that is. At $9.99/yard! While traveling on business Tuesday afternoon, I stumbled upon an independent fabric store whose new owners also happen to own a textile printing plant. Driving to my appointment, I saw the brightly-colored banner out front—UPHOLSTERERS' WAREHOUSE! OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!—and said out loud, "If I'm done by 4:00, I'll stop by. No

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-3556092252055846512011-07-18T11:35:00.001-04:002011-07-18T11:35:12.972-04:00

The HKC kitties really enjoyed the cooler weather over weekend---and they may have enjoyed the rain as well. Steady rain and high temperatures in the low 80s were perfect after all the recent scorching heat and humidity; for the last couple of weeks, heat indices have hovered just below 120 here in Small Town. From Thursday night all the way through Sunday evening, most of the outdoor cats stayed

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-22684737268783895842011-07-16T23:52:00.007-04:002011-07-18T01:40:45.594-04:00

Oldest. Bestest. First.Very sorely missed.? April 1997 - 16 Jul 2010 Almost every day, I look around and still think I see you out of the corner of my eye, a flash of charcoal-gray semiformal tuxedo with your white ankle socks. You were, and will always be, my first "real kitty" who ate, slept, and lived indoors with me. From the first time I saw you—barely five weeks old, rescued by a kind human

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-58224623785189839082011-07-16T00:05:00.006-04:002011-07-16T10:22:01.851-04:00

At last, we have a respite from the unrelenting heat and humidity!Much of west central Georgia is feeling cool and stormy this weekend, and not a moment too soon. It rained much of yesterday evening and last night—perfect sleeping weather that I didn't think we'd see until Thanksgiving, at the earliest. What's more, the rain is steady and prolonged, giving everyone's gardens a good, thorough

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-88057650835284558352011-07-15T00:05:00.002-04:002011-09-04T08:06:53.267-04:00

This installment of Friday Kittehs features Davy, also known as Hook, Capt. Hook, Shit-Hook, Wide Load, Target-Sided Kitteh, Ig'nant Cross-Eyed Poop Machine, and many other sobriquets. Davy turned five years old last month. Weighing in at a whopping 22 pounds—and that's POST-going-outdoors weight loss—passersby who see him often say, "What a beautiful cat! When's she gonna have her babies?"

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-4442721784365161332011-07-13T02:31:00.004-04:002011-07-14T12:51:37.744-04:00

My stepfather's famous phrase on a day like today is, "It's hot as fuck!" Of course, come early February when the day's high is 35 degrees with a steady 20mph wind, El Seebeno will then say, "It's cold as fuck!" In the 16 years that he's been part of the family, this phrase has become legendary. We now use "______ as fuck" all the time, and not just for expressing our displeasure with the weather

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-55789279566859212812011-07-11T11:17:00.001-04:002011-07-11T11:19:44.274-04:00

The time has come to rearrange stuff here at the Happy Kitten Cottage, because:1) I can't find anything, and2) the things I can find are never where I think they are at first.This is a daunting task for anyone, and for someone like me with short-circuits as to executive function, it can be a disaster. So before I do anything drastic, I'm thinking up and writing a plan. Anything to make the

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074190.post-61172765836838790522011-07-09T00:08:00.002-04:002011-07-09T10:02:41.381-04:00

Kamakura (calico, left) and her daughter Ernge are best buddies, which is unusual. In most cases, once the bebehs are weaned, a mother cat does everything she can to run them off. It's the kitteh version of "You're 18, dammit, now get a job and move out." But these two still snuggle up together in the yard or on the front porch—even in hot weather—and I often catch them rough-housing on the front

Miss Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13210249894351503887noreply@blogger.com7