January 2022

TOPSY TURVY SELFIE

Sunday Selfies: Week #386

 

topsy turvy selfie

 

Our monkey cat, Kizmet, is being silly again in her topsy turvy selfie. She has nothing else to offer, as she wants to remember our friend and new angel, Gracie.

Remembering Gracie

We first met Gracie when Mau joined Cat Scouts. They ended up in the same Patrol (Wolverines) where Gracie served as leader. Cooper Murphy and Sawyer got to know her when they joined the Tabby Cat Club, which Gracie established. She also had her own blog, Goodness Gracie. You can drop in there to leave your condolences for Gracie’s human parents, Steph and Bruce.

 

Angel Gracie
15 January 2009 ~ 4 January 2022

 

These beautiful memorial graphics were created by Pam (Two Spoiled Cats) and Ann (Zoolatry).

Gracie was also the creator and Shelter Keeper of the VSquillions. And most importantly for us, she was Allie’s Maid of Honor when Allie married Mau.

Gracie had a big purrsonality and presence on the internet. We will miss her very much, but she’ll remain in our hearts always.

Hopping Time

Kizmet invites all anipals to join our hop. All the Kitties Blue love seeing their friends each Sunday, and equally enjoy welcoming newcomers. If you are too busy to pop in today or don’t normally post on Sundays, you can join the hop anytime through Thursday.

Kizmet, herself, will not be joining the hop until sometime later in the morning, as I am just too tired to stay up until midnight. But, please, don’t wait for her. Jump right in when you arrive.

Kitties Blue thank each of you for your friendship and support.

 

 



COLD MORNING CUDDLY CATS

Caturday Art

Cooper Murphy and Calista Jo were cuddling with me yesterday morning when it was 24° F.

 

cold morning cuddly cats

 

I expect there will be more of this today as the temperature is predicted to go down to 14° F overnight.

As far as the art effects go, I went back to my standby, Painnt. The effect is Mermaid Tail with the addition of the soft light and analog filters. As usual, the frame is from favpng.

Cooper Murphy and Calista Jo are joining the Caturday Art blog hop hosted by Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty. You can do the same by clicking on her badge.

I also made a puzzle for those of you who enjoy them.

preview140pieceCold Day Cuddly Cats

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #293

We postponed Fill-Ins until today in order to celebrate Cooper Murphy’s Gotcha Day yesterday. He has some thankfuls to share, which he will do on Thankful Thursday.

1. My focus word for 2022 is complete tasks. (Sorry I needed two words.)
2. This year I want to learn more about SEO, which is an ongoing need, as it changes constantly.
3. I finished writing and sending my Christmas thank you notes during the first week of 2022. (Unfortunately, I haven’t finished sending the kitties actual Christmas cards.)
4. In this season of my life, I just want to survive COVID and return to a somewhat normal daily routine.

Friendly Fill-Ins is a blog hop hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorriane (Four-Legged Furballs). Sentences to be filled in can be found on both blogs on Thursdays. To hop along, click on the badge at left.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Tomorrow is our weekly blog hop, and Kitties Blue certainly hope you will join them. We also will be remembering a dear friend who went to the Rainbow Bridge a few days ago. Many of you know her from the Tabby Cat Club and many of you from Cat Scouts. It is our dear and beautiful friend, Gracie, who was the maid of honor at Allie and Mau’s wedding. Even if you do not want to post a selfie or hop, please come by to remember Gracie.

 

COOPER’S MURPHY 5TH GOTCHA DAY

Feline Friday

This Feline Friday is super special, as we are celebrating a super special feline—our very own Cooper Murphy.

Five years ago today, we brought home a 12.1-pound cat, from the snow and our friends front porch. We spent several days trying to find his people with no luck. It became obvious that he had been “dumped.” Here are links to three of the first posts about him.

There are some other posts from that same time period. You can find links to them on the bottoms of the three listed.

And here’s an early photo, which I don’t believe I have ever posted.

 

Party Time

Angel Mau baked a cake for Cooper in his bakery at the Bridge and sent it down on a cloud. he did a great job making cake that looks a whole lot like his brofur. Ah shucks, we can’t tell a lie. Cooper had the same cake last year. What can we say other than it suits him purrfectly!

We also have some noms and drinks. Please help yourself and stay as long as you like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CUDDLE UP DAY & THE WEE SKIER

Thankful Thursday

Sawyer is starting us out today with our thankfuls for this first week of 2022. He is thankful for five weeks and two days between seizures. He had one Tuesday, so the count begins again. He’s also thankful that his little sister Kizmet likes him and is kind to him. The photo below was taken after she had finished giving him a bath.

Today is Cuddle Up Day. Looks as if Sawyer and Kizmet were getting a head start.

 

cuddle up day

 

I am thankful for:

  • a new year—not that I am confidant it will be better than the last two, at least in terms of COVID.
  • completing by 1,800th Peloton ride yesterday.
  • having an appointment today with my orthopedist to get some help with my knee pain.
  • Kizmet entertaining us everyday with her antics.

 

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by everyone’s good friend, Brian. If you’d like to participate, post on your blog for what you are thankful and then click on his badge.

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

The inspiration photo Angel Sammy and Teddy (Two Spoiled Cats) selected for today’s poetry challenge is perfect, as many of us have snow on the ground now.

 

 

The Wee Skier

If I tried to ski I’d fall on my butt,
But this tike is as steady as a truck.
Even if he should fall in the snow,
It’d be okay—he doesn’t have far to go.
He’ll be a pro in no time at all—
Skiing steep slopes with nary a fall.
When he’s my age he’ll still be a great athlete—
Won’t have to worry about landing on his seat!

© Janet Buickerood Blue – 01/05/2022

To participate in Thoroughly Poetic Thursday, check out Two Spoiled Cats by clicking on their badge. You’ll find next week’s inspiration photo and Angel Sammy’s poem based on today’s photo. He’s an incredible poet, so make certain you read his poem when you visit.

Please join us tomorrow as we celebrate Cooper Murphy’s Gotcha Day.

 

THE ADVENTURES OF PERIWINKLE & STINKY: PART CXVI

A New Adventure Awaits

As he is every Tuesday, Stinky is excited to share today’s adventure with girlfriend Periwinkle. After the snow yesterday, he’s happy the weather has improved. As he awaits her arrival, Stinky gathers what they will need. And finally, with the usual whoosh, Periwinkle tumbles out of the teleportation tunnel right into Stinky’s waiting paws.

After the usual hugs and whisker kisses, Periwinkle inquires about today’s adventure. Stinky replies that they won’t be going far, but they will use the teleportation tunnel, so they hop back in together.

At the Ice Rink

When they arrive at their destination, Periwinkle claps her paws together and proclaims, “Oh Stinky, this will be so much fun, but I am not certain I remember how to ice skate. The last time we skated was in Rockefeller Center when you asked me to be your girlfriend. Do you remember?”

 

 

“Of course, silly. That was one of the best days of my life,” Stinky replies and continues, “Let’s get on our skates, and then we can see if either one of us remembers what to do.”

“Stinky, these skates are so pretty. Did you get them for me? Can I keep them?”

“Of course, they are for you, and you can keep them. But since we probably will not be skating in Florida, you can leave them at my house,” Stinky replies.

Fun on Ice

After getting into their skates, they head to the rink. Periwinkle asks, “Stinky, will you push me around on one of those little seals?”

“Sure, that sounds like a good idea. I will be able to practice my balance. Then we can switch places.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After skating with the seal, the tabbies feel secure enough to skate around on their own. Periwinkle tells Stinky, “I have been listening to that instructor with the little girl, and he keeps telling her to ‘push and glide.’”

 

cats ice skating

 

Periwinkle tries the technique and in no time is wizzing around the little rink. Stinky yells to her, “Hey, slow down, speedy.”

When Stinky catches up to her, he is huffing and puffing, but he manages to ask,”Periwinkle, do you remember when your sisfur, Allie, and my brofur, Mau, went skating at Cat Scouts?”

“Oh, I sure do. They were so elegant.

 

cats ice skating.

 

When Stinky and Periwinkle get tired, they ask a couple of people if they will push them around on one of the skate sleds. The nice, young people are happy to help out the tabbies. Stinky and Periwinkle squeal in unison, “Weee,” and then break out in giggles.

 

 

Periwinkle and Stinky thank their “pushers” and do a bit more skating.

 

cats ice skating

 

After a a few more laps around the rink, they both agree they are tired and are ready to head back to Stinky’s house for a warm drink, snack and nap.

After Skating

Once they have their skates off, Stinky starts running across the grass and yells to Periwinkle to follow him. Before she catches up, he has climbed a big, nearby sign. “Stinky, you just cannot help climbing on whatever you find,” Periwinkle says with an admonishing tone. But then she giggles again and climbs atop one of the letters as well.

 

 

They spend a little time chatting and watching the skaters until Periwinkle says that she really and truly is ready to leave. They climb down and paw-in-paw head to the teleportation tunnel. Before they can even catch their breath, they are back at Stinky’s house having a snack and visiting with his fursibs.

When they finish, Stinky invites Periwinkle to take a nap in the bed she sent him for Christmas. They curl up together and snooze until it is time for Periwinkle to head home.

 

 

With some final paw hugs and whisker kisses the tabbies say their “good-byes.” As Periwinkle enters the teleportation tunnel she waves to Stinky and then is gone in a whoosh. Stinky returns to his bed to dream about his beautiful girlfriend.

The End

 

Periwinkle and Stinky are popping over to Comedy Plus to join the Happy Tuesday blog hop, as there’s no one happier than two tabbies on an adventure. Click on the badge to do the same.

 

MESSAGE FROM AN ANGEL

Sparks

 

message angel

 

Our angel, Lily Olivia, is here to present today’s Spark, as it was four years ago yesterday that she flew away from us. We knew she was close to passing, and she was lying on the bed between Dad Tom and me when it happened. The following day, I wrote a poem, “One of a Kind,” for her. If you have never read it, you can find it on the side bar under her photo.

Lily Olivia was a character with a huge and demanding personality. In the photo she is on the kitchen island playing with an orange fish made by the thoughtful and generous, Ellen (15 And Meowing).

For those of us who love our animals, we know it is forever.

The author of today’s spark, Audre Lorde (Audrey Geraldine Lorde), died in 1992 at the age of 58. She was an American writer, feminist, womanist, librarian, and civil rights activist. She dedicated her creativity and life to confronting and addressing injustices, i.e., racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.

Sparks is the creation of Annie from McGuffy’s Reader. Sparks began as a blog hop, created by our friend. Annie stated when she began Sparks, “I believe we are meant to be lights in this world. If we allow our light to shine, we can see where we are going. It is then that we can begin to truly see each other clearly. Together, we can light up the entire world.”

Awww Mondays

Angel Lily Olivia is joining the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus. If you’d like to do the same, click on the Awww badge.

 

The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky

 

Tomorrow is our favorite day of the week, as it’s when Periwinkle and Stinky share an adventure. Stinky has planned an exciting, local activity, and he would be delighted if you join Periwinkle and him. These two tabbies have lots of fun when they are together and love sharing their adventures with all of you.

A TWO-FUR FOR THE NEW YEAR

Sunday Selfies: Week #385

I usually have difficulty convincing one of the Kitties Blue to do a selfie, but for the first hop of the new year, I had two volunteers. So, I convinced them to take an usie or what I like to call a two-fur!

 

new year two-fur

 

Sawyer and Calista Jo were enjoying an afternoon sunpuddle and a bit of a snooze before they snapped their photo.

They and their fursibs invite you to join them on our first Sunday Selfies blog hop of 2022. You can join anytime through Thursday just in case you are otherwise occupied today.

The kitties and I appreciate your support and friendship for the seven-plus years we have been hosting this blog hop. Participation has waxed and waned through the years, but many of you have stuck with us. We are most thankful for all of you.

Finally, I have been very remiss in visiting and commenting for the past few months, but I promise to improve in 2022.

 



MEW YEAR’S ART & RESOLUTIONS

Caturday Art

Misty May tries to wake Calista Jo up to celebrate the mew year.

 

 

I went back to Painnt to create today’s art. I used the Vintage effect with the hard light filter. The border is from piZap.

Misty May and Calista Jo are participating in the Caturday Art blog hop hosted by Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty. If you’d like to do the same, click on Athena’s badge.

Kitties Blue 2022 Mew Year’s Resolutions

Kitties Blue do not post resolutions every year, as they usually change very little from year to year. For 2022, however, Sawyer and Kizmet have each added a new one and a few others have been modified.

1. Get more scritches.
2. Get more treats and nip.
3. Always come when called unless napping, playing, eating, watching bird TV, day dreaming or participating in other cat-approved activities.
4. If in, demand to go out.
5. If out, demand to come in.
6. Don’t wash our butts in front of company unless it is an emergency.
7. Take up as much space in the humans’ bed as possible by sleeping east/west instead of north/south and on Mom’s pillow.
8. Clear the kitchen counters of all items whenever possible.
9. Pretend to be deaf whenever a human is speaking to us. (Misty May no longer has to pretend.)
10. Always help Mom with her posts. (This is especially for Astrid and Calista Jo.)
11. Don’t be fooled into eating by Mom when she puts her head in my bowl and makes nom-nom sounds. I will only eat when I feel like it. (This is Sawyer’s personal resolution.)
12. When horking, always aim for a rug or shoe.
13. Give all visitors to the house kisses. (Kizmet)
14. Don’t take any unauthorized walkabouts. (Sawyer)
15. Make certain to always poop in my PTU when being taken to the vet. (Sawyer)

Jigsaw Puzzle

I did make a puzzle for you from today’s art.
preview120pieceHappy Mew Year Cats

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Tomorrow will be our first Sunday Selfies post of the new year, and Kitties Blue are hoping you won’t want to miss it! They also know with today being a holiday, you might get too busy to take a selfie. If that happens, don’t panic. You can enter our hop anytime through Thursday. We always look forward to seeing you on Sunday and want to express our gratitude for your continued friendship and support as we embark on a new, and what we hope will be a better, year for all.