Boxing Day

BOXING DAY ART 2020

I apologize for this very late posting. I was unable to connect to the server last night.

Caturday Art

Today is Boxing Day, a very favorite day for cats. Everybody knows cats enjoy a good box or any box for that matter. Our foyer has had several of various sizes in it for many days now. Appropriately, Kizmet and Cooper Murphy enjoyed a box on Christmas as well and kindly volunteered to be the subjects for Caturday Art.

To create our Boxing Day Art, I used the ShinyXmas effect from Painnt, changed from the original color and then added the piZap border. I think it purrfectly represents the white Christmas we enjoyed yesterday.

I created a puzzle for you as well.

108 Shinyxmasboxingday

Kizmet and Cooper Murphy are hopping over to join Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty on her Caturday Art blog hop. You can do the same by clicking on her badge.

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #239

As promised, here are my completions for yesterday’s Friendly Fill-Ins hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs). I have used teal italics for my fill-ins.

1. The best gift I have ever given is Kizmet to Dad Tom and myself.
2. Last night, I was exhausted. When I repeatedly could not connect to the server, I gave up on posting and went to bed.
3. The sun shining brings me joy today. (Currently it is 19 degrees with a “feels like” temperature of 8 degrees.)
4. My favorite holiday memory is every Christmas Eve when I was growing up. My paternal grandfather was born on Christmas Eve, and we had a birthday party for him every year.

If you’d like to join this weekly blog hop, which occurs on Fridays, click on the badge below.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Barring any computer, network or server issue, one of the Kitties Blue will be right here at midnight tomorrow to host our weekly Sunday Selfies blog hop. They may not look forward to taking selfies, but they always look forward to seeing the smiling faces of their friends. Hope you’ll join us!

BOXING DAY WITH THANKFULS & SOME POETRY

Boxing Day First

Mau received a really terrific present from his dearest wife Allie, but, of course, he had to try out the box. (Sorry for the blurry photo.)

Thankful Thursday

What better day to fall after Christmas Day than Thankful Thursday. The kitties, Dad Tom and I had a wonderfully quiet day. There were terrific gifts all the way around. Lisbeth especially enjoyed this Christmas tree bed from Teddy (Two Spoiled Cats). She is the official bed quality control officer of the Kitties Blue crew.

It also was an incredibly beautiful day, which I talk about in one of the three poems I wrote for today.

All of us are super thankful for the snail and e-mail Christmas cards we have received from our blogging friends. If we had your snail mail address, we have sent you a card that way. If you live outside the USA, we hope it will arrive before Valentine’s Day. I posted our e-card yesterday. If you missed it, click on the link at the bottom of this post. Please take a copy if you’d like one.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. To join the hop, post on your blog for what you are thankful, then click on the badge below to hop over to Brian’s.

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

Each week our friends, Teddy and Angel Sammy, post an inspiration photo for their followers who are fans of and like to write poetry. Here’s the photo for this week.

I couldn’t decide what I wanted to write, so I am presenting you with two haikus and one poem.

Haiku #1

A sleigh ride is fun
But these horses’ asses stink
Should have brought gas masks

Haiku #2

Dashing through the snow
More like plodding through the snow
Slow trip to grandma’s

Christmas Now & Then

No snow for us on Christmas this year.
The sun was out and skies clear.
It was 60 degrees, felt like spring,
Made our mom downright giddy.
Growing up in California it was rarely cold,
And at Christmas it never once snowed.
So she felt just as she did as a child,
When Christmas was always sunny and mild.

© Janet Buickerood Blue – 12/25/2019

If you’d like to participate in Thoroughly Poetic Thursday, click the badge below. You will find the photo for next week’s poem as well as a poem written by Angel Sammy for this week’s photo. He is the poet in the family and transmits his poem to Teddy each week from the Rainbow Bridge. And he is a most wonderful poet.

Happy Boxing day to all. Hope our feline friends received oodles of boxes in which to enjoy the day.

December 26, 2019 by Janet Blue Boxing Day Poetry Thankful Thursday Thoroughly Poetic Thursday 12

BELATED BOXING DAY

The day after Christmas is a holiday celebrated in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other Commonwealth countries. It is known as Boxing Day. It is also the Feast Day of St. Stephen and originated as a day for giving alms to the poor and gifts to tradespeople.

But for kitties, in every country, it is a day to plop their fuzzy butts in boxes, usually those of the cardboard variety. As we don’t post on Mondays, we missed sharing some boxing photos on the official Boxing Day. But Kitties Blue do enjoy celebrating this holiday as much as the next cat. This year Giulietta is representing for us.

The final photo shows how Giulietta spent all of Christmas day.

Though we’ve been a bit wordy, we are participating in these Wordless Wednesday blog hops.

We also are joining a special tribute to and blog hop for woofie Easy Weimaraner.

Easy - boxing day

Easy, unexpectedly and tragically, flew off to the bridge just before Fiona and our dearest friend Sammy. It has taken several weeks, but Easy is finally back home with his mom and dad. Today has been selected to remember him with a blog hop. It is being hosted by Dory’s Backyard. If you wish to participate, you can link a special “Lighting the Way” blog to honor Easy.

And do not forget to visit Easy’s blog after joining the hop. If you haven’t met Da Phenny (3.5-month-old Weimaraner), you are in for some hearty laughter.

We will be back tomorrow with a “C” poem for Sammy’s Throughly Poetic Thursday.

December 28, 2016 by Janet Blue Boxing Day Wordless Wednesday 29

LOOKING BACK AT KITTENS GIULIETTA AND FIONA

Caturday Art

Did you have a great Christmas? We sure hope so. Ours was super quiet. We haven’t even opened our gifts yet. We need to get photos when we do, and the good photographer in the family, Dad, was out most of the day.

We did get Mom to make some Caturday Art for us. We asked if we could share this photo of Giulietta and Fiona taken when they were itty bitty kittens. We thought it would be a nice way to honor our sisfur, Fiona. Mom and Dad did their first SubQ fluids for her today. Let’s just say that they need more practice.

Here are the girls as babies.

Mom did this over a couple of days and doesn’t remember what all she did to the photo. It was all done, however, using Picasa, except the frame that was added in PhotoFaceFun.

Here is the original photo. It is one of Mom’s favorites. She and Dad nicknamed the girls Tribble and Trouble after this photo was taken.

This is our entry in Athena and Marie’s Caturday Art Blog Hop. Hope to see you there. It’s so much fun. We think everyone should join and share their creativity. To do that and/or view the other submissions, click on their badge.

Boxing Day

Not only is this Caturday, but it is also Boxing Day. Mauricio needs to share a “box” photo at Cat Scouts to earn a badge. He asked if he could share it here as well. This is him checking out the box for the new cat tree Astrid and Lisbeth got for their birthday.

Sunday Selfies

That’s right. It’s time for our blog hop again tomorrow. Did y’all take any selfies of yourselves opening your gifts? Whatever you’ve got, we know they will be good. We cannot wait to see each of them. Mom says that one of us will be hosting tomorrow. We can’t say we are excited to hear that!

Enjoy the remainder of your holiday weekend. Have lots of fun playing with your new toys. We’ll be posting about our Secret Paws gifts on Monday, both sent and received.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

December 26, 2015 by Janet Blue Backstory Boxing Day Cat Scouts Caturday Art Blog Hop Kitty Written Blog 24

THANKFUL THURSDAY MELANGE

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One Lovely Blog Award

We want to thank our furiends Cat Scout Shoko and fursib Kali from The Canadian Cats for the One Lovely Blog Award.

To accept this award we must tell you seven things about ourselves. (As always we will give eight answers so we all can pawticipate.) We don’t think there is a darn thing about us you don’t already know. Would it be okay if we share some actual and true facts as well as make some things up? It will be much more amusing. If you are bored, you can try to guess which are true and which are not.

1. Lily Olivia: I have applied for a patent on my recently invented bacon-flavored, edible underwear for cats.

2. Misty May: My best furiend is a stuffed bear named Snuffles.

3. Mauricio: I bite my toenails!

4. Giulietta: I am not afraid of the vacuum cleaner.

5. Fiona: I usually miss breakfast because I hide UTB while all the other kitties head downstairs to eat.

6. Astrid: I once auditioned for the part of The Cheshire Cat in an operatic version of “Alice in Wonderland.”

7. Lisbeth: One of the things on my Bucket List is to go zip lining.

8. Calista Jo: My name was Josette (Josie) when our humans adopted me.

We will now pay the honor forward by nominating eight of our bloggy furiends:

♦ Animal Shelter Volunteer Life ♦ Bailey Boat Cat ♦ Brian’s Home ♦ CATachresis ♦

♦ Eric & Flynn’s Adventures ♦ Lone Star Cats ♦ Tomcat Commentary by Tim ♦ 15 & Meowing ♦

Prize Winners

We recently won some cool prizes from 15 & Meowing and want to say, “thank you.” When the envelope arrived, Lily Olivia immediately pounced on it. She wouldn’t leave it alone until Mom opened the package and gave her a cute crocheted, nip-filled “pumpkin” toy. She immediately took off with it, and we haven’t seen it since.

Another Birthday Card

Finally, Mau & Misty May received this colorful and special card from Timmy, Einstein, Rumpy, Miss Fitz, Toby, Mr. Buttons and Buddy-Budd at Tomcat Commentary by Tim. Thanks gang! If Mom doesn’t fall down on the job again, Mauricio will report tomorrow about his Cat Scout Surprise Birthday party.

Purrs and pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth & Calista Jo

September 25, 2014 by Janet Blue Awards Birthday Boxing Day Giveaway Kitty Written Blog Thankful Thursday 26

INTERNATIONAL BOX DAY

Lily Olivia immediately and eagerly stepped up to this box today. She dove right in before any other kitty even knew I had opened it. She spun and rolled and tried to catch her tail prior to settling down for a nice nap.

Calista Jo showed up looking for a turn, but Lily refused to look at her or relinquish her prized possession.

Astrid was a little more fortunate and managed to get her turn exploring.

Mauricio got in on the activity at the end as he needed a photo of himself in a box for Cat Scouts.

Friday is Calista Jo’s second birthday, and we will be having a pawty. All kitties, woofies, piggies, buns and any other critters inhabiting blog world are invited and welcome to attend. Hope to see you then.

We are participating in Sparkle the Designer Cat’s International Box Day Link Up.

P.S. To all of those who are worried about Lily Olivia after my post about her grumpiness: I appreciate your suggestions of a visit to the vet. Lily Olivia had her annual check up in April. Other than her age-related (15 years) slight heart murmur, she is healthy. She has always been a grump and her personality can turn in the blink of an eye. As you can see from these photos she can be a happy girl as well. Thank you so much for your concern.

NOTE: Thanks to Ann of Zoolarty for the excellent International Box Day badge.

June 19, 2014 by Janet Blue Boxing Day 38

DID SOMEONE SAY BOXING DAY?

This would probably be our favorite day of the year, but everyday is Boxing Day for a cat, at least at our house. Mau and Calista Jo box each day before breakfast and dinner in order to work up an appetite.

Oh wait…this isn’t that kind of boxing? It’s when we have cardboard boxes to explore and nap and play in. Wow, that’s even better. We think Dad already took the ones from Christmas out to the alley as today is paper recyling day. But I bet we can find some others around the house, or at least some photos from previous boxing events.

: Here’s Calista showing how much fun it is to play in a box. In this instance she was trying to catch her tail.

: Astrid looking defiant as she dares any of us to steal her box.

Not all boxes are created equal. Some are nice and roomy and others make for quite a tight fit.

: Lily Olivia tries to hide in a cupcake box. Luckily for both the humans and Lily, the cupcakes had been eaten. Though, any of us would have happily cleaned icing out of her fur.

: Mauricio believes that the biggest cat deserves the biggest box all to himself.

: Fiona (upper right) checks the inside of a promising box while wondering if Calista Jo (left) or Lisbeth (bottom right) plan to challenge her for right of occupancy.

: Misty May finds that the top of a box can be as purrfect for a nap as the inside.

: Giulietta finds a box to be a great place for a bath.

: The kitty with the catnip wins, so Lisbeth is not letting anybody (including Mauricio) near the Ham-mick box, which just happens to be laced with the stuff.

Hope all our friends have a great Boxing Day. If you overdid it with the festivities yesterday, just remember: A box is a great place for a long, winter’s nap!

Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

December 26, 2013 by Janet Blue Boxing Day Holiday Kitty Written Blog 26

YOU
For Fiona

It seems like only yesterday…
You were just a kitten.
When I saw your pleading look,
I was completely smitten.

Now at only six years old,
You are getting ready to leave,
Soon you will have your wings.
I’ve already started to grieve.

You’ve fought hard for the past year,
And I’m not ready to say good-bye.
I can’t imagine you not in my life
I am so sad…today I had to cry.

I am grateful and blessed
For my six years with you.
You’ll live in my heart forever.
You’re one of the best ever Kitties Blue.

YESTERDAY

Many yesterdays have passed since
You gained your angel wings. Today
Is six months since you left us behind
To remember and mourn. Our hearts
Continue to hurt, and we miss
You as much as the day you left.
Giulietta whined from the catio
Yesterday as I worked in the yard.
I know you put her up to it. That
Was your way of getting me to,
Allow you to join me as I
Gardened. You were there with me
In spirit. With every meow
I thought of you and how much I miss
Your sweet face and disposition.
In these past few months, many friends
Have traveled your same path in your
paw-steps. I am certain you were
Waiting to greet them with purrs and hugs.
I pray you and your friends are laughing,
Frolicking and having fun together.
Picturing that makes me smile, but
Does not lessen my sadness at your
No longer being here to snuggle
And receive our love, care and kisses.
Fiona, please do not ever forget
You are still and always will be loved.

ONE YEAR MISSING YOU

One year has passed since you flew away,
And I still think of you everyday.
I see your sweet face in my mind’s eye
And wish we’d never had to say good-bye.
It’s nice you’ve sent us kitties needing a family,
But my dearest love, we are now at capacity.
You thought it would take more than one cat
To take your place in our habitat.
We love Cooper Murphy and baby Sawyer dearly
But thinking either could replace you makes me teary.
You were one-of-a-kind and will stay in my heart
Until the day I join you and we’re no longer apart.
When once again I can hold you in my arms
And revel in all your love and feline charms.
Together with you and all who have passed.
I will spend eternity contemplating how blessed
I was to share my life with my furry children,
Each and every one of you one-in-a billion.

UNTIL

I miss you each day.
Until we meet in heaven,
The pain will remain.

ONE OF A KIND

I don’t know how to say good-bye.
I thought you were invincible; though,
You used up many of your nine lives.
You ruled us all with an iron paw;
Never took “no” for an answer
And always got your way.
If not, you’d bark to signal your
Displeasure and sometimes raise a paw.
I always joked that you were bi-polar.
When I told people you were a calico
They immediately understood what I meant.
Today was unnaturally quiet in the house.
Can a home seem empty with eight cats?
I will miss waking up at night to find you
Sitting next to me and staring at me.
I will miss you yelling at us as you did
When you wanted breakfast and dinner.
I will miss watching you lounging and snoozing
On the porch settee on a warm afternoon.
But most of all I will miss your kisses!
When kitten Sawyer befriended you,
We suspect you were imparting your
Wisdom and secrets for controlling us.
Time will tell if he was a good listener.
But whatever he may have learned,
Neither Sawyer nor any other cat
Can or will replace you in our hearts.
Lily Olivia, you were one-of-a-kind.