Feline Friday

ANYBODY WANT TO PLAY WITH ME?

Feline Friday

Beige cat with a "play with me" look and a cheese shaped toy with a yellow mouse.

Raleigh will be joining the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. If you’d like to participate in the hop, click on the badge below.

Friendly Fill-Ins

The Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop is hosted each Friday by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs). They publish the fill-in sentences on their blogs each Thursday. To join the hop, click on the badge at the left.

I was fortunate to have a helper again today. Kizmet took on fill-in #3. Both of us were happy to see that the fill-ins were fairly easy again this week. As usual, we both used teal italics for filling in. Any explanatory information is in parentheses.

1. Wouldn’t it be nice if Sawyer never had another seizure.

2. I don’t mind buying used Christmas ornaments.

3. Kizmet: I have a strange habit of stealing sponges, Magic Erasers and pot scrubbers and delivering them to Mom, putting them in her shoes or hiding them. (The purple scrubber has been missing for a couple of weeks.)

4. I have enough cat t-shirts to last a lifetime.

Thank you for joining us again today. We’ll be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art.

MEALTIME MISCHIEF & FILL-INS

Feline Friday

mealtime mischief: Grey cat standing on the back of a chair eating dinner from a white bowl atop a cat scratching post.

Kizmet is a kitty with a variety of quirky habits. This, however, is not one of her usual ones. Thus, it seemed worthy of a photo and sharing here.

Kizmet will be joining the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. If you’d like to participate in the hop, click on the badge below.

Friendly Fill-Ins

My faithful helper, Sawyer, agreed to assist me again today with the fill-ins. Both of us were happy to see that they are not too difficult this week. As usual, we both used teal italics for filling in.

1. If you looked in my closet, you’d see a lot of cat t-shirts.

2. When I’m having a bad day, I like to take a nap.

3. Snuggling with a cat is the best remedy for a cold day.

4. Sawyer: It’s no secret that I like treats and dislike my meds.

Thanks for stopping in to see us today. Kitties Blue and I will be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art.

RALEIGH DISCOVERS MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS TREE

Feline Friday

Raleigh has discovered the magic of the Christmas tree.

An orange tabby cat discovers the magic of a Christmas Tree and lies down under it.

Raleigh is a big cat, but this photo makes him look much larger than he is. The photo also makes his fur look bright orange, which it is not!

Raleigh will be joining the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. If you’d like to participate in the hop, click on the badge below.

Friendly Fill-Ins

The kitties let me do all the fill-ins myself again this week. Thankfully, they were easy to complete. As usual, I used teal italics for filling in. Any explanatory information is in parentheses.

1. The best part of 2023 was celebrating Dad Tom’s and my 50th wedding anniversary in May.
2. My focus word for 2024 is believe. (I have the same focus words every year: Believe in Silver Linings. If you missed the announcement, at the end of October, I had this sentence tattooed on my left arm. You can see it on the post, “Don’t Look Down & Thankfuls”.)
3. A new year is a great time to create new positive habits.
4. You don’t have to wait for a new year to reach out to friends you haven’t seen in a while.

Thank you for visiting us today. We hope to see you again tomorrow for some Caturday Art.

December 29, 2023 by Janet Blue Christmas Feline Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins 10

THREE SLEEPS ‘TIL CHRISTMAS

Feline Friday

three sleeps 'til Santa: Grey tabby cat napping with eyes barely open.

Right after Sawyer joins the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings, he plans to sleep until after Santa arrives. If you’d like to participate in the hop, click on the badge below.

Friendly Fill-Ins

The kitties let me do all the fill-ins myself today. Lucky for me, they were easy to complete. As usual, I used teal italics for filling in.

1. I’ll be home with Dad Tom and the Kitties for Christmas.

2. I am eager to see everyone open ~~his/her~~ their gift(s).

3. ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and I wrote this little poem for our annual Blues’ News newsletter:
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
not a cat was stirring and nary a mouse.
They’d all been dismembered with joyful glee,
and their remnants placed under the tree,
as gifts for the humans in the hope they’d be glad,
and Santa wouldn’t label the kitties bad!
Their numbers are down by one as the year comes to a close,
and we now continue this missive in prose.

4. I always have a huge mess of wrapping paper, bows and boxes to clean up the day after Christmas.

That’s it for us today. We’ll be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art. Hope to see you then.

December 22, 2023 by Janet Blue Christmas Feline Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Holiday 13

KIZMET IN CHARGE OF CHRISTMAS QC

Feline & Flashback Friday

The following photo is from December 24, 2021, but I have not shared it on the blog previously.

Christmas QC: Grey cat on top of a printer watching the printed paper come out.

Kizmet was in charge of quality control when it came to the printing of our annual newsletter, “Blues’ News.”

Kizmet will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop hosted by messymimi’s meanderings. If you’d like to do the same, click on the badge below.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Once again, my faithful helper, Sawyer, has come through for me. He completed the fill-in for sentence #1. His completion should come as no surprise to anyone. We both used teal italics to fill-in.

1. Sawyer:A Christmas pet peeve I have is not getting enough treats.

2. I don’t like spending money on replacing things I have broken.

3. I eat my fair share of sweets this time of the year.

4. I make a huge mess when wrapping Christmas gifts.

Nothing too exciting from either Sawyer or me today. I promise to be more creative tomorrow for Caturday Art.

Thanks for joining Sawyer, Kizmet and me today.

December 15, 2023 by Janet Blue Christmas Shelter Project Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins 12

CHRISTMAS 2019 FLASHBACK & FILL-INS

Feline Friday

Once again, I have no new photos of Kitties Blue, so I searched the archives for something holiday related. I found this photo of Lisbeth from Christmas Day 2019.

Christmas 2019 flashback: Tuxedo cat in a Christmas tree cat tent/bed.

Lisbeth will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop hosted by messymimi’s meanderings. If you’d like to do the same, click on the badge below.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Once again, my faithful helper, Sawyer, has come through for me. He completed the fill-in for sentence #4. We both used teal italics to fill-in. Any explanatory information is in parentheses.

Some of my favorite Christmas songs are (traditional carols) “What Child is This” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” and (contemporary Christmas songs) “Christmas, Baby Please Come Home” and “Last Christmas.” (There are very few Christmas songs, whether traditional or contemporary, that I don’t like, which is why I selected songs from both categories to fill in.)

2. I like to watch the movie, Love Actually, every year at Christmastime.

3. I would call this the most bright and festive time of the year.

4. Sawyer: If I were on Santa’s naughty list, it would probably be because I don’t eat my noms, as they have my meds in them.

Thanks for stopping in to see us today. We’ll be here tomorrow with some Caturday Art and hope to see you again then.

December 8, 2023 by Janet Blue Christmas Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins 9

COLD MORNING…HEATED FLOOR & FILL-INS

Feline Friday

Heated floors are quite popular on cold mornings.

Five cats on a heated floor on a cold morning

Kizmet, Raleigh, Sawyer, Astrid and Audrey will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop hosted by messymimi’s meanderings. If you’d like to do the same, click on the badge below.

Friendly Fill-Ins

I am so relieved I received help again today from Sawyer for the fill-ins. He is the most helpful of Kitties Blue when it comes to filling in. We both used teal italics to fill-in. An explanatory comment is in parentheses.

Sawyer: I feel like I never get enough treats!

2. By the end of the year, I want to create a list of things we need to be accomplished around the house in 2024.

3. December is the month that I go crazy decorating our house.

4. My house looks like a beacon during the holiday season. (The lights can be seen from several blocks away.)

Thanks for joining us today. We’ll be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art.

December 1, 2023 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins 9

NO SPACE TO SNOOZE

Feline Friday

no space to snooze: Ginger tabby cat and torbie cat together snoozing in a blue chair with a pale ginger tabby cat snoozing underneath.

Raleigh has shredded the fabric from the bottom of all the chairs in the living room. Cooper Murphy took Raleigh’s spot in the chair with Audrey and left him no space to snooze. So, Raleigh ended up sleeping on the fabric he’d pulled down before I totally removed it.

The boys and Audrey will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop hosted by messymimi’s meanderings. If you’d like to do the same, click on the badge below.

I apologize for not doing the Friendly Fill-Ins this week. I just couldn’t come up with completions, and the sentences really weren’t ones the kitties could take over for me.

Kitties Blue and I truly appreciate that you came to see us today. We will be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art.

November 17, 2023 by Janet Blue Doozy of a Snoozy Feline Friday 13

THEN & NOW & FILL-INS

Feline Friday

then & now: A dark ginger cat nose to nose with a lighter ginger kitten.

then & now: A dark ginger cat lying on a rug with a lighter ginger kitten behind him.

Cooper Murphy and Raleigh are here for Feline Friday. They are sharing a progression of then and now photos from their first meeting to a photo from last fall and finally a current one. They aren’t pals and finding them together is always a surprise. The last photo cracks me up. Raleigh has taken on a defensive posture, but if you could see Cooper Murphy’s expression, you’d see he has no interest in engaging.

The boys will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop hosted by messymimi’s meanderings. If you’d like to do the same, click on the badge below.

Friendly Fill-Ins

I am so relieved I received help today from three of the Kitties Blue. I only had to fill in #4. We all used teal italics to fill-in. I added an explanatory comment in parentheses on my fill-in.

1. Sawyer: I never know if I will like the noms I am served or if I will eat them.

2. Raleigh: I know I should let the humans I live with get close to me, but I don’t want to.

3. Audrey: Is it strange that I enjoy cleaning up any food remaining in my fursib’s bowls?

4. Changing the sheets on the bed is my least favorite chore to do. (It is only due to the help of Kizmet, Cooper Murphy and Calista Joe and any other kitty deciding to show up.)

Thanks for stopping in to see us today. We’ll be here again tomorrow with some Caturday Art.

November 10, 2023 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Kitties Blue 10

SUNPUDDLE SOJOURNERS & FILL-INS

Feline Friday

Kizmet and Audrey are back again this Friday, as they were last Friday in “Two in a Tower.” They are bit less alert this week, as they become toasty sunpuddle sojourners. Kizmet had been bathing Audrey, but when she stopped Audrey had to take over the task. Dad Tom said that they are trying to wash the shark suit cooties off of themselves.

sunpuddle sojourners: a grey cat and a torbie cat enjoy a sunpuddle while the torbie cat bathes herself.

The girls will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop hosted by messymimi’s meanderings. If you’d like to do the same, click on the badge below.

Friendly Fill-Ins

I asked if the sunpuddle sojourners would like to take a moment from their busy schedules to help with fill-ins. They ignored me. I am happy to once again have the assistance of Sawyer. He is the best helper when it comes to fill-ins. We both used teal italics for our sentence completions, and any explanatory information is in parentheses.

Friendly Fill-Ins

1. My November to-do list includes beginning to decorate for Christmas and finally getting my holiday shopping done.

2. I was busy doing the job of being in charge of training and assigning USA-International Volleyball Scorekeepers 20 years ago.

3. Remembering things is a challenge I often face.

4. Sawyer: I’m proud to say that I overcame my desire to be a houdini cat. (Kizmet has not, She sneaks out every opportunity she gets. She, however, always comes back and asks to come in. Regardless, like Sawyer, she wears an AirTag locater on her collar.)

Thanks for visiting today. We hope to see you again tomorrow when we share some Caturday Art.

November 3, 2023 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins 11

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.