Flashback Friday

FELIZ CINCO DE MEOW 2023

Feline Friday

Through the years, Kitties Blue have starred in some cute photos for Cinco de Meow. I am sharing a few of those today for Feline and Flashback Fridays.

This was Sawyer’s first Cinco de Meow in 2018. He was just a kitten but still joined Mau and Cooper Murphy in their mariachi band.

A ginger tabby cat, a grey tabby kitten and a tuxedo cat are dressed as mariachi band members with guitars.

In 2017 Cooper Murphy celebrated the holidays with a few meowgaritas. Bet you didn’t know he could speak Spanish.

An orange tabby cat wearing a sombrero and flash mustache is asking for a meowgarita in Spanish.

Mau celebrated with his sisfurs in 2014.

Eight cats are dressed in sombreros and serapes wishing everyone Feliz Cinco de Meow.

L to R Front: Misty May and Fiona; L to R Center: Astrid and Lisbeth; L to R Back: Giulietta, Calista Jo, Mau and Lily Olivia

This is one of my favorite Cinco de Meow photos. It’s from 2016, when once again, Mau was the only male among a household of female felines. Sadly, Mau and three of his sisfurs are now angels.

A male tuxedo cat is dressed as a gaucho with seven female cats dressed as chili peppers wishing everyone Feliz Cinco de Meow.

L-R: Lily Olivia, Giulietta, Lisbeth, Mau, Astrid, Calista Jo, Fiona, Misty May.

Kitties Blue will be celebrating this year’s Cinco de Meow with our annual round-up. Dr. Neel comes to the house tomorrow at 2 p.m. for check-ups, vaccines, blood work for Misty May and Sawyer, claw trims and weigh-ins. I think a few of the Kitties Blue should be worried about what the scale reveals, especially Audrey (aka The Hoover).

Hoping everyone has plans that will be more fun than a vet visit and include some meowgaritas and catnip cocktails.

The entire gang will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. To do the same, click on the Feline Friday badge.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Time again to let you know a bit more about Kitties Blue and myself by completing the weekly fill-ins. Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs) host the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop. On Thursday they each select two sentences to be filled in by hop participants. You can find those on both blogs. Enter the hop by clicking on the graphic.

I was left to my own devices to complete the fill-ins today, and I used teal italics for them.

1. Having a gardener would make my life easier.

2. My May to-do list includes yard work and going on a short vacation with Dad Tom to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.

3. If my morning starts with a Diet Coke, I can wake up and start my day.

4. Ending my day with a completed post makes me feel relieved.

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

"Kitties Blue" border with orange cartoon tabby cat wearing a sombrero for Cinco de Meow.

THREE PEEKING CATS

Feline/Flashback Friday

Without any new photos to share with you, I dug way back into my photo archives. This photo is from October 4, 2012. It features Fiona, Lisbeth and Giulietta. I think it is a good accompaniment to this week’s Looking Back post, “Cats in High Places.” If you missed checking out that post, click on the link. I guarantee you will enjoy it.

Three cats on the stairs (grey, tuxie and long-haired grey) looking through spindles.

Lisbeth and our two angels will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. To participate click on the Feline Friday badge.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Time again to let you know a bit more about Kitties Blue and myself by completing the weekly fill-ins. Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs) host the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop. On Thursday they each select two sentences to be filled in by hop participants, and you can find those on both blogs. Enter the hop by clicking on the graphic.

I got some help with filling in from both Stinky and Sawyer. And even the one fill-in I did is about Sawyer. He is the most helpful of all the Kitties Blue when it comes to the Friendly Fill-ins. We all used teal italics, and additional info is in parentheses.

1. Stinky: Having adventures with Periwinkle is always super fun.

2. Sawyer: Did you know that I like treats?

3. I know how scary it is when Sawyer has a seizure all too well.

4. Sawyer: I can’t explain why I don’t like the medicine Mom and Dad put in my noms. (One of them is even tuna flavored!)

Thanks for dropping in to see us. We’ll be back again tomorrow with some Caturday Art.

March 3, 2023 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Looking Back Sisters 11

FLASHBACK FRIDAY WITH ANGEL MAU X TWO

Feline/Friendship Friday

I do not have new photos of any of the Kitties Blue to share. So, I decided to dive into the archives and do a Flashback Friday photo from this same date, June 17. The year was 2016.

Angel Mau X two: tuxedo cat (in a photo from 2016) sits on counter. His reflection shows in nearby cell phone.

It is the dashingly handsome Mau X two. If you look closely, you will see his reflection in the cell phone on the counter. He and Allie would have celebrated their sixth anniversary next month, and Mau would have turned 18 in August. Instead he’s been at the Bridge for almost two years. I miss him everyday.

Angel Mau will be participating in both the Feline Friday and Friendship Friday blog hops at Comedy Plus and Create With Joy respectively.

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #216

The other Friday blog hop Kitties Blue and I try to participate in each week is Friendly Fill-Ins, hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs). If you’d like to participate, you can find the four sentences to be filled in each Thursday on their blogs.

This week I got a little help from Sawyer and his cartoon counterpart, Stinky. As usual, the three of us used teal italics to fill in. Any additional information is in parentheses.

1. Sawyer: A product I would endorse is Temptations™.

2. Stinky: If I had a boat, I would name it Periwinkle after my beautiful girlfriend.

3. When I moved from Santa Barbara, CA, to Kansas City, MO, at age 23, where the only person I knew was Tom, was one of the first times I truly felt like a responsible adult. (I drove there with a girl friend and everything I owned 14 months before Tom and I were married.)

4. I struggle with change most especially when it relates to losing one of the Kitties Blue.

To join the hop, click on the fill-ins badge.

We look forward to seeing you all again tomorrow when we’ll share some Caturday Art.

June 17, 2022 by Janet Blue Angel Cat Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Friendship Friday 13

SLEEPING GINGER TABBY SANS BELLY

Feline/Friendship Friday

Today’s photo for the Feline and Friendship Friday blog hops is a flashback from 2017, which I never shared here on the blog. It’s yet another photo of Cooper Murphy sleeping. What makes it unique is that Cooper Murphy is not lying on his back displaying his ample belly. He does, however, give you a peek at some of his toe beans.

sleeping ginger tabby sans belly and showing off toe beans

When Cooper wakes up, he’ll be joining the blog hops at Comedy Plus and Create With Joy.

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #311

On Fridays Kitties Blue and I fill-in, along with friends, Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs) and Ellen (15 And Meowing), who jointly host the blog hop and select the sentences to be completed.

Sawyer volunteered to help me again this week. We both used teal italics for our fill-ins.

1. Sawyer: If you see me wrapped up in a towel sleeping, it means I had a seizure.

2. I am feeling sad as well as angry about the cruelty of the war in Ukraine.

3. I wish I could go back and relive the moment when I was eating the most, incredibly delicious, chocolate soufflé in Paris in 2013. (If you’d like to see some photos from that trip, check out the post, “Paris Photos #1.”)

4. I would like to swap lives with any one of Kitties Blue for a day.

If you’d like to participate in this hop, check out either Ellen’s or Lorianne’s blog on Thursday for the sentences to be filled in. To hop, click on the Fill-Ins badge.

Thanks for visiting. Happy Friday!

May 13, 2022 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Friendship Friday Kitties Blue 15

TORTIE ASTRID FLASHBACK & FILL-INS

Feline/Friendship Friday

For the Feline and Friendship Friday blog hops, I selected a photo of Astrid from September 18, 2019. I hope you all like it, as Astrid makes very few appearances here.

tortie flashback

Astrid is joining the Feline Friday blog hop at Comedy Plus and the Friendship Friday blog hop at Create With Joy. You can do the same by clicking on the badges.

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #279

Our friends Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs) host the fill-ins blog hop each week and select the sentences for participants to fill in. I didn’t get any help from the kitties this week. My fill-ins are in teal italics. If you’d like to play along, click on the badge at the left.

1. So far this year, I have accomplished getting Sawyer home.
2. My plans for October include Christmas shopping and planting some bulbs.
3. Exercise may be difficult, but it’s worth it.
4. I don’t think I’ll ever master SEO and keywords.

Thanks for dropping by to see us. We always appreciate your support. We’ll be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art.

October 1, 2021 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Friendship Friday 13

OUR OVER-STUFFED TURKEY CAT

Late post today and not because I was Black Friday shopping. I was just too over-stuffed and pooped last night and didn’t feel like doing it. But I already had done my fill-ins and prepared a Feline Friday photo, so I decided I couldn’t punt all together.

Feline/Friendship Friday Friday

For those of you who follow Dad Tom on Facebook, you will have already seen this photo (but not as a meme). However, I couldn’t let him have all the fun with it.

May I present our very own 20-pound, catnip-stuffed turkey.

OVER-STUFFED TURKEY

Yesterday we had a gorgeous day with a temperature in the low 70s. We spent a good portion of the day on the catio with Kitties Blue. I suggested we put out the last of this year’s catnip. To be fair, Cooper Murphy shared a tiny amount with Astrid, Misty May, C.J. and Sawyer. On the unfair side of this equation, Cooper Murphy was the only cat to get a small bite or Cornish game hen.

Cooper Murphy is joining the Feline Friday blog hop at Comedy Plus and the Friendship Friday blog hop at Create With Joy. You can do the same by clicking on the appropriate badge.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Kitties Blue and I are sending a big post-Thanksgiving thank you to Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs) for providing us with the fun activity of completing four sentences especially selected by them. Here are this week’s sentences with my fill-ins in teal italics.

1. Why is veterinarian care so expensive?

2. On holidays, I always have a second serving of nothing in particular.

3. I’m eternally grateful for being a senior citizen.

4. ‘Tis the season for spending time with friends and family; though, that is a no-no this year.

If you would like to join in the fun of Fill-Ins, check out Ellen and Lorianne’s blogs on Thursday. To join the hop, click on the badge above.

Praying everyone stayed in their pod and still managed to have a great Thanksgiving. Regardless of the virus and the myriad of natural disasters that have occurred this year, we still have much for which to be thankful. At the top of that list for Dad Tom and I and Kitties Blue are our friends, which include all those who follow and support us. Thanks again!

November 27, 2020 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Friendship Friday Holiday Kitties Blue Thanksgiving 13

A SPARK OF FRIENDSHIP AS THANKS

Sparks

Today’s Spark is meant as a thank you to everyone who commented, on our post and on the one at Friends Furever, about Allie receiving her angel wings. You all are true friends and your heartfelt words, at least for Kitties Blue and me, are truly helping us to deal with this second dose of grief.

As we have been reminding you for months, Sparks was the creation of Annie from McGuffy’s Reader. Sparks began as a blog hop, created by our friend. Annie stated when she began Spark,“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.”

After being off-line for nearly two years (as the result of having her site hacked more than once), Annie is back today with her own Spark. Wow, I was excited to see her. To go to Annie’s post, click on her Sparks badge.

Awww Mondays

Misty May is here again today in an awww-adorable photo of her pursuing her favorite pastime. She is joining the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus. You can do the same by clicking on the badge below Misty May’s photo.

Labor Day

Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September in the U.S. and Canada. It is celebrated as a federal holiday in honor of the American labor movement and the contributions made by workers to the strength, prosperity, laws and well-being of the country. Oregon was the first state to celebrate Labor Day in 1887. When it became a federal holiday in 1894, 30 states were already celebrating the day.

With so many Americans out of work due to the pandemic, Labor Day takes on an entirely different meaning this year. We pray that all those who have lost their jobs will find new ones or be rehired as the economy improves.

The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky

Tomorrow Stinky and his girlfriend, Periwinkle, will be off on another of their adventures. You’ll be able to join them right here at The Cat on My Head. Please don’t disappoint them by missing out on the fun!

Thanks for joining us today.

September 7, 2020 by Janet Blue Awww Mondays Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Doozy of a Snoozy Flashback Friday Holiday Sparks Tuxie Tuesday 13

ANGEL, ASTRID & FILL-INS

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #222

Once again, I am joining the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs. If you’d like to participate and let your followers know a bit more about yourself, you can find the sentences to be filled in on both blogs on Thursdays. To join the hop, click on the badge at the left, which will take you to Four-Legged Furballs.

I completed all the sentences myself this week. I used teal italics for my fill-ins.

1. I feel like the coronavirus is never going to go away.

2. I wish I could exchange a few years of my life for having Mau back with us.

3. It’s time for me to recommit myself to visiting and commenting on our friends’ blogs.

4. Pulling the covers over my head and retreating from the world is really tempting these days.

Feline/Friendship/Flashback Friday

Amazingly, I have no new photos of any of the Kitties Blue to share with you. So, I found a photo I’d never shared from almost this day five years ago (8/24/2015). It’s not a purrfect photo, as I cut the tips of Mau’s ears off, but it is purrfect as it shows Astrid and the big brother she adored.

Our precious angel and Astrid are joining Comedy Plus’ Feline Friday and Create With Joys’ Friendship Friday blog hops. If you’d like to participate, click on the badges below.

August 21, 2020 by Janet Blue Angel Cat Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Friendship Friday 12

FELINE FRIDAY FLASHBACK & FILL-INS

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #198

I am joining the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop hosted by Ellen from 15 And Meowing and Lorianne from Four-Legged Furballs. If you’d like to take part, you can find the sentences to be filled in each Thursday on their blogs. To join the hop, click on the badge at the left. It will take you to Four-legged Furballs.

I got a little help again this week from Sawyer. Both of us have used teal italics for our fill-ins.

1. I won’t pay more than a sale price for anything (unless it is a gift).

2. The last show I watched on television was Project Runway.

3. I recently had the opportunity to have an MRI of my neck. (I had one ten years ago, and I am waiting to find out about the changes.)

4. Sawyer: Every day I don’t have a seizure is cause for celebration.

Flashback & Feline Friday

I enjoy sharing photos with you of past Kitties Blue, and I have shared several of best buddies, MacKenzie and Madison. Both got their wings in 2011.

Today’s photo was taken in June, 2002.

Angels MacKenzie (left) and Madison (right) are hopping over to visit Sandee at Comedy Plus for Feline Friday. If you would like to join them there, click on the badge below.

March 6, 2020 by Janet Blue Backstory Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins 14

FELINES, FILL-INS & FRIENDSHIP WITH FIONA

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #192

Friendly Fill-Ins is hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs). Each select two sentences for participants to complete. If you’d like to play along, click on the badge at the left. That will take you to Lorianne’s blog, where you can enter the link to your post.

The sentences to be completed can be found on both blogs each Thursday.

These are some of the toughest fill-ins ever. I had to call on both Mau and Sawyer to help me out. I tell myself each week that I will fill-in with the first thing that pops into my mind. It’s tough, however, when nothing comes to mind!

Anyhoo, the boys and I have used teal italics to complete the fill-ins. Explanatory info is in parentheses.

1. I am particular about my writing and grammar and always proofread my work carefully.

2. Sawyer: My tummy is like a clock. (I always know exactly when it is time to get my treats [11 a.m.] and lunch [3 p.m.].)

3. Mauricio: My marriage to Allie (Friends Furever) in a ceremony at Cat Scouts is a moment I will never forget.

4. Have you ever heard of an American who doesn’t like John Wayne or chocolate chip cookies? (I did like John Wayne in True Grit and will eat a chocolate chip cookie if it is the only sweet thing in the house.)

Feline & Friendship Fridays

For the blog hops, Feline Friday at Comedy Plus and Friendship Friday at Create with Joy, I am using a flashback photo from July 2015 of our sweet and beautiful angel, Fiona.

I did use this photo back in 2015 for Caturday Art.

If you’d like to join the hops, click on the badges below.

January 24, 2020 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins 13

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.