Volleyball

KIZMET WATCHING VOLLEYBALL WITH DAD

Wordless Wednesday

Kizmet is a fan of all sports. Check out this post for a photo of her watching the Winter Olympics: “Sports Enthusiast Cat Kizmet.”

Kizmet will be joining the Wordless Wednesday blog hop at Comedy Plus.

Comment-a-thon

You only have today and tomorrow to enter a comment on Misty May and Angel Mau’s birthday post, “18th Birthday Celebration Comment-a-thon,” for the opportunity to win a donation for your favorite pet rescue, shelter or charity. I will be donating $1 for every comment (one per person please). If you haven’t commented yet, please do and invite your friends to do the same. Thank you.

Remember Me Thursday

Remember Me Thursday graphic with orange tabby cat portrait within a star and grey tabby cat portrait within a heart.

Cooper and Sawyer are here to remind you to join us tomorrow for a very special post to honor and remember all pets waiting for their forever homes. Both Cooper Murphy and Sawyer came to us from the streets, and we are blessed to have them as members of the family. Check out the Remember Me Thursday website for additional information.

A PLACE TO DREAM

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

The weeks keep zipping right by us, but unfortunately little has changed in the past several months. The pandemic is still raging with some locales seeing huge escalations in cases. Virginia isn’t currently one of the states which has this problem. However, that does not mean we can be less cautious. I only mention this because it is what is uppermost in my mind almost constantly. Consequently, once again, it found its way into my poem. I just cannot seem to help myself. Sorry!

Here’s the photo followed by my poem.

A Place to Dream

Magical painting in which to escape
From day-to-day, hum-drum of normal life.
Imagining another time and place…
Quiet, gentle with no virus or masks,
No social distancing, fear or protests.
Any painting, photo or drawing
Holds the key for me to a better
Place than where we are now…
A place to dream and be free.

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday is hosted by the adorable Angel Sammy and his equally adorable little brother, Teddy. Sammy transmits his poem to Teddy from the Rainbow Bridge along with his own dynamite poem. So please click on the badge above to pop over to Two Spoiled Cats to read Sammy’s poem and find the inspiration photo for next Thursday.

Thankful Thursday

Thanks this week include one for Sawyer. Our little trooper is 19 days seizure free as of yesterday. Paws crossed that streak will continue. Twenty days is his max, and those two intervals happened a few months back.

Our second thanks is that Mau’s trip to the vet—yes that is where he was heading in yesterday’s photo—did not reveal any dire illness. He has not been himself for a few days and not eating much. He has lost more than a pound of weight since round-up in the beginning of April.

Mau is still feeling puny, but his heart and lungs are good and thyroid function okay. His kidney function values show, like many senior cats, that he does have some kidney disease.

He received a cerenia injection to stimulate his appetite, and he is eating, including treats and shredded cheddar cheese from my dinner. Starting him on k/d food was suggested, but if he is like every other cat we have had or known, we are fairly certain he’ll turn his nose up at that.

We will definitely keep you posted as to his health

Dad Tom and I remain healthy for which we are truly grateful. Tom will get results today of an antibody test he had when giving blood a couple of weeks ago. We expect it to be negative for COVID-19.

I am thankful that I woke up early enough two days ago and actually remembered it was Tuesday, so I could be one of three first commenters on the Tuesday Teaser at Two Spoiled Cats. I shared the honors with Mom Sharon (Friends Furever) and Dad Pete (Tomcat Commentary by Tim). We all got this cool badge.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. If you’d like to participate, post on your blog for what you are thankful, then click on the badge below to go to Brian’s Home blog and enter the link to your post.

July 9, 2020 by Janet Blue Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Health Poetry Thankful Thursday Thoroughly Poetic Thursday Volleyball 16

IMAGINATION & EXPLANATION

It’s time for another editon of Sammy’s Throughly Poetic Thursday. This week our prompt letter is “I.” Kitties Blue and I thought it would be pretty hard to come up with a good poem using “I”, but it turned out okay, we think. And Fiona has put together a few photos to accompany the poem. (She has her monthly CKD check-up tomorrow and could use a few extra purrs and prayers. I am praying she’s gained a little weight and her numbers are down. She’ll let you know the results of her exam on Caturday or Sunday.)

Imagination

Nothing is Impossible if we use Imagination…
Problems can be solved and poetry written.
Imagination can take you anywhere
Even if you never leave your chair.
A house cat can become a jungle king.
A kitten can believe she can do anything.
The cat tower becomes the tallest tree
As she scrambles to the top…1, 2, 3!
A dancing feather toy is a bird on high
Letting kitty run and jump and almost fly.
A little catnip can boost Imagination,
Turning a dreamer into a media sensation,
Like Morris, Lil Bub or Grumpy Cat
Or maybe even another The Cat in The Hat.
The Imaginative cat can do the Impossible
Even if his human finds it Implausible.
Imagination is truly a wondrous thing.
Adventures you can have will make your heart sing.
So get up from your nap, have a little bit of nip
And take yourself on an Imaginative trip.

Wordless Wednesday Explained

As the Olympics and Pawlympics are currently being contested and it is the 20th Anniversary of the Atlanta Olympics, our Mom thought it might be fun to share a few Olympic photos. Here’s the short version of the Olympic story: Mom was a scorekeeper and Dad was a referee for the indoor volleyball competition. At the conclusion of the Olympics Mom took over as the chair of the USA/International Scorekeepers Commission for USA Volleyball. She trained, certified and assigned scorekeepers to International Events contested in the U.S. She served in that position for 12 years. Here are two posts with some additional information: TOM SELLECK AND A LIEBSTER AWARD NOMINATION and HOME ALONE AGAIN.

We’ll be back tomorrow for Friendly Fill-Ins.

August 11, 2016 by Janet Blue Poetry Thoroughly Poetic Thursday Volleyball 19

OLYMPIC MEMORIES – ATLANTA 1996

Wordless Wednesday

August 10, 2016 by Janet Blue Volleyball Wordless Wednesday 18

THE 2012 KITTY OLYMPICS

Belly-Up Sprawl

Gold Medal Winner – Misty May

So…we are in the midst of the XXX Summer Olympics and usually my guy and gals would be displaying their penchant for the games. But with the heat we’ve been having, the most “hotly” contested event is the BELLY-UP SPRAWL. Mauricio and Misty May both get extra style points for the best lead-in…the drop, flop and roll…but Misty May is the clear gold medalist as she is known for her ability to spend about 22 hours per day on her back.

Calico cat in the bell-up sprawl position while napping.

Silver Medalist – Lily Olivia on her back! Lily Olivia gets the silver and Giulietta the bronze based on her girth and fluffy hair-do.

All the sprawling has given Giulietta the energy for the occasional Track and Field events. She is the master of the BACK TO FRONT DOOR SPRINT as well as the BACK DOOR TO UPSTAIR’S FOOD BOWL SPRINT. Should another feline mistakenly cross her path, a little CAT-ON-CAT WRESTLING can ensue. When that happens, I am forced to disqualify all those involved.

On the other paw, Astrid is definitely the best at the STUFFED MASCOT WRESTLING event. She refused to let me take her picture as she didn’t want to give away any of her top-secret techniques. And with sibling, Lisbeth, she has mastered the HIGH-FLYING BUG SWAT AND GOBBLE.

Baby Mauricio with His Kitten-sized Volleyball

One would think Mauricio and Misty May, named for gold-medal volleyball players, would take a bigger interest in that sport. But even though Jolly Old England is the locale for the people Olympics, neither find the sport to be their “cup of tea;” though, as you can see, Mauricio once did.

Additional Events

The Olympics always have been contested among the resident kitties. And they aren’t really partial to either the summer or the winter games. Games take place all year around and include a variety of “catrobatics.” These include LEAP CAT, TEAM PAW BALL/CORK /STYROFOAM PEANUT (a lot like team handball), CAPTURE THE CRITTER, WRAPPING-PAPER WRINKLING, MOUSE MUNCHING, TUB TAIL TAG, LASER LIGHT KEEP-AWAY and the always favorite, CHRISTMAS TREE DISMANTLING.

Tuxie kitten standing on hind legs on bed.

Mauricio competes in Capture the Critter.

They have become quite distressed by the discontinuation of many events due to our usage of laptops, tablets and smart phones. No longer contested are ANSWERING MACHINE ANNIHILATING, MODEM MAULING or FAX FIDDLING.

We wish they could be better sports cats and competitors, but as I have said often, if wishes were cats, we’d be up to our necks in cat poop…oh, wait a minute, we are. Maybe LITTER BOX SCOOPING should become an Olympic event for the caregivers. We’ve certainly built up some great upper-arm strength…probably even enough for the CAT CLEAN AND JERK.

FIVB Referee Commision at the 2012 London Olympics.

Tom (2nd from left) and his fellow Referee Commission Members

For those of you who know Dad Tom and me, I have added this bonus photo from the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics in London. For those who are just becoming acquainted with us, Dad Tom is a member of the FIVB (International Volleyball Federation) Referee Commission.

August 3, 2012 by Janet Blue Backstory Kitties Blue Volleyball 2

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.