Separate

Yesterday, September 24, was National Punctuation Day, so I found some sillies to point out that anything can be made fun of!

And I'm one of those people who will only give up the Oxford Comma if you pry it from my cold, dead, fingers.

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September 25th (925) is Dolly Parton Day!

January 19, 1946 - August 25, 2026

The date is a numerical nod to her iconic hit single and movie, "9 to 5".

A bigger-than-life woman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, who put her time and money into helping others.

Rescued

 September 24, 2026 is Remember Me Thursday, celebrated on the 4th Thursday in September annually.

Learn more here: Remember Me Thursday.

🕯️ Shine a light on orphan pets waiting for forever homes

Our favorite breed is RESCUED.

Please don't shop; adopt.

❤️ ❤️ ❤️

We are thankful for every cat who has lived at Eastside Cats; each one was a rescue.

Chuck and Angel were rescued from someone who didn't spay their cat.

Hobo, Sammy, Sweetie, Paddy O'Malley, and Henry were backyard cats.

George was dumped at my place of business, and dear friends helped feed him, trap him, and find a home for him.

Manny and Chili Bruce were adopted from The Michigan Humane, and I found them at Premier Pet Supply in Beverly Hills, Michigan.

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Thanks so much for the kindness for our 13th Blogoversary; you all rock!

Let's Hop!

Keeping Entertained

 It's Walkin' and Readin' Wednesday!

Zoomac, again!

New window kitty.

Mocha

Recommended audiobooks:

The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson

Narrated by Laura Horowitz and Anthony Palmini

Audiobook published August 18, 2026

Libby app blurb: "The breakout standalone dark enemies to lovers romantasy about a woman whose lips are deadly poison...until she meets the one man who can survive her kiss."

My two cents: An excellent romp, with magic and angst, nasty parents, and each side of the conflict is sure the others are bad, bad people.  Vampires too!  Adult.

Place of Temptation by Bilinda P. Sheehan

All books narrated by Polly Lee

DI Haskell and Quinn Series:

#1 A Wicked Mercy (2019) 

#2 Death in Pieces (2020) 

#3 Splinter the Bone (2020) 

#4 Hunting the Silence (2021) 

#5 Hidden in Blood (2022) 

#6 Place of Temptation (2022) 

#7 Lake of Tears (2023) not yet available

#8 No Safe Place (2025) not yet available

#9 Dark is the Mind (2026) no yet available

#10 Lost and Found (2026) not yet available

Goodreads blurb: "Crime novels set in North Yorkshire, England feature D.I. Drew Haskell teaming up with criminal profiler Harriet Quinn."

My two cents: Drew and Harriet have a past, making them adversaries in private, but a good team when solving murders.  Their connection evolves with each book.  I found this series years ago, but only the first three books were available at my library, until recently when more have come online.  Waiting impatiently!  Oh yeah, beware: gruesome.

Born to Be Hanged: The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune by Keith Thomson

Narrated by Feodor Chin

Audiobook published May 10, 2022

Libby blurb: "Discover the thrilling account of the roguish acts of the first pirates to raid the Pacific in a crusade that ended in a sensational trial back in England."

My two cents: Non-fiction - Sailing any ocean back in 1680 was dangerous, let alone doing it as pirates!  A must-read if you are into the history of seafarers, plus the Admiralty's amazing laissez-faire attitude years later is remarkable.  We've got Captain Henry Morgan, treks into Panama with fighting against the indigenous folk, The Spanish, and even The English.  A princess is saved!

Autumnal Blogoversary

Tonight is the Autumnal Equinox for us in Michigan!

Eastern Daylight Time (EDT - US/Canada): Tuesday, September 22 at 8:04 P.M.

Pacific Daylight Time (PDT - US/Canada): Tuesday, September 22 at 5:04 P.M.

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): Wednesday, September 23 at 00:05 A.M.

British Summer Time (BST - UK): Wednesday, September 23 at 1:05 A.M.

Japan Standard Time (JST - Japan): Wednesday, September 23 at 9:05 A.M.

Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST - Sydney): Wednesday, September 23 at 10:05 A.M.

🍁🍂🍁

🍂 🍁 🍂

Today is our blogoversary; my first blog post was on September 22, 2013.

How can that be?!?!? ⏳

Am beyond thankful for every follower and commenter, and for the wonderful kindness shown for our cats.

Have curtailed some of my blogging activities this summer to streamline laptop time.

Years ago, I began sending emails to family and friends with cute cat stories, then discovered blogging.

And it was The Ghost Cat who truly fired my imagination to want to post about our lives with cats.

Ghost Cat statue, left by a kind neighbor on our deck when she didn't get an answer to knocking at the door. 

When I sat down with The 'O' Cats that night, I saw a white cat in the dark.

Thinking it was a new stray, I made smoochy noises and talked to the white cat, but it didn't move a muscle.

And it sorta glowed; creepy!

Not until I screwed up my courage to get closer, did I figure out it was a statue that I'd never seen before.

I was rattled, but it's a pretty funny story now.

😹 😹 😹

Freed From Civil Disturbance

September 21 is International Day of Peace.

2026 Theme: Invest in Peace - For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day

Learn more here at United Nations website.

🕊️ ☮️ 🕊️

Chalk drawing on the sidewalk in my neighborhood.

Smile

Peace

Hope

Love

Live

Kind

Life

Dream

Yes, exactly!

🕊️ ☮️ 🕊️

Day Of Rest

Yesterday's temperatures were cool, and it rained all day.

Each Eastside Cat chose to pack it in, and laze around for the duration.

I enjoyed capturing their cuteness with my phone.

Manny, again on top of the refrigerator, with dramatic lighting.

Chili Bruce, crawled under the futon blanket.

Henry made a circle.

💤 💤 💤

An update on Da Boyz' trip to the vet early last week:

Both had gained about 1/2 lb. of weight since their last visit, however the veterinarian thought they could stand to gain a bit more.

Color me surprised!

Manny:

-Has a higher PH in his urine than he should, and some crystals were evident.

Vet said NO MORE FISH cat food; the minerals in seafood can cause the crystals to form.

Chili Bruce:

-Discovered that his microchip couldn't be found, so they gave him a new one.

-Also, his teeth are getting icky again.

It's a genetic disposition, and he's already had several teeth extracted.

Henry is doing well:

-His finicky eating goes up and down; I put out two bowls for him, one with the 'good for him' food, and the other has the loose-stool-making food.

He samples both, so he's getting plenty to eat.

-Next chemo treatment #9 of 10 is September 29, and he has a vet visit that same day.

❤️ 😸 ❤️

Pirated Moon

September 19 is Talk/Meow Like A Pirate Day!

Celebrated to give us all something to be silly about.

 

September 19 is also International Observe The Moon Day!

A worldwide public program that encourages observation, appreciation, and understanding of our Moon.

A few random moon photos of mine:

August 28, 2026

June 28, 2025

March 5, 2023

For Caturday, one of Da Boyz was lurking in the kitchen, and the photo snap had his eyes like automotive headlamps.

Artified with Prisma's Lantern filter, I think it's purrfect for this changing time of year.

Click on the image above to enjoy a jigsaw puzzle.

Let's Hop!

On and Off Again

It's time for Formerly Feral Friday in Henryville.

Henry's now had eight of his ten chemo treatments.

His eating slowed, when we realized that the mousse-style cat food was giving him diarrhea.

Switched him to the same food that Da Boyz eat, and which Henry had eaten before, and for a little while, he was chowing down, and his litter box leavings were solid.

Then, he would only nibble a bit at his food, so I searched for a new canned food that he ate ravenously, as did Manny and Chili Bruce.

But now, Henry has loose stools again!

Hoping his system gets used to the newest stuff, because he will NOT eat anything else.

Sorry, Henry, to tell the world about your litter box leavings.

I'll give you an extra squeezie to pay for my over-sharing.

But...dang it all, you are so CUTE.

❤️

Greatly Grand

❤️ Thankful for the birth of a healthy great-nephew. ❤️

Or is it grand nephew?

Read about the debate here: Great versus Grand

If Auntie Vic can count correctly, the newest baby is my 14th great/grand.

Thirteen nieces and nephews.

Welcome to the world, little man!

😹 🙀 😹

Meanwhile, the days are beginning to do some weird time-stretching thing!

Some sillies to express my confusion:

I'm so confused...

😹 🙀 😹

Let's Hop!

Nose Prints

 Walkin' and Readin' Wednesday!

Two 'hood doggos, sharing one window.

The Clinton River, from The Crocker Bridge in downtown Mount Clemens, Michigan, about 1/2 mile from Eastside Cats.

Unknown neighborhood kitty, who was friendly.

Neighbor's window cat; still don't know his name.

Ruby, my neighbor who always greets me, with her wee tailio wagging a mile a minute.

Yes, she has ears.

❤️ 👀 😻

Recently completed audiobooks that I recommend:

The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul by Eleanor Herman
Narrated by Susie Berneis

Published: June 12, 2018

Goodreads Blurb: "In The Royal Art of Poison, Eleanor Herman combines her unique access to royal archives with cutting-edge forensic discoveries to tell the true story of Europe’s glittering palaces: one of medical bafflement, poisonous cosmetics, ever-present excrement, festering natural illness, and, sometimes, murder."

My Two Cents: Not as many forensically proven murders as one would think, but the whole world was poisonous back in the day.  Not for the faint of heart, and an interesting look into historic society that makes one wonder if it isn't just safer to be poor and unknown.  Famous folks mentioned: Napoleon Bonaparte, Danish mathematician Tycho Brahe, Baroque painter Caravaggio, and many more.

The Bravest Hour: Verity Kent Mysteries #9 by Anna Lee Huber

Narrated by Heather Wilds

#1: This Side of Murder (2017)

#2: Treacherous Is the Night (2018)

#3: Penny for Your Secrets (2019)

#4: A Pretty Deceit (2020)

#5: Murder Most Fair (2021)

#6:  A Certain Darkness (2022)

#7: The Cold Light of Day (2024)

#8: A Moment's Shadow (2025)

#9: The Bravest Hour (2026)

Goodreads Blurb: November 1920. Dublin, Ireland. British Intelligence Agent Verity Kent's efforts to foil a contemptible plot by the traitorous Lord Ardmore and save countless lives—as well as the British government’s reputation—has exposed her to detrimental scrutiny, bringing her contact with the Irish rebels to light. Crushingly, she finds herself incarcerated in Dublin Castle, the “Dread Bastille,” where she must withstand interrogation from her own countrymen.

My Two Cents: Am not a fan of this narrator, but the stories are so good!  Began reading this series in 2023, and this ninth book in the series feels like a finale, as Verity and husband Sidney have been in the game for a long time. However, the author may be unable to retire them.  The surprise of all surprises occurs early in Book #1, which hooked me like a largemouth bass.

The four audiobook Emaneska series, by Ben Galley

#1: The Written, 2010

#2: Pale Kings, 2012

#3: Dead Stars - Part One, 2013

#4: Dead Stars - Part Two, 2013

Narrated by Steven Cree

Goodreads Blurb: "Game Of Throne meets Die Hard in this explosive epic fantasy, packed with tattooed mages wielding unbridled spells, meddling gods, dragon-riders, and twisted Norse mythology."

My Two Cents: Ben Galley can write women, men, dragons, leviathans, gods, demigods, queens, and these stories (and the following three book The Scalussen Chronicles) keep the reader on the edge of their seat, and wondering what the heck is going to happen next!  This is war, played dirty and gritty, and every character is treacherous. 

📚 📚 📚

Not Felt

"The Straw Hat Riot of 1922 was a riot that occurred in New York City at the end of summer as a result of unwritten rules in men's fashions at the time, and a tradition of taunting people who had failed to stop wearing straw hats after autumn began. Originating as a series of minor riots, it spread due to youths choosing to harass men wearing straw hats past the unofficial date that was deemed socially acceptable, September 15. It lasted eight days, leading to many arrests and some injuries." - Wikipedia

Therefore, Felt Hat Day is September 15.

And so, I dragged out my Cat Hats box, and with felt hats in one hand and phone in the other, I went out in search of cats:

Yeah, Henry wasn't having ANY of it!

I was lucky to walk about with all of my digits.

Look at that face!

Chili Bruce would only sit still while I held him,

Top hat!

Manny allowed the cowboy hat to rest on his noggin for only a moment.

No cats were harmed in the making of today's post; they were just annoyed for a couple of seconds.

😹 🎩 🤠 😹