7 August, 2021

7 August, 2021; Celestial Paddy O'Malley left Earth to live in Heaven.

He was my ❤️ cat.

Images from June, 2012.

As we have recently lost Celestial Sweetie, I've included her because they spent a lot of time together as 'O Cats'. 

When Out

It's Sweetnesday!

A few photos from July, 2018, when Celestial Sweetie was an 'O Cat'.

And, of course, Celestial Pommy had to photobomb again.

❤️😻❤️

PO'M's Inside Gotchaversary was 24 July, 2021.

We lost him 7 August, 2021, so neither date is very celebratory for us.

Am not lying when I tell you that I went from the highest high with joy in my heart to the lowest low in that fortnight.

Losing Celestial Sweetie, who was a part of it all, is another blow, yet having these lovely furrys in our lives has only enriched us in so many ways.

The sadness only enhances the love that we all shared, and how precious life is. 

❤️😻❤️

Eight

It's Sweetnesday!

Today, exactly eight years ago, Sweetie The 'O' Cat was caught on camera just lazing 'round the place.

22 May, 2016

She was obviously resting as Spring finally lost its grip on Michigan weather, with sunshine and purrfect temperatures.

How brown her fur appears in these snaps.

😻😻😻

Street Cred

It's Sweetnesday!

15 July, 2017

Sweetie allowed me close enough for some epic photos.

She hasn't lost a bit of that street cred cattitude.

😻💕😻

Winter Coat

It's Sweetnesday!

Today's images are from April, 2017, when Sweetie, as an 'O' Cat, still sported her thick winter coat.

She was floofalicous!

😻😻😻

Late Update

Angel, at Saturday's vet visit

This morning, as she noms a little

An update!

Saturday's vet visit went much better than I'd dreamed of.

By adding an appetite stimulant and pain meds, the doc is sure Angel will eat more soon.

The snowstorm took my mind off of my concerns for Angel, then the wonderful staff at Cats Veterinary Hospital easily gave me instructions and loaded us up with needed items.

I left the office with wings on my heels, and my heart as light as air.

She isn't cured, but she will stay with us for awhile longer...YAY!

💕😻💘

As for that storm, Paddy and Sweetie are fine!

The PO'M, using my lap as his look out

We received about 6 inches of snow...with huge drifts, and then it rained.

We shoveled the heavy, wet snow.

Overnight, the temperature dropped into the basement.

The photo above was taken at 5 pm today, when the windchill was in the single digits F.

Sweetie and The PO'M were happy to have dinner and fresh water, and I was delighted to pet them and give them love.

I'll share more photos tomorrow.

🌨⛄❄

Thankful Thursday: The 'O' Cats

So very, very thankful that these two kitties are in our lives.  I love them desperately!  There isn't a thing that I wouldn't do for them.

💕😽💕

Let's Hop!

Twoz-day

Sunshine!
Chili Bruce is left; Manny, right

We have had a surplus of wet and below average temperature days.  Here, I managed a photo of Da Boyz on the stool, backlit with the sun shining through the backdoor, on a rare instance of Sol breaking through the clouds.

I'm off on vacation for the next few days, so my commenting will fall off.  The Hubby is home to care for all Eastside Cats, and he'll watch those old cowboy TV shows that he so enjoys.  Actually, he watches them whether I'm home or not!  😹

🌞☔🌈

Feral Pin Cushion

Love!...and...

Thigh ouchies!

Paddy is my love, and he loves me.  But love is painful sometimes!  May have to consider carrying a thick pad or carpet square, to put in my lap.  His nails are sharp, as they should be, but my thigh is currently looking like a pin cushion.  He is so happy to be with me, that he makes biscuits, and even my heavy jeans didn't prevent punctures.

On the flip side of this, The PO'M prefers to snuggle with me instead of eating his meals, so he is now on a diet, as his absence from the food bowls means Sweetie can eat everything up!

Sweetie is about 1/2 the size of The PO'M, so my hand looks huge on her small frame.
Notice the look from 'you know who'...

There is no doubt that The PO'M is a hefty boy, but I've been loath to cut back on food during the cold and snow.  Now that he's voluntarily eating less, this process may be easier than imagined! 

***

Thankful Thursday: Snowdrops & Coleman

Don't know who planted them, but snowdrops have appeared in the yard every Spring since we moved in!  I am thankful for their promise of warmer days to come.

But snow is still a part of Spring!

The 'O' Cats are bearing up well, despite the wacky weather

Thank you, Coleman cooler!
You've served up your last lick of water, but we'll always remember the years of service that you gave!

***

Let's Hop!

Click here to go to Brian's Home Blog!

***

Thankful Thursday: Sunshine

Taken this morning at 8 am

So very thankful for the rays of sunshine that graced us today.  It was only 9 degrees F, but having the light makes one think of warmer days ahead.  And, of course, seeing The PO'M's and Sweetie's dancing pawprints in the snow, tells me that they are weathering the Winter weather...and that's something to be thankful for too. 💗

Let's Hop!

Click here to join Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop

Sleepy Sunday And Farewells

Manny, upside down, in front
Chili Bruce behind
They decided to hold down my legs; guess they think that gravity doesn't work on the weekends!

Desperately quashing my anxieties regarding the upcoming frigid weather, and hoping everything we've set up for The 'O' Cats will be enough to see them through.  Will my love for our cats create a bubble of protection around them?  Please take care of yourselves and your family...two-footed or four...during this arctic experience!

⛄❆🌨

Sad news

Farewell, Angel Toby, from The Whiskeratti.  Please visit and leave words of comfort.  Run to Angel Leia, Toby...she's been waiting at The Rainbow Bridge for you.

We'll miss you, Toby
Image from The Whiskeratti blog

Farewell, Angel Andy, from Nerissa's Life.  His health problems were too much for his cat body.  The news isn't posted on the blog yet, but you can leave comforting words.

Bye, Angel Anderson
Image from Nerissa's Life blog

Super Blood Wolf Moon

#1:
The temperatures in our area are frigid.  The 'O' Cats water bucket was just about frozen solid!

The weather app on my phone first thing this morning!

Water bucket, almost frozen solid

Sweetie and The PO'M came out for breakfast!

#2:

Last night was a Super Blood Wolf Moon!  Super, because of the short distance between the two celestial bodies; Blood, because of the full Lunar eclipse, which turns the face of the moon reddish; and Wolf Moon, 'cause it's January, when the wolves (and every other living thing!) need to find food.

Taken from the interwebs

This is how the full moon looked from our front window

#3:

Got up at midnight to look at the lunar eclipse, and Chili Bruce decided that my body would make a nice beddy for him!  I was laying on the futon in the parlor, which is on the first floor.  Bedrooms are on the second floor, in Angel's Apartment.  

This image is from 12/2017
Last night's super full moon light still wasn't enough
to snap a photo of CB on my chest!

Cold

Temperatures are about 20 degrees F below average, and we've had a couple of significant snow storms.  This morning, I put out kibble only for The PO'M and Sweetie, because wet food would freeze solid before they could finish their meal.

Sweetie: "How is your kibble this morning?"
Paddy: "Quite delicious, Moma brought us a fresh batch!"

This bowl was used by my family since I was a little girl.
Now, it's The 'O' Cats's warm weather water bowl.
I don't remember where I put their winter bowl, but I'll find it!
And don't worry, I put out fresh...and liquid...water after this photo was taken!

Sweetie Saturday

Sweetie isn't a camera-lover the way The PO'M is.

Don't let the look fool you!
Sweetie is a wee, soft, lovely kitty.

Petit Sweetie!
(And I've always been mad that they took off so much of her eartip!)

Cat Bees

We discovered that a nest of bumblebees took over 'Mama's House' shelter!  I had cleaned out the old straw from The Cat Hotel, and was doing the same to Mama's House, when I saw bees flying all around me.  I stepped away, and then peeked over the edge and watched the furry, fat bees wriggling around in the straw!

Just after dark, The Hubby and I carried Mama's House out the the back of our yard, and set it up on bricks so the bumblebees can continue their residency until it gets cold again.  The PO'M and Sweetie only use The Cat Hotel, but I've kept Mama's House ready in case we had a new cat visitor or as a less-insulated, summer abode.

Mama's Bee House Shelter

Funny thing is, I placed a Bee House for native, non-hiving bees on the barn months ago, and we had a lot of visitors to that!

The hollow bamboo is purrfect for bee nests!

Am thinking about nailing up a few signs, "This Property Protected By Cat Bees!"

Wild Bunch Wednesday

The PO'M's fur is growing back nicely, over his once bald area.  Looks almost like the shape of Australia!  It was a rather large area, and I am so glad that it healed.

He loves getting scritches right there too!

Sweetie, rubbing

Sweetie also appears to have weathered the harsh Michigan Winter in good form.  Sunday afternoons are my favorite time to sit on the deck with them, or to wander the backyard. 

The 'O' Cats are The Wild Bunch, not to be confused with those two wild ruffians Manny and Chili Bruce!

Oh, they look peaceful here...but it's a ruse!

Hairy Eyeball

Sweetie, taken in May 2016
She does a pretty good sneer!

I was allowed to sleep in yesterday.  The Hubby fed the voracious Manny and Chili Bruce, gave Angel her bowl, and put food out for The 'O' Cats.  When I awoke, he mentioned that Sweetie had not appeared when he set out breakfast.

When I put down fresh food bowls later that afternoon, The PO'M was there, but no Sweetie!  OH NOES!  In my zeal to make sure she was okay, I pulled The Cat Hotel out from under it's awning, in an effort to take a look inside.  If Sweetie was ill, I was going to find out!

As The Cat Hotel was about halfway out, Sweetie exploded out of it, and turned to me with such a look, that I can only describe it as the Hairy Eyeball, or Stink Eye!  The Hubby was watching too, and we laughed for a full five minutes, interpreting her expression as, "What the heck, human?  Can't a kitty get some sleep around here without you bothering us?"  Or something like that, with a few cuss words too.  If looks could kill, I'd be a dead woman!

I did not snap a photo of it, but Sweetie's look is imprinted on my brain forever.  She has appeared for every meal since, however!