Gorge, Cat, House

Finding cats while on vacation: the Ohio journey continued yesterday:

First, a trek around the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve.

Then, a lovely visit with Spooky at Dark Star Bookstore, in Yellow Springs.

Spooky graciously allowed pets and chin scritches!

The last event of the day, besides the drive home, was a guided tour of The Westcott House in Springfield.

There are plenty more photos to share; didn't want to inundate y'all with my happy, snappy pics.

Am so pleased to have hit so many of my goals for this trip, besides the glorious company of my sister and her family, and just breathing in the new baby smell of my nephew and niece-in-law's month-old daughter.

Thank goodness this is a short week of work for me, as the office is closed Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

I need a bit of vacation after my vacation, knowwhatImean?

Works of Art

Finding cats while on vacation: the journey continues at The Cincinnati Art Museum:

Zen Cat: "Do You See Your Mind Now?"
Laura Jones, no date listed

Lion Funerary Monument
Circa 350 BCE: Attica/Greece

Plate with Seated Lioness
Circa 580 BCE: Corinth/Greece

Some non-feline gems:

Prelude in E Minor
2005: Richard Mayhew

White House Ruin, Canyon De Chelly National Monument in Arizona
1941: Ansel Adams

Sun on Prospect Street (Gloucester, Massachusetts)
1934: Edward Hopper

Don't forget the museum gift shop!

Cat stuff galore!
Won't mention how much $$$ I spent.

Bookstore Cat

Of course I found a cat while vacationing!

Below is Winnie, the cat mascot at Mulberry St. Books, in Lebanon, Ohio.

Winnie's fur was bunny-rabbit soft, but don't even think about picking her up!

After visiting with Winnie, and browsing books and book nerd t-shirts, we sorta infiltrated a book club meeting for The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.

Just so you know, there is snow falling here in southern Ohio; my drive from Metro Detroit straight south on I-75 took me through a few flurries and bright sunshine, but the pavement was never wet or icy.

Just what will we come across next?

Cusp

It's Sweetnesday!

Our Swee Wee isn't chowing down her chow, so I've been carrying her food bowl to her to tempt her into taking a few licks.

This works, but a Churu works even better!

I was successful with one pilling (appetite stimulant), and utter failure at the second.

Me: 1

Sweetie: 1

We visit the vet on Monday for Solensia, and I'll powwow with the experts.

~

Another trip around the Sun, and it's my birthday today.

Also, wishing Happy Birthday to Brian's Home Blog catmom.

I've only met a handful of folks who share my birthday, and it usually occurs on the First Day of Spring.

Had my horoscope professionally cast years ago, where I was diagnosed as a Pisces, but being born on the cusp of Aries means I really am combo of both.

Pisces: water sign + Aries: fire sign

Me: steam! 😹

I always take a day off from work for my birthday on principle, but the weather can be dicey.

That being said, below is my favorite image the tells it like it is:

Have a good day, y'all!

Vacation...

On vacation from work this week, and am thankful that I have a job that grants me time off.

Realized that one's brain goes off on vacation from time to time too.

Enjoy!

Images copied from various places on the interwebs.

Let's Hop!

Click on the badge above to visit Brian's Home!

Postcard From Denver: Walking Day 1

Thank you for your kind words as I unexpectedly mourned Chuck in my last post!
You all are the Cat's Pajamas, the Bee's Knees, the Monkey's Eyebrows!

😻💖😻

And now...Denver, Colorado!

Nestle Purina Pet Care Co. Warehouse, as seen from the freeway

A Denver U.S. Mint building; there are several!
Did you know that the U.S. Mint is NOT run by the U.S. Government?!?

Denver City Hall, in panorama

Fabric Cat Head Costume, at The Denver Art Museum

Caricature of "Whistler's Mother", with Siamese Cat

Yes, that's a cat at the bottom, but it's more like a little piglet!

Another cat image from the Denver Art Museum
The exhibition "Serious Play" was a collection of items from 1950-60's, organized around three themes—the American home, child’s play, and corporate approaches to design—encouraging visitors to consider how design connects to their daily lives.

Huge artwork outside; I was being silly while between the monoliths. And no, I did not bring The PO'M along to style my head...😸

We toured The Molly Brown House Museum, which had some fabulous lion statues!

"Pete the Cat" stuffies at The Tattered Cover Bookstore

My new bestie, Barrie, at The Tattered Cover Bookstore
Yes, her dress is all cats, and we discussed the cat book section, and everything 'cat'!
(Ellen, from 15 And Meowing, I told her to stock your books in the kids section!)

Denver, Colorado, and it's environs; what a fabulous place to visit!  We were there and back before the snowstorms hit, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to walk, walk, walk, then drive, drive, drive!

On our first full day, we toured The U.S. Mint, and then The Denver Art Museum.  The two locations were a few blocks apart, so we walked.  We encountered a couple carrying a cat; next door was a vet's office!  Not quick enough on the uptake to snap a photo.

Just another five blocks to The Molly Brown House Museum, and we arrived for the last tour of the day.  What a fabulous place, and Margaret Brown was one heck of a person, and she NEVER yet by Molly!  It was rush hour as we walked back to the car, so we decided to hang out at The Tattered Cover Bookstore, which was huge, fun, and luckily, full of nice chairs to rest our weary bones.  While there, I met Barrie, who is a huge cat lover, and we chatted and chatted, and had the best time!  Remember, Denver made it illegal to declaw cats...YAY!

A welcoming restaurant was next door to the bookstore, and there was vegan food for me, and normal food for everyone else, but wouldn't you know it, everyone wanted the cauliflower starter!  Our evening was spent enjoying our favorite TV show, "The X-Files".  What a great day: coins, cats, artwork, cats, museum, cats, books, cats...then aliens!

👽🐈👽

Yay...Spring!

The Vernal Equinox is today; we've all waited for Old Man Winter to retire, and today it happens!  Regardless of the continuation of cold weather, at least we know things are on the right track.  In addition, today is another anniversary, of sorts...it's my natal day!  Too many years ago to count, but it's a thrill to be associated with the change of seasons.  Long ago, I worked for a company that gave every employee a paid day off on their birthday, and I've continued that tradition for myself ever since.  

Welcome, Spring!

🌼🌷🌹🍀

    

Thankful Thursday

Folks, last night was the first time that I'v slept all night with a cat!  Angel will only jump up on the bed for a couple of seconds, and Chuck slept with me when he was sick, and that only lasted a few minutes to maybe an hour.

Last night, Manny and Chili Bruce snuggled up when I got into bed, and they both jumped off and on all night, but they came back!  I had more butt in my face, and paws walking over my body, than ever before.

I am thankful for Da Boyz!  Hoping that we soon figure out a routine, so all of us can get more rest, but I am overjoyed that my body is an acceptable place for cat snoozing.

Manny, doing a dangle

Chili Bruce, looking down on his kingdom

On top of this, the corporation that I work for just added a full week of vacation for every salaried employee!  Something about keeping talent, and aligning with what other companies do, but all I can say is THANKS!

I've joined Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!

Sweetie's Spa Day

Ya know, it's hard to take a photo
when you are scritching a kitty!

Notice her trademark paw up;
she does that when she's feeling happy

Smooth and luscious fur

And really...there was even more but I let the wind take a bit

Patty's fur doesn't clump like Sweetie's does

Sweetie allowed me to give her a full brush and comb treatment! That pile of fur is all hers, although Mr. O'Malley wanted to model next to it.  To run one's hand down Sweetie's back is like touching silk.  And you know that Patty was treated to some brushies and snuggles too!

I'm off for a long weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota, so I'll be offline for a few days.  At first, we planned for San Francisco, but there was lackluster enthusiasm (not on my part!).  Finally, we found a location that none of us have been before; time for new adventures!  Here's a partial list of the places we've traveled to:

Los Angeles, California

Washington D.C. (twice)

Houston, Texas

Cincinnati, Ohio

Metro Detroit, Michigan (twice)

Savannah, Georgia

Metro Cleveland, Ohio (twice)

Point Pleasant, West Virginia

Roswell, New Mexico

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Las Vegas, Nevada

Dayton, Ohio

Chicago, Illinois

And future locations may include: San Francisco, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Florida, Arkansas, New Mexico, and of course Britain!  I MUST see Stonehenge with mine own eyes before I pass this earthly plane.

  

A Tail of Woe

Chuck's visit to the veterinarian on Saturday, March 18 didn't go as well as we'd hoped.  Although his blood pressure and the stuff that she measured in his actual blood was okay, the vet said that his radiograph still shows a shadow on his lung.  Could still be fluid, so she gave us Spironolactone in addition to the Lasix.  Or, it could be something else.  We go back on Saturday, April 8 to see what we can see.

Since I was away last week, The Hubby was in charge and he scooped the litter boxes and doled out food to all cats.  However, the spot where they drew blood from Chuck on his tail turned red and raw.

Blurry, but you can see the little nekkid spot on his tail

The last time they shaved his tail, we called him "Chucky Two-Butts"!

The Hubby was glad when I was home again, because he had decided that we could do a bit of veterinary doctoring ourselves, with some triple-antibiotic cream and a good wrap-job so Chuck couldn't lick.  The Hubby was going to do the first-aid, while I held the cat.

There are no photos of the ensuing chaos; just suffice it to say that Chuck had a very poor opinion of our bedside manners, and in the end The Hubby held the cat while I wrapped the tail after a bit more shaving.  The results weren't half-bad.

Chucky was more upset with the doctoring, than the bandage

I received the Back Of Disdain for only a moment

Chuck didn't seem to care much about it, after the dust had settled

I also dug out the Elizabethan collar that we've had in the cabinet since Angel was spayed back in 2004.  The Hubby and Chuck talked while I was out of the room, and came to an agreement about the bandage, meaning "don't lick or you'll get The Cone Of Shame".  Tonight, we'll take the wrap off and see if our efforts were helpful.  Chuck did not lick at it before I went to bed.

I will note that Chuck has put on some weight, so perhaps the Spironolactone is helping.  Or he likes The Hubby's feeding methods.  All of our collective fingers and toes are crossed, that it's only fluid that is now gone, and he will be as right as rain for a long, long while, just like his long tailio...tail of woe!

P.S. You want to see another long tailio, go visit Elliott at William of Mass Destruction!

P.S.S. I promise to visit all of your blogs and comment, just as soon as I catch my breath!  Had a lovely vacation, which included lots of cat things, family things, and self-pampering things!  I'll post on all this week.

Happy Almost Gotcha Day, Patty!

My Patty Oh, from this morning

Patty O'Malley appeared in our yard in the Winter of 2011-2012.  I trapped him on 3/19/12, and transported him to All About Animals on 3/20 for neuter and shots.  When I picked him up on 3/21 (it was 76 degrees F that day!) and released him, I was worried that he'd run away and not return.  But he was back again for dinner, and he has pretty much stuck around since then.

Now, you'd think that I named him Patrick O'Malley because of St. Patrick's Day, but you would be wrong.  With his green eyes, fur the multifaceted colors of a pint of Guinness Stout, and his charming, lovable ways as if he'd kissed The Blarney Stone...well, a fine Irish name seemed appropriate.  The Hubby was calling him 'Tiger', but there is no doubt that O'Mallus (a nickname) is perfectly named!

Now for some news: I'm going on vacation!  Well, some staycation, and then a visit with family.  Some of this is cat and wildlife related!

Bluebelles from our front garden, taken in 2016

Saturday: 
Chuck's follow-up veterinary visit in the morning, and then a drive to the Detroit Institute of Arts to see Kedi Film at the Detroit Film Theatre.  Here is a blurb about the movie:

"Hundreds of thousands of Turkish cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years they’ve wandered in and out of people’s lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. Claiming no owners, the cats of Istanbul live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame — and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt. In Istanbul, cats are the mirrors to the people, allowing them to reflect on their lives in ways nothing else could."

Sunday:
"Books and Cats and Other Stuff Too" at Catfe Lounge in Ferndale, Michigan.

Monday:
The First Day Of Spring!
And my birthday; gonna hang with The Hubby and let him spoil me...hehehe!  Which will include: thrift shopping, lunch at The Pita Cafe, and some quiet time with Angel and Chuck, and Patty and Sweetie.

Tuesday:
My friend BG and I are traveling to Kensington Metropark Nature Center and Howell Nature Center to commune with Mother Nature, and maybe take a few snaps of her bird, tree, and critter children.

Wednesday:
My first manicure & pedicure, plus an hour massage!  YUM!

Thursday:
A trip to John K. King Used and Rare Books in Detroit, and maybe to their Ferndale location, where they have an office cat, I've heard.

Friday through Sunday:
Fly to Georgia to rendezvous with family for a 50th wedding celebration.  I haven't seen many folks from my father's family since his passing in 2004, and am looking forward to connecting again with everyone!

Therefore, my blogging may be sparse next week.

Wishing you all a Happy St. Patrick's Day, 

and Vernal Equinox 2017!

Patty O'Malley in 2014, before TNR

Gratuitous

Angel, under the chair

Angel, on top of the chair

Chucky's snail impression

Folks, I am going away for a long weekend with friends, leaving the care and feeding of the cats in The Hubby's hands.  I should be back online mid-week, so in the meantime, I've posted a few gratuitous Angel and Chuck shots.  Have a great weekend!