Don't Shop! ADOPT!!

Cat Returns Home After Two Years

This is a very touching story about a family cat who was thought lost after a wildfire.  Please read!
sushi-the-cat-returns-home-after-two-years

Thoughts on Cats and Books

This photo sums up two of my favorite things in one shot...cats and books.  My love of cats is obvious in my choice of blog title and Etsy shop subject matter.  I'm not sure at what point I became such a cat lover, but I blame my husband!  I grew up around small dogs, although we did have a couple of outside cats.  I wasn't really exposed to cats until I moved in with my in-laws for a brief time right after we got married.  My husband had a beautiful Siamese cat named Kitten.  She was the diva of the house and highly protective of my husband.  In fact, for the first few nights I slept there, she would manuever her way in between us, as if to say, he's mine!  But I eventually won her over with head scratches and her favorite blanket warm from the dryer!

I have had a life-long love affair with books.  I love to read and so does my family.  We have a sizable book collection and make frequent trips to the library.  As for the digital readers, they may work for some people.  But for me, nothing can replace the smell of the paper, turning the pages, and losing yourself for awhile in the stacks at the library.

Sing A Song of Halloween

Welcome to October!

PRISCILLA AND DOODLE

I can't believe it's October already.  Before long, the trees here in Missouri will be starting their transformations to beautiful fall colors.  Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons.  My daughter is already in the Halloween spirit and planning her costume.  We print our own monthly calendar to use at home, and this month my husband chose this cute vintage Halloween greeting card art.  Guess I'd better start thinking about some decorations.





We have our own set of Halloween kitties, so I thought I'd take couple of photos and share.
We have black and orange!

SIMON

Remembering Those We've Lost This Year Part 2

Theodore

Another installment of remembering the cats we've lost this past year.

One of the hardest to deal with was when we suddenly lost Theodore, our long-hair tabby point mix. He had some dental problems for awhile, so the vet decided to pull the teeth he was having problems with.  What no one knew was that his jaw was riddled with bone cancer.  We lost him on the operating table due to complications.  It was a shock and we miss him terribly.  Theodore came from the local no-kill shelter, C.A.R.E. as a seven year old cat no one would adopt.  He was featured on a TV news spot and we went to see him.  He adopted us on the spot.  Theodore had a good, loving home for the remainder of his life.  I look forward to seeing him again across the Rainbow Bridge.

Buster

Then our old man, Buster, decided to wind down at 20 years old.  We knew it was coming, but it didn't make it any easier.  Buster was a part of our family for a long time and he was definitely my husband's cat.  He made it a habit to park on my husband every night while he watched TV.  In his younger days, he was quite the troublemaker, howling at guests, climbing sliding door screens and stealing food right off your plate.  Rest in peace, Buster Boy.  We'll see you again too.

Remembering The Friends I've Lost This Year

I have been in a reflective mood this morning and thinking about some of our beloved cats who have passed on and crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.  I just want to pause (paws) for a moment and remember..  This is the first story:

TABBY

This is Tabby.  She was a pretty little stray tabby cat that adopted us when we lived in a previous rental house.  We fed her because she kept coming by and was so sweet.  Then she just disappeared.  I waited and waited but she never returned.  Fearing the worst, I moved on.  Then over a year later, I was outside in the driveway and heard a cat meowing.  I looked across the street, and there sat a little tabby just meowing away at me.  I called to her (thinking she was a new stray) and she ran up the drive to me.  I thought, "This cat looks familiar..." and then it dawned on me that it was Tabby!  Skinny, dirty and with sore paws, it was her.  I scooped her up and took her inside to tell my family that our Tabby had returned!  She seemed delighted to be inside and ate a ton of food.  We think she might have had an owner who moved out of the neighborhood (maybe even the area) and that she wanted to come back home.  So she did.  Judging by her condition, she had been traveling.  It was amazing.  She became part of the family immediately and stayed with us for many years.  She passed away a few months ago, but she will always be one of us.  We miss you, Tabby!

We own all rescue cats and it can be so rewarding to see these cats thrive when given the opportunity for a good home.  Tabby is just one of our success stories!

Monday Morning and Mother's Day

Good morning, all.  It's a quiet Monday morning in the crazy cat lady house.  I have all the windows open because spring has finally decided to settle in.  Just fed the "kids" and they are either in open windows or settling in for naps.  Or both!  Must be nice to be a cat.

These are not my babies, but they are just too cute!  Happy Mother's Day!

My Mother's Day was really nice.  It actually started Friday.  We went to buy my mother-in-law a new TV, because hers was quitting.  While we were there, my husband surprised me and bought me a something I've been drooling over for a couple of years.  A Keurig coffee machine!  I just tried it out this morning and I love it!  Thank you, honey!  Then on Saturday, my husband took me and my daughter to see Iron Man 3 (which is excellent!).   Sunday was the best.  I got the whole day off to do whatever I wanted.  My daughter presented me with a great homemade card and a little money to spend at the craft store.  My husband did almost all the laundry (which was way behind) and folded it AND put it away.  Wow!  We opted not to go out for lunch because of the suspected crowds.  So I picked what I wanted and brought it home.  Watched a few shows we had recorded.  Then I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and go outside.  Took a blanket, a book and my pasty white self out in the sunshine.  We have a huge back yard and it feels like being in a park if you go down far enough.  Dozed in the sun for awhile and read my book.  It was so peaceful and wonderful.  When I came back inside, my husband had made dinner.  Best Mother's Day yet!  Thank you to my husband and daughter for my great day!

The Chaos Before A Show

Just set up for my first craft show of the year.  Asbury United Methodist Church here in Springfield, MO is having their annual Spring Craft Bazaar tomorrow.  Getting ready for a show is more work than actually working the show!  I'm tired tonight and ready for bed.  Have to open around 8:30am.  Must have large cup of coffee in hand!  But I'm really proud of my products and hope I do well this weekend.

Buster

We are still feeling the loss of our one-eyed Tortie Annie, who we lost very recently.  She was a part of the family for so long we really miss her.  But we have other geriatric cats to concentrate on, who need all the love and attention we can provide.  Our oldest, Buster is close to 20 years old, stone deaf and howls a lot, much to the annoyance of our other cats.  He is now the senior cat that we have had the longest.  He was a stray, starving kitten with all his whiskers cut off when we first saw him sitting under a tree across the street from our house.  He saw my husband, charged across the street and climbed right up my husband's pant leg.  He adopted us!

Simon Says Love Me!

I was sitting here checking my mail real quick before running some errands and this is what I had helping me!  This is Simon, and he is under the impression that if he gets up next to the computer and looks cute, he'll get petted.  I continued to type and then looked up to see this:

Tell me you could say no to that face.  I can't!  I gave up and he got what he wanted, a love session.  Rotten cat!

Doodle is birdwatching again!  This time she was looking out the front window.  Much to her surprise, a pair of turtledoves decided to rest on our front rail.  I didn't have the window open, so the doves didn't know she was there.  I think that cat tried every trick in the book to go over, around and through the front window to get to those doves!  It was probably pretty hilarious from outside.  I swear I saw the doves laughing at her!  Had to share a photo!

Priscilla's Wild Cat Bed

Hello, everyone!  Just stopping by to share a great photo I got yesterday of my cat Priscilla.  My daughter is redoing her bedroom and her closet contents are everywhere.  She has this life-size leopard that used to lie on her bed.  He migrated to the kitchen table when she emptied her room out and Priscilla has adopted him as a new cat bed!  Too cute!  I hope she's not too disappointed when Leopard moves back to the bedroom!

I'm Back!

I'm back!  I decided that since it was spring that a new beginning to my blog was in order.  It's a rainy Wednesday morning here.  All the windows are open for now because it's a nice temperature.  My cats are loving the fresh air.  Pretty much very available window has a cat in it!  The new birdfeeder in the front yard is attracting dozens of birds, so the cats are fascinated.  We call this "The Birdy Channel"!  The front windows are up under the porch, but the side windows are close the the fencerow the birds call home.  Our youngest cat Doodle has been sitting in a side window all morning watching cardinals.  The cardinals are not too happy about this and keep divebombing her.  She just ducks and stays put because she thinks it's fun.! I'll post a photo.  More to come!