Black Cat, Alfie and Simba

Dona Nobis Pacem, 4th November 2011

2011-11-04T23:30:00.000Z


Peace friends

:) xxx

My Cooking Sux

2011-10-09T18:41:00.000+01:00

His Regal Handsomeness regards me from his position on my keyboard...

"He he, you forgot to turn the flash on, didn't ya? Didn't ya? *stoopid bean*".

"Oh noes, what now...?"

"I don't belieeeeve it!"

"Her glasses have popped a lens yet again"

"Doh!"

Pinky brought me some lovely fresh vegetables from his garden, which I thought would go beautifully with griddled steak, so last Saturday I went down to the local Co-op to buy Aberdeen Angus beef - one of, if not the, best British beef you can buy, which I knew they sold.

None. No beef steaks of any kind. So, made a salad with some of Pinky's tomatoes, plus some cucumber and Greek-style yoghurt, accompanied by tinned salmon dressed with balsamic vinegar. Nice.

Monday, went back to Co-op. Just one steak, a British beef sirloin, not specified as Aberdeen Angus and not one of my preferred cuts: fillet, ribeye or rump, but it looked halfway decent so I bought it.

Couldn't cook on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Won't bore you with the reason. Friday came and almost went... Felt so tired and cold! I shivered under the duvet. The Caramels were the bestest, bless their hearts. Alfie climbed into bed and cuddled up against my tummy, while Simba curled up in the crook of my knees on top of the duvet. I was the filling in a cat sandwich, gorgeous! Even so, I shivered, but eventually, zzzzzz...

Early evening I woke to find Alfie gone. Simba was still in position but as soon as I moved he jumped onto the dressing table and played music on the venetian blinds...

...much like he did here in the living room on another occasion.

We went downstairs and got "breakfast" again and oh gosh, last of the Whiskas' Pouches! This called for an emergency trip to the corner shop. You may be aware, dear reader, that I'm unsteady on my feet and this was the scariest excursion I've ever made. Suffice it to say that by the time I got home I was no longer cold.

Saturday I felt better, so I cooked my steak dinner.

Looks okay doesn't it? Not exactly cordon bleu presentation, but okay.

The flavours were good, BUT...

The steak was as tough as old boots. The mushrooms were bland and watery. I ruined the red wine sauce by reducing it too much and then topping it up with too much liquid due to clumsiness. I overcooked the potatoes (still don't know how) so they came out as hard as bullets (tasted delicious though!). Pinky's tomatoes were the redeeming feature - they cooked perfectly and were delicious!

I'm opening my restaurant next week. You are cordially invited to the Grand Opening!

:) xxx

2011-09-28T23:02:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I went to the Eye Hospital for a check-up on how my squint is doing, accompanied, as usual, by my bestest frennid Geoff. My eyes haven't changed much, which is good, though I wish they would improve!

Anyhoo, while in Brighton we did what we usually do - a bit of shopping followed by delicious hot dogs from the stand.

Geoff was bored out of his crust on this occasion because I was choosing lipstick (he hates lipstick!) and since all the shades have changed it took me a long time to choose, especially as Boots had an offer of 3 for the price of 2. Likewise with hair dyes! Eventually, a me chuffed with her bargains and a slightly grumpy Geoff made our way to the hot dog stand. "Whose turn is it to pay?" asked Geoff. "Well, I think it's me," I replied truthfully. Even if it had been Geoff's turn, I think I would have answered the same after what he'd had to endure!

Anyhoo, we enjoyed our lovely, delicious hot dogs and while doing so, noticed how few pigeons there were about begging us for scraps. On a previous occasion, we took these pictures on our mobile phones:

Perhaps the council have done a cull... :(

:) xxx

Stop! Thief!!!

2011-09-23T01:38:00.002+01:00

Yes, I know, the place is a bit of a mess...

The talking in the background is the telly.

Boris in the Bath

2011-09-20T08:12:00.000+01:00

For 3 days there's been a Boris, the size of a small plate, in my bath; hence I'm very smelly and you could fry chips in my hair. Where are the cats when you need them? Every time I plucked up enough courage to look, there was Boris, standing in my bath, looking up at me angrily. He was too big for me to attempt to rescue him but I felt sorry for him so I poured a little water at the opposite end of the bath so at least he wouldn't die of thirst.

Oh joy! The Caramels were having a mad 5 minutes earlier and Simba followed me up to the bathroom... I hunkered down and played with him. I tapped the bath and he came over, almost jumped in, but didn't. Simba doesn't like to be picked up so I usually respect this.

However, when we repeated the game, several things happened simultaneously: I tried to pick up Simba and put him in the bath and while he struggled I saw that Boris had come over to the side of the bath. One of Simba's arms was stretched out and suddenly Boris jumped!!! I thought he landed on Simba, who meanwhile was legging it out the door while I fell over...

I picked myself up, brushed myself off, and started off downstairs... AAARRRGH! Halfway down there was Boris, on my t-shirt...

:) xxx

What Sea?

2011-06-09T06:04:00.002+01:00

Skype conversation between Pinky and Black Cat:

08/06/2011 22:47:55 Pinky: Allo singletude?

22:49:06 Black Cat: Wot?!

22:49:55 Pinky: As you're one you're a singletude as opposed to a multitude!

22:50:29 Black Cat: Oh, I get it... :)

22:51:07 Pinky: Great, let's all hold hands and get in touch with the living (rofl)

22:54:02 Black Cat: Or time travel while gardening, watch Not Going Out and generally keep up with one's loony best friend, lol! (rofl)

22:55:10 Pinky: Don't follow Not Going Out, am watching a recording about Britain's secret seas

22:56:20 Black Cat: Oh, well, NGO is very funny!

22:56:50 Black Cat: Erm, wot secret seas?

22:58:23 Pinky: Broadcast on 29th May. Just seen a sequence about life under the Palace Pier

23:01:29 Black Cat: That's not a secret sea, that's the Channel, or the North Sea, or the Atlantic Ocean or summat! The Irish Sea maybe?

23:02:18 Pinky: Well I dunno about you, but I live by the seaside

23:02:58 Black Cat: Yeah dood, but what seaside?!

23:03:35 Pinky: Brighton seaside

23:05:23 Black Cat: Bristol Channel? Med? Caribbean? Brighton Aquarium? Wot the 'eck is our local sea, lol!?!

23:06:30 Pinky: The Brighton Aquarium is on land silly

23:06:49 Black Cat: Face it, you don't know, you's googling!!!

23:07:08 Pinky: No I'm not!!

23:08:42 Black Cat: The Brighton Aquarium is not on land, it's under water, that's how fish piss in it!

23:09:09 Pinky: Yes, but the water is on land!

23:10:32 Black Cat: No it can't be, it's water for Ceiling Cat's sake!

23:10:59 Pinky: Eh!

23:11:20 Black Cat: Wait one, going 2 da l'eau...

08/06/2011 23:11:34 Pinky: Love it

Later I pointed out to Pinky that all seas are on land (think about it...) therefore the Brighton Aquarium, being full of sea water, could be a (very small) sea, hee hee!

Bestest,

:) xxx

Boris in the Bath

2010-12-31T21:20:00.001Z

I had a Boris (see here for the original Boris's story - on the other hand don't bother!) in my bath on Wednesday. Were the Caramels any help? Nah. So I had to go stinky all day. Good thing I didn't have to go out.

Anyhoo, yesterday, Thursday, I did have to go out, and oh joy! It looked like Boris had found his way out of the bath. I turned on the taps at shower setting and, remembering a previous Boris incident, gingerly lifted the non-slip mat. *Shudder*, there he was, clinging to the bottom of the mat and looking a bit wet and bedraggled. "Aaach", I screamed quietly, while dropping the shower and turning off the water. Boris climbed onto the shower-head and so I picked it up by the hose and swung it out of the bath onto the floor. Boris crawled off it and made his way slowly towards the window. He crawled up the wall and disappeared behind the radiator.

I had my bath.

This morning I noticed a web spun between the left side of the window and the radio (which sits on the windowsill). No sign of Boris, but there were several dead flies (yes, I'm still fly-wrangling) on the sill... Good job Boris! Happy New Year!

And Happy New Year to evfurybody!

:) xxx

Dona Nobis Pacem

2010-11-05T02:30:00.001Z

Peace my friends. May there be peace in all the world.

and

:) xxx

Wordy Wednesday: The Piebald Cat!

2010-10-27T20:19:00.000+01:00

Last night, or in the early hours of this morning, I was watching TV, keeping an eye on Facebook and playing Bubble Island (as you do) when, "Mrrrreeeww" and a white cat sprang onto the arm of the settee, as often happens. I turned to greet him and, "Arrrrrrgh, where have you been Alfie? What have you been up to???"

I got up and went to the kitchen, knowing Alfie would follow me. He did, and while I was wetting a cloth he jumped up to his feeding station and stared at his empty bowl. I approached him, wetted cloth at the ready, thinking he would not appreciate being washed, but no! He purred and purred as I tried to get the black stuff off him, to no avail. The cloth only darkened slightly.

Goodness knows what this stuff is, but it's not oily, doesn't flake off, and is odourless and tasteless (yes, I know... I did... But I was worried it might be poisonous...).

After my washing attempt:

I watched him very carefully, hand poised over the phone ready to call the emergency vet, but so far there seem to be no adverse affects.

Paws crossed. But I think Alfie will be piebald until the stuff grows out...

Does anycat know what this stuff might be?

:) xxx

The Cutest (Non-)Vishus Deer Alert!

2010-09-06T03:43:00.001+01:00

Nervous young kittehs may wish to read this in the company of an adult, but it really isn't as scary as you may think...

"Mother Nature is a Wonderful Old Gal...

Deer visits every morning

These pictures were taken in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania. They are just too awesome not to share."

"Deer visits cat in yard every morning!

A cat at Harrisburg has a special friend that visits every morning. The owner finally took pics."

"Those we love don't have to be exactly like us."

Isn't that just lovely?!

:) xxx

First Gotcha Day Anniversary and the Mummeh's Purrfday!

2010-06-14T02:25:00.159+01:00

It's our first Gotcha Anniversary (well, it was yesterday, but the Mummeh forgot until yesterday evening and then she got Skyped so she ran out of time).

But we'se having a pawty! Everypet and bean is welcome! Help yourselves to da fuuds and drinks. Sorry der's not too much drinks wot will appeal to da beans, but hey, we needs sober beans to clear up, innit!

Eat, drink and party on Dudes!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday starring Simba and Pole Cat

2010-03-17T19:19:00.000Z

:) xxx

The beautiful school ship Concordia sinks

2010-02-21T15:58:00.005Z

This makes me very sad. My nephew and two nieces all sailed on this beautiful tall ship and received part of their education on her. The schooling was good and the experience was wonderful for each of them.

Click the image to take you to the story.

And now for Easy Like Sunday!

Guess who? In he strolled, cool as a cucumber, straight past me and up into the chair! He's been there for a couple of hours now and obviously feels quite at home as he's been fast asleep for most of the time, only waking to change position now and again.

I sort of feel I should discourage him (and I do when I catch him trying to eat the Caramels' food) but he does seem to like our toys and climbing pole so much I haven't got the heart to chuck him out. Besides which, I don't think he gets much affection at home as he doesn't seem to like being petted much.

Hope you're all having a great Sunday, all easy-like!

:) xxx

Hungry Little Mouse

2010-02-15T09:02:00.001Z

This arrived in my inbox the other day. Just had to share it with you...

This gives a new meaning to cat and mouse games…

The extraordinary scene was captured by photography student Casey Gutteridge at the Santago Rare Leopard Project in Hertfordshire. The 19-year-old, from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, who was photographing the leopard for a course project, was astounded by the mouse’s behaviour. He said: ‘I have no idea where the mouse came from – he just appeared in the enclosure after the keeper had dropped in the meat for the leopard. He didn’t take any notice of the leopard, just went straight over to the meat and started feeding himself. But the leopard was pretty surprised – she bent down and sniffed the mouse and flinched a bit like she was scared.' In the meantime the mouse just carried on eating like nothing had happened...

...but even a gentle shove does not deter the little creature from getting his fill.... ‘It was amazing, even the keeper who had thrown the meat into the enclosure was shocked – he said he’d never seen anything like it before.’ Project owner Jackie James added: ‘It was so funny to see – Sheena batted the mouse a couple of times to try to get it away from her food. But the determined little thing took no notice and just carried on.’ Sheena was brought in to the Santago Rare Leopard Project from a UK zoo when she was just four onths old. She is one of 14 big cats in the private collection started by Jackie's late husband Peter in 1989. The African Leopard can be found in the continent’s forests, grasslands, savannas, and rainforests...

...So the mouse continued to eat the leopard’s lunch and show the leopard who was the boss. Just proves no one can push you around without your permission.

On a graver note, I've been getting so many spam comments I've had to turn on comment moderation. Please don't be put off by this, I welcome all genuine comments, even if you don't have any accepted account and have to comment as "Anonymous". If you look at the comments on my last post you'll see how many I've deleted - though I've left a couple of the more "interesting" ones for your amusement: America causing the earthquake in Haiti? Ha! Of course! Before this I only ever had a couple of spam comments over a long time-span. Why the sudden splurge? I know I'm not the only "victim". What these spammers hope to gain is beyond my ken...

Have a peaceful week my friends.

UPDATE

I've had a comment from the photographer saying that his photos are copyright, so I may have to take them down. I've emailed him. I received them by email so clearly they are already "out in the wild".

:) xxx

Chrissy Mouse Dinner

2009-12-26T16:30:00.006Z

I cooked a chicken yesterday for me and the cats to share. The cats didn't appear for their share (which surprised me) so I tucked in anyway, came back for seconds, then fell asleep (as you do!). When I woke up I felt too tired to do anything but tuck the rest of the chick-hen up in foil, thinking it would be safe as the kitties didn't seem interested...

Wrong!!! When we came down this morning, the foil was on the floor and the bird had a very "gnawed" look!

Now I'm not noted for my cooking or carving prowess, but even I had made a better job of hacking bits off the meat than this! I told myself I had only myself to blame and proceeded to serve out the cats' breakfasts. They jumped up as usual, sniffed their bowls, then jumped down and flopped on the kitchen floor... This is unprecedented! The Caramels uninterested in breakfast? I think the culprits have been found!

This looks to me like a very chickenful kitty...

I am now going to cut off all the gnawed bits and eat the rest. Please keep paws crossed for my future health!

Happy Boxing Day friends!

:) xxx

A Visitor

2009-12-04T02:07:00.009Z

This is "White Stripe", our most frequent visiting cat. I call him White Stripe because of the white markings under his eyes. He looks like he's wearing war paint (fitting, as you may agree if you read on). He likes to come in, run up and down the climbing pole and play with the catnip mice and other toys. We're all cool with this except when he tries to eat the Caramels' food, when we draw the line. (He's out of luck most of the time because Alfie and Simba don't often leave any food!)

The other night though there were some kibbles left in the bowls. I was in the kitchen when in he sauntered, cool as you please, jumped straight up onto the work surface and started scoffing Alfie's kibbles. I said, "No" firmly, picked him up and put him gently on the floor, whereupon he turned on me and did this:

After saying "Ouch", followed by many words on the Naughty Word List and washing my hands thoroughly, I chased him towards the cat flap. There he stopped, turned and looked up at me defiantly and started to hiss and growl at me! Enter my hero Alfie, all bushed up and screeching like a banshee! He leapt at White Stripe, who beat a hasty retreat through the cat flap!

I thought we had probably seen the last of him, so imagine my surprise when I woke up on Wednesday morning to see White Stripe picking his way along my row of chests of drawers, sniffing everything and knocking the odd book onto the floor as he progressed. When he reached the wall he turned round and went all the way back, finally jumping down. He then went all round the bedroom investigating everything thoroughly, before jumping onto my dressing table, where he sat for some time looking out of the window through the holes that the Caramels have made in the net curtains to facilate their own neighbourhood watches.

I just wish I had had my camera to hand!

Alfie, who was on the bed throughout, just completely ignored him! I think it would have been a different story if he had jumped on the bed...

Incidentally, we haven't seen "Pole Cat" for ages. I think he and White Stripe might be brothers. They are both ginger and white and are about the same size and age. Pole Cat is a gentle, friendly soul, quite different in temperament, though he, too, loves the catnip mice and the climbing pole. I hope he's okay. I can't find a photo of him. I thought I'd taken some but all I can find are pics of White Stripe! Perhaps they're alter-egos of one and the same cat, like Hendrix and Bendrix!

We haven't seen "Scruffy Fluffy" lately either.

Nor "Pretty Lady", who seemed to fancy Simba (with good reason, he's a handsome and tolerant cat).

I hope they're both okay too.

:) xxx

Peace

2009-11-06T02:25:00.004Z

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday - No Cats Day on the Internet

2009-09-09T22:32:00.004+01:00

?

?

?

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-02T20:08:00.009+01:00

:) xxx

Easy Like Sunday

2009-08-30T05:17:00.010+01:00

All we want is a little peace in this world.

Spot the cat taking it easy in the ~~junk~~ stuff:

Have a super easy Sunday evfurrbody!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-26T04:18:00.011+01:00

:) xxx

Unkel Pinky's Purrfday

2009-08-21T03:14:00.011+01:00

It were Unkel Pinky's Purrfday yestiday (well akshully Wensdy coz at the tiem of publishing it am now Frydy) and tha Noo Mummy furgot to phone or Skype him! Can yuo buhleev it! Afftur orl he hav dun fur her! But it may hav bin a 'ickle bit owr falt. See, tha NM woz verry verry tyred (she offtin is, coz she am a ~~fat lazy cow~~ eesily fateeged purson) and she sleeped and sleeped and sleeped and we sleeped and sleeped and sleeped wiv her, cuddled up on eyever syde of her, untill I, Alfie, woak up and sor dat Simba and Chaesed him off, wich woak up tha NM so she had to get owt of bed and giv us brekfist agin!

Then arftur she had drank severeeryal cupps of koffee and settelled in frunt of tha telly and tha laptop, she sor this:

and then this:

and that's tha cloesest she hav efvur seen us tugevvur wivowt us whapping eech uvver, so arftur she had weelded tha flashy boks, she parsed owt wiv a big grin on her fase. Stoopid Noo Mummy!

:) xxx

Pee Ess. Pleez vissit Lucy, a sweet noo blogger, kthxbai!

Mancat Monday

2009-08-17T07:30:00.012+01:00

It's verry manly to wellcum yuor Mum's laetest ~~junk~~ stuff into tha howse by 'dopting it as yuor own...

Alfie

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday - a First for Simba!

2009-08-13T00:46:00.011+01:00

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday, with words!

2009-08-05T20:35:00.008+01:00

(Click to biggify)

:) xxx

Thundering Herd of Elephants

2009-08-01T07:54:00.015+01:00

Boo!

Is you still there wiv that flashy boks thingy?

We has been duing Fundering Hurd of Elyfants up and down da stares and up and down da stares and up and down da stares for about an howr dis morning from about harf past just braking dawn. And eech tiem I camed down da stares I went up da pole, HARHARHAR!!!

Da Noo Mummy cudn't get the flashy boks ready kwik enuff eech tiem to get a pikshur of me at da top of da pole, coz I goes up and comes down reelly, reelly farst, but she got dis one, heh heh:

It's blurry coz I was muving so farst!

Da Simba declined to go up da pole coz he am a wimp!

Den after we had tired owrselfs owt,

just a cuppla minnits later the visiting "pole cat" caem in and went up and down da pole and up and down da pole and up and down da pole,

and den he played wiv our catnip meeces! Wot a nurve!

Da Pole Cat has grate whiskers tho, I has to admit them's are almoest as long as mien and dey am not as wild, but I lieks my wild whiskers!

He has da laser eyes

but da NM says he gave her a sweet look, as if to say, "Thank you for letting me play". Blech!

Anyhoo, we has to go now coz da Blogger am givving us greef; it keeps eeting owr tekst and pikshurs and signichers and font deffinishuns and stuff and we dussn' kno why. Da NM have tried to find dem lorst amung the HTML but dem issen't dere ieffur. Doh! Oops, da NM am saying Rood Werds! Cloes yur eers Simba, yuo am too yung fur dis langwije (not that I caer, HARHARHAR!). We had moer pikshurs to show frum dis morning, but we carn't taek any moer aggreevashun, so hav a nise weekend everycat and dawg and hammy and bean and evfurry wun...

for Alfie, whose signature has mysteriously disappeared...

:) xxx

R.I.P. David...

2009-07-26T03:03:00.006+01:00

Sometimes you have an idea for a blog post and then, suddenly, it is overtaken by other news. This is the case tonight...

A dear friend, David Freeman, has lost his battle with cancer and died. David and Pinky worked together at the BBC for many years. They were friends, both before and after they retired. David leaves a lovely wife, Michaela, in the Czech Republic where they lived together for many years, enjoying their love of, and participation in, early music and the musical instruments that were played many, many years ago, and which they brought to the attention and enjoyment of modern audiences.

I have searched the BBC for pics and info. Zilch. He was a Dubbing Mixer for Bast's sake, his name appeared on many programme credits! As to Early Music in Prague and the Czech Republic, Google has several references but I can't narrow down the ones which David and Michaela were specifically involved in...

...So dear readers, if you didn't know David, you may be yawning. But please bear in mind that our blogs are kind of diaries, so sometimes... well... you know!

:) xxx

Mancat Monday

2009-07-20T09:37:00.013+01:00

We luff dis plant in owr naybours' garden. We fink it's very mancatly to sniff, sniff, sniff it, but we doan't kno what it is and nyver duz tha Noo Mummy. Can ennywun identificate it fur us pleez?

Heer is a more closeupful pikshur of it and of corse yuo can biggify orl the pikshurs.

:) xxx

Awards and Ariel... We Hurt

2009-07-14T22:25:00.018+01:00

We had these lovely awards from our much loved friend Omer:

We love them and feel so honoured! We have literally hundreds of blogs that we love and who we can't get to read as often as we'd like, but who so deserve these awards, so we're sorry but we'm going to do a cop-out and award them to the first nine (9) bloggers who comment (3xawardsx3 recipients=9, innit? Or is it? Doh, maths sux!). We don't know the rules so this is what we've decided. Iffen you already have all or any of these awards, then yay, you have it/them again. Enjoy!

In ovfur news, beautiful Ariel, MaoMao's wife, has deleted her blog and left the Cat Blogosphere forever! Does anycat or bean know why she did this? My eyes are leaking so much. Ariel, we love you, we are hurting...

johnny cash-hurt

:) xxx

The Caramel Cats* Settle In...

2009-07-04T20:32:00.026+01:00

We hav now bin wiv tha Noo Mummy fur three wekes and am lyking it heer. She spoyls us heeps and we hav lodes to eet and we sleeps on her’m bed.

She am untidy but we doan't mynd coz she am luffing. Tha Simba and me doan't lyke to be too close togefur, evfun tho the Former Daddy sed we woz furriends and offtin slept togefur. Uncle Pinky finks dis maybee coz afore, we woz yoonited in owr scairtniss of tha dawgs. We doan't noe, orl we noes is thet theer izzen't no dawgs heer, so we'm feels saef wiv tha NM and we haz tiem to sort owt owr ~~hyerk~~ ~~hiarc~~ ~~heerark~~ pekking order. I yam appurrintly tha scairty kitteh but wen it cums to that Simba, I yam tha Boss Cat! Iffen I mete hims fase to fase, I staers at hims and iffen hims doan't bak orf I whaps him! Tha NM tryes to maek peas butwene us and it am werking up to a poynt, but I doan't noe iffen I kan evfur git ovfur mine jellussy wen I sees her luffing on hims, evfun tho he duzzen't attak me wen she am luffing on me. Wot do yuo finks kittehs, iz I owt of order heer?

And naow we hav bin heer long enuff we kan go owtside wen we wonts. In fakt sinse larst Sunday we bin alowd owt so effun tha Simba has stopt distroying stuff wot tha NM put up to stop hims brakeing tha katflapp, tho evfun so him mannajed to brake off tha trimm rownd it, heh heh!

Heer am tha Simba surveying hims handywerk, heh heh!

Tha Simba also likes to trash the trash!

Tho he hazzen’t dun it sinse we woz allowd owt and he am karm now. Too karm! I woz hopeing dat wen he went owt, he wood run awae and leev me to have mine Noo Mummy to mineself. Not so, dang!

Dis yam tha boks wot furmed part of tha barryer. It yam strong and fule of hevvy kutlerry. Tha Simba, evfun tho he yam smorl and littel, mannajed to nok it down and choo tha lidd! Orl tha kutlerry fel owt. Tha NM shood have took a pikshure of that, coz it allmoest maed me prowd of That Simba, heh heh!

Anyhooways, I pwomisst to tell yuo wot happend wen tha NM and tha Unkle Pinky pikked us up frum the Former Dadees. Oah, we laffed and laffed, evfurn tho we woz so nervuss! It woz a klassik manoover... Theer attenshun woz on tha Simba coz he woz stikking hims pors outta tha bars of him's PTU alla tha tiem. Tha Unkle Pinky woz starting tha enjin of tha red masheen on weels and tha NM woz farsenning herm seetbelt, wen, orl of a sudden, tha Unkle Pinky sez, "Alfie's loose!!!" They cood not bileev it coz theer iz no moer than wun inch at tha moast gap wen tha frunt dore of tha PTU iz poosht to its fullist aginst its lethur strapps. Iz I boanless or iz I Alfie Houdini? Heh heh, thay will nevfur noe, coz they didden't hav a flashy boks wiv dem and I arn't telling! I hav allso swarn That Simba to Seekritsee...

I woz not recapsherred eezily. I infliksherd injurrees!

*Thanks to the Ballicai Momma for this title!

Muchlyluffs,

Tha Alfie Houdini, hoo as youm kan see, butter wood not melt in tha mouf of, heehee! xxx ooo xxx

Introducing...

2009-06-22T17:26:00.007+01:00

Simba: I is the youngest but the boldist of us. We has been here with da Black Cat for just over a week now and we is settling in well, thow I is going ster crazee coz I iz yused to beeing an indore/owtdore kitteh, but that hissy sissy Alfie spends most of da tiem under da spair bed so he am not reddy to be alloud owt yet coz he haven't ~~oree~~ ~~orryen~~ ~~ornita~~ sorted owt wheer he be on akownt of he hazen't luked owt of da windoes on all sides of da howse so he nows wheer he am is. Da Black Cat tried to put a harniss on me eerlyer, but I fort her and put the bitey on her and maed her bleed, so she had to giv up. She sed it woz so she cood giv me a tayst of da owtside, but I dinnent beleev her, I fink it woz all a cunning plot to taek me to da v-e-t or sumfink. Ennyhoo, da harniss is grate to play wiv and chase and put da bitey on, but no way is I gonna be waring it!

Alfie: Beefor da Former Dadee stuffed us intu owr PTUs he inntrodoosed us to da Black Cat and tolled us, "Dis is yuor Noo Mummy" and I fink she yam okay coz wen I hid and hid and hid I wet my pants but her wazzen't kross. She jussed put the bene bag I peed on in tha sopy masheen. Dis woz afftah she and Uncle Pinky got me owt of mine hidee hole beehind all tha ~~junk~~ stuff she haz down wun end of her livving rume, afftah wich I legged it upstares and fownd mai nuw home unner tha spair bed. I staid there for a squillion howrs and then I camed owt and luked all rownd tha Noo Mummy's bedrume and she new wot I wonted so she pikked me up and starrtd to karry me to tha litur box but I coodn't wate and I peed all over her and she woz soked in mai stinckee pee but she wazzen't kross, she jussed stript off all her cloves and got in tha barf and woshed all my stinkee pee off!

Tha Noo Mummy finks I luk lyke tha kitteh in tha videeo beelo but that izzen't me! My former Daddees wood nevfurr hav treeted me lyke that. Dey luffed me, dey onlee let us go coz tha dawgs chaseded us and we woz scairt!

Nekst tiem I'll tell yuo wot I didded wen the Noo Mummy and Uncle Pinky got innto the red masheen on weels to taek us heer, hee hee!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday: Could This Kitteh be Hissed Off Perhaps?

2009-06-10T01:29:00.004+01:00

:) xxx

Lovely Earrings

2009-06-01T08:07:00.001+01:00

A little while ago Dr. Tweety held an auction of some of da Mommee's jewellery and I was fortunate that my bid for these lovely earrings was accepted.

A few days later a parcel arrived... I was so excited!

Front view

Back view

And inside, da da:

Sorry about the blurry picture, Dr. Tweety's Mommee's photo was much better!

Check out this pretty bag they were in:

Here are the earrings in their bag next to the picture on the Fab Five's blog:

Here is some ugly old woman modelling them:

Who can she be? Give them back! She might have put some make-up on, though I don't suppose it would have been much of an improvement.

:) xxx

Happy Birthday ML!

2009-05-23T07:01:00.001+01:00

Today's a very special Caturday, it's ML's birthday! Happy Birthday ML! I hope you have a lovely day :)

:) xxx

Thankful Thursday

2009-05-21T06:40:00.000+01:00

There have been quite a few things to make me thankful lately!

"Black Cat is the Sunday Guest Star

"May 16, 2009 by Cheysuli
Filed under Sunday Guest Star

"One of our favorite humans, Black Cat was our first guesser and got the answer right… well okay, so she guessed several London Parks and one of them was correct. We’ll give it to her!

"'Yay, I’m first! Are you flying over some horsies and riders riding on Rotten Row? I can’t remember what park that’s in - I think it’s Hyde or maybe St. James’s. Anyhoo, it’s in London (nearly forgot to mention that, I’m multi-tasking here, lol!).

'Happy Friday :) xxx'"

This was such a lovely surprise! Thanks Chey!

For the info of those not on Facebook, the picture is my current Facebook profile pic. It was just an experiment really, but I kind of liked it so decided to use it.

Super Comments Award

About this award: "We give and get awards for having a great blog and being a good friend. What I want to award are those people whose comments have meant the world to me. It takes time to visit a blog and leave a comment ... I wanted to recognize some special bloggers whose comments have made such an impact on me. The “You Don’t Say?” Award is awarded to these special bloggers in hope that they will pass the award along to 5 of their best commenters!"

Thank you Hazel of http://delineatingdes.blogspot.com/

Hazel says, "I blogged because I was bored. When comments started arriving, I noticed I like it. Then I found interaction with bloggers, and I like it too. Now it's obvious that comments are a major reason why I'm still blogging. I love the responses. It's nice to visit other blogs and find out what's going on in their part of the world. I enjoy the learning I get from blogging. The socialization is a delight.

"Genejosh passed me this Super Comments Award. Thank you, sis for your online friendship. You don't know how pleased I am by your visits and comments on my posts.

"Bloggers whose comments I appreciate may have received this award already. Nevertheless I want to mention them here. They are beautiful people who practice blogging etiquette by visiting or visiting back, and leaving nice comments. Their observations are apt and (in Black Cat's case) helpful. It's a pleasure to have them as commenters on my posts."

I so agree with how Hazel feels. I started blogging because I discovered blogging cats and there were one or two blogs I couldn't comment on because I didn't have a website or blog and/or I needed a Google password. So I got a Google password, and having done so, found I could set up my own blog. I didn't do so for a while, but then I thought, "Why not?" so I did. I didn't think I would have any readers, but was surprised and delighted to be welcomed right from day #1. The rest is history!

So now I'd like to give this award to:

The Zoo and The Crew. These lovely kitty bloggers were my very first commenters on my very first day of blogging.
Daisy. Daisy has hardly missed a day and her comments are always polite, sweet and often informative.
William. William was the first cat blogger I ever came across and I've always loved his comments, his antics and those of his brother and sisters.
Last, but by no means least, Giraffe. She is Boy's and Beethoven's Mummy. The reason I have saved her for last is because she deserves this award much more than I do. I was just the go-between, but she was the one who actually provided the information that Hazel was looking for!

There are so many more bloggers I'd love to pass this award on to, many of whom are far more deserving than I; bloggers who not only leave nice comments, but who hold auctions and appeals to raise money for others in need, such as people with huge vet bills, or have lost their jobs, or... Well, the list goes on. You lovely bloggers know who you are! Perhaps I will wait a while and then nominate another five ::shh, don't tell anyone::. You know what you have to do to get this particular award, don't you? Go on, you know you want to...

I keep coming across more and more great blogs. This means my own commenting is spread more and more thinly but it would be a shame I think to ignore interesting blogs just to have more time to comment on the ones I already read, so I hope you'll all forgive me if I don't visit you as often as I'd like. I know many of you are in the same boat. There just aren't enough hours in the day (or in my case, the night, haha!). I've often seen comments by I Beati on Daisy's blog. I don't know why it's taken me so long to click on her link. Great pictures, cartoons and wise words. She is a sensitive soul and the dog she rescued 14 years ago, who she found on fire on the side of the road (yes, on fire, can you believe such cruelty?) has recently gone to the Bridge after being a wonderful, loving companion for all those years. There are many more I've "found" recently too, many of whom have left comments on my "Wordless Wednesdays". Thanks so much for visiting guys, I really do appreciate it!

Crumbs, I've blogged two days running. That's got to be a first. No wonder I'm exhausted!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday: Champers anyone?

2009-05-20T05:41:00.005+01:00

:) xxx

Eurovision Song Contest

2009-05-17T03:35:00.009+01:00

This was Britain's entry. A beautiful girl with a wonderful voice. She didn't win but I think (and hope) she has a great career before her. Song written by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren.

Meanwhile my mouse batteries have gone critical and I can't get them out to put new ones in! Aaaarrrgghh!!!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday: Spot the Odd One Out!

2009-05-13T06:00:00.004+01:00

:) xxx

An Award and an Urban Myth Revealed?

2009-05-12T04:47:00.010+01:00

I got this lovely award from Babs on 17th April 2009. Thanks so much Babs! I really do appreciate it, even if it's taken me almost a month to post it! Duhr, where does time go?

I don't know what the "rules" (if any) are, so I will just choose recipients (always difficult!) who are friendly (like I read those who aren't, haha!):

Dr Tweety
Chairman Mao
Missy, KC & Bear
The Cat Blogosphere - paws up for them!
Zoolatry

I came across a blog through a comment on Dennis’s blog. She’s lovely, she’s called Penny (my namesake!) and her blog is great. Please visit her; she's got a sicky at the moment, but hopefully only a hairball.

Thanks to Jen of Fuzzy Dragons I found out more about the Huge Dog. Check out this link: http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/hercules.asp. Be sure to look at the rear view too! Clever scam (?) ay?

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday (on Thursday!)

2009-05-07T02:02:00.007+01:00

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday - Better Late than Never!

2009-04-29T23:09:00.008+01:00

:) xxx

Tattle Day Tuesday - Wot's Rong Wiv Brittan?

2009-04-28T02:17:00.019+01:00

Urgh!

"In the past ten years a chasm has opened up between the workaholics and the quaintly named 'work-shy'."

"As one man outside a Jobcentre Plus in Peterborough explained: 'I'd prefer to sign on than do that. I don't want to work in no cornfield for £25,000 a year'."

No cornfield could have kept me away for that kind of money if I'd applied for and been accepted for the job! The most I ever earned as a legal secretary was about £11,000. If I'd known there were vacancies out there where I could have a job working outside in the fresh air, doing a job which actually fed and benefited people, and benefiting me too through being outside and getting exercise, instead of being stuck in an office doing a stressful job to line the pockets of what, for the most part, were ruthless money-grabbers, I would have so gone for it! The perceived wisdom was that agricultural work was very low-paid - and I had a mortgage to pay... Maybe that was correct at the time and wages have improved since. Dunno.

I agree with most of this article, except the following:

The GOS says: I'd just like to add one little personal note. One Times reader, Katie from Frome, wrote in to say "Why are you suggesting that depressed people are workshy? Depression is a very serious and debilitating illness."

There's the nub of the problem, really, isn't it? We have come to accept that almost any ailment or unhappiness is someone else's fault, and that sufferers must be pitied, helped and treated as victims. Many years ago I was diagnosed with depression myself. I never missed a day's work, though, and with the help of the doctor's pills and some meditation classes I hauled myself through it eventually and never looked back. In my experience depression is as debilitating as you allow it to be.

I have been a lifelong depressive. To get jobs I've had to hide it. Lying (even by omission) goes against the grain, but there has always been a stigma attached to depression. It's got a little better in recent years but it hasn't really permeated into the "working world". The only jobs I've ever been turned down for, when I've got as far as an interview, are those where I was upfront about my depression! "Workshy"? I don't think so.

And was Katie from Frome claiming to be a "Victim"? Someone else's fault? It doesn't read that way. (Incidently, I went to school near Frome, but I don't know Katie!) Is 'flu someone else's fault? Maybe, if they sneeze over you, but how are they to know? Heart disease, someone else's fault? No, probably your own. Cancer... Who knows? Genetics probably plays a part in heart disease and cancer, for example, but are we going to blame our loving parents? I don't think so. I can't answer for the "stupid" people of whom the author speaks. I just wonder if they've ever applied for jobs and been turned down coz they're too "fat". I don't think so... I doubt if they have ever wanted a job...*

The stigma is so far entrenched that I even feel uneasy writing about it here, dear readers. The fear of rejection is, well, horrible...

I think the author of this article was either not seriously depressed or was in a job he really loved... That can make a difference you know?!

Read the whole article here. Not all Brits are spongers!

* coz they've prolly never applied for a job ever at all in their whole lives, lol!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday?

2009-04-22T17:44:00.005+01:00

Crazy Talking Cats

:) xxx

What the...?

2009-04-16T02:55:00.013+01:00

I have a MySpace account which I hardly ever use, but when I was looking for Fleet Foxes, a band I've recently come across and whose music I really like, I found them on MySpace. Please check them out here: Fleet Foxes.

I think they're great! I asked them to be friends and they agreed; how cool is that?

Anyhoo, while on MySpace I decided to check my mail. Here is what I found (you can tell from the date how little I go there!):

"To: Black Cat

Date: 01 Jul 2008, 19:28

Subject: Content blocked/removed from your profile Body:

Audio or video content has been blocked or removed from your profile. Content may be blocked/removed because we received a notice from the copyright owner claiming you were infringing its rights, because the content was recognized by MySpace's copyright filter, or because your use of the content violated MySpace's Terms and Conditions. As a result, your upload privileges have been suspended. To reinstate your upload privileges, you must click here to complete our Copyright Education Program. MySpace terminates the accounts of repeat copyright infringers. Please be careful not to include content on your profile that you do not have permission to use so you can continue to be a part of the MySpace community.

Thank you,
MySpace.com."

I have no idea what they are referring to, unless it's the Massive Attack video, which it must be as that's the only video on my profile (and, incidentally, still seems to be playable!). I'm pretty tee'd off about this. MySpace provided the very link that enabled me to put the video on my profile, so how the heck have I "violated MySpace's Terms and Conditions"? Do I care about my upload privileges being suspended, or have any intention of completing their "Copyright Education Program"? Go figure MySpace! Like I'm a huge copyright infringer. Terminate my account if you like. The only reason I keep it open is coz I have some good friends on there (whom I have woefully neglected lately!) Moreover, I have the DVD from which MySpace (or a member of it) took that video and I love it! If I like something, I buy it! I will be buying Fleet Foxes' album as soon as I can get my a$$ down to the record store (where we heard the music, years before... etc.)

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-15T03:27:00.006+01:00

WORDLESS!!!...

I have blogblock, but there are really interesting blogs out there, like someone who really loves cats.

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday: Gold-masked Mummies Found in Egypt and Other Egyptology Stuff

2009-04-08T22:42:00.006+01:00

Via Bennu on Twitter
Vincent Brown

:) xxx

Fleet Foxes

2009-04-05T10:38:00.010+01:00

Fleet Foxes
Song: Mykonos


The door slam loud and rows up a cloud of dust on us
Footsteps follow, down through the hollow sound, torn up

And you would go to Mykonos
With a vision of the channel cause
And a son to maybe dissipate
Shadows of the mess you made

How did any holes in the snow tipped pines, I find
Hatching from the seed of your thin mind, all night?

And you would go to Mykonos
With a vision of the channel cause
And a son to maybe dissipate
Shadows of the mess you made

Brother you don't need to turn me away
I was waiting down at the ancient gates

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

I remember how it took you down
As the winter turned the meadow around

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

When I walking brother don't you forget
It ain't often you'll ever find a friend

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today
[x8]

Don't really understand it, but I love it!

There doesn't seem to be a video, so here is another foxy pic:




More Fleet Foxes lyrics

Most popular songs by Fleet Foxes

Mykonos
Drops In The River
White Winter Hymnal
Sun Giant
Textbook Love
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
Innocent Son
Blue Ridge Mountains
She Got Dressed
Oliver James

Easy like Sunday evfurrybuddy!

:) xxx

Boris Builds a Web

2009-04-03T13:24:00.004+01:00

Thanks to James Viscosi, Dennis the Vizsla's Daddy, for the idea.

Have a lovely weekend evfurrybuddy!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-01T08:37:00.013+01:00

Happy April's Fools' Day evfurrbody!

Black Cat

:) xxx

Random Musings of a Crazy Woman

2009-03-28T05:28:00.011Z

I think my poor old laptop may be on its last legs. It just refuses to do Remote Desktop any more, so I can't access my photos or my graffics programme, so I've had to resort to doodling in Paint, which is quite a learning curve as I hadn't used it before.

I've slept most of this week and last away. I don't know why I can't seem to go to bed before it gets light any more. Is it coz of my resident spider, who seems to go walkabout at night, I wonder?

You can see a doodle of Boris. That's what I've decided to call him. Trite I know, but I'm not accustomed to naming spiders. Even my resident slugs haven't got names - at least, none given by me. Just click on the link above or on this nice (though blurry) photo of William eating veggies off his claws (unless your name is Beetle, in which case I wouldn't recommend it, or an arachnophobe. I scared myself just doing the doodle!)

I don't really think I can blame Boris though coz I only saw him for the first time the other night.

Trouble is, I've got people to see, appointments to make... *Sigh*. If it wasn't for the fact that I don't like the taste of blood I'd think I was turning into a vampire! Do Not Worry, the only blood I've tasted is my own and no, I don't self harm, *laughing out loud*.

All for now. Have a lovely weekend evfurrybody.

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-25T01:14:00.009Z

No words here to click on!

:) xxx

What Came Next

2009-03-20T07:45:00.006Z

Some purrples were upset, or disturbed, by my Wordless Wednesday, so perhaps it was in bad taste rather than funny. I have answered some of my commenters, but this is what I said to one:

"I’m so sorry you found my WW scary. I think I may have upset quite a few purrples. Bozo is part of me so he always gets fed well and no cat who has owned me, or will own me, has, or ever will, go hungry! An empty cat bowl in my home is one that is washed and filled straightaway. When Cybil came to me she was overweight and had to go on a diet, but once she knew food was always available, she stopped gromphing it down like there was no tomorrow and grazed gently on her diet food as and when she wanted and lost weight as a result! Ollie and William were with me from kittens and they never went hungry and never got fat."

Sorry! I love cats and would rather go without food myself than let a cat in my care go hungry!

Just saying.

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday (almost)

2009-03-18T05:05:00.005Z

:) xxx

Awards!

2009-03-15T02:45:00.007Z

Karen Jo gave me this sweet "LOVA YA" Award. Thanks Karen Jo, I love it!

I can't seem to find any rules for this award except to nominate eight bloggers, which works for me!

Um, I think just about evfurryone has received it by now, but here goes.

Timothy Dickens
Cheysuli and Gemini
The Misadventures of Me
Chase, Kaze and Latte
Dennis
Kimo and Sabi
Prince Muddy Paws and Myst
Maggy, Zoey and Ann

Here is the meaning and rules of this award:

This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I received it from Sukie and from Grrreta, Ambrose, Teddi and Chloe. Thanks guys!

Oh noes, now I have to nominate eight more bloggers! I hate leaving anyone out because evfurryone I read deserves them!

The Hotties
Mr. Hendrix
William, Caroline, Olivia, Russell and Gracie
Jeter Harris
The Zoo
Empress Bee
Isis
The Island Cats

Okay, I think that's a wrap!

Have a lovely Sunday evfurryone.

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-11T06:26:00.005Z

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-04T02:13:00.007Z

EepyBird's Sticky Note experiment from Eepybird on Vimeo.

:) xxx

Sunday Sunshine

2009-03-01T05:30:00.007Z

If you find Sundays a bit depressing, with nothing else to look forward to once you've read Daisy's Sunday Comics except work tomorrow, then try visiting this beautiful, lyrical blog. Read back and back. Beautiful, poetic prose and wonderful photographs. If you've discovered this wonderful site before, then you probably know how I feel about it. There is a sense there of wildness, loneliness, and yet community spirit, even though that might sound contradictory!

In other news, I've had some lovely awards, which I will post later. I'm too tired now but I really do appreciate them!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday: Facebook Addiction

2009-02-25T21:30:00.006Z

:) xxx

Weekend Prediction

2009-02-21T08:26:00.004Z

ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz snore ZZZZZZZZZzzzZZZZzzz...

Have a restful weekend evfurrybody!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-18T02:23:00.010Z

Update: Cute video. 6.50 minutes long but worth watching. Enjoy!

Found it at Feline News.

:) xxx

I'm Having a MAJOR Tantrum... Safety Helmets On (recommended)

2009-02-10T02:34:00.001Z

I'm so angry and frustrated with you, yes YOU, Slide, I'm dangerous!!! You've eaten mine guestbook so easily I don't even know how I caused you to do it, yet can I delete your false replacement from MySpace?! NO!!! I don't use MySpace much; however, I don't want it to look like a complete mess!

Okay, I've calmed down since I wrote the above a couple of days ago but I'm still irritated. I went to their help pages to see how to delete a guestbook should you so wish and seemingly you have to through hoops, so how I managed to do it accidently I don't suppose I'll ever know.

I found the link for the following on Karen Jo's blog the other day, who in turn found it on Barb's blog:

You are The Lovers

Motive, power, and action, arising from Inspiration and Impulse.

The Lovers represents intuition and inspiration. Very often a choice needs to be made.

Originally, this card was called just LOVE. And that's actually more apt than "Lovers." Love follows in this sequence of growth and maturity. And, coming after the Emperor, who is about control, it is a radical change in perspective. LOVE is a force that makes you choose and decide for reasons you often can't understand; it makes you surrender control to a higher power. And that is what this card is all about. Finding something or someone who is so much a part of yourself, so perfectly attuned to you and you to them, that you cannot, dare not resist. This card indicates that the you have or will come across a person, career, challenge or thing that you will fall in love with. You will know instinctively that you must have this, even if it means diverging from your chosen path. No matter the difficulties, without it you will never be complete.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Please let me know in the comments which card you are!

Speaking of comments, I'm way behind with visiting and commenting because I've been:

1. Spending way too much time on, Facebook, haha!

2. The replacement hard drive came for my laptop and Pinky fitted it for me on Saturday so I've been updating my programmes etc. The old drive had obviously been going pear-shaped for some time because we had to revert to a very old backup as the more recent ones were all corrupted. In fact the most recent backup was pretty old anyway so I must remember to back up more often!

Pinky also brought over some home-made spag bol for me (without the spag coz I don't like pasta!) and I'm looking forward to having that when I can remember to defrost and heat it at a sensible time of the evening. Sometimes I get so immersed in stuff I forget to eat until I hear rumblings, by which time I need to heat something in the microwave or make some toast and open a tin of fish or something. Duhr!

Have a great week evfurrybody!

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday: Snow's Gone!

2009-02-04T14:22:00.006Z

:) xxx

Welcome to the Weather Service

2009-02-02T09:38:00.015Z

We apologise for re-routing you to this website but unfortunately Black Cat's blog is temporarily unavailable due to adverse weather conditions. She is currently under 5ftins of snow. These are her recycling boxes yesterday afternoon about 10 minutes after it started snowing:

The sky was quite pretty:

This was the view from her bedroom window, which is a bit blurry because of the ~~dirt~~ snow on the window pane.

This was the view from the back bedroom window this morning when it got light enough to take photos:

And from the front bedroom window:

A couple of minutes later:

The neighbour using a recycling box lid to clear his path and pavement (sidewalk) outside his house:

Another view of the street:

Black Cat's recycling boxes this morning:

Part of front ~~junk yard~~ garden:

Look at that leaden sky:

We hope you have ~~not been bored out of your skulls~~ enjoyed this temporary break in the Black Cat's blog and will come back when normal transmission has been resumed.

In the meantime here is a short video (thanks to "Daniel", a commenter on Karen Jo's blog the other day, for the link. His blog appears to be inaccessible):

See original video, another video and details of the carrier here.

Yours sincerely,
The Weather Service
on behalf of:

:) xxx

UPDATE

How it looked outside at about 4.30 p.m. Snow not melted:

But all squished by traffic on the road and people walking on the pavements:

If it freezes again it will be like a skating rink out there tomorrow...

Black Cat luvsya and hopes these pix have been cooling for her friends who are suffering such a terrible heatwave in the antipodes and hopes none of you have been hurt by the wild-fires. Try to stay cool buddies :) xxx

Pinky's Mysterious Visitor!

2009-01-31T00:55:00.011Z

Some of my dear readers' curiosity was piqued by Pinky's cute visitor. Sadly, this isn't a kitteh who has permanently adopted him. Pinky was in his front garden sorting out his recycling when the kitty came running down the steps, rubbed all round Pinky's legs and looked at him appealingly. Pinky stopped to stroke and talk to the kitty, saying things like, "What a friendly kitty you are" and "Where do you come from? Shouldn't you go home now? Your beans will be missing you". The kitty stayed even while Pinky was still sorting out his recycling and wasn't fazed at all by all the activity and clattering (all the empty booze bottles, har har har!).

When Pinky went back into the house, the kitty rushed in past him. S/he was so affectionate but Pinky didn't think s/he was a stray looking for a home coz s/he looked so well fed, with lovely, glossy furs. S/he had a good look round the downstairs of the house and at some stage started scratching the carpet. Pinky gently put a stop to this. He managed to take a snapshot, which as you will have seen is a bit blurry, coz this is one active cat!

The kitteh wasn't wearing a collar, so after a while Pinky decided the only thing to do was to get him/her to go out. He had to shut the door very quickly coz s/he didn't want to go and in fact hung round for some time crying to come back in! You can probably imagine how this wrenched Pinky's heartstrings but he could see this was no stray and s/he would have to find his/her way home (in the absence of any identification).

Time passed...

Then today I got this email from Pinky;

"The mystery of the visiting cat is now solved. A young lad called to ask if I'd seen his cat - he had a photo of the cat with him. Went and got my camera and showed him my picture and he said it was definitely his cat. My picture was taken 10 days ago but the cat was 'at home' yesterday. It seems the cat keeps on going 'walkabouts' and the lad had a suspicion someone was feeding her(?) I recommended he fitted a collar so folk would know she belonged to someone but he said his mum wouldn't allow it as she's concerned the cat might strangle herself. I told the lad about the collars with the elasticised section but I don't think it will do much good. He lives in Vale Road, the other side of the railway line, where D used to live so she's travelling quite a way."

I replied:

“I'm glad the mystery is solved but I'm worried that the mum won't allow the cat to wear a collar. Bad news, specially in light of her wide-ranging "territory". Actually I'm wondering if "she" is an unneutered tom, as they tend to have a much bigger territory than neutered males and spayed females. Did you ask the lad if the cat is microchipped? I hope s/he is! Did you ask the boy for a contact number in case s/he shows up again? It also worries me that s/he has a lot of traffic around on his/her route to yours and all other places within a similar radius of Vale Road. Anyhoo, you may have noticed some curiosity amongst the readers of my blog so I'll be able to explain to them better now! I just hope s/he doesn't get him/herself into trouble!”

In other news, I've deleted my guestbook by mistake! Aaaaarrrgh! I've emailed Slide to see if I can recover it. To lose over 110 guests would break my heart, all those signatures mean so much to me. I was just trying to delete some duplicated messages... Le Grand Sigh!!! (I've plagiarised this from somecat, can't remember who, so sorry!)

:) xxx

Wordless Wednesday: Pinky has a visitor

2009-01-28T23:17:00.001Z

?

:) xxx

Sleep Meme

2009-01-23T21:06:00.007Z

Karen Jo tagged me for this meme, which originated with Mimi Lenox of Blog Blast for Peace fame, also known as the Queen of Memes.

1. How long do you sleep each night?
About naught to eleven hours.

2. Do you fall asleep easily?

Usually, unless I’m worried about stuff.

3. Do you fall asleep at times not in your bed?
Yes. I will fall asleep on my sofa watching TV or even sitting at the computer most nights.

4. Do you listen to music or use white noise to sleep?
I have to have the radio on.

5. Do you sleep through the night or get up a couple of times?
I generally sleep through the night. Sometimes I get up once.

6. Do you have trouble sleeping away from your own bed?
Yes. It takes me a long time to get to sleep in a strange bed and sometimes I only sleep fitfully or not at all.

7. Do you need an alarm clock to get you up?
Yes, if I have to get up, otherwise I sleep... and sleep... and sleep...

8. Do you ever take medication to help you sleep?
Not often, though it has been known.

9. Do you/have you slept with pets?
The cats who owned me usually slept with me. If for some reason they didn’t I would investigate. There was usually some mischief apaw, like an intruding moth or spider who needed dealing with (though Ollie wouldn’t deal with spiders after he got bitten on the nose by one, though that’s another story… He wasn’t poisoned, BTW, it was just a common or garden huge British spider, not a banana tarantula import!)

'Night 'night all, have a great weekend!

I will tag Mickey, Georgia and Tillie, Andrée, Chica and Pumuckl

:) xxx

Neurological Tests

2009-01-19T00:22:00.010Z

It's been nearly a week now since I went to Hurstwood Park Neurological Centre to have tests to see if I still have a brain and I know you're all, dear readers, agog (probably not!) to know how I got on.

The appointment was for 9.30 a.m. and the journey time took ages coz the traffic was, well, rush-hour traffic! Anyhoo, we arrived at 9.33, which was a "penguin blog language" miracle and didn't matter coz I was shown to the dayroom and there I languished for yonks! (Funny how hospitals seem to have removed all their clocks and I didn't have my watch coz the blurb accompanying my appointment letter advised against wearing any sort of jewellery.)

After a long and boring sojourn, a nice, kind young porter showed up and led me to the MRI Unit. This was not without its excitement because one of the doors en route was locked and none of the staff's cards would open it. There were people unable to get through from the other side! My porter went off to investigate... I waited... Another bloke showed up and unlocked the door. The general concensus of opinion was that the door should be left open. It was, and I waited... My porter returned and we finally arrived at the MRI Unit.

I waited... and waited... Eventually a chap came out and guided me to where to leave my clothes and put on a hospital gown, saying he would be back in about five minutes.

I waited, and waited some more...

Eventually he came back and the scan proceeded uneventfully, except about five minutes in, "Keep still!". "I am." "No, you're moving." "Sorry! I didn't know I was." ::Thinks, "I'm just breathing." (Breathes more shallowly while wondering how long I can last with so little oxygen)::. Later... "Penny, are you okay?" "Hurrrrrppphh, gulp, yes." "Okay, keep still or I can't get a clear picture!" ::?!?:: "Okay, sorry!"

Eventually that was over and after another long wait I was guided back to the ward dayroom. After a short wait (yay!) I was taken to another room to have some more tests. They told me what these are called but I can't remember. It sounded like someone's name and all I can think of is Munchausen's, but I know that's not right coz there was nothing by proxy with these tests, hahaha!

The first one involved me looking at a chequerboard pattern with a red rugby ball in the middle, first with one eye, then with the other.

In the second I had wear headphones and listen to clicks in one ear and white noise in the other, then t'other way round.

In the third I had one foot, then the other, electrocuted! Aaaaaarrrrrgggghhh!!! The doctor told me that this test would be no worse than getting a shock from a car door (something I hate but only lasts about a second) but, dear readers, have you ever touched an electric fence? (I have). And have you ever had to put each foot on that electric fence for, like, five hours (15 minutes or so)? I say again, "Aaaaaarrrrrgggghhh!!! *

Through all these tests I had to "relax" and keep my "mouth open". I'm a tense, twitchy person; and have you ever tried to swallow with your mouth open? On the one hand your mouth feels really dry, but on the other you have saliva dribbling from each corner... Okay, probably too much information!

Eventually that was over and I went back to the ward dayroom. There I met a nice lady who had had to give up her bed temporarily for an outpatient. Guess who? Yup, yours truly.

After another long wait, made more pleasant by conversation with the nice lady, a doctor came in and said that she needed to steal some of my blood and that my lumbar puncture would have to be postponed for at least one and a half hours because that was how long it would take the lab to do the tests. Apparently she had come to steal my bloods before, she thought, I would have gone to MRI, but I'd already gone. Considering I waited for about two weeks before I was taken to MRI, I can only assume she didn't come on duty till later or was busy. Anyhoo, she was very nice and got someone to bring me some lunch. Yay! I was famished! She suggested I went walkabout while waiting for the lp, but not till after she'd returned with a form for me to sign. I waited and my new friend and I chatted...

After an hour or so I needed a pee and a cup of coffee, not necessarily in that order, so I went in search of the coffee machine. In my lost ramblings around the corridors, I espied the doctor who had stolen my bloods. "Hello nice doctor in the green skirt," I said (I hadn't been able to read her name badge before) "Sorry to bother you, but could you point me in the direction of the coffee machine?" "Oh, I was just coming to get you," she said. "The blood tests came back earlier than normal and your clotting is fine, so I'm going to do the procedure now. Follow me." I did and she let me go for a pee while she went to wash her hands.

The nice doctor in the green skirt was very gentle with me and I only felt a few short twinges. The procedure took a little longer than average coz my spinal fluid came out slowly. The NDITGS said this was probably because I am small and my "spaces" are small.

I then had to lie flat for an hour (very boring) and drink loads of water. Have you ever tried to drink through a straw while lying flat? I apologised to my new friend for making her pillow wet. I really hope she does okay. Her hands and feet have gone numb and lost all strength. The doctors don't know why. They think "maybe" it's due to the chemotherapy she had for cancer and will wear off... but they don't really know. Please purr for her. I wish I knew her name.

* From http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm:

“Evoked potentials (also called evoked response) measure the electrical signals to the brain generated by hearing, touch, or sight. These tests are used to assess sensory nerve problems and confirm neurological conditions including multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, acoustic neuroma (small tumors of the inner ear), and spinal cord injury. Evoked potentials are also used to test sight and hearing (especially in infants and young children), monitor brain activity among coma patients, and confirm brain death.

Testing may take place in a doctor’s office or hospital setting. It is painless and risk-free. Two sets of needle electrodes are used to test for nerve damage. One set of electrodes, which will be used to measure the electrophysiological response to stimuli, is attached to the patient’s scalp using conducting paste. The second set of electrodes is attached to the part of the body to be tested. The physician then records the amount of time it takes for the impulse generated by stimuli to reach the brain. Under normal circumstances, the process of signal transmission is instantaneous.

Auditory evoked potentials (also called brain stem auditory evoked response) are used to assess high-frequency hearing loss, diagnose any damage to the acoustic nerve and auditory pathways in the brainstem, and detect acoustic neuromas. The patient sits in a soundproof room and wears headphones. Clicking sounds are delivered one at a time to one ear while a masking sound is sent to the other ear. Each ear is usually tested twice, and the entire procedure takes about 45 minutes.

Visual evoked potentials detect loss of vision from optic nerve damage (in particular, damage caused by multiple sclerosis). The patient sits close to a screen and is asked to focus on the center of a shifting checkerboard pattern. Only one eye is tested at a time; the other eye is either kept closed or covered with a patch. Each eye is usually tested twice. Testing takes 30-45 minutes.

Somatosensory evoked potentials measure response from stimuli to the peripheral nerves and can detect nerve or spinal cord damage or nerve degeneration from multiple sclerosis and other degenerating diseases. Tiny electrical shocks are delivered by electrode to a nerve in an arm or leg. Responses to the shocks, which may be delivered for more than a minute at a time, are recorded. This test usually lasts less than an hour.”

Sorry this is so long but hope it gave you a giggle!

Luvzya,

:) xxx

Best Pet Blog 2008

2009-01-15T02:48:00.009Z

The winner of the Best Pet Blog 2008 was Cute Overload. Congratulations CO! It's a great site, but is it a "Pet Blog"? Okay, it features "pets", but is it a "blog"? Inmyhumbleopinionforwhatit'sworth I don't think so. Well, perhaps it sorta is, I dunno... Anyhoo, it beat the foul-mouthed "penguin" blog, which has to be good. That may be a blog but it has little to do with "pets". In fact it has little to do with what this blogger, for one, wants to read at all!

Our lovely Daisy came third, but in my opinion, and I suspect in the opinions of most (probably all) of the Cat Blogosphere, she is Number One. Yay for Daisy! We luvzya girl!

Luvzy'all!

:) xxx

UPDATE

I forgot to thank Skeezix for the graphic. Not that he's compained, but having realised my omission, you know, credit due!

Saturday Dinner

2009-01-11T02:17:00.005Z

I put my reading glasses on to read the cooking destructions and was horrified to see the price! I could have sent out for a curry for only a little more cost and it would have lasted me for two meals.

It better be good.

It was, but not that good!

Tomorrow I go to the Neurological Centre to have my lumbar puncture and some other tests. Please purr for me!

Hope you're all having a great weekend.

:) xxx

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

2009-01-06T23:43:00.003Z

My final December Doodle Week offering(s). Sunday, 28th December: "Let it Snow!"

You may need to click to biggify to read the conversation.

Luvzya!

:) xxx

Holiday on the Doodle Beach

2009-01-04T08:58:00.006Z

Well, here I am with my penultimate doodle for December's Doodle Week. This is Saturday, 27th December's offering. A little over a week late... Doh!

:) xxx

Doodle Week: Friday - Snow People (on Wednesday - doh!)

2008-12-31T22:47:00.008Z

Happy New Year evfurrybuddy!

Luvzya!

:) xxx

Doodle Week: Thursday - Angel (on Monday!)

2008-12-29T19:25:00.004Z

Better late than never!

Pinky's home, yay! We've been catching up so I'm very behind (again)!

Hope you had a great weekend evfurrybuddy and that if you had to go back to day hunting today it wasn't too hard!

:) xxx