FFF Version 2.0

Due to some unforeseen circumstances (elaboration shortly) today's post will NOT feature a new recipe for Funky Fresh Friday. Yes, I, too, am sad.

My new trainer, Satan Mike, has me on a new "diet" for a few weeks that is fairly strict. Now, I don't DO diets but this is just to experiment more with my body and it's response to the strength training. He didn't force it--I opted to try it. Oh, and Mike is my NEW trainer--I was working Jonathan, but it wasn't a good fit after all--and I heart Mike. He is my age (exactly!) and we get along like Paris Hilton and excessive eye makeup.

So...instead of Funky Fresh Friday, how about a dose of Feline Furball Friday?? ^..^

Before I hopped in the shower last night, I noticed this:

Cleo rarely comes into the bathroom, much less the tub! I have a separate shower so this tub doesn't really get used. She seems pretty comfortable, no? Silly girl.

So there you have it. FFF Version 2.0, Cleo-Lady-Marmalade-style.

Bailey.

This is Bailey. He is the newest member of my brother's family. They adopted him from a shelter in The Woodlands (yay for shelter dogs!) and gave him a new home. He might be one of the best dogs I have ever met. He is sweet and VERY well-behaved. Plus, he loves my nieces and nephew!! I can't wait to visit him again.  

 Bailey & Samantha

(photo courtesy of my brother and his kick-ass new camera)

Hello, Monday!

Guess what? It's Be Kind to Animals Week!!! Yup, it's a week for us to celebrate all creatures great and small and give them an extra dose of love and respect. According to the American Humane Association:

"May 2 - May 8: Join the event that’s been celebrated every year since 1915 -- American Humane’s Be Kind to Animals Week. In this annual tradition, we commemorate the role animals play in our lives, promote ways to continue to treat them humanely, and encourage others, especially children, to do the same."

More information can be found here.


So, hang a bird feeder, plant flowers to attract butterflies, adopt a shelter pet, or volunteer your time to celebrate this wonderful cause!

Spay Day 2010

Four million cats and dogs--about one every eight seconds--are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet population, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.

Humane Society of the United States

2 years ago...

...we said our goodbye's. Chewy had such a great doggie smile!!

And she loved her little squeaky animals!

Such a sweet soul...

I still miss you and love you so much!!

Gus in the tree

Little Gus must have spotted something interesting up in the tree...because he shot up there and hung out for awhile!! He is a silly boy. And so freakin' cute!

Why all pets should be spayed/neutered

Remember sweet little Libby? I introduced her and Gus in this post last year. Back then, Libby was pretty tiny. Well, look at her now...
She is very pregnant! I worry about Libby a lot because I don't know where she goes when I don't see her for a few days. A couple of months ago it was pretty obvious she was in heat. There were many days when she was literally surrounded by tomcats wherever she roamed! And before I knew it, Libby has this big preggo belly! See, I am not happy about this. Gus is actually one of Libby's babies from a previous litter. I meant whole-heartedly to take Libby and get her spayed last year...but it's one of those things I forgot. She is not technically "my" cat as she visits several homes around here. I do feed her and have let her in the house when it's cold. But as I have mentioned before, my cats are very territorial and aren't happy about visitors. Anyway, I feel awful for Libby--I'm sure she is tired of having litter after litter. I will FOR SURE be taking her to my favorite vet to 'take care of her' once she is finished taking care of her new kitties.

But for now I am just feeding her (when she comes around) and hoping that when it's time that she finds a safe, warm place to have her babies. If I can find her "burrow" I will try to take pictures and I sure hope those babies find homes!!!

Lazy Sunday afternoon...

Here is what Charli is thinking: "I am so happy that mommy is lazy and hasn't done the laundry."At first she didn't know I was stalking her with the camera......then she starts to notice. But she doesn't care! She is sunbathing and so happy.
And of course Cleo is perched (upside down--always posing) in her favorite kitty bed!

Tomorrow is Spay Day USA 2009!

A cat will sleep anywhere...

...especially Miss Cleo. Luckily, this was dirty laundry and not clean (she has a habit of lounging on clean clothes). She was enjoying the sunshine, the birds and the squirrels! :)

Because Bob Barker Said So!

Just a friendly reminder...

My little ones...

Yes, it's another cat post!

It's been really cold here...I'm pretty sure the high yesterday didn't get much further than 25 degrees. It was bitter! My kitties are always looking for a good spot to snuggle and get warm (my Uggs keep me warm no matter where I am--they rock). When I walked into the bedroom to get ready for bed, both my little ones were already there, warm and snuggled! They both sleep on the bed in the winter--Cleo at the foot of the bed, Charli pretty much right next to me. Aren't they too adorable? They certainly make my life better in every way!

We also had a little bit of fun with some catnip last night...I ordered 3 new catnip toys and the stuff must have been potent. Cleo was literally sniffing and nuzzling the package before I even opened it! They both took off with the toys, wide-eyed and stoned. It was a riot!

I ♥ my baby girls!!

Peek-A-Boo!

I walked into my bedroom last night and what did I see???
Little Miss Cleo peeking out at me! She had managed to get herself under the comforter and she was nice and warm...it was hilarious.I am certain she kept wondering why Mommy was taking so many pictures and disturbing her sleep!

Gus & Libby

I am in love. Recently a pair of the sweetest kitties found their way to my porch. I faintly remember returning from a jog around the neighborhood one night a few months ago and seeing a few newborn kittens playing in the yard down from mine. But I never really saw them again--until they showed up at my front door! At first they were really shy and wouldn't let me pet them. But I've been speaking kitty-talk and feeding them and now they are my 'outside' babies. The orange one is Gus (Gustopher Gustafson) and the calico is Libby (Libitina Lovington). I've tried letting them in the house (Gus especially, since he follows me everywhere). But my 'inside' babies just aren't having it. Charli is interested in the new addition(s), but Cleo is, pardon my french, a beeotch. She hisses and growls at Gus. He is wary but explored the house nonetheless. I want him to stay and snuggle and be happy and warm and comfortable. I worry about him and Libby being outside, especially now that it's getting colder. I know they can survive but I want to take care of them! Gus is such a sweetie...he makes my heart smile. Such furry little charmers!!

Because every little bit helps...

Animals get cancer too.

The new telethon called Stand Up to Cancer was a great success. All the networks worked together for a great cause. But it got me thinking of something different...my old dog, Chewy.

I made the heart-breaking decision to put Chewy down on May 19, 2007. In January 2007, Chewy had been diagnosed with Transitional Cell Carcinoma. She had a tumor in her urethra, and because of the position of the tumor (in the actual urethra canal) it could not technically be operated on or removed. Chewy did undergo surgery twice to alleviate the expanding tissue around the tumor, which made it a little less painful to go to the bathroom. Throughout those 5 months, Chewy remained sweet and an otherwise happy dog. Because I knew we would only have a little time together, I pretty much let her do whatever she wanted all that time! She slept right on the bed with me and rode in the car with me wherever I went. Chewy was a trooper.

I had adopted Chewy in 2003 at the age of 7. I was looking to adopt a German Shepherd and found her through an internet adoption site. She was in a not-so-great living situation and I couldn't bear to leave her there once I met her. It took her about a week to warm up to me, but she became my sidekick after that. Cleo didn't really mind Chewy, but of course Charli was scared of her all the time. And unfortunately, German Shepherds have a tendency to 'chase anything that moves' and that sometimes included little Charli!

Chewy was an exceptional dog...she was a very pretty black and white Shepherd-mix. She was loyal, sweet natured, and well-behaved. She was with me through many big events, including the move from Texas to Oklahoma. Because I had a small truck back then, Chewy and the kitties had to ride with me right up front. Chewy had a tendency of stretching out and laying her head right on my leg for the duration of any trip. She was so easygoing. And she really liked it when I sang to her. Chewy's favorite was when I sang "Good morning to you" to the tune of Happy Birthday. She would smile and snuggle in the bed big time. Oh, how I still wish she was here and could snuggle with me now!

I think about Chewy almost every day. I did everything I could financially, physically and spiritually to help her through her pain. And even though it was one of the toughest things I've ever had to do, letting her go was the best thing for her. I'll never forget watching as she walked away with the vet. She had a sashay about her walk and I'll never get that image out of my mind...nor do I want to! The vet was wonderful, as were the surgeons at two different specialty vets in town. My parents were also very supportive and were with me and Chewy until the end.

I miss her.

Cleo Lady Marmalade

This is Cleo. She is my other kitty and Charli's sister (not really, though they are the same breed and live under the same roof). As I've said before, Cleo is a little more independent than Charli. She likes her space most of the time, but when it's snuggle time she's all over me. I found Cleo in 2000 outside of a Taco Cabana. I was ordering some (horribly bad-for-you) food and kept hearing tiny mewing coming from the bushes. Sure enough there was a little scrawny kitty in there and she was hungry. I could see the mommy-cat in another area and I had a feeling she was trying to wean baby Cleo. I asked the nice lady at the drive-thru if she wouldn't mind coming to catch the little kitty for me...after all, she smelled of meat and grease so it was more likely a hungry cat would approach her. The mission was a success and I officially adopted Cleo that night. We have been happy ever since.

Cleo wants what she wants when she wants it (what woman doesn't). But Cleo likes to make sure I know when she is in need of something. For instance, lately Cleo has been jumping up on my dresser around 3:00-4:00 AM. She then proceeds to 'bat' any piece of jewelry, hair clip or make-up brush off the dresser and onto the hardwood floor. Needless to say she succeeds in getting my attention. Besides being in the spotlight, Cleo enjoys catnip mice, stalking and killing bugs, and playing with Charli.

During the winter Cleo always sleeps on the bed with me and Charli. But for now she has been content to sleep on the computer chair in the study. She always greets me when I come home after work. Pretty, green-eyed Cleo. She's my sweetheart.

A Pause for Paws

I've seen this video on TV several times, and though it is very informative and very real, I have yet to watch the entire thing. I usually have to change the channel until it's over. I am a Lifetime member of the ASPCA and donate (as much as I can even if just a small amount) every month. It is automatically deducted from my bank account.


Please watch this video...and if you can, please make a donation. If you can't afford to make a monetary donation, browse the internet for ways you can make a difference. And next time you are stopped at a light or stop sign, take a moment to really read those "Lost" signs...someone has a void in their heart and world because a family pet is missing. Whether you donate $10 or $10,000, volunteer to wash dogs at a local shelter, or adopt a pet...you CAN make a difference.

Wishing it was a purr-fect world,

Sunday Morning Prose

I watch it slowly saunter by
As though it sees yet has no eye
Black as night and straight up high
Can it see me where I lie?
I listen for a sound or clue
And watch the periscope peruse the room
When suddenly I hear a sound
And when I turn to look around
What do I see perched on the rail?
Why, it’s only my cat…and her tail.

Charli. Kitty. Pretty.

Charlamaine Dupre "Charli"

I must introduce you to my little kittycat, Charli. I have two cats, Cleo and Charli. But Charli is my baby. She is one of the prettiest, softest, smartest and most talented kitties I have ever had the pleasure of loving. She is sweet as could be and talks to me sometimes. Her talent is fetching balls like a dog. I buy these little spongy soccer balls from Petsmart...they are soft enough for her to 'catch' them in her teeth and carry them back to me. She will literally bring one to me and drop it, then look expectantly at me until I agree to throw it. She somehow hooks it onto one of her teeth and trots it back to me! Charli loves this game...especially when I have settled into bed for the night. I can hear her talking to her ball and can tell by the particular 'meow' that she is wanting to play. I'll be in bed, usually laying on my side and watching some TV. I feel/hear her jump onto the bed and then I feel a little ball drop near my back. Yes, she has brought me the ball at 11:00 at night in bed. If I'm really tired (and being a mean mommy) I will try to fool her and stick the ball inside a pillowcase. But most of the time she is wise to me.

I like to sing songs to Charli. There is no particular melody, but I do tend to stick with certain words: Charli, pretty, kitty. Some phrases include but are not limited to "Charli is my kitty...she is so pretty" or "Charli is my baby girl...the sweetest kitty in the whole world." And she loves it. Her purr will speed up and she will look sweetly at me with love. I don't know what I would do without her...seriously. She sleeps on the pillow next to mine every night and sometimes she will curl just inside the small of my back when I sleep on my side. The best feeling in the world is waking up to feel a warm little kitty next to you!! Try it sometime...I promise you will love it.

Side note: Cleo thinks Charli and I are strange. She is your average cat, curious, nosy, hungry all the time and very independent. Cleo sleeps at the foot of the bed and is happy to be on her own. I talk to her, too, and she always just looks at me with her wide green eyes. Most of the time she is content to curl up in a spot of sun on the floor or on the bed 24/7. Cleo is a sweet girl, just very low-maintenance when it comes to lovey-dovey. Don't get me wrong, she purrs with the best of them. She is simply not a needy cat...but she will get her own post with picture soon!