Tucker the Crested and the Blustery Day

Hi, everybody!  If it was Wednesday, I could be clever and say Happy Wind-s-day!  But, alas and alack for more reasons than one, it's Monday, though it IS, in fact, very windy!

Just a bit ago, Mom took me outside to "attend to some business," euphemistically speaking, and I was quite nearly blown skyward by all the wind. 

Business concluded, I decided to sit myself firmly down in the grass, so as to not be so easily carried away, and put my nose into the wind to see what was what ...  

Most interesting, I must say. The humans will never know what they are missing with those pitiful little sniffers they've got!

Happy Monday, everyone!  Let's make it a great week!

The cookie gods are smiling!

Happy Tuesday, everybody! 

A few months ago, I had posted about how, on a routine trip to the green paper store with Mom, the cookie gods had slighted me most grievously when they failed to allow the little plastic thing that carries the green papers back and forth to also carry me a cookie, which is what I have come to expect over the years.  For the rest of that day, I was in a state of dejection and disgruntlement, if not out and out despair.  I wondered and I worried.  Had I done something to offend the cookie gods?  Mom assured me that no, I had not, but still I worried.

Well, friends, today my faith in the cookie gods has been restored!  I am once again in the good graces of those unseen, but still powerful, cookie dispensing deities.  This very afternoon when I accompanied Mom to the green paper store, I watched in a state of great anticipation when the plastic thing zipped down the tube.  Would there be a cookie inside, for moi?  The answer was ... no.  There were TWO!  I was elated!  Enraptured!  Ecstatic! 

I am not, however, a glutton!  I ate one on the spot.

This one ...

I am saving for later!

Have a great day, everyone!

50 Shelters - 50 States: Alabama

Hi, everyone - it's the Mom Person again!  Anyway, the 50 Shelters 50 States badge is done and is below.  You might recognize a few of these faces, and before any of her admirers inquire, it was completely not up to me that Miss Olivia was not included.  My first idea was to have my artist friend include "generic" animal photos in the spaces.  However, going that route proved something of a headache, with licensing, etc.  Therefore, I sent a few pictures of each of the "kids" and told said friend to include whichever ones would work.  I'm sure Her Caliconess is going to have something to say about this, but I'll just deal with that later! 

I have to say - I struggled a bit with this first one - more than I thought I would.  For one thing, when you stick strictly to shelters, as most of you know, the write-ups on the animals are usually pretty spare, if one even exists, as opposed to dogs that are in foster homes with private rescues, where naturally much more is known about their personalities, temperaments, and quirks.  Also, I had to keep reminding myself that I was looking for a dog and cat that needed a home, but that it wasn't necessarily my home!  (After all - we're full up here!)  But I kept finding myself drawn to the smaller dogs, those that I would look closely at had I myself the time and space for a third dog, which, at present, I really don't.

In the end, I found both a dog and a cat at one shelter -  Calhoun County Animal Control in Anniston, AL.

Luke is an adult male Rottweiler (mix?).  Isn't he handsome?

His Petfinder "profile" doesn't say much, though it does say that he would prefer a home without cats.  He sure looks like a sweet guy, and certainly well-deserving of a home.

Calhoun County AC also has a number of really lovely cats, but I couldn't help but be drawn to Patrick. 

Again, the information on Patrick was a little scarce - it said only that he was a large adult male.  I happened to think he bore a striking resemblance to a certain Tiny Boy in which case any family who adopted him would be darn lucky to get him! 

Both Luke and Patrick are at the Calhoun County Animal Control Center, on Noble Street in Anniston, Alabama.   You can call them at 256-241-3647 or email them at aco_mcdonald@yahoo.com

If you can't adopt, the Center would gratefully accept donations of the following:

rubbing alcohol

Vaseline

Q-Tips

medical gloves

triple antibiotic ointment

Band-Aids

newspapers or shredded paper

towels

blankets

bleach and other cleaning supplies

And of course, if you are local and have some time to walk dogs, clean cages, or help out in some other way, the gift of your time is always greatly appreciated!

Kitten needs your help!

Hi, everybody!  It's the Mom Person again!

I really do try to keep my posts down to a bare minimum, but this is important.  Lisa Provost, of IBD Kitties.net, sends out a regular e-newsletter called Paws In The News.  (Which, even if you don't have a kitty with IBD, you should still consider signing up for, as Lisa will keep you up to date on food recall information and other important news.) 

Anyway, the most recent version of the newsletter contained photos of this little guy ...

Isn't he just adorable?  His name is Vern, and he's really been through the wringer lately.  Just two weeks ago, he was unable to stand or use the litter box, but with a Methyl B12 protocol used for feline diabetic neoropathy, he has made some dramatic improvements!  He's still a little wobbly, but is walking around, using his litter box again, and even followed his mom to the basement to help her do laundry!  All of which is wonderful, but without extensive testing, the vet really can't say conclusively what is going on with Vern, be it embolism, some kind of spinal injury, or what.  And of course, without knowing exactly what's wrong, they can't say whether the treatment he is currently receiving is really what he needs.  Unfortunately, this testing is expensive, and Vern's family simply cannot afford to have it done.  Which is where you come in ...

Friends of Vern are holding a Facebook auction to raise money for his testing.  Maybe you have a cat loving friend or family member with a birthday coming up who would love a portrait  painted of their kitty?  I'm personally eyeing this charm that I think Miss Olivia would love to wear on her collar! 

I know how warm and wonderful the blogging community is, so please check out Vern's Auction, see if something strikes your fancy, and help give little Vern the best possible chance for a long, healthy, happy life.  Looking into that sweet face, there's no doubt he certainly deserves it!

Olivia's Opinions (#3 in a series)

Voila - it's me, Olivia!  And this morning, Tucker & Phoebe were all "But, MOM, why CAN'T we go to work with you?  I'm sure your clients would not mind us being there!" 

Dogs! 

Personally, my opinion about work can be summed up in one, simple, little word:  why?

Me, I'm happy to stay home and relax ...

Groom my furs ...

 And snoopervise the rest of the kids from my position here on the coffee table ...

Until Mom comes home to feed me and tell me what a good girl I have been today.

These dogs should take a lesson.  They are wearing themselves to a frazzle for no reason.  All you really need to do is be pretty!  

Friday with Phoebe

Hi, everybody!  It's me, Phoebe!  And I know Mom said that she was going to do her first 50 Shelters 50 States  post today.  But as usual, she's a bit behind, and she doesn't have the promised badge back from her artist friend just yet.  And also she just can't make up her mind on the dog now, because the one she had selected got adopted yesterday!  Which is great, but which now means she's gotta pick out another deserving dog to spotlight.  So that might have to wait till tomorrow, or even Monday.

That being the case, Tucker said I could have the blog post today!  YAY!

Now, as you can see from the picture below (and most of my other pictures, too), not only am I almost impossibly adorable, I also have this little curl of hair that grows between my eyes.  Mom hates to trim it, but when it gets too long it pokes me in the eye, which I really don't care for that much. 

And when Mom and I are cuddling, she will often whisper to me ...

There was a little girl

Who had a little curl

Right in the middle of her forehead

When she was good,

She was very good indeed,

But when she was bad she was horrid!

Mom says this is a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  I've personally never heard of him, but Mom says he's pretty famous.  Anyway, Mom says this poem is very true of me, since I am a little girl, and I do have a little curl (right in the middle of my forehead and everything!)  And yes, that is all true, so we are in agreement on that part.  And the part about being very good indeed.  Yep, that's me.  I always try very hard to be a good, good girl!  But horrid?  Well, I NEVER!  So what do you think, friends?  Any lawyer types out there think I have grounds for a libel suit?  Not that I would ever sue Mom, but I still don't think it's nice of her to call me names.

    

Me, with my curl!

 Well, have a great weekend, everybody!     

50 Shelters ... 50 States

Hi, everybody.  It's the "Mom Person" again.

As this blog enters approximately its fifth month of existence, and prompted somewhat by the Pet Blogger Challenge of a month or so ago, I have been pondering the future of the blog and what goals I have for it, both short and long term.  As well, I was inspired, as I often am when reading this particular blog, to hear that back in October, when I was still very new in BlogLand, Kristine at Rescued Insanity had helped find a home for a homeless shelter dog as the result of her Blog the Change post. When it came time for the January Blog the Change, I actually wrote one (though not about rescue), but Blogger was being particularly troublesome that day and I couldn't get the entire post to show up.  Perhaps some higher power was attempting to teach me a lesson in the virtues of brevity (good luck!) but whatever the case, after several tries, I was tired and frustrated, and so gave up.  Since then, though, I've been pondering a way that I could perhaps put the blog to some good use other than my own enjoyment, and let's face it, nothing would please me more than to see some deserving shelter dogs get wonderful homes,  And if I can play some small part in that, then I would be thrilled! 

Hence ... over the next however long it takes (obviously I can't do just one a week as that would just take FAR too long, so maybe I'll try for two or three a week), I'm going to go through each state alphabetically, and choose a shelter (and one dog and/or one cat from that shelter) to spotlight.  If I possibly can, I'll contact the shelter by phone, speak to the director or adoption coordinator, and get some more information on the animal than what is listed online. 

I think it fitting (though certainly entirely coincidental) that by virtue of the alphabet, the first featured state is Alabama.  The southern states statistically have far more animals being euthanized in shelters than the northern states - and in fact, there are a few different rescue organizations whose purpose it is to pull dogs from the sadly overburdened shelters in southern states and place them for adoption in the northeast, as seen in the Animal Planet series, Last Chance Highway. 

I also have an artist friend working on a badge for me, so that if anyone else wants to participate, they can do so, and put the badge on their blog.  If you don't want to participate, but do want to suggest a shelter that you'd like featured in your particular state, then that's great, too, and I'll certainly take those suggestions or requests under advisement. 

And so, tomorrow .... Alabama.  I already have a dog picked out and just need to place a call to Huntsville Animal Services to get the scoop on my dog of choice.  Have to pick out a cat next.

Have a great day, everyone!

Working like a dog ...

Hi, everybody - it's me, Tucker!

Keeping watch out the glass front door of the office to make sure all is as it should be.

And as you can see, I'm ON THE JOB!  It's been a busy morning so far.  Emails to answer, conference calls to listen in on, people to watch, UPS men to meet and greet.   It's not easy being a working dog, but I am up to the task!

But right now ... I think I'll catch a quick power nap ...

ZZZ ......

And then when I wake up ... it'll be lunchtime!  Wonder what's on the menu today?

Have a good one everybody!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday with Phoebe

Another exhausting day of shopping ...

A belated Valentine

Hi, everybody - it's me, Tucker!  And frankly - I'm about to throw up in my mouth!  Why?  Because my slutty lovestruck little sister, Olivia, is once again enlisting my aid in pimping her out as a reluctant Cupid in her games of flirtation with a certain man cat.

All day yesterday, my gag reflex was put to the test as my baby sister mooned around the house in a most uncalico-like fashion.  Should she send a valentine to her beloved?  Would this be construed as being too forward?  And did it really even matter, as ultimately their love was doomed to remain a long distance affair, seeing as how Mom would never consent to move us all the way to the opposite side of the country to continue the romance in person? Finally, as the hours till Valentine's day was officially over ticked away, she decided that she would send her love a valentine, and worked diligently to get it just right, only to chicken out in the end. 

This morning found her just as moony and lovelorn as she was yesterday, and so in desperation, I struck a deal.  I would consent to send the valentine for her, in exchange for the occasional choice morsel of yumminess that she would toss down from her feeding perch during the morning mealtime.  (For some reason I can't figure out, the cat kids get to eat twice a day, while Phoebe and I are all but starved and only get one meal a day ... although we do get a cookie in the morning, so I guess that's ok.)

So without further emesis ado ... here's the stinkin' valentine!

Happy Belated Valentine's Day, everybody!

Happy Valentine's Day

Hi, everybody ... it's me, Phoebe!  And I would just like to say that if I could meet all of you in person, I'd give everyone a big kiss!  And I'd even share my cupcake with all of you!  (Actually, this one is plastic, but you could still play with it!  And if we ever got to meet, I'd ask Mom to make some real cupcakes for us to enjoy!)

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! 

Blinded by the light ...

Hi, everybody - it's me, Tucker.  And I have to tell you - Phoebe, Olivia, Tanner, Finn, and I are just about BLIND!!!!!!!!  The little flashy box is bad enough.  But NOW Mom has discovered that the flashy thing in her phone is actually even better than the regular flashy box.  She is turning into a card-carrying member of the pawparazzi, I'm telling you!

One thing she's discovered is that if she takes a picture of us with the phone flashy, there is something called an app that she can use to make the photo look like an oil painting.  So since I don't have a whole lot to say right now, I told her she could post some of them on the blog for you.  What can I tell you - she's pretty convinced that we are the most handsome, or beautiful, or adorable furbodies on the face of the planet ... and hey, when she's right, she's right!!! 





Mom note:  To say I am obsessed with this recently discovered oil painting app is an understatement.  Though I'm quickly finding out that some photos lend themselves better to this particular edit than others do.  These are the ones that have come out the best so far, though I think the two I posted of Finn yesterday might have been the best yet.

Saturday Chill-Fest

Happy Saturday, everybody!  It's me, Phoebe!

And I'm just chillin' out today ... how about you?

 Have a super Saturday everyone!

Finn on Friday!

Happy Friday, friends!  It's me, Finn!  I'm so happy that it's Friday, because that means Mom will be home with us for two whole days!  Last weekend she went away, so this weekend she promised that she would stay close to home so that I can help her with stuff.  I am especially helpful when it comes time to make the bed.  I hide under the covers and Mom puts them over me.  And then after she pulls all the blankets up tight, I explode out from under them and make the family nest all cozy again.  Everybody knows you can't nap good when the covers are pulled so tight you could bounce a cat off them!  And now - since I don't know exactly when I'll get to talk to you again, let me share some of my stunning black mink gorgeousness with all of you ....

Mom figured out that the camera on her Droid has an oil painting setting on it.  Cool huh?

   Have a great weekend everybody!  And remember ...



I've got my eyes on you!

 

New office

Happy Thursday, everyone!  I'm happy to report that Mom has officially moved in to her new office, and cleared away all the boxes and resultant chaos from the move.  The first thing she did after that was find a spot for the new bed I got for my birthday:

As you can see, we have blue carpet in our new office, and this is not an exact match, but it at least is in keeping with the overall color scheme of the room.  PLUS (and most importantly) it is super cushy and soft!

And I didn't wait long to test it out!  Yep, I can confirm - it is just as soft and cozy as it appears to be, and I can already anticipate taking some stellar naps on it!  See ... my eyes are already getting tired just laying here!

And after lunch, I'm going to see if Mom will take me out for a ride on THIS!  (This is the boat that is right outside our office window!  I wonder if it's ours?  Somehow I don't think so.)

 Well, have a great day, everybody!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday with Olivia

Voila - it's me ... Olivia! 

And my Opinion for today is ....

CALICOS RULE!

Toothsome Tuesday With Tanner

Toothsome (adj)

1. of delicious or appetizing appearance, flavour, or smell

2. attractive; alluring

3. often packaged in furry brown wrapping with sexy black stripes

Happy Tuesday morning, everyone!  It is I, Toothsome Tanner The Tabby Cat. 

And these are my teeth

Have a great day, everyone!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Hi, everybody!  It's me, Tucker! 

Last week I turned eight years old, but I had to wait till the weekend to have my birthday party!  Mom made a cake, and everybody (well, all the humans anyway) sang Happy Birthday!  My Uncle Riley was also having a birthday (he turns nine years old on February 18th, but we decided to all celebrate together). 

Here are a few pictures of the celebration ...

Mom INSISTED that I have my picture taken with these ridiculous glasses.  HUMANS!

Then Uncle Riley had to put them on. 

This is the cake Mom made ... those are fake Oreos (from 3 Dog Bakery, made with carob) on top and the icing is strawberry cream cheese!  It was YUMMY!

 

Uncle Riley thought it was pretty good ...

And so did I ... but I had to give it the sniff test first!

And then I shared with the rest of the family ...

Olivia's Opinions (#2 in a series)

Hello, friends!  Once again, it's been some time since I've gotten the opportunity to blog.  I do keep busy, though - after all, it does take considerable time to maintain my gorgeous calico furs!  Also, Mom takes some watching after - because if you don't keep an eye on her, she's liable to do something crazy - like go out and buy a book like this one:

I don't know - I have looked it over carefully, and given it the sniff test.  It doesn't SEEM to be dangerous.  But I certainly am not signing up to perform tricks like a trained seal.  No balls will be balanced on MY pretty pink nose!!!!!!!!!  As if!!!!!!  And yet - I did read over Mom's shoulder about using tuna as rewards.  IF tuna is involved, I might condescend to participate.

So I guess my opinion for right now is that I am reserving my opinion on this particular harebrained idea of Mom's until I see what might (or might not) be in it for me.

* For more Olivia's Opinions, stay tuned.  For past Opinions, click here

** Mom Note:  For all her skepticism regarding this newly purchased book, Olivia has been clicker trained a bit in the past, and already knows how to target, sit and perform other simple behaviors.  Not only that, she greatly enjoys it and catches on quickly.  I do think it's important to provide as much enrichment to our cats as possible, especially as they do tend to lead more circumscribed lives than, say, our dogs, who get out and about in the world much more routinely.