Arnold Poohlet-kitty

Arnold-merp-up-noise.
"beep-beep-beep" as Arnold walks over the controls on the stove.
Arnold merp-up-noise (onto the fridge)
Arnold merp-up noise (onto the top of the cabinets)

casually stroll over the look out the window.

Arnold. What are you doing?
Oh nothing.
I saw you jump up there!
Well, I'm just looking out the window.
Well, I really don't want you up there.
Really.
Hey, maybe I can walk across the top of the window here and see what's over there.
Arnold, please don't.
Really?
No. That's not for poohlet kitties.
No?
No. Please come over here (tap tap tap on top of the fridge)
Hmph.
Arnold merp-down-noise onto the fridge.
Arnold merp-down noise onto the floor.

Casually saunter into the fliving room and leap up onto the trench.

Just another day in kitty-land...

Audrey Poohlet-kitty

Oh she's so cute!

Mom?
Yes.
Pooh me.
I just got out of the shower! I need to get myself dressed.
I know... but don't I look so cute here on your bed? All rolled over? with my head just so and looking at you sweetly?
Yes, you do. Oh ok, let me get the brush.
Aaaaahhhh. That's very nice. Please brush my pook.
Sure.
But don't brush my crotch!
Sorry!
Here... brush my ears... and the top of my head... aaaaahhhhh. purr purr purr.
OK, kiddo, I have to get moving.
Really?
Yes.
Even though I look soooooo cute?
Yes.
Well, all right, I'll let you go if you turn on the water in the sink for me.
Deal.

"Mom?"

Yes?
(merp-up-onto-the-couch noise)
What can I do for you?
I'm not sure. I just want to park here on your arm and your pook and knead your neck.
Sure, no problem.
Now I need to turn around a few times and park my butt in your hand. Move your hand a little... just a little more... there, that's good.
Everything ok now?
Well, now I need to groom myself.
Fine.
Don't watch me please.
Ok.
And don't move too much. I'm just perfect, just like this.
Yes, you *are* perfect... just like this.
(BIG kitty sigh)

CRASH!

What was that? Oh, it was just, you, Arnold, knocking something off that box so you could get inside it.
It was?
Yes, it was you, I know it was you.
Well, I want to go into the box.
I'm sorry, you can't.
No?
No.
Well, I don't really want to go into that box... I'd rather visit with this one.
Ok. Then I'll go back to the computer.
Well, if you're not going to watch me then I'm going back to that other box.
I can still see you, you know.
I'm not trying to get into the box!
Yes you are. Please, that box is not for kitties.
No?
No. Why don't you come up here and keep me company?
Yes?
Yep.
(merp-up noise)

Parking ensued.

Merp

Audrey-kitty had quite a lot to say to me last night while I was watching tv. I think it was mostly "Pooh me! Pooh me!"

She got all settled and curled up JUST SO when a doorbell rang on tv. (not the litter box commercial, but something else).

Instant Alert!

But, nothing untoward happened so I was able to pooh her back to sleep.

Sir Arnold - Protector of the Family

There was a strange noise outside... a sort of clanging, banging noise.

Arnold growled his fierce growl.

The noise stopped... then started again.

Arnold growled his fierce growl a little bit louder and a little bit longer.

The noise stopped for good.

Arnold did his walking-while-stretching-his-hind legs then took up a lookout position at the top of the stairs of the loft.

The Mysterious Red String

Hmmmmm.... I fed the poohlet kitties this morning and discovered a red thread on the floor. I pulled on it... and pulled... and pulled and collected, I don't know, several yards of red thread.

I followed this red thread to the source: a spool of red thread under the oven.

How did it get there? Where did it come from? I'll put my detectives right on the case and let you know...

Arnold Helps

1. I put the rug under the dining room table today. First I had to unroll the plastic under-rug - the thing that the rug sits on so it won't slip. Arnold was fascinated and kept walking all over it and pouncing on the edges as I pulled them.

2. Then I unrolled the rug. Arnold ran underneath the rug and parked, he parked on the rug where it wasn't quite settled, he parked on the rug when I had it all into place.

3. Then I wrapped some presents. Arnold helped with the tissue paper. I don't think I need to say anything else about that... Actually, you might find some little kitty teeth-marks on the tissue paper in a present or two.

They have just enjoyed a yummy dinner and Arnold ate most of his. I think he's starting to feel better. I had to give him his dinner pill but I think he's forgiven me.

It doesn't take a brilliant detective...

I was watching tv in the fliving room. Arnold sauntered innocently into the kitchen. I heard a sort of plastic noise... the kind of noise a kitty makes when playing with the plastic lid of a soda pop bottle. I happen to know that there's a plastic soda pop bottle lid on the counter. I make my way into the kitchen.

Arnold is standing on the floor... soooooo innocent. "Mer?" he asks sweetly.

Well, then I happen to notice about a dozen damp kitty pawprints on the floor --- leading from the sink to the kitchen table.

Yes... he's innocent... sure.

Knead-y Kitties

They've been so cute!

Audrey leaped up onto the couch and kneaded my pook then parked on my hand and fell asleep. She'd stretch and re-arrange but she always had to have her head resting in my hand.

Then I dozed off and Arnold jumped up onto the couch and kneaded my knees and parked.

After about two hours they leaped down (so I could dry my hair) then, when I came back to watch the game they both leaped up onto me and parked again.

After about an hour they leaped down and followed me all over the house. Now I am on the computer, Audrey is parked on the chair next to me and Arnold is napping on the blanket on the couch.

They are very cute.

A Quick Geometry Lesson

Parallel lines are two lines that never meet. They may be several feet apart, or they may be just an inch apart --- they will never touch each other.

A good example of parallel lines is Mom and the edge of the bed. Look carefully and you will see that, although there is scarcely an inch between the edge of Mom and the edge of the bed, they never touch each other.

Perpendicular lines are lines that meet at right angles to each other. Where they touch each other makes a right angle.

A really good example of perpendicular lines is Arn and Mom in the bed. You can see that Arnold's hind toes touch Mom's back. See... when he stretches his toes his hind legs push on Mom's back at a right angle. There's almost enough force to make the edge of Mom touch the edge of the bed. But not quite.

And there is your geometry lesson for the day.

Pudding

I think I may have figured out why Arnold was so strange this morning... maybe it has something to do with tonight's full moon?

Hmmmmm... whatever shall I do?

Maybe some hot chocolate will help. Not for him... for me.

Foof

I was on facebook... yes, playing scramble YET again... and my friend Jane was also logged on and she started chatting with me.

I was chatting and typing then I leaned way back to stretch my back and THAT'S when Foof decided she needed to park on me. On my chest. She kneaded my neck for a little bit then hunkered down. I couldn't see to type.

Then she moved. Whew.

Now she's parked on the chair beside me as I type this, having ceased playing scramble for today.

Arnold and His Sock

I took this at the old house. It's Arnold. Playing with his sock. His old sock. It got lost in the move. Now he has a new one. So does Foof. Hers is black and it matches herself.

Kitties Pix

Assorted Kitty Pix for your enjoyment

Audrey Parks

Audrey-kitty was so cute this weekend! She kept parking with people - mostly cb.

Sit on the couch, arrange your knees just so, spread out kb's blue blanket and, next thing you know! there's a kitty parked with you!

One of the first photos

Thursday, July 26, 2007

They woke me up at 6am to eat. Audrey wasn't so keen on the new food but Arnold ate it up happily.

After that they were absolutely energized. Running around the house, up the stairs, down the stairs, around and around the dining room. Then I heard a huge BANG and heard the mad scampering of kitty feet escaping the scene of the crime. They'd managed to knock down the package of table leaves wrapped in a blanket in the dining room.

They hid for 15 minutes or so before I could find them again and make sure everyone was ok.

I emptied the litter box this morning. Audrey likes to watch. She's been very curious about the process. Arnold --- not so much since he fell into the toilet. When Audrey made a move to leap onto the toilet bowl I was READY. "NO, Audrey!" Scampering kitty out of the bathroom.

I really don't want to have to wash off another set of kitty paws from falling into the toilet.

You should see Arnold sleeping: he sleeps like a guy - all sprawled out on his back, legs every-which-way-but-loose. Audrey looks like a little black ball when she's sleeping.

I'm still waiting to hear from the vet about the growth on Arnold's ear.

Posted by Arnold and Audrey at 10:40 AM

Kitty update

Well, nothing really interesting or fun has happened... but we thought we should post something to try to entertain you.

I've been surfing through the very first blog entries and reading them out loud to cb. Those kitties are so cute!

Here's a blast from the past - it's the VERY FIRST POST:

Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Those wild kitties!
I phased out the boiled chicken and rice and phased back in their regular kitty food. It appears that that was a mistake as they made several visits to the litter box during the day. (it's interesting: Arnold does not bury his p**p but Audrey does.)
Feeling sorry for the poor kitties, I went out and got some "Fancy Feast" canned cat food. Arnold LOVED it, but Audrey, not so sure.

Arnold breathed on me later --- KILLER BREATH.

What's that noise?

I made myself a delicious, ginormous salad this evening for dinner. I got out the balsamic vinegar and the olive oil, carefully measured out two tablespoons of each and returned both bottles to the cabinet.

I sat down to enjoy my dinner and read the paper. I heard a small, thumping noise...

Yes, it was ARN, stuck in the cabinet and trying to get the door open so he could escape!

I haven't seen him since then...

Oh Dear!

I came home from work today (where I signed up ELEVEN jailbirds thank you very much!) and carried in the bags of groceries. The kitchen was nice and warm, which was very much appreciated after the chilliness of outside. There was also a gentle hum. All in all, it was very peaceful.

I hung up my coat and processed the mail, then I said to myself, I said, "Self --- that IS NOT a normal noise coming from the kitchen." Then I said, "There's a slightly peculiar smell coming from the kitchen." Then I said, "It's not really normal for the kitchen to be so warm. I'd better check that out."

Yes, as you can imagine, ARN (or something like him) had jumped up onto the stove and actually started it! It was baking nothing at 350 degrees. And the "oven start time", you ask? 9:24 am!

Yikes!

The "Gift"

I went to clean out the litter box last night and you'll never believe what I found. Actually, you WILL believe it, but saying that you won't makes a better beginning to the post...

Anyway, I found a nice, tidy pile of kitty-business right outside the opening to the litter box. It was fairly firm so it must have been there a while. (I love this house! I didn't even smell that business!)

I picked it up then Audrey dashed into the box and wee-d. With her head poking out of the door. When I lifted the lid I discovered that she has somehow gone way back in the back and actually hit the dome part and some had leaked out. Eeeeew!

All is clean now, though. And the kitties are forgiven.

Kitty Whiskers

I read in The Cat Bible that kitties don't like their whiskers to touch the sides of their water bowls. That's why you have to keep the water level up higher.

Interesting...

I had a dream...

In this dream I was being smushed by a big crowd. Somehow my shirt rode up and I was being tickled by someone's beard. I didn't like it.

So, I woke myself up and found that, indeed, my shirt had ridden up and Audrey was smushed against my back. It was her fur that was tickling my skin.

That foof!

Mom is...

... very tired so she's going to bed.

Foof is...

... sitting in her foof spotlight watching the printer print.

Kitty Tidbits

1. Kitties and ice cubes:
cb put an ice cube into each kitty water bowl and fun ensued. Arn found it first and investigated it with his nose, tongue and other body parts. When we picked him up his paws were damp and cold along with his nose. Then we watched Foof fwap it then shake her little paw vigorously.

2. Arn and the pants:
mom found Arn in her room on her bed, sleeping sweetly on her pants. He was Striped-Man on mom's striped pants.

3. The lump:
When we got back from dinner Audrey came up to the loft to visit. cb put her under the pink fuzzy blanket. She parked and purred. After a bit we put Arnold under there. He investigated and Merp oozed out.

4. Kitty togetherness:
When we got back from dinner there were two kitties curled up on mom's bed --- all snuggled together and looking ever-so-cute. We poohed them and they purred.

5. Merp:
Merp mer-ed at cb this morning at 4:42am. She leaped up onto the top bunk all by herself! Well, she sort of scrabbled... but she made it to the top bunk.

6. Merp again:
Mom picked up cb at ballet then went to dad's to pack. When we got home Merp was sitting sweetly in the foyer, waiting for us.

7. Merp, yet again:
cb went to the potty and Merp sat outside the door and YAKKED at cb! We didn't know what, exactly, she was saying... but she had a lot to say.

8. Merp, as usual:
Merp just mer-ed. She's sitting under the other table in the loft giving us a killer look. Now she just did a Halloween-kitty stretch. I mer-ed at her and she mer-ed back. cb will now pick her up and pooh her. Then we will go to bed.

The Mysterious Black Paw Strikes Again

Just when you thought it was safe...

I was poohing Arnold, who was sitting in a box on the floor, while sitting on the flowery chair when, ALL OF A SUDDEN, a mysterious black paw fwapped my pink slippers!

I was so startled!

Then I fwapped the paw right back and it was startled. So there.

Sweet Kitties

Some thoughts on the kitties:

• Merp's new favorite napping place is under the two-people couch in the loft.
• Unless I'm on the computer (like now) ... then her favorite place is on my lap.
• Arn has had a serious need for poohage today - he's stuck near me all day, parking wherever I settle down. This afternoon he even curled up all nestled in my pook to nap while I watched tv.
• I had a hard-boiled egg for lunch today and Arnold was fascinated by the crumbs left in the bowl. I think he would have eaten them if I'd let him!
• Last night both kitties sphinxed on the back of the fliving room couches and peered intently at the front door. Very cute.

A Short Conversation With The Kitties

Mom?!
I'm upstairs in the loft!
I have my sock!
That's great! Would you like to bring it upstairs?
Sure! (noise of up-merp-with-sock-in-mouth)
I'm here!
Yes you are.
Hey, what's this?
That's Arnold's sock.
Hmmmm. Very interesting.
Pooh me! Pooh me! Pooh me!
Me too! (collapses on left side)

Double-poohage ensues. Kitties purr.

Arnold The Brave (part II)

I heard the protective/serious Arnold growl coming from the loft. Foof was parked on top of the couch watching him so I figured he wasn't growling at her. It sounded like he was protecting the family.

Well... he was protecting the family from a hair dealy.

See --- grandma had collected a bunch of hair stuff from boxes in the loft and put them all in that little green halloween bag and left them on the table. The bag had been knocked over and its contents spilled over the table. Except for one hair dealy that was on the floor... The one Arnold was protecting us from.

(you know... I'd been finding hair dealies all over the house and I'd been wondering where they'd come from...)

Arnold The Brave

Aunty Karen and grandma came over on Saturday to help unpack boxes and get organized. When the doorbell rang Foof dashed right up to the loft and dove under the two-people couch. Arnold, however, was deep asleep and was too groggy to move. He determined that it seemed safe enough so he stayed on the chair and napped the whole time they were there!

He even came over once and rubbed against grandma's leg toward the end of the day.

Foof, however, was nowhere to be seen. I peeked at her under the couch once but I promised I wouldn't reveal her whereabouts to the others.

Kitties and Halloween

The kitties did VERY WELL at Halloween. I had the door cracked open so we could hear people as they came up the front walk.

When the kitties heard people Foof DASHED upstairs, almost even before the doorbell rang. Arnold got braver, though, as the evening wore on and he got to where he'd stand by the stairs and look at the door. He was ready to dash upstairs if he had to... but he was kind of interested in what was going on at the door.

BAM!

I was going into my bedroom this morning to put something away in the bathroom when... BAM! something crashed!

Foof dashed out of the bathroom lickety-split but I was in the doorway by then so Arnold couldn't dash out. He didn't know what to do so he jumped up onto the sink then jumped out of the bathroom as soon as I'd cleared the door.

Turns out they had knocked the bottle of SoftScrub off the side of the tub. Nothing serious.

Foof

Dad came over last night and helped me set up my "new" Burton tv. When we were done we were standing outside and chatting and Foof came up to the door and started yakking away! She even stood up on her hind legs to get taller to look at me and say whatever it was she was trying to say.

I think she wanted to eat but I kept telling her it was only 8:30 and not time to eat.

but cb feeds me!

But it's not 9 yet. You'll have to wait.

Foof

I have a foof on my lap. She seems to be very happy.

Unfortunately for her... I have to leave in 30 minutes to take cb to ballet.

Think she'll ever forgive me?

Yikes!

I was in the loft today on the computer and a movement caught the corner of my eye.

I looked over and it was Arnold! walking on the banister of the loft!

I tried to be calm and not make him nervous.

He got himself down safely.

I heard a door...

After I dried my hair I was in the fliving room when I heard a door thump.

"That sounds like a cabinet door", said I. Audrey was carefully crouched in the fliving room but looking into the kitchen. "What's he doing in there?", I asked Audrey. "It's not me! I didn't start it!", she said and away she ran.

I tiptoed into the kitchen and there was Arnold! Halfway into the cabinet under the sink! All I could see was cute kitty butt.

"Arnold!"

He was NOT pleased when I removed him.

(I've been in the loft for about 20 minutes now... wonder what he's up to? Dare I go check?)

I heard a clink...

I was sitting in the dining room doing some paperwork and I heard a clink in the sink (hey! that rhymes!) I thought it was just a bowl settling or something.

Then I heard someone drinking water from their dish. "How cute!", I thought.

Then I thought, "Wait a minute. That sounds really loud to be someone drinking from their bowl..." I went to check and, sure enough, it was Arnold in the sink, drinking the water from the cat food can from breakfast.

Arnold!

He wasn't very pleased when I removed him from the sink.

Bubble Wrap

Yes, the merps accidentally discovered what bubble wrap can do.

They were going psycho and running back and forth and generally doing their psycho thing when, all of a sudden, POP! Somebody must have stepped really hard on a bubble or else stretched on it or something. Whatever.

Well. You should have seen the scurrying and mad dash of fur that went flying by me as they left the foyer!

But they seem to have recovered.

But, now that you mention it... they haven't spent much time in the foyer today...

Kitties And The Tub

Arnold hopped into the bathtub this morning so, just to see what he would do, I turned on the water very lightly.

He was fascinated. He would try to stop the water from dropping into the tub then shake his paw violently. He would put his head close to the water to investigate then get sprinkled on the head then shake violently. He would try to stop the water from going down the drain.

Foof came over to see what was going on. She stayed on the rim of the tub. She fwapped the water stream and ended up splashing water on Arnold's head which startled him and caused him to shake his head violently then groom his face with his paw.

They both were very serious about their investigation. When I turned the water off the faucet made a little noise so that brought their attention down to where I was and they had to investigate the cold water faucet.

When I left they were still investigating the tub.

I found an Arnold whisker on my bed

... so I kept it.

What's that?

This morning I read the newspaper for a little bit then went to dry my hair. After my hair was done I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I came out of the bathroom I noticed a rather large lump under my polka-spotted comforter. "What's that?", I wondered. "Leo-pard?" So I touched the lump.

To my surprise the lump jumped! As if it had been startled! "Oh my! There's an animal under there!" I peeled back the polka-spotted comforter and the lump mer-ed. There was no animal, just blanket. I peeled back the blanket and the lump mer-ed. No animal, just sheet. I peeled back the sheet and to my surprise, there was Arnold-kitty!

He mer-ed, turned around a few times, peered under the covers that had just been raised then sphinxed and purred while I poohed his scruff.

Kitty Love-fest

My first appointment at Salon de Merp was waiting for me when I got out of the shower. She was very upset that I made her wait until I dried off and put some clothes on. But she forgave me when I started to brush her.

Then Arnold jumped up on the bed, too, and hunkered down. I brushed Audrey-kitty then I brushed Arnold-kitty then I just sat there and poohed them both while they purred.

We were happily engaged in this kitty love-fest when the phone rang and scared my striped kitty away. Merp wanted to run away but she was too blobbed to move too much.

The Mystery Revealed

I was having a very nice conversation with Mrs. Burton today while lounging on the couch when, lo and behold! a little black furry face peeked out over the edge of the ledge!

Audrey-kitty! What are you doing up there?!?!

Oh, nothing much.

Then I heard a couple of interesting thumping noises and went to the kitchen to investigate. Apparently she does as kb suspected: she jumps onto the counter, then the fridge, then the ledge in the kitchen and makes her way to area above the tv.

That girl!

Arnold and His Ball

Here's the cutest picture of Arnold playing with his ball.

Merp

Merp and I were parking on the couch this evening watching Dancing With The Stars, The Results.

A very cool R&B band from the 70's performed a medley of their hits. Whoo-hoo! Great fun for mom!

"Cel - le - brate good times. Come on!" clap clap clap

Mom! No singing! (merp-down noise)

Cuddled Kitties

I was parking quietly on the couch and Arnold joined me and napped. Then, Audrey decided to join us. She jumped up (insert Mer-up noise here) and curled up. Then Arnold sort of woke up and began to groom her head and ears. It was so sweet! He fell asleep in mid-groom.

Sweet Pudding

I came home this afternoon and Arnold was ever-so-cutely sleeping on my bed --- curled with Leo-pard.

He woke up when I came in.

What's up?
Nothing. I just got home. How about you?
I was napping.
Mind if I join you?
No... make yourself comfortable... but don't disturb me. Park yourself in a way that doesn't involve me moving.
Ok. How's this?
It's ok... but, I need to be a little closer... (wiggle wiggle purr purr) There. That's about right. Don't move any more.

Foof on the Ledge

This is from the other day but I thought it was so cute we should share it here.

Kitty Tidbits

Nothing really interesting to report...

- Arnold enjoyed playing with his striped ball today. One time he even picked it up in his mouth and carried it over to where I was sitting on the couch!

- I found Foof on top of the fridge today!! And she was very linty when she jumped down...

- Getting the food ready for dinner I didn't hear anything... but turned to my right and there was Foof! On the counter!!! Getting ready to chow down on her dinner right there by the sink!

- Audrey parked with me on the couch while we watched tv today but apparently I didn't smell quite right --- even after she groomed my entire hand. So she had to go down to the end of the couch and park there alone.

- Arnold was parked on my bed today --- all snuggled up against Leo-pard.

Why is your head all wet?

Mom? Mom! Where are you?

I'm up here in the loft.

Well, I'm finished eating dinner and I need to be poohed. Here I come! (sound of Foof-mer-up noise)

Hi cutie Foof! Let me pooh you. Hmmmm... why is the top of your head all wet?

Never mind, I don't need to be poohed.

Foof

Audrey came out of nowhere and mer-ed at me. So, apparently, she was still alive.

I parked on the floor and ate my Chinese. Then, I stood up and sat on the couch. I heard a little noise like "foof!" then heard something behind me.

I guess I had disturbed Audrey while she was napping on the couch behind me! I think I actually foofed her right off the cushion!

But she's ok now. She's parked with me between me and the computer, making sure that she is turned just so in the Foof Spotlight.

Oops - her back paw was resting on the computer and I accidentally put my arm on it. Now she's all hoozy-froozled and can't get comfortable and it's All Mom's Fault.

What is UP with these kitties?!?!

My kitty alarm went off at 3:45 this morning. Aaaaargh!!!

I fed them but they weren't interested in eating. Instead, there were lots of crashing noises from all over the house. I'd go investigate and there'd be some lone sweet-looking kitty... "it wasn't me"

Now they're wandering around the house making sad mer-ing noises. Sometimes they both stand by the front door and mer but I keep saying that they're not going out. Sometimes they stand by the garage door and mer --- especially Audrey (she saw me go out there to put the garbage away) She REALLY wants to go into the garage.

Now Monsieur Arnold has come up to the loft and has parked himself on the green table that used to be in the fliving room. He's purring and hunkered down for a nap.

The Loft

I'm kind of liking this loft! Maybe I'm like the kitties and I like it because it contains familiar things.

I've set up a table for the computer, now I just have to connect the printer and rearrange things some more.

I got a new lamp from Home Depot with the last bit of the gift cards I got from the Gribbles'. I put that together and the kitties kept me company. Now Audrey is napping on the table, underneath one of the lamps --- it's like she's in the spotlight in all her foof-y glory.

Arnold jumped up and down off the table, wandered around and around the computer, rubbed his cheeks against the computer. Now he's alseep on top of the filing cabinet (the one that used to be upstairs next to their tower). It's also very close to me right now --- that's as far as I could move it.

They are still perplexed by meal-time. They were very hungry and mer-ed all over the kitchen while I was preparing dinner. But then they wandered back and forth between the two bowls - Audrey over the Arnold's and back again. Arnold over to Audrey's and back again. I'm not sure what was going on! I went back to the loft and they eventually found me there and each had serious kitty-breath --- so, I guess they ate a little something.

Wonder how they'll feel when I clean out the litter box tonight? Think they'll watch me? Or are they too busy zonked out?

Oh yes --- forgot to tell you about the attic. There's this little storage space under the roof here in the loft. I started moving things into it today, just to make some more room here in the loft. Audrey-kitty dashed in and started to wander around. Then she jumped onto some air duct thing and disappeared into the bowels of the house. Eeeeek! I screeched and she came dashing back and dashed out. Arnold tried to come in and investigate but I wouldn't let him.

How on earth are we going to get stuff in and out of there?!?!

Ok, Foof just stretched a Halloween-kitty stretch, wandered over behind the computer, collapsed on her side then tilted her head upside-down to stare at me. Think she knows I'm writing about her?

Now her eyes are closed again... oops! one just opened to give me a one-eyed killer look! What a foof!

Moving Update

Well, an update about the move... I don't mean that this update will move your emotions...

Anyway, cb came over yesterday and visited with the kitties in the laundry room. They both came running to her and demanded to be let out. Foof was quite linty from hiding behind the dryer.

I waited until I had taken cb to ballet and was home for the night before I let them out. It took them a minute or two to leave the laundry room. Like, "are you serious? we can get out?"

Then they wandered all over the place making perplexed noises. Arnold used his vocalizations like dolphins and echo-location: "Mom?" "I'm in the fliving room!" ..... "mom?" "I'm still in the fliving room! Where are you?"

They even ran up to the loft and looked out over the edge.

Audrey tried to figure out how to get from the loft down to the mantel but I talked her out of it.

I moved their food to the breakfast nook. They were more interested in exploring than eating.

They were very perplexed all evening. When I went to bed they were still wandering around trying to figure things out.

When I woke up this morning (no kitty alarm at 5am) Audrey was snuggled behind my knees and Arnold was parked over my toes.

I got up and fed everybody. They were slightly interested in eating but more interested in exploring. I took a shower and they were very perplexed about the shower stall. They stood there and looked like they wanted to go in... but they didn't.

Then I told Audrey I was going to run out for some breakfast for myself. "Now?", she asked rather sadly. "Yes. Now. I promise to come right back." So I did.

The kitties spend a lot of time in the loft --- I think it's because that's where the old fliving room furniture is so it must smell familiar. We all took a nap on the two-people couch after breakfast: Arnold on my toes and Audrey parked on my side, of all places.

I did some laundry and when the washer made a weird noise they both FLEW up to the loft and hid under the two-people couch. They did the same thing when the dryer buzzed. THIS dryer has a buzz-lowering knob, though, so now I have it turned way down.

When the Verizon guys rang the doorbell Foof disappeared under the couch but Arnold, who was already in the loft, looked out over the edge and gave his Tough Arnold growl. The Verizon guys didn't hear it... otherwise, who knows if they would even come inside?!?! (i'm joking)

At one point they needed to come to the loft to hook up the internet. One guy helped me move the three-people couch and, as we did, Audrey streaked out from underneath it and dashed under the two-people couch. Scared the guy HALF TO DEATH! It was quite comical, actually.

Arnold had some fun with his sock by the stairs today but mostly they wander around and make perplexed noises. They scootch by to visit with me for brief moments then wander around again.

Oh Arnold!

Arnold was grooming himself on the floor of the fliving room and Audrey was parked with me on the couch.

She jumped down and went right over to him as if to say, "Oh Arnold! That's not right. Here, let me do that for you." Then she groomed his head.

It was very sweet.

Kitty Tales

Here are some random kitty stories for your amusement.

Arnold was parked with me on the couch and his butt was dangerously close to falling off. He stretched then, whoops!, he almost fell off the couch! Thanks to my quick reflexes, I was able to catch his butt. Then he just parked. With his butt cradled gently in my hands. Arnold, this is so awkward.

After my shower this morning Audrey came for her treatment at Salon de Merp. She was happily getting brushed when we heard a sad Arnold calling from somewhere.
Mer-ow? Mrrrr-ow?
Arnold, we're up here!
Mer-ow? Mrrrr-ow! (happy "up" Arnold noise)

And here he comes! Dragging a pair of poohlet undies with him!

Then I sneezed and Audrey dashed away.

"Ah!", thought Arnold. "Here is my chance to get brushed!"
Here, mom, brush my head. Ahhhhh, this is nice. Now brush under my chin. Mmmmmm! Now brush my pook... Gotcha! You fell for my clever ruse to get the brush! I'll never let it go! Well, maybe I'll let it go so I can grab it again!

Kitties woke me up at 5:05 this morning. Honest to goodness... I thought something was wrong because they let me sleep so late!

Kitties spent a very happy day yesterday hanging out in the open windows.

"What's That?"

I had my coffee mug on the floor and I was sitting down, getting ready to brush Audrey. She carefully walked over to sniff my coffee then LEAPED back... I guess she didn't care for the smell. (Sounds like someone else I know!)

After my shower I discovered some Arnold business on the stairs and behind the washing machine. Poor Arnold! I couldn't find him for the longest time... then I found him hiding under the side table in the fliving room.

Audrey is here parking asleep in the box on my bed and I don't know where Arnold is...

Hey! That's cheating!

I was playing the box game with Audrey. I'd stick my finger partially into the hole in the box and she'd fwap at it.

Then she reached OVER the box and fwapped my hand!

That's cheating!

The kitties are just so cute!

Audrey got me up at 5:20 this morning. Yippee!

They've been napping on my bed: foof in the box and Arnold by the pillow-chair-thing.

I gave him his pill this evening - woke him up from his nap, he was NOT pleased. He left the bed to hang around by my mirror while Foof and I played the Door Game with the box.

I trimmed Arnold's nails today. He didn't like it much but it needed to be done.

"Kitties! I'm going to bed!"

I went upstairs and stood at the landing.

Kitties! I'm going to bed!

[noise of merp-coming-up-the-stairs to the puce banana]

It's about time Missy! Do you know how late it is? You should have been in bed hours ago! Why are you up so late?

Where's Arnold? Have you seen Arnold?

Why are you up so late? You should have been in bed already! Wait... what?
Have you seen Arnold?
Arnold?
You know... Arnold, your brother... the striped one.
Hmmmm... no I don't know where he is.

Here I am! What do you need?

I'm going to bed. Would you like to join me?
Sure. Let me get my sock. [noise of Arnold-running-up-the-stairs]

Good night kitties!

[noise of PSYCHO KITTIES]

A Conversation with Foof

Mom!?!
Yes?
Here I am! Ready for Salon De Mom!
Ok. Give me a minute to get organized after getting out of the shower.
Why?!
Because I'm not going to do Salon De Mom dripping wet.
Why?!
Because I'm just not.
I'm ready!
Just a minute!
I'm ready now!
Just a minute! OK. There. Here's the comb. How's this?
*purr purr purr* Mom! I told you never to brush my tail!
Sorry! How's this?
*purr purr purr* Now let me have the comb
No, only I get the comb. I can't comb you if you keep fighting for the comb.
OK. Now do this side... *purr purr purr* Now do this side *purr purr*
How's this?
Mmmmm. This is good. *purr purr purr* Ok! I'm done!
You're welcome.

Kitties and the Rain

Now that the rain is coming in earnest the kitties are a little more nervous.

Arnold's been following me around all morning with his sock. Now he's settled down on the couch, parked on top of his sock.

Although, just now, the wind made a scary noise and Arnold's eyes popped open. But now his eyes are closed again. I think he'll be able to sleep.

I can't find the brush. Does anyone know where it is? I had to comb Audrey this morning when she demanded her time at Salon De Mom.

Flaked Kitty Food

You're right! Kitties don't like flaked trout!

What's THAT all about? And here I thought I was giving them a treat.

Maybe they'll be hungry enough to eat it anyway...

An Uneasy Truce in Kitty-land

Well, as long as they stay apart they seem to get along.

This morning Arnold was so scared that he hid behind the washing machine even when I made breakfast. It took me about 30 minutes but I was able to coax him out and he ate breakfast on top of the washing machine. He ate almost all of it --- I don't think he's getting the full 1/2 tsp of Benefiber. But then, there hasn't been any butt leakage so maybe it's all ok.

I gave him his pill today without the pill pocket. Maybe the pill pocket was causing the intestinal distress? At any rate, he did NOT care for the plain pill but was able to get it down. Most of it, anyway.

Currently Audrey is upstairs somewhere and Arnold is happily purring on the couch with me in the fliving room. He brought his bracelet over a while ago and we've just been keeping each other company.

Earlier this morning Audrey "let" him park under my sink while she perched on the couch and looked out my bedroom window. She gets really close to him, as if she recognizes him, sniffs him, then hisses. It's so sad!

The guy came to fix the hall bathroom so she disappeared under the chair in my room and Arnold dashed downstairs and hid behind the washing machine.

His eye seems to be just a little bit better. I'll wait until tomorrow to call the doctor about it.

So, we will stay hopeful.

Arnold and the pill

Arnold took his pill just fine last night so I got a little cocky this morning and gave him his pill without wrapping him up in a towel (well, and, plus the towels were all in the dryer from last night's shower together). I wrapped up the pill in the pill pocket and managed to pop it into his mouth.

He chewed and swallowed. Ta Da! Easy peasy.

Well, no. He leaped off my lap then spit out the pill onto the floor in the foyer.

Then he investigated the pill-pocket-encased-pill. "How interesting looking! Maybe it's food and I should give that a try! Hmmmmm... a little tasty then yuk. Maybe if I shake my head vigorously the taste will go away."

And that was that.

Arnold's home and all is well!

The trip home was eventful but after the poohlets left I got things straightened out.

First, Arnold and I took a shower. I wrapped him in a towel and we both got into the shower. I rinsed off his front paws and his rear paws and managed to get some water onto his pook. I think he smelled better. I mean, I smelled his paws and they seemed to smell better. Then I wrapped him in a dry towel and dried him off. He felt better after that. Then he groomed himself (concentrating on that part of his legs that are shaved). I got out my bathing suit (ha ha! I took a shower in a Bath-ing suit!) and dried myself off and put on my pjs.

Audrey was waiting oustside the door. She keeps hissing at him and trying to smell his butt. He's taking it all very calmly though.

Then I brushed him and he PURRED and purred. He even spoke like regular Arnold --- sweet little Arnold-mers. I brushed Audrey, too but she was more interested in smelling all the places that Arnold had been.

Then I fed everybody. Arnold didn't want his special vet food --- he wanted his regular food. So that's what I did! Audrey was eating and Arnold was eating and everything was fine until the washing machine made a noise that scared Audrey out of the kitchen. Oh well.

Then I chatted with Miss Rebecca while playing with Arnold and his bracelet. He's so cute! Actually, he looks a little like a poodle with his poofy paws and shaved legs.

Then I gave him his pill wrapped in his little "pill pocket". He wasn't so happy to have me open his mouth but he seemed to take his pill ok --- shaking his head after he'd swallowed it.

Now Audrey is grooming herself on the wooden chair here in the fliving room and Arnold is parked and sleeping on the 3-people couch. He keeps following me around so I think he's happy that I've settled down in one place.

Maybe tomorrow Arnold will smell more like himself (and less like vet hospital) so Audrey will be less weirded out. She's finished grooming herself and now she's giving me killer looks. I think she knows I'm writing about her...

Ok, I'm going to join Arnold in sweet dreams.

All Is Well!

Arn is ok...

... but he's spending the night in the hospital getting IV fluids.

They're just a little concerned that he was on antibiotics and seemed to get better then got this leaky butt thing again.

I visisted him and said good night before I left and he had stopped airplane-ears.

Actually, the place looks a lot like the hospital on E-Vet interns and Arnold is in his own little cage looking a little put out. He didn't have his IV yet when I left. Miss Rebecca told me about this emergency vet in Leesburg so that's where I went.

So, I should be able to check on him around 10am.

Audrey is quite out of sorts --- you know, they've never been apart for this long before. Audrey is parked by the front door.

Poor Arnold!

He's got a leaky butt again. I think it must also hurt because he runs around the house like a crazy-psycho-kitty while leaking. It must feel like his butt is on fire.

Right now he's behind the washing machine. The vet said not to worry unless he begins to vomit --- which he hasn't.

Audrey is also very worried --- she's parked on the floor by the garage door and making worried noises.

Oh No!

Arnold came into the fliving room with his bracelet. Then he hopped up onto the couch.

THEN he hopped up onto the back of the couch. I heard a little click --- oh no! Arnold dropped his bracelet behind the big three-people couch! Can he get it back?

He paced back and forth along the top of the couch... he jumped down and looked behind the couch. What to do?

So mom pulled out the couch from the wall. Arnold paced across the top of the couch, thinking about how to get the bracelet. But I went behind the couch and got it for him.

Now he's happily playing with it on the floor.

Go Foof!

She was so great taking her pill this morning!

I got all settled down on the couch so I could watch tennis while we sat through the usual stalemate. But, I just opened her mouth, put the pill way back and closed her mouth. Then, tada! She swallowed it!

She's so cute all wrapped up in the orange towel! I parked with her anyway and scritched her right in front of her ears. She even de-airplaned and closed her eyes.

I finally let her go and she snuggled into the corner of the couch and fell asleep. Arnold, who had been on the floor this whole time, jumped up on the couch and joined her.

Oh Foof!

That girl! Tonight's pill was especially challenging. That girl is so stubborn!

I put it in her mouth and she just froze. No swallowing, no blinking... just airplane ears.

I peeked into her mouth and there it was --- just parked in the back of her mouth.

We got up from the stairs and watched some men's beach volleyball --- still there in the back of her mouth.

We went into the kitchen and got one chubby-kitty morsel. I put that in her mouth and she pushed it right out! I peeked in her mouth --- the white pill is STILL THERE!

I put the chubby-kitty morsel back into her mouth and this time she chewed it a little bit and actually swallowed.

Success!

Just two more to go...

After the Poohlets Left

The kitties were a little bit hoozy-froozled then they went psycho.

Then Arnold started a groom fight. (I think he just wanted to be groomed.) Audrey obliged and groomed his head and his ears and his neck. Arnold just rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes and just enjoyed.

When he was groomed to Audrey's satisfaction Arnold got up and came over to park on the couch and vibrate on my foot.

Cute Kitty Pictures

Aren't these just the very cutest kitties there ever ever were?

So far, so good

No more smelly presents this morning.

I was also able to give Arnold his pill this morning although he was Not Happy about it. He even accidentally crunched it and apparently it is very foul tasting. He tried to push it out with his tongue but I wouldn't let him. He finally swallowed it then shook his head several times to try to get the taste out of his mouth.

Then both kitties ate ALL their breakfast.

I was very proud.

Ooops - it's not quite over

This morning Audrey got us up at 5:30 but no one seemed to be interested in breakfast. I went to the potty and came out to an odiferous mess. It seemed like Arnold had a leaky butt and wandered all the house... my room, a drop in the poohlet room, down the stairs, a significant present on the puce banana then down the stairs, into the fliving room and under the table.

Whew! Before I even had a chance to eat breakfast! (wait a minute, maybe that was a good thing...)

So all the kitties went to visit the vet. [Arnold weighs 11.4 lbs]. Doctor isn't quite sure what it could be. It could just be a virus - in which case it'll go away by itself - or it could be a bacterial thing. So he gave me some pills.

Guess how well Arnold ate his pill when I buried it in his food?

Right.

So I wrapped him in a towel and did my best to throw it in his mouth and make him swallow. I think I did it! He was quite put out, but I think he actually swallowed it.

Then we all snuggled up to watch TV. Arnold s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out on the three-people couch, along the back. Just like when he was a little bitty kitty! He was so cute! Then he woke up to groom himself furiously then rolled himself back up into a little ball.

No more odorous gifts since this morning... keep your fingers crossed.

What do you make of THIS?!?!

The kitties have been back home for two days now. They've been very needy but I thought I'd been keeping up. We all snuggle together on the couch, we snuggle together at night on the bed, we ALL go to the potty when I go to the potty...

So, imagine my surprise this morning when I found a little malodorous "present" on a blanket on the three-people couch. Where did THAT come from?? Which innocent-looking kitty left that there?

I've washed the blanket (it was mine, by the way, not a poohlet blanket) and I'm hoping that that's the last of this.

Other than that they've been quite adorable.

The Kitties are home!

They seem to be angry yet happy to be home. They spent the first two hours yelling at me about why I dragged them away from their comfortable kitty-condo.

We all snuggled up for bed and everyone slept soundly til about 5:30 when Audrey decided that it was time for everyone to get up.

Arnold has been very talktative today! I can't quite figure out what he's saying, but he has a lot to say.

They both follow me around then lounge wherever it is I decide to park myself.

Arnold was under the sink today (awwwww!) while Audrey napped on my lap criss-cross-applesauce on the computer.

I weighed everybody and they stayed the same weight as before --- even me.

What's that on the floor?

Arnold-kitty was playing with something interesting at the top of the stairs. It was striped-y. I thought maybe it was that striped watch-band thing that they've been playing with lately... but, no, the stripes are short and vertical.

It's Audrey-kitty's collar!!!! How did that get off her?!?!?!?

I put it back on but she wasn't too happy about that --- and Arnold wasn't happy about me taking away his new toy.

Arnold

Pudding was parked with me on the 3-people couch and he was faaaaaaasst asleep.

A phone rang on tv and he LEAPED up! All groggy and completely out of it.

I was able to convince him it was just the tv so he went back to sleep.

(tee hee)

In the Middle of the Night...

... I got up to wee.

And I found a block in the middle of the floor of my bathroom.


(awwwwwww!)

Our New Morning Routine

Well...

Audrey has re-engineered our morning routine...

As SOON as I get out of the shower I barely have time to dry myself off before I have to brush Audrey-kitty. She collapses on the floor and insists that I simply MUST brush her before the world comes to an end.

Then, when she's decided that I'm done brushing her she must park on my lap as I'm criss-cross applesauce. Remember... I'm still wrapped up in my towel and I haven't even brushed my own hair.

AWKward.

Then SHE decides when she's finished parking so I can get on with my own morning preparations.

Kitties ARE like poohlets!

This morning I had two kitties pestering me in the kitchen.

"I'm BORED! What can I DO?"

I suggested reading a book or doing a craft or taking a nap.

They chose to take a nap.

Enough with the burrowing!

This morning Audrey tried to burrow under ME !!!

At 4:30am that kind of behavior is a little awkward, to say the least.

My Foot Vibrates

When I got home the kitties were quite perturbed that the poohlets had left. I got mer-ed at from all fronts.

Everybody settled down and Arnold decided to park on my pook. After about 15 minutes he suddenly woke up and LEAPED off the couch and groggily made his way around the fliving room.

I was able to ignore him so that he could figure out he didn't belong on the floor and he belonged back on the 3-people couch with me. He figured it out and came back to park and vibrate on my foot.

He was there about three hours. I thought maybe the kitties had forgotten about their snack! Nope --- "mer? mer? mer. mer!" --- here comes Audrey-kitty reminding me that it's time to eat (it's about 9:30pm).

I fed them. They ate. They were very sweet.

Audrey the Brave and Arnold the Parked

cb left her knitting on the couch and Audrey found it very fascinating. She s-l-o-w-l-y approached the pink yarn and ever-so-carefully took a quick swipe at it. When it didn't attack back she fwapped it again. Then she casually walked away.

I was sitting on the couch and Arnold-kitty decided that he needed to park. He kneaded the red blanket and turned around several times and arranged himself ever-so-carefully so that his head was parked just right and the rest of his body was arranged just so. BIG KITTY SIGH. And all was well.

"Mer?"

Mer? Mer. Mer. Mer! Mer? Mer.
Mer. Mer? Mer? Mer? Mer?.....
... Mer mer mer mer mer mer mer mer mer mer
Mer? Mer. Mer? Mer mer mer.

"Would you like me to pick you up and park with you?"

Well, ok, if you insist.

(big kitty SIGH)

( silence )

ooooo

Kitty Updates

* Everybody seems to be better. All the kitties have been eating and I haven't found any new messy burps.

* The kitties didn't like tonight's thunderstorm. I was parked in cb's room reading when the storm began. The kitties were parked with me. Then the phone rang and I had to go to my room. Quite a few little, quiet scared mer-ps then kitties wandered in. Leaping onto the bed, they settled down close to me --- not quite touching me... but very close.

* A doorbell rang on tv and Audrey-kitty ran under the bed (tee hee!)

* A kitty mer-ed on tv and Audrey looked at me in wonder --- I think she thought I had mer-d!

****

Kitties Don't Like Thunderstorms

No, they don't. A storm came and they were both upstairs. They both came down, trying to act nonchalant but I could tell they were in a bit of a hurry.

The both snuggled up near me, but not touching me. And if I touched them they mer-ed and moved away. But it was important that they were near.

---

Oh those kitties!

o Audrey's new place to park is on top of my tall dresser, snuggled up against the tv.

o Last night Arnold was under my short dresser, on his back with just his head poking out. He was watching Audrey play with the balloon string. Every once in a while he'd poke out a paw and bat at the string himself.

o Yesterday Arnold came to visit me while I was on the computer. He snuggled down on my bed with his bracelet (!) then took a nap.

---

Kitties miss the Poohlets

Yes they do.

When I was in bed last night Arnold mer-ed so pitifully downstairs! It took a couple of calls to get him the mer-p! upstairs and park with me. When he got to my bed he was so perplexed that the poohlet beds were empty. He kept looking at the top bunk then the bottom bunk then the top bunk. He looked very sad.

Then he and Audrey went psycho for a little bit.

-----

"Mom?"

"Yes?"
"Where are you?"
"I'm upstairs."
"Why aren't you here downstairs?"
"Because I'm upstairs getting ready for bed."
"Well why aren't you here downstairs with me?"
"You can come upstairs if you want."
Merrrrrr-p

"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Now what can I do? I'm BORED."
"Hmmmm....."
"I guess I'll just jump into this laundrey basket and look cute for a little bit."
"You DO look cute in there."
"I know. And now I'm going to groom my paw. I'm done with you now."

ooo

"Groomer Has It"

Aaaaaaargh! I accidentally got hooked on "Groomer Has It" on Animal Planet!

There were, like, 9 animal groomers and they had to groom a Himalayan Cat. They are VERY fluffy and can have a lot of attitude. They had to be very slow and gentle to brush them.

Then they actually GAVE THE CATS A BATH! The cats were so cute! They looked like little drowned rats --- from all fluffy to completely flat and wet.

Kathleen won the cat challenge (Week 5). You can't tell from the picture how matted her cat's fur was.

There was another episode where they had to design clothes for poodles! Look at Jorge and pick Week 4 to see his poodle cheerleader outfit!

And the groomers! They are quite comical. The girl named "Malissa" was such a ditz! The cat groomer told her not to scissor the cat's whiskers but then she did! Thankfully, she was let go.

Ok, I've to get myself some dinner then it's time to settle down and watch the rest of the Groomer Has It episodes before tonight's new episode!!!!

(OY! Audrey-kitty is parked on my while I type this --- she's NOT happy that I'm using both hands to type and no hands to pet her --- and she just gave a little kitty belch... KILLER BREATH!)

Ding dong!

kb-kitty and I are on the computer and watching Animal Planet at the same time. There was that commercial for "Fresh Step" litter that begins with the doorbell ringing (it's the bloodhound coming to visit the cat and find its litter box).

Well, the doorball rang on TV and kb-kitty LEAPED up to dash under the bed! I was able to calm her down and convince her that it wasn't a real doorbell.

After the Shower

I finished my shower and opened the door and in marched Audrey.

"Mom!"
"Yes?"
"Our food dishes are missing! And we're hungry! Where did they go?"
"I took them away because they were attracting ants."
"Well, we're hungry and we want them back."
"I can't... they attract the ants."
"We're hungry and they need to come back."
"I'm sorry."
"So, what are you going to do about that?"
"There's nothing I can do. You'll be ok."
"Maybe I'll be ok if you pick me up."
"Ok. I'll pick you up and park you. There. Is that better?"
"I said maybe I'd feel better... What kind of body soap did you use in your shower? You don't smell right. Let me groom your hand... there... that's much better. Hey! Move your hand! I can't groom my paw with you in the way!"

"Mom?"
"Yes, Arnold?"
"Where are you? What are you guys doing?"
" I'M parking with mom! It's not your turn yet!"
"oh. ok. I'll go play with the polka-spotted suitcase."

"Ok, mom. You can put me down on the edge of the bathtub. I TOLD YOU! --- don't WATCH me when I'm playing with the water!"

"I'm going to dry my hair then."

Love those kitties!

ooooooooooooooo

I'm being groomed

Right this very minute I have to type with just my right hand because my left thumb is being groomed by Audrey-kitty. She has her paw up so that my hand can rest on it while she grooms it.

Arnold and I have had a lovely day just slugging around - me slugging, him napping.

I took the sheets off my bed to wash them and Audrey-kitty jumped right up and snuggled into the tangle of blankets so that I couldn't make it again. Now that she's awake maybe I'll have a chance to make the bed. Well, not right now, because, although she's finished grooming me, she's parked on me and I can't move.

Graduation Day

Make a Smilebox free ecard

How cute is THIS?!?!?

There's a pirate duck at the bottom of the stairs in the foyer.

Napping Kitties

We all napped today - the kitties snuggled around me and mer-ing if I moved inconveniently.

After I left they snuggled up together: Arnold parked on Audrey's haunches.

They were very brave while we lived at a different house, but they seem very happy to be home. Especially because now they can park in the open windows.

Oh Those Kitties!

They don't really park with me at night much anymore but... during the day... it's VERY important they park NEAR me. Just close enough to touch me if they wanted to ... not that they'd actually want to...

Kitty Pictures!

We were all watching tv together in my room this morning. Well, I was watching tv, the kitties were looking out the window. Arnold was so cute --- one of his legs was hanging off the side of the couch. But when I finally found the camera he'd moved to the bed.

He was looking at the tv, then I called his name and he looked up and I snapped his picture. So cute!
I called out Audrey's name to get her to look at me for the picture. She turned really quickly and fussed at me - "don't take my picture!" - then turned back to look outside some more. Silly kitty!

What's Arnold got NOW?!?!?

He came trotting into the foyer with some pink piece of material. He played with it for a little bit then picked it up with his teeth and started to drag it off to the dining room. It was so long, he kept stepping on it! He looked so happy but I was getting concerned --- what could it possibly be?

It was a pink sweater of mine that he'd found in the laundry basket! Needless to say, I had to take it away and he was not pleased.

The kitties weigh...

8.8 lbs (Audrey) and 11.8 lbs (Arnold)

They're so cute!

"Mom?!"

"Yes!"
"Where are you?"
"I'm upstairs by my sink!"
"OK! Here I come! Please pay attention to me! Pick me up! Park me! Let me purr in your ear!"

So I picked Arnold up and he was happy.

Balance-Impaired

Audrey-kitty was parked on my lap while I ate my lunch. That's her new thing, btw... to mer and mer when I'm sitting at the dining room table until I pick her up and park her on my lap.

She got all settled down and gave her big, happy-kitty sigh and seemed to fall asleep.

Then she stretched! --- and started to slip off my lap! She was quite surprised. I was able to catch her but she decided that I was too dangerous to park on so she moved to a dining room chair.

Arnold very happily took her place for a bit.

The Mysterious Black Paw

I was sitting on my bed and Arnold was parking on the lemon --- so cute! I couldn't resist petting him so I leaned over and scritched his scruff a little bit.

I paused for a moment and let my hand just droop over the edge of the bed when a Mysterious Black Paw darted out from under the bed and tapped my fingers! I was so surprised!

But then I was able to tempt it out again and again. It was fun.

Kitties don't like thunder

We had that thunder storm early this morning and the kitties were quite perturbed.

They wanted to be near me but didn't want me to touch them or acknowledge them.

They were very scared but we all recovered and are now lounging around.

The Laundry Basket

The kitties like playing with the laundry basket. We played a variation of The Door Game, where I poke my fingers through the big holes in the basket and Audrey tries to catch me.

I also put the cat dancer half in and half out of the basket. Audrey was on the chair and she'd LEAP into the basket to pounce on the cat dancer. Then she'd skid a little bit and run into the side of the basket which would make it tip over on its side and scare her half to death!

She did that about three times.

Arnold just circles the basket watching the part of the cat dancer hanging outside until he decides it's time to pounce.

He pounced into the basket once, too, and it started to fall over on its side but then he was able to right it.

He parked on me today and put his paw on my arm for leverage while he groomed himself.

Audrey-kitty blobbed in my arms today while we watched it rain outside. She got really heavy so I had to put her down. She was not pleased.

That Arnold!

I woke up in the middle of the night almost pushed out of bed by Arnold-kitty!

He was all stretched out, practically horizontal across my bed. There was hardly any room for me!!!

Kitty Business

I don't know what's up the Audrey-kitty! I found some more kitty-business on her posterior this morning.

I took her over the the sink in my bedroom to try to clean her up. While the water was running and getting warm she figured out what was going on and gave a pitiful little "help me!" kitty cry.

Arnold came RUNNING over from the window to see what she needed. He stood there the whole time while I cleaned her up then investigated her all over when I was done and had put her down.

Audrey was a little annoyed with me at this point so I got the brush and began to brush her. How can a kitty mer AND purr at me at the same time?!?! I brushed her wet tail and got her all beautiful again so I think we're friends again.

The Yip-Yips Meet the Telephone

I was sent this link so I visited it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4VNMERVsC4&feature=related

It's a very cute thing from Sesame Street from when I was a little girl. The kitties were fascinated by the whole thing - there are various animal noises that they make in the video.

But when the phone rang, the kitties ran.

Right now Arnold is under my dresser with just the tip of his tail poking out, slightly swishing and Audrey is watching it very intently.

Oh dear... what's that smell?

It was Audrey-kitty ---- she had some serious business stuck in her fur near her tail.

She didn't like it much, but I had to clean her off under the tap in the kitchen sink.

She smells better now.

Kitties on the bed

The kitties have figured out how to get up to the top bunk by themselves!

It's very cute.

I did have to stop Audrey-kitty from playing with the chain from the fan, though. I was afraid she'd catch her paw then pull hard and start up the fan.

Yikes!

Sweet Kitties

That mer-kitty! She started mer-ing at 4:04 this morning. I told her politely to hush and go back to sleep. I don't know if she did, but I went back to sleep. She began to mer again so I looked at the clock. It was 6:00! Go Audrey!

I also found Arnold's sock on my bed this morning when I woke up. He's so cute!

That Mer!

She keeps fussing at me! I have no idea what she's saying but she seems alternately angry and needy. When I pick her up she purrs.

How can a kitty mer AND purr at the same time?!

My Bad Dream

I had a terrible dream Monday night. I was being chased through some house by some creepy-crawly arms. They were just arms connected by a clavicle. The had on long black gloves - all the way up the arms and over the clavicle. They also had on lots of rhinestone bracelets and rings. They were very scary. I had to get someplace really high so they couldn't reach me. I was standing on some bed feeling pretty safe and I noticed that the creepy-crawly arms had slithered out under the door.

THEN I FELT THEM RUN ALONG MY LEGS! AAAAAAAARGH! I sat up a screamed and scared poor Arnold (who had just stretched out along my leg...)

I apologized and he went right back to sleep. But it took me a little while longer.

Arnold's Business

I was having some CM friends over Monday night for a little party and cb was helping me get ready. About 5 minutes before people where scheduled to show up cb and I smelled the most malodorous scent wafting through the kitchen!

Aaargh! It was some "Arnold business" that he didn't bury!

So I covered it up and cranked up the Berry Air Freshener and hoped for the best.

"mer!"

Oh my! That Audrey-kitty is quite mer-y today!

She woke me up at 4:30 this morning but I managed to snatch another 30 minutes before getting up.

And then she hasn't stopped mer-ing! Since breakfast: "mer! mer! mer! I want to go downstairs into the basement! I want to go into the garage! I want you to hold me! I want you to be with me!"

I'm exhausted!

I have NO idea where she is right now. I think she's mad at me...

Back to the basement

Today I went to the basement by myself. I figured I'd let Audrey have a break from the dusty-ness.

Well, when I came back upstairs after a couple of hours I got mer-ed at incessently! By everybody! "Where WERE you? Why weren't you here with us? Why aren't you paying attention to US? Why couldn't we go downstairs with you????"

It was exhausting! To placate them I opened the dining room windows. That made them a little happier.

However, Audrey was sitting in the corner of the left window and wouldn't let Arnold go by her to get to the right window! He tried going around her, then over her --- nothing worked. She wouldn't budge!

So I picked him up and placed him in the other window. That seemed to make him happy --- for about 10 seconds.

Kitties Explore the Basement

I was in the basement cleaning up and unpacking yesterday so I decided I'd let the kitties join me. Arnold was fascinated, as always, by investigating something new but Audrey wasn't so happy. She kept fussing at me! Like, "Mom! Let's get out of this dusty place and go back upstairs!" She was happy when I left.

Arnold, of course, was not.

Happy Kitties

Today was such a beautiful day that I opened the windows. Happy Kitties! They dashed back and forth between the dining room windows and the puce banana window - taking short breaks to dash to the fliving room window (which was not open).

They were watching a squirrel. They were very cute.

The Mystery of the Sequin on Arnold's Nose

I think I've solved the mystery! I was putting a bow on Miss Rebecca's birthday present - you know, one of the sparkly green bows in the basket in the dining room. There were some sparkly sequins on the bow --- some kind of short twisted wire with about 5 sequins threaded on it.

They look VERY much like the sequin we found on Arnold's nose! How did it get there? Well, that's a mystery for another day...

Kitty Happenings

1. (I told you this one already) When I got home Friday night Audrey was by the front door (like she usually is) and when I opened the door she DASHED right outside! "Audrey-kitty! What are you DOING?!" She crouched down on the porch by the column. She sat there a few seconds then dashed back into the house. Crazy girl!

2. I heard a little tappity noise around Audrey so I went to investigate. She was playing with a noodle! It was a little bit hard but slightly squishy. "How did she get a noodle?", I wondered. A little bit later I heard another tappity noise and saw two kitties very interested in something under the dining room table. It was another noodle! I'm beginning to worry about our noodle situation - are we that bad at pouring noodles into the boiling water that we're spilling several? A little bit later I heard a crinkly noise - the kind of noise that means they're playing with a bag - so I went to investigate. It was the bag of noodles that I'd left on the floor! They had managed to open the plastic bag of noodles and were trying to get another one out to play with! Silly kitties!

3. Audrey kept investigating her water bowl. She'd stick a paw in then pull it out really quickly and shake it... only to do it again. I went over to figure out why ... she was trying to catch some bubbles in the water!

4. The kitties snuggled around me for a nap. Audrey was parked on the arm of the couch with her paws draped over the edge and touching my shoulder. If I moved she mer-ed and moved her paws into the correct position. Arnold was stretched out along my leg. He stretched and put a paw into the palm of my hand. I had to hold it there about 30 minutes until he stretched it out of my hand.

5. Right this minute Audrey is sphinxing on my red cua pillow. She's completely contained on the pillow - nothing hanging over. Oops. I just looked at her and she gave me a killer look.

Two Cute Pictures of Arnold

Here are two adorable pictures of Arnold that kb and I took.

Audrey-kitty

You know, when Audrey walks away from you with her tail raised high in the air she's so furry that it looks like she's wearing pantaloons. I think it's cute.

There's a kitty inside every cat

The kitties and I were watching Animal Planet --- Growing Up Lion. There were two little rescued lion cubs. One was about 6 weeks old (Annie) and the other one must have been two or three months old (Rex).

The vet came to visit and noticed that Rex had some kind of damage to his paw (I never could figure out what it was) so he wrapped it with some cotton then some pink stretchy wrapping stuff. Rex made an unhappy Rex noise that sounded VERY much like the unhappy Arnold noise. I thought it was very cute that a lion cub sounds exactly like a poohlet-kitty when unhappy.

Then little Annie got a bath. She loved it! She got all lathered up then rinsed then she snuggled into the towel to be dried then given a bottle. It was very cute.

The kitties and I enjoyed the show.

Kitties "help" make the bed

I washed kb's sheets and had to put them back on when they were clean.

First, though, the kitties had to investigate the unsheeted bed. They wandered all over it and sniffed it then plopped down right in the middle and fell asleep.

When the sheets were done everybody had to dash upstairs and see what I was going to do with the clean sheets. Arnold sat in the middle of the bed while I put on the mattress cover. He was very annoyed when I needed him to move. When that was done he sat down in the middle of the bed again. I put down the fitted sheet. I covered him right up! I fitted the bottom two corners then went to fit the upper corners. I kind of slid Arnold out from under the sheet by pushing on his butt and sliding him up until he was free.

The fitted sheet in place, I had to do the top sheet. Arnold's in the middle of the bed. I cover him with the sheet. I only had to tuck in the bottom corners so I let him stay under the sheet.

Now it's time for the blanket. I cover Arnold with the blanket. I tuck in the bottom corners then I can't resist: I slide Arnold out from under the covers by pushing lightly on his butt until he's free.

Arnold sits in the middle of the bed.

I cover Arnold with the Pooh comforter. I think you know what happens next...

The bed all made, now Audrey-kitty can come in and pass judgement on the job I did. She seemed pleased.

Kitties, kitties, kitties

Nothing special to report... just the same kitty cuteness that they always portray.

Audrey very politely put her face right up to mine and went "mer?" this morning. It was very sweet and very polite. Unfortunately, it was also very early - 4:30 - so I politely told her to go back to sleep for a bit. So she did.

We got up at 5:30 and we all had breakfast.

I was watching tv in the fliving room last night and the kitties were very snuggly and cuddly - everybody all snuggled up together and parked with me. I went to bed around 10:00.

That's when they got wild! Psycho kitties! Dashing all over the house! It was crazy! I don't know when they settled down, but they did come and park with me sometime in the night. I rolled over once and Arnold didn't even move... but about a minute later he awoke with a start then scootched over and smooshed himself against my butt and went back to sleep.

"What have the kitties done cute today?"

Well, Audrey hogs the bathtub after my shower. She's all over the place and Arnold just can't find any room to investigate.

She also fusses at me if I try to watch her. She'll see me come in and look in on her and she'll fuss at me in her annoyed voice until I leave. If I don't leave fast enough then she jumps out of the tub.

Everybody parked with me last night. I couldn't even roll over because they had the covers pinned down on either side of me.

Kitty Tales

We were watching Animal Planet and there was a tiny kitten caught behind a grate. The ASPCA finally freed it --- oh it was so cute! It was black and tan and white with a little black nose. It was healthy and they gave her her shots then put her up for adoption. They interviewed the couple who adopted her --- they brought a camera to their apartment. The kitty was so cute! The people said that, in the week she'd been with them, she'd been on all the bookshelves, in the dishwasher (!) and investigated every corner of the apartment. As they were talking the kitty got stuck on a shelf behind a vase and had to be rescued! She reminded me of other kitties we know...

When I went up to take my shower I looked all over for the kitties. I found them behind my little couch in my bedroom, all snuggled up together and looking very sleepy.

Audrey-kitty had a LOT to say this morning. I think she was just needy. I picked her up and she settled down a little bit. She got all re-arranged in her new favorite position, then she wiggled her back half until she had her feet parked in my hand! Then she jumped down and investigated the bathtub.

After I dried my hair I picked her up again and she got completely snuggled (staying on her back so I was holding her like a poohlet). BIG kitty sigh then she fell asleep. So cute!

Arnold came over then and mer-ed and woke up Audrey-kitty so I put her down on Arnold's favorite pillow.

Crazy Kitties!

I was working on the computer this morning and two sweet kitties were parked with me.

I was sitting criss-cross-applesauce and Audrey-kitty was snuggled in my lap and Arnold was snuggled between my leg and my little couch in the bedroom. If I looked at him he got a little testy and acted like he was going to move. Sort of saying, "I'm not here... You don't see me..."

Audrey-kitty S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D and stretched herself right off my lap then mer-ed angrily at me. As it her falling off was my fault!

Not a great way to wake up

Poor Arnold!

We were all parking and napping on the couch. Audrey was parked on my chest and Arnold was all stretched out beside me - cradled between the back of the couch and my back.

Audrey mer-ed and stretched then turned around and sat back down... Right on Arnold's head!

He was so surprised that he sat up. Imagine what Audrey did next... she thought she was calmly sitting only to find out that something under her butt had raised her backside into the air! She LEAPED off the couch.

Poor Arnold was just sitting there, blinking sleepily, trying to figure out what just happened.

What's Arnold got NOW?!!

Imagine... it's the middle of the night and I'm fast asleep, minding my own business.

Arnold leaps onto the couch, behind my knees. "Oh how cute!", I think. "He's going to park with me!" Then he starts to play with something. You know how he plays with his sock? Sort of throwing it into the air and catching it? That's what he was doing.

This is kind of cute, but, really, I'd rather be sleeping. So I sit up to investigate what's going on. What do I see? Arnold has one of cb's Ouch Pouches. Yikes!

So I took it away and hid it under my blankets.

Arnold was very perplexed. "Where did it go???" He looked around, sniffed around, looked at me with sad eyes.

Then he hunkered down and went to sleep.

Kitties in the Printer

(I told you about this but it's so cute I thought I'd write it down)

I was printing a long document and Audrey, as usual, was fascinated by the whole process. She had her head in the printer, watching the paper come out. She jumps a little when the paper is released and pushed out but she likes to watch.

Arnold wondered what she was up to so he came over and stood on the other side of the printer. (you know how she parks right by the computer and looks into the printer from the left --- well, Arnold was standing by the right side) He stood on his back paws and perched his front paws on the table and watched a page print. When that page was finished and was pushed out he was so surprised that he jumped and threw himself backwards and right into the wall.

He seemed to be shaken up a little - I don't know if it was from the surprise of the printer or slamming into the wall... but then he recovered and watched the rest of the document print.

Kitties Go Mer

It seems that whenever I finally sit still somewhere some-kitty needs to park with me. This morning Arnold was mer-ing and mer-ing because I was doing stuff around the house and didn't really stop anywhere.

When I finally sat down to do some homework he was so happy --- he jumped up to be near me then hunkered down and purred and went right to sleep.

It was as if he was waiting for me to get settled before he could take a nap and he was getting annoyed at me!

My Broken Arm

Well, they did it again!

We were napping all together on the three-people couch and I was having a dream that my arm was broken and in a cast from wrist to elbow. I couldn't get anything done in my dream and it was so frustrating!

I woke up and it was Audrey-kitty stretched out and parked on me from hand to elbow(!)

Oh those kitties!

They are just so cute!

For the past two days they have been eating a big meal at breakfast, no snacks, then a big meal around 5 then a little snack around 9 or 10. They seem to be doing ok...

but you should hear Audrey-kitty right now! So sad! I think she wants her snack.

Other than that, we have not done anything that is very exciting. We just play with the cat-dancer, with Arnold's sock and sometimes with a block. They like to snuggle up with me at night. Arnold just leaps away when I roll over but then he comes back when I'm re-settled. Audrey still mers just a little bit but she's getting to be ok with me re-arranging myself.

Well, I'm off to give the kitties a snack then we're all off to bed.

Kitty Update

Well, it's Saturday afternoon and all is well with the kitties.

I feel LOTS better and the kitties are not sick (yay!)

We haven't done much but sleep, but they are very cute when they sleep. Arnold has stuck close by me for the last two days - sleeping on my toes (which is very nice because my toes are very cold!)

Now I'm on the computer and Audrey is mer-ring and turning around and around, trying to get comfortable on my lap, on the blanket while I type. I think Arnold is still asleep on the three-people couch.

My Broken Leg?

I had a dream last night that I had a broken leg - with a cast from foot to knee. My leg was so heavy all through my dreams and I had so much trouble getting anything done in my dreams!

I woke up and discovered that Arnold was parked on my leg - from foot to knee.