Waiting Cats

This morning was very peculiar, because She didn't have any coffee-the-drink, or any toast or bagel, or anything at all to eat. The reason is because She had to go and see Her doc. When they examine your blood, it can't have any food or drink in it, and She was very brave about it. He had made a pot of fresh coffee, and She could sniffle it. Off She went to the doc, and got a good report on stuff, and then She went to have them take a sample of Her blood.  She wished that they had some coffee right there when they were done, but they didn't.  That is over for at least a couple of months. If all the blood is fine, She can skip one of Her big pills forever.
Later, She treated Herself to some painted toes. She cannot reach Her toes, you remember, so She goes and has some sweet girl fix them nicely for Her. She says it is like a vacation to have the person massage Her feet.  It is almost worth waiting for the coffee, Cofs, She told me. I massage her arm and shoulder and tummy each day, but I never thought of massaging Her feet. I will have to check into that. It does cost some money, but not as much as a real vacation.
Her beloved Eddie has his birthday today, and She thinks it is a perfect time for it. It is kind of like the gateway to Her birthday. For a person as old as She is, She sure likes Her birthday. Especially since the doc told Here that She would probably have a lot more. I was glad to hear that.
She is kind of tired - probably from not having enough coffee-the-drink. She doesn't know what She wants to fix for dinner. Hmmm. How about fish? Later, Gator.

Teacher's Cats

The best thing She likes about Herself is that She is a teacher. She is quite old, so She doesn't go to work in the schools  anymore, but She says being a teacher is like being a Marine. You're never an ex-teacher.  For a long time after She stopped going to Her teaching work, She still went sometimes, to help children and parents get what was the right thing for them.  She doesn't do that anymore, but you can't keep Her quiet about what goes on with teachers.
For instance, today She went to have tea with Smudge'sMom and Smudge'sGrandma. It turns out S'sGM is a teacher too. That lady is even older than She is, and still She helps others. The dear lady has lots of children and grandchildren, and ever great-grandchildren, so she couldn't escape teaching even if she wanted to. It was such fun for Her to talk with these ladies about schools and teaching and how to make it better for everyone that She can't stop talking about it. It is nice to have a day like that.
Some of the other things they talked about while they had their tea were their future plans.  Kasey, Kate and I have been thinking about our future plans as well.  Kate plans to keep on being a mischief, I plan to keep claiming my place in the front room, and Kasey does not plan to change a single thing.
Another thing I plan is to coax Her to give me a taste of Her fish when we have dinner tonight. I'll let you know how it turns out. O-ree-vwar.

On Guard Cats

It seems as if the tax paper crisis is over, since everything worked today, and everything is done for another year. We don't have to be on guard against Her today. The bothersome tax thing is out of the way, which makes Her smile. She is also smiling because Hana'sGran is having a nice time, and the two ladies can talk or send messages more often than She thought they could. But I am the one who has to be on guard. Here's what happened. While She was relaxing in Her chair, an adorable cat (ahem) was on her chest, giving Her snuggles. Suddenly, an intruder tried to get on Her lap at the same time. Of course there had to be hissing and some kind of quiet yows, You can't just interfere with a snuggling cat.  Naturally the little mischief named Kate jumped down. But where did she go? The snuggles had to wait, so I could stand guard and check in every direction. It seems Kate just disappeared. I turned to go back to give snuggles when Kate jumped up on Her lap again. Kate must have tickled Her, because She laughed out loud and almost seemed as if She were enjoying the madness. Finally Kate ran away and I watched her go into the hall. By now I didn't feel snuggly anymore. But I have been on guard all day. Honestly. One day I am going to biff that little.......Only She wouldn't like that. So I'll keep my guard up and try to be patient.
For tomorrow She is going to visit Smudge and his family, so I will be able to have as much nap as I want. I am looking forward to our dinner, because She is fixing meat with noodles and gravy. I like gravy almost as much as fish, so it should be a good night. Have a pleasant evening, dear readers.

Taxing Cats

All three of us are hiding and staying out of Her way. She has gathered a bunch of papers from a file marked Tax 2012, and sorted them into various piles.  So far, so good. She put in the address and got the right screen to put in information.  She was still smiling. She started out not particularly worried, because She keeps careful records, and She waited for all the papers that She needed to come in the mail. The computer asked her a bunch of questions, which She answered easily. Then She came to a page where everything went down hill.  The computer asked Her to copy some numbers. She did that. It asked a few more things, and She thought She was done with that page. Here is what started the squealing. They kept telling Her to correct Her mistake. She couldn't see where She made a mistake. She erased everything and started over. Same result. Correct your mistake. She called Him in and they did everything all over, checking at each step. At that point, Kate crawled out from under the desk and sidled out the office door. She asked Him to teach Her some of His Marine Corps words, which was a joke, because She already knows the words, and would never yell at the computer. She was really mad, though, and thought She had better walk away before She really lost all of Her patience.
That is when She got a glass of tea and went into the front room. I decided to come in and write my story before She threw the computer out of the window. She will probably come back and put the papers into a neat stack and file them away until tomorrow, when She will try again.  Meanwhile, I will give Her some snuggles, Kate will get on Her lap, and Kasey won't care.
I am having much better luck, because She got pink fish out of the freezer. Mmmmm. Buh Bye for now.

Odds and Ends Cats

One thing that Sunday is good for is being a good time to clear up odds and ends.  We check on all the things we need to do and answer mail, balance checkbooks, and put plans on our calendars. Mostly, it is He and She doing that, because we cats only have to search out unfinished treats and catch up on naps. We love it when She stays here at home with us, but sometimes She simply has to go out. She also has to make sure She has the number where She can call Hana'sGran  during that lady's vacation. She loves that H'sG will be enjoying her time away, and has big ideas for when she gets back home.  She also has to visit Smudge'sMom. Here's why. S'sM is a brilliant sewing master, so She got her a thing about sewing. It would also suit Smudge'sGran, who is visiting from cold places. It is just like Her to buy something on sale, even if it is too big for anyone in Smudge's house, but She said, oh, look, Cofs.  Isn't it cute? I have to admit, it is a good match for either of those ladies.
I wish I knew how to do some of Her shopping for Her, so She wouldn't have to spend a lot of time looking at catalogs on Sunday.
She is going to make that funny meat again for dinner. It looks like chicken but it tastes like beef. Nevermind. Just call me when we are ready to fix fish again.  It is nice and sunny now, so I will go and lie in my sun spot and have a nice nap. Hope you get all your odds and ends finished up and still have tiime for a nap. TaTa for now.

To Do List Cats

In the evening, She plans on what She will do the next day. She doesn't write down about breakfast, or playing with us, or seeing the news. Those are not things to do. Those are things that are. As soon as She sits down, Kate is ready to pounce on the thing she thinks is a mouse. I have to have my butter, of course, and these things are a natural part of the day. The things that go on the To-Do lists are things like clearing off the table, which is usually full of boxes and papers and stuff that got left there, like scissors. Almost every day something needs to be dusted. She hardly ever gets to cross that one off. She has to write down what She needs to do to prepare for our dinner, in case something needs to be unfrozen or found in the cupboard. She always means to clean out the main refrigerator, and often gets to the front of the shelves, but She can't get the back because it takes bending, and She doesn't bend very well. Ever since we have lived here, She has planned to take things out of the pantry and cover the shelves with some paper that sticks to the wood and looks like wood.  I just shake my head when I see it on the list. Everyone but Her knows that She will never do it.  Her appointments always get crossed off, like Her plans for lunch with friends and Crones, or going to see the doc.  Once He told us that She used to be quite good about doing things, but when it got hard for Her to walk, it kind of bummed Her out. A good example was when He and She went on that boat and everyone could see how hard it was for Her to get up and down and around. It took the starch out of Her, I guess. One thing that is on Her To-Do list every day is to check with Her friends and family on the computer. That gets crossed off every day.  Even when She is bummed. Cheerio, pip pip.

News Cats

I believe He and She need to take a vacation from watching things on the news. Every day They watch shows that tell about things that make Them upset. Since He and She both like the President, They are tired of people giving him a hard time. It looks to Them as if everything the poor guy does is picked on.  Even the people the President chooses to help him run things get a hard time. When the news quits talking about that, they start talking about whether people should have big guns that hurt people. She says it makes perfect sense to make guns safer, but there are guys who say people should have all the guns they want, and as big and bad as they want. He and She think that is just nuts. She is tired of all the fuss over some football games, when there are young people who can't get enough teachers, books and computers for a good education.  She is very particular about education. It isn't much better when They read the paper.  I wonder if they would skip the news and just watch shows about questions, or families, or jokes, or those English guys who solve murders They would not be so sad. Maybe They shouldn't watch TV at all, but just play with their cats.  They are very pleased that we are getting along better, you know. That cheers Them up.
Also, to cheer Her, especially, this is the beginning of a new month. This  is Her favorite month, because it has lots of beloveds' birthdays.  It is far enough after Christmas that people are ready to have celebrations again. Poor Him - His birthday is the day before Christmas, and people are very busy. Thank goodness for Cleo'sPeople, who make Him feel special anyway. To  Them, that is very good news. Bye now.