Oh boy oh boy!!! Today is Cuddly Kitten Day AND National Puppy Day!!! In honor of this day I made a couple collages. The first one shows the boys when they were younger:
Roary was about 12 or so weeks old when he came to live with us (maybe a tad older)Roary was the CRAZIEST kitty!!!! He was into ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING and was a perpetual ball of motion! Definitely the most mischievous kitten I had ever known!
Levi was only 9 weeks old when he came to live with us and what a learning experience it has been!! When Dakota joined our family he was 8 months old, there is a HUGE difference between a 9 week old puppy joining a family and an 8 month old puppy joining a family!!
The housetraining was the most taxing, (knock on wood I think we have gone approximately a month with NO indoor accidents!! YAY! We're on the upswing!!)
While Levi can't resist trying to eat "Marshmallow Boy" (I think Roary looks like a toasted marshmallow), I am grateful that they are basically good friends, albeit wild ones!!
The photos above are more recent, (the bottom two were taken today)......Roary is now 9 months old and Levi turned 6 months old last week.
Roary recently (as of YESTERDAY!) discovered the birds on our balcony, he sits for HOURS and doesn't move watching those birdies!!!!!! Levi gets jealous that Roary's attention is elsewhere and has to be the pestering younger brother.
Levi has entered that terrible chewing stage......he wants to chew EVERYTHING in sight!
There were times that I literally broke down crying from thinking that Levi would never be housetrained, and was frustrated about the number of "barricades" I had to construct to keep Roary out of mischief.
Everyone told me to enjoy these days because they go by so fast and they are right. Time IS flying!! While there were many exhausting and trying days, they are less frequent. I wouldn't change anything about these two silly and wild boys.
They have added life, energy, fun, craziness, love and joy to our lives that we are forever thankful for!!!
SCHROEDINGER THE WONDER CAT is the story of fourteen years of living with the world’s most amazing feline. His actions and antics are chronicled and there are many pictures of beings with whom he has had relationships and places he has been. He is truly a member of our family and we treat him as an equal – at least most of the time – and never refer to him as a pet as that would be demeaning to him. It is also the story of our lives and how we interact with Schroedinger. How he came to live with me, how he grew up, how our lives changed when Sandy, my wife, joined us, how we moved and how we live together.
The first excerpt, from “SCHROEDINGER GROWING UP” clearly demonstrates his ability to think, reason and make decisions. It will astound you, but not as much as it did me when I saw him gloating at me with that crazy cat smile. Every new day with Schroedinger brings us joy and laughter and we delight in his company. He has added a new dimension to our lives and we are grateful for his presence.
Schroedinger the Wonder Cat, is a short read at just slightly over 100 pages. It is self-published, which normally is somewhat of a turn-off for me on a host of different levels/issues, but in this case my hat goes off to Author Aaron Rosen. Being older than me, (is that even POSSIBLE? lol), and having overcome some physical issues that took place in his life, it is no small feat to sit down and write a book.
SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHAPTERS:
HOW I FOUND SCHROEDINGER
HOW SCHROEDINGER GOT HIS NAME
HOW WE BECAME FRIENDS
SCHROEDINGER AND THE CATTLE
SCHROEDINGER AND HIS DEER FRIENDS
SCHROEDINGER AND ME
There is a discussion of and a deep appreciation for how important it is to read to children, which I couldn't agree with more. There is a section called CATTIONARY (cat dictionary), with various words that begin with CAT and their meanings (as defined by the author), which reminded me of a blogpost I did years ago, called "Catspeak Defined"
Aaron Rosen has a larger and more creative version of the words that he chose.
What touched me the most about this book, and to me is the prevailing theme, is the LOVE AND ADORATION that Aaron Rosen has for Schroedinger. It is MORE than evident throughout the entire book. I also LOVED how he wouldn't do or say certain things to Schroedinger because he thought it might be an insult to his intelligence (the cats' not his), and he obviously has a DEEP understanding and appreciation in reference to EVERY SINGLE aspect of this cats personality and body language.
"We have never thought about him as a pet because that would be demeaning to him. He's so much more than a pet. He's our companion, our confidant, our playmate, our comfort and our joy."
About The Author (In his Words)
The author, Aaron Rosen, that’s me in the photo (I’m the one without the tail), was born on April 18, 1937 in Philadelphia, PA. I went to Overbrook High in the same years as Wilt The Stilt, but didn’t know him personally as I was neither a jock nor a sports fan. I went to MIT from 1955-1959, but my degree is in 1961 because I was a bit of a screw up and that’s a bit of an understatement.
I came to California in 1959 and went to work on the XB-70 bomber and the X-15 rocket research aircraft. Computers were relatively new and I became interested in programming. Mostly my computer work was related to aircraft and space vehicles. I retired when I was 40, moved to the country, got divorced and went back to work. Along the way I owned and operated three tropical fish stores.
I finally wound up living alone on a cattle ranch on a hilltop and that’s when I started to write. It got lonely – the cattle didn’t talk much – so I found Schroedinger (he’s the one with the tail in the photo) and life took a turn for the better. It got orders of magnitude better when I met my now wife, Sandy. She encouraged me to finish the first book, “On Brick And Mortar Retailing” and now has inspired me to finish this one.
Aaron Rosen is without question a devoted Cat Daddy, and while this book is for EVERYONE, it would warm my heart to see a number of the Cat Daddies out there who are reading this right now,pick up a copy. (AND BE SURE TO TELL THEM CAT AND DOG CHAT WITH CAREN SENT YOU!!)
AVAILABLE ON THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE BY CLICKING HERE
With no time to search for the old green bow tie that both Cody and Dakota wore (which translates to no new photos of the "newbies" wearing the tie), I am reposting an illustration from a blog post I did in 2013
Illustration sent to us from our friend GARY PATTERSON click here to visit his site!!
If you are looking fora thought-provoking, touching, deeply sensitive and philosophical read that will draw you in and not release you until the very last page, I urge you to add this deeply touching book to your ever-growing cat library. It is simply beautiful. I had a few tears at the end (happy tears), I also had a few chills. I smiled, I cried, but most of all I was happy that I jumped on the opportunity to read this most beautiful story. It is my wish that you will do the same!
What I wrote above are my exact sentiments about A Sense Of Purpose, by Author Russell H. Plante. It is intended to be the sequel to Journey Home A Cat's Tale.
A Sense of Purpose
"A sense of purpose means having something in your life that, without you, might never be achieved or accomplished. We all have a sense of purpose, but we may not always understand its significance to our own lives or how it can affect others."
Allow me to repeat what is posted above on the back cover: "Inspired by actual events, this is a philosophical story for all ages about life's journey from the perspective of a cat---a journey that teaches us the things we do in life, no matter how small, can affect others in so many ways and that every living being has a sense of purpose..."
While the trailer is a tad ominous and dark, the book as a whole, is NOT. It is inspiring. It is comforting.
This time the focus is on Chester, an important character in Journey Home: A Cat's Tale. "he was that down to earth, honest and helpful character that we all wish existed in our lives, always there to help, to be a friend, to be a positive influence. who was orphaned on the streets of Manhattan." Chester, in the first book was known for teaching cats"how to observe the things around them, how to fight if I needed to, how to understand themselves better by putting themselves in the place of others and treating them as they would want to be treated, and how to be a good and decent cat."
Chester was definitely a "good and decent cat."
When I am reading books that I will be reviewing, I often dog-ear pages (yes, I know that is an awful thing to do, but I do it!) that contain excerpts that I might wish to refer back to when I am writing my review. When I finished "A Sense of Purpose" and looked to see what I had folded, the number of pages that I had folded were nearly THE ENTIRE BOOK. That is just an example of how compelling, thought-provoking and moving this book is.
I would like to share some of those excerpts with you, beginning with the dedication:
"For my wife---her kindness and compassion toward the plight of a homeless cat named Chester will always overwhelm me."
That quote, in and of itself gives you some insight into the kind of man/person that Russell Plante is. I got to know him more in the months following the passing of Cody and Dakota. When he reached out to me about his latest book, while he hoped that I would review it at some point, the main reason he wanted to send it to me was to try and bring me some comfort. At that time I was nowhere near ready to read or review ANY book, but Russell's gentle assurance that this book would touch me on so many levels, was spot on. I am thankful and grateful that Russell ignored my protests about not wanting to review any books. Russell, like Chester, DEFINITELY IS "a good and decent cat!!"
ANOTHER EXCERPT:
"Time passed quickly, and with it, I learned that sometimes you don't appreciate the special moments in life. It's just that you don't always recognize they ARE special moments until they're gone."
A Sense Of Purpose, along with many otherlife/characterlessons, inspires us to think about how all that has happened in our lives, the people and animals that we have met along the way, all of them have shaped us into who we are today. It is a heartfelt, moving and inspiring read. I found myself trying to read faster and faster as the events that unfolded piqued my interest and curiosity, and made me want to hurry and read what was going to happen next. While a few tears were shed, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and deeply sensitive and loving read, one that I had trouble putting down. As Russell had hoped would happen when he had emailed me to tell me about "A Sense Of Purpose", rather than bring me more pain, it brought me more comfort than I could have ever have imagined.
A final thought from A Sense of Purpose:
"You never say a final goodbye to those who touch your life and make a positive difference in some way. Sometimes they remain as fond memories from the past. Other times you might be fortunate if they're able to return and once again share your life in the present....Never forget, in one single moment, without warning, events can happen to any one of us and change our lives........"
I urge you to purchase BOTH of the books, Journey Home: A Cat's TaleAND the sequel, A Sense of Purpose by Russell H. Plante. They are available on Amazon,Barnes & Noble and please stop by Russell's websitewhere you can purchase the booksas well. You may also connect with him on Facebook.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Russell Plante is an Engineering Physicist with a diverse engineering and academic background in Engineering Physics, Electrical Engineering, and Business Administration. He has held positions as a systems engineer with Automation Industries, Inc., a project engineer in Kalwall Corp's Solar Division, and Department of Defense Branch Head in Control Engineering, Welding Engineering, and Quality Control Engineering Analysis. While at the DOD, he was appointed by the University of Maine to advise and assist the Physics Department in providing an industrial perspective for quality education. A skilled technical writer, he is a previously published author and has received awards for Solar Building Engineering Design from the State of Maine Office of Energy Resources and from the U.S. Department of Energy for Energy Innovation Technologies.
Author T.J. Banks, in my opinion, is a cat masquerading as a human. She has an innate understanding of the feline mind. Her communication/interaction with cats that is full of patience, knowledge and unconditional love is a gift.
Back in 2014 I had the honor of reading/reviewing her book Houdini,and in 2015 I read and reviewed what remains my FAVORITE book by T.J. Banks,Cat Song
When I had the blog redesigned and somewhat changed its focus, my intention was to no longer do book reviews. When T.J. reached out to me, asking if I would consider reviewing Abys Among Us & Stories for the Feline Inclined, how could I say no to an author who is so obviously gifted? I'm glad I didn't decline.
FROM THE AUTHOR:"Cats walk between worlds, bringing the magical and the common place together. They are the heart-and-soul-menders, our kindred spirits, poetry on four paws, and we humans would be lost without them. At least that's what I believe. Abys Among Us & Stories for the Feline-Inclined is a celebration of the cats I have known and what they have taught me."
Abys Among Us & Stories for the Feline Inclined will have anyone who has lived with and loved cats, nodding their head in recognition.
Many who have lost beloved pets write because they find it to be cathartic. T.J. Banks writes about them and the other animals in her life because she doesn't want to forget them and the great gifts they have given her. "We have spiritual relationships with the animals who come into our lives, and we need to honor those relationships."
My take-away is that each of the cats I have been blessed to share my life with, my Bobo the curmudgeon, (with everyone but me), my cuddly and loving Cody, who healed my broken heart when Bobo passed. While Cody left much too soon, I learned though the way he passed was horrific and tragic, I was not privy to the actual event that took place that caused him to pass, because he DIDN'T WANT ME TO BE. Our bond was such that he knew that if I watched him pass in the horrible manner in which he did, I might not be here today writing this now. When Cody passed, I strongly believed I would never have a cat again, the grief and sadness was overpowering, Our current cat, Roary, has taught me there is ALWAYS room in my heart to love another. I am sure Roary has many more lessons in store for me.
When reading Abys Among Us, and ALL of the books by T.J. Banks, you will be touched by the love, sensitivity, understanding, knowledge and passion for cats that is simply a part of who T.J. Banks IS, (particularly Abyssinians, which are prominently featured in the book, hence the title.) just as I was. There ARE other types of cats in the book as well. I learned how in each stage of her life each cat seemed to appear (or even leave), just when they are supposed to. There are no coincidences in life. Each and every cat we are blessed to know guides us and teaches us lessons, if we are open to learning what those lessons are.
I will leave you with this, a passage from Abys Among Us that sums it up for me, "I'm alone again in the snowy yard. But only technically speaking. "As for me," my old friend Gladys Taber once wrote, "I believe we never lose those we have loved." And if sometimes we feel as though we have, well, they always manage to find us again. The heart--and the soul--that are loved really do remember."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: T.J. Banks is the author of Catsong, A Time for Shadows, Sketch People, Souleiado, and Houdini, which the late writer and activist Cleveland Amory enthusiastically declared " winner." Catsong, a collection of some of her best cat stories, was the winner of the 2007 Merial Human-Animal Bond Award. Her writing has been widely anthologized and received awards from the Cat Writers' Association (CWA), ByLine, and The Writing Self.
IN FULL DISCLOSURE: I received the Air Filter from Okaysou at no charge in exchange for my honest review. All of my reviews reflect my own opinion.
I was recently contacted by the nice people at Okaysou asking if I would like to try one of their Air Purifiers. Living in an apartment/condo building where all kinds of odors come spewing through our vents, I jumped at the chance!
I was given my choice of air purifiers to review. My choices were between the:AirMic4S, the AirMax8L and the AirMax10L Pro. I chose the AirMax10L Pro.
You can put it anywhere that you think the air quality might not be the best. . It all depends on your indoor air quality and the coverage area of your home. It plugs into your wall.
ABOUT THE AIRMAX 10L PRO AIR PURIFIER BY
The AirMax10L Pro by Okaysou is powerful and oh so smart!! It features a beautiful square light panel (as shown above), which has a smart sensor, medical grade Dual-Nanois HEPA, new ECO mode, smart auto mode, new TURBO mode, and a Child-Lock (which also functions as a keep-away Roary and Levi) mode!!
"It can capture 99.97% of air pollutants between 0.3 – 0.1 microns like hair, pet fur, dust, pollen, smoke, pet dander and hair, household odors; also safely breaks down various harmful gases, such as formaldehyde, ammonia, benzene and VOCs that other single filter can’t do.
*CADR of 250 m³/h, AirMax10L Pro Purifies a room up to 1,000 sq. ft. in one hour, 600 sq. ft. in 30 minutes, 300 sq. ft. in 15 minutes."
MY FAVORITE FEATURES:
Installation is a BREEZE!! I didn't believe that it would be, but it is TRUE. Installation could not be easier!! You just remove the plastic that the filters are wrapped in, pop them back in and you're on your way. It's so simple that our live-in appliance technician, Roary, could do it on his own!
Easy To Read Panel
The panel that Roary is looking at above has buttons that display what my favorite features of this purifier are:
Timer-allows the machine to run 1/2/4/8 hours before automatically powering off.
Child Lock-press it for 3 seconds to avoid children and pets from turning it on and off or changing the settings.
Filter Reset Indicator-This is a MUST HAVE for me! It lets me know when the filter needs to be changed, something that I am known to forget to do!
Auto Mode-purifies the air automatically at different fan speeds based on the air quality detected by the smart sensor.
Eco Mode-when no pollution is detected, the air purifier will stop working automatically for saving energy consumption.
AIR-QUALITY INDICATOR is in the front of the unit where in the photo above it is showing BLUE. The color will change based on the air quality in the room. The colors are: BLUE-air quality is excellent, YELLOW, air quality is moderate and RED, air quality is unhealthy.
MY EXPERIENCE
Overall, good. But, in full disclosure I would have liked more time to sufficiently test the purifier.
A BIG drawback for me, was that it plugs into the wall. Mind you, for most people that would be a non-issue. For me, because of having a five month old puppy and an eight month old cat, it was a BIG problem. When I first turned the air purifier on, I had two crazy boys that REFUSED to leave it alone. With a large living room to play in, where did they choose to play? You got it. Right next to and behind the air purifier. This caused me to have to unplug it for a few days to get their attention OFF of the unit. I DO believe that had they been older, this might have been a non-issue.
NO MORE STINKY AIR!!!
As a result of my boys refusing to leave the AirMax 10L Pro Air Purifier alone, I had to move it into the bedroom. Levi is not allowed in the bedroom but Roary is. So far so good. I have only been using it in the bedroom for a few nights and I AM noticing that when I awaken I do not have the overly congested nose that I usually have. The air quality in the room seems fresher, much more clean. I don't smell any sorts of smells coming in from the unit downstairs as I usually do.
I LOVE that it is QUIET. I have it set on a low setting, and am mostly using the ECO setting, but it is QUIET. That is an enormous plus when trying to sleep.
The sleek design is pleasing to look at and unobtrusive as well.
I am looking forward to continued use of the air purifier in the bedroom and will welcome the day when the boys are older and more obedient. That is when I will be moving the unit back into the dining room where it can work its' magic on our kitchen, dining room and living room.
Oh and Roary thinks the box that it came in is pretty darned cool!!
Visit Okaysou.com for more information and to purchase. The Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro is also available from Amazon. THERE IS ALSO A DISCOUNT CODE FOR 10% OFF...APPLY CODE SAVE 10 at check out. It can be used on ALL of the Okaysou air purifiers. Hurry and get yours today!
And here is a special code,which is save10, they can save 10% off on air purifiers
Roary and Levi were excited when they heard that today is National If Pets Had Thumbs Day!! They have often pondered what mischief they could get into if they had thumbs and today they are letting us know!
ROARY: Oh if Only I had thumbs!!
Just think of everything I could do!!!
I could turn on the dishwasher to wash my own dishes
Thank you Ann from Zoolatry for our darling graphic!!
Today is the day we honor Dr.Seuss, my all-time favorite children's book author!! I memorized "The Cat in The Hat" when I was four years old and never looked back! I read every one of his books that I could get my paws on.
Many of you will remember portions of this post (because it just wouldn't be the same to NOT share Cody who ALWAYS featured Dr.Seuss on his blog), but this year, we have tweaked it a bit and you will see some new "things." Enjoy!!
Today is the day,
it's truer than true,
today is the day
we tell Dr.Seuss
"WE LOVE YOU!"
We GRATEFULLY THANK GLOGIRLY DESIGN FOR DESIGNING OUR GRAPHIC! YOU CAN HAVE ONE TOO BY CLICKINGHERE
Cody won this hat that was made by Ms.Ellen over at 15 and Meowing March of 2018
March 2, 1904
is a date to be remembered
evermore!
Write it on your wall!
It is the birthday
of probably the most
popular children's book author of all!
courtesy of cracked.com
It is only appropriate on this
most special day,
that we wish
Dr. Seuss the HAPPIEST
of BIRTHDAYS!!
It is also Read Across America Day which is ALWAYS celebrated on Dr.Seuss's birthday
"Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books" Visit Seussville for all sorts of activities!
Reading to your children is one of the
BEST gifts that you can give them!
Instilling the love of books
to your children will bring them joy
for the rest of their lives!
My two little weirdos, Levi and Roary
are proud to be participating in their first blog hop!!
Yesterday while reading blogs, I saw a post from Cody's old pal Spitty the Kitty and stopped by to leave a comment. Nearly 5 minutes after leaving the comment I found out on Facebook that handsome Spitty had run off to the Bridge. My heart shattered into a catzillion pieces.
While Spitty lived a long and good life, (he was 17 when he left), my heart ached because another blogging legend had left for the Bridge.
In loving memory of our dear furiend, Cody messaged me from Heaven and told me he would appreciate it if I would share two blog posts from the Fall of 2012 that featured his pal Spitty and Spitty's sweet Mama. One post is from October 29th 2012 (NEARLY NINE YEARS AGO!) that is below
Many of you will recall that a few weeks back, my baseball team, The Detroit Tigers, was competing in the World Series with the San Francisco Giants, which happens to be the baseball team of my buddy:
Spitty's human and my Mom made a bet. The loser had to buy the winner a special surprise that was tied to their "home" city.
Much to our dismay and embarrassment, the Tigers were swept like yesterday's litter and the San Francisco Giants won the World Series. Thanks to Spitty's Mom for forcing us to relive the debacle by blogging about it...AGAIN MOL.
In an attempt to not be a sore loser, which we all know that Mom really IS, Mom sent Spitty's human a delectable treat from one of Detroit's finest, Sanders Fine Chocolates! Mom sent the :
TOPPING AND TORTIE GIFT BAG
Photo courtesy of Sanders Click here to visit them
Oh and noooo...the gift bag didn't contain a "Tortie" in the sense that WE kitties know "TORTIES"!There was NO cat in the bag! Mom sent the peanut, chocolate and caramel delight that we all know and love, along with a jar of Sanders famous Milk Chocolate Hot Fudge!
Mom and I were thrilled that Spitty's human enjoyed her treats! Mom thought it was all over and done with when...what did Mom receive today? Let me show you!
A beautifully wrapped package arrived!
From San Francisco!
Mom wondered
what in the world it could be!
Spitty's human wrote
a most thoughtful note!!
Then Mom opened the package:
Spitty's human had sent the most WONDERFUL magnets that feature the art of RichardDiebenkorn, who grew up in San Francisco. Mom also received a gorgeous set of postcards that feature the artists Matisse and Picasso! They are from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Click here to read about the museum.
Mom was incredibly touched by the thoughtfulness of Spitty's human, but she was also a tad embarrassed. To represent Detroit, Mom sends calorie-laden treats, well Detroit IS one of the fattest cities in the country, now we know why andSpitty's human sends culture,sophistication and intellect to represent San Franciso...all wrapped beautifully in a box!
Spitty's human said it was "one of her favorite spots."
Hmmm...I think there is a deeper message here. Spitty's human is the epitome of culture, class, brains and sophistication and she portrayed San Francisco as such.
My Mom chooses a gift to represent Detroit that is chocolate-caramel-and -nut-laden. Mom's gift infers that she spends her days sitting on her fat-behind trolling the Internet while shoving bon-bons down her throat, while Spitty's human is soaking up art and culture. Mom chooses a gift that says that HER "favorite spot" is a friggin CANDY SHOP!! If her gift is a representation of Detroit, NO WONDER WE LOST!
THANK YOU SPITTY'S HUMAN!!
YOU WIN YET AGAIN!
Love, Cody
These posts made me smile in spite of my sadness that yet another blogging legend has run off to the Bridge, because they brought back sweet memories of Cody and one of his favorite blogging pals, Spitty. I sure hope that you enjoyed the posts too.
May you rest in peace dear furiend and please take care of my Codester at the Bridge, ok? Love you always Spitty and I will never, ever forget you! Sending tons of love and my deepest sympathy to your Mama as well. You had one of the biggest "catitudes" ever dear Spitty, but you also had a heart of gold. xoxoxo You will be forever missed.
