Life is my litterbox ... Grab the SCOOP!

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Thursday Thirteen -- #54 Banana Factoids

My good friend, Pixie ... Daisy the Curly Cat's sister ... knows what's good. She's been a banana fan (or banana-fana?) for years.

This Thursday Thirteen of Banana Factoids comes from an email that Mom's friend, Lana (Lana-Banana?), sent a coupla days ago.

Bananas contain three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose, and glucose (combined with fiber). A banana  gives an instant, sustained, and substantial boost of energy.  Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy  for a strenuous 90-minute workout.   No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes!  But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit.  It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and  conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.


THURSDAY THIRTEEN: 
BANANA FACTOIDS
Or why you should eat a banana a day!

1. Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst  people suffering from depression, many felt much better after  eating a banana.   This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a  type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel  happier.

2. PMS: Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which  can affect your mood.

3. Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

4. Blood Pressure: This unique tropical  fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt,
making it  the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to  make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

5. Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their
exams  this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a  bid to boost their brain power.  Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

6. Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel
action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

7. Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to  make a banana
milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood  sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

8. Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from
heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

9. Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

10. Mosquito bites: Before  reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected  area
with the inside of a banana skin.  Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.


11. Ulcers: The banana is used as the  dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft  texture and smoothness.  It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases.  It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of  the stomach.


12. Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance.  When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

13. Strokes: According to research in "The New  England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a  regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.  When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.  It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.  

So maybe its time to change that well-known  phrase so that we say, 
"A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Valentine's Day 2008: UPDATE

Yay!  Valentine's Day Update ...

Pumpkin's Valentine is Dazey from the Cyclone Cats.  She was his lovely Valentine last year, too!

Lucky Charmz is Willow's Valentine, an' her sister, China Cat Sunflower, is Cocoa Puff's Valentine.

Efurryone knows that super-hunky Jake is MY Valentine (Smooches, Jake!) ...

The only one waitin' for Valentine confirmation is Sparky Fuzzypants ...

Miss Spooker,

Will you be Sparky Fuzzypants' Valentine again this year?

Tuxie Tuesday: An' now, somethin' for all of you ManCats!


I know that I look furry fetching in my fire chief helmet, but my heart belongs to my Valentine sweetie, Jake!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Meeoowww, Ladies! It's ManCat Monday!




Check him out!
It's Sparky Fuzzypants modeling his furry fetching fire chief helmet for ManCat Monday ... 

Speaking of furry handsome ManCats:  The Feline Americans are lookin' to rekindle Valentine's Day romances an' wanna know if their beautiful LadyCats are interested ...

Sparky Fuzzypants wants to be Valentines with Miss Spooker.

Pumpkin would LOVE to be Valentines with Dazey.

Cocoa Puff would like to ask China Cat Sunflower to be his Valentine 'cuz Fudge Ripple went to the Bridge as did Puffy's 2007 Valentine, Jasmine.

But Charmee's Valentine ... Oreo the Cat ... isn't bloggin' anymore.  Would any LadyCat like to be Charmee's Valentine?

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Saturday Photo Hunt #53: OLD FASHIONED!


OLD FASHIONED!



The Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt theme for this week is OLD FASHIONED!


Mom has this old fashioned plaque in her bathroom.  She has it to remind her of our great-grandma an' great-grandad ... an' the home that they lived in when she was a little kid.  

Her grandma collected little wooden plaques with corny sayings on them.  They were hung in the kitchen, in the hallway, in the bathroom, an' in her grandad's shop outside.  When Mom was visiting, she'd walk around the house an' read all of the plaques looking for new ones an' enjoying old favorites.

I wonder what became of those little wooden plaques?  Our great-grandma and great-grandad crossed the Bridge more than a decade ago, an' much of their possessions were divided among our aunts an' uncle (our grandma even has a few things, but no plaques).

DMM

ADDENDUM:  It's the "style" of the plaque that's old fashioned, NOT the sentiment.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Friday Memes: Friday's Feast an' Friday Fill-ins

Feast One Hundred & Seventy Seven
January 25th, 2008
Appetizer
How many times per day do you usually laugh?


That really depends on the day ... I guess that I’ll look at an “average” day and say about five big, hearty laughs.

Soup
What do your sunglasses look like?


I have four pair of prescription sunglasses and actually picked up the fourth pair just last week with my vision care insurance. They’re black RayBan wrap-arounds and I think that I look rather cool in them.  They have an ugly case, though ... And being wrap-arounds, they don't fit into any of my other cases ... except maybe the brown Vera Wang case ... 

Salad
You win a free trip to anywhere on your continent, but you have to travel by train. Where do you go?


That’s an easy one: Alaska.

Main Course
Name one thing you consider a great quality about living in your town/city
.

The best thing about San Diego isn’t the weather, the world-class zoo, or professional sports. The BEST thing about San Diego is that you can get ANYWHERE in the county in an hour’s time by freeway (barring traffic jam).

Dessert
If the sky could be another color, what color do you think would look best?


I’m partial to pale gray. I like cloudy weather, so pale gray would suit me just fine.


FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2008
#56

1. _NOTHING_ makes me happy. I take complete responsibility for my own happiness.

2. I would like _a $5,000 pair of Tiffany solitaires_, please.

3. _Orange juice mixed with “Sir Strawberry” juice from Trader Joe’s_ tastes SO good! It's the "Tequila Sunrise" for me as I'm allergic to alcohol products.

4. _Thursday_ is my favorite day of the week because _”CSI” is on, I’m within spitting distance of the weekend, and it’s sometimes the last day of the work-week ... Oh, and my birthday is on Thanksgiving AND thus, a Thursday, this year_.

5. _My straight white teeth, my sense of humor, and my blue eyes are_ my best features.

6. We could learn so much from _listening to others_.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _having dinner with Marisol, MaryRose, and Debbie at Outback Steakhouse_, tomorrow my plans include _working on the afghan I’m making for my cousin’s first child_ and Sunday, I want to _SLEEP IN and make new seating charts for my students (I change their seats every three weeks)_!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Thursday Thirteen -- #53 It's RAININ'!!!

This "winter" has been one of the wettest ones that we've had in awhile ... an' it hasn't been rainin' all that much ... BUT it has rained TWICE this week ... That's furry odd.  It NEVER rains in Southern California!

THURSDAY THIRTEEN:  Rainy Days at my house an' what we like to do ...

1.  Mom prefers that it rain on the weekends so that she can be at home ENJOYIN' the rain, but she hurries home when it's raining during the week ... an' spends more time with US.  Quality "Mom"-time.

2.  Rainy weather is SOUP weather, so when Mom nukes some soup, we get to sample it.  Charmee is especially fond of soup.  He gets a tiny bowl an' gets to eat it at the table.  Mom has to blow on his soup first ... hee, hee.

3.  The temperature drops an' the heater comes on like magic.  The heater feels furry nice on chilly ears an' paw pads.  Mom doesn't like to have the heater turned on (she's ALWAYS nice an' warm), but Charmee has small furs ... so he likes it a whole bunch.  The rest of us just enjoy the change of pace.

4.  Snails crawl around on the porch.  They're fun to watch through the windows or the screen door.  Mom kicks them off of the porch an' into the street, but SOMEHOW, they get back up there!  Earthworms get up on the porch, too.  Sometimes they wiggle through the screen door ... an' then they get eaten (burp).

5.  Two words:  Fire place!

6.  Snuggling time ... in the recliner ... with a fleece blankie ... oh, yeah.

7.  Mom has tea ... an' it always smells furry good, so when it cools down, we sneak sniffs an' tastes.  It tastes kinda yucky (in case you're curious).

8.  Laundry gets done, so there are piles of warm clothes to burrow into.

9.  The oscillating fan an' ceiling fans get turned "off" so that Mom can hear the raindrops.  Havin' the fans off makes the house warmer an' snugglier.

10.  TELEVISION SHOWS get watched 'cuz it's too wet outside for Mom to BE outside.  More snuggling time in the recliner.

11.  We get to watch the water drip down the windows ... It's furry relaxing.

12.  The fur gets rinsed off of the window screens.  There's always A LOT of fur on the screens an' it's almost TOTALLY fur from Sparky Fuzzypants.

13.  Efurrything smells furry clean when Mom finally opens the windows again.  

Ahhhh ... rainy weather is a furry nice change of pace.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Caesar went to the Bridge


Our furriend, Caesar went to the Bridge yesterday.  Please stop by an' offer some comfort to his sister, Prinnie ...

Godspeed, Caesar!  You'll be remembered for your humor an' your devotion to Princess.

DMM & the Feline Americans

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spend this day practicing random acts of kindness and peace. 

Your furriends,
DMM and the Feline Americans

ManCat Monday: Too flashy? Or not too flashy?!?

Mom was checkin' out the new battery that she put into Grandma an' Grandad's flashy box.  

To say that our grandbeans are technologically inept would be a massive understatement, so whenever something with "multiple moving parts" stops workin' the way it was intended to work, the grandbeans send up "the Bat signal" an' Mom flys into action.

After Mom ordered (an' received) the new battery for the flashy box, she had to test it out.  An' since Charmee was the "handiest" at the moment, he got to be the guinea pig.  


Check out Charmee in his ManCat finest!  I think that his bright white fur an' his little pink beak look best with the flashy thing functionin' on the flashy box.  Don't you?


My Chargers lost ... sigh.


Yesterday, Millie's Guys Named Pat won their 18th game of the feetball season ... 

That's the GOOD news.  

The BAD news is that their win came at the expense of my Chargers.  Millie's Guys Named Pat are going to the Super Bowl in two weeks an' my Chargers will not.

Oh, well ... It was a good season an' my team had a furry good run.  I wanna say a huge "THANKS" to Maggy an' Zoey for running our first NFL (National Feline League) season.  It was furry cool to pawticipate and furry cool-er to be one of the winning teams (thus far).

Concatulations to the New England Patriots and the New York Giants for the excellent seasons.  Good luck in the Super Bowl an' may the best team win!

DMM

A Thank-You card from Kimo & Sabi


I just got this card from Kimo & Sabi (an' Kiera, too!) ...

Isn't it pretty?  The card is for the presents that we sent for Kiera's blurpy girl shower that was held on January 12 ... It was a super-fun shower!  The whole cat blogosphere got to pawticipate an' we got to watch the presents bein' opened an' efurrything.

There were even some presents for Kimo & Sabi ... Cool, huh?!?

The Feline Americans an' I had a marvelous time watchin' the presents, checkin' on sleepy Kiera, an' eatin' all of the treats in our goodie bags (Temptations an' 'nip ROCK!).

Thanks, Guys!  We had a great time!

DMM, Puffy, Sparky Fuzzypants, Pumpkin, an' Charmee

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Saturday Photo Hunt #52: IMPORTANT!

IMPORTANT!

The Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt theme for this week is IMPORTANT!


In September of 2008, Mom is gonna go on a trip with Grandma an' Grandad that will include some time in Canada.  Grandma an' Grandad are goin' on a cruise ship with members of the class of '57.  

Mom will be on her own an' she wants to visit Vancouver, B.C.

In order to do that visitin', Mom needs a passport.  This document is vitally IMPORTANT to Mom's travel plans, so she needs to get the paperwork submitted an' photos taken.  She also needs to pay a whole bunch of green papers to get her passport.

As you can see from the photo, Mom has the paperwork (an' it's all filled-out).  She's also got a pretty pink suede passport cover to carry it in once it arrives.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Friday Memes: Friday's Feast an' Friday Fill-ins

Feast One Hundred & Seventy Six
January 18th, 2008
Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?

Jamaica. For those of you who've never had jamaica: It's a sugary drink made from hibiscus blossoms and it's served in nearly all Mexican restaurants. Jamaica the color of filtered concord grape juice and it tastes a little like concord grape juice, too. I like mine "con hielo" which means over ice. Oh, and it's pronounced huh-my-kuh.

Soup
Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

On my computer desk at work, I have an ancient HP Laserjet 6L, a black mesh basket full of printer paper, and a pair of GE speakers so that my students can hear the cd. I don't have anything else on the desk except the computer and the keyboard.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?


I'm at least an 8 in honesty ... perhaps higher. I've got a healthy dose of middle-class guilt and a well-developed conscience. I like to be a good example, so I'm scrupulously honest.

Main Course
If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?


Gosh ... I doubt that I'd be very original, but I'd change Los Angeles to "Smogtown USA" for the obvious reasons ... When you drive up the freeway from San Diego to L.A., as soon as you get to Irvine, you can see the brown coating hovering above L.A.  It's disgusting.

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?


My job stresses me out ... especially Open House and the senior banquet that I host in June. Oh, and the television show "Dinner:Impossible" makes me really anxious!

Things that calm me down include driving up the coast to smell the wood-burning campfires, walking long distances, listening to music, and reading. Petting my cats' fur is also very soothing.


FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2008
#55
1. The last compliment I got was from _my assistant principal just this afternoon at the renovations committee meeting_; he/she said _that I was "brilliant" because I suggested a less expensive alternative to the architect's plan that would make EVERYONE happy and would increase our campus' usable space AND our 'curb appeal'_.

2. I'm reading _Harlan Coben's "Back Spin" ... It's from his Myron Bolitar series and it's about golf_.

3. I woke up today and thought _Yay! It's Friday and my kids have two tests today and a million things due ..._

4. Why does _the tiniest bit of rain make such a dent in school attendance?_.

5. The last thing I ate was _a chile relleno at San Marcos. The soup tonight was chicken with rice and it was wonderful_.

6. January... _seems like such a colossal let-down after all of the "go-go-go" of the holidays_.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _watch crap on television and finish my book_, tomorrow my plans include _going to Lens Crafters to have my new Ray Bans fit to my face_ and Sunday, I want to _go and watch "27 Dresses"_!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Thursday Thirteen -- #52

Are YOUR 'Beans OLD?

Today's Thursday Thirteen is a little test to see if your 'beans are old ... 

I hafta tell ya that Mom did pretty well on this test, but she claims that it's because she's a "font of pop-culture wisdom an' useless knowledge". 

I think that she's full of crappity, crap, crap.

Have YOUR 'bean take this little test ... the answers are at the end of the post, but they're furry tiny!


THURSDAY THIRTEEN #52: A TEST FOR OLD KIDS 

01. After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, the grateful citizens would ask, "Who was that masked man?" Invariably, someone would answer, "I don't know, but he left this behind." 
What did he leave behind?________________.

02. When the Beatles first came to the U.S. In early 1964, we all watched them on "The ______________________ Show".
 
03. "Get your kicks, ___________________."

04. "The story you are about to see is true.  The names have been changed___________________."

05. "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, ________________."

06. After the Twist, The Mashed Potato, and the Watusi, we "danced"  under a stick that was lowered as low as we could go in a dance called  the "_____________." 

07. "N_E_S_T_L_E_S", Nestle's makes the very best......._______________."

08. Satchmo was America's "Ambassador of Goodwill." Our parents shared  this great jazz trumpet player with us.  His name was _________________.

09. What takes a licking and keeps on ticking? _______________.  

10. Red Skelton's hobo character was named __________________ and Red  always ended his television show by saying, "Good Night, and "________________".

11. Some Americans who protested the Vietnam War did so by burning  their______________.

12. The cute little car with the engine in the back and the trunk in the front was called the VW.   What other names did it go by? ____________ &_______________.

13. In 1971, singer Don MacLean sang a song about, "the day the music died."  This song was a tribute to ___________________.



ANSWERS:
01. The Lone Ranger left behind a silver bullet.
02. The Ed Sullivan Show
03. On Route 66
04. To protect the innocent.
05. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
06. The limbo
07. Chocolate
08. Louis Armstrong
09. The Timex watch
10. Freddy, The Freeloader,and "Good Night,and may God Bless."
11. Draft cards (Bras were also burned.)
12. Beetle or Bug
13. Buddy Holly


So, efurryone ... How well did YOUR 'bean do?  Mom missed TWO answers, so she's obviously furry old ...  Older than ME anyway!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Muffin gave us an AWARD!

Our good buddy, Muffin, gave us the "You Make My Day" Award!  Yay!

Thank you, Muffin ... You are furry thoughtful!  We humbly accept this award ...

And will continue the award's progress through the blogosphere by passin' it on to our friends:  

Skeeter, L.C., an' Ayla (be sure to stop by their bloggie to meet AYLA ... She's new an' she's a Meezer!), 

We all enjoy readin' 'bout their adventures, an' their bloggies MAKE OUR DAY!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Cocoa Puff tagged us for the "Seven Weird Things" Meme


Cocoa Puff did the Meme a couple of days ago an' couldn't think of anyone to tag, so he tagged Pumpkin, Lucky Charmz, an' me.  

We're gonna do ours together, so we're modifying the Meme to "Twenty-one Weird Things 'Bout Us" ...

1.   DaisyMae Maus:  I'll only sleep an' cuddle on the left side of Mom's bed.
Pumpkin:  I'm a big ManCat, but I'll let Sparky Fuzzypants steal my stinky goodness if he wants to.
Lucky Charmz:  When Mom holds me, I lean my head backward until she kisses me on the nose.

2.   DMM:  I don't like to be squeezed, but I'll let Mom hold me really tightly an' I won't try to escape unless she lets me.
P:  I have freckles on my nose an' on my gums.
L.C.:  I like bacon ... a lot.

3. DMM:  I will eat tidbits from Mom even if they have sauce on them.  I like barbecue sauce an' hot wing sauces the best.
P:  My paw pads feel rubbery like a Pink Pearl eraser.
L.C.:  I actually enjoy having my tail tugged on.  Mom calls it my "handle".

4. DMM:  I don't like to have anyone watch me in the litterbox or at the water dish.  I like my privacy.
P:  If Mom wiggles one of her hairbrushes at me, I'll start purring and I'll run over for a brushing.
L.C.:  I like the smell of Mom's perfume an' will rub my face on her when it's fresh on her clothes.

5. DMM:  The sound of the garbage truck an' the recycling truck ... an' the street sweeper ... scare me.
P:  Me, too!  I'm askairt of just about EVERYTHING ... Even Mom sometimes.
L.C.:  Not ME!  I'm not scared of ANYTHING ... even Shadow Saluki.

6.   DMM:  When Mom sits in the dining room, I hurry over an' jump into an empty chair to keep Mom company.
P:  I won't eat anything that isn't a Temptation or from a can of stinky goodness.  An' I like it when Mom hand-feeds me Temptations.  I purr the whole time that I'm havin' my snack.
L.C.:  I will eat just about anything that Mom gives me unless it's a really smelly fishy flavor.  I don't really like fishy that much.

7.
DMM:  I wait in the window for Mom to come home an' I greet her by sayin', "Um, mao, maus!"  I recognize the sound of the black masheen.
P:  When Mom was on vacation an' we had a cat-sitter, I hid under Mom's bed where the cat-sitter couldn't find me.  Mom had to pull all of her storage out from under the bed to get me to come out for good.  I had only been coming out for food, water, an' the litter box.
L.C.:  I like to sleep cuddled under a mound of blankies.

Thank you, Skeeter an' L.C.!


Our furriends Skeeter an' L.C. gave us this wonderful award!   We are furry grateful ... an' we're privileged to have such wonderful furriends as Skeeter an' the lovely L.C.!

The Feline Americans an' I have been so fortunate to have met such wonderful kitties, woofies, 'beans, an' other types of friends on the innernets over the past eighteen months or so ... It's furry difficult to select just one of our friends to recognize.

Hmmm ... Gosh.  So much more difficult than I ever whoulda thought ...

Who to choose?!?

Okay ... We wanna thank Jake an' Bathsheba for bein' our wonderful furriends (an' Jake's my SPECIAL friend, too.  Smooches, Jake!).

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Yay! The Thinking Blogger Award!

Wow! Our excellent friend Angus Mhor gave us the Thinking Blogger Award
What a marvelous honor ... we are all humbled to receive it. We are especially touched by his reasons for giving us the award: Angus said, "DaisyMae Maus and The FA's - I think of kindness and generosity."


Here are the rules attached to this award:
1. You must write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think. (No fish or bird blogs, they'll just make you hungry).
2. Acknowledge this post.
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award" with a link to the post that you wrote.
4. Go tell your humans to fork over the treats!

Here are the 5 blogs that make us think ...

1. Adan's Everyday: Michico an' Adan manage to visit nearly everyone in the cat blogosphere EVERY DAY (I suppose that's why "Everyday" is in the title of Adan's blog, right? See? He's makin' me think AGAIN!)

2. Jake an' Bathsheba: My sweetie's bloggie is chock full of beautiful photos an' observations about their neighborhood. Jake an' Bathsheba are also immensely thoughtful an' protective of their momma.

3. Grr, Midnight & Cocoa: For their tender hearts an' kindness to Rascal an' Riley. Grr, Midnight an' Cocoa are excellent role models.

4. Puff, Spot and Jake: These guys have the greatest sense of humor ... an' they do wonderful things for the homeless kitties in their neighborhood.  Puff an' Spot are mentoring "formerly homeless" Jake in the ways of ManCatliness.

5. Roxy an' Lucky: These ladies are woofies that we'd enjoy meeting. In fact, we'd probably become fast friends. We enjoy their unique perspective an' their cute little smooshy faces.  If the Feline Americans were woofies, we'd be Pugs.  Pugs ROCK!

How 'bout those CHARGERS!

Thank you, Maggie an' Zoey!  Terrific graphic!
Yay! 
THE CHARGERS WON AGAIN!
WHOOP!  WHOOP!

LaDainianMae Maus

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Mao! Please come home!

Update: MAO IS HOME!




HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MEEZER?

There's still no news about where Mao has gone.  The Food Lady an' Mr. Tasty Face have been lookin' for him an' callin' his name since Wednesday, January 9th.

If you've seen Mao, would you please send him home to his fambly?  They miss him an' need him to come home.

Please visit Skeezix, Rocky the Gutter Cat, an' Tripper the Psyko Cat to offer your assurances and support.  They're holdin' down the fort while the FL an' Mr. TF are out combin' the wilderness for Mao.

Mao!  Dood!  You've gotta go home to your fambly.

DMM & the Feline Americans

Saturday Photo Hunt #51: SKINNY!

SKINNY!

The Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt theme for this week is SKINNY!

Our grandad has been a rather devoted walker since he was diagnosed with diabetes nearly twenty years ago.  He would average about three miles per day.  The walking would allow him to eat what he wanted, but still keep his blood sugar managed by diet, exercise, and pills.

Last July, he had quintuple-bypass surgery.  Since then, he has doubled his walking efforts and increased his mileage from three miles to slightly over six miles each day.

At Christmouse, Grandad got a pair of two pound ankle weights to increase the aerobic quality of his workout.  He's also trying to reduce his per mile time.  This part ... the speed part ... is especially hard for Grandad because he's 5'3" an' has a twenty-five inch inseam:  Shorty legs (like mine).

Grandad gets frustrated if he walks with Mom or Uncle James an' Shadow Saluki.  They walk too fast for him to keep up!  Mom is 6'0" an' walks a 15 1/2 minute mile.  Uncle James is 6'4 1/2" an' walks about the same speed as Mom.

Aside for speed issues, Grandad is the one who's doin' the best at exercise.  As you can tell from this photo, he's got skinny little birdie legs ... but they're STRONG skinny little birdie legs.  

An' yes ... He's wearing Masai shoes.  He loves them.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Friday Memes: Friday's Feast an' Friday Fill-ins

Feast One Hundred & Seventy Five
January 11th, 2008
Appetizer
What is your middle name? Would you change any of your names if you could? If so, what would you like to be called?

My middle name is "Lynne" ... Just like my mom's.  If I were going to change my name, I'd hyphenate my first and middle names to be known as "Jessica-Lynne".

Soup
If you were a fashion designer, which fabrics, colors, and styles would you probably use the most?

I like wool and leather.  I like purple, pink, blue, and gray.  I like classic business wear that's conservative, well-cut, and never goes out of style.

Salad
What is your least favorite chore, and why?

Toilets and litter boxes ... for obvious reasons.

Main Course
What is something that really frightens you, and can you trace it back to an event in your life?

Pedestrians who cut between parked cars and walk directly toward me.  It causes my heart to race.  It stems from being mugged by a person who came rushing at me from between parked cars.

Dessert
Where are you sitting right now? Name 3 things you can see at this moment.

I'm in the spare bedroom sitting in my computer chair typing the responses to this "Feast".  I can see my purple plastic Husky's tumbler dripping condensation onto my coaster.  If I look to the left, I see my bookshelf full of shoes, and a dozen bottles of sparkling cider that I stocked up on during the holidays.


FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 2008 #54
1. My favorite _movie_ of 2007 was _"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"_.

2. I'm most tempted by _my huge number of sick days available. I could put a serious dent in them if I really wanted to, but I'm saving them to sell back when I retire_.

3. Today I want _to have chiles rellenos at San Marcos Restaurant and then watch television that I've taped this week on my DVR. I have cramps and feel like crappity, crap, crap (to quote Miles Meezer)_.

4. The last thing I took a picture of was _Charmee sleeping. I took the photo with my cellphone and he's my phone's wallpaper_.

5. You and I have memories _of simpler times when things weren't "politically correct" and younger people had respectful fear of their elders_.

6. The most recent movie I’ve seen that I really enjoyed was _"Juno". The characters remind me of my students ... for better and for worse_.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _relaxing_, tomorrow my plans include _Kimo and Sabi's blurpy girl baby shower_ and Sunday, I want to _shop for new pants_!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Thursday Thirteen -- #51

Three Posts TODAY!

Over the past couple of weeks, we've all been enjoyin' ham, openin' presents, an' loungin' by our fireplaces livin' the good life ... An' our documentation of the vishus deer menace has leaned toward those nine deer who work with Sandy Claws.  Yeah, you know the ones ...

But now that the holidays are over, we tender (young) juicy cats need to devote our attention back to our own neighborhoods an' remain vigilant!

Tanja Askani of Nindorf, Germany, captured evidence of the VISHUS DEER MENACE in vivid color!  The subjects of her exposé are called "Bambi and Thumper".

Under the guise of "peacefulness" an' "harmony between species," notice how this vishus deer befriends an innocent bun.  The unsuspecting bun has NO IDEA that the vishus deer has diabolical plans to EAT him!  The deer has carefully isolated this tender young juicy bun from friends and fambly so that no one will come to his aid when the vishus deer clamps onto him with his powerful jaws of DOOM ... an' EATS HIM!!!

So, in the spirit of vigilance ... forwarned is forearmed, you know ... I offer this week's Thursday Thirteen which I'll refer to as ...

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #51 --
Further evidence that Skeezix ISN'T a conspiracy theorist. 
Deer are VISHUS an' want to eat innocent creatures ... 
like US!














Disney photo of "Bambi" used without permission of the Walt Disney Company.  I'm kinda sorry, but this photo  does illustrate my point 'bout the VISHUS DEER MENACE that Skeezix has warned us about!


What can YOU do to protect yourself, your friends, an' your fambly?!?  Stock up on Mao and Rocky's Vishus Deer Repelunt ... an' USE IT OFTEN!  
An' a word to the wise:  When you're out in the "danger zone," be sure that you're accompanied by someone younger, juicier, an' far more tender-er than yourself.  I'm just sayin' ...

Puffy Stuff got tagged for the Meme!

Cocoa Puff here ...

I was jealous that Sparky Fuzzypants got tagged by Grr to do the "Seven Random Things" Meme that I bumped him out of the way and stole his share of the Temptations last night. He was sad (Mom gave him some more). I'm furry THRILLED that I got tagged by Missy Blue Eyes to do it myself. What an honor!


The rules of this Meme are: Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. Share seven random weird facts about yourself. Tag seven random kitties at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs. Let each one know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I am the only Feline American that Mom "bought." I was dropped off at the South San Diego Vet Hospital when I was six weeks old. The vet techs had put me into a little prison in the lobby so that people could see me an' ADOPT me. Mom fell for my cute self an' she paid the $20.00 adoption fee to ransom me.

2. My name was originally "Killer" ... The name doesn't suit me in the slightest 'cuz I'm just a big teddy bear of a guy.

3. I'm completely black except for my whiskers which are either white or black: I have both.

4. I weigh 26 pounds. Mom describes me as a "furry ottoman on toothpicks" 'cuz my body is floofy, but my legs are Meezer-skinny.

5. I have a tiny boy's meow.

6. On Hallowe'en of 1997, I won the V-E-T's costume contest by dressing up as a hula-girl. The prize was a free hooha-ectomy.

7. Asparagus is my FAVORITE vegetable. Mom grills them with olive oil an' dangles them point-down while I snap them up. Yum!

I'll bet that efurry cat has already been tagged for the Meme, so I'll tag the other Feline Americans: DaisyMae Maus, Lucky Charmz, an' Pumpkin to do this Meme on Sunday. Sound good?

You asked/I answered!

A number of our friends an' readers were curious 'bout INVISA-BISCUITS, so I'm re-running this post in order to 'splain it to efurryone ...

Here's another informative vocabulary lesson to build your FELINE LEXICON ...

From DaisyMae's Feline Dictionary of Terms and Phrases, the phrase of the day is:

MAKIN' INVISABISCUITS (verb) ... may kin in viz uh biss kitz ... A derivation of "makin' biscuits" when a feline kneads a stationary object using his/her front paws in a rhythmic manner simulating early kittenhood behavior with the sole purpose of stimulating milk dispersal from a lactating queen.

When a feline "makes invisabiscuits," s/he is recumbant and kneads the air while purring in a blissful manner.

Note: Invisabiscuits are not to be confused with the very foul and flatulent "air biscuits."

Sentence example:
1. When he's especially relaxed (or high on 'nip!), Sparky Fuzzypants likes to tempt Mom to pet him by makin' invisabiscuits and purring like a misfiring lawnmower.


Sparky Fuzzypants is the only one of the Feline Americans who makes invisa-biscuits on a regular basis. Mom sometimes calls him "Mister Biscuits" which sends him into orbit. He'll lay on his side with his front feet in the air an' he'll knead a whole pan full of invisa-biscuits just for Mom.