A Tree Is...A Wonderful Thing To Climb

Ah yes, just ask our 11 pound cat, Max!! This is Max and Owen's 3rd Christmas and it looks like Christmas #3 and the time leading up to it will have "the boys" spending a lot of time downstairs if we are not around to "supervise" which will be pretty much how they spent the time leading up to Christmas # 2. Christmas #1 they were too little to do any damage and were content to lay under the tree, pull off an occasional bow or just teeth on a package or ribbon.

We put up the tree this past weekend, Keepers and I were in the holiday mood after a wonderful Thanksgiving free of stress for the most part and communicating with some very good friends so we put it up!! Before I got the first strand of lights plugged in to test them there was Max the Climber in the middle of the tree laying across 3 or 4 branches looking at me as though he had squatter's rights and this was the Oklahoma Land Rush. He was staking his claim right there and then!

Being the governor of the living room I ousted him and went about stringing the lights. Oh yeah, both boys were banished to the downstairs as we decorated. After we were done we felt courageous, we were both going to be in the living room so we could keep an eye on them.

That unfortunately is what Max likes...a challenge!! It wasn't more than 30 minutes into this years drama that Keepers went into the kitchen for something, I turned and then I saw the tree doing the hula dance in the middle of our living room!! Down to the floor I went, looking below it's bottom branches...nope, nothing there. Sure enough, he had restaked his claim to the middle of the tree, lights and all! Getting him out this time was complicated by light strands and ornaments and the fact that he didn't give up right away, at all!

During all of this so far, Owen, Mr Big at 15 lbs., and (unbelievably according to the vet not overweight for a cat his size) he had paid zilch amount of attention to the tree so far. Only Max had dared any encroachment here. As I got the water bottle to use as a last resort for future attacks I said out load, "Are you boys going to be good now?" As soon as I said that, as though he understood each word I had just uttered, Owen turned around and slowly walked to the basement door and proceeded to go downstairs. Keepers and I looked at each and laughed, he acted like he understood and knew it wasn't going to happen as we planned so he may as well just go on downstairs and get it over with!

Last night went pretty well, they left the tree alone for the most part. Today they spent most of the day downstairs as I had to go back to work and no matter how many keepers are out of body watching cats, when the one who is out but in the body isn't feeling well, it ain't gonna work. So they didn't come upstairs until after I got home. So far they have been so-o-o-o good it is scary. Max is laying on the couch across from the tree all curled up like a good boy. Owen is in the studio right behind me laying in front of a space heater warming his belly which is one of his favorite past times. It's not even cold so I turned it on low just to appease him somewhat.

Yes when we move back for bed they will be ushered downstairs where they can sleep or chase each other all over the basement, which isn't very different from their usual nigh time routine, the door will just be closed and blocked so they cannot get upstairs in the middle of the night, it is a sliding door and they can open it if not blocked.

It is a warm night here so I just opened the back door so they can look outside, also a favorite thing to do. In anticipation of this coming up, last weekend we bought two little mouse toys with catnip for them to play with. They were only 94 cents each so no big loss if they turned their noses up again as they always have in the past, and sure enough they did again. These two cats are straight and narrow when it come to catnip they always Just Say NO!! In the world of cats they have to be the Jack Lalaines of the cat world or the narcs of the cat world, I'm not sure which.

All we know is that they are so enjoyable, so funny and we are so glad to have them. For them we are truly thankful, even when the battle of wills comes into season.

peace and blessings

John Michael

One of the Best In a Long Time

One of the best what you ask? Why... Thanksgiving, that is what! Keepers (my wife) and I had the entire day to ourselves, no one else to impose on us their ideas, their bigotry, their greed, their egos, their snobbery, their insensitivity. My what a refreshing day it was!

We manned the telephone (we have a toll free number for US and Canadian residents) 24 hours from midnight to midnight, because we know the holidays can be terrifying and disasters waiting to happen for many. Then on Thanksgiving morning we made the stuffing, stuffed the turkey and waited for it to cook. In between there we did some work in the studio, keepers painting and me working on federal forms to apply for non-profit status with the IRS.

Around 3 or 4 we ate some delicious turkey and dressing with some trimmings. I must admit that we are stuffing swipers! After the turkey has been in the oven for 2-3 hours we begin to invade the carcass and put spoonfuls of dressing in a bowl, use the baster to suck up some juices and juice up the stuffing, then feast on that! We probably do that 3 or 4 times before the turkey is done!! A couple of hours after our dinner we had some turkey sandwiches, ooops, it was really about 4 hours because I fell asleep on the living room floor while Christmas Carol played in the DVD player.

As we began to head for bed later, at a relatively reasonable time, one of our internet friends IM'd keepers so they were up for a while IM'ing. Eventually we made it to bed, collapsing and conking out really quickly. But it was a great day, no family members with their bs, no unwanted visitors, no stress, no mess. We can only hope your holiday was as good for you as it was for us.

Peace and blessings

John Michael and Keepers

Happy Thanksgiving

To all of our friends out there in cyberspace we want to wish you a blessed Thanksgiving, one of reflection on what we all have, hope to have, what we have survived, what we intend to do.

To some of you this will bring bad memories and feelings, to others it will be joyous as you spend time with those you care for while for others it may be joyous because of who is not around you! We all have our own outlook and perspective in times like this, as well as any time for that matter, but holidays do seem to bring out the extremes we feel.

Keepers and I will spend our Turkey Day in the studio, keepers working on a picture while I work on the computer, as our turkey cooks. We will "test" the stuffing often, love that stuff, no pun intended. After we eat we will probably curl up and watch some holiday movies, The Bishops Wife or Christmas Carol and who knows maybe even take a nap if we so desire.

Anyone who needs a friendly voice who may be feeling alone or down or if they just want to say hi, feel free to call us on the 1-888-752-9070 toll free phone line for any US residents. We will also have a bouquet of rose stems on our table, to remind us of the difficult times we have made it through, the times we survived, which we are so thankful for.

To each of you we can only hope you have the day you want with the people you want, be it a houseful of family or friends or a few close friends or a day like any other day, no different, not special, just another day.

Whatever it is for each of you, may it be as you wish.

Peace, blessings and many hugs

john and Keepers

Problems

This is going to be short, our pc is down at home so we cannot blog, cannot IM, cannot do anything computer related. We can't even get our email. Our pc is enroute right now to a repair person. We may be back up by this coming weekend. Keep your fingers crossed!!!!

To all of our friends out there, peace and blessings and we hope to be back in the internet saddle soon!!

john michael