Monday Mysteries: the Garage!

 Heimdall:  See this basket?  It's the laundry basket, but it lives someplace called "the Garage".  It's not in the house!  It comes in the house sometimes, like when this picture was taken, and it brings the smelly clothes and towels out to the garage.  I like balancing on the basket, Auntie Tabby likes eating it, and Freya likes scratching on it.

Freya:  Sometimes my brother likes climbing inside it, too, and going for rides in it while Mommy or Daddy is bringing it in.  We aren't supposed to follow it into the garage, though.

Heimdall:  A few weeks ago, Erin suggested that we start going out to the garage on our harnesses.  I always want out there whenever our purrents go out there, so I was very excited about the idea of actually exploring!  My sister wasn't, so she practiced more with her harness on inside, playing with the string-leash.

Guess what?  There's something called a cement floor out there that's cold to your paws!  The laundry goes into a white box called the washer, and there's a noisy grey box called the furnace that Mommy says heats up air for the house.  I found Daddy's work boots, the laundry, Mommy's bike, and lots of other things!  So many different smells, too!

This is where Daddy chops up the wood for our fireplace!  He has a HUGE pile of it in the garage, then he brings it in using a big box.  I got to climb all over the wood pile!

Today, after I was done helping Mommy do laundry, a very funny thing happened!  When I was going inside the doorway, Starla nosed her way past me and went out into the garage, too!  She wasn't on harness, so Mommy let me go inside by myself and spent about 7 minutes walking around the garage with Starla, letting her explore a little and then guiding her back toward the door.

Starla:  I had FUN!  The garage isn't what I expected at all!  The only garage I've known was at the other place, where I slept underground on the dryer.  My washer and dryer are out in this new garage, and many other things I recognized, such as the gardening tools, but it all was confusing.  So many new smells, plus the wood out there when it should be in the yard or growing as a tree.  Then there's this thing called the garage door, which smells like it has a road on the other side of it.  Mommy finally said we had to go back inside, and I thought she was mad at me for escaping out there.  She said she wasn't mad at me, but that I had to be on harness next time.  I don't like the harness, but I might let her put it on me if it means going out there again!

Freya:  After I saw Starla come back in and she told me her adventures, I kept thinking about that other room.  I thought while playing spring, while eating, while taking a short nap, and then I decided:  I wanted to go out MYSELF!  I really did!  Now, how to tell Mommy?  I sat by the door and squeaked, then cried louder.  She came to see what I wanted, and I just looked at her and sat up very, very straight.  She asked if I wanted to go out to the garage, and I squeaked again! Yes, yes, yes!  I got harnessed and leashed, and so did my brother, then Mommy picked me up and put me on a white metal box.  Mommy picked my brother up and put him on the box too, but he jumped down into that laundry hamper to play in it.  I lay down on the box, which I was told is called a washer, and looked around excitedly.  So THIS is what the garage is!  Wow!!!  Mommy started the dryer, and it made a loud sound, but we weren't scared (at least not too much).  I got up the courage to investigate it, thinking there must be some giant mousie inside it to make that much noise.  Whatever's in there doesn't come out, though, just makes noise in the box.  Clothes come out of it, all warm and snuggly!  The box moves like it's purring, and is very nice to lay on.

Heimdall wanted to go back inside, so Mommy let him back in, but I got to stay out with her and explore some more!  I investigated all the things that my brother and Starla have just talked about, but my favorite was the woodpile.  The wood moves when you walk on it, and it's good for chewing!  I stayed out for about a half hour, and then Mommy said we'd better get back inside the house.  Now, I'm wanting to go right back out, but Mommy says we have to wait a while until another day.  But I WANT to go out there!

Therapy Cat Tales: Tabby's Christmas Eve Visit

Tabby writes:

Whew!  I hope you had as great a Christmas as we did!  Ours was pawsome!  Mommy and I started it off by going visiting to H. on Christmas Eve.  I wore my red velvet "Santa Baby" dress over my harness, and got lots of compliments on it when we rode the buses and MAX train.  Mommy wrapped the handle of my stroller with tiny Christmas lights that twinkled, too, so I was all festive!  She waited until nighttime to take a picture of it, but we had them on the whole time we were visiting.

Not many of my friends who work at H. were there, because they all wanted to be home with their families for Christmas Eve, but we met a new friend named V. who takes great pictures and sells them.  She's got kitties at home!

Once we were signed in and had our list, we went up in the elevator with one of the residents and his family.  He's one of my visiting buddies, so his family was glad to meet me.  As we got out of the elevator, we were surprised by (and surprised) M., who had the same Christmas lights as I did, but hers were around her neck like a long necklace!  That gave everyone a laugh!  M. told Mommy how much she enjoyed our visits every time we came, and that just made Mommy so happy.  G. and a friend tried to feed me oyster crackers, but I don't take treats when I'm out.  I sniffed the crackers politely, then asked for pets.

Many of the residents had beaded snowflakes on their walkers or wheelchairs.  I think they'd made them earlier in the week.  They were sooo pretty!  Some of the people had presents to open later on, and/or had Christmas cards that they showed to us.  Everyone loved my pretty red dress!  I walked around proudly, then lay regally in my stroller to ride.  Just before we left, Mommy had someone take our picture by the Christmas tree!

We took the bus back part of the way, then Mommy's dad came and picked us up.  I stayed at home while Mommy went to her grandparents' to celebrate Christmas Eve with them, her uncle, and her dad.  Daddy had to work, but we had our Christmas on Christmas Day with him.

Our Wonderpurr Holidays!!!

We had a great week of Christmas parties and get-togethers!!!  First, Tabby and Mommy visited H. on Christmas Eve, then Mommy went over to be with her dad, uncle, and grandparents for the rest of the evening.  On Christmas Day, Mommy's mom came over to exchange presents, and we got a LOT of boxes and wrapping paper to play in/bite/hide/pounce in!

 Christmas tree over at Mommy's grandparents' house

Lights at Mommy's grandparents' house

 Heimdall is interested in the fire in the fireplace.

In the afternoon on Christmas Day, Erin came over to spend the rest of the day and the night with us.  She was a bit sad, so we did our best to cheer her up.  We think it worked, too!  How could she not be cheered up watching us play and petting us?  Our purrents and Erin had yummy leftovers from Christmas Eve for dinner (meatballs, gravy, and mashed potatoes) and we got the plates afterwards.  Carbon does love his mashed potatoes and gravy treat!!!

 Erin and Freya

 Erin making kissy noises at Freya

 What's that???

What is it???  What's it doing???

Then, on Monday, Daddy went over and got Erin and JJ so we could have Christmas and open gifts with them.  They spent the night, then went back the next day.

When it was bedtime for JJ, he took a bath with his new green bath salts.  Freya, who loves jumping in the bathtub when the water's running for showers, wasn't sure exactly what JJ was doing, but wanted very much to investigate it.  So she jumped on the side of the tub and looked in!  Nope, she didn't slip in.

Fashion Friday: Meowy Catmas!!!

Meowy Catmas from all of us here at the PDX pride!!!!  We purrrray that it's a good one, filled with lots of blessings, snuggles, purrs, treats, and all that makes holidays wonderpurr.

Tabby in her "Santa Baby" dress by our small tree.

Freya wishing for Christmas to come sooner, wearing the "Santa Baby" dress.

No eating the cord for the lights, Freya!  (The reason we didn't get a full-sized tree this year; Daddy says next year.)

Merry Christmas!  Winter blessings!

Feral Friday: Peek-a-boo Tuxedo

Little Bit's watching Tuxedo watching us.  Can you see him?  He's by his hidey-hole under the deck.

Could you find him????

Peek-a-boo, Tuxedo!

Fashion Friday: Harness-training Kittens

Oh, hi there!  Heimdall here, modeling my mesh harness.  Mommy put them on Freya and me to start harness-training us again, since it's been a while since our last lesson.  I like my harness now, although I wasn't sure if I could jump with it on.  Turns out I can!

Freya here.  I don't really like wearing my harness, but I don't mind it.  In this picture, I'm fighting off the harness strap and the bag handle at the same time!  I ended up winning, but it was a long, tough fight, MOL!!!

See, I told you I won the fight!  Here I am, savoring my victory while still wearing my harness (but with the strap under me).  Mommy says we're doing really, really well at harness-training.  One more lesson and we'll get the strings attached and get to walk around the house with the strings on.  Oh, they're called leashes?  Well, they're strings to me, and I love to POUNCE on them!

Tabby's calendar is now for sale!

Tabby Thompson 2011 Calendar by TraceElements
See other Tabby Calendars

I'm soooo excited!!!  Mommy designed a calendar with my pictures on it, for the new year!  :)  If you click the piccy above, you can see all the designs for every month.  Some pics are just me, and some are with other family members.  I'm dressed in outfits in a few, too!

Therapy Cat Tales from 12/10/10

The rain held off this time, and I was all comfy in my new carrier with my new, warm, fleece raincoat.  :)  It rained a little, but just drizzling and not pouring.  I can't wait until it snows again, though!  I like watching it float down!  When we were at the first bus stop, Mommy took my picture so everyone can see what my new carrier looks like strapped to my stroller.  We have to use both on some of the buses, so that's why we have the new carrier.  This is the one I picked out at the Halloween party, and I love it!  The bag hanging from the stroller is the carrier's bag; it folds down to fit in that.  Very handy for us!

I got some chin scritches from a couple of fellow bus riders while Mommy talked with them on the way to Portland.  Then I got to get out of the carrier and into the stroller.  Boy was I ever surprised when I looked out and saw a GIANT tree!  It was 75 feet tall!  It's the Portland city tree, and it's all decorated with lights!  Mommy says we're going to have a real tree like that in the house this year, only it won't be that tall.  Will it smell as good?

There were trees at H. as well when we got there, all decorated and pretty, but they were fake like the tree we have had the last few years.  I didn't get to investigate them too closely because there were also poinsettias and those can make kitties very sick.  Pretty to look at from a distance, though, but I knew not to jump up by one.

The first thing I did when we got to H., besides go up to the office door, was to go in and show off my pretty new coat to everyone in the office.  I'm very proud of it, and love how toasty-warm I am in it!  :)  >^..^<  Then Mommy showed off my Christmas dress that I'm going to wear for visiting on Christmas Eve.  Yes, I'll be sure to have her take pictures of me in it!  The ladies loved my coat and dress just as much as we do.

As we were getting ready to go up to visit with my friends, a student from the local high school came in.  A group was coming for their first day volunteering.  They were all excited to meet me, and most had never heard of animal-assisted therapy at all, let alone a kitty having a job as important as mine!  They followed us all around while I worked, nine of them, while Mommy explained the health benefits (mental, physical, emotional) of interacting with me.  I kept on looking at them, making sure they were following me, as I went into rooms.  I was soooo proud to show off my skills, do my tricks, have them meet my friends, and have them learn about my work!  Ears up, tail up, proud walk!  :)  >^..^<

We had a short visit because some of the people were gone on adventures outside the building (to the store or elsewhere important) and others were sleeping.  As we were walking to the MAX light rail, we saw a squirrel in the park, eating a nut.  I was too tired to even be bothered by it, but Mommy took a few pictures of it.  I rested on the way home, because being a teacher for a day is very tiring!  We heard about other bus riders' kitties and angel kitties on the ride home, once they found out they were riding with a cat.  I always bring out stories in people, and I love it!  Mommy loves hearing the stories, too.

Happy Thanksgiving!!! (also wrap-up from last weekend)

Tabby, Rori, & Spooky/Nyx (the one we adopted out, not the latest Spooky) made these pictures in 2007.  :)

Rori:  I'm thankful for a warm home with my family.
Carbon:  I'm thankful for Mommy, Daddy, and the other kitties to play with, for a full food bowl and full water bowls, and for this house to run around in.
Tabby:  I'm thankful for my window to watch the world go by, for my family, for my friends that I go visit, and for friends who come visit us.
Freya:  I'm thankful for my home and forever family, for my new friend Jarek (Erin's son), and for fuzzy socks.
Heimdall:  I'm thankful for my home and forever family, for toys, and for snuggles with Mommy.
Starla:  I'm thankful for the kittens to play with, for Daddy and Mommy, and for time to explore the house.
Little Bit:  I'm thankful for my foster family, for Mommy Erin and Jarek who came to visit, and for space to run inside.

Weekend Wrap-Up from last weekend!

We got snow!!!  Not a lot, but we got to see it coming down and it stuck on the sidewalk and the grass was coated!  :)  Erin and Jarek came to stay for the weekend, too.  Freya and Jarek became good friends; she even snuggled with him for naptime and at night!  Heimdall, Rori, and Starla were a bit scared by an almost-three-year-old boy laughing and clomping around, but that's because the house is usually fairly quiet.  Tabby, of course, loved the whole thing, and Little Bit did, too.  Little Bit lived with Erin and Jarek for a few months, so she remembered them right off.

 

Jarek's naptime with Mommy's bear pillow tucked in with him

 The next day, Freya decided to bring her fuzzy sock up to participate in storytime/naptime, too!

 Uh, oh!  Naptime got postponed for sock-playing with Erin!

 Freya's waiting for Erin to play some more!

 Tabby and Erin

 This is what happens when you've got a bright child and kitty toys!  :)

 Jarek, almost three years old

 Little Bit with Mommy Erin

 Jarek took this picture of Tabby!!!  :)

 Heimdall loves Erin, and Freya does too but didn't really want to be held.

 Mrs. Raccoon put in an appearance

 Jarek and Erin in the snow

 Our backyard in the snow

 Tabby says:  Yes, Mommy!  I see the snow behind me!  *nods up and down fast and makes a blur*

 See that happy tail?

 Jarek's first raccoon experience, as Erin put it.  Mr. Raccoon liked him, too.

 Jarek:  Hi, Mr. Raccoon!

 Closeup of Mr. Raccoon

 Mommy and Jarek in the snow

 Erin got this pic of Tabby looking out as the snow was starting to fall.

Tabby:  What is that?  It's covering the sidewalk?  What are they doing out in it?

Erin and Mommy in the snow, with a snowflake in the middle of the pic!

Window Views