Cat Tales: A Greasy Situation

I have previously introduced my two feline friends, Edie and Twiggy.  These two are always in to something.



Twiggy



Edie



When we moved last winter, we took the kitties to the new apartment the night before to get them acclimated with the new surroundings and to have them out of the way of the movers the next morning.  We had already moved over the shredded chair that they had claimed as their own.  We took them on the subway with their food, litter box and favorite blanket. Twiggy cried in her box and Edie just looked around.  We also got quite a few comments from subway passengers.  So far, so good.

We arrived at the empty apartment.  It had a fresh coat of paint, the floors were clean, it was ready for us to move in.  We opened the boxes and the girls cautiously stepped out into the new place.  Twiggy belly-crawled around until she felt it was ok to walk.  They examined every corner, I don't think they had ever had so much space to explore. 

In the bathroom, we put their food and water and made a little bed for them on the floor. We set up their litter box in the bath tub. Cozy, right?  The vet said it is better for them to be in a small space while adjusting. We did leave the bathroom door open in case they wanted to investigate during the night. We said our goodbyes and left for the night.  They will be ok, right?

The next morning we showed up and the cats were NOWHERE to be found.  We called them, looked in every closet, inside the bathroom vanity, everywhere. Where could they have gone?  Was a window open and they got out?  There is nothing in the apartment except a ratty chair and their set-up in the bathroom.  We kept calling and calling them, I was getting more and more upset.  Marlon was looking in the kitchen cabinets and calling their names and out pops a grease covered head and then another from the top of the cabinets.  There was a little opening at the edge of the cabinets above the stove, maybe 5" x 12", that they both were squeezed in, probably scared to death.  Marlon pulled out two grease covered cats out of the hole.  My guess is that this hole collected kitchen grease and wasn't cleaned before we moved in.  I wish I had my camera.  They were hysterical looking with their fur slicked down.  Of all the places they could hide, they pick a tiny grease hole.  Silly cats.

The cats got a bath, the movers came and we lived happily ever after.


♦ Check out the Christmas ornament fundraising page. Only one ornament left - the snowflake! 

Who Do You Think You Are? - Faith Hill

For this week's notable adoptee, I'm going a little bit country.

Academy of Country Music award winner, Faith Hill was adopted when she was a few days old.  She was adopted into a loving and positive home.  Her parents had two sons and wanted a daughter. Faith had always know that she was adopted, but had a longing to connect with her birth parents.

Faith's birth parents were unmarried and were unable to care for a child at the time. Her birth parents eventually did marry and had a son.  Meeting her birth mother gave her the connection and closure that she needed.  "Having been adopted, I really have a strong sense - a necessity almost - for stability - a foundation where my family is concerned. Success would be meaningless without anyone to share it with."

Faith is married to country music superstar, Tim McGraw and has three daughters.  She has been has been honored by the Grammys, the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, the American Music Awards and the People's Choice Awards.  The couple was honored in March 2011 for their charity work with the Country Radio Broadcasters’ Artist Humanitarian Award.

Now that Thanksgiving is here, you might be in the mood for a little Christmas music.  Check out Faith Hill's Christmas album Joy To The World.

Researching these notable adoptees has given me confidence that I will be able to raise a wonderful, well-rounded child.  Happy Thanksgiving my friends. I am so thankful that you are in my life.

Ornament Fundraiser - Week 5

The final ornament for the fundraiser is the Christmas Pickle! There is only one pickle left!



Christmas Pickle Ornament



The Christmas Pickle is a tradition that no one has claimed as their own. The story goes... on Christmas Eve the pickle ornament is hidden deep in the branches of the family Christmas Tree. The parents hang the pickle last after all the other ornaments are in place. On Christmas morning, the child that finds the pickle would receive an extra gift from Santa Claus. The first adult who finds the pickle traditionally gets good luck for the whole year.  Supposedly this legend is German, but the German's seem to have no idea what we are talking about.

There are other origins from which the Christmas pickle story may have derived.  Mymerrychristmas.com says,  "there is a family story of a Bavarian-born ancestor who fought in the American Civil War. A prisoner in poor health and starving, he begged a guard for just one pickle before he died. The guard took pity on him and found a pickle for him. The pickle by the grace of God gave him the mental and physical strength to live on.  The other, perpetuated in Berrien Springs, MI, is a medieval tale of two Spanish boys traveling home from boarding school for the holidays. When they stopped at an inn for the night, the innkeeper, a mean and evil man, stuffed the boys into a pickle barrel. That evening, St. Nicholas stopped at the same inn, became aware of the boys' plight, tapped the pickle barrel with his staff, and the boys were magically freed."

We may never know where the legend came from, but it's a fun tradition.  It's the last ornament in the fundraiser and I only have ONE left.  I am thinking the donor should most definitely get good luck for the whole year!

If you are interesting in donating, please go to our Fundraising page.  There 1 pickle ornament and 1 snowflake ornament left.  For a $5 donation, I'll send you your ornament of choice.  We have absolutely been amazed at the generosity of our friends and family. We cannot thank you enough for your support.

Sources: mymerrychristmas.com