No Lack of Fur

Ode to a Shedding Cat

by Marea Needle

I think that I shall never see

A cat that sheds as much as thee.

Thy fur that sticks is all around

On chairs, on mats in little mounds.

I sweep the floor, you shed some more.

I wash the rug and you just shrug.

You should give thanks I tolerate that,

Or you would be a crew-cut cat.

Classified Information

For a little over a year, I was out of a job.  It's a tough economy in which to be job-hunting, and the search got to be a little daunting at times.

Fortunately, Bella was always happy to lend a hand.  Or paw, as the case may be.

And while I didn't find my current job in the classifieds, I do find my current job in the classifieds.  

Wait . . . what?

What I mean is that I'm currently working in the classified department of a small newspaper.  But I didn't find the job in the classified section.  Go figure.

I'm happy and grateful to have a job again.

Hey, as long as you can buy cat food, I'm good.

Green Greetings

Imagine my surprise when I came downstairs this morning and found Bella wearing this.

I was surprised mostly because I wasn't aware that Bella was an Irish cat.  However, she is a cat that tends to celebrate a lot of holidays, so I guess it only makes sense.

Of course, as soon as I saw the shirt, I felt compelled to go put on my own leprechaun-inspired garb.

Bella knew what was coming . . . a mother-daughter picture in matching shirts.  She groaned and rolled her eyes.

But (sort of) complied in the end.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Moving

Bella and I are moving.  We're leaving our wonderful apartment with its checkerboard kitchen floor and great balcony for birdwatching.  We're leaving behind so many beloved family members and friends.  We're heading south.  We have close family down there, and hopefully the job market is just a tad better than it is in Michigan.  

Moving can be tough on cats.  They don't tend to like change.  But the moving process can also be rather adventurous - I mean, there are boxes in which to crouch,

and on which to climb;

Storage bins in which to get trapped,

and magazine organizers in which to stuff oneself.

Best of all are the empty bookcases - they're great for lounging.

And if you get up high, away from your everyday circumstances, sometimes you can get a different perspective.

Yep, change can be hard for cats, and it's almost always hard for this human.  But I'm trusting it will be good.

Jeremiah 29:11

Choosing Chairs

Not all chairs are created equal.

Take the Palma Colonial Occasional Chair, for instance (Pier 1 named it, not me).  It has a certain style...a certain panache.  A certain...je ne sais quoi.

But I don't find myself sitting in it very often.  If I have a choice between a comfy couch or armchair and this chair's hard bamboo slats, you can guess what I'm going to choose.

As you can see, Bella feels similarly.

If anyone needs me, I'll be on the couch.

Late Christmas Greetings

I know we're into the new year, but hopefully the internet has room for a few more pictures of pine boughs, sparkling lights, and shiny packages.

Oh, and eager, inquisitive cats.

'Cause I've got pictures of all that in spades.

Bella and I feel a little chagrined about not getting our Christmas cards out this year.

Can you tell?

So please forgive us, and accept our belated Christmas greetings and sincere wishes for a blessed 2010!

Thankful