My Corgi Licked My Brain

Previously published, but still true...

OK, maybe Jon Farleigh only managed to get the back of my eyeball (when I accidentally sucked his tongue up my nose, as he and Dewi tried to lick my face off!). Nevertheless, that's what I get for lying flat on my back to get these pictures of me for the "Meet the Bloggers" hop sweeping through pet blog-land this week (2013). 

OK, if I was truly, fully participating in the blog hop, I'd answer a handful of set questions about myself--like what's my favorite book, movie, food, actor, extracurricular activities, and whether or not I'm happy with the way I turned out in life (or something like that). But, I'm only half-participating, so I'm just gonna answer these three questions that I made up by myself:

1. If you had to transform into a fruit or vegetable, what would you choose to be?

A strawberry, because they wear their seeds on the outside. 

2. If you could choose one other breed of animal to have as a pet (hypothetically, of course), what would it be?

A cow, and I would call her Sugar Plum, milk her and churn my own butter.

3. What is the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?

In July of the summer between 4th and 5th grade, I laughed so hard I peed my pants sitting in a restaurant booth with my three younger* siblings. Specifically, on a family vacation in rural Pennsylvania, having lunch in a Friendly's restaurant full of older couples eating in complete, dreadful silence. Yeah, silence, until someone (not to be named) farted like a trumpet off a vinyl booth seat and I laughed so hard I slid under the table, cried in silent, side-splitting agony, and undammed a warm, yellow river all over myself. But the worst** was having to do the shimmy of shame (my brother playing wingman behind me with a strategically placed tray) to get out the front door. Damn vinyl seats. 

Anything else you all want to know? 

* I was 10 and was the oldest (and presumably, most mature) one at the table. Let that sink in a minute. (The 70's were the BEST, if you were a kid, y'all!)

** Actually, the worst might have been having to change into an outfit that was not a handmade, matching set to my two younger sisters'. (Think The Sound of Music, VonTrapp family matching outfits, except not made from expensive drapes, but inexpensive, terry cloth beach towels.)

#LoveYourPetEveryDay, Even if It's 'For Their Own Good' and They Think You're a Clod

Addendum to the disclosure: I mentioned in my previous Chicken Soup for the Soul® Brand Pet Food post that I've been feeding the brand to my pets for 47 years (OK six, which is a long time in dog years), and that it warms my soul to know they're eating wholesome food that leaves them looking and feeling great. My point is--since the food is a no-brainer, and I had so much fun tackling the #LoveYourPetEveryDay subject--frankly, getting a nod from the brand to write this post felt like a Leprechaun's rainbow shot out of the sky and smacked me upside my head--in a good way. I hope you have as much fun reading as I did writing!

My foster dog, Leona Lilly, aka Lele, a 10-year-old chihuahua, has yeasty ears that require daily flushing with medicated ear drops. Despite my warming the bottle to match her ear temperature, and singing of soothing, sing-song-y songs with made up words, when she sees me pick up the bottle, she turns tail and sprints in the other direction. It doesn't matter how many times I tell her I'm only doing it "for her own good," because I love her. She thinks the ear drops are evil and that I am their steward.

Thank dog she can't talk; I'm pretty sure she'd make my oft-surly teenagers look like D.J. Tanner wannabes in comparison.

Lele Chihuahua: "I'll take the iPhone camera over the ear drops, but could'ya get a move on with dinner?"
Jon Farleigh: "I have some fuzz in my eye."

Whoever said loving a pet every day (as opposed to once a week/every other day/annually, or only when it's fun and they grin and spin around in bliss at your magnificence) was easy, well, couldn't possibly have needed to squirt anything medicinal in a pet's orifice. And, come to think of it, probably never did these other things (that I do daily) either:

• Withhold all chocolate*.
  No, they don't get any. Not even the speck that fell off my cookie crisp knockoff cereal, or the streak of ice cream that I missed when I licked the bowl. Not even when they stare at me with giant cow eyes. Because I love them, they will literally never experience death by chocolate.
• Tether dog by the neck and/or chest to my wrist at all times while outside.
  We don't have a fenced yard, so the dogs get attached to my wrist by a six-foot strip of industrial strength nylon webbing. They go only where I go. Because I love them, they will stay out of trouble in the great outdoors. 
• Orange tabby cat-proof the kitchen faucet with a rubber band bungee.
  
  
  Bobby Flay O'Fish is obsessed with turning on the levered kitchen faucet with his muzzle. It was cheaper to clamp the lever to the faucet with a giant blue rubber band than replace the faucet with something less cat-friendly. Bobby will not go thirsty. Because I love him, I prevent him from turning on the water full blast when no one is home (or awake) and wasting water, flooding the kitchen and running our water bill over Mt. Everest. Orange tabby cats fare better when their people are not mopping up floods and flat broke.
• Limit meal size to one healthy serving, vs. a Golden Corral-sized smorgasbord of all-you-can-eat everything-under-the-sun that is edible.
  
  

  

  I know the delicacies lurking behind you, pantry door. 

  
  I could open the pantry and refrigerator/freezer doors and let the dogs help themselves to whatever they want, whenever they want (which would be all the waking hours, and all the food, except for pretzels, sour apples, and pecans--the only things the dogs have ever NOT eaten when offered). But I don't. It doesn't matter that they finish before I've had time to walk a full lap of the kitchen, or that they bore holes in my face with their pleading eyes. Because I love them, I give them one measured serving per meal of a wholesome, natural kibble (such as the new Chicken Soup for the Soul Grain Free Salmon, Sweet Potato & Pea recipe for dogs**), topped with a dollop of a wholesome, natural wet food. Corgis and foster chihuahuas with defined waistlines (vs. puffer fish middles) are much less prone to injuring themselves getting on the couch for snuggles, among other important health risks. 

Now see? It's no wonder my pets think I'm a clod.

Except, wait. That's a short list, relatively speaking. If I made a similar list of all the easy ways I love them every day (because they ROCK)--like, for example, talking to them, smooching their heads, rubbing their bellies, scratching their chins/ears/backs/butts, feeding them regularly so they don't go hungry, keeping them warm/cool/dry, giving them soft, snugly places to rest their bones, giving them treats (even bacon, sometimes), playing with them, providing toys and exercise, making them sit for cute pictures to display proudly on social media, and giving them supervised time outside in the fresh air--it would be WAY longer.

In fact, I think the hard things might pale in comparison, especially for creatures with such limited attention spans (dried up leaf blowing by!). Perhaps they don't find me cloddish, after all? ☺

A clod? I think not!

* I eat something with cocoa in it every day, because I love myself.

** Lele the foster chihuahua has more than yeasty ears, she has irritated, yeasty skin and is losing patches of hair. In case it is related to food allergies, I've switched her to the new Chicken Soup Grain Free Salmon recipe, which not only contains a novel protein to her, but also novel carb sources. All of my appendages are crossed that it clears up her issues!

Can we talk foster chihuahua Lele for a bit? OK, so she's settling in really well, for a 10yo chi-chi, who's been...
Posted by The Chronicles of Cardigan on Monday, February 22, 2016

Thank you, Chicken Soup for the Soul, for helping me sort this daily pet-love thing out! Thanks, too, for the awesome nourishment you've been making for my awesome pets over the years!

Wanna serve some Chicken Soup for the Soul food to your awesome pet? Find your nearest retailer here. You'll also find the brand at major online retailers.

Is your pet your hero? Don't forget to enter Chicken Soup for the Soul's Show Us Your Hero pet contest! You could win an appearance on the CBS Saturday morning lineup show Hidden Heroes or in an upcoming book!

Love a pet food company that's committed to giving back to pets? Check this out!

• A portion of proceeds from the sale of Chicken Soup for the Soul pet food is donated to The Humpty Dumpty Institute, helping support organizations that feed and care for animals in shelters. 
• Royalties from the sale of the new books, Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Very Good, Very Bad Dog, and Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Very Good, Very Bad Cat will be donated to the American Humane Association. 
• Chicken Soup for the Soul is the official Dog Food Sponsor of the American Humane Association's Hero Dog Awards, including, more specifically, the Therapy Dog category.
• Local shelter pets (including some who've found their forever homes) are featured on every package of Chicken Soup for the Soul brand pet food.

For the latest news, deals and of course, Chicken Soup for the Soul-warming pet stories, be sure to follow the brand on social media.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

How do you love YOUR pet(s) every day? Is it more easy than hard? Are you a clod? ☺

Foster dog Lele is chowing down on @chickensouppets new grain free salmon, sweet potato & green pea recipe dog food. She has AWFUL skin and ear issues, and I'm HOPING...the switch to this new food with a novel protein and carbs will help clear her up. She'll certainly not miss the bi-weekly bathing and daily ear cleanings (even though I do it for her own good). ☺ Sometimes love is hard (right, Lele?). #LoveYourPetEveryDay #sponsored #chihuahua #fosterdog #rescue #dogfood #happydog

A video posted by Elizabeth Keene (@chroniclescardi) on Feb 24, 2016 at 6:40pm PST

Amp Your Aura (and Karma) in Dean Russo Jewel Tone Tees From The #MountainArtwear + Giveaway!

A good day = Picking up a new foster kitten from the Richmond SPCA wearing my Dean Russo The Rescue Collection kitty t-shirt from The Mountain®. No makeup required.

(Rescue cats are my passion, y'all.)

So today, y'all, I'm talking about The Mountain clothing company. More specifically, The Mountain's Dean Russo Rescue Collection of pet t-shirts - in all their bold, benevolent, jewel-toned beauty. I mean, do you see that shirt I have on?!

Wait, look at it up close...

Note: I modeled it backwards so you could enlarge the image without my feeling cheap. Though, it looks pretty good backwards, trust me, the tee is much more becoming facing forwards. 

And, can you see that wonderful earthy effect in the dye? Not only is there interest in the t-shirt fabric itself, but due to a unique printing process, after one wash, I can't feel a difference in the cat design and the rest of the shirt. The 100% preshrunk cotton fabric is substantial (not wafer thin, requiring a second layer), but soft and non-constricting. I'm wearing an adult size SMALL (unisex). I'm also 5' 8+" and slightly fluffy. The small fits me perfectly when paired with relaxed-fitting denim. If you are smaller than I (thin/petite), you'll get a looser fitting top (would look great with skinny jeans/leggings), or you might try a kids' size XL. 

One more backwards shot with my tabby soul man, Maddox. ♥

Have I mentioned before that this precise shade of green is my favorite color? It is.

This is what it looks like (using a special, neuro-light-splitting-electromagnetic camera lens) when one's aura is amped while wearing a The Mountain t-shirt. #notreally #theauracomesfromwithin #thispiciscoolthough

And that I love wearing jewel tones* and t-shirts? Especially cat and dog and the occasional farm animal (oh, yes, I ordered it) t-shirts?

Made from environmentally friendly fabrics and dyes, in the USA t-shirts?

Maddox could be the model for this tee, don't you think? ♥ Check out his HUGE polydactyl mitts!  

And pet-loving artists who put their dog, cat and other animal art on these t-shirts? 

One more, with a derp face. ☺ Gosh, I love my old man!

And animal-loving companies that sell these artists' artwear and then turn around and donate part of the proceeds to animal welfare organizations, like the awesome no-kill Best Friends Animal Society?

Well, you do now! And guess what? The Mountain company and its t-shirts fit ALL those criteria! Yay! 

* "Neons can make you sallow. Pastels can make you look wan and gray. But jewel tones - from smoky quartz to pale citrine - make anyone look glowy."

- from this article at Oprah.com

Y'all, it's not just me; these Dean Russo shirts will make you look positively GLOWY (even on the INSIDE, because your purchase is helping animals, hence the "amping of your aura"), and you don't even have to have a baby 9 months later! Score!

That's my sweet Bertie!

BUT WAIT! I've got a HUGE DISCOUNT for you, good toward anything on the whole The Mountain site (including their dramatic Big Face™ tees - hint: there's a CORGI! - and a whole other section of Dean Russo)!

** Enter 25% off COUPON CODE: MTNPETS at checkout! **
Code good through 9/31/15.

How would you like to win a year's worth of (your choice of tee, one per month for 12 months) The Mountain tees (for yourself and up to five members of your household. That's like 60 free tees!)? Well, you MIGHT, simply by entering this giveaway!

GOOD LUCK, EVERYBODY, and be sure to follow The Mountain on social media to keep up with the latest news and discounts!

* Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Blog * Pinterest

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Meanwhile...

"Attention, please. Kooky selfie-taking pet lady in produce. Use caution when approaching."

Truth: I walked a circle around meat and produce about 5 times for this 6 seconds of video. AND, a manager with a clipboard scooted in beside me in the salad section, pretending to look at something in the case (when she was really trying to assess whether I was a nut case), before saying "How are you, today?" and strolling off.  I guess they thought I was using my camera to spy for a competitor. Haha, if they only knew...☺

P.S. Remember that "boxed" foster kitten I had in the first image? Yes, well, this is what came out of the box when I got home...

Squee! "Coco Puffs" will be available for adoption at the Richmond SPCA in a couple weeks! ♥

(Besides the Obvious) 5 Reasons I'm Happy to to Be Home From the BlogPaws Conference

For the most part, conferences (especially when they're in popular vacation spots, like Las Vegas and Nashville, for example) are fun. So much fun, in fact, that I need about three days to recover after returning home. 

(Note: Recover = sleep and minimal mental exertion = for example, {to child} "No, I can't drive you to X place at 8 a.m." and {to husband} "Sorry, but am I going to have to actually get up, get dressed and talk to the irrigation people when they get here? Or will they just remember what you told them on the phone, do all the work and leave quietly?")

The good news is that it's been three days since I returned home from the BlogPaws Pet Blogger and Social Media conference in Nashville, TN, so I'm refreshed and raring to put to use some of the many things I learned! The bad news? I have to deep clean my whole house in preparation for events surrounding my daughter's graduation from high school this weekend, so those ambitions will have to wait until next week. (Also, yes, I am aware that it's almost Friday, which doesn't give me a lot of time for chores. Let's just say the "deep" in "deep clean" is relative.☺)

That's me, walking the red carpet before the BlogPaws Nose-to-Nose Awards gala. My blog was a finalist in two categories: Best Blog Design and Best Humor Blog. I did not win.**  I was, however, awarded a certificate of excellence for my blog's About page.
image courtesy BlogPaws and bybecka.com

Here is the full, live-streamed Nose-to-Nose Awards ceremony, if you care to see it. The video will start (I'm sorry, I'm just so thrilled my little blog was mentioned, I had to cut it right to the chase!) where the Best (pet blog) About Page is announced.

But back to BlogPaws for a bit: Holy dog and cat, what a flipping good time! There is so much I could say about the learning (in acclaimed author and Vietnam veteran, Lon Hodge, aka "Mr. Gander's" creative writing session, titled, The Raccoons Stole My Peanut Butter; award-winning writer and blogger, Maggie Marton's authenticity in writing session; and the Web-building genius, Jill Caren's advanced SEO session, just to name a few places). But, I won't - because I'd bore you and you'd leave, and I don't want you to leave because I have an important list for you to read. (In only 3.5 more minutes, I promise!)

And, don't even get me started on the fantastic people (I can't name them all, so I won't even try. If I talked to you at the conference, consider yourself included. Except for that one person who looked at me like I was a five-headed alien...KIDDING! No one looked me that way {not to my face, anyway})! ☺ 

Then there were all the pets...oh my gosh, SO many (besides my own, who were chilling at home)! Here's just a small sample (shot with my cell phone). 

So this is Adorable Sleeping Foster Kitten (I don't know his real name, nor who was holding him, because I was running. If someone else knows, please let me know in comments so I can correct!)

And here we have the lovely (and terribly modest) Luna and her mama, Jessica S. (fellow Virginians, I will add), from the budget-conscious and DIY dog-blog, Beagles and Bargains. 

(Nope, I am not sh^tting you.☺) Any Instagram-ers out there? If so, you might recognise Priscilla here! She and her bro, Poppleton (who is smooshed down in the stroller beside her), the mini-pigs are BIG Instagram stars, with nearly half a MILLION followers! (@prissy_pig) (I still can't believe I saw these two at the conference.)

And last, but not least, for Corgi Nation...

This is the lovely Eve Corgi Coulter (aka "VP of Princessology"), who, along with her brother, Ty Coulter, are the stars of the popular blog and Facebook page, Corgilicious! (Miss Eve was the ONLY corgi at the conference, and meeting her made my whole day!)

Y'all, this was my fourth BlogPaws conference, and let me tell you, it takes massive will-power (and practice, I've learned) to get anything "serious" accomplished with all the critters running around! And they are all so well-behaved!

Do you wanna know a secret? I started pining for Jon Farleigh, Dewi and (most of) my cats by the second night. Yep. Turns out it's hard for me to sleep un-cramped in a queen bed, in relative silence (relative to the humming of the kitchen exhaust fan, just beyond the balcony). So even though I had a wonderful time in Nashville (including getting out on the town for a day), it was really good to get home to my furry family (and, I suppose, the un-furry family, too). ☺

That's not all. I've realized, this week, a few other (less-obvious) reasons I'm happy to be home, too. Perhaps you can relate. 

5 Less-Obvious Reasons I'm Happy to Be Home From the BlogPaws Conference

1. No more loneliness in the bathroom! Seriously. I never know how much I appreciate furry potty-time companionship until I'm without it for a stretch. 

2. (And speaking of potty-time...) REGULARITY! As in, it's back! (Can someone please tell me what it is about not being able to go when one is away from home? Especially when one has a roommate? I mean, it's not like (in my own experience) I eat any less, or fewer fiber-rich foods (I might even eat more fiber), or that I'm actively trying to will off the urge for several days straight - it just simply DOES NOT HAPPEN. But when I'm home? {hurry! insert mental image of baby foxes in a hollowed out log, to cancel out the other...image of a baby panda in a bamboo thicket!}

3. Less-than-casual Fridays are back! OK, less-than-casual ALL the days! (Less-than-casual = pajamas or too-embarrassing-for-even-the-grocery-store sweats. Oh, and no makeup.) Hoorah!

4. (Here's one that many of us probably take for granted...) I'm the best blogger in the room! (I'm just saying, there should be an award for that. And if you're NOT a blogger? Well, just insert whatever it is that you ARE: freelance writer, mom, bookkeeper, painter, 900# phone operator, WHATEVER! If you're the only one in the room, you're the BEST! ☺

5. And, finally (this one is pretty confined to my personal situation, I have to say), 99.42% confidence (after all the learning I did in the advanced SEO class at BlogPaws) that NO ONE is going to find this blog post through a Google search! (.58% of me is still hopeful that someone will look up "SHY BOWELS WHEN AWAY FROM HOME + BLOGPAWS," because then, I win! Woo!) 

And to Dorothy...you were right: There's no place like home! (♪♪ Dun dun dun dun dun...dun dun dun! ♪♪)

OK, what did I leave off the list, you guys? Anything? Did you go to BlogPaws (or any other conference, ever)? Why are you glad to be home?

* BlogPaws '16 is going to be in Phoenix, AZ! Will you be there, too? 

** The Nose-to-Nose award for Best Blog Design went to Jessica W. and You Did What With Your Wiener. The award for Best Pet Humor Blog went to Jennifer C. and My Brown Newfies & Me. If you haven't already, check them out!

Tacky Cardigan With Words on It: Common Sayings Taken the Wrong Way: Pet Peeve

Have you ever sat down and thought about all the sayings we American English-speakers use that if taken literally (or even just the wrong way), could make a person unversed in the vernacular, wonder how hard we must have hit our heads when we fell off the turnip truck? I mean, why we say such nonsense?

Well, I do. And, to tell you the truth, I can't believe how many sayings I use that flat-out don't make any sense. And worse, if someone pressed me about why I say them, or where the expressions originated, I'd just have to stand there scratching my head. (Like, how do I know? I wasn't born back then!) Think about it. Isn't it weird? How we do this all day, and never stop to question the sensibility of the words coming out of our mouths? Or whether there's a different way of saying what we mean?

Like how, for example, do I "fly by the seat of my pants" to go anywhere? I mean, what does that even mean - fly by the seat of my pants? Because the image I'm getting is that of an invisible hook in the sky that dangles people by the belt loops, and then, whirls them around like Dumbo's on a Disney theme park ride. But, what happens after that? When the "newbie" gets more seasoned at whatever the heck it is they're doing? Does a flying carpet whiz in and take over? Then maybe a hang-glider? Until, finally, they've mastered the thing and get to ride in a plane, only to willingly jump out with nothing but a parachute to break their fall back to the hard ground? NOPE! NOT ME! I'd just assume not ever do anything remotely new and difficult again!

Fly by the seat of my pants, huh. What a stupid thing to do!

I'm no Dumb-o! Just leave me on the ground, thanks!
via insidethemagic.net

{Insert pause here. Count off: one second, two seconds, three seconds, four seconds...}

I'm sure I was trying to make a point with all that blather...oh yes! Pet peeve*! Have you ever wondered why exactly we use those specific words for this particular thing we're trying to convey? Like, why "pet" and why "peeve"? So, OK. I know a peeve is something annoying, but why do we, then, call the MOST annoying thing possible to us, our PET? Isn't that another way of saying it's our favorite, or worse, most beloved annoying thing? But, that doesn't even make sense! How freaking annoying!

* Grammar nerds may click here and/or here for the definition of "pet peeve" and here and/or here for its origin/etymology. (By the way, the experts can't even completely agree on this "pet peeve" stuff. So, tell me, how the heck are we commoners supposed to explain what it means to someone who doesn't speak English as a first language?! Also, why do dogs dig to China? And, why have I, on purpose, just bunched up my own panties? Don't answer that!☺)

AHEM

Alright. So, I've established that "pet peeve" is a weird combination of words. Hold on to that thought for a minute...

A couple weeks ago, I decided to scoop up Jon Farleigh (he's 37 lbs.-light) and dance around the kitchen (it was Mother's Day weekend and I was feeling extra happy**; haven't you ever spontaneously grabbed your pet for a dance?). One of my kids grudgingly took some pictures. Yes, she did, and, it turns out - from her vantage point - Jon wasn't feeling the joy quite as much as I was. (Though, to me, the back of his head sure did look adorable - bobbing up and down to the beat.) I'm not sure what he was feeling, truthfully, but when I saw this particular photo, just two words sprang to mind.

Now, this? This definition of "pet peeve," I can explain.  ☺

What's your most beloved annoying expression? Have you even thought about it before today? Does your dog or cat like to dance with you? (Don't lie. hehe)

** I was extra happy, listening to this LunchMoney Lewis tune my kids found for me. I dare you not to dance. 

11 Unexpected Ways Living With Dogs Is Like Living With Babies (Plus 1 About Cats)

You don't have to have a baby to know what it's like to live with a baby. How can I say this, you ask? Because I've had both babies and dogs. Three of each, in fact. And I'm telling you, if you want to know at least a modicum of what babies are like (without having your own), get a dog. And if you've had both? See if you don't agree!

Note: I can think of way more than 11 similarities, but for the sake of your attention span, I prioritized the less expected ones. (Portions of this list were previously published here.)


11 Unexpected Ways Living With Dogs is Like Living With Babies

1. A formed BM (after a sustained period of "unformed" BMs, aka horrible, explosive sh^t that necessitates a bath/shower/laundry/or infected item(s) thrown - using tongs and rubber gloves - in the outside garbage) is cause for loud celebration.
(Because one hasn't fully experienced parenthood until needing to cut the infected onesie off one's baby, or throw Fluffy's entire L.L. Bean (for example) dog bed in the trash.)

Soft, warm pretzel, anyone?

2. Leaving the house with either (baby or dog) requires one to tote an ample supply of plastic poo receptacles, both of which - when loaded - are like toxic hot potatoes, and must be thrown far, far away, to avoid olfactory assault, dry heaves and perceived ridicule from random passers-by.

Same sh*#, different butt.

3. They both eat crayons. Which makes for colorful #2.

4. Sometimes, they need a pacifier to satisfy their oral fixations.

5. Even though the toilet is only 5 feet (or less) away, they throw up on the floor/bed/you.

6. They make accessorizing outfits a breeze.

7. Extended periods of blissful silence, somehow, always end up as nature's way of getting you back for being selfish and inattentive. 

8. They enjoy the taste of furniture.

You know the saying: "Your face will freeze that way!"
(It won't, but don't tell any dogs or babies, OK?)

Image courtesy: My Parents
 (yes, it's me; I might not have actually eaten the table,
but I could have.)

9. They like to eat food off the floor. And if you have BOTH dogs and babies (or cats and babies, for that matter), they'll eat EACH OTHER'S food off the floor. 

Source: Bored Panda

10. For entirely different reasons, you'll want to nibble their feet.

And, lastly (because I can't resist, and I certainly wouldn't want you to think having dogs and/or babies is a bad thing), one AWESOME way living with dogs is like living with babies...

11. Their mega-watt smiles might make you melt into a quivering pile of goo!

The resemblance* is uncanny, don't you think?

* Really? You think 6-month-old me looks like Jon Farleigh? (wink)

*****

Wait! You know what? Living with cats is like living with babies, too. Yeah, they can't keep their clothes/shoes/vital accessories on for 5 minutes!

See what I mean?

Darn cat. ☺


So for anyone else out there who's had experience with both dogs (and/or cats) and babies, got anything to add to the list?

Yes, Virginia, Cats Do Purr in Heaven (and Here's Why)

So yesterday - in a typical bout of deep thought - I found myself questioning (for the first time ever) whether cats purr in Heaven. And if they do, why? I mean, since it seems that cats purr on Earth mostly to express contentment, wouldn't it be redundant, or wasted energy, for them to purr in Heaven? Because, duh, it's Heaven, and they'd be purring non-stop!

But then, the thought of never getting to hear cats purr in Heaven made me sad (assuming I'll be joining them there), because besides Dewi making wookiee noises, babies laughing, mockingbirds singing and waves crashing, I can't think of many other noises from nature that I enjoy half as much as a cat's contented purring. sigh

But before I could get all sad about not wanting to go to a Heaven without cat purrs, I told myself to step back and consider the question from another angle: maybe cats purr because they're happy on Earth, but for some other reason in Heaven? Then I looked over and saw Maddox, and thought, Maddox doesn't purr a whole lot, but when he does he gets all into it, with gurgling noises and kneading...and then, I thought of my new t-shirt that shows a kitty baking bread, and I thought, GREAT SCOTT, THAT'S IT! Cats purr and knead when they're happy on Earth (due to memories of their mama's milk bar, I suspect), but in Heaven, cats knead and purr BECAUSE THEY'RE MASTER CINNAMON BUN BAKERS! SQUEE!

shirt.woot.com Makin' Bread

Yes, that had to be it! Cats purr in Heaven while they knead the bun dough! (Think about those dwarfs whistling while they work!) And even more, because it's Heaven, cats' breath will no longer smell of tuna, but of vanilla icing, and they won't need claws or teeth, nor will they shed (but they'll still look the same, just a little fluffier, like unicorns) and EVERYBODY will love them, because in Heaven, everybody loves warm, kitty-made-with-love cinnamon buns! 

Oh, and then I remembered that my Maddox (like lots of other cats) has extra toes on his paws (polydactyl), and was like, OH MY GOSH! Polydactyl cats, in Heaven, are like Jedi Master bun makers! They're the cats in charge of teaching all the standard, 5-toed kitties how to knead cinnamon bun dough to angels' standards! And, you guys, the stars (might have) aligned in the East and it all made perfect sense! Imagine how soundly I slept last night!

And now? I'd like a warm, sticky Cinnabon, thank you! Wouldn't you? ☺

***

This post is dedicated to the life and memory of my dear, sweet Eva kitty, whom my family unexpectedly lost last week (from what was likely advanced lymphoma). I wrote about it on Facebook, where you can find more details. 

Post by The Chronicles of Cardigan.

Three years ago, I wrote another post about Eva; her purrs were top-of-mind that day, too (though for different reasons). It was, and remains, a celebration of my unlikely bond with this cat. Here it is again, in its entirety. Thank you for celebrating Eva with me!

Originally published on March 22, 2012...

Why I'm Head-Over-Heels for My Oft-Hateful, Once Borderline-Feral Cat

We (I) rescued Eva a few years ago from a life on the lam. She showed up on my front porch out of the blue one day, covered in ticks and half-starved. She was far from reciprocal of my attempts at friendship, but grateful for a meal.

For weeks after taking her in, I agonized that I'd made a HUGE mistake in keeping her. She never came out of the basement except to eat, and she distrusted (and therefore, treated with disdain) every human in my house. It was awful.

But then slowly, after - I presume - she began to view us (especially me because I'm the one who was with her most of the day) as not threats so much, but colony members, she made more and more appearances and even allowed some limited handling (meaning, only from the front and only her head and neck).

It wasn't much, but it was enough to give me hope.

Weeks and months passed, and so did Eva's penchant for lonely basement living. And while she still preferred to see the human's hand before it made contact with her fur, once it did, she clearly enjoyed it, narrowing her eyes and belting out choruses of idling lawn mower engines in the distance.

Then one day she followed me.

Not to her empty bowl. Not to the pantry where the cat treats are dispensed. Not to the couch where the bowl of ice cream I'd just finished would be placed on the floor for her licking pleasure (yes, I do).

But simply to the place where I was going.

Because on that day, in that moment, all she (this borderline-feral, emotionally-scarred animal) wanted was me.

***

On a typical morning around here, the cats curl up in their favorite out-of-the-dogs'-reach place and nap for a good two-three hours.

Eva's preferred napping place is in my bedroom, even though I have to shut the door behind her to keep the dogs from running in and wreaking havoc.

When I opened that door today, Eva raised her head in typical fashion, had a good stretch and was eager to participate in the morning's activities (eating, cat box-visiting and self-grooming in a sunbeam, in that order).

So today, like most days, she made her way to the kitchen - where the dogs eagerly awaited their after-breakfast snack. However, unlike most days, she didn't keep to the rest of her routine.

You see, while the dogs were still frolicking in the kitchen, I'd made my way back down the hall to my bedroom. I almost got there, too.

But then, I heard the bell on the cat's collar, then galloping footsteps, and just as I was about to cross the threshold of my bedroom door, she flew past me in a blur of black fur. And when she turned, flashed me a look of adoration that beckoned like a magnet to steel.

And it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Eva'd returned to the very place she'd just eagerly left. However, not for food nor water. Not for an after-dinner grooming session, nor to satisfy any other cat-ly need. 

It was simply because it was where I was going.

Because today, in that moment, all she (my borderline-domestic, cherished family pet) wanted was me.

So, I shut the door behind us and held reverie in the chorus of idling lawn mower engines in the distance.