Smokey or Possum? YOU decide!

Lucy at last Wednesday's sleepover.

Mommy had her sleepover with Grandma and she said it didn't go well. Oh, the company was just fine, but Mommy said the steak she bought was not very good, the melon she brought from the garden wasn't very good, and none of the people she wanted to win on America's Got Talent won.

Mommy talked Grandma into watching the final vote for America's Got Talent instead of watching a movie. Besides, Susan Boyle was making her American singing debut which Mommy PREDICTED many months ago would take place on the finale of America's Got Talent. Mommy likes Susan's voice but did not care for the song that much. THEN, a guy who CAN"T SING worth beans won the contest over people much more talented than him. Mommy got worked up watching the show and Grandma had to shut the windows on her porch because she was afraid her neighbors would call the police because she (Grandma) lives a very quiet life and Mommy was talking and swearing pretty loudly.

The turtle sundae was good...the first of the season for Mommy and Grandma. Good thing they got to Sycamore because they will be closing in the next couple of weeks.

Then Mommy couldn't fix Grandma's computer. She is getting a monitor resolution error and Mommy couldn't even boot in Safe Mode (whatever that means) and Grandma is still without her computer. One of Mommy's brothers is going to take a monitor over and hook it up and see if Grandma's monitor is just bad. Mommy and Grandma may be shopping for a new monitor or a new computer on the next sleepover.

And then there was the touch-up paint job where Mommy touched up Grandma's walls with the wrong color paint and then wondered why it didn't look right. It really is kinda funny. Finally, with the right paint, Mommy touched up the walls again, and the spots with two coats look fine, but Mommy may have to repaint one whole wall for Grandma on the next sleepover. There may not be a movie that night either!

So Mommy Bonnie got her car back from the shop today (I did mention she got back-ended on her first day of class, right?) and it looks great. But a lady ran into the Honda on Tuesday as Mommy was turning into the grocery store near her work and now the Pilot will have to go through repairs! It is such a pain to get estimates and loaner cars, etc.

We are getting a pole building put up that will be a garage for the cars and house bicycles, lawn equipment, etc. Every time I hear Builder Mike and his crew I run up to the loft and hide under the quilt on the futon. I was under there a very long time on Thursday until Mommy came up and told me that everything was okay. The building will also have a shop for Mommy Bonnie to make wine in.

So Mommies were in Roanoke last Saturday for the Fall Festival and ran into Mr. Taylor again. This time he was with his wife and his son and daughter. I really liked his son a lot. His son told Mommy that they looked and looked for me when it was time for them to leave the campground and his parents told him that they knew Mommy would find me and would give Smokey a good home. Smokey...that is the name they gave me. So now I have even another name to add to the name my mother gave me and the name Mommy gave me. Even though it has been a year, Mr. Taylor and his family haven't forgotten me and I think that is really special.

No movies and no books to review. Mommy is reading E.L. Doctorow's Homer and Langley and says it is beautifully written.

A busy weekend for Mommy. Lots to do inside and out.

~There is no such thing as a FREE kitten!~

Possum Taylor? NOT!

See the water drop? I am waiting to catch it!

See the drop on my face that looks like a tear?

Lucy on the last sleepover.

Sometimes things that happen are just strange.

Mommies went to Roanoke today to the farmer's market. Mommy saw a couple of volunteer firemen and thought one looked familiar...that it was Mr. Taylor who didn't adopt me last Labor Day because he couldn't find me when it was time for his family to leave Timber Lake.

Anyway...it WAS Mr. Taylor and he remembered Mommy and, more importantly, he remembered ME!!! He said he and his family often talked about me and wondered what had happened to me. They had assumed that Mommy had adopted me and given me a good home. So Mommy told him that she had, indeed, taken me to Fort Wayne to live and that now I was back at Timber Lake living in the cottage. Mr. Taylor knew right where the cottage is. He told Mommy that he was very glad to learn that I had a good home and that his family would be very happy to find that out. Mommy told him my name and how much I weighed, and Mr. Taylor was impressed with what a big boy I turned out to be.

But here is the strange part of the whole encounter...that it was exactly one year ago that all of the adoption craziness took place...over Labor Day weekend. And on the exact same holiday weekend a year later, Mommy runs into Mr. Taylor and gives him an update on me. Don't you think that is weird?

Do you remember earlier this year when Mr. Taylor's photo was in the Huntington Tab and Marquette told me about it? Mommy wanted to email Mr. Taylor then and let him know about me. Mommy still has the note the Taylors wrote and left on the camper saying they couldn't find me when they left. I don't think we have seen nor heard the last of the Taylors. It is a small world.

And Possum Taylor? If I had gone home with the Taylors I wouldn't now have a last name no one can spell and most mispronounce!

~There is no such thing as a FREE kitten!~

Celebrating a year of adoption and blogging!

Your blogger.

Marquette (L) and Tacumwah on the cat ledge.

Those danged blinds!

It is September. It was a year ago that I was adopted...the 7th of September to be exact. My very first post was Sept. 10. Wow! That is hard to believe! And here I am, a year later, back where it all started, at Timber Lake, having a very good life...just like Mommy promised me a year ago when we talked over Labor Day about the possibility of me going home with her. So one year of my 20-year contract is gone, and boy did it fly by!

My brother and I hit it off the second we were reunited, but it took Tacumwah a very long time to like me. We play together now and she doesn't ever hiss at me any more. I am not afraid of her and we both initiate games, but even though I am almost twice her size, I know who is boss.

Mommy is my favorite human and I still haven't warmed up a whole lot to Mommy Bonnie. She is very nice to me, but I can't get over that she wanted Mommy to find me a home and separate me from my brother forever. I still think that if I let my guard down, she may ship me off somewhere. So I don't love on her or anything. I just kind of tolerate her.

Mommy is on vacation and it is nice having her home for a couple weeks. She has been working in the vineyard. Today she went shopping with Mommy Bonnie for the staples...cat food, ice cream, and beer and wine!

Because Mommy has had a cold, she hasn't done much reading or movie watching. She just wants to get better so she can go to her next sleepover on the 16th. She has a book on reserve at the library...E.L. Doctorow's latest book, Homer and Langley. She is looking forward to receiving it.

I guess I am done for today. This will be the last big weekend at the campground so there may be lots of people about.

~There is no such thing as a FREE kitten!~

Yes, I am a BIG boy!

Why does she do this to me?

Big, but very handsome!

Another week has flown by since my last post. Things have been very busy here. Mommy Bonnie started classes on Monday and - wouldn't you know it? - a young girl ran into the back of the Jetta while Mommy Bonnie was slowing down for an accident in front of her. The damages are not too bad since the bumper did what it was supposed to do and absorbed the impact.

Mommy spent the last two days mowing along the road for the second time. She said it was easier this time and she was hoping she would not get poison ivy, but she did. Maybe it won't be so bad this time.

Book review: Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. This is the book that the movie was made from...the insane challenge one woman gave herself to make every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in 365 days (and blogging about it). Mommy didn't think she would like this book when she first began reading it, but it turned out to be pretty funny and entertaining. What Mommy appreciated most about this book was the honesty. Powell wrote of her failures as well as her successes, and pulled no punches in describing the filth that built up in her kitchen over the year (sinks that would not drain, flies, maggots). Mommy thinks this book is well worth the read and thinks it would make a great book club book.

Mommy will be on vacation starting Wednesday of next week. She will be home for 12 days and is looking forward to doing nothing!

~There is no such thing as a FREE kitten!~

Life is good

Lucy and friend

Me

Mommy and Karen

Another day at The Farm. Mommy has been gone for her sleepover and got back before noon today. Mommy Bonnie took care of us and she did a good job. She doesn't put quite as much food in our food bowls as Mommy does, but we get by.

On Monday Mommy and her friend, Karen, met at Ziffles's for barbeque. Mommy so enjoys the time she spends with Karen! They laugh at everything!

On Wednesday, Mommy and Grandma got their August sleepover in. They had scallops, slaw and spicy fries, and a WONDERFUL cherry pie made from sour cherries from the trees belonging to our neighbor, Denny. Mommy's brother, Connie, stopped by to say hi. Mommy loves seeing both of her brothers and their wives. The older she gets, the more she enjoys the time they spend together.

Movie review: The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke. Of all the 2008 movies up for Oscars in 2009, Mommy put off watching The Wrestler, thinking that a movie about pro wrestling could not be that good. Wrong! This was a wonderful movie with Oscar-worthy performances by Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei. Rourke plays Randy "The Ram" Robinson whose story is less about his success as a pro wrestler and more about his failures at his personal relationships with his estranged daughter and Tomei, a professional stripper. Mommy and Grandma did not expect to like this movie and LOVED it. Just goes to show you, I guess. When the movie is over, unless Tomei had a body double, the viewer is treated to just about every inch of her body...nude! We should ALL have such great bodies! Four stars, without a doubt!

Mommies went to the BMV yesterday to change their legal residence to The Farm, and to get plates for the Honda and Mommy Bonnie's VW Jetta. Mommy loves both of the vehicles, but she just adores driving the Pilot, which she plated and pays the insurance on.

Movie review: Grey Gardens with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. Mommy gives this TV movie 4 stars. She very highly recommends that our readers first watch the original Grey Gardens (1975) with the real Big and Little Edith Beale. Without watching the 1975 movie first, you will not be able to appreciate the performances by Barrymore and Lange, nor the makeup. The 2009 TV movie is incredible, but you won't know that unless you see the 1975 movie. Mommy does not want to spoil one minute of these movies by telling our readers anything about them. You have to experience this to believe that anyone could live this way. You won't believe what you see!

Mommy is about halfway through Julie and Julia...the book. She has come up with a great idea! Mommy thinks that when the movie comes out on DVD, that people should have Julie and Julia dinner parties. Someone hosts the party which includes a viewing of the movie. The host makes the main dish...perhaps Boeuf Bourguignon. All guests are to bring an accompanying dish from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This format could also be used for book clubs. Anyway, Mommy is going to do this on a verrrry small scale. Miss Marra invited herself out when Mommy gets a copy of the movie, and Mommy may ask a couple of other people. Sounds like a good time!

Mommy Bonnie starts class on Tuesday! Mommy is going to enroll at IPFW so she can take a class now and then, too.

~There is no such thing as a FREE kitten!~

A hot day predicted for The Ridge!

Who? Me?

My brother lying next to Mommy on the front porch futon.

It has only been a week this time since I have been able to get Mommy to sit down with me and post to my blog. I suppose since there is not much going on with me these days, that once a week will have to do.

Mommy was up verrry early this morning...like about 3:40 a.m. She made coffee and went outside and sat on the porch. I thought this was very strange behavior until HE showed up. Mommy's son, KJ, stopped by on his way to Hiner to drop off some movies for Mommy and to have a cup of coffee. I didn't know what to do. I ran around anxiously, trying to figure out the best place to hide. You see, whenever people come over I run up the stairs and dive under the quilt on the bed. But Mommy Bonnie was on the bed sleeping and I am still not 100% cool with her. So I ran into the kitchen, then past KJ and on to the front porch, then finally I ran up the stairs. I peeked through the railing to study KJ before getting under the quilt. But there was Mommy Bonnie's body, so I didn't stay long.

These massages I am getting are just great! Try as I may to get more, I only get one a day.

Mommy Bonnie has been sick so Mommy did not got for her sleepover on Wed. She stayed home and took care of us animal companions and Mommy Bonnie. Then she was going to try to go to Grandma's Saturday but that didn't work out either. So now they have rescheduled for this coming Wednesday.

Mommy has been busy cleaning the cottage since it has been too hot to work outdoors. It does look better, I must admit.

Book review: Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. Well, Mommy thought this might be the last Stephanie Plum novel she might read. But then she laughed so hard in a couple places that Stephanie has a reprieve for at least one more novel. Stephanie still can't apprehend skips, still blows up a car or two a book, and still can't make up her mind between Morrelli and Ranger, but the book was still a fun read. Stephanie Plum was just over 30 years old when the novels began. At one novel a year, she should be mid-40s by now and she still can't settle down with Morrelli?? Let's get real, here. Make up your mind already, girl!

Today Mommies are going to watch Grey Gardens with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. A review will follow. Mommies watched the original "movie" with the two Beales.

~There is no such thing as a FREE kitten!~

Heat index hits 100 at Blossom Ridge Farm!

Mommy Bonnie's Great Stuff pepper. It is huge!

Great Stuff is the name?

Me trying to nap behind the TV in the family room.

Another long time between posts. I guess The Farm blog is more important to Mommy now...and that new weather station she writes about. So the heat index today hit 100 degrees! Who cares?

There is absolutely nothing new with us cats. Same-old, same-old.

Mommy Bonnie is going back to college. She starts the 25th. She and Mommy bought a used Honda Pilot, trading in Mommy's Ford Focus. Of course all this info is on The Farm blog, which gets updated more often than MY blog!

So Mommies brought the used mower Mommy Bonnie purchased from a co-worker back from The Fort Thurs. night, and today, before the heat index got to 100, Mommy mowed some of the weeds around the cottage.

Movie review: Taken with Liam Neeson. We had to listen to this movie last night and it sounded pretty suspenseful. I heard Mommy say things like, "Wow!", and "Awesome!" When it was all over, I gather that she liked it, because I heard her tell Mommy Bonnie she would give it 3 stars. It was about this guy who used to be in the CIA. His wife divorced him and he lost touch with his daughter because he was too busy off hunting bad guys when she was growing up. His wife remarried and was making it difficult for him to have a relationship with his daughter. Then the daughter gets kidnapped, and Liam Neeson's character is off to Europe to save her. Mommy says if you like an entertaining action film, pick this one up. Lots of violence though. Mommy was surprised this was rated PG 13 and not R.

This is sleepover week. Grandma has been in Chautauqua but will be back Tuesday. Mommy and Grandma are almost to the bottom of the huge bag of scallops they opened many, many months ago, so they will have another round of them...along with a cherry pie Grandma made from the sour pie cherries our neighbor, Denny, gave Mommy some weeks back. The movie of the month will be The Wrestler.

Mommy finally moved up on the holds list for the latest Janet Evanovich book. She will review it when she is done. This may be the last Evanovich book Mommy reads. She says the stories are beginning to repeat themselves.

~There is no such thing as a FREE kitten!~