Beaux's Meme

Oh boy oh boy oh boy!! Beaux here and I am so excited because Dana over at Tybalt's tagged me for my very first meme!! Mommy made the kitties help me to blog today so that I can fill it out. WOWOWOWOWOWOW! I am so excited!! Here I go!

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

I was not borned yet as I am only about 4 1/2 years old. That was the estimate Aunt Susan gave to Mommy on my age when Mommy and Daddy rescued me from the really scary pound.

2. What are the 5 things on my to do list for today?

Sleep, Run, Dig at the fence, Bark really loud, guard the house, play with Samwise, play with Moppy and Reiley (neighbor dogs), eat food, eat snacks, drink water, chase kitties - is that more than five? I am not sure how many five is...

3. Snacks I enjoy:

Mommy says I have never had a food I did not like...you mean there are foods that I am not supposed to like? Because I eat everything and anything! I especially like meat and cheese and Beggin Strips!

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Take the fence in the backyard down so I could play with Moppy without having to dig under the fence to his side. And so I could run free all over the neighborhood! I love to escape and go exploring!

5. Three of my bad habits:

I play too rough with the kitties Mommy says. Also, I am a "digger dog" cause I dig under the fence to escape into the yard next door and play with my friend Moppy and to escape out in the neighborhood. Also, I have been known to ummm, "mark my territory" in the house. Mommy really hates that.

6. Five places I have lived:

Going from present to past I have lived with Mommy and Daddy, at the county pound which was awful, on my own in the streets and I am not sure where else. I was a young pup before Mommy and Daddy rescued me so I am unsure where I came from.

7. Five jobs I have had:

Job? Is this like what Mommy and Daddy do when they leave us during the week for the whole day? I do not do that - I am a spoiled puppy so I do not have a job.

Whew! That was hard work so I think I am going to lie down on the recliner and take a nap. When I wake up, I am going to go with Samwise and the kitties to a special secret party over at my friend George's blog. It's her birthday today!! Come over and play if you can!

Wordless Wednesday

Amazing Sites!

As we said yesterday, Mommy is sick with bronchitis so we kitties spent a lot of the weekend laying around in bed and on the couch with Mommy. We spent so much time with her that if she woke up and we were not there, she would come looking for us.

Dante was easy to find. If he was not in the big bed with Mommy, he was usually across the hall sleeping on the guest bed in the guest room/Fagin's room.

Mommy caught Dante dreaming of his Beautiful Pearl in this photograph. He's laying on Mommy's big and comfy body pillow that we just love to snuggle with. However, it's what Mommy discovered in the next picture that made her squeal and run for the camera while calling for Daddy and saying "Don't move. Please just stay there. I have to get a picture of this or no one will believe me!"

It's Captain Jack and Fagin sharing the same chair and taking a nap together out on our screened porch!! Mommy was shocked that not only were they touching each other, but that they both seemed quite happy that the other one was there. The Captain cannot deny it now. Fagin has finally managed to pass the Captain's tests and has officially become the newest little pirate on the Black Furrball! Huzzah!!

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day everyone! To all of the fallen heroes, and all of the past and present service members who have answered the call - thank you! Your sacrifice makes our freedom possible and we shall never forget that!

We hope that everyone has a safe and happy Memorial Day. We also wanted to tell everyone thank you so much for the hugs that you have left for us and know that we have hugs for the entire cat blogosphere too. We know we have not been around much lately but that is for two reasons.

The first is that lightening zapped our internet! Yep! We had a big thunderboomer on Friday afternoon and lightening came in from the outside and zapped the internet box at the street, the card in Daddy's desktop and our wireless network box! We are very glad it did not zap Daddy's computer too and since it came in from outside, our provider has to pay for the repairs! We were internet-less all day Friday and Saturday morning. Thankfully the repair guy came and replaced everything (well, all but the network box. Daddy had to go out and buy a new one so that our laptops would work) and we were back online by Saturday afternoon. The Captain was so thankful for the repairs (he was going thru Boo withdrawals) that he loved all over the repairman and the repairman petted Jack lots too. We think Jack made a new friend!

Secondly, Mommy went to the human V-E-T Friday and was told she has bronchitis. She's been coughing and laying in bed all weekend so we pirates have been keeping her company. Since we've been napping so much with Mommy, we have not had time to visit our friends but please know that we are thinking of you all and are sending our hugs too! We love our bloggy friends!

For Bonnie

Poem For Cats

And God asked the feline spirit

Are you ready to come home?

Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul

And, as a cat, you know I am most able

To decide anything for myself.

Are you coming then? asked God.

Soon, replied the whiskered angel

But I must come slowly

For my human friends are troubled

For you see, they need me, quite certainly.

But don't they understand? asked God

That you'll never leave them?

That your souls are intertwined. For all eternity?

That nothing is created or destroyed?

It just is....forever and ever and ever.

Eventually they will understand,

Replied the glorious cat

For I will whisper into their hearts

That I am always with them

I just am....forever and ever and ever.

-Author Unknown

Thankful Thursday

Yesterday, Daddy came home from work early because he had to go to the dentist (human teeths doctor). His appointment was rescheduled for a few hours later so we got to spend some of the afternoon on the porch with Daddy enjoying the warm Georgia weather. Well, Mommy says about 2pm she checked her email at work and had one from Daddy with a picture attached that was entitled:

"You Takes Your Beams Where You Can Find Them"

Ah! We are very thankful for Daddy, for Daddy getting to come home early yesterday, for Mommy who loves us so much then when she saw this picture she missed us so much that she wanted to come home but instead called Daddy to check on us and mostly, we are thankful for all sunbeams, no matter how great or how small!

Wordless Wednesday

Tabby Tuesday

Hey Kitties, Dante here. You guys are not going to believe what I heard my Mommy say about me last night. She said that I am fat and need to go on a diet!! WHAT? I am not fat! I may eat a lot but I work out and exercise a lot too - just look!

Ever since Fagin moved in, I've been the chief Pirate Trainer for the little guy. Here I told him to attack me and try to take me down any way he could. As you can see, he was unsuccessful and it was my manly bulk that kept him from being able to pull me down.

In this picture I am teaching Fagin how to escape any hold that another pirate kitty may try on him. As you can see I have him in a neck bite hold and he is trying to kick me off of him. It is my responsibility to make sure that ny new little brother is prepared for any foe he might face, so I have to definitely outweigh him to pull this training off successfully. I would never forgive myself if he were not prepared and got hurt or taken prisoner.

Finally, I have to teach the little guy paw to paw combat. Again, my size only benefits him because he can practice full out on me without fear of hurting me. I have plenty of natural bulk and padding. He needs this practice! It could mean life or death on the open seas! I owe it to the little guy to be the best and biggest trainer I can possibly be.

Yep, my Mommy is wrong. I am not fat, I am a big, mean, pirate kitty training machine! I am going to ignore what she said and take a nap. I think I will dream of my beautiful pirate love, my Black Pearl. There's not a prettier female kitty in this world and I bet she thinks I am a good looking mancat, no matter what Mommy thinks!!

Meet Some Friends

On Saturday, Mommy and Daddy took Samwise and went to a gathering at Uncle Dave and Aunt Susan's house. We asked Mommy to take some pictures of the new kitties Aunt Susan is handraising so that everyone can see them. She also took some pictures of two of our cousin cats so that you guys can meet them too! We'll start with the alpha kitty of the house!

Meet Quasimodo! He has a great story. Years ago, Aunt Susan was working at a local animal control and she was given the sad task of euthanizing some animals. When she entered the room and looked in a cage, she saw a grey and white ball of furr and infection. There was something about the kitty that she just fell in love with and she decided then and there that she could heal the little cat and that she would adopt him too. That was the first time she saw Quasimodo. He's a Persian and everyone loves him. He is also the original pirate kitty because he only has one eye because Aunt Susan had to remove the other one when she first adopted him because he had an awful sinus infection that affected his eye. He just had laser surgery on his good eye to remove some benign cysts on the eyelid. He's such a great cat that everyone threatens to steal him. Mommy says if Aunt Susan could clone him, she'd be rich!

This is their only female kitty, Janette. Janette came to live at Aunt Susan and Uncle Dave's house after a neighbor found her when she was just a little kitty - about 4 weeks old. As a vet, Aunt Susan often has neighbors bring foundlings to her (that was how Mommy and Daddy first met Samwise) but Uncle Dave fell in love with Janette the minute he saw her. She is about three years old and as fiesty as they come! Now, onto the kittens!!

Here is the Tortie - or LK 2 as Mommy and Aunt Susan are calling her. Like her sister, she is about 4 weeks old. Though she can eat stinky goodness, she still prefers kitten milk.

And here is LK 3. Like her sister, she is female and is actually the stronger of the two. She eats better though she will not say no to kittne milk. Mommy helped to feed her and says she eats like a pig! Both kitties are very very sweet and need good homes. If you know anyone who is interested, please let us know. We live right outside of Atlanta so definitely let us know if you are interested and in the area! Thanks!!

Finally Friday

Captain Jack: It's Finally Friday and all of us at the Black Furrball intend to do just what I am doing in the picture above - hang out (or upside down) and relax! Mommy is off work on Monday too and guess what! Last night Aunt Susan came over and jabbed Fagin with a needle!! It was great!

Purrageous Mom: Now Jack, Aunt Susan came over to give Fagin his next kitten booster vaccine. She didn't "jab" him, she gave him a shot and you know it! He's feeling fine by the way, not even droopy. (BTW - Aunt Susan still has not decided on a name for her new clinic. We'll let you know when she does!).

Captain Jack: Yeah yeah, but I am still glad it was not me. and guess what else kitties! Mommy went to Aunt Susan's last night and saw two baby kittens and DID NOT BRING THEM HOME!!

Purrageous Mom: Jack is right. The Black Furrball is currently at kitty capacity, but Aunt Susan is fostering two adorable month old kitties - a female tortie and a female solid gray kitty too. I'll try to get pictures of them this weekend to show everyone but if any of you know anyone who is interested in adopting a kitty, let me know!! Until then, we hope everyone has a great weekend!

Captain Jack: Yep, have a great weekend everyone!!!

Thursday Thirteen

Tybalt tagged Captain Jack and Bendrix tagged Dante and Fagin for the 7 Useful Things Meme. Since we were all tagged, we decided to modify it to a 13 Useful Things Meme and answer it together!

1. Captain Jack - I keep an eye on the birds that live outside to make sure that they do not suddenly go insane and start attacking the house and my beans like the birds in that Hitchcock movie did. I stare at the birds and even chitter at them to threaten them everytime I see them.

2. Dante - I guard the kitchen against all invaders by lying across the entrance to the room. No one will get past me and steal food without my knowing about it!

3. Fagin - I am Mommy and Daddy's alarm clock. When I was a little kitten and was locked into my room at night, I meowed and meowed every morning when it was time for Mommy to get up so she did not oversleep. Now that I am bigger and am not locked up at night, I curl up under Mommy's chin and purr loudly to make sure she does not oversleep. I even attack her hair if she does not pay attention to me! I start this at 3am so that there is no way that she will be late!!

4. Captain Jack - When Mommy comes downstairs in the morning, and while she is making her coffee, I make sure to jump up on the counter and meow loudly at her over and over again. She thinks I do this because I want Temptations (and I do) but I really do it to make sure she stays awake and does not fall back asleep. I would not want her to be late to day hunting!

5. Dante - I keep the dogs in line and make sure that they behave. I do this by growling, hissing and whapping them lots. The dogs need lots of discipline and I take care of this for my beans.

6. Fagin - I make Mommy and Daddy laugh lots. I do not know why. All I am doing to playing and attacking but they seem to find it funny!

7. Captain Jack - I keep the kitten in line by growling, hissing, and whapping him. Someone needs too - Fagin is a menance!

8. Dante - I help Daddy take his medicine at night. I jump up on the counter and watch him. When he is done, to reward him I climb up in his arms and let him carry me to bed.

9. Fagin - I help Dante to get his exercise by attacking him and making him play with me. Its fun!!

10. Captain Jack - I keep Mommy's fet warm by lying on them! This way she will not catch a cold!

11. Dante - I keep Mommy's head warm by wrapping around it like a scarf and purring. This way she will not catch a cold either!!

12. Fagin - I am cute.

13. Captain Jack, Dante, and Fagin - We make Mommy and Daddy happy and love them as they love us. It's been proven that people with animals live longer and are healthier. We love and we are loved. Not a bad deal at all!

Tuxie Tuesday

Finally, I get the bloggie all to myself and do not have to share with that little brat demon on Tuesday. Tuesdays are for Tuxies I say, NOT Tabbies. Sigh. It is not easy living with the brat you know. He attacks me when I am trying to sleep and last night he was lying on MY Mommy and I had to run him off of her lap! Sigh. He eats my crunchies and the idiot thinks Temptations are for batting around. I kid you not! He bats his Temptations around as if they are toys and not nummy morsels. Kittens are idiots!

I heard the worse thing last night too. I was lying on Mommy (after I ran the moronic kitten off) and she said to Daddy "Hey, I talked to Susan today! She has two more kittens that she is hand raising...." Thankfully, my very smart, intelligent, and wonderful Daddy immediately said "NO MORE KITTENS!" Woohoo! I knew I loved that man for some reason! Mommy did say she agreed that we were full but that she wanted to go and see the kittens at Aunt Susan's house soon.
She better not bring any more kittens home. I think we should return the one we have - he's got to be defective or something! Lady Boo - if they bring another demon monster home, can I come and live with you?

Mini Mancat Monday

Hey everykitty!! Fagin here! I get to use the bloggie today to show all of you what Daddy's project is. Remember what the first picture/hint looked like? If not, here it is:

I get to tell you all about it because I was a big mancat and helped him! Here's your last hint as to what Daddy is doing:

This is a picture of me snoopervising the rows. See those little green dots? Daddy says those are seeds and will one day be food for him and Mommy! Can you guess what Daddy and I were doing?If you guessed that we planted a garden in our backyard, you are right!! We have planted tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, corn, zuccini, spinach, squash, and beans. None of that sounds very tasty to me but Daddy says he and Mommy will have good dinners from what our garden will produce. Just look at this!! Mommy and Daddy even planted FOUR catnip plants in our garden just for us kitties!! Fresh nip! We are all very excited!!In case you were wondering why Daddy built a fence around our garden, this picture shows you. Some of you guessed that the fence was a dog run but its the opposite - we are using it to keep the dogs out of the garden so that they do not trample the plants. We have also told Mommy and Daddy about your guesses that they were building a kitty enclosure and hope that they think that is as good of an idea as I do!!I had lots of fun helping Daddy to finish the garden. Mommy took this picture showing us hard at work - I was showing him where he should plant more nip! Hey Billy! Wanna come over and play in my garden?! PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY!!!!!!!

Finally Friday

Yes!! We are so very happy that today is Friday! Mommy and Daddy will be home with us and Nana and Grandpa are even coming over to visit tommorow. We're hoping that the weather is nice so that we can hang out on our back porch and watch Daddy finish his new project. He's been working really hard on this project in our backyard for the last couple of weeks. Here's a picture of what he has been up to:

Can you guess what Daddy is doing in our backyard? Here's a hint - he did this because of the dogs who have free roam of the entire backyard. We'll tell you later this weekend what this is for.

Mommy has been shaking her head a lot at Daddy and his project. Mommy has a different idea as to what looks good to decorate the backyward with. This is what Mommy does to decorate:We like Mommy's decorating skills better. Cat wind chimes!! They sound pretty and have an image of the best and most wonderful creature ever! Don't you agree? Happy Friday Everyone!!

Wordless Wednesday

Tuxie Tabby Tuesday

Heya kitties! Captain Jack here. I have got to show you what happened this weekend!

As you can see, I was enjoying some nip on the Boogie Mats. I never even noticed that I had an audience...
I was boogie-ing so much on my Boogie Matt that I never saw that Dante was not on his mat, but that Fagin was there.
Mommy called out my name and after I gave her this ummm, somewhat embarassing look, (well, it was embarassing! Just look at my eyes and I am sticking my tongue out at her too!) It was then that I saw that the little kitten was getting even closer to me.
So I did what Sammy Meezer has been teaching us all to do and I gave the little brat a whap and said "Get off of MY Boogie Matts you annoying little weasel!"

But guess what! It was too late. Fagin had gotten into my nip and look what happened! It's the kitten's first nip out! Yep, he got nipped and he got nipped good! We played for a while and he kept saying "Woah Dude! Nip is AWESOME" I laughed at him when I took a break to get a snack from the food bowl because I think I had the munchies. When I came back though - oh kitties, you will not believe what I saw...

Yep, he had both Boogie Matts and would not give them back. I think the kitten may have a problem....Anyone know how to do a nip intervention?

Mini ManCat Monday

Hey everykitty! It's Fagin here and today I get the blog all to myself to tell you what I learned this weekend when Mommy and Daddy had a party at our house.

To be a real mancat, you must always get the best seat for everyone to see you. In this case I am sitting in Mommy's chair waiting on her to get back to attend to me which just happened to be in the middle of the room so everyone could see me! I must say I was the absolute hit of the party!
A real mancat also always finds a seat that makes him look the most handsome. I choose this place because the pillow I am laying on brings out the gold in my eyes. Aunt Susan thinks I will have gold eyes when I grow up. Mommy sees a lot of green so she is not sure. What do you guys think?

So Very Sad

Dear Eight Belles,I do not know what else to say other than I am so sorry. One of my loves has always been horses and also horse racing. In fact, on the first Saturday in May my group of friends gather at my home and my husband and I host a Derby party that always has us answering the call to post - the post being my living room - to watch the race. Every year we each pick a horse and this year beautiful girl, I picked you. I cheered you on and was on my feet when you passed the wire right behind the favorite, Big Brown. Oh lovely girl, I was so proud of you. Once again I was told by my friends that a girl could not hang with the boys and once again those doubters were wrong. It was awe-inspiring watching you pass all of those boys to Place. But then, all my my joy was gone in 2 seconds. I heard "Eight Belles is injured" and my heart dropped when I saw you lying on the track. I knew it was bad but I prayed and hoped that I was wrong. When I saw the ambulances encircle you, blocking you from the view of cameras and fans, I felt cold and so sad. I knew before the on-track vet confirmed that you were gone. I held my friend Susan and together we cried for you. I've been crying for you ever since. I am so so sorry. I hope and pray that you are enjoying the wonderful grass and sweet oats that await you at the Bridge. I know Barbaro is there to show you the best places to sleep and the best fields to run in. - Purrageous Mom

Please purr and purray for Eight Belles and the people that love her. Mommy has been crying ever since last night over the beautiful horsie. She also found an article explaining why Eight Belles and even Barbaro (the horsie that broke his leg at the 2006 Preakness who later developed laminitis and had to be put down) have such very fragile legs. Apparently 75% of all thoroughbreds in America, and all 20 horsies that ran in the Kentucky Derby yesterday, are direct decendents of Native Dancer. Native Dancer's line has a tragic flaw. Thanks in part to heavily muscled legs and a violent, herky-jerky running style, Native Dancer and his descendants have had trouble with their feet (read the whole article here).

We know that many people think horseracing should be outlawed - that its a horrible bloodsport for the wealthy (we do not want to debate this here so if you want to leave such a comment, think again please. That has a time and a place and it is not here!). Please realize that for some, like Mommy, first and foremost there is a love for the horse. If it is allowed to continue we need more responsible breeding and all tracks should be required to have the new, safer surfaces to race on. Mommy does not know if she will watch horseracing any more - watching Barbaro was bad but the whole tragedy of Eight Belles has made it worse. Again, please purr for Eight Belles, her connections, her fans, and for those who love horses and horse racing. Yesterday was a hard hard day.

We know this is long - thanks for reading....

Friday Meme

All of us kitties here at Purrageous Pirates were tagged for the 6 word memoir meme by one of our oldest friends, Bendrix! Here it is!

1) Write your own six word memoir.
2) Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like.
3) Link to the person that tagged you in your post, and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere.
4) Tag at least five more blogs with links.
5) Don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.
6) Have fun!!

First up, Captain Jack: Tuxie Pirate Captain Always In Charge.

Now Dante: Rescued Orange First Mate Loves Life.

And finally, Fagin: Boy Who Lived Eats, Plays, Loves.

We tag everyone who has not done this one yet but wants to! We hope that every kitty, bun, woofie, and bean has a wonderful weekend! We are so glad that it's Finally Friday!!!