B&W Sunday: Wishful Thinking

I think she loves meOr maybe it’s just the blankie…..

When It’s Hot

I’m always up for the usual things: eating frosty treats; playing in the pool; swimming in the river; going to the beach; laying on a cool spot on the floor. We’ve been hot this week…not as bad as a lot of you, but still hot…and our air conditioning consists of a small window unit in the kitchen. So, Mom bought me a cooling coat.

I’m double-cool here!

There are a lot of these in different variations–this one is made of reflective material. Once it’s wet (Mom gets it almost dripping wet), it’s nice and cool against my furs. I use this when we go for walks–as soon as the temperature hits 70 degrees F, my tongue is out and I’m draggin’. There’s a piece that goes under my chest that helps keep my tummy cool too–almost as good as a mud puddle!

Mystic’s idea of staying cool is a bit different from mine. 🙂

I may look cool, but I’m not. 🙂

I don’t know what she’s thinking—Mom’s not going to wet her lap quilt!

Heat affects Mom’s garden in different ways too. The tomatoes act like they’re on steroids and are lovin’ it. The cool weather veggies…not so much. Mom has a plant called an Epiphyllum (commonly called a Night-blooming Cereus) that she’s had FOREVER. It actually came from Texas, where they once lived way, way, way before me. It loooooves heat and will actually start blooming here in the summer. The crazy thing about this plant is that the bloom only comes out at night and dies when the sun hits it the next day. I guess that’s how it stays cool! 

Last night–in full bloom.

This morning–the bloom is fading.

We hope everyone is staying cool in some way or another.

The Case of the Missing Cat

I do my best to maintain my herding skills with all the neighborhood critters. There’s a house in the ‘hood that always has cats, cats, cats all over the place. Mom says they’re feral, whatever that means. The other day, we saw 5 (one was under the car)!

Um…Hi!

I think they were waiting for breakfast.

Then, there’s the elusive squirrel. They try their best to aggravate me to death with their chatter, chatter, chatter. One of these days, I’m gonna figure out how to climb a tree! Does anyone have a tree-climbing class for dogs that I could take?

I know you’re up there!

There’s another, Mom!

It went up this tree.

Waaaaay up there…

Then, there’s my kitties…Thailing and Mystic. They always stay indoors so they don’t know anything about ferals or squirrels or such. But, Thailing went missing the other day (this is her when she’s not missing)

….except no one knew it but Mystic.

Mystic (at midnight): Mom, Thailing went out.

Mom (at midnight): We’re in here, Mystic. What’s wrong?

Mystic (2am): MOM, Thailing is out!

Mom (2am): What’s the matter, Mystic? Come get on the bed with us.

Mystic (5:30am): MOM, You’ve got to let her in! She’s scared.

Mom (5:30am): Awww, Mystic. You’ve been really fussy. What’s the matter? Do you want some lovin’? Here, let me hold you a minute. 

You’re wondering about now why Mom didn’t understand what Mystic was saying. Well, let me tell you, I did! And, when they let me out to go potty a few hours later, guess who I found? Thailing!! I brought her back to the door; we both came in and Mystic stopped fussing.

All that work with ferals and squirrels has paid off. I can definitely say: Case solved! 

(Pee Ess: No kitties were harmed in this adventure and Mom is looking for cat-speak lessons.)

 

B&W Sunday: You Want Me to Scratch Where?

Right there, dog. Yes! That’s the spot.

Sometimes Mystic takes it a bit over the edge, at least in this dog’s opinion, and expects me to be her personal groomer. I guess she thinks rubbing against me is like rubbing a genie, except I thought genies were supposed to take human form.

A Letter to Mom

Dear Mom,

Mystic went missing. When I pushed the door open this morning to come in after my squirrel break I forgot to tell the kitties to stay in. E Z Petscratcher found Thai Ling lingering outside the doorway on the deck, very contentedly, she said. When TL saw EZP she came right in of course because she knows the house rules.
EZP thought Mystic might be near the doorway ready to come in, but she didn’t show. So, EZP and I began the yard and house search for Mystic. We REALLY looked. EZP was calm for the most part.
She said she’d go find some tuna in Leon’s pantry to lure Mystic with. So, she found it and we proceeded to walk around the yard and house tapping on the open can of tuna with a spoon hoping the sound and smell would remind Mystic of the house rules.
To no avail. Mystic may have been sleeping. So, EZP got down on her hands and looked in the tiniest house crevices to check if Mystic was in one of them sleeping. Nope.
So, EZP found the entry ports under the deck and proceeded to drop little drops of tuna juice and tiny tuna morsels in a trail from the entries to the back door. She said I couldn’t come out and help at this point in case I forgot that the morsels were for luring Mystic rather than a morning snack for me. So she set the lures from each garden gate to the back door, and from the two entries under the deck to the back door and we waited. Nothing happened.
So, EZP and I decided to go out and see if we could see Mystic on the street. Maybe she got scared by the sound of traffic and wandered a little. Well, behold, we saw a kitty that looked just like Mystic 3 or 4 blocks down. EZP called, ‘Mystic’ and we started to walk that way. The kitty didn’t seem that thrilled to see me so EZP left me back at the ranch which was appropriate. EZP walked down to the house and saw the kitty on the porch. She couldn’t get a good view. She said it looked quite a bit like Mystic. The man of the house came out and said, no it wasn’t his kitty, but it visited now and then. When the kitty let EZP look at its face it wasn’t quite Mystic, so that mystery was solved.
EZP came back to the ranch and proceeded another house and garden search and tap, tap, tap on the can.
At this point she was getting a wee bit nervous and decided to call her kitty possee, Deborah and Maryann who came and petted us yesterday and watched a silly Irish movie and an episode of Midsomer Murders while they did so. They sent back moral support in the form of texts saying that Mystic would come out when she was ready. This helped EZP enormously. She knew Mystic would come when she was ready, but liked hearing it from the kitty possee.
So, EZP and I next went to visit Janice and Toby II, Macy and uh, Heidi. I of course went to the basement to look for Mystic just in case.  She wasn’t there.
We came home and EZP ate some more fresh cinnamon raisin bread which she enjoyed baking last night in our oven. She really likes our oven. Maybe she’ll bake me some pumpkin treat sometime.
We sat near the windows and EZP checked the tuna trail to see if Mystic or anyone had started to sneak a nibble. Nope.
So just as we hunkered down for the duration, Mystic came strolling upstairs from her kitty abode downstairs. She seemed a little bit half asleep, so she didn’t even notice the sudden change in EZP’s face, from worry to elation. I was happy too, because EZP kept talking about Mystic and I must admit I didn’t quite understand all the fuss or why I couldn’t go out back.

The good news is that we all got a treat and guess who got to eat the tuna trail? MOI!  It was so good and took forever because she spread it in a long trail. There wasn’t too much, so I didn’t get a tummy ache.
The kitties also got a treat. Tai Ling really enjoyed the little deli ham bits you left for us. Mystic was still a bit sleepy so she didn’t have that much so I got a little bit of hers.
All in all it was a very successful adventure.
The kitty possee was quite relieved to hear that Mystic wandered up the stairs.
EZP was glad she got to go to her soup party. Mystic enjoyed having me to rub against. And Tai Ling got the ham. I then got my trip with EZP to go to the dog park to chase the ball with Penny the Doodle. A very very successful day in all.

p.s. I’m not sure what grammar is, but EZP said she fixed it up somewhat along with my punctuation, her having been a teacher or something.

Love and miss you,

Sage

p.p.s. Please tell Dad “happy birthday” for me!

(Guest post by my favorite Petscratcher, Sally)

Black & White Sunday 2/3

 I want your sunspot, Dog. I’ll be your Valentine, Sage!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Drinking is an Art

Mystic goes for the up-close-and-personal approach.

Will you hurry up, Mystic

While Thailing believes in a full-bodied effect.

See? This is how it’s done.

Mystic: Maybe that’s why you have more hairballs, Thailing!

Be sure to check out my new Facebook page!

Not So Wordless Wednesday: It’s Legally Mine

I just thought a quick update on my condo status would help for those who didn’t know me then. Of course, you need to read how it all happened….

It all started when I was just a pup and discovered the condo. Yeah, I know it’s a cat tree, but does that really matter? I guess the kittehs thought so since I had to go to court with them a couple of years ago.

Peace has reigned in our tree ever since. Of course, it helps that these kittehs are now considered elderly. However, now they think they need an elevator installed. Since that wasn’t in the contract, I told them they need to cough up some better terms–upkeep is expensive (I just re-carpeted my whole condo).  Unfortunately, they said it would be a hairball. I don’t think that was what I was thinking!

Hopefully Mystic isn’t really considering that hairball!

Black Friday Shoppin’

There’s a crazy shopping frenzy in this country called Black Friday. So, I decided that since I’m black and it was Friday, I should go shoppin’–one of my favorite things to do.

I love checking out the merchandise-Christmas is coming, you know. There’s always lots to see…like this squirrel and those white stuffies. I’m only allowed to look but can’t touch (that’s what Mom says, anyway).

Moving on, I found a Hide a Bee. My Uncle Markie would love this – he has bees at his house. I just HAD to check out the kitty counter. I bet my kitties would LOVE these treats. Well, maybe just Thailing. Mystic is on a diet…..Hmmm, is it still raining outside?

Yep, it’s still raining.

Mom! We need one of these WOOF stickers for the car, don’tcha think?

It was a pretty successful ‘Black Friday’…Mom got some stuff for my birthday and I got some great ideas for Christmas gifts. They even threw in a special birthday cookie just for me! Did you know my birthday is next Tuesday and I’ll be 3-years old? And did you know George the Lad will also be three? The same day! I can’t wait!

Then we went next door to a hardware store because Mom needed to do some shoppin’. I decided to check under their shelves. You never know what you might find!A few dust bunnies, but I didn’t tell them–I was trying to be on my best behavior. I guess it worked because I got the biggest treat ever! I really like good customer service, don’t you?

And speaking of ‘customer service’, I’ve been practicing. The other day, I shared a sun spot with Mystic. Yes, you read that right. I said ‘shared’.

I thought that if I was really nice, she might let me share others with her. 🙂

Monday Mischief: Who’s in Charge?

Mystic and I really love each other, but you wouldn’t know it by the way she yells at me. The other day, I thought maybe I’d join her in a sun spot. We often share one…

Me: Hey, Mystic. Shove it over.

Mystic: Excuse me, dog. I was here first.

.

.

Me: You know you love me.

How about a doggy kiss?Mystic: BLAHHHHH Are you NUTS, dog? You just want my spot.

.

.

Me: I’ll share….honest! How about another kiss?

Mystic: Do you remember what Toby called you? A young whippersnapper? Well, I can say the same thing. Hang your head in shame, dog.

Me: I guess she told me.

But look who got the spot! 🙂