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Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Made In Vermont Books Help Shelter Cats

One of my very favorite series of children's books starring cats is The Silas Series: The Adventures of Silas and Opal by Vermont author Grannie Snow. What makes this series extra special to me is that it's a true Vermont product from start to finish. Everyone involved - writer, illustrator, graphic designer, editor, web designer, and printer - reside here in my home state.


The Silas books are a series of picture books, written in verse, that detail the adventures of a shelter cat named Silas who gets adopted and winds up sharing his home with a “sweet smelling lady.” Later, Miss Opal, a lovely little kitty, joins their family. Key aspects of having a companion animal are woven into the stories, including loving and losing a pet and then discovering the joys and comfort of letting new pets into your home and heart. The series has grown to a series of five, including the series' most recent addition, "Silas and Opal's Outdoor Adventure," which centers on the pair's encounter with a skunk.


If you're interested in buying the books, enter "Out of the Cage" in the Instructions from Buyer section when ordering at http://thesilasseries.com/the-books/, and $2 from each book sold will support the lifesaving programs of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals!

Check them out...we highly recommend the whole series for cat lovers of all ages!

Monday, July 30, 2018

Book Review: Trouble in Paradise by Rebecca Barrett


Key West is paradise--unless you’re the dead woman in the Toucan Suite. The Hemingway cats, Megs and Bartholomew, who wander the grounds of the B&B, think Liberty Anderson was a spy. But spying on whom? And why? Trouble, the black cat detective, must decipher their cryptic communications and piece together a motive for murder. Ginger Browne runs the B&B on a shoestring. The Paradise is her home, her history, and her refuge. An unsolved murder could be the kiss of death for this native Conch’s struggle for financial and emotional security. Trout Richardson is one of the many recluses who came to Key West to escape his past and work as a charter boat captain. Was Liberty merely a charter to him? Or is there more to their relationship? Both Trout and Ginger resist their mutual attraction, but Trouble knows they’re on an irreversible course toward love and redemption. Trouble must help them resolve the mystery of Liberty’s murder and steer them down the path toward each other. All while a killer roams the island paradise of the Conch Republic and a lost treasure is up for grabs.


I've been collecting cat mysteries for about 15 years now, and when I started one of the very first series I was introduced to was the Familiar, Black Cat Detective series of romantic mysteries written by Carolyn Haines. Seventeen books were released by Harlequin Intrigue starting in 1990, and I have every one in it's original paperback format. I was so excited to learn that a number of the original titles have been re-released in ebook, and we're also right in the midst of a brand new line of romantic mysteries starring Familiar's son Trouble, who is following in his dad's paw prints as a black cat detective!

Trouble in Paradise is the 6th book in the series and it takes place in Key West, home of the famous Hemingway cats. Trouble gets help from a pair of the six-toed felines when a murder is committed at the B&B he's staying at while his owner is away on vacation. I felt like I was vacationing myself in the beautiful Keys while reading this action-packed adventure which kept be glued to the pages in suspense. Four paws up!



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Sunday, July 29, 2018

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Caturday Art


Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!


And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

Mommy's answers:

1. I deserve a gold star for getting out of bed today.

2. Right now, I am loving the soft drink Moxie. I'm not a soda drinker at all, but I've always loved Moxie. (Moxie is actually one of the names I considered for Mudpie.) I picked some up at the store a couple weeks ago and have found it to be very refreshing during this insane summer heat. 

Mudpie's answers:

3. The best advice I’ve ever been given is to be as adorable as you possibly can so you'll get adopted quickly. It wasn't hard...and it worked!

4. If I had to choose a new first name, it would be Moxie. I didn't know Mommy thought about naming me that! It's a fun name and it fits my personality but I think I'll stick with Mudpie ;) 

Friday, July 27, 2018

Caption This! #PetPhotoFails

Meows from Mudpie!

Today we're super excited to be joining our sweet friends Paisley, Webster and Miss C from The Cuddlywumps Cat Chronicles for the Pet Photo Fails blog hop!


Today's blooper isn't new. It was taken last summer during a failed attempt at snapping a selfie, but it cracks Mommy up because it's typical Mudpie - my mouth is always open as I'm constantly babbling about something! I am one chatty tortie!


 What do you think I'm saying here?
Or rather, do you think I saw something shocking that elicited such an expression?

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Sunday Afternoons At Our House

Meows from Mudpie!

This picture was taken on Sunday afternoon when I was napping while Mommy watched her NASCAR race. I got in the spirit by curling up with my race car toy.


And this picture was taken a few hours later following Mommy's bloody murder screech after her driver Kevin Harvick won yet again. I was not impressed.


Seriouslies, Mommy...he's won 7 races so far this year. Is it really that exciting anymore?!?!?!

*********************************************

Note from Mommy: Yes, Mudpie, because this season is one for the history books. All the talk in the NASCAR world is about "The Big Three": Harvick, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr. who have combined to win 15 of the first 20 races of the year. If you think I'm bad now wait until the Race for the Championship starts in September!!!

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Mark Your Calendars for Kittydelphia 2018


Philly cat lovers, get ready! Kittydelphia, the city’s premier, and FREE, pop-up cat fair event, is set to take place on Saturday, July 28 & Sunday, July 29 at Power Plant (230 N. 2nd Street) in Old City.

Kittydelphia 2018 will feature cool vendors galore selling a variety of cat-themed apparel, toys, jewelry, art, housewares and more. You’ll also be able to meet lots of awesome adoptable cats and kittens from the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). The weekend will feature appearances by celebrity cats and guest speakers, too, as well as a cat art exhibit, and more feline-y fun and surprises are in store!



All donations at Kittydelphia, as well as all money raised from the sale of raffle tickets — and there will be scores of fantastic raffle prizes at Kittydelphia — will go to PAWS, Philadelphia’s 100% donor-supported no-kill shelter. Kittydelphia is free to enter, with a suggested minimum $5 donation at the door. Donating at the door gets attendees free raffle tickets; additional raffle tickets can be purchased during the event.

Among the Internet-famous cats making their debut appearances at Kittydelphia this year are some very special cats, all of whom might be considered “less adoptable” due to their medical conditions or appearance: Donny (@blossom_and_her_family), George (@mycat_george) and Cosgrove (@rvtechs) – find out more about all three at kittydelphia.com. 

This year’s vendors include Olive & Rye Cat Art (art & apparel), Polydactyl Cats (toys), Xenotees (apparel), The Dancing Cat (art & paper goods), Volana Kote (cat whisker jewelry), Darkside Cookies, Gothbasura (art), Lenny Mud (handmade ceramics), Kritter Kommunity (enclosures & beds), Handmade Cat Charms, Sleepy Cat Jewelry, Homocats (apparel), and others.

(Don't even get me started on how much I love these two cats, their baby sister Fig...and their humom's artwork!!!)

Kittydelphia was founded in 2017 by Laura Kicey, the Philadelphia area artist and designer behind Olive & Rye Cat Art and the popular Instagram account @oliveandrye, which features the daily antics of her rescue cats Olive, Rye and Fig (all adopted from PAWS). Kicey hosted the inaugural Kittydelphia last year in a tiny gallery space in Northern Liberties, and it was a big hit! Tons of people came out, and the event raised roughly $6,000 for PAWS and resulted in the adoption of 16 kittens and cats. This year they are hoping to raise even more money for PAWS, and get more kitties adopted, all while having a truly cat-tastic time!

Please note: Kittydelphia 2018 is happening at the air-conditioned Power Plant in Philadelphia’s gallery district. Please note that Power Plant is NOT ADA-compliant and that the event is on the third floor of the building. Please do NOT bring your own cat to Kittydelphia. 

Monday, July 23, 2018

Tortie Shorties Book Reviews


Meows from Mudpie!

Today we're reviewing a pair of newly released cat books. We hope you enjoy our choices!



From the publisher: A quirky framing of the Civil War grounded in solid scholarship. The Brown twin sisters have built historical dioramas to tell the story of the Civil War with an unexpected twist. The thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers depicted in the battles and scenes are cats! Little Round Top, Pickett’s Charge, Andersonville come to life in this fun, fanciful, solidly researched and highly visual representation of the War. The cats pull you in, and soon you’ll find you’re immersed and engaged, learning details and gaining a new and different perspective.

Tortie Shorties Review: I was first introduced to the Civil War Tails Diorama Museum in this blog post and was instantly intrigued, so when I learned the sisters/proprietors were writing a book I had to get my paws on a copy.

Don't think this is just another cutesy cat book; it's filled with riveting Civil War stories obviously told by people who are passionate about the subject and have studied it in great detail. I enjoyed the focus in the book and the dioramas on individuals and their personal stories rather than broader themes. The fact that the soldiers are depicted as cats rather than men is just the icing on the cake! As the book says, "One visitor commented that seeing the dead and wounded would not have affected her if the figures were humans, but something about seeing bleeding kitties had an impact on her and gave her an appreciation for what the men went through."

The detail in the dioramas is so extraordinary I found myself getting lost in the pictures. Visiting the museum is on my bucket list but until I can get there I'm sure I will be looking at this book frequently, because there will always be new details to be found. Civil War buffs and cat lovers alike will find themselves entranced by Civil War Tails!



From the publisher: A humorous collection of dozens of photos of funny and adorable cats as they play with, roll in, and chow down their favorite snack of choice -- catnip.

Cats love catnip. Whether it's eating it, playing with it, or rolling around in it, catnip turns our domestic feline friends into hilarious balls of activity. Carefree and unconstrained, they are free to be silly, exceptionally playful, and downright gnarly.

Professional pet photographer and self-confessed crazy cat man Andrew Marttila (the photographer behind Shop Cats of New York) captures a range of the cats' silly and expressive personalities as they react to their catnip trip. Delightful, elegant Fluffy transforms into a hell-bent renegade. Shy, reserved Mittens becomes a free-loving acrobat. In the blink of an eye, a cat's expression transforms from bored to inquisitive to playful to curious to bizarre . . . to utterly unhinged. A fun and delightful look at our furry companions, this gift book is perfect for every cat lover.

Tortie Shorties Review: This is a book sure to leave cat lovers of all ages grinning from ear to ear as you flip through page after page of adorable kitties enjoying their "nip". There's nothing more enjoyable than watching cats having fun, but with the exquisite close-ups from photographer Andrew Marttila (Kitten Lady Hannah Shaw's partner!) the cats feel as though they're about to leap right off the pages. Keep this one on your coffee table for any time you need a little cheering up!


Disclaimer: I received free copies of these books from the authors and publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review. As members of the Amazon Associates affiliate program, if you click on our links and buy something Mudpie gets a little money for her piggy bank!

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head #CaturdayArt

Meows from Mudpie!

I found this cool raindrop effect for my Caturday Art project this week and couldn't decide which I liked best so I decided to use them both!



Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!


And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

Mommy's answers:

1. I tried blogging and I liked it. Obviously as my 7 year anniversary is next month!

2. Am I the only one who hates summer? The heat, the humidity, the bugs, the noise...there's not a single thing I enjoy about it. I count down the days until it's over.

Mudpie's answers:

3. Mommy is my hero/heroine. And I'm hers.

4. If I could eat only one food for the rest of my life, it would be incredibly difficult. Variety if the spice of life! I can't think of a single thing I love enough to eat exclusively.

Friday, July 20, 2018

Unboxing July's CatLadyBox

The theme of July's CatLadyBox was "Sun's Out Purrs Up"...here's what was inside!


Featured Cat Lady Artist: "Cat Silhouette" by greetzky

PURRtoise Shell Sunglasses: These shades are just too fabulous for words. I'm partial to tortoiseshell print for obvious reasons, but the mini cat pictures all over them are beyond adorable.


Cat Travel Bag Set: Two drawstring bags and a cat-shaped zipper pouch make organization the cat's meow!

Sheer Peach Kitty Lip Gloss: I hardly never wear makeup but this peach color is so sweet and summery I'll definitely be indulging. The cat-shaped tube is pure purrfection too!


Cool Sun Catnip Toy: Mudpie has been bonkers over this toy since the moment it came out of the box! She grabs it by it's crazy hair and tosses it up into the air. I think she's trying to kill the sun so the temps will cool off LOL.

Beach Towel Mat: We put this away until fall. It may be beachy looking but it feels way to warm and cozy to be enjoyable this time of year. Mudpie can't wait to cuddle up on it!


Not a subscriber yet? Visit CatLadyBox today!

Interested in purchasing individual items from past boxes? You can do that too!

Disclosure: I receive a discount on my CatLadyBox subscription as a thank you for my monthly review. Regardless of compensation received, we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers.

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

It's Not Cuddle Weather!!!


Would you believe my crazy stuffie wanted to cuddle in this weather?!?!?!


I was NOT in the mood, and gave him a POW...right in the kisser!

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Mudpie Interviews...Author Patricia Fry's Tortie Sophie


This is the life story of Rags, the amazing, precocious cat who stars in the Klepto Cat Mystery series. Read about his precarious kittenhood. Marvel at some of his intriguing and touching teenage escapades. And delight in revisiting many of his more recent adventures. Rags is a cat with a purpose. While some people believe it’s to cause chaos, others see this feline as a knight in furry armor. If we could get into Rags’s head, however, we’d probably see that it’s filled with butterflies and trinkets. Yes he marches along in life to the beat of a different drummer and leaves behind an assortment of reactions. Is Rags clever or naïve, intuitive or fluky, smart or lucky? And does it really matter? One thing’s for sure, he makes an impression wherever he goes and that’s just the way his fans like it.


Even if you haven't had the opportunity to keep up with Rags' many amazing "tails," readers are sure to marvel at this closer look into the life of an exceptional cat. Whether he's using his sticky paws to help solve a mystery, heroically saving the life of someone important to him, or simply getting into normal feline mischief, there's never a dull moment in Rags' daily life. I can guarantee after reading it you'll be adding some of the Klepto Cat mysteries to your Kindle!



Mudpie was very excited to have the opportunity to chat with Sophie, author Patricia Fry's gorgeous tortie! In our interview Sophie offers insight into the life of a cat writer's furry muse and the very frightening experience she and her family recently dealt with. We think you'll enjoy meeting this lovely lady!


Welcome, Sophie! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself and how you came to live in your forever home? 

I was minding my own business one day while hanging out with my kitty-friends in the shade of some big trees when I saw one of the older cats walk away. I was just a baby kitten then. I’d been alive for only about 10 weeks, and I was curious. I wanted to see what was beyond the shade of the big trees. I had a little trouble keeping up with Sam (That’s what I heard the people who fed us call the big yellow cat. They called me Patches.)

Yes, we had food…sometimes. But I didn’t get much. Maybe that’s because the people frightened me. I hid when they came and when they left, the food was practically all gone. So that day I followed Sam, hoping he would lead me to a plate of food—and he did. Only it was not out in the open like it usually was. It was inside a wire contraption. I guess Sam wasn’t hungry because he didn’t pay much attention to the food. I was hungry, though, so I sneaked up on the contraption, found my way inside, and whamo. I was caught.

I tried and tried to get free of the thing. I thought maybe Sam would help me get out so I could go back to my mom and siblings. But all I saw of Sam was his tail as he disappeared into a thicket. I was all alone and frightened. But I was no longer hungry.

Soon one of the people came to let me out. I couldn’t wait to run back to where my mom lived, if I could remember where it was. I’d never been this far away from the other cats and my family. But the human did not open the contraption. She took it with me in it someplace where a man dressed in blue picked me up, touched me all over and poked me. Pretty soon I guess I went to sleep because when I woke up I saw other people—all strangers. Maybe they’ll take me back to my momma. I sure hoped they would.

But that isn’t what happened. Some of the strangers put me into another wire contraption and carried me off to a far away land. I was so scared. When they finally let me out of the contraption, the first thing I saw was another cat. I thought I recognized him as our friend, Snow, but it wasn’t Snow. When I ran to him to say hello, he looked puzzled, but he said hello back and we becamefriends.

I’ve lived inside the house with two humans and other cats now for eleven years. I no longer miss my momma, my siblings, or the other cats under the trees. I’m happy living here. To me, this is a scary story with a happy ending. At least I’m safe here and loved.


What is a typical day like for you?

I get up with the lady human—my human mom—and the other cat, Lily, about four every morning so I can eat. We eat regularly around here and I don’t even have to go out hunting for food. If I get hungry and no one has fed me or given me a treat, I remind them. They say I have a built-in clock because I’m usually right on time with my reminders. It’s one of my powers.

After breakfast, I wait patiently every morning for the sun to shine through the living room window, then I find the strongest beam and stretch out in the warm ray. Most of the day, though, I curl up in one of our kitty beds.

I play when I feel like it—my favorite thing is to toss a toy mouse in the air, then pounce on it. I’m not sure why this is so much fun, but there’s something familiar about it. Maybe it reminds me of my kittenhood when we sometimes caught furry little critters in the brush.

My favorite time of day is when Dad-human or Mom-human come out of their offices and sit in the big room all comfortable-like. Mom makes a lap for me and I love curling up and getting petted all over. Imagine, me, a kitten who’d never been touched except by other cats, enjoying the feel of hands on my body. It’s so heavenly. And I love my dad-human. He’s the one who gives us cats treats. I hang out with him in his office mostly. But my favorite thing about him is his petting and the combing. Boy does that comb feel good when he runs it through my fur. Makes me a happy-happy girl.


Do you have any fur siblings? How do you feel about them? 

When I came here to live with my new mom and dad, I first met Winfield, the white cat. He welcomed me here. I loved Winfield. Max had a story similar to mine. He was what they call a feral cat and boy did he have bad manners. Mom was always cleaning something up after Max. He wasn’t very cordial to me, either. But it was okay if he was grumpy. Winfield and I were best buds.

There came a time, though, when both of the guys were gone. Mom and Dad were sad for a while, then one day Lily showed up. She was so small. I was intrigued. And she was tons of fun. I loved playing with that tiny fur ball. She made me feel like a kitten again, even though I was three years older than her. I’m still the big brother. And I still love Lily, but we march to a little bit of a different drummer. It’s a big house and she goes her way and I go mine. Oh, we do hang out in the sun beams most mornings together and we take our afternoon nap on the bed together. But we don’t even eat together because the little scamp will steal my food. The humans are afraid I won’t get enough to eat and will fade away. So they make sure I get to eat in peace and quiet without Lily trying to horn in on my meal. You see, I guess I didn’t learn much about taking care of myself from my mother and siblings. I’m too polite that way.


Your human is a cat writer...do you enjoy being one of her furry muses or do you shun the spotlight?  

I think I have cameo appearances in some of her stories. But she knows I’m not interested in the limelight like Lily is, so she doesn’t talk about it much. I do see her watching me sometimes as if she’s trying to come up with a good scene using one of my talents.

What are my talents? Mom calls me a shredder. Well, I used to have a fun job in Mom’s office. She had what she called a fax machine. All I knew about it was that, every once in a while it spit out a piece of paper. Yeah! When I’d hear a ring, I knew a paper was coming out soon, so I’d run into the office, sit on the desk and wait. Once the paper hit the floor, I’d grab it and run into the living room where I’d start ripping it into neat little pieces. It was so much fun. I still wonder whatever happened to that paper-spitting machine.

I also help Mom do filing sometime. She has this big filing cabinet and I love to lay on top of the files when she has one of those big drawers open.


Tell us about your author's cat mysteries. 

Mom loves us cats and even other cats she doesn’t know so well. When she decided to stop writing so many articles and all those books for other authors, she seemed sad. She told us that she didn’t want to stop writing altogether, so she started writing what’s called cozy mysteries. Of course they have cats in them and even on the cover. So far, I haven’t been on the cover of any of her 29 Klepto Cat Mysteries. Suits me just fine.
 
The star of the stories is a part ragdoll cat who doesn’t look at all like a ragdoll, if you ask me, and he’s a thief. Mom calls him a klepto cat, but he’s actually a thief. Fortunately, for him, some of the things he finds or takes actually help the detective in the story solve a crime or resolve a mystery. I think mom is glad that she has Lily and me—especially me—and not a naughty cat like the one in her story.


I understand you recently had to evacuate the wild fires in California. That must've been super scary! How did you handle it? 

Oh my catness!! That was the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced in all of my eleven years. Everyone was kinda upset, I guess it was because there was a fire someplace. I don’t know, I didn’t see it or feel it. But I was affected by it. You see, one night, Mom loaded up the car with some of her things. She made Lily and me get into our carriers—the ones they use to take us to the veterinarian to get poked. I was not happy. Poor Lily was just kinda scared. She hunkered down quiet like, so I talked for both of us, trying to get Mom to take us back home. But she didn’t listen. She just talked back to me all quiet-like. She just wasn’t listening.

It took a long time before she stopped the car and took us out of there. But it wasn’t the veterinarian’s office. It was another home. Mom let us get out of the carriers, but we sure didn’t know where we were or what we were supposed to do. We just wanted to go home where the smells and sounds were familiar.

There was the smell of another cat in that house. I never did see him, but I knew he was there. We stayed for two nights. It was horrible. Lily and I refused to eat or poop. We wanted to eat and poop at our own house. Finally, though, we couldn’t wait any longer and we did eat a little and we used the litter box.

Like I say, two days later, Mom drove us home. I thanked her all the way. I wanted her to know how happy I was to be going home. Again, Lily just laid in her carrier next to me all quiet-like. I can’t even express to you my joy at being home. But for some reason I was very nervous about maybe being taken away again. I don’t know why exactly, but I began secretly licked myself…a lot.

One day Mom noticed that some of my fur was missing. She checked me all over for injuries. She petted me a lot and asked me what was wrong. Heck, I didn’t know, except that I was still nervous. So what did she do? She put me into the carrier and took me to that awful veterinarian who does the poking, and just when I thought things were back to normal.

Mom thought I had a thyroid condition, but the veterinarian said she was pretty sure I was suffering stress from my evacuation ordeal. Well, yeah!!! Wouldn’t you be suffering stress in my situation?

It has been seven months now since that awful time and I do feel much better. I feel safe again and I have stopped the nervous behavior. That makes Mom and Dad awfully happy. So I’m happy.


Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself? 

I have a secret. I’m beautiful. Mom says I’m sort of old-fashioned looking which is why she named me Sophie—an old fashioned name. I’m glad I’m old fashioned. I sure don’t want to look like some of the new-fangled cats you see online today. (Yes, I look over Mom’s and Dad’s shoulder while they stare at their screen.) Have you seen some of those cats, Mudpie? Some have short legs, some are polka-dotted instead of mottled like you and me. Some cats have too much fur and then there are some with no fur. Did you know that people put clothes on cats? No lie. I’ve seen pictures of cats dressed in tutus and rain coats. I even saw one wearing eye glasses. It’s ridiculous if you ask me.

Now to my secret: Everyone thinks I’m a tortoiseshell cat, like you are, Mudpie. But I’m actually a calico. When I roll over on my back, which is rare, you can see a large white patch of fur surrounded by a lot of black fur—definitely a calico trait. I also have a little white on my chin and one of my toes. I fooled you, didn’t I? Most people and other cats think I’m a total tortie.

Yeah, I think I’m pretty good-looking and I’m happy. Happy to be safe now and living with people who love me. Life is good. Thank you for asking.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author  in exchange for a fair and honest review. As members of the Amazon Associates affiliate program, if you click on our links and buy something Mudpie gets a little money for her piggy bank!

Monday, July 16, 2018

Three Times A Tortie

Mudpie gets embarrassed talking about it, but she has a bit of an online romance going on. His name is Bear, and he's one of the two feline stars of the Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat blog. He loves torties in general, but he loved Mudpie first, and he regularly sings about her while he's bathing: Three Times A Tortie, sung to the tune of Three Times A Lady.

(Photo of Bear courtesy of Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat)

The theme of this week's Mewsic Moves Me blog hop is songs with numbers in the title, so naturally Three Times A Lady was the first song that came to mind. Bear and his sweet momma Katherine had no way of knowing it, but Three Times A Lady has long been one of my favorite songs. Not the original Lionel Richie version, but Conway's country cover of the song, one of the many times he took a well-known pop song and turned it into a country smash.

My guy was known for recording some pretty steamy stuff - Rolling Stone magazine even wrote that he had "a cannon full of songs about getting horizontal" - but I think this is his sexiest song voice-wise. The "I love you baby" he whispers at the very end nearly does me in.



Moving on to other songs with numbers in the title, Conway's 5th #1 record from 1970...



...and a cut from his posthumously released 1993 album, Final Touches.



No particular reason why, but this has always been one of my all-time favorite songs...



...and this is probably my dad's all-time favorite song.



In 1991 I got to see Lorrie Morgan opening for Ricky Van Shelton at the Champlain Valley Fair in Essex Junction, Vermont. My mom and I were there to see Ricky; my dad was there to see Lorrie.



1991 was apparently a good concert year for me. Not only did I see Alabama with Clint Black in Lake Placid, New York, I got to meet the band backstage too!



1991 wasn't a perfect concert year though. In November Conway came to Glens Falls, NY, and I wanted to go desperately but my parents didn't want to risk the long drive in the winter. There was no way of knowing it at the time, but it would end up being the last chance I would ever have to see him...the one I wanted to see more than anyone else. Decades later I still regularly remind them of that too. If I'd been of driving age I would've risked life and limb in a raging blizzard to get to him.


Do you have a favorite song with a number in the title?
Do you have a favorite among my choices?

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Awkward #SundaySelfie


"Mommy...I was doing a little last minute spit shine before snapping my Sunday selfie. Did you have to take the picture NOW?!?!?!"


We're joining our friends at The Cat On My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Saturday, July 14, 2018

This Tortie's On Fire #CaturdayArt


Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!


And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

Mommy's answers:

1. As a child, I feared getting in the bathtub after watching Psycho. Now it's one of my top 3 favorite movies and I've watched it dozens of times!

2. Friday the 13th is just another day. Bad luck doesn't look at the calendar!

Mudpie's answers:

3. I think my gorgeous tortie fur is my best quality.

4. You can’t go wrong with bringing a cat or three into your life. We make life so much more fun!

Friday, July 13, 2018

14 Questions for Mudpie

Meows from Mudpie!

I'm always excited when my pal CK presents new questions for her fellow cat bloggers to answer because it allows me to talk about my favorite subject (and yours, I'm sure)...ME!!!


When did something start out badly for you but in the end, it was great?

Ending up in the shelter with all those strange cats that I hated and needed to be sequestered from. Thank Cod Mommy saw me on PetFinder and broke me outta there.

What weird food combinations do you really enjoy?

I haven't tried any weird food combinations - I barely tolerate the regular ones Mommy serves me! MOL

What food have you never eaten but would really like to try?

I can't think of a thing - food is very low on my list of priorities. Just give me my favorite crunchies and I'm a happy tortie.

What food is delicious but a pain to eat?

My favorite Greek yogurt. Mommy puts some on a plate and I won't eat it - I want to lick it off her fingers - and that gets messy.

What's the most expensive thing you've ever broken?

I've never broken a thing. I'm a purrfect angel.

What would a world populated by clones of you be like?

Tortie-licious!

What smartphone feature would you actually be excited for a company to implement?

One that could be programmed to toss a candy wrapper across the room or swing a wand toy when Mommy is too busy to play with me.

What’s something people don’t worry about but really should?

If they're giving their pet enough love and attention. I'm a love sponge myself and Mommy happily obliges, but it makes me sad that there are lots of cats and dogs out there that are underloved and underappreciated. People take it for granted that we'll always be around...until one day when we're not.

What was cool when you were young but isn’t cool now?

Everything is still cool because I'm still young!

If magic was real, what spell would you try to learn first?

Cloning Mommy so she could always be with me.

What goal do you think humanity is not focused enough on achieving?

I have to copy CK's answer on this one...kill shelters have to go the way of the dinosaurs. The fact that we're murdering healthy cats and dogs that don't have homes because irresponsible people won't have their pets fixed is just sick.

If you were a ghost and could possess people, what would you make them do?

Worship me. Oh wait, everyone who knows me already does!

What game have you spent the most hours playing?

Batting around candy wrappers. I'm obsessed. It's been so hot lately I've had to take a break from it though :(

What’s the most comfortable bed or chair you’ve ever been in?

Mommy's bed curled up against her legs. Again, it's been too hot to cuddle lately and I'm sleeping alone :(

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

The Great Big Disappointing Box


Meows from Mudpie!

Do you remember a couple weeks ago when we asked for your guesses as to what was inside this great big box from Cracker Barrel? It arrived on the same day as my Chewy delivery and CatLadyBox, so naturally I assumed this box was for me too and quickly jumped inside as soon as Mommy opened it up.


And inside I found...another box!!! This one was made of wooden slats and I immediately started imagining all the fun ways I could use it! It could be stuffed with blankies to make a super cool rustic-looking bed, or maybe it would be better suited as a toy box in the living room (it's big enough that it might even fit my entire collection of loot!) I could even turn it on it's side to make a fun fort to hang out in and watch the world go by!


Then Mommy broke the devastating news...she didn't buy the box for me! It's a record storage box for her Conway collection!!! She had been wanting a special box to keep his records separate from all her parents old country records, but the one she wanted on Amazon was $30 and she couldn't see spending that much money on a box. Then she saw this one on Cracker Barrel's website for half price at only $15, and she loved it even more because it's so "country" looking.



At first she thought the box could hold all of her Conway records and CDs but that didn't last long. The record box is already more than half full, and the CDs have outgrown a box of their own. I'm pretty sure she could listen to him for 48 hours straight and not play the same album twice. She says that sounds like the most heavenly 48 hours she can think of! (This isn't the entirety of her collection either. She also has lots of magazines, tour books, shirts, photos, posters, DVDs, videotapes and other various knick knacks. Once she gets her record player she plans to work on displaying it all.)


Mommy loves this box SO much (almost as much as she loves the man inside), how it looks and even how the wood smells. She's even having fun decorating it with some vintage buttons she found on Etsy.

I have so much that I guess I shouldn't be jealous she kept it for herself, but don't you think she should've gotten a second one for me? Too late now...it's already sold out online!


Hopefully it's okay that we're linking this up to the Mewsic Moves Me blog hop even though we aren't spinning any tunes this week. (Edit: we decided to add a couple YouTube links to some pawsome concert footage!)