Mon 15 Feb 2010
Monthly Monday Man Cat Memory with Mr. Kelly
Photo taken May 18, 2008.
Fri 5 Feb 2010
One day at Tabby’s Place: Post #6 of 7
Not long after I started volunteering at Tabby’s Place, I began carrying a cloth hand towel everywhere with me during my Friday shifts, and for more reasons than one. The primary reason, of course, is to wipe up messes when and where they’re found. But when there are no messes, it’s still useful as a pillow when I’m lying on the floor.
And what am I doing lying on the floor? Because lying down is just the best way to approach some cats. I learned that at home from Lizzie; when I stand next to her, looming over her, she runs and hides. But she will approach me if I am lying down, so I’m guessing that it removes the size disadvantage and she feels less intimidated.
That knowledge has been useful during socializing sessions with Ali, who usually – not always, but usually – makes herself comfortable under a couch in Adoption Room #3. So I lie on my left side, say hello to Miss Ali-Ali-In-Free, then reach under the couch with my right hand. I gently scratch along her neck for a little while, then rub my thumb on her forehead in way I hope resembles another cat licking her. She responds to the scratching, stretching her neck and leaning toward my hand, but not as much to the thumb-licking, although she does accept it without walking away.
Now through most of this, outgoing Cali has crawled over my outstretched legs and seated herself on my hipbone, purring, as though to say, “Why bother with her when you can love on me?”
And I will, I will, but a mutual friend has joined us, and I especially want to spend time with him.
Angela has written on the Tabby’s Place blog about Webster, first the gray tabby’s grieving when he arrived some months ago, and then the way he has opened up to the humans there. There was a post just a few weeks ago on this quiet corner of cyberspace that showed Webster’s progress.
And it was sometime in December, while lying on the floor of Suite A after socializing with another cat down there, I closed my eyes just for a moment, or maybe two — you might be surprised how comfortable a towel pillow can be sometimes — and I opened them again to find Webster sniffing around my legs and feet, his natural feline curiosity returning and his grief receding into the past.
So on Friday I rolled onto my back, put the towel behind my head, and shared some good Quality Time with Webster. Sometimes I call him Shwebster, using the all-purpose “sh-” prefix like Mooch the cat refers to Shnelly and Shtinky Puddin’ from the comic strip Mutts. But mostly, he’s just plain Webster, as in, “Webster, you are such a good cat.”
TOMORROW: Time to go home, but there’s one last good surprise.
Sat 23 Jan 2010
A Long, Long Time Ago…
“When I was young and foolish, I was young and foolish.” — George W. Bush
Yeah, me too.
Over the years, usually I haven’t been afraid to try new things, even at the risk of looking pretty goofy. But I’d never done anything with Facebook until very recently. That started to change when it became difficult to keep up with some things without a Facebook account.
My older sister Sandy knows her way around Facebook, and she has been giving me some hints and tips on how to navigate and how to follow protocol. And getting back in touch with people, and bringing back some memories — I recently received the photo above (yep, that’s me, decades younger and many pounds lighter) from Mark, an ol’ college buddy I met way back when at the campus FM radio station, when we and lots of kids like us were trying to learn to keep things light, tight and bright as wannabe versions of Top 40 DJ’s like Chicago’s John Records Landecker. Thanks for the good memory, Mark…
Sun 10 Jan 2010
Revue Session
On the occasion of American composer and recording star Donald Fagen’s birthday today, here’s a 1991 recording of the Steely Dan song “Pretzel Logic,” performed by Fagen, Michael McDonald and the rest of The New York Rock and Soul Revue.
Pat and I saw the Revue in August 1992 at what was then called the Garden State Arts Center; lawn tickets were $17, low even back then. I believe I’ve never heard better sound at a concert before or since, just loud enough and every part coming through clear, although that may be memory playing tricks due to happiness at hearing for the first time Steely Dan songs played live.
Thu 24 Dec 2009
Good Things: Good Memories
Christmas would have to be on a Friday this year — the one day I can’t go to Tabby’s Place. Aw maaan….
At least I can go on New Year’s, but that’s another week away. (Crappity crap crap…)
In the meantime, we can post a good memory of the Big Guy, taken while Pat was taking down decorations after Christmas 2007. As for Christmas 2009, posting will be light between now and New Year’s.
Sat 19 Dec 2009
The Subject Line Was Roses
For my wife and best friend, today on our 25th anniversary.
