Memory Lane - Cat Style

My last post was a time progression of the maturation of a human (me) and I thought since I was traveling Memory Lane I would do a post of the kitties I've had in my life.

Annie

Meet Aniak, a.k.a. Annie. She was living when I first started this blog so she is in a couple entries. My understanding she was a Russian Blue with green eyes. She was just under a year old, had previously had a litter of kittens, when we got her from her foster organization in Kodiak. She, and Chloe, moved with us from Kodiak to Florida. She was very sweet although she had short patience for combing ;)

Tally

Talalamacus, a.k.a. Tally, was a sweet, timid, but not-too-bright boy that we adopted in Kodiak after Kitty died. He was living at my vet's office after several failed adoption attempts because he was so timid. He hid a lot, especially when we added a new furry friend to our home, but would eventually get used to the change. Eventually he and Chloe became very close and he would wash her ears and face. She would  encourage it by tucking her head into him - it was bizarre. Did I mention he was a beautiful kitty with big blue eyes?

Kitty

Kitty was an entertaining cat who loved to hunt, actually kill, smaller creatures. He was what I would describe as a "bad boy" yet he loved kids and would let them carry him around holding him by the neck. Go figure. We adopted him in Anchorage, moved him and Chloe to Aniak for a couple years, before living out his final years in Kodiak. We adopted him Feline Leukemia positive so we were lucky that we had him as long as we did.

Nermal

I had Nermal when I lived in Seattle. I still argue that he was the world's cutest cat. He was a bit developmentally disabled or just punch drunk from rough housing with his Uncle Spencer from about day one when he arrived as a kitten. He was grey and white (my favorite cat colors) with gold eyes. He was a small cat.

Spencer

Spencer was my first cat. I got him from a coworker in Seattle (and later, the son of two of his litter mates, Nermal). He was a great cat with big beautiful eyes that I could not catch in a photo - he always squinted when I took his picture. He liked to play and hunt and was extremely friendly. When my neighbors would walk their dog, he would go with them. As you can see in the photo above, he worried our poor parakeet, possibly to death. After I got a divorced and would come back to visit him, he would snuggle up so tight against me and purr so hard that he drooled. Wonderful, wonderful cat that I think about often.

Old Photo From My Dad's House

I got this polaroid photo of me from the box of stuff my step-siblings sent from my Dad's belongings. I've never seenthis photo before. It was taken at my house in Seattle probably 1979/80 making me in early twenties. We had one wall in the family room with paneling, whichI disliked very much, and I bought that chair to help cover it up :)

Notice the clock above the chair - my Dad gave me a bunch of green stamps (remember those) when I was in high school and said have at it. I licked and pasted those stamps into books and whenI was finished he took me a green stamp store. I wanted a scarab bracelet but it would have used up ALL my stamps so instead I got that clock and stars & stripes candlestick phone. Looking back I cannot believe I chose home decor over jewelry! Oh - and I have seen that clock in many a TV show by the way ;)

Here's a recent photo of me....oh, the ravages of time. But I have much better furniture and more jewelry! LOL

Our First Valentine's Day...

...as a married couple. I took a beginning cake decorating class at Frederick & Nelsons while living in Seattle. I moved the few supplies with me to Alaska so on our first Valentine I finally went for it and made my sweetie a cake (scanned non digital photo from the 80's). It was 3 layers of cake with raspberry filling between - all from scratch too. Yummy!

More Wrapping

Here's some packages going to Seattle........................

And these tins went to Jerry's work along with some trays of food.

Plus, I am still shopping today. Next year I will do the out of town shopping early or online and save the local shopping for later. I goofed this year and did DOG shopping early and people hsopping late. In fact, I have gifts for the dog of a friend of mine here in Clearwater but nothing yet for her, LOL.

Mom's Back

Mom is back from her vacation in Seattle. Instead of going out for Friday Girls Night Out, I made a stew in the crockpot and she made corn muffins. Yummy. She took me up on my invitation to spend the night and we purchased a movie on demand called "The Other Bolin Girl" with Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansen. Very well made and acted movie. It was a 2 hour movie but it seemed so short. Guess that means we liked it. We didn't get to see Ntalie Portman headless though. LOL

I'm settling in for the night with my book, coke, and laptop in bed, LOL. Should be my first good night of sleep since Jerry left for Virginia last Sunday. I'm tired from sleep deprevation and a long week at work even if it was only 4 days. Just don't sleep well without Jerr but having Mom here will help. The dogs are settled down too and not acting as though the boogie man is in the living room. It's been so windy that even the bathroom vent was making strange noises that a rat terrier could not ignore.

Big yawn.......I feel a great night's rest on the way........good night bloggers :)

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird & Seattle

Guess who I saw in my garden today? A hummingbird! I tried to take a photo but it moved too fast and it was raining so I was trying to stay where my camera didn't get too wet. I must point out that I did not take these photos - click on the word Wikipedia to see their origin. These two photos are good representations of my visitor. A couple years ago I put out a hummingbird feeder but only got insects. I may try again. This might even prompt me to start birdwatching again but that would probably be in the winter.

I talked to my mom today. She's in Seattle on a visit/vacation. Again, photo from Wikipedia. I wish I could have gone but I have very little vacation time because of using it up for school. Someday. I often think of my years in Seattle. It was great fun birdwatching, hiking, gardening, and hanging out with friends. Went out on Puget Sound a few times and ate at some great restaurants. Loved the Pike Place Market, Seattle Center, Mount Rainier, coffee houses, Nordstrom, art galleries and enjoyed Pioneer Square to name a few things. Listened to alot of jazz and ate a lot of pasta, dungeness crab, and sourdough bread, LOL. I also had some rewarding volunteer opportunities there.

The city has changed so much since the times I lived there. Let's see, I first moved there from New Orleans in the middle of 3rd grade and lived there for a year attending Des Moines elementary. Then we moved back (from Alamagordo New Mexico) in the middle of 6th grade and I attended Pacific Junior High in 7th and 8th grade. I loved it there and made many friends. I returned to Seattle (after 4+ years in Arkansas) when I was 19 (1977) and lived there until 1986 when I moved to Alaska.

Weekend is Almost Over

The only good thing about Sunday night is that tonight at 8pm there is a movie about the Green River killer on Lifetime. Yes, I still have that morbid obsession with that whole story from when I lived in the Seattle area while it was happening.

Great weekend! Jerry's cousin Maureen was done from New Jersey/Philadelphia for a visit and stayed with Marge. On Friday night we went for Pizza and Working Cow ice cream at the Cone Cabin. It was a nice visit and interesting to hear about her trips to New York for plays and to meet her boyfriend's famous cousin Tina Faye - sounds like Tina Faye is a nice and intelligent woman. Getting to Marge's was another story - terrible wreck on the bayside bridge took over 20 minutes to cross a 3 or 4 minute bridge. The cars pulled over didn't look too damaged but plenty of emergency vehicles and lane closures. Saw some twisted metal in front of a van. Most interesting thing was that I was waved through by the police officer who pulled me over, but didn't give me a ticket (thank you), when my Dad was here. I was tempted to wave and say "remember me?" LOL

Next morning Jerry and I stopped at 7-11 and he parked next to a County Sheriff car and went inside. Shortly after that same officer came out and was getting in his car right next to me and I couldn't help myself this time - I did say "Hi, remember me?" He didn't but I told him that I saw him at that accident last night and he said it was a motorcycle and the fellow died. How sad for his family and friends. Too wierd to think that one minute you are alive, you attempt to change lanes, and then you are dead.

Mid day I drove Maureen and Marge to DSW - a HUGE shoe store (mom had to work). I bought two pairs because it's like the Home Depot of shoes. That night me, Jerry, Marge, Maureen, and mom all went to Spotos Steak Joint in Dunedin (attaching photo fro their wen site). Erica and Lee were suffering from alergies plus little Sarah cutting teeth with fever. Fabulous Filet Mignon as usual but someone tried to sneak sour cream into my garlic mashed -I didn't eat them.;) Better luck next time Chef! Last night sat on screen porch and listened to my radio shows on NPR by candlelight. Had nice long chat with friend in Seattle before calling it a night. Oh, and Eddie is backoutside and eventually forced Daisey out. The trauma of the bark thing mus tbe wearing off.

Today mom came over and we did her taxes and the majority of mine. Yuck even if you do get $$ back. We ran some errands, played around a little, and then when Jerry got home from work the three of us picked up Marge and Maureen and went to a family restaurant in Safety Harbor. Cute little downtown area and famous for it's Spa. I have "borrowed" a photo of the gazebo we could see out the window as we ate. I don't have batteries for my digi so no photos for me right now, too bad too, I have orchids blooming and bought two new ones last Monday but mums the word!

Oh, can't forget. Got a floating toy intended for the pool today at the Dollar Tree and it's been fun watching Eddie try to get that thing out of the pool. He won't go in and swim but he will get down on the steps. He did get it once but mostly as he paws it the things flips away. I want to get photos of that. Oh, and I can't leave you without a doggie photo from Ratbone Rescues.

Vickie