Wordy Wednesday - Relay For Life

This is my Uncle Sean. He is mommy's little brother. Although he isn't so little anymore.

Uncle Sean is awesome in a lot of ways. He is an honor student in all honors/advanced placement classes. He is on his school's swim team. He plays the viola in his school's orchestra. He is a member of the Beta Club. He loves furries. And what is making him yet even more awesome is that he is participating in Relay For Life this year! How super awesome is that?


I know many of us and our beans have had our lives touched by cancer. Even now, our friends Storm and Rascal are battling lymphoma. That is why knowing that Uncle Sean is doing something to raise money for cancer research means so much to me. Uncle Sean sent out an email letting everyone know what he was doing, and how they can help.

Dear Family and Friends,

I've decided to take action against cancer by participating in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life® event right here in my community. Relay For Life® is about celebration, remembrance, and hope. By participating, I am honoring cancer survivors, paying tribute to the lives we've lost to the disease, and raising money to help fight it. Please help support me in this important cause by making a donation. It is faster and easier than ever to support me by making a secure, tax-deductible donation online using the link below. If you would prefer, you can send your contribution to the mailing address listed below.Whatever you can give will help - it all adds up! I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Sincerely,

Sean

If any of you kitties or your beans would like to help my Uncle Sean raise money, you can click on the link below to electronically donate on his page. Or if you would rather mail a check to him with your donation, you can e-mail me at princetybalt AT gmail DOT com and I will send you back his address. Mommy and I are donating to him as soon as she gets her green papers at the end of the month. Hurray for Uncle Sean! We are very proud of him.

Click Here to Donate

Tortie Tuesday - Miss You Like Crazy

The heatbox clicked on this morning! I couldn't believe it, so I am dedicating this song to my wonderful heatbox. How I have missed you, my friend. ~Ivy

Miss You Like Crazy

Originally performed by Natalie Cole

Adapted for the Heatbox by Ivy

I miss you like crazy

I miss you like crazy

Ever since you went away

Every hour of every day

I miss you like crazy

I miss you like crazy

No matter how warm it gets now

I think you should click on somehow

I can feel the warm air blowing my furs

and it feels so good it makes me purr

If feelings believing its worth the wait

So click on and warm me, its not too late

We're so good together

We're starting forever now

And I miss you like crazy

Mancat Monday - Blueberries and Bobtails

Hello kitties! As you know, being a successful mancat means living in the moment, and not being afraid to try anything new. I always do my best to uphold this fine mancatly way of life, which explains how I discovered that blueberries are super yummy. My grandmama sent my mommy home Saturday night with a big blueberry muffin. My mommy saved it for breakfast on Sunday morning. She was really looking forward to it. Well, Sunday morning came, and she settled down with her blueberry muffin, with me snuggled up in her lap purring up a storm, as always. The next thing she knew . . . . CHOMP! I had taken a huge bite out of her blueberry muffin, and was coming in for more! Mommy knows better than to be squeamish, so she finished the muffin anyway . . . she says that if she didn't eat after her kitties, she would starve. I didn't even get in trouble. Mommy just laughed and gave me a kiss and told me I was cute. Ahhh . . . being a mancat is the best! As you can see, I am paying an homage to blueberries with my portrait today. Not only do I look very regal in this color, it also reminds me of Violet in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which is yet another fine movie I must review!

In other news, mommy was looking up what she thinks is my breed: The American Bobtail. Here are some pictures:

Not only do I look very similar to these kitties, but my personality matches what the CFA says in their site . . . although bits of it did make mommy laugh. Just look at this introduction:

"At first glance you are sure that you have just seen a bobcat, you slowly turn and your gaze falls upon this magnificent and untamed looking creature. It captivates you. Your eyes meet and you are drawn to a far away place where hearts run wild and free. The cat cleans its luxurious fur, blinks its eyes at you and begins to purr. You long to stroke its soft, thick fur and hold him in your arms, but do you dare? Tentatively you reach for the amazing animal. He stands up and stretches, allowing you to marvel at his substantial body and his natural short tail. He is a thing of the wild, of that you are sure. The cat saunters over to you and demands attention, you cautiously pick him up and are amazed at his personality. Affectionate, intelligent and gentle, your heart has been stolen by an American Bobtail."

I can tell you, kitties, my mommy "dares" to take me in her arms quite often!

"They interact well with people of all ages and serve a great purpose in the family home as a major source of entertainment due to their clown like personalities. They also offer a warm, soft shoulder to cry on when needed. They are known for their love of games and can play fetch or hide and seek for hours on end. They will often initiate a game and can be very persistent until you play with them. They are basically quiet cats in voice, however they do trill, chirp and click when delighted. They are easily leash-trained and love to go for walks. Not technically thieves, the American Bobtail’s love of shiny objects makes it necessary to keep jewelry boxes closed and even locked."

I freely admit that I am a thief. I steal mommy's things all the time . . . especially her sweaters and socks and STRAWS, and even her little stuffed animals. I haven't gotten to her jewelry yet, but that is probably because she doesn't wear much, so I don't get to see it often. I think it is fun to take her things away and watch her search for them. It keeps mommy on her toes. I also don't talk much to anyone except mommy, but I chat to her constantly. Mostly it is in chirps and trills, but occasionally I yell for her, especially when it is past my bedtime and she hasn't gotten to bed to snuggle me yet. I also scream for her when she is in a room with the door closed and I can't get to her. I don't like it when I can't see my mommy.

Apparently there are two different stories floating around about the origin of my breed. The first and most interesting story is that a siamese and bobcat had kittens together. The second is that a shorter tailed tabby and siamese had kittens. Either way, I have siamese ancestry! (Which we already knew since I'm a handsome lynx point!) Does this mean I get to add Meezer Rules to my Mancat Mondays?

Friday Movie Review - The Glass Bottom Boat

The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)

Directed by: Frank Tashlin

Written by: Everett Freeman

"The Glass Bottom Boat" is our second spring-like movie starring Doris Day! Maybe Doris Day herself is just that springy? Anyway, this film makes you think of warm weather and beach time because it is set in California, and quite a bit of the outdoorsy scenes take place around Catalina Island. In fact, the story begins when Bruce Templeton (Rod Taylor) is out fishing off of Catalina Island, and reels in a mermaid tail, which is the costume bottom belonging to Jennifer Nelson (Doris Day.) Understandably Jennifer is upset at being stranded bottomless off the shores of Catalina, and also understandably Bruce is both amused and intrigued by his unique "catch." Things get even more interesting when Jennifer later discovers that Bruce is the boss at the research lab she currently works at as a tour guide.

Under the guise of hiring her to be his biographer, Bruce attempts to get to know Jennifer better. However, at the same time soviet spies are attempting to infiltrate and steal Bruce's important research, and through a series of mishaps and mischances, it soon appears to the military that Jennifer is herself the soviet spy!

This movie is a classic 1960s slapstick romantic screwball comedy . . . the sort of movie that Doris Day herself so excelled at. Doris Day is very likable for furries in this film because her character is the mommy to lots of furry babies! She even calls her doggie Vladimir several times a day on the phone to help him get his exercise while she's at work. Of course, her mysterious phone calls to a "Vladimir" at odd hours of the day also contribute to the suspicion that she is a soviet spy . . . obviously scientists and military personnel don't understand the importance of being a good mommy to furry babies, since none of them believe that she is really just calling her doggie. Rod Taylor is very handsome and charming as the leading man, and my mommy says he is good "eye candy." Paul Lynde, Dom DeLuise, and Dick Martin round out a winning comedy cast.

I give this film two paws up for being funny and original! It is even suitable for babybeans and kittens. For example: this movie was actually my Uncle Sean's favorite thing to watch when he was about three years old, especially the part where Jennifer is in Bruce's high-tech kitchen making a mess, and the cleaning robots come out and wind up attacking her by mistake. Uncle Sean used to giggle a lot over that scene! (I bet he'd be embarrassed if he found out I told you.)

Please don't forget to make any requests you might have for a movie review! Either leave your suggestion in my comments or email it to me at princetybalt AT gmail DOT com. Purrs!

Thursday Thirteen - Movie Reviews

I announced last Friday that I am taking reader's requests for my movie reviews this summer. My sweet tuxie princess Sammie-Pie made a great suggestion . . . and I'm taking it! Here is a list of all the great movies I have reviewed so far. If you see that I haven't reviewed a movie you really like, or a movie you'd like to know more about before you see it yourself, please leave me a comment on my blog or email me at princetybalt AT gmail DOT com. =^_^= So here you go . . . Thursday Thirteen plus 5!

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)


2. The Cat Returns (2002)


3. The Phantom of the Opera (2004)


4. Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)


5. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)


6. Sweeney Todd (2007)


7. Sleeping Beauty (1959)


8. 300 (2006)


9. The Aristocats (1970)


10. Bringing Up Baby (1938)


11. Moulin Rouge (2001)


12. The Cat From Outer Space (1978)


13. Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)


14. Harvey (1950)


15. Bell, Book, and Candle (1958)


16. Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1960)


17. Alice in Wonderland (1951)


18. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Wordless Wednesday - Flowers

Tortie Tuesday - Brushing

Hello Kitties! It's Holly here for this week's Tortie Tuesday, to let you all in on a big grooming secret: the importance of brushing! Our new kitty friend Veronica was requesting some brush/comb reviews, and we wanted to help her out, so Tybalt and I did a photo shoot for her. Veronica wants kitty reviews in order to raise money for Alley Cat Allies, so please go visit her blog here and let her know if you can help!

Here I am preparing for the photo shoot. As you can see, mommy hasn't invested in a spiffy expensive brush yet. We make do with this standard model. But kitties - the model itself isn't important! You will see what I mean in a moment.


Here mommy is starting to run the brush through my furs. Oh, it feels lovely! And once she runs the brush through my furs a few times, the brush even starts to smell like me . . . and I smell great!

The brushing was going so well I decided to move our little grooming session to the couch. As you can see, my furs are very shiny. Good nutrition (eating lots of crunchies and temptations!) and being properly groomed will give you these sleek and shiny furs as well. If you look closely you can see how my loose furs are being trapped by the brush. This means I won't have to hack a furball up in the hallway at 2 AM! This gives me more time for games of Thundering Herd of Elephants or Whap the Blinds or simply Napping.

This is what I mean . . . this cheap brush still managed to do its job so well and felt so good that I had to give it the bitey! Not only that, but I had to bunnykick it and mommy as well! Oh, how I love to be brushed . . . it is almost as good as a nip-fest!

No torties were harmed during this photo shoot, but mommy still has a few scratches to remind her of how much I looooove my brush!

Also, the TATAs have two new members: Georgia, Mickey's lovely polydactyl tortie sister (like me!) and Starbuck, a young beauty who is a tuxie-tortie! Please come by to welcome them to our association. Also, Starbuck now has her very own bloggie! You can visit her here.

Mancat Monday Thanks

Happy Mancat Monday, everykitty! This Monday I am VERY thankful. I am thankful my grandpapa was able to go back to work this morning, before he drove grandmama crazy. I am thankful I got to see Almost Dad this weekend and get some skritches, even if he did try to hog all of my usual napping spots. I am thankful mommy cooked her veggie beef soup this weekend, so that I could sneak out the best bits from her bowl when she was otherwise distracted. I am glad that grandmama came over and actually GAVE me bits of beef from her soup, because she knows that grandmamas are supposed to spoil their grandbabies. But most of all, I am thankful for all of you wonderful kitties! I have made so many wonderful friends, and it warms my very heart to know that there are so many wonderful furries and beans out there. So . . . THANKS!

Thanks to my darling Sammie-Pie and her great mancatly brother Mr. Tigger for giving me this great award!

I would like to pass it along to Camie's Kitties and the Purrageous Pirates.

Thanks to Karl and The Cat Realm for passing this award to all of us who visit them! I feel very honored to be Karl's "Valued Friend."

And now, I would like to share a niptini with all of my wonderful friends! Let's all have a relaxed and nipped out Monday, everykitty! I am sure we all deserve it. Cheers!

Friday Movie Review - The Wizard of Oz

This week's movie review is on a true classic . . . "The Wizard of Oz." This movie is spring-like for many reasons. Not only is it bright and colorful and involves flowers in a pivotal part of the plot(poppies), but it also is traditionally shown on television every year around Easter. When you see "The Wizard of Oz" being played on TV, you truly know spring is here!

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Directed By: Victor Fleming

Written By: Noel Langley (Screenplay)

Florence Ryerson (Screenplay)

Edgar Allan Woolf (Screenplay)

L. Frank Baum (Novel)

When you first start watching the movie, you aren't all that impressed. Everything is dull and dreary and black and white . . . it doesn't really keep a kitty's attention. Things get a little better when Dorothy starts singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," but only just a bit . . . where's the color? Where's the action? Why is it so depressing? Kitties . . . the beginning of this movie makes you think that Kansas is a boring and depressing place, good for nothing but evil dog-hating neighbor ladies and tornadoes. You can see by the picture below that Dorothy is wistful and really wishes she had more excitement and color in her life.

BUT THEN! Suddenly Dorothy is caught in a tornado and dropped into a world full of COLOR and MOVEMENT and SONG! Just look!

This is when a kitty will start understanding why their mommy is making them watch this movie. Now the film starts getting really good. This is where all the action begins, and you won't be yawning anymore. Don't get me wrong, there are some flaws in the movie. While you can tell Dorothy is a nice girl because she loves her dog Toto so much . . . still, the movie would have been FAR more interesting had Dorothy's beloved pet been a cat. No offense to doggies . . . but as a kitty, I would have preferred to have seen a cat in the role. Perhaps a fluffy Himalayan. Can't you just see Zoey in Dorothy's basket? Skipping along the Yellow Brick Road? I know I can!

But don't despair! We felines are represented as well. However, this is where kitties may be offended. Dorothy befriends a lion . . . known as the Cowardly Lion. Yes, he's big and fierce-looking with an awesome curly mane. But he's all bluff. He's afraid of everything! EVEN TOTO! Can you imagine? He is afraid of Dorothy's tiny doggie. And in comparison, Toto is made to look that much braver than the lion. I must tell you, I was a little bit upset by this. If I had been the Cowardly Lion, I would have put Toto in his place with one well-placed whap. I think the Lion could have benefited from our weekly Whapping Lessons with Sammy.

The meanie in this film is the Wicked Witch of the West. She's pretty cool. She's green and wears all black and flies on a broom. She also has flying monkeys! I think the Witch is probably Holly's hero. I bet Holly dreams of the day when mommy rides on a broom and has flying monkeys to sic on people. (Come to think of it, mommy probably dreams of that day, too.)

Even though this film starts out all dreary, and doesn't represent kitties well or accurately, I still give this film two paws up. Once you get past the icky beginning with Dorothy pining away in dusty Kansas, there is color and movement and song . . . and flying monkeys!

I also want to let you kitties know that this summer starting in June I will be doing "Reader's Request" for my movie reviews. I know several of you have left suggestions for reviews in the past, so now is your chance to shine! From June through August (if I get enough requests) I will be reviewing movies that YOU, the reader, have requested. If you have a movie you would like to see reviewed by me, please either leave your request in my comments or email me!

Thankful Thursday Thirteen

Guess what, kitties? A squillion years ago I guessed a song right for Ghost, and I got a prize package! A little less than a squillion years ago, the package came in the mail and instead of letting us open it right away, Mommy hid it in the CLOSET! And then with one thing and another, I didn't get to open it and check out all the great stuff Ghost sent me. Last night I finally got to open it, and boy was I thrilled! You won't believe all the great stuff I got!

1. Here I am checking out the package. It smells great!

2. As you can see, I got a lot of help. The Tortie Twins were all over it!

3. Look at all the cool stuff I got! That's Ivy, horning in on my territory.

4. Here I am trying to hide all of my goodies from Holly by laying on them. You can see a little bit of my classy new necklace Ghost sent. I think the colors complement me nicely.

5. Here I am modeling my new necklace. I think it makes me look dashing! Am I handsome in it, Samantha?

6. I am guarding my new blue chirpy mousie and catnip from my sisters. A mancat must always be aware of his surroundings! Especially when you live with the Terrible Tortie Twins.

7. Ivy says "Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip."

8. I had to put the bitey on the mousie! It needed discipline.

9. Some mousies never learn. I had to discipline it some more.

10. BUNNYKICK!

11. Catdancer! Ivy is on the left, and Holly is on the right. Can you see Ivy's claws of doom?

12. I decided to check out the catdancer, too. I was very brave to get between the twins and the catdancer!

Well . . . . it was almost a Thursday Thirteen! For my thirteenth thing, I think I will share some lyrics with you . . . these are the lyrics Mommy helped me to guess so that I could win all of this cool stuff!

13. Melancholy Child, by Pam Tillis

You take a black Irish temper and some solemn Cherokee

A Southern sense of humour and you got someone like me

There are thorns on every rose to this I'm reconciled

They're just a little sharper to a melancholy child

***BONUS GRANDPAPA UPDATE***

Grandpapa went back for his 2nd follow-up appointment today, and the news was good! The eye v-e-t said that he did not think that grandpapa will have a CAT-aract in his eye that was operated on, even as naughty as grandpapa has been. Also, he went ahead and lasered the tears in his other eye, and said there should be no further problems. *paws crossed* Grandpapa gets to go back to work on Monday, so hurray! Thanks everykitty for keeping my naughty grandpapa in your purrs and purrayers. Mommy and I really do appreciate it!

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Grandpapa Update

This is a picture of my grandpapa taken last Christmas. He looks a bit silly, doesn't he?

I wanted to thank all of you kitties so VERY VERY much for purring for Grandpapa. His surgery on Friday went extremely well. The doctor was able to fix all 7 tears and attach the retina back. Grandpapa was on his way home by lunchtime on Friday, all grumpy because he wasn't comfy and he had lots of bandages over his eye. The doctor had to use a gas bubble in Grandpapa's eye to help fix it, so we won't know about his vision until after the gas goes away, which may take several weeks. Everything seems hopeful, though. He says he can kind of see things right now, so hopefully (paws crossed) all will be well!

Of course, Grandpapa is still stubborn. He isn't doing exactly what the doctor told him to. He's supposed to stay still and keep his head down so that the gas bubble stays where it is supposed to . . . otherwise he is in danger of giving himself a CATaract. Grandpapa isn't staying still and isn't keeping his head down as much as he should. BAD grandpapa!!! BAD! If one of us furries misbehaved like that, mommy would have us GROUNDED! I think Grandmama should ground Grandpapa. I don't want my grandpapa to have anything wrong with him ever again. Maybe if Grandmama takes away his temptations and toys he'll behave better.

Grandpapa loves all of us furry babies very much and spoils us, and we love him back . . . especially Dana and Holly! I am very glad that he is doing well, and I know it is all thanks to all of those purrs from you wonderful kitties. Thanks so much for being such great friends! Purrs to all of you!

Friday Movie Review - Alice in Wonderland

***Emergency Purraryer Request***

Mommy had to help me with my Movie Review early this week because Grandpapa is having emergency eye surgery tomorrow in the VERY early hours of the morning. Mommy is going to go with him and Grandmama for it, so she won't be available to help me with my blog. Grandpapa has a completely detached retina with 7 tears in it in one eye, and the other eye's retina has 3 tears. They are going to try to fix the worst one tomorrow. Grandpapa refused to see about the problem until it was almost too late, so both Grandmama and Mommy are very mad at him as well as worried. Thanks for the purrayers, everykitty!

Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Directed by: Clyde Geronimi

Wilfred Jackson

Writers: Lewis Carroll (novels)

Winston Hibler (writer)

"Alice in Wonderland" is one of those films that just makes a kitty think of springtime whenever he watches it. For one thing, there are the gorgeous colors . . . for another, there is the caterpillar . . . and perhaps most importantly . . . there are the FLOWERS! It just makes a kitty want to sing! See? Even Alice herself had to give in to the urge!

This Disney animated classic is based on the novels of Lewis Carroll. My mommy is a big fan of Lewis Carroll, so we have all the books. In "Alice in Wonderland," Alice is lazing about outside on a wonderful spring day with her kitten Dinah, and refusing to study or listen to her governess. Instead of doing as she is supposed to, she follows a talking white rabbit down his rabbit hole, and enters into the mysterious Wonderland. Alice now finds herself trapped, and attempts to find her way back to the real world that she knows, and of course, her wonderful kitten Dinah. (You will note that Dinah was wiser than Alice and did not fall down into the rabbit hole.)

Here Alice meets many interesting characters, such as the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts. However, to a kitty these won't be the most interesting ones. Rather, the true STAR of the movie is not Alice, but rather the Cheshire Cat. The Cheshire Cat is an enigmatic kitty who gives clues to Alice in riddles, and can make bits and pieces of himself disappear at will. He is truly a clever and tricky kitty, and looks stunning in his purple stripes.

There are also several bun characters pivotal to the story. There is, of course, the White Rabbit, with his constant cry "I'm Late! I'm Late!"

And there is the March Hare, who spends all day celebrating his Unbirthday at a tea party thrown by his good friend the Mad Hatter.

Will Alice ever find her way home safely to Dinah? Only the Cheshire Cat knows!

I give this film two paws up and a LARGE TOOTHY GRIN.