Remembering Nellie, My "Furever" Friend

Hi my furiends. Today, this is Cody at the keyboard and I am having an incredibly hard time putting my thoughts together. You see, I found out today, from my furiend Speedy, that my cherished furiend Nellie went to the Bridge.

You can visit Nellie's blog here

If I were to write a blog post about Nellie and all of the adventures we had, it would take furever. I was thinking this morning about how Nellie was one of my oldest female kitty furiends (not in age, but in the time we knew each other), in the Blogosphere. Even when Nellie cavorted with every male cat in the Blogosphere, I sat back and watched, knowing that she would still make time to see ME. I had a special place in her heart, and I LOVED HER.

Nellie's Mama
made this photo a long time ago
It is probably my favorite

Nellie and her Mama brought joy to oh so many of us. They made us laugh and made us think, and touched our hearts. They did so many thoughtful things that I couldn't begin to list them all.

I know that Nellie wouldn't want our eyes to be leaking, so I am going to try and smile. I will try to smile as I share photos of Nellie and I from our many adventures. I am pretty sure that this would please her. There are a number of photos, but I picked my faves. Hoping you enjoy.

Mom and I pawed through over 1700 blog posts and it appears that the first time Nellie was on my blog was May 2, 2012.   (Nellie might have appeared before then but we couldn't find it).

Photo Courtesy of Nellie's Mama

Nellie next appeared on May 3, 2012

Photo Courtesy of Nellie's Mama

Then on Friday, July 26th, 2013, Nellie was being driven nuts by her kitty sibling "Jo-Jo" and she needed to escape. Who did she call? ME! This is just one photo from that pawesome visit.

 May 15, 2015 I pawticipated in wishing Nellie a Happy 17th birthday..........

Then, last year, we wished Nellie a Happy 18th birthday:

When Nellie began her "Gift" Series, I started to sense that something might be amiss. I hoped with all of my kitty heart and soul that I would be wrong. On January 17, 2017 I had the honor of sharing Nellie's "Gift #14" The photo below is courtesy of Nellie's Mama.

Nellie girl, things will never be the same without you. My heart will never feel the same without you. You were a constant in the ever-changing blogging madness. If there was one thing I could count on, it was YOU. Love you forever sweet Nellie, never forget that.  With all of my love, Cody

Photo from Nellie's Mama's Blog

Mom and I send much love and many prayers to your most pawesome Mama. We are going to get a hold of her soon. Our hearts are just broken. Love, Cody and "Mom"

Visiting an Old Friend: Nellie Shared Her Gift With Me/Day #14

Hi all it's Cody! For those of you who are long time readers of my blog, you know that Nellie and I have been dear, close furiends for nearly my entire kitty life! We go way back! We have been in numerous blog posts together, shared trysts and so much more.

Cody and Nellie from 2013 I think!

I was excited when Nellie called me the other day. She wanted to share the gift of her company with me and I happily accepted! Well, truth be told, HERE is what REALLY happened as she wrote on her blog today: "Sunday, Mommy and her furrends was watching the Packers and the Cowboys. Purrsonally, mes finds football a little boring. Mes gotted Mommy's phone and texted my bestest old furrend Cody...."


Doesn't matter if Nellie texted me because she was bored, (little did she know I was watching the same football game when she texted me, but I am not one of those mancats who put sports ahead of special ladycats.) I will drop everything for sweet "Nellie Belly" and she knows that! Even FOOD!!!

I was at Nellie's so fast..."before she could say touchdown!!!" Nellie and I had a most pawesome time visiting and chatting together. It meant the world to me that she wanted to share Day 14 of her "Gift" with me.

Love you sweet Nellie Belly,
and I ALWAYS WILL!!
Cody

Cat "Mews": Happy "Mew Year's Day for Cats" Coloring and Cabana Cats

Hi my furry furiends, it's Cody! Hope you enjoyed spending New Year's Eve and the "traditional" New Year's Day with your humans! Now this is new to me, but I learned from our Cat Blogosphere calendar that today is "Happy Mew Year's Day for Cats." 

I learned that this day was created by wellcat.com so cats could have their OWN New Year's celebration. Now, that's pretty cool!!

There are many ways to celebrate this day, one of the more obvious is for someone who wants to add a cat to their family (and who DOESN'T?) this would be a purrfect day to do so!

Other ways to celebrate are to share some things that are cat related, and that is exactly what we wanted to do for you today.

Back in November, our furiends at Sundays at the Shelter shared a page with us that we could color. Mom finally got around to completing coloring it the other day.

The artist behind the original drawing is none other than the talented Maggie Swanson, we reviewed a book of hers way back in 2012,  but never realized she has coloring books too! How did we NOT know this?

Mom isn't 100 percent pleased with how the drawing came out. But she sure had fun completing it!

Sweet Nellie
Photo stolen from Nellie on the Edge

The other bit of news we wanted to share is that our precious and cherished, long time friend Nellie isn't feeling well. We know that most of you have already visited and shared some POTP, but for those who didn't know, I know she would appreciate your good wishes!

Nellie is one of the first kitties I became friends with in the Blogosphere. We have shared many, many good times together. She is super special to me and my Mom. I was beyond flattered when she asked ME to be her Cabana Boy on New Year's Eve and make her some "Niptinis", of COURSE I was happy to oblige! Anything for my "Queen Nellie!!"

I make a pretty darned good "Cabana Boy" don't I?

I love Nellie with all of my furry heart,  and KNOW that she LOVES me,  and that is why when she would cavort with other mancats through the years, I didn't mind. I always knew that she had a special place in her heart for ME....and would always touch base with me. I am so happy when she gave me a meow out to help her out on New Year's Eve.

I LOVE YOU sweet Nellie, hoping with all of my heart that you are feeling better soon!!! Not ready to lose you!

Well, my furiends, that's it from me for today, hoping your "Mew Year's Day for Cats" is a special one! Meow to me below and let me know what YOU are going to do to acknowledge this day.

Love to all!

Cody

Bailey Boat Cat Interviewed Cody on Caturday Connections!!!

Hi my furiends! I am so excited to share with you that I was interviewed by Bailey Boat Cat!!

Photo Courtesy of Bailey Boat Cat

Mom, Dakota and I greatly enjoy Bailey's blog and Mom reviewed Bailey's book, back in 2014.

CLICK TO READ OUR REVIEW!!
(the give-away was from 2014
and is obviously closed)

Every Saturday, Bailey features a blogging special called "Caturday Connections" where he introduces various friends of his and I was so lucky to be featured!!

Be sure to read my interview right here!!!

Thank you Bailey, so much for featuring me!

Love,

Cody

A Straw Hat Birthday for a SPECIAL Lady Cat!

Today is a most special day! It is Straw Hat Day , the day when all felt and warm hats should be put away, and the hats of summer (Straw Hats!) should be brought out to not only help you keep cool in the sun, but to make you LOOK "cool!!"

I decided to incorporate my "cool" look while celebrating the birthday of an IMMENSELY SPECIAL LADY CAT that I have known for years and years!!!  In fact, we go waaaay back! I have made a number of appearances on her blog and she has done the same on mine!

I have watched her date countless mancats, but always, she would return to the "Codester" for some fun and the comfort of my reassuring paws.

Today, this special lady cat is turning 18, a truly special birthday indeed! I'm heading over to wish her a Happy Birthday and you should too!  Click here to visit!

Happy, Happy Birthday to 

Nellie!!

Wishing you many, many more!!

Much love from,

Cody

Today A Special Cat Turns 21 !!

It's not every day that a cat turns 21. What a true blessing it is!! Today is a most special birthday for our dear friend Merlin over at Cat Wisdom 101 , and to say we had a hard time making his greeting is an understatement!

Just what DO you do for a cat who is wise BEYOND his 21 years? Nothing Cody and I came up with seemed quite right, even our end result isn't  what we wanted it to be.

But, ultimately, the most important gift that any cat or human can receive EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES is LOVE......SWEET, SWEET LOVE!!! Now THAT Cody and I can send to Merlin in abundance!!!!! We love you Merlin!!!!!!

Photo altered with permission from CatWisdom101.com

Please take a moment

 and wish Merlin a

 Happy 21st Birthday

 by visiting him here

Tee Pee Trysting:Wordless Wednesday

CLICK HERE
TO FIND OUT
WHAT THIS
WAS ALL ABOUT!!

Straw Hat Day and a Special Birthday!!

Hi my furiends!

Today is a most special day! It is Straw Hat Day , the day when all felt and warm hats should be put away, and the hats of summer (Straw Hats!) should be brought out to not only help you keep cool in the sun, but to make you LOOK "cool!!"

I decided to incorporate my "cool" look while celebrating the birthday of an IMMENSELY SPECIAL LADY CAT that I have known for years and years!!!  In fact, we go waaaay back! I have made a number of appearances on her blog and she has done the same on mine!

I have watched her date countless mancats, but always, she would return to the "Codester" for some fun and the comfort of my reassuring paws.

Today, this special lady cat is turning 17, a truly special birthday indeed!

Happy, Happy Birthday to 

Nellie!!

Happy Happy Birthday my sweet furiend!!!

Wishing you many, many more!!

Much love from,

Cody

I'm heading over to Nellie's pawty and you should do the same! See ya all there!

Book Review and Give-Away! The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues:A Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper by Cindy Vincent

They are at it again!

Back in February of 2014 I had the pleasure of reviewing Black Cats Save Christmas in The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks, A Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper  and, I had the pleasure of getting to know the vivacious, personable and oh-so creative and kind author of this fun mystery series, Cindy Vincent.

Before I tell you a bit about The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues I would like to introduce you to the two feline stars of Cindy's mystery series, Buckley and Bogey.

Courtesy of http://www.buckleyandbogey.com/

Buckley Bergdorf , a newly adopted almost-2- year- old Maine Coon  with paws so huge that he wonders if he will EVER grow into them! (HINT:You will have to read The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues to find out if he does!)

Buckley idolizes his "big brother" Bogey, the top cat behind the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Agency,  who is the complete antithesis of Buckley, Bogey is sleek and slim and it has been rumored that he could run so fast that sometimes his feet barely touched the ground!  He also never seems to be without a stash of cat treats which he is constantly pulling out to help calm down the more nervous, Buckley.

Did you know?

BUCKLEY AND BOGEY ARE REAL CATS!!!

ABOUT BUCKLEY AND BOGEY CAT DETECTIVES

FROM CINDY VINCENT

"Bogey"
Courtesy of
http://www.buckleyandbogey.com/

Buckley and Bogey are real, live cats who inspired the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Capers

Bogey was adopted from an animal shelter when he was just a kitten, and he came to live with us and three much older female cats. About a year after we adopted him, we noticed a real disconnect between him and the other cats. Not only was Bogey the only male cat at that time, but he was also much, much younger and far more energetic than his sisters. Bogey believed in playing all day, every day, and frequently during the night, too. And since he had no other young cats to play with, he continually tried to engage his older sisters. Unfortunately, they got sick of him quickly, and they would hiss and swat until he left them alone. Then Bogey would flop on the floor and sigh. He wanted someone young to play with so badly, and before long, it became very apparent that he needed a brother. And though we really hadn't intended to bring another cat into the fold right then, we realized we needed someone else to join our little cat family. 

"Buckley"
Photo courtesy of
http://www.buckleyandbogey.com/

So we decided to stop into the adoption center at our local pet food store, and that’s when we spotted one-year-old Buckley. After spending some one-on-one time with him, we knew he’d be a perfect fit

At night, they often run around the house together and seem to be "investigating" and "running surveillance". And since cats are such imaginative creatures -- they can play with a stuffed mouse for hours, as though they're hunting big game in a dense jungle -- Buckley and Bogey seemed to be perfect characters for a cat detective series. Especially considering how well the two get along. Hence, the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Capers were born!

You'll notice in the books that Bogey is very outgoing and well . . . practically fearless. Nothing seems to rattle him at all. Whereas Buckley is kind of a nervous wreck. He's afraid of lots of things and always worried about the outcome. The real life Buckley and Bogey are very similar. Bogey knows no fear and believes everyone will love him. He's a very confident cat. But Buckley, who was a year old when we adopted him, and had originally been rescued from a kill shelter, really is a pretty anxious guy. He suffers from something called FLUTD, or Feline Lower Urinary Track Disease, which has recently been changed to FIC, or Feline Idiopathic Cystitis

Now, about The Case of The Jewel Covered Cat Statues

  Bogey (which happens to be short for "Bogart"),  the more suave, confident, outgoing and bold of the two cats, and the mastermind of their detective agency seems to watch his nervous-nellie, novice brother, Buckley with mild amusement.  In fact, he refers to Buckley as "kid" numerous times throughout the book. It was obvious to me when reading the first book by Cindy Vincent that she is  a Casablanca devotee.  The last name of the kitties:Bergdorf (Ingrid Bergman in the same movie).
 I was so proud when I cracked that case!  In The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues  there are actual Humphrey Bogart lines from Casablanca and the Maltese Falcon.  It is a bit of a spoof on the Maltese Falcon done in Buckley and Bogey style! Here is more about The Case of The Jewel Covered Cat Statues, it is their "most complicated case ever!!!"

A Message from Buckley Bergdorf, Cat Detective:
It all started when someone hid a mysterious package in our Mom's antique store-in the middle of the night! Of course, Bogey and I found it, and we put it in a nice, safe place, until we could open it...and, find the rightful owner. But that's when a whole bunch of suspicious people showed up in town, and every single one of them seemed to be after that package! Holy Catnip!

The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues is full of fun, as well as suspense. Cindy Vincent has a flair for humor, dialogue, twists and turns. The majority of the book is dialogue between the cats and her take on the various feline personalities is just hilarious. In this book, there is Hector "a Siamese cat who is a really big blabbermouth", who "talks" non-stop in the car (and everywhere else), which reminded me of how cats meow and "sing the song of their people" when heading to the dreaded Vet. There is a strong  and heart-warming message of the importance of friendship that is the heart of this mystery. Friendship, overcoming greed, believing in yourself and teamwork. It shows us  that often we must look "deeper" into things, (even things that are outwardly full of glitter, sparkle and shine),  instead of just  taking them at face value.

From The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues:

"Humans especially are easily taken in by anything that shines. Gold and silver and diamonds and rubies. To name but a few. And most certainly, there is nothing wrong with owning and collecting objects of great beauty. But, when the quest for those objects makes you do terrible things, that's when you've crossed a line."

Full of Heart, High-Jinx and Hilarity, this one needs to be on your MUST READ list!

TO PURCHASE:
ISBN:978-1-932169-28-7
Available for purchase in paperback, or Kindle or Nook versions at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

VISIT:BuckleyandBogey.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cindy Vincent was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has lived all around the US and Canada. She is the creator of the Mysteries by Vincent murder mystery party games and the Daisy Diamond Detective Series games for girls. She lives with her husband and an assortment of fantastic felines.

GIVE-AWAY!!! Cindy Vincent has generously offered THREE of our readers (who reside in the U.S. and/or Canada) the chance to win a copy of The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues. ENTERING IS EASY!! Just leave a comment telling us you would like to be entered. The give-away is open now and will end on Monday, April 20th at 5pm EST. Winners will be chosen by random.org and will be announced on Wednesday, April 22nd. GOOD LUCK, oh and....

"Here's looking' at YOU kid!!"

Book:Catsong by T.J. Banks

"Serenade:A musical performance given to honor or express love for someone,  often by one person."

When I finished reading Catsong, by T.J. Banks, and  was pondering what would be the best word to sum up the spirit in this touching book, the word serenade kept appearing in my mind.

In it's traditional sense, the word "serenade" is typically defined as,   "a musical greeting performed for a lover, friend, person of rank or other person to be honored. The classic serenade usage would be from a lover to his lady love through a window."

While a serenade is normally directed towards a female from a male, in my opinion, it also is an appropriate word to describe what author Banks has created in Catsong.

To me, Catsong is not only a compilation of Bank's best cat stories, it is much more than that. It is a songbook  of SERENADES. It, is a collection of essays that are in reality, SONGS. My reference to "songs" for the purpose of this review,  would be words that honor by using the most beautiful of lyrics. The words written in Catsong are vehicles that convey love, a love of the purest and most genuine kind. The "serenades" in Catsong are essays dedicated to the many cats who have graced T.J. Bank's life.

From Catsong: For all the cats who have graced our lives-the strays and the purebreds, the soul-cats and the heart-cats, the generals and the goofballs. You all gave us so much.

  Songs that convey love evoke the strongest of emotions. While often these memories are beautiful, inspiring and happy, they also can be full of grief  that often seems unbearable. Catsong is a beautifully woven compilation of these emotions.

Many who will, or have read Catsong, have had numerous cats touch their lives.  Sadly, I have only had three, (an abandoned newborn calico kitten that was in my life for merely a month when I was fifteen, my Angel Bobo, and my Cody). Whether or not one has had one cat, three, or dozens, the intense love and raw emotion that was so beautifully conveyed in Catsong, will be recognizable and felt by all.

 Catsong  was the winner of the 20007 Merial Human-Animal Bond Award

ISBN:978-1-63263-540-2
Published by BookLocker.com, Inc., Bradenton, Florida

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:T.J. Banks is the author of Sketch People:Stories Along the Way, A Time for Shadows,  Derv & Co.: A Life Among Felines, Souleiado and  Houdini a novel which the late writer and activist Cleveland Amory enthusiastically branded "a winner" and which I had the pleasure of reviewing.  A Contributing Editor to laJoie, she has received writing awards from the Cat Writers' Association (CWA), ByLine, and The Writing Self. 

I was not compensated for this review. I was sent a copy of  Catsong in exchange for my honest review. It is my pleasure to share a book as marvelous as this one with my readers.

Bailey Boat Cat Winners!

Thanks to all who entered my give-away for:

HUGE CONCATULATIONS

TO THE LUCKY WINNERS

 LISTED BELOW!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jeanne happens to have a blog

 and you can follow it here!

Mom will be emailing all of the winners soon!! Have a pawesome day! Love, Cody

Enter to Win! Book:Bailey Boat Cat, Adventures Of A Feline Afloat by Louise Kennedy. World-Wide Give-Away!

Ahoy Kitties!!
It's Cody and I have some exciting news for you!!!  One of our kitty furiends has pawed a book! Oh YES he has!  My furiend is Bailey Boat Cat,  a Seal Point Siamese, and the "self-proclaimed admiral of the sailing vessel Nocturne." Mom and I have been following his blog since it first began in October of 2012.

Mom and I were first intrigued by the incredible photos, and of course who WOULDN'T be intrigued by a kitty who has been cruising the Mediterranean since 2011 with Captain "Dad" and his First Mate "Mum?" His blog is so unique!
His book is unique as well!

The world has known its share of famous nautical cats, but few have the personality, purrsonality, sailing know-how, and the take-charge attitude of Bailey! When you read the book you will see why!

We are deeply honored to be one of a clowder of kitties who were offered the oppawtunity of reading Bailey's book before it hits the bookstores in the U.S. on September 2nd! (It is already available in Australia and the U.K.)

 Kitties, Mom and I just finished reading Bailey's book,  and I gotta tell ya, the photographs are equally as stunning as the ones on Bailey's blog (maybe more so!). There is sooo much information packed into this 96 page hardcover about life at sea that it will have you shivering your timbers!!!

You will learn about:

• Sailing Skills
• Safety at Sea
• Galley Grub
• Boat Maintenance
• Playtime on board
• and MORE!!!

Before I tell ya about one of my favorite parts of this book, take a peek at Bailey's famous book trailer!

From Bailey Boat Cat: Whether it be describing life on a bot, sending Meowday messages, scrubbing the decks, or calculating clouds, this irresistible First Cat look at sailing is a must read for anyone who is cat-crazy, loves sailing, or lives a life at sea!

Also, sprinkled like catnip throughout the book are some of Bailey's Whisker Wisdom:

"There is no better place on a hot day than the shade of a sail"
"To be curious on a boat is to have the world at your paws."


Ready for my favorite part?

We all know that cats LOVE string and rope right?
Well, that is true for boat cats as well!
Bailey tells us about:

Five knots
every boat cat should know

They are the:

• CLOVE HITCH
• REEF KNOT
• ROUND TURN AND TWO HALF HITCHES
• BOWLINE
• BAILEY'S KNOT

See? I told ya you can learn a lot about sailing and the life of a boat cat by reading this book! I give it FOUR PAWS UP!!

Now I have some exciting news for you my furiends! If you would like to learn why cats are far more qualified to sail than dogs, and if you want to experience first-hand Whisker Wisdom from a cat who knows his boats from buoys, there are TWO things that you can do!!!!

1) Visit the Bloomsbury/Bailey Boat Cat SUPER PAGE and you can receive 50% OFF by entering the code "CarenCody"  (The book retails for $15.95. This code is for the U.S. only, and you MUST purchase the book DIRECTLY from the publisher's website).  You can also find a list of retailers where the book can be purchased on the same page  NOTE! The discount code is not applicable for those sites.

2) Enter our world-wide give-away!!!!
The publisher has generously offered to mail a copy of Bailey Boat Cat to THREE LUCKY WINNERS LOCATED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!!!! All you have to do is enter on the Rafflecopter below!  (There is one mandatory entry and 2 where you can earn extra chances to win!) GOOD LUCK!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway









Official U.S. Publication Date:September 2, 2014
ISBN: 9781472906502 Hardcover, 96 pages
eBook: 9781472906526

In full disclosure: I was not compensated for this review or give-away. I was sent a copy of Bailey Boat Cat, Adventures Of A Feline Afloat by Louise Kennedy in exchange for my honest review.

Cat Book: "Houdini" by T.J. Banks

Imagine if you will,. that you are a mere wisp of a kitten. A Flamepoint Siamese to be exact, and you discover that you have been deserted. You're hungry, frightened, thirsty and ALONE. 

The above scenario occurs on the first page of one of the most beautifully written cat books I have been afforded the pleasure of reading.

Sitting down on a Saturday night, from the moment I read the first page of Houdini by T.J. Banks, I did not move from the couch. I did not lift  my head from the pages until I finished reading, nearly two hours later.

As cats are drawn to catnip, Houdini will lure you into his world as he extends his paw from the pages of this beautiful and touching story about the love and undying loyalty of a cat for "his girl".  You will fall in love, as I did with the determination, devotion, faith, loyalty and love that is evident on each of the 190 pages of this book that is a MUST READ for all who love cats.

"A Siamese only gives his heart

to a human once....

" For Houdini, an abandoned down-on-his-luck Siamese kitten, that human is Jill Leonard, the girl who smuggles him home aboard an airplane. He lives a good life out of doors with Jill's other cats. That life has dangers of its own, however, as he discovers when he inadvertently strays from his home.

Lost and injured, Houdini finds a safe haven with a cat-loving artist, but his longing for the child who first gave him love and a home is as intense as ever, and he is determined to find his way back to her."

While the plot of Houdini is captivating, touching and sometimes humorous, that isn't all that I was impressed by. I was impressed by the obvious knowledge of cats that Author Banks possesses. There is a vast amount of thought and detailed description of the qualities that make cats, CATS. Banks enables us to be privy to what their thoughts might be, (if we only knew,) their motivation, what delights them, and what perturbs them.

  As a cat effortlessly weaves through your legs when he or she wants to be fed,  Banks expertly weaves into the story details about how cats move, the meaning behind their interaction with other cats and  how they find their "place" in  a  pre-existing cat hierarchy.

"So Houdini crouched down and lowered his head to show that he understood whose territory this was. The tabby cuffed him lightly and stalked off. He sat down by the kitchen table and watched Houdini with wide friendly green eyes. Want to play? those eyes said. I might, the Siamese telegraphed back. He sat up and began lightly touching up his fur, feeling a bit more like his old self. Definitely more at ease."

There are important  lessons to be learned  in Houdini as well. Lessons about abandoning pets, the love they need, outdoor dangers, spay/neutering,  lest I reveal more, I will stop here, when you read Houdini you will find out the rest. Banks doesn't preach, many of these messages are subliminal,  but their impact is strong and clear.

If you love cats (and I know that you DO), if you want to be inspired, delighted, charmed, and wish to join Houdini as he experiences life and love, then this is one that MUST be a part of your cat book library.  It is sheer purrfection in every sense of the word.

ISBN:13:978-1-59113-734-4

ISBN:10:1-59113-734-9

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:T.J. Banks is the author of Sketch People:Stories Along the Way, A Time for Shadows, Catsong, Derv & Co.: A Life Among Felines, and Souleiado. Catsong, a collection of her best cat stories, was the winner of the 20007 Merial Human-Animal Bond Award. A Contributing Editor to laJoie, she is also a columnist for petsadviser.com and has received writing awards from the Cat Writers' Association (CWA), ByLine, and The Writing Self. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies, including Guideposts' Soul Menders, Their Mysterious Ways, Miracles of Healing, and Comfort From Beyond. She has also worked as  a stringer for the Associated Press and as an instructor for the Writer's Digest School. 

She lives with her son Zeke, their power-mongering cats, a rabbit, and chinchilla, in a sometimes peaceable but always interesting kingdom.

I was not compensated for this review. I was sent a copy of Houdini in exchange for my honest review. It is my pleasure to share a book as marvelous as this one with my readers.

 

Secret Paws Rocked Christmas for this Gray Tabby Cat! Thankful Thursday

Hi and Happy Day After Christmas all!

Hoping that those of  you that celebrate Christmas got everything that you wanted and if you didn't......just file a complaint with Santa...MOL!! As you know it isn't all about the gifts anyway...yeah right....well TODAY it is! Today I want to tell you all about Secret Paws!

For those of you kitties living under a rock, blanket, basket, box, you get the picture, Secret Paws is a super fun gift exchange event that was created (and organized!) by "Mom Paula" of the adorable blog, Sweet Purrfections.

Kitties who would like to pawticipate are paired with other kitties and they have their humans send in answers to these instructions courtesy of Secret Paws:

1. Name of kitties.  Please specify name and number. 


2. Email address 


3. Name of Cat Blog 


4. Link to Blog 


5. Complete Mailing address 


6. Would you be willing to exchange with a kitty from another country?  (Remember postage is higher when shipping internationally)


7. Favorite Color 


8. Favorite Treat 


9. Favorite Toy 


10. Information on items that should be avoided (specific flavors, toys, treats, etc.)


11. Anything else you would like your Secret Paw to know about you.

There is also a suggested dollar limit involved as well.

This was my second year pawticipating and I had a blast!

Look at the incredible presents that I received!

MY SECRET PAWS BOX!!!!

Mom and I nearly fell over in shock

 when we saw all of this super cool stuff!

LOOK AT EVERYTHING

THAT I GOT!!

CATNIP FOR ME!

FURRY MICE!

A LIGHT UP BALL!!

A CATNIP TOY

A CATNIP 'NANNER
MY FAVORITE
BOUNCY SPRINGS!

THERE WAS EVEN STUFF FOR MOM!

Peppermint hand/body lotion

was in a cute little

snowman bag

and  there was

CHOCOLATE!!

As Mom thought I would do,

I went straight for the

red furry mouse first!!

Mom took a photo of me 

in action so that is

why it is blurry

MOM AND I WERE EXTREMELY TOUCHED

BY THE GENEROSITY OF MY SECRET PAWS!

GUESS WHO THEY ARE?

THE MEEZERS!

Mom and I 

were super embarrassed at first
because we didn't know who 
they were
but Mom Paula
sent us the link to their blog
and now we are following them!
Their blog is:
MEEZER TAILS
Mom and I were blown away
by their thoughtfulness
and generosity
we are hoping they had
a CATABULOUS Christmas!

If you are on the fence about pawticipating in Secret Paws you should really give it a go!

 I think the nicest part for Mom and I was finding new furiends to follow! Ok, ok, that is one reason, the other being that  I LOVE my super cool prezzies too!!!! 

THANK YOU AGAIN MY NEW FURIENDS!!! You made one gray tabby cat and his Mom extra happy!

Love, Cody and Caren

A Special Thank you!!

Hi every furry it's Cody!

While reading my email last Sunday, I found a LOVELY thank you photo from my dear furiend, Nellie!

Be sure to visit
Nellie on her blog!!!

If you visited my blog last Friday you know that my furiend Nellie came by to visit! If you missed that post you can read about it here.

It was super kind of Nellie to make me that photo and I love it!

While I am feeling sentimental I just want to THANK ALL OF YOU for being such good blogging furiends! It hasn't been the best of summers for my Mom for a variety of reasons, and you ALL bring both Mom and I more smiles on days that we need it, MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE!

So....THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU for being here! Without YOU, there wouldn't be US!!

Love, Cody and Caren

Guess who came for a visit!!!

A few days ago I was pawing through my blog post comments and I got a comment from my dear furiend Nellie that made me quite worried!

It was on my blog post from July 17th 

Cody, Jo-Jo is driving me nustso, next Market day (Friday) can mes comes and visit yous?
Kisses
Nellie

After reading that angst-filled comment, I could NOT get Nellie off of my mind!!!!

How could a man cat say no???? I could tell from this photo and the blog post that Nellie wrote about it that she needed help....AND FAST!!

This is Jo-Jo!!
Click here to read the blog postthat Nellie wrote, 
no wonder she needs a break!
photo courtesy of catfromhell.wordpress.com

 I also felt bad for Nellie because I know her Mom is so busy with the marketplace

CLICK  HERE TO VISIT!

That I told her she could DEFINITELY come and visit me!!

Here are some photos from our visit, be sure to visit Nellie's blog to see some other GREAT PHOTOS!!

After we played dress up

We had a little snuggle time!!!

Then....

and then....

Don't let her fool you, we had a purrfect time!

I am hoping that Nellie comes back soon!!

Love, 

Cody