Today's Special: It's Not Just an Ordinary Cardboard Box

I thought today I'd tell you about one of my favorite things. We're all very fortunate in that we have just about everything a cat could want here. Food, toys, food, love, food...you get the idea right? But there's something else here that I love very much. It's my window seat. It's where I say hello to the sun every day.  I do sometimes share it with my siblings, but for all intents and purposes, it is MY window seat.  With that said, let me explain...

When I first became part of this family, we lived in another house. It was a nice house, but I like our current one better. There was a cardboard box that lived in the closet of our old house.  There was a window in the closet and as fate would have it, this cardboard box sat under it.  Not intentionally, just by chance. It was a box full of things that the peeps didn't use, but didn't want to get rid of. It was what the peeps call a storage box.

Normally we aren't allowed in closets. My peeps have something against hair covered clothing. Do I take it personally? Yes! But I digress... Back in the old house, whenever the peeps would accidentally leave the closet door open, I would go in and immediately curl up on this cardboard box under the window.  Peeps would find me there and at first, they would shoo me out, but eventually they just let me stay there until I left on my own. Then they'd shut the door and my window seat would be gone until the next time I could sneak into the closet.  Sometimes I would meow at the door, but my peeps just thought I wanted to get into a place that I wasn't supposed to be. They didn't realize I must have been missing my window seat...

I'd been part of the family for a little over a year when we moved to our current house.  It was a scary time, but also very exciting.  The house didn't have any of my smells (which I quickly rectified by rubbing against every nook and cranny) and was filled with boxes. Now mind you, boxes are fun to play in and jump on so I'm not complaining.  But there was one box, in the bedroom, surrounded by several others, that was my favorite. Peeps would find me laying on it every day. As they started to unpack, they realized that the box they always found me on was the same box that had lived in the closet in the old house.  They had no idea why I loved that box so much...even I don't know...but they couldn't deny that I did. So, although it's just an ugly, old, slightly ripped, cardboard box, peeps decided to put it in front of one of the windows in the big bedroom and make it an official window seat!  They put a comfy blanket on it and it's just perfect. I literally spend a good part of every day on this window seat. I love looking out the windows, laying in the sun, watching the birds and the neighbors...it's just really my special place.

Even when my peeps bought brand new furniture, my special window seat stayed just the same.  When it started to sag a little bit in the middle, the peeps opened it up and put a fluffy old towel underneath to add some support.  It's as good as new now and extra cushiony!!

I know it must bother my peeps to see a tattered old box sitting in front of the window when I'm sure they'd rather have a nice piece of furniture there, but that's why I love my peeps so much. They realize that looks can be deceiving. They can see beyond its ugliness.  They can see it's not just an ordinary cardboard box.  They can see it's a super-duper Herbie window seat!
xoxo

Today's Special: Call Me Housepainter Herbie Please

I'm determined that every post won't be about food so...I thought I might tell you about my newest endeavor. I know it won't be nearly as exciting as roast chicken and cake, but not every day can be filled with those unbelievably good things can it? If your answer is a resounding "Yes it can!", then please get in touch with me sooner than immediately. I'd like us to make plans for me to move in with you.

My peeps have been ripping the house apart lately doing something they call painting. At first I didn't really understand it. Obviously it was one of those "peep things" that I simply put up with because, well, I love them. They started with the dining room a couple weeks ago. They moved all the furniture (which was actually quite good for one reason...I found a long lost favorite pack of tissues which I have now been playing with daily.  Whoopie!) then climbed around with various "tools of the trade" and complained each night about how tired they were.  Not exactly my cup of tea, but different strokes for different folks right? I tried to get involved as best I could. For example, I politely walked thru the full-of-paint roller pan to let them know that I was onboard and fully supportive of their silly plans. This caused quite a bit of excitement on their part. There was running and yelling...which caused me to run and yell too! As I said before, I always try to get involved. Unfortunately it ended in me having my paws washed in the powder room sink. Pfftt...


I heard much talk of a faux finish that peeps were going to put on the bottom of the dining room wall. I've come to learn that faux means fake so peeps were planning to put a fake finish on the wall. Ok... Who am I to judge right? As long as I don't get faux food or faux treats, I'm good.  So anyway, after hearing about this faux finish, I immediately thought...I can help with this. I ran to the proverbial drawing board and came up with a finish that I thought the peeps would really enjoy. Hair of the Herbie.  With a mixture of spring shedding and wet paint, Hair of the Herbie would take mere minutes to accomplish and in my mind's eye...it would look stunning.  Let me just say that peeps did not enjoy my idea in the least. After they put the faux finish base coat on, I attempted to begin my hairing. Similar to the "walk thru the roller pan event", there was yelling and grabbing. Fine! It would have looked amazing. Although what they eventually chose to do does look very nice I suppose.

At the current time, the peeps are finishing up their second room, the family room. As always, I'm trying to help as much as I can.  I did a complete inspection of their trim painting earlier. Peeps appreciate it when I give things my Herbie Seal of Approval. I know they depend on my keen sense of detail and honest evaluation.

The most irritating aspect of the family room was the addition of the loud spitting machine which left the carpet moist. The dining room is hardwood floors, but the family room is still carpet. Peeps hate it and are planning to have hardwoods installed sometime soon. But, since the furniture was already moved out of the room for painting, they decided to steam clean the carpet. Pfftt... I did not enjoy it one bit! Every time I walked in the room, my paws got wet. Urgh!  Would it have really been so difficult for them to put up a small cat-sized sign that said "WARNING: WET PAW AREA. WALK WITH CAUTION"? No, I don't think so. To me, it's the little things that count.

As you can see, I've been extremely busy these last few weeks. Managing my peeps is a full time job. Thankfully this weekend they are not doing any painting. The horrible spitting machine will be back, but it will be cleaning carpet upstairs so I can stay down in the family room and relax in the sun. I need some relaxation. It's not easy being me...

xoxo

Today's Special: I Ate the Word Day Right Off It!

What an amazing Gotcha Day I had! And I have my wonderful peeps and friends to thank for it. If you look to the left, you can see what my great friend Bizbee gave me as a present. He's my brotha from another motha! Haha! I think it suits me!  And it's low maintenance. I just shake my head in the morning and...voila!

The highlights of my Gotcha Day are as follows: a hug from a dear friend, BeaverWonderCat's HerbiePawty, all the wonderful gotcha day wishes from everyone, cake, my new blog and roast chicken. Anyone that knows me is thinking - how is it possible that cake is 4th on the list and roast chicken is last? Well, although I can't even believe it myself, I've learned that there are just some things more important to me than cake and food! 

That Webster guy defines friendship as the act of being a friend. And a friend is defined as a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. While that is true, let's face it...there's a lot more to friendship.  To me, a friend is someone who makes you laugh when you didn't think you could, listens to you whine when you need to, trusts you with their deepest secrets (because you will never betray them) and is there for you all the time, no matter what.

Being as I'm a housecat and don't get out much (unless I fall out a window, but that's a story for another time), most of my friends are also my family. When my peeps asked "Hey Herbie...do you think you want to have an account on Twitter and Facebook?" I thought it would be fun, but I never thought that I'd meet such wonderful people...such true friends. I think what I'm trying to say here is that I love all the fun I have and all the cake I eat (never enough tho sadly), but sometimes I think it's important to step back and just say thank you...and that's what I'm doing right now.

But listen, I can't make this whole post lolly or I'll never hear the end of it.  There's cake and roast chicken to discuss for god's sake!  And everything you've heard is true! Peeps bought me a roast chicken and a cake for my Gotcha Day.  The cake even had my name on it! My peeps said it took quite awhile to explain "gotcha day" to the woman in the bakery! Two thoughts on this: 1) Oh if only I could've been there to hear that conversation! 2) Can you imagine being lucky enough to work in a bakery?

*stares off into space for several minutes*

Ooops...sorry about that! Bakery thoughts got the best of me I'm afraid! So where was I? Oh yes, my cake and roast chicken. Both were delightful. I did have to share with my siblings. My peeps' idea...not mine I can assure you! I kept them away from MY roast chicken as long as I could, but alas...peeps finally stepped in and divided it up between the 8 of us.  It was delicious! Then, after the chicken came the cake! Before peeps could stop me I ate the word day right off it. Haha! As you can see tho, my sister Bellatrix was trying to get all up in my cake! After the picture was snapped, I slapped her into next week, but, sadly, she's a tough broad and gives as good as she gets. It behooved me to allow her to have a bit...if you know what I mean. Pfftt...

So that's basically how my big day went. Thanks again to everyone who shared the day with me and truly made it extra special. It was a million times better than even my wildest dreams (and some of my dreams are pretty wild!)  I am truly one happy cat. 

xoxo

Today's Special: My Gotcha Day

Oh boy! Peeps gave me my very own blog as my Gotcha Day present! Just goes to show what one little housecat and alot of loud meowing can do!

So today is my Gotcha Day. 4 years ago, in a little shelter in Maryland, I met my peeps for the first time. I was just relaxing...paw stretched thru the bars of the cage...trying to look cool. On the inside I was really hoping that someone would come along soon and want me to become part of their family. I was 2 yrs old and up to that point, had spent my life on the streets...

One day in 2006 I was picked up and taken to a place I call the "bad place." There I was given a little cage to live in, in a room filled with lots of other cats. I was terrified. Some would be snatched from their cages never to return. From what I heard, they went to sleep forever. I didn't know what that meant, but I just knew I really didn't want that to happen to me. Then one day, different people came. They looked at all of us and picked a few to go with them. I was one of the chosen ones! At first I was scared b/c I didn't know what was happening, but after a few minutes I realized I was being taken to a place that didn't believe in making animals sleep forever. Don't get me wrong...I love naps just as much as the next cat, but this forever sleep thing just didn't sound like a good idea to me! So off I went to the shelter that would become my home for the next few months. I was treated really well and I liked it much more than the "bad place." I was even given a blue collar and my very own number! It seemed that most of the other cats were also given names, but for some reason, I just got a number. Anyway...sometimes visitors would turn up to look at me and the other kitties that were there. And sometimes we'd get held and played with by the visitors. And if they laughed alot and made happy sounds then usually one of us would leave the shelter for what I learned was called a Forever Home. And this Forever Home was definitely what I wanted...

So on 21 April 2006, in walked some visitors. They came over to my cage, played with me thru the bars and scratched my head. Then they walked away. I'll admit I felt a little glum. But then they came back! With the shelter lady! And the magic key! The cage door was opened, I was picked up and cuddled. Oh it felt so nice...I started purring right away. The visitors started making those happy sounds that I told you about earlier and I thought "Oh boy!! Could it be?" The visitors put me down on the floor and...as they discovered that day...when I get excited and happy, my tail shakes, falls forward and lays on my head! Apparently this was a good thing because they started laughing and I heard them say "he is just the cutest cat I've ever seen. Look at his tail. It's like it's on backwards." As far as I was concerned, my tail could be on forwards, backwards or sideways as long as these visitors kept making those happy sounds! And they did. And then it happened. I heard it. "We want to adopt this one. He definitely needs a Forever Home."

And the rest, as they say, is history. Herbie history. I was brought home that very day and my life as a pampered housecat began. And those very nice visitors became my very special peeps. They decided to name me Herbie because, as they said, "he really is such a lovebug." As I write this today, 4 yrs later, I know I really lucked out. I have a wonderful home, great brothers and sisters (to boss around), fantastic peeps, every toy imaginable and a food dish to call my very own. There's always a hand to pet me, arms to hug me, lips to kiss me and a soft voice to say "I love you Herbie." What more could one little street cat want?

xoxo