Purrs for Anastasia

Thank you, Skeezix, for the graphic. We Ballicai are purring and purring for precious Ana's safe return.

The Seven Ps Meme

What fun! My friends Bounce, Lucy and Trixie tagged me for the Seven Ps Meme! This is a great meme. I've really enjoyed reading answers given by kitties who have been tagged so far.



Here are the rules fur the Seven Ps Meme:

In an attempt to get to know fellow bloggers a little better, this new meme was started called the 7 P’s. Fill out the 7 P’s and tag five blogs that you read on a regular basis. Have fun!

Passion -Oh, I have many passions. I am a quiet and serene kitty, but inside me beats a passionate girlcat heart! First and foremost, I am passionate about my Mickeybear. He is my darling mancat, my muse, and the music to which I dance. And here are my other passions, in no particular order: I'm passionate about poetry -- writing it and reading it. I am passionate about stinky goodness, for which I sing Operatic Stinky Goodness Arias. And I'm oh-so-passionate about cuddling, snuggling, and scritches!

Purpose -Well, the way I see things, I have several important purposes. One is to be my Mickey's steadfast and loving girlcat and his muse. Another is to be my Mom's Velcro cat -- I love snuggling in her lap, and I make her happy with my kitty kisses and hugs. And another is to keep my Dad well-rubbed. I love to rub on his hands and his arms. Yet another purpose is that of a Seeker of Scritches. I love Scritches. I seek them not only from Mom and Dad but from anyone and everyone who comes over. Mom calls me "love shaped like a kitty." So bottom line: my purpose is to love.

Pursuit – Well, sometimes I pursue coffee stirrers. All of us Ballicai fixate on the evil little creatures, and we love to bat them out of Mom's and Dad's coffee mugs and kill them. I don't know why coffee stirrers are so evil, but they are, and only kitties can perceive it, so we must be extra-vigilant, protect our beans, and guard them well. Sometimes I pursue bugs. And I am always in pursuit of stinky goodness and yummy things to eat.

Position -I love to snooze and sprawl on top of the stereo receiver in the living room. It used to be a JVC; these days it's a Yamaha, but what matters to me is that it's warm and cozy. I love to snooze on my purr pad, too. And on top of the dresser in the living room. And inside some of the packing material that came with Dad's new computer case. And *whispering* sometimes in my litter box. But most of all, I love to snuggle on laps. I spend a lot of time, in particular, on Mom's lap. My favorite position is to lie back against her arm as she holds me, so she can alternate between rubbing my tummy, rubbing my head, and giving me scritches. And it's an advantageous position for me, too, because I can reach around with my paws and give her hugs.

Pummeling -MOM'S BRAS! I love playing with Mom's bras. Really, Mom's bras are better than catnip! When I find one of her bras (and she leaves them out for me sometimes), I lie on it, grab it in my paws, chew on it and lick it, and then I wrap my back paws in it and BUNNY-KICK it! Mom calls me a silly kitty. I'm glad she doesn't mind that I make her bras a little bit soggy. After I play with them, she puts them in the wash. *giggle*

Progress -When December rolls around (December 1 is my Gotcha Day), I will have been in my forever home with Mom and Dad for a whole year. And before I came, my sisters Brainball and Dorydoo were the only kitties in the house. This past February, along came MaoMao. And over the time the four of us have been together, we've made great progress as siblings. We get along very well most of the time, and often, all four of us sleep in the bedroom together during the day.

Personality -I am quiet and outgoing at the same time. I guess you could call me an extroverted introvert. Or an introverted extrovert. *giggle*! I'm reflective, contemplative, calm, and serene. At the same time, I'm extremely affectionate with humans, and it's impossible for me to meet a "stranger": I don't have a shy bone in my body. When somebody comes over to visit Mom and Dad, I'm the first cat to check them out, and if they're agreeable, I wind up in their laps, purring, revving my engine to Warp Nine!

And I will tag:

My darling Mickeybear (he will be back soon -- *joyful purrrrs*!)
My friend Faz
My friends Zippy, Sadie, and Speedy

Thoughtful Thursday

Darling Mickeybear, your Kittypie is thinking about you. And I'm working on my villanelle to celebrate your return.

Meanwhile, a spontaneous etheree:

Me
Myself
And I, and
I find myself
Daily missing my
Mickeybear and thinking
About everything we share
Together: love, laughter, friendship,
Snorts, poetry, full Montys, even
Poetic Montys: how I miss my Mick!

Weird Places Wednesday

I got a kick out of my sweet sister Peachy's post for today: she's taking a nap in her litter box! I giggled and giggled at that, because I do the same thing! Want proof? Well, not long ago, Mom snapped this picture:


In this picture, I'm hanging out, not sleeping, but I've snoozed in the litter box, too. And though we Ballicai have several litter boxes and Mom keeps them all very clean for us, this is my favorite one.

I really don't know why I hang out there. Once in a while, the mood just hits me... what can I say *giggle*. I'm kind of a silly girlcat sometimes.

Mickeybear, when you come back and read this post, I hope you won't think less of your Kittypie for her eccentricities! *smile*

Tagged Tuesday!

I'm very sleepy today because I had such a fun and active weekend at the Sweet Sixteens reunion.


But I was tagged by sweet Miz Allie Cat for the Catnip Capers Meme! What fun. So I'll play along before I resume my nap. And after my nap, I'll work on my villanelle for my darling Mickeybear! I miss him so much.

Here are the rules for the Catnip Capers Meme, quoted from Miz Allie's blog:

"All you catsters out there have to do is just list 5 things you do whenever you're on the nip, and don't forget to tag some friends! Let's find out just how wacked out some of us get!!"

Ohhh, I love 'nip! Here are five things I do when I'm 'nipped out:

1. If I'm lucky, I find one of Mom's t-shirts, or better yet, one of her bras. Then I wallow around on it, grab it in my paws, and bunnykick it!

2. I run around a lot. Well, I don't really run. I "tuddle." That's what Mom says, anyway. She says I walk and run as though I were wearing high heels, because I'm a curvy cat with small paws. And when I'm nipped out, the "tuddling" is that much more obvious!

3. I roll around on my back and wave my paws in the air. When I do this, I look like I'm boxing. Maybe I'm having catnip-induced hallucinations of being Mohammad Ali. But wait, it's my NOMSS friend, Cairo, who's the boxer, *giggle*!

4. I'm always snuggly, but being 'nipped out makes me extra-snuggly! Snuggle, snuggle, snuggle! Where are Mom and Dad -- I want to snuggle! Let me teleport over to Mickeybear's -- I want to SNUGGLE!

5. I rub my face against the 'nip. I like having it on my face! Mom calls me Kissyface because I kiss her and Dad so much, but when I'm 'nipped out, I become Nippyface!

And I'll tag three 'nippy-trippy girlcat friends: Miss Peach my sister, Ariel my future sister-in-law, and Gretchen my sweet friend.

Back to my beauty sleep... zzzzzzzz... (*purrrrrrr*)

A Wonderful Weekend

I had a delightful time with dear family and friends at the Sweet Sixteens Family Reunion. Ben and Lucy, my sweet brother and sister, and their wonderful mom, Toni, were fabulous hosts.

Mickeybear, I missed you being there, but I know you were with me in spirit. And our poem was very well-received, I'm happy to say!


I'll post the poem here, to share with those of you who couldn't make it to the Sweet Sixteens bash:

"Sweet Sixteens", a sixteen-line poem presented with love and purrs from Marilyn MonREOW and Mickey Mantle

Sixteen years ago or more they fit
Curled up into a hand
Such energy, they couldn't sit
For long: the wee firebrands!

Twelve years ago or more they lived
Their lives as young adults
With exuberance and purrs to give,
Athletic prowess to exult.

Four years ago or more they grew
Calmer, contemplative
Quiet wisdom felt quite new
To those who'd been so sportive.

Today, the Sweet Sixteens (or more),
Know love and living intertwine
And daily from their hearts outpour
Dear joy for life divine.

=-=

Now that I'm home, I'm going to work on a Villanelle for my Mickeybear, to present to him when he gets back. And guess what else I did today... I played Box Wars with my little brother, MaoMao! *giggle*

Sweet Sixteens Family Reunion!

The Sweet Sixteen Kitties are having a Family Reunion this weekend (from today 'til Sunday), and it's a special bash to honor, as MaoMao put it so beautifully, our precious feline friends who have gained in years and experience.

Everykitty is invited, and there will be all kinds of fun things to do: games, storytelling, delicious food and drink, and I will be reading a special poem I wrote in honor of the occasion. Here I am practicing my poetry reading, which will occur on Saturday night.


The poem I wrote is from both me and darling Mickeybear in heart and in spirit. He suggested to me the form I should use for my poem: sixteen lines with a rhyme scheme similar to his favorite poem ever (and one of my favorites, too): "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley.

So please, everykitty who can, join me and the Ballicai at the Sweet Sixteens Reunion this weekend -- it will be an extra-special event for extra-special and wonderful kitties.

And Mickeybear: you will be accompanying me to the reunion, for to quote ee cummings:

"i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)"

UPDATE: Good news to share. Momma caught Shadow, the fourth of the feral kitties, to go to his new home on the farm, away from the highway. That leaves only Starlight, and Mom is confident she can catch him soon, too.

Momma's happy the feral kitties are safer, but she's missing them. This quote speaks to where her heart is right now: "If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden."
~Attributed to Claudia Ghandi

A Gift From My Mickeybear!

There I was, lying on packaging from the computer case box, which I've claimed as my latest, most interesting Cat Spot, when I heard Mom say, "Mail Call for Miss Marilyn!" Could it be, could it be...?




Ahhhh, a package from my Mickeybear! What a delight! I'm missing him so much, and receiving a gift from him while he's away makes him feel closer again.




Brainball was interested in the package, too! I wonder what's in there, she asked me.




But Mom let me open the package, and... oh, how precious: a New York Yankees baseball cap, in exactly my size! And in the sweet note Mickey sent, he said that I, Marilyn MonREOW, am now an Official New York Yankees Fan.




And yummy.... Temptations! You certainly know many ways to a girlcat's heart, Mickeybear. (Please ignore the awful looking box in the background -- it's an old box that we Ballicai have shredded practically to bits. Mom and Dad always keep boxes for us in the kitchen, and they have varying degrees of structural integrity, *giggle*.)




And here I am trying on my cap, except I think caps are meant to be worn on heads, not necks, aren't they? I'll have to work on my cap-wearing skills. Wearing caps is more challenging than writing poetry!




I love my Yankees cap, the Temptations, and your note, Mickey dear. Thank you so much for your sweet gifts. I'm happy to be a New York Yankees fan, and I'm especially happy to be a forever fan of my darling Mickeybear Mantle... and his Kittypie!




Brainball wanted to try on the cap, too. She was better about wearing it on her head, but she put it on backward. *giggle*! I guess we both need to work on our cap wearing skills! But we'll do so, and pictures will be forthcoming!

My Nose Twins

The kitties at Crews' Views issued a challenge to all of us Cat Blogosphere kitties: find our nose twins! Well, it seems I have two. I think my darling Mickeybear and I have similar noses. Don't you agree?






And here's my other nose twin, a beautiful Whitester girlcat, Yuki! What do you think?






Thanks, kitties at Crews' Views! That was fun!

(I miss my Mickey so much! I'm sending him love and whisker-kisses.)