Hello, hello, HELLO!
This is Tilly. I can't believe it's been so long since we blogged. Time flies like an arrow and fruit flies like a banana.
It's still quite hot here and I've been spending most days sleeping under the AC vent. I lie on my back so the cool breeze can waft over what my fellow Gorgeous Ginger Zeus calls my hoo-has.(I don't really have hoo-has, but I do have a hoo-ha area.) It's very pleasant. The Other One comes in to stare at me, but he generally leaves me alone.
Many poodins and beans have asked how I am doing. I want to thank everyone for their concern. I eat lots of Stinky Goodness and take lots of naps, but I still like to sit on Mum's lap and play with the laser light. The beans have been eating lots of ice cream and I get to have lappies after. Dad puts the bowl down right in front of me, so I don't have to exert myself too much. Mum usually keeps the Other One at bay until I'm done. HE HAS TO WAIT! HAH!
Now I have to tell you all about Toby. Remember how he protested about being brushed? Well, now the big wuss can't get enough of it. Every night he gets on the bed, stands on Dad's chest and meows until he gets brushed. As he's being brushed, he purrs and closes his eyes. Sometimes he drools, which is disgusting.After that he stretches out at the foot of the bed and goes to sleep while playing the piano. He snores, by the way.
Cousin Molly has been very naughty. The beans and Grandma went to Kennebunk Maine for a wedding. Grandma did for Molly what Mum and Dad do for us. There was plenty of food, water and an extra litterbox. Molly didn't like Grandma going away, so when Grandma came home, Molly BIT her. Molly has nipped people before, including Grandma and Mum. This was very serious. It's a big bite and Grandma is very angry. She is going to the bean doctor tomorrow to make sure it isn't infected. Mum and Grandma are very worried. Do any beans or poodins have advice for us? We understand that there are kitties that are just plain mean, but Molly is really bad. Grandma was the person who rescued her and she doesn't know what to do. Gran would never hurt Molly, but she is at wits' end.
On a happier note, Cousin Kainui is getting a little brother this weekend. We're so excited! Aunt Mary is really becoming a crazy cat lady,hehehe. First one cat, then two, then seventy-eight...
We have been enjoying everyone's blogs. We wish we were with Fat Eric in Essex and that we could visit Big Eric and Flynn. They really know how to inspect a hay barn!
* sniff,sniff* Oooooh, Mum's getting out the smelly blue cheese I love. Time to look pitiful. Take care everyone !

Hello, everyone,
Toby here. Tilly doesn't feel too well, so she is resting in her carrier. Imagine VOLUNTARILY getting in the carrier. She likes it, though 'cuz it's cool and private. She usually helps Mum at the computer for a while then she needs a nap. Mum spends lots of time on the computer( time that could be better spent with ME) but she doesn't interfere too much so Mum lets her stay. Older kitties need lots of rest and attention. I understand that, but I really don't think it's fair the amount of Stinky Goodness she gets. She gets first dibs and that's just not right! Just because she's old and a girl... I need LOTS of food to maintain my rubenesque physique.
I am sending cooling vibes to my friend Fat Eric. F.E. doesn't have AC like we do and the heat is bothering him. He is more than welcome to visit and lie under the vent like I do. The breeze ruffles my belly fur and it's very pleasant. Every now and then I stretch and maybe have a bit of a wash, but I mustn't strain too much. I need to keep my weight up.
Our cousin Molly, the Evil Tortie from Maine is very upset.(She's ALWAYS upset, but now she has a reason!). The maintenance men where she and Grandma live haven't trimmed the shrubs in front of her window and she can't see out as well. This makes her very mad, she lashes her tail and growls outside. She also tries to get in the living room window, which is a no-no. There was an incident involving a broken Hummel which my Mum and Dad were blamed for. Ever since then, Molly is not allowed at the living room window, only the bedroom. She can still see the hummingbirds, but she can't see the beans come and go too well. She is especially mad 'cuz she can't see the other kitties any more. Grandma has tried taking her out on a leash, but we don't talk about THAT. Molly is a very, very tempermental kitty. That's all I have to say.
The beans are thinking of having a birthday party for Tilly on August 15. She'll be 17 then. I'll keep everyone posted on details!
Stay cool everyone!

Hello, everyone,
Toby here. It's been very hot here. From the kitty blogs we read, it's been hot EVERYWHERE! The Other One and I have been trying to stay cool. We do this by napping a lot. It seems to help. Inky is doing well. Mum likes him because he sits quietly next her computer and doesn't try to type. Dad likes him because he doesn't cost a lot to feed.

Last Saturday the beans went to Boston. They sometimes do this for fun. It usually involves eating, so I guess I can relate. They went to a famous section called the North End. Mum says if she were rich she would like to live there. It is the part of the city where the Puritans first settled, but now it's known as the heart of Little Italy.

There is a store there named Polcari's, which has great Italian coffee and spices. Mum remembers years and years ago, there used to be a big cranky kitty that lived there. It had a basket beneath one of the counters ( so you wouldn't know it was there) and ran the store for the beans. Mum hasn't seen him for years, but guess what? There's a new kitty boss at Polcari's! She doesn't know his/her name or anything, but she got his photo.

The other photos are just what Mum calls 'atmosphere' shots. Mike's pastry is a famous pastry/gelato shop on Hanover Street. there's a similar place across the street called Modern and everone always argues which is better. Mum prefers Mike's because it was the first one she went to and also because once upon a time it also had a resident kitty. She remembers it as being the largest kitty she has ever seen. Of course, living in an Italian pastry shop IS somewhat conducive to growth. I wish Fat Eric and I could live there, at least for a little while. Maybe when his Mum visits the States, he could visit us...

Well, that's about it from here. It's supposed to be hot here so everyone keep cool and remember the kitties who need our prayers and help- Edselsmom and Catitude!

The Naming of Cats

Hello everyone. Tilly and Toby's beans here. Sorry not to have blogged in so long but things have been very busy here.

Let's talk about kitty names. We know that many kitties have several names, some even that their beans are reluctant to admit. At the risk of a visit by the men in the white jackets and a long, involuntary stay in a room with padded walls ($156 per day, crayons included), we are going to reveal all the names we've had for our kitties over the years and the reasons behind them. Maybe others will share as well.

Let's start with Tilly, the oldest. Tilly's main name is short for Attila the Cat. She soon got a last name, too -- Wilkins. Why? We don't know. She just looked like a Tilly Wilkins and the names sound good together.

As she grew up from kittenhood and added a few pounds, we started calling her Pudgy Fat Tilly Cat or sometimes Suet Ball. Tilly won't sit still on your lap -- she keeps pestering for constant head-skritches -- so we've also called her Tilly Wiggles and Agit-Cat.

Tilly Wiggles soon became Tiggly Wiggly and Tiggly Wiggly Dee. During an unfortunate bout with fleas in her youth she was known as Tiggly Wiggly Flea.

Now that Tilly is old and thinning with age, we call her Little Old Tilly Cat. That comes out sounding like Li'l Ol' Tilly or just Lilo.

That's quite a few names for one ginger cat. But Toby has a lot of names, too.

We don't know how we came up with Toby initially. When we adopted him as a stray tiger-stripey kitten, he looked like a Toby -- Toby Tigger. But that was just the first of many names.

We soon found Toby is a curious cat who loves to poke his nose in where it doesn't belong. That led his English grandma to call him a "Nosy Parker", which is something they call nosy people in England, we guess. So now Toby became Toby N. Parker.

Leave a plastic grocery bag on the floor and Toby will root around in it to see what's inside. That led to a new nickname -- Mr. Rooterman. That sounds vaguely Germanic, so we started saying it with a heavy German accent. It became, briefly, Manfred von Rooterman.

When he was covered with mats and had a hutchy (smelling like a rabbit hutch) backside from improper cleaning, he earned yet another name. Matted, hutchy -- Matt Hutchinson. Sounds like an action hero in the movies.

Because of his size, Toby has also been called Biggie, Mr. Biggie, Biggles, Biggles of the RAF and Biggie Boy.

Lately, we've been calling him Tig -- short for Tigger. Toby doesn't care what we call him, as long as we don't call him late for supper.

So that's the full truth about us and cat names. We hope this full confession will lead other beans to do the same. Remember: Admitting a problem is the first step toward recovery.

Yes, we are nuts. But any attempt at involuntary committal will be resisted to the fullest extent of the law.