No More Homework!

Mom has brought home "work" every night since last Tuesday (that's a whole week) and she said she will probably need to bring home more for the next week. This is really cutting into MY time! I need to visit my friends, get scritches, eat treats, be brushed and generally be pampered. Mom promised me when she stopped being a professor that all of this "homework" would stop, but I keep seeing papers!

Mom, I need to visit my friends. Can you put all that paperwork away?

Note from Mom: Praline is a very demanding little Southern Belle, but she does so much for me (especially when I am stressed from work and feeling sorry for myself with all of these health issues). I found this little quote and I wanted to share what I am sure many of us believe to be true about our little fur children.

What Cats Do For Us

Warm our laps...

Give us someone to talk to...
Help reduce high blood pressure...
Create a "kindred" feeling with other cat people...
Turn common household objects into cat toys...
Make us more aware of birds...
Donate their services as alarm clocks...
Display daring acrobatic feats in front of our eyes...
Contribute to living a longer life...
Make a window sill more beautiful...
Keep mice on the run...
Make us smile...
Inspire Poets and Playwrights...
Teach us how to land on our feet...
Let us indulge our desires to spoil someone...
Make our homes warmer...
Remind us that our life is mysterious...
Share with us the all-is-well purring experience...
Instruct us in the luxurious art of stretching...
Show us how to lick our wounds and go on...
Give us cool cartoon characters...
Make even an old worn couch look beautiful...
Open our hearts...

Mom Paula: I can just feel my stress level going down when I look at that sweet face.

Guarding Sunbeams

The days are getting shorter, so I must guard the sunbeam as long as possible, so it doesn't escape!

Help Mom! Don't let the sunbeam get away!

Easy Like Sunday Morning

When God Created Kitty Cats

When God created kitty cats,

He had no recipe;

He knew He wanted something sweet,

As sweet as sweet could be.

He started out with sugar,

Adding just a trace of spice;

Then stirred in drops of morning dew,

To keep them fresh and nice.

He thought cats should be soft to pet,

Thus He gave them coats of fur;

So they could show they were content,

He taught them how to purr.

He made for them long tails to wave,

While strutting down the walk;

Then trained them in meow-ology,

So they could do cat-talk.

He made them into acrobats,

And gave them grace and poise;

Their wide-eyed curiosity,

He took from little boys.

He put whiskers on their faces,

Gave them tiny ears for caps;

Then shaped their little bodies,

To snugly fit on laps.

He gave them eyes as big as saucers,

To look into man's soul;

Then set a tolerance for mankind,

As their purpose and their goal.

Benevolent ... and ... generous,

He made so many of them;

Then charged, with Fatherly Concern,

The human race to love them.

When one jumped up upon His lap,

God gently stroked its head;

The cat gave Him a kitty kiss,"

What wondrous love," God said.

God smiled at His accomplishment,

So pleased with His creation;

And said, with pride, as He sat back,

"At last. . .I've reached purr-fection!"

Author Unknown

Gamecock Saturday

Update: The chickens beat the dragons!

Backup QB Garcia shines in South Carolina's 26-13 win

Sep 27, 2008 11:54 PM EDT. Stephen Garcia was 13-for-20 for 131 yards and ran for 86 more in the first significant action of his career, giving South Carolina's offense enough of a kick to beat UAB 26-13 on Saturday night.

It's another college football day! Mom is spending the morning with me, but will leave this afternoon to join 80,000 + people at the South Carolina vs. University of Alabama Birmingham football game. We have played woofies the past couple of weeks and this week the chickens play the "Blazers." I didn't know what a Blazer was so Mom helped me Google them and they are dragons! Oh no, Mom. Don't let the chickens get burned!

Don't stay out all night, Mom!

Fuzzy Friend Friday

Last night, after all of my friends from the Cat Blog came to visit, Cassidy called me in the other room where she had pulled together all of her fuzzy friends. They wanted to join all of the "real" kitties at the party, but knew Mom had restricted them to the bedroom. All of the fuzzy kitties are usually really good and mindful, but every since Cassidy has joined the group, they have become a little sneaky! I told them if they were really good and didn't upset all of my friends, they could join the party.

Talking with Cassidy and her fuzzy friends about coming to my birthday party.

Shhhhh! I think I hear Mom in the hallway. Remember, you must not let Mom see you or we all will get in trouble!

Ok, I must get back to my party. Cassidy, remember, if you mess up my party, I will put you on restriction. Fuzzy friends, do you understand?

A very special thank you to all of my friends on the Cat Blog for visiting me and enjoying my 13th birthday party yesterday. This is such a very special group of beans and kitties (and some woofies, bunnies, etc.) and you always help to make my Mom and me feel special and happy. I hope that we will celebrate many, many birthdays together!

Happy 13th Birthday

Happy birthday to me!

Happy birthday to me!

Today I am a teenager!

Happy birthday to me!

Thank you, Miss Ann, for my birthday graphic!

I would like to welcome everyone today as you come to help me celebrate my 13th birthday, which means I am a teenager in cat years, but in human years, I am a little old Southern Belle Lady! Mom says I am actually older than her now! Hush Mom!

Please feel free to drink the Niptinis and eat the shrimp, chicken and tuna! I even have some Temptations and Greenies laying around that I will share (don't know about sharing the Topini treats, though)!

Let's see, which one to open first . . .

I just knew Cassidy and Mom were up to something the past few days when all of these packages arrived and Mom didn't open them immediately. She laid all of them on the couch for me to see which one I wanted to open first. She could have wrapped them in nice birthday paper, but she said she wanted me to be the first one to open them. Guess what? Cassidy was helping mom to keep a secret that she found my Topini Treats and my Stewart Fiber Formula Cat Treats and bought me a whole bunch for my birthday!

Mine! All Mine! Mom, hurry up and open them!

Look at what the kitties at "Floof and Fur had for me this morning! Isn't it wonderful?

For my special 13th birthday, Mom and I wanted to share some "then" and "now" photos with you.

My beautiful flat face profile!

Showing my floofy belly!

The "owl" eyes and "the look" that gets me all kinds of treats!

Me and My Mom Paula

Thank you for sharing my special day with me. Mom promised that she would come straight home after work and spend the entire evening with me! She said she wouldn't bring home any "office work" or "homework" to interfere with my special day.

Whispering on Wednesday

Cassidy here! Shhhhhh! Mom has been bringing in some packages this week and whispering about something special happening on Thursday. I'm not supposed to let on that I know what's happening.

Praline: Cassidy, what is mom up to and why are you smiling?

Cassidy - What? Me? I'm not doing anything but sitting here looking cute!

Praline: I don't trust you Cassidy. You are winking at Mom again! Hey Mom! Don't forget, tomorrow is my birthday! Mom? Mom? Are you listening to me?

Special Note: Sorry we didn't get to visit too much Tuesday, but mom worked late at the office and then brought a bunch of papers home and said something about doing "homework."

Toes on Tuesday

"No amount of time can erase the memory of a good cat, and no amount of masking tape can ever totally remove his fur from your couch."

- Leo Dworken

One of the unique characteristics I have because I am half Himmie and half red Persian is that some of my paw pads are pink and some are dark. My left front paw has a little section that is white in the midst of the seal color just like the left side of my face is more cream and red than seal point. Mom tried to get some pictures of my pink and dark paw pads, but they are covered with floof!

Putting my best paw forward

Can you find any paw pads under all of that floof?

I know there's a foot in there somewhere

I become a teenager on Thursday, September 25. It will be my 13th birthday. The postlady has been delivering some boxes to our front door lately that smell very familiar! I think mom found some Topini treats. Hope! Hope! Please plan on coming by for my birthday on Thursday (and any day!)

Therapist Praline

If purring could be encapsulated, it'd be the most powerful anti-depressant on the pharmaceutical market.

~Alexis F. Hope

It will be okay, Mom!

One day last week Mom came home in a really bad mood, which isn't like her. Usually she is always smiling, laughing and generally in a good mood, even if she is a perfectionist. (Those are your words mom, not mine. You alway say are a little "anal".) She had a really bad day at work and her back was hurting, so she came home and just sat on the sofa depressed. Now, she did give me my treats and loving, but she just wasn't the same. I knew exactly what to do. I stretched out beside her, gave her "the look" and then gently placed my paw on her leg. Her expression immediately softened and I knew she would be okay. Sometimes, we kitties must take care of the beans.

Note from Mom: It really was a bad day. Usually Praline gets her welcome home loving and treats and she leaves for a little while. Sometimes she will lie down beside me, but she has never placed her paw on my leg the way she did that day. It was so sweet! She had that "cat sense" and knew I needed a little attention. Luckily, I had my camera right beside me to catch this tender moment.

Pee Ess - my birthday is this week - September 25. Get ready for a party - my 13th.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

We are taking it easy today! Mom has been in Washington, D.C. since Wednesday and was supposed to get back home by 10:00 am yesterday. Unfortunately, her flight was cancelled three times before she finally got a flight into Charlotte and rented a car to get home. She got to Columbia at 6:00 pm (1 hour before the football game). She didn't get home until almost midnight last night, so she promised me that once she played the piano for church this morning that we would spend the rest of the day together. I think I will get started early!

Note from Mom: Unfortunately, the Columbia Airport was closed all day because of a crash of a Lear Jet. Unfortunately, four people were killed and the two other passengers were sent to a Burn Hospital in Georgia. Special thoughts and prayers go the families of this terrible accident.

Plane crash kills four
Travis Barker, DJ AM critcally injured in Columbia Metro accident

Officials wait to investigate the scene on S.C. 302 near the Columbia Airport, where a Learjet crashed late Friday night. Four people are confirmed dead and two others are at the Augusta Burn Center.

Praline goes to the game

Update: South Carolina 23, Wofford 13. The chickens beat the terriers! It wasn't purty, but it was a win!

I thought I would teleport over to the Williams-Brice football stadium and keep an eye out on my mom at the South Carolina football game. She is sitting in the area that is highlighted by the yellow dot. Be careful Mom, I am watching over you!

This picture isn't so good because my Mom hasn't learned how to use Photoshop Elements yet. I think she did pretty good just to get me to the game for a little bit. I'm going to pop over and check out Mom first and then come back home and watch the game from my comfortable house!

Floofy Friday and Pirate Name

I thought I would give everyone their "floof" quota today. Even my Mom goes Squeeeee when she sees me in this pose. It doesn't matter what she is doing, if I assume this pose, she will stop whatever is going on and get down on the floor (which she says is difficult lately) and just rub, rub, rub my belly! I also get kisses on my toesies!

A perfect picture to represent my name, Sweet Praline


Don't you just wish you could reach through cyberspace and give me plenty of belly rubs and kisses? Purrrrrrrrr! For some reason, my belly floof has gotten curly the past few weeks. Maybe it's the humidity. Hmmmmmmm.

I also participated in Meow Like a Pirate Day. Here is my pirate name:

Your Pirate Name Is...

Captain Jenny of the High Seas

What's Your Pirate Name?

T13 #7: Topini Treat video

I love my treats! I thought I would share my thoughts on Topini Treats with a video today. So sorry for some of the movement of the camera and delays, but the Thursday 13 will explain everything.

1. I love Topini Treats, especially the blue (trout) and pink (cheese) mousies.


2. I have eaten these treats since I was a kitten and they are almost impossible to find in the United States anymore, even on the Internet.


3. Mom keeps a supply of Topini Treats in her home office to encourage me to visit her when she is working.


4. I think she needs to start taking my Greenies and/or Temptations to the office if she wants me to continue to visit her.


5. Mom tried to videotape me by holding the camera with one hand and the treats with the other hand.


6. Mom has a really, really Southern voice!!!!


7. Mom dropped the treats on the floor.


8. I immediately moved in to get the treats.


9. There is a long pause in the video as Mom had to get up and get on the floor (she said it takes her longer to do this now!) to pick up all the treats.


10. Would you believe Mom limited me to three treats? She doesn't want me to get fat.


11. After Mom gave me the treats, I left the office and went off to another hiding place to encourage her to stop working at home.


12. Mom is still searching for more Topini Treats on the Internet. I told her she needs to take a trip to Germany to buy me some!


13. I hope you enjoy seeing the "live" me in action in this amateur video.

Pee Ess - Several of you have asked about my Mom's foot. It's getting a lot better. There is still a knot where it was infected, but it is healing. Now, she has to work on getting her back to stop hurting from walking funny. Mom says "thank you so much" for everyone who has asked about her.

Wordless Wednesday

Where is all of my floof? I left it special just for you, Mom!

Cats Against Cameras

Update: Zoey and Maggy said "And you can definitely claim full membership in the CCAC." Yes, it's now official!

Maggy and Zoey from Zoolatry started this new club a few weeks ago. The Coalition of Cats Against Cameras (CCAC) is open and free to one and all, the only requirement being that you "turn your back to the flashy box," according to Maggy. Of course Zoey had the following additional requirements:

• If you are interested in joining, simply fill out our 100-page application form, available by mail, and have each page notarized.


• Be sure to include 10,000 bags of Tuna Temptations and
  1,000 extremely humongous packages of Shrimp as your membership fee.


• Please note: there is no guarantee of acceptance into this elite group.

I thought I would submit my pictures to see if both Maggy and Zoey would accept me into this exclusive club! What is your vote, fellow kitties in the Cat Blog? Should Maggy and Zoey let me join?

What do you think of my backside?

Hmmmm. I can always hide in the PTU as long as we aren't going to the V.E.T.

Talk to the tail, Mom

Now you see me, now you don't

Pee Ess: I didn't get to visit yesterday because Mom was out of town again visiting one of the universities and wasn't close to a computer and didn't get home until after 10:30 pm. We will try to make up for it today.

More Fleas

Mom has been slack lately! She discovered fleas on me in August (after I was repeatedly scratching and licking for a couple of weeks) and got some medicine from the vet to get rid of them. My second treatment was due last week. Well, Mom had to go to Atlanta for a meeting and she forgot to give me the second treatment.

I started giving her hints last week that it was time again (licking, scratching and giving her the "look") and she finally got the message yesterday. When she looked under all of my floof, there were more fleas!

Mom: I'm so sorry, Praline

Praline: Just don't let it happen again!

"Give me my flea medicine!"

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Updated note from Mom: Praline fell asleep on the floor beside a piece of shredded paper that I didn't pick up. She looked so cute the way her paws were around the paper that I just had to post the picture.

Go Gamecocks!

It's South Carolina Gamecock football Gameday again! Today the "chickens" play the bulldogs of the University of Georgia. UGA is ranked #2 in the country and the Gamecocks must play hard to beat this team. I have gathered all of my paraphernalia (stuff) around me and I will cheer for the "chickens" at home while Mom is at the game. Go Gamecocks!

South Carolina vs Georgia

Saturday, Sept 13

3:30 PM ET

Columbia, S.C.

CBS

This is a picture of my Mom with her friend, Stephanie and my grandmom at the NC State game. She said it was very hot and humid and they were already covered with sweat by the time someone took this picture. Mom says southern ladies don't sweat, they "glisten".

Visiting Tybalt

Mom is in Atlanta today for a math meeting. Why would anyone want to meet about math?

Shhhh! Don't tell Mom, but I am visiting Tybalt in Atlanta while she is in her meeting. I figured if she could go to "hotlanta", then why couldn't I.

I don't know what plans he has for me, but I can't wait to see the city and participate in the Friday Movie Review with him.

100th Post

Today is my 100th post on the Cat Blog. Jasper McKitten-Cat's dad introduced my mom to the Cat Blog and Mom has helped me post every single day since June 5, 2008. This is a caring, giving, and wonderful group of people and kitties (some woofies, bunnies and other fur children, too). I look forward to many, many more 100th postings!



Pssssst. Mom is leaving for Atlanta this morning for a two-day meeting. I think I will teleport over to visit with Tybalt while she is gone. It gets lonely in this house without her!

Magazine Cover

Cassidy and I have been having a great time this week. I have been showing her around the house introducing her to my other pets, but she is still a sneaky little thing. We had fun trying on wigs and makeup yesterday, but the consensus of the Cat Blog and MOM was that our natural fur was so much better!

While Mom is working, we have explored all of the baskets and bags and found stinky goodness, treats, catnip and fev-ver butt toys! We paused long enough to have our photo taken for "Best Friends" magazine. I am having a great time with Cassidy, but I am keeping an eye on her because I can't let her take my place in Mom's heart.

Cassidy, stop winking at Mom! She loves me best!

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

Makeover

Cassidy and I had a makeover last night. We wanted to see how we would look with long, dark tresses. Mom says she our fur is already long and beautiful and she prefers our "praline" color. (I can't repeat what she really said!) What do you think?

Say hello to Pralina

and her friend, Cassidina!

http://www.taaz.com/

Praline's Pet

I would like to introduce everyone to Cassidy, my new pet. Mom found her on EBay. She is a retired Himalayan kitty from Ty Classic Plush Kitty. Mom thought she looked a lot like me.

Hello Cassidy, how did you get down here on the floor?

Mom, Cassidy should not be on the floor. She is retired and should be resting on the bed.

Mirror, mirror on the wall . . . Cassidy, stop winking at Mom!