Bujold Fan

Smilebox

2011-02-15T20:11:00.000-08:00

A greeting card by Smilebox

The Vet redux!

2010-12-21T05:44:00.000-08:00

It was time for my annual physical recently so I was stuffed in The Box (how I hate that!) and wailed the entire way to the vet's office where Dr. Larrison said my heart was beating so hard that he would barely need the stethoscope. I was complimented on my accommodating behavior (actually, I was just too scared to move, and I'm much too polite to bite or scratch) but the bad news is I have a

Mama Calls Me...

2010-11-21T10:26:00.000-08:00

QuinnQuinnie (Quinn E)Quinn-QuinnBaby KittehKitty CatPuddy TatSoft-soft GirlTikkyTikky BooSweet KittehFuzz FaceMy GirlMama's Precious Baby KittenBoo TikkehOkay, when they're spread out into normal conversation, they don't seem so saccharine. Listing them like this is the 'sweetened, condensed version.'

Confesson Redux

2010-11-21T10:18:00.000-08:00

I have another confession...I am a lazy cat - I haven't posted in forever! So I'll make up for it with some photos, two of which showcase the "lazy," or at least the lazing.

Cattail

2010-09-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

I have a confession: I suffer from BTS (Busy Tail Syndrome). I suspect if I was an outside cat and wanted to hunt routinely, it would interfere with my Stealth Mode (I can just hear the birds now: "There's a cat tail flicking around in the shrubbery; quick, fly away!"). It is a little embarrassing to have such a lack of control over a body part, but I've grown used to it. Mom swears there's a

Alaska sounds nice - not!

2010-07-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

Dad and Mom are back from a few days visiting family in Alaska. They saw an Eagle in downtown Seward, a Moose a couple of yards off the trail in Anchorage and, moments later, had to scamper back by the moose as they went Right Back Up the trail, which turned out to be guarded by Two Black Bears just around the corner! And they would have seen a Grizzly mom and cubs along the highway, if the

Busy Weekends

2010-07-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

What a strange couple of weekends it has been. First Mom disappeared for days and left me and Dad home alone while she played in Pendleton and created altered books with Jill (remember her? she is Jet and Lucy and Sam's mom). While we were home together, Dad tried to get me to sit on his lap and snuggle but I was feeling aloof. Boy, if I had had any idea how crazy the next weekend was going to be

Toy Report

2010-06-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

I like this toy...mostly because its purpose is to Deliver Treats. It didn't take me long to figure out that the good smell was coming from the tummy pocket and I spent several pleasurable minutes sniffing and pawing and exploring before I worked them out of hiding and devoured them. My technique has refined over the past several weeks, of course, and gotten faster. Unfortunately, my Preferred

Hugs

2010-06-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

Mom scooped me up, put me on her lap and informed me that it was National Hug Your Cat Day. I made it clear that I thought it should be National Lick Your Owner's Nose Day and hopped down.

Anniversary

2010-05-31T21:02:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe, but it's been six months since I came to live at my new home. Things have settled down nicely, I have to say; and I really like it here! I have settled on several favorite snoozing spots (the back of the armchair, the top bunk in the spare bedroom, the ottoman in front of the TV and, of course, my basket in the living room) and I've worn out several mice over the months playing

Kitten update

2010-05-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

The two in front are spoken for, but there are still several available! :-)

Adventure!

2010-05-17T14:55:00.000-07:00

I had such an adventure last weekend! It started early Friday morning when the Vacuum Cleaner Lady came in. She's not as scary as she used to be, so I didn't automatically run away and hide in the back room like I used to. She took a couple of loads of laundry out to the garage where the washing machine is and, on the second trip back into the house, noticed that the front door had popped open,

Can you find the kitty?

2010-05-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

Kittens

2010-04-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

We're not related, but they're pretty cute, I have to say. Mom works with Ann who fosters kittens for the CAT shelter (the place which took care of me). The kittens are about 4 weeks old.

Visitor!

2010-04-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

I was so busy with our visitor last weekend that I forgot to update my blog. Jill from Pendleton came over for a crafting weekend with Mom, and I got really distracted. Jill has two tuxedo cats (Jet Li and Lucy Liu) and a tabby (Samurai Girl) at home, so first I had to give her luggage a good going-over, then I flirted with her all evening and she was very pleased I was so friendly. However, in

Just thinkin'

2010-03-29T16:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you simply need a new perspective to shake yourself out of the doldrums. I like to curl into a convoluted shape and take an upside-down look at the world, but that's just me. Of course not everyone is as flexible as I. I'm lucky enough to be able to reflect my mental search for a new perspective in my physical being. Mom likes using yoga class or a good book to joggle her brain into a

Mousies

2010-03-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Mom thinks this picture is especially hilarious. I thought it was a perfectly sensible thing to do; it combines my love of dabbling my paws in my water dish with my passion for my toy mice. Two of my favorite things - a mashup, if you will.Here's a poem from someone who obviously understands:“Love to eat them mousiesMousies what I love to eat. Bite they little heads off… Nibble on they tiny feet.

Zzzzzzzz

2010-03-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

Oops

2010-03-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

I got in trouble the other day. Mom got out some snacks to hide around the house so I'd find them after she went off to work; but I have a very sensitive nose and I smelled them. So I hopped up on the kitchen counter and started nomming while Mom was distracted by her breakfast. She heard the crunching, though, and frowned at me and used that word I hate: no! Evidently I am not - repeat, not -

Toy Trials #2

2010-03-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

This is a much better toy. It's akin to chasing a tiny, fleet, red mouse around the house and is pretty good fun. The downside is that I am bit suspicious ... there's something Just Not Right about it. The dot disappears a lot and, when I do catch up with it, I can't seem to get my claws into it. Mom has taken pity on me and has taken to hiding a small pile of treats along the final path of the

Toy Trials #1

2010-02-27T20:11:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, Mom went to the pet store and bought me several toys to try out, since we're still Getting Acquainted. As Anne observed a post or two ago, I'm Totally Crazy about my toy mice, but the question was...were there other types of toys I'd enjoy? This toy was trial #1 and I'm sorry to report that I simply do not see the point. Why would I want to chew on this sort of gelatinous

Calling all Cat Lovers

2010-02-20T10:04:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of things you might enjoy.1. A worthy cause based in Oregon. I'm all for food for shelter cats!2. A quick and fun read100 Cats Who Changed Civilization by Sam Stall. Mom found this on the Pet Book Display at the library and has been reading me excerpts. Very inspirational. Cats rule.

Autopsy

2010-02-15T15:51:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder what's inside of toy mice? Even the small, interior 'mouse' is fun to play with once the fur's gone. Who knew? The tail removal was pretty perfunctory, but I'm not revealing how I totally skinned the black one; that's an Expert Mouser secret.

Adjectival Pursuits

2010-02-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

Adjectives which describe me: plump, shiny, solid, swift. This photo embodies 3 of the 4. I'll leave it you to deduce which is absent.These gray, wet winter days are ideal for napping after a fierce bout of Pounce and Dash. The mouse I brought home with me from the PetSmart adoption place is just about threadbare. I love it so! It's Wonderful for everything - licking, tossing, catching, batting

Snoozin'

2010-01-23T08:37:00.000-08:00

Some days are just like that.

MuShu

2010-01-18T15:26:00.000-08:00

I have a special guest star on the blog today -- MuShu. No, no; not the little dragon from Mulan...another successful adoptee from PetSmart and the CAT shelter! We lived together in the shelter for several months, and about a month after I was adopted, MuShu got the best Christmas present ever and was adopted by someone who works with my mom. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know that one

Draping

2010-01-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

It's all about what I like to call The Drape. Any slacker feline can slump onto a lap and snooze, but to really get into it and achieve a deep, Zen appreciation of the warm blanket and the Supportive Lap and the cooing and the petting - that's when it all comes together properly. For those who would like to study my technique, I offer these photos.

Christmas

2009-12-30T07:06:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Amy for saying such nice things about my new home and my blog. It's true, I'm a very lucky kitty! And Mom's glad you're enjoying the Bujold books. Curse of Chalion is her favorite of the fantasies, and she adores the Vorkosigan Saga - in fact she's reading one book a month so that when the new one, CryoBurn, comes out in November she'll just have finished the series and be ready for

The Birds

2009-12-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

Here's a shout out to Anne for the nice comment she made about my blog.Watching the birds outside the back patio door is driving me crazy! During the ice storm they stood on the iced-over pond and ate little seeds, and now that the pond is unfrozen, they flock and drink and take baths and hang out in the nearby trees...it's almost more than I can take! Sometimes there are at least four different

Introductions

2009-12-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

My bravery rating is climbing all the time. In fact, I met some strangers today, friends of Mom and Dad, and I didn't completely run off and hide. Okay, I felt really nervous when they got too close, but they were polite and didn't try and pet me. That was a relief! They talked softly and paid me compliments on my appearance - I am lovely, aren't I? - so I was polite in return and let them

Shoulder vs. Lap

2009-12-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

Mom has me on a training regimen called "Being Picked Up and Held." I am quite good at hopping up on laps, or a nearby corner of the ottoman, and hanging out for long periods. When I'm on the floor, however, that's a different story. I have a tendency to dance around just within reach, which makes my back and tail pretty easy to stroke, but makes it very hard to pick me up and cuddle me. I'm

Vision test

2009-12-06T12:13:00.001-08:00

Can you find the kitty in this picture?How about this one?

Agenda

2009-11-30T16:40:00.000-08:00

* My Day *Use litter boxWait for them to Get Up create warm spot in front of bedroom door meow encouragementGet All Excited when they appear meow a lot check food bowls so they don't forget to Feed The Cat eat breakfast eat scoop of brewer's yeast Play with Mice Watch birds outside the patioCheck for bugs on the floorplay Feather Toynap on Mom's lapreturn to living room growl and run

Discovery

2009-11-30T16:34:00.000-08:00

There is another room in the house! I discovered it yesterday when Mom and her friend, Nancy, were doing something called Crafting. They opened a door I hadn't noticed before, and there was an entire new room behind it! I spent quite a bit of time exploring 'round while Mom sewed and Nancy worked on paper crafts. I especially liked Under the Bed; it made a great Home Base for my explorations.

Sleeping spots

2009-11-29T20:13:00.001-08:00

This has become one of my Favorite Spots for my mid-day napping. Mom set it up for me on the theory that cats seem to enjoy curling up in locations which seem too small for them. I discovered it a few days after it was placed on the bench and quickly adopted it as a pleasant place to sack out for a few hours. Granted, sometimes I snore a wee bit while curled up in it, but I don't care if I'm a

New scents

2009-11-27T14:44:00.001-08:00

Mom returned from visiting a friend for several days and smelled of Other Cats! Okay, I suppose since she was out of town and didn't have me to pet, it's understandable that she'd be lavishing affection on whoever was available, but it's good she's back home and paying attention to only me again. And their names were Muffin and Pony - they must have an owner with no regard for their dignity.

Cleanliness is next to godliness

2009-11-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

Survived my first encounter with the vacuum cleaner today - pretty spooky. I hid out until things calmed down. Even the garbage trucks outside my window this week weren't THAT scary.Other than that, I'm just waiting for a couple of the closed doors around the house to open so I can explore more. And I'm putting in lots of lap time with both mom and dad. All's well.

The Vet!

2009-11-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

What a rude shock this afternoon was after a blissful Sunday of lolling around on laps and snoozing most of the day. First I had to suffer the indignity of being Stuffed into The Box and then came the Interminable Car Ride. I made my displeasure loudly known but it had no effect whatsoever. Once we got to the vet's I tried to turn invisible in my box, but that trick rarely works, and I was

CAT's adoption event

2009-11-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

The Cat Adoption Team is having a cat & kitten event at the store this weekend. I, of course, am feeling very fortunate, and even a bit smug, that I finally have a Furever Home. I wish all my old buddies the best of luck! I celebrated this special weekend by:Spending time curled up under the table in dad's office early this morning; I hate to be alone when my people are up and about so I mewed

Names

2009-11-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

There's a rumor going around that I may get the middle name of Evinrude due to my big, rumbling purr.

TV Time

2009-11-11T07:48:00.000-08:00

Each evening we have something called TV Time. That's my big chance to hop up on the family room couch and settle into a lap for 45 minutes or so. Yes, it's true; I've graduated in just a few days from barely interacting to long lap snoozes. What can I say...I like this place. Of course, napping comes after a nice dinner, some mousey play time and little bit of Charging From Room To Room Like

Getting More Comfy

2009-11-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

A quiet, rainy day: good for sitting on the back of the living room chair and gazing out the window when I'm not spending time with mom. She's curled up on the couch reading. I like the New Age music she has on; it relaxed me and I curled up by her feet, had a bath, and then napped for awhile on the couch with her. She's playing it cool, but I can tell she's pleased I'm being cuddlier already.

Settling in some more

2009-11-08T16:54:00.000-08:00

A pretty quiet day, all in all, but exciting for me nonetheless. I felt confident enough to explore more today and actually came out from Behind the Couch. I played a bit, running from room to room, and even got really frisky and began to walk along the top of the couch and hang out while people were sitting in it. I'm so brave.I walked across mom and dad's laps sometimes, and even lay down on

Exploring the house

2009-11-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

Last night the bathroom door was left open! First I explored Down the Hall, running back to my bathroom retreat when I got spooked by all the Newness. Then I checked out the living room briefly.It was nice and private last night when I had the house to myself, so I got my favorite mouse off of my bedding and played with it in the hallway (mom brought it home for me from the pet store where I was

Settling in

2009-11-07T08:12:00.001-08:00

I'm becoming very intrigued by what's going on outside my bathroom retreat, and I often peek through a proffered door crack and wave a paw around out in the hall. This morning I let mom hold me for a bit while I purred, instead of immediately asking to be let down. Sometimes I hiss when the door opens and surprises me, but I always apologize immediately with lots of Rubbing Up Against and

Hi, I'm Quinn

2009-11-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

I'm named after a character in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga so I'm taking over this blog. Mom's a big Bujold fan, so when she was pondering what to name me she decided to use a moniker from her favorite series. The original Elli Quinn character has short, black hair and a very pretty face, so that's why/how I got my name. Mom's also hoping some of Elli's courage will rub off on me,

Flickr pt. 4

2008-10-21T16:39:00.001-07:00

My final Flickr.com homework sample is from http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/deck.php, land of the online trading card.

Flickr pt. 3

2008-10-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

Who could resist, with http://metaatem.net/words/?It was so easy to tie my Web 2.0 homework to my Bujold theme. Note the chocolate J in this last one - two of my favorite things combined.

Flickr pt. 2

2008-10-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

This is lovely, and fun to fiddle around with -- and part of our homework, so you get to feel virtuous while you experiment with it. http://krazydad.com/colrpickr/