In Other Words..... Meow

Winky has several different ways of meowing at me... none of which are 100% "meows."  Among his sounds are "um-yow", "merrow", "ma-yow", several "mews" in a row, "moi" (French pronunciation), and several others impossible to put into our alphabet.

Incidentally, I read awhile ago that no two cats "meow" at their humans in exactly the same way, and, having known quite a few cats, both mine and other people's, I believe it.  Besides, it makes purrfect sense.

Winky Knew

It was around noon on Easter Sunday when all of a sudden Winky began meowing in a way he had never meowed before.
I knew right away that something was wrong, but Winky did not seem to be having any physical distress.

"Winky, what is it?" I asked.  "What's wrong?"

He looked at me and meowed again.

Two hours later, Kathryn and Paul came to tell me that Mom had passed away... at around noon.

Interference By An Animal

Awhile ago, a package I was expecting was delayed due to, and I quote, interference by an animal.  No details were given.

Well, I know all about interference by an animal.  Quite often, when I'm on the computer, Winky will just take over. He'll try to grab the mouse, or he'll walk in front of the computer screen, completely blocking my view.

Or I'll be reading a book... and all of a sudden I'm "reading" a cat!

Winky's New Bed

Remember the old riddle, "When is a boy not a boy?"  The 

answer is, "When he's abed."

Well, that would describe me lately. No, I haven't been abed, but I have been a bed. Specifically, I've been a cat bed.

Winky has been sleeping on me almost every night.  He waits for me to get settled down, and then there he is.

Night Sounds

Click.
(Me shutting out the light.)
Crunch crunch crunch.
(Winky having his bedtime snack)
"Merrow!
(Winky, as he jumps onto the couch)
"Soft kitty, warm kitty"
(me singing to Winky)
Prrrrrrrrrr!
(Winky, of course!)

Lap Cat

I recently posted that one of Winky's "places" is my lap.  What I didn't mention, though, is that
this wasn't always the case.
When we lived in Brooklyn, Winky was NOT a "lap cat," much to Mom's regret. Not that he
wasn't affectionate; he'd sit next to us, kiss us, forehead-rub us, nuzzle us, (all of which he
still does) but he never curled up on our laps.
That changed when we moved.
Maybe Winky decided that a change of location called for a change in his routine.

Winky's Spaces

Winky has more spaces in this house than I do... but then, don't all cats?

So what are his personal (purrsonal?) spaces?

1: A large cardboard box, turned lengthwise.

2: The back of the couch in the living room.

3: The top of the pantry, which I call Winky's loft.

4: Under/behind the living room couch.

5:  And one more place: my lap.

Mom's 86th Birthday

Mom's 86th birthday was one year ago today.  I'll always like to remember.... I telephoned her and said, "Mom, I have a message from Winky."  

And then I sang "Happy Birthday," not in the English words, but in meows!

I didn't know, then, that that was to be Mom's last birthday.

Soft Kitty Again

I just have to share what Winky did the other night... too funny!  

I was singing Soft Kitty to him, and right after I sang the words, "happy kitty, sleepy kitty," he purred three times! So we did the "purr, purr, purr" at the end together! It was a nice little duet.

Singing To Winky

Yes, I sing to my cat, and he seems to enjoy it.

Sometimes I'll sing the first part of the "Cat Duet."

Sometimes I sing the chorus to Do Wah Diddy, changing the

words to:

Mew, my kitty, kitty purr, kitty mew.

Every now and then I sing the "Meow Mix" jingle.

And every night, when Winky jumps onto the top of the couch

to go to sleep, I pet him and sing "Soft Kitty."

Bunk Beds.... Sort Of

I don't have a bed; I'm not comfortable in a bed.  I have a couch.  It's the same couch I slept on when I lived in Brooklyn.

So why did I give this post the heading Bunk Beds.... Sort Of?

Well, usually, after I'm settled for the night, Winky jumps onto the back/top of the couch, and goes to sleep.  Hence, bunk beds!

Winky and the Computer

Winky's been spending a great deal of time around the computer lately.  If cats could type, he'd probably be on Facebook and Twitter... and he would definitely have a blog.

Winky's New Favorite Spot

Winky has a new favorite spot.. the computer chair!  He spends a great deal of time curled up in that chair.  This has caused a

curtailment in my time on the computer, because I just don't

have the heart to make him move.

Finally Blogging About This

This is a cute incident that happened at least two years ago, when I was still living in Brooklyn.  It's something that I've always planned to share eventually.  Well, eventually has

become now.

  Often, when I'm sitting on the sofa, Winky will climb onto

the back. Every now and then, he will reach down and pet

me, the way that I pet him.

One day, Winky was stretched out on top of the computer that

I had then. (The one I have now is too thin for him to be able to

to that.)

I started to watch "Life On The Rock" on YouTube.... and Winky

reached down and petted Fr. Mark!

Hello Again!

Yes, it's me, returning to my blog.

So what's been going on with me lately? Plenty.  I've been ultra-busy these past few weeks..  That's what happens when you move from one place to another. 

That's right.  Mom and I no longer live in Brooklyn.  We've moved to Long Island.  Mom is living with Kathryn, Pauly, and James  (where we stayed during  the storm).  I'm living in my own apartment, which is attached to their old house. 

I have the couch, love seat, and rocking chair that used to be in Mom's living room.  Mom and I agreed that Winky should have some familiar furniture in his new diggings.

Now, about Winky!  Mom moved to her new place on Sunday, August 18th; I moved the next day.

Pauly and crew were still carrying some of our stuff out (in boxes and crates labeled with our initials).  Winky was supposed to be shut in a room.  But somehow, what with the men going back and forth... well, when it was time to leave, (to avoid rush hour traffic)  His Meowjesty was nowhere to be found.  So... I had to leave without him, and I was heartbroken.   Mom was devastated.

{Breaking away to mention that the very first program I watched in my new place was (deliberately!) the 7:00 PM re-broadcast of the Mass on EWTN, which, what with everyone

 going in and out, I hadn't been able to watch live.}

Kathryn and I went back on Tuesday.  No cat.  We left water and cat food, both canned and dry, out for him.  Pauly went back on Wednesday; no cat.  So he left Winky's food out in such a way that he'd be able to tell if it had been eaten.  Dry food in a perfect circle.  Little piece of paper on top of canned food, so Winky would have to push it off.  

He went back Thursday, and telephoned to tell me that the food had been eaten, and the litter box had been used.  But he still hadn't found Winky.

And then, Friday,  I didn't hear from him.. until the middle of the afternoon.  I heard him calling from outside, "Rochelle!  Look what we've got for you!" We, because James was there, too.. with Winky meowing, meowing, and MEOWING in his carrier!

Happy doesn't begin to describe the way I felt!  I kept saying, "Oh, God bless you! God bless you!" to Pauly and James.

One of the best parts is that I got Winky back on the day before Mom's birthday.

Well, I'm going to need more than one post to cover everything, so tune in next week!

Meanwhile, to paraphrase a song from "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol,"

  It's great to be back, back, back on Blogway!

             

How Winky Spent His Time

This  post is about Winky, and how he spent the time we were away because of Sandy.

Paul, Kathryn's husband, is extremely allergic to cats, so Winky had to stay in the garage.   And yet, in spite of his allergies, Paul sometimes went into the garage to feed the cat!

Mom visited Winky every day, but we agreed that it would be best if I didn't go into the garage until we were ready to go home. 

Meanwhile, what did Winky do while he was in the garage?   He ran around, he climbed, he explored, he had a terrific time.

Winky was on vacation!

Winky Meowing When Fr. Mark is NOT the Celebrant

I've mentioned several times that my cat, Winky, often meows when he sees Fr. Mark on EWTN, especially during the Mass.
However, he also, and quite often, meows if he is in the room with me when Mass begins, and Fr. Mark is not the celebrant, or one of the celebrants.  But he doesn't look at the TV and meow.
No.
If Winky is with me when Mass begins, and Fr. Mark isn't there, he turns around and meows at me!

Computer Kitty

Before uploading the video of Fr. Mark's homily, (see earlier post) I watched

it again (I had, of course, already seen and heard it during the Mass!).

 I sat on the bed away from the computer in order to get a better view,

and Winky, who was in the room, went up to the computer!  He didn't
meow, but he did sniff around!  It was so funny!

Incidentally, I'm going to make sure Winky does NOT see  this video .

He might think Philip Rivers is throwing the football AT Fr. Mark!

Winky Does It Again!

Often, after he has eaten, Winky will come to Mom, or to me,
and run his tongue all the way around his mouth (cat pantomime
for "I just ate")
Well, one morning last week, right before Mass, he went into the
kitchen for a morning snack.
The Mass began, and the celebrant was Fr. Mark. Winky came into the
living room, sat down in front of the television, looked up at Fr. Mark,
and ran his tongue around his mouth.
He was telling Fr. Mark, "I just ate!"

Oh, That Cat!!!!!

Winky gave Mom and me a scare today.
I had taken out some turkey (packaged, not cat food) to have for my lunch.
Usually, when I take this turkey out of the refrigerator, Winky comes running, and
gives me the "poor starving kitty" routine.
Not this time. At first, I wasn't worried, but after Mom and I had looked
around, under the beds, in the closets, and hadn't found him, I have to admit we
were rather scared.
I checked downstairs. No Winky.
I wondered if he had somehow gotten out when I went to get the mail.
I went onto the porch and called, "Winky! Weeeen-ky!"
No response.
Mom looked.Meanwhile, I was praying to St. Francis of Assisi,
and to St. Gertrude of Nivelles, patron saint of cats and cat lovers.
We called him, both in the house and outside.
No cat.
Mom left the door ajar so he could come in, if he had gotten out.
Mom telephoned our neighbor, Aron, who had recently retired from his job.
And then, guess who came out of Mom's bedroom closet! He had been all the
way in the back corner!
We were so glad, and so relieved to see him. And yet, at the same time,
we wished we could ground him!