Another Proud Mom Moment...

...brought to you by Allie!

This letter came home from school on Tuesday.

We could hardly wait to see which art project of Allie's had been selected to be framed and displayed in the school.

She hoped it was her picture of Maty...and it was!

Here she is being introduced by her principal, Mr. Seiser, at the Stettin Recognition Program today.

And here are the other students whose artwork was also recognized.

Now Maty will be forever immortalized in a hallway of Stettin Elementary as a "furry kitty, cute meow, playful friend"!

A Sad Goodbye to the Best Cat Ever

Matilda Mae Majernik

also known as Maty, Ma, Tilds, Orangy, Baby Tilds, Orangalide, Catola, and Maty Mae

May 1996-January 2010


"They will not go quietly, the cats who've shared our lives.
In subtle ways they let us know their spirit still survives.
Old habits still make us think we hear a meow at the door.
Or step back when we drop a tasty morsel on the floor.
Our feet still go around the place the food dish used to be.
And, sometimes, coming home at night, we miss them terribly.
Although time may bring new friends and a new food dish to fill,
that one place, in our hearts, belongs to them...and always will."

Poem by Linda Barnes

Scenes from Christmas Day

This is the view of our backyard on Christmas Eve day.


Allie's gingerbread house (cute but not edible).


Sue's sugar cookies (cute and very edible).

Allie: "Mom, mom (as she taps me on the forehead)...I'm wide awake."
Mom: "What time is it?"
Allie: "The clock says one one five."
Dad: "Get your *** back to bed!"

(By 2:15, we had both kids, Maty, and Polly in bed with us. We finally got up at 5:30)



Santa didn't forget Polly and Maty.

I think the cats have the right idea. When's naptime?

What a Difference a Week Makes

Last week...


...sunny skies and not a care in sight.

This week...


...things just aren't quite right.

Maty doesn't look too jolly.

Probably 'cuz of this thing...


...her name is Polly.

She may look like a plain old grey kitty but she's really quite special. She's a polydactyl, meaning she has more than the usual number of toes on her front paws. On her right paw, she actually has seven toes. The left one has six toes.

Although Maty has some adjusting to do, I think Polly likes her new home. How do I know?


Look, she's giving me a "thumbs up"!

Can't Find the Cat?

Look under the tree!

This is where she spends most of her time these days!

A New Yoga Pose

You've heard of Downward Dog, right?

Well, this is Downward Cat!

Does this look like a cat who has hyperthyroidism?

Yes, I said HYPERthyroidism!

We take Maty to the vet once a year for a check up and to get her vaccinations. Every time she goes, we are told she is overweight and needs to lose a few pounds. I was sure that this time the vet would be happy because I've recently decreased her food intake and I can tell she's lost some weight. She's down from 17.5 lbs. to 14.5 lbs...and I was waiting for my pat on the back, for finally getting my cat to slim down a bit. But it was not to be. The vet said that's too much weight to lose so quickly. And because I'd mentioned that she'd been vomiting a lot lately, and because her thyroid felt enlarged, she wanted to do a blood test.

Turns out she's got an overactive thyroid, which is a big surprise to us. I found this website: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/hyperthyroidism.aspx and she does have many of the symptoms...weight loss, cranky behavior, poor hair coat (her entire belly is bald), and periodic vomiting. Now we'll have to give her a medication, called a trans-dermal gel, that you rub on the inside of her ears, twice a day. I guess it costs about $30 a month. But she's well worth it, she's definitely a part of the family!