Hiz Honorz

MERCI: For the longest time we have been wanting to do some Funny Farmer interviews like the Funny Farmer Felines do on Mousebreath.

BUDDY: And it has finally happened. We just mentioned it to Murphy and Stanley ...

SAM: And the interview virtually wrote itself.

MARCUS: No, it did not write itself. I helped. And Hiz Honorz helped.

SAM:  Okay, so we all helped.  But it sounded funnier when it wrote itself.

FF:  Please introduce yourselves and your human.  And your cat, if you have one.

M: I am Murphy but mom calls me "Bug". I think that is short for Doodle Bug and Cuddle Bug. I am a mini-doodle and recently turned 3 years old. My mom is called mom but sometimes we hear dad call her Carol. She is a great mom. She is always telling me what a good boy I am. We do not have a cat cuz we bark at them (sorry Madi).

S: I am Stanley but sometimes mom calls me Sticks. She says that cuz my legs are so long, like long sticks. I am the same as Murphy cuz we were born at the same time. Well, I might have been a couple minutes ahead of him. We are litter mates but I am MUCH bigger than Murphy. Sometimes I think Murphy gets extra attention cuz everyone thinks he is younger. Anyway, my dad is called dad and other times we call him Pee Paw. Mom is always saying, "Go outside with your Pee Paw." Whenever we do training or walks or just stuffs, dad handles me and mom handles Murphy.

FF:  How did you come to live together? 

M: Me and Stanley have always been together. When I was 2 weeks old and on the very day my eyes opened for the furst time, our pawrents came to see us. Mom looked at me and said that very minute that I was her Murphy. So I always knew I would live with mom and dad.

S: But I did not know until I was 5 weeks old that I would go with Murphy furever. There was another brother and dad had to pick between me and my other brother. I REALLY wanted to stay with Murphy cuz he was always telling me how much fun it would be to live with our mom and dad. Besides, I am a little insecure if Murphy isn't around but I don't want him to know it.

FF:  You are Hiz Honors the Mayorz of Blogville, so you share the decisions and responsibilities of the office.  Do you pretty much think alike or are there some heated policy discussions around the office?

M: We think alike on many things but sometimes Stanley acts like a clown when we need to be serious about business. We think the same things are impawtent 'cept Stanley does NOT think that fetching is impawtent. Sometimes I have to bug Stanley to get him to wrestle. Oh, about our official pawsition . . . we reach a joint decision but I am usually the one who talks cuz I am more confident than Stanley. He gets his feelings hurt pretty easy.

S: I do not! It hurts my feelings that you would say such a thing about me! OK, we usually get along really well and are the BESTEST furends. Murphy makes good decisions and I usually go along with him. Murphy is level headed and sometimes I get kind of "wild with joy".

FF:  There were a few changes made when you took office.  A number of new positions were filled and some carried over from the prior administration.  Do you think Blogville has become a bit more cohesive with the larger cabinet?

M: Yes, we think that many bloggers are getting to know other bloggers because of their pawsitions on our cabinet. It is impawtent that everyone learns to work and play together.

S: Our biggest goal for our term as mayorz was to do things to help others stay in Blogville by having fun and connecting with the other blogs and bloggers.

FF:  As Mayorz, you have sponsored some popular events, such as the Mayorz Marathon.  Do you come up with these on your own or do you have a committee to help plan them? 

M: To be honest, when mom is in the shower these ideas pop in her head.

S: Then she gets out and yells, "Boys, come here, I had a thought!" So we discuss it and sometimes tweak it a bit and then before you know it we are off to a new adventure!

FF:  Do you have any advice for new residents of Blogville ... or even established residents?

M: My advice is to make your blog so it can be easily read. Use a font that is easy to see and post fairly often. Having fun is the most impawtent though.

S: My advice is to make sure you get to know those who visit your bloggy. With a larger following this is harder to do but it is impawtent to stop by and see others so you can learn about them too. Fun photos are nice too. Another thing is that they should not be scared to get involved with the adventures. If you aren't sure how to do something, just ask!

FF:  When you're not working, what kind of mischief do you prefer?

M: I prefer to fetch. I like to swim and a mud puddle is always nice but mostly I just like to fetch. Sometimes I like to act like a cat. I will stare at Stanley, then slowly creep up on him. It drives him crazy and he barks wildly when I do it.

S: I like to tear apart toys. Sometimes my pawrents call me "The Surgeon" cuz I am really skilled in squeaker removals. I really like to eat. I can hear dad peel a banana from a block away BOL! I also appreciate a good mud puddle and like to cool my belly off in the pool. But I really don't understand Murphy's obsession with fetching.

FF:  How long have you been blogging and what made you begin?

M: I have been blogging since I was born. Mom started when we were 3 weeks and then when we came to live with our pawrents at 7 weeks of age me and Stanley took it over.

S: Same here. I think the reason we started blogging was that we wanted to share our joy with others. Mom said she was so in love with us, even before we came here to live, that it had to be shared or she might pop. We'd hate for our mom to pop. No good can come from that.

FF:  If your mom were to describe what makes you special, what do you think she would say?

M: Mom would say that it is my gentleness. I like to cuddle and mom knows I will be gentle with every hooman or doggie I meet. Maybe not with kitties or birdies, but fur sure hoomans and doggies. I am very loving and like to cuddle.

S: Mom would say it is my joy. She and dad say I am dripping in joy. I think I am dripping from my water dish but I don't see joy flowing from my furs but I am still happy all the time. Actually, I manifest my every emotion. I am also very loving but I keep forgetting that hoomans don't want me to jump and claw them to give them a hug.

Thank you for interviewing us. We would like all the citizens of Blogville to know that we are trying to do our bestest job as their mayorz. And of course our door is always open!

FF:  Thank you, Yuz Honorz Murphy and Stanley.   We appreciate you taking the time to address your constitutionists ... uh, constituents?  You know, the citizens of Blogville.

From Foxy to Doxie

MERCI:  Hey, look what followed us home Sunday night.

SAM:  We're not joking.  This little doxie mix did follow Merci and I home when we walked Jan Sunday evening.

MERCI:  And we're not happy about it.  We recognize her.  Remember the mean territorial dog that has been coming after us on our walks?  We posted about him in Vinegar and Hot Pepper back in February.

SAM:  Well, shortly after that first encounter, a small doxie started running around there too, but that one was scared of everything and didn't bother us.  We did notice when the woman was leaving she would holler and a doxie would come running. 

MERCI:  Around here if a person is evicted or leaves things behind, it is piled out by the curb and people going by stop to pick through it and take what they want.  There was such a pile in front of that house Saturday morning.  That always makes Jan sad.

SAM:  I told this pup we didn't want her company but she ignored my growls and came anyway.  And Jan was worried about her having been left behind when the tenant moved.  There are at least one coyote and one fox in this area.  (We met Miss Fox Saturday evening and Mr. Coyote last summer.)

BUDDY:  Marcus and I weren't thrilled when this stranger walked in but she just wants to eat, play and feel secure so she doesn't bother me.

MARCUS:  Well, I don't like her!  I was locked in the crate when she came in, which was a bad start, and then she wanted to play while I was playing soccer.  When I tried to play with her, she'd run off screaming like I was killing her.

BUDDY:  Yes, she is afraid of everything but you didn't have to keep beating her up.  Now she's terrified of you.

MERCI:  Jan called around to try to find someone who could take the dog in overnight so she wouldn't have to be afraid or locked in a crate, but no one had any room.

SAM:  I don't want her here but I do feel kind of sorry for her.  Jan is going to have to call city Animal Control in the morning and send her to the shelter.  She will be safer there than on the streets.  Miss Peggy is already working to find a rescue to take her when her time will be up.

MERCI:  I spent some time in the shelter before I came to live here.  I hope this doxie finds a home right away.

SAM:  I wonder what happened to the mean, territorial dog?  Did they abandon him too?

UPDATE:  The sweet Miss Doxie is on her way to the shelter and hopefully to a better life!  

A Foxy Surprise

MARCUS:  This is so totally unfair.  I should have been there.  Why wasn't I invited?  

RUSTY:  Invited where?  Were you going on a trip?

MERCI:  No, he's upset he wasn't with us Saturday evening when Buddy, Sam and I walked Jan.

MICAH:  He's always upset about not being invited along.  What was so special about Saturday?

SAM:  Jan decided to leave the sidewalk to walk along the mill fence.  We reached the end just as a fox came trotting through an open gate.  It must have been on its way to the woods across the street.

CYNDI:  A real fox?  So that's what Jan was talking about when she came home saying she'd seen a beautiful animal. What happened?  Did it chase you?  Were you scared?  

BUDDY:  It was only about 4 yards away from us.  We all stopped dead and stared at each other until Sam got nervous and started making strange noises.  Then the fox turned and trotted back toward the mill.  First a  coyote, now a fox.  We hope there is not a bear living in the woods. 

PERCY:  We have Pixel, a ferocious 10-week old pup impersonating a wild animal, for today's Sunday Smile.  Watch how he ruthlessly chases off the family cat from his bed.

RUSTY:  Have you been drinking?  I didn't see anything ferocious about that pup.

PERCY:  I hope you're happy.  You just ruined my introduction.  Why don't we let our friends watch the video and decide for themselves!


If the video doesn't play,click here.

Breakout to Jail

RUSTY:  No, you are not seeing things.  That is a fence with a hole in it.  And you will be scratching your head when you see what crawled through that small opening.   

MARCUS:  Tuesday night between 9:30 and 10 PM, Jan let me outside and we heard strange noises.  Jan listened and then she went next door at that late hour to scare ... um, I mean to warn the neighbors that their dogs were trying to break out again.

MERCI:  At midnight, she opened the door for Marcus so he could have a last pee before bed.  Sam and I charged out the door with him.  We ran to the rear three panels of the pen and really checked them out.  Then Marcus started prancing up and down like a hero on steroids, chuffing and pounding his chest ... well, actually he was prancing and making strange noises so it's basically the same thing.

CYNDI:  He was pretending he was fearless but we all know he's afraid of his shadow.  Still, he can put on a good show.  The dogs didn't want to come in.  Something was going on again in the neighborhood and we'll never know what.

BUDDY:  The first thing Jan noticed the next morning was this hole in the fence.  It was way too small for the dogs to squeeze through.  And then the woman next door came over to say the dogs did indeed squeeze through that hole and asked could Jan keep an eye out for them.

SAM:  Jan waited to hear they were home again.  Thursday morning she was preparing for a meeting and, suddenly, she couldn't stand worrying any more about the dogs.  She went on Facebook and tagged a few ladies in the local Humane Society, asking if anyone had seen or heard of a black lab and a Weimaraner traveling or picked up together.

PERCY:  She also emailed the county shelter Animal Control guy.  When she returned to Facebook, there was this picture of the amazingly flexible escapees in their prison cell.  One of those she'd tagged, Miss Kay, shared the photo with her.  They'd been hanging around someone's yard the day before and were turned in to AC.

MICAH:  Jan called the woman.  There was barking in the background.  The couple had decided to check if the dogs had been picked up and the woman was at the shelter.  She later said it seemed like they were expecting her.  :-)

RUSTY:  Jan hung up and Miss Peggy (shelter volunteer who helps with rescues) called to tell her the dogs were at the shelter.  She had intended to call Jan to ask if she knew who owned them since the were found on the next street. 

MARCUS:  Miss Peggy said the dogs were so sweet she had a rescue already lined up for when their time was up.

CYNDI: Jan is still trying to figure out how those two dogs manged to get out through a hole barely big enough to fit a dog-size head through.

BUDDY:  Since Miss Peggy said it is okay to use her photo, we thought we would go ahead and use it for our weekend art.  We haven't done art posts in a long time.

MICAH:  This is our entry for the Sepia Saturday blog hop hosted by Ruckus the Eskie and Earl & Ethel. 

PERCY:  Hmmm, this one looks a little strange but interesting.  Oh, it's plastic wrap. We thought we would use this one for the Caturday Art blog hop hosted by Athena.

SAM:  We thought we would toss in a black and white version too.  We just love the expression on the Weimaraner's face. Disbelief perhaps?

Fractured Fryday Hairy Tails

CYNDI:  How well I remember the day of the crime.  Jan returned from shopping and put everything away.  Except ...

BUDDY:  Except for one large bag, which sat on the floor near the front door.  Invitingly, tantalizingly sat near the front door.

RUSTY:   Jan didn't know what caused her to realize something was wrong.  Perhaps it was that the room was so quiet.

MERCI:  Yes, that is one possibility. But perhaps it was the pile of kibble on the floor that gave away the crime.

MICAH:  Or perhaps it was the two dogs munching on kibble that gave them away.  The canines are not served lunch and certainly not served on a mat by the front door.

SAM:  It wasn't my idea, but how could I resist those inviting morsels of kibble lying there just begging to be scarfed down?  It was Marcus who tore the hole in the bag.  I just helped him clean up the mess.

MARCUS:  Yes, I was the culprit.  I admit it.  I hadn't eaten in days .. or was it hours?  Anyway, the bag ... it smelled like food.  How could I resist?  I couldn't.  I didn't. I'm only sorry I got caught.  Jan duct taped the bag and put it away where I couldn't reach it.  *deep sigh* 

******

We haven't remembered to or been able to participate in Fractured Fryday Hairy Tails in a loooooong time.  The phrase we had to use this month was, "It smelled like ..."   Around here, "it smelled like food" is a popular phrase.  For example:  the dish towel has a big hole in it because it smelled like food. 

FFHT is hosted by Murphy and Stanley.


PERCY:  We do not have a Mousebreath cat interview to publish this week. We are working on several but there were not enough hours in the week to finish preparing.  However, be sure to visit us next Friday when we will be interviewing the blog 15 and Meowing.  15 feline personalities make for a fun story. 

Friday is also time for the Pet Parade blog hop, hosted by by Rascal and Roscoe.  It is co-hosted by Bionic Basil, Barking From the Bayou, Love is being owned by a husky, and us (Jan's Funny Farm).

There are two parts to the blog hop - your blog url and social media, so be sure to sign up for both. 

When you link up with the blog hop, we encourage you to visit other participating blogs.

Furry Gals Like Shiny Furry Guys

MARCUS:   We are glad to have the opportunity for Merci to test a new dual dog brush on her thick winter coat.  She's the only long-haired dog among us, so she's elected, but definitely not happy about it.

MERCI:  No!  I don't want my winter coat brushed out yet.  It could freeze again and I would be cold. 

BUDDY:  You know Jan never listens to us.  You have to test the Furminator Dual Brush Chewy sent us. But it isn't doing a very good job, is it?  You have mounds of undercoat to comb through.

MERCI:  It wasn't working very well because my coat is so thick, so Jan used a rake type brush instead.  And afterward she used the bristle brush side to make my coat shiny and pretty.  I can say the pin brush side doesn't have sharp tips.  It didn't hurt my skin when she tried it on my coat. 

SAM:  Well, at least I'm safe.  I have a short, thin coat and sensitive skin.  I don't like to be brushed and I don't mind telling Jan so.

RUSTY:  Hey, I'm not a dog! Wait, that feels good. Keep it up, Jan.

NOTE:  Rusty generally has an undercoat like Merci's so Jan thought she would try the brush on him.  But this spring his coat is thin and flyaway fine.  Really soft.  Rusty gets excited and has to eat while being brushed or he "bites" Jan. 

CYNDI:  I don't care if you need one of us to actually test the brush.  I have a  thin, medium length coat and the pin brush isn't helpful.  You may, however, gently use the soft brush to massage me.

PERCY:  Oh, dear, Jan must be doing something wrong. Where's the package for it?

MICAH:  Over here.  Jan assumed the pin brush side would be for a long hair dog, but it says it's for a short, silky coat type.  Someone should teach her to read.

MERCI:  Or find her reading glasses.  We don't have a dog with a short, silky coat, so we can't test it properly.  Wait, correction.  The pin side is for a silky coat and the bristle side is for short hair. We can find some volunteers to try the nylon bristle brush side.  That can be used on any coat.

SAM:  I protest!  Well, okay, but only around my head.  You know how I hate to have my back brushed.

BUDDY:  Same here.  Head and shoulders only.  Have to look good for my friends.

MARCUS:  Go ahead.  Brush me, Jan.  But don't interrupt my soccer game.  And don't brush out the mud from my coat.  You'd ruin my reputation.  So when I stop, you brush.  When I nose-kick the ball, try not to fall on your face so you can resume brushing at the next "break".

MERCI:  Well, that was almost a disaster, Jan.  What would you do without us to save you from your mistakes? 

BUDDY:  This brush is intended to remove mats, tangles and loose hair.  Also debris.  Marcus prefers to keep his debris but Jan brushed him anyway.

MARCUS:  Jan said the brush was easy to hold onto and even to use on a moving target.  *tilts head to look at Merci*  Is she referring to me?

SAM:  Furminator recommends starting with a brush such as the Dual Brush, and finishing with a comb for a shiny coat. I don't think I need a shiny coat.  Unless furry girls like shiny furry guys.  Hmmm, how do you furry females feel about shiny male fur?

Chewy.com sent us the brush to try but we were not paid nor told what to say.  We are just to give an honest review.

The cats have a separate post to do soon.  Stay tuned.

Oh, and we're thankful to be able to post this Thursday after being missing from the blog hop for a couple of months.  

Stop by Pepi Smart Dog and join the Thankful Thursday blog hop.

And stop by Ruckus the Eskie, Love is being owned by a husky, and Barking from the bayou for the Thoughtless Thursday blog hop.

Blessed Sunday for Shelly

MICAH:  We weren't going to post today but when we read Frankie & Ernie's, we decided this is the perfect day to post a prayer request.

CYNDI:  Some of you read Amber daWeenie's blog and are aware of how sick her human sissy Shelly is and that her mom Linda has been traveling 2 hours or more each way to visit her.

PERCY:  It has been a very intense trial for the family.  Just a few days after Jan's aborted flight/fall in early February, they nearly lost Shelly.  It has been and continues to be a long uphill road for them.

SAM:   Ann of Zoolatry made three badges to let folks know there is a need and how they can help.  She asked everyone to share them to help spread the news.

BUDDY:  This one is for an upcoming auction.  Do you have an item or more to donate?  Follow the steps below.

MERCI:  A good friend of Shelly's set up a GoFundMe account to help raise funds.  More of Shelly's story is posted there. 

http://www.gofundme.com/qchgec

RUSTY:  We realize not everyone will be able to donate to the auction or the fundraiser. 

MARCUS:  But anyone can pray for the family.  Have a blessed Sunday.

Lou and Chevy and Da Tabbies

CYNDI:  By the skin of our teeth, but we have another interview to share.  We wish Cameron could be with us for it.  He loved doing interviews.

RUSTY:  Lou and Chevy from Live Love Meow shared their stories. We didn't know them very well so it was nice to get to get to know them better.

PERCY:  You can read Lou and Chevy, Gifts of the Universe exclusively at Mousebreath, the ezine for cats.

MICAH:  Oh, yesterday those wonderful trout-loving kitties from Da Tabbies O Trout Towne did a fun post on how YOU (kitties with a blog or a social media persona) can be interviewed on Mousebreath.  You don't want to miss this.  And thanks for sharing the message for us, guys.  You're the greatest. 

Friday is also time for the Pet Parade blog hop, hosted by by Rascal and Roscoe.  It is co-hosted by Bionic Basil, Barking From the Bayou, Love is being owned by a husky, and us (Jan's Funny Farm).

There are two parts to the blog hop - your blog url and social media, so be sure to sign up for both. 

When you link up with the blog hop, we encourage you to visit other participating blogs.

Hope and Bribes

MICAH:  It's blah and raining, so we thought we would post something pretty today.

CYNDI:  Every year Jan looks forward to when the daffodils bloom along the neighbor's fence.

MERCI:  They're a symbol of hope that spring is coming. And we value them greatly because they are actually supposed to be on the other side of the fence where we wouldn't see them.

BUDDY:  Yes, spring comes eventually.  We just have to have faith that winter will end so we can stop freezing.

RUSTY:  And start sweltering.  Spring and fall don't seem to exist here in the South.

MARCUS:  The flowers were so pretty but the rains and winds took their toll.  They weren't pert for long.

PERCY:  Soon they were bent low to the ground and Jan said she could empathize with them trying to stand under the onslaught of life.

SAM:  They lived long enough to fulfill their purpose for 2015 and are gone now, but we're still here.  A bit bent and bruised, not posting as regularly, and missing one of our own, Cameron, but still seeking to fulfill our own purpose in life. Whatever that is.

BUDDY:  We would like to thank Dezi and Lexi  for passing on the Very Inspiring Blogger Award to several bloggers, including us.  And shortly after, Katie shared hers with us.

MERCI:  We are supposed to share three things that inspired us in the last week.

PERCY:  After Jan buried Cameron, she washed his bedding and threw it into the dryer but the dryer wouldn't work.  Jan said we'd just have to do without one, but a very nice man who knew what he was doing came by Thursday, tested it and replaced the old cord so we have a working dryer again.  Thank you, Jimmy!

RUSTY:  All the weeds in our yard were growing taller and taller and Jan was getting concerned since we don't have a lawn mower.  Saturday she borrowed a lawn mower so the yard looks presentable now.  Not everyone would loan their mower to a neighbor.  Thanks, Joann and Jim!

SAM:  And when Jan came home from returning the mower, she found some goodies on the porch.  Someone was cleaning out their fridge because they wouldn't be home to eat the food in it and brought a big fresh salad with a few leftovers to Jan.  (We'd like to say "brought it to us" but Jan isn't big on sharing with us, not even spaghetti with sausage.) Thank you, Johnnie!

CYNDI:  All our blogging friends inspire us in one way or another, so we're having a problem singling any out.

MICAH:  I think you mean we're having a problem making a decision.  There are so many choices and we can't get a majority vote.

MARCUS:  There's nothing unusual about that.  Different personalities, different choices.  Personally, I think we should all vote for the ones who will bribe us with the most treats.  *waves paws*  Wait, wait, I'm just kidding!

Revenge of the Furniture

BUDDY:  We have just solved the mystery of Jan's aborted flying lesson on February 2 of this year.

MICAH:  And you aren't going to believe this.  It's like The Twilight Zone revisited.

RUSTY:  If you're too young to know what the Twilight Zone is, just ask your great-great-great-grandmother.

MERCI:  *elbow to Percy's ribs*  Shhhh, here comes Jan.  She has seen the Twilight Zone and she'll get very upset if you are telling readers she's from the mediaeval era.

PERCY:  It began in the early hours of February 1st.  Buddy got up and wandered around the room.  Jan wanted to sleep and when he didn't go back to bed, she took the thin lap robe Buddy uses for a blankie and snapped it in the dark.

SAM:  It caught the doorknob so she snapped it hard again.  It came loose, Buddy went back to bed, she covered him with his blankie, and that was the end of it.

MARCUS:  Only it wasn't the end of anything.  When Jan opened her eyes in the morning, this is what greeted her.  Now you know I didn't do that.  I'm a very good boy!

MERCI:  *cough, cough*  Sorry, I had a little *he he* spasm there.

CYNDI:  See, Jan didn't catch the doorknob with Buddy's blankie.  She caught the drawer handle and yanked out the drawer.  It made a nice nest for me.  Can you see me - the orange, white and black blob inside the dresser?  Ignore the brown blob on the right.  Marcus loves to have his picture taken but he gets so excited he can't stay still.

MARCUS:  I am not an excited blob.  I wanted to get in there too but I didn't fit.  You can't see Cyndi in the first picture because she was lying down.  But then she woke and started her morning bath.

CYNDI:  Excuse me.  A bath is a private ritual.  Please take the camera elsewhere.

MICAH:  Do you see?  What happened to Jan was the revenge of the offended furniture.

SAM:  Jan attacked the bureau first.  The next day Jan sprinted for the phone and one of our dog beds reared up to trip her.

RUSTY:  And the TV and stand ran interference on behalf of the Feisty Furniture team.

BUDDY:  I hope she learned a lesson.  Never snap my blankie at the furniture.  Furniture fights back!  And she really doesn't need any more holes in her head.

PERCY: By the way, the bureau said this morning it wants an apology from Jan or it will report her to the Federation of Battered and Fractured Furniture.  Who wants to be the one to inform Jan?


Friday is also time for the Pet Parade blog hop, hosted by by Rascal and Roscoe.  It is co-hosted by Bionic Basil, Barking From the Bayou, Love is being owned by a husky, and us (Jan's Funny Farm).

There are two parts to the blog hop - your blog url and social media, so be sure to sign up for both. 

When you link up with the blog hop, we encourage you to visit other participating blogs.

The Chicken is Swimming

PERCY:  We had a bit of a ruckus here Sunday evening.  It went something like this.

CYNDI: *racing from the kitchen to the bedroom*  Run for your life, the chicken is swimming!

BUDDY:  What on earth are you screaming about, Cyndi?  We don't even have a chicken.

CYNDI:  Yes, we do.  Jan just tried to kill me with it.

RUSTY:  Calm down and help us understand.  If we don't have a chicken, how did Jan try to kill you with one?

MERCI:  Go get a sip of water, Cyndi, and start from the beginning.

CYNDI:   No, no water.  That's how it began.  I was getting a drink from the big bowl beside the stove in the kitchen.

PERCY:  Oh, good, she's somewhat rational.  The stove is in the kitchen.  Is that where the chicken was swimming, in the big water bowl?

CYNDI:  No!  It was in the big pot on the stove.  Jan was cooking it. 

MICAH:  Jan was cooking the chicken while it was swimming in the pot?

CYNDI:  No, Jan was lifting the chicken out of the pot to drain it and move it to a big bowl.  But suddenly it jumped back into the pot and caused a giant tidal wave which showered down on me and ... and ....  How would you like it if a chicken threw hot broth at you?

BUDDY:  So you were burned by a swimming chicken?

CYNDI:  Well, no, not burned.  *Licks her fur*  Hey, this tastes pretty good.  I guess my thick coat protected me.

MERCI:  I just checked on Jan.  The chicken didn't jump back into the pot.  It was well-cooked and it fell apart when she lifted it.

PERCY:  She got a bad burn on her wrist when the tidal wave hit her but she smeared coconut oil and tea tree oil over it and it's okay. 

RUSTY:  Where are Sam and Marcus?  Did they go into hiding?

MICAH:  No, they ran into the kitchen and cleaned up the pieces of hot chicken that landed on the floor.

MARCUS:  I was drinking water like mad so Jan thought we burned our tongues.  Then she noticed the chicken fat floating in the water bowl and took it away from me. 

MERCI:  Hey, guys, better stay out of the kitchen.  Jan just made another mess.

SAM:  Does she need another clean up crew?  I'll volunteer.

MARCUS:  No, this time she was pouring what was left of the broth into a big bowl but she managed to pour half of that over the stove.

SAM:  Uh-oh, we better stay out of her way if she has to clean up another mess.

PERCY:  Yes, it went everywhere on the stove and down the stove.  She's taking things apart to re-light one of the pilot lights. I think we should make ourselves scarce for a while.

RUSTY:  I think she should stay out of the kitchen.  Except to feed us, of course. 

BUDDY:  I hope Jan will give us some broth in our food.  Merci and I missed the clean up party.

CYNDI:  I'm scarred for life.  I don't think I'll ever be able to eat chicken again.

Happy Easter 2015

We are still in hiatus, but we want to wish all of you a Happy Easter.  Jan has all the energy of a drowned dish rag so her idea of making us a special graphic was adding a frame to our old one. Do you suppose she likes green?

We can't think of a video we'd rather include this Easter than this one - David Phelps singing "The End of the Beginning".  He also wrote the song and it's one of our favorites.  We hope you will take a minute to listen to the story he tells because we believe the day we are celebrating today was indeed the end of the beginning.  Thank you for the great song, David Phelps!



If the video doesn't play, click here.