Saturday, December 23, 2017

Merry Christmas 2017


We hope all who celebrate have a fun family and friends Christmas, but please don't forget the reason for the season.




Cyndi turned 14 Thursday and Pipo, Angel Minko, Dalton and Mr. Jack Freckles sent Cyndi this lovely card.  Thank you, Mom Ingrid, for helping them.

Jan has been sick the past few days.  The good part of that is she can't yell at Marcus since she has laryngitis.  (You won't believe this, but Marcus is being good.)  The bad part is poor blind, almost deaf  Merci can't hear Jan calling her to meals.  It's been interesting around here.  And noisy.  If Jan isn't sneezing, she's coughing.  We hope you all stay healthy for your celebration.


Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Cyndi Turns 14


Click pic to read captions.

Our adorable calico Cyndi turns 14 years old today.  She has come a long way from the tiny, stray kitten with the massive amount of fur living in Mr. Doug's engine hiding from Tippy, his dog.  Her long fur was twice as thick as she was wide. (It was early February and the weather was freezing.)

She is not as spry as she used to be, but she still purrs at the drop of a hat and is just as feisty.  We are thankful she is still with us to celebrate.

Merci:  What are you doing on top of the old computer, Rusty?  The party is down here.


Rusty:  Cyndi wants to know who ate her cake and I'm staying up here on the bookcase until she finds the culprit.

Merci:  She knows it wasn't you.  You're too polite to steal someone's birthday cake.  And we know it wasn't Marcus because he would have eaten the whole cake.

Rusty:  Then who ate it?

Merci:  You see how neatly that last piece has been sliced?  I suspect there is only one here who could do that.

Rusty:  Who would that be?

Merci:  Jan.

 Rusty:  Are you going to tell Cyndi?

Merci:  No, she'll figure it out when Jan brings a knife to divide the last slice between the rest of us.

Rusty:  Whew, what a relief!

Merci:  So, are you coming down now?

Rusty:  No, I like it up here.  Jan can deliver my crumbs to the top of the big bookcase after she finishes apologizing to Cyndi.



Marcus:  By the way, last week I was thankful for My New White Ball.  I hate to tattle on her, but I think Jan ate it.  I haven't seen it since and I've looked everywhere!  Under, over, in, behind ...

Jan:  You have that backwards.  I think YOU ate it!  And I am the one who looked under, over, in and behind everything in the house without success.   I think you need to pay for your next new ball yourself.

Marcus:  Okay.  Can you loan me a couple hundred dollars?
                                                                 

We're joining the Thankful Thursday blog hop at Brian's Home.


Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Percy Solves Tech Problem

Taylor: Percy, what are you doing?


Percy:  Just a minute.  I think I figured out what the problem is here.  The right cord is plugged into the left doohickey, which makes the right whatchamacallit too short to work the whateveritis without sparking. I think if I just chew through this wire in the middle, the right and left doodads will stop shorting out and become friends.

Taylor:  They will?  How do you know that?

Percy:  I did what any self-respecting  human would do to solve a technical problem.. 

Taylor:  How did you do it?

Percy:  I used my brain and talked through my ear!

Taylor:  I don't understand what that means. 

Percy:  It means I feigned intelligence and made it all up.


Marcus:  Last Monday was my 4th Gotcha Day (Belated Gotcha Marcus) and our friends over at MeezerMews&FrecklesWoofs sent me this lovely graphic.  Thanks, Pipo, Angel Minko, Mr Jack Freckles and Dalton.  Your mom did a great job helping you. 

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

My New White Ball

Taylor: Let's see. You had a new blue ball. A new new blue ball. (Inside Outside Talk) A new new new blue ball (not blogged). A new red ball. (Red Rubber Ball)  All within six months. Where did you get this white one?


Marcus:  I found it.

Taylor:  Outside in the dog pen?



Marcus:  No.  It was in a box, and then it was on the desk, and then, like magic, it was in my crate. 

Taylor:  I think you mean, then, by theft, it was in your mouth.

Marcus:  Exactly!  Wait!  How did you know?

Taylor:  I heard Jan yell, "You little thief!" 


Marcus:  Well, she shouldn't have turned her back for an hour.

Taylor:  Ten seconds.

Marcus:  Okay, for ten seconds. 

Taylor:  You didn't even wait for Jan to remove the tag. 

Marcus:  It was sent to me.  I saw my name on the box.

Taylor:  Your name is Jan?

Marcus:  No, but I know when Canidae sent the dog biscuits and the new white ball for Christmas, they were intended for me.  They just had one of those Jan moments and forgot my name.

Taylor:  So what are you going to do with your new white ball, hide in your crate with it?


Marcus:  Just until we bond.

Taylor:  You're going to bond with a ball?

Marcus:  Yes, bonding is very important to the mental health of a ball. 

Taylor:   Who told you that?

Marcus:  My new white ball.

Taylor:  And you believe it? 

Marcus:  Of course, I do.  It's never lied to me yet!



Taylor:  Today is Thankful Thursday and we're sure thankful the electric company came out Wednesday and cut down that "spider web" of branches twined around our power pole and power line. 


We're joining the Thankful Thursday blog hop at Brian's Home.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Belated Gotcha Marcus

Angel Sam & Marcus
Merci:  Happy 4th Gotcha Day, Marcus!  We're sorry we're a day late, but we didn't post yesterday.

Cyndi:  You might remember this picture from 2013.  It's hard to believe Marcus was ever that small.  He looks even smaller next to our large Angel Sam.

Merci:  He was only about 5 weeks old when some neighborhood boys rescued him and brought him to Jan.  They had found him in the alley during freezing, rainy weather and none of the neighbors claimed him.  

Cyndi:  Jan tried hard to find his owner and when she did, she regretted it.  Marcus had been "adopted" at about 3 weeks of age in the Walmart parking lot and dumped in the alley two weeks later.

Merci: Then she tried to find him a home but the only possibilities were strange guys who wanted to "take him off her hands" because he looked like a pit bull mix.

Cyndi:  So we're stuck with him.  He wouldn't be such a pain if he was less hyper, but no one consulted us furries.  He just came to visit and never left. 

Merci:  He's our brother.  He's okay.

Cyndi:  Then why are your paws crossed?

Merci:  Because I can't cross my eyes.

Cyndi:  She's just kidding, Marcus.  Honest.  

Merci:  No, I'm serious.  I really can't cross my eyes.


Friday, December 08, 2017

Squeaker Speech for Dummies



Marcus:  Jan took my red rubber ball and hid it.  (Red Rubber Ball)  She had better not take my dinosaur away too.  As you can see, I'm watching Jan!

Rusty:  It won't do you any good.  You destroyed that dinosaur not long after that picture was taken.

Marcus:  I did?  Are you sure?

Rusty:  You chewed a hole and tore out the stuffing to get to the squeaker.  Of course, I'm sure!

Marcus:  No wonder I haven't been able to find it lately.  Maybe Jan will buy me a new one.

Rusty:   I don't think so.  She mentioned just yesterday how nice and quiet it has been around here since the dinosaur was dissected.  You need to learn to take care of your toys before you run out of them permanently.

Marcus:  Oh, that will never happen.

Rusty:  You'll never learn to take care of them or you'll never run out of them?

Marcus:  Both.  My mission in life is to de-squeak and destroy.all toys in memory of Buddy, the best de-squeaker and toy destroyer ever - until me!  I just know I'm making him proud.

Rusty: I remember Buddy in his prime.  He used to squeak the toy, then he would stop and talk to it.  I never did figure out what they were saying but they evidently spoke the same language.

Marcus.  Don't worry.  You can learn the language when I finish the book Buddy was working on, Squeaker Speech for Dummies

Rusty:  I think you should rename it Squeaker Speech by Dummies.

Marcus:  What did you mumble?

Rusty:  Oh, just that I can't wait to read the dummies book.



We did a post when Buddy passed on Sept. 28th. (Farewell Buddy)  This lovely graphic was sent to us by Meezers Mews  & Terrieristical Woofs. We intended to post  it; however, we were upset about Buddy and other things happening at that time, so it was a good while before we posted again, so we forgot about it until yesterday.

Thank you so much to MM&TW (Pipo, Dalton & Mr. Jack Freckles).  You are so kind to do this for bloggers who lose a furry, and your memorial graphics are greatly appreciated.


We are joining the Pet Parade hosted by Rascal and Rocco, Basil the Bionic Cat and Barking from the Bayou.  At least we hope we are.  Last week we included this and our computer disconnected our internet before we could and we never did get to join.  

Wednesday, December 06, 2017

Red Rubber Ball


Micah:  I think we should decide what we're thankful for this week.  Whose turn is it?

Marcus:  It's mine!

Micah:  Again?  What is it this time?


Marcus:  Last month I got a new red rubber ball.  I was having such fun with it and suddenly Jan took it away and hid it.

Micah:  She must have had a reason.  What did you do to it?

Marcus:  Nothing!  I just carried it around.  Bounced it a few times around the house.  Played fetch with Jan in the dog pen.  It was a good, hard rubber ball.  I really liked it.

Micah:  I seem to remember something about you trying to eat the ball.  Did that have anything to do with why Jan hid it?

Marcus:  No.  I eat everything.  What's a little rubber in my tummy?

Micah:  A potential vet bill 


We are joining the Thankful Thursday blog hop at Brian's Home.

Tuesday, December 05, 2017

Five Directional Dogs

Cyndi: It's been boring around here this week, Marcus. We need some excitement.


Marcus:  Perhaps you do, Cyndi, but it's been an overly exciting week for me and Jan. And now we have to look at least five directions when we're walking.

Cyndi: Five directions? I've only heard of four - north, south, east and west.

Marcus: No, left, right, ahead, behind and underfoot.

Cyndi: Underfoot?

Marcus: You mean you haven't heard of our run in with the short dog with the big mouth?

It happened Wednesday when we reached the end of our first lap. A yappy little dog across the street and down a few doors started yelling at us and then he charged. I could have stomped on him but Jan wouldn't let me. She kept trying to turn me around to retrace our route, but every time we started to turn, the dog charged, and he was close. When we turned back toward him, Jan would use the spray bottle she carries. He would run back in the street. Cars would stop. We would start to turn and he would charge again. I begged Jan to let me chase him home, but there we stood with the dog charging and running into traffic until someone blew a horn and scared the dog away.

Cyndi: Wow, that was a bit of excitement. I'm glad I missed it.

Marcus: Oh, that was just the beginning. The next day, Thursday, the great dane mix the neighbors from hell keep tied in their back yard got loose and came over to taunt me. He wouldn't leave, just kept rushing my dog pen barking and then he would stand and watch me race frantically back and forth trying to chase him away. Jan tried to stop me and I ran headfirst into her shin. He finally moved on.

Cyndi: Yes, that was the wrong kind of excitement.

Marcus: There's more. A couple hours later Jan and I started a walk. We didn't get past the porch before Jan saw a black dog walking across a lawn across the street. Guess who owns two black dogs that size? Yep, the neighbors from hell. Was that one of theirs? We'll never know because Jan rushed me back into the house. I didn't get a walk Thursday.

Cyndi: I'm sorry, Marcus. I know how much you need your walks.

Marcus: I'm not done yet. Just before sundown Friday, we set out on a walk. We crossed the street and stopped. Jan gave me my treat for being a good dog. (As in, not stopping to play tug in the middle of the intersection.) She started to unwrap a peppermint for herself. I gave a low rumble of warning to let Jan know there was something behind us. She spun around so quickly she hurt her back.

There was the neighbor's great dane mix. We barked insults at each other. I tugged at the leash. He kept coming. Jan squirted him in the face with the water bottle. He stopped. Jan pulled me back a few steps. He started forward again. We were almost nose to nose yelling at each other. Jan squirted him again in the face and he stopped, then started forward. A car crossed through the intersection, stopped, and the driver leaned on the horn. The dog turned and left.

Jan was shaking so hard I had to lean against her to hold her up. She needed to sit down but she was terrified to come home since that's the direction the other dog had gone. We had to walk away to find somewhere to rest, then we went home on the other side of the street. We didn't get a walk that day either.

Cyndi: I guess the reason Jan was shaking was because she thought she was about to be in the middle of a dog fight?

Marcus: A dog fight? Oh, in the heat of the moment that never occurred to me. I think I need to sit down for a while. My knees are shaking.

Cyndi: Well, this week has to be better. No more scary encounters.

Marcus: Want to bet? We started on a walk Sunday afternoon. We got to the corner and stood there watching a man walking what looked like one of my relatives come into view from around the curve. No, he wasn't walking his dog; he was jogging with his dog. Oops, they weren't jogging; they were running. The guy was chasing the dog,

Jan whipped around and we started walking as fast toward home as she could manage. As soon as we reached our lawn, I stopped to poop. I'm sorry but when nature calls, I need to answer. Jan turned to see how close the dog was. She was just in time to see the guy capture the dog at the corner. That guy is probably still walking bent over since he walked the dog away holding onto the collar, and it was at least several blocks to home.

Cyndi: You must be exhausted after all that in just a few days.


Marcus: I am! I think I'll just stretch out here and rest. Wake me for dinner.

Friday, December 01, 2017

Supawstars Spotlight Vs Reality



Taylor:  I'm so excited.  I just got my first blogging award.

Percy:  You mean we all got a blogging award.

Taylor:  That's what I said.  I just got my first.  Since I was the last to arrive, I was implying this isn't your first one.

Percy:  Oh, for a minute I thought you were taking all the credit for the blog.

Taylor:  There isn't actually much to take credit for any more.  We have become erratic in our postings and -

Percy:  And it's all Jan's fault. 

Taylor:  That's eerie.  You read my mind.

Percy:  It wasn't hard.  It's always Jan's fault.

Taylor:  I wanted to write a Thankful Thursday post but Jan hogged the computer to piece together her part in a meeting.  She could have waited until after we'd finished our post!

Percy:  You know Jan, she has become an early to bed wannabe.



Taylor:  I think we should thank Kittyclysm for giving us one of five Supawstars Spotlight Awards handed out this month. We're in good company with those other bloggers.

Percy:  It lifted my spirits to read their comment - "Full of warm, happy, and heartwarming stories, Jan’s Funny Farm is where you might go after a long day at work to get a smile on your face in an instant."

Taylor:  That's been our goal, to make readers smile.

Percy:  Hey, that was Jan's theme for the meeting notes she put together - "smile, smile, smile".  She thinks everyone needs to give and receive a smile.

Taylor:  It isn't exclusive to us, but this award made us smile.  We may have been missing in action a lot these last months, but we're evidently not dead and buried!

Percy:  Do you think we should tell Jan about the award?

Taylor:  No, it's our blog.  What does Jan contribute?

Percy:  Oh, I don't know.  The computer?


Note:  We plan to resume the Mousebreath interviews after the holidays.


We are joining the Pet Parade hosted by Rascal and Rocco, Basil the Bionic Cat and Barking from the Bayou.