Farewell Rusty

Our sweet, gentle giant Rusty (Russet) left us early Wednesday morning.  He had been "winding down" for some time so it was not unexpected, but we are heartbroken.  He was a big cuddle boy and loved to snuggle.  His one bad habit was getting overly excited about being brushed and nipping. 

We have mentioned a number of times Jan originally adopted him from the local shelter for her mother (whom we called Miss Mother) with their Thanksgiving dinner funds.  He was the best holiday investment they could have made.  He had no fear of Miss Mother's wheelchair and fit right in with our crew after her death. 

We have lost several of our own over our blogging years.  Each one has been rough!  Friday, September 28th, it will be one year since we lost Buddy.  Merci left us this year on June 29th.  It's been a hard year.  We apologize for not keeping our word to post the answer to the mystery of Locked Door Motor Running tomorrow, but we are going to take a break for a few days and will post it when we return.

Locked Door Motor Running

Marcus:  Hey, remember me in my new vehicle?   Locked room mysteries are popular in books and on television, so I thought we could do something different today and you can try to solve the locked car mystery.

Rusty:  I thought we were going to continue my problem with finding a new villa this late in the season.

Percy:  No, we were going to continue MY apartment hunting.

Marcus:  We all love to tattle on Jan, so we have got to tell this story.  You guys can fight over who writes about what later.  We weren't even going to post today since yesterday we celebrated Micah's birthday/gotcha day.

Rusty:  Speaking of Micah, our friend Loulou sent us this to give to him.

Loulou:  Happy Birthday day to you, Happy Birthday TO YOUUUUUUUU. Happy BIRTHDAY dear MICAH, Happy Birthday to YOUUUUU.

Micah: Thank you, Loulou, and -

Marcus: Enough about you, Micah. Let's get back to tattling on Jan.

Percy:  So what did she do this time?

Marcus:  Jan is very independent and isn't particularly fond of some modern computer-related help.  She prefers to make her own choices, complaining she is perfectly capable of rolling her own windows up or down, or un/locking her own doors, etc. 

For many years she had to completely avoid air conditioning so she hasn't had working ac in any car she has owned.  Until this one.  And in order to keep the ac working, she thinks she needs to run it occasionally, either for part or all of the trip.

Rusty:  What did Jan do, break the ac?

Marcus:  No.  She went by Mr. Doug's to pick up a book, where he left it, in case he wouldn't be home.  She left the engine running, got out of the car, walked about three feet, grabbed the book bag, walked back to the car, and -  Oops, all the doors were locked. 

She was in the country and had no cell phone to call anyone.  Not that we have a locksmith here, and she doesn't have AAA any more. 

She carries a spare key in case she ever locks herself out but the spare key was in her purse on the passenger seat.  (Who would expect a vehicle to lock the doors when someone gets out and closes the door?)

Rusty:  Oh, no!  What did she do?

Marcus:  She did what anyone would do.  She broke in.

Percy:  She broke a window?

Marcus:  No, to break in doesn't mean she actually broke anything.  Like when Rusty said Micah "broke and entered" his summer villa (Intruder in the Villa) but Micah hadn't actually broken anything to get inside. 

Micah:  So how did Jan break into the car?

Marcus:  I thought we would offer this locked door motor running mystery to our readers and see if anyone can guess correctly.  All the clues are in this post.  We'll reveal the answer on Friday. 

Rusty:  You're going to tell us the answer, aren't you?. 

Marcus:  No.  You'll have to figure it out by yourself. 

Percy:  You aren't that good with mysteries, Marcus.  How did you figure out the solution?

Marcus:  I heard Jan on the phone telling Mr. Doug.

 We are participating in Happy Tuesday blog hop. Stop by Comedy Plus to see other posts or to join the fun.

Celebrating Micah

Cyndi:  As we've already posted, Jan has been having Scattered Brains lately, so it should come as no surprise she forgot to read the calendar again. Today is Micah's 6th Gotcha Day/(assigned) 8th Birthday.  We are so happy to have him as a sibling.

Percy:  Speak for yourselves.  Just because we're trying to tolerate each other doesn't mean we're happy about it.

Cyndi:  Of course you are.  You two just don't want to admit it.

Taylor:  Jan says we should have a quiet celebration so we don't disturb her nap.

Percy:  Oh, good, a chance to get even with Jan for waking me from a nap the other day.  Let's all sing.  At the top of our lungs.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy gotcha day to you,

Happy gotcha birthday, dear Micah.

Happy special day to you!

Cyndi:  **sniff, sniff**  Buddy always howled  the owoooohs like a hound.  None of us can sing like he could.

Taylor:  I thought Buddy was a hound.

Cyndi:  Yes, he was.  That's why he sang like one.

Micah:   Thank you.  That was great, guys.  I'm sure Jan heard every note. 

Taylor:  We would like to thank Pipo, Dalton and mom Ingrid for the lovely card they sent Micah.  It arrived just as Jan was about to shut down last night.  We don't post on Monday any more, so there was a debate and Jan lost.  She had to stay up and wait for us to post this, hence her need for a nap today.   

Cyndi:  Pipo and Dalton are so good about sending occasion cards to bloggers.  It's always such a treat to receive one.  This one arrived in the nick of time or poor Micah wouldn't have anything to celebrate today because we would be offline and oblivious to the occasion.

Awww, Micah, have a happy, happy special day!  We love you.

  We are joining Awww Mondays at Comedy Plus.

Scattered Brains

Micah:  Okay, so we're all agreed?

Rusty:  Yes, it's time to have a group discussion with Jan about her scattered brains!

Cyndi:  No, no, no!  Jan does not have scattered brains; she has been becoming increasingly scatterbrained.

Rusty:  That's what I said.

Micah:  Not exactly.

Percy:  Can we get this meeting over with?  It's past time for my cowisthenics.

Taylor:  Oh, great, you're starting to sound like Jan.  It's calisthenics.

Percy:  Not if you learned your exercise routine from watching cows on TV.  Marcus, are you with us kitties on this?

Marcus:  Yep! At least I think so.  I'm still not sure what scattered brains are.

Micah:  We all know know Binky from Angelwhisper2011.  Binky has been being harassed by a bird.  We left a comment saying we hope the bird will move elsewhere. 

Marcus:  What does that have to do with Jan's brains?

Rusty:  Everything.  As you know, the heat and humidity have Jan too tired to do much of anything, including think.  Yesterday a friend took her out of town for lunch. 

Taylor:  When Jan got home, she sat down at the computer and tried to stay awake; however, when she read the email - actually our email notification - stating Binky had responded to our comment saying the bird is waiting every morning and is very annoying, Jan went right over to Binky's blog to write a suggestion.

Cyndi: Jan came thiiiisssss close to asking Binky, have you tried barking at it?

Marcus:  So?

Rusty:  Binky is a C-A-T.

Marcus:  Oh. **light bulb**  Oh, now I get it.  It's like when I walked Jan just before sundown last night, we passed a guy walking with a female version of me.  (Wow, is she gorgeous!)  The guy and the lovely dog crossed the street, and Jan called out a cheery, "Gooood morning!"

Micah:  Good example.  Now let's go have a talk with Jan and see if we can fix her.

Taylor:  I think it's too late.  I hear snoring from the kitchen.

Click to enlarge.

Taylor:  This week we interviewed Lucy, Benny, Sadie and Ringo from All About the Cats (It's All About the Cats). You can read their story, Lucy and Benny Chat About the Cats, at Mousebreath.com.

We are joining Flashback Friday.  To see other blog entries and/or to enter your own blog, visit the Five Sibes. 

And joining Feline Friday at Comedy Plus.

Pirate Day 2018

Percy:  Even though  we don't post on Wednesday any more, it doesn't feel right to let Meow / Woof Like a Pirate Day go by this year without participating.

Marcus:  Jan still doesn't have Photoship Elements on the computer since the last installation scared her out of two lives.

Percy:  Unlike cats, humans don't have more than one life, and I think you mean Photoshop.

Marcus:  Do you see any "shop" in that graphic?  I see a ship.  Perhaps you need glasses.

Percy:  It was depressing to look at our old Pirates Day graphics since most all of those in the pictures are gone now.  But Jan found us this one with just you and me and the high seas.

Marcus:  I wish you hadn't said "high seas".  Now I'm seasick.  Why is this boat rocking?

Percy:  I think that's Jan jumping up and down on the deck trying to make things seem more realistic.

Marcus:  Well, it's going to become very realistic when she has to clean up pools of dog barf.

Percy:  But we only rented the ship for the photo shoot.  Jan won't have to clean it up.

Marcus:  You don't think she's going to pay extra to have someone else clean it up, do you?

Percy:  In that case, I suggest you heave ho ... uh, heave to ... throw up over the railing into the water.

Marcus:  Now that the ship has stopped rocking, so has my stomach.  How about we go grab us some hardtack and grog to celebrate the day, matey?

Percy:  Sounds like a good idea.  But can we make it quick?  I have an emergency.

Marcus:  What's the problem? 

Percy:  My wooden leg appears to  have termites.

We are joining the Pirate Day Pet Parade with hosts Dash Kitten, Barking from the Bayou, & Bionic Basil.

Intruder in the Villa

Percy:  Hey, Rusty, get off the blog.  You promised if I let you do a post on your summer villa last Tuesday, you would let me post in peace this week.  (Rusty Interrupts Percy's Apt Hunt)

Rusty:  I know I did, and I'm sorry, but this is an emergency!  There's been an intruder in my villa.  I have photographic proof.  See!

Percy:  That's Micah.

Rusty:  In MY villa!  And look at the picture.  I'm not home.  He broke and entered.  He should be arrested. 

Micah:  Now just a moment.  I'm your brother and you're talking about having me arrested?  What did I break?  As far as entering, the door was wide open.  I thought you had moved out.

Percy:  Wait, Micah broke and entered?  I can't wait to hear you try to explain that to a cop.  I don't think there's a space on their form for "broke and entered".  You must mean you want him arrested for breaking and entering.

Rusty:  I don't care what for.  I just want him arrested. 

Micah:  Well, you're home in this picture. 

Rusty:  But you weren't invited.  You entered when I was in the kitchen snacking.  And when I returned, your fat butt was in my way.  There wasn't enough room left for me to lie down.

Micah:  I've heard that possession is nine-tenths of something or other.  In this case it was nine-tenths of the villa.  And I did give it back. 

Rusty:  Yes, you did give it back.  And, come to think of it, you did rearrange the shelf Jan keeps her vitamins and herbs on.  In fact, you rearranged much of it onto the floor so there would be room for you.  I envied you being able to get up that high to make yourself at home. 

Micah:  You don't really want to have me arrested after that, do you?

Rusty:  The expression on Jan's face when she walked into the kitchen and saw how you had almost cleared the shelf of her things was priceless.  I'll forgive you.  This time.

Percy:  Excuse me.  You two seem to have forgotten I am supposed to be the one posting today. 

Rusty:  You're a good brother, Percy.  Thanks for sharing.

Percy:  But I didn't offer to share my post.   You just appropriated it.  Again. 

Rusty:  Don't worry.  There's always next Tuesday.

 We are participating in Happy Tuesday blog hop. Stop by Comedy Plus to see other posts or to join the fun.

Marcus Tells A Joke

Marcus:  Hey, it's me again, your favorite joke teller.  I have a good one for you today.  It's blog appropriate since so many furries call their humans  - Oh, I can't give away the joke.

A teacher asked her students to use the word "beans" in a sentence.

One girl said, "My father grows beans."

"My mother cooks beans," added a boy.

A third student spoke up, "We are all human beans."

Micah:  After our recent gas leak here  - or should I say after your recent gas leak, Marcus (flashback to Marcus the Hero), I thought sure there would be a different  punch line.

Marcus:  Why would you think that?

Micah:  I've heard how unmelodious human beans can become after they eat beans.

Marcus:   Oh, you mean like when Jan followed the directions to double the dose for the first two weeks of my new vitamins and stopped after only two days?

Micah:   Exactly.

Marcus:  Maybe I'd better tell a different joke before Jan makes us shut down for the day.  Do you know one?

Micah:  Yes.

Marcus:  So tell us what it is.

Micah:  I will.  When it's my turn to do a post.


We are running behind on everything (as usual) so haven't had a chance to post a Mousebreath interview for today.  We will have one for you next week.

We are joining Flashback Friday.  To see other blog entries and/or to enter your own blog, visit the Five Sibes.

And joining Feline Friday at Comedy Plus.

Rusty Interrupts Percy's Apt Hunt

Percy:  Hey, today is my day to report on my temporary apartment hunt.  What is your picture doing on this post, Rusty?

Rusty:  I'm a senior citizen.  I could die of old age before you finish hunting for an apartment. I found mine before you started looking and I've been quite content, so I believe it's only fair I get a chance to share mine. 

Percy:  Oh, all right.  But there had better not be a peep out of you next Tuesday!

Rusty:  This is my summer villa.  Jan set a plastic storage container of cat bedding on a chair and I moved onto it before she could move it.

Percy:  So that's why you like the neighborhood.  Jan won't move the container as long as you are living on top of it. Smart move!

Rusty:  Thanks.  It also has the advantage of being in line with the air conditioner.  Jan keeps the ac off as long as possible each day but when it is on, I get a warm breeze. And since I have reached the age of shorter jumps, a couple of weeks ago Jan installed an escalator so I can go up and down easier.

Percy:  That's not an escalator.  That is Buddy's old step stool.

Rusty:  A step stool?  But Buddy always bragged about having a self-propelled escalator.

Percy:  Yes, Buddy was the "self" in self-propelled.

Rusty:  What a relief.  I didn't want to complain but I thought Jan must have broken it.  She has a heavy hand and a lead foot.

Percy:  I'm proud of you, Rusty.  You've had your apartment all summer.  Whatever you do, don't let Jan redecorate it.  She has no sense of mancat style.

Rusty:  She did offer to hire an ulterior decorator for it, but I put down my paw!

Percy:  I think you meant an interior decorator.

Rusty:  No, I meant ulterior.  She said I would need to move off for a week or two while the work was being done, but I know she was plotting to move my apartment as soon as I did.  And you know how hard it is to find a private apartment around here.

We are participating in Happy Tuesday blog hop. Stop by Comedy Plus to see other posts or to join the fun.

Marcus Does A Mean CPR

Marcus:  Before we begin today's post, here's a picture of me so you don't forget what I look like.  If you'll notice, my eyes are open.  Percy thought I would keep them closed until he calls me in October.  (Temp Apt Fail 8)  He didn't fool me a bit.  He doesn't read a calendar any more than Jan does. 

A couple of months ago, Jan and I set out on a walk. As we walked down the porch steps, a young mockingbird flew onto the nearby stop sign and another ran back and forth across the roof; both were chattering away.  Now, I do speak fluent goose but I have to admit I have yet to learn mockingbird.

What, oh what was he (or she) upset about?  Could it be an emergency and my astute medical skills were needed to save him?  I perform a mean CPR!

Rusty:  You certainly do perform a mean CPR!  You could have broken every bone in Cyndi's body when you tried to practice on her.

Marcus:  **waves paw**  She survived, didn't she?

To get back to the subject of the mockingbird racing across the roof yelling, I looked around for a translator.  Perhaps mama mockigbird was nearby.  Oh, wait, she speaks mockingbird too and I don't.

I looked at Jan but she was just as puzzled as I was. 

And then, beyond Jan, I saw the answer. 

There was another young mockingbird hiding in the bushes behind us.  She (or he) was actually well-camouflaged.  Jan had to walk around the bush to get a decent shot of her.  She must have been terrified of us.  She never so much as twitched.

Rusty:  She must have heard about your CPR technique.

Marcus:  I'm sure she had.  I'm becoming quite well-known in life-saving circles.

Rusty:  If you try CPR on a bird, you'll become quite well-known in law enforcement circles.

We are joining Flashback Friday.  To see other blog entries and/or to enter your own blog, visit the Five Sibes.

And joining Feline Friday at Comedy Plus.

Temp Apt Fail 8

 
Percy:  Ah, this is the life.  I don't know why Jan is complaining about bent Venetian blind slats.  I am so comfy here by the window.

I am continuing the story of my to-date futile private apartment hunt.  At this point, I am on a storage shelf in front of a porch window. 

This is an apartment with a view of the dog pen.

This is the view from the other side of the window.  No, I am not a checkered cat.  I am peering through a screen.

I don't believe this!  Jan said I am destroying the blind and have pulled down the curtain, so she raised the blind, moved the shelves, and put the old curtain back where she thinks it belongs.  Now she says I can stay in my new apartment.

This apartment was decorated the way I want it and she has redecorated it without my permission.  I don't like the new decor so I am giving her the back of disrespect.  What does she do?  She takes pictures.  It's plain I am never going to get any privacy here, so even though I really like this apartment ...

I'm out of here!

And I've moved back to where I began this series.  In the bathroom.  On a shelf.

I'll teach her to try to make me more comfortable.  A mancat would rather sleep on a basket of sharp objects if it means he has his privacy.

Marcus:  Uh, Percy, you do realize there is no privacy on a shelf in the bathroom?  We can all see you.

Percy:  Then close your eyes and pretend you aren't here.

Marcus:  Okay.  Will you let me know when it's okay to open them again?

Percy:  Yes, I'll call you in October.
 

We are participating in Happy Tuesday blog hop. Stop by Comedy Plus to see other posts or to join the fun.