Grownup jobs

Now that the Kibble Kids are definitely grown up, they’ve been wanting jobs like their Uncle Fred. (You’ll recall he ‘writes’ his Freditorials with his own opinions and words. Misspelled, many of them, but his own words. I think he’s still working on their “Kibble Kids Dishunary” as well.)

So Hoss Cartwright applied for and got the job of Office Manager. Every evening, when 9 o’clock shows on the digital clock, he comes up to my desk and either squeezes himself under my arm for pats or taps me with a paw to remind me it’s time to close the office for the night.

I can state with certainty he’s the best Office Manager I’ve ever had. (He’s also the cutest, with his little white half-socks spotlessly clean.) But no time stamps or in/out board. We like to keep things simple.

#Abishag

Happy Birthday, Kibble Kids!

This Saturday the Kibble Kids v.2 will be three years old. It seems like it’s been longer than that; so much has happened to the original seven kittens that Jamesie had in 2020 …

But this photo of them when they were six days old was just too cute to resist posting, even though it causes a few pangs in the heart region. Starting at the top left, that’s either Geronimo (lost to a speeding car) or Senor TaMale (nee Molly Brown except ‘she’ was a boy, hence the name change). Next, two tuxedos have to be Zorro and Sis (nee Cisco Kid, again, ‘he’ was a girl which made another name change necessary). Continuing clockwise, Annie Rose Oakley (lost to either a coyote or an owl) and the third tuxedo kitten, who must be Hoss Cartwright, since he’s smaller and has half-socks on his front feet. (The other two appear to have more white on their paws.) The gray one in the middle has to be the irrepressible Gabby Gayes, named for Gabby Hayes (not a boy, but always talking so no real name change needed); first one to purr and first one to boldly hiss at an unknown person.

Anyway, now that they’re all living in my office from late afternoon to broad daylight in the mornings, there surely can’t be a vicious coyote or evil owl carry any of them off again – and now they’re grown and fairly good fighters too.

It’s been quite a trip, what with a pandemic in the middle and changes around the world in so many areas.

They’re looking forward to ‘writing’ a few books and posing for lots more photos, so we’ll just let you, our favorite readers, know what’s new in their lives and when their books are ready to be read. Thanks for following their ornery, cheerful, flighty, sassy, determined, stubborn, adventurous, mayhem-prone, active and cuddly lives!

#Abishag

Write on, Fred!

(Overheard while eavesdropping on one of the Kibble Kids meetings)

Fred: Her Brings Food says mus learn to ‘he munch he ate.’

Sis: Say wha?

Hoss: Uncle Fred’s found sum mor big words.

Gabby: Neber a shortage of big words wif Uncle Fred. Word mean what?

Fred: Um – not real sure. Guess not talk with mouf full? Or maybe what happens to nice fresh mousie.

Gabby: Dat sound mor like it. But why Her Brings Food tellin what to do with mousie?

Fred: (very importantly) Sumpin to do wif my Freditorials. Cause I’se a litter rarely cat.

Sis: You get tail shut in door jus like rest of us.

Hoss: Gotcha, Uncle Fred.

#Abishag

The retirement that wasn’t

Well, plans were to ‘retire’ the original Three Wise Cats cast of mega-characters on or about December 27, but it seems the internet and Mother Nature had other plans. Between the bitter cold and fierce winds, the internet sank without a trace for quite a few days while running water froze in its tracks.

The above look likely would’ve been on Midnight’s face as she realized she couldn’t give her “I’m retiring – farewell to my friends and readers as I just appear in my favorite blog from time to time” speech …

but then, if I could recall more stories about her and her brother, Ira, and their cohort in crime, Kezia the Beautiful, she would’ve been happy to edit/correct/urge such stories on.

So they’re not ‘officially retired’ but just on an irregular schedule, ambling down Memory Lane.

However, you can still keep up with Spot and Slim, Seis and Ocho; the Kibble Kids v.2, GingerFred Boy and his upcoming Freditorials and Jamesie Momsie, intrepid kitten replicator. (Thank goodness the veterinarians were able to re-open their surgery and appointment book for spays and neuters in 2020. Otherwise cats and kittens might outnumber the hoomans in their newly-renamed Cat County.)

Happy New Year to all, and may your favorite feline have the time of its nine lives in 2023!

#Abishag

Ten years THIS November!

The very first blog about Abishag, Ira and Kezia was published November 28, 2012.

Lots of changes since then.

A whole new cast of characters have been added – the Kibble Kids, Uncle Pete, Her Brings Food, Taller Than Us. Even a pair of disreputable tabbies, Herman Sherman Tank and Luna Moonwalker have made appearances in these blogs.

I hope, cherished readers, you’ve enjoyed most of them; sniffled over the tragic ones, and laughed at the chronicled antics of the crazier things the cats managed to do.

There are more changes coming.

I’m actually running out of stories about Abishag, Ira, Kezia and yes, even Ptolemy. So as of December 27 or thereabouts, the above-listed cast of their book, “Three Wise Cats”  A Christmas Story, will gracefully retire from these blog pages and get some well-earned rest at the Rainbow Bridge.

Plans to begin a new blog about the Kibble Kids are being solidified; its publication date will be every Thursday, as they’ve been doing, but with far fewer interruptions and of course Fred is still terribly excited about his assigned ‘Freditorials.’ Some of their best blogs will be knowingly repeated so new readers can have their back stories.

Their ‘Dishunary’ is being put into shape too, and the self-publishing learning curve means you’ll be apprised of its publication as an ebook initially. (A print edition will depend upon the readers’ response to the cats’ challenge to an unsuspecting Daniel Webster.)

So a heart-felt Thank You to a wonderful group of people – all of you, our faithful readers who kept the stories coming as you requested more of them. See you soon, in our very best bibs and tuckers. (Fred will likely want spats, too.)

#KibbleKids, #Abishag

Freditorial

Fred here. Her Bring Food said she needs help wif blogs an said I cud get real good wif spelin, writig an so on an have colums regly, even wif my name on dem – Freditorial. (She had to spel dat for me. New word.) So I’se a nice cat, willin to help out, lend a paw, an said yes.

But now i’se relised dat means I gots to study spelin, writig an lotsa stuff. Dats work.

If deres homework, I quit.

Tradition!

Fred was teaching Hoss Cartwright the finer points of mole hunting yesterday.

GingerFred Boy * was one of the original Kibble Kids, and Hoss is one of the Kibble Kids v.2. Really nice to see the older cats making sure the fine tradition of mole hunting, which was developed into an art by Ira and Abishag, being continued.

I should read Abishag’s little book on hunting moles aloud to them, I suppose.

*Fred’s name is a complicated pun. He seemed to dance as a kitten instead of simply walking, so of course his name honors one of Hollywood’s best known dance teams, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. And the Brits call all orange cats ‘gingers,’ so that adds to the pun. (They all know and come to their names, BTW.)

At three years old, Fred isn’t that much older than Hoss at two, but he’s got hours and hours already logged watching mole holes and digging in the same. I believe he’s caught more moles than any of the other cats. And he’s also Pete’s Apprentice Yard Guard and Watch Cat, so you can see he has quite a bit of responsibility in his work. Mole hunting has to be just a hobby.

It’s going to take a really talented cat or two to replace the legendary Abishag and Ira, and then Pete and Fred when they’ve both retired. Mighty big paws to fill there.

But they’ve got time – they should each have at least six or maybe seven of their nine lives left. Hope I get to bring you many stories about all of them in future years. Thanks for reading!

#Abishag

It’s hot, all right

This poor frog was standing in the outside cats’ drinking water last week trying to cool off.

The cats didn’t bother it. I think they knew the frog was desperate.

After all, Fred, Jamesie and Sis are all expert ‘froggers.’ Any of them could have had the frog for dinner. But I believe they felt sorry for it. Altruism isn’t just for hoomans.

#Abishag

What week is this?

Well, the American Veterinary Medical Association says it’s ‘National Pet Week.’

Several memes on the net say its ‘Adopt A Shelter Pet.’ Week or Day, no consensus here. Hmmm.

Whatever week or day you want to call it, just please do adopt a shelter pet.

After all, how could you resist owning so much cute?

#Abishag

A very literal cat

“Hi, Fred, what are you doing?”

“I claims dis tree to be pervider of shade for all vershuns Kibble Kids.”

“Especially in this heat wave, that’s a very good idea. But – can only Kibble Kids sit in its shade? What about Uncle Pete, the Stripes and the hoomans around here?”

“Dey welcom too. But gots to pay told.”

“You mean a toll to use the shade? How much is it?”

“For haff day, one fresh mousie. Plump.”

“Ow, that’s kind of steep. What’s the toll for an hour?”

“Three dragon flyz.”

“Fred, you know what a terrible hunter I am. Can I pay someone to hunt for me?”

“We Kibble Kids gots to have meeting over dat. Not in buy-laws.”

“Outlaws, maybe?”

“Hooman, you haz awful humor.”

“Sorry, Fred. But it’s fun to tease you because you take everything so seriously and literally.”

“What kind of litter? None of us use litter box unless snowed in. How dat get into us talkin?”

“Liter-ally. You take everything to mean exactly what’s said.”

“Dat wrong?”

“No, not at all. Very rare in this day and age though, I think.“

“Only for hoomans, who say somepin an not mean it. Cats always say what they mean.”

“I’ll remember that. Where are you going now?”

“Come wish me an I teach you to hunt. No one ever has an it shows.”

“Yes, Fred, there are big gaps in my education. It’s very kind of you to correct some of those.”

“Well, somebody has to. But without whiskers an paws, you may not be very successfull.”

“I’m good at hugs, though. Want one?”

“Sure! Told discounts for hugs.”

“That’s a great solution. Thanks, Fred.”

#Abishag