Happy New Year 2009

Well here we are, Mam and me, sitting at the laptop. I'm actually sitting on the desk next to it, dictating to her, as it is most appropriate for a Princess. After those terrible holidays, it is a relief that a calm and quiet has descended on my castle. There were just too many people too often to suit me!

Mam and Da took me to have my nails clipped at the vet. Mam and the vet assistant were talking about me and about how I don't like to use the litter box some times. I've been using the big boot tray lined with papers more and more, so the vet assistant suggested maybe a bigger litter box is the answer and she showed us the kind they use for their bigger guests - it is actually designed for little (ugh!) dogs! Mam and Da, being the manipulated humans they are, went right out and bought one for me. It isn't bad at all. It definitely is a little larger - I don't have to stand on the sides to cover my mess, the walls are a little lower which is great for my little stubby legs, and it even has a lower section where I can almost walk straight into it. I use it mostly now, but every so often I pee on the paper in the tray, just to make sure they don't take it away.

Well, I feel a kitty flash coming on. I really must let loose and run a couple of circuits through the house before I take a nap.

Daily Combing

Mam and I are having issues with my daily combing. She is very religous about combing me every day so that I don't get mats and look all messy. It also eliminates the litter that sometimes sticks to my "pants" after I use the litter box - otherwise I might be known as "Claybottom," and it really helps reduce hairballs (ugh! I hate those things!) . But I digress. For the most part, I really enjoy being combed. That's because before we start, I get a Greenie and when we are finished, I get two more. Boy I sure do love those things and will put up with just about anything to get them. Almost anything except to have my "pants" or the back part of my hind legs combed. Being the sweet girl I am, I do not hiss or snarl, but I let her know I am not happy by hitting her with my paw and gently biting her combing hand. Sometimes it gets to be a real standoff, especially if I am pretty messy "back there." I know she just wants to keep me looking pretty and beauty does not always come easy, but why does it have to be such a pain in the butt!?!?!

Christmas Clean UP

Today Da brought in a whole bunch of plastic tubs so that we could start putting away all the Christmas stuff. I love playing hide and seek in the tissue paper and I love to run through it, scattering it all over the place. Da goofed when he put one of the tubs on "my" chair. Do you understand "Not a happy camper?" But I want you to know I was a real good girl this year and didn't mess with the tree even one time. Mam says she is really proud of me.

Diary of the day

I was soooo excited to learn that mine was actually chosen as a Diary of the Day. Whoooooo-eeeeeee, now that's an honor. But I haven't let it go to my head. I remain the cool, sophisticated Princess at least most of the time. I mean, there are moments when a girl just has to let loose and run through the house, pull up a corner of an area rug and let it fall back with a flap or hide under the table covered with a cloth. Mam says I'm not really hiding very well tho, because my tail always sticks out. She calls it "The Tale of a Tail." meowowowowowow!

Earlier today I got hold of a spool of satin ribbon. Oh boy did I have fun with that! I wrapped it around the legs of a couple of chairs and got it all slobbery and chewed up. Mam explained to me that it was dangerous to play with things like that because the barbs on my tongue face toward my throat and I could have trouble spitting out ribbon, thread, yarn or other stuff because of that and I could choke. I guess that happens to kitties sometimes. Mam promised me that the only time she would let me play with ribbon is when she is supervising me. My Mam! She loves me soooooo much!

New Hiding Place

Heh! Heh! Heh! I have found a new hiding place and Da and Mam have no idea where it is. After I am finished with this, I am going there and am not coming out 'til it's time for my lunch. Meowowowowowow! I think it's sooooo funny when they come looking for me and I'm right there, but they can't see me. They call me but I don't even pay any attention because I know there isn't any food in it for me. They probably want to take me to the vet or something stooooopid like that. prrrrrrt!

Lost and Found

Yesterday Mam was reading a letter in response to a previous letter in the paper to me. It was about a wonderful stray kitty a kind woman took into her home. The letter was from the person who thought the kitty might belong to his family. The writer went on about how truly special this kitty is and how devistated they were when he disappeared. They put out flyers and ads and did everything they could think of to let the public know kitty was missing, but never heard anything. Mam and I talked about it because it worried me that even though I am an indoors cats, sometimes things happen and humans and kitties (dogs too) can end up separated. Mam assured me that she and Da have taken the best steps possible to make sure if that should ever happen, that we would be reunited because they had me microchipped as soon as I adopted them. I wear a name tag and a bell on a pink freshwater pearl collar, but I think that's mostly for show. Mam says the bell is to let her know where I am, so I have learned to walk without it ringing. Meowowowowowowow!

Tag! You Are"IT?"

Tag rules: Write 7 facts about yourself in your diary. Then tag 7 friends by pmail or by giving them a rosette to let them know you tagged them. Be sure to tag someone who hasn't been tagged yet.

1. I wear a pink fresh water pearl necklace with a bell and name tag

2. When the weather is nice, I like to go for rides in my enclosed pink pet stroller.

3. When Mam is busy writing and I want her attention, I push the pen out of her hand.

4. I like to sit on my window bench early in the morning and watch the birds.

5. When my grand sisters come over I sit on their coloring book pages so they can't color. (Sometimes I bat their crayons around too.)

6. I like to talk to Mam alot. If I don't see her when I am finished eating, I call for her.

7. I AM the Princess of my domain!

I am going to tag the following friends:

Newman - with those Paul Newman eyes
Guido the Italian Kitty - the mighty meowster who in is the Animal Assisted Therapy Program
Sugar - the sweeter than sugar girl
Tao - that handsome fella with catitude
Elliott - he looks so dignified - he's not going to let his public see him looking foolish
Little Bit - the kitty contortionist

We Played a New Game

Yesterday I taught Mam a new game. There was a pencil laying on the table, so I got up there and hit it to her. She rolled it back to me and the game had begun. We had so much fun! Sometimes it would go under a paper and I would jump on top and push the paper across the table until everything fell on the floor. One time when the pencil fell out the floor, I jumped down and chased it around 'til it rolled under the fridge. End of game for now.

Mam was watching me really close while we were playing because my vet (The Cat Practice, Birmingham, MI) told us that cats can be right pawed or left pawed. Can you imagine that? Anyway, Mam was curious to see what I am. I am right pawed. I think she's a little disappointed because she is left pawed herself and thought it would be cool if I was too.

Whine Valley Pawty

Well it took me a little while to get back home. California is a long ways from Michigan, you know. But I gotta tell you, it was so nice to get away from this winter weather for a few days. And it was soooo wonderful to meet so may of my new pmail friends. Wilson J Scooter is the most gracious host! He even made sure that my meatballs were low ph so that I didn't have to go off my diet. And I think I might be in love with Guido the Italian Kitty. Yolo and Baci and Tao and everyone were just the best party-goers ever. I have to admit I let my fur down a couple of times, but was very respectful during the inaugural. Well, I have to go unpack my quad-kini and sunscreen. It was very nice to be away for a while, but I am most happy when I can crawl onto Mam's bed and lie down next to her. purrrrrrr

Why I am called Ollie Popoki

I think my name is "cute." No, my given name isn't "Cute" (but I'm called that a lot). I have a cute name is what I mean. It kinda rolls off the tongue, doncha think? Mam and Da called me Ollie as soon as they agreed that I had adopted them. They weren't quite sure if I was a boy or a girl, so they figured they could call me Olivia or Oliver, depending on which way the sex determination went. Well, they only call me O-livia when I am n-a-u-g-h-t-y. I adopted them just a few days before they were leaving for a nice vacation in Hawaii, so I had to stay boarded at The Cat Practice while they were having such a good time away from me. While they were on Kauai, they found out that the Hawaiian word for "cat" is Popoki. They thought it sounded "cute" so they made it my middle name. I have an awful lot of "cute" in my life.