Jackie My Domestic Warrior

Here is Jackass and Arcangelo. Jackie is always busy. He takes such good care of us. He takes naps with me. He lays on the dining room table in the late afternoon sun watching the neighbors. He guards the basement when we have lightning. And he will creep up to the top of the stairs to meow a shout at me, so that I give him a little petting before he goes back down to guard again. He's thoughtful that way -- giving me a little comfort because I might be afraid of the lightning before he goes and guards the basement. I just adore how he cares for us.

Breaking News: New Orleans Street Trash to the Vet!

This morning I took Jackass and Zelia to the vet . Zelia is officially fat and has to go on a diet. And Jackass lost 11% of his body weight. We took his X-Ray and bloodwork and I am waiting for a phone call tomorrow about his situation. The vet feels optimistic and says that she thinks that he might have a little overactive thyroid which is treatable. I am crossing my fingers. His X-Ray is beautiful. If he starts treatment for a thyroid, he will bounce back to his macho heavy superstar virile weight. I am going to pray for this to resolve with a healthy and happy cat!

Cat Dude in Flowers

I am writing this entry on February 25th, on the day I learned that I earned Full Professorship. I am half-watching Demetri Martin's new show as I prepare this week's blogs. Here is a photo of my darling Jackass, mingling with this year's paper whites. Every January, immediately after new year, I plant paper white bulbs and every year, my crazy old man, strolls among them, looking cute, chomping on blades, and rubbing his nose gently against the blossoms. My darling spring boy!

Jack with Scarves

I am writing this entry on February 8th, beginning in the evening of a lovely Sunday. Tomorrow morning, I leave for Pittsburgh to help out with my new nephew! So, today I just took it easy, packing, cleaning, balancing checkbook, doing dishes, etc. It was wonderful. And each time I saw my little Jackmandu, he was relaxing in a new place. He laid on Lynn's quilt. He laid on his ma's best tv chair. He growled in his sleep at one point, probably capturing a mouse. I am going to miss him very much over these next two weeks. I feel very lucky, however. Danielle said she'd look out for my critters. Amijo said that she'd take super good care and even come over and knit to spend time with my critters and bring Zelia over to her house to hang out with her dogs. Barbie, of course, will take great care of my herd and even give Violet exercise. And on Friday, I had dinner with Jorge, Christine, Danielle and Todd, so had a nice fun over-the-top evening out before leaving. I am blessed. And soon, we'll all get to meet Melvin! Namaste!

Thoughts of Love on May Day!

Here is a mid-January photo of Jackie and Arcangelo, taking a rest on Lynn's lovely quilt -- they are naughty because they know they are not allowed on that couch and certainly not that quilt! But that's not my point! My point is that these two boys are deeply in love and isn't that a nice little May Day Spring Message! My darling boys!

Guard Cat and Boyfriend!

Here are late-night January photos of Jackie and Arcangelo, taking a peek into the wintery snowscape. My little guard cat is always on the job, taking care of us, monitoring us, and handling the household. We depend on his vigorous diligence! Arcy is very proud!

My Jackie

Here's the guy who rules my roost. I am blessed to have such a determined cat in my life. He is determined to guard and protect his family.

Boyfriends

Here they are in the depths of late summer, relaxing in their catnip bush in the front walkway. Such happy boyfriends. So handsome. So elegant. So large and in charge! I am writing this entry on October 5th and Arcy has had sort of a rough week. He has a cold, so he's been sneezing and wheezing and so uncomfortable. A few days ago, he was so miserable that he sat of his own free will in my lap as we watched the VP debate. Afterwards I wrapped him up tight in a red blanket tent downstairs. He spent the whole night in that tent, never getting up to join us upstairs in the bedroom. I came down the next morning, and hugged him in his tent, and he got up, stretched, and then walked calmly into the kitchen for a lumberjack-sized breakfast, sip of water, and trip downstairs to take care of his business. I knew he was turning the corner. So, he's still a bit under the weather, but I know he appreciated being fussed over and being put into this intensive care ward red blanket bed. What a sweetie pie!

Snowball Scores Big for Science!

So, this evening, I'm sitting at BW3, reading the New York Times and they have their annual Year of Inventions. I'm reading away and an article suggests that science is proving that not only humans use dance as a tribal way to communicate connection, bonding, love, care, community. And then another article demonstrates that not only humans are prone to jealousy. And these articles talk about dancing in Snowball the Cockatoo, and jealous dogs who won't perform tricks if they feel unfairly treated.



And I am sitting at that barstool thinking, "Duh!" I have known this fact for years. Many, many is the time that I was cuddling and sweet-talking my beloved Teacake and I would look up to see Jackie and Zelia sitting close by just staring at us in our love festival. And many, many is the time that I've seen dancing, flirting, laughing, playing, connecting, jealousy, warmth, caring behavior among my little herd. Violet is super duper at doing dances of love.



So, my point is, DUH!



Here is video footage from Youtube of the dancing, swinging Snowball!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJOZp2ZftCw
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j_fxs8mUcQ
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoznO4WRbwg

Jackie and Arcangelo

Here are my two fellas, Jackie and Arcangelo, enjoying a late afternoon taste of catnip. I am writing this post on August 19th! I haven't been as nice to the two of them as I should have this summer. They rarely get out to rest in their garden. I am going to have to change my routine a bit, so that my little men have a chance to enjoy their properties! I am so blessed that Jackie has been ruling my roost. He takes such good care of us, crankly old responsible buddy!

Jackie

The man of the family. Of my eight living creatures, he's been with me the longest. I'll never forget the first day I met this household tiger, this domestic lion!

My Cats in Catnip!

Jackie has been unhinged this summer with the desire to get outside! He walks through the house yowling and he's always super happy and proud when I finally figure out his wishes and let him outside. On this beautiful afternoon, I sat on the porch and watched my gorgeaus creatures chomping on the catnip plant along the front walkway!

Jack and Arcangelo

Here are my guys. My beautiful fabulous guys.

The Boys! 1/28/08

Here they are, my beautiful boys, taking a nap in the laundry basket. They are gorgeaus little critters!

My Little Stoners

I'd forgotten that I had planted lots of catnip this year and then dried and bagged it. So, in late February, I am looking in my pantry and find this fragrant bag. I pull it out, crumble the leaves for my cats, and they engage in a little feline Woodstock. You could practically hear the 60s music down the block. Arcangelo is the worst one. He just covers himself in catnip and radiates his goofy sexiness.

Such little stoners! And they even taught Rory how to party on!

New Orleans Street Trash

So, on November 29th, we had a lovely sunny day and I was jetting around the house, cleaning, relaxing, thinking about my horses which I had just seen. I came downstairs and found Zelia and Jackie curled up together in the sunlight by the front door.

My darling New Orleans' Street Trash. What a lucky lady I am to have two pets straight from the streets and pounds of that great city!

My Beautiful Summer Jackie!

Here he is, my naughty rat bastard. Little Jacques Mamou Lagniappe Sanchez, otherwise known as Jackass or Jackie. Such a handsome, wise, wonderful, disciplined household warrior and domestic lion. He takes such good care of us. He loves us with a firm understanding. He's a little zen buddha of a cat. Much love to him, he has earned his wings that's for sure!

Horse Sense: The First Warm Days of Fall!

Today as I write this entry, it is September 28th. The weather is shifting, cool in the evenings and mornings, but warm and bright in the days. My garden is throwing out a bounty of cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, hot peppers, and broccoli, and preparing to release brussel sprouts and cauliflower. And leaves are beginning to turn and fall.

Last night, with friends, I ate the first of my canned food -- red tomatoes in shrimp creole and wonderful canned okras. And tonight, I did my first knitting of the fall, making a scarf for Clara and starting a scarf for Emma. And I used wool from Alpacas from the Elliott family of Bowling Green! And the food and knitting made me happy for fall and winter!

And the Hintzes are almost done with the new stalls and they are beautiful. And that makes me happy for winter and spring and Hailee! And Violet is wonderful to ride, shiny and red, quiet and sweet, intelligent and calm. She is beginning to get a longer coat in preparation for winter. And that makes me happy thinking of our wonderful first full year together!

And Jackie and Arcangelo went to the vet this week, and Jackie's vet gave him a thorough senior check with blood work and X-rays. Jackie passed with flying colors -- he had "perfect bloodwork" and "wonderful liver and kidneys." He is in "perfect" health. And that made me happy to think of him continuing to run my household with an velvet-covered iron paw in his robust prime!

So, lesson -- be grateful, have faith, and trust but verify! ;) Namaste, lots of love!

Jackass, Arcangelo, and Moibeal

Hailee and Violet also have three cat siblings in Jacques Mamou Lagniappe (Jackie or Jackass), Moibeal Edana Seiseagh, and Arcangelo Sanyama Lilidh. Jackie, Arcy, and Moibeal are all dear to me. Jackie is also a New Orleans street cat adopted as a kitten from the Japonica Street animal shelter. He pulled a bait and switch. He acted all sweet, scared, and demure and then before I even got him home, he started bossing me around in the car. Nothing has changed! He rules our home. Arcangelo is a siamese adopted from San Diego, California, invited to join our home after Teacake Whim Fuselage passed away a few years ago. He is Jackie's boyfriend. And little Moibeal is from the Wood County Humane Society. She is a lovely little grey tabby girl who tolerates her brothers' bossiness.