by Rondo, mischief and blogger

Can you believe it? I get to say my piece two weeks running.  And so, here goes...

This week has brought another change to Mischief and Mayhem Central.  Oh my!  It has caused quite a kerfuffle, really and truly.  But a good kerfuffle.

As you must know Grammy has been advised to be more careful on her feet.  One of the adjustments is to no longer use tripping hazzards like the vacuum.  So she hired cleaners to come in monthly to do a thorough clean.  She can manage all except said vacuum, dusting the tops of book cases and scrubbing the tub.  These things that require using a step ladder or kneeling are as unsafe for her as tripping.

And so, this past week she spent a lot of her knitting time thinking of ways around these limitations.  Cleaners only come once a month and the place is usually knee deep (cat knees, that is) in discarded fur and dander despite sweeping floors with a broom.   Add to that the expense, especially when Grammy isn't all that satisfied with the service and there had to be another solution.  

Well, the thinking has paid off.   She hauled out a long-handled scrubber for the tub and will give it a go again.  Hopefully she can manage it.   Then while doing a search on the computer she saw a couple of other possibilities.  A long-handled Swiffer duster for the bookshelf tops - articulated, no less!  That should do it. 

And then, a SALE of an android to help her learn to balance... a rumba robot.  What do you think of that? Eh?   Teach her to dance the rumba and she should be able to recover when she trips.  Yes, that's the ticket!

What's that, Sweetie?  It's not rumba?  Well, what is it then?...a  Say that again? ...long pause.... OH!

Sorry folks,  It's not a rumba dancer.  It's a Roomba.   Actually, a Roomba Robot.  Well, it sounded like Rumba to me.   Hmph!   

This new dancing partner was on sale so Grammy decide, why not?  Let's give it a try.   Well, it arrived the next day... yes, the very next day.  I was thinking something must be wrong with it if the store wanted rid of it so quickly but Grammy says they are very efficient at delivering purchases.. a consequence of COVID restrictions and a competitive market.

So, back to the story.  Grammy set up Roameo Roomba, charged the battery for 3 hours and then they started dancing.  Well, that's what it seemed like.  He lead and Grammy followed him around watching and dodging his every move.

Alright, she didn't follow him around she just sent him on his way.  For an hour and a half he rumbled around bumping into walls and furniture as he learned the layout of the rooms. AND a boot mat got the treatment 6 times and the kitchen 5.  They must have been particularly filthy!  Shame on you, Grammy!  When he was done Roamin' danced a two-step (actually two wheel) back to his docking station to recharge.   

Boy, oh boy!  Was he dusty and filled with debris!  Grammy gave him a good clean, emptied his bin and left him to rest.  Second trip a few days later was shorter and there was less bumping and banging into walls.  His little computer brain is remembering where to stop and change direction.  What a smart wee fellow. 

Bottom line?  ... The cost of three 'professional' cleaning visits and this wee fellow will have more than paid for himself. And if Grammy wants Mr Roomba to be run every day that's not a problem either... just push the button twice and off he goes.  BONUS! 

P.S.   He's noisy... singing as he dances.  We'll let you know what we think about him once we are not so scared of him.  Grammy doctored the photo below.  So far Sweetie is the only one who's gotten that close to him.

Comments are welcomed.  We especially love the funny ones.

by Rondo, the singing poet and mischief maker

Not much to say this week.  Grammy has been busy with appointments and knitting. That leaves us free to sleep, and eat and nap and eat and sleep some more.   Unfortunately all that sleeping and napping has left us bereft of a topic. 

So, Let's introduce you to a few special friends - you know - the significant others.  Kind of appropriate since yesterday was St Valentine's Day, don't you think?

Well, we'll start with the girls, then Etude and end with me.  How's that for being gentlemanly?  Pretty good, I'd say!

If you've read any of our past blogs I'm sure you know Mousie's love is Little Boy Cat.  She calls him Cheffy or Cheffy dearest.  We call him LBC or anything he wants if he'll cook for us.  Oh yes, He's a chef extraordinaire.  Unfortunately, he's passed on but our wee Gentle Mousie still dreams about him.  We hear her deep sighs in the night.  She will love him to the end of time.

Sweetie has a beau named Monty.  He's not on Facebook too often and she misses him.  Fortunately another friend, Frodo, steps in and is like a big brother if you know what I mean.  Just a really good friend.  He brought her fresh frozen shrimp for Valentine's day so she wouldn't feel left out.  And we helped her eat the shrimpies.  *giggles* Glad they were frozen.  Those little footsies would have tickled on the way down our throats otherwise.  Thank you, Frodo... for that and for escorting my special someone to visit today.

Etude has had a girl for ages. If you remember, I wrote a poem about them a while ago.  You can check it out here.  RAINA is her name but he calls her his sweet butterfly or hummingbird... whichever fits the occasion.  She's a wild thing but has an amazing voice and even more amazing cooking skills.  Southern Comfort Picnic Baskets are her specialty and they are sent regularly to supplement our meager diets from Grammy.  Good choice, brother.  Keep those Picnic Baskets coming.   

Sorry, we don't have a link to share RAINA's lovely voice and she doesn't have her own page but, she loves trips in balloons.  Etude arranged two heart-shaped balloons to take them (and us) up for a ride yesterday.  What a time we had.   Young love.  Isn't it grand?

Last on the list is my sweet Rosy Posy.  She's an island girl... Virgin Islands, that is.  She calls me Sweet Cheeks.  Isn't that just so sweet? 

*Etude shouts "Saccharine! as in sickly sweet."*    Oh stop that Etude.  You're just as mushy with RAINA, you old dog, you!  *Etude blushes* I am not a dog!  Then why are you blushing? Ohhh, the mushy part.  *giggles* 

Back to Rosy.  Like RAINA, she's a wild thing... but hey, she loves me.  That's all that matters.  And a little wildness is good.  It keeps me on my toes.  She's always up for an adventure and she adores my singing.  What more could a debonair young fellow ask!

So, that's all for today.  Enjoy the photos.

We hope you, dear friends, have had a great weekend.  Hugs.

We enjoy your comments, so keep them coming.

by Mousie, 'giggling all the way' blogger

Good morning, friends.  I'm having a great giggle today even though the topic at hand isn't really funny.  But my imagination has run wild with this.

Firstly, you all know that Etude has suffered from PTSD since Grammy's accident last August.  As we've mentioned before, he clings to his brother or Grammy like Velcro. AND despite the fact the ol' girl rubs topical Gabapentin to the inside of his ear flap to calm him.  Still, he chews the fur off his legs when Grammy isn't watching.   He looks pretty goofy from behind  with  his pink 'udder' swaying side to side.  It is whitening as fur regrows but still looks ridiculous.  *stops typing to roll on the floor laughing*  Add to that his bare spindly legs and it is totally hilarious.  *stops to giggle again*

SO, like the helpful kitties we are, we decided maybe a onesie would be the answer.  Great idea, don't you think?   So, we've passed the task to Grammy to find a onesie for a sixteen pounder with long sleeves and legs.  Oops, I mean, a onesie with long sleeves and legs for a sixteen pounder.  

Well, she went searching and found the greatest onsies. - pink flowers for a pink tummied boy, or covered in llamas or bunnies, or maybe even bumble bees or dragon flies.  Oh, no, those are too much.  Go for the flowers, Grammy! 

Then, the image *giggles uncontrollably* of Grammy trying to dress him in it was too much.  Can you see it?  Grammy wrestling with a slippery-furred dude with claws like knives and razor sharp teeth?  *suddenly sobers up*  but then I thought, what if that makes his PTSD even worse?  Can't take a chance.  KITTEN WHISKERS

Oh, too bad! Thought we had a solution.  I guess Grammy and Rondo will just have to put up with velcro-cat clinging to them.

Well, that's it for now, folks.

by Etude, mischief and cuddlecat

Tomorrow may be groundhog day but let me tell you this.  We have a more pressing matter than whether the groundhog predicts another 6 weeks of winter or not.  Much more pressing.  What could be more pressing than that you say? Well, let me tell you.

We have a bed hog in our abode.  Yes, someone of the people persuasion, name withheld to protect the guilty, who takes over our sleeping spaces... and at the most inopportune times.   And she's sneaky.

Lately, as you all know, she's had a physiotherapist coming in to loosen up the ligaments, tendons and muscles in her shoulder.  AND they have taken over our afternoon napping space to do the physio.   The physiotherapist has a  'bed' she can bring for this unnamed person to stretch out on but does she?  NO! 

You ask why?  Well, we've asked that too and here's the answer.   This bed hog says there is no need to drag and lug and haul this massive thing from her car up the elevator and down the lonnnnnng hall when there is a perfectly good automatic bed  to stretch out on... especially when it can be raised and lowered to suit the needs of the physio. And, the exercise must be good for her too, don't you think?  Keep her in shape for the therapeutic manipulation?

Can you believe it?  No, I agree.  It is so selfish of the bed hog person because that means we, sweet loveable and sleep deprived kitties get turfed to the floor.  Yes, turfed!  Unceremoniously, I might add.   And for a full 45 minutes each time she visits.

Do you see how that cuts into our nap time... Major sleep deprivation!   

Not only that, she (the bed hog) insists on taking it over every night for 7 - 8 hours.  No taking turns, no giving us a break and sleeping on the sofa for a night.  No consideration whatsoever. 

What's that you're saying, bed hog?    No!  16 hours a day of uninterrupted bed time isn't sufficient for our needs.  Our internal clock demands 22 hours of sleep, 1 hour of pets and cuddles and 75 minutes for meals.  That is more hours than those in a day and so we are 15 minutes sleep deprived to begin with.  To be bed deprived too is unconscionable  abuse. 

Here she comes with another excuse...

Repeat that Grammy?  Oops.  Ignore that last sentence. Repeat that bed hog?  

When the physio is working on your shoulder we hop on the bed and interrupt?  Well, of course we do.  Someone has to tell her that she's interfering with our well-being.  That she's abusing our hospitality.  That we are sleep deprived and *whispers so bed hog cannot hear* and starving!  Falling down faint starving!

I tell you.  Those two... the physiotherapist and the bed hog are cut from the same cloth... both unmerciful abusers of 3 generous, lovable and considerate cow kitties.  No, not Mousie.  Scamp that she is... she makes a headlong dash to the livingroom to take over the sofa for herself.  Says it's the only time she gets uninterrupted and undisturbed by us sleep.  The little traitor.

By Sweetie,  fitness trainer and mischief

Good morning, dear friends.
 
As you can see I, Sweetie, am the blogger this week.  Like last week we at Mischief and Mayhem Central don't have much to say.  I know this is unusual.  More often than not Grammy thinks we have too much to say , too many opinions, suggestions and demands.  At the moment we are at a loss for words.  Yes, a dearth of opinions, a paucity of suggestions and a lack of ideas for a blog, but never a shortage of demands.

Having said that I think I shall fall back on a topic we kitties love so well... picking on Grammy.  *giggles*

Now, let's see.  Over the past year she has knitted less than usual despite being home more.  Yes, far less. Disgraceful.  Oh she finished a few shawls, a pair of slipperboots, two sweaters for a cat, two lady's cardigans, almost finished a third, but fewer wee gowns and hats for the hospital.  Shamefully, nothing for us.  No toys! No blankets!   I tell you, the old girl is falling down on the job. 

Oh, and don't think of this as an excuse... She might try it on you but it's a ploy for sympathy.  In the summer she imagined herself an acrobat.  Yes, she did!  Is it any wonder she lost her shoulder and injured herself?

What was that Grammy?  ...

Well, of course your shoulder was lost.  What else does 'dislocated' mean but 'lost the location of'?   How something that is attached can be lost is beyond us but she did it. 

Well, we found it for her... and it is back in place now.  Yes, we thought we'd velcro  the joint back together.  Aren't we brilliant?   She didn't think so.  Ungrateful, we say.  Totally ungrateful.  But should it happen again, and it had better not, just push those joints back together.  Velcro, the wonder fastener.  Brilliant!

Of course, while it took hold we opportunists decided to occupy her time more, demand extra feedings, sit on her lap, purr her to sleep, stick like velcro to her side, dive into the wools, yarns and needles and create absolute chaos. And we do it all so well.

The one thing we don't do is tarry near her when she is on her feet.  That is dangerous!  Very, very dangerous.

Well, that's all for this week, friends.  Have a great one.... and NO ACROBATICS!  (hint!  hint! - you know who you are and I don't mean Grammy!)  *Giggles* 

Whisker kisses and love, Sweetie.

We've included a few photos for your viewing pleasure!

Comments are welcomed... especially if they are amusing.

By Rondo, poet and vocal mischief.

Good day, dear friends.

Someone, whose name will remain anonymous, is feeling unwell so our blog is unbelievably short, practically non-existent. 

As a consolation I will share an early poem of mine. 

Meantime, we at Mischief and Mayhem Central hope you are all well and thriving despite the restrictions and challenges of this pandemic.



Crocus

Little crocus beneath the snow so deep

Wake up from your winter sleep

The sun shines down and warms your bed

Open your eyes and raise your head.

Time to push through, take a peek

For winter's almost over and it's you I seek.

Comments are welcomed. 

by Etude, Mr Attitude.

Oh brother!   Hi friends.  Can you believe it?  We almost had to rush Grammy into the emergency room this week.  Well, not really!  I'm exaggerating a bit but that wee Mousie has been so darned cute this past week.  And cute interprets into sweet, thus the sugar overload.  

Here's what's been happening...

Mousie spends most of her time in the bedroom and only joins us in the livingroom occasionally - usually when meals are due or overdue, which happens a lot, let me tell you. (Cheap help! What more need we say?) But if Mousie comes snuffling around Grammy responds. We don't understand that.  Of course, the tail tickling the back of Grammy's neck might be a clue to her moving but otherwise... 

When we ask for food she ignores us and says things like, 'you just ate an hour ago!' or 'it's 45 minutes until your next feeding time!'  For goodness sake, we're cats. We don't have watches, only tummies that grumble. They are our time pieces. But, while the old girl ignores us she won't ignore the little mouse. Up she jumps and heads to the kitchen!

Okay so, back to Mousie and sugar.  Grammy has been going into the bedroom more regularly to interact with the wee Mouser (part of her get up and move frequently throughout the day exercise).  Lately, whenever she does she leans over the bed and rubs foreheads with Mousie as she reclines in her marshmallow bed and that activates the 'purr machine'. That purring is louder and bigger than the little puss, by far.  It is the loudest motor we've ever heard.  Louder than mine and even louder than our vocal Rondo.  

Well, when Grammy hears the motor going she melts.  Yes, she becomes a soppy puddle of goohs and gahs.  'Oh Mousie, you are just so adorable!  I want to pick you up and cuddle you!'  and then the sugar rush begins.   

Mousie seems to like the attention because now she does it every time Grammy visits the bedroom and the glucose levels are rising further and further.  Pretty soon we'll need to get insulin for the old dear.   Women! 

The other thing the little Mouser does is pose for Grammy in the cutest ways.  These cause further sugar rushes.  It's so disgusting! Of course, it isn't disgusting when we do.  (Well, don't tell Grammy but we think Mousie's a cutiepie too BUT, so are the rest of us!)   Pictures of Mousie (and us) to follow. 

by Sweetie, motivator and fitness trainer.

Good morning, dear friends.  Not sure if you have made resolutions for 2021.  If not, I'd be happy to help you with some.

Grammy, as usual, hasn't made any... so I've put together a few for her.   
1. Feed us on demand... ours... not hers,
2. Play with us every day at least 5 times a day,
3. Share the bed -  not take it over,
4. Cuddles.... give us lots and lots of cuddles, snuggles and kisses,
5. Groom us daily,
6. Feed us on demand... ours... not hers.

And the resolutions we furballs have set for ourselves ...
1. Do our daily fitness routine:  examples of a fitness routine specifically designed for the M&M crew shown in slideshow below.  
2. Accept all pampering with grace and equanimity.  Yes, that's it for us.  *giggles*

Comments are welcomed.

By Gentle Mousie, blogger of the mundane and the spectacular.

Good morning dear friends.  Here we are at the last Monday of 2020.  Most people are thrilled to be seeing the end to this year of misery.  It has been a challenging year at best.  Of course, like most years there has been a mixture of good and bad.   For us, the good has been having Grammy home with us almost 24/7/366. 

That part has been great.  The old girl ensconced in her chair, knitting or napping or better yet, cuddling and snuggling with us.  We have loved that.  In fact, I've actually braved spending more time with Grammy and the cow kitties than ever before.  

The not so good parts have been Grammy's illness coupled with having to isolate, then losing my mommy, Whiskers, and a month later Grammy's fall followed by Etude's PTSD.  Well, we have weathered it all.   We may not look or be quite the same but we've come through. 

Etude's coat is a little shabby... His plucked belly glows pink when he does his prairiedog routine... and his legs are a little moth-eaten... well, maybe not moth-eaten, more like Etude-eaten.  Grammy puts the blue collar of shame on him but only when absolutely necessary.  Usually just distracting him when he starts to chew is sufficient to stop the chomping for a while.  He curls up into a ball and naps until the next meal. 

Rondo, while looking dapper, is more vocally annoying than ever.  He starts calling for breakfast around 6:30 and refuses to let up until Grammy has fed his ever-needy tummy.  It seems to be a bottomless pit.  A half hour after that first meal he seeks a second breakfast, then a pre-lunch snack, then lunch, mid-afternoon nibbles, dinner, apres-dinner nosh, pre-bedtime sustenance and midnight chowdown.  Otherwise, he is about the same - he whines.  At least, when he's napping we get some relief.  *giggles*  He's more like a chow-hound than a kitty.

Sweetie has been a trouper through it all.  She still seeks out Grammy's lap for naps,  sleeps most of the day on the sofa or in her ivory tower then roams the house at night, checking for intruders and making sure we are all safe in our wee beds.  She is our intrepid guardian and we love her for it.

Me? Well, I miss my mommy but Grammy has been my go to for cuddles and kisses and snuggles and when I'm not with her I curl up on my pedestal or in my nice warm marshmallow bed.  Last night Grammy joined me in my bed.  No, not her whole body, silly.  She curled up on the big bed and used the rim of the marshmallow as a pillow.

So, where do we go from here?  Well, it looks like the next few months at least are going to be more of the same.  Grammy's not been given the go-ahead to resume her pre-2020 life and as long as that bug COVID is out there isolation will be paramount and knitting and cuddles will prevail.  Yahoo!

And here is our year in review...  Kitties and Knitties.  *giggles*   Hope you enjoy it.

Comments are most welcome.

From all of us at Mischief and Mayhem Central,

We wish you a

Merry Christmas and a Happy,

Healthy,

Love-filled New Year. 

Love and Whisker kisses,
Whiskers (2008 - 2020), Gentle Mouse, Sweetie, Etude & Rondo
oh, and Grammy too.