Those Minature Humans Again!

Sunday was not a day of rest for me. It started out ok, but first Mary came in and then Linda and Nan showed up. They let me check out the library and eventually I made my way into the big room. They had set up tables and chairs and were putting things on the table...not a good sign. Soon the place was overrun with those miniature humans! Boy, do they make noise! Then this guy in a red suit shows up! He had been in Nan's room for awhile before he went into the big room. He carried something that jingled as he walked. You should have seen the little humans react to him!! I decided then it was time to go back to my room but wasn't sure how to get there, so I went into the closet. It's a nice big, dark place with plenty of shelves for me to sit on. Eventually it got quiet and then Linda opened the closet door and saw me. Mary came in and picked me up and told me I was very smart to hide but it was time to come out of the closet. She put me in my chair and turned on the music. They all said 'good night' and left. I was ready for a nap but remembered Nan had put out treats for me. I really needed a snack after all that excitement!
What do you think of the man in the red suit and all those little humans? Click on COMMENTS and leave me a message. I'd like to hear from you.

Mary's friend, Wayne, promised before he left to send me photos of the cats he saw in China and he has! First he got me a paw pal, Jesse, who's owner is another teacher. Then he made friends with a white cat and then a black and white cat at a street cafe. Now he's found another cat at a cafe who let him take its photo. This proves that Linda and Mary were wrong about the there not being any pet cats in China. I knew that!

Wayne went on a picnic with his class along the banks of the Yangtze River . They dug pits in the sand and cooked their food right there. Boy, does it look good! Mary says they're eating with chopsticks (Wayne uses a spoon) instead of forks. I think you have to be very careful using chopsticks. Not all the food will make it to your mouth! (Good for cats like me.) No wonder the people are all so small and thin.

Weird Things Happening

Andy & Andrea

humans making noise




Michele & Mark









The Man




(l-r)

Nancy & her squeeze box

More humans making noise



Some weird things happened here last Friday night. For starters, no one went home. All my humans stayed with me and the ones who weren't here during the day, came back! And they didn't make me stay in my room, either. They let me go into the big room to see what they were doing. And the smells! Oh, to a cat with a fine palate, the smells out of the big room were heavenly! Of course, Mary made sure I didn't get close enough to anything to taste but the smells.... But then, the noise that my humans made! Paul had his round box and Nancy had something that she wore in front of her and squeezed. The big high box had another lady playing with it. (Someone was here Wednesday playing with that thing all afternoon. And the noise he made on it!! Ooo, some of it sounded pretty good, but other times, it sounded worse than the noise I can make when I'm mad!) Anyway, the humans keep making all kinds of noise Friday laughing and talking. I thought they'd never go home and let me sleep. But Alma was here. She came looking for me when I got scared of all the strangers and hid. It was nice to see her again. I wish she'd come over more often. I'm glad my humans don't stay that late very often. They disturb my rest.

A Short But Busy Week

My humans were busy this week. They moved the furniture around and brought out boxes with lots of good smelling books in them. And, they covered 2 tables with round things that smelled sooo good! I know they must have tasted as good as they smelled coz when I jumped up on the table with them Linda and Mary both yelled at me to get away! Boy, those 2 are always spoiling my fun.

The Man hasn't been here this week...except for Monday when he showed up in the middle of the day with his Lady. I didn't expect him and it startled me and I had to find a hiding place to figurer things out. His Lady came looking for me...she always looks for me to say hello. (I like a polite human.) Nan has been doing the stuff The Man usually does in the morning. But she always takes time to play with me. Well, he does, too, but he calls me Foolish.

Linda, Mary, Nan and Sue have been talking about a trip they're taking. They keep mentioning someplace called Rockefeller Center and Radio City. I wonder where they are? I hope they don't have to stay in their travel bags a long time. That's what I really don't like about traveling. I hope they don't stay away too long. They are some of my most favorite people.

Mary dropped something on the floor today and had to look under a desk to find it. She found what she had lost and one of my ping pong balls! I had forgotten how much fun they were! I've been playing with it so long this afternoon I think I need a late afternoon nap. Mmm, I can just see me racing across a shiny floor batting a ping pong ball, the crowd is cheering, I'm....yawn.

A Chinese Vacation

My paw pal Jesse's human went on vacation. She went to an ancient Chinese city called Xi'an to see the terracotta army. Mary told me that a long, long time ago, a Chinese emperor didn't want to be buried alone when he died, so he had his artists make an army out of clay to be buried with him. The soldiers and horses were all life size and all in different poses and with different faces! A farmer working in his field dug up the first of these things and then some really smart humans came from something called a university and dug up the rest. They've found over 35,ooo figures and they think there are thousands more still buried! Lily says Xi'an is a very beautiful city and very different from other big cities in China. She's been to other cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong and says they look the same with big tall buildings, the same style parks and things. And worst, she says, you can't feel it's China coz you can rarely see a Chinese-style building. It's modernized now. The only way you know it's China are the people, their culture and their language. But Xi'an is different. The buildings are Chinese-style (preserved) and you can see much of the Chinese heritage there. She says it's lovely and she'd like to go back again. That's her wearing the Chinese armor! I wonder if it itches?

China Games

Mary's friend, Wayne, sent more photos from China. Here are some of Wayne's students playing ping pong outside a classroom building. He says the students are better players than he is. Wayne thinks there ought to be ping pong tables on the street here in Herkimer like there are in China. What's on the street in Herkimer? I know there are benches infront of the library that people sit on, and sometimes stand and jump on. Maybe that's a game like ping pong? I know that ping pong balls are fun to play with.



Wayne says this is a nice Chinese museum and these are typical Chinese people. The lady is dressed up much more than my ladies do when they come here. I wonder what she's looking for? She must be like Mary. She's always dumping out her bag to find stuff. Maybe Mary needs a bigger bag. But this Chinese lady doesn't seem to be having any better luck finding stuff than Mary does. I wonder why humans use bags. Cats just leave things around and we always find them when we need them. Hmm.

More from China

These are more photos from China. This is the school where Lily, my paw pal 's human teaches. It looks very nice and clean there but how come the sky isn't blue? What kind of trees are they? It doesn't look like those leaves change colors and fall off!

Mary's friend, Wayne, is trying to get another paw pal for me. He's been sharing his suppers with a cat at a resturant near his school. That cat likes squid, I don't think I do. Anyway, Wayne is trying to get some photos of that cat. I hope he remembers to ask its name.

It had been quiet around here the last couple of days... until yesterday. Then there was a lot of noise and commotion around the glass wall that moves. Some men were outside climbing up things and making a lot of noise. The Man was there watching them. Probably to make sure they did it right and didn't hurt the building. Then when they were finished and went away it was kind of dark outside the glass wall. My other humans were excited about what they had done. It's some kind of covering...awning...over the door. It's suppose to help keep them dry. If they didn't go out they wouldn't have to worry about that.

Today there are humans in my big room. They have those boxes that make noise. Paul will go in there and play with them and then it will sound pretty good. It's such a nice noise...something to fall asleep to. Yawn!

Pandas and Pandas

We got email from Jesse's human, Lily. She sent us photos of her school and of some pandas. Mary knew what the black and white animals were (the Pandas) but she didn't know what the others were until Lily told her. They're red pandas! I never seen any animals like that. The Man and Nancy thought they look like raccoons...whatever they are. I wonder what the green leaves are that they are eating? Sometime leaves taste very good.

Lily looks like a nice human. I glad she has Jesse to keep her company. My humans are nice too. I think I'll find a nice spot and think about pandas.

A Wasted Afternoon

Now, I'm usually a live and let live kind of cat. Cats, dogs, humans, I'm willing to let them all share my space. That old Lucky's been here for almost as long as I have and we get along fine. His reflexes aren't what they use to be and I can get his treat away from him without any problem. The miniature humans don't bother me too much, either, as long as I know where they are. But today I had a shock. I was walking around the big desk when I was confronted by a DOG. A real, live, barking dog! In the library!! Mary says that dog is a service dog who helps her owner. But why did she snap at me? There I was just walking around after lunch trying to stretch my legs before I took my early afternoon nap, minding my own business! I was so upset I couldn't find a comfortable spot to take a nap. An entire afternoon wasted! Over a dog!

Lazy Day Sundays

Sundays are usually my quite day. I get to sleep in whatever chair I choose without someone moving me. I can lick the cups and glasses my humans leave on the desks and shelves in my rooms and no one yells at me 'stop that'. I can spend hours sniffing the bag of sweet things that someone put on the desk trying to figurer out what's it is. But this week it was different.

First, the Man came in and opened the door to my room. He talked to me until I got up and went out into the big room. Then he went out through the moving glass wall and I watched him push leaves around. Mary came in about then and they started moving furniture. They fixed the big pots that brew that nice smelling stuff that they all like to drink in the morning. Mmm, that does smell good. (Nan lets me taste it when I want but it doesn't taste as good as it smells.) Then Mary made me go back into my room and she shut the door. I sat on top of the metal box and watched what was happening thru the glass wall. Suddenly, Mary turned around and came back into my room. I was so surprised I fell off the metal box! She was worried I might have gotten hurt so she followed me until she could pick me up and then she checked by legs. Of course, I wasn't hurt...but I didn't tell her that right away! I learned a long time ago you have to make your humans suffer a little to get treated right.

After that things really started happening. More humans came in and one of them started playing with the thing that those other humans play with on Saturdays...only this human was very good and the noise he made was very nice. That went on all afternoon. I got very comfortable and sleepy listening to him and before I knew it I was asleep. Mary and Lesley came into my room and said goodbye but I didn't even open my eyes. I really prefer my quiet Sundays but once in awhile, a day like yesterday is a good thing.

China Connection

This is the campus where Mary's friend, Wayne, lives and teaches in China. Isn't it clean? The buildings in the bottom photo are where the teachers live. The other buildings around the track are the classrooms. His classes are very large--about 50 students each--and they are learning how to speak and read English. I wonder how many students around here are learning Chinese? Wayne says the students clean the campus every day! Students cleaning the campus!! WOW! Students here make a mess in the park outside the library every day, not clean it! Wayne says his students are very polite, too. It's too bad young humans around here aren't more like that. I hope he keeps sending us photos. It's nice to see what it's like in China. Oh, I've got to remind Mary to take some photos of me and send them to him. I hope he will like that!

A Paw Pal!

I have a paw pal from China! Her name is Jesse and she is a very pretty cat. Mary got an email (what ever that is...do e's deliver mail like the humans do here everyday?) from a lady in China who knows her friend Wayne. Wayne told her about me (maybe he is a good guy, eventho he's so big!) and Mary wrote to her. Lily wrote back today and sent photos of Jesse. Lily is a teacher, like Wayne, but in another school. She is from the Phillipines (another place I never heard of!)and she saved Jesse's life. An old lady was putting Jesse into a plastic bag and was going to throw her into a river when Lily came along. Lily took her home and now they live together. Jesse likes to run around, but since she is still a kitten it is to be expected. Lily must be a nice human if she saved Jesse. I wish I could meet Jesse and Lily. I'm sure Jesse would enjoy running around the library with me. It's so nice having a friend. I hope Jesse writes to me often and tells me what she does during the day when Lily's at school. Mmm, a friend....

News from China

Mary's friend, Wayne, in China has sent some photos of Luzhou--where he lives, and his classes there. The humans he's teaching look very nice...a lot like humans who come in here. But Wayne says they are much nicer behaved. Another teacher, Lily, has a cat there named Jesse. She said she'd send me a photo of Jesse. I hope so. I really want to have another cat as a friend. Mary says she'll keep posting the photos from China, next time some of the school and streets. That way we can see what China looks like. Hmm, is she sending Wayne photos of me?

A Firedrill!

There was a lot of noise in the library this morning. Some big men in blue suits came in and walked around. Then they played with a red box by the glass wall that opens until it started making an awful sound. It was even worse than when The Man comes in in the morning! But even before that, Mary had put me in the new fabric box that I travel in. I didn't like it in there and was saying so when Nancy said to put me out by the back door. Mary put me on top of something and left me there. I managed to slide off that stand down to the floor and then I kept rolling over and over. (Remember, I'm still in that fabric box!) Mary got worried (good!) that I might get hurt so she picked up my fabric box by it's handle and hung it off her shoulder. That way I was hanging next to her and it wasn't so bad. When the noise started, Mary took me outside. She said it was a firedrill. It was different out there. A lot brighter and there were different smells and sounds. When we came back inside, Mary opened the fabric box but I wouldn't come out. Nancy talked to me for awhile and then I followed her into another room. I had to take a nap after that and everyone gave me extra treats. Mmmh, maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

A Busy Day

There were a lot of humans here last week. Mary and The Man moved the furniture and some new humans moved in! They had boxes of books! I would have like to get closer to check them out but Linda had a big table with lots of good smelling food that distracted me. I tried to get close enough to get a taste of something but someone (Mary) was always yelling at me to stay away. A nice girl sat behind the table and gave the goodies to people. Mr Paul who use to come in and play with the machines was here ,too. Then some strange men came in and were climbing into the ceiling in the big room my favorite place! After that I decided to stay behind the printer. I didn't care what was happening !! Suddenly Alma came in! She explained that it was an Authors' Fair and a Bake Sale in the main room. I remember other Bake Sales they had here. I usually got a taste of something but no one gave me a treat this time! That's ok. Just having Alma with me was enough. I'm glad she comes in on Fridays.

Birthdays and Naps

Mary's friend Wayne...the one in China...had a birthday today. Or, was it yesterday? Right now here is yesterday in China, isn't it? I never found out if his travel box was big enough or how long he was stuck in it. Mary said he got there ok. He hasn't sent me any photos of chinese cats yet. I heard Linda say they eat cats in China. I hope not! Anyway, I'm still waiting for photos of China. Mary said he'll send some as soon as he gets a new camera. She got a little carried away sending him birthday cards. Linda and Deb helped her pick out some funny cards. At least, I think they were funny. They did a lot of giggling when they were looking at the pictures of the cards. I hope he had a happy birthday. I like it when it's my birthday. My humans give me extra treats then. Well, they give me extra treats whenever I ask for them but they give me special treats when it's my birthday. But they don't wait for my birthday to give me presents. Alma's mom gave me a nice soft blanket for my bed-box last week. It smells so nice and is so soft. I hope Wayne has a nice soft blanket. Mary said his bed was long enough for him but not very soft. I hope he can sleep on a not very soft bed. I can sleep anywhere. Mmm, that bookshelf in Sue's office would be a good place for a nap about now.

Friendship

The other day a new lady came to visit. She stayed in the back room and was always available for a back scratch. Her name is Alma and her mom works here. She's nice too. Alma's mom even cleaned by toilet when Nan was hiding once. Other humans are willing to talk to me for a little while but Alma stayed with me all day. It was so nice to wake up and see her sitting there. I missed her when she left but she promised to come back and visit again. That 's the way it is with friends.

Travel

I've been watching humans go through the glass walls and wondering where they go. Most of them come back, some right away. Whenever I go anyplace, I'm stuffed into a dark cardboard box first. I always end up coming out of the box in a new place. Then after some pinching and poking I'm put back into the box and end up home again. Is that traveling? I don't think I care much for travel. It's uncomfortable, long and boring. And, sometimes, scary. It is exciting to get someplace new and some of the humans I meet are nice (the ladies, ususlly) but I'm glad to get back home. Mary's friend Wayne is traveling. To China, where ever that is. I wonder how long he's got to stay in his cardboard box? He wants us to get penpals for his class there. I'm not sure what penpals are. I know what pen tops are. They're fun to play with. Are penpals fun to play with, too? Mary's making a list of students who want to be email-penpals with students in China. If you'd like to be part of this, call Mary at the library (866-1733) or stop at the Circulation Desk and talk to her. Wayne still hasn't sent us any photos of cats in China. I wonder if he's sleeping? I always take a nap after traveling. Hmm, maybe I'll take one now.

Where's China?

One of Mary's friends here at the library is going to China to teach and she'd made him promise to email us and tell us what life is like there. Where is China, anyway? Do they have cats there? I wonder if there is a cat in China who lives in a library like me? Naw, there can't be another cat like me anywhere! At least not as handsome and smart as me. Anyway, Wayne is going to tell us about living there. I hope he sends us photos, too. I want to see a cat from China. Mmm, living in China, now that's something to dream about. Yawn.

Friendship Friendship!

I've got a new friend. Her name is Victoria and she visits me at the library regularly. She always plays with me and tells me secrets. The best one is that she wants to open a bakery on Main St. Boy, that excited my humans! I like Victoria coz her hair smells good. I can always tell if a lady is

going to be my friend by the smell of her hair...and if she lets me bury my head in her neck. We played and talked for the longest time today. It's nice having a friend. Yawn!

Something New

It's been another week of miniature humans running around. Today a herd of them chased me into my suite and Mary had to stop them from following me! (She does come in handy once in awhile.) She picked me up and whispered that she wouldn't let anyone hurt me and then she took me out there to meet and greet some of them!! It wasn't too bad: I got petted and had my head scratched between my ears. It's just that those mini humans move so fast...almost as fast as me! The best part was when they had gone, she gave me some extra treats! I wonder if I'm nice to those mini's I'll keep getting treats? Something to think about while I doze.

Summer is flying by!

Boy, summer is really flying by! My humans are here some days and then gone for awhile. It's hard for me to know who's going to be here to take care of me! There are 3 new humans, too. Two are ladies and they're smart. They told me right off how handsome and nice I was. (See, I said they were smart.) The other one is a guy and he's ok. Human men don't pay too much attention to me as long as I don't get in their way, so I hide a lot.

I thought Nancy was my best human friend but now I'm not so sure. This week she invited a man to come here with his rescued friends. They were snakes and spiders and all kinds of bugs. Once I smelled that snake, I took myself back into my room and found a nice safe place. I didn't come out until Mary shook the treat box! I wanted to be sure they were gone. And the miniature humans have been in the library in force! They came to see the snake man this week and last week they came to see the lady who makes the dolls talk. (I think they call her a puppeteer.) She's been here before and she's ok, it's just those miniature humans.

I did find a new treat that the miniature humans brought in. My humans stopped me before I actually got one but they sure smelled good and the wrapper tasted fine. I think the humans said they were 'oreos'. That's a strange name for something that smelled so good.

Oh, it's getting to be that time of day and my eyelids are getting heavy. I think it's time for a nap. I've found a new nap spot..it's in a nice deep box full of paper behind the door. My humans haven't found me there yet. It's quiet and dark and private but I can still see what's going on. It's perfect!

All's Right With My World

Things are finally back to normal. All my humans are present and accounted for. I'm glad The Man is back. He lets me out of my room a lot earlier than Nan or Mary. It's not that I don't like my room--really a 2 room suite with private facilities--but how many hours can I stay in there without going into the main part of the library to check things out? It's my job to watch what goes on in the library and I find it hard to do with that door shut! I can see thru the window but it's not the same. I like checking out the bags that that other man brings everyday. Boy, do they have some interesting smells! Anyway, The Man is back. He brought his lady to visit me over the long weekend. She's nice but she did say she thought I had gained a little weight. I don't understand how she could think that! I did get more treats per day while The Man was missing coz the girls were trying to make it up to me but I worked the calories off. I think.

Now Who's Missing?

Well, Nan's back but The Man is missing. He's been gone since Mary got back (she was only missing for 2 days) and other people are doing what he usually does. Sue and Nan have been emptying the buckets that hold wadded-up paper and today, one of the guys from BOCES pushed around the machine that sucks the dirt from the floor (and he pushed it around for a lot longer than The Man usually does, too!). The other guy from BOCES wiped the glass like The Man does. Last week, Mary and Sue made me put my paw on a squichy, wet pad and then on a hard piece of paper (usually Mary yells at me to stay away from the wet pad). Sue said no one else would sign it and she hoped Jack would know it was from me. (What was it? And who's Jack?) I don't know where The Man is but I miss him. I have to stay in my room listening to that darn radio until Nan or Mary come in. The Man usually comes in a lot earlier than they do and I can run around and check out the library, making sure everything is ok. By the time they get here, there is hardly enough time to check out anything! I hope he isn't gone for long.

Nan's Back!

Huzzah! Nan's back! I don't know where she's been (she tells me a little each day) and frankly, I don't care. She's back and that's what's important to me.

And Mary's getting better at putting photos on this page. If only she would remember what to do I think there might me more wonderful photos of me for you to marvel at. We can only hope.

Another Week at the Library

Nan's been missing all week but she was here for a little while yesterday. At least I think it was her. I was taking an after lunch nap when I was rudely awaken and put in some lady's arms. I think it was Nan. Or else, I was dreaming. Last evening Tamika put that stinky stuff on the back of my neck. It doesn't hurt or anything but the next day (like today) I don't feel quite like myself. And then today there are miniature humans in the big room! They brought some interesting smelling stuff with them, but I didn't want to stay in there with all the little people too long to really investigate. Oh, well, the sun is shinning and I'm ready for a nap. (Mary's been taking my photo but she's having a hard time getting it to show up here. One day she will finally remember what to do!)

The Things I Have to Put Up With

The humans here have been making life interesting for me. They've shut some doors, opening others, so I have a more interesting way of getting around to my favorite spots. Then last week, some tall humans came and put up their strange platform and climbed up into the ceiling! They had one of those things in their hand that made a great deal of noise while putting a hole thru the wall! That was scary! Then they put some hard string thru the hole and around the door frames. They didn't do anything with the other end, just left it hanging behind a machine! This morning I noticed that it was plugged into the machine, but I don't know why.

Th humans who make noise together were here this week. They sound pretty good sometimes, especially when they make noise with their mouths along with the boxes they play with. Paul went in with them and played with the big piece of furniture. That really made nice noise!

Nan is being very nice to me today, saying all kinds of sweet things to me and promising to make things up to me when she gets back. Does that mean she's not coming here for awhile? Oh,no, that means Mary will have to clean my toilet, and while she does an ok job, Nan is much better at it. Mary will probably forget to give me my daily treats, too. The things I have to put up with!!

The Smells!

There are some good smells in the library today. Humans keep bringing them in on plates and in boxes. Whenever I get close enought to check them out, someone yells at me. How rude! I just want to make sure everything is ok. That's part of my job. But then, so many humans have been bringing in boxes and plates that I've had to find a good spot to keep an eye on them without being seen. (Once they've put them in the kitchen I can check them out and no one will know. There all covered with shiny paper, anyway.)

There are tables in the library with lots of books on them. They have interesting smells, too. A lot of humans have been coming in and taking the books before I can check them out, too. A book with interesting smells is good for 10-15 minutes of sniffing. A smart cat can learn a lot in a good sniff.

Where's Nan? I've been waiting for her all week. She's been doing this vanishing act regularly this winter. When she comes back I hope she'll tell me about her adventures. I miss her.

A Different Kind of Day

One day last week started out very differently. All my humans came in to see me. (And I mean all 12 of them!) They stood around and talked and no one seemed ready to do any work. Then another human lady came in and went into the big room. She started setting up a machine and moving furniture. I hide behind some furniture and watched her. She seemed nice and I thought I could tell that she lived with one of my distant relatives. Nan came in and I went and sat with her. She told me that the other lady was Diane from Midyork (where's Midyork? Is that near 'home'?) Anyway, Nan introduced us and Diane told me how handsome and nice I was. She is very smart, I thought, but I couldn't understand what she was talking about so I left. The rest of the library was empty. No humans were there! It was very nice to be able to sit where ever I pleased without humans making sounds at me or trying to pet me or pick me up. Diane stayed for a long time and then all the humans started eating something. I went back to Nan to check that out and she showed me what they were eating. It was ok, but not what cats really prefer. After Diane left, another human lady came in and set out bowls of water for my humans. (That seemed weird. I never knew they liked their water in bowls.) They seemed to be having a good time playing with the water, putting sticks in the bowls and rubbing them on some balls leaving designs. And the main part of the library stayed empty! I kept checking on things making sure no one got in who wasn't suppose to. Finally, my humans had had enough fun playing with the water and the sticks and they cleaned up the big room. Most of them said good-bye to me and left. A few of them started to do work, and other humans came into the library. I had had enough excitment for one day so I climbed up to my cardboard bed and took a nap. I think my humans should have more days like that. I really enjoyed it!

Is There Anyone Out There?

Is there anyone out there? Mary says that humans enjoy reading my stories but very few humans or felines ever write back to me and I was just wondering why. It's easy--so Mary tells me. She says you just have to 'click on' (what ever that means) the word comments at the bottom of one of my stories and type your answer in the box that says ''Leave Your Comment". She says you don't even have to sign your name if you don't want to ! Just 'click on' (again, what is it??) the anonymous dot. If you want to type your name in the comment box, she says that's ok, too. I think I'd like to get some comments. Do they taste good to cats?

On My Own, Again

I think this is going to be one of those weekends when I'll be on my own. Several of my humans have paid me long good-byes, saying something about Tuesday, whenever that is. Nan told me that Tamika will be here tomorrow and she'll make sure I have plenty of food and water to last but it won't be the same as when my humans come in in the morning. I've been thinking about what I can do when I'm alone that won't make The Man too angery with me. There is a new roll of paper that needs a little lace decoration on the edges. If they forget to put the top on tight on the treat box that might be fun, too. The Man might come in one morning to visit. He'll let me out of my room while he moves the white stuff from the other side of the door, and maybe he'll play the water game with me. If I'm careful I could even get in a good game of tag with him. Other than that, there's not too much to look forward too. I will be able to nap where ever I want. Paul won't make me move from my favorite chair and Mary will let me stretch out across her desk. There is a new box in my room that says "bong" regularly, but I'm almost use to it. And I hope they don't put the radio on too loud!

Going to the Dogs

Things are going to the dogs around here. Everyone knows Lucky, my 'canine' friend that greets people by the new book shelf, and now there is another 'canine' sitting on the chair that rocks by the water machine. I don't know that one's name, it suddenly appeared there the other day. And today, another one walked in the front door! This one was alive and interested in me so I took off and Nan shut the door to my room so I could be safe. I watched it through the window as it walked around the library with its human and it seemed polite enough. Mary (of course, it would be her!) went over and talked to the human. She told me later that the dog was a German Shepard who was a Service Dog. That means, the dog lived with that human and helped her whenever she needed help. The dog's name is Kita and she is 2 1/2 years old. She's lived with that human since she was 11 weeks old and replaced another service dog who helped that human for 13 years. Mary told me the reason she didn't pet Kita or talk to her was because Kita was working and you're not suppose to when she's on the job. Kita looked very smart and was well behaved and her human told Mary that Kita lived with a cat and liked us. I don't know if I want to find out excatly how much she likes cats, besides if she comes here when she's working I shouldn't bother her, should I?

Too Good To Be True

Yesterday started out too good to be true. The Man came in and let me out of my room. I didn't expect that but I took the opportunity to check out the library and make sure things were ok. Then another man came in and they started moving furniture. That wasn't what I had expected at all so I got into a nice spot and kept an eye on them. They rearranged things and then Mary came in and did some more. It was too much for me when she decided to clean my toilet (not something that was suppose to happen yesterday!) and I started to get worried. Sue came in then and she and Mary started moving things in the big room. About then I decided to make an exit and went back into my room and climbed up to my box/bed. I was just getting settled when more humans started coming in. There was quite a crowd in the library and Mary shut the door so they couldn't get to me. I watched them thru the window for a while and when music started I thought that was some radio! Suddenly there was a sound I had never heard before and I decided to go into the back room and sit behind some boxes. (Mary told me afterwards it was a harmonica. The things humans will play with!!) Those humans stayed here all afternoon making their music and laughing and clapping and having a good time. Finally they all left and Mary shut off the lights, turned my radio on and said good night. At last I could get a nap!

Nan came back from her vacation today. I'm glad she's back. Mary and Tamika have been cleaning up after me but no one does it like Nan! I think today I'll spend with her. Maybe she'll tell me what she did last week and I can tell her about yesterday. Oh, maybe she knows who the other man was. He came back this morning to help move the furniture again, too.

Looking Back on My First Year at the Library

The changes my humans have been making around here has got me thinking about the changes that have happened in my life in the last year.

Last year at this time I was living 'at home'. I'm not sure where that was but Tiff, my first human (who I had been with since I was a kitten) had taken me there when she couldn't take me with her to her new house. The humans 'at home' didn't really like me (and I can say now, the feeling was mutual!) Oh, they feed me but it wasn't the same as living with someone who loved you. Then Tiff thought that maybe someone here at the Library would like to take me home with them and she brought me here. No one had room for me but they said I could live here at the Library. (They had to get special permission to let me do that, so I guess they really wanted me.)

I was so scared those first few days that I hid behind some boxes in the back room and only came out when everyone had gone and the place was dark. Good thing they had put my toilet near where I was hiding! They put my food dish nearby, too. Slowly I realized that there were humans here who liked me and wanted to get to know me better and I started to come out a little. Just as I was beginning to feel at home, these humans played a dirty trick on me. One day they stuffed me in a box and took me outside. When they let me out of the box, I was in a new place. It smelled very clean but with just a strange little odor of cat and DOG! Someone stuck me with something and I fell asleep. When I woke up I wasn't interested in the same smells that I had like before. They put me back in the box and I was back in the Library hiding in the back room before I knew it. I stayed there a couple of days before deciding to trust the humans again. (I had to make them feel bad about putting me in that box, didn't I?)

There were other times I hid behind things. A big, tall man kept coming thru the workroom one morning, taking things from the backroom and putting other things back there. I had never seen him before eventho the other humans seem to know him. No one bothered to introduce us, either, so I went behind the warm box under this desk. It was nice and cozy back there (the wires got in the way a little, but they were soft and I could sit on them.) Finally the man went away and I after awhile I came out. Seems the man was the president of the library's board of trustees and had just come back from spending the winter down south. He's come back a lot but I still stay out of his way. That space under this desk is one of my favorite places but someone cleaned it out and all the toys I had put back there are gone. Just when I start making someplace feel like home, someone has to clean it out. Humans!!

Another time I had to hide coz some big boys brought in a wooden bookshelf. It smelled awful and I thought the smell would never go away! (But it did.) Now that bookshelf is one of my favorite places. Some nice lady gave me a blanket to put up on the top of it where I like to sit. Then Tamika gave me a box and put the blanket in it. I didn't like that so much so one night when I didn't have anything better to do, I shredded the blanket. Mary put some towels in the box after that and that was better than the blanket! Nan brought me a nice soft blanket and now my box is a purrfect bed. I like to lay up there coz I can see out the window into the library and if someone new comes into the room I can just put my head down and no one can see me. (I know that I'm above the humans, and this way they know it ,too.)

A couple of times there were loud noises in here in the middle of the night that scared me. For awhile whenever I walked around my private toilet the same noises that the humans make when they leave at night (and come in in the morning) would start. Then, just as quickly as it started it would stop! Eventually some strange men came into my room and climbed up on the wall over my toilet. (I hid behind some boxes and watched them.) They did something and the noises stopped happening except when it should. That is until the morning when The Man couldn't make the noises stop when he came in. The words he used! Cats like me shouldn't hear those things! The phone rang and rang before things finally got quiet and he let me out of here. He was not happy that morning.

The first time the minature humans came here was scary for me, too. They move so quick! And the noise they made! I think they were singing and beating on things. I couldn't find a good spot to hide that morning. Now, when there isn't a lot of them, I'll come out to see what's happening. I can keep my eye on 2 of them at a time, more than that and I'll run.

I've discovered this year that humans like to climb almost as much as cats do, but they use contraptions and don't jump much. Besides the men who came to make the noises stop, there have been men who climbed into the ceiling. I stayed out of their way, let me tell you. Those things they climb on don't look very stury to me. I sure wouldn't use one. I like jumping from shelf to shelf. Sometimes I've gotten too high and then someone would put a soft chair near me and I'd jump down into it. (I've really got my humans well trained, don't I?)

I wasn't really sorry that I didn't win the Pet of the Year contest that my humans had entered me in. I know they are really proud of me and wanted to show me off, but politics just isn't for me. I don't like to meet new people except on my own terms. At least I made Pet of the Month for September for them. That seemed to please them very much.

Things have been very good for me this year. I have met many new humans, including some very pretty ladies! Everyone I meet says how nice I am. (I never realized humans were so smart! And generous! Humans I don't even know bring me treats and toys!!) I have several special friends among the humans who come here every day. Nan lets me whisper things in her ear and she shares her food with me. She is my favorite human. I think it's because she has several of my distant relatives at home and knows what a cat needs. Tamika is next as a favorite. She lets me explore the rooms she works in, helping her go through the boxes that are in there. (She's the one who put me in that box when I first got here, but I don't hold it against her. Every once in awhile she puts stuff on my neck, too. I don't know why she does it but afterwards she always hugs me and says what a good boy I am.) Nan and Tamika leave some of the doors open so I can go by myself into the big room where it's usually dark and quiet. (There is even a closet in there that I can run into if I have too.) The Man opens the door to my rooms nearly every morning and lets me run around the library. He calls me "Foolish", but I know he likes me. He plays with me and lets me watch him do things with the thing that sucks the dirt off the floor. He even brought a lady to meet me! (We have the same taste in women.) He pretends to get mad at me when I get a little bored overnight and unroll the paper towels. (Mary says I'm being creative when I give the paper towels a lace edging.) Mary gives me treats and is learning to clean my toilet. Even though she always has dog hairs on her, she isn't so bad. When I was in that contest and had to 'meet and greet' people, she would hold me tight and tell me not to be afraid, she wouldn't let anybody hurt me. She lets me sit with her when she's working and she know how to play the water game with me! Deb has dog hairs on her, too, but she seems to like to play tag and chase me around the library and she lets me share a chair with her. Paul doesn't like to share a chair with me even though I know he has another of my relatives living in his house. The other humans always talk to me and make sure I have clean water and enough food. And they even turn on a radio when they're going to leave so I won't feel alone.

Yes, my life has changed a lot in the past year but I'm glad I live in the library.

Back to Normal

Well, things are finally getting back to normal around here. All the humans are back where they belong. Boy, it was really lonely without Nan for 2 weeks! But, she's back and I've been spending all the time I can with her. I even went with her to one of those things with the miniature humans! They weren't too bad (there were only 2 of them) and they left me alone. I've been having lunch with her, too, and she's been sharing. (I've gotten some good treats, let me tell you!)

The trees that were in the library are gone. I never understood what they were there for excatly, they did make good hiding places. One day they were there and then one day they were gone! Humans are hard to understand some time. They really liked those trees! Must have been the pretty things they put on them and the fancy lights. Oh, well.

My humans have been moving furniture, too. From what I discovered behind the bookshelf they moved, I don't think they move it very often. They took the stuff out of some boxes that had been piling up in the back and put it on a bookshelf that they had moved. Other humans seem excited to see those papers (I keep saying, it's hard to understand humans), and I like where they put that bookshelf. I can sit on top and look outside, and most of the time, humans don't know that I'm up there. It's a good place to take a nap. Hmm, seems like a good idea. YAWN.

Pet of the Year Calendar

My humans have been very excited because the 2008 Pet of the Year calendar from the Evening Telegram has arrived. My photo is rather professional looking (Mary and Jen worked hard on it while I just loafed around). I've signed some copies of the calendar and they are available for free here at the library. Hope you stop in and pick up one.
I've got a new friend. The Man brought her in to meet me this week when none of the other humans showed up. She was nice and we got along very well. I didn't want to be too forward so I didn't whisper in her ear or anything. I just sat on her lap. She's very smart--she was telling me how handsome and nice I was. I hope she comes back to visit again.
My humans have been complaining about how cold it is in here, but up here on top of the mailboxes it's nice and warm. The rest of the library is rather chilly, but in my box it's toasty. Just the right condition for a nap. Ah, yes, time for a nap!