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Monthly Archives: August 2011

Don’t Wake a Man Out of His Sleep

Posted on August 30, 2011 by catzandalldatz

Azeena mentioned this before, but when I went to her house to get the cats I stayed for a bit. I like to do this to give them a chance to “forgive” me for leaving them. Well last time I was there and got caught up in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent so I was there for a while. So long that Jean-Claude who was awake when I walked in was under Azeena’s bed asleep.

If you’ve been reading this blog for a long time then you can tell that Roxie is the one who is prissy and JC just goes with the flow. But this time it was different. Jean-Claude was so upset that he ran and hid, presumably to go back to sleep. So if you try to find a black cat in all of the crevices of a house you can imagine my frustration. So I just took Roxie and went back later to fetch le chat noir. And sure enough on the next go round he was eager to hop in the crate.

My male friends immediately jumped to JC’s defense and reminded me – never wake a man out of his sleep. I guess for JC the process of dealing with all of the females in his life he needs his downtime. As you can see he is not the same wonderful happy JC when you wake him up!

So my lesson was regardless of species, let that man sleep and you’ll have a much happier household!

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Afterwards

Posted on August 28, 2011 by Azeena

Jean Claude Looking Out CCL's Window The Day After Hurricane Irene Hit Our Town

Today one day  after Hurricane Irene hit the region where I live , it was  a beautiful day, perfect almost .  There are  a lot about sayings a  such as the “darkest day before the dawn”, “storms will come and so will sunshine and flowers”  etc, etc.    Hurricane Irene led to death and destruction for sure on a broad scale.  Still, there is a lot of truth to all those sayings.  This was also the week we celebrated the opening of a memorial dedicated to  Martin Luther King Jr., a man who left us a legacy of hope to build and to dream.

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Preparing for the Storm

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Azeena

A hurricane approaches the East Coast. Folks have been out buying supplies, bread, food, wood, liquor, preparing for the worst or for the storm. I, too, took steps to prepare, made a mushroom lasagna, stopped at my favorite Mexican chicken place and ordered an extra meal.    I also took a way around my wonderful neighborhood and stopped by my daughter CCL’s house to visit with Jean Claude and Roxie.  Only Roxie ventured out to greet me, after I turned the television on and began watching “Leverage,” a TNT show she likes.   I presume Jean Claude was still sleeping – you know how guys are.

You know it’s so funny, we know the steps to prepare for the worse, buy bread, buy milk, buy batteries but what about routine steps to prepare for the best for the time that comes after the storm, the wind, the rain.  We should start making rituals for that time too:  cleaning the debris, replanting the flower bed, fixing the roof or nourishing our souls.

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Earthquake

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Azeena

Washington, DC and several other locales got a wakeup call yesterday in the form of an earthquake.  There has been a lot of chaos in Washington lately over some major, and some very minor, things.  I was out-of-town during the quake.  CCL in another major city.  The cats, Roxie and Jean Claude, at my house this week, had to fend for themselves.  Still, when I arrived home, they seemed calm.  For them the chaos and excitement was but a moment.

The Wikipedia description starts as follows “An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time. Earthquakes are measured using observations from seismometers. The moment magnitude is the most common scale on which earthquakes larger than approximately 5 are reported for the entire globe.”

So the moment magnitude of an earthquake impacts structures and people’s lives within seconds. There are other things that cause such phenomena: a smile,  that  quick wink between friends, a touch from a loved one -  all things done in  a moment that leave a lasting and powerful impression.  Also there’s  love, the moment we feel it for a romantic partner, that first blissful peaceful moment in the morning – or the morning after.

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Royalty

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Azeena

During my time at my mom’s house, my play aunt Gloria came to call. “Aunt” Gloria and her daughter Kim have always been a source of inspiration for me and for my family. They look just alike, both are energetic and successful: Aunt Gloria as an educator, sorority maven and member of the National Council of Negro Women and Kim as a corporate executive, mom and now consultant. Seems during her Bermuda childhood Aunt Gloria played with Elizabeth soon to be future Queen of England. She and HER mother also had two private audiences with the Queen. Everyday I think of the marvelous women friends, sistah girls of all races and creeds I’ve helped or who have helped me along the way and feel truly blessed. Of course as many of you know CCL is also royalty as are Jean Claude and Roxie – the other queen.

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Love Me Hard…All Night Long

Posted on August 8, 2011 by catzandalldatz

For those that are regular readers of this blog, you’ve probably noticed two things. First, yes, it has been a long long time since I, CCL, have blogged. This is a direct result of too much work, too much travel (for work, which stopped being cool after year two. I’m now on year five) and not enough rest.
The second is that when the cats come back to my house Ms. Roxie often keeps me up all night long. She meows with such sorrow and melancholy and runs across me every hour. Then, once she gets tired around 6 or 6:30, she stretches out on the edge of the bed and falls asleep. Well, due to a congruence of events, the cats were alone for a period of week and I brought them back to my house.

That first night, Roxie didn’t meow at all night. Instead she bit me – hard. On my nose, on my chin. Now if you don’t have cats, these are actually called love bites and not all cats do it. Roxie has done it before but never with such frequency and never so hard. She loved me hard all night long. It was her way of showing how happy she was to see me and that she was snuggling with me.
Jean-Claude just rubbed against me and slept on the porch. He was happy to see me, but in true JC fashion was just cool about it.

With Roxie I’ve learned that in order for me to get a good night’s sleep two things have to happen. Since she’s a light sleeper, during the day she can’t go into those deep sleeps that cats get. Also, she needs good solid play. I have to make her run up and down the stairs for about ½ hr for her to get worn out. Even with this, it’s a 50/50 shot if I’m going to make it through the night.
I might have to start keeping her up even more during the day. Anyone have any other suggestions?

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What Is It You Want Anyway??

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Azeena

There is so much to be said about being clear about one’s goals. A lot of people really don’t know what they want and they rely on outside sources and other people to tell them what is best. Problem is sometimes other people, even loved ones operate or tell us what is good for us as it serves their best interests – and not ours. People, particularly those we love, often fear our need to change or to grow. Why?? It means change for them or as well and sometimes it also means the new and improved you can no longer fulfill their needs. There is nothing wrong with putting yourself first, showing yourself love and adoration. It can be the start to loving, giving and growing to your fullest capacity.

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It’s Back!! The Giant Monster Plant Lives

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Azeena

Feed Me

I’m at my mom’s house this week, looking after sis and caring for mom’s plants, house etc. Don’t worry Roxie and Jean Claude are guarding my house (with help from CCL and assorted friends, family etc.). You may recall the blog I wrote last summer (Planticide- July 18, 2010). I described a giant plant in my mom’s living room that fell over and its pot broke into hundreds of pieces. And yes mom rescued a piece of the plant and put it in water and then repotted it. Well here it is folks one year later complete with scales and four-foot branches. I’m just waiting for it to say “Feed Me” circa “Little Shop of Horrors,” the 1960 movie which featured Jack Nicholson.

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August Blues

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Azeena

As I write this the House of Representatives is preparing to vote on the debt ceiling bill. A deal was approved last evening…but I digress as this blog is apolitical. Still, usually around this time members of Congress are planning their trips home to their districts but this time with so many other political elements, alliances etc. in place, the members like the rest of us are suffering the summer blues, hot weather and hot water. The rest of the world is watching and waiting.

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Posted in Cats, Life, Politics and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.
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