Category Archives: Those Cats

Condo Living, Those Cats

Escalation

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I’ve lived with the bungee cords on the closets for years – ever since Chaos figured out how get the sliding doors open.

Bungee cords are quick and easy to fasten and unfasten, so it wasn’t a big deal.

Over the weekend, Chaos taught himself how to open cupboards, to ill effect (from my perspective, at least). Escalation was required.

“I really don’t like the look of that.” -Chaos

“I really don’t like the look of that, either.” -Chaos

*applies cupboard opening technique*

“Why do you hate me, Mom?” -Chaos

Sadly, cabinet locks are not quite as quick and easy to use as bungee cords.

Please forgive the odd colors in most of these pictures – the lighting in my kitchen continually defeats my poor camera!

Those Cats

Lap queue forms to the left, please

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*waiting patiently* -Mayhem

*not ever planning to move* -Chaos

“Chaos, do you think you could move over and share with Mayhem, please?” -me

“Yeah, you selfish big kitty, you!” -Mayhem

“Are you f…ing kidding me? Ha!” -Chaos

*gazing dramatically off into the distance* “Woe. Woe.” -Mayhem

*grumping* -Chaos

*sigh* -me

Those Cats

Announcing the winner of the Softest Kitteh on Our Street Contest!

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I know some of you feared that the Softest Kitteh of Them All on Our Street Contest would end in tears and bloodshed (*cough*Erotic Horizon*cough*). I myself feared it would end in a draw. Read on to discover how it all played out.

We started over at CJ’s first. I know we said we were going to walk back and forth, but… it was something like +18F/-7.8C, so we ditched that idea lickity split.

Before we started, I revealed May’s top secret training plan: multiple daily brushings, including a special Zoom Groom session last week. CJ was instantly concerned and began to point out that Oblio was just naturally soft and no performance enhancing techniques had been used. Whatevah. *rolls eyes*

Oblio was pretty excited about the contest.

*staticky dragging sound*

We selected five softness assessment zones for our competition: back, behind the ears, top of the head, under the chin, and tummy. I was a little worried when I first petted Oblio’s back – his back fur is amazingly soft (no guard hairs??), and I knew May couldn’t compete with it. Rubbing his head, scritching behind his ears, and stroking under his chin didn’t reassure me too much – May seemed softer, but dang, his back! Then I reached for his tummy…

“No! Don’t touch my tummy, strange lady! No!!!” -Oblio

A-ha! Oblio was going down, down, down – he had coarse guard hairs on his tummy!

Next we came over here. Yesterday you saw how Chaos, um, “welcomed” CJ to the condo.

“Let me go see if we have any ketchup… Stay right there. I’ll be back.” -Chaos

“I’m afeared of you, strange lady, because I’m sure the big kitty wouldn’t take such a hate to you without a very, very good reason.” -Mayhem

(*ahem* – like, he’s a crabby butt???)

CJ was initially ecstatic as she discovered that May’s back was not as soft as Oblio’s, but I could detect a look of concern on her face as she moved from May’s back, to her head, behind her ears, under her chin, and…

“I am not happy. Not happy at all. Just in case you can’t tell.” -Mayhem

to her soft, floofy tummy-of-exceptional-softness (ToES, complete with vikini! “V” is for “Victory”,  you know).

“What?! My mom… voted against me?” -Oblio

So, after all that… we drew a winner from those of you who said that Mayhem was going to win: congrats to Debby, whose book is already on its way to her!

“Poor Oblio. He looks so sad. But, really, he should’ve known better. I am a Panther Princess, after all.” -Mayhem

Head over to the Thrillionth Page to read Oblio’s concession speech.

Contests, Those Cats

Readers, readers on the internetz, who’s the softest kitteh of them all? (or at least on our street) [CONTEST CLOSED]

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So a couple of weeks ago, Carolyn and I were sitting and talking at Chiang Mai Thai over drinks. One of us claimed to have the softest kitteh evah and the other immediately said, “No! Not possible, because I have the softest kitteh evah!” (Strangely, neither of us can remember which of us made that first provocative statement. Apparently we both make that claim on a regular basis, even without the influence of alcohol.)

Anyway, we’ve decided that the only reasonable way to settle this is to have a contest. (Don’t think about the flogic there too much…) On Sunday, December 6, the arguing judging will commence and Carolyn and I will be walking back and forth between our homes to assess the comparative softness of Mayhem and Oblio.

What’s your part in all of this? Leave a comment on this post or at The Thrillionth Page by 10 am CST, December 6, stating which kitteh you believe will be judged softest. (You could also vote for a draw, in case things get ugly. Carolyn thinks there’s going to be a clear winner. I, however, am not so sure.) When we’ve come to a decision or a draw, we’ll take all the comments with that answer and select a lucky winner, who will receive a mass market paperback.

So please make sure that your comment also includes the title of a mass market paperback (mystery, scifi, fantasy, urban fantasy, or paranormal romance) that’s available at Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore or Uncle Edgar’s Mystery Bookstore. (You can poke around their site to see what they have. If there’s a title you’ve been desperately seeking but don’t see on their site, list it first and then list a second title, just in case. Maybe the teetering stacks of used paperbacks will yield a surprise.)

And of course, make sure you leave a valid email address in the comment form and can receive email from stumblingoverchaos.com (check those spam filters, kids!). I reply to 99.9% of the comments you leave (0.01% margin of error just in case), so if you’ve never received an email back from me after leaving a comment… *insert music o’ doom*

Um, I’m pretty sure this isn’t some sort of “Highlander: There can be only one” to the death thing. *makes note to clarify that with Carolyn toot sweet*

“Oblio claims what?! That he’s the softest kitteh of all?!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! It’s not true! I am a panther princess! I am the softest!” -Mayhem

Knitting, Randonymity, Reading, Those Cats, Tunes

“See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the Dancing [Princess]”*

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  • Congrats to elaing, GSM, CrystalGB, Estella, and Little Lamb Lost, who all won copies of Kate Perry’s Chosen by Desire in my recent contest!
  • At long last I have finished notifying winners in the Completely Out-of-Control, Over-the-Top Book Giveaway (and should finally mail books on Monday). Congrats to Moonsanity, Eve S, blodeuedd, Guinifer, Anne Marie, and KitKatKnit! Amusing trivia about the winners: two winners were from Finland and one winner lived close enough that we met for coffee yesterday so I could deliver her books! *waves at Guinifer* And I even knit a few inches on my second sock (no longer a protosock!) while we had coffee and chatted. (Hey, can someone pass Jeanne some ice? Looks like she bumped her head pretty hard when she read that I was knitting.)
  • I’m taking today off from work to enjoy the hopefully warmish and sunnyish weather – have a great weekend, everyone!

“I am a Dancing Panther Princess!” -Mayhem

“Get your ghost paws out of there, May. I’m locked and loaded – that toy is toast!” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Those Cats

Monster Mayhem!

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Think happy lucky upgrade thoughts my way tonight and over the weekend – after days of backing up and otherwise prepping Kenshin (my main laptop), I’ll be upgrading from Vista to Windows 7. (If interested, you can read a few of my thoughts on Vista from last year, plus pick up a tasty gf snickerdoodle recipe at the same time.)

Moonsanity has links to several H. P. Lovecraft stories. Let’s just say that the only time in my life that I’ve slept with the light on was after reading H. P. Lovecraft…

Head over to Fang-tastic Books for your chance to win a really cool prize pack containing the Blood Ties dvds, books, and a Fang-tastic Books tote bag. Winner will be announced on the morning of October 31.

If you’re looking for classic horror films to watch over the weekend, you might find some at Classic Cinema Online, which is a free streaming service.

Cool – turn pumpkins into black kitties!

Hmm. Not sure I’d live through trying this at home…

Given the chance, Chaos would so do this…

Aw, the softer side of Basement Cat.

Hmm. Did I already link to teh ebil veggee?

“Today I am a Monster Princess! Boo!” -Mayhem

Have a happy and safe Halloween, everyone!

Contests, Reading, Those Cats

Book Giveaway: Simon’s Cat [CONTEST CLOSED]

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What better way to celebrate National Cat Day than by giving away a cat-themed book?! Many thanks to the Hatchette Book Group for providing five copies of Simon Tofield’s new book, Simon’s Cat, for me to give away!

Simon's Cat

Simon Tofield’s animations have taken YouTube by storm. Now, the feline Internet phenomenon makes his way onto the page in this first-ever book based on the popular animated series. SIMON’S CAT depicts and exaggerates the hilarious relationship between a man and his cat. The daily escapades of this adorable pet, which always involve demanding more food, and his exasperated but doting owner come to life through Tofield’s charming and hilarious illustrations.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment below stating that you are entering the contest. Leave your comments by 7 pm CST, Friday, November 6.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only luck and sacrificing some dust bunnies will salvage your entry…
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • Only residents of the US and Canada are eligible to win.
  • No PO Boxes.

Good luck!

“Now that I’ve had a nap or ten, I don’t want to let these books go! They are my books. Mine!! I’m counting them right now, Mom, and I’ll know if you take any.” -Mayhem

Shhh… Don’t tell May, but I’m nearly done notifying winners for the Completely Out-of-Control, Over-the-Top Book Giveaway. Check your spam filters, people, because after I send you a notification email, you only have 48 hours to respond…