Notes from a parish cat and his author Julie Mackenzie

My photo
I am Father Tom Fish, esteemed member of the religious team at Temptation of Christ Parish in the novels by author Julie Mackenzie. As to my background, I was invited into the rectory as a stray, laid on the charm, and was invited to stay, even honorarily ordained and no less spiritual than my sidekick Father Will. He dotes on me to high heaven and forgives all of my street cat proclivities, whatever the hell that means.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Speechless Saturday

Wow!

I like my new site! It makes me want to break out in "My Blue Heaven," but I really do like it!

Julie says..Tom, I had a few scary moments due to my inexperience, but I managed to have a little fun while navigating around. I'm still not finished. There are some things I want to add to the sidebar, a few touches here and there.

Tom: Can't wait!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Mancat Monday-100th Post!



This being Mancat Monday, I'm going to assert myself and get some things off my chest, which is essentially the same thing. Plus, I have catching up to do.

It's a good thing I didn't get my paws on the Purrfurmance Review because my dearest friend in the world, my creator, my human has been a procrastinating derelict. Wait a minute. That didn't sound so good. Sounds like she's homeless in an alley or something...

Let me explain. Number one: the Blogger Award from meowmeowmans. She's supposed to reveal seven things about herself or me or somebody at Temptation Parish and she hasn't done it. She's also supposed to pass it on to other people--

Julie says..Wait a minute, Tom. I've been working and editing and researching. Can I be forgiven? Anyhow, I've put a few together. Will these do?


1. A parishioner disappears.

2. Tom begins to remember where he came from.

3. Will and Tom like the music of Billie Holliday. The housekeeper, George Jones.

4. Vinny loved potato chips.

5. Julie was baptized twice.

6. She used to write under a stairway in "writer's hollow."

7. Tom got tangled up with a porcupine once.

As far as giving the award away, Tom, there are so many who deserve the award for their beautiful blogs, my message to them is: please copy and paste it if you would like to add it to your site!

Tom says..Speaking of sites, my friends, that brings me to topic #2:

I need my site refreshed. It's been over a year now and it's the same old, same old. Jeez! Julie said she tried to make changes but lost some things in the process which scairt her and she had to contact...yada..yada..yada..yack..yack..yack..and nothing ever got done.

I am going on strike until I see new cyberdigs! That's final! (Please?) (Pretty please with little fishies on top?)

Julie says..Tom, dearest cat in the world, my second heartbeat, I will have a new home for you this week, one I hope you will like. It may take me a whole day to get it just right, but I'm going to give it a shot. Sorry, it's taken me so long. Your handsomeness just made it so easy to keep you right where you are!

Is that it, Tom?


I think so.

Hugs?

Hugs!

Smoochies, too?

O-kay..

x x
xox xox
xoxox xoxoxo
xoxoxoxoxoxox
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
xoxoxoxoxoxo
xoxoxoxoxo
xoxoxoxo
xoxoxo
xoxo
xo
x
JR

Friday, February 18, 2011

The Paw's the Thing

Look what was dropped off at the rectory the other day!



A plush toy mouse house! The lady said she thought of me when she saw it, and inside are two juicy..er..um..I mean..very nice mice.

Our housekeeper wasn't satisfied to leave me alone and let me play with them in peace. No..she thought we should do a play.

A play? "Places, please!" she says.



There once was a house with a little mouse who didn't survive an attack of the paw (never open the door to strange paws, mouselings!)



Persistent paws, paws with claws, looking for lunch! (One mouse tries to escape through the window. Give it up, fool!)



The carnage! Cat and paw victorious! THE END



"Let's take it again from the top," she says.

You bet!
-- Shakespaw Tom

Monday, February 14, 2011

A Day for Hearts

In honor of the Grammys, I have composed this special Valentine:





TO LUCY


It's your fabulous eyes
That cannot disguise
Your feelings I'm sure
Aren't a whim.

Oh, Lucy so luscious
Your face is so precious
It fills my old heart to the brim.

There's a song in my ticker
Love more than a flicker
Let the angels break out
In a chorus

So loudly to start
Robustly impart
My desire for
A sweet Valentine's for us!

Happy Valentine's Day, Lucy!


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, EVERYONE!
--Tom

Julie says--
This has always been one of my favorite holidays. Not because I always had a Valentine, but because of the sweetness of the day, a time when everyone smiles with their hearts, and we look for brighter tomorrows!
Valentine wishes go out to everyone in the CB from me, too!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The Power of Paws



The paw speaks!

Would you believe this is how the decision is made for the next book to be read? No, really! I pick out a book from a pile and "point" with all of my toes. And, what you see here is one paw, too, a paw of polydactyl perfection! I'm told Ernest Hemingway's cats had mucho many toes on each front foot, too, and not a tap dancer among them! Anyhow, all seriousness aside, any cats with multiple toesies are called Hemingway cats as another name for us.



I have more than my share of toes on each paw, but only in front. They help me on a keyboard and make me almost human when someone shakes my hand. (Do you know how hard it was to get this shot? I was in no mood, post or no post!!)
I have a couple of claws that grow in between the toes, too. They have to be clipped and I only let the vet people do it. They cuddle and coo the whole time which I love!



On another note..

I wish I could shake the hand/paws of our Secret Paws friends in Prague, Czech Republic. Their package finally arrived just in time for Valentine's Day after many, many weeks enroute to America!

We couldn't be more pleased with everything! Thank you so much for your handmade toys and yummy treats and brand-new collar for Julie's dog, Trapper, the golden retriever. He's very happy, too! Thank you, Tiny, Lautrec and Ellwood!



Friday, February 4, 2011

Cabin Fever




People around here have been up to no good!

I think I know who's behind it, but the thing is, nobody ever owns up to anything. I know it's not the parishioners or the church group, because they're not here at the rectory long enough to get into this kind of mischief. It reminds me of something about the devil and idleness. How about boredom? The old fork-ed tailed critter must be cranked up now!

As far as the litter box room is concerned, which, by the way is located off the kitchen toward the back--one heck of a place for it, the sign appeared the day after the snowstorm.

A cat notices a lot of things, especially at floor level. Look out, if the snow lasts any longer, you'll start seeing pin-ups by my duty station.

So, my furriends, as you're looking out the window, be sure to keep an eye out around the house. You never know when somebody tries curing cabin fever with something silly!



P.S. I'd like to know what the pope would say about the Vat-i-can, not to mention the liturd-gy!

Cheers and a toast by the fire,
Tom

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

She Loves Me



Would you look at this desk! Besides me on it, note the picture of yours truly, framed and right where Julie can look at it every day. She also has the big black and white photo in the living room. Can you believe it? (Vinny's in the kitchen).

Julie tells the story of how whenever she was getting to the part about me in the manuscript I would always come out of nowhere and jump up and get in her face, interrupting her train of thought. How could I interrupt? It was all about me, anyway, right? Actually, I wanted to make sure there were no mistakes or misspellings..

It's awfully cold out and we're going to be getting more snow and even more snow tomorrow. Reminds me of when I was a stray during the winter months. It was no fun, believe me! The Maine Coon fur really did keep me warm though. Being homeless was also the time I took a hankerin' to corn on the cob and other strange food 'cause I used to get so hungry.

Everybody stay warm and say a lot of purrs and prayers for those who don't have a home and are looking for a kind soul to take them in, or at least provide a warm place to rest.

--Tom