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.

Monday, August 31, 2020

What's In a Name?

 Hi, furry friends!

I have a problem. Me and the rest of us - Bridget and Penny - think we should refer to the woman who's at our beck and call by something shorter and maybe sounding a little better than housekeeper. It's a meowthful and I'm tired of having to say it.

I was given the responsibility of finding something new to call her. Everything lands on my shoulders, but what's a cat-in-charge supposed to do?


Okay, so I looked in the house thesaurus (the only dinosaur surviving, get it?) and words for housekeeper - discovered between housecoat and house of prostitution, whatever that is - has words like charwoman, domestic artist, dayworker, *yawn*. . Finally, I told Bridget to try looking up slave..


Nevermind..had to do it myself. 

It says a slave is...dependent, subordinate (I like that one), fawning, groveling, prostrate...Hey this is fun!! Hahahahaha!

We still didn't solve the problem of what to call our housekeeper besides, "Hey, you!!" 

Wait...we could call her Miss M. Isn't there a movie called The Divine Miss M with Bette Midler? What a brainstorm! Glad we solved that problem and, best of all, it should guarantee some treats!! 

Royalty-at-Large,

Tom, Bridget and Penny xxx



Monday, August 24, 2020

Bridget's Ultimatum

Hi, furry folks!

Even though I'm a parish cat and an honorary priest doesn't mean I know a whole lot of Latin. I do know what ultimatum means and I will address it here.

Bridget claims she has not been on my blog for a whole month and will expose some unsavory aspects of my past if I don't do a post on her. Of course, I'd like to do a job on her, but that's out of the question. I don't like threats. Especially tortie threats.

Anyhow, given no choice, I'm going to post some photos of her just to keep peace in the valley and around here, too.

 This was back in the day when she played fetch and had a more sleek physique. Even early on, she had that evil adorable look in her eyes.

~~~

Here she was hoping to get the message across that she would make as good a priest as I. Since we're Episcopal, there's a good chance, as long as she stays out of trouble my face.

~~~~

And, finally, here is her most convincing pose that she can be sweet and cute when she wants to be (fluffy, too). So, I guess we'll bury the hatchet in one of our many litter boxes and give our friendship a kick in the teeth fresh start.

Having too much fun for a Monday!

TOM

Monday, August 17, 2020

Penny Update and Our First Meeting!

Hi, fellow kitties on this Mancat Monday!

As promised, we have quite the update for you all, including photos..we'll do those first:

She loves Bouncy Mouse...




And then, there's her scratcher (handed down from Bridget and me) with a yummy dusting of nip!


As I mentioned in the last post, Penny was a stray who decided to stay, part Siamese with a beautiful coat that you can see in these photos. She's only 6.2 pounds, very tiny and cute as a button! The housekeeper calls me Grandpa Tom just to make Penny feel safe, hehe, but no worries. I did meet her face-to-face already..

And, it happened by mistake!

We had a problem with our fridge over the weekend and there was a lot of scurrying going on, food taken out, the unit unplugged to thaw and ice put in afterwards. With all the back and forth and the ice being in the sunroom, the door was left open and in I went!!

Penny and I were about a foot apart and she was so sweet, no hissing, just a shy smile.

We received big congrats from the housekeeper, at first worried, but happy everything went well.

Oh, and the fridge has recovered for now, back to the same grunts and noises we've heard all along.

Have a good week, friends!

TOM


Monday, August 10, 2020

A New Penny!

We have a little excitement going on here! After following the housekeeper around the yard, a stray kitty has found her way into our home. Her place for the moment is in the sunroom with space to play and sleep and for Bridget and I to get acquainted, at a distance, for now.

We asked around and everyone's kitty was accounted for. One who looked like her  and missing had a phone number that wasn't working. Yes, the housekeeper tried everything to find the parent. You could tell she had been well loved. I wonder sometimes if those of us facing our humans packing and moving don't freak out. Movers, doors propped open, nobody paying attention, and too much going on to notice our disappearance. I've moved once. I hope I never have to do it again.

Anyway, here she is - Penny Waxwing. She's named after birds frequenting out blueberry bushes and because the housekeeper likes bird names for cats. About three years old, she is part Siamese and instead of my going on and on, I'll just share pics of her outside and after she joined Bridget, the housekeeper and me.

Welcome to our home, sweetie pie!


Laser eyes!!!  Had me spellbound!

More about us next week!

TOM


Monday, August 3, 2020

Ch-ch-ch-changes..!

Hi, everybody on this Monday..the first week in August,

Mother Nature is about to change her clothes. I'll bet the shift in seasons was never put that way before..hehe...I'm a poet and don't I know it!

Yep, she'll shed her summer apparel and begin wearing reds and yellows and all the bright colors of autumn and the air will have a bit of chill to it..I can't wait!!!

Here you see me bolting out of a sun puddle. In summer these puddles get just a bit too warm for my taste. In autumn and winter, I look for them, move along the floor with them and can't get enough. It's funny how that works.


So, we'll all watch and wait since we really don't have any other choice.
Do your best to stay cool, my friends as Mother Nature continues to heat up the griddle..it won't be long now.

Toodle-loo!!

TOM