Notes from a parish cat and his author Julie Mackenzie

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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, February 22, 2021

Peat, Repeat..

Hi, friends!

This is one of those repeat posts. It's not that it's been seen before, it's...anyway, it's written by the housekeeper who has lately felt neglected. Her brainstorm and a break for me!

Here goes:

I'm told I have a "you've got to be kidding expression" that I engage in quite frequently. For instance, when told.."Tom, you just inherited a million dollars!"

I react:


Then I say: "Okay, when can I have it?"

Or...

"Tom, you're descended from a long line of royal cats, diplomatic cats and other cats of distinction."


Now, that one was a hard one to look skeptical about. Okay, I finally gave in and acknowledged such a bloodline.

And, finally,

"Tom, I know this will be a surprise to you: you have a long-lost sister!"


"Right, likely story...where is she? You produce her, and I'll believe you."

As you can see, my skeptical look will never gather dust, I use it so much. In the world of humans, it's best to question; either that, or don't bother, just take a well-deserved nap!

~TOM



Monday, February 15, 2021

Hearts, Presidents, and Lent

 Hi, friends!

What an unusual string of holidays!

It was Valentine's Day yesterday, today is Presidents Day and tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday to kick off Lent..Can I say "kick off" or is that sacrilegious? 

Anyway, let's tip our hats to romance, history, and...and...FEVVERS!!!!..hehe!!

Happy Mardi Gras!


~TOM


Sunday, February 7, 2021

Soft Flannel and Nip Dreams

Hi, again, friends!

Okay - so the groundhog gets beaten up every year when he comes up with a prediction we don't like. I heard he predicted six more weeks of winter. Gee, ya think? It's February! I do have a question, though: What about in the southern hemisphere, does it mean they have six more weeks of summer? I don't think a hoggie has weighed in from down under, but I could be wrong.

Anyway, just some mewsings from yours truly with nothing better to do than eat, sleep, get nipped out and think.

Bridget has the right idea. For those of us facing more winter (as usual) it means cozy flannels. She doesn't look as if she'll be leaving that bedding anytime soon!


She has this whole sleeping-in-style thing going on, too! When not in soft sheets, then there's the cushy tushying of pillows, certainly a snooze made in heaven!



As for me, anything soft and horizontal is good enough for me, as long as my belly is full, I'm warm, and my dreams take me to lands where the wild nip grows...and Bridget leaves her usual sleeping perches to be by my side.



Just a few of our sleeping arrangements.

What are yours?

One happy snoozer,

~TOM~

Monday, February 1, 2021

Take A Deep Breath

Hi, friends!

I know - from the title of this piece, it can be nothing other than a pep talk for the week ahead.

How did we get into this mess? The housekeeper listens to this old guy on the radio every Friday afternoon and he plays music from the last hundred years. She likes him and the stuff he plays. He also reads the headlines from newspapers. Boy, things weren't that much better with conflicts brewing in Europe, then the Far East...it's always something!

Anyway, masking, distancing and vaccines should do the trick, if everything can just get on track!! Like we got through other challenging times, we'll get through this one.

Housekeeper: You're just full of words of wisdom for a cat who sleeps half the time.

Tom: It may look to you like sleep, but my brain is on rewind, ready to think positive!

Housekeeper: 💖