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| 1/18/05-Tonks and Mika friends again! |
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| 1/17/05-Tonks licking her spay wounds. |
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| 1/17/05-Tonks after her spay. |
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| 1/7/05-Johann and his buddy! |
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| 1/7/05-Johann |
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| 1/7/05-Johann |
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| 1/7/05-Johann |
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11/18/04-From Lisa, Tonks owner! Thanks, its cute!
Kitty Litter Cake
Serving
Size: 24
Notes:
This is a fun cake! It might look gross, but it does taste good!
Ingredients:
1
(18 oz.) box spice or german chocolate cake mix
1 (18 oz.) box white cake mix
1 pkg. white sandwich cookies
1
large box vanilla instant pudding mix
12 small tootsie rolls
1 litter box (preferably a NEW one!)
1 plastic scoop
green food coloring
Preparation:
Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions
(any size pans). Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble. Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in
blender, they tend to stick, so scrape often. Set aside all but about 1/4 c up. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops
green food coloring and mix using a fork or shake in a jar.
When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a
large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. You probably won't need all of the pudding,
mix with the cake and "feel" it, you don't want it soggy, just moist; gently combine. Put mixture into clean litter box.
Put
three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt,
curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls and bury in mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top.
Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly over the top, this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter. Heat
remaining Tootsie Rolls, three at a time in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape two of them on top of the cake and sprinkle
with cookie crumbs. Hang the third over the side of the box. Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the
cookie crumbs around. Serve with a new pooper scooper.
| 10/24/04-Lacey in her new home, she really |
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| turned out to be a beautiful kitten! |
10/15/04-Dear Mommy, Daddy, Desirae, Nathan, Zach, and Mike,
I got to my new home safe and sound. I'm not really too comfortable here yet, but I think I'll like it once I feel
more settled. This was kind of a scary day. I was really nervous after the flight - also I had to pee - BOY it
was a relief to finally see a litter box in my new home!
My new human mom put me in a big pen at first. I had my
own food and water and bed and litter box, and the kennel in case I wanted to go back in that. I explored my surroundings
and played some with the little furry blue mouse that lives there too. Then I found the bed and took a long nap.
Later
in the afternoon, "Mom" (I hope you don't mind me calling her that) let the other cat who lives here out of the room she had
been in. She is not really sure what to think of me. There was hissing and even a little growling, and that made
me really nervous, so I hid in my kennel until "Mom" put her away again. Then "Mom" came to get me and hold me to make
me feel better, but she tripped coming into the pen and her stumbling REALLY scared me. I purred when she held me but
I was pretty spooked. So she brought me downstairs and put me in my own room, which is much quieter and has a nice cedar
chest that I can hide under. She comes in every hour or so to visit and talk to me. When I felt a little
more comfortable, I came out and she held me again and I purred and purred and purred. Then we played a little bit.
I think we are going to like each other a lot. She said something about trimming my claws later - not sure what that's
like but I guess it will make it so she doesn't say "ouch" so often when I knead her shoulder!
"Mom" says tomorrow she
will put Mika (that's the other cat) in this room and let me out to explore the rest of the house. We are just going
to go like that for a few days now so we can get used to each others' smells and stuff before we meet again. Here's
a picture of me in my room. I still must be a little jumpy because the flash made me run back to my hiding place under
the cedar chest. "Mom" promises to send more as I settle in, and will try to get one of the three of us as soon as she
can.
Hope you are all well. I miss you but I can tell that I will be loved here.
Love,
Tonks!
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1/14/05-I wanted to let you know Tonks came home from the hospital yesterday and is doing quite well.
I thought I'd try to get a picture of her cute little healing-up tummy for you, but she is not cooperating. When she
sleeps I don't want to disturb her by moving her to show her tummy, and when she's awake, she doesn't hold still!
She has a regular fan club at the vets office now. I was worried about that, because on the way in
Friday she threw a fit - throwing herself around the carrier and howling to the point I thought she would hurt herself.
I thought that she might do the same there and be biting techs and all kinds of stuff (Kizi was pretty much the terror of
Alameda East because she didn't like strangers handling her at all). But I guess it's riding in the car that gets her
upset, because they tell me she was a little angel while there. When I went to pick her up yesterday, a trio of techs
brought her out - out of her carrier so that they could hold and smooch on her and say goodbye. The vet who did the
surgery is Dr. Fitzgerald - if you ever watch that animal ER program on Animal Planet, he's the guy with thick gray hair and
bushy mustache - in his off time he does shows in comedy clubs around the city, and he's really very funny. His discharge
instructions said, "This kitty is so sweet. Please give her extra kisses for being so brave today." She's due
back in January 25 for stitch removal.
Sadly, Mika is being all hissy and territorial again now that she's home. It's funny, because I know
she looked for Tonks several times, but I guess Tonks smells all veterinarian or something, because she walks up to her, sniffs
her, and then hisses. I'm keeping them separated anyway most of the time, as I don't want them to play just now.
Mika weighs better than twice what Tonks does, and with the stitches, I just think Tonks is safer if I keep them apart for
a few days.
Do you need me to mail you a copy of the vet bill? I just got a new scanner/copier/printer,
so fi I get it set up (need to clean out my desk first so that the printer drawer has space) I can probably scan and email
it. Let me know.
Thanks!
Lisa
| 1/7/05-Tonks taken 11-21-04 |
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| 1/7/05-Tonks taken 11-14-04. |
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| 1/7/05-Tonks pic taken on 11/10/04. |
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12/19/04-Hi, Everybody!
I just finally found the web page again with all the new pictures of Lacey and Clarence and their families!
I'm so glad to see how happy they look! Mum says sorry that she keeps forgetting to send pictures of her and me.
Grandma and Grandpa came last week and she swore she'd get it done while they were there to take the photos, but their car
broke down and things got crazy and then they were gone again.
Anyway, things are great here and I'm all settled in now. Mika and I have become best buddies.
We eat together, sleep together, groom each other, and when one of us is in the litter box, the other stands guard. Mika
weighs over 9 pounds now, and I MIGHT weigh about 5, so we make a really odd couple, but I still call all the shots.
Unfortunately, I still haven't got Mum trained on who's the boss yet, and that's looking pretty hopeless
(I thought humans were supposed to be smart, but she just doesn't get it). She has developed this awful habit of squirting
me with water when I want to do things like climb the blinds or walk on her keyboard or sneak off with the bills she's
trying to pay. I've tried throwing tantrums. She thinks it's funny - how frustrating! I howl
and yowl and throw the best fit I can muster to show her how important it is to get my way, but she just laughs and scoops
me up and snuggles me until I can't be mad anymore. Mika says I just have to be sneakier about it. Wait until
Mum's not looking. Jump down and look innocent (who me?) when I see her go for the squirt bottle. Mika is
good at that, but I notice that Mum gets suspicious whenever we get too quiet, and she's starting to keep squirt bottles everywhere
she likes to sit. It's quite annoying to be in the middle of something fun, like standing on top of the bird cage trying
to spring the pair-of-keets out for a quick game of tag, only to get zapped with a stream of water!
I do have some hope of getting Mum trained on the matter of decent meals, however. I'm not shy
about telling her when I don't like something, and she seems to catch on after one or two tries. Mika will eat just
about anything and act like she's happy about it, but I hold out for the good stuff. It's all about those
catnip fishies!
Mum says that I'm going to have my spade first thing after the holidays. That's assuming the V-E-T
says it's OK, since I'm still so small. She's going to talk to them this week to see what they think.
Well, gotta run! Mika has the good ball and I think it's time to get in on the game before
she thinks it's all hers.
Much love!
Tonks
| A picture of a kitty litter cake. |
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| Recipe for this is to the left! |
11/8/04-Tonks here!
Well, things have been pretty exciting around here.
Mika got back from the V-E-T with a shaved tummy and she had to wear this funny thing around her neck and head for days.
Even so, she managed to pull her stitches and had to get stapled. I can tell they itched her bad. Now I think
getting a Spade doesn't sound like so much fun, but Mum says I have to because I will like it better in the long run, whatever
that means.
After Mika's tummy got better, Mum finally let us play as much as we wanted. We race around the house
like thunder, and tackle each other. Sometimes Mum worries that Mika might be hurting me because I growl, but when she
breaks us up, I'm right back after Mika for more play. It took us a while to get used to each other, but I think of
her as my big sister now. We are even starting to sleep together and groom each other. Don't know why Mum coos
about that, but it seems to make her happy. Here are some recent pictures you might like.
I hope you all are doing
well. I tried to find our website the other day but could not find it. I hope it comes back soon as I would really
like to see the pictures of Lacey and Clarence in their new homes.
Take care of each other!
Love, Tonks!
10/17/04-Dear Lacey and Clarence,
I realized yesterday
that I forgot to name you in my last email. I'm so sorry! I hope you are already settling into your new homes
and enjoying your new lives as I am.
Yesterday, Mom's parents came to see me. I can tell they thought I was really
cute, and they were really nice to me. Grandpa played with me and Grandma petted me to sleep. She said I was very
sweet.
I didn't see much of Mika yesterday, but I got to visit her room. Very cool! It's got a lot of kitty
toys, a huge litter box, and food and a fountain with running water. I liked playing in the long box that came with
Mom's vacuum cleaner. I like Mika's food a lot, too. There's this big empty aquarium in there, sitting on an old
desk. Mom is planning to get it going later this year after we're done with all our vet visits and she has some money
to blow. Anyway, somehow I got in it, and you should have seen Mom's face when she found me there. I sneaked in
again later just to see her expression again. It was really funny!
Mom has given me my own room and I like that
too. I have a bed, litter box food and water, and this crinkly bag thing that I can sleep in. She is finding the
toys that I like and I get to keep them in my room. She says the day will come when Mika and I get to share that kitten
room but until then she wants me to have a room I like. I guess we have to stay in our kitten rooms when she works because
she doesn't trust us to leave the other pets alone - she has three parakeets and FOUR aquariums. She tells me Mika found
a way to fish in the big one a few days ago. She also tells me that the cats she had before eventually learned to ignore
those other animals and then they got the run of the house.
Last night Mika and I each slept in our own kennels beside
Mom. Mom said that way we could talk to each other and smell each other and start to get to know each other. I
fussed a bit and Mika groused some, but she went to sleep purring and I did too.
I still look for you guys sometimes,
and call for you, but I'm starting to like this new home and the people I've met here. Mom says she's sure Mika is going
to settle down and accept me. She's just not used to sharing yet. She says we're just going to take it really
slowly and give both of us time to get used to it.
Today, when Mika is in the kitten room I get to explore the rest of
the house!
Oh yeah! Mom said to tell you she's sorry - she could have had her parents take a photo of us, but she
forgot. She doesn't like cameras much so they're not a big part of her life. She says she promises she'll get
one taken, though.
Well, that's all for today! I love you guys!
Tonks!
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| 1/7/05-Picasso with his family at Christmas. |
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1/7/05-Merry Christmas, Desirae!
We all love Picasso! He's really growing and getting along very well with Neko, our other cat.
They really are pals! Julie Shuster
| 1/7/05-Tonks 12/2/04 |
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12/19/04-
Here are some pictures of Johann and his big brother Louie. They're already best friends. Johann
likes to race around the house and jump on Louie and just generally annoy him, but 5 minutes later they'll be curled up sleeping
on the couch together. :) His favorite hiding spot in inside my boxspring... Somehow he found a hole
in the fabric and crawls up there. Pretty soon he'll be too heavy to get away with that, but it was quite a mystery
until I finally figured out where he'd been.
That's just a quick update, but all is well and I can't believe the boys started getting along from the
first second! Johann is a cutie and I'm so glad to finally have him home.
Thanks,
Sarah
| 10/24/04-Lacey playing in her new home! |
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10/21/04-Dear Family,
Today, Mika is at the V-E-T, getting
something called a Spade. Mom says I will get one too in a couple of months. I guess she thought she was going
to give us both our Spades at the same time next month, but when the V-E-T said that Mika is actually a few months older than
he first thought, Mom wanted to get her Spade right away. She says I will get mine in a couple of months. The
V-E-T wants me to be at least 4-5 pounds first. Mika will stay at the V-E-T tonight, which means I get to run around
the house all night without having to worry about Mika or being in the cage.
Mom says that as soon as Mika is all better
from her Spade, she will probably put the cage away for good and let us just hang out together. Mika has been nicer
lately. We are starting to play footsies through the cage in the evenings. She still makes bad sounds, but I'm
not afraid of her at all. I charged her yesterday and she jumped about four feet straight in the air. I think
it won't take me long to show her who is boss.
It might take me a bit longer, though, to show Mom who is boss. She
just doesn't listen when I tell her that I don't want to be in my room or that I want to eat more of that yummy medicine stuff
RIGHT NOW! She seems to think SHE is the boss of ME, and so far I have not been able to get her straightened out.
If you know of a good way to make her mind, please tell me.
Even so, I do like Mom and I like my new home. Mom is
a good petter, and I look forward to cuddles with her before she goes to some place called WORK, and when she comes home at
night. And there are some cool hiding places in this house - one is underneath the sofa. Mom hasn't found them
all yet, and I think it's funny when she starts looking for me and can't find me. I like to sneak up behind her after
she's already looked, and make her wonder what she's missed. Mom says she will be glad when I'm too big to get
into some of the tight places I have been hiding in. Sometimes she calls me a "brat." I'm not sure that is a good
thing, but she smiles when she says it.
I hope you are all happy and well.
Love,
Tonks!
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