I have no idea what I did to deserve the treatment I received yesterday! The first thing that happened was that after 9 PM on Sunday, there was no cat food to be found anywhere in this house! All three of us were unhappy with that situation. Yesterday morning I was stuffed into a hot, black cloth carrier and as soon as I was securely locked in that carrier, THE GIRLS GOT FOOD!!! I was placed in the middle of the living room floor with NO FOOD AT ALL.

Then, Miss Lourdes showed up, picked up my carrier and whisked me out the door. Mom followed and we went through Miss Lourdes’ house to get to her car. I was howling all the time! When we went through Miss Lourdes’ house, I really howled! Her two black cats were quite surprised!! I just kept howling louder and louder. Her younger cat, about Paquita’s age, heard my pleas for help and he followed Mom, Miss Lourdes and me all the way to the car. He was yelling too! He was trying to reason with Lourdes about stealing me, but she just told him to shut up and get back in the house. Remind me to thank Rat (that’s his name!) later for his support.

When Mom finally got the seatbelt around my carrier, we drove off, me HOWLING, of course! The ten-minute ride was filled with my constant howls. But those two women just kept telling me to shut up! When we got to our destination, we had to walk through a very populated parking lot. I howled all the way while Miss Lourdes carried my carrier. People looked at us, but no one attempted to rescue me. Suddenly, I knew where we were; I recognized that awful little man! He was the VETERINARIAN!!! I was handed to the vet, who just set me down on the bottom step that leads to his little room. Mom and Lourdes cheerfully thanked the vet, wished me a good day, and then LEFT! There I was sadly, but still, howling, on that bottom step.

Soon, the vet carried me up the steps to his little room and before he let me out of my carrier, he put something black over my face. I could barely breathe, much less howl. But at least I was out of the carrier! I got a shot in one paw that really hurt and I don’t remember what happened after that. Many hours later, about 7:30 PM, Mom and Lourdes suddenly appeared! They found me! Gracias a Dios!!! Mom unzipped my carrier just a little and petted me while I cried softly. She didn’t attempt to get me out of the carrier. She KNEW she had to put that stupid black thing over my face first and she did not want to do that to me again.

What I could not understand was, why was there another black carrier on the table and why was Mimi Cosita in there doing her best to howl? I did not need to see her or to have her company, thank you very much! While I was pondering that, the vet was talking to Lourdes in very rapid Spanish. Poor Mom just stood there looking puzzled. Lourdes explained that I had “the dirtiest ears the vet had ever seen!” “I don’t understand this,” said the vet, “cats are usually so very clean!” Well, dammit, I AM clean! But how can I stick my paw way down inside my ears to clean them? Anyway, the vet went on and on about how he had worked and worked on my ears to get them all shiny clean. I believed that too, as badly as they hurt!

Then the vet started discussing my teeth! It seems that while I was passed out on his table, he took the opportunity to clean my teeth. He dug and dug on them too, saying they were covered with plaque and that I had the breath of a huge lion!! I believed he had dug on my teeth too! They hurt worse than my ears. He said the molars are in trouble because they had so much plaque on them!!

Finally, they started talking about medicine. MOUTHWASH for kitties!!! Just squirt it into my mouth every day! JUST YOU TRY THAT LADY, AND I’LL SHOW YOU WHO IS BOSS!!! Plus, some sort of medicine in our drinking water that will be “good for all of us”. Bull! DON’T GO MESSING WITH MY WATER! And finally, drops in my ears twice a day for a week! OH, BOY!! TIME TO HURL MEDICINE OUT OF MY EARS ALL OVER THE WALLS, MOM AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS TO BE IN THE WAY!! I’ll just bet that Mom won’t be able to get me still enough to put the drops in my ears without Daddy here to hold me down!

After this discussion was over, Mimi Cosita had the black thing put over her face! GOD! Was she funny looking! It literally covered her whole face, even her eyes. Because it is black like she is, she looked just like a cat with no eyes! I suddenly stopped crying and almost laughed out loud at her!! And because she is black like the carrier, and much smaller than I am, she managed to hide in the carrier. Mom kept looking and looking for her!! I was impressed by this great skill of Cosita’s!

After they finally found her and muzzled her, they got her out of the carrier and ZAP!!! One HUGE shot for her! Thank you little vet man, for giving her that shot. Now, maybe she won’t be such a nuisance to me because she will not go into heat for six months. Maybe, just maybe, there will be some peace in my valley!

After much discussion again about my medicines and how much my “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” day cost Mom, we left the vet’s office and went back through that crowded parking lot to the car. To keep up appearances, I managed to howl again all the way across the parking lot and all the way home. Mimi Cosita got the hint and she joined me. I must say, Mom says that traffic got out of her way as long as it sounded like she was transporting an entire zoo!

Paquita met us at the door when we got home and tried to help us get out of the carriers. I was filthy dirty and very wet. Drool poured out of my mouth and walking was not easy. I was so very hungry, but those teeth would not allow me to eat anything. Mom put water in my kibble like the vet had suggested and I managed a few bites of that, but finally decided it was not worth the effort. I stayed really close to Mom all night and moaned occasionally. She tried to clean the drool off my face, but I would not allow her to touch me.

Mimi Cosita was dragging too. That shot must really have hurt her! She would walk, not run, up to me and Mom would fuss with her about not bothering “Poor Uncle Rocko”. I don’t think she planned to bother me. I think she was checking to see if I was all right. HELL NO, STUPID, I AM NOT ALL RIGHT! I THINK I AM GOING TO DIE!

Today I feel a bit better and I think Cosita does too. I am still having a tough time trying to stay awake, but at least I have been back on the back of the couch—my favorite sleeping spot! I notice something very strange has happened in my absence. Paquita has suddenly become a lap kitty on Mom. I resent that! SHE WAS MY MOM FIRST, YOU LITTLE SNIT!! YOU HAVE TAKEN OVER ALL MY FAVORITE SLEEPING SPOTS; YOU WILL NOT STEAL MY MOM!!!

Well, that pretty much sums up my “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad” day yesterday. Please tell Mom not to even think about taking me back to that little vet man. I never want to feel this way again!


Rocko

I was PIE-eyed!! There I was, on my chair on the patio, just trying to relax, when the heavens opened. The rain pounded on the metal roof and blew in from the yard. The patio floor was obviously all wet and I had no idea what to do. Finally, Mom figured out that I was trapped in my chair and getting wet, so she carried me into the house. Now, understand, usually I hate to be carried anywhere! So I protested when Mom picked me up but I was mighty glad to be back in my house.

Speaking of my house, I think things have returned to normal. No big parties this past week. Gordo and I hate parties!! There are always so many people and they sit in OUR chairs and just ignore us. Even when they are eating HAM, my favorite food in the whole world, they never notice that I am sitting beside them drooling.

Gordo doesn't like ham, but he has taken a shine to canned cat food. Mom introduced us to canned food several years ago and I tried to tell Gordo I am sure it is poison, but she sneaked a can to Gordo a few nights ago and he ate the WHOLE can's worth. So, very gingerly, last night I ate some too. Not bad, not good. May not eat it again. But I'm sure Gordo will continue to pig out on it.

Monday night I was in MY chair on the patio at almost midnight. Suddenly, Miss Brownie showed up on the top of the wall around our yard. What a beautiful chocolate-point lady she is. I attempted to climb the wall to get up close and personal with her, but alas, I have no idea how to climb a wall! Miss Brownie ran away and Mom ordered me into the house. I go out every night now in search of Miss Brownie. Her children visit the front door every day and I really would like to get to know Miss Brownie better. One of these days...

Today, I'm being extra loving to staff. When they get busy and pay no attention, I sit on the floor, cleaning myself, in the style of a penguin. That always gets their attention. This morning I was wandering around on the top of the couch when suddenly my claw was stuck in the cushion! I hope Mom didn't see that because I DO NOT WANT MY CLAWS CLIPPED TODAY! But I know she will try to catch me and clip them anyway. Oh, what is a self-respecting cat to do?

I was smelling fish. Oh man! was I smelling fish! Everytime I went out to the patio, seafood smells attacked my nose. The other day I decided to locate the source. I looked behind the gas tanks--nothing. I looked under the washing machine--nothing. I checked the grill--nothing. Finally, I jumped up into the stationery tub and there it was--five beautiful, large seashells drying in the sink. The sun was shining into the sink and that felt oh so warm. So I decided to stay and take a nap. The problem was the points on the shells. Ouch! They were heavy shells so I couldn't move them and Mom had them spread out all over that sink.

I went back into the house just in time to hear that the staff will be gone all day on Friday to see some pyramids built by the ancient Maya indians. I should have stayed in the sink.

Daddy's nephew, Ruben, is here from Mexico City this week and he has really turned this house upside down. Gordo and I don't mind him, but his friends--YUCK! They are noisy and they move around a lot. But the worst thing they do is to use all the chairs and the couch. Gordo will walk right up to them and yell that they are in HIS spot. I just generally race throughout the house, creating as much confusion as possible. We are always so relieved when the friends finally leave--way too late at night. I should have stayed in the sink.

Sunday, Christmas Day, was filled with confusion. Daddy and Ruben were enjoying their coffee in the breakfast room and Mom and her friends were in the living room. Suddenly, Gabriel appeared. Soon, the three men went out. Shortly after that, Mom's friends left. Gordo and I settled down for a nice morning nap. Mom was busy on her computer. In a short while, the men returned with beer, potato chips, ice and three other men! Daddy began tearing up a closet in search of a cooler and this house was frenetic again. People everywhere. Mom was hyper and finally she just sort of exploded. Gordo and I could not believe that! The men all went outside and mom went upstairs. Shortly all 7 of them left for the beach. While Gordo and I were sad that they left, we were grateful for the peace and quiet. They were gone all day and into the night. I think Mom found the seashells while she was on the beach.

Well, Ruben is still asleep this morning but all will not be peaceful. Mom's friends just called and are coming over. So I will sign off and go back to the sink. Happy New Year to all. I think I'll stay in the sink!

Feliz Navidad! I wrote a letter yesterday in which I explained what has been going on in our lives lately. This letter was written to Mom's ex-husband and his wife. I will share it here so all of you will know too, what we have been up to. I do want to say that Daddy was very good to me and Gordo during Hurricane Wilma, which sat over us for about 40 hours, scaring us right out of our fur. He worked very hard to keep the water from coming into the house and he had stocked up on tons of cat food! Cancun was almost wiped off the map but we were safe and very well fed.

And now for the letter:

Dear “Aunt Karen and Uncle Joe,”

Mom FINALLY came home! And she brought lots of goodies from you. Gordo and I really like the toys and sometimes we find where Mom and Daddy store them and play with them during the night. Our dinner trays are wonderful! And the Litter Box mat is really nice too. Mom likes it because now there is very little kitty litter on the carpet.

Gordo has been sick for a few weeks with ringworm but I have been very lucky. No medicines for me! Gordo had some sort of pink liquid forced down his throat twice a day and some really yucky tasting cream spread over his fungus. I make it a point to clean his ears many times during the day, but the cream was on his ears so I had to stop doing that YUCK!!!

Gordo is better now and doesn’t have to get any more medicines. So he sleeps a lot on the back of mom’s chair. Yesterday, Mom got out of the chair to answer the door and Gordo got in the chair. Mom was not real happy, but…

Later, Gordo was attacked by hunger pains and abandoned the chair. Look what happened next:

I, Rocko, got the chair!! However, I am such a polite cat that when Mom finished dinner and came back to the chair, she didn’t even have to ask me to get out. I just did.

Mom showed us your pictures and we think they are very nice. You guys look like really great people. Her son is lucky to have so many parents!! We are lucky too that you send us all the toys.

Mom says she will really miss being at the big family party with all of you. But WE ARE NOT LETTING HER OUT OF OUR SIGHT AGAIN! You will just have to make do without her and Daddy.

It has gotten cool here, especially at night. Last night Mom had on her winter nightshirt and SOCKS when she went to bed. Sometimes they cover us so we won’t get cold either. We really purr when they do this. It doesn’t matter that they use towels to cover us. We are warm at last.

Mom has talked often about how wonderful you were to her: gifts, taking her out for lunch and dinner, etc., and how supportive you were about Stephen. She really appreciates all you did for her. We thank you for being so nice and thoughtful to her.

I understand you have a cat named Melvin. Take good care of him and thank him too for being nice to Mom and for the toys. Maybe you could ask someone to send us a picture of Melvin. We would like to meet him someday.

There are many kittens who live in this condo. They come down here every day to see us and one of them even knocks on the door. At least two of them are all black and two are chocolate-point Siamese. They are so cute! I don’t know their names except that one black one is named “Otro” which means “Other”. I think his catstaff ran out of names, don’t you?

Their Mom is a chocolate point and she broke through the back window screen one night! Scared the hell out of me!!!

Gordo and I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a good New Year. Mom told us what she has gotten for you as a gift and we approve. We think you should get some really good cat food for Melvin as well as a lot of nutritious food for yourselves.

Gordo would sign this letter with me but he is sound asleep in Mom’s chair, which means she is sitting right on the edge to type. He is really selfish with the chair!


Purringly yours,

Rocko


To all who read this blog: Gordo and I wish for you a very merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous New Year. Mom always signs her Christmas letter with a quote from a Sesame Street song: Keep Christmas With You All Through the Year. We hope you will be able to do that as well.

I'm tired of typing now so I will sign off and go find my box on the patio. Sweet dreams all.

Oh joy! Oh rapture! Oh bliss! Daddy's home!! He came home about ten days ago. He tells us that Mom will come back soon but he doesn't know when. I spend most of my day sitting in Daddy's lap and both of us purr. Gordo still sulks a bit because he really misses Mom. But Daddy is good to us and even lets Gordo sleep in Mom's chair.

Mom called a few days ago and Gordo must have figured out that she was on the other end of the phone. Daddy answered the phone upstairs and Gordo sat at the foot of the stairs and howled the entire time. What a wimp!! I really think Gordo, at age 9, is too old to cry like that.

Daddy says that Mom really misses us too. She visited two black cats a few days ago but they weren't very friendly to her. And she says that Lucy Cat pays her almost daily visits. Mom sent us a picture of Lucy and she is gorgeous. I think I would like her if I met her. I dream about a hot and heavy romance. I am including a picture of Lucy here--SMACK!!

Daddy's routine is to go out with his nephew every day. Gordo and I noticed that this week he has been home more. Then I heard him explaining to Mom that there has been a gas crisis in Cancun. Apparently, Hurricane Rita damaged many of Pemex's offshore rigs. No gas was available so they could not go anywhere. Well, bully for Pemex!!! Daddy was home with us!

There is a little dog next door to us named Lola. Daddy insists on calling her "Hola, Lola!" Her mom went to Canada a few days after Mom and Daddy went to Virginia. The poor little dog cried and barked for days. Well Lola's mom is home now and Lola is a much more pleasant neighbor. Daddy still speaks to her every time she barks (Mom disapproves of this, but without Mom...) and Lola stops barking immediately.

These are my thoughts for this week. I hope Mom will be home before I have to gear up the computer and write the next blog. It is really hard for me to type after I've set up the computer. I NEED MY MOM!!!

PS: I talked to Mom and she cannot figure out how to help me load a picture of Lucy. So here's the link: http://flickr.com/photos/muwzik/47983353/

I had word from the Mothership late yesterday that Mom is OK!!! It seems that she went to visit The Dame and The Dame sent vibes. Gordo says he got the same word! Oh how we wish Staff would come home! They've been gone a little over a week and the Mothership says it will be next Tuesday before they get home. We are being well fed, but it's just not the same when a little old lady comes in twice a day and puts food in our bowl and fresh water in our dish and then leaves again. We miss Staff talking to us and giving us food and cuddles whenever we ask.

Gordo and I knew Staff were leaving, though they never actually told us. But we heard them talking to other humans and we saw the suitcases go out the door. Why they never left those suitcases open long enough for us to get in them! How inconsiderate! I hid under the couch and Gordo stayed in his box by the front door. I was just too sad to think that we would be all alone. And you know what? They didn't even leave the bedroom doors open! If we go upstairs, there is no place to go except into a bathroom. Now why would we want to sleep in the shower stall? And the little old lady won't let me out on my patio. Oh, how I miss my patio!

It is hard being here without Staff. Gordo cries a lot and nothing I do or say seems to make any difference to him. I found a play mouse though and sometimes I hurl that around to entertain myself. And Gordo found a feather. He loves that feather.

I'll just bet Mom and Dad are having a good time and meeting other kitties. I heard from yet another cat last night-Nose. Now who in hell would name a cat "Nose"? Nose has a housemate, "Sweetie" and Sweetie says Mom and Dad are very friendly and loving. Well, I certainly hope they don't fall in love with Sweetie and forget about us. Nose and Sweetie are two of a five-cat household but I don't know the names of the other three cats. Nose tells me that they share their home with a dog, Mollie, who is overweight. Oh! I think one of the cats is named "Molly-Moo" and she has an infection that means she has NO FUR on her tail. She seems not to interact with the other cats and the dog. And she NEVER goes outside into her yard. I would be so embarrassed if I had no fur on my tail that I don't think I would go outside either.

Anyway, here I am in Cancun, Mexico while my Staff are in Arlington, Virginia. Nothing very exciting happens here. I hope Mom brings me some kitty pot!! American kitty pot is much better than the Mexican stuff. I should have sent The Dame a message about that yesterday. Oh well, I'll just concentrate really hard and maybe Mom will get the message.

I'm sorry I did not write anything last week, but I was just too depressed. Next week though, I shall write again AFTER MY STAFF GET HOME!! In the meantime, thanks to Nose and The Dame for sending us messages and we hope Staff have a good trip.

I know I'm a day late. Stupid Staff couldn't figure out how to sign into this website yesterday to type for me. I'm sorry!!

I have been attacked twice a day every day for a week now by staff so they could squirt some greasy medicine into my ears. I have suffered much abuse! Mom squirts the stuff in and hangs onto my ear with a mighty grip. When I try to shake my head, she squeezes my ear all the harder. OUCH!! I cry and moan and Daddy, who is anchoring me to the table, tells me to "Shhhh". What's up with that? Mom is ripping my ear from my head!

Gratefully, Mom has announced that my ear is now clean and I no longer have to suffer this humiliation every day. And, by the way, where the hell is my brother? He certainly is not in the room checking on my welfare! He has chickened and run under the dining room table!

I am a bit sad today. I hear Mom and Daddy telling people that they plan to go on a trip on Wednesday. Thanks be to the Mothership, they are not planning to take us with them, but we would like it a lot if they never left home again. And they're going to be gone for TWO WEEKS! Oh dear, what will happen to us. Gordo says that Mom has told him that the nice lady who fed us last year will come over every day and feed us again. But she won't open the back door, so we won't have access to our yard for two weeks! I LOVE my back yard! oh, woe is me!

Mom and I have been watching TV a lot this week. I see all sorts of people being rescued. But I don't see any cats. Are there no cats in Louisiana? I saw a poor little dog about Wednesday in Biloxi. The little dog was sort of swimming along in flood waters near Biloxi. I certainly hope his family found him. But Mom tells me there are two groups of volunteers who will help kitties and doggies when they are in trouble:EARS and NOAH'S WISH. I hope you will consider either volunteering or sending either of these groups a donation. I just saw a little puppy named Goliath who had been tied to a tree at the airport because his staff was not allowed to take him with them when they boarded a bus for Texas. Poor Goliath. I know his little heart was broken. But some kind man found him and is taking care of him. That is a good thing.

Well, those are my thoughts for this week.