Mommy Cat

Mommy Cat

A big white cat has been lurking around the apartment these couple of weeks. The Master has been sharing with her my kitty cat food. I don't mind really. There's always more than enough kitty food for everyone.

The Master calls her Mommy Cat because he knows she's had lots of little kitties. Early this year she had a litter. Maybe Caramella's her daughter. I'm not really sure.

When I got to chat with Mommy Cat. She told me the story about how the The Master saved her life. It was the time when the rains came pouring. She got caught in a storm stranded on top of a tree stump surrounded by flood. Luckily the Master came home and saw her. The Master carried her to safety and placed her gently behind the plants in front of Apartment 1B where it was dry and warm.

Feeding Mommy Cat

The Master came home really late one night and I was waiting for him to come home and give me my dinner. On the way in he had discovered Mommy Cat had decided to stay in the plant box in front of Apartment 1B and have another litter. The Master told me we had cute little kitties outside the apartment. I gave the Master a little nosey bump and a cheek rub to remind him that there was also a cute little kitty inside the apartment and that that kitty was really really hungry.

The Master was very happy seeing the kitties outside. He would always give Mommy Cat food every morning and in the evening time. Sometimes he would even feed her ahead of me saying that we should feed our lovely guest first. That's okay I guess.

Surprise at our doorstep!

This morning we have the surprise of our life. Mommy Cat decided to carry all her kitties and that are now living right outside our door. There are five little kitties. Four of them all white- Blanc, Blanche, Blanchette, and Snow- it's really hard to tell them apart right now. They all have identical blue eyes. There is also one black and white who the master calls Pepper.

Surrounding Pepper are Blanc, Blanche, Blanchette, and Snow

Walter Mellon Collie and I look forward to seeing how all of this will pan out. How we can all live inside and outside Apartment 1B.

Pepper

Ari's Street

It’s raining outside and the weather is lazy. I was roaming around the apartment when I heard Walter and some of the apartmentites talking in the kitchen. There were quiet murmurs and silent muffled laughter. I was in no particular mood to join in whatever they were discussing but I decided to walk over anyways.

On the way over a white cloud gently floated down from the kitchen counter in front of me. It was a big white plastic bag. It flowed so beautifully in front of my walking path. As if by magic it wanted to stop me from joining the others. I walked all around it taking in smells so that I could figure out where it may have come from. It smelled of vegetables- carrots, tomatoes, turnips, and tarragon. I guess it came from the Sunday Market where the Master goes to every Sunday. The Master may have left it on the counter. Strange because he’s very fastidious about these things. Plastic bags are folded neatly in small triangles and sorted by size in a neat row.

The big white bag was open. It was moving very slightly from side to side as if it were under water inside Flamenca’s tank and not right in front of me. It was inviting so I slowly stepped in.

Me in the Big wehite Bag

I like plastic bags. I was delivered to my foster mom, Mommy Gia, in one. I don’t remember much of it but my foster brother and sisters told me all about it. Mommy Gia had a dog and three cats. The lovely dog was named Hazel, who thinks she’s a cat and is by all means an honorary cat. Hazel sniffed out the Master when Mommy Gia was interviewing him for the adoption. Hazel said he gave nice pets and knew where to scratch and gave a very nice pep talk while doing it so the Master got approved to adopt me. The three cats were my big brother Mango, and my sisters Gucci and Prada. Mommy Gia preferred cats to luxury bags. They were all adopted from a shelter in Wisconsin. I miss those guys but as Mango said, all cats must find their own way.

My real brother and I were about 7 days old when we were rescued and found our way to Mommy Gia’s home. Our mommy was probably away looking for food that night and someone snatched us and we were places inside a plastic bas and thrown beside a trashcan. Someone did not want us to be where we were.

Luckily 2 boys were out early playing that early morning. It was still dark and they heard our cries over the sound of the oncoming dump truck. The boys were scared and their hearts were beating as faster than the beat of the truck’s diesel engine. One of the boys sucked up the courage to see what was in the bag. It was me and my brother. They snatched just as one of the collectors approached.

We were not yet saved as the boys did not know what to do with us. Two of their girl friends came and told them to take us to Aries St. where a cat lover lived. The house was empty and they were told that the lady of the house out of town. The kids were desperate to find help for us. So the maid who answered the door told the kids of another cat lover on Libra St.

Ari and Fiero Fellini

Once they were on Libra St. they saw the house and felt everything was going to be okay. The front lawn was full of happy healthy cats. The kids gave us to Mommy Gia who wrapped us in towels and gave us warm kitty milk. My brother and I are going to be okay.

Ahhhh Warm Kitty Milk

I’m glad the Master named me Ari. It’s close to my favorite street- Aries St., my street, the street where I was turned away and found my foster home.

The Monkey Cat

 

The Master has been down these days and I have not been able to cheer him up.  I tried all types of games but all of them do not work. The “bite fingers hiding under the pillows while he’s fast asleep” game. The “run our from under the bed and bite the toes” game. I also tried fishing for fish also known as the “jump on top of the aquarium and scoop out the fish” game. 

Before he would carry me off the aquarium and say “the kitty cat wants to play with the fishies?!” But these days it’s just "Mister Ari Fellini off the Aquarium. Don’t disturb Flamenca (the Fish).” Which brings me to my next point- The Master has been Full Naming me!

Anyways, I know I can find something new to cheer him up. I know the Master uploaded a video of me leaping from the big chair to the bookshelf. That gave him a big kick. So I thought maybe some acrobatics would do the trick.

So while he’s away the bed and I have been practicing walking on Ms. Kathrine the big bed’s rails. Ms Kathrine is quite tall and balancing on the slippery cold metal proved to be quite challenging. The small bed, my bed Duchess also helped. (I should mention her now before she reminds me over and over again to mention that she helped.) Duchess also helped by providing great rest and encouragement for the next practice run.

The other evening, the master was lounging around the apartment. I kinda felt he was again feeling a bit low. So Ms Kathrine, Duchess, and Walter told me to do the thing. Duchess calls it “Balancing on the Bed” and she is ever so dutiful in reminding me that she was the one who invented the name for whatever I was going to do for the Master.

Me doing some Bed Balancing for the Master

So I did! The Master got a kick out of it and now calls me his “Acro-cat.” He says I’m not a bat but a cat so I’m not an Acrobat but an “Acro-Cat”. The second time I did it he called me a “Monkey-Cat”. I much prefer that. It sounds more action movie kung fu technique.

Caramella

The Apartmentites have a new friend- a kitty cat.  She visits in the nighttime when the Master comes home in the evening. Sometimes she waits for the Master along the road and walks him towards the door quietly. Other times she waits for the Master hiding behind one of the outside plants. Once the Master is at the door she pops out and calls out "Meow!"

My view of Caramella with the Plantastics from behind the screen door.

When the Master comes home he usually leaves the big blue door open so Caramella can chat with us. Caramella is a sweet and lovely kitty cat. She rubs her face against the screen door to say hi to everyone. She rolls around on the floor on the opposite side of the screen door while she tells us of the happenings in the neighborhood.  The different cats she played with. The big dogs locked behind metal gates- some nice to them some very territorial and would bark at her. The big rats that she says is as big as her.

The Master is kind enough to give Caramella supper. He shares some of my kitty cat food with her. I don't mind really and Caramella seems to like it. In the beginning she found the dry pebble looking things odd looking. The Master used to mix it with canned Mackerel so that Caramella would eat it and gradually took out the Mackerel. Caramella eventually learned how to eat kitty food.

Our new friend is Orange and White which is why the Master calls her Caramella

The Master once opened the screen door to let her in. The master even said "Come in Caramella." She did and she gave me a big rub on the cheek which was nice. It's been ages since a kitty cat kissed me on the cheek. She sniffed around the apartment for a while. Said hi to Duchess and Walter. The Master asked her "Would you like to live inside the apartment Caramella?"

Caramella gently and quietly stepped out and talked with us some more from the opposite side of the screen door.

The Master and I were a bit surprised that Caramella did not want to live inside the apartment but we were not offended. I did not bother to ask why she did not want to stay with us. She did not bother to explain. We have our own different ways to live and love i guess.

I believe people would term Caramella as as a ferile cat. I would rather call her a neighborhood cat who comes to visit and chat. Not all cats need to be rescued and taken in. All cats - indoors or outdoors- do need to be treated with love and respect. 

Miss Kathrine Gold and Duchess

Welcome to Apartment GF1 Miss Kathrine Gold (pronounced as Ka-trine, the “h” is silent) 
and daughter Duchess.

The Master was kind enough to have a bed made for himself and me, a big one for the Master and a small one for me. The Master is quite sweet. Now we both have two beds in the apartment.

I have it on good authority that Mister Ben is now enjoying himself in Grandma's House. I enjoy my time there immensely and I have such fun stories to tell Mister Ben from my trips. Now he can experience first-hand of the life that is in Grandma's house. Granny's place is one big playground of wonder, lots of places to jump and hide. Mister Ben will love it there. They also have several Beds that Mister Ben can exchange stories with.

The new arrivals in the apartment are Miss Kathrine and her daughter Duchess. Miss Kathrine is properly speaking the Master's bed. Duchess is supposed to be my bed. It is strange for the Master to have a bed made for me when he knows perfectly well that I am very much comfortable sharing the big bed with him. Walter said that maybe the Master may want to have some personal space sometimes. I think that that is absurd. I know he likes it when I snuggle up beside him at night. At any rate we are all one big happy family here, everyone is welcome to sleep anywhere they like. I don't mind the Master sleeping on Duchess or any of my other sleeping spaces around the house.

Miss Kathrine and I have been getting more acquainted in the past few days and I must say that having a girl bed is quite different from a boy bed. Mister Ben was kind and wise, a strong character honed by years of drilled discipline and experience. Miss Miss Kathrine is warm and loving. I guess it's because she is a mother.

Warming up to Duchess

Duchess and I had to warm up to each other. She is quite the talker. She looks exactly like her mom only smaller. Duchess likes to tell the story of how she got the name Duchess. She was named after the shade of gold she and her mom came in, Duchess Gold. Ergo Duchess. 

She also likes to play games like “I spy.” and What color am I?”

What color am I goes like this…

“I am the sky,

the sea,

sometimes cheese,

I come with something borrowed,

and sometimes I am you

when you have cheering up to do.

What color am I?

Then I'd guess what color Duchess is referring to. In this case,  “blue.”

I much prefer to play I spy with duchess.

"I spy with my golden eye". Duchess would say while squinting one eye closed. "A clock with seeds of black and peel of Grey". Of course who could it possibly be except Mister Walter Mellon Collie.

Then Duchess would say "I spy with my Golden eye." Again squinting one with one eye so as not to be too obvious at what she is looking at. "A pretty fishie swimming about." Who else is she referring to but Flamenca.

I spy is a fun way to introduce the different residents of the apartment to both Duchess and Miss Kathrine.  

My Last Days with Mister Ben the Bed

Beds do not lie. If they make you a promise, you can sleep soundly that it is true. 

I have been spending all the time i can spare with Mister Ben the Bed. I heard the master talking with someone about delivering a new bed. They are also taking Mister Ben apart and putting him back together at Grandma's house. I think Nana Flor wants to make use of Mister Ben. I'm glad they will be together. At least I can still visit when the Master brings me over. It is just a shame that Mister Ben, the original resident of the apartment is going away. It's all for the best I guess.

Mister Ben and Nana Flor are not my first Bed and Nanny. When i was still with my foster Mom, Mommy Gia and my brother Fiero I remember I also has a Bed and Nanny. I don't remember their names but I remember that my brother Fiero and I would hide under the Bed. It was out favorite playing spot. It was wide enough to run around. When you pull something under it like slippers, shoes, socks, plushie toys- it was yours forever because it was unaccessible to human hands even ones with long arms.

Tiger is what they used to call me because of my fur pattern. 

My brother Fellini w  as called Oreo after a cookie i believe.

Nanny would coax us out with baby talk during bottle time. 

“Wittle Tiger... Wittle Oreo... Milky time!” Nana would call out.

Fiero and I would not budge a muscle. Baby talk is how we were coaxed into a plastic bag and left on the curb beside the trash. The then Mister Bed was kind enough to explain to us that not all humans are bad. He promised that it is all going to be okay and that we should get something to eat so that we would grow big and strong. 

Me in Nana's loving hands. Mister Bed is in the Background. 

We figured that if Mister bed was kind enough to let us play under him and keep us safe all this time we should at least trust him. So we did come out and we were met with loving hands and warm milk. It was all very comforting. What joy to have loving humans to take care of you. After that, we learned how to explore the world from outside the confines of Mister Bed's four legs. 

The Master is Such a Clown

Nosey Bump on top of the Cabinet

The Master is Back from Holiday and brought me the cutest coming home present. It's a circus clown nose.  I wonder though, because if it is a gift for me why do i not get to wear it? Only the Master gets to put it on his nose.

Nosey Bump on the Bed

I don't mind though. Because once it's on the Master calls me over for a nosey bump. Nosey Bumps are like eskimo kisses but much more fun. It's just one quick bump of two noses with a corresponding "hmmmmmh" sound of endearment. After a few nosey bumps I paw it off his face so we can both run after the big red ball. I let the Master win of course. If he wins he puts it on again and i get another nosey bump. That and I love pawing it off his face.


I'm glad the Master is back. I love my clown nose. It's the bestest gift ever.

The Clown Nose resting in his case after a long day of nosey bumps.

Rhoda

Having a rest beside the window after a lot of waling around.

Grandma's house holds so many wonders. She has such a lot of stuff. Wandering thought the hole house I get to meet a lot of characters. Amongst the photos and trinkets on top of the piano is my favorite. Her name is Rhoda she is a cobalt blue porcelain pitcher adorned with colorful flower prints. She used to serve water, fresh juices, and sweet sangria in her heydays. She could hob nob with the best of the china and silver. Her bright personality could liven up any luncheon, afternoon tea, or dinner service. Even at the most formal of dinners where only white dinner wear is allowed, Rhoda's presence is always welcome. She has such color and life.

Rhoda and her floral patterns

Rhoda is now an old lady and is used as a vase. Instead of serving drinks now she holds water for flora. Her faded colors provides an excellent contrast to Roses, Gadenias, and Daisies. Even now in her golden years she can still brighten up your day. 


Rhoda, the dignified lady that she is,  relishes the fact that she is still of service to Grandma's house.

My Best Friend at Grandma's House, Coco Woco

Coco... or "Coco Woco", as the Master calls her, wearing a hat given to her by the Master
that Nana insists that she wears.

I have been keeping myself busy at Grandma's house by teaching Coco how to jump on the Master's bed. Coco is Grandma's doggie. She's a black Shitzu-Poodle mix. She has long black hair. If she lays down motionless on the floor you'd think she was a rug, or a very dirty mop-head. 

Coco's favorite game is tag. Sometimes we both get confused on who's supposed to run after whom so we just end up running around the big dining table. It's all good fun.

I was surprised to learn that Coco could not jump. I myself could jump from the Master's bed, run to Grandma's room, and leap to her bed easy as pie. Coco can only do a small hop and stand on her hind legs so that he can see the top of the matress.

I made it my mission to teach Coco how to jump on top of the Master's bed. 

I told Coco it's all about thinking light. Imagine that you are an airplane taking off at full speed and that her hind legs are springs that shoot off off the ground, think you are lighter than air, and most importantly, land safely on all fours. Then act as if it's no big deal... this is shall we say the cat's touch.

She found it hard to run fast enough. To propel herself into srpingy action. Coco is on the voluptuous side. I guess this is a consequence of all the generous helpings here at Grandma's. A small price to pay for larger and more frequent feedings.

Being an an eager student, Coco is really easy to teach. First we practiced making a running start and jumping. Run and jump on the sofa was the first goal.This was easy enough for Coco, she's been doing it for sometime now. The sofa is her location of choice for afternoon naps. 

The next step was jumping on the living room table. Which was higher than the sofa, midway to the matress. After a few flumpy jumps or flumps, Coco was able to make it to the top of the table. Nana caught us on top of the table celebrating. So the practice session had to stop momentarily. Long enough for us to hear a scolding and for Nana to leave the room.

After a few more practice sessions, and in between snacks and rests, we decided to try for the bed. Coco and I agreed we would do it together so we could feed off each other's energy. So we did. In the first try, Coco chickened out of the jump so she ended up sliding under the bed. Second try, Coco's front legs made it to the top. She struggled with her hind legs to walk up the bed but Coco flumped onto the floor. The third try was the charm.

It was magical moment.  Bot of us made a running start. We were like Cheetahs running in the Savannah. We both made a springy jump and like eagles soaring we felt our wet noses getting warm with the flow of the wind. We both landed safely and with such lightness on top of the bed we could not help but feel like swans landing on a golden pond. What a moment of ecstatic achievement. Horray for Coco.

There was just one thing I forgot to factor in before we made the jump. Coco is an inside-outside doggie so her feet were not as clean as mine. I hope the Master looks at the bright side and appreciates the fact that Coco can now jump on the bed. Instead of getting angry at the doggie prints on his sheets.

Coco and I on the Master's bed, trying to figure out how to get rid of the dirty paw prints.

Grandma's House

I’m enjoying myself in Grandma’s House. There’s so much room here. It’s a whole house just like the one I lived in before with my foster mom, Gia. Not a flat like the apartment. But, I do miss Walther and the gang. I hope they are all okay. I also hope that the shirmpies last until the Master comes back. He’s away now so he bought some shrimp for the fishies so that they have something to eat because no one is going to feed them in the morning time while he’s away.

I just gave out a "Meow" so I'm acting nonchalantly because Nana's
going to walk in anytime now to give me a scratch and a snack.

Grandma and Nana take care of feeding me in the morning and evening time. I like staying at Grandma’s. They give me bigger helpings of food than the Master.  And much more often. Nana, the Master’s nanny who’s been with the family for years, is also very cooperative. When I call her she comes immediately. She gives me a scratch on the chin and a snack. Don’t get me wrong I love the Master. He is always looking out for my health so he is very food portion conscious but he makes up for it with scratchies and huggiebugs. I could use a huggie bug right now... and a nosey bump!

I could use a huggie bug and a nosey bump.

All is Well!

Wagging my tail to comfort the Master

I apologize for my absence. The readers from the blogosphere have been awaiting news from the apartment. No, it did not burn down. We are all still alive. We just had a close call. Specifically, the Master has been sick and has been in need of some care from yours truly.

The Master came down with persistent cough and bouts of asthma. Grandma, the Master’s mom has been calling repeatedly for him to go the doctor but to no avail. The Master refuses to go to the doctors. As he said, the only doctor that he is willing to see is the Dermatologist or a Plastic Surgeon. Well, the facial did relieve some of the congestion because of the steaming. The surgeon prescribed antibiotics before the liposuction, which he is not willing to take. So the Master has been has been self medicating with natural cures- lemon juice, ginger tea, and bananas. The bananas are for hen he gets crams on his stomach for too much coughing. Go figure.

I was almost fearful that the Master would die of hard-headedness. What is a kitty cat like me to do? All I can do is be there for the Master. 

I casually walk beside him as he lays down on his side and I do the same leaning my back on his back. Wagging my tail to give him gentle pats reassures the Master that someone is there for him. Mr. Ben told me I did good because the Master is too proud to ask for help.

Me on the Mater's Chest

The other night when he was coughing really hard I really did not know what to do. Walter remembered he once heard that a cat named Catterina helped a poet named Edgar Allan Poe by sitting on his wife’s chest when they could not afford coal to keep her warm through the winter when she was sick. So I did the same for the Master. I think it helped. Good thing Walter was around. I never would have thought I could comfort the Master just by being there sitting on his chest.


The Master is well now and is busy with work. He s sending me to Grandma’s house for a few days whole he goes away. I look forward to staying with Grandma. I’ll miss Walter and the Gang. I wish we could all go and play with Coco, Grandma’s Doggie. But I’ll be back in the apartment in a few days. I’ll have stories to tell Walter and I’m sure they’ll have stories to share with me.

All is well and I can Sleep

The Game of Cans

It’s been raining out so Walter and I invented a game so all the apartmentites can do something in lieu of going out because of the rains. Yes, we know that even if it does not rain we are still not allowed to go out but we’d like to think that we have the option to go out and play like everyone else.

The game is called Cans. Mainly because the players are mostly cans- Corned Beef, SPAM, Pork and Beans, Tuna, Milk, Chicken Hotdogs, Vienna Sausage, Potted Meat, and Cat Food. Walter has some misgivings with having some cat food on his teams but I assured him that they would be impartial. Just like I was assured that all the other cans, who are in his care in the pantry, would also play fair.

Walter and I formed two teams with the cans. We have five cans playing at a time with the other cans on standby. The playing space is five spaces wide and five steps from each other. Five can are in a line on each side. Then Walter’s team turn away while I hide one of Ursula’s coins under one can then we can form any formation two cans thick and three cans wide. Then our team faces the back while Walter team does the same. The object of the game is to guess where the other team hid the treasure.

The captains of each team- namely Walter and I- may command a member of their team or command a can from the other team to move one space at a time. In the beginning, one prioritizes to move cans of the other team so they break their formation and maybe during the movement reveal who is hiding the coin. It is also essential to move them away from each other so that they cannot pass on the coin to another can.

At any time during game play, you may interrogate a can to find out if he or she has the coin. Interrogation is considered a move.

During game time, the cans are allowed to move the coin from one can to another. But, they have to do it discretely.  SPAM cans are very good at covering line of sight. They are also good hiders. SPAM cans work very well with low lying Tuna Cans.

Moving the coin is risky but sometimes it is the only way to protect your treasure. The Corned Beef guys are very good at this. They have very good poker faces and can pass a coin like nothing happened. They are very serious at Cans. They hate losing.

If one is definitely sure which can is hiding the treasure you can challenge a can. The can steps forward to your side of the playing field then reveals if he or she has the can. If you are successful in making you challenge. You win the game! If not, the challenged can stacks another can from your standby team. Once this stack reaches back home base, they may unstacked and then you have 6 cans playing on your team during gametime.

Stacking is also allowed anytime during gameplay. But, there is a danger that the stack be brought to the other team’s side so that can becomes their player. A stack may be challenged at anytime so stacks of 5-6 may happen.

Pork and Beans are very boisterous players. They like it when the stacks get to an unreasonable height. They like to tease the cans till they topple over. Which looks dangerouns and some cans may get dented. But it's all in good fun.

The smaller cans- Potted Meat and Vienna Sausage- are giddy they can't stand in one spot too long but they are very good bluffers. We have a particularly excellent Vienna Sausage Can who can act as if he has the the coin or the the coin has just been passed onto him but is trying his best not to show it. Such a classic. We have to watch out for him.

One time Walter and I kept on challenging so that the other team could not gain possession of the stack. We ended up with two stacks 10 cans high. That's when Walter and I realized that we have to figure this game out further. 

The Hot Chicks, Tini and Gras

The master caught me behind the curtains. I was talking with Tini and Gras. The two chicks who live just outside our window.  They sit outside the window raising the eye candy factor of the apartment’s window. The Master put birdhouse in between them hoping that birds would come near our apartment for us to stare at, but it does not seem to be working. The outside plants are much more effecting in doing that.

 Tini and Gras are very talkative. You’d think the birdhouse would stop them from chatting and getting to know each other more intimately but you’d be wrong. It is what strengthened their friendship I guess. Maybe it’s their chatter that scares the birds away. It’s okay though. They are cool chicks.

Some people think they are sisters, twins even. Both of them will object to this pointing out their differences that no one else can see but them. Only the bestest of friends can do this. Which is what they are. Really, really, really, good friends. So much the same and alike at the same time that only they can tell the difference.

Tini is the more talkative of the two, and Gras is the listener. Even after the three of us have just spoken. Tini will repeat the story and Gras will listen as if she heard it for the very first time. She is very respectful that way. She likes hearing things from different perspectives.

At night Tini tells Gras bedtime stories to help her sleep. Even if a birdhouse divides them them Tini’s beautiful stories lulls Gras to sleep taking her far far away in a world where they both of them live in their very own chicken coop and tell stories side by side, maybe even sharing a warm cup of tea together.

Water Talk

Having a rest after Water Lessons. Me on top of the cabinet.
Walter on top of the water container. The fishies in the water tank. 

Walter is standing by the fish tank making faces at the fishies. If it had a sound it would sound like this...

“Wawawawawa.Popopo. Wa ew pop”

I told him that the master forbids teasing the fishies.

He told me he was not teasing the fish. He’s talking to them. I did not know he could talk fish. It was such a pleasant surprise. I always wanted to play with the fishies. Not I am much closer to doing that if only Walter could teach me how to communicate with them.

This is so exciting. Walter can teach me fish.

Walter told me that he talked water not fish. That explained a lot, he is a watermelon after all. I later found out all water creatures be it from fresh or salt water, living in, or made of talk water. Since Walter is partially made of water it is a language that was passed onto him along with speaking melon.

Talking water is strange but it makes no sound. It is a visual language based on the movement and shape of the lips and mouth. It’s very smart actually. Convenient for fishies to communicate without being heard by predators since sound is carried longer and at least 5 times faster in water. Water also magnifies up to 33 percent so you can talk to someone from afar without really being heard. Water creatures are so intelligent.

“Baba” is Hello. “Popop” is “How do you do?”

I am having a hard time speaking Water. My teeth are getting in the way. It reminds the fishies so much of the sharp teeth of Baracudas and Sharks that they get scared. I’m lucky that I have Walter to explain things to them.

Ursula, the Keeper of Lost Coins

The Master brought in the inside plants back inside. Rapunzel II, Bethany, and the newbie Fortune enjoyed the rains and some sunshine outside but now it was time to get back inside the apartment. Walter noticed something peculiar. All the plants are in pots but not all pots have plants in the Apartment. There was one pot where my playmates the Pings lived along with other bric-a-bracks that the Master gives me to play with. There is also this other pot that does not house anything. It sits in the apartment with all the other precious things. It seems very important to the Master.

Its a painted pot with a picture of a lovely lady with sunlight tresses, sky blue eyes, and a long slender fish tail that shines like a bright moonless night illuminated by a million stars of different colors-reds, green, yellow, violets, and blue. As I learned, this is a picture of the Ursula, the Mermaid keeper of lost coins.

Ursula, the keeper of Lost Coins

Coins are very inconspicuous. Oftentimes, we have so many that you hardly notice that you dropped one. Sometimes, they are so precious that we hide them so valiantly that we don’t even know where we put them. 

Coins magically roll out from the city, along the roads and streets. Inconspicuously avoiding being trampled by people who are too busy to notice. Rolling alongside cars and bike, even buses. Sometimes stopping with the traffic. They roll and roll so many of them that if someone only looked down and hard enough he would make a fortune. 

All of them make their way to the seaside and beaches so that the waves lead them to Ursula. 

Ursula wakes up every morning and collect coins from her garden. She finds then in between the cockles, seashells, and starfish. Along the rows of seaweeds, corals, and anemonies. Like a lady tending to flowers in a garden. She picks them up and places each one in a purple ermine bag very careful not to disturb the sea creatures resting alongside them. The mindfully considers each one. Each coin is unique to Ursula. 

Ursula's Ermine Bag 

Ursula brings all the coins from all over the world in the magical cavern where she lives. She has so many purple bags in her magical cavern some of them bursting with coins. Ursula has never bothered to count or sort the coins. What for? To her they are all the same. Gold, silver, platinum or copper all of them will serve the purpose of bringing good cheer to people who deserve them the most.

If you’ve ever walk along the sidewalk and suddenly you spot a coin. That coin came from Ursula. She gives coins to people to cheer them up. Sends coins to wish you good luck. Or when you feel like it’s your lucky day, she gives you cause to shout out “Hey, a lucky coin. It really is my lucky day!”

Some people miss the magic. Some people get it. Some people will look at the coin Ursula sent them and rate it for it’s value. What a lovely feeling it must be to find one of Ursula’s coins. To be reminded that someone somewhere is thinking of you and sends you a happy thought. That feeling that a little magic has gone your way.

In the apartment we also have a bowl where the master keeps his loose change. I always wonder how many of those coins came from Ursula.

Screen Door

I was standing beside the screen door and I thought how easy it is for me just to scratch my way out of the apartment and explore the outside. I stepped outside once before. But the Master did not like it.

The master arrived carrying a lot of groceries. I gave him my usual hello “Meow” which he always thinks is a cry for food. I think he’s projecting. He’s always hungry when he gets home. He goes straight to the fridge getting a drink or something to eat. Sometimes Walter and I make bets on which food item he’ll go for first. Walter usually wins. He has a better grasp on the Master’s eating habits and the refrigerator’s inventory.

I think the Master was too caught up with the groceries that he left the big blue door open. The screen door was ajar and for the first time the outside plants were so excited to see me un-blurred by the metal screen. They were soo happy to see me in full color that they called me over for a hug. I got a few steps away from the blue door. The smells were so different form the inside. So much fresher and not everything smelled like the Master.

The pots smelled different, more earthy. I took a whiff of soil, it was moist and grainy. I also put my nose against Bethany and she smelled so nice- fresh, green, and I guess… planty!

The Master screamed at me. I never heard him so angry at me. He explained that once I cross the doorline I will turn into a stray cat and lose all my princely powers. He grabbed my by the back and carried me inside. He dropped me on Mr. Ben and I hid under him.

Later, Mr. Ben explained that since I was 7 days old I have lived inside and I would never survive in the big big world. Mr. Ben and Walter told me that unlike outside kitty cats I do not have the instincts to survive outside and if I lose my way I would not have the capacity to find my way back home. If that’s what princely powers are all about then I gladly abdicate them for a chance at seeing the outside.

I guess the Master was only concerned for my safety that’s why he screamed at me. But, how will I learn about the outside if I don’t go outside? How will I be able to find my way back home if I don’t actually leave home? What are Princely Powers anyways?

The Master has a Monster!

Have you heard of the saying that there are monsters under your bed? It is actually true! I have met the Master’s monster. His name is Rocky!

Mr. Ben the Bed introduced me to him just the other night. Everyone has a monster under the bed. It is actually quite a common thing. They are not there to pull you under the bed and swallow you whole. Unless that is what it takes to protect you. I think that maneuver gives them such a bad reputation. But it is actually all for the best.

They are big and strong creatures. They are there for you when you feel sad or lonely, when you are sick, or when you just need a friend to hug and hug you back. You monster is always there for you.

Each monster looks different. Depending on what their Master think is both terrifying and amusing at the same time.

The other night was particularly challenging for the Master, he was down with a fever and the weather was really bad. It was cold in the apartment and outside it was raining very hard. Then suddenly a loud sound and a bright light came out of nowhere. That’s when Rocky sprang into action. He jumped out from under the bed with his big big fiery eyes, sharp sharp teeth, and humongous paws that turned into molten whip-like claws of lava. He looked like a big bulldog but much much bigger and scarier. He is almost bigger than Mr. Ben! He roared to the lightning and thunder to go away... “Keep away from the Master for he is sleeping and he needs his rest!”

I myself was thrown off the bed. I was under the impression that the Master was being attacked. I was about to jump on this creature and scratch his eyes out. Good think Mr. Ben was there to explain things to both of us.

Rocky has been with the Master all his life. He is a cuddly monster. Scary when he needs to be but otherwise he is very fuffy and smells like toasted marshmallows.

When the Master was young Rocky was the one who caught fallen teddy bears and put them back in is arms. He walked beside him through bouts of sleepwalking and blind trips to the bathroom. When the Rogues come, Rocky is there to stake his claim and send them away. Rogues are other people’s monsters who have gone astray and have decided to be other people’s monsters whether they like it or not. Rogues are no match for Rocky. In extreme cases of nightmares and exorcism, Rock can even jump into the Master’s dreams and battle with demons. He’s done it a couple of times.

The Master has some weird demons Rocky explained. Rocky asked me if I’d like to learn how to jump in the Master’s dreams and send the demons away. He could use all the help he can get in there. I told Rocky that I’m up to the challenge. We rubbed cheeks on it, now we are bonded for life.