Father's Day

Father's day is just around the corner! Even if my own beloved Dad passed away 16 years ago, I still find myself daydreaming about getting him that perfect gift to put a smile on his face. I do this year after year! My pick now is Anthony Logistics for Men from SkinCareRx:

Anthony Logistics Skin Care For Men It's only natural to want skin and shaving products that are easy to use, highly effective, and comfortable on your skin. That's why Anthony Logistics products treat every issue a man has with skin care, ranging from fine lines and wrinkles and dryness to acne breakouts and razor burn. Background Anthony created Anthony Logistics For Men out of a need for skin and shaving care products that are targeted towards a man's specific needs while being multi-tasking and easy to use. Science Natural, hypoallergenic formulas are the basis of Anthony Logistics skin care. Vitamin-rich serums, like the Vitamin A Treatment, fight aging and sun damage, soothing botanical extracts, like Aloe, calm and comfort, and Alpha Hydroxy Acids, like Glycolic Acid, resurface the skin for a smooth finish. Solutions It's obvious that most men hate using sunscreens. That's why Anthony Logistics sun care products are lightweight, non-greasy, and quick and easy to apply. The Sun Spray SPF 15 mists on sun protection as well as nourishing vitamins and soothing extracts.

If you don't help him take better care of his skin, who will? :) Click on the link to find out more.
Spend $30 Site Wide and receive a free Anthony Logistics Deluxe Shave Set!

outside the box

Ever get one of those days when your beloved kitty does his business outside the litter box? I've only experienced a handful (of such days ;p) and don't really mind. All it takes is a sprinkling of some clay kitty litter or baking soda over the mess. After a few minutes, it can easily be scooped up with a plastic bag or the litter shovel. No sweat, right? Dog owners, on the other hand, deal with this sort of thing every single day.
I'm not giving up on the idea of being a dog owner someday despite the feline monarchy (anarchy, really) situation in my home right now. So in the hopes of future morning walks with a pup of my own, I've bookmarked this site, www.poopoobags.com, based in Zurich, that offers the cutest biodegradable poopoo bags!
P.S. I so adore that chocolate lab puppy! Isn't he the sweetest?

spring cleaning cats...not!

Spring cleaning...CHECK! Hooray! Done with that "mother of all chores"!
I've decided to ease up on the harsh chemical cleansers this time and opted for a gentler, similarly effective and cat-safer way to disinfect my home.
So I grabbed a soft rag, filled my spray bottle with a 50-50 solution of vinegar and water (plus a squeeze of lemon) and used that for the floors, glass tops, mirrors, door knobs, bathroom, kitchen...just about everything! Baking soda is the perfect scouring powder, by the way. It gets rid of the grime without leaving any scratch marks.
Thank goodness, I survived spring cleaning! And I did it with zero help from the kitties, of course, who had better things to do, like:
1. Pretending to help with the vacuuming, when really more interested in napping by the picture window.

2. Sniffing terrified basil flowers and quenching inexplicable thirst with vase water.

3. Appropriating all storage to one's self; leaving scratch marks all over to reiterate ownership.

4. Nefariously stalking oblivious Calicos just for the fun of it.

5. Feeding an insatiable appetite, unknowingly positioned precariously for Ragamese attack.

6. Running for cover in The Closet , even if it means messing up the perfectly folded clothes! (Watch out, Little L! CC is already in there!)

save the sumatran tigers

Quoted from the care2 petition site:

Protect Tigers and Humans, Stop Illegal Logging in Sumatra
Target: Didy Wurjanto, head of Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam (Nature Conservancy Agency)
Sponsored by: Care2

In less than a month, six people were killed from tiger attacks in Sumatra, Indonesia. And three tigers were killed by civilians in this same area. This is a clear example of the deadly consequences of interfering in the habitat of wild animals.
Illegal loggers are encroaching on tiger habitat, and it is creating a dire situation for these endangered creatures. Palm oil and pulpwood plantations are clearing millions of hectares of valuable forests. Nearly 50 percent of forests have been lost in Sumatra in the past 22 years.
Fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers remain in the wild, and we must do everything we can to protect these animals and the forests they call home. They're already under attack from global warming.
Please tell the head of the official nature conservancy agency in the area to do everything possible to stop illegal logging and protect tiger populations

Add your signature to the petition here.

cat age calculator

CC just turned 11 on the 29th of March! Way to go, CC! A quick check using this cat age calculator from meow-kitty.com tells me that she's actually 60 in people years! A true senior kittyzen! (=*;*=)

Want to know how old your little one is in human terms? Simply slide the marker along the scale until you hit your cat's age. The equivalent age in human years will be calculated instantly.


So far, CC is in the pink of health...figuratively (no apparent illnesses) and literally (she's got the pinkest paws and nose). My birthday wish for her is that she remain happy and healthy always.

We love you, dear CC!

a cat in spring

Hello everyone! Stop and smell the sakura blossoms...
Springtime is here at last!

"Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves is heard in our land."
(Song of Solomon 2:12 NIV)

treasures from around the world

I always keep an eye out for online shops that sell unique, handmade items. If you've been searching for that special and meaningful gift for someone (yourself included), check out Novica.com.

In association with National Geographic, Novica.com gives you access to beautiful, museum-quality, hand-spun home decor, jewelry, apparel, paintings and other treasures by artisans from the Andes, Brazil, Bali, Java, India, Mexico, Thailand, West Africa and the US.

Get inspired by reading about the artists. You'll know more about the face behind each work of art in a mini-bio featuring the artist's photo and story.

Clockwise from top, left: Rose Mist Silk Blouse from India, Hummingbird Tapestry from the Andes, Lotus Angel Gold Vermeil Garnet Earrings from Brazil, Watch Cat Bronze Doorknocker from Bali and Java, Guardian of the Cats Bronze Sculpture from Brazil, and Bambara Antelope Wooden Stuatuettes from West Africa. All photos from Novica.com

finding encouragement

Who has not been affected, one way or the other, by the state of our world's economy? Being the worrier that I am, I often find myself weeping every single day for family, friends and even strangers.

There's no doubt we need the basics---food, shelter, clothing. And now, here we are---on the verge of hunger and homelessness; stripped of everything, including our dignity.

But I am hopeful that something beautiful will emerge out of all this darkness. A new me and a new you.

Definitely more prayerful, more grounded, more mature.

As we find ourselves at the heart of a crisis, let us never forget that we have hope in God! An eternal kind of hope that transcends all our worldly problems.

Pray for those around you. Run to God for comfort. He has been waiting for you.

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31 )

kitty in the house plan

Read this blog about a house in Japan that's truly built with cats in mind. The clever features in this kitty funhouse have been seamlessly incorporated into the overall plan. Lots of great ideas here! Ramps, beams, perches, nooks, litter cubicles...I can totally see my cats (and me) living here!

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Cat Utopia, on the other hand, is a unique cat-only hotel in Canada that offers luxury accommodations for cats, including a plush bed, a window with a view, a fireplace, a virtual aquarium, and bird-feeders for entertainment. Checking in on your cat is possible through web cam viewing.

hey, you! there's a worm in my salad

Like many of you, I have always been a bonafide fan of pre-washed mixed greens. They make eating healthy quick and easy as pie. Toss in some tofu, a little bit of cottage cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil and you're good to go.

My loyalty to the triple-washed, pesticide- and preservative-free, never-packed-by-hand, manna from the vacuum cooler may have taken a turn for the worse the day I discovered a lifeless, big, fat (potentially juicy) worm in my salad. You must know that by this time, I had already had a few mouthfuls of my meal before being horror-stricken by the "uncovering" (It was buried under a lettuce leaf). That encounter sent me retching and doubting whether I could ever eat leafy green vegetables in peace again.


Sigh! What's a gal like me to do? I can't sustain this avoidance forever. But one thing's for sure---having worms in salads is just way too organic for me!

wheatgrass goes to the cats

It's been a month since I took home some potted wheatgrass for my cats. Here are a handful of interesting observations I've made:

1. It really helps to clear their system of hairballs.

2. While it aids their bowel movement, too much of it does cause diarrhea and vomiting.

One particular cat overindulged by wolfing down a mouthful the very first day it was introduced. In less than an hour he had soft stools and an episode of vomiting. All this was completely reversed, of course, when I denied him noshing privileges for a day. He quickly learned his lesson and now takes only a few nibbles of it at a time.

3. Out of habit, some cats continued to graze on the ornamental plants, although less so than before. The best solution would be to make your household plants (which may be toxic anyway) inaccessible to the cats. Over time, they will become accustomed to having just wheatgrass whenever they get the urge to eat fresh vegetation.

I encourage you to try growing a wheatgrass garden just for your cat. It is easy to care for and thrives successfully indoors. The chlorophyll content is believed to be effective in improving the blood stream, strengthening the immune system, and detoxifying the liver and colon. So, not only is wheatgrass generally safe, it is potentially beneficial to animals as well.