No Snarks Today!

Sometimes this feline is critical of the human race, but not today. You guys nominated my guy, Senator Obama, as your candidate for President. I could not be more proud of you. Like you, I’m fired up and ready to go!

On another subject, the Pops and I are thinking of the residents of the Gulf Coast this weekend and hoping some miracle or something protects them from the approaching storm. We remember another time and another storm. Please don’t let the past be repeated.

Have a peaceful weekend

Sincerely,
Fred the Cat (The cat who loves you guys!)

What’s the Matter with Bill?

Rumor has it that Bill Clinton will not stay in Denver tonight to hear Senator Obama’s acceptance speech. If it’s true, some say it isn’t a big deal. I disagree.

If President Clinton does not attend the speech, it tells me he has no interest in our candidate. That makes me nervous and a little ticked. If we are all on the same team, why wouldn’t he want to be involved and dedicated to helping in any way he can to make our team the winner? The future of our country is just as important to him and his family as it is to you and your family and to me and my family.

There was a time I would go to bat in a heart beat to defend President Clinton. Sure, when he admitted to lying about his sexual tryst, I was pissed at him, but it wasn’t about what he did, it was that he had lied to me and you. I quickly got beyond those feelings. I admired the hell out of him. But it seems he has changed. I don’t know if it’s ego or what. I just wish he was as dedicated to us and I used to be to him.

As I post this, this morning, I have not as yet seen his speech from last night. All week I have crashed before the speeches came on and instead I get up early and watch the tape of them on C-span. Hopefully when I watch Bill’s speech this morning, he will have said something to cause my faith in him to return.

Update
I just finished watching Bill’s speech from last night. Oh boy! That’s the Bill Clinton we all loved. He’s back with a vengeance and I could not be happier to see him display his knowledge and talent. Thank you Bill Clinton for being there when we needed you so much.

The Dispatcher in Chief?

We know McCain dispatched Thing 1 and Thing 2 (Lieberman and Graham) to Georgia last week to do something about the Georgia and Russia conflict. Now McCain has dispatched Cindy McCain to Georgia to oversee the humanitarian effort in that area. McCain’s just a regular little dispatcher isn’t he?

Yes, Cindy has in the past traveled around the world as a result of several humanitarian charities she is associated with and maybe it isn’t all that unusual that she would go to Georgia. But still, this trip just coincidentally coincided with the day Michelle Obama was to give the speech of her lifetime? What are the odds that the hopeful Dispatcher in Chief would coincidentally do his dispatching on that same particular day?

It’s wonderful that the McCain’s are so concerned about the victims of the Georgia and Russia conflict. Such humanitarians those two. Does anyone remember how soon after Katrina struck the Gulf Coast the McCains dispatched their asses down there to help?

Toilet Trials and Tribulations

Okay, I mentioned last week that as a result of so much rain we lost the use of our toilets for a while. This is the result of our home being on a septic tank. The ground became so saturated there just wasn’t any place for the drainage to go. But a couple of hours later we were good to go (no pun intended)

For the next couple of days as the rain continued, we would flush the toilets as infrequently as possible, for obvious reasons. One of the toilets seemed to have a problem in that it wouldn’t completely refill after a flush. Not good.

So last Thursday night Mr. Pop opened up the tank to see if there were any obvious problems. He turned off the water valve at the wall, or so he thought. He unscrewed the tube that brings the water to the tank and that’s when things went terribly wrong. Water began shooting everywhere. He quickly tried to tighten the valve at the wall and bingo, the valve broke off in his hand. Water continued to spew from the tube like a loose hose. He was running to grab towels from the linen closet and trying to hurry back as the short little tube with it’s ammo of water continued to fight him. There was only one thing to do, he had to put a whole bunch of towels on the tube and run like hell outside to shut off the water line coming into the house.

Meanwhile, I was sound asleep and didn’t know about any of this. So when I awoke Friday morning and stumbled into the kitchen, I found three bottles of water beside my coffee maker and a gallon plastic jug of water sitting in the sink. Along with a short note that informed me that the outside water line was closed.

When Mr. Pop awoke he told me about his experience the night before. He said he felt like he was in an “I Love Lucy” episode, the one where Lucy and Ethyl are working in the chocolate factory. When he let go of the spewing tube to run and grab more towels, there would be even more water all over the place when he returned, causing him to need even more towels. It was a soggy vicious cycle.

Bottom line, the plumber arrived Friday morning and 45 minutes later we had a completely rebuilt toilet and a new valve at the wall. All new parts and it works now better than it ever did. The plumber: $218.00. If I could have had a video of Mr. Pop’s experiences last Thursday night: Priceless!

As Biden takes off the gloves, does McCain take off the Mittens?

Saturday, the McCain camp was quick as a whistle to come out with an ad showing Senator Biden criticizing Senator Obama and lauding Senator McCain. With that in mind, I’m guessing Mittens Romney will not be getting the tap for Senator McCain’s vice president. I think we all remember that during the primaries, Mittens, for all intents and purposes, called Senator McCain a liar.

If Senator McCain chooses Mittens, his campaign must know the words of that incident will be out there and now could easily be used. They wouldn’t be so stupid as not to realize that, would they?

Fred the Cat, smarter than John McCain?

My name is Fred the Cat and I know how many homes I have. Does that make me smarter than Senator John McCain? Guess so.

“Asked how many houses he owned, John McCain replied, "I think — I'll have my staff get to you."

If you know how many homes you have and are embarrassed by the number, what does that say about you? If you just don’t know how many homes you have, what does that say about you? Tells me he is either filthy rich or stupid.

Have a relaxing weekend and enjoy the summer before it slips away.

Sincerely,
Fred the Cat (The cat who loves you guys!)

Too Much Water

We were very lucky, except for the fact that our toilets couldn’t be flushed for a few hours. I won’t go into details on that little situation. We have now had officially twelve inches of rain and the majority of it all fell in just a matter of a few hours. All around us there are neighborhoods standing in two to five feet of water. The ground is just so saturated that there is nowhere for the water to go.

Yesterday morning only one lane on US-1 was open going south and going north was nearly impossible due to the standing water. Mr. Pop waited a couple of extra hours before venturing off to work. A trip that usually takes twenty minutes took him almost forty five minutes.

Yes, I am sick and tired of gloomy cloudy skies, rain and wind and the constant fear we will lose electricity, but all in all, we have been very lucky. Perhaps by tomorrow I will feel secure enough with the electricity to leave the computer on all day long. A day without computer usage is just like a day without sunshine, and I’ve had neither for several days.

***

By the time you read this we may know the name of the person Senator Obama has chosen for his running mate. What do you think?

It’s Soggy Down Here

We have had seven or eight inches of rain in the last 24 hours. We never lost power but the flickering on and off prohibited me from feeling secure about cranking up the computer.

Thank you everyone for your sweet comments and messages. It sure did feel good to read them this morning.

Yesterday seemed like one of the longest days ever. It was dark, windy and raining all day. The sky never seemed to change. So what to do on a day such as that? Yep, crawl up on the bed and sleep to your heart’s content. That’s what I did. Fred on the other hand spent most of the day protesting Mother Nature for not allowing him to have his nap in the sunshine.

Again, thank you for being such sweet friends. It means a lot, to know that there are people who I have never met who are thinking about us on days like yesterday.

Cones, in and out

This is my Tuesday post.

You may be reading this on Tuesday but I am posting it Monday night. We are in the cone of tropical storm/hurricane anxiety and I don’t know if we will have electricity Tuesday morning. The weather dudes are saying that most likely we won’t.

I guess you have heard by now that for the first half of Obama’s questions from Rev. Warren last Saturday night, McCain was not even at the church yet but instead on his way to the event. This means he was not “in the cone of silence” as Warren had said he would be. Think this gave McCain the possibility of being clued in on some of the questions?

So McCain wasn’t in the cone he should have been in and I’m in the cone that I don’t want to be in. It’s just not fair sometimes.

I’ll update this post later in the day, Tuesday, if I can.

Check out the difference

Remember how embarrassed you felt last week when you saw the pictures of bush at the Olympics? Especially the one where several men were having to hold him to keep him from falling because either something was wrong with him or he had one cocktail too many. Remember the strange expressions on his face at different times, often times looking more like a monkey than some monkeys do? And who could forget the photo of him holding the flag backward?

That’s our president now, but how about these pictures of our future president?

Quick Question from Fred the Cat

Hi guys! Here’s the question. What do you think we will be talking about this time next year?

Have a great weekend and try to stay cool

Sincerely,
Fred the Cat (the cat who loves you guys!)

The Great Juicer Instruction Booklet Mystery

Because I haven’t used my nifty electric juicer for a long time, I decided to give it to a girl who works for Mr. Pop. I also wanted to give her the instruction/recipe booklet that came with the juicer. I’ve had the juicer for three years.

Okay, a little personal note. I keep the instructions to everything mechanical that we purchase. I’m goofy like that. So to find the instruction book for the juicer should be a piece of cake…..should be.

I have gone through all my files, all my kitchen drawers and every damned place I know to look. The juicer instructions are no where to be found.

I did find the instructions to a TV that we haven’t owned for ten years. The instructions for a frig we haven’t owned for three years. The instructions for a coffee maker I don’t even remember owning. And about ten more booklets whose time has long passed.

Why is it with all my careful preservation of instruction booklets, this is the only one that I can’t find? I have about driven myself insane with this search. Oh, and did I mention I also found the instructions for the fondue set (now long gone) I was given about 30 years ago?

Cokie and Irony

Well, at least we all have the relief of knowing that Cokie Roberts is aware that Hawaii is a state. Of course it is a little foreign and exotic for her and she can’t understand why Obama went there to visit his grandmother, the lady who raised him, when it would have looked a lot better if Obama had vacationed in Myrtle Beach. Senator Obama’s grandmother doesn’t live in Myrtle Beach, but you know, it would have looked better.

Didn’t Cokie write a book once about mothers? Let’s see, I believe it was called, “Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation” So now she’s criticizing Senator Obama for visiting the woman who raised him?

A Political Test

I think I may have written about this before, if so, I’m writing about it again.

I have this little question I ask about the candidates every political season. I ask myself which candidate I would trust enough to turn my home over to for one month? If I went away for a month, who would I trust with my checkbook to pay the monthly bills? Who would I trust to care for my house, pets, plants and the general everyday running of my home?

This year that question isn’t left hanging too long. Imagine what I would come home to if I left McCain in charge.

No Sympathy

Whether it’s Bill Clinton or John Edwards or any other spouse who cheats on their wife or husband, that problem is between the husband and the wife. It’s not our business. But, and this is a giant but, in Edwards case it very well could have been a disaster for all of us.

This is the most important election of my lifetime and the fact that John Edwards knew he had this skeleton barely hidden in his closet, yet decided to try and represent the Democratic party in this election, is very troubling.

Sure, our country is way too hung up on who had what gossipy affair with whom, but that’s just the way it is and if you and I know that, John Edwards knew that. Yet he was willing to bet the future of our country, with the ever so slight odds, that his affair would not be revealed. You have to wonder, what the hell was he thinking? For this reason alone, I have no sympathy for where he finds himself today.

The Olympics

Since we cats are not much into games and such, I’ve a question for you.
Are you excited about the Olympics?
Less excited than you usually are about them?
Or do you just not care?

Have a great weekend and get as much rest as you can.

Sincerely,
Fred the Cat (the cat who loves you guys!)

Thinking way ahead

The three names we most often hear as possible vice presidential choices for Sen. Obama, are Biden, Kaine and Bayh. There is something I hope the campaign is keeping in mind, the ages of these three men.

If Sen. Obama chooses Biden as his veep, and assuming that Obama serves for two terms, at the end of that second term Biden would be about 74 years old and most likely would decide not to run for president. Then we would be where the repubs are now. We would have to start from scratch searching for a candidate.

If Sen. Obama picks Kaine, we would be in good shape in eight years. At that time Kaine would be about 58. And should Sen. Obama choose Evan Bayh, Bayh would be about 61 at the end of Sen. Obama’s second term.

Okay, after I’ve done all this math and thinking, watch Senator Obama choose someone who hasn’t even been mentioned as a possibility. I just hope he keeps his vice president’s age in mind.

Contrast

If you wanted to see just one contrast in the candidates this week you had to look no farther than Monday. McCain was running around squealing, drill now and handing out little tire gauges that had the words, “Obama’s Energy Plan” printed on them. Meanwhile Sen. Obama gave a very comprehensive speech about energy. He outlined where he wanted to take our country and how he planned to do it. He challenged us to move forward with him toward a goal. He admitted his plan might require some compromise and explained that in the end, if we all do our parts, we will all benefit.

So which candidate do you want in the white house? The one with a supposed “quick fix” and a gimmick or the one with a forward moving detailed plan?

For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would want to actually vote for McCain. He seems to demonstrate daily so many reasons why they shouldn’t.

***

For a treat, watch this.

When something smells this funny, it isn’t funny

Have you been thinking about Bruce E. Ivins, the supposed anthrax killer who killed himself last week just before he was going to be indicted? Yeah, me too.

Do you smell something fishy here, or did someone open a can of tuna? I mean right before the presidential elections they say they finally found the anthrax killer but unfortunately he is dead. So on that note they are considering closing the case and turning out the lights. Well, that’s done. Now let’s just all forget about it, okay?

Remember the first man they were sure did it was Dr. Stephen Hatfill. What if he had “committed suicide” during the time he was under investigation? Do you think they would have closed the case at that time?

There’s just something too convenient about this story about Mr. Ivins, don’t you think?

Happy Birthday, Senator Obama!

Your birthday gift will be a little late this year. We are hoping to have it ready for you, November 4, 2008. We have a hell of a party planned in your honor at our house on that date.

Again, Happy Birthday Senator Obama and may you have many, many more.

***
Things Change

Some time back, I told you about the Care and Share box Mr. Pop and I had started for food donations to our local food pantry which, like everything else, is struggling now. Each week we buy a few things and put them in the box.

When we made our first delivery of donations about three weeks ago, there was no one there except the ladies who volunteer to run the pantry. The ladies were so grateful for the food that I felt embarrassed we hadn’t brought more. I asked if they accepted animal food as I had some canned and dry cat food in the bag. The ladies said they sure did take animal food because some of their clients have pets, especially the elderly. I also asked which human foods were in demand. They told me that peanut butter could feed a family a long time plus the it was a source of protein, maybe the only source many of their clients could get.

Okay, fast forward to this past Saturday. We arrived at the pantry with two big bags of peanut butter and canned vegetables, plus some other goodies.

When we walked into the pantry it was crowded with people shopping in the pantry and the very small thrift store. There were at least two families with little kids and some elderly people as well. One of the volunteers came over to greet us. We gave her the bags of groceries and softly refused the receipt she offered.

As we got back into the car, the tears were streaming down my face. Mr. Pop asked if I was okay. I told him I was and that was the reason for the tears. If, when I was a little girl anyone had told me that some day I would be bringing donations to a pantry like this rather than more aptly shopping at the pantry, I would never have believed them.

I’m not sure what that emotion was that I was feeling, but it sure was strong.

My Big Week

I guess you guys heard from Pop earlier this week that I am now registered. The city found out about me because the vet has to report to them every animal she vaccinates for rabies. Recently I had my three year booster shot. This reporting process only began last year. And just for the record, as anyone who is owned by a feline knows, we cats register only one way. We are Independents.

Something else happened to me this week. I discovered that having my hair brushed is pleasant. Pop tried to brush my hair a couple of years back and I went all Tasmanian devil on her. Her hands were bloody and covered in my fur. This time Mr. Pop decided to give it a try. Maybe I’m mellowing out with age, but I didn’t fight him. In fact, I stretched out and allowed him to brush away. He claims to have brushed out enough hair to make a whole other cat.

Now don’t think that I’ve lost all my fight. If he gets near my tummy with that brush, things could get ugly. I think I have made the rules very clear.

So as this week draws to an end, I am a registered cat with the shiniest coat you have ever seen. Too bad I’m an inside cat because I think the way I look now would just drive the lady cats wild!

Have a great weekend and maybe give something new a try. You might like it.

Sincerely,
Fred the Cat (the cat who loves you guys!)