Playing with the traffic?

Well, we can't play with it thankfully, but we do spend a lot of time studying it from our window. It is Broadway, so it's fairly frantic, even this far uptown :

Our award for "most intriguing traffic" is certainly this delivery van that we see quite frequently, usually making very early calls, (i.e. some time between our first and third efforts to wake up the sleepers).

Now, if you buy bread in this neck of the woods, as the feeders occasionally do, it may come in a paper bag carrying the following logo:

Both we and the Feeders of course wanted to find out more about his tasty bread company with such tasty taste in corporate logos. And, buy the tee shirt. And, obviously, offer to model for them.
Well here they are, and God bless 'em, not a gift shop in sight - it's all about their brilliant bread - no frills, just the bread facts:
Tom Cat Bakery
The Feeders say it's the best bread, as it very well it may be with such great taste in signage!
It reminded the English feeder of a picture book he had as a child, of various vehicles, each with a personality and a rhyme, including the bread truck, alas, no cat logos in those innocent days:

(Hope you can read the rhyme, not a good photo we admit). If not, it goes like this:
"I'm Billy the Baker's Van,
Painted bright red;
I carry the Sugar buns
Pastry and bread.
I take all the orders Round to each door,
and all of my customers
Come back for more".

Well, it's an old book, already old even when the Feeder was young (or so he tells us)! Nonetheless, we were asked (disclaimer -cat treat compensation may have been negotiated) to pose for the following picture with said book, "Tootles the Taxi" - a Ladybird book for those of you (mostly from Blighty or it's "closer" affiliates probably) who may remember such delights (which Fritz and I frankly do not)!:

We did read some more rhymes though; they're great! The pictures are even better, so old fashioned, even make a Feeder feel young! Maybe we'll share some more pictures and words from this book with you soon.

True Confessions!

We've been tagged by DaisyMae Maus for the True Confessions Meme. We're told that the rules are loose. We only have to reveal as much as we want and tag as many cats as we like. So hang on tight... we're about to share our deepest, darkest secrets!

Ernest's Confessions:

1. Before I had my operation, I tried to make "sweet love" to Fritz a couple of times. I don't think he liked it very much because he turned around and beat me. Now I'm an "N" just like Fritz!

2. Sometimes I sleep like a person... I lie on my back like a person with my arms and legs at my sides and my tail sticking out.

3. After using the litter box, I like to shoot of it as fast as possible! The Feeders say I'm like a jet leaving kitty litter in my wake!

Fritz's Confessions:

1. If the litterbox does not meet my very high standards, I will stage a protest pee. Fortunately, the Feeders have proven very easy to train and I only had to protest twice. The litterbox has been satisfactory for the past several years.

2. The first time I met the American Feeder's mother, I was a three-month old kitten. I was so excited that I tried to run up her leg! Fortunately, the Feeder saw what I was about to do and stopped me. It turns out that the Feeder's mother was wearing a skirt and did not like the idea of a kitten climbing her leg. I can't imagine why!

3. My best friend as a kitten was a rottweiler! I know that as a cat, I'm not supposed to like dogs, but some of them are a lot of fun!

I tag George, Tipper, Max and Misty of the Crew, Pearl and Pumpy of Feline Fine and Maurice, Pixie and Elmo of the Ginger Cats Tales. If any other cats want to play, you should!

Occassional Guest Animals, 6. (a deli-cat matter).

Here in New York there are many deli's and bodegas, and the Feeders are often running out to thier local deli to replenish essential supplies. Often when they return, they report a sighting of the resident mouser who patrols the shop. Recently though, as reported here by Gothamist, the authorities took action against one such mouser. It seems that they take a dim view of these sterling servants, ostensibly for health reasons. Therefore, our deli must remain a secret undisclosed location!
The Feeders have never reported a mouse sighting at the deli. Here's a picture of the local hero (the Feeders think it's a lady), name unknown. She appears to be taking a well-deserved nap and so we assume she was "off-duty" at the time. As well as being a tip-top mouser, she clearly likes her Fish too! She must be really smart. We'd like to meet and compare hunting and fishing notes with her!

Still Looking for a New England?

Hooray - the "Boston Feeder" returned, a little beaten, but not thankfully not too bowed.
Ah, we more than napped in full comfort mode last night. Here we may be seen happily settling down at the end of the bed for a nap, in full knowledge that both Feeders were yet again going to be in need of our invaluable, and doubtless charming, very early wake-up services:

The one Feeder was on a work trip; they're rarely fun we've heard, and Boston tends to take the biscuit. Not, apparently, a biscuit any better dunked in the tea served there than elsewhere in America, despite the tea party claim to fame. At least the Yankees beat Boston at Baseball two times out of three during the trip; it sounds as though was some consolation to the Feeder.
In lieu of decent tea of course, (certainly if you're English,) - beer. I heard from the Feeder though, that to add insult to injury, despite all the much vaunted effort to shake off the shackles of the English, and so forth, (and the resulting Boston pride in the ultimate success of said endeavours, and taking full claim for the credit for doing so), it appears Boston kept one "tradition" at least - the same pub licensing hours as their vanquished foe.
I think that after a few days back in the tender care of Fritz and I, all will be well. A feeder safely back in Manhatten to feed and love us and drink decent tea at his own parties and beer on a liberated schedule, without feeling quite so old and English, is a happy feeder.
Cheers!

We're waiting...

Hello, all. It's been a few days since either of us have posted. The English Feeder went to Boston for work and we are waiting for his return. I thought his only work was feeding us!

Occassional Guest Animals, 4 & 5.

Mmm, fish!
Fritz and I are indoor cats as you may know, so we live vicariously through the Feeders, the apartment windows, the T.V. and Feeders photos to learn about species other than Feline and Human. Nonetheless, it must be an inherited gene, but we know a fish when we see one! -in any of the aforementioned media. (I must say though, I haven't seen a fish from our 6th floor window yet).
Below are fish in a pond that the feeders photographed in a hotel in Thailand. You can see a Feeder finger here: of course, we see the opportunity for a Kitty paw:

Meanwhile, back in England, the pond of a Feeders parents also has fish we're told. Hence the interest of their next-door neighbours cat, (please welcome guest animal number 5), at this particular local attraction. The Feeders met her last year, George is her name we're told. Here she may be seen luxuriating near her subject of interest in the customary splenour of an English summer ....

Parents blame Herons for the fish poaching that evidently occurs. Frankly, I think this photograph proves that George has more than passing interest in the ponds denizens, and if we were her, we know that our paws would be interested in taking a "lucky dip".
We maintain a fairly robust surveillance routine from our apartment windows and will of course notify you first of any flying fish sightings, should we be so lucky.

Blimey: Fritz woke up and posted.

Ernest here, evening all. You will no doubt have noticed that Fritz woke up and posted again, a rare (but welcome?) event. A good post I think you'll agree, but a bit ironic to me as he's always been somewhat ambivalent about the whole idea of this blog. Usually, he sees the desk at which I compose these much contemplated musings as prime napping territory. The warm glow of the computer and desk light stimulates in Fritz not his muse, but his snooze.
Exhibit A:

Nonetheless, he posted well, I'll admit. But, for those of you who maybe indoors and unaware (or otherwise somewhat perturbed) I thought I should help to explain Fritz's stated predicilication, (perhaps worrying), for "Kitty Grass". Fear not readers, he refers to the grass sold at pet shops here, I think just wheat grass, but as an urban boy, I don't really know. It's difficult to photograph Fritz indulging in this treat, mainly because he eats it so fast that it's a blur. I can only spectate and worry about myself being somewhat in focus, but, Exhibit B, here's his poison:

Notice relative length of grass in above photo versus relative shortage of grass below, Exhibit C, and Fritz's smile after the event:

Seven Facts About Fritz

We've been tagged by The Ginger Darlings. Ernest and I decided it was time for you to learn seven facts about me!

1. I was born in the farmlands of Ohio.

2. I like to eat kitty grass. It reminds me of my kittenhood.

3. I have flown before... in an airplane. The Feeder tells me that she was afraid that I would jump out of her arms at the security checkpoint and run down the airport concourse. Lucky for her, I just wanted to get back in the carrier! The airport was such a chaotic place and I just wanted to get out of there.

4. My nickname is Fritzamus Maximus Pussipuss, Esq. No, there are no double-barreled names in my family as Forty Paws guessed. It is a nod to my pedigreed background of... errr.... large, orange farm cat.

5. I know it's not very catlike, but I am of the catch and release school of hunting. I think it's my Buddhist upbringing... I can't kill anything on purpose. I think it's a good thing I'm not a farm cat anymore. Ernest, however, is a killer.

6. I watch a lot of nature programming on TV.

7. I like to eat birds eye chili peppers. Nope... they don't make me sick at all. The Feeders try to keep me away from them though.

I hope you feel like you know me better! I think almost all my kitty friends have been tagged already. If you haven't, I tag you!

Seven Facts About Me

The Princess Pearl tagged me. I'm told that this means I have to reveal seven facts about myself and tag seven others. Here we go!

1. I was born in a feral colony in Harlem.

2. I have never seen real grass before, but I have seen real pigeons!

3. I like to wake everyone up in the morning (including Fritz) just to make sure they are awake. Then I go to sleep.

4. Throwing things on the floor brings me joy! Bashing lampshades is particularly fun!

5. I sleep next to the English Feeder every night.

6. Football (or soccer as Americans call it) is my favourite sport.

7. I spy on the neighbors! All the time!

I tag Caesar (Caesar and Princess's Happy Place),
Daisy, and Miles (the Birthday Boy from Meezer Tails). Unfortunately, all my other friends have been tagged already. I hope you learned a little more about me!

Mascot Marches in May Madness

You may recall our recent Guest Animal, Kingsley?
He's the mascot of the feeders favourite football team in England. Well, during a match last week he was sent-off by the referee (I suppose, being ejected from a game would be the equivalent here in a baseball game)?

Is this Lion'ist? Feline'ist? I'm not sure. At least Readings team's manager had the good grace to take it lightly and claim it was easy to confuse him with a squad member.
Even The Times of London weighed in with an in-depth analysis of the potential anti-feline bias at work here: essentialy they conclude that the birds get away with it:" Kingsley is the first mascot in the 14-year history of the Premiership to be reported to the FA. Six years ago, Cyril the Swan, the Swansea City mascot, earned immortality in the animal kingdom when he clashed with Zampa the Lion, the Millwall mascot and presumably one of Kingsley’s forefathers. Cyril removed Zampa’s head and drop-kicked it into the crowd".
Meanwhile, only one game left in the season. Reading, for those that care, (a Feeder or two in the vicinity), have acquitted themselves with distinction in their inaugural season in the top flight.
Fritz and I are pleased our Feeders support a team with a fiesty feline as their mascot, (and we're looking forward to the off-season and more attention on match day Saturdays)!

Let them eat cake.

The feeders went to England last week and so we've been rather quiet on the posting front (although, not necessarily on other fronts!)
It seems that there was a party to attend in England, and ordinarily we'd be offended, but as it was for a niece's second birthday, we'll forgive them. This picture which they brought home is an example of some the hardships they had to endure:
The Feeders took a book as a present; about a library lion, highly recommended here.
As you may recall we're keen on: feline associations with libraries.
Anyway, while the Feeders were away, we played with our favourite substitute Feeder, Robert, to whom thanks as always. He likes to eat and sleep as much as we do... a great guest!