Blimey, it was hot.

Here in Manhattan it was too hot last week for much posting. It peaked at about 92 (on the old-world temperature thingy), and it was really humid to boot. Luckily, the Feeders are in training for a trip to Engalnd, so they were prepared to turn the only air conditioner we have up to "Arctic" setting (11 on the Spinal Tap scale), so hopefully they will be fully prepared for the full force of this English summer!

Here I am, hogging the full force of the arctic blast (temporarily, as Fritz "of the Antarctic," relishes this perch too).



Without the air conditioning on in the bedroom, our fisking activities were limited. Not much else to do other than sit around as expansively and handsomely as possible: Here, together -



And here's Fritz looking very cool and distinguished in adversely humid conditions - cool as a cucumber!



Of course, I can do that too:



Well, as it's me posting, and if it's too hot to move, I'll happily oblige the photographers with some of my best poses:



But, the vanity backfires: just as I look left for my best profile shot (even though I say so myself) .....



Then, to my right, distracting my moment in the limelight, what do you think that ginger blur might be?



I'll tell you what it might be....jealous!

Miss Peach's Meme

Our friends Anastasia and Karl have tagged us for Miss Peach's meme. We love learning more about our cat friends, so here's another chance to learn more about us!

1) Favorite season?
Fritz: Winter for sure! I love snuggling with the Feeders and catching snow flakes from inside the window!
Ernest: Springtime! That's when the birdies come out!

2) Favorite colors?
Fritz: Orange, of course!
Ernest: All the brightest colors! I embrace the rainbow!

3) Favorite room?
Fritz: The kitchen... that's where the Grammy's Pot Pie is!
Ernest: The living room... that's where the best windows are!

4) Do you like dogs?
Fritz: My best friend from kittenhood was a dog. Some of them are great fun!
Ernest: I've never met one.

5) Ever been in an airplane box?
Fritz: Yes. It was not fun. At least I got to ride in the cabin with a Feeder.
Ernest: Never.

6) Do you have the get bathed?
Fritz: Hell, no! I do not like getting wet.
Ernest: I fell in the tub once when a Feeder was taking a shower. It wasn't pretty.

7) Are you in love?
Fritz: I love my catnip cigars!
Ernest: I love all the ladies!

8) Where would you like to travel to?
Fritz: Hmmm... I'm not a fan of the cat carrier and I definitely did not enjoy my airport experience. I'm happy here!
Ernest: Any exotic locales!

9) What do you ignore?
Fritz: Ernest in the morning.
Ernest: Any time a Feeder says "ERNEST!"

10) How many lives have you used up?
Fritz: Luckily I have not had any close calls. I still have all my nine lives.
Ernest: It's hard to say how many lives I lost in that basement before the Feeders found me.

11) Do you have any dark secrets?
Fritz: Nope.
Ernest: Well, I do have a secret lair. That's where I hide the toys...

12) What is your favorite holiday?
Fritz: Thanksgiving! Turkey is a great treat!
Ernest: Isn't every day a holiday?

13) Water or milk?
Fritz: Milk makes me sick.
Ernest: I have never had milk before.

14) Why do you blog?
Fritz: I like to make new friends!
Ernest: Me too!

15) Are you into extremes?
Fritz: Well, I am a championship napper!
Ernest: I am into extreme playing!

16) Favorite TV shows?
Fritz: I really enjoyed the dinosaur series on the Discovery Channel.
Ernest: I don't watch TV.

17) Are you a pesty lap cat?
Fritz: I do like a good nap, but I wouldn't call myself pesty!
Ernest: Laps! Laps are for sleeping!

18) Inside or outside cat?
Fritz: Inside only... we live in New York City!
Ernest: Inside.

19) What makes you happy?
Fritz: A full tummy and a warm Feeder's lap.
Ernest: Climbing on the bike frames!

20) Your most embarrassing moment?
Fritz: I always act with the grace and poise one would expect from a cat.
Ernest: See answer to #6.

I hope you all enjoyed that! We tag all the cool cats out there who have not done this meme yet!

Half Moon over Manhattan

Here's a view from our window this evening. The thunderstorms came through yesterday and today has been a clear and less humid day; our kind of weather. This may be too small for you to see in this picture, but those are lions on the cornice of the top (12th) floor of the building accross the street.

We admire them often, and wonder how the air (and bird spotting) is up there.



Again, perhaps the picture may be too small, but if you can see a lattice like pattern imposed over it, well, that's our nemisis: the anti-pigeon netting. This was insatalled around the inner parts of our building about a year ago.

So, alas, no longer can we stalk the pigeons from behind our windows as they preen upon our fire escape.

Luckily, there are still plenty of birds to espy; but now they are just farther from our no-doubt terrifying posturing

Talking of which, here's Fritz from a year ago, pre-netting, looking through our window: he has him in his sights!

Regrettably the pigeon, for some reason, looks fairly defiant!

A New York pigeon knows a 6th floor apartment cat does not have open windows without screens, and hence, Fritz can only threaten in vain.

Update : Occassional Guest Animal, Number 2 revisited

You may recall the feeders "other" pet, Mr Flappie.

Well, Fritz and I don't really get it, but they persist in attempting to nuture this inedible bird. He survives, although he's not gaining points very quickly, and certainly hasn't evolved beyond his original primitive state (i.e. bird-brained).
Here's the latest picture as he basks in New York's currently overcast skies:

Looks like we're in for Stormy Weather...

Within the last three days we've had some mad weather here in New York. Hot and humid, followed by tropical-type thunderstorms with dramatic downpours. When Fritz senses the strorm clouds a- gathering, I think his instincts from childhood down on the farm in Ohio take over. "Tornado! Head for the shelter"! And indeed he does. We're all too polite to remind him that he's already inside inside a rather solid pre-war New York apartment building - it's in his blood. Here you may observe Fritz just the other day, before such a storm, keeping a weather eye out from his shelter for the coming tempest:

And after the rain, all that New York humidity dissipates, and Fritz naps, with no need to keep a look out:

When the coast was clear, I sneaked into Fritz's shelter. Should he awake, I'll be in touble, hence my slightly nervous appearance...

Wherever you may be, Fritz and I wish you good shelter from any storms heading your way.

Storm Watch 2007: Round II

I watched the weather forecast on television this weekend and it looked like we were in for the largest snowfall of the year so far! As usual, it turned out to be nothing.

What happened to real snow storms? Look at this photo from last year outside my building.



That was well worth my time watching from the windowsill. This morning, it was one look and back to watching television.

When I was a kitten in Ohio, we got some REAL storms...

Stay Indoors

Bad news from the bbc about the perils of being an outdoor cat.

Stay inside I say. I'm reliably informed by the Feeders that the English weather is reliably inclement. Weather is a wretched nuisance and best avoided by the smarter cat. Frankly, stay indoors for of as much of any given 24 hours as you can. Aim for : DRY, toasty, fed and watered and wake me up if necessary (it is necessary to feed on schedule - you know the one).

This is how I occupy those dry spells: