* * * From my comments (some of these are from several months ago): You know something weird. I am trying to figure our what to call you!! I will be talking and something will come up in conversation and I will want to tell something you said or did and I will say “my friend Rob…..” and then I stop myself realizing you are not technically my friend seeing how we have never met or even spoken…but it feels like it. Weird. So, I have to back up and say “the lady whose online journal I read” and it just doesn’t feel right. It feels like I am slighting this friendship I have with your writings. Anyone else have this problem? (Just feel like I know you so well!!) I find that amusing. I suggest you refer to me as “Queen of the Universe Robyn And3rson”. If enough people refer to me that way, it’ll surely come true someday, right? Seriously though, I have that same situation. I’ll want to tell my mother about something I read in someone’s journal, and so I just say “Someone I know online…” and tell her about what I read. She always kind of makes this skeptical “You can’t know someone from online, because it’s all voodoo!” face, but I don’t care, it’s just a way to get the information across. If I’ve actually emailed with someone more than once, I’d probably say “My friend So-and-So”, though I guess “My internet friend So-and-So” would be more accurate. I’d be interested to hear how the rest of y’all deal with that sort of situation. The hard wood floor guy who installed at my house said to use water and vinegar to clean the floor. He said that ammonia would dull the finish. Well, crap. That’s right, and that’s what I’m supposed to be using – vinegar, not ammonia. Which would explain why my floors look so dull lately! I have no idea why I always mix up ammonia and vinegar in my mind. Maybe because they’re both clearish liquids with strong odors? Since you have a few cats (not including the foster kitties), I was wondering if any of them have had fleas. If yes, did you or Fred or the Spud get bitten? I think my apartment might have fleas (because of my landlord’s cats), and they’re having a big ol’ feast on me. I have spray for the furniture and carpet, but is there anything I should get for myself? We’ve actually never had a flea problem, and the foster kittens are always treated with Advantage before we even get them (and treated every 30 days thereafter), so they’re (thank god!) not bringing fleas into the house. If anyone’s ever had to deal with fleas, feel free to leave suggestions in the comments. Just read your posts from last week. I must say …sounds like way too much cat box cleaning! Have you ever heard of the litter robot? We have one and it is truly the greatest invention ever made!! I bought my oldest son one for Christmas last year. (for his cat, not him) Literally…..with 2 cats , I only have to empty mine once a week! I hadn’t heard of the Litter Robot, but our cats are so weird about their litter box that I’d hesitate to bring a new setup into the house. And it doesn’t really take all that much time. Even when there were two litter boxes for the foster kittens (now just one for Bear) and the one litter box for our cats, it takes only about five minutes – if that – to clean them all. Our litter box setup is pretty easy – just dump from one litter box into the other, through the strainer, dump the clumps into a small trash bag – so I don’t really have any complaints about it. We just got those pop up red cubes for our (6 yr old) cats and they love them more than I thought they would. Are they a hit with the kittens, too? The kittens ADORE the pop up cubes! Well, I guess I should say “cube”, since we only have one now. I had to toss the second one, ’cause it got too much dried poop on it, and I wasn’t up for scrubbing it down. The kittens loved to get in it and “walk” it from one side of the room to the other, and once we started opening the kitten room door all day long, we’d occasionally find the cube down the hallway. The first time Mister Boogers went into the kitten room and saw the cube, he jumped into it and just sat there with a grumpy look like he was thinking “How come those little brats get ALL the cool toys?” Okay, I know this is probably going to be a stupid question but — is there a potential medical problem with Callie trying to nurse off of Smitty’s weiner? I.e. could it cause one of them some sort of injury or disease? There’s the potential of damage to the penis (heh – it bugs Fred when I say “penis”, so I try to say it as often as possible. Penis! Penis! Penis!), according to the shelter manager. She had a certain name for the damage, but I’ll be damned if I can remember what it was. Robyn-I have to tell you I did a websearch the other day to make sure I was treating my little orphan kitties correctly. The page I came across was very informative and I found that I was doing the right things. THEN…..I got to the part where the woman said that she liked simulate actions like the mother cat. I TOTALLY draw the line at licking them on the top of their heads and carrying them in my mouth. I swear she said she did that!!!!!! Talk about being grossed out! I would rather be seen on tv talking about the image of Elvis being on my freezer, (which by the way isn’t). I love my kitties, but I think that goes a little too far into the kitty lovin realm. What do you think? Yeah, I think that’s going a little too far, bless her heart. Though I’ll admit, I’ve always wondered what Mister Boogers would do if I went over and licked him on top of the head. I’d never do it because BLEH, can you imagine the amount of cat hair I’d end up with in my mouth?, but still I’d just like to see the look on his face. I imagine he’d be bewildered. I can’t imagine carrying a kitten around in my mouth, either. I’d be afraid I’d hurt them! On a semi-related note (cat-related) I thought you might enjoy this quote. It’s from The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood, the book I’m currently reading that I LOVE. “The sidewalk is crowded with lunchtime shoppers; they avoid bumping into one another without seeming to look, as if they’re covered with cat whiskers.” I like that.





thanks so much for sharing your kitty pictures. The pictures of Bear remind me so much of my Maxwell when he was a baby. If he was closer, I’d be waiting in line at the pet store to adopt him.
To fill that Maxwell shaped hole 🙁
I just had to say that the Mz Poo/Bear pic with the “You SAID he was going bye bye” caption made me laugh so hard I m really glad I wasn’t drinking my Mountain Dew at the time. My 6 year old cat isn’t really thrilled with her 4 month old sister even though she’s been with us 2 months now and Abby looks at me like that all the time now. Also, the Cafe Press shirt will be up for a while right? I need to wait until I get some bills paid off before I can get one.
Kellie: 🙁
Karen: Yeah, the Cafe Press shirt will be up for probably months and months until I get around to taking it back down. I’ll put a link in the sidebar to it, so you don’t have to search for the link whenever you’re ready to order.
Robyn, Bear is SO CUTE… can’t you just keep him? You NEED another black kitty. You know you do… 🙂
I don’t usually hit the previous year’s entries because I’ve been reading you 4EVAH but when I saw “bringing Mr B home” I had to walk down memory lane. I love him, not as much as you 3 do, surely, but still, I love him. Sorry to Miz Poo and the others including wee Bear but Meester Boogers rocks my kitty-loving heart!
And I love your journal!
Mary
I always say, “My friend X…” and most people will leave it at that. I’ve given up trying to explain “blogs” and “online friends” to the general populace.
If they DO ask how it is that I know someone from (say) Alaska, I say, “Oh, we email back and forth all the time!” and move on. Most people don’t press it at all. Then again, the majority of my friends are from the online world (and the local ones get together regularly) so they don’t bat an eye when I say I met someone online..
…and.. for people that I know online that I don’t email regularly ( like, say, YOU Robyn!) I just say, “This girl I know…” and that seems to suffice nicely. Most people don’t question the lineage of the “knowing the girl”. 🙂
What are the red pop up cubes? Where can I find them for my kitties?
I always just call you Bitchypoo, to the other lady where I work who also reads your journal.
I liked the Miz Poo and Bear pic, too (“WHY is he still HERE???”). Oh, how she suffers! “How long, oh Lord?” Come on, Miz Poo, open up your heart to someone other than your mama! ;o)
As for what I call Internet people, usually I just say, some freakyass Internet person wrote this weird thing in their self-obsessed blog…
Actually, there are people that my mom and my husband know, like everyone knows Dooce and Bitchypoo and if whoever I’m talking to doesn’t know who I’m talking about I either say an Internet friend or this woman whose blog I read.
I agree with Robin, Robyn. Everybody needs at least one black cat.
I usually just say “my friend”; if I’m pressed for more information (rarely), then I explain about the wonderful world of the blogosphere and watch people’s eyes glaze over.
Re: fleas…
Sadly, I am having a flea infestation currently in my house, even though all my cats are religiously treated with Revolution and we have monthly pest control service. My vet said it’s the worst flea season he’s seen in years.
If they’re in your house, here’s really not much you can do to prevent them from getting you, I’m afraid. But treat the bites like any itchy insect bite, with anti-itch cream.
To rid your house of fleas (we are currently in this process), do a thorough cleaning and vacuuming. Vacuum EVERYWHERE. Vacuum under all furniture; remove couch and chair cushions and vacuum those; hell, even vacuum your cats if they’ll let you. Wash all bedclothes in hot, hot water, and wash any clothes and blankets that could possibly be infested.
Then buy some of this kickass Fleabuster powder and sprinkle it on all carpeted surfaces. Brush it into the fabric with a push broom. Breathe a sigh of relief as the fleas, larvae, and eggs die of dehydration. (The best part? It’s LESS TOXIC than TABLE SALT. Par-tay!!)
I too have given up trying to explain the whole online journal person thing – I usually just say “my friend” as well. It’s easier that way – and besides…after reading someone for so long, you feel like you know them anyway!
Does anyone else think that Fred and Robyn seriously need to keep the little Bear? I agree that everyone needs a black cat (I have two)… All those in favor say “AYE!”
AYE!!! As I was looking at the pictures of Bear, I was thinking AW, they should keep him!!
I just want to wudgie..wudgie…wudgie that little bear! He is such a cute lil thing.
Oh and when I talk about your blog…I always say “that bitchypoo lady…” Heh!
Callie makes your TV set look *enormous* 🙂
It’ almost Haloween, so I think Bear should stay with Robyn until the 1st, safe and happy, far from nefarious evil-doers.
Robyn, I can’t believe it’s been 2 years since you brought home Mr. Boogers! Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday. Seriously, when I saw that, I thought it was a typo. Sheesh.
I cannot tell you how many times I start a conversation by saying, “The woman whose online journal I read everyday, Robyn, the one with the cats….” Finally the other night my husband said, “Just say, ‘I was reading Robyn’s journal…’ and I will know who you are talking about.”
Hmmmm…such common sense is absurd but handy!
As a fellow Queen of the Universe, I recommend you get the shirt.
http://www.bigdogs.com/images/products/family/3883.jpg
When I speak of you and Fred to my loved ones,I just use your names,”Stalkee.”
I only read your and Fred’s journals because once you have had the best,the rest just aren’t worth the eyestrain.
I think it’s been six years that I have been reading you.
I think you need another black cat. Mister Booger needs someone who understands him.
I just call you my friends, Fred and Robyn. My whole family knows about you and has gotten forwarded foster kitty pictures. My kids helped with the Mia donation, too.
If I’m talking about an online person with a strange alias name, I’ll pick a common name out of the air to tell people about him/her.
I just call you Bitchypoo. (Or the crazy cat lady (sorry.)) (But since I am a crazy cat lady too, it is almost a compliment =0)
When I talk about you I say, “Well, she talks about what she does during the day. Like cleaning out cat boxes and going to Walmart. And it is so fascinating. Really. You wouldn’t think that reading about someone’s day doing normal stuff would be interesting, but it is. I bet she could write the phone book, and people would be reading it. Oh and there are cat pictures!”
(Or something like that.)
I know this is going to make me sound like a freak, but since you mentioned licking cats, I thought I should make a confession…
Sometimes when my sister is holding one of our cats, I bug her and try to get her to lick the top of the cat’s head because I think it would be hilarious watching her try to get the 293489234 strands of cat hair off of her tongue… I am so cruel.
At this point, I’ve told my husband so many stories about you and Fred that we just refer to you as “The Anders0ns,” or sometimes “The Anders0ns from Alabama.”
Also: “She had a certain name for the damage [to the penis], but I’ll be damned if I can remember what it was.”
It was called “Bitch been chewin’ on my dick” damage. I’ve heard of it before. 😉
Ya know, Bear loved you enough to fake a limp so that he could stay, the least you could do it to keep him. He loves you soooo much!!!
When I’m speaking to my husband about “the lady whose blog I read all the time” He gives me a blank look but when I refer to “cat picture Robyn” he knows exactly who I am talking about. I havent spokent to anyone else about the on line journals I read because I know the long explaination would over ride the point of the conversation.
Ya gotta keep Bear at least through Howl’oween….or through Thanksgiving…better yet through Christmas. New Years?
My dog is always trying to kiss my face so I licked the top of her head once just to see her reaction — she was pretty suprised! Not sure I’d do it all the time though… dog hair is kinda salty. ick.
It can be dangerous for kittens to suckle each other’s genitals, I can’t remember why or how but I just know it’s BAD. Don’t let ’em do it.