Luna

Weekend Cat Blogging: Homecoming

After many weeks away, Luna finally came home today.

Exploring familiar places, tentatively at first.

As can be seen in these photos, the construction is not quite complete yet, though it is progressing and we hope it will be done soon.

Several treats awaited her arrival, including a new catnip-laced scratcher.

And of course some affection.

Welcome home, Luna!

Weekend Cat Blogging #185 (Holiday Edition) is being hosted at the M-Cats Club. They have feline Christmas music, you have been warned 😉

Kashim, Othello and Salmone host this weekend’s Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos.

The Carnival of the Cats will be up this Sunday at Nikita’s Place

And of course the Friday Ark #222 is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging: Birthday, Thanksgiving, and Encounters

This week we celebrated a belated Thanksgiving and birthday with Luna, who is still boarding away from home.

Luna’s birthday was on November 30, so it’s natural to combine with Thanksgiving. I brought her some leftover turkey from New York, some of which I accidentally dropped while taking it out. But that didn’t stop Luna from rushing over to enjoy it:

Meanwhile, she is making friends with some of the other cats, including another black cat.

It’s great to see her happy and making friends. And even though Luna had to celebrate her birthday and Thanksgiving away from home, we’re hopeful she’ll be back home in time for Channukah.

We also mark the initial release of the new CatSynth website this weekend. All the original posts and comments are here, including many from our “CatSynth FEMA Trailer” site. I’m very happy with the new look and structure, it reflects our modernist and urban aesthetics. Feedback is welcome as we continue our work.

Weekend Cat Blogging is being hosted by Sir Tristan Tabby Cat Longtail at Tabbylicious.

The Bad Kitty Cats of Festival of Chaos is being hosted this weekend by Samantha Black and Mr. Tigger.

The Carnival of the Cats will be up today at Mind of Mog.

And of course the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging #181: More Luna in Exile

As the construction at CatSynth HQ drags on longer and longer, Luna remains at her home away from home. I go to visit her quite often, and she is usually happy and excited by my arrival. Here is one of her many greetings, she has gotten quite good at standing on her hind legs to head-butt:

She is quite active and social, and enjoys cruising the hallways. Also playing in her own room:

and especially looking down from her alcove:

This is often where she sits as I leave, peering through the outer door at me. These visits are both joyous and melancholy. It would be better to be back at home. But I do know she is being well cared for, and is happy and healthy.

There is a radio on in the cats’ area, usually tuned one of our many pop-music stations. Usually, I don’t notice it much, but when I’m sitting on the concrete floors and some R&B from the 1960s or 1970s comes on, the whole image feels “right.” Again, quite melancholy, but still somehow positive, something out of a story I haven’t bothered to write down…

I do try to keep these visits as unmediated as possible, and often don’t bring the camera at all. But today is one of those days that I did. Of course, I couldn’t resist taking a few city photos in the waning November-afternoon sun. It’s been a little while since I have done that.

We’re going to take a break for the holidays, and hopefully after that we’ll be back in our real homes, at both the reconstructed CatSynth site and the reconstructed CatSynth HQ.

Weekend Cat Blogging is hosted this weekend by the Cats in Maryland. Extreme cuteness alert, with baby pictures.

The Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos will be hosted by
Miz Mog and the Kitties. Chaos is an apt term for life these days.

The Carnival of the Cats is going up this Sunday at Artsy Catsy.

And of course the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Midnight Monday: Luna away from home

Here are some photos of Luna at her home away from home:

She is actually doing well, comfortable and confident, and even greeting the other cats. She seems to particularly enjoy wandering the long corridors.

And her quarters of quite comfy, which lots of places to climb and play, and indulge her fondness for soft things:

It looks like Luna will have to stay away for a bit longer, as the construction at CatSynth HQ stretches out. I’m glad she’s doing well, but it would be better to have her home again.

Weekend Cat Blogging #180


We at CatSynth welcome everyone to Weekend Cat Blogging #180.

We are away from home, both virtually and physically. Luna joins us from her home away from home during our construction. And of course we are here at the “trailer” while we rebuild the main CatSynth website. But we’re looking forward to a good WCB round-up amidst the dust and the distance. Please leave you submission as a comment, and we’ll post updates throughout the weekend.

And with that, let us being this weekend’s round-up.

The “Cat Boys” Kashim and Othello are helping there momma in the kitchen this weekend. The did their part to help bake a banana nut bread. It also looks like they are helping with the computer and blogging duties.

We welcome back some old friends at Belly Timber (often known as the “Angry Cat Blog” in past WCBs). We are treated an image of Port and her “serious face.” Ironically, this is from a carefree day in the garden this past summer. They should come visit us in San Francisco for this fantastic mid-November sunshine.

Joanna of A Cup of Jo shares a picture of her cat Buttercup doing the classic “Cat in a Box” pose.

Visit Chey’s Place for a special edition of Find Chey. There are lots of hints in the building and the vegetation, for the astute observer.

Then visit Sidewalk Shoes for a A very sweet portrait of Patchouli. It looks like they were also named a “Blog of Note” by the folks at Blogger.

Parker has a new layout for Perfectly Parker. Check it out and let her know what you think. It was a collaborative effort with Zoolatry and Chica and Pumuckl’s mom.

Rosa of Rosa’s Yummy Yums reminds us of the words of Paul Gray, “Cats were put into the world to disprove the dogma that all things were created to serve man.” We at CatSynth are all for disproving dogma…and serving cats.

Sarah of First Draft: Fledgling Freelancer found Weekend Cat Blogging via blogs-of-note, and is now joining us for the first time. Ranger is one of five cats in the family. Please welcome them to WCB!

We have lots of photos of Cece this weekend. First, a fine stretch atop a wall at iInfidel. He deftly avoids wet paint at Mind of Mog. And all this attention on Cece has Meowza upset and being “less than cooperative” when it comes to photographs.

Freya demonstrates motherly love at the House of Chaos. She is very protective and doting, but at the same trying to wean her kitten and teach him independence. Of course, chances are he’s going to spend a few years wanting nothing to do with her and then move back in.

Tristan invites you find out more about him at Tabbylicious, as he participates in the “8 Random Things About Me” Meme.

Meanwhile Diamond Emerald-Eyes explores the woods out back with several of her friends (including Tesla, whose picture appears above). Go visit all of her friends.

At Artsy Catsy, is focusing, meditating, purring, purraying and sending positive healing thoughts for his dear friend Moki. We are sending our healing thoughts for Moki as well. Don’t forget, Artsy Catsy’s auction to benefit both Moki and Criz ends tonight at midnight.

It’s Kitties, Kitties, Everywhere with Samantha and Tigger at Life from a Cat’s Perspective.

CathyJDiscoveryBay, another first-time participant, presents Quotes for Cat Lovers. Welcome!

We will continue to post updates throughout the weekend. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Election Day

Well, Election Day is here.

Here is our sample ballot and voter guide for the City and County of San Francisco, California:

Yes, it is a tome! One actually has to read and study in order to do a good job with today’s civic duty. And maybe that’s not a bad thing. The rather large size is mostly because of all our local and state-wise propositions. We have 22 local propositions. Most are very mundane, but we have some “interesting” ones, like naming a waste-water treatment plant in honor of the outgoing president (yes, the “George W Bush Sewage Treatment Plant”).

We also have 12 state propositions, including the most profound:

Those of you with us here in California, please use to your sense of reason and fairness, rather the fear and prejudice, when you consider Proposition 8.

And of course we shouldn’t forget that national election today:

Luna is joining us in absentia:


[click to enlarge]

Her boarding place is not far from our polling place, so I’ll pay her a visit after voting…

Unlike many other civilized (and not-so-civilized) countries, Election Day is not a holiday here in the U.S., and so some of us have to go to work. That includes me, as well as the construction crew here at CatSynth HQ. Making Election Day a holiday one of those things we question every four years and then never do anything about.

UPDATE

Well, the deed is done. It was actually a long line when I arrived late this morning. It seems that they temporarily ran out of ballots. It was a chance to talk to some other people from the neighborhood while waiting. I think all of us in line nearby worked in computer software. And indeed most of the line appeared to be a “blue demographic.”

I did go visit Luna afterwards. It was a wonderful moment of peace and calm amidst the current intensity and excitement and anxiety. I will remember that as part of this day.

Now there is nothing to do except await the results…

Weekend Cat Blogging: Patio one last time

This weekend we revisit Luna’s adventures on the patio, before the construction/destruction begins on Monday.


[click each photo to enlarge]


[click each photo to enlarge]

It is ironic how it was only after our move to the city that Luna got to enjoy time outdoors. Our patio is high above the ground and safely enclosed by high walls. The watery theme of the murals depict ocean, beaches, and all sorts of critters:

It will be sad to see it so badly damaged in the construction. Fortunately, we are going to have it restored in the spring. No two original works of art are ever alike, but the restored version could end up even better.

Another issue with the construction is that is isn’t a safe place for a cat. Luna will be checking into a great nearby boarding facility. She will be doted on and treated quite well. However, it is probably going to be a bit lonely here at CatSynth HQ.

Weekend Cat Blogging #178 is being hosted by Cece at Mind of Mog.

The Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos is being hosted by Kashim at the BKCFOC home site.

The Carnival of the Cats will be at Chey’s place this Sunday.

And of course the Friday Ark is at the modulator.