Throwback Thursday: Jake and Alice.
The very first shot of Jake ever taken. That’s him on the left, with his brother Elwood. We were out running errands one day in August 2009, and came home to find two kittens hanging around our side stoop, a container of kitten food nearby.
Loony from the very beginning. We were initially going to foster them, but I don’t think they were with us for even 24 hours before we knew we’d be keeping them.
Jake will turn 7 in mid-June.
The very first picture of Alice. She showed up in our side yard in December 2010 (actually, she was on the front porch when Fred happened to walk out, and she ran to the side yard) on a bitterly cold night. She ran and hid under the large shrub outside my bedroom window, and Fred and I did our very best to coax her out. She wanted nothing to do with us, so we set the trap on the front porch, and left to return a couple of movies.
(This was back in 1942, when “renting a movie” meant actually renting a physical DVD or Blu-ray that had to be returned the next day.)
When we got back, she was in the trap.
She was so wild and terrified when we first caught her that I was sure we were going to end up with another feral. Turns out? Not so feral. She prefers her daddyyyyyyyy, but if he’s not around (or she thinks I’m getting her some ham), I’ll do.
Alice will turn 6 at the beginning of June.
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Speaking of Throwback Thursday, today marks 11 years since I announced our very first foster litter. 11 years, 296 cats and kittens. Here’s to 296 more!
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Ken “Moe” Adams and Bert Macklin in their favorite cave.
“THIS CAVE IS AWWWWWESOME!” says Ken.
“THIS idiot,” scoffs Bert.
“BUT HE’S RIGHT, THIS CAVE IS AWESOME!” yells Bert.
There is something about the expression on Susie’s face and the dangling leg that makes me want to snatch her up and kiss her silly little face all over.
Chanandler Bong, hanging out under the Ham-mick, licking the feather teaser. As you do.
Ken Adams caught himself a bee!
Dennis was snoozing on my bed, so I put Ken Adams up there to see what he’d do. He sniffed and sniffed Dennis’s foot, and then Dennis woke up and was like “HUGS!”
Ken did not want hugs, and so he scampered off the bed immediately.
“Ooooh,” said Chanandler Bong. “He’s beYOOOtiful!”
“Zzzzzzzz,” said Dennis.
Chanandler, looking utterly adorable as she prepares for nap time.
Susie in the sun with the feather teaser – and Art behind her, scheming.
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Joe Bob, on the platform in the back yard.
Isn’t he just the prettiest boy?
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Previously
2015: “Mama, Mama, Mama, I hug you!”
2014: I swear, my hands have never been smoother. This girl needs to open her own spa!
2013: No entry.
2012: No entry.
2011: Gracie LOVES to be brushed, and she’ll flop over on her back and roll around, she’s so giddy with delight.
2010: The many faces of Gavin.
2009: No entry.
2008: I want them to stop growing and be tiny forever!
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: Last night we cleared out the guest bedroom and set it up for our new foster children.
Someone dropped off two kittens (Jake, Elwood) and a bin of chow? Were you expecting that?
Not at all! I don’t know if they stopped by in hopes of asking us to take them and then realized we weren’t there and just left them, or if they saw us leave and took the opportunity to dump ’em.
Joe Bob is indeed the prettiest boy, and the sweetest, and the most contented — that second photo is a strong calendar contender!
I agree!
Yes! That was my first thought, too. It’s so lovely and made me want to immediately step into that moment and smoochiesmooch Jobeyjo!
AGREED!!! Postcard worthy, too!
wow Bert had a sudden and acute case of the Loons!
Happy foster-versary, Robyn! Just four more fosters and you can get that golden litterbox, eh?
Dennis is such a silly boy. I love that picture with Art scheming. Susie had better watch out!
Oh, The Golden Litterbox?!? Where do I vote for you?
The second cave photo (“This Idiot” is wonderful. I love the expression on Bert’s face.
The perspective of the first photo of Joe makes him look like a giant cat. So funny when you first see it after all the kitten photos up close.
Ha – I once said that when I hit 300 fosters, I get a golden litter box. I’m not sure what Connie gets – maybe a platinum one? She’s at over 400!
geez – Jake was loony from the start. 🙂
You cannot deny that the loon came pre-installed. 🙂
Did the bee toy come from a KitNip box? That is how I got mine. 🙂
It did! I always get VERY excited when I see the KitNip box. 🙂
Me, too!!! I call all the kitties and they gather around. It is like Christmas!!!
Okay, that first shot of Joe Bob? I mistook the railing for the driveway and thought you somehow photoshopped a giant JB on top of the garage.
. . . why no, I haven’t finished my coffee, why do you ask?
(ETA: Ah, I see Elaine F got there first. Glad I’m not the only one.)
hehe – I, too, must be lacking in coffee and better up the dose… I read the last sentence of the Alice paragraph as “so we set the trap on the front porch, and left HER a couple of movies.” And was truly in awe for a few moments because I didn’t know of that approach to capture kittens… hmmm…. Wait.. What??? then I re-read it… and had some more coffee…
LOL!
Priceless!
BEYOOOOTIFUL post today, Robyn! I remember Jake and Elwood’s story (not sure if I was following back then or have read it many times since!) but little Alice – I did not remember that or the sad little picture of her! So glad you left movies for her (whoops, my mistake!) and you were able to bring her in from the cold and for forever!
Have the kittens seen Joe Bob? Did they run up to him with a “Momma?” or “Are you my daddy?” hehe. He is a handsome mancat and that pic would look lovely on a calendar! This batch o’kittens are sooooooo cute! Enjoy the HEck outta them! Happy Purrsday Thursday!
OMG baby Jake. I cannot even–the loons are strong in that one! I love him.
why do I all of a sudden have the urge to go home and kiss all my cats?
296 thank yous for all you do! And yes, Joe Bob is the just the prettiest boy. That second picture of him is great.
Ah, Jake was an early looner. And Joe Bob looks like an advertisement for farm livin’.
Question? What do you do to clean a room and get it ready for fosters? I am getting ready to foster some 4-5 week old kittens, and want to make the room clean, but also safe for the babies. What products (or home remedies, etc.) do you use?
Seeing that photo of Jake at the top of the page scared the ever-loving-shit out of me. Considering the happenings of the last year, I went to a very dark place in my head for a few seconds.
Finally, after scrolling down a bit, the heart is beating regularly, I’m not hyperventilating and the Loon is every bit as precious, adorable, loved and loonified as he ever was.
You have had a really rough year, Robyn, and my heart goes out to you. I have never been this emotionally entangled in a daily blog.
I’m going to go back to lurking now.
Oops – I’m sorry about that! Just so you know, Stefan and Dennis are next week, and Archie and George are the week after. 🙂