Zemek's Updates

That Lamp Was In My Way by Manny

Karen & gerard — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:32:58 GMT

Last night Karen moved the tall lamp from the living room into the computer room and put it right next to the piano. While she was at her radiation treatment, I jumped off the piano and accidentally knocked it over! It landed on the computer desk but didn't break anything there and the bulb didn't even break! It made a big racket though and I ran upstairs. The good news is that when I came back down and checked the computer room, the lamp was gone! Karen moved it back to the living room where it belongs--yea! I did not like it there. It was in my way.

Lots of Excitement by Manny

Karen & gerard — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:49:59 GMT

On Halloween Abby greeted the trick or treaters while Gerard handed them candy. Spunky Doodle and I had a front row seat, watching all the fun from the warmth of the house through our dining room window. Karen was taking a video and it's up on Abby's post, Trick or Treating Is Fun, if you want to watch it. Don't worry, it's not the whole night, just about a minute of highlights for your viewing pleasure. Abby was so excited, it was fun watching her have such a good time.

Litterbox Fences Solve Poop Problem

Karen & gerard — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 21:04:17 GMT

Manny: Well, what have we here? Our litterbox is still there but this big cardboard fence is all around it. This makes it much harder for me to get to it. I think this is because Abby ate some of our poop and ths is what Karen came up with to keep her away from our box.

Manny: Hey Spunky, look at this! Karen put up a fence around our bathroom litterbox. i don't like it. You can still jump down to it from the bathtub and get out that way or else you have to crawl through a little hole to get to it. What a fuss to put up with, just because Abby doesn't stay out of our territory like she's supposed to do.

Spunky: It's okay, this one in here has a fence too, but I kind of like it. It does give us more privacy and it has three ways to get to it. One is through a little hole like in the bathroom but I can also just jump down from on top of the box or else walk under the table and inside the fenced area fairly easily.

Manny: I don't like having to go through an obstacle course to get to my litterbox. At least she didn't mess with the basement one which is my favorite anyway. Sometimes now though that kitchen door is closed and I can't get down there. Maybe I can get used to the added privacy eventually. Thanks Abby, for making my life more complicated.

Read "So I Ate A Little Cat Poop--What's The Big Deal" by Abby to find out more.

I Made Room For You by Spunky Doodle

Karen & gerard — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:12:00 GMT

Sometimes I hog up the whole chair but today I decided to be nice and save some space for Karen to sit when she comes to the computer. She really appreciated it too so I stayed and let her pet me now and then. Usually I’ll jump down when she comes so she can have the whole chair to herself, but today I thought it might be nice to share with her. See, Manny, I share sometimes! (Check out the video on Manny's post about the coat here).

Whee, This Is Fun! by Spunky Doodle

Karen & gerard — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:19:51 GMT

While the Ohio State game was on, I jumped onto the gold chair and Karen started spinning it. I had so much fun! Karen seemed to have fun too! If you have a spinning chair, you must try this!

I'm Not Playing Around by Spunky Doodle

Karen & gerard — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:30:07 GMT

I like to play Hide-n-Seek with Karen sometimes. I'll just go hide somewhere and she'll notice I'm not around and come looking for me. She calls me but I never come. If I can hide really well, she'll bring out some Tuna Flakes for me because she knows I can't resist them and will come out then. The can opener works too if she opens some tuna, but she doesn't do that much.

She thought I was just playing around on Wednesday but I wasn't! She went down the basement to take a picture of something in the closet for a blog post about a crockpot and naturally I had to go down with her and explore in the closet. (The crockpot post will run on Saturday on her Karen & Gerard Zemek blog if you'd like to check it out.) I came out and Manny went in and then when he came out, I went in again but I guess Karen didn't see me and locked the door!

There was nothing in there soft to lay on like there is in the computer room closet and it was dirty too! That's one place Gerard doesn't bother cleaning. I was in there about three hours! It is a very small closet so there wasn't all that much to explore. I got pretty bored! Finally, I heard Karen calling me and knew she'd come looking for me. It didn't take her too long once she started looking.

She felt bad I was trapped in there most of the morning and brushed off the cobwebs and gave me a treat! Later that evening, she played "Knock the mice off the mantel" with me. I jump up on the mantel and knock off the little mice and she tosses them back up to me. It's great fun so although my day got off to a pretty rough start, it ended well!

What is the worst place you ever got trapped in?

What A Great Night! by Manny

Karen & gerard — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:19:49 GMT

Last night I went to bed with Karen and laid on top of her the WHOLE night. She'd pet me on and off and at first I was up high enough for her to reach me. Later then I moved down closer to her feet but still laid on her. She let me stay all night without turning over on her side at all! She's so nice! I finally got up at 4 a.m. to get something to eat.

Well, she's going to watch TV now so I must go. I love to watch TV with her and sometimes I'll lay on her when she lays on the couch to watch. She's so good to me, I like to please her now and then. She likes me laying on her!

Samantha & Mr. Tigger Are Missing-by Spunky Doodle

Karen & gerard — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:38:20 GMT

UPDATED 10/11/09: MR. TIGGER HAS BEEN SPOTTED, but still not home. A neighbor saw him near the apartment but she couldn't pick him up. Please keep praying he will come back home soon!

UPDATED 10/7/09: HURRAY, JUST FOUND OUT THAT SAMANTHA HAS RETURNED HOME. Mr. Tigger though is still missing, keep purrrraying for his safe return too.

Samantha and Mr. Tigger (in picture) are a couple of our cat friends that look like Manny and me! Don't you think so? They just moved to a new house recently and yesterday, their mom posted that they are missing. She's afraid they must have gotten out because the door wasn't quite closed all the way and she is looking all over the neighborhood for them but so far hasn't found them. Please pray for their safe return. I really hope some nice people are taking care of them and will get them back home safely. This is very distressing. Manny and I are very concerned about our friends getting out. Here is the link where you can go for updates: Samantha and Mr. Tigger Are Missing. Here is the post Karen wrote a long time ago about how much Manny and I look like them: "Same Pair Of Cats"

Hope you can find your way back home Samantha and Mr. Tigger--we'll be praying for your safe return!

Patience Pays Off by Manny

Karen & gerard — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:48:15 GMT

The weather has turned cold and Karen pulled out her old L.L. Bean coat from the closet for Spunky Doodle and me to use. She's so nice! Spunky, of course, got in it first but she already remembered how comfy it was from when she used to take turns with Moe in it. I patiently waited my turn and then I tried it out for the first time. It is so cushy soft and warm! I love it! Spunky, though wasn't ready to share with me. i know I'm big and all, but it is a big coat, after all, Karen fit in it! I really thing both of us could be very cozy in here but as usual, I let Spunky have it first and waited my turn. It's definitely worth the wait!

Maybe if your humans have an old coat, you could ask them to let you use it. What a waste it would be to throw out such a nice comfy coat that makes a great bed for us! Here is a video of Spunky and me when Karen first brought it out. I think Spunky is a bit selfish, don't you?

To read more about this coat from Karen's view, read "Do I Look Like A Bum?"

Living Up to My Name by Spunky Doodle

Karen & gerard — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:04:10 GMT

I've been doing quite a bit of lying around lately so thought it was about time I showed some spunk and lived up to my name. This weekend, I was very busy being spunky.

Friday morning, I played with Karen's shoelaces when she was getting dressed. When she saw I was in play mode, she got out a long shoelace and played with me for about 10 minutes. It's nice she doesn't have to scurry off to work in the morning. Now she just takes her good old time going through her morning routine.

I jumped up on the mantel and knocked off Party Bear's hat. It had some fun dangly things to play with! Then I pawed at his bow tie. When Karen saw him, she wondered why his hat and tie were crooked but then the other day she saw me playing with him and moved him off the mantel.

Pooh Bear was sitting on the matel too and had an Ohio State cap on so I hit that off and it fell on Karen when she was lying on the couch right beneath me. Hee, hee. It was fun!

Saturday, Karen and Gerard were playing Sequence so naturally I had to go play too. I kept knocking off the one chip by the edge until they gave me one of my own to play with on the side--it wasn't as much fun though as playing with the ones on the board. I did try drawing a card but knocked the pile over. I left when Karen went for her Flip camera though. I wasn't in the mood for doing a video.

When the phone rang I jumped up to answer it. I have been very busy showing my spunk lately!

After all that, I went for a nap under the covers on the bed. The pillow was in my way so I just knocked it off and crawled under the covers. It was very cozy and quiet under there but Karen came and found me. At least she didn't chase me out. She just peeked in to get this picture of me. Sorry the picture is so dark, but it was very dark under the covers!

Hope you have as much spunk as I do! Just didn't want you to think I just sleep all day long, although I do enjoy sleeping most of the day away!

Discussion of Important Things by Spunky & Manny

Karen & gerard — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:09:56 GMT

Spunky: Hey, Manny. I like these special treats by Friskies. The Wild West Crunch Party Mix (beef, liver, chedder). Do you?

Manny: Oh yeah, much better than the Temptations treats we used to get.

Spunky: These make it worthwhile to hang around Abby a little bit, huh? Say, I bet that's why Karen got these, to encourage us to all get together because if you notice. After she gives us our treats, then she always gives Abby one too.

Manny: Yup. Abby's not so bad anyway. I touch noses with her almost every day.

Spunky: She came and touched noses with me too the other day.

Manny: When she's laying down, I like to sneak up on her and touch her feet.

Spunky: That's good, Manny! Hey, one thing at least we never worry about her sneaking up on us.

Manny: Yeah, she always clomps along and those tags always give her away.

Spunky: I think it's funny how Karen sometimes calls her jingle-jangle. She sure isn't quiet or as quick as we are either.

Manny: Good thing though, what was up with her jumping off the couch and running over to us the other night in the living room when we were play fighting?

Spunky: I'm not sure. What's she think she is our mother?

Manny: Maybe she just wanted to play with us too.

Spunky: Well, I think we were wise to take off.

Manny: I agree!

One Big Happy Family by Manny

Karen & gerard — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:35:28 GMT

I am friends with our dog, Abby now. I found out that if we come around near her, Karen will give Spunky Doodle and me treats! Good things seem to happen when she is near us. Everyone gets very happy and all is calm (unless a dog walks by outside in which case sometimes Abby will bark and run to the window). That's when Spunky and I make our exit.

So anyhow, Abby is very happy because thanks to me, she's allowed on the bed too. I decided as long as she didn't jump up by me, it would be okay for her to stay. So Friday morning, I was laying with Karen nice and she called Abby up to see if I would accept her. Since she knows Spunky and me out rank her, I decided to stay and let her join us. It's not easy breaking into new routines and a new family. Believe me, I know! I remember when I first came and how I was very scared but then Spunky Doodle was very nice to me and gave me a tour of the house and everything. She welcomed me so I think it's only fair that I welcome Abby too. Things go so much better when everyone gets along!

We are all one big happy family!

Be sure to read Abby's post about this: I Can Be On The Bed Now Too!

Here's my story about when I first came to live here: Manny's Story!

Welcome Home by Spunky Doodle

Karen & gerard — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:00:49 GMT

Karen and Gerard are both on vacation this week. Tuesday was a very scary day because Karen had to go have surgery and they were gone long! From 9:00 a.m. until about 7:30 p.m. We were so happy to see her come in the door! In the morning, she even came back to bed after getting our breakfast and taking her 5:00 a.m. pill. Both Manny and I joined her on the bed and slept in until 8:15 a.m.! That's really late for her!

Then in the afternoon she joined me for an afternoon nap too! I hear she will be off work a long time to recover. Us pets are al very happy about that! We'll have lots more time with her now and we'll probably get more treats. She may even brush us more!

Cat Killed With a Hammer by Spunky Doodle

Karen & gerard — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:24:37 GMT

Oooooh, why are some humans so cruel? I feel very sorry for that cat who was beaten to death with a hammer by it’s human. A neighbor saw him doing it in his driveway and called the police. It’s a good thing the other cat and kittens were rescued from the basement of that house and turned over to the animal warden. I certainly hope they find a good home like mine! It was right in our neighborhood, too! I know my owners would NEVER do such a thing to us. This was in the "Parma Post" this morning!

Back To Normal by Manny

Karen & gerard — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:53:59 GMT

Spunky and I have decided to return to our usual routines in spite of the dog, Abby. She has done noses with us several times now and we have concluded that she is no threat to us. We have resumed joining Karen for breakfast downstairs and sleeping on the bed at night as well as napping on it through the day. Last week, I even resumed my favorite place in the computer room on top of the piano while Karen was blogging and Abby was lying on the floor. I even stayed downstairs when she barked at a passing dog. Karen was so happy I have finally come back on the bed at night too that she bought me some new treats put out by Friskies called Party Mix. I like these better than the chicken temptation treats when gave us before.