Welcome Home, Gabriel!

It's been hard keeping this a secret for an entire week! But now I can finally let the cat out of the bag.

Gabriel (Oak) the day we met.

About 2.5 weeks ago, I was looking at the kitties at Giovanni's rescue website just to see.... I honestly didn't think I was ready for another kitten. But then I saw an orangie and well.....my heart went pitter patter. 

I applied o adopt from the rescue again, but by the time my application was accepted a mere several hours later, the kitten I was inquiring about had been adopted. Well, rats! So I kept an eye on the site the following days. I saw two orange brothers and inquired about them. Again, adopted out. Next, I saw two more orange brothers and actually set up a meeting with the foster to come meet them. Woohoo! But then she told me (several hours before I was supposed to meet them) that someone had adopted them. I saw an orange and white guy who was adorable, but he was also adopted out before I heard from the foster. Rats, rats, rats! 

Then, the first kitten I'd inquired about was up for adoption again, but he had coccidia. 

I was starting to wonder if God was telling me no, no kitten, not right now. 

But I decided to take one last stab at it...and set up a meeting to meet two kittens, Cedar and Oak. Again, another pair of orange brothers. 

When I was asking their fosters about them, it seemed like Cedar was everything I was looking for - snuggly, sweet, talkative, playful, and likes other kitties. But he wasn't all that interested in me. Oak, on the other hand, kept saying, "Pick me, pick me, PICK ME!!!!" I've learned enough to know that you have to listen to the cat, so I went home and told the rescue I'd like to adopt him. 

Happy Second Gotcha Day, Giovanni!

Hi everybody!

It's mes, Giovanni! Guess what today be?!

It be my SECOND GOTCHA DAY!!!! Can yous believe it? Mama says hers can't believe it's been two years already! Hers tells mes it was like yesterday when hers broughted me home as a 10-week-old kitten. Hers likes to show off de photo she took of mes the day wes met. Here it be.

Giovanni the day I met him In June, 2023.

Mama has had lots of fun getting to know me the past two years! Some things have changed over time while others have not.

Me still loves belly rubs! Mama is convinced mes learned to love belly rubs by watching Tylan. Me didn't ask for any belly rubs at my foster home when me met Mama, but after me saw Tylan demanding them, me started demanding them, too! Now me demands Mama rub my belly numerous times a day.

Giovanni loves belly rubs and requests them numerous times each day.

Me still loves my favorite spot on de big cat tree. Me has always loved de second to highest spot on de tree. Me can sunbathe and watch out de window from there. 

Thankful Thursday: Whisker Jewelry

Back in 2023 after Carmine went to the Rainbow Bridge, I saw something beautiful on a friend's page on Facebook. She had posted two pendants that contained her kitties' whiskers. I found out where she'd had them made and went to the Etsy shop online to see about getting one for myself. I ended up getting a whisker ring with one of Carmine's whiskers in it. I cherish it. 

I made sure to have the vet get a few of Tylan's whiskers from him after he'd crossed the Rainbow Bridge so that I could get another piece of whisker jewelry made. This time I decided to get a whisker pendant. I asked Volana to make it a blue color similar to that of Tylan's eyes. I sent her a couple of photos for reference and sent off Tylan's whiskers.

Earlier this week, I got my whisker pendant in the mail, and here it is!

It is gorgeous! It is even prettier in person - the photo doesn't do it justice. I am thrilled with the piece. Volana does such lovely work. 

Today I am thankful that I have a little piece of Carmine and Tylan to carry with me everywhere, a sweet reminder that they are never far away. 

We are joining Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday blog hop today.

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1. Brian's Home ~ Forever	2. Animal Shelter Volunteer Life	3. Eastside Cats
4. messymimi's meanderings	5. Slow Down Kitties	6. Thankful Thursday in NC
7. Fur Everywhere	8. Sognafaret	9. Zoolatry
10. Thankful and Poetic Thursday With Ted	11. My GBGV Life	12. 15andmeowing
13. Poetic Thankful Thursday	14. A ShutterBug Explores	15. The LLB Life
16. not afraid of color	17. One More Time That's It	18. FiveSibes
19. Growing Up Gidget	20. Cloudia Honolulu	21. Artmater. com
22. Melva Loves Scraps - Cutie Patootie Quilt	23. Laylas Woof	24. Animal Shelter Volunteer Life
25. Sunday Selfies at BBHQ	26. MidWeek News at BBHQ	27. Amber's Book Review & Fill-ins
28. Colouring with Cats At BBHQ

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Thankful Thursday: Brotherly Love

 Hi everyone!

We are joining Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday blog hop today.

When Carmine was alive, he liked Tylan pretty well, but he did not like it when Tylan got right in his face. Carmine wanted Tylan to lay near him, not on him. 

So when Tylan wanted to snuggle Carmine in Carmine's favorite bed, Carmine was a good big brother and stayed for a few minutes before he'd wander off to let Tylan have the bed to himself. But once in a while, Carmine actually seemed to enjoy the snuggle and would stay put for a little while longer. 

Then, when Giovanni first came home to join our family as a kitten, he'd crawl into the heated bed with Tylan, snuggle right up against him, and have a nap! 

As Giovanni got older, he decided he's not a fan of beds, BUT you could almost always find him and Tylan hanging out next to each other, whether it was in the cat tree, on my bed, or on the floor with Tylan in his heated bed and Giovanni just outside of it. 

Both Carmine and Giovanni loved Tylan and enjoyed his company. It was so sweet to see that both of them felt safe and comfortable with him and snuggled him, even if it wasn't always their preference to share a bed. 

Carmine and Giovanni are thankful for the brotherly love they shared with Tylan.

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1. Brian's Home ~ Forever	2. Animal Shelter Volunteer Life	3. Eastside Cats
4. A ShutterBug Explores	5. messymimi's meanderings	6. Fur Everywhere
7. Artmater	8. Thankful and Poetic Thursday	9. Zoolatry
10. My GBGV Life	11. 15andmeowing	12. Poetic Thankful Thursday
13. Xena, Lucy and Chia	14. Rosy - The LLB Life	15. not afraid of color
16. Growing Up Gidget	17. One More Time That's It	18. Thankful for FastCAT!
19. A Week Without You	20. Cloudia Honolulu	21. Sognafaret
22. Conversation Between Cats	23. Animal Shelter Volunteer Life	24. Amber's Book Review & Fill-ins
25. MidWeek News at BBHQ	26. Colouring with Cats At BBHQ	27. Happy 23rd Birthday Celestial Basil

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Remembering Carmine on His Angelversary

 

Today marks Carmine's angelversary. 

I cannot believe it's been two years since you left for the Rainbow Bridge. 

I miss you more than words can express. I know that you are around, watching over me and Giovanni, even though I haven't been able to see or feel you lately. I know you were there to help Tylan cross the Rainbow Bridge a mere two weeks ago. I hope you two are taking good care of each other over there. 

I know that we will be together again someday, and I look forward to that with all of my heart. The soul connection we have and the love we share is no match for the veil; love never, ever dies.

I love you, Moo, forever and always.