TYLER'S PAGE EXCERPTS from Tyler Coxon's correspondence with Terzo

A reader of this blog just commented: Great Hairballs!  I think that must be a compliment don't you?
She also thinks that what we are doing is actually e-meouwing,  not e-mailing. 

Tyler has been sending Terzo a series of postcards called Cat on Vacation. A purple cat named Benjamin sends individual postards with brief messages from exotic locations over the world. Terzo has received cards so far from Paris, London, Venice, Australia, Mt. Fuji, Easter Island, Stonehenge, the Grand Canyon and the CN Tower in Toronto.

from Tyler, May 20:

              I almost had an adventure the other day. I came awfully close to going out somewhere very exciting. I just know it would have been exciting - if I hadn't been caught first that is.
              One day earlier this week June got dressed up ready to out, and although I'm usually quite happy to stay home with my toys and let her go wherever it is she goes, that day I felt like having a little fun. I could imagine what it would be like. We'd walk down the street together - well I'd be carried, of course - and every now and then I'd pop my head out of the bag to look around at all the amazing sites. Then people walking by would stop and say how handsome I was and maybe even pat me on the head. I guess it was hearing about all those interesting places Benjamin went that inspired me.
              Anyway, when June put a black cloth bag on the cair next to her purse I knew what to do next. I climbed inside and curled up ready to go. After all she couldn't see me, I'm black too and so she'd never know I was there. Besides, why wouldn't she want me with her?
             But she had other ideas. When she picked up the bag she could somehow tell I was inside. I really don't know how, because I'm not a very big cat and I'm really slim and trim. But she shooed me put and then left me alone again.
            She didn't even turn the radio on so I could listen to my favorite CBC programs while she was gone. I will admit that she must have thought of me while she was away though and maybe even felt guilty about leaving me behind because she brought a really neat toy home for me.
            I still haven't had an outside adventure (unless you count visits to that awful doctor who seems to like sticking needles in me and poking me in strange places. I sure don't count those visits as fun!) but I'm sure it will happen one day.
           Maybe you could come and visit one day and we could go out together. I heard our neighbour Cathy say one day that there are wild turkeeys in the park nearby.  What's a park? What's a wild turkey?  Could we play with one?

Hello Terzo,
           I've been listening to the birds too and watching them through the picture window in the dining room. I get quite excited watching them - and sometimes wish I could go out and play. Usually though I'm quite happy staying inside. But lately I've been missing my sunbeam. I do love to nap in the sun.

Today's attention made up for my bad hair day yesterday. For some reason June got up later than usual yesterday even though I tried to get her up even before it was light out. For some reason she didn't pay any attention and when she did get up she changed her routine. I didn't think much of that as I am a pretty orderly cat. So to try and hurry her up I jumped into the bathtub - where she was having a shower.  How was I supposed to know the water sprayed right down to the end of the bathtub where I was? When I stepped into the tub I got an instant shower! I haven't been so embarrassed or haven't moved so quickly since I was a kitten and fell into the sooty fireplace! Needless to say I left the bathroom pretty quickly after meowing at that shower letting it know what I thought of it.

Wishing you love, purrs and dry fur,

Tyler

Dear Terzo,

Have you ever seen a cat wink? Can you wink? 

I can't, but that's what Gerry used to when he was trying to be cute or funny. Gerry also loved company and he never missed a chance to greet visitors, although I'm not sure any of them ever saw him wink. He assumed everyone would love him - and they usully did.

Since he was so popular I usually just stood in the background and was ignored. But that was fine with me then. Now, of course, I am "the" cat in the house and demand all the attention I deserve.

But when Gerry was here,  whenever the doorbell rang he would bound into sight from wherever he happened to be in the house and perch on the little school desk in our front hall. The idea was that whoever walked in the door would see him immediately and he would be suitably adored. If the visitor went to the desk and patted Gerry, he would reward them by kissing their forehead and putting one paw on their cheek (always with retracted claws of course).

Another funny thing I remember is that not long after we came to live here Hal caught Gerry walking down the hall carrying a red plastic glass in his mouth. He walked with the with the open end towards the ground and with each step he took his front paws would go into the glass and he would trip. But he didn't give up! He tried again and again, without any success, to take this glass to his stash of  goodies in the basement! Hal watched this little scene a while before finally taking the glass from him.

What a comedian he was!

Dear Terzo,

I didn't realize I was supposed to date these letters. Why? Cats don't follow calendars or clocks! 

I'm writing because I discovered the most wonderful game last night! So I just  have to tell you about it. 

Yesterday afternoon June did something with paper that she calls shredding. Personally I'd just use my claws to do it and it would have been done faster (humans are such inadequately designed creatures!) but she has this rather noisy little machine to do it for her.

The machine isn't nearly as bad as that big one with the long hose because it does stop often, so I was able to watch the shredding process. When she was done a lot of little bits of paper went into a big paper grocery bag that she stored between a little stool and some shelves in her office, likely to keep it out of my reach.

But she didn't know I was watching and she forgot to put the pile of books back on the stool -  with them there I couldn't get on it. Other things kept me busy (like napping and test eating a leaf on one of June's plants that made me bring up more than a hairball. Fortunately I didn't do that on the diningroom rug but on the basement floor. Considerate of me, I thought) until after June had gone to bed.

Then I had time to investigate and the fun began. I went into her office and climbed up on the stool, leaned over ready to climb into the bag to investigate. But instead I fell into it, knocked the stool over making a loud bang and the bag (with me in it) making a mess of shredded paper all over the place. It really was fun except it woke June up and for some reason she couldn't see why it was such a good game.

She also tells me that, technically, I have been in paper garbage bags before. Apparently when Gerry and I were kittens she and Hal used to bring home groceries in those kinds of bags and we would play in them. But I only remember plastic ones which she won't let me near. I have plans to find that grocery bag and shredded paper again when she's not paying attention. Too bad you can't come and play too. But maybe Bobbi also has one of those bags. Have a look around the house. You never know.......

It's time for another nap. So until the next time.

Love, purrs and wishing you paper bag games, Tyler

Dear Terzo,

I have had quite a day today. I need a sympathetic ear and I just know you'll understand. 

It began at 8 a.m. when an electrician came to fix an overhead light in June's office. That was exciting. I got to go into the office and offer suggestions. He even had a black case (my very favorite colour) filled with neat things I got to examine. But he didn't stay too long.

Next the cleaning lady came. She's okay even if she does make a racket with that big machine with the long hose she carts around the house. You see she really does like cats and lets me ride around on the mop when she dusts the floor with it and sometimes even gives me cat treats.

After she leaves I usually curl up in the sun for a nap - after all mop sitting is tiring. But you'll never guess what happened today - there was no napping for me.

Some men drove up the driveway and came into the house with a really big machine and a hose. They rolled down a carpet right through my kitchen, dangerously near my food dishes, and down the basement stairs. Then they rolled their big machine downstairs too.

All this time June was assuring me that it was ok and they'd be done soon. I should have known better. 

They were here a very long time and that machine made a perfectly dreadful noise. June said they were cleaning something called ducts and that those ducts were likely filled with lots of cat hair.

"So what's the problem?" I asked myself. But for some reason she wanted them cleaned. After an hour passed I had had quite enough and decided it was time for action - so I deposited a good old hairball right on their fancy carpet. For some reason June wasn't pleased with that.

I just don't understand humans. Do you?

Now I am going for a long nap even if the sun has gone from my favorite spot.

Tyler

Gerry, whose real name was Jeremy, acted like a big fuzzy orange clown the whole time I knew him. Since we were found in an abandoned house by a cat rescue lady named Karen when we were just kittens, I don't ever remember not knowing him. Not long after June and Hal adopted us they realized that Gerry would snitch anything not tied down - from toothbrushes to screw drivers (yes he tried to carry one of those off to his basement hiding place once).

The first thing they missed was the plug for the bathtub. As far as I know they never did find it. Fortunately they did have a spare although I really don't understand human's need to have baths and showers. We cats, with our ability to lick ourselves clean, are made in such a superior way.

Ger was never quite sure he was a cat. He didn't lie down on his tummy like other cats. He preferred to lie on his back, and his tail never ever stopped wagging except when he was lying on it. He used to love to have his fur combed. I can identify with that, but I'm not so sure about the rest of the routine that went with his grooming.

This was a private ritual with Hal and  Gerry. But I did get to watch if I was quiet (that's a hard thing for me to do as I do love to talk!). This first time I saw this, I was amazed as Gerry walked on two legs over to Hal's workbench in the basement, picked up 'his' comb with his teeth and, still on his back legs, walked back to Hal and dropped the comb at his feet. As far as I know once he discovered how to do this he did it every day until he got sick.