.
1) The more expensive the cat food, the less likely the cat will actually eat it. Although the other cats will swarm like sharks at feeding time and wonder why you love them less.
2) You cannot play “eat it or starve” with a 17 year old cat. You will not win.
Get that nasty stuff away from me, or I’ll eat your face!
3) Relief over old cat’s recovery means you’ll feed her anything she wants. As often as she wants.
I could get away with murder now, and you know it. Fetch me some salmon, and make it fresh.
4) Some children are nose-pickers, some are connoisseurs. And if I hear “I’m saving this one for a cracker” one more time, I am going to run screaming from my home.
5) Playdoh can occupy a three-year old for two solid hours. And it will take at least as long to get all the little bits of it off the floor, the table, and the dog.
6) It is possible to be so tired that you think you might die. And so tired you would mind too much if you did because a dirt nap is, at least, a nap.
7) Caffeine isn’t an actual substitute for sleep. Which is really unfortunate.
8 ) If you’re going to have car trouble, the best place in the world for it to happen is at a Boy Scout camp. You’ll have more helpers than you could imagine.
9) Cars require starters to, well, start. Who knew?
10) It’s not possible to scrapbook 700 pictures in two days. At least not if you plan to provide a modicum of supervision to the kids, also.
11) I might, in fact, take too many pictures. Nah!
12) There is no end the havoc two boys can create in the living room with a playground ball.
13) Summer means a shift in priorities. I may not post five days a week because we’re squeezing every bit of fun out of summer that we can.
Somebody’s gotta be there to catch a Squish, you know!
I also learned that Faeries are real. And their magic is powerful, allowing me to spend a whole magical day with my sister. Yeah, I know. It looks like I’m wearing a shrub on my head. Whatever.
Becoming Cliche 
A very educational week! Glad to hear the cat is ok, sorry to hear you are once again its minion.
And yet for all you’ve learned, not a word about turtles… Perhaps there’s one living in hte head-shrub?
Tomorrow, my friend. Tomorrow.
And a fine shrub it is!
I thought so. Even though I had it on backward. It smells great!
Well, you have outdone me for sure. “Saving this one for a cracker.” Groooooosssssss. You’re welcome to crash at my house, because if anyone here said that, they’d no longer be, well.. here.
It still gives me to total willies. Gah!
Wow, you only just now learned Faeries are real? Summer always means a shift in priorities, it is fine though, just do wordless posts so we can all follow joyously! Glad kitty is recovered, being a cat lover myself I understand the challenge fully.
I was not a believer until a few days ago. But their magic is amazing.
The coffee-for-sleep thing really is unfortunate. It doesn’t stop me from trying to make it work. This might explain why most days I am an odd mix of yawn and energy jitters 🙂
Me, too! Heart palpitations and droopy eyelids.
The cracker thing – ewwwwww. Hope your cat is well, we are dealing with an ancient one as well…..they do get louder & more opinionated dont they…
Here’s to a great summer!
The cracker thing kick-started my summer weight-loss plan. I can’t eat!
Your kitty looks the same as mine, we also bow to demands because he is on borrowed time after a heart attack! He gets away with everything, definitely rules the house x
It’s amazing how something so small can take over an entire household. Wishing your kitty well.
I am really sad that I didn’t get to go to the Faerie Folk Festival with you. Maybe next year? That picture is awesome. ❤
Come and see me. The place we went has faerie stuff ALL THE TIME! It’s kind of a faerie garden.
I think the first picture of the cat is brilliant! It speaks volumes. 🙂
Thanks! She speaks volumes, as well. There’s Siamese cat in her heritage somewhere!
Saving it for a cracker? Gotta share that one with my grandguys.
Yeah, it was a new one for me, too.
I cried a little when I read #7. Say it ain’t true!
I could be wrong? Carry on as you were. Don’t mind me. I don’t want to make ANYONE cry!
😀 I am going to test that caffeine theory today 😉 If I wish hard enough maybe it will work!
Please let me know how that goes. I may just not be wishing hard enough.
You and your sister are hilarious, have a great summer, don’t worry about us, we will still be here.. I KNOW about the nap feeling! I have that feeling on speed dial!! c
Can’t wait to read about Daisy. She needs to get on with it. I need cute calf pictures in my life.
Sounds like you have a wonderful and wild week so far! Enjoy summer with the kids – can’t wait to hear about the adventures!
And it just keeps getting more interesting.
My nineteen-year-old cat has seemed to have learned (God knows from where) that if he pretends to throw up, I will get out of bed at 3AM.
There’s apparently a cat manual out there somewhere. Mine scratches on the hardwood like she’s going to pee.
I keep testing the caffeine thing…
I do, too. I remain hopeful. Or deluded.
I have two boys, so I sympathize with much of what you’ve written here and I laughed at the memories that they evoked. I loved the one about a “dirt nap,” I have felt that way many, many times! Hope your summer is filled with wonderful fun and terrific memories….and I hope we get to see many pictures!!
There will be more pictures than anyone knows what to do with. Myself included!
I actually had a weird dream last night that I took my cats to the vet and the vet told me they had diabetes because I overfed them. I got really upset because I actually buy them nice cat food and they are really active (I swear they eat better than I do). The vet just shook his head sadly at me.
We had to take all the cats off of self-feed because we had one that was so huge that I was afraid she WOULD get diabetes. You were just walking around in my head. That’s all. Hope you didn’t move anything around while you were in there. And for heaven’s sake, don’t touch anything!
#4. You’re killing me here. Seriously.
Enjoy a fun summer with the kids!
Try living with the little dude. It’s a thought-provoking experience. Most thoughts consist of “Eww. Really?”
And whenever you buy cat toys, no matter how cool and shiny, they’d rather play with the packaging.
I gave up. Now they get a new cat toy every single week. The pull tab from the bottle of milk.
Sooooo with you on this list! LOL! Especially the one about not posting as much during the Summer. Oh well, such is the life of the great parent 🙂 Enjoyed this post.
Thank you!
Your cat’s photo is pulling off the exact same expression as my old cat when he’s not in the mood for my shenanigans. Why are cats so awesome?
Glad the feline made a recovery!! And I wish to go through life not having to learn those lessons firsthand…although somehow I don’t think it’s going to work that way.
I keep wishing the same thing. Wish I could learn completely from other people’s mishaps. And yet, I do not.
Oh my! #4 and #5 hit hard. Only mine eat the boogers AND the Play-Doh — no crackers required. Awesome post, Cliche. Now, go get some sleep.
Squish ate the playdoh this morning with his oatmeal.
Ah, summer. I’m thinking maybe I’ll let my kids write my posts. Then I can get a nap and they’ll be entertained. And the posts will likely be about #4.
I think that’s the best solution, really. And they’ll start the school year way ahead of their peers. Win/win.
Sounds like you had a rough week. Hooray for sisters — I hear they’re pretty great.
Glad old kitty is doing better. Our young kitty who once had an IBS-induced infection (who almost died a few years ago) now requires a pill twice a week and expensive food that she hates. Amazing how we can love these giant pains in the ass.
The good part is that I’ve been able to keep some perspective. Today it’s weighing on me, but it’s FRIDAY so how bad can it be. Wait. Did I just say that?
Went through the same thing with my 16 yo cat. So true. As are all other points in this post.
Thank you for the laughs.
Cats are reincarnated royalty, and they NEVER FORGET IT!
Glad to hear that your cat is doing better, but sounds like you had a very rough week, so I’m glad that you got to be a Faerie for a magical day with your sis, and that’s just a look that I couldn’t pull off. 🙂 Thanks for sharing some humor in spite of the hardships, and yes, by all means, get the most out of your summer!
You need that flower wreath.
LOL #4, hilarious!
I had to ask him three times because I was really sure that couldn’t possibly be what he said. Denial.
I find that so funny 🙂
Love your list — especially in regards to cats! Isn’t that the truth?! The caption on the second cat pic made me laugh out loud. Glad your kitty is ok . . .now fetch him some salmon, and make it fresh!
I like to think that I’m in charge. But between the kids and the cat, I am not.
Things we have learned this week: we’re going to miss you when you’re busy supervising all the wonderful things you have planned for the summer but know it’ll be worth waiting for your posts.
So delighted to see your delightful matriarch back on her patch! We had to hand feed our old dear when she went gaga, all around needed bathing after the manoeuvre. Consider yourself lucky she can feed herself even if you have to call the deli for her next stated preference 😉
They call it Play “Doh” (sans exclamation point, which is NOT truth in advertising) for a reason.
Have a wonderful time this summer, and come and see us whenever!
Enjoy your summer!
Hey! You spelled it right! And they are magical! We had a wonderful day together…and you did NOT have a shrub on your head! It was a faery headdress! (sniff)
I can relate. I’ve got a cat that hates to eat regular cat food. He bites my ankles until I give him some of the food I’m eating at the dinner table. If I’m not quick enough, he just swipes the food off my plate and takes off running down the hallway with it. He knows I’m too slow to catch him, so he gets it under a bed where I can’t reach him, and then he proceeds to devour it. I swear, some cats are related to Satan.
I need to go to bed, but I just stumbled on your blog and I love it. You’re so funny, and in the little I’ve read so far you seem so real. I do look forward to reading more of your posts.
Thank you very much!