Sinner's Alley Happy Hour (Part 1)

<p>Mstee, just for you...Holiday Greetings from the Cats!
This is Phantom, again. Squeak had his turn last year, and he will try again when he grows up a little. <a href="Phantom%20has%20a%20'tude,%20apparently.)%20%20%5B/i%5D%20%20I%20hang%20out%20at%20Squeak's%20place.%20%20In%20the%20pictures,%20I'm%20the%20good-looking%20one.%20%20Old%20Fart%20and%20Lovely%20Lady%20%5Bi%5D(kill%20me,%20now">i</a>* have been good to me, and if that continues, I will hang around. Old Fart calls me a "dude with a 'tude" -- whatever that means. <a href="See,%20I%20told%20you.">i</a>* </p>

<p>For the longest time, I thought Old Fart's name was, "Yes, Dear!" <a href="Why%20would%20he%20admit%20this%20to%20anyone?">i</a>* Squeak told me he thought that, also. <a href="Squeak:%20%20Yup,%20he's%20whipped,%20alright.">i</a>* Squeak suggested that I earn my keep by writing the holiday note, this year. I would rather write about myself, but with Squeak's help, I will try. <a href="Are%20you%20thoroughly%20confused,%20yet?%20%20The%20author%20certainly%20is!">i</a>* ;)</p>

<p>There were highs and lows this year. Lovely Lady's father died in March at the age of 98. <a href="I'm%20guessing%20that%20this%20event%20was%20a" title="low?">i</a>* Just imagine what that is in "cat years!" Both Old Fart and Lovely Lady went to the funeral. <a href="Old%20Fart%20has%20watched%20one%20too%20many%20Jerry%20Lewis%20telethons,%20and%20all%20of%20the%20women%20in%20this%20holiday%20saga%20are%20referred%20to%20as" title="ladies.">i</a>* A nice LADY came over and took care of Squeak and me.</p>

<p>No cruises this year! This was due to a huge house remodel. Since Squeak and I are relegated to the outdoors <a href="no%20thanks%20to%20Lovely%20Lady,%20a.k.a.,%20The%20Ballbuster">i</a>,* we didn't know what was going on. However, a lot of furniture was placed on the back patio, so Squeak and I had a ball climbing around on it and even sharpening our claws on some of Lovely Lady's antiques! :) </p>

<p>The sons are doing well. Jeff remarried <a href="after%20he%20had%20a%20couple%20of%20affairs%20with%20his%20patients%20and%20completed%205-1/2%20months%20in%20rehab">i</a>* to a pretty LADY named, Larlene. <a href="Her%20real%20name%20is,%20Diane,%20but%20they%20call%20her,%20Loulou,%20for%20short...Don't%20ask.">i</a>* Larlene is a wonderful LADY. She likes Squeak and me. She is one cool LADY! </p>

<p><a href="Enough%20about%20our%20sons%20and%20our%20grandchildren!">i</a>* We cats are doing well. I, Phantom, tend to wander. Old Fart thought he had fixed that problem -- or, was it he thought that <em>fixing</em> would take care of the problem? Evidently, he's trying to say that one of the cats "got his tonsils out." :) We hope that 2006 will be good to you, and we hope that it will be good to Squeak and me, particularly me. <a href="Man,%20this%20is%20one%20narcissistic%20feline!">i</a>* After all, I'm the dude with the 'tude. :D</p>

<p>Sluggie,</p>

<p>Stop! You're killin'me! </p>

<p>My sides hurt from laughing!</p>

<p>Who ever knew tonsils, holiday newsletters and artificial testicles could be so much fun.</p>

<p>Now back to itemizing deductions , then to FASFA!</p>

<p>Oh My Gosh, thank you for that Sluggy! ROTFLOL!</p>

<p>Well, I told my 12 year old about the kitty newsletter and she said very matter of factly that two kids at German camp this summer got letters from their pets. Apparently there are more letter writing animals out there.</p>

<p>I got an email from my dog asking me to buy stuff for her for Christmas. You'd think after 7 years the dog would figure out that we're Jewish. </p>

<p>Somewhat suspiciously, the email had pictures and links from the same web site where I ordered the last refill of the dog's allergy meds. I didn't know they gave the pets free email accounts along with the purchase.</p>

<p>On the other hand, it doesn't surprise me that the dog would try to communicate by email - it's probably the most effective way around here to get my attention.</p>

<p>She must be a smart dog and agnostic. Always trying to get at least two presents. Does she also try for Eastern Orthodox Catholic Xmas and Chinese New Year gifts? How about Kwansaa?</p>

<p>Speaking of religious pets, where I come from there is a monastery for cats! A thousand or so years ago, they got rid of the rats and snakes.....</p>

<p>The cats weren't responsible for this but the dogs all got shot about 40 years ago because of some disease that could be transmitted to humans and are just now making a little comeback.</p>

<p>Calmom, did she ask for a "Chewish" dog toy? :::::woof::::: :)</p>

<p>Hey, it's a New Year, and we're still celebrating! My tiara is off to San Francisco State University for sending SluggS a friendly email reminder not to get Senioritis. Yay, thanks! One less nag for the parents of these incoming freshmen. :) ::::clinking a glass of leftover bubbly on Calmom's empty bottle of beer::::</p>

<p>Raising a glass to the dodds!! </p>

<p>Congrats on son's college acceptances.</p>

<p>I congratulated them on the Official Congrats Thread, but it's much more fun here! Unless they don't have time to come around because they're out shopping for Twin XL sheets...</p>

<p>Congrats to Mudge's D, m&sdad's D, and Carolyn's D on their acceptances! They have some excellent choices to make this Spring. I can't wait to see where all of these kiddos end up. :)</p>

<p>We're all happy in the Doddsfamily, for ourselves and for all the other good news on CC. I think it's time for a party! I missed the New Years party, but it's only because I started at least 6 hours ahead of everyone else and I fell asleep! </p>

<p>If we receive good news about merit aid, I guess I'll have to start reading those threads on what they need for college. Twin sheets, XL Jmmom?</p>

<p>When threads about student depression, suicide, and weapons of mass destruction are getting more hits than SA, it is time to liven things up in the Caf</p>

<p>OK. I don't know how interesting this is, but: I marvelled at the students struggling along the country road on their way to school this morning under dark skies and moderate rain, not that they were walking in the rain, no it was how they were dressed! I am on the 'Wet Coast' and not a single one seemed to possess an umberella. I can only imagine that it is 'unfashionable'...some of the girls looked very uncomfortable in their outfits, and I pictured the steam rising off them as they dry off through the day...</p>

<p>My D e-mailed the college to which she has been accepted EA to ask if she needed to send in a mid-year report. They replied "Yes, we want to make sure you aren't spending all your time on the beach." We just returned from a week in Hawaii! How did they know???? LOL</p>

<p>Here's how my day started with the 12 year old. I am driving her to school, and I say, cheerfully, "oh look at the raindrops on the windshield glittering like diamonds!" and "she says "Stupid Annoying Raindrops." End of conversation.</p>

<p>Sorry to disappoint SB, but I am exercising more! From zero to some = more...</p>

<p>Have been using my pedometer and exceeding the 10,000 steps (approx. 5 miles) regularly.</p>

<p>Students or parents would have to work really hard to keep the depression Jones goin' (word!) on the East coast. 60 degrees and sunny! In January! In Pittsburgh! Woot! Woot!</p>

<p>Dog has been taking meds regularly so no news to report on the canine front.</p>

<p>Typing done, time to go meander in the sunshine. Later...</p>

<p>Hey guys. We are coming up on Page 100. Time for another party?</p>

<p>Mstee,</p>

<p>It rained for 10 minutes today here. Just long enough for me to go in the house with the convertible top down. Like a sponge, car seats consume excess water. Glad I didn't have to drive to work today; my car was like a kiddle pool.</p>