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MEWSLETTER 73 DECEMBER 29 2009 Hi there everyone and an incredibly warm and fuzzy welcome to all the Newbies who braved their way through the blizzards and snow storms that beset the UK and various other parts of the world on snowshoes or skis to join the Daily Mews Appreciation Society! Please feel free to forward this Mewsletter in its entirety to your feline loving family members and friends. Those of you with AOL will have to copy and paste the links in your browsers.
Before we begin with the IMPORTANT stuff, I would like to thank everyone who sent the Daily Mewsers and I Christmas cards (through the post), and e-greetings’ cards via email. Thank you to everyone. I apologise to everyone because the website update and the distribution of the Mewsletter was supposed to happen BEFORE Christmas but I had to have a Swine Flu Jab which made me quite unwell for a few days (nearly a week, actually) and I had a ‘dead’ arm which made typing almost impossible! The worst of it is I have to have a SECOND jab on 12th January because when you have a compromised immune system as I have, one swine flu injection may not be sufficient to protect me. Oh Great Tidings of Joy!!! Another dead arm coming up! I’d like to crave your indulgence for just another couple of minutes while I ask you all a HUGE favour please. The BBC are currently running a competition under the banner ‘My Story’ and I’ve written a piece called ‘Celebrating Scars’ which is an extract from my book. Much to my astonishment and toilet-inducing surprise, they have published it on their website. If you click on the link below, it will take you to my piece. I would love you to read it and click on the ‘thumbs up’ symbol or where it says: ‘I like this’ to register your vote. The competition ends on January 6th so I need all the votes I can get. And if you’d like to write and tell me your views on my story, I’d love to hear them. Thank you all so much in advance. I know some of you have already read it and voted, so thank you too. http://www.bbc.co.uk/mystory/stories/survival/163488/ IT’S NOT TOO LATE! If you missed the ‘Hot off the press’ additional Mewsletter I sent out, you have a second chance now. As a very special New Year Treat, I have something very exciting to offer DAILY MEWS SUBSCRIBERS. Our Roving Feline Correspondent, Jimmy, is featured with his house-mates on a fantastic CD called RELAX WITH CATS. I took this CD into hospital with me and it is extraordinary. Not only did it give me comfort because I missed my own cats so much – but the vibrations from the purring on the CD helped to me to relax and remain calm while having chemotherapy and other treatment. NOW AS A SPECIAL OFFER: YOU can have a copy of RELAX WITH CATS for the throwaway price of £5.00 ($10.00) plus postage and packing. Postage is £1.00 (UK) and $5 for the US. Email me with your name, address and quantity and I will give Jimmy’s Upright the details and he’ll mail them to you at the earliest in January. CDs are limited to first come first served so please hurry and place your order. Please head your emails: RELAX WITH CATS: DM12/09 and I’ll know at a glance that it’s not spam. Right: on to the GOOD STUFF!!!! Cat riding on a Roomba – I didn’t know what a Roomba was but have discovered it’s an automatic cleaner or vacuum cleaner! If only I’d had one of these when Garfield was alive – he could have cleaned the house for me while I was out at work! I’m sure Ollie would have fun on it while I’m not looking. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewdbilSWjaM
When I began writing this, it had been snowing gently all day. Not the big hearty white stuff which settles and causes drifts; just a fine dusting – like icing sugar – coating the stone circle where Ricky used to do his Yoga. Two of the cats, Billy and Ollie are sprawled out on my desk and Sam is under the desk in a bed – all three cats are purring their little hearts out; a kind of feline Carol service methinks. I don’t usually have music playing while I work as I can’t concentrate if there are any distractions but feline distractions are another matter entirely. Who wouldn’t feel good with a purring version of Silent Night, Holy Night???!!! But during the day the snow did become thicker and thicker until I couldn’t open the back door (it opens outwards) because there was a drift of snow behind it. The cats stared through the cat flap at this white intrusion and looked to me to deal with it. ‘Have your people deal with it at once!’ Ollie ordered through clenched teeth and crossed legs. For those of you who are relatively new to the website, you’ll not know about the time Ollie wrote in his diaries when the ‘sky broke into little pieces and made a mess in our garden.’ http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/kittendiaries12.htm ANTIFREEZE WARNING It’s a sad fact that many cats are deliberately poisoned by people who hate them (for whatever inexplicable reason) and one of the ways they do that is to use antifreeze. At this time of year, it’s all too easy to spill a drop of this stuff while de-icing your cars (hope I’m using the right technical jargon as I’m not a driver!) Seriously, antifreeze has a sweet taste which cats, for some unknown reason, like and the end result is usually fatal. Here’s a link to a piece which should give you some guidelines on using antifreeze safely: http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/antifreeze_warning.htm FAVOURITE WEBSITES: One of my favourite websites is Hearts and Humor, which is an inspirational site run by Mike Smith. To sign up for his free newsletters, click here: Join Hearts and Humor for FREE We all have to tighten our belts at the moment and what could be better than taking advice from Michelle Jones whose site ‘Better Budgeting’ helps us to do just that: If there’s a little bit of the ‘Oirish’ in you, then you’ll love Bridget and Russ Haggerty’s website on all things Irish: www.irishcultureandcustoms.com I love Sandy Harris’s website but I feel chronically challenged in the nifty sewing department: http://www.sundropdesigns.com/index.html Another inspirational site is this one which Helen Dowd in Canada writes: *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* WISHES: If your cat(s) was/were given three wishes, what do you think they’d ask for? Please send your answers to p.dewberry@ntlworld.com and the best ones will be featured in the next Mewsletter. It could be world peace or a cat nip mouse to play with. Your cats’ wishes can be as prosaic or profound, silly or serious – let your cat decide. Maybe he’d like to be a prime minister or a president. Let’s face it: he probably could do a lot better than the shower of brown stuff we have in power at the moment! What changes do you think he’d instigate?? *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* A hilarious and addictive game for you to play!!!! http://upchucky.com/games/hairball-bowling.html *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* BOOK QUIZ: The answers to the last Book Quiz are as follows:
And the super sleuths were: Kevin Wilson, UK Jared Kline, Belgium Dolores Rodriguez, Mexico Jane Smith, UK Jolene Grant, US Anita Brownlow, Australia Well done, everyone and thank you all for taking part. There will be a new Book Quiz in the next issue of the Mewsletter. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* CAPTION COMPETITION: Mike Smith in Idaho, US, won the Caption Competition. You can see his winning entry and all the other entries (which were all so good, it was very hard to pick a winner) here on this link: http://www.thedailymews.com/KittyBits/caption_competition_9.htm The Caption Competition will be back next month. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ARTICLES: Although I’ve mentioned this next item before, it’s well worth a repeat mention because it’s so funny. Alexis, the Bassett Hound, tells her version of the Christmas Story like no other version I’ve heard. Click on this link: http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/deck_the_halls.htm The Red Baron is a little Miniature Pinscher that came to live with Jim Willis and his other furkids and on 28th December he celebrated his 3rd birthday. Jim has written a lovely birthday tribute to The Baron, as he is affectionately known which you can read on this link: http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/on_this_day_a_child_was_born.htm FELINE FITNESS It’s that time of year when in the flurry of being up to your elbows stuffing turkey, writing out Christmas cards and wrapping presents our pets are often left to their own devices. In another instalment of Pet First Aid, Diana Sichta’s piece on looking after your pets safely is worth keeping in a handy place … http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/tips_happy_safe_christmas.htm MEWSERS MEWSINGS: A young ginger cat called Tarzan wrote a beautifully articulate story about his beloved mother, Paulinchen and how life changed dramatically for his brothers and himself. Jared Kline in Belgium helped Tarzan with his spelling and grammar skills – you can see for yourself what a poignant story Tarzan has written here: http://www.thedailymews.com/mewsersmewsings/best_mother_ever.htm Kathy Pippig Harris, (California) sent me an interesting piece. ‘I rescued a human today’ is a sweet reversal of roles tale, written from the point of view of a dog in kennels. http://www.thedailymews.com/mewsersmewsings/i_rescued_a_human_today.htm Jim Colasanti Jr, who wrote ‘Just a Few More Words about Butchy’ last time had a brilliant end to his year when his Christmas story -THE CHRISTMAS MEATBALLS - was published by Cesar's (Milan) Way Magazine for their holiday issue which was on the newsstands on December 2nd. It is THE national dog magazine begun by Cesar Milan who has the Dog Whisperer show on National Geographic. Jim told me: ‘Needless to say, it has made my year!’ The Daily Mewsers join me in congratulating Jim on his success. Although Jim is very busy in his job and living with all his dogs, I’m hoping we’ll be able to put more of his great stories on the Daily Mews website from time to time. For those of you who missed Jim’s story about Butchy here’s the link and I’ve added some photos which Jim sent me after the Mewsletter went out: http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/just_a_few_words_about_butchy.htm Jimmy, our Resident Feline Correspondent, has written another insightful piece about Christmas (bearing in mind this issue should have been out in time for Christmas). http://www.thedailymews.com/mewsersmewsings/365_days_to_Christmas.htm I am grateful to Jimmy – and his Upright – for contributing to the Daily Mews website on such a regular basis and if you have an outspoken feline who would like to add their viewpoints or opinion please have them contact us at the usual address: p.dewberry@ntlworld.com SONIC has written about living in a household with 10 other cats and how having 8 kittens running around drove her scatty. She is 18 years young now and lives with her Mummy’s daughter – in a quieter house where she is the only cat – a state which she prefers. Read her story here: http://www.thedailymews.com/mewsersmewsings/Sonic.htm NAPPING ON A SUNBEAM: It’s so upsetting when someone writes a heart breaking email to me pouring out their feelings about losing a beloved cat (and occasionally, a dog). But in the NAPPING ON A SUNBEAM section, you can have a permanent tribute to your pet – just send me an email with your tribute and one or two CLEAR photos and I’ll post it on the website at the next update. Sue Fallon, whose cat, Sonic, has written in the Mewsers’ Mewsings section, has written movingly about Jiffy – a beautiful black cat who sadly had to be put to sleep in November: http://www.thedailymews.com/NAPPINGONASUNBEAM/Jiffy.htm This is a shorter issue than the intended Christmas issue but I would like to wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year (or should that be a ‘MEW’ Year!). My thanks go out to all of you for your continued support and prayers. And thank you for your submissions on all things feline for the website. Keep them coming throughout the coming year! Blessings to each and every one of you and your families: two-legged and four-legged. With love Pauline, Billy, Sam and Ollie xxxxxx BACK TO THE MEWSLETTER Archive Index
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