Friday, April 29, 2016

Fangs on Friday + Friday Funny

We give you ...

Sassy Girlcat Fangs.


But wait ...
(cue sound of paws typing madly on keyboard)


Allie: Mother! That one wasn't supposed to be posted!

Maxwell: *voice heard from a distance*
Hey Faraday, can I stop distracting Momma now???

Faraday: Wait ...wait ... just one more to upload ...
Hey Maxie! How you you spell "derp"?

*D'oh Derp! D'oh Derp!*
(cue inarticulate shriek)

***

For today's funny, we give you the latest video our mom's group made. Be sure to wait for the very last comment at the end.... (hee!)





Thursday, April 28, 2016

To Serve and Protect #spons

On Monday, we gave you a glimpse into the shenanigans that occur behind closed doors at a fellow pet bloggers home.

What you didn't see were the very real struggles facing this blogger, nor how her Vimtag camera has helped out.

As much as Maxwell loves his Chickadee Channel (and the occasional episode of Missouri Squirrels Gone Wild), still -- our Vimtag is being used mostly for entertainment.

For Amy of Sebastian the Sensitive Soul -- it's been used for much more than that.

Here's her story.

Several years ago, Amy chose to do something most of us cannot imagine doing: she opened her home to her parents, both of whom had diseases that would soon become debilitating. Her father had cancer. Her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Two of Amy's favorite guys, husband Lee and Stilwell.

Amy and her husband, Lee, cared for her dad until the very end. I still marvel at the incredible compassion and strength that took. Now, almost two years later, they are faced with caring for an mother whose Alzheimer's has progressed considerably.

Amy & Lee also open their homes to elderly, less adoptable dogs.
Heloise passed away a few months before Amy left for training.
In the midst of it all, Amy changed careers. (Did we mention she was an undercover cop? How cool is that!) Several months ago, she hung up her badge for a different job, one she knew would require her to travel across the country for weeks of training.

Wouldn't you miss this sweet face, too?
Lowenstein wonders why mom has to go away for so long ....
It was too far to return on weekends, so Amy would essentially be away from her loved ones, both two-footed and four, for 5 solid weeks.

I don't know about you, but five weeks seems like an eternity when you're apart from loved ones. And I'd miss my furry family every bit as much as I would Marty. Amy was no different.

The Vimtag camera allowed her the freedom to check in on them any time of the day or night. It was easy to set up, and she could operate it anywhere her mobile phone had a signal. She'd check in on them during her classes, and at night when she was alone in her dorm room. It helped assuage her loneliness and allowed her to have a brief taste of home while so far away.

She got to spy on the Harvey Monster while she was hundreds of miles away.

I have to tell you that not all wireless IP cameras are as easy to set up as the Vimtag. (holy cow - some of them are awful, and hair-pulling impossible!!) Amy had initially bought a slightly less expensive brand, and she and I spent literally hours trying to get that piece of junk to work outside her home. Total fail.

In contrast, setting up the Vimtag took 5 minutes. If I hadn't already been in love with mine, this would have sealed the deal for me.



Amy's happy to be back home, and now she is using her Vimtag for another very important reason: she is able to check no her mom while she's at work. The peace of mind this brings her is something you cannot buy.



If you are ever find yourself wanting to purchase a wireless camera for your home, I highly recommend this camera. Here are a few of the features we especially like about it:

You can:
  • Pan/tilt camera through app with gestures 
  • Real time viewing
  • Two-way audio
  • Night vision
You can access your camera at any time either from the Vimtag app on your Android or iPhone, or on your computer at vimtag.com. You can move the camera around on your phone simply by swiping, and on the web app, there is a simple navigation pane you can click to move.

I love the fact you can talk through it too! (though Allie still wonders where my voice comes from!)

http://goo.gl/nxUOS3
____________
FCC Disclaimer: This is a review and we were compensated for the time it took to create this post and tell you about the Vimtag Fujikam. All opinions are our own. We enjoyed ourselves immensely and thank Vimtag for the opportunity. We hope you had fun, as well. 

_____________
***

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

(almost) Wordless Wednesday

Maxwell: *sigh-h-h-h*


Rain, rain, go away....


***




Wednesday's Waif: Brody

"Hi there, my name is Brody!
Do I look familiar to you?

Allie says I'm her 'brotha from anotha motha' -- or wait, was that CK that said that?  All those grey tuxie girlcats confuse me just a bit. And okay maybe intimidate me a teensy bit too - just don't tell anyone I said that, okay?"


"I love wand toys, I do!  I'm energetic - and might have just a little bit of kitten left in me, even though I'm a big boy of three years! I hope that's okay with you?

I'm a very enthusiastic player. And purr-er. And cuddle-er. And, uhm, eater, too ....

Won't you come out and say hello? I'd love to find my very own family - VERY soon!

Purrs,
Brody"


Brody is available at Allie's Alma Mater, Wayside Waifs.



 ***

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

'Toon Tuesdays: We Really Didn't. Honest.



*** 
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) - where our mom works, too!




Monday, April 25, 2016

Busting the Puppy 'Rumor Mill' #spon

Faraday: Hey Maxie, whatcha doing, sitting over here instead of watching your BirdTV?
Maxwell: Oh ... I wanted to do some uninterrupted thinking, so I'm DVRing today's Chickadee Episodes on my Vimtag. I think better over here on the heater vent.


Faraday: WAIT - is this, like, one of your musings? 'Cause if it is, I'm outta here.
Your musings kinda creep me out, Maxie. Seriouslies.


Maxwell: No, no, nothing like that. I was just thinking about a rumor I recently heard about Harvey, Stilwell, and Lowenstein over at Sebastian the Sensitive Soul.

Faraday: Oh, well, why didn't you say so, Maxie. I love a good rumor! Hit me! (BTW, nice use of the Oxford comma in that last sentence. Harvey's human would be proud.)


Faraday: *impatient tone* I'm waiting ...
Maxwell: Okay, okay, I'm getting to it. *clears throat*
(adopts best Darth Vader voice)

Faraday, they've gone to the dark side .... 
Harvey. Lowenstein. Stilwell. 
They live with ... with ...


DOGS.


Faraday: *shocked look* NO WAYS! That's impossible. I woulda heard about it!
Maxwell: No, dood, it's true. And I hear they ...


(Darth Vader voice returns)  
CUDDLE with them .....

  
Faraday: That's it. You've been snorting too much nip, Maxie.
Maxwell: Dood, I swear it's true.

Faraday: Well there's one way to find out.


Let me just send in my covert ops team to install a surveillance Vimtag.
I'll make a few calls from my Secret Headquarters ....

Covert Vimtag, on the job!

Later that day:



Faraday: *disgusted look* Can you believe it? They even play smacky-paw in front of the dogs.

***

In case you couldn't tell, we love our Vimtag Cloud Camera. Lowenstein's human does too.
In fact, it has had a significant impact on her life ~ we'll tell you about it in a few days.

http://goo.gl/nxUOS3

It features:
  • Pan/tilt camera through app with gestures 
  • Real time viewing
  • Two-way audio
  • Night vision
It's accessible from the Vimtag app on Android or iPhone, or on your computer at vimtag.com.

____________
FCC Disclaimer: This is a review and we were compensated for the time it took to create this post and tell you about the Vimtag Fujikam. All opinions are our own. We enjoyed ourselves immensely and thank Vimtag for the opportunity. We hope you had fun, as well. 

_____________
***

Friday, April 22, 2016

Happy Earth Day!

Shouldn't we all be good stewards of the world in which we live?
After all, it's the only one we have ...

Allie gazes up at a daffodil

At least until we figure out how to travel to other worlds.
But even then, who would want us trashing their backyard, too?

Might as well master it now, before we go visiting ....

***





Thursday, April 21, 2016

Thursday's Purrs: Iris

"Hello! My name is Iris and I sure do enjoy being petted. Come on over and see me and I'll prove it!

I'll put my paws on you and give you lots of love and kisses. I just can't get enough!"


"I like to talk and make silly purring noises, too. And oh my! I think feather toys are very exciting.

Did I mention that I am a talker? I mean, a real chatterbox? I like to follow people around and tell them all about everything.

Sometimes I talk even when I eat. I am a super unique kitty and I would love to join a new family who wants to give me lots of love.

Come get to know me, won't you?

Purrs,
Iris"


Iris is available at the Merriam Campus of Great Plains SPCA.

http://www.greatplainsspca.org/adopt/adoptable-cats/



 ***

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

National Look-alike Day

"The maneki-neko (Japanese: 招き猫, literally "beckoning cat") is a common Japanese figurine, lucky charm, or talisman which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner.

In modern times, they are usually made of ceramic or plastic."

Maneki Neko in street in Japanese village
Maneki Neko in Asauka, Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Kondo Atsushi via Creative Commons 2.0
Or, evidently, also made of Tonkinese.

Faraday mimics a Maneki-Neko

Dood, you're doing it right.
***

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

'Toon Tuesdays: Lists



*** 
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) - where our mom works, too!




Monday, April 18, 2016

Does Not Play Well With Others

Allie: Hey, Brat. When are you going to be done with that snake?
There are other cats in the household who would like a turn, you know....

Allie looks up at Fardaay, sitting on a chair

Faraday: Hmmm, let me think on that for a second...

Faraday looks away, pondering Allie's request

Faraday: M-m-m-m yeah ...  that would be NEVER.
*chomp!*

Faraday refuses to give Allie the snake toy

Allie: *sigh* I should have seen that one coming ....

 ***

Friday, April 15, 2016

Fang on Friday

In honor of Maxwell's birthday yesterday, we present to you Mister One-Fang himself:

Maxie shows off his single remaining fang

Maxwell: C'mon momma! Just a little lower please!

Maxie, open wide! GRAB that toy!

(yes, she Photoshopped out the wall plug in the first picture! MOL!)

 ***

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Happy Birthday Maxie!

Happy 6th birthday to our handsome Blue Boy.

Maxie shows off his baby blue eyes on his birthday

May your BirdTV be extra special today!

Maxie on his lounger, looking intently out the window

And may you (finally) catch that elusive Red Dot...

***

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Never call a girlcat WINDBAG.

Faraday: Mommy said yesterday was Big Wind Day.

I asked Maxie why Allie got a special day named after her.
 She's just a big windbag after all....

Faraday yawns in boredom at Allie the Windbag. (dood, you'd better RUN)
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Heard it all before, Allie. Seriouslies...."

An' HE said it wasn't about Allie at all.

  "Observed each year in the United States on April 12th, National Big Wind Day, commemorates the recording of the highest natural wind gust measured on the Earth’s surface. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, the Mount Washington Observatory recorded winds at 231 miles per hour."

Seriouslies, who KNEW?

An' in case anyone doubts me, just take a look at all Allie's texts yesterday!
She went ON and ON and ON ... Good thing our dad has unlimited minutes with his plan, cuz she just used up elebenty billion of them!




***

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

'Toon Tuesdays: Overheard at Hallmark



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_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) - where our mom works, too!




Monday, April 11, 2016

Maxwell's Musings


Maxwell wonders if cat trees can get diseases like real ones.


Ever thought of that? Hmmm?

 ***

Friday, April 8, 2016

Faraday's First (uh, second) Friday

Lesson #582How to Properly Tame a Wand Toy

First you gotta man it into your claws (#likeaBoss)



Then you stare it into submission.



Wand toys today, the world tomorrow.

#DOMINATING

***

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Thursday's Purrs: Otis

"Hi there, my name is Otis!
Remember the movie Milo and Otis, the one about the dog and cat having great adventures together?
No one tell my previous owner that they got the characters mixed up, okay?

(Otis was the dog - hahameow!)

Yep. I came to Great Plains as an owner surrender and I'm now looking for my forever home."


"One look at me and you can see what a handsome rich coat of fur I have, wouldn't you agree?
I sure would love to snuggle next to you while you give me a nice brushing.

I can become a bit over stimulated with too much petting, so a little goes a long way.
I like to play too. Hey ... maybe you have some boxes for me to pounce into?
Or some plain old string for me to chase? That will do just fine too!

I am front declawed, so please keep me indoors where I can be safe from harm.

I'm dying to get to know you. Won't you please come on in so we can begin our happily ever after together?

Purrs,
Otis"


Otis is available at the Merriam Campus of Great Plains SPCA.

http://www.greatplainsspca.org/adopt/adoptable-cats/



 ***

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday



Early Evening Watch-Cat.
Ever vigilant.

***


Tuesday, April 5, 2016

'Toon Tuesdays: Don't Get Hacked



*** 


_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) - where our mom works, too!




Monday, April 4, 2016

Patty cake?

Maxwell: Hey Allie, wanna play Patty Cake?
Allie: Yes, but only if you STAY ON YOUR SIDE.


Maxwell: Gee, Allie, who knew there were RULES to this game?
Allie: Oh, there are always rules, Maxie. MY rules.

And you would do well to heed them.

***

Friday, April 1, 2016

Faraday's First Fridays

Lesson #629: How to ruin your sister's nap.




#WINNING.

***