Hooray for the crinkle cave!

The kitties do not seem to be lacking for toys, do they?

Thanks for the warning about "The Holiday." It sounds like a total waste of two very good actresses. I totally agree with you about how Hollywood views the single woman, but when you think about who writes these things - middle aged, unattractive MEN - are you that surprised?

Love, love, love the kitty photos! Two of my cats may indeed be rocket scientists, but the dumb one, Ganache, who gets lost in a one bedroom apartment, has just figured out how to burrow under the covers so she can warm her paws on my fiance's back in the morning and she is soooo proud of herself!

Roy looks like he is snarling at anyone who would THINK to take over his cave.

I understand poor Bob... my butt probably wouldn't fit in the crinkle cave either.

Wow! Thanks for the pictures of kitties in caves. Now to find one for my own two cats.

I kind of like Jack Black, he was awesome in High Fidelity, but I understand what you're saying. Hollywood has a limited view of romance, that's for sure.

Try seeing Stranger than Fiction. Loved the love story in that one.

Ah, yes... they aren't really underprivileged in the cat toy department!

When I get home from work, I sometimes dump out the wooden bowl (you can see it in the 5th picture) that holds the toys, and I toss toys around to the cats and they play. They like it, or at least they humor me into thinking they like it.

I told you that everyone would love the crinkle cave. At my household there would be much swatting and hissing involved in getting prime position in the cave.

Holy crap I laughed so hard at the butt picture. Did you get my Xmas card yet?

Ooo, I hate to disagree but "The Holiday" is really good. Jack Black is so not Jack Black in this movie. I went to special complimentary screening (i.e. a shameless promotion by a *home sales* company where they spent an hour beforehand touting their products but a free movie ticket is a free movie ticket after all!!) and our group was mostly women and we all loved it.

Ha ha! I love the cat in crinkle cave series. Four paws way up on that one. (Yeah, aren't we all a little crazy)

Zoie stole her nearly finished catnip mouse and attempted to strew catnip all over the recently vaccuumed carpet. This did not go over well and resulted in toys being hidden in stockings very much out of kitty reach. Watching her watch the stocking is keeping me in stitches. Lol

I love that you shared your kitty pictures. It makes me feel like we were hanging out together watching these little monsters figure it out.

"Also not anorexic" Har! Me neither. And anyone that posts a picture of me from that angle will wish he/she was tangle with Soba instead!

OK, I'm kidding, just a little.

You, know, Gus, my cat, also likes to hide in his crinkle cave. However we call it a "paper sack."

I just wish I could go see a movie. I wish I had the time. I am beginning to hate the holidays. Last night I came home to find a UPS sticker on my door. All it said was "Behind the flowerpot." Hello? I live in the middle of the city that spawned "Homicide" and "The Wire." Can you say "Crime-Ridden?" What lame-brain would leave a UPS Shipment behind a FLOWERPOT???? I'm sure some junkie was delighted with my selections...

And the good people at UPS are now on a first-name basis with me.

I need scotch.

Come to Florida for vacation! It's 80 degrees here and not so much with the Christmasy spirit because it's just TOOHOT for December! But you should come. We'll ferret you around our various members of our little crochet/knit group who all read you and you can meet my crazy neighbors (they may be crazy but they give out good wine!).

Thanks for the review of the Holiday. I was gonna see it, but now it's pissed me off. :)

O my Lord...I am about crying with laughter over the cat-tent photo-essay. "Also: not anorexic!" Oh. My. GOD. You are funny.

Thanks for the warning about "The Holiday." I feel the need to say that I think Jack Black is lovable and cuddly. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate that, but too bad, Jack! Still, you've successfully warned me off "The Holiday" - and if you haven't seen it yet, may I recommend "Love Actually"? It was delightful romantic holiday fluff, and though some of the stories ended bittersweetly rather than happily, I really loved it.

The cave is cool! Obviously, you need at least one more. We have tents that I got at Ikea. The kitties love them.

I just have to say it again. I love Roy!

I heart Bob... I understand him...

Thanks for the movie review. Sounds like a guy film disguised as a chick flick. Hot guy gets the cookie in 5 minutes with little to no investment, and the dumpy guy gets the hot chick just by being goofy. Definitely a guy film.

Although I do like the concept of swapping houses for the holidays; I've heard Monaco is nice this time of year...

Hooray for the crinkle cave photos! Very cute. My cats are tiring of the scratching post with nest on top and I think they are starting to dream of a crinkle cave...

I thought "Love Actually" was GREAT, too!

And generally I am a fan of ramantic comedies but I guess I just thought too many things were weird in the movie... Cameron Diaz is pretty, but she seemed like she was pretending to be an actress who was pretending to be really hyper. And she and Kate Winslet switch houses... in one day? With no background check, no credit cards, no DNA samples? Kate Winslet leaves her dog in some strange woman's care? Cameron leaves a $10 million house in some stranger's care? So not believable.

Then... Jude and Cameron meet and five minutes later they have sex in Jude's sister's bed? EEEEW.

The stuff with Kate Winslet and the old screenwriter was really sweet, but don't people in movies have other jobs besides working in publishing or the movie industry? Can't Hollywood make movies about real people who don't work in TV, publishing, or similar?

And Jack Black kind of creeps me out, I guess because out here in LA there are a million guys trying to be Jack Black, all pseudo-intellectual cool, the typical Hipster Doofus man. They're supposedly "normal" guys but they only date models/actresses/porn stars. Maybe he would have been better suited to Cameron's character -- not very nuanced. He was obviously playing Jack Black in a movie. I thought he was good in School Of Rock but not in this. Why didn't Kate get to meet Taye Diggs? Jake Gyllenhaal? Jon Stewart?

Mainly I was irritated because I'm sick of single women being portrayed as freaks. That's why I like "The Closer" and "Gilmore Girls" ... both women who (were) single but smart, complex, people you can admire.

I apparently I have WAY TOO MUCH time on my hands this a.m. for movie analysis LOL. I'm sure some people will think I am a bag of crazybones, "it's just a movie" after all. But movies are how we see the world, in a way, and I am so tired of the single woman being such a great little punching bag for writers. Single women rock, too! Even around the holidays.

Sooo totally agree with you about "The Holiday." I'd been looking forward to it as it seems like there hasn't been a decent romantic comedy out in AGES, but this was one heck of a disappointment. Because, you know, drunken sex with a guy as hot as Jude Law ALWAYS leads him to fall IMMEDIATELY in love with you and not want to leave your side for 2 seconds. At least, that's the way it's always worked for me. (not) And of course, the "frumpy" girl (not that I think Kate is actually frumpy, but they sure did their best to make her look that way by giving her crappy hairstyles and dressing her in sweats and of course anyone is going to look heavier next to twig-girl aka Cameron Diaz) ends up with the short, funny, fat guy. Although I did like Jack Black...but he's no Jude Law!

Do have to say that I totally heart Kate Winslett's house in England, tho. I want to live in a picturesque cottage (with a cute name no less!) at the end of a snowy, country lane. Why do homes in England get cute names like "Rosehill Cottage" and here in America we only get numbers?

I am officially re-naming my house. I will no longer be #9. Now I live at "Miniscule Yard." Or maybe "Deadplant Cottage." Or "Leaky Sprinkler House."

Love to see those darling cats of yours....can I say that Roy is my favorite, I sense he has quite the fan club!

Kate Winslet fans will not be disappointed to see her in "Little Children", the reviews are calling it a tragi-comedy (it's funny AND has depth). It's well-worth seeing, she's a very un-typical suburban mom who has an affair with a sexy neighbor..excellent supporting cast.

Um, I kind of think that Brenda Johnson is a freak in The Closer. Heh. The show's okay, but kind of predictable in a lot of ways. I usually figure it out way before Miz Brenda's group does.

I'm tellin' ya, Stranger than Fiction has the sweetest love story in it. You'd love it.

Mary, I'll rent it! =)

And I haven't checked my mail and won't get there until Saturday, I'm sorry!

I love the cat tent. I am going to have to find one of these for my sister.

But I am still stuck on the "save don't waste your eight bucks" comment. Eight dollars? We haven't had an $8 movie here in such a long time - - it is $9.50 now! ugh.

I love Bob! :-D

I always LOVE seeing the cat activity! They seem to really be enjoying the cat cave.
Rock on kitties!

i'm disappointed with your review of Holiday because i love jude law despite his enormous head and i adore kate winslet. maybe i'll wait until it comes out in video.

i'm with you about the stereotypes though. blech.

i must get my cats the crinkle cave.

I have a HUGE beef with movies that show cheating ending in happyness, "In her Shoes" hated it, the one with sarah jessica parker with the uptight bun, sooo wrong. These movies make me want to vomit. It basically says, its okay to cheat, everyone cheats, and if you cheat the end is happy. I believe there is some crazy statistic that men who cheat don't leave there wives the majority of the time (the wife leaves them in anything).

Oh Laurie - I'm at my desk trying not to laugh out loud so hard I'm practically wetting myself. Thank GOD I have my own office. Thank YOU for getting the cats the crinkle cave and giving me such an upper today :)

Well, you and the kitties did it again...made me laugh so hard I peed myself! Holiday hugs to you all!

I have the IKEA kitty tent (in blue) that is the residence of one Lenny T. Cat. I put a boogie mat on the floor of the tent so that it too does indeed crinkle. Our "guest" kitty thought he should explore Lenny's domain last night, not the best of choices. Sobakowa must run some sort of correspondance school... I'm just sayin'.

LOVES the Charlie Brown Christmas special!
BOO for 'The Holiday', but I'm not at all surprised.

Have a great Christmas with the Kitties, Laurie! Have you seen the Kitty bunkbed at Target? My friends just got one for their cats last night.

Skip the movie and read the book! From what I can tell from the trailers, "The Holiday" seems loosely inspired by _Tara Road_ by Maeve Binchy which is an excellent, excellent story. Even Oprah says so.

You are not the only one that doesn't like Jack Black. I can't stand him either. I think he ranks in one of the most annoying men in the world. :-) I also hate the stereotype movies that women are some neurotic creature that HAS to have a man to help her. I think these type of movies encourage little girls to grow up in that image. Damn movie folks.

My favorite role for Jack Black was in "Bongwater" I can't think of a better character for his role, but in a romantic comedy? ehhh. Thanks for the review (and the subsequent alternate review)sounds like a rental for comfy knitting on a rainy day.
My top votes for holiday films: Muppet Christmas Carol (yes, seriously) White Christmas, and Mixed Nuts for its sheer quirkiness.
p.s. LOVE giving gifts before christmas!

I actually kind of liked The Holiday. Especially Kate's charming English cottage. And when Cameron runs back to the house to find Jude Law crying. Though in real life he's a nanny-shagging pig.

love, love the kitty crinkle tent pictures..just made me so happy. I'll be checking out Target this evening! And now I don't have to wonder if that movie is worth my time. Thanks for the honest review.

so... what about women who eat ice cream AND bust balls????

The cat tent photos are pretty funny, even though I am not that much of a cat person. (who has somehow ended up with two cats - long story involving begging children.)

That photo essay was so funny I had tears in my eyes reading it. Thanks for the cheer!

I too have a soft spot for Roy.

Now it there was a holiday movie staring your cats, I would kill to see it. I laughed so hard looking at the pictures and reading your cat messages. And really who doesn't need a good holiday laugh that doesn't involve learning their X is dying of terminal athletics foot.umm feet? whatever
I doubt my cat Tosser could get either end in the crinkle cave. After being rescued from the Animal Humane services he has been packing it on, in case he gets separated from the chow dish again
Merry Christmas Laurie, you are one in a million

I don't have time for movies if they do not come across the satellite. I only end up at the theatre that has second runs and beer. Hooray Beer!

As for kittles, when my baby had her first Christmas, she got a cool mirror that was on a triangular bolster. It would sit up by itself so the baby could look at mirror baby. We unwrapped that, baby had fun, and then it ended up on the floor in the midst of wrapping paper where Finn found it, hissed, yowled and ran away. He did this SIX times before he figured out it was mirror kitty. He's maybe not so bright.

Wait, what's wrong with getting "stuck" with the Jack Black character? He seemed nice. I liked that movie, I liked that Kate Winslet was not all stick thin and Jack Black wasn't, er, Jude Law or some other himbo. Which brings me to Roy. That movie would have been better if Jude Law were replaced by Roy. He could say "My sister usually lets me sleep in the cat tent." and then it would be cute because Cameron Diaz would always let him sleep in the cat tent whenever he wanted. What? No I am not drinking.

OMG! Bob could be a stand-in for the late-great Marcie cat (described by my cat-loving father as "the great orange blob you call a cat"). The picture of that fat orange-striped arse poking out of the itty-bitty opening had me laughing so hard it woke the current cat (who is neither orange nor a blob) up. If you are nice, I'll send you a picture of Marcie and her diva balls. That's a classic too.

oh wait. nanny-shagging pig. *snort*

Love the crinkle cave. I wish I had one! :) Can't believe you didn't get one for EACH cat, though. Wouldn't it be funny, you know they would all pick the same one to be in, and there would still be a fight.

You can feel better knowing you're not the only one who cried during the Charlie Brown movie. I've also cried each time I've heard Joni Mitchell's song "River"...I wish I had a river I could skate away on...

I just love Roy and his Elvis snarl! You should make him a fried boloney sammich for Christmas!!

What are you knitting now?? I've been knitting nothing but SOCKS SOCKS and more SOCKS!!
What size shoe do you take, BTW? No reason, just asking!! ;o)

I understand your frustration with the way women are protrayed. Although I find myself as the number 2 stereotype you listed, I only dress like a vixen on the weekends. The rest of the time, its blah and work. Most women I know are very down-to-earth and have a decent head on her shoulders. Plus, I think your very smart for being able to point those things out. Sorry, don't mean to be so ass-kissy.

If you want to see Jack Black as how he first starting becoming a celebrity, watch any Tenacious D video or listen to the CD. Its really raunchy, but he can really play guitar well.

Love the fat cat butt picture!

This is why I don't watch romantic comedies. They almost always make the women look like freaks.

I'm with Marsha. Come to Florida! Highs in the 80s this week. High of 72 on Christmas! I don't have a pool boy, but my townhouse-style condo does overlook the pool. Mom would be happy to supply cats for our entertainment. Oh, and I might be hooked on the frozen cocktails that come in buckets at Target....

Love the kitty pic's as always. I didn't want to see the movie because Jude Law just seems skeezy, but this makes me feel better about the decision. And I think we should all plan a huge CAP vacation. We could all switch houses! (Kidding - about the switching part. The vacation part still sounds good.)

I don't know why I got my panties in such a bunch about this movie. Maybe because I'm sick of people casting Kate as the "fat and schlumpy" girl, and maybe because I wanted a holiday movie that made me feel happier and more hopeful. Perhaps my expectations were too high.

Also, I am such a dork because I literally sat there through the first 20 minutes thinking, "Who on earth would swap houses with a stranger with no background check?" LOL dork alert!

Anyway. Liz I have giant size 9 feet, actually they aren't very long feet, they are just very square feet. Like little cubes of foot.

And I am currently knitting a crazy crazy scarf, and I am loving it, it has absolutely no rhyme or reason and makes no sense. No pictures until I see if it's horrible or great... it's still on that fine line right now ;)

Love the kitty pic's as always. I didn't want to see the movie because Jude Law just seems skeezy, but this makes me feel better about the decision. And I think we should all plan a huge CAP vacation. We could all switch houses! (Kidding - about the switching part. The vacation part still sounds good.)

So disappointed about The Holiday, but glad to know before I waste a babysitter-evening on it. And I even like Jack Black, but HATE female stereotypes. What say we team up and write a screenplay featuring a Brenda-like character and a Gilmore-chick character, and one of them should definitely end up with Jon Stewart! I would SO be paying big money to see that. AND they should be knitters!! Hey, maybe that's how we could start....

I felt exactly the same way about that flick when I saw the previews. Poor KW, sticking her with Jack Black - don't you wonder what she was thinking when she was cast? 'WTF - I'm frumpy??!"

BTW - any knitting going on in Chez Cat Playground? I went to Tampa's finest (and only) knitting store today (and it was nice!) and spent way too much. Merry Xmas to me! Told DH, when he blanched at the reciept, that I'd wrap it all up and stick it under the tree!

Have a Merry and a Happy!

I felt exactly the same way about that flick when I saw the previews. Poor KW, sticking her with Jack Black - don't you wonder what she was thinking when she was cast? 'WTF - I'm frumpy??!"

BTW - any knitting going on in Chez Cat Playground? I went to Tampa's finest (and only) knitting store today (and it was nice!) and spent way too much. Merry Xmas to me! Told DH, when he blanched at the reciept, that I'd wrap it all up and stick it under the tree!

Have a Merry and a Happy!

Awwww, the RoyCave!

Kate Winslet = frumpy? I should live so long.

I'll let the gofugyourself girls handle this one. http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/go_fug_yourself/2006/10/well_played_kat.html

I laughed so hard at the cat photos I nearly fell out of my chair at work -- largely because your cats are much like my cats, except your captions are waaaay funnier!

I met my husband when I was 40 and we got married when I was 41. Neither of us had been married before - we had both given up on ever getting married. But we've been married for 12 very happy years -- so there is hope!

The Peanuts Christmas special is my favorite Christmas movie -- I cry every time I watch it (which is several times during the holidays because my husband loves Christmas and Christmas movies). He claims he is Charlie Brown, but I resonate more with Linus (he has his blanket, I have my bear....). Holidays are hard when you are single -- but with kitties like yours, they can help you get through it!
Peace,
Chris.

I heart Bob. My Kouros is very similar; fat and intellectually challenged, but also pretty and loving. He woke me last night by snoring in my ear.

Snap! Thanks for the warning about the movie, I was actually excited to see Jack Black in this role but oh well. Your cats are awesome! I love them!

Laurie, you are NOT a dork! You should hear me go on and on about how Celine Dion RUINED a perfectly good Cyndi Lauper song for a stupid car commercial. I could write a Ph.D dissertation on it.

(Basic premise: the original song, "I drove all night" is kind of dark and creepy because it hints that maybe her lover won't be pleased to see her when she gets there, and Celine Dion turns it into a sappy love song by changing the lyrics in spots. GRRRRR.)

Anyway, YAY you for sticking up for realistic portrayals of single women! I haven't seen a love story in so long because most of the couples are immoral and icky.

And DO NOT get me started on Brad and Angelina.

Size 9....just like me. Sounds like someone might be getting some socks!!

When my son was born his feet were almost exactly as wide as they were long!! The folks at Stride Rite said they had never seen anything like it!! Lucky for him (at 15) his feet seem to have thinned out a bit. My husband's feet are so wide that if he had webbed toes he's be the fastest swimmer ever!!

There is no such thing as a crazy scarf that's too crazy!!

Ok, OtherLisa... maybe you can appreciate this one then... I once got into a HUGE FIGHT with Mr. X because he dissed "Footloose" which was, of course, my favorite movie OF ALL TIME EVER EVER. He didn't understand why Kevin Bacon needed to dance.

Me: Ren has to dance because that's FREEDOM, it's LIFE, it's the exuberance of youth, it's the POINT.

Mr. X: What kind of name is Ren? And why can't he just dance at that warehouse thing? Or in his room?

Me: Because he can't, okay. The point is that Beaumont is stuck back in this antiquated ideal of a place where teens are not coarsened by the urges of normal youths! He has to dance to live!

Mr. X: Did you say 'coarsened' in a sentence?

Me: Ren is dancing for his life, okay. Maybe the Kenny Loggins is obscuring your view of THE COMPLEXITY of theis FILM.

And so on. I was like... EMPASSIONED. It was The Passion Of The Footloose. Plus, not only that but I called the people in the movie by their character names and acted like the town was real. And I was SO MAD that he couldn't see why Ren had to dance.

Did Mr. X ever write a screenplay for a bad movie??? Do tell!!!

I have two words for you: BIO DOME

hehehehehehe

Are you serious!!!!! EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!

Mr. X didn't like Footloose? That should have told you he was a loser!

How could a movie starring Pauly Shore and Billy Baldwin not be a hit??? ;oP

My hubby is a sci-fi geek and even he HATES that movie. And he watches some AWFUL stuff. Trust me on that one!!

Remember those nude paparazzi pics of Jude a couple of years that exposed his itty-bitty winky to the world? I thought that was karma getting him back for the whole nanny-shagging thing.

Well, clearly you were in the right. "Footloose" totally rocks! I mean, Kevin Bacon in so-tight-they're-anatomically-revealing-acid-wash-jeans.

'Nuff said.

Aw, now I want a crinkle cat cave! But I only have one cat... not nearly as entertaining (for me). Maybe I need another cat, or three. :)

I LOVE YOUR KITTIES!
and soba too.
sometimes i think my dog has a touch of the space-cadets as well when we point one way and she looks the opposite way--but of course, not 100% of the time, but we are working on it. soon, she'll be as reliable as Bob T. Cat in looking in the opposite direction of where we point. i'm glad Bob figured out that Roy is still Roy, even in the crinkle cave.
xoxo to the roy-boy. :o)

Funny, my 15-year old niece saw the movie the other day and absolutely LOVED it! Made me want to watch it, too. But now, hm, maybe I should not so much take movie reviews from giddy teenage girls too seriously.

Love, love, love the kitty pics! As usual! Roy and his little fanged (or fangless) face is always adorable and Bob? Himbo! LOL! Poor, sweet Bob, love him too!

Upon seeing the trailer for The Holiday this was my reaction:

Cameron Diaz - 'ooo, I like her!'
Kate Winslet - 'oh! She's so beautiful and a 'real' woman!'
Jude Law - 'oh my and eye candy too! I'd like to see this movie!'
Jack Black - 'OHMYGOD! Avert your eyes! Abort Abort Abort!'

I hate him. We saw 'Nacho Libre' this summer when the paper had the movie times wrong for another movie. Terrible movie, just terrible. Blech.

One more comment before I go and I promise I'll leave you alone (until tomorrow, of course!):

I adore you, Laurie!

My kids (7yo and 11yo) LOVE the crinkle cave story and pictures. If you ever do an illustrated storybook of the life and times of Roy, Bob, Frankie and Soba, we're buying it. Just sayin'.

Bio Dome? BIO DOME???????

Oh. My. Gawd.

And yet he didn't like Footloose? DID THE MAN HAVE A LOBOTOMY? Certainly, he had no TASTE.

OK, Laurie, clearly, as your father said, you have more than used up your share of bad luck. For this lifetime and the next sixteen dozen! I predict you're going to write a hilarious book, make millions of dollars and find someone who is truly worthy of your brains, talent and spirit. (And he will be gorgeous and feline-approved!)

My God. Biodome versus Footloose. The mind boggles! I am appalled anew!

aw, I heart Bob's little white feets. and Roy - I heart Roy. I now must find a cat tent for my own beasties somewhere, maybe the internets.

Thank you for warning me off "The Holiday," not that it would probably have occurred to me to see it anyway, since 1) I haven't been to the movies in centuries 2) I avoid holiday movies on G.P. It's just too likely to be blatantly exploitive, which it sounds like this one is in too many ways to count. (Btw I wear sweatpants and eat ice cream, and I am probably mousy and certainly neurotic. And also happily married, thank you very much.)

Lucy makes me nervous too. We have to keep in mind, we insecure types, that Lucy is the archetypal Bad Example, and she is there to remind you that nice people don't act this way. Even knowing all that, she still makes me rush to the mirror to see if I have any zits.

I love your cat tales (tails?).

About the time my dog turned one year old I realized what was missing; he wasn't a cat. At that point I hadn't had cats in about 10 years and had not had a dog in about 40 (geee I'm old!) I had forgotten. Watching your cats is a great kitty fix. My dog would have barked at the tent, run OVER the tent, leapt in the air freaking because of the boingy-ness of it and then wrecked it by sticking his head in it or laying down on it. sigh...also hate shallow stereotypes of women in movies. I didn't think I'd like that movie and you've saved me some $$. Thank you for your awesome blog - you're a wonderful writer.

Tears are running down my cheeks, my chest hurts, and I've damned near peed in my pants. That crinkle cave! Those cats! [snort] I love itsy bitsy teeny weeny cat brains. Thanks for making me laugh so hard!

Jude Law.

YUM.

Charlie Brown is my HERO!!!

How about giving the dumbdorks in Hollywood another chance this weekend and seeing "Night at the Museum"? Looks like a good (albeit sorta mindless) laugh which is what we ALL need, right Charlie??!!

here is the link for the trailer

www.apple.com/trailers/fox/nightatthemuseum/

you do need a vacation

http://hometown.aol.com/infotuscany/StitchBitchinTuscanyHomepag.html

My sister and I are going! You could join us!

Well, how 'bout that?
The first time I ever, ever did a comment and it came out all wrong. Now I'm embarrassed and feel all inadequate and I'll never venture out again. . . oh poop!
anyway ----> that previous comment was made by me, not AlliMack, and I don't know why it did that.

anyway, I am the one going on the trip: http://hometown.aol.com/infotuscany/StitchBitchinTuscanyHomepag.html

and YOU should come too :-)
go ahead
say yes!

My husband and I both enjoy reading about your cats, we are very sure that our cat would not fit into the crinkle tent. She is large, she eats her feelings instead of expressing them. It's a pity there isn't a Dr. Oz for cats.

I would totally rather be stuck with Jack Black than Jude Law...go figure! I became a fan when I saw High Fidelity, and then when School of Rock came out...well, that pretty much sealed the deal. What can I say? I heart JB!

On another subject, thanks for helping me decide on a gift for our two new cats (well, new to us--they are adult shelter cats that needed us desperately). They'll love it!!!

I must admit that at times I am a Pauly Shore fan but "Biodome"???? There is not enough money in the world to make me watch that one.

I have enjoyed your blog much during the past months. You have given me many laughs, like today's cat pictures. Thank you! I wish you happy holidays!

Ah...I love Roy. I know that these were very funny pictures, but the last one made me get a little bit teary.

I love lists, too, and so enjoy commenting in kind:

1) Thanks for the warning about The Holiday.
a) Jack Black is mildly amusing in a sledgehammer kind of way, but Kate can definitely do better.
b) I despite Jude Law with the white hot hatred of a thousand suns. He and Cameron DITZ deserve each other.
c) I would rant along with you here about how much I hate Hollywood stereotypes about women, but sadly, I think I fall into the first stereotype category you described. So sad.

2) The entire meaning of life be found in The Charlie Brown Christmas. Proudly weep on.

3) Lovin' the crinkly cat cave. I know my two would love it, too, but I wonder if I should just continue with the grocery sack that has worked so well, low these many years....

Ahhh, typos. Dontcha just love 'em?

In case it wasn't clear, despiTe = despiSe.

And the entire meaning of life CAN be found in The Charlie Brown Christmas.

And grocery sacks have worked well, LO these many years.

But I misspelled Diaz on purpose. ;-)

I want to buy that from my cats but it would be horrendously expensive since I'd have to mail order it. There's no target here and I've not yet seen it in stores.

You are so right about Holiday.

I would so much rather watch four cats play in a crinkle cave for two hours -- while wearing sweat pants and eating ice cream and knitting (me, not the cats) -- than spend two hours watching a movie where people get rewarded for cheating and for dumping their poor dog on a total stranger -- and the women are totally bogus. Thanks for the warning, honey, and if you want to come back to Louisiana for Christmas, you just holler. We had ice last week and chilly fog all this week and it was warm today but the high for Christmas Day will be about 40 and then it will freeze again, and warm up into the 40-50s just in time for New Year's Eve so we can have super-thick fog again to make late-night navigation easier when the bars close.

Best, and I cry when I hear the Charlie Brown song too,

Dez

I like Charlie Brown too...it's deep.

I love love love the muppet christmas carol. I watched it so much (even as a teen no less!!) that I wore out the tape. still need to get the dvd.

I thought the trailers for The Holiday seemed stupid. Glad I was right and I didn't spend money on it. Not that I would have seen before it came out on video. Still $4.00 wasted is half the price of a good ball of yarn.

Go Frankie! Give 'em heck. Although I am glad Roy got to sleep in the Crinkle tent.

www.tadalist.com

There's a withering and very funny review of 'Holiday' here:
http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Critic_Review/
Guardian_review/0,,1966936,00.html

Well, thank you for the heads up on that movie, I saw the preview and it really didn't interest me. It sounds like you do need a nice vacation away from it all. Have you thought of a nice cruise? It is perfect to just sit in a deck chair and tell the waiter to get you a nice cold one. When you land at one of the many destinations, you can sit on a beach and tell the guy in the itty bitty bikini to get you a nice tall cold one and would he throw himself in as well? :^)
Your cats are positively adorable and I love Bob's big ole butt! I also love the cat-titude on Roy, I know that look well, I get it from my fat cat!
As for movies, rent Pride and Prejudice, the one with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. I get such a kick out of it. It really brings things into perspective. I just love the fact that she can't stand him! I am a romantic at heart.
I have found that as long as Hollywood can portray women in a demeaning manner they will sell more movies but, what the younger generation doesn't realize is that not all women wear sweat pants and eat ice cream and that not all women will jump into the sack with Jude Law within 5 minutes of meeting him. Just think of the places he has been....eewww! Is he worth the round of antibiotics?
Women are complex and men who have never had one or been around one, have to lump us into groups to make their little lives seem so much more important.
Charlie Brown is a very nice guy and I always rooted for him. He is the kid who everyone always turned to. Have you noticed he always helped his friends out? I don't think being like Charlie Brown is such a bad thing, it just shows what a caring and compassionate person you truly are!
Merry Christmas!

Alas, I went to my local Tarjay and there were no crinkle tents. Sigh. I will continue to check PetCo and PetSmart and see if I can find them one. They are such good kitties, they deserve a treat.

Also wanted to say, I watched the Closer last night and need to revise my opinion of the show. It was very very very good, last night, and the Brenda Johnson character did not work my last nerve with her "tics."

If they keep up that level of writing, it may become my favorite show.

Boy do I ever agree about how Hollywood portrays women! I especially dislike how the leading man, those in their 60's like Harrison Ford, are always married to a woman a gazillion years younger than them and have little kids. They may still be good looking but Come on! And they're not supposed to be wealthy celebraties in their role. How many regular guys do you see in their 60's with a gorgeous chicky-baby as a wife? Maybe I particularly dislike this because I'm in my 50's.

The last romantic movie I liked was Chocolat. Wait, thet may have been purely because of Johnny Depp in a ponytail. O.K., I'm old but I can still fantasize.

I love Charlie Brown Christmas, too. But it added to my Christmas stress for years. I hated going to buy a tree because while I wanted a big, beautiful tree in my house, I felt guilty about the little, scraggly trees that lost their lives only to end up unchosen and alone. Yes, I am that big of a dork! Getting a fake tree after my kids were grown and married, so that the cats wouldn't eat the needles and the dogs wouldn't drink the water, took away all that stress and allows my to decorate on Dec. 1st without worrying about the tree drying out. Go plastic!

Totally agree with you on the Holiday. I was very disappointed. Not only did the entire movie focus on the Cameron/Jude relationship (which hello! - l've stumbled home drunk, had drunk sex with you - now come be the mother of my girls! - come on!!), it was totally stereotypical and had huge dialogue and plot gaps. Luckily I only wasted $5 on the ticket since I saw it in the morning (yea, maternity leave!!)

Totally agree with you on the Holiday. I was very disappointed. Not only did the entire movie focus on the Cameron/Jude relationship (which hello! - l've stumbled home drunk, had drunk sex with you - now come be the mother of my girls! - come on!!), it was totally stereotypical and had huge dialogue and plot gaps. Luckily I only wasted $5 on the ticket since I saw it in the morning (yea, maternity leave!!)

Thanks for the review of The Holiday - I was going to see it but maybe I'll go for something else. And I love the Crinkle Cave pictures! Maybe Dewey needs one for Christmas...

Is there a Roy fan club started yet? If so, sign me up!

Laurie, I tried to trick my cats into doing something cute last night by placing a brown paper bag on the floor and telling them it was EXCITING! It could CRINKLE! Fun! Shiny!

No go. I had to just tell them about how much fun your cats were having and let them go to sleep on me instead.

Of course they might have felt that way about a crinkle cave as well.

Thanks so much for the photo-essay of the Cat Cave Smackdown. LMAO!

The cat tent photojournal saga was just . . . too priceless -- especially the handy explanatory captions. Personally I cannot think of anything sexier than a knitting divorcee with cats, so I adding you to my "favorites" forthwith.

You need more crinkle caves! Can't you just see a little village of them cluttering your home, and making each kitty so happy to have his/her own crinkle casa?! Have a lovely holiday with them kitties!

I love Bob.

Why Bob, what a long tail you have.