Goodbyes and Nicknames

WAFFLES:  So when's Gloman coming home again, Boss? I wasn't done laying on his lap. 

KATIE:  I know, I wasn't done twirling on the rug while he scratched between my ears either. 

WAFFLES:  And called you his beautiful GIRL.

KATIE:  Well at least he didn't call me, "Hey! Get off the kitchen counter!" 

WAFFLES:  What.

See You Soon, Gloman
Gloman left for Minneapolis before the sun was even thinking about rising this morning. The only silver lining for Katie and Waffles was the unusually early morning meal service. Everyone was taking their post-breakfast nap before the sunrise.

We all had a wonderful time with our CatDaddy. Lots of laptime, naptime, and plenty of Netflixing. Glogirly and Gloman went for a couple of drives through the mountains, stopped in to see some of our neighbors and even threw a dinner party. Katie and Waffles are still waiting for their fair share of the beef tenderloin.

Whenever Gloman is here, there's always some time devoted to technical support too– computers, cameras, and phones. Everything's running in tiptop shape.

Our Christmas countdown has officially begun. Gloman will be back to celebrate Christmas and New Years in exactly 23 sleeps!

Tank Goodness for Cat Tanks

Today's photos are from what just might be our most favorite post of 2015. They were taken on Christmas Day, ok Christmas evening really, after a VERY complicated assembly of Waffles' Christmas Present. 

WAFFLES:  COOL!!! My very own cat tank!  Just like the REAL MARINES have! 

WAFFLES:  I'm goin' in!

KATIE:  Waffles, do you even know how to drive that thing?

WAFFLES:  DUH! It's just like riding a bike, Boss.

KATIE:  Waffles, you don't even have a bike.

WAFFLES:  Yeah but if I did I'd totally know how to drive one.

KATIE:  Drive one??

WAFFLES:  3, 2, 1 – EJECT!

KATIE:  Waffles, why don't you go eject somewhere else?



15 minutes later, Waffles waits for Katie to stroll by so he can 3, 2, 1, Eject again.

Thanksgiving Truce

WAFFLES:  Happy Thanksgiving, Boss! So, where's the chicken? Where's the gravy?

KATIE:  Thanksgiving was yesterday, Waffles.

WAFFLES:  You mean I missed Thanksgiving? And all the chicken and the gravy?

KATIE:  It's turkey, Waffles. And you didn't miss anything. You had like three helpings of dinner. Don't you remember? I'd say that's definitely something to be thankful for.

WAFFLES:  But that was yesterday. What about today? If I'm really thankful for chicken can I have chicken today?

KATIE:  Well, I'm thankful for my peace and solitude. Yet, here you are.

WAFFLES:  Awww... thanks, Boss. I love you too.

KATIE:  I suppose you're ok too, Waffles. Just don't tell anybody. I'll deny ever saying that.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!
We hope your Thanksgiving holiday was filled with delicious food, the love of friends and family and plenty of kitty purrs and head-butts. We had a wonderful day here in the mountains. Glogirly cooked a traditional turkey dinner and we all hung out with our CatDaddy, Gloman. It was a purr-fect day.

No Black Friday shopping for us today though. That would interfere with our post-Thanksgiving nap schedule.

Whether you're a shopper or a napper, we hope you enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend.

Help Meowt - Remembering the Cats of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and My Life Changing Visit

This post is sponsored by Tidy Cats®

As the holidays approach, our hearts are filled with gratitude. Gratitude for a safe and warm home. Gratitude for healthy food. And most of all, gratitude for the love of our family, friends and furry companions who enrich our lives with their unconditional love. 

Our hearts are also with those who are not as lucky we are. Those who need just a little help, someone to share their love, and those who are waiting for a forever home. Through their Help Meowt campaign, Tidy Cats® is helping us give back to a rescue organization we hold very near and dear to our hearts. On behalf of GLOGIRLY.com, Tidy Cats is donating two palettes of litter to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. 

When we were asked to select a shelter, one that we perhaps had volunteered for or had touched us in some way, Glogirly was flooded with memories of her life-changing trip to Best Friends last year.

So today, we're turning over the blog from our paws to our girl. No funny quips between us kitties, just lots of love for some beautiful cats who although may not have their own family or soft sofa to curl up on, but are truly loved and cared for as they wait for that purrfect person to walk into their lives and say, "You're the one." 

~Katie and Waffles

A Little Best Friends History

A shared passion and dedication to kindness for all living things is what brought a group of 21 idealistic people with a dream together a little over three decades ago. This shared passion is what helped them to create the world's largest no-kill animal rescue organization. The sanctuary sits on 3,700 majestic acres of the Utah landscape Best Friends has appropriately named Angel Canyon. With a family of over 1,500 Best Friends Network Partner shelter and rescue organizations across the country, it's all about a common goal. Save Them All.

Cat World at the Sanctuary

Love.

If I had to sum up my visit with the cats, volunteers, and caregivers of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary's Cat World, it would have to be Love. My prayers answered would mean forever homes for every single one of the 550 beautiful cats that Best Friends cares for in their 11 kitty-comfortable and well-appointed cat houses. But if you're a cat waiting to be adopted or being helped to become adoption-ready, this is surely the place to be.

It's so peaceful. There's this calming energy present that reminded me of how important it is to slow down and appreciate the small and the subtle. I had visited all the other areas of the sanctuary before I arrived at Cat World, and was on such a high, taking everything in. From the ruckus of the chatty parrots to the boundless energy of puppies taking their first leashed walk outside, it was like a marathon for my animal-loving senses. But when I walked into Benton House, the original and first cat building on the sanctuary grounds, everything slowed down. It was like I'd found my zen.

My friend and traveling companion Maggie with one of the sweet cats from Benton House.

Benton House is home to many of the special needs cats at Best Friends. I quietly entered one of the five cat rooms, each home to 10-15 cats, and sat down on the floor. I suppressed my desire to scoop them all up in my arms. I knew that I needed to give them a chance to investigate and accept me. One by one, the cats came over to check me out, say hello, and take a peek at the big camera I was toting. 

Saying hello back is something you have to take slow. But gaining trust came easy. The cats reminded me of the importance of taking the time to enjoy the simple things. Neck scritches, head butts, soft and gentle conversation. 

And love.


Volunteering

There are two 3-hour volunteer shifts everyday at Best Friends. People come from all over the country to volunteer, often as part of a family vacation. I met Numi, the sweetest young girl who was volunteering with her mother, Isabelle. They had driven in from Salt Lake City. Their job, just like mine, was to simply socialize with the cats. They were just peacefully sitting on the floor in one of the rooms with cats all around and on top of them. Numi was reading a story to the cats.

The gift of just being with these beautiful cats was so moving. And Numi's soft voice filled the room with a presence that meant the cats were anything but alone.


Catio Heaven




Each of the 11 houses has about five individual cat rooms where a small group of cats reside together. The spacious rooms each have places to sleep, climb, scratch, play, hide, look out the windows, eat, drink, and use the litter box. And each of these rooms has it's own catio.

The catios (shown above) are glorious. The cats can enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors in a safe and stimulating environment. Some can even catch a passerby leaf or lizard through the mesh walls. The climbing structures are made from repurposed wood originally used to build some of the first structures on the sanctuary grounds and provide a perfect path up into the rafters where a kitty super-highway awaits.


Hello Slidell

The first cat to greet me when I walked into Benton House was the sweetest little girl with huge green eyes. Slidell is a 5-year-old special needs kitty. Shel can't use her back legs, but they don't cause her any pain or slow her down. She's FIV+ and incontinent, so needs to have her bladder expressed and she also takes some daily medications. She's not a fan of her daily baths, but she always cooperates.

Like all the special needs cats of Benton House, Slidell doesn't know she's any different. She just knows she's a cat.  A beautiful, loving and trusting cat. She just needs the right person to come along and be her 'one.'

Have Stroller Will Travel

Some of the kitties at Best Friends enjoy going for walks, both on harness and leash as well as in strollers. The Meowzers Meander is a beautiful path created just for the cats. It winds through the trees and bushes, connecting many of the cat houses. There's a shaded gazebo with benches for resting in the breeze.

Holly, the beautiful calico girl pictured above, LOVES going outside in her stroller. I took her for a stroll and roll so she could smell the sunshine. 

The Lovers Room

One of the things that touched me the most about my time in Benton House was how special each and every cat is to the caregivers. They know them all by name, they know their stories, their personalities, and silly little habits. They know who their buddies are and what makes each of them happy. They do absolutely everything they can to help each cat become ready for adoption, at their own pace and in their own way.

One of the last cat rooms I visited was called the Lovers Room. All of the cats in this particular room were incredibly affectionate with one another. They groomed each other, exchanged head butts and literally stuck together like glue. If two cats have bonded, the caregivers make sure they are adopted together. No exceptions. 

Angels Rest

The most moving experience of my visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and one of the most moving experiences of my life was Angels Rest. It's the final resting place for sanctuary animals and beloved companions of Best Friends members and staff. It's much more than just a cemetery. It's a place of peace and reverence. It's evidence of the love and respect we hold for our pets and for all animals.

The gorgeous grounds took my breath away. Walking paths wind through the entire space and small markers are placed at each grave. Every single animal is celebrated and honored, both in name and in-ceremony. Each month, memorial services are held on the grounds of Angels Rest for those animals who have passed away.

With so much to take in visually, I was completely focussed on getting just the right photos. Everything I saw...I just knew everyone would want to see it. 

And then it hit me.

The Voices of Angels

It can be windy in the canyon, but when I first arrived it was eerily quiet. Then suddenly, like someone tapping me on the shoulder, the breeze wafted through the air and the flutter of a thousand wind chimes began to ring. Soft at first, then a concert of notes as the powerful gusts took over.

And I realized what I was hearing.

The sound of a thousand angels. Those animals who may not have experienced love and compassion in life were loved and respected in death. I cried.

I cried for the souls of the cats who never had their own sofa to curl up on or a human companion to sleep with at night. I cried for the dogs that never had their own yard to play in and the Champions rescued from unspeakable acts. I cried for the young ones who didn't make it and the elders who could wait no longer. I cried for all the animals and their caregivers.

Gratitude

I want to thank the volunteers and staff at Best Friends. The dedication they have to their cause to Save Them All knows no bounds. They continue to inspire me through the unconditional love and compassion they show for the animals in their care. 

I want to thank Tidy Cats for allowing me the opportunity to give back to Best Friends and to share my story and images with you.

I want to thank ALL the tireless volunteers and advocates across the country for the love and care they give to animals less fortunate. Bless you.

And finally, I want to thank you, my friends and devoted readers of this blog, and all the Katie and Waffles fangirls and fanboys out there for allowing me to share my life with you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Love,
Glogirly

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tidy Cats®, which means that we were paid to create and feature this content. Regardless of payment received, you will only see products or services featured on our blog that we believe are of interest to our readers.

Waiting

WAFFLES:  Is it time yet, Boss? Time for Gloman to get here? I've been waiting like forever. I call firsties. I get Gloman first.

KATIE:  Excuse me? Firsties??? 

Tonight's the Night
We're counting down the hours until Gloman's fight gets in. Since Glogirly is picking him up at the airport, we're pretty sure that means she gets firsties.

Speaking of firsties, this will be our first Colorado Thanksgiving. We're so very grateful for the many blessings we have. A beautiful home, delicious food for our table and most important, the love of family and friends.

And Waffles is particularly grateful for chicken drumsticks.

Thank YOU for welcoming us into your inboxes and hearts and for being such a special part of our extended family. 

The Beverly Hill-Kitties - TV Spoof

♩♫

Come and listen to a story 'bout an orange striped cat.

Waffles was his name, but the Boss - she called him Brat.

Hungry day & night, always stealing all her food,

Then up on the counter, he grabbed and he chewed.

Chicken, that is.

Fried gold.

Texas turkey.

♩♫♩♫♩♫♩♫♩♫♩♫♩♫♩♫

Return to Our Movie & TV Spoofs

Some of our most favorite TV spoofs are all about the theme song. Of course, finding words that rhyme with Waffles and orange is never easy! When it comes to living with Waffles, Katie would say that's never easy either.

The Beverly Hillbillies was a little before Glogirly's time, but thanks to reruns, she's seen ALL the episodes. And thanks to this blog post, she's got that banjo music stuck in her head. 

And we bet you do too!

Beverly Hillbillies truck rendering by Ken Netzel

Waffles Big Countdown

WAFFLES:  How many days 'til Gloman? Glogirly says it's getting close so I better start counting.

WAFFLES:  Katie says it's getting close so I better start behaving. 

We're ALL Counting Down
So that Gloman can spend extra time with us over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, we skipped our monthly visit in October. He arrives late Monday evening and we can't wait. We've all been missing him SOOOO much. Glogirly talks with him every day, but it's just not the same as being able to look into his twinkling eyes.

Katie would agree. The love she has for her Cat Daddy is like no other. And Waffles, well he's got some serious man to mancat time to make up for.

So tick tock, already... is it Monday yet???

Last Day!  FELIWAY® Giveaway
There's still time to enter! Click HERE to win a FELIWAY MultiCat Diffuser Starter Kit. Keep kitty-calm all through the holidays!

Waffles & the Stud Finder

We're having trouble leaving comments today, so we're posting something we published previously to see if the comments will work. ...this is one of our Waffles faves.

WAFFLES:  Hey Boss! Glogirly's stud finder really works. Look! She's pointing it at me and it's beeping like crazy! 

KATIE:  Clearly this thing is defective if it thinks you're a stud, Waffles. It's supposed to find studs in the wall. 

WAFFLES:  You mean we there are other handsome mancats in our wall???

WAFFLES:  I don't have to share my breakfast with them, do I?

About Today's Photos

Gloman is back in the mountains with us to celebrate his and Glogirly's 15th wedding anniversary later this week. (YAY!) He drove this time and arrived at about 2:00am on Saturday. 

And he arrived with a very special gift. 

Our new home has some pretty incredible walls for showcasing his photography. The main entry has been patiently waiting for the perfect photo and that's exactly what Gloman had hidden in the back of his SUV. They spent most of yesterday afternoon finding studs in the wall to support the weight of it, measuring, centering, leveling and then doing it all again when Glogirly realized her measuring and math was WAY off. But it's up now and looking fabulous! Even Waffles approves.

Glogirly is absolutely in love with it and he's pretty proud of it too. He shot it in Antelope Canyon on a trip they took together six years ago. Antelope Canyon is in Page, Arizona and is famous for its beautiful "slot" canyons located on private Navajo land. The photo is particularly special because Glogirly was right by Gloman's side when he captured it, holding his tripod and extra camera. They had a guide bring them (and about 30+ other people) into the small canyon at exactly noon, when the light shines perfectly overhead through the "slots". That is what's creating the gorgeous beam of light. 

The inside of the canyon is surprisingly small. In fact, some of the passageways are so narrow that only one person can fit through it at a time.  

What you can't see in the photo are those 30+ other people standing shoulder to shoulder while the guide is making sure none of them are in Gloman's shot.

When she closes her eyes, Glogirly can still feel the cold sandstone walls on her fingertips and the warmth of the sunbeams on her back. It's every bit as magical as it appears in the photo. 

This is just one of the reasons Gloman loves photography so much. His images are like living memories of special places and experiences with the people he loves. 

(Perhaps that's also why he takes so many photos of Katie and Waffles!)

Testing 123

We're having some problems with comments on our blog today. So we're publishing a quickie test post to see if we're able to leave a comment.

Deer Waffles 2

WAFFLES:  Hey Boss! The funny looking neighbors are back!

KATIE:  Deer, Waffles. Those are–

WAFFLES:  Did you just say Dear Waffles? You're not breaking up with me, are you Boss?

KATIE:  No, Waffles. That's a Dear John letter. 

WAFFLES:  John? Who's John? Is John the funny looking neighbor? The one with horns?

DEER:  DEER, Waffles. We're DEER. And my name is NOT John. That's a tractor.

WAFFLES:  Wow, this is confusing. 

YOUNG DEER: You're telling me!

Return of the Munchy Neighbors

We've still got a sprinkle of snow on the ground here. The white stuff always seems to bring our little deer family out in search of something to nibble on. They love all of our tall grass and the leaves from the aspen trees that line our driveway.

This year there's group of six deer, including a very adorable youngster with eyes like Bambi. They're very suspicious of Glogirly and don't let her get close at all. Today's deer photos were shot with a long lens and then cropped in tight, so the deer look much closer than they actually were.

They weren't nearly as close as the three bears!

Don't Miss our FELIWAY® Giveaway!
Enter HERE to win a FELIWAY MultiCat Diffuser Starter Kit. Keep kitty-calm all through the holidays!