Lazy Sunday

Hello Readers! 

The weather is getting warmer here and we are feeling lazy! 

I must encourage my mamma to put that air conditioning on because it is warm at the top of my cat perch. 

If you lack motivation when it is warm out, sometimes it is refreshing to give in to it - that is what I am thinking on this Sunday. A little relaxation will help me overcome this feeling and then I can eat and play after I nap. 

Here is to an enjoyable (even if lazy) Sunday, and a very motivated Monday tomorrow for all of you.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾 

 Dolce far niente. - one of mamma's Italian expressions, meaning, "it is sweet to do nothing". 😸

Benjamin Franklin's 13 Virtues

Happy Sunday, Dear Readers,

12 years ago our mamma read that Benjamin Franklin attributed most of his success to practicing 13 virtues to the best of his ability. 

Apparently, for a large portion of his life, he carried around in his pocket a card of a table with each of the seven columns representing a day of the week, and each of the 13 rows representing one virtue he wanted to work on.

Mamma completed a challenge to work on each of these virtues based on what Benjamin Franklin reportedly did. Since spring is a great time for renewal, mamma is going to do this practice once again. 

Here are Benjamin Franklin's 13 Virtues:

1.	Temperance: Eat not to dullness. Drink not to elevation.
2.	Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.
3.	Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.
4.	Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.
5.	Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e., Waste nothing.
6.	Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.
7.	Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and if you speak, speak accordingly.
8.	Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9.	Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10.	Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes, or habitation.
11.	Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12.	Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13.	Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Source: PBS

Throughout the day, review the card to keep the virtues fresh in mind. At the end of each day, go through the virtues, and reflect if they were actually practiced during the day, and mark the box if so. The goal is to fill in as many boxes as possible, and each week, start with a blank card.

The point is for the virtues to became more and more ingrained in our character. Naturally practicing them more, according to Benjamin Franklin, helped him become a well-rounded successful person and a better participant in society. 

What a superb practice for self-improvement. If you don't want to try this challenge using his 13 virtues, of course, try it with the virtues you hold dear. It is designed to help lasting improvement in specific areas of your life.

May your week be inspiring and transforming! 

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. - Benjamin Franklin.

Happy Mother's Day to All Moms!

Happy Sunday, Readers!

We are excited to spend our day soaking up sun puddles and cuddling with our mamma. 

If you are interested in learning the history of Mother's Day, check out: Mother's Day 2021 - Date, Founding & Traditions - HISTORY

If you need a good-news story to cheer you, read this: She's celebrating Mother's Day by giving away bags full of care items to women in shelters (msn.com)

And if you still need a last minute gift for the moms in your life or for yourself, here are some suggestions: Mother's Day 2021: Gift Ideas for Every Kind of Mom (aarp.org)

And if all you need is a cute photos of us, we cannot deny you: 

Whatever you do today, we hope it is filled with warmth and joy.

Purr & Paw, 

-Stivali. 🐾

The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation. - James E. Faust.

The Merry Month of May

Welcome May!

May is the month we celebrate our cousin, Tyler, as he was born on the 2nd of the month - and we like celebrating birthdays all month long. 🎈

May 02 is also National Brothers & Sisters Day. 

I don't know if Pasqua got the memo, but I think this means he is supposed to be nice to me all day and not chase me. I will let you know how I make out. 😸

May also means flowers are blooming. In our Stray Cat Garden, we are happy to see this is true. 

Our little friend, Grigio, is enjoying the spring weather almost as much as the flowers. 

He still won't let mamma touch him, and greets her with hisses daily. At least he still visits multiple times a day, and we know he is well-fed. 

We sure hope that your first week of May is indeed merry. 

Purr & Paw, 

-Stivali. 🐾 

You are as welcome as the flowers in May. - Charles Macklin.
 

Crawl Space

In our home there are crawl spaces.

Yes, we have our own bedroom, a human sized one. We also have full reign of the entire house, with cat toys strewn whichever room you are in.

However, those crawl spaces are unused and we want to make claim to them.

We saw this online, and we are encouraging mamma to create the same tiny space for us.

Guy Transforms Space Behind Wall Into Bedroom For His Cat - The Dodo

We don't think we are asking too much. Our own television with bird and squirrel videos would be ideal.

In the mean time, we have windows to check out the action outside.

And we do find other ways to play. Our newest game is hide and seek.

Our negotiations for a separate playroom in a crawl space are still ongoing. We will keep you posted.

It is raining here today, and we are grateful it is not too cold. Our friends in Maine had snow last week!  Wherever you are, we hope your last week of April is filled with sunshine.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

Snow in April is abominable. Like a slap in the face when you expected a kiss. - L.M. Montgomery.

The World Always Looks Brighter Behind a Smile

If you feel down, did you ever force yourself to smile? Did it trick your brain to feeling better?  

There are a lot of things in this world that can bring a smile to your face. If you give a smile it is often reflected back at you. That should certainly brighten a dark day. 

Today, we bring you the smile that is provided to us by our little feral, Grigio. He visits two to three times a day, and waits patiently for us to realize he is there.

Yesterday, after eating a full bowl of soft food, he stretched his front legs and returned to the door. My little brother, Pasqua Scheggiare, greeted him.

Mamma said Grigio was saying to Pasqua, "Excuse me, Sir, my bowl is empty. Can you get that waitress?"

Mamma is so funny. She makes us laugh. 

 😸 I'm always on the look-out! 😸

We hope your heart and food bowl are full. May your week be filled with reasons to smile.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

Smile more. - Assunta.

Be a Positive Part of the CommUNITY!

Happy Sunday, Readers, 

We cats are very protective of our mamma, and now there is a study we want to share with all of you that we think is interesting: 

Cats don't avoid strangers who behave badly towards their owners, unlike dogs 

The outcome of the study really surprised us. Cats are always considered standoffish. However, I would like to believe we would protect our mamma from a mean stranger. 

And this got us thinking, what are we doing on the daily to protect our neighbors? Protect the community we live in? There is so much going on in the world, and a lot of it is ugly. 

It seems to us being neighborly is a thing of the past, and I would like us to reenergize that sense of community. You can join us by doing something anonymously for a neighbor in need, or by volunteering and joining a local organization. Community groups are a great way to connect with neighbors and they empower us to make a difference in our world.

Here are some ideas, if you want to do something nice for a neighbor this spring:

• Give them a call and check in. 
• Bring over a baked good or a home cooked meal.
• Offer to run an errand for them.
• Bring them flowers, or plant some for them.
• Next time you are heading to the store, ask them if they need anything.
• Take in their garbage pails. 
• Shop at local businesses (supporting local is supporting your neighbor, and you can always pick up something for your neighbor there!). 

Pasqua demonstrates community outreach! 😸

Have fun doing something nice for your neighbor and please share what nice things your neighbors have done for you.

If you missed mamma's premiere of her read aloud children's book, check it out here: SuperCat Kismet

Have a blessed week!

Purr & Paw, 

-Stivali. 🐾

The purpose of life is to listen - to yourself, to your neighbor, to your world and to God and, when the time comes, to respond in as helpful a way as you can find. - Fred Rogers.