Two Days to Pasqua is ONE!

This little potato chip came in to our lives in November. He was just a wee-one, with a chirp, and the fastest run we had ever seen! He has brought us joy, laughter, along with a few kitty bites & scratches.

Mamma met him at the shelter on November 17 (he was exactly two months old):

Mamma picked him up on the 21st of November. Look how tiny he was:

He was no bigger than the palm of her hand!

In the 10 months we have been together, he has learned how to fetch, give paw, give five, jump up, and sit. He has fallen off of the bed three times, as he hasn't realized that rolling over while stretching on the edge of the bed is not a good thing.  He has taken over one thousand naps, and has snuggled with Mamma on the sofa over one hundred times. He likes to play peek-a-boo, hide-and-seek, and of course, play with string. He tries very hard to play chase with me which I do not like very much. So, I hiss.

We are so happy to celebrate in two days that he will be one year old! He is such a big boy, so funny, and so affectionate and loving. Sometimes, a little too affectionate for my taste, but Mamma seems to like it. 💗 He is teaching me that I need to be more loving, too, and that makes for a very happy home. 💗

Pasqua's One Year Favorites List:

• Favorite place to relax and window watch - the sun room.
• Favorite place to jump into - the laundry basket.
• Favorite food - soft treats. 
• Favorite toy - Grigio the grey mouse.
• Favorite game - playing with string.
• Favorite pass time - napping. 
• Favorite cat - me! 
• Favorite human - mamma! 

Please say a prayer for all (y)our friends and family who did not get a chance to celebrate a birthday this year. May all of (y)our deceased love ones be in the palm of our Savior's hands.

Have a wonderful week, Everyone!

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

The great thing about getting older, is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. - Madeleine L'Engle.

Happy August

Happy August, Readers,

August is one of our favorite months around here. We celebrate mamma all month long since she was born on the very last day of the month!

Also in August, we celebrate our friends: Jeff, Corinne, Ryan, Lisa Marie, Dan, Elaine, Bob, Peter, and our cousin, Michaella. :) If you were born in August - we also celebrate YOU! 🎂
Happy Birthday, Everyone!

We also honor mamma's orange tabby, Kismet, and her German Shepherd, Zoe, who both passed away in August of 2009. Pasqua and I never met either of them but mamma often speaks about them and shares stories of all the funny things they did when they were with her on earth. ❤

This week, I began waking mamma up before her alarm and would ask for cuddles. This makes her very happy, and I hope it reminds her of Kismet and Stray Cat - her two sweet boys who used to offer morning cuddles often.

Did you know that originally, August was called Sextilis? Before January and February were added to the Roman Calendar, August was the sixth month of the year, hence its original name. But when it became the eighth month of the year, it was later renamed in honor of the first emperor of Rome, Caesar Augustus, to Augustus. Isn't that interesting to know?

Most nights this week our Grigio (grey kitty) has come to the door for food but still won't let mamma approach. We are hopeful he will learn to trust us soon.

Yes, Pasqua named the feral kitten the same name as his favorite toy - the grey mouse. He insisted on naming the kitten "Grey" too.😍

No blog post is complete without pictures of us from this week:

We are very happy kitties indeed, not to mention utterly adorable, too.

Enjoy your week, Everyone!

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali.

August - it's like the Sunday of summer. 

Who was Julius Caesar?

Did you know July is named after Julius Caesar? What do you know about this man other than being the lover of Cleopatra? (Interesting trivia note: Ma’s second cat’s name was Cleopatra!).

Some people believe that Julius was born by an operation (cutting through his mother’s abdomen whereas he was cut out from his mother’s uterus) hence why today we call this type of operation a Caesarean.

If you did not know that legend, then maybe when you read his name, you think of salad. Let me tell you that the delicious Caesar Salad is NOT named after Julius, but after the Italian-American chef, Caesar Cardini.  This other Caesar invented the salad in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico.

Julius Caesar did NOT invent the salad nor was it named after him. He did, however, create political and social reform in Rome, although controversial at the time, it had a positive effect.

His reform included: initiation of land redistribution among the poor and land reform for veterans, he improved the calendar (Caesar is responsible for the year as we know it having 365 days, and for the existence of a leap year every four years), he created a police force, and abolished the tax system. Despite all of his good intentions, Caesar was assassinated - stabbed twenty-three times - the result of a scheme by some Roman senators.

After Julius Caesar was killed, Quintilis, his birth month, was renamed July.

We do hope you enjoyed this little history lesson and that your first week of July was terrific. Around here there were firework displays Thursday through Saturday, and I am happy to report that the noise did not scare Pasqua at all. Another first for Pasqua. Because he was so brave, I, too, put up a good front, and did not hide during all of the racket.

Stay safe and happy.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali.

No one is so brave that he is not disturbed by something unexpected. – Julius Caesar.

Happy July!

Dear Readers, 

We are so happy that it is July. Sunshine means sun puddles. Summer means longer days, which means more light to light our lives! We are so happy!

We are getting along fabulously. On occasion, Pasqua Scheggiare gets a little too rambunctious, but one fine swat of my paw on his head and he behaves again. It is like magic!

We are doing really well with demands. We have purrfected: 

• sit
• jump/up
• paw
• give me five

We are still working on 'fetch' - one which Pasqua did continuously but has recently become less enchanted with it. Haha!

Pasqua is quite the snuggler and he has a permanent spot next to mamma when she relaxes on the sofa. I don't join them very often because it is not fun for me to share mamma with Pasqua. I get envious and angry. 

This week, our country celebrates with fireworks and barbecues. I hope there are not too many fireworks nearby because they scare me. I know we are not under attack, but it sure sounds and feels like we are. I typically retreat to under the bed during such scary times. 

If you are wondering why there are celebrations here this week - it is to honor when the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England on July 4, 1776.  This eventually led to the formation of the United States, so Americans celebrate this historic event on the fourth of July, also referred to as Independence Day.

Have a wonderful week, Everyone, and Happy Independence Day to all who celebrate it! 

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 

“I believe in America because we have great dreams, and because we have the opportunity to make those dreams come true.” – Wendell L. Wilkie.

June closes - graduations - proms - and Pasqua turns 9 (months)!

Hello Dear Readers,
We are surprised at how quickly time passes. Here it is June 23rd already. Our last full week of the month of June. From our window we see lots of prom and graduation festivities. School is out for all the neighborhood kids, and the start of summer is here!

Our cousin, Emma, graduated high school this week with all of her friends and classmates. We are so happy for her as she ends one chapter, and embarks on her next educational journey at the end of the summer. Education is our most powerful tool we can use to change the world! Congratulations to all of the graduates!

Also this week, we celebrated Pasqua as he turned 9 months old on the 17th.

He likes the boxes his gifts come in more than the gifts. I know a lot of you are thinking "typical kitty"! 😼

I share two photos of me since I shared two photos of my lil brother. I am a very blessed kitty, with a mamma who loves me unconditionally. Blessed to be able to live in a warm, safe, love-filled home, to have as many treats as I would like, to always have a bowl full of crunchy cereal, and another filled with fresh water. Yum! I guess I can add to my list of blessings the little Pasqua kitty, too. 😼

We had a good week. Filled with naps, snacks. playing, and snuggling mamma. We hope you all had a good week, too, and that your summer is off to a purrfect start.

As you enter the summer months, remember to list your blessings - we believe if you focus on them you will be blessed with even more!

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali.

"Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." - Henry James.

Hello May!

Since Pasqua Scheggiare has never been outside, Mamma bought him a leash. I don't like mine so I never go for walks with her in the springtime. She hoped to teach the kitten at an early enough age that he would appreciate it. However, Pasqua did not care for the idea either, and he never left the porch:

While Mamma worked at the dining room table, Pasqua kept her company on top of her back pack. This is something both Stray Cat and I have done before. She should really consider buying us a soft leather cat-bed: 

For good measure, although, an uneven measure, I offer you one photo of me from this week. I fell asleep under a blanket on the recliner. The blankets are placed on top of human furniture to catch all of the cat hair we shed. Mamma has not yet learned that her attempts are totally futile, and that we appreciate blankets to use for hiding. That is why they must really be there: 

Here's hoping May does for our hearts what it does for the flowers outside. ❤

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali.

Easter Blessings

This Easter week is gonna be unlike any other I have ever experienced.
Why?
Because this is Pasqua's FIRST EASTER EVER.
And for those readers unaware, his name means "Easter" in Italian.  You may notice Easter gifts with the saying "Buona Pasqua" in your local Italian shops:

This is a very special week for us here. We are excited to be able to celebrate together. 

We are doing well. I recently had my annual doctor visit, and I am happy to report that I am in tip top shape. Doctor gave me a clean bill of health. Another reason we are happy to celebrate together this year. This is my best profile shot, ever. Don't I look stunning? A picture of health right here:  

 

As always, Pasqua is happy napping - certainly dreaming of cat nip flavored treats: 

Little Pasqua Scheggiare is our special Easter gift this year. Easter is our mamma's favorite holiday.  And, her favorite singer, back in 1992, sang a lyric about a cat named Easter, so she always had in in her mind to name a cat "Easter" one day.

In honor of his significance in our hearts, we share with you some of the many Easter symbols of our faith. Easter is the most significant holy day to us.

The Easter egg has a lot of symbolism - the Easter Egg Roll represents the rolling away of the boulder in front of Jesus' tomb. While the egg itself, represents new life, or Jesus' empty tomb. Interesting note: original Lenten observations included eggs and other dairy products as forbidden, so believers marked eggs to signify the end of the Lenten observation.

The white Easter lily symbolizes purity and honesty. Some believe, these were the flowers in in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus cried.

Since Jesus is often referred to in the Bible as the “Lamb of God” , lamb is another symbol of the season. Lamb was a sacrifice made during the Jewish Passover, and it in turn became a symbol for Jesus’ sacrifice.

We all know that a butterfly emerging from her cocoon is a symbol of  transformation, change, and hope. Did you know it is also an Easter symbol? The caterpillar stands for Jesus’ earthly life, the cocoon portrays His crucifixion/burial, and the butterfly represents His resurrection.

Isn't that interesting?

Lastly, how about the Easter bunny? 

Remember a couple of years ago, mamma made Stray Cat and I wear Easter bunny ears? ma-says-she-loves-us-but-then-she-does-this post

Haha! She better not take those out this year - they are much too big for Pasqua!

Bunnies are an ancient symbol of fertility, new life, and the coming of spring. Even more interesting to note, the use of the Easter bunny goes all the way back to the 1700s, when German immigrants brought the Easter Rabbit with them to America. Back then, children made nests for the bunnies out of bonnets and hats, which eventually became the colorful baskets we now use today.

Even if you don't celebrate Easter, we hope you liked learning more about what we believe, and where the symbols of this significant holy day stemmed from. 

So share with us, what is your favorite part of spring? We appreciate your comments and like reading them. 

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 

"I know a cat named Easter he says, Will you ever learn? You're just an empty cage girl, if you kill the bird."- Tori Amos.

Pasqua is Six Months Old Today!

Happy St Patrick's Day, Readers!

We are celebrating all day long. Not just for St Patrick, the sheep herder, and patron saint of Ireland (although, he wasn't actually Irish! Interesting fun-fact!), we celebrate also today because Pasqua is now six months old!

😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸

Did you know that St Patrick's real name is believed to be Maewyn Succat, but when he became a priest he changed his name to Patrick? Look at his real name, though: Succat. Isn't that something?

😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸

Another coincidence we take note of today: when Italian-American males are named Pasqua or Pasquale, their nickname very commonly is Pat. These coincidences on the day we celebrate St Patrick and our little Pasqua Scheggiare are not accidents, and we believe they are signals from God to remind us that we are truly blessed.

😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸😸

At six months old, these are some of Pasqua's favorite things:

• treats
• my food (he prefers it over his kitten food!)
• a little grey mouse we named Grigio (not to be confused with my beloved Verdi)
• napping/sleeping
• playing peek-a-boo and fetch
• cuddling with mamma
• hiding with me when visitors come over (I am teaching him this habit to our mom's disappointment)
• sun puddling
• looking out the windows and glass doors
• hanging out with mamma when she works from home

And some of our favorite photos:

They named him "Chip" at the Cat Sanctuary where we adopted him from.

It is not safe to refill my food container in Pasqua's presence.

Playing fetch (Grigio is in Pasqua's mouth).

Enjoying the view from the sun room.

He sleeps a lot in the most adorable poses. Example 1.

Example 2 - how is that even comfortable?

Six month portrait.  Getting so big!

I offer this Irish Blessing for all of you: "May you have love that never ends, lots of money, and lots of friends. Health be yours, whatever you do, and may God send many blessings to you!"

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali.

"Summer Time"

Today is the first day of daylight savings time, also known as "Summer Time". Last night we changed our clocks ahead one hour to make the most out of sunlight - doing so provides more sun in the evening hours.

This is another first for my little brother, Pasqua Scheggiare. Although there is debate whether cats understand time, as a cat, I can tell you - we do. So, little Pasqua, who has slept soundly through the entire night, every night, since about one month of living with us - decided last night, on the night we would lose one hour of sleep to have a party with the window blinds... at 2am, which, coincidentally, was actually 3am.

He was having a great time playing regardless of our pleadings for him to stop. His party with the window blinds lasted about 10 minutes. A loud, obnoxious, and annoying 10 minutes, which felt like an endless hour.

We are hopeful that this doesn't become a new habit, and that he returns to sleeping soundly through the night.

In other news, this week, he realized there is a chandelier above the dining room table. While mamma worked on her computer, he climbed up on the table to "help" her, and keep her company. To his amazement, above him was a beautiful chandelier which he was tenacious in trying to reach.

Luckily, he was unsuccessful.

As Pasqua grows, he reminds us of the Walt Whitman quote, "You are so much sunshine in every square inch!".

May your last days of winter leave you gently, and may spring greet you warmly.

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali.

Loved. Treasured. Valued.

We kitties are loved.
Mamma feeds us and pets us and keeps us in a warm home when it is snowing outside and COLD.
We are blessed.

We both like this weird window chair.

 

Happy Valentine's Day, Dear Readers.

Here's the link to Stray Cat's old post about Valentine's Day. We did not know it would be our last with him when he wrote it.

This year, we are focusing on our FIRST Valentine's Day with little Pasqua. Just one of many firsts we will share this year.

“There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.” – George Sand.


Don't forget to hug your loved ones tightly! Tomorrow is not guaranteed. 
Purr & Paw,


-Stivali.