Pumpkin

You know...I guess I always thought that I would have Pumpies for a long time still.  

Maybe another 5 years or so years, I thought.  In my head I always thought he would live until he was 18 and he only just turned 13 on August 31st.  

I remember when we got him.  I went with brother Bunji and Angelo to the shelter one day.  I walked around and he was the first to catch my eye.  This orange boy who came up to greet me and was super friendly in his cage.  An older cat .. he was near 2 when we got him and it was already hard for the older ones to be adopted.  I had no idea why he was still there because he was to me, the most beautiful, funny little cat with so much personality.  All I needed were those 3 or so minutes with him to know he was the one.

Angelo called us over to see this all black cat named Firefighter.  I was in mid sentence saying how cute he was when he slapped me in the face through his cage.  That was an immediate no, even if that story makes for a great laugh every time I recall it.

I went back to Pumpkin and excitedly called my brother to come see this charming, friendly cat.  When we got to his cage he was curled up in at the back and refused to be social.  "Come on cat...I am trying to help you out here! Be friendly like before and you can come home with us!"

My brother moved on to look at the other cats.  That day we almost went home with Firefighter.  I don't know how I convinced them but I remember I just kep harping on Pumpkin.  In my mind he was already my cat.  And even if he was going home to my brother's, I chose him.  I fought for him.  I always joked with Pumpkin that he owed me his life.

When they finally decided he was the one what I already knew in my heart, we took him home and tried to change his name.  Pumpkin was already his name and we liked it enough to stick with it.  There was nothing else to call him.  He was Pumpkin.  

He had more personality than I ever imagined.  We heard from the shelter that he used to knock the toys down from the shelf down to the other cats so they could play with them.  During his time with us we spoiled him rotten and he became this bratty beast.  I say brat but really all he ever did was want attention and constant petting.  But most of all he was pretty smart.  He was insanely smart to the point where there was just so much knowing and intelligence in his eyes.  It is something I could never describe to you.  He was dog like in his ways.  Human in his thinking.  

This is still the funniest picture of him. 

I apologized to him for making the decision I made.  I could have held on for selfish reasons but I knew I could not put him through that.  He was mild-mannered and happy to be with me even to the end.  Bughie J. told me that Pumpkin knew I did right by him by making the decision I made and that it would have been hard watching Pumpkin not do all the Pumpkinie things he used to do that made him who he was.  The problem was that even in his state he was being the boy I always knew.  Maybe he slowed down some but there he was, still begging for food and still headbutting your hand for petting.  

It broke me when he was given his sedative and he turned to look at what the vet was doing and then just like that, my hand which had been cradling the side of his face, he took comfort in it like he always did, nuzzled his little face down into it and went to sleep.

Yesterday I could not sit on the couch when I got home after holding his little face in my hands and kissing him goodbye.  I just couldn't sit on the couch.  Every time I did there was always a little orange/bottle blonde beast that would come out of no where and nuzzle his way into my lap and yesterday I looked around aimlessly because even though I knew what had just happened, it snapped like a routine and for one brief second I looked around puzzled.  

This was a habit he picked up later on his life.  I don't know what changed him but one day he just decided he would be a lap cat.  The first time he did it it was with a complete stranger who happened to be quite a pretty woman.  We joked about that - here he was hamming it up for a pretty face.

Then one day he just crawled into my lap and never left.  He had been doing it for years and it is hard for me to remember what he did before that.  I don't know.  Maybe I just became beautiful to him that day.  I guess I should feel flattered.

When I looked down, there was my little Pumpkin.

But the couch... I don't know when I can get back to it.  There's no cat to sit in my lap.  I can't even bear to look at it.  I can hardly bear to walk in the house.  I remember all those nights I spent sitting on that thing and here he was fighting his way to crawl on my lap.  "Pumpkin!", I would always joke as if I were exasperated and annoyed but he knew I would have it no other way.  I missed him after all whenever he decided he was more interested in being on his cat perch than being with me.  I would beg him to come.  That irony was never lost on me.

We watched countless shows together.  All the USA Network ones I sometimes feign I have no knowledge on.  Luther.  Futurama.  Gravity Falls.  News.  Any and everything.  We also played so many games together.  Uncharted.  Countless hours of dozens of JRPGs.  How many hours of the same Japanese tropes and dramatics did we sink time with together?  How many chocobos did we ride together? How many fantastical beasts and bosses did we fight together? How many times did he have to hear me gasp at a plot twist? How many explicit cries of frustration at not being able to overcome a portion of a game? How many times did he have to hear Link do a signature cry when attacking some stalfos?  

All you jerks will remember how fat he was.  But he was big-boned! He did love his food though.  That little jerk would never leave my plate alone! He grabbed food off of it the other day.  After I had been saving that piece of chicken to enjoy last too... Oh, Pumps.

I'm also glad Beetchie got to say goodbye to him too.  Thank you, B.

I say he was my cat.  But really H1 always said that it was not that he was my cat...it was that I was his girl.  It's true.  But I always made that other joke the wrong way, Pumpkin because I owed you my life.

I miss you so much, Pumps.  I'm sorry I didn't let you come sleep on my head one last time the night before.

I miss that orange butt in my face. 

Life and Art

Art, imitating Life

or was it?

Life, imitating Art - Body-Posing Support Guy?

I'm not sure, but whatever it was...Life did not appreciate being Art.

That was one bad-assed cut-eye from being photographed.  

Yeesh.

Hey Diddle, Diddle

The Cat and his Nemesis

Does anyone think it cruel of me to use this monster to scare the Pumps off the desk?

It worked initially but my scare tactic has since been losing its effectiveness but you know, if I were Pumpkin I would pay heed as to what happened to that yellow dog of a cowardly cat, Sylvester...

Observation(s) of the Week: 01/24/2010 - 01/30/2010

On the Wii:

There should be a warning in the manual for the Wii usage that states "Do not play around cats".

I know there's one to be mindful of people and objects around you and Jazzie was already a victim of the wiimote.

But where's the warning that says, "if you play the wii and your hand/cursor is spotted by your cat, be warned - cat may attack moving cursor"?

I really hope there are no scratches on the TV.  The sad part is is that I found it so amusing too until I realised the true menace Pumpkin was being to the flat panel.

On Final Fantasy Tactics:

Story wise, this game is amazing.  I am still having a few difficulties playing after all these years.  It's challenging and downright hard at times but I'm scraping by somehow.

However, I must remember to not go to bed with a battle weighing on my mind because all I can see in my dreams are ninja monks and the tiles on which they should be placed.  Ugh.

Nerd Quote of the Day:

"My Powerhouse of a Ninja Monk with his dual-wielding sword action is much more superb than your Ninja Monk! Unless of course you have better swords equipped..."

He Likes Her Christmas Gift

Well at least it is getting used but is there any wonder why Jazzie hates me and why she insists on beating Pumpkin's ass out of jealousy?

It was as if she got nothing at all for Christmas...

She's going to kill me whilst I sleep one night.

Oh yes, she is.

That Time of Year

This Season's first Royal Dansk Danish Butter Cookie.  Mmmmm.

Did I mention I'm addicted to those things? The order of butter cookie greatness -

1. Spirals
2. Pretzel Shapes
3. Sugar Rectangles
4. Sugar Rounds
5. Plain Rounds

Raisins should never be in a butter cookie.  Please remember that if ever anyone of you consider doing me a kindness, and keep those unkind raisin butter cookies in the store.

More Christmas related things this day (and I've been feeling rather un-Christmassy this year thus far) was the wrapping of the presents.  The picture is dark but y ou can guess who was all laid out on my paper as if he owned the place, or alternately, wanted to be wrapped up and put into my stocking.

I can assure him, no one wants a bottle-blonde for Christmas in The HOchie Household.

Crazy

It has been cold lately - a reminder that Fall is just around the corner (or is today the official start?!) but you know what else is coming?

October.

I love October!

I love Halloween.

H1 should not take me out to the stores during this time because I go a little bit crazy.

It's much the same situation when Alex takes me outside during the work day. She has come to the conclusion that the reason I never go out is that my brain stops functioning after that. It's true.

H1 says the sun addles my brain.

I am already planning my Halloween projects and there are so many cool things out in the stores, just reminding me I should start preppin' a crappily put together costume, and that the ghouls will be out in full force very soon.

Even the pumpkins are beginning to be possessed some!



Boo to you too, little Ghost Pumpkin!

A Horse to Water

What's that saying about leading horses to water?

It doesn't apply to cats.

Here's the water. I'm leading him just by showing it to him.



And he drinks!





A horse he is not, but a ham? Indeed.

Not Going on a Trip

The HOchieS are going on a trip next week.

Despite his trying to be a stow-away, I'm fairly certain he's not going...







Currently listening to: "Oh! Vanity." by the Charlatans.

Winter's On Its Way

Much to H1's dismay.

I haven't told her yet but I heard talk of flurries in the morning.

She'll be well cranky tomorrow.

Another sign that Winter's coming, was the sight of this fat ass squirrel.



The fatty was a sly one.



His back was mostly turned to me and he ignored that I was calling him. He did not budge when corn bread was tossed to him but when he was finished munching on whatever strange thing he had been investing in, he made his way to the corn bread.

Papa HOchie and I then threw him some walnuts but he didn't want those.

It's a good thing I was paying attention because I stepped outside to take a better picture of him and the next thing I knew, he was almost on top of me!

There, he was, trying to jump on my foot and give me plague. It would have been a horror story if he had darted into the house.

Here's the asshole with his chunky squirrel ass to me, as all animals enjoy doing.



Momma HOchie says he's the squirrel brother to Pumpkin. I would thank her to not call my cat fat.

He's big-boned!



Currently listening to: "Vessel" by Nine Inch Nails.

Cambodia, Sacrificial Lamb, a Black Heart and a Pumpkin Blaze

Yep, sounds like October.

On Friday last, X took me out for some Cambodian Street Eats that were not in the Streets or in Cambodia but rather in the vicinity of the Delancie Station Stop on the F Train.

There was a threat of being whisked away to Crooklyn but instead a Rooster punishment was delivered.



At Kampuchea, roosters were everywhere to torture me - on matchbooks, plates and mason jars used as glasses. At least there was no rooster engraved in the backless seat (priviledged people should stop their complaining - there's nothing wrong with stools!), nor was there rooster on the menu.



If one were to expand the menu, you'd see pork and belly pork at that, which is exactly what X and I got -



Along with a crispy bacon sandwich with all sorts of yummies in it - a chili pepper sauce, carrots, cucumbers and great bread,



a goo'd time cat fish sandwich with the same dressings,



and a pulled oxtail sandwich? Yep -



We followed it by a soup infiltrated by pork:



Alcoholic beverages of mango and a lychee martini were had, and then it was off to Rice to Riches for coconut cream pudding for dessert. Yummy!





Thank you, X, for the goo'd times.

Saturday was fairly uneventful, until H1 grilled some lamb in the evening. It was then she had a bit of an asthmatic attack that she says I shouldn't talk about, thanks to a trigger of oven cleaner on the stove top and heat. It was horrid but she's okay now.

Oh yeah, we also baked cookies and we made a sugar cookie to represent the colour of H1's heart.



You're right Frass, it probably could be blacker.

Sunday, our cousins came over which was nice. Momma Hochie baked cakes that came out heavy thanks to a cold house and cold margarine.

After curry goat, channa & potatoes, beef pelau, roti, squash, cake, and pumpkin pie were eaten with joy, Boobey-Head, Luuuuuiiiisss, H1 and I headed off to the Jack O' Lantern Blaze at van Cortland Manor.

It was fun and frustrating trying to take pictures in the dark and some of the carvings were pretty spectacular. This year there was a Dinosaur exhibit, along with the Aquarium exhibit we saw three years ago, with pirates added. The snakes and spiders were also back, with a garden display (a pumpkin patch display? har har), skulls, bats and butterflies were floating about too.

Also new this year, were some awesomely carved white pumpkins, a scary clown patch, a pumpkin wedding and Thriller, complete with guitar riffs and cheesey music to boot, smoke screens and dancing zombies.

(click pictures to get larger view and the full effect!)



Snakes, Dinosaur Hatchlings, Spiders, Fish, Aliens, Oh My!











This clown looks awfully like drunk clown hiding in the bush. Runk like a skunk!





It was a pretty good weekend for the most part. It was quiet and sometimes entertaining...

No thanks to the peeps who are cut off!

Yeah, MC you're cut off as well because the wishes didn't come on the day but not really, because I always forget yours nor am I ever close to remembering.

No one's as clever as CLee who wished me Happy Halloween to distract from the fact that he was not the first to wish me well wishes.

Thanks to Alex for goo'd times with Flight of the Conchords.
Thanks to Bughie J. for defeating Takuman or at least, them bidders who outsmarted me for the past month. And all the music, too.
Thanks to Frass for giving me a charcoal-less monkey and D. Gray-Man figures.
Thanks to X for the Cambodian even though no tarantulas were harmed in the making of the meal and for a diamond filled kitty.
Thanks to Pumps and Jazz for waking my ass up at 2 and then again at 4.
Thanks to Momma HOchie & Papa HOchie for the sweaters.
Thanks to Bunji for my Nightmare Before Christmas figures, with the bug-eyed Sally and the very toxic green Oogey Boogey.
Thanks to H1 for suffering to make yummy lamb, and for Dragon Quest IV.
Thanks to Boobey for the Handisnacks, D. Gray-Man manga and a Blaze ticket.

Currently listening to: "Dancing Choose" by TV on the Radio. I gave them a chance since the album Dear Science got such great reviews (and made sure to research they're nothing like a band such as Panic at the Disco, since their names always remind me of each other) and I have to say, could they sound any more like some other bands I know? See: R.E.M. for "The End of the World" on this song, and a reminder of Bloc Party and others I know are out there. They're not bad though.

Happy Birthday, Pumpkin!

Awww, it's our little Pumpsy-Pumps birthday today. And he would be... 8 today, I believe. He's still a goo'd-looking cat!

45009

It's no longer an obsession.

The Japanese still hate me but I took one from their fold and that is its number.



After a bit of setbacks, selling bits of my blood (Hellsing, Niea_7, Trigun, Aqua Aqua, Graffitti Kingdom, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, Samurai Legend Musashi and Ape Escape: Pumped and Primed - you all served me well, except maybe you GK. You were just ass), frozen accounts and dreading a forthcoming bill, I've a semi-functional piece of Final Fantasy VII history.

It's working completely but semi to me because we're in the US and I can't reap the benefits of Japanese TV. Or can I? Hmmm.

I got it from one of the happiest places on earth - Ebay, all wrapped up in the entertainment section of a Hong Kong newspaper:



On the back was the flyer for an appliance sale which I found to be not much of a sale and I guess others thought the same:



"Here's what I think of your sale!"



I do find it very interesting though that within 8 hours of my getting my package from Hong Kong, I got incredibly ill. Coinky Dinky? Or something else...

H1, I was only keed. Don't you dare even think it and shut your goat-assy mouth! I still have a cough!

Currently listening to: "Not Addicted" by The Streets and not "Not an Addict". MC, get with the times!

Pumpkin, the 8th HOchie.

Our little orange cat Pumpkin has given us many interesting times for the past 6 years he's been with us. It's always cute when he plays because he doesn't do much of that anymore but we know he could be a goalie due to that stellar save he did a few years ago when a ball was tossed towards the couch.

He's not so cute at 6:20 in the morning when he wants to come into the room and complains outside my door. He's even less cute when he takes it upon himself to bite and paw me awake, or tear up the presents and clothes sitting on my chair.

Times aren't good for me when he jumps in front of my computer screen as I'm typing up blog pozostx and can't see the screen. See that? Case in point. Good Grief.

It is also very unpleasant in the winter when he and I are so static-ie that we cannot get too close to one another without being constantly shocked.

We hate when he gets really vicious over a treat or some catnip. He begs for people's dinner and will eat just about anything. He's not very "cattish" which works out well for us but goddamn it, he is smart and it's scary as all hell.

Today, the trademark low bellow of a meow was heard. I quickly opened the door to see what the matter was because that's when that meow is usually used - when something is wrong. I inquired of Papa HOchie if the door to the basement which houses the kitty litter box was closed, which it was. Papa HOchie flew downstairs to open the door but no Pumpkin could be found.

Fearing the worst, ie that Pumpkin couldn't hold his bidness, I heard Papa HOchie anxiously call out to me.

Well, Pumpkin couldn't hold his business for sure but took matters into his own little paws...

...and used the toilet.

Yes.

Our cat has learnt how to pee in the toilet without being formally trained.

He must have learnt to do so by watching us all these years or maybe the Betch is right and he has been using the internet for dirty business when I'm not around.

As I said, scary.

I've come to the conclusion that all those times when Pumpkin tried to "off" us were not actually 'accidents/catcidents'. He really was trying to kill the lot of us!

Memorable Quotes of Last Week:

Couple walking down the street, man to girl: Brenda give me a kiss...
Crazy guy on street overhearing convo.: Brenda can shove it up her ass!

Or 2 on phone to H1: You want to know what I was doing? I was killing some cats.
H1: Uh...

The Hat The Cat Attacked

For those not in the know, Gnome Friend loves Hide and Seek. In fact, he is Champeen of the sport! Why, even this past Saturday a game was in the works. Lots of people were over at Castle in the Fog for an outdoorsy event in the Sun that occasionally peeks through the clouds in the Summer, so Gnome took the opportunity to play. Whether or not the guests knew they were playing is not the point here but being hidden for hours with no one finding him, only solidified that Gnome is the best when it comes to H&S.

Today, he played again.

But discovered that hiding behind beasties is a great idea at first…



Until said Beasties spot you.



And become interested in your striped blue hat.





The game of H&S is not without risks but allows for a very interesting game of Cat and Gnome.



Of which Gnome is also Champeen despite what it may look like to the untrained eye.

He enjoys a challenge, all the while grinning from ear to ear.

Goo'day.

Goodbye Kitty

I am kitty-sitting. Pumpkin and Jazzie are good little kitties but one of my favourite people recently said to me (from now on we'll refer to him as Clownie) -"You should just eat them..."

It gets better.

Me: If they give me trouble?

Clownie: No, trouble or not, they should just be eaten.

Me: I see...you know I could eat some cat dumplings right about now.

Clownie: There you go. I'm sure Momma HoChie has all types of recipes she could bring up for them...you know, like that Japanese cat. What was it called again? Hello...

Me: Hello Kitty?

Clownie: Hello Kitty. Yes, I'm sure there must be recipes for this 'Hello Kitty' or rather, 'Goodbye Kitty'.

I'm on a quest to create a whole line of "Goodbye Kitty" recipes.

This is how TheHOchies will be rich.