THE SOCIALIZATION OF DANI (PLUS THANKS FOR THE INTERNET)

 While Dani was still a kitten, I wanted her to become accustomed to people other than her Dada and I.

So, since we usually did our visiting on the front porch in good weather, Dani was exposed to a number of strangers.  Most of them became even stranger with subsequent visits. 

Witness, Dani's Auntie Renate, below.  Each of my lady friends was dubbed Auntie when Dani was still tiny.  I would reinforce it by telling young Dani ahead of time that Auntie Susan, Auntie Val or Auntie Renate (sometimes all three at once) was/were coming over.  My voice was enthusiastic and upbeat.  The same voice I use when giving her treats.

Now imagine from Dani's point of view how it then felt to be betrayed by her Mama only to experience the horrors of stranger strangulation.  Talk about disappointment!

Once Renate grabbed Dani by her throat, Dani was at her efurry whim.  My kitty was still breathing so I assumed this was Auntie R's unique way of expressing affection.  Auntie R is a cat purrson after all.

  

And this is what happened next.  Or should I say NECKst?

Now Auntie R had kitties all her life, but the last one had passed not long before (little wonder, really). So she used friends' cats for PURRactice.  She wouldn't want to forget her technique after all.

Auntie R said her cat used to love to smell her breath.  So without further warning, Dani was exposed to this gaping maw, and to make it worse it had turned into a regular wind tunnel.  Dani struggled to stay in place in spite of what may beFALL her.

But to Dani's ultimate relief, even though Auntie R still had her around the neck, efurrything including Auntie R had relaxed.

Dani still had the taste of raw avoCAToe in her mouth, but the outcome of this encounter was looking more promising.  This is what she had to say:  

"If dis is wot soshulizin' is all about, you kin count me OUT!"

Who can blame her?  If this was her First Encounter of the Stranger Kind, what would the second or third kind actually be?

Dani took no more chances, so she took a LEFT!

After many years inside Dani is still trying to recover her SHELF-ESTEEM.

IT'S THURSDAY AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THE INTERNET.

AFTER SIX DAYS WITHOUT IT I APPRECIATE IT EVEN MORE.

FINALLY I CAN MAKE THIS POST WHICH I WROTE LAST THURSDAY.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY WITH DANI: DOMINO WORE IT FIRST

 

DANI AND THE PADDLING PUSSYCATS

 Dani is back again with another raft of funnies.  Paddling that raft along with her are:  June of Zoolatry, Brian and Seal of Brian's Home and three kitties from my unnamed friend who wishes to remain so.  

So the lineup is Dani, Dani, Dani Kitten, June, June, Brian, Seal, Hagrid and in the final slot are Baby, Hagrid and Freiya in an ensemble piece.

Enjoy the show.  And heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Dani ...

Wow!  He's not just a hippocrit, he's catty, too.

Offal/Awful -- let's call the whole thing OFF!

Anything is better than the rat race.  I'd go for a race car if I were you.

Yeah, but A LA CARTE menus sure aren't.

That's the issue with tissue -- they can only absorb so much.

Brian!  I never thought I'd see you sink so low.

And sometimes they're the same thing.

You're gonna run yourself HAG-HARD just finding 'em.

Yo Heave Ho!

In no sense are they innocent!

DANI, JUNE AND TEDDY: FIREWORKS!!!

 Happy Fourth of July to all of our American friends out there.  Fire works quite well as long as it's contained, and these fireworks are under extraordinarily tight control.  Not an ember is going rogue at this party!

Here are the titular threesome -- Dani, June and Teddy -- on the Truman Balcony at the White House.  For those of you who are not familiar with it (and I wasn't prior to today) here's a quote from Wikipedia: 

"The Truman Balcony is the second-floor balcony of the Executive Residence of the White House, which overlooks the South Lawn.  It was completed in March 1948, during the presidency of Harry S. Truman."

It's a great place for watching all the fireworks on July Fourth.  Of course you have to have special access especially for VIPs (Very Impawtant Pussycats).  Teddy already lives here, so it was a no-brainer.

Dani is trembling with excitement and the effort of trying to capture those balloons.  Even one would do, but they keep floating up toward the balcony ceiling.  You may have to jumpstart it, Dani!

And here's June, just taking it all in and hoping for a little breeze to kickstart her windmill.  Go ahead, it's good for a kick or two at the very least.  Either that or just blow on it.  Sheesh!

And this is Teddy Roosevelt.

Did you know that the very first teddy bear, as we know it now, was created by him?  And named after him.  Teddy is short for Theodore which is his first name.  If you want to know more about how Teddy came to be here's a link:

Teddy Bear

The teddy bear turned 100 in the year 2002, so now he is 120 years old.

 Best be gentle with him!

What a great tradition!

CATURDAY ART WITH DANI: HOSTA HOSTAGE

 Dani is being held hostage behind a giant hosta in our front garden.

The picture had such great contrasts already, but I tweaked them a little bit using Photoscape Tools, which allows you to brighten, deepen or darken specific areas using your mouse and the paintbrush.

I brightened Dani's muzzle and added little touches of light here and there in her fur.  Other than that, the bright splash of light across the hosta leaf was made by nature and required no enhancing.

Then, I looked through my stash of frames and came upon one that brought out the more subtle shades in this particular photo.

For the following effect, I chose additional photos from the same photoshoot, and used Fotosrus to find the best magazine frame for the collage.

And as for the hostage situation, you can observe Dani's escape in progress.

Free at last!