What follows is the April 1997 journal published by my company as written, produced, and managed by the cats. Kitty and Ebony have asked for a raise in their daily allowance of Whiskas. They said they would go on strike. Since I don't have the time to do this monthly journal, I had to give in to their paw and meow union. Lots of good stuff this issue thanks to the cats. Yes, my cats like fan email. They just love attention. Why don't you give it to them? Kitty GreyCat and Ebony BlackCat want to thank all the Internet friends for visiting their pages on the human bean's web site. Cats are not normally that friendly with strangers, but all the email has been very cat friendly. Even some cats have sent email. Isn't that cute, amazing, and just plain nice? The area on our home page that belongs to the cats is the busiest and most popular. Thanks, meow, paws, and purrrrrrrrrr to you all!
Click the kitty cat graphic below to visit Kitty's Memorial page.
Kitty Talk
We have all been so busy, I cannot believe it is spring already. Here in Florida the hot days started two months ago, and I can't get enough heat. I even wedge myself between the UPS (a fancy thing that provides emergency power to human's computer) and the wall. Among all the wires, cables, connectors, and equipment, I am content. The UPS hums and produces lots of heat. I love it, I do!
Soon it will be time for our annual checkup at the Ohio vet. I am always curious at the vet's office. There are so many things to smell, see, and do at the vet place. I don't think Ebony cares for it too much. The vet last year said that Ebony was the first kitten he had ever seen cry when getting a shot. Ebony acts all brave and like a big black panther, but she is one scaredy cat! She is even scared at the noise the human's printer thing makes. Anyway, the vet was shocked at Ebony's pitiful crying. This old, nice vet has been around a long time too. So Ebony is unusual, but she deserved it for being mean to me!
I have an Internet cat friend named Sylvia. She is very brave and 16. You see, Ebony, I am NOT the oldest kitty in existence. Sylvia is battling cancer right now and needs our kitty prayers.
I Ebony sure don't like vets and needles. And Kitty is so sassy. She doesn't know what she meowing about. I have a Internet friend, but he human bean. His Internet name WolfStalker. I like it! He gave me some mighty fine dragons to display on my Internet home page.
I like dragons cause they look like Florida gecko lizards. They mighty tiny compare to dragons. I like catch and eat little lizard-like dragons. But one got me back. It latched onto my paw and wouldn't let go. I start shaking my paw and it still held on. Kitty no help and laughing at me. I start crying and shaking my paw really hard now. That little lizard whipping around really good now! Finally, it flew six feet in the air and got away. I glad too! I think I change to sassy old squirrels. they look more delicious, me thinks!
I tell on Kitty. She so prim and proper. But a stuffed catnip mouse got her going like crazy! She full of energy I never see her have before. I try to play with the toy, but Kitty stingy and won't let me get near the catnip thing. It sure smell good. I would like to lick and bite it too, but Kitty horde the whole thing! Finally, she went to sleep and then I play with catnip mouse lots and lots. Please don't let Kitty know! She paw slap me, if she find out!
Internet Stuff
My web site continues to grow. I never thought it would be so popular. And look at all the friends! I have been told how cute it is that the cats write this journal, answer their own email, and have their own home page on the NET. When I do these things in the name of the cats, I take on their personalities. So in essence you really are hearing, seeing, and talking with real live kitty cats!
Thanks to all the many visitors and friends coming to our web pages. Although for our SF/Fantasy and free-form poetry fans primarily, our site received lots of new people and loads of cats. A few dogs slipped in, but the cats chased those out. Squirrels and mice are welcome too, but be very careful.
Hockey News
March was not kind to the Tampa Bay Lightning. They went 5-8-1. Although frustrating for this particular fan, I still hold out hope that they will make the playoffs. But I have so many favorite teams in the NHL unlike the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Tis the Stanley Cup season. The NHL rules! Go BOLTS!
Excitement and electricity charges the air. Playoff time is nearly here. April 16th! Mark it on your calendars. Fox TV and ESPN have a full schedule of Stanley Cup games. The most exciting and electric time in all of sports occurs when the cup is skated by the winners. This almost 108-year-old cup is the most coveted trophy in sports. Catch the fever!
Travel Adventures
Editor's note: This is one of human bean's old Navy friends who has given us his travel story. It is quite good too. Enjoy!
I will try to put in writing the experience of traveling from Bangkok to Ohio. It is Friday morning at 3:30 A.M. and time to get up and take the shower which will need to last for thirty hours. It is now 4:30 A.M. and I am checking out of the hotel after which I will walk over to the airport. Getting through ticketing, baggage check-in, and customs goes smoothly. So many of the people are from so many different places, yet one always runs into someone who lives within fifty miles of yourself.
I leave the ground at 6:30 A.M. flying to Tokyo. When I land it is 12:30 P.M. local time and the sun has not set on this day yet. I board once again for the long haul from Tokyo to Chicago. I step down onto the tarmac and then back up onto a bus which takes me from the airport terminal out to where they keep the big planes. I leave the ground again today, and it is 2:30 P.M. The sun is already on the tail once we get airborne, and it quickly disappears and it is now nighttime. The plane races towards the sun as we fly north towards Alaska and then south towards Chicago. Somewhere over Canada the sun blasts its beams into the cabin. It is now Friday on this continent and no one seems to notice the passing of night. Landing in Chicago at 2:30 P.M. seems ironic, but I set out on the business of making the quick hop from Chicago to Dayton. Time the fourth dimension and what we base all our experiences on can so easily slip the logic we have given it and be free to move at its own pace.
Poetry Corner
Last time we had my first poem that still exists. Now we have the very last poem I have written to date. Enjoy:
"What is Life"
April 4, 1997
What is love
If not expressed
What is life
Without the love
Remember when
We were young
Songs were never
The same as our love
What is memory
Without the pain
What is pain
If there be love
Without us
Where would we be
O, love makes
Us all the same
Remember when
We gave life
Nothing was ever
The same as our future
What is love
If we don't give it back
What is life
Without a child to carry on
Remember when
We all were young
Songs still lit the flames
Our love is ever the same
In the Park
As the nice weather gets even better, we see more of our friends going back up north. We will really miss them that is for sure. We have some problems with our fifth wheel travel trailer that need fixed first, before we head onto Ohio. Yet we had a wonderful winter with all of our friends. This is another season that was a big success. Thank you to all our special friends at Roycroft Travel Trailer Park.
One last note from the kind lady at J7. Please don't cut through her yard between the trailers. Please walk on the sides of the roads; they will take you anywhere you want to go. You wouldn't want pedestrian traffic under your window or by your porch. Let's all get along. Have a joyful and fruitful summer. Be sure to continue receiving the journal throughout the summer.
Roycroft Travel Trailer Park is a very nice place for either the summer or the winter season. Rates are close to the surrounding market. What makes this particular place so special is the people from all over North America. There are many nice friends here. My son, I, and the cats have thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. We are staying the summer this time instead of summering in Ohio as we usually do. There are problems with our fifth wheel travel trailer that need fixed. Sometimes things just can't go perfectly forever. Such is life in the big city and in the fast lane. Sigh...
May 2nd Ernie Gehrt, Juanita Pollit, Mike Caffee;
3rd Liz Craney;
4th Mary Battaglia, Jeff Shaffer;
6th Ebony BlackCat;
7th Fred Schrecengost, Joanne Hawkins;
8th Ruby Tate;
9th Tawnee Sawyer;
11th Helen Mead;
12th Jim Parker, John Newkirk;
14th Phyllis Beamer, Donna Tooker;
15th Sally Prior;
17th Wanda Flanigan;
21st Alicia Kilcoin;
22nd Don Wright;
23rd Sherrie Rickey;
25th Louis Andrews, Casteen Annis;
26th Jack Essenburg, Gene Koons;
27th Ella Essenburg, Edna Johnson;
30th Erica Shaffer.
"The Mountains of Ao"
Work on this sequel to the Tears from Ao progresses as I am writing chapter nine now. Following my detailed outline helps me to stay on track. I just got to keep the distractions down. I also keep writing at least a line a day. Eventually, I will get to chapter ten and then more after that. It works!
Many thanks to the fans, proofreaders, and the multitude of interested web surfers who have emailed their support, praise, comments, suggestions, and a few FLAMES. You can't please everyone, but we try. Everyone wants a copy of the novels and poetry collections. We are working as fast as we can to get everyone their requests. Thanks again!
Proofreaders are reminded to send their opinions to me via email
The Dull Stuff
Inputs and letters to this journal are subject to approval by Kitty. All inputs may be edited for content and become the property of the Shaffer Novels/Poetry Company.
