Dormitory Essential

Belle Chic (www.bellechic.com) let the cat out of the bag. . ., and look who shows up on a stylish laundry bag!

It's move-in time on college campuses across the country, so let's spread the Cat Lady Chic gospel in dormitories! This cat should like visiting dorm laundry rooms during late-night hours.

Pool Party

Now that we've entered the last month of the dog days of summer, I keep wishing more and more that I had a swimming pool in my backyard. When I win the lottery, I want to build a pool that looks just like this one.

Slim Aarons photograph of a swimming pool in the shape of a cat, Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami, Florida, c. 1955.

Standing Guard

This is the darling kitty face I see every morning when I open the back door of our house and head up the stairs to the garage apartment. Thomasina Dinny, aka “Miss Tommie,” stands guard in the apartment, where she lives with her mother Lillie and her siblings T.J. and Perkins. Miss Tommie peeks out of her favorite window and waits to make sure I appear at the appointed (mutually understood) hour of 8:00 a.m. on the dot.

 

 

As soon as Miss Tommie makes eye contact with me, she jumps from her perch to let the others know that Cat Lady is indeed on her way to serve breakfast.

No matter whether I awaken on the wrong side of the bed, or the weather just plain stinks, I can always count on Miss Tommie standing guard and assuring me that all is right in the world. She is nearing 14, and so I especially cherish every minute of predictability.

Memory

Ah, yes, Cat Ladies. This is how the love affair with felines begins!

Mirror, Mirror

During what seemed like an interminable flight this past Thursday, I found myself reading everything that was stashed in the back pocket of the seat in front of me. I can't remember ever devouring the Skymall catalog with such intensity. And look what I found!

You can order this Cat Lady handheld mirror from Signals, a company that obviously understands Cat Ladies like to reflect on their title.

Who needs selfies?

Dumped!

Because I have been married to Cat Man for such a long time, I haven’t had to suffer in decades from the humiliation of being dumped by a fickle boyfriend. So you can imagine my surprise when I realized that Pye was deliberately dumping me for another—not another Cat Lady, but for one of her own kind.

Yes, Kippy has won Pye’s heart. I’m delighted about this amorous development, though displeased that Pye no longer needs me. I asked Dr. O. about what was up. She explained that Pye, who still has many feral qualities, can relate much better to a fellow cat than to a Cat Lady.

And yet I have been trying so hard, ever since when we formally adopted Pye last December, to combine human and feline qualities into one sentient being. What do you think of this French postcard, c. 1913, that features a sort of role model? 

How do you like me now, Pye?

Enough Already!

OK, Cat Ladies, this is what I'm talking about.

We're not going to take it anymore! Together, we can reverse the stereotype.

http://www.abramsbooks.com/Books/Cat_Lady_Chic-9781419714023.html