he ain’t heavy…
he’s my brother
This was supposed to be called terms of endearment, but who could resist with that photo?
As it turns out, there are two kittens. The second showed up two days after Brett, half-crazed with hunger and fear and loneliness. I can’t help but wonder how they got separated, where they came from, and what to do with them now that they are here. But that part will work itself out… For now they are happy outside the back door, warm beds at night, all the food they can eat, and apparently, chipmunks for dessert. (Sorry.)
My husband named the first one Brett, and when his brother arrived, he became Sporty. But here’s the thing: I never call our animals by their actual names. Instead, there is an ever-changing litany of nicknames and endearments, and some others for when they are naughty.
Brett had already, before Sporty arrived, become My Puddin’ Pie. And then, his brother, well he became George McFly (he’s a bit of a dork and looks a little like Crispin Glover).
So now, together, they are Georgie Porgie, Puddin’ and Pie.
Our dog’s name is Jake. First there was Shaky Jakey (because he actually shakes when we take him in the car), which turned into Shaky Pants, and then John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt which led to Jingle Jimer, Jimer Timer, and most of the time now, just Jingler.
I never said this was going to make sense. And yes, I’m a little crazy.
Our oldest cat is Shihan (my son was in karate class at the time), but she became Fatty, and then Fatika Blush, and Tiki, and Tiko, Queen Elizabeth, and Fatty Jo Jones. These days, she is often Old Lady. (Right now she is next to me, snoring).
Cinder, who was never a cinder, is Missy and Baby and Crazy Nut and Naughty Tee Tie and Missy Nue. She stayed tiny, the size of a six month old kitten. Twice a day she puffs up her tail, runs around, and roars like a lion. Seriously, she is not meowing, she is roaring. I have seen many cats in my life, but never one that does this. Apparently she is practicing for when we take her to the jungle and release her into the wild.
Charley, whom you met here before, is Charlie Chan, Chin Chan Man, Chin Channy O’Manny, Charlie in Charge, and Kitten Cat.
And last but not least, my Pepe, the cat love of my life, is mostly known as My Handsome Man, which occasionally becomes just Hansa. Pepe has his own story and, yes, I am madly in love with him, and one day I will tell you his story, but this is already quite long, so not today. But it’s not just the animals…
When my son was young he was Moonbeam and Mumpy Toast and Earl’s Too Cool For Me. And then later, much later, he was a teenager and he was Poof, and then Poofie…
But the day came when we went to the cool skateboard store to buy cool skateboard clothes and I said “Hey Poofie, look at this,” and he said, through tightly-clenched teeth, “Can you please not call me Poofie in public?” At least he said please. And I promised to honor his wishes. Except one time, when he hit a home run, I forgot. And I stood up and yelled: “Go, Poofie!”
Oops.
Well at least I didn’t call him Puddin’ Pie.
April 8th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I have laughed & laughed while reading this. I thought I was bad, but no, you are worse, and I say that with love & good feelings. This is great and I’m SO glad Georgie showed up to keep his brother company. They look very, very content.
April 8th, 2010 at 11:50 am
They really are sweet…and funny, and quite the pair. I am such a sucker.
April 8th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
And how can anyone forget the world’s greatest term of endearment…Pito 🙂
April 8th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Well, not I, certainly.
April 8th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
I love this….as i am quite a sucker for nicknames !
and
the new puppy at my sister’s house is stella….we call her melba fudge 🙂
April 8th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Haha, my cousin used to call me Melba Toast…and Thelma Juice. Apparently this sort of thing runs in families…
April 8th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
ROFL!
As I was reading through the evolution of your animal names, I was thinking, I wonder if she has kids?
Poor Poofie…
It was hysterical though. 🙂
-FringeGirl
April 8th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
and yet, somehow, he survived. He’s 24 now…but we still call him Poof.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
It can’t get any cuter! How sweet.
We have “little guy” and “little one” as well as “Frick” and “Frack” – and G. still insists on calling one of the furballs Schmiegel (a la Lord of the Rings).
Funny how it happens though. My family is big on nicknames. Almost everyone in my family calls me Trace. Much better than when I was in single digits and my brother called me “summer teeth.”
You know: Some are here, and some are there.
Ah, big brothers. Gotta love ’em. 🙂
BTW, I know some who is affectionately known as “the beeg seester.”
April 8th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Our cats don’t get called by their names either….Tippy is called Gullump and Binx is Boo. It must be a pet owner thing!
April 8th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
PS: Pepe once told me he loved me. 🙂 You better watch that one – he is a charmer.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
Hey, don’t be messin with my man!
April 9th, 2010 at 9:01 am
we had a cat for fourteen years. she started out being called “the kitten” and years later she was “the cat”. those were her names. no matter what anyone thought those were her names.
April 9th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
I dunno. You better be careful. Sounds like one or two more cats could tip you into “Cat Lady” territory. 😉
No. Really. You are very kind to care for them.
Go, Cat Lady! Oops. I mean Missus!
April 9th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Oh, I think I am pretty much already there…I can’t bring two more inside, that would be insane, but we may try to figure out how to keep them as outdoor boys, we really do need help with the mice and chipmunks!
April 9th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
They are too cute for words. You do know what they say about becoming like your mother LOL! Like I said before, someone has your number. Brett is cute but McFly is pretty darn cute too.
April 9th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Just popping by to say Hi and that I LOVE what you are up to here. YAY!!!
Sarah
April 9th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Thanks, and thanks for stopping by!
April 10th, 2010 at 8:39 am
My Chester dog was called cheater-man, not because he cheated, but because on of my nephews wrote a letter from camp in those big sprawling childish letters that said, “How Cheater?”, he was also called Magoo because he was clumsy and inept (unusual traits for a golden retriever) and Bubby, now I call all golden retrievers bubby. My husband says, “bubby alert” when he sees one because he knows I will choke up a little. I still miss my dog of a lifetime xo
April 10th, 2010 at 9:05 am
Oh, yes, I know what you mean, we had a dog, Coby, that died 3 years ago, black lab shepherd mix, he was our dog of a lifetime and I feel the same way about him. I still get a little misty eyed when I think about him, my husband called him “The finest dog in all the land.” It is crazy how attached we can get to our pets!