Goodbye.

I am gone.  

No one knew—but I’ve been very quietly fighting a battle with Cancer.  My staff had noticed I wasn’t feeling up to snuff, but—trooper that I am—I would rally and perk up and act good-as-new.  

We went to a couple of V-E-T appointments, but bloodwork didn’t reveal anything too out of the ordinary.

No one even knew about my Cancer until my V-E-T Dr. Jon went rummaging around in my belly to see what was wrong.  When he found what he found—oh, it was pretty far along, too far along, and my staff bravely decided to help me over the Bridge.  (I trained them about the importance of Bravery—especially when you’re small.)

I know a lot of people are sad to read this.  I was a pretty popular guy, and handsome, and smart, and charismatic, and never again will such a Magnificent set of whiskers be seen in Thorntown, Indiana, USA.  I heard that lots of people were asking about me during my hospitalization.

I want all of the sad people to remember that I lived one of the best of all possible lives.  I went from a homeless, unwanted stray to become a World-Famous Library Cat.  I had 14,000 square feets of climate-controlled Inside, complete with snack-drawers at every desk.  I had multiple loving mommies, a few daddies, and scores of fans who made special visits to see me. 

My library is full of soft chairs.  I’ve slept in every. single. one.  I tipped every trash-can, gnawed every cord, and found all of the best sunbeams.  I knocked over water-glasses, sat on planners, and attacked rogue Zucchinis.  I never went a day without a tummy rub or a chin-scritch. 

Life was good.  Life IS good. 

Thank you, blogging friends and blog followers, for reading and sharing my adventures.  It’s been a pleasure getting to know all of you.  

Not even this post is complete without a shot of my handsomeness.

My blog will remain online so that people can continue to read my stories and remember all of the happy times we shared.  

Purrs, headbutts, and my best to you all,

Tober

Who knows?

Is there something on my nose?

Happy Monday!

Tober

Antibiotics

I have been feeling kind of icky lately, so my Posse took me to see the V-E-T on Halloween.  What a way to celebrate Halloween, right?

Dr. Jon took some of my blood and trimmed my toenails and then stabbed me with some cortisone.

I am already feeling better. . . but let me tell you, I will feel LOTS better when we're done with this antibiotic!  It tastes awful.  (I made AAB Christine try it.  She tells me "it isn't that bad.")  Today is the last day of it.

It looks horrible on my chinny-chin-chin.

NOT a selfie.

However, AAB Photographer did get a shot of some truly spectacular whiskers.  I mean, look at these things:

Magnificent.

They're like fireworks but even more beautiful!

On the mend,

Tober

Lazy Finding Day

Today makes SEVEN whole years since I was Found by my AAB Karen!

I celebrated by relaxing in sunbeams. . .

This WAS a good place to hide. . .

. . . trying to avoid AB Photographer. . .

Paparazzi.  Ugh.

. . . and taking naps in my soft bed.

I had extra treats and belly rubs today, and even a fresh gum wrapper.  AAB Becki served up a special dinner with extra gravy.

AB Christine, in her infinite wisdom, brought me this Treat-Dispenser thing:

Dumb.

This is the dumbest and most unnecessary contraption I've ever seen.  See, your human opens the treat-bag, puts the treats into the dumb green "dispenser" thing, closes it up, and then you, the cat, have to get the treats out of the dumb green thing.

Why are we making it HARDER to get treats?  I have a Treat Dispenser.

Heck, I have 13 Treat Dispensers!  Their names are Christine, Karen, Becki, Bonnie, Barb, Barb, Linda, Melissa, Alec, Myrtle, Kathy, Britta, and Phyllis.

Christine and Britta are really good at operating the dumb green Treat Dispenser.  They demonstrated it for me, and by "demonstrated" I mean tipped it over a few times so I could have some treats.  So what they've really done is made it harder on themselves.

Oh well.  It's the thought that counts. . . even if it's not a very good thought.

I'm awfully glad I got Found by the right person seven years ago.  I AM a pretty lucky guy.  (Don't tell them I said that.)

Purrs,

Tober

Oh--PS--I almost forgot to show you my Finding Day Card!

Helloooo?

OcTOBER is just around the corner, so I figured I'd better wake from my long summer's nap and maybe post a "hello" to everyone.

Hello!

I was napping 10 seconds before this was taken.  *squint*

We have had a crazy busy summer around here.  The youth department outdid themselves and invited all kinds of people, animals, and even a giant CAT to the library during the summer reading program.  (I have an autographed picture from the CAT!  Will see if my minions can find it and post it later.)  The Humane Society for Boone County brought a really noisy slobbery dog here and tried to get him adopted.  He woofed and woofed and woofed.  Seriously.  And we had balloon-twisters and a screech owl and a hawk and the Colts-in-Motion trailer and a really great box maze and the fire department and police department and EMS people visited to show off their fancy trucks and cars and teach children about the importance of being heroes and taking care of one another.

Whew!

So I got really behind on blogging.  But you guys are used to that!  

My staff decided to make it up to me by making me the centerpiece of our Festival of the Turning Leaves float.  (Last week was Festival of the Turning Leaves/Book Sale/Carpet Cleaning/Mess Week.) 

BUT they were being Lazy (yes, with a capital "L") this year and didn't want to make a huge float on account of being Lazy, so they made a teeny-tiny Tober-sized float.  

My float had the fanciest tractor!

Isn't it the greatest?  Here's another picture:

My stunt-double.

AB Christine was super-excited that it fits on the library's elevator and she didn't have to struggle with petal paper in the windy, windy outside.

I'm super-excited because, if I get really lucky, one of my staff will forget to lock up my tiny float and I'll get to chew up all of those crunchy silk leaves and urp them up on the clean carpet!  It's only a matter of time. . .

AAB Phyllis made a real big float this year, with people on it and stuff.  It was for the Thorntown Heritage Museum and went along with the parade's 1915 - Oh What a Year! theme.

Winner winner, chicken dinner!

It won 1st Place - Theme!  It had a bunch of basketball players on it, and they did cheers and waved their very best waves for the parade crowd. The float theme was "Inspiring a new generation of winners."   

The secret to a winning float?  Lots of tape.  

Now--back to napping. . . but hopefully shorter naps with more blog posts!

Purrs,

Tober

Best Seat in the House

This is one of my most favorite spots to nap during the morning.

It is under a window in the YA Room, which is short for Young Adult Room.  (Young Adult is the long way to say Teen.)  Teens seem to sleep in during the summer. . . so I use the opportunity to sleep in their room.

This chair was reupholstered by our friends at T & L Upholstery Shop here in Thorntown.  (It is a lot prettier with the new book-themed fabric.)  

This napping spot has the perfect combination of quiet location, proximity to a window, comfort, and morning sunbeam exposure.

I sure hope no one needs anything.

Purrs,

Tober

Heroes & Villains

Summer Reading begins on Monday!  This year's theme features heroes of all kinds:  super-heroes, animal heroes, and everyday human-heroes.  My staff have worked extra-hard at setting up special programs that everyone will enjoy.

One of the programs is called Pacers, Pets & Pizza.  Boomer, the Pacers mascot, will be here, along with representatives and adoptables from the Humane Society of Boone County.  We'll also have vendors selling fun pet items, and a Papa John's trailer will be on-site selling delicious pizza.  There will also be contests for well-behaved leashed pets.  It's going to be a lot of fun!  (And, thank goodness, in the Parking Lot where I won't have to meet any strange creatures!)

Our Humane Society Heroes have a wish list of supplies that will help them rescue and care for foster cats, kittens, dogs, puppies, and other critters in need.  We've set up a donation box in the lower level lobby and printed out copies of the wish list for folks to take shopping with them.  AAB Barb made my Stunt Double a super-hero costume and AB Christine made a special sign about the HSforBC wishes:

Don't I (well, Stunt Double) look Heroic!?!

One of the donations we received was a great big bag of cat food.  AB Christine was quick to get it off the floor and onto a counter. . . so I wouldn't find it. . .

That was yesterday afternoon.

Last night a did a Very Bad Thing.

I was bored, and I could smell the smell of fresh cat food coming from inside the bag.  I just wanted a little taste!

(All of this would have been perfectly fine if I had thumbs.  I could have cut the bag open nicely with scissors, sampled the New Food, and then put the bag back together with tape.  I blame this on my thumblessness and AB Christine's carelessness.)

When she discovered what had happened, AB Christine said "Shame on you, Tober, that food was for kitties who need it a lot more than you do!  You have plenty of food and treats and love."  But she said it nicely while she hugged me.  (Did not give me treats, though.)

So we bagged all of the food into gallon zip-lock bags for now.  AB Christine said we'll see if I can eat that and we will use my special Tober Fund to buy a nice replacement bag of food for the foster kitties who really need it.

I mean, seriously, who leaves an unopened bag of cat food around ME?  This isn't the first time such a thing has occurred.  Treat-bags need to stay in closed drawers around here, for Pete's sake! 

Some humans are un-trainable.  

Heroically yours,

Tober

April Showers (and Becki) Brought May Flowers

Today AAB Becki decided to celebrate May Day by decapitating some flowers and bringing them to me.

Flowers:  Hey, Spring is here!  Woo-hoo!

AAB Becki:  *snip*

AB Christine thought she could get some good pictures of me sniffing them.

*sniff*

Well, she got one good "sniff" picture--which is a lucky thing--because I'd rather BITE on flowers!

*nibble*

*nibble*

**CHOMP**

Don't worry.  No flowers were harmed during this photo shoot.  (At least not any worse than what Becki did to them!)  I only got one partial bite in before AB Christine snatched them away and put them where (she thinks) I can't get to them.

I gave her The Look.  This is a terrible way to treat a Boss Cat, especially on May Day!  But she may have saved me some from uncomfortable urping, so I guess I'll forgive her.

Happy Spring Time!

Tober

PS - My staff drew horse names for the big horse-race thingie tomorrow.  I drew a horse named Materiality.  I'm not sure if Materiality is a boy-horse or a girl-horse or even what its name means--but I sure hope it wins!  I'll get a special prize!!!

National Hairball Awareness Day

"Happy" National Hairball Awareness Day, everybody!

I would post a picture of a hairball in its natural habitat, but since many of you are Cats and Cat People, I'm sure you're all competent hairball identifiers.  (Just so you know, AAB Ritchie needs some training in that regard.  He has called my hairballs "poos" in the past.)

My staff is preparing me for Hairball Awareness Day by administering a nice Furmination:

I will *not* smile for the camera.

I know I don't look especially happy in the photo above, but I am purring and purring.  I love a good Furmination.  Takes care of those itchy, hard-to-reach spots!

Still not smiling.

I hope to celebrate National Hairball Awareness Day by NOT experiencing a hairball.  See all that Fur that AAB Britta extracted from my coat?  That is at the half-way point!

Now that I'm freshly Furminated, I'm all sleek and smooth and ready for more pettings and belly-rubs!

I hope you all have someone to brush or Furminate you so that you aren't plagued by yucky hairballs.  Especially you long-haired kitties--wow, keeping up with those fabulous fur coats must be a lot of work!

Have a happy, hairball-free day!

Tober

PS Thanks to AAB Barb L for bringing this special day to my attention.

April Fools' Day

Today my library staff decided to play a big April Fools' joke on our custodian, AAB Ritchie.

Ritchie is generally a good sport about these sorts of things.  We pick on him all the time, and sometimes even to his face.

For April Fools' Day, the staff decided to dress up just like Ritchie.

Ritchie's work uniform consists of jeans pants, tennis shoes, a tee shirt (usually gray, and either Menard's or Evergreen Indiana), and a flannel or some sort of overshirt.  OH--and suspenders.

So today we had 11 AAB Ritchies running around the library.  It was insane.  Right now we have the cleanest toilets in Indiana.

AAB Ritchie was absolutely astounded and honored by all of the extra attention:

So overwhelmed he had to sit down.

Now, there are a few people missing from this photo:  AAB Myrtle, who's off vacationing and is probably Not At All Sad that she missed the photo; AAB Alec, who was not scheduled to work and is probably relieved that his missed the photo; and AAB Phyllis, who was actually off WORKING and giving a tour of the museum while the rest of the staff was goofing off being photographed  in the library meeting rooms.

Of course, there's one other notable omission.  ME.  Which was fine by me, since I do not wear jeans pants, tennis shoes, tee shirts, flannel shirts, or suspenders.

Anyhoo, AAB Phyllis didn't get a picture with the staff, and didn't even get a picture with AAB Ritchie, who was so overcome by all of the excitement that he had to leave early to go to Menard's and purchase cleaning supplies with a rebate coupon.  I offered to be in a picture with Phyllis, seeing as how AAB Ritchie and I are both redheads.

At least they didn't try jeans pants.

Please notice the lovely and smiling AAB Phyllis restraining holding the very grumpy and UNsmiling Tober.  Also notice the paper suspenders taped to me.  This is worse than a collar!

The things we do for love.

Joke's on me, I guess!

Tober

Looking for Trouble

The library staff here has pretty well Cat-proofed my library, locking away all of the sticker papers, gum wrappers, and silk flowers, and wrapping all of the ethernet cables in that atrocious Panduit wrap so I can't get my teeths into the cords.

So I have to look hard to find Trouble.

Well.  Today I found a cabinet door ajar in the Youth Department.  I hopped up on the very top of the cabinet so I could get my strong, mancatly paws in there and work the door open.

It was full of all kinds of interesting Stuff!

*sniff sniff*

Lookit all that paper for chewing!  Envelopes, cream-colored paper--cardstock, even!  But the best part is the roll of labels--complete with crunchy sticker paper backing--that my sensitive nose sniffed out.

*om nom*

I got a few good noms in while AAB Karen was photographing my antics.  You should definitely Biggify that picture--I look downright ferocious!  (Or maybe don't, if you're faint of heart.)

I only got one tasty sticker paper down the hatch, but now I know to keep an eye on the cabinet doors at the Youth circulation desk and check periodically for weaknesses.  Maybe they'll leave the door ajar one night when they go home for the day!!!

Finding trouble in all the right places,

Tober

Hoodie Hooooo!

My library friends are no slouches when it comes to banishing winter!

Today might have been the coldest Hoodie Hoo Day we've ever celebrated here at Thorntown Public Library.  It was a whopping 12 degrees outside at noon sharp, which is when intrepid Hoodie Hoo Crew trooped out the west entrance to give Old Man Winter the what-for.  I think they did a great job.  

Especially since I managed to nap inside, in the warmth, during the whole ordeal.  

Go away, Winter!  I command it!

Bossily yours, 

Tober

PS - I have gotten lots of extra treats, cuddles, and tummy rubs in recognition of Love Your Pet Day.  I guess this bunch is alright, after all.

Throwback Thursday x 12!

In January my library re-launched the Thorntown Writers' Group.  This group meets once a month on the third Thursday.  They can bring in stuff they've written on a pre-selected topic, or they can write a poem, or a journal entry, or whatever.  It's all very easy-going and open to writers of all experience levels and interests.

February's writing prompt is "12 Milestones of My Life" and the Thorntown Writers' Group is scheduled to meet tonight.  Now, the best thing about being a Blogging Library Boss Cat is that I've recorded my Milestones as they've occurred!  (Well, that's not really THE best thing, but it's a great thing!)  So I decided that I would do a super special Throwback Thursday and recap the 12 Milestones of My Life. . . so far.

These are in Chronological Order.

1. October 19, 2008:  I was Found.  This is the only Milestone for which I do NOT have a blog post--because I did not yet have a blog!  I was found by Karen Niemeyer, and she decided to take me home with her.  Unfortunately, AAB Karen had a couple of noisy weiner-dogs and some other cats that I didn't much care for--but even hiding under a bed is better than being left Outside and not having a home.  Each year we celebrate my Finding Day on October 19.  I wasn't yet a Library Cat, but I was Found by the right person.  That makes all the difference.
2. November 3, 2008:  I became a Library Cat.  My first blog post was on November 4 2008--I had only been on the job for one day!  I had no idea that I would write so many posts and make so many friends over the next six years.  (Also notice that I referred to AAB Karen as "my boss."  Hee hee!)
3. December 31, 2008:  I moved out of my office and into the library.  When I first took the job as Library Cat, I was confined to one office.  My staff wanted to make sure that I got acclimated to library life and wouldn't go around doing Bad Stuff.  (!)  It was actually nice, because I got to know my office-mates really well, and it gave me a nice home base once I had the run of the place.  After a while, I was allowed to roam the library in the evenings, and, once Karen realized that I was ready to be Boss Cat, I was able to patrol my library full time.
4. February 23, 2009:  The last time I ever wore a Collar.  Cats, for some reason humans have a hard time resisting the urge to make us wear things.  We already have our furs, which is sufficient--if you ask me!  Obviously, if you're a Sometimes-Outside cat like Summer, you'll need to wear a harness to stay safe & sound.  I am an Inside-Only cat though!  I was so Mad about my stupid Collar (R.I.P.) that I sat in my toilet box in protest.  I have never, ever had to wear a collar since that day.  
5. June 15, 2009:  I defended my Library and vanquished an Enemy.  Librarians are cowards when it comes to stinger-bugs.  There, I said it.  You always suspected it, but you could never be sure.  The one exception to that rule in all the history of libraries was AAB Chris, NOT to be confused with AB Christine, Queen of the Wusses.  AAB Chris and I worked together to smite a nasty stinger-bug that was drifting around the library windows, striking terror in the hearts of visitors and staff alike.  I was awesome.  I learned what a Brave mancat I had become that day.
6. July 25, 2009:  The Fire Alarm Test.  Every year these harmless-looking men come to my library, look around in closets, push weird plastic-tipped sticks at the ceiling, and make sure the ceiling things with the blinky lights work properly.  (These, I learned later, are smoke detectors.)  That part was fine. . . but after the poking and looking, they turned on the fire alarms.  It is the worst noise in the whole world, even worse than the sound of a toddler screeching, "Look mommy, a KITTY!!!" from two feet away when you're in the middle of a good nap.  Now we have a special "Fire Alarm Test Cat Ear-Saving Procedure" that goes into effect whenever those harmless-looking men with the weird sticks show up.  
7. April 28, 2010:  I got Put Outside.  This was the worst day EVER.  The only really bad thing about being a cat (well, sometimes) is the smallness.  When people decided to Upside-Down you, they just do it.  When they decide to move you to another chair, they just do it.  When they want to stab you in the rear-end with a needle, they just do it.  When they decide to put you Outside, they just do it.  The People-Counter-in-Training who put me out ended up being a very Nice man who thought he was doing a nice thing.  He even brought apology treats.  (I accepted.)  After my accidental Putting Out, my AAB made special "We have a cat, don't put him out!" signs to post at all of the library's entrances.  I have been Inside ever since.
8. October 16, 2011 and June 4, 2013:  Other "Library" Cats.  Many of you will remember Not-Tober and Dumb Smelly Kitten.  These were two Intruders who (briefly) lived in my library and (briefly) stole the hearts of my staff.  Not-Tober was brought to the library by a man who thought he was ME!  The Imposter stunk up my office with his Not-Tober smell.  Worst of all, he number oned AND number twoed in my box!  A few years later, Dumb Smelly Kitten showed up and played with all of my toys Feline Training Devices.  As much as I do not like to share my space (or food, or litter pan) with other cats. . . I'm glad I have such a sharing, caring Library staff to cater to my every whim.  
9. November 8, 2011:  My Finding Day Poster Contest.  My Poster Contest was announced on October 2, 2011 in honor of my Finding Month.  I had all kinds of submissions!  Seeing that so many library and blogging friends took the time to make a poster in my honor made me feel very Loved.  My blog now has an Art Gallery where I've posted all of the arts that have been created in my honor.  
10. April 17, 2012:  Toberscapes.  I was the centerpiece--heck, I was the whole theme!--of a decorated Tablescapes table!  Tablescapes was a fund-raiser to support The Women's Fund of Boone County.  My table had a Tober-sized statue, a Betta fish in a fish-bowl, Goldfish crackers, Feline Training Devices, and Tober placemats.  It felt very special (and fitting)  to have a Tablescapes table designed in my honor. 
11. March 14, 2013:  B Magazine.  The Lebanon Reporter, our local newspaper, decided to revive B Magazine in 2013--and they chose me to be on the cover!  (AAB Karen got to be on the cover, too, since someone had to hold me up.)  The magazine had lots of great stuff about Karen and about the library, and some downright awful stuff about me.  (It said I was "jokingly" referred to as Boss. . . what's that all about?)   I was pretty mad with Karen, who also called me "spoiled" in the course of her interview.  Traitor.  Oh well--no such thing as bad publicity!
12. November 30, 2013:  Calendar Cover-Cat.  This was the biggest news in the history of the Thorntown Public Library--and that's saying a lot!  In 2014, I was chosen to be a Cover-Cat for the Baker & Taylor Cat Calendar.  I mean, it was an obvious choice.  I am handsome, with nice glowing furs, downright magnificent whiskers, and a penetrating, golden gaze.  I stare into your soul.  I make you wish you could work at a library--especially this one.  Still, it was so cool to know that I was on the cover of 16,800 calendars with a worldwide distribution!  

So that is my list of 12 Milestones of My Life.  I think this was also one of the hardest blog posts of my life!  There are so many other things to include, like my Finding Day parties, my first Festival of the Turning Leaves/Book Sale/Carpet Cleaning/Mess Week, my Special Girlcat, the time I accidentally declawed myself. . .

I hope you've enjoyed my Throwback Thursday x 12 as much as I've enjoyed remembering what a wonderful, exciting adventure I've had as a Library Cat!  

Purrs,

Tober

A Conflict of Interest

I was recently informed that February 20 is Love Your Pet Day.

Astonishingly, I have never heard of Love Your Pet Day.  Which is odd.  I mean, yes, I'm a Library Boss Cat, but believe I should also have all of the rights & privileges of a Pet.

Here's the proof, straight from Google:

I have been a Library Cat/Pet for SIX February 20ths, and never once have I had special treatment for Love Your Pet Day.  No cards, extra treats, party hats (thank goodness), or other special recognition for being a Pet.

Do you know what they do here for February 20?  Hoodie Hoo Day.

Yup.  Hoodie Hoo Day.  Instead of honoring me, a Beloved Pet and Library Boss Cat--they all run outside at noon, flap their arms and hoot and fuss at winter, and then rush back in the building to warm up with cake, pink lemonade, and ice cream.

I know that banishing winter is important and all, but so is Loving Your Pet.  Punxsutawney Phil said it would end. . . eventually.

SO:  I hereby declare February 20 Love Your Pet Day at Thorntown Public Library!  My staff humans have ONE WEEK to get their acts together.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Experiencing six February 20ths of Disgruntledness--all in one day,

Tober

Forever Vacation

I'm pretty sure that AAB Karen has gone on Vacation FOREVER.

I threw her name-thingie on the floor in a fit of angryness.

Her desk is nice and un-messy, which is really, really weird.  Spooky, even.

I know that this is the time of the year (cold, snowy, miserable) that she normally goes on Vacation for one week.  One week is unauthorized, but still tolerable.  You guys, she has been away for almost TWO weeks.  That is forever.

Breakfast and supper and litter-pan scoopings are still on time, thank goodness for small favors AAB Becki, but the treat distribution is terrible now that Karen is on Forever Vacation.  AAB Kathy gives them to me THREE at a time.  AB Christine makes me reach into her hand for them!

Look how weak I am from this mistreatment:

Weak.

I can't even lift my head off of the desk.  Poor me!  Lookit from another angle:

Can. Not. Move. Head.

Man, I hope she comes back before I waste away.

Purrs,

Empty Belly Rumbles,

Tober

Forecast: Cold & Sunny with a Chance of Naps

Brrrrrrr!  It is very good to be an Indoor-Only Library Cat right about now, even if it does mean I get chased by overly excited toddlers from time to time!

When the days are sunny and crisp (that's a nice word for freezing cold), the birdies outside my office window are extra active.  If only AB Christine would open the window just a crack. . .

I even got my staff to make a movie--it's been a while since we've done that.  The movie features 2015 Dancing Baby, a present from my Across-the-Street Neighbor Mr. Wilson.  Dancing Baby is really enjoying the sunshine!

Earlier in the day, the birdies were all lined up on the ledge where I'm standing in the video.  At first we thought the birdies were interested in watching 2015 Dancing Baby.  On further investigation, AB Christine discovered that they were just waiting for the window-ledge snow to melt so they could drink it.  (CSI:  Thorntown.)  Oh, and they pooped on the ledge a lot, too.  

I find all of this business pretty exhausting.

I hope all of my friends are staying safe and warm during these awfully cold days!  Hoodie Hoo Day can't get here fast enough!

Warm purrs,

Tober