The Chair Thief

 There's a chair thief on the loose in the library.  

Here's what happens:  

First, someone leaves their nice warm chair unattended.  

Second, the thief spies the chair.  

Target acquired

Third, the thief gets into the chair and makes himself comfortable.  

Mine now. 

Fourth, the thief falls asleep in the chair. 

zzz

 

Fifth, the person comes back to the chair only to find that an adorable cat has made the chair their napping spot and they feel so badly about waking them up that they get a new chair to sit on (that's not near as comfortable as the stolen chair).  

Success. 

I'm the chair thief.  

And I'm not sorry about it.  

Some of the staff claim it has become a bit of a problem.  To which I say, they should learn to share.  It's not like I have my own personal chair like some people in this library.  Or any other chairs to choose from.  All the other chairs are either in reach of grabby hands or aren't fit for the BOSS to sit in.  

Except for this chair.  But that's beside the point.  

This chair doesn't count

The point is, some people in this library have been calling me a thief, and I think that's rather unfair.  I only take chairs that aren't currently occupied.  Which is fair game.  

Looking for a napping spot,

Chance

The Eight-Legged Friend

If you fear the eight-legged snacks *spiders*, you may not wish to read the rest of this post.  The other day I came face to face with one of the most enormous spiders to make it into the library and survive without having the unfortunate demise of being squished.  

 The eight-legged snack spider had been carefully caught in Sandy's barn, saved in a plastic container, and left in Barb L.'s office for her to find.  (If the spiders are that big in Sandy's barn, I'd hate to see what the other insects look like)  Barb had a much better reaction to it than Newbie Lillian did (Newbie Lillian says I have to stop calling her that because she isn't the Newbie anymore, but I'm the boss.  I get to decide when someone isn't a "newbie" anymore.).  

Newbie Lillian took one look at it, shuddered, and practically ran away hyperventilating.  She was very easy to scare for the rest of the day.  Especially after Barb brought it out to the Youth Desk for everyone to admire and Newbie Lillian had to work in near proximity to it.  

When I eventually found the large creature, it was trying to escape.  Naturally, the humans wouldn't let her escape.  But I think it would have been a lot more fun if she had been outside the container.  

To show how eager I was to be friends, I tried to play with her from outside the container.  I don't think she liked me very much though.  Maybe she thought I would make her into a snack.  

I have no idea why she would think that.  

I'm off to look for more snacks friends, 

Chance

Mouse Soup

 In my latest browsings, I stumbled upon a book titled Mouse Soup.  Naturally, this was an intriguing title for me.  As I've mentioned previously, judging a book by its cover is something I generally frown upon (although if you ask people around here, they'll probably tell you I always have a frown on my face, which isn't true.  I smile.  Sometimes.).  However, if a book has an M-O-U-S-E on the cover, I'll probably read it.  

Well, not only did this book have an M-O-U-S-E on the front cover, but it also had an exciting title.  "Mouse Soup".  Which, if you ask me, sounds like it should be a snack recipe book.   So I decided to give this book a read.  

Being the critic that I am, I wrote a review.  I posted my review on my *brand new* Goodreads account, but I'll also put it here:

I’ve never tried eating mouse soup.  In fact, as a cat I certainly would never even consider eating an M-O-U-S-E, unlike the weasel in this book.  But the story sounded interesting.  In the beginning, I thought this was a recipe book for snacks for cats.  I was mistaken.  However, despite this book being a story about a heroic mouse, and not snacks for cats, it was still interesting to read.  I particularly appreciated how the book gave insight into how an M-O-U-S-E may try to trick a predator friend.  This may be helpful for me in the future if I ever meet an M-O-U-S-E.  

The M-O-U-S-E tells the weasel several stories that really didn’t make sense to me.  For example, in one story a bush grows out of a chair.  That has never happened to me and I sleep in a lot of chairs.  And all the bushes I can see grow outside.  

So, overall, Mouse Soup is probably a good read for the young humans.  But maybe not for cats.

I still am slightly disappointed that this book didn't contain more snack recipes, but I suppose since I'm not allowed in the kitchen anyways it wouldn't do me much good. I'll just have to find someone to open the treat drawer for me again.

I'm off to find my next read,

Chance

Exploring Adventures

 Even after you've lived somewhere almost your whole life, there are still new places to explore.  This is why I make it a point to keep exploring the Library.  Well, that and I need to keep an eye on what all the staff is doing.  Someone has to make sure work is actually getting done around here.  

Here are a few of my recent explorations:  

Exploration #1:  The Hidey Hole behind The Hidey Box

    This Hidey Hole is one of my favorite places to explore because I can almost always find a long-lost treat, waiting to be munched.  

Aha, the treat I saved the other day!

Exploration #2:  The Cabinet Full of..... Oh good, more books. 

      Really, though....what did I expect?   

    

Smells like books...  

....Because it is more books...

Exploration #3:  The Closet of Various Things

    To get into this closet, all you have to do is stare at the door and then someone will magically come along and open it for you.  Once you're inside, there are numerous corners to sniff and too-high windows to look at.  

Maybe there's another treat in here...

Is that greenery, or the yucky fake stuff?

Exploration #4:  Karen's Green Greenery Bag

    This is probably the best-smelling exploration site of all.  Smells like vegetables, outside, and all the green things I'm not allowed to eat.  

*sniff, sniff*

What happened to all the greenery?

Exploration #5: The Side Entrance Where All the Books Come Flying Through the Chute

       This spot is also full of a lot of interesting smells.  Mainly from the books that get dropped into the chute.  

The paparazzi are following me again.  

Here comes another book...

To sum up my recent exploring adventures, I found a long-lost treat, more books, and some unusual smells.  Oh, and at least one staff member who needed to give me a tummy rub.  I didn't find any new sunshine puddles, which was a little disappointing, but maybe some new ones will turn up next time.  

I'm off to find more long-lost treats,

Chance

Cat Secrets

 Every once in a while, I pull out a book and read.  Maybe more than once in a while, I do rule live in a library.  I try not to judge a book by its cover, but some books look more interesting than others.  If it has a cat on the cover, it might go on my to-read list.  Books about the M-I-C-E also make it on my list, because the more I know about them, the better.  

Recently, I was perusing the children's department after hours (because that's the best time to be in the children's department.  When it is sans children.), when I stumbled upon a book full of cat secrets.  In fact, the name of the book was "Cat Secrets".  Which, if you are trying to keep something secret, is a silly name for a book, because now everyone knows that it is full of secrets.  Well, I decided to read this book for myself, because if all my secrets were being given away for free, I wanted to know which ones.  

The book of Cat Secrets

Smells like an M-O-U-S-E has been reading this book

After reading the book, I posted a review of it on my **new** Goodreads page.  The Library staff finally thought to invite me to be a moderator on the library's Goodreads group.  It's like they forgot that I can read and am practically in charge around here. 

 

Yep, a M-O-U-S-E definitely read this

You can read my review on my Goodreads page (Chance's Goodreads), but I'll post it here as well:  

"As a cat, I was intrigued to read this book.  Particularly, I wanted to know what secrets of the cat community would be revealed to the humans.  Because we have a lot of secrets.  (While this book didn't necessarily divulge any dire cat secrets to humans, by the end of the book we see a M-O-U-S-E reading the book of cat secrets.  This is the most frustrating plot point in the book.)  The characters in Cat Secrets put the readers to the test to find out if the reader is really, in fact, a cat.  I think that I passed with flying colors.  Do I look like a cat?  Yes, because I'm a cat.  Meow?  Also, yes.  Purr?  Check.  Cat naps?  That was the easiest test out of all of them.  I'm a cat nap pro.  

Overall, I would recommend this book to other cats.  Humans, especially the small ones, might enjoy reading this book.  But they should know that they will be put to the test if they choose to open this book, and will most likely fail the cat test, since they aren't, you know, a cat.  Under no circumstances should a M-O-U-S-E read this book, for fear they find out all our secrets!"  

Anyways, you can check out the library on Goodreads through this link:  Thorntown Public Library Goodreads Group

I'm off to look for a new book,

Chance

Celery: The New Catnip?

Celery makes me weird.  Well, that's what everyone says about me after I eat it.  And before you come calling or knocking or whatever it is people do, the Library Staff double-checked whether it was a good snack for cats on the very reliable internet.  Don't worry, it is perfectly acceptable as a treat.  

Christine, the very important Boss Lady, brought some celery in her lunch the other day.  As other staff members could tell you, I can smell lunch from a mile away.  So of course I followed her to see what she was having and if she would share.  As it turns out, she was having celery.  Now typically, I avoid vegetables.   But when I see something green and plant-like, I can't help but investigate.  So I started biting the plastic bag it was in, hoping Boss Lady would take the hint.  

This is when she checked the internet on the safety of celery and cats and decided it would be alright if I nibbled on a piece.  

So I chewed on it and rubbed it.  The staff say I acted like a different, younger cat after interacting with the celery.  (Which is rude because I'm not that old)  There are apparently pictures to prove it.  According to the internet, celery has the same effect as catnip on some cats.  

Suddenly I was ready to play, which is definitely something I do every day when I'm not napping.  

It was all fun and games until this picture happened:  

Like I said, celery makes me weird.  

Well, I'm off to find another fun vegetable, 

Chance

The Return of "The Amazingly Comfy Free Bags"

 They're back.  "The Amazingly Comfy Free Bags" napping spot, aka "My Second Favorite Napping Spot", is back where it belongs on the Youth Counter.  But this time in a calming shade of green.  

The Youth Staff keep complaining that I get fur all over the bags.  I'm not sure why they would put out a nice new bed for me on the counter and then complain about me using something that was definitely meant for me to use.  Isn't that why the Boone County Solid Waste people gave the bags to the library?  For me to nap on?

Regardless, I'm faced with the same dilemma I had the last time "My Second Favorite Napping Spot" made its appearance; It's slowly disappearing, and slowly becoming less and less cushy.  

Eventually I'll be forced to go back to my usual favorite and other second favorite napping spot.  That is, Karen's desk and Karen's chair.  But now that I think about it, the timing may work out well for this to happen.  By the time all the comfy bags are gone, it will be almost time for summer.  And summer means that there will be children EVERYWHERE downstairs.  Which means that I will stay upstairs where there are calmer kinds of people to socialize with.  

I'm off to another nap,

Chance

Fish are Friends

It's no secret that fish tanks are a source of relaxation and peace (or snacks).  Or at least that's what they're supposed to be.  There's even a fish tank in the Library.  It's in the Youth Department, and I suspect it's because the Youth Staff are trying to bring a little more peace into their lives by relaxing the kids with calming fish.  I'm pretty sure it does the exact opposite because I hear a child shriek "NEMO!!!" at least once a day. 

 

That would be part of the reason I keep to the second floor.  

But when I do venture down to the first floor, I like to take time to watch my friendly fishy friends swim around in their tank, doing whatever it is you do when you're a fish.  

Nemo and Other Nemo (And Blenny too)

Max The Red Fish and Spike the Urchin

Except, sometimes they're not so friendly.  

They've never been rude to me.  (although sometimes they hide, and I have no clue what that's about because I think I have a very friendly cat face, despite what some people say)

But for some reason, they like to pick on each other.  Maybe it's the whole roommate thing.  I might be grouchy too if I had to share a space with six other fish, a bunch of snails, and a spikey thing.  

But regardless, I think they need to calm down.  

I came downstairs one day to visit with my fishy friends, only to find there were two fewer than there was the day before.  

Either there has been a tragic fish crime committed in the tank, or two of the fish decided to move out.  

I prefer to think it was the latter.  

And don't look at me, because fish are friends, not snacks. 

Fish are Definitely Friends, Not Snacks

Whatever happened, I'm sad that there are now two less fish to watch.  But I've heard we might be getting a new fish friend soon-- a long nosed something or other.  Someone should warn the new guy that it's a jungle in the tank, so he better keep his guard up.  Nemo and Other Nemo might not take kindly to a new fish with a nose as long as Pinocchio's.  

Anyways, I'll just be over here watching the fish snacks,

Chance

Winter Naps

 Today I have decided to be productively unproductive.  Which I know is an oxymoron, but that's alright.  Maybe it's the falling snow that's making me sleepy.  Or it could be because the library is quiet today.   

I'm not sure.  Either way, I will be productively taking a nap.   So, if you can't find me, I'll probably just be in my chair, enjoying the winter weather from afar.  

Chance