The Talk.

My Assistant Boss Karen has a very hard time staying put.

Her official Assigned place is the office which I share with her. To be more specific, her place is the chair in my office which I (sometimes) share with her. (Sometimes I sit on the desk because I can snoopervise her better from there. Also, I can ask for treats and drink from my Very Own water cup.) (Oh, and sometimes I sit in another chair and nap.) (And sometimes I get locked out of MY office because there's some laptop cord I'm not supposed to nibble on lying around--but that's a story for another day.)

So the problem here is that I can't properly manage her from anywhere, because all of this running around cuts into my Naptime. If she would just stay put, I could snooze peacefully somewhere in my Office and know that she's getting things done. I don't have time to follow her all over the place, and there are certain places that I will NOT follow her (like Outside).

So I decided that I need to have a Talk with her about her overly-active lifestyle. So that she would take me Seriously, I asked AABs Becki and Bonnie to join us. (I'm not afraid to use a little Intimidation--sometimes it's necessary with this one.)


See how we all tell AB Karen to Stay Put?!? This Bossing is serious business, my friends.

Unfortunately, I must report that this Talk had absolutely zero effect on AB Karen, and she continues to zoom all over the place during the day.

But she does generally carry a bag of treats with her when she's moving around, so that's something.

Bossing is Tough Stuff,

Tober

Hooray for Finding Day!

Today is the 3rd (third) Anniversary of my Finding Day! I know most of you call it Gotcha Day--same thing! Gotcha/Finding Day = Forever Home!

I was worried how my Finding Day would pan out after last week's fiasco. Luckily Not-Tober has not returned to my Library. No one has called to claim him, but his foster person will gladly give him a Forever Home if we don't hear anything soon.

So I guess it's okay that he used my Library.

I'm still not over the use of my litter pan, though. That was just rude.

Anyhow, today I have been a safe & sound FOUND cat for Three Whole Years. My AAB Karen knows a good cat when she sees one, and I'm glad she saw me!

On Monday I had my Very Own Special Storytime. My friend Michael read Splat the Cat to me. Splat the Cat is very worried about his first day of school. Of course, he has to go to school so he can learn things (maybe how to write blogs?), and the story tells all about how he coped with his first day.


Michael did an excellent job reading me the story, especially with all the hard words in it. I hope I get to have more Special Storytimes like that!

I commanded my Photographer to take a picture of my Poster Contest submissions. She listened for once!


Once November 2 is here, I will have one of my staff scan them and I'll post them on the blog so everybody can see how nice they all are! Don't forget to submit your entries! The winner will be announced on November 3--my Hire Date here at the Library.

I also got a Gotcha Day Card today!


Who knew they made Gotcha Day Cards? Especially with Handsome Orange Cats on them? Wow! Thanks Laila and Minchie!

Even when they do dumb things (like letting a strange cat Number One and Number Two in my box), I'm lucky to have such a Wonderful Staff and Bored Board here at my Library. Lots of animals don't have it so good. I'm also lucky to have such Great Blogging Friends and Library customers!

Of course, there is a price to pay for all of this Wonderfulness--even on my Finding Day. For some reason, Finding Day means I get chased around with the camera a LOT. Here I am frowning at Photographer. She has this obsession with my ears. She gets all upset when she thinks they are pointed the wrong way in a photo.


My ears are pointed appropriately forward (it makes AAB Photographer feel good when she thinks I give a hoot about her picture-taking), but I am Frowning just to spite her.

For those of you who requested a side-by-side of me and Not-Tober, here you go!


Now that you see us side-by-side, I bet you can see the differences. Not-Tober hasn't quite grown into his ears yet, and he's got a long long tail. I also have more face-white and Magnificent Whiskers.

I think I'm a much more Mature and Dignified cat. But I wish all the best to Not-Tober (as long as he stays out of my Library).

Okay, that's enough words in honor of my Finding Day!

Safe & Sound & Found,

Tober

PS I rehired the Fired staff because AAB Kathy was getting lonely without them.

AB Karen is back and I don't like Hairball Food.

Apparently I don't rate around here anymore. I am the Boss of this Library, and I have got Very Important things to say to the Blogosphere and all of my faithful fans and Library customers. Like this.

AB Karen is home safe and sound and has been re-hired. AAB Ritchie's week of Bossitude was written into the the February newsletter like so:

Boss Tober is Relieved, Exhausted

Thorntown Public Library’s Resident Cat and Boss Tober is relieved to announce that his AB Karen Niemeyer has safely returned from her (unauthorized) Vacation and has been re-hired as Assistant Boss and Library Director. During her absence, custodian Ritchie Barton helpfully agreed to fill in as Director and Assistant Boss, and he did a fantastic job of answering the phone (once), making coffee (once), and emptying the book return (once).

AB Ritchie was taken to task about his avoidance of one of the Director’s very important duties--leading the SHINE lunch bunch during afternoon exercises. Fortunately, library staff, with the help of customer Betty Maze, were able to track Ritchie down and get him to join the group on Friday. AB Ritchie felt better having met his responsibilities and is now fully-qualified as a Library Director.

When asked about Karen’s absence, Boss Tober admits that “Managing this bunch is quite exhausting without AB Karen’s help. Ritchie did okay, but he’s not nearly as good about tummy rubs.”

The Thorntown Library staff would like to thank ex-Assistant Boss Ritchie for being such a great sport during his week of leadership. We would also like to thank Karen for returning from Vacation.

I have also been put on a special Hairball diet food. This special food is $13 a bag and I don't like it One Bit.

What I like is my Stinky Goodness food that is sometimes served to me in one of my comfy chairs:


I am thinking of Firing my Assistant Assistant Boss Blog (not)Helper and asking Santa for thumbs again this Christmas. But Christmas is kind of far away, so maybe I'll find some other method of getting more blog-posting time. Any suggestions?

The most Neglectedest Blogging Library Cat in the Whole Wide World,

Tober

Happy Finding Day to Me!

I have been a Found Cat for two whole years! Hooray!

The day started with lots of people bothering me to let me know it was my Finding (aka "Gotcha") Day (as if I didn't already know). My naps have been interrupted all day. Here is a picture of an interrupted nap:


For my Finding Day, I got lots and lots of Presents from all of my Staff. We put them on the circulation desk with my picture slideshow so people could see that it was My Day.


Do you see that Dewey book, Dewey's Nine Lives? That book was given in my honor by my very nice staff. It will live in my Library now, and people can check it out.

I inspected all of my Presents while they were piled on the desk. Unfortunately I couldn't pick them up and shake them because I don't have Thumbs.


We had my Finding Day Party at 3:00 today. My Staff carried all of my loot into the catnip/lounge area, and I was presented with a Cupcake. I thought maybe my Cupcake would have a candle on, it, but I guess not.

Here I am with my Cupcake and my new catnip bag and my special salmon dinner (that got served early at 3:00 instead of 4-4:30 like usual).


And I got another new cool Toy Feline Training Device with a bell on it:


AND I got three cans of Friskies and FIVE bags of treats and some ribbon to chomp on. The staff got a bazillion cupcakes and brownies and danish-things and will all be lying in bed tonight holding their tummies and thinking of me.

I wish I could have a Finding Day every day!

But then, I'm kind of tired. So maybe one a year is enough.

A giant head-butt to my Assistant Boss Mommy Karen, who had the good sense to Find me,

Tober

Don't boss the Boss.

Today my Assistant Boss Mommy Karen bossed me. She told me that I needed to pick up my toys. (For the record, they are NOT toys. They are Feline Training Devices.)

My Assistant Assistant Boss Christine found an insultingly girly-pink box for me to keep my "toys" in. She calls this the "toy box."


Man-cats don't have "toy boxes."

Since my Assistant Assistant Boss Britta picked up my "toys" for me (she is a Very Good Employee), I was unaware of this "toy box" until after supper, when I visited the cataloging office to see if people were working. (They were.)

I am NOT happy about this "toy box" situation.


How am I supposed to get my Catnip ball out of there? I don't have thumbs! This is an Outrage! I demand a more Man-catly Feline Training Device Box by the end of the week, or I will. . . I'll. . . ummm. I'll think about that for a bit.

On a happier note, on Sunday I got to supervise a board meeting of the Indiana Gourd Secret Society. The Indiana Gourd Society is a group of people who are wild about gourds, and one of the members, Dallas Lundsford, took a picture of me looking quite Bossly:


I do not know much about gourds except to say that they are all over my Office and they are fun to smack into the wastebasket! Because they are fun to play with, I will approve future meetings of these Gourd Society Types in my library.

Waiting not-patiently for my Mancatly Feline Training Device Box,

(I'm thinking gunmetal gray with flames, or navy with Racing stripes,)

One Tough Cat,

Tober

Library Board Meeting & My Job Performance

On Monday night I decided it was time to fully participate in the Monthly Library Board Meeting as it is obviously A Very Big Deal. Treasurer Barb and My Assistant Boss Karen (who also has the less important position of Director of the Library) spend a lot of time and use a lot of paper to educate the seven library board members. They must be Slow Learners, because this happens every month. . . you would think they would learn soon how the library works! The only Truly Important Thing they have done, from My Perspective, was to approve My Presence as Resident Boss and Library Cat.

As I was saying, I decided to attend the entire meeting instead of just drifting about, as I sometimes do. I was sitting on carpet beside fireplace (the board still prefers to meet in that old Carnegie room, not in public meeting rooms, and it is the room with the wood floor, which is why My Glorious Self was sitting on a rug). I was doing my imitation of a Loaf of Bread (sitting with my four paws tucked under me) and daydreaming about Catnip and tummy rubs when I heard my name; Karen was explaining to the board that I had Definite Opinions on carpet cleaning and festivals.

The "Loaf of Bread" look:


I decided this would be a good time for the board to understand My Significance because this might be my annual Job Performance Evaluation.

When Karen and the Board looked at me, I sat up to my full Regal Height, then rolled over and stretched my Four Glorious Paws as far as I could, stretching full length in order to best display my lovely golden fur and all my muscles (even the Treat-Digesting one). It was a Great Performance, if I must say so myself. I'm surprised that the Board didn't cancel the meeting and rush to rub my luxurious tummy furs. It is unfortunate that Assistant Boss Karen did not do so well in her job evaluation: she did not photograph my Display of My Wondrous Self. (Believe me, had Assistant Assistant Boss Christine been here, SHE would have snapped my Picture.)

I plan to continue to attend these Board training sessions, so Karen will have the opportunity to photograph me in the future. Maybe My Presence will inspire the Board to learn how best to organize a library for the Benefit of The Cat. (I'm dropping hints about a Catwalk up near the ceilings and bird feeders at every window. Wish me luck!)

Meanwhile, to see a demonstration of my Regal Extension, My Readers may refer to the photo on my September 13, 2009 post.

He who is Anxiously awaiting the Finding Day Extravaganza on October 19,

Boss Tober

Ignored

Here is a picture of me being Ignored:


I do not like it when my Assistant Boss leaves my office for long periods of time and wanders around the building. She can be very difficult to find. I finally hunted her down and was waiting patiently for her to attend to me, but apparently she thought that what she was working on was more Important (it wasn't). I am Not A Fan of hardwood floors, either, so it was a very big thing for me to wait for her over there. (I eventually got treats and My Assistant Boss back in her place.)

I should clarify for my feline friends what my Finding Day is. My Finding Day is probably the same as your Gotcha Day. I use "Finding" because my Assistant Boss Karen found me that day. I think the word Finding is very Important, especially since I was lost until AB Karen (you guessed it!) found me.

(Karen also took me to live with woofies that day, but maybe I can get her to tell the story on October 19.)

So if, when the fantabulous 19th of October arrives, you would like to wish me a Happy Gotcha Day, you go right ahead!

I also have a Hire Date to celebrate in November. That is the day that I was Hired to work at the Thorntown Public Library. I have since taken command of the place, but I was just a lowly security watchcat/PR kitty when I was hired on November 3, 2009. I quickly worked my way to the top, and that's where I intend to stay.

Here is a picture of me supervising the Library from my desk:


Have happy weekends!

Tober

The Garden kids have arrived!

Now my Garden has a sculpture of children reading in it. . .


. . . and this is how they looked to me from my window in the YA room yesterday. . .


Right now they have been moved and are leaning against a wall in the Garden. My Assistant Boss Karen stopped by to see me this morning (hooray!) and decided they should move for a while because they are a bit tippy. (They were probably fine, but she wanted to hide the fact that she came here to the Library just to see me. She did not want the other Staff to get Jealous.)

My Karen said she has talked about me every single day that she has been away at this Fair-thing, and that people even asked about me when they see her! Tomorrow she is coming home to work at the Library and I am super-excited! I will get Treats again! And I will fling apples and pencils about in celebration!


I cannot remember if I've posted this picture before but my new pictures are stuck in the camera (Upstairs) and my Photographer (Downstairs) is too lazy to get them out for me. So I am posting this one because even if you have seen it already you will surely appreciate how nice and glowy my furs look in the sunshine!

Radiantly yours,

Tober

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mommy's Day to all of my Assistant Assistant Boss Mommies.


Reasons I love my Mommies:

1. They give me a nice place to live and work.

2. I get lots of very tasty foods.

3. They give me treats, even when I don't do special tricks for them.

4. We have wonderful conversations. . . although most are a bit one-sided.

5. They didn't kick me out of my library, even after I ate lots of Important Cords.

6. They always have places on their desks for me (although sometimes I have to re-arrange things a bit).

7. They give excellent tummy rubs!

8. My litter box is always clean and fresh-smelling, like flowers.

9. They come to me when called.

10. I get great massages.

11. They share their seats.

12. They do not complain when I am shedding--except for when they wear black clothes.

13. They brush me sometimes.

14. I do not like the V-E-T, but they bring me to visit him so that I can stay healthy and live a long time.

15. They give nice chin scritches, which make my whiskers very excited.

16. They let me hide under their desks when someone scary or fast-moving comes in the building.

17. They heat up my supper when it's been in the fridgerator.

18. I am carried to supper every night.

19. They know I love my catnip, so they keep me well-supplied!

20. They love me back!

I want to wish a Super-Special Mommy's Day to Assistant Boss Mommy Karen. Thank you for finding me and giving me such a special place to live. I think I'm the luckiest Cat in the world!

Happy Mommy's Day to all of the Kitty-Mommies out there. There's nothing like realizing you've found your Forever Home.

Purrs,

Tober

My long-distance relationship

Hi everybody!

It's been another busy and exciting week and the Library. . . so busy, that I waited until all of the Staff got out of here so I can use a Computer to post on this blog. This week was Spring Break for the local students, so I got to see lots of people in my Library.

I have a new Fan in my Fan Club. The beautiful girl-cat, Kumari, lives at my old home with my Assistant Boss Karen. (If I still had my "stuff" I'd probably ask her out on a date!) Kumari is a Bengal cat. AB Karen was reading my blog at home one day when Kumari took notice of my Handsome Man-Catliness:


Unfortunately, she was looking at the somewhat embarrassing photo taken after I was attacked by an Evil Sticker Monster. Still, she seemed to think I was a nice-looking fellow. Poor Kumari tried to reach out and stroke my handsome face, not realizing that she was only looking at a picture of me:


I didn't know much about this beautiful Kumari-girl, although I had smelled a new cat-smell on my AB Karen over the last few weeks. I realize that many of my Staff have Personal House-Cats to help them cope with my absence while they are at home, anxiously awaiting their returns to Work (and to me).

Karen brought in pictures of Kumari so that other Staff members could see her, and that's when I first saw her. This is me saying YOWZA! She is One Hot Tamale!


Karen tells me that Kumari is a sweet, playful girl, and that she is adapting well to her new life at Karen's house. Unfortunately, Kumari has FIP, or Feline Infectious Peritonitis. (To read more about FIP, click on the linky.) She will need Medicines and Extra Loving Care to help her live a happy, long life. Karen is doing her Very Very Best to make sure that she is comfortable, loved, and happy. She is doing well for now, and we are hoping that she has lots of good times ahead of her. Kumari is not a blogging cat, but please keep her in your thoughts and purrs!

Smitten with a kitten,

Tober