One Happy Cat

The last time I posted, I was pretty heartbroken about the loss of Little Pepper. While I was pepperless, I tried to make do with items that we have at hand. Here is the text of a Top-Secret Library Business Email (I'm sharing it because we are all such good friends):

Hi everyone,

This morning as I was putting away some Toddler books I noticed a small pine cone in the drawer of books that is on the floor. What? Did a child bring a pine cone in and lose it in the books? Oh well. Myrtle and I threw it away. I also noticed that Tober has decided he doesn’t like the leaves in one of the windows in the J room – he had knocked them completely to the floor! This afternoon I decided the leaves should be put back and in so doing noticed that there are also pine cones within the leaves. Aha! Tober has apparently been playing with the pine cone from the leaves and lost it in the Toddler books! If Tober would like his pine cone to play with it is now on my desk. Myrtle rescued it from the trash.

KB

A pine cone is obviously no replacement for a small green pepper, but it did make a nice crunchy sound. . . Apparently my heartbrokenness upset some of my fans, because on Monday I had two visitors who came bringing a green pepper because they felt sad that mine was thrown Away. Karen Dalman and her friend Brenda came from the land of West Lafayette to meet me and to present me with a fresh small green pepper!!!!

Because of their niceness I allowed them several pets of my Mancatly self. They determined that I am a very Fine Manager and Boss, and they were able to see my 4' X 4' wood quilt (even though it has Tubby Tober on it).

They pronounced me a Very Fine Cat indeed (proving that they have Smarts), declared my quilt square and my Library Fine (more Smarts), and then visited the museum, which they also thought Fine (even more Smarts).

Here is an Action Shot of me with my New pepper, which I Love Love Love:


It makes a satisfying *thump* when it hits the floor (but it's not shriveled enough to fit in the paper tray thingie yet).

Then, because I am such a special Boss, I was presented with (!) a second small green pepper from AAB Becki!!!!!! AND AB Karen brought me a small winesap apple with a nice stem for flinging!

Now she (AB Karen) complains that staff desks are starting to look like Produce stands, but I ignore her because I am Boss and she is Not. I am One Happy Cat to have such thoughtful blog Readers!!!

Here I am posing for a Pepper Picture:


Now I have a desk-full of things to fling and slap! How great is that?

Many thankses and headbutts to my pepper-bringers!

Purrs,

Tober

Thought-full Thursday

On this Thursday, I have three very important Thoughts.

First of all, I am sorry that I did not do a Happy Valentine's Day post. I hope everyone got to spend Valentine's Day with someone special. I got a Valentine's visit from my Assistant Boss Karen, so she was my someone special. The rest of the Staff. . . well. . . they are busy bribing me with treats to make up for the oversight.

Second of all, I am thinking that whoever brought this Ginormous Apple didn't think much about the poor, overworked Library Cat that would have to toss it into the wastebasket. So I licked my chops, sniffed at it a bit, and decided to take a nap instead.


Thirdly, my Library is open 57 hours each week, which is Very Good for all of the people who live in our library district and want to come in and check out books and read newspapers and use computers and things. But there are 111 hours a week that we are not open. During about 15 of those hours Assistant Assistant Boss Ritchie (who is Allergic to me but petted my head once anyway because he's a Daredevil) is also here. But for 96 hours each and every week, the in 'n' out board looks like this:


Hrmph. That's getting a whole bunch of thoughts going. . . like Why don't I get Vacations?

Thought-fully yours,

Tober

Thankful Thursday

I am Thankful for Apples. . .


. . . and my strong and sharp teeths.


I am not impressed with teeny-tiny Carrots, though.

Tough stuff,

Tober

Tober's War on Produce

My Library is being invaded by things called Produce (or, more commonly, Vegetables).

In case you haven't noticed, I have a kind of food-y Library. My staff likes snacks, especially when they involve chocolate, but they also like anything that can be baked, iced, or spread on a cracker. I am fine with all of these foods being here (and I love love love that Whipped Cream stuff), but I have a problem with Produce.

As you probably know, I assault Apples frequently, even if they travel in small groups. Assistant Boss Karen hides them in drawers, but when she opens the drawer, I pick them up and throw them in a wastebasket. I also slap dried gourds around. They look like they used to be Produce before they died.

I thought I had Karen's Produce problem under control until I went into the office one day and found a small green object.


I have learned that this is a Cucumber.


I bit at it with my sharp teeths and licked it and pushed it a little bit, but it was blocked in by piles of Very Important Library Papers. Assistant Assistant Boss Christine reported to Karen that I was displeased with the Cucumber, and that she should take it away (and also wash it before eating). It was removed immediately--hopefully away from Library property.

AAB taunted me with a Cherry shortly thereafter. I was not impressed with the Cherry, so Christine ate it before I could throw it into the wastebasket.

My AB Karen has been at the Indiana State Fair surrounded by Produce and Gourds for the past several days, so I imagine that her fascination with Produce would end--or at least be satisfied for a few months. I was happily enjoying a Produce-free workplace when, earlier this week, I hopped onto Bonnie's desk to find. . .

. . . a Zucchini!


This is the Biggest Produce that has invaded my Library yet! I would never have expected this of Assistant Assistant Boss Bonnie, who indulges my love of Catnip and keeps a special slidey-drawer for my sitting pleasure. Treachery!

I can't explain my dislike for Produce. I think it's weird-looking. It doesn't look like there's any proper way to eat it, especially if you're a Cat. It's hard to get my teeths into, and it rolls when I try to get my paws around it. I am really glad I'm an Indoor cat, because I hear that there is a lot of Produce running wild out there. Armies and armies of things called Corn and Beans.

Whew, am I one lucky Cat.

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

My Library is front-page material!

Hi, hi, hi!

This week we got the Lebanon Reporter newspaper, and it came with the Boone County Tourism Guide. Guess what! My Library and the giant outside water fountain were on the cover.


Let me tell you what it said INSIDE:

Helen at the Well stands at the west entrance of the Thorntown Public Library, 124 N. Market St., Thorntown, Boone County, Indiana.

The eighteen water spouts of the 12 1/2' steel and aluminum fountain were installed on August 31, 2007, and are activated annually from May through October. More than 334 donors contributed to the project to restore to Thorntown the fountain that graced Main and Market Streets from 1909 to 1944.

The new fountain is a replica of the original placed by Anson Mills, engineer and Civil and Indian wars soldier, who was born on a Thorntown farm and in 1909 provided Thorntown a safe (from typhoid fever) water system and four fountains. The largest, the 32-foot Mills Memorial Fountain, was in honor of his parents and included two bowls and a large basin as well as the central figure and three others seated at the base. Residents still recall ice skating in the bowl and meeting their dates and future spouses at the fountain. In 1944 the fountain was removed so that Indiana 47 could become a state highway.

The present fountain was reproduced in proportion to the library's entrance and represents the custom of welcoming visitors by the offering of water.

So we are all Very Excited that My Library is on the cover of this magazine. I think that the Boone County Tourism folks did a very nice job talking about our special fountain, but does anyone else notice something MISSING from this article?

Like maybe:

The Thorntown Public Library is also home to (and under the watchful eye of) Tober the Cat, who began his reign in late 2008. Tober is an extremely handsome orange tiger-kitty, and he graciously entertains visitors Monday through Saturday. He loves treats, catnip, and tummy rubs, and if visitors are very, very lucky (and generous with treats) he will often demonstrate how Assistant Boss Karen fetches Apples that he tosses into his wastebasket.

I think this would be my magazine cover if I were the Featured Attraction; I think it makes me look nice and tall:


I think the next big Thorntown fountain should be called Tober at the Water Dish.

Planning ahead,

Tober

Where in the world is Tober?

You can't see me!


No, really. . . you can't see me!


Okay. I guess maybe you can see me.


So you found me! Hooray for you! Now I can go back to watching the birdies in peace.


Yesterday morning was very not-busy at my Library. I think this was because the Outside was so nice. It was sunny, and the Library Staff did not come in wearing a lot of extra clothes like they do when it's cold out. The birdies seemed to have a Very Good Day, so I spent much of my morning watching them.

Assistant Boss Karen did not come to see me in the morning. I was frustrated at first. I kept looking around for her.

Here's a secret about me. The restrooms are right around the corner from my office. I hear the people go in (the doors make a sound that alerts me), so I wait for them to come out. I used to just do this to Karen. . . I will yell at her to come out, because I can't see her in there! (Humans do not put windows on bathrooms for some reason. Yet they take pictures of me washing and visiting my Box. Huh!)

So yesterday morning while I was napping I heard the restroom door shut. What if it was Karen and I missed her! What if I didn't greet her? Would she think we weren't Best Friends and Officemates anymore? So I stood outside the restroom door and meowed. I wanted to let her know I was waiting for her! I was happy she was home!

You know where this is going. I was NOT my Assistant Boss Karen. It was a nice lady and an itty-bitty girl. To be honest, I did the same thing to a nice man who visited the library on Friday. The Staff is starting to tease me about being a "Bathroom Stalker" who terrorizes customers.

Assistant Assistant Boss Christine played Apple Fetch with me yesterday morning. She is getting well-trained, too, although she grumbles a bit when she has to fetch the Apple from under the rocking chair in the corner.

Here I am getting fed up with her Treat Stinginess. I know the Apple is next to me, but I ALSO know that the treats are in her hand.


See my cup back there? Tober's Cup. Yep. That's my water!

Keeping an eye on Library business,

Tober

A big date?

I am sorry I made everyone very sad by not posting for a while, but it has been busy busy here at the Thorntown Public Library, especially in the afternoons. My apple-tossing has become almost legendary, and I have had many visitors, big and small, who come to watch Karen fetch the little apple from the wastebasket (or floor).

Today I got tired of waiting for Karen to get the apple out of her drawer (I guess she thought she had more important things to do), so I got the apple out myself. I have had to do this twice today. I don't know what's going on with the work ethic around here, but things sure are slipping! I think I will address this at the next Staff Meeting!

I forgive Karen, though, because she brought me pictures of my beautiful girl-friend Kumari. Do you think maybe Kumari is getting cleaned up for a Big Date with me?

I got to try a wonderful, wonderful treat last week. Becki made something called Strawberry Short Cake, which the staff seemed to devour, but the best part is this white stuff she put on top of it. It's called Whipped Cream, and it tastes better than Paper! Better than Cords! Better than Catnip!

Okay, so NOT better than Catnip. . . but still, mighty tasty, and I hope there's lots more in my future! Here I am sampling (and liking):


The staff thinks that Whipped Cream is some kind of kitty caffeine because after I ate some I zipped up and down the stacks "like a fool"--NOT my words. I do everything very gracefully and in a dignified manner, so I don't know what they're talking about.

Glad to be back among the blogging,

Tober

Things I like to play with.

You may remember that I like to chew on Cords. I like chewing on them so much that I broke my New Year's Resolution by destroying Assistant Boss Karen's monitor cable. . . although I did it in stages, so I should get a little credit.

I've discovered that there are many other things that are fun to chew in a Library. Here are some of my Favorites.

Von's Ape Bookmark:


Von's Ape Bookmark has a very nice and foamy consistency. It is nice to hold in my teeth, and I can chew little bits off and leave them in the floor. This irritates Von, because I guess she likes her Ape Bookmark. However, as Boss of Thorntown Public Library, the fact that I like to eat it overrides the fact that she likes to look at it. Besides, have you noticed the shifty eyes on that thing?

Christine's Jade Plant:


Christine's Jade Plant has nice, thick, juicy leaves. Eating the Jade Plant is a bit of an adventure, because Christine seems to think that she can hide it from me. No matter where she puts it, I will track it down and chew a previously unblemished leaf. It is nice to have a change of Scenery with each dining experience.

Everyone's Papers:


Paper comes in many wonderful sizes and textures, and all are equally fun to chew on. The curlicues of paper that postage stamps come on is one of my favorite varieties, and I am training the Staff to save these for me after Newsletter Day. I'm also fond of anything Important that Karen happens to be working on. This means that I have a continuous supply of Important Documents and Emails to snack on. I've recently discovered that Receipts from the new receipt printers crinkle very nicely in my masculine front paws and strong, sharp teeth. My vicious paper-tearing should impress everyone, considering that I do not have Fingernails to assist in the destruction.

I also play with Gourds now. This is Nice, because now Karen and I have a common interest. Our mutual love of Gourds, combined with my interest in dropping things and Karen's love of picking things up, makes us very good Office-mates. Here I am demonstrating my Gourd-slapping technique:


I have to use my hands when I drop the Gourd because there isn't a nice sturdy stem to grab with my teeth. Gourds are also much lighter than little apples, so sometimes I get a good Slap-shot in and fling them across the room.

Here is a Very Good Picture of Me, so that your weekends start out Happy:



In this picture I am working very hard to hide my irritation with my Assistant Assistant Boss. It's tough being a Celebrity.

TPL's Gourd-geous Library Cat,

Tober

An apple a day. . .

I have recovered from Monday. Assistant Boss Karen did make an attempt to put a Collar on my neck on Tuesday morning, but I quickly let her know that it was a Bad Idea. Several treats later, I decided that she was forgiven, and we are all getting along just fine now. The Collar stays out of my sight, in a drawer--where it belongs.

The training of the Library Staff is coming along quite well. I've learned that I can entertain myself for hours watching them pick Apples up off of the floor. Actually, they are SO well-trained that I only need one Apple for almost an entire day of amusement.

I discovered this talent yesterday, when Karen fetched an apple from lunch and brought it to my desk. She placed it on the edge of the desk, and I carefully picked it up in my teeth and dropped it on the floor for her. She got all excited and picked it up. She seemed to enjoy the activity the first time, so I did it again.

Let me tell you--once these Humans get excited about something, they like to do it over and over and over again! Karen even set up an empty basket to catch the Apple, I think because she was tired of looking for it underneath things. After a while, I tired her out, and she washed and ate the Apple to give her energy.

Today she brought another Apple upstairs to play with. This one was very small, but it had a nice big stem for grabbing and dropping.

Here I am with Karen and her little Apple:


Karen wanted to photograph my Very Good Job of picking the Apple up and dropping it. Here is an Action Shot. Notice the little shadow under the Apple:


Here I am licking the Apple:


Here I am putting my teeth into it. It feels nice, like a Cord:


Here I am picking up the Apple by its nice sturdy stem:


Here I am about to drop the Apple. Notice also my technique of sitting on Karen's papers throughout this Training Session. This prevents Karen from becoming distracted by Other Unimportant Things.


Here is how it Ends:


I must say that I am Very Satisfied with the progress of the Staff in this latest Training. Several of them have visited to participate, and many have become proficient Fetchers. If they take too long to retrieve the Apple, I yell at them, and they quickly comply with my Wishes.

I used this Apple for several Training Sessions, and it was quite battered by the end of the day.

The Library Staff is doing so well that customers are taking note. Pastor Jim Allen watched me train Karen for a while, even though he is Allergic to cats. He seemed impressed by Karen's progress, as well as my excellent Apple-dropping skills. I hope they find a Cure for his Feline Allergy so he can visit me more.

Lovin' the Library Life,

Tober