Cat Lady’s New Title

Posted on November 29, 2024 by Pamela Knudsen

Cat Lady life has been expanding with new adventures lately. My book has brought about some rewarding speaking engagements. My passion for music lead to a friendship that blossomed into romance and a once-a-month radio show co-hosting gig! Every second Sunday of the month from 3:00 to 5:00 pm, I share music and banter over the airwaves with DJ John Ford on KXFM’s radio show, AM Radio (AM for Americana Music). Tune your dial to 104.7 if you’re local, listen online or tell Alexa to play KXFM 104.7.

On November 20^th, we celebrated Samantha Jo’s fifth birthday, which translates to 36 human years. She was born into the Alpha Generation, yet the identifier is based on the Greek alphabet, not domineering and assertive characteristics. Nevertheless—she’s still Queen Sassy Pants.

And while commercialism has pushed Christmas upon us in November, I’m living in the moment and embracing autumn and the Thanksgiving holiday season. I adore my orange twinkle lights in the yard and festive fall décor in the cottage, and Samantha fits right in with the orange accents.

Although, last week I had to put my inner Grinch aside for The Blue Bell Foundation for Cats. It’s that time of year again for The Sawdust Festival’s Winter Fantasy. Blue Bell, among several nonprofits, was selected to decorate a Christmas tree in Santa’s Village at The Winter Fantasy. I was on the Christmas tree decorating committee with Blue Bell staff, Jenna and Leesa, and volunteer Terri.

In preparation for the Winter Fantasy opening last Friday, we strategically hung our very own handcrafted ornaments, carefully curating our “Santa Claws” themed Christmas tree.

Our committee attended the tree lighting ceremony along with spouses, and with me, John, my new beau. As John and I took in the bustling scene and marveled at the adorable Blue Bell tree, a boy about five years old took an ornament off the tree and began stuffing it into the tiny stocking hung behind it. The ornament was a round clear disc with a photo of a Blue Bell cat displayed from inside, and holiday embellishments on the exterior, including a name tag for the kitty. His mother stood by and watched as her kid vandalized our ornament—that is, until I stepped in.

I took the ornament out of his hand and firmly told him that we worked hard on decorating the tree and making the ornaments, and they were not to be touched. His mother looked at me, speechless, then quickly ushered her kid away from the tree. After the tree lighting ceremony, while still gathered around our Christmas tree, I told the group about the little ornament vandal. Within moments of our collective expression of irritation, a middle-aged woman approached the tree and attempted to rearrange the kitty reindeers pulling Santa Claws’s sleigh.

I marched over to her and lectured about how hard we worked on getting the placement just right and (once again) the ornaments are not to be touched! Despite dealing with ill-mannered festivalgoers, it was a glorious evening. Blue Bell even won the Cutest Tree Award.

We were about to call it a night when teenage boys came tearing through the grounds and grabbed one of the presents under our tree and started to run off with it. John and I told him to put the present back. The kid looked at me and snidely said that his name was on it. “PUT. THE PRESENT. BACK!” I yelled.

He begrudgingly obeyed then ran off.

And that’s when I was awarded the title, Tree Police.You got that right. Nobody messes with the Blue Bell tree!

Reflections

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Pamela Knudsen

“For who knows how my love grows?
And who knows where the time goes?”

Lyrics from “Who Knows Where the Time Goes”
By Sandy Denny, sung by Eva Cassidy

I’m sipping my morning coffee in the cozy chair with Samantha at my feet wanting to play. It’s 6:00 a.m. and after another night of restless sleep, I only have the energy to toss a couple balls across the floor. She bats them around with a few whacks of the paw then takes off around the sofa, into the bedroom, then wizzes over to the cozy chair in a blur of orange fur. I want her energy.

As I listen to Joni Mitchell Radio on Pandora, Eva Cassidy is singing the hauntingly beautiful song, “Who Knows Where Time Goes” and I think, seriously, where does it go? One minute I’m sipping coffee and the next it’s happy hour. And how did May get here so quickly? Although it still feels like winter. I suspect the earth’s rotation has increased. The days just blur into one another.

I listen to the lyrics with Samantha softly meowing, taunting me to play. Besides evoking the contemplation of time, the song conjures reflection on my relationship with Samantha. For who knows how my love grows? It has grown over time that flies. One moment, I’m worried about Samantha’s high anxiety and if we’ll ever bond, and three years later, which happened in a flash, Samantha is confident, happy, at peace and has bonded with me. My heart swells as I look at her and smile. I toss another ball. Excitedly, she chases after it. I hope this moment lasts forever.

Enjoy some pics of my latest happenings…

My reading of Two Cats, a Mermaid and the Disappearing Moon at Laguna Art Museum

My gift basket silent auction donation for the Rotary Club’s Grapes for Grads fundraiser!

Samantha was the star of a promotional video for the reading, although I wasn’t able to upload the video, but here’s a snapshot! You can check it out at on Instagram, my April 26th post @catladynthecyn.

Hugs from Cat Lady and Samantha Jo!

Cats in Cars Cruising Coast Highway

Posted on January 14, 2024 by Pamela Knudsen

What happened to the end of 2023? Time just slipped away from me between my extremely busy “day job”, holiday festivities and taking time to get enough rest. Sometimes cat naps are in order, or a good read and a cuppa tea. I hope everyone had a joyful holiday season.

Speaking of good reads, since the release of Two Cats, a Mermaid and the Disappearing Moon, it occurred to me that some of you may not know the main characters, Topper and Lexington, and if you do remember them, it might be fun to reminisce. I’m sharing a story I wrote years ago (which I’ve updated a bit) that showcases their mischievous personalities. Enjoy!

***

Upon returning home from a roadtrip back in 2015, while I was unloading the car Topper snuck in and settled on the floorboard of the driver’s seat.

“Come on, Topper,” I motioned for him to get out. He just looked at me with a deadpan stare and folded his front legs under his chest. He was either settling in or being defiant—which were probably one and the same. I let him hang out in the car.

Twenty minutes later I went to collect the cat from the Kia and found him cozied-up on the floorboard of the back seat. It reminded me of the time I caught both cats red-pawed as they were scheming to take the car for a spin around the neighborhood, those stinkers.

Cats Tyring to Steel Car 099 When I used to walk Topper and Lexington around the cul-de-sac of my neighborhood they insisted on stopping and sniffing a hubcap or the bumper of each car they encountered. It’s the roses that you are supposed to stop and smell I’d tell them.

Since when did cats have a thing for cars? It’s probably a good thing they couldn’t reach my car keys and the gas pedal as surely they would figure out the whole driving thing. I would have had to resort to public transportation while they would be off cruisin’ down Coast Highway. I could just see it: Topper behind the wheel, Lexington with his head out the sunroof, whiskers blowing back in the wind and Bobcat with his paws on the dashboard, eagerly peering out the windshield and repeatedly asking, “Are we there yet?!”

Bobcat sitting on the sunroof.

I wonder where “there” would be? Main Beach would be a good start. Lexington would scream from the back seat, “TOPPER—STOP THE CAR! LOOK! Who knew we live 4.5 miles away from the biggest litter box ever?”

Curious to see just how big this outdoor litter box is they would keep driving south, getting glimpses of the sand at each stop light.

“Wow, check out that whale! Maybe we should go there!” Topper would say as traffic would stop them in front of the Wyland Gallery. Not being able to find parking, they would keep on cruising until finding themselves approaching a restaurant that would make their fur stand on end. “Geez, it’s bad enough they roam the canyon, but now they have a restaurant?” Topper would say while flooring it past the Coyote Grill.

My cats weren’t the only felines with a fetish for cars. Sometime after Topper and Lexington “helped” me unload my car that day, I attended a kiln glass art workshop facilitated by Laguna Beach artist Maggie Spencer. After the workshop, I sat outside of Maggie’s Laguna Canyon studio and sipped wine and chatted with Maggie and her friend Sian about the local music scene. Maggie’s cat with calico markings and an exceptionally fluffy tail strolled by and made herself comfortable on Sian’s leather purse. Conversation segued into talking about our cats. Maggie declared, “Whenever I open my car door, Punkin jumps in the car!” I imagined Punkin getting all comfy on the seat, ready for a joyride…maybe to that giant litter box down the street. I hope that Maggie kept an eye on her car keys.