Click here to vote for Zee & Zoey in the category of “Best Designed Blog”

When I got the news a few days ago that Zee & Zoey’s blog – The Chronicle Connection – was chosen as one of four finalists for the category of “Best Designed Blog” for the Petties 2011 Awards, to say I was honored would be an understatement. I became quite emotional – not just for the honor and prestige of the nomination – but for what it stood for in my life and how far I’ve come as a person.

For you see, Zee and Zoey’s blog was the result of a very difficult time in my life – I had become a statistic and was laid off from a job that I thought I had complete security with in 2009. I had the kernel of an idea for a book in my mind to write at that time, but kind of put it off as “one of those wish-list things I will get to one day.” The idea for the book was basically to be about my cats, primarily Zee, my lovable male Maine Coon, and Zoey, my free-spirited female Bengal and the relationship they had with one another, as well as with me. Well, it turns out that these cats were far wiser than me and during a very dark phase of my unemployment, they taught me how to reexamine how I perceived my world and to look for life’s little silver lining moments, despite how overwhelming and hopeless it all seemed…. In essence, to embrace the ordinary in my life like they did, rather than wallow in depression and self-pity and dare to make it extraordinary, as only a cat can. Read more

Left to Right – Zoey, Harley, and Mia – all snuggled up and getting ready for a day of relaxing and napping.

I have to say – it does not appear that three is a crowd at all to these purr-fectly content feline roommates!

P.S. I know it’s Wordless Wednesday, but we just found out last night that we are a finalist in the Petties 2011 Awards for the category of “Best Designed Blog.” If you would like to vote for us, we would really appreciate it! Click here for all the details. Best of all, if we win, $1000.00 is donated to a pet rescue organization of our choice!

Mia is all curled up in a ball on a chair that sits next to my desk chair. It is covered in a sunflower patterned blanket and serves no purpose whatsoever, other than to allow Mia to nap next to me!

Dan and I have recently been renovating my office so that I now have a cozy space that is a beautiful concoction of gorgeous jewel tones in royal blues, hunter greens, blazing golden hues, and rich burgundies.True to my creative nature, I have taken a plethora of colors and themes that one might not traditionally think would compliment one another and created my own eclectic world that is purr-fectly suited to my unique tastes and personality. I have combined the warmth and beauty of sunflowers (I originally came from Upstate New York where these stunning flowers grew along side the road in a glorious infusion of color and I remain in love with their carefree, yet proud stature) with the wild and untamed pattern of leopard print accessories that is my calling card and trademark. The results – a room so rich, warm, inviting, and cozy, that you immediately feel a wonderful calm and happiness when you enter the room. I guess you would call it “Sunflower Safari” for a lack of a better style description! Read more

Sometimes one is invited into the rare and compelling world of an animal caught in their natural habitat, completely unaware they are being watched. I happened upon a chance like this one day and had to grab the camera to capture this stunning creature, much like a photographer for National Geographic would do, if the occasion so presented itself.

You will notice with the advancement of technology, how I was able to capture the visual surroundings and transcribe the exhilarating feeling of the moment with the high speed of the lens shutter. Each image is more amazing than the next and you can just feel the energy of this amazing creature burst off your computer screen. For your sense of time and to see just how incredible this camera is, I have documented the snapshots in real time. I truly think I deserve some sort of award for this rare and extraordinary post!

Sunday, June 26, 2011. 9:46 a.m. The creature is discovered, apparently sleeping atop some sort of domesticated wicker hamper with a padded towel for maximum napping comfort

Sunday, June 26, 2011. 10:14 a.m. The imagery and range of motion is stunning!

Sunday, June 26, 2011. 12:34 p.m. I don't know about you all, but I feel I could faint from the excitement!

Sunday, June 26, 2011. 2:14 p.m. The animal awakens, completely startled and a blur of motion as he rubs the sandman out of his eyes.

Sunday, June 26, 2011. 4:46 p.m. In what is a shocking and stunning turn of events, the creature has rotated itself to now nap in the opposite direction... this is just incredible people, simply incredible...

My special gratitude and acknowledgements to my beloved cat Zee. Turns out this was not some rare creature after all, but just my cat napping for 16 hours a day on the hamper like he does any other day….

Learning to Drive –
by Zeuss

After reading about Mia’s trip to the mall, it occurred to me that I didn’t know how to drive yet. After asking my humans why that was, the answer received was that I was too young to operate a motor vehicle.

“But my sister Mia knows how to drive,” I said. “We’re the exact same age.”

“Perhaps the laws are different in Florida,” retorted one of my humans. (The argumentative one.) “Different states have different driving laws.”

After researching laws regarding cats and driving, I was able to deduce there there was no legal driving age for cats. The humans had no retort to this fact, and my driving lesson commenced! Read more