Footprints on My Heart

Sunday was not the Father's Day we had planned, and certainly not any day we would have planned. I debated about this post, and then decided that, yes, even though I will be sad, Oliver should have a tribute on my blog.

Our sweet sweet Oliver took his walk over the Rainbow Bridge on Sunday afternoon. Even though we were at the vet, he was surrounded by family and love. Stephanie, his true mama, and Dennis and I were with him. Adam was in Shreveport, LA and learned of his passing when he called Dennis for Father's Day.

Oliver came to us as a wee kitten -- Stephanie had found him in a parking lot sitting next to what we presume was his mother. When she moved out, I asked that Oliver stay with us since ours was the only home he knew, and he had bonded with Sam, our other rescue cat.

He was a British Cream, like a light creamsicle ice cream, made even lighter with extra cream. His face had a serious, studious look as if he were contemplating the answers to very important questions. He was a sweet cat who rarely meowed (unless his tail was accidentally stepped on), who ran like thundering hooves through the house, and had a habit of leaping on you when you least expected it (which was a real shock since he was not exactly a petite cat...)

He enjoyed a good book at night and, in fact, would nudge my book until I finally put it down and paid him some attention. Then he would retreat to the foot of the bed and go to sleep. His last couple of nights were spent sleeping at the head of the bed, right in between Dennis' and my heads, I believe he wanted to be as close to us as possible, because, in the way of cats, he knew he didn't have long even before we did.

his usual place, right over my head

I'll miss his tail smacking me in the face!

He had various windows that were "his"

and especially liked the ones in the livingroom that were only a few inches off the floor

The outside cats would pass by....

and he would run for the mail slot to peer outside!

He liked to play King of the Mountain

and tolerated Noli's shenanigans

and her many hugs

He even took care of her when she sprained her arm :)

 He liked to play "Run When You Hear the Can Opener 'Cause There May Be Tuna"

and Hide and Go Seek

even though his hiding places weren't exactly hard to find!

Found ya!

He liked to sneak some of the outside kitties' food

and try to fit into the smallest thing possible

He loved to play the piano, even though he knew that the bench was all that he was allowed on....

and leaping on the keys in the middle of the night was a definite no-no!

(But he certainly never did that, oh no!) Ha!

He wasn't wild about taking an occasional bath....

but put up with it,

especially when his good buddy Sam had to take one too....

They often curled up together when they slept

He rarely slept on his back, but when he did it was with no shyness!

He loved to help me work

especially sitting on the mailing boxes so they wouldn't fly away

or guarding my crochet so it didn't get tangled

 or helping me on the computer.

Such a silly boy.

I'm going to miss him.

A light has gone out, a presence diminished, but his footprints will forever be on my heart.

sharing on
~ AlphabeThursday for the letter F



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Along Magnolia Lane -- A Brand New Blog!

I kind of fell off the edge of the earth for a while there, but I'm crawling back on -- and with a whole new look!

I found myself stressing much too much about blogging, and trying to keep up with two blogs -- and in reality, nothing much was getting done on either blog. Mostly, my vintage blog, Magnolia's Attic, was the one falling apart at the seams, but Magnolia Surprise seemed to only have posts for Alphabe-Thursday and not much more.

Sooo, I thought and thought, and fumed and worried, and finally decided to reduce the stress and only have one blog. So I continued to think about how to accomplish this, and what I wanted to write about…. and came up with Along Magnolia Lane. So, although the look is a  bit different, it's still me behind the keyboard, and I hope you'll keep following -- and that Magnolia's Attic followers will join me here on Magnolia Lane as well. I basically just changed the name and look of Magnolia Surprise -- I didn't want to start a whole new blog, just spiff up the existing one and merge the two.

I wanted to keep the word "Magnolia" to tie in with my Etsy shops, and I wanted to blog about the things I make and the things I find on my thrifting excursions, as well as adventures with Noli, fun stuff I happen upon, and of course, letting Oliver take over my blog every now and then (he's got his own kitty agenda so "letting him" isn't exactly the right word…..) Anyway, I think this is the right direction to take, and I can again feel the excitement of an idea popping into my mind, or taking a cool photo, and rushing to the computer to write it all down!

I had some fun yesterday designing my new banner…. Magnolia Roseville vases that were my mother's, Magnolia aka Noli, a sweet and serious pic of Oliver, and some crochet foodies. I have purchased a pattern for a crochet magnolia which I plan to put in the place of the food…. so the food is just a holding place for now. I thought the Roseville would indicate vintage, the crochet magnolia would be for crochet (duh!) and of course Noli and Oliver are my partners in crime. 

Oliver insisted that I include a photo of him and threatened dire consequences if I didn't

So I got him good..... and only showed his foot and tail.

That'll teach him!

Don't expect that crochet magnolia for a while yet, although I'm anxious to make it….. I've got to work on replacing foodies in Magnolia Surprise that were depleted by a large order! Yay!! 

Double yay for the little girl who will find a bunch of fruits, veggies and desserts under the Christmas tree!

Wow, I've really got to get used to these larger photos! They seem HUGE!

I have written a little introduction about Magnolia Lane and I'd love for you to read it -- it's an imaginary place but hopefully explains a bit about my three Etsy shops in a fun way. I am not one to bombard you about the stuff I sell, but since that's a large part of what I do every day, it only follows that I would write about it!

I can't wait to get going on my new blog and hope you will follow along!  It's still a work in progress -- I really need to change up that right sidebar!

Funny how Along Magnolia Lane just happens to begin with the letter "A" and coincides with the 10th beginning of Alphabe-Thursday. You'd think I planned it that way…..


~ sharing on 
Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter A
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Knick of Time for Vintage Inspiration Party
Share Your Cup Thursday



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Shipping Assistant Oliver

>^.^<

Hewwo, Oliver here. I have taken over Mommy's blog today to tell you about my new job.... In addition to being King Kitty and Boss around here, I am also Chief Cat Shipping Assistant (CCSA for short). I have many duties and am well paid in kitty treats!

I hold down the boxes from the Post Office 

and make sure they don't fall off the bed

Extra benefit.... they are a good place for a nap

I hold down the regular boxes and make sure they don't fly away.

There are more boxes in the closet, 

but Mommy won't let me in there.

(I don't know why 'cause all I do is cat nap)

The box stack is also a great place for a nap

I inspect the inside of boxes and make sure all the paper stuff is out

Hey, quit looking at my tush

CCSA's are private kitties

Mommy got a new printer thingie

so I have to make sure she got all the pieces parts out of the box

Very good! Everything is out!

Also a good place for a nap

My most important CCSA job

is to watch for the Post Person to come by

And for all this work, I get kitty treats! Meowzer!

(Plus lots of good napping places, heh heh)

If you have a kitty, put him to work as a CCSA,

he will reward you with purrs. 

I guarantee it.

>^.^<

~ sharing on Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter S (say Hi to Miss Jenny while you're there, 'cause she's feeling poorly.) Mommy and I are sending (((hugs))).

>^.^<

Oliver Speaks

Hewwo, Oliver here.

I read (yes, I can read.... don't tell!) with kitty amusement, the post that my hooman mommy wrote about the TUNA... nom nom nom. She just doesn't get it.... I can hear that can opener from a mile away and if I even think it might be the fabulous tuna, I go running.

But every morning I get the same thing, even though I run to my bowl, hoping hoping hoping that it's TUNA. But no, it's kitty foods. And she wonders why I just sit there, staring at my bowl.

Part of the time I'm sitting there staring because I don't like hoomans to watch me eat. I'm funny that way. But the other part of the time I'm waiting to see if I get any TUNA.

Another thing I do that she thinks is funny 

is eat from the far away side of my bowl. 

Somekitties step in their bowl to get to the other side, but I have 

very good kitty manners and just stretch my neck out.

What I'd really like to know is why I have blue chickens on my water bowl. And why it says Chicken Soup. I'm not drinking chicken soup, I'm drinking water. Kitties only like water, not chicken soup. So I don't need a bowl that says Chicken Soup when I'm drinking water. Duh.

Get it together, Mommy.


~ sharing my soupy water bowl over at Blue Monday


>^.^<

The Saga of Can Openers and Cats

A couple of nights ago hubby fixed chicken and wanted oven fried potato chunks with it. And broccoli. Now, mind you, we have a pretty good system -- he cooks and I chop and clean up. Well, I just wasn't in the mood to chop much and if we had both oven fries and broccoli, I would be chopping more than I cared to chop. Besides I have a love / hate relationship with broccoli -- it's one of my favorite veggies but I get tired of it quickly (very quickly...).

So out with the broccoli and in with a can of baked beans!! Now I only had to chop one thing and open the other (which is my other kitchen job -- hubby hates to use the can opener which is a hand-held one).

Wait! I think I have too many kitchen jobs!!

But I digress... the real subject of this post would be the bestest cat boy ever.... Oliver!

As I am chopping and can opening, in runs Oliver at a gallop...

He starts that winding around your legs thing that cats do. Around and around, in and out, tail hooking around my legs, light brushes with the fur. I'm thinking What on earth does this silly cat want? I check and there's plenty of food in his bowl... plenty of water. He only gets treats when I say "Treat!" and has never asked for them. Hmmm... what on earth?

And then it hits me. It's the can opener! Which is weird since it's a hand-held one and doesn't make noise. But noise enough for a cat apparently, because I see no reason why he would want beans! And hubby hadn't started the chicken....

So, back up a few weeks.... the only time I give Oliver any people food is when we have tuna.

I give him a little of the tuna water to lap up straight from the can (my can opener leaves the edges so they could only cut softened butter) and maybe a teeny tiny bit of tuna. Oliver always runs in when I open a tuna can so that's understandable. He doesn't run in when I open a can of green beans or black eyed peas or something. But baked beans?? Apparently so!

So all that winding around my legs stuff? My guess is that he remembered the can opener and was hoping for a tidbit of tuna!

Smart kitty.

Oliver says, Is that all there is???

and what happened to my ears??

Oh the indignity of it all...

Meowzer    >^.^<

~ sharing Oliver's can opener and the promise of canned tuna over at AlphabeThursday where we are studying the letter C

~ also sharing Oliver's blue bowl, his beloved blue can of tuna (because we only get the packed in water kind), and blue Bush's Beans.... oh, and the blue chickens on his water bowl.... over on Blue Monday!


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