Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    Thanks for sharing ET.  Your timing is impeccable.  Jo and Cin,
    forget what I said.  I'll just keep visiting Jo and company and
    drink wine...;-)
    
    

    !!  I'll never forget the day I read that - my memory isn't what it
    used to be, but I think it was just before I entered my first cat
    show with a HHP.  Lordy, I read that and thought to myself, I don't
    think this is my cup of tea!  But, on we went - it was downhill
    from there.  When I reread it the other day, I just roared! 
    Some mornings we wondered if we would even make it out of the
    house - trying to dig Katenka out from under the bed if she was
    in a snit or if one of the other kids had been in a chase mood!
    Driving to a show, wondering if maybe we should have waited to
    feed until we arrived at the show hall.  sigh, too late - puke!
    
    Our famous lines were:  what state are we in?  Do you see a Mobil
    station?  Are we almost there?  If we don't unload the whole car,
    maybe we can make the first ring?  Is the grooming stuff on top
    in the bag?  etc. etc. etc.  Believe it or not, we DO have fun,
    right folks???
    
    E.

    I thought it was cute.....and I can relate (although it's not w/ cats
    .....maybe someday when I get more time - HA!)
    
    It's the same everywhere....but it is fun and worth it!!!!

    E.T.
    
    Dave's reference to me in the end is scarey.....I remember this note
    when it was first posted, I gues I've been around here a LONG time!
    
    Did you say that was 4 years ago!
    
    wow, how time flies!
    
    cin
    
    Just to give credit....the original note was written by Dave
    McAllister, and it is a VERY typical day in the life.....
    
    I sent mail to Dave a few weeks ago, and didn't get a response....sure
    do miss him around here, he was a genetics wizard!
    
    

    Really, it was 4 or 5 - I'd have to check the date on the original
    note!   Guess I have also!  He was still writing when I started
    reading - wonder where he is now? 
    
    What's funny, is that it's the same for EVERY show - only the order
    of the things happening changes slightly - like, for example, instead
    of the cat barfing up a furball at home, they do it in the cat, etc.
    We still wait, wonder, and pray for finals, hoping that your 
    predoominantly white cat doesn't feel like rolling in the litter
    that spills outside of the pool just before you grab her and crate her.
    It sure is nice to show a BROWN cat!  Really makes show life easier!!!
    Blasting down the highway at 80 mph praying you don't get a
    ticket cause you overslept 20 minutes, then arriving at the show hall
    and finding out that this show has a late start time!  grrr - makes
    ya wish you had read the flier more carefully !!!  
    
    E.T._ready_for_a_show - by_Salem_time_it_will_have_been_3_months

    I was around when that note was first entered, and I was new to
    breeding and showing.  I thought it was hysterical then, and now
    I think it is a masterpiece.  
    
    I have the inside scoop on Dave McAllister.  He moved out here a
    few years ago, and he and my sister started dating.  They broke
    up a about a year ago, and he has since left DEC.  He was a genetics
    wizard.  He never got involved in the cat fancy out here, he did
    show his housecat along with Jan a couple of times, but never got
    back into breeding.  He was in the TICA judging program at one time,
    but never applied to the CFA judging program.  By the time he moved
    out here, he had split the cattery up with his ex-wife, and spayed
    and neutered all the cats he kept before moving here.
    
    Anyway, just this weekend Ken and I overslept by about 15 minutes,
    and had to drive 85 miles an hour up 280 from Morgan Hill to San
    Francisco with our eyes glued to our rear view mirror.  This was
    on Sunday morning.  When we got to the show hall, I grabbed the
    two cat carriers and ran into the show while Ken parked the car
    and got the rest of our stuff.  Just as I came panting and puffing
    into the hall, the announcer announced that the show committee had
    forgotten to bring the judges books and that the show would be delayed
    for an hour and a half while someone went back to Benicia to get
    them!!  Talk about wanting to kill someone!!
    
    Anyway, that is a day in the life of a cat show exhibitor.  I can't
    wait for Marlene to get started with us.  So far we have had a real
    blast just letting her carry our catalogs and pens to the ring,
    and share her wine with us.  (side note: she brought REAL wine glasses
    with her, no plastic!!  I think she is going to add a touch of class
    to our gatherings)  Also, she is keeping me sane, when a very odd
    judged handled our cats in an unusual manner, and then proceeded
    to dump my cat, Marlene leaned over to me and said "someone should
    slap that man" which gave me a good laugh and kept me from jumping
    over the judging table and letting him have it! (who me?? I would
    never do such a thing! :^D)
    
    Okay, so that was a black and white bred to a cream tabby, hmmmmm...
    
    Jo

    
    Jo, that isn't the same Dave McAllister who is also a VMS wizard
    and now works for INGRES, is it?  
    
    M

    I, too, thought it a masterpiece - so accurate and well done!
    I wanted to reenter it so itl wouldn't get lost.  Great pieces
    like this should be long remembered and enjoyed.
    
    Oh Jo, the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you awaken
    and first look at the alarm clock and realize just how late you
    are.  I time things VERY close on show morning - heaven help
    anything that messes up my schedule!  I try and pack the car
    the night before so all that is left to grab is the cat(s)
    if I can find her !!  I am totally amazed that I have not
    gotten a ticket in my cat show career (maybe I'd better stop
    mentioning it!!)  It really does tip my litter pan when I arrive
    barely breathing at a show hall and find out it's a late start for
    whatever reason!!  grrrrr, but at least I can stop rushing and
    start waiting earlier and take a litte more time dragging the 
    stuff in from the car!
    
    E.T.

    Marlene, it may be the same Dave McAllister.  He left Dec in about
    March I think.  
    
    Jo

    Oops!  I wasn't finished yet. 
    
    Yeah, getting to the show hall on time is more of a problem for
    me now than it was in the beginning.  Now I have a husband to get
    out of bed too!  He didn't used to go with me like he does now.
    Also, now we don't pack the car til the morning of, so we end up
    madly throwing things into the show bag at the last minute, and
    then spend the day asking "did you pack the such-and-such???"
    Bout the only thing that I always know will get packed is the
    corkscrew! :^)
    
    Jo

re: .6

>    wizard.  He never got involved in the cat fancy out here, he did
>    show his housecat along with Jan a couple of times, but never got

So, tell us:  Did Jan make any finals?

Ray

    Oh Ray, oh Ray, oh Ray!  Nice to hear from you!!!  I'm surprised you
    didn't ask if....never mind - I'm being as bad as you were !!
    
    Jo, if I waited until morning to pack the car, I'd never get to
    the show!  What we say when one of us asks if we remembered to
    bring such-and-such, is:  If we did we did, if we didn't we can
    get it at the show.  If we forgot it, we probably don't need it
    anyway!!  As we unload 2 tons of STUFF from the car mostly NOT
    my stuff!  When Cin and I travel together, we sure do travel
    light!  It's great - everything goes into the show hall in ONE
    trip - when we get to the hotel, we take one (mostly) cat crate
    in and one bag!  
    
    E.T.

    Oh Ray, leave it to you to pop in only long enough to make a comment
    about my grammar!! :^)  Well, at least I tempted you in to coming
    out of the 'notes' closet...
    
    I have resorted to never unpacking the show bag, then I never have
    to worry if it is packed or not.  Just toss in some cat food and
    go!  The things we tend to forget are 1)my husband's inhaler 2)
    my husband's allergy medicine 3)rolaids or tums (don't leave for
    a cat show without them!) 4)extra strength tylenol.  We are a regular
    pharmacy on wheels... :^)
    
    Oh, and we never seem to forget the plastic cups.
    
    Jo

re: .13

The image was too funny to resist!  Sort of related to the time "someone" 
put a stuffed animal into a judge's ring to see what would happen.  (The 
judge was cool.  She took out the toy, described how it was a good example 
of whatever breed was up at the time, and hung a ribbon on it!) 

We don't unpack the show bag, either.  It's sort of a "black hole of 
Calcutta" in there.  All kinds of interesting stuff.

Ray_who_was_"outed"_by_Jo

    
    Yes, Ray , it's very nice to hear your voice!  Will we have to
    wait until August see you again?  Say hi to Eileen for me!
    
    Hmm.  I don't unpack it either - heaven only knows what's on
    the bottom!  It's sort of 'add food, water, coffee, stir and
    zip' and load the car!  That reminds me, I'd better go hunt
    down the laundry bag with the drapes that I tossed in the
    garage after the last show!  sigh, maybe I will decrap the
    show bag.  It's amazing that stuff I collect !  Na, I"ve
    got 2 weeks - guess it'll wait.
    
    

    Gee, I guess everyone does things differently....I always pack light! 
    And whoever I travel with better be ready to hear me bitch if they
    don't....right Pennie!   ;-)   I don't like to make multiple trips, so
    I pack 1 bag for the show, and 1 bag for the hotel....cork screw is
    standard equipment in both bags!  ;-)
    
    My show bag is BIG....I can fit everything for at least 3 complete cage
    set-ups in it, so you can imagine the black hole that that thing is! 
    What's in the bottom stays....sometimes I clean it out, but not often! 
    
    Marlene....your going to have a blast!!!  Wish I could be at a show
    with both you and Jo.  What fun!
    
    cin
    

    BTW, a real wine glass is standard equipment in my show bag!  
    
    

    Cin, remember the cork screw incident in Candia??  Boy, was my face
    red!
    
    E.

    E.T. if you can't find the corkscrew, don't despair...just bite
    the top off the bottle!!  Easy to do after a jump dumps your prize
    showcat!
    
    Sure, Cin *only* packs one bag, but it just happens to be the size
    of Texas.   :^)
    
    Jo
    
    PS - we need to get some appropriate cage curtains for Marlene for
    her debut.

    
    BTW, champagne will be served at Cattyshack Bailey's Scotch Kiss
    debut. Hmmmm, Piper Sonoma or Chandon Blanc de Noir? Decisions,
    decisions... ;-)
    
    Marlene

    
    Jo, when those twits dump my most beautiful baby girl,
    I'd rather bite off their silly heads!  What the H*ll
    do THEY know about Exotics.  How COULD they consider
    not finaling my baby, how dare they be so dumb. 
    
    Go Jo !!!  I must confess that Cin is MUCH more efficient
    at packing up and being out of the show hall and 1/2 way
    home before I even get my stuff out to the car!  She has
    it down to a science.  I am dreading the Salem show - it's
    the first time I will have kittens AND Lil.  I have this
    uncanny feeling that I will be bringing more STUFF than I
    usually bring. groan  Guess I'd better remember to pack
    my wheelie.   I'm already planning to bring TWO corner
    shelves so Lil will be able to have her own space - these
    little weenie-beanies are off the wall!  Very busy young
    ladies - I can just see me opening the cage door to get
    Lil out, and having one of these boopers scoot out and
    take off across the show hall!  I can hear it now, 
    Kitten lose, close the doors!  Ought to be an interesting
    weekend!!  I'll probably get 20 new gray hairs!
    
    re:  Cin's bag:  I'd say it's the sizes of Rhode Island, or
         maybe Connecticut !!!
    
    E.

    
    RE: Dumping beautiful babies
    
    I don't know what the H*LL this judge could know about ANY of them.
    If you blinked (no exaggeration) you missed it.  They were back in
    the cage!  I suppose that is the better than the other behavior
    exibited. I thought that he was going to twist off the head of a red 
    tabby Exotic.
    
    You know, I can take customers going up one side of me and down the other
    about something I have no control over (DEC). But treating my cat
    like that is another story. I know that I will have to learn to
    "go with the flow" in a situation like this, but it is going to
    be tough.  I thank my lucky stars that I have Jo to "teach" me.
                                                                   
    

    Elaine,
    
    You ALWAYS bring more stuff than you need!!!!!  I'll never forget your
    first show with Lil, and the amount of grooming equipment you brought.
    You might think you were going to be grooming 16 white persians with
    all that stuff!!!!!  ;-)  
    
    Okay, I'll admit that my show bag is BIG....but, the size of Rhode
    Island or Connecticut...naaaaa, maybe New York City!
    
    Now, Jo, were not talking about Elaine not having a cork screw at a cat
    show, were talking about at home!!!!  Went to visit E.T. with a friend
    of mine, and brought a bottle of wine with us....No, no corkscrew! 
    Never thought of chewing off the cork...course we were too busy
    stuffing our faces with steak and corn on the cob, and trying to keep
    the furr faces off the table at the same time!  
    
    You know how hard it is to push a cat off the table while your eatting
    really buttery corn on the cob and trying not to get cat hair on your
    hands?
    
    fun time!
    
    

    Me, bring more stuff!  Wait a second here!  Have you checked
    under Auntie's cage in the few months????????  OR, have you
    lifted one (any one) of Auntie's (two hundred) bags that
    she brings??????  sigh  I think I have pared down what I
    bring to groom Lil - lordy, Exotics sure are EASY to show.
    Especially, BROWN ones!!  Spritz, brush, shake a little and
    go!  
    
    NOW, as to how to keep cats away when you are eating?  
    Method one:  a large powerful spray bottle
    Method two:  fast-moving elbows, wrists, and butting with your forehead
                 until they fall or are pushed to the edge of the table and
                 fall to the floor - repeat 6 hundred times until you are
                 very tired of the da*n game, but the cat is NOT.  Then
                 lock all cats in the bedroom so you can eat in peace !!!
                 Wash hands between each session  !!!
    
    Oh yeah, you forgot to mention that the cork screws (all 4) have been
    found !  A little late, but found.
    
    Cin, I refuse to discuss the contents of your HOTEL BAG !  I will
    agree that it is minuet, not small !   
    
    E.

     I just read this !!.. it is soo funny.. I do have one  question
    though.. when do you the time to practice " THE LOOK"... that was
    talked about in a previous note..
    Kate

    Kate,
    
    You practice that at EVERY ring!!!  Sometimes it takes a while before
    you get it right!  ;-)
    
    cin...who still gets sweaty palms every time her cat is judged!
    

    Really, oh those sweaty palms - do I hate that !
    
    You have to remember to start getting the look on your face
    when you turn around from placing your cat in the ring cage 
    and head for the chairs in front of the ring.  By the time
    you are seated and pick your head up, you'd BETTER have the
    look on your face !!  So, you practice at EVERY ring !
    
    E.T.

    re: [whichever reply Cin libelled me in!  ;-) ]
    
    Okay, so now she has me trained to take 1 (one) suitcase only.
    For BOTH the show and hotel.
    
    So there I am in the show hall.  I open the suitcase to take
    out the show curtains and food dishes and...
    And out falls the undies and the tampax and the ...
    
    Who cares!
    
    Heh Heh.
    
    	Pennie

    oh Pennnn !  Did you hotel stuff really fall out ???????
    
    I gotta say, Cin has us both trained in the  bag count  !!
    Of course, I still will not discuss the contents of her
    hotel bag !!  I DO take bribes !!!
    
    E.T.
    
    I can just see us next weekend peeking under all our cages counting
    how many bags we brought!  Oh, I forget the sack I use to carry my
    1/2 gallon coffee thermos if it doesn't fit in my show bag.  sigh
    I really do gotta get that stuff together.  yuk

    Oh, Penn, don't feel too bad, I'm constantly on Auntie's case
    about the huge amount of stuff she lugs to the hall.  I really
    think she has you beat by a mile !  (don't tell her I said so !!)

    Now, Pennie, You can take two bags....one for the show hall and one for
    the hotel....what I don't understand is why BOTH bags have to go to
    BOTH places!!!!!  ;-)
    
    cin...who always packs light
    

    re: 31
    
    Yup, Cin really DOES pack light, but I won't mention what
    she packs or doesn't pack in her hotel bag !!  Not I said
    the rabbit !!
    
    E.

    Now wait a minute, ET!
    
    I often travel with Cin.  Should I be inspecting the contents of
    her bag?  Is it contagious?  Will it eat me alive?  WILL IT "GET"
    HOPEYCAT??????
    
    	Pennie

    re:  33
    
    Nope, it won't get ya cause it's not there !!  It's the 'lack of'
    that's the interesting part!  We have to encourage her to 'bring
    more.....'  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    If we keep this up, she's gonna get US !!!!
    
    E.T.

    Okay, I'm going to fess us, and tell you guys EXACTLY what I take in my
    hotel bag....
    
    I take my bathroom stuff, toothbrush, hairspray, blow dryer, etc, and
    clean undies, and a set of clean clothes for Sunday.  A can of cat food
    always with the pop top, a dish or two, some kitty litter, a paper box,
    and a trash bag for throwing the box out in the morning.  And, of
    course, the corkscrew, and a bottle of red wine.  
    
    I can usually fit this stuff in a duffle bag.  
    
    See, Pennie, nothing to "get" HopeyCat.
    
    

    Hmm.. very interesting..Red wine.., corkscrew.. there is something
    missing here.. as in  longstemmed wine glasses monogrammed of
    course, and I was quite surprised about the RED wine,, I had
    Stripees  figured for  "cognac" type. ya know smoking jacket,
    ascot. pipe.. . Tee-hee.
    Kate

    Kate,  
    
    You got it....imagine the person on the other end of room
    service.....ahh, we'ld like to order 2 wine glasses please...ah, no, no
    wine, just the glasses would be fine!  ;-)
    
    

    Cin.. I can just " see that " HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.. or imagine this
    " a knock comes to the door.. Stripees answers dressed in his "smoking
    jacket, ascot.. slippers.. and  offers to show "the wait- person"
    his SHOW RIBBONS!!!!.. and tips them in  Kitty Treats.. ahahahaha..
    Kate who  feeling very silly today... Must be this Q4 madness..

    re: 37
    
    If I remember correctly, we HAD to use bathroom water glasses
    in  xxxCity, last overnight show.  ugh, how tickytacky !
    But, as you said, we CAN call room service and order 2 
    or 3 or 4 glasses, empty of course.  
    
    Oh, BTW, Cin, I packed a cork screw in my show back, just
    in case - it's in with my grooming tool bag!  I really
    should move it to my hotel bag!
    
    E.T.

    In defense of us folks who overpack.....
    
    I hate to leave home, so I always try to take it with me.  
    
    ;-))))))))))))))

    Nancy!  You don't overpack, you just bring your refridgerator !!!!!
    You are so funny, I don't think I've ever seen anyone eat so much
    at a cat show!  For those of you that haven't ever 'seen' Nancy,
    she is tiny little thing !!! (a peanut).  I tease her about how
    much she eats at every show !!
    
    E.

    That's because shows are "hurry up and wait...and eat."
    
    Whadda ya think I keep in all those suitcases?
    
    Why do you think I had to lose 22 pounds recently????
    
    	:-)

    Cat shows made me fat too!  I just lost 40 pounds (well, not exactly
    "just".  It took several months)  It is so boring sitting around
    waiting for rings, that the natural inclination is to start stuffing
    your face.
    
    I don't overpack, I hate to pack so I sometimes underpack.  Cin
    sounds much more organized than I am.  I have two bags, one for
    me and one for the cat.  But, I have to take both bags to the hotel
    since I never thought to pack the cats overnight bag in with mine.
    
    Jo

    Things to do at cat shows:  eat, sit, wait, hurry, groom, SHOP,
                                complain about judges, doze, wait,
                                eat, sit, worry, wait, smoke,wait.
    
    I do admit that sometimes I take a 'cat hotel bag' .  I think
    it depends upon which cat you show.  Some cats seem to travel
    very light - Lily is one of those.  I think it's because she
    only will eat dry food, with one exception:  9-lives kitten tuna
    dinner - tiny can.  Of all the junk in the world, this cat who
    will turn her nose up at EVERY other canned food in the world,
    she will devour tuna dinner - and the STINK!  The show hall
    can clear out when I open one of those cans - Lil really
    loves it!!  But, if you have to take plates, can openers, spoons,
    etc. etc. - I know that some folks use hotel ash trays, but....
    It could run to a separate bag, unless your hotel bag is LARGE !
    
    E.

    RE:  Eating at the cat shows.
    
    Precicely why I had to loose 27 lbs and still have another 12! (-:  But
    I'm getting better at this.  Bringing crackers and cheese instead of
    candy!
    
    We've gotten pretty organized.  One hotel bag, one kitty show bag and
    one people show bag.  The people show bag usually has the munchies,
    asprin, and a sweatshirt or t-shirt for temperature change (They
    certainly did come in handy at the Concord show last year.  Eh
    ladies??).
    
    And the show bags are TINY!!  One duffle bag and one small overnight
    bag.  It's great showing cats with very little fur!  Piece of cake! 
    Wet your hand with witch hazel (or listerine), rub it down the cat's
    back, rub the chamois down the cat's back and go!!
    
    Holly
    

    re: 45
    
    aw, Holly, give me a break - guess folks will never forget THAT show!
    
    E.T._show_manager

    Well, I burn off all those calories getting excited!  Folks must
    think I'm nutz, but I can have the GREATEST time at the shows.
    And if my kitties aren't in the finals, there's always someone I
    know who is so I can go and get excited about their cats.  
    
      Nancy DC

    Nance, you're about as nutz as all the rest of crazies - I wouldn't
    get my withers in a dither over being wacco - I always say that when
    I stop getting excited, it's time to stop showing !!
    
    E.

     This my version of what happened behind the scenes at Preschies 
      Debut..
             Friday: D-DAY..
         Mama Cin arrives to help me get Preschie ready..,, Kate
    is able to answer door, hug friend.. and say my palms
    are sweaty... Cin says lets bathe Preschie.. HAPPY
    HEARS word BATH and is chuckling..Preschie is very good
    for Mama Cin , she bathes her in 1/4 of the time it takes
    me.. HMM..
         Kate makes tea to go with muffins Cin Brings,, (NOTE
    Palms are still sweaty) .. Tea water is ready.. YIPPEE SUCCESS
    Cin and I take  our break  drink our tea, eat muffins , chat..
    Break is over.. we dry Preschie.. and that takes 1/4 of the time
    it takes when I do her.. hmmmm.(NOTE Palms are still sweaty..)
     Next we have lunch.. NOTE Kate is not er um  domestic.. Cook
    is not part of vocabulary.. just like the NO word.. AHEM.. But
    I do dessert very well..)
      We eat lunch... lunch is done..(Note Palms are still sweaty..)
    We complete rest oF Preschies   stuff..
     We  depart for show hall.. (NOTE NOW PALMS ARE REALLY SWEATY..ET AL..)
     WE arrive at show hall.. Cin teaches me how to set up big cage..
    (note Sunday E.T.hd to er um show me how to get into litlecage
    to set up.. )
     Pre show announcements are  made.. Kate hears "bell type noise.."
    looks over at Cin, (note palms are now very sweaty..) and says
    Cin,, what does that mean.. Cin very calmly replies...
      I think that means someone is calling the show hall, Kate..
    that is the pay phone in the lobby,,.........
               They announce Preschies 1st ring... Preschie is
    very calm,, Mama Cin is calm.. Kate is apolectic.. Preschie
    is taken to ring after Mama Cin does her fur coat..
    she is fine,, MAMA Cin is fine.. Kate is apolectic..
    and so forth all nite.. The big moment finally arrives
    Preschie get a her 1st best cat.. Mama Cin si fine,  Preschie
    is fine,, Kate is in tears.. crying in her fur... Heheh..
    Sat Arrives.. MAMA Cin probably figures well today she will
    be calm.. MAMA Cin arrives at my house.. I open door..
    and say.. DID I dream everything that happened yesterday..!!!
    hmmm...more later..
    Kate..

    Well Kate, I thought you looked like a real pro!
    
    Boy that's amazing!  A BEST CAT in your very first ring!!!
    But then again, you were showing Preschie  :-)

    Kate,
    
    I think your in the wrong profession...you should have been a
    writer.  Did you ever think of starting a book for children
    regarding Kitties?   I love your stories..keep them comming.
               
    Congrats...Preschie         
                  
    Sandy

                                                          
    Don't worry Kate, Prechie will have you trained in no time!  "It's okay
    to cry in my fur, Mummie, Please do not wipe your eyes on my tail!" 
    That is what HRH and Panther taught her!
    
    Congrats to Prechie, and to Kate, I am so proud of both of you!!  I
    can't wait to see the rest of the ribbons.  Has Happy decided to use
    them for decorating yet?
    
    Feline Silly today,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot

    Nancy....it was Cin and Preschie who were the real pros.. must be
    in the genes..!!!!
      I left out the best part of the story.. on Sunday nite Cin, ET,
    Lauren and I stopped for a snack.. and as I was getting out of the
    car.. Cin spotted me removing my jacket to cover Preschies
    carrier. so she would be warm.. Cin said.. Kate.. she will
    be just fine. it is very warm out. of coure I replied..
    I am really not an overprotective mother.. YA RIGHT..
    Well after we ate.. I drove home.. I got
    to exit just by home in Nashua.. and Preschie had been sooooooooooooo
    quiet..in her little wicker basket..... with her pillows and her
    rosettes that I had buried in there under  her pillow.. when all
    of a sudden I heard some rustling noises.. and I said Preschie
    are you ok?.. what are you doing?.. all of a sudden I heard
    PURP..and lo and behold the little "darling" was in my lap
    with her little paws on the steering wheel.. with a ROSETTE
    in her mouth.. needless to say.. I was very shocked..
    and Back into the "playpen" she went.. from now on..
    we are going to travel in our regulation carrier with
    a padlock on the door..;*0.. No one, not even Happy
    has ever even attempted to escape... giggle, giggle..
    Kate

    
    Kate,
    
    Just be sure that when you put Prechie into her "regulation carrier
    with the padlock" that she doesn't have her lock picks and burgler
    tools with her.  Giggle Giggle heehee, Happy has taught her well, and I
    think that she has figured out a few things on her own!!
    
    Feline Houdini,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot
                       

    Sue.. I am sure that Happy has taught her some real gems..
    Last nite I was "practicing some Tips that Cin had shared with me
    on Happy.. needless to say she was not amused.. she was wiggling and
    squirming.. well Preschie was watching this little  this event..
    whne the next thing  I know... she came charging at me.. as I am trying
    to "hold a wiggling Happy.." and bit my toe. Happy escaped and they
    both went running down the Hall into the bedroom and under the
    waterbed.. Hmm. I wonder what kitty college lesson that was.. 
    hmm
    Kate, Happy..(YO.. YA got it right , kid) Preschie( Pay up
    Happy..!!!!!)