Last night, I went on a very fun date up to St. Pete to see the Yankees play against the Tampa Bay Rays. Yes, I was wearing my Yankees cap, and yes, my date was a Rays fan. But we still managed to have fun.

The Yankees may have been outmatched in last night’s particular game, but they by far outclass the Rays when it comes to one particular thing.

The Tampa Bay Rays, formerly known as the Devil Rays, changed their name in 2007 — and the brand changed from being about “manta rays” to being “a ray of sunlight” that radiates across all of Florida. They developed a new logo to match this change in sensibility.

Um, too bad, they didn’t develop a new conscience to go along with all the show-me-the-money new branding. Read more »

One of the greatest things about doing this blog is when I hear about people helping each other because of connections they make or hear about here on this site. We’ve had people donating to All Faiths Food Bank — to the tune of thousands of dollars. We’ve had readers in other states giving me advice and following up on Tony the Tiger. We’ve had local doctors trying to help me get a stray kitty cat into a good home. And now, one of my readers read a blog last week, and took action about the Pennsylvania cats rescued by Sarasota’s Cat Depot story I posted and look, now I’ve received a really super nice blog comment below from the folks at Cat Depot to round the story out. Read more »

Folks, we’ve GOT to do something about Tony. Read more »

The local Cat Depot is helping save the lives of 12 Pennsylvania felines (read below for how you can help them too!) who were rescued last week in a raid on a Pennsylvania so-called “sanctuary” known as the Animal Friends of Elk and Cameron Counties. Some friends — the conditions at the I-can’t-even-use-the-word-sanctuary-SLUM were so deplorable, inhumane, and overcrowded that 387 cats — including numerous kittens — were removed by a team of more than 50 first-responders, aided by the American Humane Association and PetSmart Charities.

The Sarasota 12 — as I’m calling them now — after their traumatic (but welcome) rescue Read more »

I just have to share this photo of the little guy in the back yard. He’s such a cutie.

One of my readers in Louisiana wrote to me with this message about the “Tiger at a Truckstop” story I posted a while back.

“Swung by yesterday and had a look.

He looked bored and hot … . Not many visitors … . It was sad … very, very sad.”

The reader is a regular reader and commenter on this blog and I really appreciate his effort to go check out the story in person. If you’d like to help this tiger, you can SIGN A PETITION at http://freetonythetiger.wordpress.com/ or look on Facebook for Free Tony the Tiger.

Here I was, watching a scary murder mystery. Sitting on the couch, minding my own business. Coco, Einstein, Boomerang — all asleep. Then I heard it.

A scratching at the window. Insistent. Einstein was on high alert. With not a little trepidation I made my way into the next room, got close to the windows and could hear my internal voice saying, “C’mon, show yourself you suckers. I’ll take you all on!” (Yes, I’m a not-so-scaredy-cat; I’ve come too far in my life to ever back down now from anybody, much less some crazed killer dumb enough to scratch at a window to let me know he’s outside).

And, I came face to face with a masked intruder!

Literally, this guy was less than two or three inches from my face! And from Boomer’s and Einstein’s too. We were all looking outside, our noses practically shmushed against the window pane. This guy’s face made me jump back and screech. Then I ran for the camera. Snapped him nosing. Then watched as two little baby raccoons meandered around the parent (couldn’t capture them), then watched as the parent Peeping Tom started to leave for more interesting views, I suppose.

Whew. I missed the ending of my movie — oh, I already had figured out whodunit, but still …. enough excitement for one night.

Has anyone heard of this situation? Apparently, a real, live Tiger is being kept in a tiny cage at a truckstop called “The Tiger Truckstop” in Louisiana. Can this be even real? I mean, who, what kind of person, would imprison a big cat like this? Read more »

I’m always looking for love … at least from cuddly canines and friendly felines. Oh, and owls, and birds, and snakes, and whatevuh. I guess I’m not too discriminating. I’d love to have a dog too, but with three cats, I have to draw the line. Read more »