By now just about everyone who lingers over these pages has read (and commented on) c99p's phenomenal success and growth. It's truly an amazing thing and a most hospitable locale to read and write. Well, with growth and maturity comes responsibility. Or so I've been told. Can't lay claim to the maturity part, but I've heard it enough times to take it as a truism.

While attempting to forestall maturity at all costs, I've nonetheless acquired an innate sense of responsibility. Some things just can't be helped, it seems. And so I've taken it upon myself to be c99's "beggar for bucks", "pleader for pesos", "digger for donations". Thems of youse whats happened upon my previous scribblings will also note that I generally contend with practical matters. My philosophical musings are just way too dark to sully these pages. This "essay" is no different.

Without further ado, I present "Moggies for Moulah". (There's a theme here. See if you can figure it out.)

The Chateau is home to six furballs - three of whom would, by all definitions, be considered normal. The other three are, charitably, peculiar.

JAVA aka Miss Congeniality. She spent the first seven years at the Chateau upstairs, never coming down to the ground floor. Perfectly happy to be by herself. "I'm the cat who walks by himself herself and all places are alike to me." - R.K. or "I vant to be alone." - Garbo.
Two years ago we had a major project done, finally. The Library. The constant activity disturbed her composure and her personal domain. She moved downstairs and never returned.

WHINEY is somewhat better adjusted, but has her own unique feature. She can only be petted when she wants to be petted and lets us know by letting off with a long and persistent yowl. We suspect she's part Siamese. This in itself wouldn't be so unusual except that she can only be petted (when she wants to be petted) in two locations in the house - on a little piece of carpet in front of one of the litter boxes, or in the guest room with her head stuck under the cedar chest.

These two are BONNY&CLYDE Bonny's on the right. They started life out as abandoned farm kittens. They were brought to us when you could hold both of them in one hand. Naturally we immediately lavished them with our typical slavish attention and they've thrived, no doubt thinking that Chateau des Chats is better than dying and going to heaven. They're inseparable. They eat together. They play together. They chase each other around the house (because the other cats are either too staid to run around, or too eccentric to join in on the fun.) They mostly sleep together too.

"I AM smiling, Fucker! Now leave me alone."

Clyde under the lamp. This is just about as relaxed as a moggie can get.

Did you figure out the theme yet? If you didn't it would be mean of me to prolong the suspense.

Moggies like to be warm. Moggies Looooooove to be warm. Their body temperature is 106°. That's why they wear fur coats all the time. Being as we (that includes AB) live in Chateau Igloo with The Norwegian, it's always chilly except under the lamps generously scattered about the house. The moggies appreciate it and show their appreciation by deigning to eat the food we provide without too much fuss.

The thing about lamps is... they run on electricity. And by a strange twist of fate, so does this blog, this haven, this oasis of tranquility and bonhomie, this refuge, this platform for c99ers to vent, to grow, to learn and to teach.

OK here comes the crunchy bit...

This site is People Powered -- Of the 99, by the 99, for the 99.

If you've donated before, thank you from myself and all the others who have donated. Thank you from JtC and Joe, and the rest of the moderators who made and make this place possible.

If you haven't donated yet, please consider that as the site grows its costs go up; consequently, more donations are going to be needed to keep pace if we don't want Teh Googles poking their ugly ads in here.

Donations don't have to be burdensome. Reach into the sofa for those coins between the cushions. Try to make whatever donation you're comfortable with a regular monthly or weekly donation so J&J can figure it into their income stream.

That's it. I'd sell pencils or apples but they don't email all that well.

Bonus Photo - AB, the Marsupial

"Naps are good."