Category: Animals

BEST. CAT. EVER. 💔

Published on by J. Kelland Perry48 Comments

The time has come to blog about something I’ve always dreaded, and the tears will be inevitable as I write it.
It has taken me a while to accept the heartbreaking fact that, after a brief but devastating illness, our precious Vivian is no longer with us.

Vivian K. Perry

Life is too quiet now. Our home will never be the same. Perry’s Point will never be the same. I’m still grieving far too much to make these words eloquent, so just know that our pain and loss is real.

Vivian was our constant companion and our family member for over sixteen wonderful years. Her love and her devotion to Paul and me was unconditional and mutual. She will remain in our hearts forever.

Her last night on my lap—November 2/23

My hope is that she is reunited with her sister Maisie, enjoying all kinds of capers, cuddles and catnaps in a sweet kitty afterlife.

🐾 🐾 ❤️❤️ 🐾 🐾

Rest easy, sweet kitty!

I’m sharing Vivian’s first guest post on my blog from 2012 below:

Guest Post: Vivian’s View From Here

Vivian’s View From Here: I’m Sweet 16!

Published on by J. Kelland Perry31 Comments

Greetings, Peeps and Pets. Vivian K. Perry here, happy to share that I celebrated a milestone birthday last week. I know, I know, I’m already sweet and fabulous!

Sixteen wonderful years with Jennifer and Paul—three years in the city, thirteen in the country. And thirteen years with my sweet and beautiful sister Maisie.

Our Maisie

I still get to explore the outdoors here on Perry’s Point …

… especially during the gentle days of summer.

I even grab naps outside!

🐾 🐾 🐾

Yet, it’s equally as lovely indoors where I get tons of love and attention.

Jennifer says she can’t imagine life without me.

All I know is, however long I remain in this earthly realm …

… I’m pretty sure no cat has had a better life.

I am one grateful feline.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

🎈🐾🎈🐾🎈

A new addition to our family…

Published on by J. Kelland Perry56 Comments

Introducing Sophie Rae, my son’s new dog. She is a white golden retriever.

Isn’t she a darling? Welcome to our world, little girl! 💕

“Happiness is a warm puppy.” — Charles M. Shulz

Saving Her Place

Published on by J. Kelland Perry12 Comments

Happy August, everybody!

Vivian K. Perry here, covering for Jennifer while she takes a little more time away from her blogging routine. Both of my staff have been rather busy lately, what with personal and work trips, but Jennifer promises she will return to a more regular blogging schedule—and to drop in on your lovely blogs—very soon.

I was happy to travel with my peeps on our usual two-week stay in the capital city in July, but I stay home and hold the fort when they go on short road trips for work. Anyway, I’m sure you’ll hear more about all of that before you know it.

In the meantime, I will save her place in more ways than one. Enjoy the rest of summer, dear friends! 💕

Vivian’s View From Here: Can You See The Difference?

Published on by J. Kelland Perry22 Comments

Happy Sunday, peeps and pets!

Vivian K. Perry here, sharing with all of you lovelies some new photos of moi. I posed for the first two back in 2012:

Look at me!

A force to be reckoned with at 5 years old

Zoom ahead ten years to the present:

In my fifteenth year, do you think . . .

. . . I’m still pretty?

I can’t see the difference. Can you see the difference?

Not much has changed for me in the past decade—aside from the devastation of losing my sweet sister Maisie two years ago.

As a mature feline (not gonna use the word old!), I still lead quite an active life. I go outdoors several times a day. I eat both wet and dry cat food, which Jennifer thinks helps keep my fur nice and soft. I’m an exceptionally clean creature and a fastidious groomer. And I get plenty of love and attention from both my staff.

The one thing that has changed a bit are the length and number of my naps.

Beauty sleep is a must!

Yes, there’s no denying I’m a cat “of a certain age.” But when you are healthy and enjoying your days in a relaxed, wholesome, loving environment, life is a joy. In some ways, I’m still growing: in my experience, my wisdom, an ever-growing collection of memories, and my “kitty” vocabulary!

Perhaps some of you (and that includes my human friends and followers) can relate.

Hey, pet peers,
any of you enter your senior years yet?
Are you enjoying your elder status?

“The great thing about getting older is that
you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.”
~ Madeleine L”Engle

Vivian’s View From Here: A Fresh Look

Published on by J. Kelland Perry39 Comments

Hello everyone! Vivian K. Perry here, eager to bring you a fresh look of me enjoying Perry’s Point this morning.

It’s been an odd sort of winter here in Newfoundland and Labrador, with less snow than usual, particularly here on the Bonavista North coastline where a strong gale often whisks the flakes away before they can even think about settling. But overnight last night the light wind allowed a pretty layer of snow to fall, and the sun came out, so I couldn’t wait to go outside and explore.

This was my second trip outside this morning.
Time to make more tracks!

I’ve made plenty of paw prints but I look for the dry spots too.


I think I’ve had enough for now. Time to go inside for a cuddle.

“You know, sometimes the world seems like a pretty mean place.
That’s why animals are so soft and huggy.” – Bill Watterson

Check out my very short YouTube video below
to see how I try to retrace my snow-prints! ~ love, Vivian


Photo Challenge: Sunday Stills – Another Fresh Look At…

Cats of Christmas Past and Present

Published on by J. Kelland Perry26 Comments

Meowy Christmas, peeps and pets! Vivian K. Perry here today, filling in for Jennifer while she finishes getting ready for the holidays.

I got to reminiscing about my sister Maisie this morning, who went over the rainbow bridge in May of 2020. Here we are, together, several Christmases ago:

And here is Maisie, unable to resist our little tree:

Jennifer has many other cats in her extended family.
Here is Joey, one of her daughter’s cats:

. . . and here’s Joey with his sister Ginger:

Jennifer’s sister-in-law owns this fluffy kitty who goes by the name Scotty—aka Butterscotch:

Not long ago, Scotty had a brother named Merlin:

This cat’s name is Gerald. He belongs to Jennifer’s niece:

Jennifer’s sister had a cat named Zoe:

. . . and Jennifer’s son had a cat named Miss Mooch:

Jennifer and I are sending out Season’s Greetings to all of our friends, family, pets and bloggers.
We look forward to catching up with you again in 2022!
~ Love and purrs, Vivian. ❤

Viv in the Moment: An Ordinary Day

Published on by J. Kelland Perry39 Comments

Happy Sunday, peeps and pets!

Vivian K. Perry here, filling in for Jennifer who is up to her eyeballs in paint cans, brushes and rollers this weekend. Besides that, she needed a break from her laptop, as she’s been busy this month outlining a new novel.

Anyhoo, I’m sharing several photos of yours truly today. I want to show you a little bit of what an ordinary day looks like for a fourteen year-old feline like moi. I love to explore around Perry’s Point every day, rain or shine, because I’m an excellent watch-cat. These two photos were taken during a misty morning vole hunt.

I spend a lot of time listening for the tiniest of movements in the grass.
No luck this morning. Not even a measly shrew. I’ll try again later.

I happen to have a fondness for ordinary, drama-free days. No pressure, no worries, and oodles of moments I can spend any way I please.

My peeps noticed that I’m doing something new recently. I look for warm spots! Does this mean I’m finding it colder than I used to? Perhaps it goes along with my advancing years. In the photo below, I am in Jennifer’s recently vacated (warm) spot. I’m always stealing it.

May I help you? No, this isn't a guilty look. This is my spot now, so kindly buzz off.

“It has taken awhile, but I certainly do know it now – the most wonderful gift I had, the gift I finally learned to cherish above all else, was the gift of all those perfectly ordinary days.” ~ Katrina Kenison, author of The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother’s Memoir

A little late, but this has been my take on Lens-Artists Photo Challenge 169: The Ordinary

Have a purr-fect week, everyone!
Head bumps and nose kisses, Vivian

Viv in the Moment: Look Who Has a Birthday!

Published on by J. Kelland Perry32 Comments

Hello, my peeps and pets!

Vivian K. Perry here, happy to report that I’m turning fourteen today!

Where have the years gone? Time seems to be flying by ever since we moved out of the city, back when I was only three. And I’m hoping for many more years yet on this side of the sod. My staff is doing everything they can to keep me happy and healthy, I can certainly vouch for that.

Taking a break from playing fetch with my favourite ball

Anyway, I’m off to celebrate my special day by going outside to explore Perry’s Point for the millionth time.

Thanks for visiting and have a purr-fect week!
Head bumps and sandpaper kisses,
♥ Vivian ♥

A Cat Pic, Southpaws, and an Abundance of Jennifers

Published on by J. Kelland Perry27 Comments
Vivian in her “Summer Happy Place”

Happy Sunday, all!

The above photo was taken by my son’s significant other, Jennifer (yes, another Jennifer, but I’ll return to that topic in a bit).

Vivian was enjoying a catnap in our back garden that day. Some days during summer, she crawls into the wild rosebushes in our garden for naps that can last for hours! She hasn’t got the life, I know. Thinking of the photographer reminded me of something I wanted to share.

Photo by Pexels.com

First, about the southpaws: I am a lefthanded person. I was one of those little girls whose grandmother tried to switch her over to righthandedness, whether I was holding a spoon, fork, crayon or pencil. But I was having none of that. No siree bob. Mom finally convinced my Nanny Lambert that it was useless for her to keep trying.

I was the only lefty in my immediate family. My parents, sister, and brother were all righthanded. But then something interesting happened.

I had: 1 GIRL and 1 BOY

My brother had: 1 BOY

My sister had: 1 BOY and 1 GIRL

Three of those boys, our only sons, were born lefthanded! What are the odds on that?

Now, back to the “Jennifers.”

There are three other Jennifers in my extended family. No, none of them were named after me (shucks).

These other Jennifers are the wives/significant others of mine and my siblings’ three sons! All three couples have been together for years. ❤

Funny how life in all its randomness created such a happenstance. Do you have any strange coincidences in your family? Many southpaws? While thinking on that, have another, more closeup look at our Vivian. Thanks again for the great capture, Jenny!