It's Time to Par-tay with the Kitty Cat Linky Party!

It’s party time! It’s Baby Kitty’s big day, so the staff is throwing a birthday bash in his honor and we hope you will join us! Yes, our illustrious co-host is turning eight and we are ready to celebrate! You may already be aware of his story…an amazing rise from rags to riches…so we are excited to honor him with this little par-tay!

The first to arrive is our CEO Ozzie, sporting an oh-so-festive headpiece for the celebration…and she’s brought a special present for the Birthday Boy from the staff! You will see later what it is!

Next to arrive is our webmaster Kitty…a quiet, behind-the-scenes kind of gal…who has chosen a traditional party hat for the occasion. Hmmm…now where’s our public relations director Miss Isabella? While we are waiting for her arrival, let’s check out the refreshments!

The buffet table holds an assortment of goodies…

…a special salmon pâté (aka cat food) fish-shaped cake topped with rows of kitty treat scales and surrounded by fresh strawberries…Baby Kitty’s favorite fruit…

…an assortment of party mixes in salmon, chicken and catnip flavors…

…and real milk punch served in pretty punch cups from a special kitty pitcher!

Hmmm…it looks as though the guests are tired of waiting for Miss Isabella and are ready to eat!

Of course, the guest of honor is served first! A little sprig of fresh catnip has been added as a pretty…and enjoyable…garnish!

Kitty, Baby Kitty and Ozzie dig in! It seems they are enjoying the refreshments!

Finally, the fashionably late Miss Isabella arrives, wearing her tiara and going straight for the milk punch!

We’ve saved a plate for you! Won’t you join us?

Now it’s time for Baby Kitty to open his present! The staff has all pitched in so that they could give him something really special…

…a one week cruise to CATalina on a CATamaran! It's a cruise for two, so I am hoping that Baby Kitty will invite me to go along!

Now it’s time to clear the plates and get ready to dance…

…because Scat Cat and his band have arrived and are ready to play! ♪♫♪ Everybody wants to be a cat! ♫♪♫ Well, for one day, anyway! I’m betting that even includes our faux feline friends who are in attendance!

Here’s our co-host in a pensive moment…thankful for all of his friends in Blogland who have taken the time to stop by to wish him a Happy Birthday! And that goes for all of the staff here at Plate Addict! So as a way to say thank you, there will be special goodie bags for several of our guests which will be chosen at random after the party closes!  And finally, we want to wish the best of birthdays to our handsome little guy who makes every day special!
And now…link up your favorite kitty or kitty wannabe and join the party!

Reminder...Kitty Cat Linky Party Friday Night!

It’s almost time to par-tay! Don’t forget the Kitty Cat Linky Party Friday night, July 22nd, to celebrate Baby Kitty’s eighth birthday! All you kitties and our kitty wannabe friends are invited! The link will be up around 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight time! There will be yummy refreshments, a well-known band and goodie bags for some of our special guests!  We are looking forward to seeing you at the big birthday bash! After all…♪♫♪ Everybody wants to be a cat! ♫♪♫…

Merci Beaucoup for the Awards!

I am so honored that several of my dear friends in Blogland have been so kind as to think of me in the form of some very special awards! I ask their forgiveness for taking so long to post them!

The first is this wonderful Love Blog's "The Spreader of Love" award from Riet at Quiltin' n Stitching lady. If you have not been to Riet's blog, you have missed a real treat! She is a very talented lady with a heart of gold! You will be amazed by her creativity.

I must say that I am in reality the recipient of love, because I have never met a more wonderful group of ladies than we have here in Blogland!

The only rule for this award is to pass it along to five people and spread the love!

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The next award is from Christine at Christine's Home and Travel Adventures.
Christine is a friend from Rate My Space and from MicasaStyle whose blog you will not want to miss! She has a gorgeous home and has a special post every Saturday with fabulous photos of her world travels!

The rules of this award are:
1) Accept the award and post it on your blog along with the name of the person who gave it to you as well as a link back to their blog.
2) Pass the award on to 5 blogs worthy of the award.
3) Be sure to notify the recipient that you have left them an award!

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This next award is a Sisterhood Award from Ann at Life at Ann's Place.
If you have not visited Ann's blog, you need to rush right over there right now! You will be met by the kindest, sweetest and most selfless lady in Blogland. She is always thinking of others! She'll take you in and treat you like she's known you all her life!

Here are the rules for the Sisterhood Award recipients: Put the logo on your blog or post. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude! Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.
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The final award is the Lemonade Award from two very special people:

Michelle (momovthree) at From House to Home
Michelle is lovingly renovating her home and we have the pleasure of following her through the process step by step. You will be amazed at what she has accomplished thus far in her lovely home! She is a bundle of energy!

Kristen at Kristen's Creations
Kristen is another friend from Rate My Space who is without doubt one of the most creative people I have ever had the pleasure to know! You will enjoy visiting her lovely home and also getting a peek at what she has in store for you at her online shop!

What this award is about...Bloggers who show great attitude and gratitude.
What you have to do...Upon receiving The Lemonade Award, you also pass it on to other bloggers who you think show great attitude and gratitude.
Here are the rules:
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 8 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

Well, wonderful ladies, I hope you won't mind if I cannot choose any one person to receive these awards. The longer I blog, the more I realize that I am surrounded by a fantastic group of women of all ages and in all parts of the world! You are a kind, loving and supportive group and I cannot express how much you have all come to mean to me! So I will just say...Thank you for being my friend!! I love you all!!! Hugs...Debbie

An Announcement, A New Blog and Some Awards!

I have an exciting announcement! My friend Barb at Grits and Glamour will be hosting a new event...What's on Your Wall Wednesday ... beginning next Wednesday, January 28th! This will give us all an opportunity to show off our treasured art work, photographs, murals, displays and in my case...PLATES... that we have so lovingly hung on our walls! Please visit her blog for more information and plan to be among the first to participate!

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Also...my friend Linda, whom you will remember as my antiquing buddy at the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta, Georgia, now has her own blog...Nina's Nest!! She is the one whose wonderful husband Bud gave her the antique French vaisselier or hutch we had been eyeing there! She has a beautiful French country home and you will be treated to lots of wonderful decorating ideas! Please drop by and pay her a visit!

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My friend Linda at Weekend Cook has honored me with the Sisterhood Award which is a triple award as you can see! If you have not visited her blog yet, you are missing out on a special treat! It is filled with wonderful recipes and they are indexed with pictures for easy access!!! You can scroll through and see what looks interesting! Isn't that a useful feature?

Here are the rules for the recipients:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

I would like to share this award with some new blogger friends:

Sharon at A Second Helping

Judybug at A Southern Belle Dishes on Decor

Cindy at Applestone Cottage

Teri at The Boosalis Bloggle

carolinajewel at Carolina Jewel's Table

Riet at Quiltin' nStitching Lady

Yvette at The Wait for Kate

Kathleen at The Bliss Journey

Be sure to drop by to visit these ladies. You will find a variety of wonderful ideas, funny moments to brighten your day and some great inspiration waiting for you on their blogs!

I would also like to offer them the Proximidade Award as well if they would like to take it. It follows below:

My friend CC Catherine at Catherine de thé Cups has honored me with the Proximadade Award. If you have not visited her blog, please drop by to see her delightful collection of tea cups and to get some wonderful ideas and instructions for hosting a tea party of your own!

This award translated from Portuguese means, "This blog contributes to and supports or believes in close friendships." "This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

So if the aforementioned bloggers would like to collect this award as well, please accept it in the spirit of friendship from the bottom of my heart! I am really enjoying getting to know all of you!

A Merry Christmas Tag!

I was tagged by Miss Janice at http://etiquettewithmissjanice.blogspot.com/with a Christmas meme. I am to answer the following questions:

1. What is/are your favorite Christmas movie(s)? A Charlie Brown Christmas

2. Favorite Christmas Song? The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) by Nat King Cole

3. Favorite holiday memory? My daughter's 2nd Christmas...paying more attention to wrapping paper and boxes than presents!

4. What is your favorite cookie/treat to make? Christmas sugar cookies with my grandson

5. Have you ever made an igloo? I tried as a child growing up in the mountains...no success!

6. Do you love Starbucks? Oh, absolutely!

7. What makes the perfect snowman? Packed snow
8. Best gift you ever received? I could not name just one.

9. What is the snowman's name on Rudolph? There's a snowman???

10. Silver or gold? Gold

11. What is your favorite Christmas decoration? A set of nursery rhyme ornaments

12. What's your Christmas decorating style? Traditional

13. Do you hang stockings? Yes. I still have my childhood stocking.

14. How many days do you celebrate Christmas? Two--Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

15. What was your favorite ornament on the tree as a child? Glass birds

16. Where will you be spending this Christmas? At my daughter's new home

17. When do you open presents? Only on Christmas morning

18. Real tree or artificial? Artificial.

19. Is there any chance you will have a White Christmas? No way!

20. Does your Church do a special service on Christmas Eve? No.

21. Do you send thank-you notes for Christmas gifts received? Oops! I only receive gifts from my family, so no.

I am not tagging anyone since it is almost Christmas!!!

Have a Merry Christmas!

A Swoon, an Afternoon and a Spoon...or...My Favorite Authors

I have been tagged by Carrie at Oak Rise Cottage (http://oakrisecottage.blogspot.com/) to answer some questions concerning my favorite authors. If you have not had an opportunity to visit her blog, please drop by! She is a fellow plate/china enthusiast who also has a wonderful collection of nativity scenes.

Who is your all-time favorite author and why? Ohhhh...that's easy if I think of it as my all-time favorite book...Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. For me it is the most unforgettable love story ever written. The power of Heathcliff's love for Catherine made such an impression on me as a teenage girl that I have never recovered from it. If teenage girls swooned back in the 60's, I would have swooned! If you don't believe me, read this:

"Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living! You said I killed you—haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe—I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!"

Are you swooning yet? And what makes it even better is that it was written by a very sheltered minister's daughter who had probably never been in love in her life.

Who was your first favorite author and why? This is also easy...Kenneth Grahame who wrote The Wind in the Willows. I think I loved this book because I found it all by myself on the bookshelf at home. I was fascinated from the first words. Toad, Rat and Mole are still some of my favorite characters. To this day, I love anything involving little animals wearing old fashioned clothes and "messing about in boats" for an afternoon on the river!

Do you still consider him/her to be among your favorites? Oh, absolutely! This book is still considered a classic in children's literature. I plan to introduce it to my grandson when he's old enough.

Who is the most recent addition to your list of favorite authors, and why? That is also easy...it's Peter Mayle and I think the reason is obvious! As a retired French teacher who has lived in France, I find myself eating his every word with a spoon! I love his stories of the little villages and the villagers of the Luberon in Provence. And who can resist his detailed descriptions of French cuisine ...not me! That is why I chose the Luberon as my vacation spot when I retired. I really like his fiction better than his non-fiction. If you are not familiar with his work, try A Good Year or Hotel Pastis. And bon appétit!

If someone were to ask you who your favorite authors are right now, what are the first words that would pop out of your mouth? It's funny, but I still love the classics! I love anything by the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy. Maybe I like the time period...maybe I'm a romantic...or maybe I just wish I could wear those dresses, ride in carriages and have a name like Bathsheba Everdeen or Elinor Dashwood! I'm not sure!

Because it is such a busy time of year, I will not tag anyone, but I would love to read your responses if you should decide to take on the challenge!

Rules: Link to the person that tagged you, post the rules somewhere in your meme, answer the questions, tag six people in your post, let the tagees know they have been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog, let the tagger know your entry is posted.

The Christmas Spirit Award

Hello Everyone!

This is a very special award dedicated to having wonderful Christmas spirit!
It was passed on to me by my friend Melissa at http://melissasheartandhome.blogspot.com/. Please visit her blog to see her wonderful home and get to know this sweet and special person.

Here are the rules for the Christmas award:
You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award. The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas. You must link back to the person who gave you the award. You must list 5 things that you love about Christmas. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space! Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 50. It's up to you! But, you must pass it on to at least one person in order to keep the Christmas cheer going! Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment.

Here are my Five Things:
1. The smell of a fresh Christmas tree- Several years ago, I switched to an artificial tree, but I still snitch some boughs from Home Depot that have been cut from the bottom of other trees just to have the smell. One of my old boyfriends was a Green Beret during the Viet Nam era. If you are my age, you know what that means. He once told me that when he was a little boy, he took some of the pine needles from the Christmas tree and tucked them under the corner of his mom's rug so that he could take them out and smell Christmas all year round. Somehow, the picture of that brave soldier having that sweet secret always touched my heart.

2. Baking cookies and making candy- I am the official cookie and candy maker for our family. Each year, I think maybe I'll leave off one or more of the items, but I can't because each person has his or her favorite and they are all different! lol

3. My grandson's face as he opens his presents- There's nothing like seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child! And as he told his mom..."I don't have to put that on my Christmas list. I just tell Granny!"

4. Santa Claus- You will think I am silly when I tell you this, but on my daughter's first Christmas, I was so disappointed when I woke up and there was nothing under the tree except what I had put there. I am still convinced that there was a mix-up because I know he is real. I cry in the scene in The Polar Express when the elves bring out the reindeer who can't wait to fly and then Santa comes out. I know that is how it really is and I want to be there!

5. Being with my family- We are a small family and it means the world to me to have all of us in the same room at the same time! We are so excited now that the children are getting married and having children of their own! We rejoice at each new addition to our merry band!

I have had such a wonderful time meeting and getting to know all of you, so it is hard for me to choose. However, I choose my special friend Kathy at Emptynester. She is the embodiment of the Christmas Spirit because she is such a caring and giving person who still looks at the world through a child's eyes. She is a new blogger like me, so please visit her at http://mbkatc230-emptynester.blogspot.com/ . You will be delighted that you did as she shows you around her wonderful all-American small town. Merry Christmas, Kathy!

An Award and A Tag

I got my first award as a blogger! It's from my cyber friend and fellow cat lover Sheila at "The Quintessential Magpie." If you haven't visited her blog, be sure to stop by. I especially loved her recent post about the adventures of her new friend ...a rag doll named Autumn Annie who can even drive a car. Oh oh...watch out! Remember Toonces the driving cat?
I am supposed to name 5 things that I love...so here I go.

1. I love sunset at the beach. I love the way it goes down so gradually until the very end when it seems like it switches into light speed and then..zip...it's gone. You can almost hear the water hiss! It also helps if you are with a good friend and you have a margarita to sip on. Ahhhhh!

2. It is no secret that I love my cats. This is the only picture that I have of all 4 of them together. I had to entice them with catnip to get them to be that close to each other all at the same time! They pretty much just tolerate each other...it's a cat thang! That's the remnants of my grandson's chalk drawing on the patio. Three of the four were literally picked up off of the street. I love my babies!

3. I love the artist Van Gogh. Here I am in his bedroom!... lol ... They have a 3-D mock-up of this painting in Arles, France, where he did much of his work. Unfortunately, his house was bombed in WWII. This room is in a tiny museum near the arena. It is located up a narrow staircase and there's only room for about 5 people. My friend and I were alone up there, so we hopped the rope and took pics...lol... Doesn't it look real?? I'm looking somewhat the worse for wear because we had walked all over town for the Van Gogh tour.

4. I love the little town of l'Isle-sur-la-Sorge, France. It looks like a picture post card. It is actually built on the islands where the 5 branches of the Sorgue River come together. There are also numerous water wheels left over from the silk industry. One of the best antique and flea markets in France is held there every Sunday. If you have ever read Peter Mayle's book Hotel Pastis, this is a picture of the bank that the bungling burglars attempt to rob. If you haven't read it, you're in for a treat!

5. And finally....I love cheese! I love it better than chocolate. Roquefort cheese is my favorite... I love to eat it straight. Unfortunately, it's really expensive ... something about a retaliatory tax involving where the French get their bananas. I don't care where they get their bananas...I want my cheese!

Now I am supposed to pass this along to some more cyber friends. But... since it's nearly Christmas and everyone is very busy, I'll let you decide whether or not you want to take this one on. If you do, please let me know. I would love to see your response!

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My good friend Ann at "Life at Ann's Place" has done me the honor of tagging me! I was also recently tagged by my friend Gloria at "Happy to Be." I am going to see if I can think up 6 more random things. Hmmmmm......

1. I have been making "artistic improvements" on my hair for about 15 years. Let's just say I can't remember what I started out with and I'm sure it doesn't look that way any more anyway.

2. I grew up in paper mill town. I know...you are saying "peeeeeew." But when you live there you don't smell it. ..just like those people who work in Yankee Candle Company.

3. I have never broken a bone...thus far. One time I flew off the sink and landed on my head when I was trying to fix the faucet. I was really happy when I woke up and realized I had not cracked my head wide open. That's about as close as I have come.

4. I am near-sighted in one eye and far-sighted in the other. It has come in pretty handy until lately. Now I have to wear bifocals.....wah!

5. I didn't get my driver's license until I was 17. I was a huge chicken. Even when I took the test, the state patrolman felt sorry for me because I was so nervous.

6. In high school, my chemistry teacher told me I was the worst lab student she'd ever had. Now I was a teacher...I know you're not supposed to say that kind of stuff to the kids. But it must have been true. Well... gosh darn... she'd always tell us all about how we might blow ourselves up or burn ourselves with acid! What was I supposed to do??

Well...Those are my 6 random things. I'm not going to pass these along either for the same reason. However, once again, if you decide to participate, please let me know so I can read your post. I love to read these things. You find out all sorts of, well, random things about someone!

I've Been Tagged!

Gloria at http://wwwhappytobe.blogspot.com/ tagged me to name 6 random things about myself. Here are the rules...
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog (copy and paste 1-6)
3. Write 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

So here are my 6 random things:

1. I wanted to meet Jacques Cousteau and go aboard the "Calypso" but he died and it sank before I could do either of those things. :(

2. I name all of my cars. My current car is named Tawanda ("Fried Green Tomatoes").

3. I had my daughter at age 29, my mother had me at 29, my grandmother had her at 29, my great-grandmother had her at 29 and my great- great-grandmother had her at 29. My daughter is 28. Hmmm....

4. I have cut a kitten's umbilical cord. I found an abandoned new-born kitten in the driveway, cut his cord and bottle fed him around the clock . We think his mom was a feral cat having her first litter. That's my Baby Kitty pictured in the sidebar.

5. I want to learn how to play the banjo.

6. I'm related to Patrick Henry (..."give me liberty or give me death.")

Now I am tagging:

1. Deb/"at the cottage" at http://tinybeaches.blogspot.com/

2. Barb at http://gritsglamour.blogspot.com/

3. Blossom at http://bridalblooms4u.blogspot.com/

4. Michele at http://pug1.blogspot.com/

5. Melissa at http://melissasheartandhome.blogspot.com/

6. Page at http://thetavareses.blogspot.com/

I can't wait to hear the 6 random things about these amazing ladies!