MY CAT'S CATIO: ENCLOSED BALCONY, OUTDOOR PRIVATE PATIO FOR CATS. BUILDING A SAFE, OUTDOOR PETS ENCLOSURE.
Wahhh! My spoiled Scottish Fold, Basil Farrow, now has a Catio — a cat patio, like the ones featured in the New York Times article! Need I say that he adores it?
When it was ready to use, Basil very carefully approached the catio with his sideway-feet.
He sniffed the screen door, and felt the straw mat…
… and gazed through the plastic fencing at the yard.
“Wahhh!” he said, proudly sniffing the fresh air. “I’m an outdoor cat now!”
Well, sort of. Basil Farrow is too precious to brave the elements… so he’s only allowed on a hyper-clean, protected balcony with parental supervision!
Basil’s grandpa closed up the two “open” sides of the balcony with a staple gun and sturdy plastic netting (don’t use chicken wire, which has sharp edges, or splintered wood). He put an old Body Shop beach mat on the ground.
The staircase is closed off with a plastic baby gate, locked with a string and hook. Oh Basil Farrow — he keeps pawing at the door and trying to escape!
The baby gate cleverly slides into a plastic magazine rack, so Basil can’t pull the corner open and squeeze through. He rests his head on his Japanese mouse-mouse pillow, hoping and waiting…
Basil Farrow loves watching the birds and squirrels, and lying down in the sun. It’s a great compromise: your housecat stays safe, while getting a taste of the outdoors.
Have you ever seen a Catio, or considered building one for your cat(s)? What are your thoughts on indoors vs. outdoor cats?
PS: Anyone going to see D’espairs Ray on their US and Canada concert tour in August? Here are the dates.
PPS: Dir En Grey announced a North American concert tour with Apocalyptica, August to September 2010. Dates here. WHO’S GOING?
Japanese Word of the Day: Karesansui = Japanese rock garden (literally, “dry landscape”)
Song of the Day: The Cure – Lovecats (maoo!)
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LA CARMINA TRAVEL TV HOSTING REEL. ORIGINS OF THE NAME: ARMY OF LOVERS LA CAMILLA, LA CARLOTTA, ITALIAN OCCULT FASHION ICON MARCHESA LUISA CASATI.
I often receive the question: where does the name La Carmina come from? Voila the tale of my name’s blood and glitter-splattered origins. (As for La Carmina’s real name? Age? Boyfriend? That’s a mystery…)
The name “La Carmina” was bestowed upon me in 2007 by Basil Farrow’s father. It’s a spin on La Camilla, the lead singer of Italo Disco Swedish glam camp band, Army of Lovers. When you watch the disco-Rococo Crucified music video, you’ll see why the name fits.
But there are other “La Ca___” in history, and they tend to be decadent diva types. You probably know of La Carlotta, the prima donna in Phantom of the Opera. She storms around the opera house in tiered dresses and too-tight corsets, shattering eardrums and slapping her minions with a giant feathered fan.
And then there’s La Casati (Marchesa Casati Stampa di Soncino), whose morbid eccentricity and spend-thrift ways scandalized Europe in the late 19th and early 20th century.
The Italian heiress lived in a Gothic Art Deco manor where peacocks and monkeys roamed freely. She threw opulent soirees that would put Queen’s Freddy Mercury to shame. Once, La Casati wore a dress of white feathers, streaked with fresh blood – yes! Another time, she draped live snakes around her neck and led two cheetahs on a leash, while being waited upon by male slaves wearing nothing but gold leaf – double yes!
Erte, Jean Cocteau, Picasso and Man Ray called the dark lady their muse. But she frittered away her inheritance and ended up living as a crazy bag lady in London. Rumor has it that La Casati would rummage through garbage bins to find feathers for her hair, and scraps of fabric for her moth-eaten coats.
I leave you with two quotes from Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary (HIGHLY recommended): “Lives full of drama, masked balls, orgiastic revels…” / “In the city, with the noises of the streets, the hum of the theaters, and the bright lights of the balls, they were leading lives where the heart had space to expand, the senses to blossom.“
Huge hug for 13-year-old Caitlyn Banfield, who sent me these adorable drawings. My Scottish Fold cat is dressed as a ghost and says “Wahh, mama is so kawaii!” I’m happy to feature your artwork / fanart on my site; just send me an email. I try to reply to as many comments as I can, so don’t be scared to leave one.
Finally, I compiled a reel of my travel TV hosting work, which you can see above and on YouTube. It includes CNN, Travel Channel Bizarre Foods, NHK, Today Show. I have more TV / hosting gigs in the works — very excited! If you’d like me to work with me in any capacity, shoot me an email.
Do you have a nickname? If so, how did the name affix itself to you?
Japanese Word of the Day: Ryoko = Travel
Song of the Day: I can’t stop listening to this New Beat / Industrial / EBM music stream. SO good, especially halfway through when the song goes “Lix! Erandeauch! Lungband!” You can hear more at Endurance club night, every second Saturday at London’s Club Alibi (more info here.)
LA CARMINA
