Wide

(Illustration Friday: May 16, 2008)

Long ago, B.J. was a lone cowcat in the great wide open spaces of the Old West.

Electricity

(Illustration Friday: May 9, 2008)

After my quick trip to New York, I told the kitties all about this year's Rainforest Foundation Fund Benefit Concert. While the second half of the concert was dominated by Beach Boys' tunes, I demonstrated the most entertaining part of Brian Wilson's 8-song set: Sting twisting the night away with hilarious enthusiasm. They, of course, had fun copying his moves. It was too late by the time they realized what the rug-covered dance floor would do to their heavy coats. I think some of them like the new look. Let's just hope they don't set off any big sparks!

Seed

(Illustration Friday: May 2, 2008)

Whose trick is this anyway?

Wrinkles

(Illustration Friday: April 25, 2008)

What do you mean the bed's a mess?

Primitive

(Illustration Friday: April 18, 2008)

The Kitties visited an old movie house to learn about their ancestors. They've since been wondering why the dino-kitties' fancy tails weren't passed down though the ages.

Fail

(Illustration Friday: April 11, 2008)

Simon has many friends in the backyard, and he spends several hours each day discussing his great ideas with them. Well, some are great. Some are not so great.

Save

(Illustration Friday: April 4, 2008)

The other day, the Orioles's new center-fielder, Adam Jones, made a spectacular catch to save a run for the team. He ran backwards--looking up following the ball--blew a big bubble on the way, jumped, caught, crashed into the back wall, and summersaulted forward on the field before raising his arm up to show the ball in his hand. Gordon is perfecting this trick, but without the wall because I think that's too dangerous.

Homage

(Illustration Friday: March 27, 2008)

For Dad's birthday, The Kitties paid homage to our favorite team. (Simon thought of it, of course, since he plays for them.) See you at the championship!

Pet Peeves

(Illustration Friday: March 21, 2008)

One of Mom's biggest pet peeves is Simon's roundabout way of walking.

Heavy

(Illustration Friday: March 14, 2008)

Watch out when Norman's eyes get heavy. There's no telling where he might land.

Garden

(Illustration Friday: March 7, 2008)

Mom taught The Mother Kitty everything she knows about gardening. The Mother Kitty has since taken some liberties on how she cares for her flowers.

Leap!

(Illustration Friday: February 29, 2008)

When it's nice outside, one of Simon's favorite activities is to go bounding through our yard. Sometimes, he has company.

Multiple

(Illustration Friday: February 22, 2008)

The Kitties have been chatting about the fantastic array of moving boxes from the last few weeks--some small, big, and medium-sized, some full, some empty, and some flat. in any case, all have been perfect for kitty exploration. Boxes, boxes everywhere! They were sad to see the last one go to the recycle bin, but I wasn't!

The Mother Kitty (198? - February 26, 2008)

The Mother Kitty passed away last Tuesday after a long, fruitful, fascinating life. Kitty came to us from Akron, Ohio, after deciding that college life at the University of Akron was not for her.


At our house, she instead spent her days outside becoming an expert gardener with Mom, lounging in the sun, climbing her favorite tree, or wandering throughout her boundless territory. Sometimes, she stayed indoors, playing with string, watching movies with me or napping on my lap, collecting business cards, paperclips, hair barretts, or anything else she might find on her hunting expeditions throughout the house, and kneading her claws and shedding on anything that required her special touch.


Some of her favorite passtimes were bossing Simon or anyone else around (cat or human), challenging anyone to staring contests (She remains the World Champion.), and rearranging things on my dresser. She was a bonafide food critic, partial to tuna, corn, and Doritos. (Everyone remembers those evenings when she laughed in our faces and walked off whenever we tried to fool her with a meal that wasn't quite worthy of her.) During her 20 years with the Connolly Family, she bore six kittens, including her world-famous son, Gordon.


Our beloved, irreplaceable Kitty will be sorely missed. She and Gordon sparked the start of my drawings years ago, and she'll continue to be in them here because (1) there is no kitty like The Mother Kitty, and, (2) if I stop, she'll find a way to yell at me for it.

Theory

(Illustration Friday: February 15, 2008)

Dad and I are convinced that Simon is playing for the Boston Celtics under the alias of Rajon Rondo. He disappears during each game and then reappears in our garage sweaty, panting, and ready for a nap. Seeing him "play" in the driveway only whets our suspicions. I mean, who can't see through this disguise?

Choose

(Illustration Friday: February 8, 2008)

Some kitties are very particular about laps.

Blanket

(Illustration Friday: February 1, 2008)

Everyone has a comforter, but Julie gets a special blanket of kitties every night at her house. They all have their own spot.

Tales and Legends

(Illustration Friday: January 25, 2008)

Years ago, Gordon left home, determined to see the world over. Some nights, he drags out his chest of souvenirs, and The Kitties gather around for his endless stories of adventure.

Plain?!

(Illustration Friday: January 18, 2008)

The Kitties protested this week's topic. After all, no kitty is plain. Some were mad, some were snobby, some were sad, some left, and one didn't know what all the fuss was about.

Stitch

(Illustration Friday: January 11, 2008)

Gordon was immediately inspired by this week's topic. While I can't blame him since I have been just as delirious over Johnny's fantastic new movie and his well-deserved Golden-Globe-winning performance (It's about time!), I told him it would be too gruesome and un-kittylike. But he's proven me wrong again. I don't know where he got the outfit, but he's put the rest of The Kitties in stitches!