tabs

Dang! It was burnin’ up in Redding this weekend. We’re talkin’ hot, like fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk hot.

It was so hot that charcoal briquettes were jumping out of the bag into the fire to cool off.

It was so hot that I used my finger as a curling iron.

It was so hot that Tabs would have been jealous (because he’s usually the hottest thing in the room).

In other words, it was hot!

We just walked in the door, and wouldn’t ya know it? — who texts, but none other than Tabs from the tarmac at the airport to ask for a ride home. I may not have mentioned this before, but I’m also his chauffer/airport shuttle (he doesn’t do public transpo).

Yeah, while El Hub and I were frying in Redding, Tabs was flying to and from Maui for a weekend of fun in the sun with Jay-Z, Beyonce and baby Blue.

Tabs must have sent about 10 pics over the past 24 hours from the beach, the pool and the spa at the Four Seasons.

Lucky cat.

I’m sure I’ll get all the deets in the car on the drive home.

I admit that sometimes it seems like Tabs lives this jet-setting playboy tabby lifestyle, but it’s not all about weekend getaways with hip-hop royalty. He also werks, and here are some of his current kitty modeling campaigns… 🙂

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Two hundred Sundays. You and I have spent 200 Sundays with Tabs.

What does that mean? Well, it means that Tabs may be the Linda Evangelista of feline supermodels, and the funny thing is, he never imagined he would go this far. Back when a talent scout discovered him wandering the streets of Mill Valley, he thought, “Sure, maybe I’ll book some catalog work or a runway show at the mall.” And look at him now — the number one most requested plus-size kitty model in the entire world.

Do I feel crazy working for a cat? No. Absolutely not. I’m really proud of Tabs and how far he’s come. A lot of the time people think that plus-size kitty modeling is just turn your head here, move your tail there, but it’s actually really hard on your body and mentally exhausting as well.

Of all the campaigns Tabs has worked on over the years, I think the most memorable for me was the MAC Reel Sexy campaign, just because it took forever to get that huge purple wig into place, LOL!

That was a fun one. The shoot was in this big vintage theater, and the photographer, Mario Testino, had to get really creative to get the shot he wanted. Tabs loves old Bond films, so Mario had the theater owner play Goldfinger on the big screen.

It worked. Tabs was totally enthralled, forgot that the camera was there, and Mario got the shot. The rest is kitty modeling history.

Tabs doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon. In fact, he had a bunch of big jobs this week, and here they are. Hope you enjoy.

Onward to 300! 🙂

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Evolution of a cat lady

A question for the members of Club Cat Lady: have you always been a member, or do you remember when you joined?

This may come as a shock, but I wasn’t always obsessed with our feline overlords. As a matter of fact, for most of my life, I considered myself a dog person, and El Hub and I used to talk a lot about adopting a couple o’ mutts when the time was right.

Then, one fateful day — I think it was in 2006 — I heard a friendly voice outside the laundry room of our old apartment. “Meow?”

I’d say it was the voice of an angel, LOL! — but that’s not exactly right. 🙂

I guess the seeds of my eventual move to Cat Ladyville were sown when I was a kid living in the burbs. My dad, who grew up on a farm surrounded by lots of different animals, was always bringing home one random creature or another, much to my mom’s dismay.

Our house was like the neighborhood zoo! Cats, dogs, birds, fish, rabbits, mice, turtles — basically, if it crossed paths with my dad and looked like it needed a home, we adopted it.

But by the time I started high school, Mom had had enough. She put her foot down one year, and the only animals allowed to stay were the dogs.

I had a deep bond with our black lab, Bell (RIP, buddy), who was with us through my early twenties, and when I returned home after college, Shauna, a 100-percent pure mystery mutt with gorgeous golden fur, moved in.

She’s an old girl now and doesn’t fetch as quick as she used to… I get a little misty-eyed when I remember her as a wee puppy.

Tabs and Shauna have never met, but I’m sure he’d rock her world. For such an aloof diva superstar kitty, he makes a pretty good first impression.

It’s weird, but sometimes I think of Tabs as a dog. He’s very comfortable and outgoing around people, and not skittish at all.

I remember at the old apartment in Mill Valley when Tabs first started coming around; he’d follow me all over the complex like a puppy!

On laundry day, he’d walk by my side down the stairs, across the parking lot and all the way into the laundry room. Then he’d wait patiently, cleaning himself and sniffing around, until I put the clothes in the wash, and then escort me back to our front door.

“May I help you with the laundry?”
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