Tabs

Once upon a time, our Rosie pose was sweet as pie. Then came that fateful day when I took her for a walk outside…

Now I live with a beast!

I’m not surprised. Back when Tabs was my main squeeze, and he was the most refined and elegant of all the kitties I’ve known, the act of taking him outside also unleashed something primitive in him.

His tail would whip a little faster; his tum would sway a little more aggressively; and, was it just me, or did his teeth look a little bit sharper too?

Something about going outside fires up the felines, and Rosie isn’t immune to it…

Rosie: Birth of a Monster

Ever since I started taking her outside for walks in the morning, she’s been feistier, more demanding and, dare I say it, diva-esque?

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Even though our old front yard was a bit of a mess, overgrown and very “lived in,” Tabs loved it more than anyone. To him, it was a gateway to adventure. So many sassy birds, lively lizards, interesting insects and fragrant flowers to smell. It was also the tapestry of his feline fashion designs. It’s where he got many of his best ideas.

But with Tabs living his best afterlife now over the Rainbow Bridge, the time has come for a front yard revamp. It’s not quite done, but it’s getting there, and I feel like Tabs would approve of the design decisions. It’s sort of Mediterranean with a touch of Southern Belle…just like Tabs.

Rosie’s landscape influence

It also reflects Rosie’s more minimalist design aesthetic, with more negative space than there was before. She’s just beginning to get comfortable going for walks on her leash and exploring the neighborhood.

She’s learning fast!

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Today’s been the hottest day of the year, man! We’re pushing 109! It is crazy hot.

Tabs, of course, loved days like this. He thought the heat brought out the richness of his fur…

He would have been lounging by a body of water somewhere on a day like this, sipping champagne…

Traditional fashion photography rules advise against taking pics during the hottest, brightest time of day because of the harsh shadows, but Tabs didn’t go for that. He loved kitty modeling in full sun and was like JJ Abrams when it came to lens flares.

Rosie, on the other paw, would rather relax inside the house with a cool beverage than work her angles in the hot sun…

The coywolf and I appreciate the merits of both approaches. We’ll hit a couple poses in the sun before retreating to someplace with ice cream and AC inside. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I don’t know how this happened, because I thought I retired from assistant life, but somehow I was roped into preparing several Zoom classes for Rosie today. Apparently, she’s been teaching astrophysics on the side, in addition to being Connor’s #1 gal pal. A lot of it was totally over my head, but Rosie seemed to know what she was talking about. She was actually pretty nice to me and didn’t throw anything or swat at me when I couldn’t get the equations right.

All this is to say that Rosie is very excited about going back to school next month. She asked me to make her a celebratory collar, and the specs were down to the millimeter. It was a very different experience compared to collaborating with Tabs, which makes sense; she’s a different cat. With Tabs, fashion design was more of an organic couture process, whereas Rosie’s plans were detailed and precise.

Apparently, numbers are her forte. Who knew? I learn something new about her every day. I somehow convinced her to take these pictures, even though she told me, repeatedly, “I’m not a model. I’m an astrophysicist!” I’m trying to convince her that she can do both.

Tabs (a.k.a. “The Master”)

Of course, it couldn’t be Sundays With Tabs without a few pictures of the legend himself.

This purple collar is one of my favorites. It showed his softer side.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A lot of people thought Tabs was just this sweet, good-looking, easygoing cat, the proprietor of Novato’s largest cat cafe and an award-winning kitty modeling superstar.

And he was! He was all those things, but he was also a grizzly bear when it came to some things, like driving. Simply put, he was NOT a good car cat. He hated being in the passenger seat. He hated being chauffeured anywhere.

What he wanted was to be behind the wheel (because he was a control freak)…

He inspected all of his cars like a pilot inspects their plane. He checked the brakes, changed the oil and made sure every car in his collection was always in tip-top shape.

It didn’t just love to pose and travel, garden and eat gravy. He also loved life in the fast lane.

Most importantly, he liked being in control of his own destiny. He always wanted to be behind the wheel, and it bothered whenever he had to be a passenger, even if it was in the backseat of a limo.

He was a mover and a shaker, and a big deal maker. A real devil-may-care cat. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Tabs was a big personality. He was like a movie star in his own life, and he was always surprising us. I swear, every single day he did something that made me shake my head in amazement. He was truly larger than life.

But, you know, that cat also had quirks. Like most cats do. I mean, he did some things that were just…unexplainable. For instance, he always — and I’m talking about years here — always hopped up on on the bed from the same side. It was always the right. Never the left.

I guess you could say he was many things, including incredibly consistent about his bedtime ritual.

Why?

You tell me… I have no idea. It was just one of the mysteries of the world, and I think once I tried to get him to climb up from the opposite side, and he nearly short circuited. He grumbled, hopped down and raced out of the room.

Some may say it was good old-fashioned cat neurosis, but I attribute it to his incredible discipline. After all, you can’t build a global kitty modeling empire without consistency, and he took his beauty sleep as seriously as he took posing.

Maybe he just wanted to stick to what worked. He knew how to sleep well and achieve his dreams. Can’t fault anyone for that.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I know it’s hard to believe now, but before Tabs, very few cats actually gardened. Feline gardening wasn’t really “a thing” yet. Like he did with so many things, from cat athletics (a.k.a catisthenics) to modeling to feline philanthropy, he pioneered landscape design for cats and cat enthusiasts.

And he also shared his knowledge with other cats through his many nature camps.

Tabs believed that the secret to inner kitty modeling purrfection was only attainable through achieving balance with nature.

Rosie has also displayed an aptitude for feline gardening. She’s done some amazing things this summer with lettuce on the deck and is extremely talented with tomatoes. I think she’s the reason we’ve experienced such a bounty.

She takes her gardening very seriously, too, and begins every morning with 15 minutes of stretching.

I’m glad Rosie has decided to continue Tabby’s legacy of feline gardening greatness. ???

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen