Hi, friend. Merry Christmas.
I hope you had a wonderful holiday. Sending best wishes for joy, good fortune — good health, most importantly, for you and your loved ones, because nothing else matters more.
It’s funny, but I was just thinking about Christmases and this post series, Sundays With Tabs. I started the blog in 2007, so this is the…fifteenth Christmas for Makeup and Beauty Blog.
It’s hard to even fathom, but I’ve been typing words and taking pics for this website for a considerable part of my life. There are actually children in high school right now who weren’t even born when I started it.
I gotta say, it blows my mind!
Thank you for sticking around and not immediately clicking away, like, “What the $#@& is this place!? What the heck did I click? Is this a website about cats???”
Yes, basically. I mean, pretty much. Cats, makeup, reality TV recs. Mostly nonsense really.
Ha! But seriously, it is. 😊 And that’s OK with me because I know your real life is serious. Just like me, you have big concerns. You have things you worry about. You have hopes and fears. You may have dreams. Sometimes you have trouble sleeping (who doesn’t, right?). I’m sure you feel melancholy about some things, just like I do. Certain things make you feel bad about yourself, and I’m assuming this because you’re human (or a cat!), and I think most people feel a lot of the same things. We go through a lot of the same challenges over the course of a life, just at different moments.
Honestly, I don’t know where I was going with this other than to say that I’ve been blogging for a million years. God willing, I’ll be blogging for a million more. 😂
Since I have the benefit of these 15 years of perspective about this whole blogging thing, sometimes I’ll look back at the whole span of time and certain things will stand out. One of them is how Tabs, who passed away a little over three years ago now but was a huge part of my inspiration for blogging, would — and I kid you not about this — really and truly appear to look forward to the hoopla I put him through to take the holiday pictures I took and shared of him.
I’m not kidding! I mean, putting on the outfits, coaxing him to look at the camera, sometimes bribing him with treats, enlisting El Hub to stand behind the camera waving a feather cat teaser toy to get his attention — frankly, the tricks of the pet blogging trade. Yup, sometimes to get a good pic of Tabs looking dreamily into the camera took A LOT of work. Sometimes dozens and dozens of pictures to get one great one.
But yet…no matter how many pics it took or how much time, Tabs never walked away. He never swatted me in disgust — not once. If I set him down on the ground, he stayed right there, right by my feet giving kitty hugs, and I don’t think I’m just convincing myself of this. I truly believe that he enjoyed himself. I also believe he loved me, and he loved kindness and attention. I swear, in his cat way, he loved the fantasy I built up around him. 💕
If some people can be larger than life, then so can some cats.
Rosie
We got up pretty early this morning and all came downstairs for our Christmas and to open presents. Played Christmas music on the Amazon Echo, made our coffees and hot chocolates, and Rosie was right there with us the whole time.
Of course, the crinkling paper from the gift unwrapping is almost impossible for a cat to resist, and she was all over it. Her grandparents (my mom and dad) also got her some new toys, which she promptly proceeded to lose under various pieces of furniture.
Now the day is over, and Rosie is nowhere to be found…
I think she tired herself out with the festivities today and found a quiet spot to nap, but when we all go upstairs to bed, guaranteed she’ll follow us up, because she always, always sleeps in our bed.
She’s an important part of the family now. 😊
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
It is strange, but I never imagined it took so much work to get Tabs to pose for pictures – I mean, I should have known, but they look so effortless!
I am sure he very much enjoyed himself.
It’s a testament to your resolve that this blog is still alive and kicking. I am not sure who of your cohort is still around – I guess Christine Temptalia? The blogs that started around that same era are all gone. Adrienne, Ariane, Gaia, Erika….
Hi Karen,
Longgggg time lurker here, like 15 years of lurking, and I finally wanted to leave a comment because I can’t believe it’s been that long! I’ve read your blog almost daily since you started. When I first found you, I was obsessed with makeup and cats and found a kindred spirit in the things you wrote. My makeup obsession has passed, but I still check here daily because you make the internet a little bit brighter and friendlier. You’re like my internet Mr. Rogers! I remember all the cool things you did with MAC cosmetics, finding out you were pregnant, and the passing of dear Tabs (RIP buddy). I’ve cheered with you, cried with you, and have always left your page feeling just a little bit brighter about my day. You’ve always treated your readers like friends and I’ve always felt that way about you in return. Just thought I’d finally write a comment and say hello! I wish you and your family another amazing year Karen 🙂
I always loved your pictures of Tabs. I never thought about all the work you had to put into it to get good shots of him! I was so sad when he crossed the rainbow bridge. Sweet boy.