The Great Haggis Feast

[phesina]

Okay, sounds like the kitties coming to meet the Catmobile on the East Coast should get there Tuesday or early Wednesday... Then the Catmobile can be on the road to arrive at Detroit Metro on Wednesday to pick up the kitties flying in from points west or south or north..

For kitties Amtraking from Chicago and points west, the train going from Chicago to Detroit stops in Ann Arbor just BEFORE getting to Detroit.. so you folks can all get off at the A2 Train Station on Wednesday afternoon for the Catmobile to pick you up there!

All you Ohio and points-south kitties, the train stop before Ann Arbor is Toledo, we think.. or maybe you have to go from Toledo to Detroit and then Ann Arbor. MANY years ago Meowmie took Amtrak from Boston to Detroit to visit her family in Dearborn, and as she recalls she got off in Toledo and then took another train north to Detroit (which then swung over to Dearborn, where she got off, and then Ann Arbor on its way to Chicago).

Kitties coming from Canada by train or car.. crossings into US at Windsor-Detroit, Sarnia-Port Huron, Sault Ste. Marie (ON)-Sault Ste. Marie (MI).. YOU NEED YOUR PASSPORTS, or at least one of the few types of alternate allowable documentation. (If you are flying from Canada, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZfbTlYpKYo for more information.. [note that this applies to ALL humans entering but maybe not to cats]).

You can of course all stay with us.. the more the merrier! Meowmie will be just SO happily surprised and excited!

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, we can check out Gallup Park, visit nearby stables and farms to meet horsies, consider how many carriages for how many romantically-inclined couples we need to arrange for..

OR.. HOW ABOUT THIS for a fabulous side trip since we'll have these extra days.. Located in the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, between the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.. is Mackinac Island.. on which CARS AND OTHER MOTORIZED TRANSPORT ARE NOT ALLOWED:

From http://mackinac.com/content/general/about.html - 'Mackinac Island is the truly "all natural" theme park of America. Limited to transportation of horse and buggy, bicycle or foot, surrounded by water, it has escaped the vast changes of time.'

Just THINK of all the HORSIES .. maybe Traveler could even join us there before he has to get back for his game on Saturday!

Anyway, so we should get back to Ann Arbor by late Friday or early Saturday..

Meowmie is checking with Haggis in a Hurry World Headquarters here on the schedule for The Great Haggis Feast Day, on Saturday, Sept. 17.. Since September is Official Haggis MONTH in Ann Arbor, big festivities are planned!

[momcat]

My gang will be hoping a flight with the friend who helped them in the past. They will be landing at the Detroit Metro Airport. Can the Catmobile pick them up there? They will get there on Wednesday. They want a little time to visit with their friends before all the festivities begin.

Hi Miss MoFF,
Of course the Catmobile will pick them up there! Tell your crew that their kitty friends can come too!

Okay fellow kitties, After reading the post from Auntie Phesina I called the local Jaguar dealer. The Catmobile will be here ready to go tomorrow afternoon. Soncat will help me pack it up then we can leave on Wednesday, the earlier the better. Everyone is welcome to stay at my place.

There's still time to join in so be sure to call Cassie or me and let us know where we should pick you up.

Your friend,
Groucho

[slick]

Mr. Merlin is ready to go and he has his passport packed. He hardly slept last night for thinking about his sweetheart, Sparkler. I'm dropping him off at the train station tomorrow morning on the way to work.

My apartment will seem so empty... **sigh** but I know that he will have a good time.

Oh yes and he has a blackberry now so hopefully he will take pictures along the way and email them to me - that is, if he's not too busy partying.

[Pinot's Mom]

Hi everybody! Sorry my Catberry has been silent lately; Mom doesn't let me use it when I'm under the weather. We just got back in from a deck romp, I have a full clearance for my R&R trip. Cassie; I know you'll do just fine in my seat!

I'll join y'all Wednesday morning with a special treat from the Haggis in a Hurry Ellicott City store! See you soon!

Purrs, Pinot

[cassiesmom]

Cassie will go from Midway, which is how we have done it before. Her kilt is back from the cleaner's and it looks really good!

[phesina]

Mr. Merlin is ready to go and he has his passport packed. He hardly slept last night for thinking about his sweetheart, Sparkler. I'm dropping him off at the train station tomorrow morning on the way to work.

My apartment will seem so empty... **sigh** but I know that he will have a good time.

Oh yes and he has a blackberry now so hopefully he will take pictures along the way and email them to me - that is, if he's not too busy partying.

Oh, my dearest Merlin.. I am so looking forward to being with you again!

Love from your adoring Sparkler

[phesina]

Another place for all you kitties AND Angels coming to town to check out while you're here:

The Real Seafood restaurant in Ann Arbor serves FABULOUS, DELICIOUS seafood meals (http://www.opentable.com/real-seafood-company-ann-arbor)! Our Meowmie had a wonderful Lake Superior Whitefish dinner there for her birthday this year.

And in fact they will be catering a Special Banquet Saturday night (to go along with all the haggis) for the Catmobilers!

[katladyd]

I have lived in Detroit a couple of times and I told the boys that they just HAD to go to Mackinac Island, the prettiest place in all of Michigan! Mac thinks they named it after him, so he is going to be a bit delusional this trip. I hope this doesn't upset the other kitties. Once he gets an idea in his head, there's no changing his mind.

[momcat]

Well, the kitties are on their way. As I was having my coffee before leaving for work they each came, gave me a kitty kiss and said, "We be good". I did remind each of them to be sure and check in with their purrents.

Their first stop will be at Trenton's Haggis In A Hurry Shoppe for some breakfast while the staff sets up the buffet in the Catmobile. From there it's on to Ellicot City for Pinot.

It was a pleasure having them here last night. They played an exciting game of kibble soccer then searched for the carpet gator. Everyone was asleep early.

Please check in and let us know if you hear from your voyager?

[phesina]

Kitties, How's THIS for a plan?!!! --

We all arrive in Michigan today, picking up kitties along the way.. then stopping at Metro Airport and then the Ann Arbor Train Station picking up the kitties arriving by air or rail -- then we come to our house for an evening of R&R AND haggis..

Then tomorrow morning the Catmobile heads north to Mackinaw City at the tip of the mitten of the Lower Peninsula.. then we're all aboard the specially chartered ferry just for us, off to.... MACKINAC ISLAND!!!!! (The Catmobile will be parked at the ferry dock to await our return, since it can't come to the Island.)

And.. here's another surprise: Guess who is joining us: TRAVELER!!! He was so excited to hear about Mackinac Island, he booked the red-eye from L.A. and is on his way! He is hoping to pull a few buggies-full of romantic kitty couples. He is bringing along a whole lot of USC horse blankets for his new horsie friends.

We have the entire Grand Hotel reserved JUST FOR US!!!!! (Previously-reserved guests were found alternate accommodation [where available; otherwise told they were S.O.L.].) Thursday and Friday, we explore the island, meet horsies, take horse-drawn carriages and buggies, check out Great Lakes fishies..

Friday we head back for Ann Arbor for Haggis Feast Day.. Traveler would love to join us for that too, but he must fly back to L.A. for his game Saturday.

Details of Haggis Day plans to follow soon...

Meowmie still doesn't know we are all coming today.. especially about Traveler coming too.. Isn't she in for JUST THE BIGGEST, HAPPIEST SURPRISE OF HER LIFE?!!!!!! We love to do things like this for her!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

My gang left in the wee hours of the morning chattering loud enough to wake any neighbor in 5 blocks of us. They should be in Detroit by now. The pilot is staying with them until the hook up with the other Catmobilers!!!

I hope they remember to bring Frankie a gift from their trip. He was so sad he couldn't go but he will be able to next spring when he is one.

[Pinot's Mom]

There was a message on my machine...

"On the road again...just can't wait to get on the road again....music with my friends....just can't wait to get on the road again...." I think they forgot some words, but they sound like they're having fun already!

[phesina]

Oh, you should have seen Meowmie when she got home... found our entire 2-room apartment just FULL of kitties... two more sets of bagpipes (besides the two already here) AND a harp... and a HORSE!

She was so excited, so HAPPY, she burst right into tears!!!!

She sobbed "Looks like a quick trip to Meijers is in order.. they're open all the time and they have everything... gotta pick up a few cases of cat food and a bale of hay.. " And she was off again.

As soon as she left, we called Haggis In A Hurry to order a Special Delivery!

She'd been over to visit her sister before, and she didn't realize that Nelson had stowed away in her car when she came back home.. so HE is here with us now too, all set for the trip to Mackinac Island tomorrow!

We just LOVE to share all our good times with our beloved Meowmie!!!!!

[katladyd]

I'm sure she is just thrilled to have all of the kitties and A HORSE in the apartment!!! I know I would be beside myself!!!

[phesina]

Meowmie here.. Well, they're off, on their way to Mackinac Island now.. At last, maybe I will be able to get some sleep..

I just have to muck out the bathroom first. That served as Traveler's stall last night. The kitties had decided I could do without it: I could use one of their litterboxes as needed, and there's no reason I can't clean myself the same way they do themselves!