Wednesday Medley

Terri's questions this week:

NATIONAL GARFIELD THE CAT DAY – June 19

NATIONAL GARFIELD THE CAT DAY

Celebrated each year on June 19, it is National Garfield the Cat Day.  A fictional character, Garfield is a title protagonist from the comic strip Garfield which was created by Jim Davis.   Today is set aside to celebrate him and the entertainment that he brings us.

June 19, 1978, was the first publication of Garfield which chronicles the life of the lead character, the cat Garfield (named after Jim Davis ’s grandfather); Garfield’s owner, Jon Arbuckle: and Jon’s dog, Odie.

• 2013 – Garfield is syndicated in roughly 2,580 newspapers and journals and holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip.

Set in Muncie, Indiana, common themes in the comic strip include Garfield’s laziness, obsessive eating, love for lasagna and coffee and hatred of Mondays and diets.  The focus is mostly upon the interaction between Garfield, Jon, and Odie.

• Garfield was one of the cartoon characters to appear in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Share your favorite Garfield memories or Garfield-like tendencies by using #GarfieldTheCatDay on social media.

HISTORY

National Garfield The Cat Day was first celebrated in 1998 on the 20th anniversary of the comic strip and Garfield’s birthday. Boca Raton City Council Member, Wanda Thayer, proclaimed June 19 as Garfield the Cat Day during surprise birthday party at the International Museum of Cartoon Art in Boca Raton.

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Everything above this line is from the National Day Calendar Site.

1.  If you have ever followed the Garfield comic strip, you know Garfield loves lasagne.  What is your favorite Italian food?  Do you over-indulge when it comes to pasta?

Oh, yes, Italian food.  One of my favorites. I love going to Ciao Baby!  for the Gemellli con Salcissia, a pasta dish with broccoli rabe, sausage, ricotta, mushrooms and tomato sauce.  John's of Times Square is most famous for its pizza, but they make a killer penne alla vodka.  At Domenico's I like the baked ziti.

It's been a long time since I've made a lasagna, that's a lot of work.  My go-to pasta dish is usually a simple meat sauce.  

2.  Tell us about your very first pet.  If you have never had a pet, can you tell us about an animal that touched your life in some way?

My very first pet was a dog, a beagle.  I must have been about 5 years old when we got him.  Unfortunately, he liked to chew.  He chewed plastic toys -- my Barbies had scars. He liked to chew the armrests on the Danish modern furniture in our den.  He must have chewed the wrong thing, because he got very sick and had to be put down. 

There have been many other dogs and cats in my life.   Let me just mention the cats  who have been part of my life since I started this blog.

First there's Drew's cat, Cookie.  She was a sweet ginger.   I think he still misses her.

Then there was our family cat, Daisy.  She was tiny, only six pounds, but Redford and Mr. Kitty were terrified of her.  

Speaking of Mr. Kitty...

Jen used to call him her "boyfriend".    He was a big boy, wasn't he?

And Redford, of course.  He's a ginger.

 

 I think Redford misses his buddy.

And last, but certainly not least, is Duchess.  Drew's cat, my baby...

3.  Garfield sleeps his day away, only waking to eat or sweet talk his girlfriend Arleen.  How many hours sleep do you normally get each night?  How much sleep do you really need?

Sleep?  what's that?  

4.  Garfield lets the mice in the house have their way.  When was the last time you had to chase out a little varment?  

Let's just say there's a reason my family has cats....

5.  Garfield also loves his teddy bear Pooky. Did you have a favorite stuffed animal when you were young (or now!)?  If you didn't or don't, what about someone you know?

When I was little I  had  stuffed dog that I called "gaugie".  

True confessions time:  I still have a small collection of stuffed unicorns and dragons, and a few peacocks...

6.  Please tell us something about your week, so far!

Sprouting a few new gray hairs courtesy of my daughter Becca.  I found out she was in the ER because I looked at her Instagram.  Don't worry, she's OK now, but...I mean, really...I work in the Financial District, I could have called an Uber and been to NY Presbyterian in 20 minutes...does she think that because she's 26 (almost 27)  I stopped worrying about her?