"Always speak of the past, gratefully, of the future, excitedly, and of the present with bobbing eyebrows and a Cheshire grin" -The Universe

Sunday, October 9, 2011

I Loved John Lennon, John Lennon Loved Cats..."Imagine"

October 9, 2011. This is an edited version of a post I did last year on what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday. It was one of my highest rated blog posts and with today being John Lennon's birthday I decided to post it again.


Today, October 9th, 2011
Would Have Been 
John Lennon's 71st birthday....

"Imagine"....

I remember first seeing John (and the rest of the Beatles) on The Ed Sullivan Show back on February 9th, 1964. I was a little girl...7 to be exact...(yep, I am an old "Crazy Cat Lady", I am sure you are doing the  math by now).

I pointed to our rabbit-earred television and said "I like that one". I never changed my mind. John's music served as the back-drop for events in my life that are too numerous to mention.

I loved John's swagger, his "bad boy" persona, his genius, his sarcastic and sardonic sense of humor.

He marched to his own drummer.

He was independent. Like a cat.

What I didn't remember until recently was that John Lennon loved cats. Throughout his life he had numerous cats with names such as "Tich", "Tim", "Sam", "Elvis", "Mimi", "Baghari", "Major" and "Minor".

When I was 7 and began what would be a life-long love affair with John Lennon (which continues  even with his untimely death on December 8th, 1980), I had yet to fall in love with cats.

That didn't happen until I was 15.

When I was a little girl I always said I was going to meet John Lennon and marry him.

I thought we had a lot in common.

At age 7 I had yet to start my love affair with cats.

But I loved John Lennon....

I still do.

He loved cats, I loved him, we could have married and had a family of cats.

Ahhhhh  to what could have been.....


"Imagine"

32 comments:

chocolateangel said...

I never knew John was a cat lover...how sweet :-)

Eric and Flynn said...

John Lennon was and always will be my favourite too. It is hard to imagine that he would have been 71 this year, but it is also hard to imagine I was 60 this year.Arghhh!!! I admitted my age in black and white! I first saw him on TV in 1963. The Beatles came to Plymouth to perform soon after but I was not allowed to go. The next time in 1965 I was there! I wouldn't have missed it for the world. We went to New York last year for a few days and I went to his memorial garden in New York. I felt so utterly sad that the world had lost such a great songwriter and in my opinion, a wonderful man.
RIP John Lennon. Your memory will always live on through your music.

We love LUNA said...

My mammy is also a fan of Lennon, this post is wonderful, a fabulous homage!Thanks for sharing,
purrs and love
Luna

Cat Chat With Caren And Cody said...

@chocolate angel, I didn't know it til last year myself!

@Luna awww thank you soooo much! Purrs and love back at ya!

@Eric and Flynn, your memories touched me so much. That was simply beautiful. Don't feel bad! My husband is going to be 62 this year and in a couple weeks I am going to be 56 so tell me about it! John was and ALWAYS WILL BE my favorite too! xoxoxo

Kitcaboodles said...

So Caren... you fancied yourself as his Yoko? Imagine that! Lovely post, can't believe he would have been 71!

CATachresis said...

Do you know I was never a fan of the Beatle? Go figure! But am delighted to find out JL loved cats. That makes him ok in my eyes >^,,^<

Old Kitty said...

Awwww happy birthday John!!! I love Imagine and think Woman is such a romantic song!!

Take care
x

Cat Chat With Caren And Cody said...

@Kit I most certainly did and had he ever met me, I would have been lol

@Old Kitty I agree! xoxo

@CATachresis, sorry but for me that is completely out of the realm of comprehension! I can accept it if you don't tell me you were a fan of the Rolling Stones instead lol

Tucker The Crestie said...

I am EXACTLY 40, and I see BOTH! (John and Harry, that is.)

The Cat From Hell said...

Lovely tribute!
My Dad grew up in the same neighborhood in Liverpool as John Lennon. Their Mums were friends. I remember the first time we saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show and my Dad talking about little Jonny Lennon. I too was a big fan of John. Happy birthday John.

Cat Chat With Caren And Cody said...

tucker it just dawned on me, you never sent me your complete mailing address for your prize! Please email it to me at cgittleman at mi dot rr dot com ASAP...thanks!

@Nellie OMC that is BEYOND cool! What a small world. I would have just died!! I would have loved to hear some of your Dad's stories! :)

Benny and Lily said...

nice tribute to Mr. Lennon
Benny & Lily

Marg said...

Yes, for sure John Lennon was one of the greatest. And isn't that the best that he was a cat lover. Now we know he was perfect. Great post.

chancythegardner said...

Very talented man. I think "Imagine" is one of the greatest songs ever written. I never knew he loved cats. Thank you for posting this I really enjoyed it. Hugs and nose kisses

Katnip Lounge said...

It's staggering to think John would have been in his seventh decade. I fell in love with the Beatles as a little twerp, I remember listening to Sgt. Pepper when I was oh, maybe five...about the same time I got my first kitty!

Cat Chat With Caren And Cody said...

@Benny and Lily thank you!

@Katnip Lounge awwww John Lennon and your first kitty at the same time! I love it!!

@chancy I am so happy you enjoyed this, thank you for making my day. As much of a Lennon fanatic as I am I had forgotten about his love of cats until I saw the photos last year. Hugs and nose kisses back at ya!

@Marg awwww thank you! I couldn't agree with you more about knowing that John was "perfect" now that we know he loved cats! PURRFECT! ((((hugs))))

Simba said...

I am well over 40 but still see both John Lennon and Harry Potter in that bespectacled kitty.

How interesting that John was a cat lover. My sister was really the huge Beatles' fan, though I did enjoy their music. 71 - wow.

Mr Puddy said...

Mom love John Lennon too ! But we didn't know he have a serious love affair with kitties..tee..heh
xoxo

PS : I love the look of John Lennon in you, Mr. Cody : )

Cat Chat With Caren And Cody said...

@Simba "wow" indeed. But WE didn't get older did we? lol. I agree, I see Harry Potter AND John Lennon in that kitty!

@Puddy that kitty isn't me but he sure does look like me doesn't he? Ohhhh yessssssss John Lennon had a HUGE love affair with kitties! I bet he would have ADORED YOU!
xoxoxo

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

The cat...definitely John Lennon Caren...LOL

Thanks so much for your kind words about Libby. HUGS

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Caren...this is my 3rd time trying to comment:(

The cat...definite John Lennon...LOL

Thank you for your kind words about Libby. Hugs

Cat Chat With Caren And Cody said...

((((Diane)))) so sweet of you to stop by. You are beyond welcome, if there is anything at all that I can be of help with, my email is cgittleman at mi dot rr dot com I wish I could see you to hug you in person!

Brian said...

John was one cool dude! My Dad remembers them in that TV show too and saw them perform in Pittsburgh. He was sad that he had to go so soon.

Not Just Another Mother Blogger! said...

There is something wrong with a person who doesn't love cats.

John Lennon was awesome.

meowmeowmans said...

I remember your post from last year! We were so pleased to find out John Lennon loved cats ... it made us like him even more than we already did. :)

Maggie Mae said...

Thank you SO much fur stoppin' by my blog today. I always like to make new furiends.
Your tribute to John Lennon was great. :)

Woofs and Licks,
Maggie Mae

Cat Chat With Caren And Cody said...

@Brian, WOW was your Dad ever lucky to have seen John Lennon in person!! I never got to see him EVER in person and that makes me sad :(

@Maggie Mae awww thank you! We love your blog and sorry to confuse you with the cat stuff, lol. Dakota is our doggie brother! My Mom just LOVES Boxers and she is so happy to have found you! Thank you for your kind words!

@meowmeowmans awww thank you! I agree, I loved him for YEARS not knowing he loved cats too!

@Not Just Another Mother Blogger I agree on BOTH counts!!

Kim said...

Yes...imagine...

Spitty-the-Kitty said...

No no no no no....My Human says you could never have John 'cause he was going to marry HER--and hey, in 1964 she was 14 so she had a waaaaaay better chance!

AND, in 1965, she went to see the Beatles at the Cow Palace and she just KNEW John would see her from the stage and beckon her to meet him after the show and ....well, it COULD have happened, LOL!

Cat Chat With Caren And Cody said...

@Kim :)

@Spitty OMG I AM ROLLING WITH LAUGHTER! Wow your Mom is OLD!!!!!!!!!!!! (kidding!!! lol) Wow!! That made me feel really bad for loving him! lol!!
How cool that your Mom got to see him!!!! See I always KNEW there was something about your Mom (other than YOU) that made me love her! Now I know for sure! xoxoxo

Priscilla said...

Just want to tell you that I LOVE John Lennon too!!!

Pup Fan said...

Beautiful post! I had no idea he was a cat lover.