BEAU THE CEPHUS AND HIS OPINIONS ON SLEEP

BEAU TALKING

Beau The Cephus has opinions on sleep (somnus) and travel that he wishes to explore with his friends. I, Langston am present and ready to explain his native thoughts about sleep. He is still on the road there in mainland Florida.

The Cephus has spoken about good sleep hygiene many times before. Sleeping at the same time each day or in his case each hour. He thinks that the room should be without any light. If there is to be anything that is approaching him while he slumbers he wants them to be more disadvantaged than he. His hearing is very superior to his sight. He has often remarked about being able to hear a flea laying just one single egg. He is not sure what that egg would look like in the light of day. There should be no sound during his sleep. He wants to hear them coming whether it is across a sound proof carpet or down a tile hall.  If perhaps he should hear a mouse or other vermin creeping around the bed or into a window, Beau The Cephus will put a Swarnald Katzwarzenegger on them with such strength that they will never again attempt The Cephus.

He enjoys having the room at 77 degrees. He is uncomfortable at any lower temperature. Sleeping above that temperature will cause his delicate nasal membranes to dry out and allow caking of the mucoid content.

Beau is all about routine. Get up, eat, drink, potty box, run around real fast, bat the dog’s face, run, clean hair, groom hair, drink, eat, teach dog it’s place, drink, eat, then nap for the next 45 minutes and repeat. He has heard about people taking pain relievers or antihistamines  to achieve sleep. The thought on that issue is that living a full, fast and exciting life will allow one to sleep well for as much as 22 to 24 hours a day. His having said all of the preceding he will admit to suffering a need for naps in a sun filled window and reaping the benefits of its  rays and warmth. The Cephus does realize that routine helps reduce his stress and misdirection in life. He has stated many times that stress shortens a feline’s life each time it occurs. He knows that some measure of stress is good. He would not get up or stop sleeping without some level of stress.

Sleeping with humans is one of his favorite ways to sleep. At least as long as they lay still and do not try to roll over him. If by chance they should roll onto Beau he has a small but strong mouth with which he can try to do an  Ike Kyson on their ear.

BEAU'S SMALL BUT STRONG MOUTH

Humans can be a bit cool to the touch. When they pull him near and cover his body with a pillow, they should not cover his delicate head. He begins by cleaning  his tongue on the pillow case and then slowly dropping in to slumber. What an idea clean tongue and sleep. Waking up with a clean tongue and mouth is great. Just wish that the people could do the same thing. Not to fond of sleeping near humans after they have had a meal of the green things they like to eat. Makes the room smell funny. He becomes upset and he will often leave the human alone if they try to stop his tongue cleaning process. Langston will often give him a little head slap to accompany each cleaning lick of the tongue. Beau heard on the TV program “Animal Planet” that the head slaps can cause brain damage. He is aware of what that could cost the world if he was to forget his mission of saving the world from invasion from afar.

One of his favorite places to sleep he calls “In Jacket”. Beau will wait until Langston is watching a TV program and is siting in a chair wearing a flees jacket. When he is settled in with a cool glass of liquid refreshment and a little snack by his side. Beau will jump up on the back of the chair. Then slowly ease down to the arm of the chair and into Langston’s lap.

After waiting a few minutes he will paw lightly at the Langston’s chest. The distracted Langston will open the zipper down a little ways. Then The Cephus will move his little body under the edge of the material and as close to Langston’s side as possible. Most times Langston will get cool and zip the zipper enclosing The Cephus against his chest. What a great sleeping place. The only problem comes when Langston gets up or moves around. Then it is mayhem. Trying to get out of the jacket with grace and without scratching Langston is not always easy.

Beaus smelling is great. He can locate many things by odor alone. When catching a moth he will bat then down to the floor first. Then he will locate them for his mouth by the scent of the moths and their delicious dust. One big chomp and it is all over for the moth. His only regret is that his nose does not work very well after having dined on a moth of great wing dust.

Beau will often complain about the odour of humans. Often he is lost in the reasons they work so hard to have such repugnant and strong odors. Felines will have scents but only at the appropriate times in life and their smells are guides as to activities in which they should be engaged. Humans not so much, either that or they are always engaged in activities that boggle the feline mind. Human reason itself teeters on the edge of being in the present and in some measure the past or future in the same time frame.

Beau is riding north on I-95 headed for Saint Augustine. He is laying in the window on his back with both sets of legs up in the air. Enjoying the rays of sun that flood over his small frame. He has been rubbing his eyes with his front wrist and is slowly falling asleep.

Until Beau The Cephus returns, I , Langston shall ride this land cruiser north through the wilds of the Florida East Coast.

BEAU THE CEPHUS GIVES FOOD GUIDANCE

Beau Talking

Beau The Cephus has food guidance for his feline friends from afar. I, Langston am here to give forth his renown thoughts for Fine Dining Felis Catus style.

After his flight back from the Dry Tortugas abroad the seaplane, Beau was hungry. He stopped by Louie’s Backyard Restaurant to eat, however without a reservation he was down, down, down and out of luck.

This Cat headed north up US 1 to Stock Island turned right on 5th St., then down to 5th Ave turned left one block and there sits the Rusty Anchor Restaurant. Purveyors of fine sea food eats. When you see the baseball diamonds you have arrived. First just outside the front door it is time to slick down the washboard waves of hair. Must looks one’s best you know. Beau enjoyed a dinner of the Fried Conch Steak. He always has them hold the spices. He has to have the mini-micro-demi-size. He can never ever finish his order. Always takes a box to share with the guys outside of the restaurant.

The Cephus has quite a varied diet. His northern Florida diet consist of many things.  Some of the real treats are things like the Aunt Maude’s afternoon Hot Concrete Seared Green Tree Frog  (Hyla Cinerea) with a dusting from Sleepy Duskywing Moth or the ever present Meskke’s Skipper. In a pinch, just any moth wing dust will do.

When the Blazing Star or Pickerelweeds have a good year and produce large amounts of blossoms they will produce large qualities of nectar to feed the Skippers. Then there are always a large quality of  Meskke’s Skipper, a relative of the moth to supply that great tasting dust.  The concrete should be of the high strength concrete. Many concretes impart a grannie taste that is similar to ground coral.  He likes them to be seared for 1 minute and 12 seconds per side to get the correct flavor and texture. The temperature should be about 144 degrees to be able to cook properly. That 144 degrees is just about the 4:13 PM temperature out on the high seats on the bleachers across the street.

The Cephus does have a touchy stomach. Most of his digestion problems come from not eating or eating too fast. He always seems to be in competition with other cats, even when none are present. I guess it is ghost of his lost brothers haunting his mind at dinning time.

Often in the evenings he will  stay by an outside door waiting for a moth or skipper to come in when the door is opened. When he spots one he will play with them jumping up and down. His paws flashing together and falling to the floor. After he has caught one he will play catch and release until the moth gives up. After eating one he will have a dry cough. He sounds like a life long Bar-B-Que smoker. He just hacks and hacks until he can get a few good tongue fills of moisture to wash that great dust down out of his throat.

After dinner we head back up US 1 to Big Pine taking the only road out of or into town. When in the Keys US 1 is the supremo ultimate top cat road. Gives one the feeling of getting out of Dodge.

When Beau stays on Big Pine Key he often has his land yacht parked at Whispering Pines. He stays with friends and the laundry is just down the road. He really feels as if he has a personal relationship with the whole island. Each tree, path, flower, waterway and small Key Deer are all connected to him personally and his massive psyche.

He will only come out in the early morning and late evening. Even though he loves the heat, he does not want to get warmer than would be wise. He stated that he like 77 degrees just fine. He will stay in the air conditioning and absorbing the sun rays coming through the large front window. Cleaning and licking that wavy hair until his eye lids slide down and he sleeps. That hair of his lays in waves. He is always fussing with the hair. Licking one way then the other throughout the day. He has such short hair that he has not yet experienced hair balls or the problems that they portend. If The Cephus has a strong muscle it must be his ever working tongue. OK perhaps his wild imagination is just a little stronger. Yes he claims that it is a muscle that he must exercise.

Beau said “When I was a very young kitten I was always thinking, imagining and creating. I knew then that I would either have to shut that down or let it run on. I made that choice to let my mind run on and on. I have never regretted making that choice.”

I must say sometimes, I, Langston have had a twinge of regret on that lively issue. Beau is so great to have that option,  I most certainly can over look this one fault or advantage.

Beau The Cephus In His Sweater

When it is cool Beau has a purple sweater with blue and black spots that he will wear. He has a little problem getting it on, but much less getting it removed.  His ears get cool on the tips when the room temperature to to low for his comfort. When Beau seems missing or just plain lost, he can often be found under the cover for furniture and in beds between the blankets and bedspread. There are evenings when watching TV, Langston (that is I) will be wearing a light Jacket and Beau will paw at the zipper wanting to get inside and sleep.

Beau has drifted of into his nap time. I will await his return.

A VISIT HOME TO THE DRY TORTUGAS

BEAU THE CEPHUS EXPLAINS HIS TRIP

Beau The Cephus has had a great time aboard ship on his travels to Fort Jefferson. I, Langston am here and now present and I have been called up to provide a proper feline version of his experiences.

Beau was standing watching the water ahead. He was trying to spot a 310 foot steel hulled wreck below. The ships captain had been talking about the ship for awhile. He said he had seen many fish swimming around the boat on his last trip. He knew he could not reach them by diving. But grand thoughts still invaded his head as he watched the clear water rush past.

At last he could see the Coal Docks in the distance. The supports looked like skinny aliens from another world standing in a formation like little soldiers not moving just standing with little thin arms sticking down into the water around them. He was sure that they would not have much meat on their bones.

He was here to even the circumstance with the sea gulls. With his fastest sprint, he could race forward around a dune and catch one of those smartly pants. He could jump a little higher at the end of his run, grab it by the lower leg and pull it back down to the beach. What a great meal. The big feathers would be easy to avoid. However those small downy feathers could be real chokers if eaten too fast or without a good quantity of water from his water bottle. Yuck, he just hated to get them stuck in his throat. They were a bit salty and that could make Beau’s legs swell up around the tops of his feet.

Beau does not like the gulls. He thinks that they are loud, offensive, assertive and clueless. They strut around with their clean white feathers as if they were not earth bound like the remainder of creation. When the ranking of gulls comes up, he is sure they are just spoiled children of the bird world, and should be treated as such.

When they pulled up to the dock at the reception hut, Beau The Cephus was the first down the gangplank and through the opening arch. He could hear the park Ranger telling the tourist about the history of the Fort. Beau had heard all of that lecture three or four times and could not sit still for another one of at least a 15 minute talk. He figured he had heard those lectures at Yellowstone Park and Carlsbad Caverns. They were all the same. Well at least he thought so. Mountains, Caverns and Sea Water they were all related how much difference could there be to learn?

He jumped onto the sea wall surrounding the Fort and strolled slowly looking down into the clear blue water on the inside. When he had visited in the past he had seen many odd fish and crabs playing in the sun.

Maybe today one of the hermit crabs will crawl out onto the wall and he would get his opportunity that day. They were a lot of fun to catch. He had to be fast and catch them when they were not looking.

Beau did not want to be the one caught. Those very sharp and strong pinchers could quickly bring tears of regret to his eyes. Eating a Blue, Stone or Gulf Stone Crab is always a pleasure on a warm evening. He was dreaming about that final spring  across the sand and jumping in the shallow water hoping to catch one of the she crabs as they mate in early Summer or Fall. The molting female, a sook, is so tender it can bring a tingle to the tongue. He had to be fast and had to be at the right time or the tears would seize his moment.

Watching the bottom as he went across the bridge and seeing so much in just a short walk around the Fort, Beau knows why he misses home when he is away.

After he has completed his loop, he strolls up to the bridge over the moat and walks slowly into the Fort.  Visiting the book store to acquire a few strokes from the Ranger at the desk is a must for every visit Beau has made. He is off, out the door and up the stairs to the second level. Patrolling all the way around from one end to the other. He is then onto the roof.

Must be fast around the roof to make the trip without those vengeful Sea Gulls and their sharp beaks. The roof tour is best done in the evening when one can watch the sun set to the west over the waters of the gulf.

When the Fort and grounds have been thoroughly checked, The Cephus starts looking for his ride home. He was very lucky when he spied a de Havilland Otter Seaplane resting near the shore.

He runs and jumped on the pontoon. Just then a kind blond lady from Germany  said, “poor katzen”. She reached down and plucked Beau into her arms. The Cephus rubbed his head against her jaw. Beau was in space and the plane had not yet left the shore. She placed him in the back seat of the plane. Beau recognized her by her great tasting hair. Hair that he had styled on the way from Key West aboard ship. In a few minutes the doors of the plane were closed and they were skimming across the water headed for the blue sky.

On the way back home they flew over Mel Fisher’s treasure sights of the Spanish Galleons the Atocha and Santa Margarita. Beau is not much for sunken treasure ships. The young blond lady seemed very interested. She even allowed Beau to set in her lap and gaze out of the window with her. Beau The Cephus loved her hair. The smell, the taste and the texture. Beau was a sunk cat, just setting there with her as they flew over the Gulf.

On the flight back Beau The Cephus rubbed his eyes and found sleep awaiting his arrival.

BEAU WIPING HIS FACE

Beau The Cephus and The Dry Tortugas Trip

Beau The Cephus Explains His Trip To The Dry Tortugas

 

 

Beau The Cephus has had an exciting time visiting Garden Key and Fort Jefferson. I, Langston am here and now present to translate his thoughts, desires, feelings and experiences.

After Sunset Celebration on Friday evening and effete Beau stumbled up and down Duval. He stopped by Captain Tony’s and Sloppy Joe’s for the music and to watch all of the activities. Beau said “I have never seen so many people jumping up and down, spinning, swaying and rubbing up to each other with music.” “They were eating and drinking as though there was no tomorrow to come ever. They were having such a great time.” He stopped in front of all of the live internet street cams and put his best side forward. He did have to slow down as a human wheelbarrow race came his way. So many people on their hands going down the asphalt. Sometimes they would end up on their heads. He did not think it a good idea to eat and drink for a while then be upside down going head first down the street.

Night had passed, the time was moving on into the early morning and the people were departing Duval. The delivery trucks were on the street depositing supplies with restaurants, bars, hotels and T Shirt  shops. There were several ice trucks with bags and blocks of ice. Beau cannot tolerate Ice. Beau is a warmth seeker. He went up Caroline  St. to Turtle Kraals for a little breakfast with his fellow freeloading kitties. There is always larapin eats at the Turtle Kraals.

Beau ate his fill of the vittles then curled up in the corner on the roof waiting for the warmth of the sun to arrive. He was aroused by the sounds of the ever-present seagulls landing and walking on the metal roof. They all seemed to be able to eat every morsel they found. They would swoop in take any food that Beau had near him. He jumped down onto the dock and walked over to the Dry Tortugas ferry. Beau traipsed up the ramp on the boat. He proceeded into the cabin. People were arriving on board. They were all talking at once and were very anxious to ride the ship.

Fort Jefferson, Garden Key
National Park Service Photo

 

 

One lady from Omaha was upset talking real low and setting still staring down at the sole of the boat. The boat has not yet left and she was one sea sick puppy. Beau knew what would come next if she didn’t take her sea legs medication. He changed sides of the cabin just to be sure that he would not be in range of her illness if it came to that.

A man came over to her with a paper cup in his hands. The guy suggested that she have a few sips to calm her upset stomach and to help make the sea level. Beau said “I would smirk if cats could smirk. But alas very few cats can make faces of amusement”. This woman took a few sips and bent forward toward the floor. In a few minutes she took a few more. She continued taking sips until they pulled the gangplank on board. Then there was a large swallow and a small belch. The “Yankee Cat” ship slowly pulled away from the dock. This woman was setting up straight looking out of the windows as she drew an another long sip from the cup into her mouth and down into her gullet. She gave forth a larger belch. As the ship pulled out of the bight she moved outside and walked around the deck still working on getting that marvelous ocean calming liquid. Beau figured that for her the sea was now as flat as a sheet of looking-glass.

Beau came out from his hiding place to check out all of the recesses and crannies of the boat.

He saw a young woman with the start of a sunburn. Beau has had many sunburns in his day. He loves to lay with his feet up in the air and let the sun feast upon his belly. She was fast becoming pink.

She had blond hair and was enjoying her day. Beau jumped up on the bench behind her and began to style her beautiful hair with his finely tuned tongue. The girl stroked Beau and he worked harder. A young man stuck his head into the cabin and motioned to the girl while saying “Charly come see the fish around the boat.” The girl gave The Cephus one last stroke down his back to the end of his long tail and said “Bye Bye Katzen” and headed out the door onto the deck.

Laying on the upper deck behind the wheel house in the sun was a roar for Beau. He walked to the edge of the upper deck and watched the water slide past the boats hull. He saw large green sea turtles swimming slowly the crystal clear gulf water. They looked like large brown plates with a small head. Beau fantasized about riding on the back of a large one to the island.

The captain told everyone to look to the north for a small group of islands he called the Marquesa. How grand it would be to stay on one of those islands. Beau does like his comforts. Water, and a clear piece of beach being just two things he really needs. He could eat the crabs on the beach all day long. He did need fresh water to wash them down. With none in sight he decided he should stay aboard. So on goes the trip.

He saw a few old boats that had sunk, just laying on the bottom, resting in the white sand. . One was just rocking side to side in the gentle gulf current.

Charlene from Micanopy

 

He imagined himself and his friend Charlene from Micanopy on the bow of a large sailing ship. Beau thinks having two different colored eyes like Charlene is very cute. Cutting through the warm water with the wind blowing through their hair. Ah, that my human friends would certainly be a true “Cats Meow”. The boat would be called “The Catanic” . He liked the name, but not the ending.

Beau was just laying in the sun on the edge of the deck watching the waters for turtles. He would occasionally look up at the sky for a chance to see some Brown Noddies or Masked Boobys fly by on their ways to another island. He loves birds. There is a preference for a Sooty Tern on a spit. Some times just a little wren will do. That is a 2 small claws lunch, which is like 2 stars. Left or right he does not care which claw. He can eat with either.

While watching he noticed low flying gulls that would fly by and give, the old “I am going to pick you to the bone, kitty”. Being ever prudent and fearful The Cephus moved back into the cabin. He needed his nap to prepare for his arduous job of checking on the Fort. He curled up on a bench and began rubbing his eyes as they were closing.

I Langston, must await for his instructions when he once again begins to speak.

Beau at Bahia Honda and Key West

Beau Giving His Ideas

Beau The Cephus has a collection of unrelated thoughts and items he has gathered from the ether and vapors of his naps and musings.

I, Langston am here and present to try to explain his very private messages.

First, let me say that Beau has always felt that he has always had sentience and full thought processes. These have always been a part of the feline life. He said to me on this very issue, “Langston for goodness sake, we were worshiped as gods and are still held in very high esteem”. He then yawned and started searching for a good supply of slurping water. A bit testy I thought.

Griffin On His Way To See Bahia Honda

Beau’s father Griffin Phaedrus Montegue, came down from Saint Marys, Ga. for a bit of a rest. He was also wanting to check out the waters around Bahia Honda State Park in anticipation of the Florida Spiny Lobster Season, the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. Beau likes his lobster a little older. He prefers that they have a long time to marinate in the waters of the ocean, to absorb all of the flavors of the Gulf Stream after it flows through the Florida Straights.

Beau And His Father Griffin Drying

The Father and Son pair have a grand time playing in the water. They try to dive down to the large rocks and peer under the edge to spot lobsters that they think they could handle. Their diving abilities are so slim and short that neither one can dive beyond the length of their attached tails. Beau’s tail sticks above the water when he dives as to appear as a snorkel. They have a great time.

Griffin At Rest

After a few attempts they will get on the beach and have a “you chase me and I chase you” competition running up and down the fine white sand until they are out of room. They will strut off to the showers and do the drowned cat walk through the running water coming out the other side looking so much better. At least the sand is washed from their very short hair.

Then they race off to the end section of the old bridge.

They will stop and slowly walk out to the edge looking down at the water rushing from Atlantic side to the Caribbean side of the land.

They try to spy fish that, in their imagination they could take with one single bite. Given that they could land on one making the trip past the end of the bridge. The fish most certainly would not be aware of their landing and just drag them along through the water. They backed away from the dangerous bridge end and found a nice sunny spot for a bit of a Caribbean nap in the sun.

In the mid afternoon, the two would ride back down US 1 to the end. They would be strung out side by side in the back window of the car. When they arrived, Beau would hang out around mile marker 0 for hours just absorbing all of the pets and kind remarks that visitors were so generous to hand out.

There was always time for a jaunt  down to Whitehead Street and climb up the light house steps. They jump in one of the rounded windows on the sunny side to enjoy the view and the warm radiation from the sun. The glass in the windows was old and let in much more light and rays than the new windows in a lot of the homes and businesses. Beau thought that the people who put that new glass in their buildings. They were just shutting out the sun so that he, The Cephus, could have a larger supply of better quality of sun rays. They were so kind to sacrifice their sun just for him.

When days were cloudy and the persons on vacation were not out and about, he would mosey over to Flagler Ave. and hang out with the students at the high school. That is where Beau become fond of the more gentle female students. They were so kind. They would pet him and whisper soft sweet words. But then again, Beau always had an eye for the kinder humans.  He laid upon a board of the fence watching the guys playing games out on the field. Beau has often asked why they were called the Fighting Conchs. He was not sure how conch would fight.

He liked the girl with the lemon colored hair. She would wear a Sandalwood fragrance. That light scent transported The Cephus back to the days of yore. He would recall what he thought life would be like sailing around  the Caribbean on a 45 ft mono hull sailboat. Laying on the deck, just soaking the gentle sea breeze with ever so soft a touch of filtered sun.

When early evening would spin around it was off to the Tour Boat fishing line by the bight bridge. The Captains would bring in the tourist fisherman on their fine boats. They would take the fish and hang them from scales. The fishermen would line up beside their bounty for the catch of the day pictures. Pictures that could be bought and sent home by e-mail or snail mail to relatives and envious friends. They would clean the fish on tables that hung over the side of the dock. When the fish were all cleaned, the left over parts and excess bait would be shared with all of the feline that had shown up for the evening.

Beau would eat all of the Red Snapper he could find. Grouper was ok when there wasn’t any snapper. Beau fell in love with just the name Red Snapper and he would eat very little else. He would purr “Red Snapper, Red Snapper” softly as he ate. This was one those food items he ate solely because of the name he fancied.

This evening there was dinner for The Cephus. After consuming his fill, he hurried to clean himself. Then as his long tail waved goodbye in the breeze he was off and trotting for the Evening Sunset Performance at Mallory Pier.