HAPPY BIRTHDAY

When I was MUCH younger -- think 8-10 years old -- growing up in Rochester, New York, a group of us kids would go to the Monroe Theater on Saturday afternoons. Times were "safer" then & going to the movies without an adult -- & lots of other activities -- was never given a concern.

Every Saturday, the Monroe Theater would have a afternoon special of 20 cartoons & a feature film. It cost 25 cents to get in & a HUGE bag of popcorn was only 10 cents. For another two cents, you could get a Tootsie Roll Pop. Nothing like several hundred kids all hyped up on cartoons, sugar & salt.

I think my favorite cartoon characters were Bugs Bunny, along with Tom & Jerry. It was always a big moment when the next cartoon appeared on the movie screen. It was our duty to all scream out in unison.

There were always one or two Mickey Mouse cartoons every Saturday. Mickey's face would fill the theater screen & get one of the biggest reactions from the kids. Adults, if there had been any, might have reacted the same way.

Mickey Mouse turns 82 years old today. The first cartoon he was featured in was called "Steamboat Willie". Walt Disney was the voice of Mickey in the movie. What a start.

To celebrate Mickey's birthday, Nibblets brought a mouse up on the front porch this morning. I guess Miss Nibs was feeling in a festive mood & shared the moment with Precious & Wobs, who were stuck behind the storm door & could only watch from in the house.

Being the sweet kitty that she is, Nibblets "played" with Mickey's relative & provided it with "games" ... like Tag, & Hide & Seek.

Then, Miss Nibs ate it.