Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

We're always ready to rhyme on Thursday. After all, it is the day of the Thourghly Poetic Thursday challenge!

Our hosts, Angel Sammy and Teddy, give us a photo prompt each week, to help guide our poetic endeavors. The photo for this week's poetry is this stunning image here:

Being a major homebody who has never really gained any knowledge on the topic of traveling, I had to do some research for this one. Squinting my eyes at that there image told me that that incredibly impressive boat's name is Queen of the West. My research taught me that it will take passengers on an overnight cruise of the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the United States.

I myself have never been on a cruise, neither a short nor a long one. What's more, I'm fairly certain I will never go on one. That's just not my thing. I'd rather be home with my kitties and pup, to be completely honest. But you know what? That thought got me thinking, and I kind of, sort of, used that concept for my poem below.

The Cruise

Jenny did not wish to embark on a cruise.

She wished to stay home and read or snooze.

Home, that's where Jenny's heart was at.

Home, that's where lived Marty, her beloved cat.

Yet, Jenny's so-called friends would not give it up.

They asked her to go on a cruise while one night they did sup.

Those so-called friends thought it would be fun,

To sail on a boat surrounded by just water and sun.

Jenny did not want to go on a cruise.

The mere thought of it gave her the bluest of blues.

But her so-called friends were driving her straight up the wall,

Until she cried, "Fine! Fine! I'll go on a cruise with you all."

Packing for the cruise was nothing but a chore.

Filling a suitcase was, to Jenny, a downright bore.

She would rather have been reading a thriller,

Or playing with Marty the cardboard box killer.

Curious what terrors the cruise might have in store,

Jenny researched the travels it would make after sailing offshore.
It appeared they would indeed be sailing waters after waters,
Floating about like a big bunch of otters.

But then something in Jenny's research stood out.
There was a most wonderful surprise on the cruise ship's route.
Jenny clapped her hands and let out a, "Yippee!"
She skipped around the room with boundless glee.

Jenny rushed through the rest of that pesky packing.
She wanted to make sure there was nothing she was lacking.
When it came time for goodbyes and departing,
She stealthily tucked into her bag none other than Marty.

Armed with her suitcase and cat,
Jenny was finally ready to scat.
Not long ago she had been dreading this cruise,
But now there was no other plan she would choose.

When Jenny met her friends on the cruise ship's dock,
She could not help but look at a nearby clock.
Departure was already declared as delayed,
A fact that left Jenny's mood quite frayed.

Finally, though, they boarded the ship.
Jenny was now beyond ecstatic to set out on this trip.
In her bag, Marty let out his own excited little mew,
And at him a "ssshhh!" Jenny quickly threw.

No cats were allowed on the ship, after all,
And so out of Marty could not be heard a single squall.
Two hours late, much to Jenny's dismay,
The cruise ship finally set out on its way.

Jenny was quickly reminded that she was not a seafaring gal.
She felt sicker than sick before they hit even the first canal.
She wondered how green her face must have looked.
She couldn't stand to look at the food the chef cooked.

Jenny tried not to let these woes make her cry.
After all, the prize surely must have been very nearby.
And so Jenny waited, and waited, and waited some more,
Watching for the appearance of a distant shore.

Finally, beneath the stars one night,
A distant shore came into Jenny's sight.
Surely, that must be what she thought it must be.
Surely, she was nearly finished traveling this sea.

Jenny waited just long enough to read the sign,
Which glowed on the little island in the moon's shine.
CAT ISLAND, that's what the glorious sign did read.
At that, Jenny moved at a hastened speed.

Jenny grabbed a life vest for Marty and her,
And the cat let out a right happy purr.
Jenny's friends were quite confused as could be.
They told her, "You can't go off and jump in the sea!"

Jenny laughed and giggled at that.
She said, "I will for that there yonder isle of cats!"
Preparing herself for a little swim in the sea,
Jenny said, "Cat Island is really the only place for me."

And so Jenny and Marty paddled through waves.
For their destination, they were willing to be brave.
The swim seemed to take hours upon hours and more,
But they didn't mind once they reached their shore.

There they stood on the very Cat Island.
At first everything seemed so very silent.
Then, though, they hear the first meow.
Soon after, Jenny cried, "Oh my goodness! Wow!"

From behind palm trees suddenly appeared dozens and dozens of cats.
Have you ever seen such a wonderful sight as that?
Jenny and Marty immediately felt right at home.
From this place, they knew they would never roam.

***

It's time for the Thimble part of this Thursday!

The other day, the temperatures around here finally dipped below 90°F. That meant we could open the front door for some sunlight without immediately melting to the ground. Thimble was thrilled with the sun puddles that ensued.

Just look at that glow! Thimble was so very thankful for her sunshine, and is of course participating in Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop. 

All of us here are grateful for the beauty of summer, and also for air conditioning in which to spend these hot days. We also, as always, want to express or sincere gratitude for all of you. Without friends like you, we would be so very lost.

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Last but not least, we're here to help you prepare for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins. The fill-ins for this week are below. The first two came from the mind of Ellen of 15andmeowing, and I came up with the second two.

1. I tried _________ and I liked it.

2. Am I the only one who _________?

3. _________ is my hero/heroine.

4. If I could eat only one food for the rest of my life, it would be _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Today's pet parenting tip relates to the dreaded vacuum cleaner, but at the same time, it doesn't. Especially if you have a furbaby who is fearful of the vacuum, you can do them a favor by using other methods to clean carpets and rugs, when possible. For example, did you know that a squeegee can be used to remove pet hair from carpets and rugs? That's right, it can! That being said, there are also actual rug brushes on the market, which can similarly be used to remove hair from carpets and rugs. So, especially if you have a furbaby who is fearful when you vacuum, you can use these alternative, far quieter such methods when possible. Though the vacuum cleaner may not always be avoidable, when it is, such methods as the aforementioned ones can help remove hair from carpets and rugs while causing far less fearful reactions from your kitties or pups.

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

Guess who went to that V-E-T place for her annual exam yesterday?

That's right, pup Astrid had a date with the doctor. She wasn't really all that thrilled about it, in case you can't tell. Even so, Astrid has done a phenomenal job at winning over the doctors and staff at the veterinary clinic. Astrid spent a lot of time with them last autumn, when her toe was removed in order to be rid of a malignant tumor. Back then, one of the vet techs even told me that Astrid was her favorite patient. Well done, Astrid, well done.

Ever since Astrid's malignant tumor scare, her humans here are a tad bit hypervigilant. Every bump and seeming abnormality causes a momentary panic. At the same time, Astrid is a bit, well, clumsy. She has been known to trip over sticks on walks and to misjudge doorways that have been there since, well, forever. That means she does sometimes end up with the occasional self-induced bumps and scrapes. We keep an eye on every single one of them.

Thankfully, Astrid got an A+ at her appointment yesterday! Well, she's slightly above an ideal weight, so maybe more like an A without the +. She also got stabbed a couple of times, but as long as she gets a peanut butter reward, she's all good. I'm that person who walks into the veterinary clinic with a dog in one hand and bribery a tub of peanut butter in the other. Whatever it takes, I guess.

We're wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

We hope you're not tired of our Christmas in July doodles yet. After all, we have a few more to go, like this one:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's pet parenting tip is one that relates to that dreaded vet's office. As you all certainly know, it is recommended that your furbaby be seen by a veterinarian at least once a year. But, if you're anything like me, all throughout the year you find yourself questioning this or that about your furbaby. Of course, if you notice any abnormalities that are a concern or that are in need of immediate attention, do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian. Otherwise, sometimes we find ourselves with questions that we know are not emergencies and that are not truly in need of immediate attention, but that do pique our interest. That's why today's tip is to, if needed, keep a little notebook or note sheet handy, such as on a counter or on the refrigerator, where you can write down questions to ask your veterinarian at your furbaby's next exam. Whether it be a general question about food, exercise, grooming, behavior, or anything else, write it down when you think of it. That way, you can take your notes with you to your furbaby's next exam and sort out any questions you have in one fell swoop.

Trivia Tuesday

Hi, friends! It's me, Evan.

Today, you get to learn more about me. Isn't that awesome? Our friend CK shared another fun and fantastic set of questions that she answered, and she invited others to answer them, too. I just love these sorts of things, because they help us all get to know each other even better.

Truth be told, I love my mom lots, but lately she's really been slacking on helping us type our answers to CK's fun questionnaires. So, this time I straight up told her, "Listen up, Mom. I'm answering these questions. Unfortunately, the only one here with opposable thumbs is you. That's a bummer, because sometimes you're a real bust. But, you're not getting off so easily this time. You're going to sit your caboose down and type whatever I say. Okay? Yes? Understood? Capiche? Good." With my mom thus warned, I now finally have these facts about me to share with you all!


When did something start out badly for you but in the end, it was great?

I'm going to go with when I was a kitten and lived in a barn, where a coyote snuck in and killed my mama cat and litter mates and paralyzed my hind legs. That was a terrible way to start this trivia about me. Sorry. But, because of all that bad stuff, a Good Samaritan dropped me at the front door of the cat clinic where my mom used to work. That's how she met me and became my mommy. That turned out pretty well.


What weird food combinations do you really enjoy?

Chicken and coconut. I love coconut oil and demand my mommy give me a lick whenever she uses it. So, when my mommy learned that Purina Muse, one of the few canned foods I'll eat, comes in a chicken and coconut flavor, she had to get that for us. I love it.

What food have you never eaten but would really like to try?

Yogurt. Can you believe I've never had yogurt? I love dairy, but my mommy is lactose intolerant and so doesn't eat it. My auntie lives with us and I do get tastes of her butter, ice cream, and cottage cheese, but she doesn't eat yogurt, and so I never get to taste that. Talk about bogus!


What food is delicious but a pain to eat?

Treats. I love Friskies Party Mix and Temptations, but they always scoot around when I try to eat them. Even when my mommy puts them on a rug or in a bowl for me, my tongue always ends up playing hockey with them. They're just so darn hard to eat.

What's the most expensive thing you've ever broken?

My back legs. Actually, the coyote I mentioned in #1 above is at fault for that. So, instead, I'll go with the door trim at our house. Despite having cat scratchers and cat trees all over the house, I love to sharpen my claws on door trim. My favorite is the trim around the front door. I've even ripped trim right off the wall before. I'm really strong like that.

What would a world populated by clones of you be like?

Pure purrfection.


What smartphone feature would you actually be excited for a company to implement?

Holographic mommies. This way, my mommy can still go to work and bring home the bacon for me. But, at the same time, she could also be at home with me.


What's something people don't worry about but really should?

Their furbabies' feelings. We have emotions, like happiness and sadness, just like humans. We're sad when we're ignored, and we're happy when we get attention. My mommy tries to always remember this. When she forgets, I always remind her that I need attention 24/7.


What was cool when you were young but isn't cool now?

Biting. Now, don't get me wrong. I can and do still use my teeth as needed. But, to be honest, I've mostly let my teeth go into retirement. As a kitten, I was known as The Shark, or The Alligator, because if I didn't get my way, I drew blood. I couldn't help it. I was, after all, an innocent semi-feral kitten. There still are times for biting, of course, but those times are far more infrequent than when I was a young lad.

If magic was real, what spell would you try to learn first?

Accio Mommy! Okay, that's a really specific one that my geek of a mom taught me. Accio is a summoning charm in Harry Potter that will make something fly right to you. So, I would summon my mommy and make her come to me whenever I want!


What goal do you think humanity is not focused enough on achieving?

Putting an end to animal abuse and neglect. I know there are lots and lots of people trying their best to succeed at this. But, sadly, they're often outnumbered by those doing the opposite.


If you were a ghost and could possess people, what would you make them do?

I would make them give me coconut oil, and butter, and ice cream, and cottage cheese. Oh, and how about some yogurt?


What game have you spent the most hours playing?

Evan Says. Forget Simon Says. I play Evan Says all the time with my mommy, and she has to do what I say.


What's the most comfortable bed or chair you've ever been in?

My mommy's bed is really cozy. I snuggle with her there every single night.

I hope you enjoyed my answers, friends! You are all of course welcome to take part in CK's fun Q&A, too. We know CK would love that. We also always love learning more about all of you.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Purrs,
Evan

***

Our Doodle of the Day:

The Christmas in July doodles continue on!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's pet parenting tip is a simple one about creating a masterpiece of a memory using your furbaby's adorable toesies. If your furbaby is willing to participate and does not get stressed, you can get non-toxic, pet-friendly paint in order to create some paw art. After finding somewhere in your home where you don't mind making a tad bit of a mess, put some of the pet-safe paint on your furbaby's feet and either have them walk on some paper, or press their paw on the paper yourself. You can then leave the paw prints as-is, or even get creative and turn some of them into flowers or other cute designs. Either way, this is one way to create a simple yet long-lasting memory of your furbaby.

As morbid as it sounds, in the future, you will likely be glad you created these such lasting memories while your furbaby was still with you. We all know that some similar items, such as clay paws, are often created during a time of grief. This is why the aforementioned paw art is one way to create such a memory in happier, healthier times. Again, as morbid as it may sound, it's never too early to think ahead about what memories you might want to have after your furbaby is gone. Of course, do take into consideration your furbaby's comfort. If your furbaby is too stressed to participate in paw art, for example, brainstorm and think of other ways to create lasting memories with them. The options are endless!

Mancat Monday

Evan wanted to give you all a nice, poised shot on this Mancat Monday. But, then he got a tad bit distracted.

That little piggy toy is not technically Evan's, in case you were wondering. Thimble got that cute little goodie for her birthday back in May, but a certain mancat enjoys stealing it from her when she plays with it.

Do any of you out there have fursibs who steal your toys? Thimble hopes she's not the only one. She frequently tries to demand her toy back from her brother Evan. Sometimes she succeeds, sometimes she doesn't. Boys.

Happy Monday, friends!


P.S. Today, Evan was supposed to post some answers for another fun questionnaire that CK shared. Let's just say Evan will instead be sharing his answer tomorrow, because this here human of his failed to help him get them all typed up in time. Shame on this human. Shame.

***

Our Doodle of the Day:

In case anyone missed the memo, we're doing a series of Christmas in July doodles. So, here goes another one!

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Our Tip of the Day:

We've all seen those chew toys for pups. Puppies, and even grown dogs, often love to chew, and so chew toys can allow them to gnaw on a designated item rather than one that is not ideal or one that is dangerous. But, did you know that there are chew toys for cats as well? Like dogs, some cats love to chew. Chewing is sometimes more common in kittens, but some adult cats are chewers, too. If this is the case with your cat, perhaps look into getting them some feline-friendly chew toys. This could potentially save them from chewing on items that they should not, which could be beneficial to your goods, and also of course to your kitty's health.

Of course, whether a chew toy is for your kitty or pup, it is important to take into consideration the material out of which a chew toy is made, as well as whether it will withstand a particular furbaby's level of chewing. Some toy brands will label whether a chew toy is suitable for powerful chewers, for example. Even so, you know your furbaby best, and so you must decide whether a toy will be able to survive their chewing habits, and therefore whether it might be a hazard. There are a great many pet toys available these days, you simply have to consider a toy's benefits and safety for your furbabies.

Sunday Selfie

Thimble is all about snapping selfies these days. She recently yet again got cozy at the sunny front door, situated the camera just right, struck her model pose, and snapped a shot of her adorable little face.

Don't you just love that little nose of hers? Excuse this mom of Thimble's if she's a tad bit biased, but I happen to think that nose is simply too cute for words. Kitty noses just beg to be smooched.

Thimble of course snapped this selfie for the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the Kitties Blue over at The Cat on My Head.

Have a super Sunday, friends!

***

Our Doodle of the Day:

We're taking just a tiny break from our Christmas in July series of doodles today. Why? Because our doodle today is instead in honor of the furbabies' superhero of a grandma. Why? Because it's her birthday!

Happy birthday to the furbabies' grandma, aka this here human's mom! She is a superhero to all of us. She properly spoils the furbabies around here, giving them all sorts of cuddles, making them toys and blankets, and taking care of them when the humans around here are at work or away. We hope her birthday is as epic as she is.

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's pet parenting hack of a tip is one to help you sleep better at night. Does your kitty or pup ever wake you up during the night, perhaps seemingly bored or hungry? The first step in a case such as this is of course to make sure there is no medical explanation. If your furbaby is indeed healthy, though, and they simply wake you in the middle of the night for some playtime or a midnight snack, then there are a couple of simple things you can do to try to combat this.

First, you can do a bit of a pre-bedtime play session with them. One of the last things you do before you go to bed can be a game of fetch, perhaps a little fun with a wand toy, or anything that your furbaby finds fun and that expends their energy. This will help tire your furbaby out, and will hopefully help satisfy their desire to play so that they can sleep through the night.

Second, in the case that your furbaby wakes you up in the middle of the night out of hunger, perhaps save their last meal of the day for right before bed. Fill their bowl just before you go to bed, so that they will go to bed with a full stomach. If needed and possible, you can also make this nighttime meal their largest of the day, to even further satisfy them and their stomach. In some cases, this is all it takes to help keep those hungry furbabies satiated until their breakfast.

Just like us, our furbabies are not immune to restless nights or a desire for a midnight snack. If a medical concern has been ruled out, then try to find a way to help both you and your furbaby sleep through the night. Satisfying the play or hunger drive just before bed may be all that is needed.

Santa's Sandy Stop

As I've mentioned a couple times over the past few days, I'm participating in an upcoming art fair that benefits the American Legion. I doodled up and shared some patriotic drawings in preparation for it, but now I'm working on some doodles to match the art fair's theme. That theme is none other than Christmas in July!

It's strange thinking about Christmas on these hot summer days. But, if anything can help us feel a bit better about this weather, it's a bit of summertime Christmas.

Of course, the above doodle is our contribution to Athena's Caturday Art blog hop.

As always, be sure to visit Athena to see all of the masterpieces our friends have created!

Happy Caturday, friends!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Do you have furbabies who spend time outdoors, and who therefore have water and food bowls outside? Sometimes the wind can wreak havoc on said bowls, especially if they are lightweight. One cheap way to combat this is to get a couple of same-sized buckets, such as ice cream buckets. You can put a couple inches of sand or rock at the bottom of one of the buckets, and then place the other identical bucket within the one weighed down by the sand. Then, the bucket on top can be filled with water, or even food. Since it will be snugly nestled within the weighted bucket, this will help it stay put in the wind. Of course, do make sure that any water or food placed in such buckets are not difficult to reach. For example, large buckets would work fine for offering food and water to large dogs, but likely not so well for smaller cats. So, simply consider the size of the animal in question, and try to rig a feeding and drinking station that suits them. For cats, you can try the above method, just with smaller containers. Then again, you can also simply look on the market for heavy, sturdy bowls that could combat the wind. No matter what method you use, take even the wind into consideration when feeding furbabies outdoors, and think outside the box to find a safe way to combat it as needed.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Happy Friday, friends! Is anyone up for some Friendly Fill-Ins? In case you missed the fill-ins yesterday, we'll share them again below. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. As a child, I feared _________.

2. Friday the 13th _________.

3. I think _________ is my best quality.

4. You can't go wrong with _________.

1. As a child, I feared the dark.
(Every night, my closet and the space beneath my bed became two of the most scary places in the world, at least in the mind of my childhood self. So, I slept with a nightlight that would illuminate both of those areas of my room. Guess what? I still sleep with a nightlight nearby. Nowadays, though, that's more because tripping over cats in the middle of the night has proven to be a real hazard.)

2. Friday the 13th is one of my favorite days.
(I am more or less the opposite of a superstitious person, and I honestly always look forward to Friday the 13th whenever one rolls around. I guess I just like odd and macabre concepts, like the ones often associated with Friday the 13th. I also adore black cats and will willingly walk in their path. And, I even walk under ladders and open my umbrella inside the house, because I'm a rebel like that.)

3. I think compassion for animals is my best quality.
(I am far, far, far from perfect. But, I have always been grateful that I was born with, and raised to have, compassion for animals. My parents tell me that even as a toddler, I wanted to pet, hug, feed, and take home every animal I came across. I have always wished that I could help all of the animals in the word to be safe, healthy, and happy. Sadly, I know I can't do that, but I do my best to help animals as best as I can. The desire to help animals is a constant motivator in my life.)

4. You can't go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate.
(Is there any better food combo than this? I think not.)

Now it's your turn!

To add your link to the Friendly Fill-Ins Linky list, just click HERE!

You can also click on the badge below to add your link.

You are also welcome to complete the fill-ins in the comments below,

or in the comments on Ellen's blog, 15andmeowing.

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We would never forget to give you all your Eddy fix on Friday. So, I caught Eddy taking a nap on her beloved cat tree the other day, and I actually had my camera nearby. The thing is, though, that I got next to no photos snapped before active Eddy woke up and was back up and at it. Here's one of those very, very few shots that I managed, though.

It's amazing how just seconds after this sleepy shot was snapped, Eddy was flying around the room in her usual manner. Also, for our new readers, or for those who might not remember, Eddy's right eye never closes all the way. That would explain her adorable face in the photo above. Eddy was inflicted with a sudden and mysterious neurological issue as a kitten, and she had it when I met her and adopted her. She recovered very well from that, but does have a permanent head tilt and right-sided facial nerve paralysis, which I think make her even more adorable than she already is.

Eddy and all of us here hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Do you remember how I said that in a couple of weeks I'll be participating in an art fair to benefit the American Legion? And do you remember how I said the theme of said art fair is Christmas in July? Well, that's why we'll be having a series of doodles like this coming your way!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday's pet parenting hack was about using shower caddies or other similar shelving units to save on floor space when storing pet supplies. Do you know what other shower item could be of use for the furbabies in your life? A shower cap! For example, if your furbaby is in need of a bath and will allow for it, a shower cap could be used on their head to protect their ears from water and potential resulting ear infections. That's not all a shower cap could be handy for, though. A shower cap could even be kept in your car or in your pocket when traveling, and could be used as a makeshift water bowl for your furbaby. If you think outside the box, there are a great many daily items that could be used to benefit our furbabies. Of course, never forget to take into consideration whether certain items are truly safe for your furbaby, and to then proceed accordingly.