Fill-Ins, Eddy, and an X

We're always happy to reach Friday. We love us some weekends over here. Also, we really enjoy the weekly Friday Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by none other than Ellen of 15andmeowing and Annie of McGuffy's Reader.

I always look forward to finding out what clever fill-ins our hosts crafted up for us. This week, here are the clever phrases we're working with:

1. I could really use _________.
2. _________ is a charity that I like to support.
3. One time, I broke _________, and _________.
4. I wish that I had _________ when I was young(er).

And here's how I did with those:

1. I could really use an extra set of hands.
(The octopus has it right. Some days, all I can think is that I could get so much more done if I had more hands. What's more, I could pet more kitties at a time.)

2. Hospice Hearts is a charity that I like to support.
(I have mentioned this local rescue many times before. It focuses on re-homing cats and dogs whose owners are no longer able to care for them due to age, illness, entering a nursing home, and other similar circumstances. Many of the animals Hospice Hearts rescues are geriatric and special needs, and that is something near and dear to my heart.)

3. One time, I broke Thimble's favorite toy, and I was far more devastated than she was.
(My girl Thimble had this simple toy that was just a plastic bell with feathers attached. She absolutely adored that thing. One day not long ago, the toy had somehow made its way beneath a rug. I did not know this and stepped on the rug, heard a crunch, picked up the rug, found the obliterated bell toy beneath, and felt utterly devastated. Thimble moved to a new favorite toy something like 2 seconds later, but I felt a tad bit distraught. After all, not only was this toy Thimble's favorite, but she'd also had it since she was a kitten. I felt a bit better after I found a similar toy on Etsy and ordered it for Thimble.)

4. I wish that I had been more confident when I was young(er).
(I was a very shy kid. I am still largely an introvert, but as I've aged, I realized that the only way to go through life is by simply owning who you are and being comfortable in yourself. I wish I'd had that same mentality as a child.)

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Here we are at the last few days of the A to Z Challenge.

Today's letter of the day may be the hardest one there is. Which letter is that? It's none other than X. Our theme involves putting animal-inspired twists on classic story titles. I had a heck of a time finding titles that begin with X. Finally, though, I found an obscure short story by none other than my man Edgar Allan  Poe. The story is called "X-ing a Paragrab". This is one incredibly eccentric tale that sometimes, to be honest, makes next to no sense at all. In short, this story is about an editor and some newspaper shenanigans. If you wish to read it, you can find it here.

As for us, we had a little fun with Poe's story. To be honest, this ended up being one of my favorite A to Z doodles to create. Anyway, we present to you "X-ing a Purragrab".

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We of course now have your Eddy fix for you. For today, she wanted to show you that she also got in on the window whiffies action at our house this week.

Just look at this girl sitting still for the camera! Don't get used to it, though.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Our Tip of the Day:

 

As Spring really gets underway, don't forget that our furbabies can have allergies just like we can. Just as with us, pollen, grass, and other airborne allergies can lead to itching, scratching, sneezing, and a number of other similar symptoms in our kitties and pups. If you notice any such symptoms in your furbaby, discuss this with your veterinarian. There are antihistamines and other treatments that can potentially help alleviate allergies for our furbabies.

In addition to veterinary and medicinal care, there are other considerations to make when it comes to helping a kitty or pup cope with seasonal allergies. For example, though we all love window whiffies, keep in mind that open windows can potentially exacerbate allergies, as the allergens then have easy access into the home. So, closed windows are often best for keeping the allergens down within the home. For furbabies who go outdoors, when they come inside, you can wipe off their paws and even wipe down their body to help remove allergens. Regularly cleaning floors, curtains, bedding, clothing, and so forth, can help keep a handle on allergens that might find their way into the home. Regularly changing the filter in your heating and cooling system is another important factor. In addition to this, an air purifier can also help.

As always, we of course want what's best for our furbabies. Allergies can lead to discomfort, so of course helping your furbaby cope with them is crucial. If you think or know that your furbaby has seasonal allergies, or any allergies at all, discuss this with your veterinarian and do all that you can to minimize their effects.