Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Hello and happy Thursday! Today is filled with hopping and fun times. First up we have the Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, hosted by the handsome Angel Sammy and Teddy.

Each week, our wonderful hosts share a photo prompt to help guide us in our poetic endeavors. This week, they shared this inspiring shot:

The gentleman in that there picture seems to exude wisdom and nostalgia to me. He also reminded me of an old librarian who used to work at the library I visited all the time as a child. That seemed perfect, since I've been in a very bookish mood lately, hence all of our bookish doodles lately. So, that is the simple explanation I have for how this poem happened:

A Thousand Lives

There once was a wise octogenarian,
Who also happened to be a librarian.
His name was Jack,
And he had read every book from front to back.

People would visit Jack at his library,
Looking to read about an astronaut or perhaps a fairy.
Everyone knew Jack had read it all,
And he could give anyone a recommendation without stall.

One day Jack was sorting books in the back,
When up walked his good friend Mack.
Mack was grey and fuzzy and loved to chat,
And he also happened to be a cat.

"Meow," Mack said when he found his old friend.
Jack replied, "Is there a visitor to whom I need to tend?"
"Meow," was Mack's repeated reply,
Before he left the room with a step quite spry.

Seeking for the one in need of his help,
Jack found a boy of roughly twelve.
He asked the boy how he could be of service.
The boy's reply was ever so earnest.

"I want to go on an adventure," the boy said,
"So my mother told me I should find someone well-read."
Jack the librarian thought the boy's mother quite smart,
And he told the boy that straight from the start.

The boy, though, did not seem convinced.
He stared at Jack with his face quite pinched.
He said, "What can some silly book do for me?
Words can't take me on a grand journey."

At that, Jack waved a finger at the kid.
Of that falsity the boy simply had to be rid.
Jack said, "It's because of books that I've lived a thousand lives."
In response, the boy looked at him with bugged-out eyes.
"It's true," Jack confirmed his case.
"Every book you read takes you to a brand new place."

"So tell me, then," Jack said the boy,
"On what kind of adventure would you like to deploy?"
The boy quickly replied, "I want to see a castle!
If that's not too much of a hassle.
Maybe I can even become a knight,
And slay a dragon in the dead of night!"

"Now that certainly sounds like a plan,"
Was what Jack said to the boy who in front of him did stand.
Turning to face his collection of books,
Jack knew exactly where to go look.
He passed books and more books on shelves and more shelves,
Looking for just the right adventure in which the boy could delve.

Jack and the boy climbed up some stairs,
Only to find that Mack the cat had already beat them there.
Mack prowled amongst the books of one particular shelf,
Looking mighty proud of his feline self.

When Mack saw Jack and the boy appear,
He twitched his tail and perked up his ears.
Then he waltzed over to a book of green,
Gave himself a little preen,
And then knocked the book to the floor in quite a scene.

"Look at that!" Jack did shout.
"Mack found your adventure, without a doubt."
Jack made his way over and picked up the book.
Then he handed it to the boy and said, "Take a look."

The boy opened the book and began to read.
Of course Jack and Mack looked over his shoulder, indeed.
As the words met their eyes,
They were suddenly surrounded by blue skies.
Beneath their feet crunched fresh grass,
And behind them appeared a great big mass.
What was that mass that in the sun did dazzle?
It was none other than a castle!

Now they were really on a grand journey.
They even stumbled upon a knights' tourney!
With every word that was read,
Into adventure they surged ahead.

After visiting a royal market,
And buying some apples at quite a bargain,
They then headed for the hills,
Where the air was warm and the wind quite still.
In fact, the air was so warm that they began to wonder.
And, wait, was that thunder?

No, no, thunder it was not.
And there was certainly a reason the air felt hot.
There was also a reason why the grass was scorched and blackened.
It was because, oh look, there was a fire-breathing dragon!

At first Jack, Mack, and the boy were scared silly.
But the dragon was not mean, no, not really.
The scaled beast in fact waved and said hello,
And asked them if they wanted a cup of joe.

And so on their adventure a dragon they befriended,
But that's not even where their journey ended.
There were elves and trolls and even goblins to meet,
And they journeyed on until they had tired and aching feet.

When the adventure finally read, The End,
The boy closed the book and on his face a smile did extend.
He returned the book to where it belonged,
But did not yet bid Jack and Mack so long.

Jack looked around the library.
"How many books are here?" was his query.
Jack said, "Enough to live a thousand lives."
That answer brought a light to the boy's eyes.
Then he skipped and went on his way,
But not before saying that he would be back the next day.

***

Next up, are you ready for some Thimble? We sure hope you are, because here she is!

Now, yesterday pup Astrid took a turn participating in a fun little something that our friend Stunning CK shared. With this fun little something, you choose an artist or band and then answer some questions about yourself using only their song titles. Today, it's Thimble's turn! Just like Astrid and the other furbabies around here, Thimble was kind enough to choose Queen, this here human's favorite classic rock group. 

But that's enough from this human. Thimble's up now!

***

Hello, fantastic friends! I, Thimble, am here to talk to you all! Actually, I'm here to share some musical facts about me. Are you ready to get to know me even better?

Artist/Band: Queen
What is your gender: Sweet Lady
How do you feel: Life Is Real
If you could go anywhere: Seven Seas of Rhye
Favorite mode of transportation: Bicycle Race
Your best friend: You're My Best Friend
Favorite time of day: Action This Day
If your life was a TV show: These Are the Days of Our Lives
Relationship status: Play the Game
Your fear: Hammer to Fall

Well, that sure was fun! I'm very thankful for fun activities like this, and for friends like CK who share these ideas with us. I'm of course entering my gratitude into Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

But there is also so much more for which we're thankful. We're thankful for beautiful weather, and sunshine, and every single one of you!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

We already gave a tip on the importance of keeping up with parasite preventatives, especially as the weather warms up. Similarly to this, also make sure that your kitty or pup is up-to-date with vaccines for diseases that might affect them. If Spring weather means that your furbaby will be venturing outside more, interacting with other dogs and cats, or even potentially coming into contact with wildlife, then keep this in mind when it comes to vaccinations.

For example, feline calicivirus is a respiratory disease that can be somewhat easily passed from cat to cat. Canine distemper is a similar disease in dogs, affecting the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, and being passed through direct contact between dogs or their secretions. There are vaccinations against both of these diseases, as well as other diseases, that could prevent sickness in furbabies at risk of contracting them. This is especially something to consider if your cat or dog will indeed be coming into contact with an environment or animals that might put them at risk of sickness.

There is often debate over the necessity of certain vaccinations. The important thing is to weigh out the options and risk factors. Is your cat or dog going to be traveling or boarding somewhere with other animals? If so, vaccines might perhaps be wise to prevent them from contracting anything, which is why many boarding facilities will require certain vaccinations. Of course, you also have to take your furbaby's overall health status into consideration before vaccinating them. This is when it is important to discuss all circumstances and options with your veterinarian, to discuss the safest, most healthy option for your kitty or pup.