Friendly Fill-Ins and a Festive Flashback Photo Fail

Happy Friday, friends! On this Friday, just like every Friday, we're having some fun with the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. In case you missed the fill-in statements yesterday, I'll share them again here. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I refuse to shop in _________.

2. A store I wouldn't mind being trapped in overnight is _________.

3. I'm dreaming of _________.

4. I wouldn't touch _________ with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.


As always, I would never ask you to fill these in without filling them in myself. So, here goes:

1. I refuse to shop in Starbucks.
(This is probably not the direction this fill-in was intended to go, and it's also probably a completely unfair answer. I don't like or drink coffee, so I don't really have a reason to visit Starbucks in the first place. Perhaps my aversion stems from the cost of the drinks, which the coffee non-drinker in me thinks maybe could be concocted for far cheaper at home? Or, perhaps my aversion has a little to do with how the mere act of holding a Starbucks drink in your hand seems to have become indicative of social status. Then again, maybe I'm just over-analyzing that.)

2. A store I wouldn't mind being trapped in overnight is Target.
(I'm pretty sure I've professed my love for Target here before. It has everything you could hope for, of course including some of the cutest cat toys and scratchers. Honestly, have seen their Christmas cat toys and scratchers this year? Be still my beating heart.)

3. I'm dreaming of gingerbread.
(I love gingerbread cookies, but I haven't had gingerbread cookies in a couple of years because I can no longer eat some of the primary ingredients required for most cookies. I make traditional gingerbread cookies every Christmas for my family, but I just refrain from eating them. However, I have been practicing making alternative versions of foods that I can eat without the problematic ingredients. So, this year, I am determined to succeed with a gingerbread recipe that I can both make and eat. I may be destined for an epic fail, but if I don't try, I'll never know.)

4. I wouldn't touch gluten with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.
(See #3 above. The same goes for dairy. This answer is kind of a lie, though, since I do use these ingredients to make baked goods for others. I sometimes wear gloves when handling gluten, but perhaps a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole would be a superior option.)

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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Today, we are participating in the Pet Photo Fails! Blog Hop, in honor of Sarah. Sarah, who commonly went by Roby Sweet, sadly passed away earlier in November. She was a great many wonderful things, one of them being the human behind The Cuddlywumps Cat Chronicles, and the host of the Pet Photo Fails! Blog Hop. Melissa and Mudpie have graciously stepped forward to host and continue Sarah's blog hop.

Our blooper for today is a festive flashback, and of course stars our blooper queen Eddy.

This blooper was snapped lat year, during one of Eddy's many Christmas tree adventures. We're sure we'll have lots more shots like this to share this year as well.

Thank you, Melissa and Mudpie, for continuing the Pet Photo Fails! Blog Hop in memory of Sarah!

Wishing all of you friends of ours a beautiful day!

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Our Festive Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Our last tip for Pet Diabetes Awareness Month is to schedule regular checkups with your veterinarian. Even if a furbaby's diabetes has been under control for a prolonged period of time, or even in a potential case of diabetic remission, it is still wise to schedule regular vet visits. Regardless of how long a cat or dog has been living with diabetes, regular bloodwork and urinalyses, for example, are very important for monitoring their overall health and status. Bloodwork in the form of frucotsamine checks can help reveal if blood sugar has indeed been staying steady over a longer period of time, as a fructosamine test can indicate the average blood glucose level over the span of the past 2 or 3 weeks. This is beneficial as it gives a broader view of diabetes regulation, far more so than just a single-moment blood glucose check. In addition, regular urinalyses can help check for glucose or ketones in the urine, or for signs of UTI, which are sometimes common in diabetic cats and dogs. Just as always, it is better to be safe than sorry, so never forget the importance of regular vet visits.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Hello, friends! In case you didn't know, it's Thursday. That means we're starting today with a poem. After all, we always enjoy participating in Angel Sammy and Teddy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday Challenge.

Each week, our poetic hosts offer us a photo prompt to help get our creative juices flowing. This week's photo is this mesmerizing one here:

The first thing I noticed in that image were all of the yellow taxi cabs. There isn't really much more of an explanation on how I ended up with the poem I scribbled up for today. It really comes down to the fact that, when that above image melded with my current all-things-Christmas mindset, this happened:

The Yellow Car

Those yellow cars traveled here, there, near, and far.

Those yellow cars met those who stemmed from downtown to Denmark.

Of all the hustling and bustling in the streets beneath the stars,

The yellow ones met more folk than any typical ol' car.

 It was on one particularly cold and snowy day

That a certain yellow car picked up riders from far, far away.

The driver of this yellow car was an old gent named Kent,

And he pulled over when he saw a girl with a mountain of wrapped presents.

She stood at the side of the busy street with arm waving and soaring.

She also happened to be accompanied by a cat of bright orange.

This girl and her cat with all those wrapped gifts,

Something quite unusual about them did exist.

Perhaps it was their bright red and green attire?

Or that their mountain of gifts seemed to be rising higher and higher?

Kent could not quite put his finger on it,

But the two needed a ride, and so he would give them a lift.

With the two passengers' endless supply of wrapped gifts miraculously in tow,

Kent asked them where it was they wished to go.

"You don't by chance make trips to the North Pole?" the girl did ask.

The orange cat chirped, purred, and curled up on the girl's lap.

"Sorry, miss, but I don't think I could make it to the North Pole if I tried."

Those words Kent spoke were not even remotely a lie.

"Oh, of course, I always forget," the girl replied with a smile.

"Can you instead take us somewhere with lots of snow piles?"

Kent thought that a downright strange request,

But he was not one to question the destination of his guests.

As he pulled away from the curb and into traffic,

Kent introduced himself in a most polite fashion.

"It's spectacular to meet you, Kent," the girl did say.

The cat even replied with a meow that somehow sounded like, "Good day!"

Then the girl did add, "My name is Mary"

To the cat she then pointed and indicated his name to be Barry.

Often, Kent could not stand silence in his yellow car,

So he said, "The North Pole, that really is quite far."

Mary shrugged and said, in a voice filled with cheer,

"This is a festive trip we happily make each and every year."

"Is that so?" Kent said, more curious than ever.

Mary's reply was either loony or really quite clever.

"Santa's elves always help him gather gifts for all the sweet children,"

Those were the befuddling words that she up and spoke just then.

"Santa's elves?" Kent couldn't help but repeat.

"That's what we are, right down to the jingle bells on our feet!"

Mary laughed, and Barry the cat seemed to as well.

Though, they didn't seem mocking or intending any ill will.

"So, you're an elf?"

Kent was really not so sure of that himself.

"I am," Mary nodded. "And Barry here is, too.

He even has pointy ears to boot!"

With that, Kent drove right on along,

While Mary sang an endless string of festive songs.

Finally, Kent pulled off the road and into a snowy field.

Her delight at the white hills Mary could not conceal.

"This place is perfect!" she yelled.

"This will work sweller than swell!"

Just like that, Mary hopped out of the yellow car.

She looked up and whistled, not straying far.

Suddenly, a grand sleigh appeared in the sky,

Very much so to Kent's wide-eyed surprise.

Reindeer, believe it or not, were pulling that sleigh overhead.

Good grief, that one's nose was even glowing red!

Finally, the sleigh lowered to the snowy ground below,

Resting every so lightly atop the sparkling white snow.

After his shock and awe halfway subsided,

Over to the yellow car he drove Kent slowly glided.

He helped Mary load the mountain of wrapped gifts into the sleigh,

All while Barry jumped into the flying vehicle as a meow he did say.

When it came time pay the fare,

Mary was more than willing to share.

She paid not only in cash,

But also with a little present wrapped in paper that did sparkle and flash.

"It's that gold pocket watch you've always wanted," she smiled and said.

At that, Kent could have easily dropped dead.

Then Mary climbed into the sleigh with Barry the cat,

And they were ready to set sail, just like that.

"Merry Christmas!" Mary called down as away they flew.

Kent slowly waved and manged to reply, "And the same to you!"

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Can you guess what's next? If you visit us often, you might know that Thimble enjoys showing off her pretty self on Thursdays. That being said, Thimble had trouble posing for a photo shoot this week. Why? Because she was just too excited with the festivities.

Thimble is indeed in that photo. She's on the right, on the table beside the Christmas tree. Thimble quite enjoys keeping our Christmas trees company.

I thought I'd mention that this tree of ours is lit up to resemble the colors of a candle. This is something that my church does with the trees they decorate for Christmas, and I've always quite liked the effect. Their trees' lights look far better than mine, but I still make an attempt each year.

Now, are you ready for a blurry Thimble blooper?

That was the best Thimble could do when I asked her to pose with the Christmas tree. The tree is just too shiny and sparkly to ignore, so posing for a picture just wasn't an option for Thimble. Needless to say, Thimble is entering her gratitude for Christmas and its trees into Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

All of us here are thankful for this beautiful time of year, and for all that it means. Of course, as always, we're also beyond grateful for all of you.

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Last but not least, we have for you the fill-ins for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I refuse to shop in _________.

2. A store I wouldn't mind being trapped in overnight is _________.

3. I'm dreaming of _________.

4. I wouldn't touch _________ with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Our Tip of the Day:

It's still Pet Diabetes Awareness Month, and so we have another tip today for those who might know a diabetic kitty or pup. Yesterday we mentioned the importance of diet for a diabetic furbaby, and today we're mentioning how exercise is also significant for keeping diabetes regulated. Just as with humans, a proper activity level can help to keep diabetes under control, this especially being the case for a diabetic kitty or pup who is overweight and in need of losing weight. That being said, though, exercise and activity level also can affect blood glucose levels. For this reason, talk to your veterinarian regarding a healthy level of exercise for your diabetic furbaby, and how to best monitor their activity level, weight, and diabetic status.

Festive Finds on Wednesday (#ChewyInfluencer)

Yesterday, as part of Chewy.com's Blogger Outreach Program, the kitties around here shared their thoughts on some festive treats. Today, it's pup Astrid's turn. Her taste testing was just as festive as the kitties' this month. After all, she tried out Greenies™ Dental Treats, all packaged up in a candy cane tube.

After Astrid and I took a ride on the struggle bus during our attempts to open the candy cane...

...we finally got the festive little fiend of a plastic tube open. But do you know what happened next? This evil human made Astrid wait all of ten seconds to pose with the goods, and that was just cruel and unusual punishment.

At this point, the Greenies™ Dental Treats for dogs even managed to lure in a non-canine admirer.

If you look closely, you can see the panic in Astrid's eye. What if the tiny kitten eats all the treats and Astrid is destined to starve? The horror! Don't worry, I didn't let Astrid get starved out by a tiny kitten. I removed Tonks from the scene and let Astrid have at the treat.

So, then, what did Astrid think of Greenies™ Dental Treats? The only evidence I have of her opinion is in the form of this mildly nightmarish shot:

That really doesn't do any justice at all for Astrid's true thoughts on the Greenies™ Dental Treats. The final verdict is that Astrid absolutely loves these festive goodies. Her pouty puppy face even earned her two more after that terrifying shot there was taken. The best part is that these treats are delicious and have properties to help keep Astrid's pearly whites, well, pearly white. Astrid has actually already nearly finished the tube of treats, so she'll probably be getting more for Christmas, or before, depending on how proficiently she begs.


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Greenies™ Dental Treats in a candy cane tube in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are our own. We only review products that we believe will be of interest to our readers, and we never recommend a product that we do not believe in.)


Have a deliciously festive Wednesday, friends!

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Our Festive Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's Pet Diabetes Awareness Month tip is to make sure that you have your diabetic furbaby on a diet suited to them and their health. Many veterinarians will put a diabetic cat or dog on a high protein, high fiber, low fat diet. It is important to balance nutrients in a way to keep blood glucose as normal as possible, and also to help the diabetic furbaby maintain a healthy weight. Of course, when it comes to feeding a diabetic furbaby, do discuss this with your veterinarian. They can help point you to healthy food options, whether they be prescription diets or not. The veterinarian may also calculate the calories your diabetic furbaby will need in a day to stay healthy and fit, so that their diabetes can better remain under control. And, as always, be sure to let your veterinarian know of any concerns you have regarding your furbaby's diabetes and diet.

A Fun and Festive Tasty Tuesday (#ChewyInfluencer)

Recently, as part of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, the kitties and pup Astrid all got to try out some fun and festive treats. Today, the kitties will be sharing their thoughts on the crunchy Christmas goodies they tested. So, what treats, exactly, did the kitties try out?

The kitties tried out Blue™ Kitty CravingsⓇ Stocking Stuffers crunchy cat treats in chicken. That being said, I'm going to cut right to the chase and admit that I lost complete and utter control of this review and photo shoot.

I'm thinking the photos speak for themselves in this case. I'll summarize the state of affairs by saying that while resident kitties Thimble and Eddy don't eat any treats at all and so didn't touch these, devoted treat-eaters Evan, Toby, Tonks, and Winky all devoured the Blue™ Kitty CravingsⓇ Stocking Stuffers. They literally could not wait for me to open the bag, or for me to give them seconds, and thirds, and fourths. It looks like these treats will indeed be making their way into these kitties' stockings.


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Blue™ Kitty CravingsⓇ Stocking Stuffers crunchy cat treats in chicken in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are our own. We only review products that we believe will be of interest to our readers, and we never recommend a product that we do not believe in.)


Wishing you all a Tuesday as tasty as ours!

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Our Festive Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's Pet Diabetes Awareness Month tip is to know and understand symptoms of and potential treatments for diabetic complications such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). As we mentioned yesterday, hypoglycemia might result from a cat or dog failing to eat, and especially if they are still given insulin even when not eating, their blood sugar can drop dangerously. Hypoglycemia can result in any number of symptoms, which might include increased appetite, vomiting, rapid breathing, lethargy, and difficulty walking.

One quick trick to potentially help a hypoglycemic cat or dog in an emergency is to have honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, or some form of sugar syrup available. Rubbing a sugary substance such as one of these on a hypoglycemic animal's gum line or in their cheeks can help to raise their glucose to a safer level. Of course, discuss with your veterinarian any questions you have regarding hypoglycemia and reversing it. Also alert your veterinarian of any hypoglycemic events your furbaby has, so that better diabetes management can be achieved. What's more, get a hypoglycemic furbaby to the vet as soon as possible, if needed.

A Very Merry Mancat Monday

Around here, I always have to get pictures of our Christmas trees before they turn into jungle gyms. After all, once the kitties start having their way with the trees, they simply never quite look the same. That being said, this here is a photo of one of the Christmas trees at our house, prior to Tonks initiating it and knocking out roughly half of its limbs (honestly, I think half of my Christmas season is spent reassembling the trees).

Do you see the scratcher house in front of the tree there, in the bottom left corner of the photo? That's the Hot Cocoa Cafe! And it's currently occupied.

Evan and all of the kitties here are so happy that Mudpie's mom Melissa recently shared the Hot Cocoa Cafe scratcher house on Facebook. Of course, we had to order one (as in, the kitties wouldn't have it any other way). The kitties all love their new Christmas cafe, and they have all taken plenty of turns inside. Evan makes sure that he especially gets lots of turns ordering hot cocoa at the new cafe. Oh, and if you would like your very own Hot Cocoa Cafe, you can find it here (this is not sponsored, and that is not an affiliate link, just so you know).

We hope all of you friends of ours are having a very merry season!

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Our Festive Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's Pet Diabetes Awareness Month tip is to make sure you understand the factors that can affect blood glucose, if your furbaby has diabetes. For example, as you certainly know, food intake largely affects blood glucose levels. If your furbaby has a decreased appetite and is not eating, administering insulin can potentially lead to hypoglycemia. This is because an animal gets glucose from their food. If your furbaby is not eating and is therefore not taking in food as a source of glucose, then administering insulin, which lowers blood glucose, can lead to even lower levels of glucose. So, be sure to discuss all such factors with your veterinarian, and be sure to hold off on administering insulin if your furbaby is not eating so that hypoglycemia does not result. At the same time, also be aware of other factors that could potentially affect a diabetic cat or dog's blood glucose levels, such as vomiting and diarrhea, or even dental or other issues. Again, discuss any such concerns with your veterinarian as needed.

Guest Selfies Galore

Do you all remember this selfie sneak peek that we shared with you all last week?

As we mentioned last week, this selfie is that of a sloth my sister met recently while she was on vacation. The sloth you see here is named Slow, and she lives at Zoo World in Panama City Beach, FL. Slow is quite the selfie pro.

The apple doesn't far from the tree, either.

Also a proficient at posing for selfie's is Slow's daughter, Chica.

Chica's father, a sloth named none other than Molasses, or Mo for short, is also not opposed to posing for a selfie or two.

Woops. Perhaps Mo there wasn't quite ready for that one to be snapped?

Luckily, he tried again, and even posed with a snack.

This family of sloths, that being Slow, Mo, and their daughter Chica, were some of the many animals who hunkered down with their handlers and rode out Hurricane Michael. Luckily, all of the animals and humans of Zoo World were unharmed in the hurricane.

My sister of course visited more than just the sloth family while at Zoo World. Though they were not all that open to snapping true selfies, she met Lynne and Valentina, mother and daughter giraffes.

My sister also met quite an escape artist of a baby pygmy goat.

Apparently, this little goat is so tiny that she is capable of squeezing out of her stall at night and thereby gets to roam free in the barn. I guess that means she has no curfew. What a rebel.

Though not all of them were open to posing for the camera, my sister made a lot of furry, and not-so-furry, friends that day. She met lemurs, a black bear, an ostrich, alligators, and so many more. Outside of Zoo World, she even met some dolphins. I myself am a huge fan of dolphins, so that sounds like a dream to me. Photos were not allowed at the dolphin meet-and-greet, though, so we don't have any dolphin selfies to share today.

We do hope you enjoyed getting to know sloths Slow, Mo, and Chica, and some of the other animals my sister met while in Florida. Of course, their selfies, and some not-so-selfies, are our entry for the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the Kitties Blue over at The Cat on My Head.

Have a very slothful Sunday, friends!

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Our Festive Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

We're still in the midst of our National Pet Diabetes Awareness Month tips. On this topic, yesterday we discussed observing your furbaby and knowing visible signs of illness. In addition to this, if your furbaby has been diagnosed with diabetes, consider monitoring their blood glucose at home. This is of course not always an option, depending on the furbaby and the situation. But, if it is possible, do discuss this with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can help you learn how to safely check your kitty or pup’s glucose at home, which can be done simply using a vein in your kitty or pup's ear and the same type of glucometer a human would use. If nothing else, of course it is advisable to take a diabetic furbaby to the vet for regular glucose and/or fructosamine checks, as well as frequent urinalyses, especially in the early stages of their diabetes treatment.

Christmas on Caturday

It's all things Christmas around here. Our trees are up (yes, we have multiple trees, in large part to reduce turf wars between the tree-climbing kitties around here). Our halls are decked. And, of course, the Christmas music is playing nonstop. Obviously, my sketchbook is going to be all things Christmas for the next few weeks as well. Duh.

We hope you all won't tire of seeing Christmas doodles and other festive shenanigans, because we're going to have lots of those to share for quite some time.

Happy Christmas season to all!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Continuing on with our tips for National Pet Diabetes Awareness Month, today we're here to say that, of course, always administer a diabetic cat or dog's insulin and other treatments as discussed with your veterinarian. The amount, frequency, and sometimes even timing of insulin administered to a diabetic furbaby is very important for getting blood glucose under control. For this reason, be sure that you understand how to administer the insulin, which is injected beneath the skin, and have your veterinarian give explanations and demonstrations as needed. Also make sure that you understand the proper storage and preparation of insulin. In most cases, insulin needs to be refrigerated, and before administration it is often suggested that the bottle of insulin be rolled between the hands in order to prepare it for administration. Then there is also the important step of pulling up the insulin into the syringe for administration. If you have any questions or concerns with any of these steps, never hesitate to ask your veterinarian. And, of course, immediately let your veterinarian know if you notice any changes in behavior that might indicate that an adjustment to the insulin dosage is needed. Keep a close eye on your diabetic kitty or pup's water intake, eating habits, bathroom habits, activity level, and other such factors, as all of these can be affected by either high or low blood glucose levels. You know your furbaby best and spend the most time with them, so do be sure to keep a close eye on them and inform your veterinarian of any concerns you have.