Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Hello and happy Thursday, friends! Let's start with Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, shall we?

Our host always shares a photo prompt to help us get poetic. This week's prompt is this fun image here:

I used to watch I Love Lucy all the time as a kid. The episode in the above image involved Lucy and Ethel working at a candy factory, of course which resulted in some shenanigans. I brainstormed how to turn this prompt into one of my usual weird poems. Long story short, I ended up with this silly rhyme:

Lucy and Ethel

There once was a woman named Viv,
And with her two roommates she did live.
Viv, however, could not financially rely on her roommates.
They never paid any of the bills, no matter the rates.

Viv's roommates went by the names of Lucy and Ethel,
And sometimes it seemed like Viv they did intentionally troll and heckle.
Lucy and Ethel were a loud and active duo,
Regularly knocking things from shelves and running to and fro.

It was on one moonlit night that Viv felt compelled to eat and bake.
She made her way to the kitchen for sugary sweet food's sake.
She hustled and bustled as she grabbed bowls and concocted batter and dough.
All the while, Lucy and Ethel ran through, tripped her, and stepped on her toes.

With a sigh and a shake of her head,
"Can't you two give me some space?" Viv said.
Her roommates ignored her and continued to wreak havoc in the kitchen.
Viv had to finish baking while Lucy and Ethel had a running competition.

By the end of the night, Viv had a table filled with baked goods and candy.
Then, just like that, Lucy and Ethel were stealing it in front of her eyes, for all to see.
Lucy was swiping a cookie from a plate,
And Ethel was grabbing at not just one piece of candy, but eight.

Exasperated, Viv said, "You two are the naughtiest roommates I've ever had.
Tell me, Lucy and Ethel, are all cats this bossy and bad?
You feisty felines steal all my food.
Honestly, that is nothing if not rude.
Not to mention you throw my possessions to the floor,
And you fight and hiss, and so much more."

The cats named Lucy and Ethel glanced at each other.
They did have a tendency to to break stuff and run like thunder.
Lucy and Ethel each slapped a piece of candy to the floor,
And then they slapped the candy towards Viv, and then a bit more.

"Gee, thanks," Viv said.
She sighed and rubbed her head.
Then, she bent down, picked up the candy, and ate it.
She smiled, finding the sugary sweetness quite satiating.

Viv said, "This candy really is quite good, isn't it?
Can I have another piece, do you think?"
Lucy and Ethel tossed her another piece of candy quicker than quick.
Viv ate it up, and then her fingers she even did lick.

Then Viv turned to Lucy and Ethel with a smile.
The cats meowed and purred all the while.
"Lucy and Ethel, you always cheer me up," Viv said, clapping.
"You two are just the best kitties ever," she added, happy and laughing.

I'll be sharing the illustration for this poem on Sunday. I've been working on all the new doodles I want to finally start sharing again, after 2 weeks of craziness and lack of new doodles. I'm excited to finally be working in my sketchbook again, and I'll start sharing my newest doodles on Saturday, with this poem's illustration being on Sunday.

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Now, let's give some thanks for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thimble is always here to give thanks on Thursdays. What's this tabby girl grateful for today?

Thimble is grateful for sunshine! She doesn't even care if it washed her out in this photo. We see so little sunshine these days, that when we do see it, Thimble is incredibly thankful for it.

We're also, of course, incredibly grateful for all of you!

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Now, let's share the fill-in statements 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. So far 2021 is _________.

2. A book (or movie or song) title that best describes my life is _________.

3. _________ was a pleasant surprise.

4. I learned that _________ is a recipe for disaster.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Here's a wacky flashback doodle from January 2019, in the same series as the other weird one I shared the other day.

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Tip of the Day

We've discussed helping ferals stay warm and cared for in the winter, such as by offering them even makeshift shelters and putting food out for them. We've also mentioned helping your own kitties or pups remain healthy and happy during the cold winter months, such as by minimizing time their outdoors and offering extra warm places for them to sleep inside the home. But, what role can you play when it comes to others' companion animals, those who are not ferals, but who are also not your own furbabies? The important thing when it comes to this is to be observant, to be aware of an observed companion animal's situation on a cold winter day, and, if necessary, to be a voice for the voiceless.

If you notice someone's pet cat or dog being kept outdoors for an extended, unsafe length of time on a cold winter day, then get the details of the situation and report it. Also report if an animal being abused or neglected in this way is left outside in the cold without shelter in which to stay warm, or while chained up, and so forth. If you believe you are witnessing a stray animal struggling to survive without a home, in the cold winter months or any time of the year, also report this to someone who can help them. In any such cases, get the address where the animal is located, the number of animals affected, details regarding the conditions in which the animal is living, and even get pictures if possible.

In case you ever do find yourself facing a situation of animal abuse or neglect, try to make sure you are aware of whom to call in order to get help for an animal in need. In some locations, cases of animal abuse or neglect are best reported to certain humane organizations. In some places, if you notice animal abuse or neglect, you should call animal control, or law enforcement. What's more, to ensure that an abused or neglected animal is indeed rescued from unsafe conditions, don't just report it, but follow through with any reports you make to ensure that animals suffering abuse or neglect get the help they need.

At this point, we do want to make what we're sure is an obvious clarification. In order to avoid mistakes or misunderstandings, never jump to conclusions without first having the facts, and this of course regards the care of others' furbabies. For example, if you see a dog outside in someone's yard on a cold winter day, don't automatically assume this is a case of abuse or neglect, and don't raise false alarms. In some cases, a dog might of course just be outside on a short bathroom break, perhaps even with their human monitoring them from inside the home. So, before making any reports, always make sure you have observed the situation enough to know the facts and to have formed proper conclusions regarding animal abuse or neglect. If you do ultimately come to the conclusion that an animal is living in unsafe conditions, then do your best to seek help for them.