Friendly Fill-Ins and Photo Fails

Happy Friday! We're going to get right into the Friendly Fill-Ins Challenge. If you'd like to join us, please do! Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. You don't have to convince me to _________.

2. _________ is causing me stress.

3. Speaking from experience, _________.

4. Over time, my opinion of _________ has changed.

My answers are below in bold, and they're accompanied by my obnoxiously long and rambling explanations. Feel free to skip the boring parts.

1. You don't have to convince me to take a nap.

(I used to never be a napping kind of person. Now I am, though, apparently. Sometimes I even take unintentional naps. I guess adulthood does that to a person. Oh, and the kitties apparently love when I nap, because I usually wake up covered in cats.)

2. Work is causing me stress.

(Is this not the case for everyone, though? Just like anyone with a job, I feel stressed sometimes. I was going to put something else as my answer, but if I'm being honest, work is my biggest stressor in life right now. Because of the nature of what we do, my workplace has gotten even busier than usual during the pandemic. And now we're also entering our typical busy season, so that's happening. I am certainly grateful to have a job and steady income, but this aspect of adulthood is certainly not always the most fun. Luckily, my workplace is not the most strict. Because of that, I've been able to start setting some boundaries with my work. For the past year or so, it had become habit for me to work decently later than our technical closing time most evenings, but now I'm no longer doing that, which has reduced my work-related stress.)

3. Speaking from experience, don't forget to put the lid back on the tub of cat treats.

(The other day, I came home from work only to realize that I had clearly, albeit accidentally, left the lid off of the cat treats after doling treats out that morning. When I got home, the treat tub was on the floor, on its side, and it was empty. The tub had been roughly half full that morning. The kitties could not have reached the treats on the shelf, but unfortunately the giant dog in the house could. My best guess is that pup Astrid removed the open treat bin from its shelf, and I don't doubt that Evan probably helped her eat them thereafter. That must have been a hefty snack, and quite a sight.)

4. Over time, my opinion of social media has changed.
(Social media sites really started gaining traction when I was in high school or thereabouts, and back then it seemed like an intriguing and promising idea. I still think social media does have some beneficial uses, but over the years I also have more solidly come to the opinion that it can be very toxic. This of course depends on the situation and the individuals involved, but I have seen some stories and instances of social media doing major harm. I'm also of the belief that social media simply allows for petty, superficial, and sometimes just ludicrous interactions to occur. This of course is not always the case, and it's also just my opinion. But, I've honestly become quite annoyed with how social media is used these days and so there are now only a couple forms of it that I willingly use.)

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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And now it's time for the Pet Photo Fails! Blog Hop, hosted by Mudpie and Melissa of Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows!

Not surprisingly, our resident blooper queen Eddy has plenty of outtakes to share. For today, we chose a couple of the bloopers from a recent photo shoot, which yet again took place at Eddy's favorite window. Enjoy!

I love when Eddy shows off her adorable little snaggletooth! Sure, that snaggletooth may look blurry and of low quality in these bloopers, but I still love it.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

February is nearing its end, and for us that means our winter doodles are nearing their end. Tomorrow we'll share our last new doodle in this year's dark and spooky winter series. For today, though, it's another weird little doodle we shared around this time last year. On Wednesday we shared a flashback doodle that included a gnome in a typical sort of sense, but today's flashback involves a gnome of a different sort.

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday, as part of National Cat Health Month, our tip involved food allergies. Keep in mind, though, that cats can of course be allergic to any number of things, not just food. Symptoms such as itchy skin, hair loss, rashes, and so forth can also result from seasonal and airborne allergies, allergies to fleas, and any number of other allergens. A cat can even be allergic to fragrances and other components in items such as cat litter or laundry detergent.

That all being said, if your kitty has dermatological or even respiratory signs of allergies, try to pinpoint when it started, and discuss this with your veterinarian as needed. Keep track of if your cat displays symptoms year-round, or if the symptoms are new. Does your cat have scabs or bites on their skin? Is he or she on monthly preventatives for fleas? Did you start using a new kind of cat litter? What about a new kind of laundry detergent with which you've cleaned blankets and bedding? Think back to even weeks or months ago, as allergies can take time to manifest. If the onset of symptoms can be tracked down to exposure to a new litter or other removable or remediable environmental factor, then it might be an easy fix. If your kitty is diagnosed as having seasonal or airborne allergies, though, then you can discuss with your veterinarian what might be done to help your kitty stay as itch-free and comfortable as possible.