Friendly Fill-Ins

Hello and happy Friday! Let's fill in some fill-ins, shall we? It is, after all, the day of the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. If you'd like to join in on the fun, don't hesitate to join us! My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. I would like to be more _________ and less _________.

2. The color of my _________ is _________.

3. _________ was a difficult choice for me to make.

4. I never have trouble _________.

My answers are below in bold.

1. I would like to be more graceful and less clumsy.

(I'm not really clumsy in the way that I trip often. Instead, my kind of clumsy is the one where I constantly drop things and knock things over. I had to get a special rubber-protected water bottle because I kept breaking my other ones by dropping them. And then do you know what happened earlier this week? I dropped that rubber-protected water bottle for the umpteenth time and it finally waved its white flag and crashed into pieces on the ground, even with its thick protective layer securely covering it. I also work at a chemistry lab, and I probably have the highest kill count of glass beakers and tubes there. That's got to count for something, right?)

2. The color of my Kindle ereader's case is purple.

(I am very good friends with my Kindle, and purple is my favorite color. My Kindle was actually a Christmas gift from my parents a few years ago. They got one for both my sister and myself, and so that we could quickly tell them apart when needed, they got us each a different colored case. My favorite color is purple and my sister's favorite color is blue, so that's what they went with, and I more than fine with that.)

3. Whether or not to a adopt another kitty after losing my calico angel Rosie was a difficult choice for me to make.

(At the time I lost Rosie, Evan and Thimble were in my life. I struggled knowing if or when I was ready to adopt another kitty. When I was perusing adoptable cats on various rescue sites every day, I figured I was as ready as I ever would be. That's how I got my special girl Eddy, and I wouldn't trade her for anything. The next kitty I adopted after Eddy was Tonks, who is my first calico since Rosie.)

4. I never have trouble falling asleep.

(I know there are a lot of people out there who have trouble falling asleep, and I feel very bad for them. Some of my own family members have to use sleep aids just to get to sleep. I have more or less the opposite problem. I go to bed and can be out like a light in less than a minute. My least favorite part about having no difficulty whatsoever falling asleep is that it regularly happens when I lounge on the couch to watch a TV show or movie. Before I know it, I'll fall asleep on the couch and wake up hours later in the middle of the night, confused, still on the couch and buried under cats, and having missed all or most of what I was trying to watch on the TV.)

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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Since all the furbabies are sharing flashback photos this week, it's now Eddy's turn. We went with a cute one in which she was completely and totally conked out back in 2019.

It's not often that I can get a photo of Eddy sitting still, let alone sleeping. This is one of my favorite photos of her. I don't know how this was a comfortable way to sleep, but to each her own.

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

This flashback doodle is in honor of my fill-in above in which I mentioned how I constantly fall asleep on the couch while watching TV. I'm usually kept company on the couch by a cat or two, or three.

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Tip of the Day

Today we're talking about another intestinal parasite. This time, though, it's not a worm. The parasite we're talking about today is Giardia, which is a single-celled protozoa. In short, Giardia causes diarrhea in cats and dogs, as well as humans. Diarrhea caused by Giardia is often very malodorous, sometimes somewhat green in color, and may contain mucus or blood.

How does a cat or dog become infected with Giardia? It is passed in the feces of infected animals. This means that eating the feces of an infected animal, or eating grass or other debris near where an infected animal has defecated, can result in infection with Giardia. Drinking water near where infected animals have defecated is another way that Giardia can be passed from animal to animal.

This all being said, many healthy animals can have Giardia present in there intestinal tract and not show symptoms. It more commonly becomes a problem in very young, very old, or otherwise sick animals. It is also more common in highly populated areas, such as in a shelter. If diarrhea resulting from Giardia is severe enough, the situation can become life-threatening, due to dehydration and other complications.

So, though we can't always put protective bubbles around our furbabies, do your best to help prevent Giardia from affecting your furbaby. Try to keep them from ingesting the feces of other animals, of course, or from ingesting grass or water in areas where other animals may have defecated. Also be sure to keep their feeding, sleeping, and play areas, especially those outdoors, sanitary.

If you do notice your kitty or pup has diarrhea, do not hesitate to take them and a fecal sample in for an exam by a veterinarian. Especially if your furbaby is very young, geriatric, or sick, do not hesitate to have them seen if they are displaying diarrhea. Your vet can test a stool sample for Giardia, as well as for other parasites. Of course, also be sure to administer medications and follow other treatments that your vet prescribes for your furbaby. Also, as we always say, never hesitate to ask your veterinarian about any concerns you have regarding Giardia and your furbaby's risk, treatment, or prevention.

It is also worth noting that, though nowadays is is believed not as prevalent as originally thought, it is still possible for humans to get Giardia from cats and dogs. For this reason, always be sure to wash your hands after cleaning up their waste, especially if they are known to have Giardia. Giardia is not something to take lightly, neither in our furbabies nor ourselves.