The Neverending Tale of Tonks and the Christmas Tree

I have a feeling that most of our photos of Tonks during this season will involve her in a Christmas tree.

Can you see her in there?

Tree bloopers. That's apparently most of what Tonks will be sharing for the foreseeable future.

Tonks hopes you all have as fun and festive of a day as she's having!

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Festive Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Our final tip for the month of Thanksgiving, and a tip that can relate to all holidays, is to know your veterinary clinic's holiday hours. What's more, since most general veterinary clinics are closed on holidays, make yourself aware of the nearest emergency vet clinic that is open on holidays. Your usual veterinary clinic will likely have a recommendation for an emergency clinic for the hours and days they are closed. Just in case there is an emergency on a holiday, such as if your kitty or pup sneaks some food that is less than good for them, simply do a little research into nearby emergency clinics, know their hours and location, and have a plan in the event that a medical emergency might happen over a holiday.

Merry Mancat Monday

It's Mancat Monday, and a certain mancat around here is taking a festive nap.

Woops. Sorry, Evan, did I wake you up? Shhh. Don't tell Evan that he's going to the vet place later today for his annual exam. He's a wise 8 years old, so he'll also be getting his senior blood and urine panel done. Oh, and he's also due for another sanitary shave, because this hind limb paralyzed boy's urinary incontinence is alive and well. For now, though, we'll just let the cute little mancat rest.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Festive Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

We're continuing our discussion on Thanksgiving food through to the end of November. For today, keep in mind that food safety around pets isn't just related to food preparation and eating. Safety precautions should continue even after you've finished your meal. What are we getting at? We're reminding you to be aware of dishes in the sink and food scraps or wrappers in the trash. Illness and emergencies can result if your furbaby licks off of plates in the sink that contain remnants of dangerous foods, or if they find their way into the trashcan where scraps or bones reside. So, be aware and take precautions to keep your pup or kitty safe from dangerous foods even after the feast is over. Immediately rinse or wash plates and keep the sink clear of dangerous food debris. Also take out the trash if it contains dangerous food items, or keep it securely hidden away from your furbaby.

A Festive Sunday Selfie

A certain little calico wanted to share a not-so-high-quality yet still festive selfie to show how happy she is that our Christmas trees are up.

Tonks and all of us here wish you a festive Sunday!

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Festive Flashback Doodle of the Day

Yesterday we re-shared last year's Christmas card image, so how about now we go ahead and share our Christmas card image from 2019?

This year's Christmas card is one of the drawings I'm working on this weekend, but we obviously won't be sharing it just yet.

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Tip of the Day

As we said yesterday, we have enough Thanksgiving tips to last through the end of the month, so we're continuing them. Do you know what holiday food we haven't yet mentioned? Cranberries! This here human loves cranberries, but are they safe for our kitties and pups? In moderation, plain cranberries can be given as a small treat to a dog or cat who enjoys them. That being said, it is best to steer clear of cranberry sauces and juices, as those contain excess amounts of sugar and other potential additives that might not be the best for your furbaby. Also be careful with special cranberry dishes, in case they contain not only excess sugar but potentially also toxic ingredients such as alcohol. As always, when in doubt, simply don't offer it to your furbaby.

Since we're on the topic of fruits, we'll go ahead and run through a couple of other fruity treat options for your kitty or pup. If fed in moderation, berries such as blueberries and strawberries are healthy for cats and dogs, as are bananas. Apples are also generally a healthy treat option, but only if you are careful to refrain from feeding your furbaby the seeds. That being said, keep in mind that when fruits like apples are made into pies, added ingredients such as sugar are not so healthy for your furbaby. Of course, also remember that fruits like grapes and raisins are toxic to cats and dogs, so never feed those. Even cherries can be dangerous, especially if consumed in large quantities, as cyanide poisoning can result due to the contents of the stem, pit, and even leaves. So, to be safe, don't feed your furbaby cherries, cherry pie, and most certainly not chocolate-covered cherries this holiday season. Ultimately, if you are not certain that a particular fruit or other food is safe for your furbaby, simply don't feed it as a treat.

A Christmassy Caturday

My house is decorated for Christmas and mostly cleaned up after all the Thanksgiving festivities, and so now I'm excited to fill today with finishing up a bunch of my new Christmas doodles. This year I'll have some classic Christmas doodles, and some weird and wacky ones. Is that really different than other years, though? Anyway, for today we're sharing our Christmas card image from last year, which I will be turning into our blog banner today.

Happy Caturday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

We had enough Thanksgiving tips to go all the way through the end of November, so the Thanksgiving tips will continue on for a couple more days. If you're anything like us, though, you have lots of leftovers that make these tips still relevant. So, let's talk more about food!

We've previously mentioned sweet potatoes and green beans, and how these vegetables are safe when fed plain, but are best left out of your furbaby's diet if prepared in a casserole or with other added ingredients. Today, we're here to remind you of some of the other vegetables that could make for nice Thanksgiving treats for your pup or kitty, of course as long as they are fed plain. One common and nutritious vegetable is carrots. This orange vegetable can provide a large variety of beneficial nutrients, such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and others. Other veggies that are generally safe as a snack for a kitty or pup include broccoli, celery, cucumbers, spinach, and peas. So, if your pup or kitty wants to be included in the Thanksgiving feast, go for a safe and healthy option, such as a plain vegetables. Of course, though, even when it comes to veggies, it is still best to feed them to your kitty or pup in moderation. And, as you've heard us say many times now, always be aware of any ingredients that are added to foods prior to feeding them to your furbaby. If a veggie dish has been topped with onion, garlic, excess salt, or other similar seasonings, then it is no longer an ideal or safe treat for your kitty or pup.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Festive Flashback Bloopers

Sorry for the late post, friends! We really are working toward getting back on track. We hope all of our friends in the US had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that our friends in other corners of the world are having a great end to their week! My family and I had a lovely Thanksgiving, which then ended with some scary events in our neighborhood that resulted in a great many police officers searching our street and coming door-to-door to try to find out any information they could. We're still not sure what all went down, but it was loud and scary. This kind of thing doesn't usually happen in our neighborhood, and so it's been a bit distracting. All is well, though, and everyone is fine, and now here we are.

So, let's finally get to the Friendly Fill-Ins. My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two. Feel free to join in on the fun!


1. I find it easy to choose a gift for _________.

2. I find it difficult to choose a gift for _________.

3. Now that I've _________, I can _________.

4. I'm especially looking forward to _________ this holiday season.

My answers are below in bold.

1. I find it easy to choose a gift for my sister.
(I can easily find gifts for my sister. She and I share a lot of interests, and we both enjoy fun and quirky gifts of all sorts. It's especially great that she loves cats, with a special affection for black cats, and I have indeed gotten her many gifts in that realm. It's also easy for me to shop for my mom, who also loves cats, eccentric gifts, and who is very easy to please. Oh, and knowing my kitties' and pup's favorite toys and treats, they're also very easy to shop for.)

2. I find it difficult to choose a gift for my dad.

(The funny thing is, I probably have more in common with my dad than anyone else in my family. We both obviously love cats, and he and I share a lot of the same hobbies, like reading and various outdoorsy activities. Yet, he's the most difficult to shop for. This is probably because my dad gets for himself what he needs or wants throughout the year, and he's also a bit of a minimalist. My dad is probably the main reason why, years ago, my family started creating lists with ideas of gifts we might like to receive for Christmas. I wouldn't need this list to find gifts for my sister or mom, or my furbabies, but I do use my dad's list for gift ideas for him.)

3. Now that I've made it past Thanksgiving, I can finally focus on Christmas.

(No offense to Thanksgiving, especially since I know it's meant to be a day of gratitude, but my favorite holidays are Halloween and Christmas, and Thanksgiving kind of just gets in the way. I also don't like how commercial and focused on sales Thanksgiving and the days surrounding it have become. I'm not saying I've never taken advantage of such sales, though I only shop online on these days, but is this really the meaning of the season? Okay, I'm off topic. Again. So, now it's the day after Thanksgiving, which obviously means it's Christmas! Our trees are going up today, and my parents will be coming over to my house tonight to watch our favorite Christmas movie, which is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.)

4. I'm especially looking forward to a quiet Christmas with my immediate family this holiday season.

(No offense to my extended family, whom I do appreciate seeing sometime during the Christmas season, but my favorite way to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is with just my immediate family. Maybe it's because I'm a diehard introvert and homebody. And maybe it's because my extended is huge and undeniably very loud. All that combined, I admittedly enjoy feeling festive and cozy in a quiet celebration, with just my parents, sister, and furbabies, and that's indeed how we're celebrating this year. I cannot wait.)

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 none other than Melissa and Mudpie of Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows.

As always, our resident blooper queen Eddy is more than ready to share some photo shoot outtakes. This month, she actually wanted to share some flashback bloopers to celebrate the fact that today, her beloved Christmas trees are going up. And the tree she gets to enjoy year round in my bedroom is being decorated with Eddy-safe decorations, which she will probably have thrown to the floor within a matter of minutes. I'm under no delusions here.

Can you see Eddy in there?

I use battery-operated light strands when I can, and I only set them loosely in the tree. I like my Christmas trees to look festive, but I more so like to keep my kitties safe. And with no less than two tree-climbing cats at my house, my options are limited.

At our house, ornaments get hung from garland that's strung high up on the wall where no kitties have access. That practice started after Eddy's first Christmas, because she was my gateway tree-climbing cat, and I've never seen so many ornaments meet their demise in just one season.

Wishing you all a festive Friday!

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Flashback Festive Doodle of the Day

Christmastime is here!

I have so many new Christmas doodles planned out and in the works. I wasn't able to focus on as many autumnal or Thanksgiving ones as I intended to, because I just couldn't get Christmas out of my mind. We hope you enjoy the festive doodles we have coming up!

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Tip of the Day

We've been discussing the safety of our furbabies when it comes to common Thanksgiving foods, and we'll be continuing those through the end of this month. This topic would feel incomplete without a mention of none other than stuffing. Is this Thanksgiving staple safe for your furbaby? More than likely, it is best that you simply avoid feeding any of that stuffing to your kitty or pup. Why? Because many stuffing dishes include ingredients such as onion, garlic, salt, butter (which could especially be a problem for furbabies with lactose intolerance), and other components that could have uncomfortable or dangerous side effects. If the stuffing is plain, without any potentially dangerous ingredients, then a small taste might be fine for your furbaby. But, more than likely, that Thanksgiving stuffing will contain some ingredients that are best avoided in your cat or dog's diet.

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

Again, to our friends in the USA, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

To our friends in the rest of the world, HAPPY THURSDAY!

Wishing you all many blessings and lots of festive fun this time of the year!

On this day of thanks, and on every day of the year, we truly have so much for which to be grateful. We are grateful for our family, human and furry, those still with us and those who watch over us. We are also grateful for our health, for the roof over our heads, and for the food on our table. We are grateful for this beautiful, festive season.

We are also beyond thankful for this wonderful community of friends. Without all of you, we would be lost. Thank you for helping give us so much for which to be thankful, friends! Wishing you all many blessings, today and every day!

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We'll be sharing our poem for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge in the next couple of days. It and its illustration will be all shades of Christmas.

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We didn't forget about tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. We'll share the fill-in statements below. Ellen of 15andmeowing crafted up the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I find it easy to choose a gift for _________.

2. I find it difficult to choose a gift for _________.

3. Now that I've _________, I can _________.

4. I'm especially looking forward to _________ this holiday season.

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Tip of the Day

Surely I'm not the only one who always feasts on the classic green bean casserole for the holidays? If green bean casserole is on your Thanksgiving table, keep in mind what all ingredients are used to make it before you let your furbaby try some. A lot of green bean casseroles involve potentially dangerous ingredients, especially after you add the classic mushroom soup and onions on top. The onions themselves are of course a hazard, as are added sodium and other ingredients that sneak their way in there. For this reason, it is likely best to hold off on sharing green bean casserole with your kitty or pup. That being said, though, if you have plain green beans to serve, those can make a great and nutritious treat for that furbaby in your life!

Pup Astrid's Thanksgiving Prep

While all the kitties are playing with the turkey toy they've been showing off the past few days, pup Astrid is thankful for a different sort of thing. And what is that thing Astrid's thankful for?

Naps. This pup is thankful for naps.

Astrid knows she has to rest up to prepare for all that turkey tomorrow. The edible kind. Not that fuzzy little dude the kitties keep throwing around.

Happy Wednesday, friends! Pup Astrid hopes you're taking plenty of naps in order to prepare for a day of Thanksgiving feasting!

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Thankful Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Many Thanksgiving dinners include bread, rolls, biscuits, or other doughy goods. That being said, be cautious and aware when baking bread around dogs and cats. If a pup or kitty consumes unbaked bread dough, especially that which contains yeast, serious side effects could result. For example, unbaked bread dough can expand inside the warm intestinal tract, which can in turn result in life-threatening bloat, twisted stomach, and other potential issues. Yeast in unbaked bread dough not only can result in bloat, though. It can also ferment. Such fermentation produces alcohols, which can then be absorbed into a cat or dog's bloodstream and result in alcohol poisoning. Perhaps needless to say, never leave unbaked bread dough unattended. Keep your kitty or pup out of the kitchen, or do whatever else you must to keep your kitty or pup from giving that dough and other dangerous Thanksgiving feast foods a taste test.

Thankful Tonks Tuesday

Just like Thimble and Evan have shown over the past few days, Tonks is also a fan of a certain festive little turkey toy.

Woops. Tonks, where did your head go?

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Thankful Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

A discussion on Thanksgiving dinner foods would not be complete without noodles, would it? At least, in my family Thanksgiving isn't complete without noodles. If noodles are part of your holiday meal, it could likely be considered safe to feed your furbaby a small amount of plain noodles. Noodles can be a good source of energy in the form of carbohydrates, but of course they are best enjoyed in moderation for your furbaby. That being said, as always, also do consider any ingredients added to the noodles. As we've indicated in many previous tips, refrain from feeding your pup or kitty noodles that include garlic or onion, for example, or that include any fatty or other sauces that might lead to gastrointestinal upset, pancreatitis, or other issues. So, if your furbaby fancies a taste of pasta, as long as it's plain, they can enjoy that little taste.

A Thankful Mancat Monday

Last week, Thimble shared just how thankful she was for her little turkey toy. Today, Evan wanted you all to see how much he likes it as well.

Poor turkey. He gets thrown about and shook around quite a bit. Sorry, feathered little fella.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Thankful Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Continuing on with our Thanksgiving dinner tips, yet another common holiday dish is white potatoes, such as mashed potatoes. When it comes to feeding your furbaby white potatoes, those that are cooked and plain can be a reasonable treat in moderation. When additional ingredients are added, though, then you have to start being extra cautious about offering potatoes as a treat. For example, butter or sour cream might cause gastrointestinal distress, especially for cats and dogs who are lactose intolerant. In addition, as we've said before, added ingredients such as garlic, onion, or excess salt can potentially be dangerous if consumed by a kitty or pup. So, you can let your furbaby try out those mashed potatoes, but first make be sure to take into account how they're prepared.

In addition to white potatoes, Thanksgiving is also often a popular time for sweet potato dishes. If plain and simple, sweet potatoes can make for a great treat for a kitty or pup. They are a great source of fiber and vitamin A, as well as vitamin C, potassium, and a variety of other beneficial nutrients. Plain steamed, baked, or mashed sweet potatoes would be a great treat to allow your kitty or pup during that Thanksgiving dinner. That all being said, though, do be cautious of dishes such as sweet potato casserole. These altered versions of sweet potato often contain added sugar, sugary marshmallows, and other potential seasonings or ingredients that could be unhealthy or lead to gastrointestinal side effects. So, sweet potatoes are a great treat to offer that furbaby in your life, but do be sure it's of the plain and healthy variety. Just as with white mashed potatoes, make sure you know how sweet potatoes are prepared prior to letting your furbaby have a taste.

A Calico's Christmas Prep

Tonks found at that in just a matter of days, our Christmas trees are going up. In order to be well-rested for her tree-climbing shenanigans, the little calico is taking extra naps in her festive bed.

Are any other kitties out there planning to participate in the Christmas tree-climbing Olympics? Tonks plans on bringing home the gold.

Happy Sunday, friends!

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Festive Doodle of the Day

Today we have just one more Christmas preview doodle, to prepare you for all the festive doodles that will be happening nonstop this upcoming Friday.

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday we discussed whether it was safe to feed your furbaby a taste of that Thanksgiving turkey. Another food you might find on the Thanksgiving table is ham. Is this safe to feed your furbaby, though? Ham, like turkey potentially can be, is often high in fat. Ham is also often processed or treated, and can possibly contain high amounts of salt. These factors can lead to any number of issues, such as gastrointestinal distress or pancreatitis, if consumed in excess by your kitty or pup. And, just as we've said of other Thanksgiving foods, also be aware of other potentially concerning ingredients added to ham, such as onion and garlic. While very small amounts might not have an effect for some furbabies, do be aware of the potential side effects that fatty, processed, treated, or seasoned ham can cause.

It's also worth noting to be aware of the contents and preparation of chicken, beef, and all meats served at your Thanksgiving dinner. These can all potentially contain problematic fat, or additives such as onion, garlic, salt, and so forth. To prevent pancreatitis, gastrointestinal distress, or other issues, either refrain from giving your furbaby a taste at all, or give treats only in moderation and only when you are certain that the food contains no potentially dangerous components.

Christmas Already?

While we still have a couple of holiday mashup doodles to share over the next couple of days, today I felt compelled to share a Christmas doodle. I haven't been able to refrain from planning out and scribbling up a couple of Christmas lately. We'll be starting to put up our Christmas decorations this weekend, and our Christmas trees always go up the day after Thanksgiving. So, this here little Christmas preview seemed apt enough to share today.

Have a festive day, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Our series of tips relating to Thanksgiving food safety of course must include a little discussion on turkey. Is it safe to feed your kitty or pup some Thanksgiving turkey? Turkey bits fed in moderation can be a safe and delicious treat, but only as long as excess fat and bones are removed. Fat can lead to pancreatitis, among other potential issues. Bones are a choking hazard, and of course can also lead to perforation or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. Also keep in mind whether any additional ingredients, seasonings, or other additives were used when cooking the turkey. For example, onion, garlic, or excess salt on the turkey could potentially lead to gastrointestinal upset or other dangers. So, you don't have to skip giving your furbaby a taste of that Thanksgiving turkey, but do be sure you offer treats only in moderation, and that you take precautions for the health and safety of your furbaby.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Hello and happy Friday! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. Are you? Feel free 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 am thankful for _________ and _________.

2. I look forward to eating _________ on Thanksgiving.

3. I didn't realize _________ until _________.

4. There's no shame in _________.

My answers are below in bold.

1. I am thankful for my human and furry family.

(I don't think this needs much of an explanation.)

2. I look forward to eating cranberries on Thanksgiving.

(Let me clarify that I'm on team jellied cranberry. Because nothing says Thanksgiving like a jiggly pile of gelatinized cranberries on your plate. And I love to mix them with ham. Is that weird? It's okay if it's weird. I can totally live with that.) 

3. I didn't realize how much I appreciate caring for special needs animals until I adopted Evan.

(I feel like I've given an answer very similar to this before, but it's true. I love all animals, but it wasn't until I met hind limb paralyzed Evan that I realized just how much it means to me to share my life with animals who are special needs, or specially abled, as I prefer to call it. There is just something so rewarding and inspiring about special little ones like my Evan.)

4. There's no shame in being a crazy cat lady.
(I've said this before. People often use the term crazy cat lady, or even just cat lady, like it's a bad thing. It's not a bad thing. I'm proud to be a crazy cat lady. It is, after all, exactly what I am.)

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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Are you ready for your Eddy fix? Today Eddy wanted to share a flashback to express how happy she is about what we'll be doing next week.

That's right. Next week, the day after Thanksgiving, our Christmas trees will be going up. Eddy sure does love her Christmas tree. Honestly, do you see the look on her face in that photo? Here, let me give you a closer look.

Granted, Eddy has a year round Christmas tree in my bedroom, which is the room where she prefers to spend all of her time. But, I always deck it out a bit more at Christmastime, and that makes Eddy an extra enthusiastic Christmas tree climber.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle from 2018 is in honor of Thanksgiving, complete with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade going on in the background. That's a Santa float going down the street out the window. I thought I'd clarify that, because I'm not entirely sure that's all that easy to decipher.

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Tip of the Day

In yesterday's Thanksgiving tip, we mentioned how it might be best to keep those pecans and that pecan pie out of your furbaby's reach. Today, we're giving a reminder to be cautious with all nuts, especially if you're not sure how they might affect your furbaby. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, and other nuts can all potentially lead to gastrointestinal upset, some potentially causing more severe reactions than others. The possibility and severity of a reaction also might depend on your particular furbaby, and their particular gastrointestinal tract. Some nuts, such as walnuts, macadamia nuts, hickory nuts, and the previously mentioned pecans, can also contain a toxin that affects the nervous system, especially if they become moldy. For reasons such as these, to be on the safe side, it is best to simply keep any nuts, and dishes containing nuts, out of your furbaby's reach. As always, it's better to be safe than sorry!

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Happy Thursday, friends! It's time for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge. Are your ready? We sure are.

As always, our host shared a photo prompt to guide us on our poetic endeavors. This week's prompt was this adorable one here:

Being in a festive mood and with holiday mashups on my mind, I decided to go for a poem in that vein of thought, mainly with Thanksgiving and Christmas in the mix. I got just a couple lines into it before I realized that my poem and its concept seemed really familiar. That's when I remembered that I'd done a poem with that same premise before, when our poetic host had previously shared a prompt with a child and their dog. I searched for that old poem and found it from November of 2019. What I decided to do was resurrect that poem, do some editing on it, and share it in its new and maybe or maybe not improved version. So, here you go.

Thanksgiving

The big day had finally come.

It was time for turkey and pie and festive fun.

After all, it was the one and only Thanksgiving Day,

Which meant delicious food and a grand parade.

This day of feasting and fun was young Henry's favorite of them all.

It was also the favorite of his best friend, Freddy the dog.

Henry and Freddy always shared what the day had in store.

Henry even gave Freddy nibbles of turkey and pies galore.

It was what came after the feast, though, that the two enjoyed the most.

When they could not even stuff in their stomachs a piece of toast,

Henry bundled up and asked Freddy,

"It's time, boy! Are you ready?"

The boy's best friend let out a chipper woof,

And the two soon stood beneath the sun instead of the roof.

Outside, through the window could be seen the family cat.

Henry tapped on the glass and asked,

"Do you want to come along this year, Jack?"

The cat squinted up at the icy blue sky.

Then it yawned and went back to sleep with a hefty sigh.

Henry shrugged and said, "Suit yourself, Jack. Bye!"

And so the boy and the dog continued on their way,

Excited for what was to come on that cold autumn day.

"Isn't this the most wonderful time of the year, Freddy?"

Henry clapped as he opened the garage and got the wagon ready.

"If we get to the parade fast, we'll get a front row seat."

Wagging his tail, Freddy danced on his big ol' feet.

Ten years was the age of the boy Henry,

And for all those years he'd enjoyed the parade with Freddy.

It had become tradition for Henry to hop into his favorite red wagon,

And Freddy would pull him to the parade with his happy tail wagging.

And so, as usual, Henry hopped into the wagon and took his seat.

Then he watched Freddy move in front of it on those furry feet.

That's when Henry noticed something for perhaps the first time.

Freddy's fur was speckled with grey, no longer in its prime.

The dog stood wagging and ready to go,

But Henry had to admit that these days his best friend's pace was a tad bit slow.

"Wait a second, Freddy," Henry said.

The boy hopped out of his wagon and patted his pup on the head.

"Freddy, I think it's your turn to hop in for the ride.

I can't believe you've never enjoyed the parade from the wagon's other side."

The boy's best friend looked at the wagon and tilted his head.

Henry smiled, "You deserve it, Henry. Go ahead!

You've pulled me to the parade for ten whole years.

If I didn't give you your turns, I'd deserve to be jeered."

Just like that, the dog let out a happy woof and, with Henry's help, hopped on in.

On his furry face was a great big slobbery grin.

At first Henry almost felt sad to think of Freddy growing old and grey,

Until he realized there was no shame in that, not in any way or on any day.

It simply meant Freddy was wise beyond his years, quite sage!

Freddy grinned and looked at the sights as Henry pulled him in the wagon.

The dog's tail just was wagging, wagging, and then again wagging.

They made it to the parade in time for a prime spot.

It was like getting the best parking space in the lot.

Henry and Freddy could feel winter coming on that Thanksgiving Day,

But to them that was honestly more than okay.

After all, they had each other.

Despite their differences, the two were like brothers.

By each other's sides, Henry and Freddy enjoyed all the festive sights and sounds.

There was so much thanksgiving to be had all around.

How really, truly perfect was that Thanksgiving Day,

Right down to jolly Santa Claus floating down the street in the parade.

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Now, let's get right to Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Shall we see what Thimble is grateful for today?

Well, it looks like Thimble's gratitude for today is in the form of a blooper. What's she's thankful for is her turkey toy, which she is just about to throw off that table in that there outtake of a photo. For the record, I honestly tried to get a good photo of Thimble and her beloved turkey. Somehow, though, this is the best, least blurry out of the bunch.

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Last but not least, let's share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I am thankful for _________ and _________.

2. I look forward to eating _________ on Thanksgiving.

3. I didn't realize _________ until _________.

4. There's no shame in _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip in our Thanksgiving series is about none other than pie. As we've said on many occasions over time, plain pumpkin contains fiber and other nutrients that can have benefits for our furbabies and their health. That being said, though, not all components of Thanksgiving pies are as equally beneficial. For example, another popular Thanksgiving dessert is pecan pie, but do be cautious with this around your furbabies. Pecans are not particularly safe to feed your pup or kitty. One reason is simply that pecans can cause an upset gastrointestinal tract, and could also lead to bowel obstruction. Also take into consideration any other pies you make and what ingredients they contain. For example, chocolate pies or those containing raisins are of course dangerous to cats and dogs. What's more, when it comes to any kind of pie, whether it be pumpkin, pecan, or another, added sugars and other potential added ingredients can be less than ideal for our kitties and pups to consume. So, when you're making or eating those Thanksgiving pies, keep dangerous ingredients and the final products well out of your furbaby's reach.