Friendly Fill-Ins

Hello and happy Friday, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we'd love for you 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. My focus word for 2022 is _________.

2. This year I want to learn more about _________.

3. I _________ during the first week of 2022.

4. In this season of my life, I _________.

My rambling answers are below in bold.

1. My focus word for 2022 is discipline.
(I'm having déjà vu. I chose discipline as my focus word for 2021. Then family and work matters started happening in roughly the second week of January, things got derailed, I forgot all about my focus word, and I did not take the time and certainly lost the discipline to accomplish my personal goals and all that jazz. I'm determined to change that this year. That said, I'm a boring person who likes to plan things out and works best with routine and schedules, so for me, discipline includes me creating a daily routine and schedule that encourages me to accomplish my goals. I know some people who cringe at that stringent sort of thing, but I thrive on it.)

2. This year I want to learn more about baking.
(I already bake a decent amount and enjoy it. Over the years, and through lots of blood, sweat, and tears, I've learned how to attempt things in the kitchen that used to scare me, like making pies from scratch and whipping up pudding from scratch. But, there are still a lot of baking techniques and goods that I have not even remotely mastered, or have not even attempted. I really enjoy the show The Great British Baking Show, and this year I want to try making some classic and more advanced bakes like what you see on that show. Wish me luck. I'm going to need it.)

3. I did a lot of reading during the first week of 2022.
(In 2021, though I did read some, I nonetheless fell into a reading slump and did not read anywhere near as many books as I wanted to or as I used to. One of my many goals for 2022 is to get back to reading a ton of books, because reading is one of my favorite pastimes and forms of entertainment. So, at the end of 2021, I spent a good chunk of time going through resources like Goodreads and made an even longer list than I already had of books I want to read. I downloaded some that I felt most excited to read, got to it, and have been happily reading a ton. The only problem is that the main time I have to read is before bed, and so when I really get into a book, I read way too late and get way too little sleep. It's usually worth it, though.)

4. In this season of my life, I understand that I am responsible for my own happiness.
(No one else can or should be the source of my happiness in life. I have to take that matter into my own hands. If I'm not happy, I have to do something to change that. It's no one else's job. This fact became more and more obvious to me as I grew older, and it's something that I always keep in the back of my mind. I've met people or witnessed people who blame others when they're unhappy with their life or some aspect of their life, and that's mind-boggling to me. No one else can just hand you your own personal happiness. Though it might not always be easy, if you're unhappy, do what you can to change that. Anyway. I think I'm rambling now, but what's new.)

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, this tabby girl wanted you all to see that it's finally winter over here in our corner of the world. Our Christmas Day was 60°F, but we finally got snow just after the New Year, and now today it's 0°F.

Warm wishes to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Our next series of new doodles will be yet another bookish one. I go through spells where all I want to draw are books and cats, and that's the spell I'm in right now. I took some time off from drawing after finishing all of my Christmas doodles, in part because of something called carpal tunnel syndrome, but now I'm working on this new bookish series of which I speak. I decided to find a flashback doodle in that realm to share today, and found this silly one from 2019.

And, now I kind of want to draw some gnomes again. Maybe I'll get on that soon.

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Tip of the Day

Today's discussion on shelters for outdoor ferals in the winter is to make sure you regularly check said shelters, to ensure that they are in good condition. Such checks should include looking for leaks and making sure that the shelter is dry inside. It is also, of course, important to look for broken or loose parts and pieces. These sorts of checks are especially important after storms or high winds, in order to ensure that no parts of the shelter broke loose or are posing a risk to the cats using the shelter.

In addition to regularly checking outdoor cat shelters for damage, also check to make sure that the shelters are clean and as sanitary as possible. If you are using straw as bedding in the shelter, regularly check it for dirt or excrement, and determine if it needs replaced or replenished. If cloth bedding material is being used, regularly check to make sure that it is dry and clean, and remedy it if it is not. There are many factors that go into maintaining a comfortable and clean shelter for ferals, also of course including food availability. So, if you are caring for outdoor cats, try to regularly check shelters to ensure that all is well and safe for potential inhabitants.