Friendly Fill-Ins and Photo Fails

Before we get to the Friendly Fill-Ins, I want to start this post by commenting on none other than the comments you wonderful friends of our leave on our posts. First of all, thank you for taking the time to visit us and comment! We appreciate all of you so much.

Second of all, I am finally getting back to far more regularly commenting on all of your blogs. Even if we haven't had the time lately to always leave a comment on every post we see, we visit as many of your blogs as we can each day to see what you're all up to. But, with some overdue changes to my schedule that are finally going to be happening soon, I thoroughly intend on actually leaving those comments again. We love visiting you all, and we want to make sure we're letting you all know that.

Third of all, and the main point I was trying to get to despite the above rambling, I've been seeing a lot of folks mentioning that they're having trouble leaving comments on certain blogs, which is a problem I've also been having. I've also seen many mentioning that sometimes comments get lost in the world of spam. I somehow didn't realize that Blogger had an area where comments could be lost to spam, and so I checked my comments the other day. What did I find? Over 100 comments from you friends of ours just sitting in a spam folder. I approved all of those, and now I check our blog's spam at least once per day to free imprisoned comments from their confines. So, if you ever leave a comment and it doesn't pop up on our blog immediately, know that I will grant it freedom as soon as possible. I don't know why this is happening, and I myself have noticed it when I leave comments on certain blogs. But, for now, I can at least promise that I'll make sure no comment goes unseen on our blog. I also hope that all of you are getting some of the seemingly lost comments I've been trying to leave on your blogs, because I'm not sure what technology is doing these days.

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Now, who's ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? We are, 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. I collect _________.

2. I recently treated myself to _________.

3. I used to _________ back when _________.

4. Though I have never _________, I have _________.

My answers are below in bold.

1. I collect books.

(Books and all things cat are probably the main things I collect. Well, that and art supplies, and some really random, niche trinkets. Anyway, to go along with this answer, see #2 below.)

2. I recently treated myself to books and more books.
(Sometimes I'm really good about holding off on buying new books until I've read a good chunk of the unread ones I already have. That has not been the case lately. I need new books like I need a hole in my head, but that didn't stop me from buying lots of new ones. And I don't regret it one bit. I now have lots of reading to do, and I'm perfectly fine with that.)

3. I used to work at a large animal clinic back when I first graduated from college.
(I can't remember if I've ever mentioned this here or not, but my first job after getting my bachelor's degree in animal sciences was at my alma mater's large animal clinic. I only worked that job for a couple of months before moving on to a job with the feline species, but I appreciate the experience it gave me in working with horses as well as cattle and other large animals. I became especially good friends with an absolutely humongous yet incredibly docile horse named Jeffery.)

4. Though I have never done much traveling, I have no plans on starting now.
(I know a lot people enjoy traveling and find it a valuable experience. I say good for those people, but I'm definitely not one of them. I'm simply a homebody who really just likes to stay put with my kitties and pup. As corny as it might sound, I find my own adventures when staying home to read, draw, or write. That's more my speed when it comes to adventure.)

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.

Our resident blooper queen Eddy of course has some outtakes to share. They're typical Eddy bloopers, meaning they're blurry and all sorts of unfocused.

The more I beg this girl to pose for the camera, the more her head spins like she's main the star of an exorcism.

Blooper queen Eddy and all of us here wish you a happy Friday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback was one of last year's spooky summer doodles. I have a handful more new spooky summer doodles to share for this year, and then I can't promise how far I'll make it into September before I start sharing autumn and Halloween doodles. I'm honestly beyond eager for those, because they're my favorite type of drawings to scribble up, so it'll probably happen sooner than later.

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Tip of the Day

We're on our final tips in our series about kitty vet visits. Today's tip doesn't directly relate to the physical act of taking your cat to the vet, but it still can play a part in those vet visits. What we're talking about are a variety of ways that might help you pay vet bills. We have a number of thoughts on this topic, and so this will be a long one.

So, let's start with pet insurance. As most of you likely already know, you can indeed get insurance for your furbabies. Just as with humans, there are a variety of companies and policies to choose from, and so pet insurance can certainly involve some research in order to determine the best coverage for your furbaby. In the end, though, this research and the resulting coverage you select can potentially save you money. For example, depending on the policy you choose, you could possibly save a large sum of money in the event of an unexpected pet emergency that is at least partially covered by your pet's insurance.

All of the above being said, when it comes to pet insurance, do try to think ahead. If you are interested in starting your furbaby on a policy, perhaps do so when they're still young and healthy. One reason for this is that some companies and policies make it difficult, or even impossible, to acquire coverage for an animal who is already geriatric or sick. So, early on, consider the benefits you might obtain from pet insurance, do your research, and then do what is best for you and your furbaby.

Besides pet insurance, another option is CareCredit. CareCredit is a credit card that can be used to pay medical bills, such as vet bills. Just like pet insurance, this one will likely require some research to ensure it is a good fit. For example, not all vet clinics accept CareCredit as a means of payment. Therefore, you would want to find out if your preferred vet accepts CareCredit before applying for it.

In addition to all of the above, if needed, some vet clinics also allow for payment plans. Some vets are especially willing to do this for clients in good standing, and who have proven trustworthy and who have shown a willingness and ability to pay for funds in a timely manner. If you have large furry family, if you are faced with a pet emergency, or if there are other such circumstances, perhaps consider discussing with your veterinarian the possibility of making payments to cover your furbaby's bills. If you do so, of course also ensure that you understand all of the terms, and that you are able to make payments on time and in agreement with the payment plan.

One last idea we're sharing today is to simply do your best to have some sort of "pet emergency fund" in which you save money over time. Such a fund can come in handy especially if you do not have pet insurance or CareCredit, and if you don't use a payment plan at your vet clinic. Accidents and emergencies can indeed happen, and they can happen when you least expect it. What's more, resulting vet bills can potentially start racking up. So, if and when possible, try to determine ways to save even just a little money each week or month in order to contribute to a "pet emergency fund", so that you won't be left scrambling to find funds for your furbaby. Ways to save a little extra for such a fund might mean cutting back on eating out, cutting back on the number of coffees you buy, cutting back on your clothes spending, or cutting back on other luxuries. Rest assured, though, that passing on a special luxury or two is well worth it for your furbaby's health and happiness.

Furbabies make wonderful companions, but they are also, admittedly, not free. They require care, just like humans do, and that care does come with a cost. Therefore, always include your furbabies in your budget or other financial plans. This might require some research, but our furbabies are always worth it.