Sunday Selfie with a Festive Friend

Yesterday we shared with you all some snippets of us deconstructing Christmas at our house. A little calico named Tonks was not at all happy about it, as she loves her some Christmas and already misses climbing her Christmas trees. But, she at least has a festive friend that will be able to keep her company all year round.

I'm a big fan of the song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas", and I have drawn my fair share of hippos, especially festive ones. My sister knows this, and so for Christmas she got me that there hippo stuffed animal. She even tied on it that red ribbon, to match the festive hippos I often draw.

This hippo will be staying out year round, of course. He sits in that chair, and now Tonks has discovered that she loves to take her naps with him. Oh, and do you se the the blanket draped over the back of the chair as well as the matching pillow directly behind Tonks? If you look closely you'll see the koala bears on the blanket and pillow. My mom made the blanket and pillow and gifted them to me for Christmas, my sister also getting one of each. There is meaning behind this, and the short story is that a koala stuffed animal was my mom's focus object when she was in labor with both my sister and myself. Tonks of course tries to claim the blanket and pillow as hers, just as she does with the hippo.

I got a festive photo of the hippo by the Christmas tree during the actual festive season, so why not share that now? I'm only a month late.

Since we just shared our festive little hippo friend in the flesh fluff, perhaps you all won't mind me sharing yet another forgotten Christmas doodle, just like I did yesterday. This one stars none other than—can you guess?—a festive hippo.

Happy Sunday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

As you all certainly know, cats often seek out heat. Those pups out there sometimes do, too. For this reason, when it's cold this winter, monitor your furbaby around any sort of heat source. This of course goes for fireplaces, which should be sufficiently blocked so that kitties and pups can't directly access it or end up with burns. But, this also goes for various space heaters, radiators, and even floor or wall registers for the furnace. Especially if your cat or dog is known to park themselves incredibly close to, or even on top of, such heat sources, be sure to keep a very close eye on them when heaters are being used, or when the furnace is running. If they are near a heat source, check on them regularly, and feel them to make sure that they, and their fur, are not getting dangerously hot. Depending on the kind of heat produced by various heat sources, burns and other injuries can occur if a kitty or pup sleeps on or near it. If needed, such as if your kitty or pup insists on keeping a heater or furnace register company, consider blocking direct access to them. For example, there are safe, fire-proof covers for furnace registers on the floor or wall. When it comes to space heaters, if needed, place them in areas where your kitty or pup does not have access. In other cases, you might be able to find a way to safely block direct access to heaters and radiators, so that your furbaby can enjoy the heat without the risk of burns. Of course we want our furbabies to stay warm in the winter, but it is also important to ensure that your kitty or pup does not end up with burns or other injuries.