Friendly Fill-Ins and Festive Photo Fails

Hello, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we'd love for you to join us. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. The best part of 2023 was _________.

2. My focus word for 2024 is _________.

3. A new year is a great time to _________.

4. You don't have to wait for a new year to _________.

My answers are below in bold, and are of course yet again accompanied by far too much rambling.

1. The best part of 2023 was every moment with my kitties and pup.
(The moments with my human family also count as best moments, of course. With the way 2022 ended, with Evan hospitalized at the emergency vet, I've found myself increasingly grateful for every moment I've been able to share with my kitties and pup this year. Evan's on meds and is staying healthy with their help, and all of my other furbabies have been staying healthy, and I'm beyond grateful for that this year.)

2. My focus word for 2024 is actually 6 words.
(I've come to the conclusion that picking a single focus word when a new year rolls around doesn't do much for me. A single word just doesn't speak to me, I guess. So, this year I chose a quote that I've seen floating around the internet, and that quote is, "Dreams don't work unless you do." This is a quote by John C. Maxwell. I admittedly don't know much about him at this point in time, but I do know that I've seen this quote of his multiple times, and every time I stumble upon it, I stop because I immediately realize how much I need to live by it in order to achieve my biggest dreams and goals in life. And so, that's my guiding quote for 2024.)

3. A new year is a great time to evaluate.

(This could mean so many things. All I can say is that when one year ends and a new year begins, I always find myself evaluating all sorts of things. My work life, my home life, my finances, my health, and all sorts of things. Then I start deciding what I want or need to change in a new year in order to live my best life, and of course to be the best cat mom and dog mom possible. A new year just seems like the perfect time for this sort of thing, and I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks this.)

4. You don't have to wait for a new year to set and achieve goals.
(While a new year is a great time to evaluate and make changes, as I rambled on about in #3 above, plans and dreams and goals can be made and achieved any time of the year. If there's something I really want to accomplish in life, I always try to strive for it as soon as possible, not just when there's a new beginning. Otherwise, I feel like time is just passing me by.)

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.

We're still celebrating Christmas around here. After all, today is only the Fifth Day of Christmas. That said, you better believe blooper queen Eddy is here with some wonderfully blurry and festive shots.

If you like that blurry little nose by the Christmas tree, perhaps you'll also like this blurry little tongue.

Merry Fifth Day of Christmas, friends!

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Festive Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday we discussed feeding feral and stray cats outdoors in the cold winter months. As we mentioned yesterday, dry food is a good option in the winter, as it will not freeze like moist food. However, moist food still has its benefits, and so today we're here to give some tips on how to feed moist food outdoors in the cold months with at least some success. To begin, you can resort to putting moist food out only when you know the cat or cats you feed are present, so that they will be able to eat it immediately, giving it little to no time to freeze. Sometimes, though, you might not know when a feral or stray cat will show up for a meal, or you might not be home. In such cases, there are ways to potentially offer moist food to ferals and strays without the moist food freezing rapidly.

To begin, you can simply check on the status of moist food as often as possible, and warm or replace food that has become frozen. What's more, a source of heat will obviously help keep moist food from freezing at a fast rate, although you of course have to ensure that this source of heat is safe. This could mean doing something as simple as warming the bowl in which you put the moist food, or warming the moist food itself, to a safe temperature. There are also both electric and non-electric heat sources that can work for keeping bowls and their contents warm. For example, there are microwavable, or otherwise warmable, heating pads that can be placed under bowls to help prevent the rapid freezing of moist food that is fed to outdoor cats in the winter. There are also electric heated bowls that could keep moist food warm enough to prevent freezing. Other options of course include using a more extensive heat source within an entire feeding station or shelter, details which we will further discuss in upcoming tips. One important detail, though, as we mentioned just a few moments ago, is ensure that any heat source you use is safe and that it will not cause burns or fires. Always do your research before using any item that entails electricity and heating, and choose and use accordingly and wisely.

The last note to make here is that you should still of course make sure that moist food is not spoiling, such as if it manages to get too warm or sits out for too long. If a heated bowl or heat pad causes moist food to remain warm for long periods of time, do be sure to remove any uneaten food prior to spoilage. It might be cold outside during the winter months, but depending on the methods you use and the duration of time that outdoor cats' moist food is sitting out, it is always best to be aware of the potential for gastrointestinal or other issues that could result from the consumption of spoiled food.