Friendly Fill-ins and Eddy's Festive Feline Friend

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. My plans for October include _________ and _________.

2. Sometimes it is easier to _________ than _________.

3. I didn't mean to _________, but it turned out that way.

4. I'd rather deal with a haunted _________ than a haunted _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. My plans for October include more yard work and all things Halloween.

(A few weeks ago I finally got all the overgrowth and volunteer trees cut down in my yard and piled it all up in the back of my yard. This upcoming week starts the free yard waste pickup days my city offers in the autumn, so now it's time to get out there and get all the cut debris bundled up for the city to haul it away. Aside from that, this month I do still want to finish all of my Halloween doodles, work on my current Halloween writing project, do some Halloween baking, read more Halloween books and watch more horror movies, and all that Halloween jazz.)

2. Sometimes it is easier to give Eddy her way than to negotiate with the tabby terrorist.
(My kitties usually get their way, but there are times and situations when I'd kind of like a say in things. Most of my kitties humor me enough to allow for this. Except for Eddy. She's my skittish, semi-feral girl, and she wants what she wants and doesn't want what she doesn't want. If she wants to rip the entire bottom out of my bed's box spring, she's doing to do it. If she doesn't want me to medicate or handle her without bloodshed on my part, I don't have any say in the matter. I love my wild girl so much, and she's going to get her way.)

3. I didn't mean to schedule three vet appointments for one day, but it turned out that way.

(I did actually mean to schedule two appointments, when I took Thimble and Tonks together for back-to-back appointments this week. Evan's grooming appointments are often auto-scheduled, though, because he goes every two weeks. I didn't have his grooming schedule in front of me when I made Thimble and Tonks's appointments, and so I noticed later that they were all hours apart on the same day. So, this past Wednesday, I dropped Evan off at grooming before work, went back to the vet and took him home when he was done, went back to work, and then went back home and to the vet with Thimble and Tonks at 4 pm. It was an eventful day.)

4. I'd rather deal with a haunted piece of furniture than a haunted house.

(I read a book a while back that involved a haunted house, but it also included pieces of furniture that were individually haunted. I'd like to think I could destroy or otherwise dispose of a piece of furniture that's giving me trouble. If you've got a whole haunted house on your hands, though, that sounds far more intimidating and like a far bigger headache with a far bigger pile of paperwork.)

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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Last week, Eddy shared some photos of her hanging out with our usual ghost pal that haunts us every spooky season. This week, Eddy has some bloopers to share of her excitement to hang out with our freakily festive kitty friend.

Eddy isn't keen on most real, in-the-flesh and in-the-fur cats, but she was more than happy to give this stuffed one a head rub and purrs.

Of course, in true Eddy style, all the photos from this meetup were blurry bloopers.

Eddy and all of us here wish you a wonderfully freaky Friday!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

I'm a big fan of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, especially the creepy concept of the Headless Horseman. A few years ago, I recreated that concept, but of course with cats.

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Tip of the Day

We're on the 10th day of our 31 days of Halloween tips. Now, we simply couldn't go this entire Halloween month without mentioning none other than pumpkins. As most of you likely already know, pumpkin can make for a healthy treat for a kitty or pup. Plain, cooked pumpkin can be an excellent source of fiber. This can help to keep the bowels regular, and so could be something to keep in mind for those furbabies with irregular bowel movements. Pumpkin and the fiber it provides can also help move hairballs more easily through those kitty intestinal tracts. Fiber, such as that from pumpkin, can also help a kitty or pup feel full for longer, which means that it can also potentially aid in weight loss. All of these benefits are on top of the fact that pumpkin is also high in a variety of beneficial nutrients, such as vitamin A and vitamin C.

That all being said, do of course ensure that you only feed your furbaby cooked pumpkin of the plain variety. You can feed your furbaby pumpkin puree from a can, of course ensuring that it contains no spices or other added ingredients. You can also cook up your own pumpkin and feed it to your kitty or pup as a treat. What's more, these days, there are many types of dry and moist foods, as well as treats, that contain pumpkin as an ingredient. These such foods might assist certain furbabies with bowel regularity or weight loss. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your furbaby's diet and digestion, discuss options such as pumpkin with your veterinarian.

Thankful Thimble Thursday with a Not-So-Spooky Tushy

Hello and happy Thursday, friends! Thimble is of course here and ready for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful that she has an adorable tushy that makes our Halloween decor look even better.

This particular photo shoot resulted in all bloopers from this tabby girl, as she was just too excited to sit still.

These photos were taken when I still had a bunch of our decor just sitting on the table, waiting to be put somewhere half sensible. Thimble was having fun claiming it all as hers. Then I brought in our usual ghost pal as well as the black kitty we've shared before, and that made her even more excited.

All that Halloween fun aside, Thimble (who is 11 years old) as well as Tonks (who is 7 years old) went in for their annual exams and senior panels yesterday. We're still waiting on the results to come in at some point today, but overall our vet was happy with how they both look. Last year they both needed multiple teeth removed due to resorptive lesions, but this year their teeth look good, so I'm very grateful for that.

I'm especially eager to get the blood results because Tonks lost a somewhat decent amount of weight for an already relatively small girl. She has steadily weighed around 9.5 lbs for a few years now, and yesterday she weighed in at 8.8 lbs. I myself don't really see the weight loss on her, and she's also thankfully still incredibly active and playful and just her usual happy self. She's always been a picky eater and only wants canned food, but her most favorite flavors have all been incredibly difficult to find anywhere lately. I have over 20 flavors of canned cat food at home right now, and she likes only about a quarter of them. And even those are often rejected, even when she comes in begging for food. This isn't new for her, though, and I really hope her bloodwork all comes back looking okay. Her vet said that otherwise Tonks looks great and he would not consider her underweight right now, but that she's a small girl and can't stand to lose much more. I completely agree, and so I'm already amping up my attempts to find more brands and flavors of food to try and get her to eat more.

I've rambled enough, haven't I?

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Now, how about the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. My plans for October include _________ and _________.

2. Sometimes it is easier to _________ than _________.

3. I didn't mean to _________, but it turned out that way.

4. I'd rather deal with a haunted _________ than a haunted _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

Thimble and Tonks informed me that being shoved into boxes and taken to a place where they were poked and prodded yesterday was nothing short of a horror show. So, for today they asked me to share a doodle that demonstrates that. This one seemed apt enough.

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Tip of the Day

It's not only important to prevent your furbaby's access to dangerous products during the Halloween season, and to know the signs of potential toxicity, but also to know when and where veterinary offices are open in your area. Of course, it is ideal that emergencies be prevented by taking precautions. Sometimes, though, accidents and emergencies do happen. For this reason, it is important that you are aware of the hours and locations of certain veterinary clinics. What time does your regular veterinary clinic close? Are there emergency clinics in the area? If so, when are they open, and where are they located? Planning ahead for potential emergencies may sometimes prove unnecessary, which is a good problem to have. But, in the event of an emergency, such as if your kitty or pup breaks into the candy stash on Halloween, you can save precious time and potentially your furbaby's life by knowing ahead of time where you can take them for veterinary care in an emergency situation. This is important any time of the year, but of course including during holidays such as Halloween, when dangerous products and situations may be more prevalent.

Woof Woof Wednesday with Angel Astrid and Our Ghostly Pal

Pretty much every year the furry babies share photos of a certain little fellow who haunts us during the spooky season. I wish I'd gotten a new photo or two of my pup Astrid with our annual ghostly pal before she passed in September, but I do have lots of photos of my sweet angel pup Astrid with him in the past.

Astrid was such a good sport about me shoving props at her. She'd always humor me, or at least tolerate me. Sometimes she even seemed happy about it.

I'm so glad I have memories like this with my sweet Astrid. I hope you all can enjoy a smile as happy as Astrid's, today and every day.

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is a few years old and a bit chaotic, but it's one of my favorite Halloween doodles I've ever scribbled up. It stars my kitties as well as angel pup Astrid, all doing my favorite thing to do on Halloween night—staying home to watch scary movies and eat candy.

I'm still working on new Halloween doodles for this year. I actually have nearly a dozen of them outlined, and I just need to actually color them in and all that jazz. The only one I haven't outlined yet is the one I want to share on Halloween itself, which will have a similar vibe as the one above, but with some new (and hopefully improved) details.

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Tip of the Day

We've been discussing potential dangers and toxins associated with Halloween. Today, we're going to finish that topic with a couple of slightly random yet still relevant Halloween products with which to be cautious. We're referring to items such as glow sticks and fake blood. These items sometimes make appearances on holidays like Halloween, and they might very well contain ingredients that can potentially be toxic to kitties and pups. Glow sticks can especially be dangerous if they are bitten or otherwise punctured, and fake blood can also pose a risk if ingested. Be cautious, therefore, of using these items, as well as any other items that might be dangerous to your furbaby. If you do have any of these items at your home, keep them securely hidden away so as to prevent any emergencies.

Tonks Tuesday with the Halloween Decorating Assistant

It's Tonks Tuesday, and today the calico wanted to show you all how helpful she is when her human of a mom is decorating for Halloween. After all, the below photo was taken when I was trying to decorate this shelf, but I was getting lots of help from Tonks and her curious paws. That's why the shelf is still a chaotic mess here, because Tonks wouldn't let me make it anything else. And I'm more than happy for the adorable calico's expert help.

I think every shelf in that photo has some piece of handmade Halloween decor. My area has a lot of craft fairs in October, and I love when the vendors sell Halloween goodies. I need to get some closeups of the handmade Halloween pieces, as they're barely visible in this chaotic photo.

Tonks and all of us here wish you a spooky and kooky day!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is another old illustration from a story I started years ago and that I hope to someday get back to. The drawing stars my angel Rosie at a library on Halloween night. Because why not.

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Tip of the Day

Today's Halloween tip relates to Halloween parties or other festivities of that nature. There are a number of potential dangers that such gatherings can pose. First, parties mean that guests are arriving, which means the door will be a busy place. When guests are arriving, keep your kitty or pup away from the door, such as by secluding them to a safe area away from the door, so that there is no chance of them escaping the house. Sometimes it might also be best to keep your furbaby secluded to a safe area during Halloween or other similar parties, for their continued safety. There will be extra foot traffic in the house when there are guests, which could potentially lead to your furbaby getting stepped on or otherwise injured.

In addition, there could be toxic foods present at a Halloween party, such as alcohol or chocolate. If your furbaby steals a taste of such foods, or if unwitting guests feed your kitty or pup treats of chocolate or other foods, there could be dangerous side effects. There is a variety of dangers to your cat or dog that can be present at festivities. Therefore, always do what you must to ensure your furbaby's safety during Halloween or other parties. Even if your kitty or pup is friendly and enjoys the company of others, there are still many dangers for a kitty or pup when gatherings are hosted at their home. If there is any doubt for their safety, or simply to prevent any accidental dangers, keep your kitty or pup confined to a safe area of the home during festive gatherings.

Mancat Monday with Evan and a Kooky Friend

In yesterday's post, Tonks shared some selfies with a piece of black kitty Halloween decor that I keep out year round at our house. I mentioned how the kitties have a kicker toy in a similar style, and I was able to get Evan to reluctantly pose with said kooky kitty toy. See?

Evan wasn't the most cooperative for this photo shoot, which is totally fine and understandable. You can see a treat in front of Evan there, and that's because moments before there was a whole pile of goodies to distract the orange boy. I'm not sure why he left that one treat, but maybe he was sharing with his little friend.

Evan and all of us here wish you a happily kooky Monday!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday's Halloween tip was the obvious recommendation to keep candy away from your furbaby, since chocolate and other such goodies are indeed toxic to kitties and pups. Today, we're going a tad bit further and reminding you that even the inedible parts of candy can pose a risk to our furbabies. We're referring to candy wrappers, sucker sticks, and other candy-related bits and bobs. These remnants of a scrumptious piece of candy can smell and taste good to a pup or kitty, and might therefore end up in their mouth. If ingested, wrappers, sucker sticks, and the like could result in gastrointestinal distress or more serious bowel obstruction or perforation. So, needless to say, don't only keep candy out of your furbaby's reach, but also wrappers and other leftovers after the candy itself is gone. Put any trash left behind by candy in a secure trash can where you kitty or pup cannot get to it, in order to keep your furbaby happy and healthy.

Sunday Selfies with Tonks and Her Not-So-Spooky Feline Friend

We have failed to participate in The Cat on My Head's Sunday Selfie Blog Hop in quite some time. Like I mentioned yesterday, though, I'm really trying to post every day in October. That means we indeed have some selfies to share today. These star Tonks, but she got some help from a not-so-spooky feline friend.

That there black kitty was from Target's Halloween line a few years ago. The kitties have a similar, smaller version in the form of a kicker toy. This kooky kitty stays out at our house year round.

Now, are you ready for Tonks's bloopery selfies with her Halloween friend?

If you look at Tonks's blurry yawn in that last photo, you'll notice that she only has one single canine tooth. Almost exactly one year ago today, both Tonks and Thimble went in for dental procedures to have some unhealthy teeth removed. Thimble lost more overall teeth, but Tonks lost three of her four canines, leaving her with just the upper right one. Her yawns are looking a little extra cute these days.

Have a spooky good Sunday, friends!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

Since today's selfies co-star a certain black cat, today we'll share a flashback Halloween doodle that stars two other sorts of black cats.

I remember having a lot of fun with that there doodle. It has all sorts of my favorite Halloween things, like carving pumpkins, scary movies, spooky and kooky decor, and all sorts of other freakishly festive fun.

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Tip of the Day

We're just in the early stages of our October-long Halloween tips. Today, how about we get one of the most common Halloween tips out of the way? That's right, today we're talking about candy. The long and short of it is that you should never leave candy sitting out where your furbaby can find it and help themselves. Whether it be candy you're saving for yourself, or the candy dish you've prepared for those trick-or-treaters, always keep it well hidden from the kitties and pups.

As you all certainly know, chocolate can be very toxic to our furbabies. Another candy danger includes artificial sweeteners like xylitol, which can be found in sugar-free candy, among other foods and goods. This candy discussion can also include raisins, and the double whammy that is chocolate-covered raisins. After all, raisins are toxic to kitties and pups just like chocolate is. To be on the safe side, no matter what kind of candy you're handing out this Halloween or have around the house, keep it hidden away from curious paws and maws.

In the event that your furbaby finds the candy, know the potential signs of toxicity. These can vary, and might include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or even neurological symptoms. Should you think or know that your furbaby has gotten into your candy stash, or should you observe any signs of toxicity, do not hesitate to seek veterinary assistance. It also does not hurt to have on hand a poison control number, such as the ASPCA at 1-888-426-4435.

Baturday Caturday Art

I'm trying really hard to share a blog post all 31 days of October. Weekends often get excessively hectic with little time for booting up the computer, and so I've somehow gotten in the habit of only posting during the workweek. But, for this spooky season, it's my goal to post every day.

So, I do have a new doodle to share today for Athena's Caturday Art Blog Hop. It indeed stars a cat. Well, it stars two cats. Sort of. I took some artistic liberties with this one.

This drawing was inspired by an image I stumbled upon online. It was months ago that I saw that other piece, which portrayed similar-ish cat bats flying above a Halloween-ish setting. My cat bat looks very different from the ones in the image I saw, though. Actually, this whole drawing looks completely different from that one. But, what I can say is that the other art piece inspired me to draw my own cat bat, and this is what I ended up with. The kitty pumpkin turned out looking far more peeved than I intended, but the end result seems fitting enough.

Have a kooky Caturday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Our month-long Halloween tips continue. We've mentioned being aware of what decorations you use, and of course keeping in mind your furbaby's safety. Today we're expanding on that. We're here to remind you to also keep in mind wildlife, as well as stray and feral cats, when decorating outdoors. Cords to light strands, for example, can be just as dangerous to outdoor animals as they can be to indoor animals. The same goes for candles, such as those in jack-o'-lanterns that you might set up on your porch. So for the safety of animals outdoors, keep cords outdoor-safe, and keep them as safely and securely hidden as possible. Just as we mentioned for indoor furbabies, you can use battery-operated or other artificial candles to prevent burns or fires when lighting jack-o'-lanterns outdoors. Again, though, do keep in mind that batteries and plastic pieces can also pose threats to animals.

One other particular outdoor Halloween decoration we want to address are artificial cobwebs. Please use these with caution, or don't use them at all. These fake cobwebs could lead to animals outdoors becoming dangerously tangled. What's more, ingesting them can lead to issues such as bowel obstruction. Decorations such as artificial cobwebs might be fun and festive, but always keep the safety of both indoor and outdoor animals in mind when using any such products.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Ghostly Pal

Hello and happy Friday, 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. It's impossible to _________ when you _________.

2. _________ is great until _________.

3. I wish I could solve the mystery of _________.

4. _________ is one of the creepiest _________ I've ever encountered.


My answers are below in bold.

1. It's impossible to stay sad when you are surrounded by kitties.
(I've had some sad days lately, especially since losing Astrid. Though I still wish every day that I could have my precious pup back, my kitties have made the grief easier to bear. They always know how to make me feel happy and grateful, even in dark times.)

2. Finding a new favorite books series is great until it ends.
(It's also sad when you find a new series of books that's unfinished and you read through all the available ones and then have to start waiting for the new ones. I mentioned how last year I started a fantasy series that I now love, one of the main characters being a talking tortie Persian cat. When I started the series there were already six books out, some of them being nearly 700 pages long, and I loved every single one. Within a few months of me finishing those the seventh book came out. I read it immediately, and now I'm again waiting for the next book. The only thing that'll be worse than the wait is when the last book comes out and I'll have no more of them to read at all.)

3. I wish I could solve the mystery of the dead pumpkin patch.
(For the past few years, my parents and I have planted a pumpkin patch in their back yard. It's been really successful up until this year, when all of the pumpkins started growing wonderfully before they all just suddenly died. The only guess I have is that a certain beetle we kept seeing might have destroyed them, but this was never an issue in the past, and so it's still a bit of a mystery. I hope to solve it so that next year's pumpkins survive.)

4. The Amityville Horror is one of the creepiest books I've ever encountered.

(I don't believe I'm very easy to scare. I've read lots of books deemed scary, but the only one that's truly given me the creeps all the way through was The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson. The only other one that's come even close to scaring me was Pet Sematary by Stephen King. I love a good scare, so if anyone has a book recommendation that might terrify me, please do share.)

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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Fair warning, though it's also probably not a surprise, that most of the spooky shots Eddy has to share this year are bloopers of some sort. I did get all the kitties to participate in Halloween photo shoots last weekend, but Eddy is the prime example of a kitty who doesn't believe in sitting still for the camera. Especially not when she's handed spooky props to investigate.

Save for the lighting that turned Eddy into a silhouette, that one up there isn't that blurry. I can't say the same for the next one, when she chose to get handsy pawsy with her ghostly pal.

Eddy hopes you're all having a fantastically spooky season!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Our past two Halloween tips were about potential hazards of Halloween decorations. Wreaths, garland, and festive trinkets can pose dangers, as can candles in or out of jack-o'-lanterns. And, of course, don't forget cords for strands of lights or other decor. Relating to these previous decor tips, today we're talking about ways you can keep your furbaby safe while also getting festive.

First, of course, keep any and all potentially hazardous items high off of the ground, or out of the reach of your furbaby in any other way necessary. In addition to this, you can tape down or tuck away cords to lights or other decor. There are even pet-safe and child-safe cord covers, under which cords can be tucked away from curious paws. But, what about when it comes to candles? Aside from refraining from burning them, or keeping them out of reach or in a room away from your furbaby, you can try battery-operated or other similar artificial candles. You can use safer option in festive candle holders, or even to light your jack-o'-lanterns. Of course, though, do keep in mind that batteries and plastic parts and pieces can also pose their own risks to furbabies. So, while fake candles might not burn your furbaby, it is still wise to keep an eye on your furbaby around such items, especially if your kitty or pup is a chewer.

A Thankful Thursday Brought to You by Tonks

It's Thursday, and on a rare occasion, Thimble has agreed to just this once let Tonks take over for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Yesterday, in my precious angel Astrid's first Halloween post of the season, I mentioned how I bought her spooky cookies from the pet store before she significantly declined and gained her angel wings. This is the selection of cookies I picked for her this year.

It truly breaks my heart that Astrid never got to eat those. As I mentioned yesterday, I'll likely give some of those to the neighbor dog. A couple of those designs have some sentimental meaning given the circumstances around which Astrid had them in the past. This especially goes for the mummy. After all, Astrid had three surgeries in Octobers throughout her life, and each time I'd get her a mummy cookie to celebrate being all bandaged up. I'm working on figuring out how to use resin and anything else I need to preserve and display at least the mummy cookie in Astrid's honor.

All that said, where does Tonks come into this? Well, Tonks helped inspect Astrid's cookies when I brought them home and took the annual festive food photo this year.

Tonks did the same thing with last year's Halloween cookies. Last year's selection was much bigger, but I was devastated that they didn't have the usual mummy cookie then. See him missing from last year's lineup?

Sweet Astrid also supervised last year's Halloween cookie photo shoot.

Don't worry, because Astrid got to eat a cookie early last year, since she noticed their arrival and watched their photo shoot. Though, she wasn't the first one who got a bite of last year's cookies.

Tonks is always ready to help with anything and everything, apparently including taste testing dog cookies.

The calico left behind the icing chunks she removed, so I guess she deemed it unworthy. Astrid certainly enjoyed every last one of those cookies, though.

Tonks as well as my angel Astrid hope you all get to enjoy some festive food this season!

***

Now, how about the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. It's impossible to _________ when you _________.

2. _________ is great until _________.

3. I wish I could solve the mystery of _________.

4. _________ is one of the creepiest _________ I've ever encountered.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

Depending on when you see this post, you might notice that today's doodle will be serving as our Halloween blog banner. This is another one I scribbled up as an illustration for a story that I hope to someday get back to writing, when the time is right. That story as well as this doodle star my angel Rosie.

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Tip of the Day

As we mentioned yesterday, we're dedicating October to tips all about Halloween. We already discussed keeping wreaths, garland, and other similar Halloween decor either pet-friendly or out of your furbaby's reach. Today, we're expanding on this with a tip that we've covered in a variety of ways in past tips. We're talking, yet again, about candles. This time of year, candles often become more popular because of cool weather, and because of the delicious scents often associated with this season of autumn. What's more, candles often come into play when we carve jack-o'-lanterns. Jack-o'-lanterns can pose just as much of a risk as open candle flames. Curious paws or faces, or even wagging tails, could be burned by candles out in the open or those in a pumpkin. Fire could also result if a kitty or pup knocks over a candle, or a jack-o'-lantern containing a candle.

For the above reasons and more, light plain candles or those in jack-o'-lanterns only if they are safely out of reach of your furbaby, even if that means lighting them in a room not accessible to your kitty or pup. It is also of course best that candles or jack-o'-lanterns be left lit only if you are available to monitor the situation. If you are not able to keep an eye on a candle, jack-o'-lantern, and nearby furbabies, then do not leave any flames lit.

Candles and jack-o'-lanterns can make for very festive decor. However, flames can of course pose a risk to your furbaby, and also to your home in general. Therefore, always put the safety of your furbaby and everyone else in the home first when it comes to fiery festivities this time of year.

Kicking off Spooky Season with Angel Astrid

As I mentioned last week, Wednesdays will still be dedicated to my now angel Astrid. Now that spooky season has officially begun, I wish so badly I'd gotten even just one or two autumnal photos of Astrid this year before she passed in early September. I put up my indoor Halloween decorations a week before she passed, but she happily spent most of her time in the back yard on her last days. So, I didn't have many chances to photograph her next to any of my spooky decor.

I also bought her Halloween cookies from the pet store in late August, and while I got photos of the cookies themselves, Astrid was also snoozing in the back yard on that day and so I never got any photos with her modeling them like in years past. She also never got to eat any of them, which breaks my heart. While I will likely give some of them to the neighbor dog, I do have a plan to preserve and craft with one or two of the most sentimental cookie designs that I got Astrid every year. I'll share that when I've managed it.

All that said, I have lots and lots of flashback photos and memories of Astrid from autumns and Halloweens that I was blessed enough to spend with my sweet pup. So, for today, how about Astrid in her Halloween sweater? I bought it for her a couple years ago, when she outgrew some of her other Halloween attire. She was 10 years old when I got her this sweater, and at that time she was still a very active girl.

Astrid ran around in that sweater on that very day there for quite some time. I remember it being cool, crisp, and just generally beautiful outside. It was Astrid's favorite weather, and she was one happy and slightly hyperactive pup that day. When she did finally settled down, I made sure to get a photo of the entire jack-o'-lantern's face on her back.

This sweater will absolutely be going in the keepsake box I'm putting together for Astrid. She spent many autumnal days and went on many autumnal walks in it.

I also wanted to share the above photos because of the below doodle, which is the first and so far only Halloween drawing I've completed for this year. I plan on scribbling up more drawings this week and all throughout October, but it was very important to me to get this doodle done first.

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Spooky Doodle of the Day

Today's brand new spooky doodle of course stars pup Astrid in none other than the festive sweater she's showing off in the photos above.

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Tip of the Day

Given how much we love Halloween here, we're going to make a series of tips on Halloween last all the way through October. We're going to start today with none other than the festive decorations. Most people might be more cognizant of their decorations and how they might affect the resident furbabies around Christmastime. However, also keep pet-safety in mind if you put up Halloween decorations. Halloween decorations can come in all shapes and sizes, such as wreaths, garland, and all sorts of trinkets and goodies in between. If you're anything like us, you have all sorts of black cats and pumpkins out on display this time of year. No matter what kind of decorations you put out, make sure that anything your furbaby might chew on is out of their reach. Small pieces of Halloween decor, or parts and pieces of off larger pieces of decor, could lead to choking, obstruction, or perforation of the bowel if ingested. So, while you don't have to refrain from being festive and decorating for Halloween (or any holiday), you simply need to take your kitty or pup's safety into consideration when placing all decor.

Tonks Tuesday on the Eve of Spooky Season

It's not only Tonks Tuesday but also the last day of September. That means spooky season begins tomorrow. It began at our house weeks ago, but in October it's officially all things spooky. Tomorrow, our Halloween posts for this year of course begin. For today, though, Tonks has one last flashback spooky photo to share. And by spooky we mean it's a really darn cute shot of Tonks and some of her favorite Halloween toys she's collected over the years. (Pretend you don't see the unseasonal banana toy that snuck its way in there.)

Tonks hopes you're all ready for spooky season! She sure is.

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is one I scribbled up a few years ago. It stars my calico angel Rosie, a cat-o'-lantern, and none other than the Headless Horseman. This doodle served as an illustration for a Halloween story I started writing many years ago. It's a book concept I hope to get back to in the future, but for certain reasons that exist in my head and in the world of the stories I write, the story in the doodle below has to come after the ones I'm currently working on. I'm sure that makes sense to no one but myself, so let's just get to the doodle, shall we?

Mancat Monday with Evan the Art Assistant

This weekend, I did manage to snap some new Halloweenish photos of my kitties. We'll start sharing those when October hits this week. That said, don't be expecting any high quality spooky photo shoots. My kitties aren't always the most cooperative when I shove weird props at them, which is perfectly understandable. That means there lots of adorably bloopery Halloween shots are coming your way in October.

My other goal for this weekend was to start scribbling up some new Halloween doodles for this year. I did not manage that. Yet. I do plan on working on some this week. I lost my artistic muse for a couple of weeks after saying goodbye to my precious pup Astrid earlier this month. I'm finally starting to feel the inspiration come back, though, and more than one of the kooky festive drawings will star my sweet angel pup. I do hope to finish and share my first such drawing this Wednesday, that being October 1st. I have a great many other new Halloween doodle ideas as well, starring the kitties in my life as well as some of the furry friend characters in the story I'm writing. I truly hope to get a head start on many of those this week.

All that rambling aside, how about a flashback photo of Evan helping me on a past Halloween doodle? I believe I first shared this one last year. I think. Either way, here's my expert art assistant.

Evan and all of us here wish you a magnificent Monday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today, we'll of course share the very doodle Evan was helping me scribble up in the photos above.

Friendly Fill-Ins, Eddy's Blurry Bum, and a Kooky Feline Friend

Hello and happy Friday, 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. I will never eat _________ again.

2. I would like a taste of _________.

3. I'm oddly fascinated by _________.

4. It would probably be wise if I _________, but I instead _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I will never eat sushi again.
(I know a lot of people love sushi, but I've only had it once, and I did not like it one bit. Sushi has never appealed to me, but the one time I had it was in high school, when the mom of one of my friends made us what she said was authentic sushi. I didn't want to hurt my friend's or her mom's feelings, so I ate some sushi. I hated it. I don't remember liking the taste very well, but even more so, the texture was so weird and confusing to me and my mouth. I'm also pretty sure this friend's mom made the raw fish variety of sushi, and that just about did me in.)

2. I would like a taste of authentic Italian food.

(I love Italian food. As in, I love the American concept of Italian food. I'd love to try truly authentic Italian food so that I know if I actually love Italian food, or if I'm just a fan of the Americanized version. I'm not much of a traveler and so have no plans of going to Italy, so I may never know. But, perhaps someday I'll stumble upon a genuinely authentic Italian restaurant and be able to give it a try.)

3. I'm oddly fascinated by weird and macabre things.
(For anyone who's been around on our blog for a while, this is probably not news to you. I love creepy and kooky things, which is probably why Halloween is tied as my favorite holiday. I have two full-size human skeletons I keep out in my house year round. Don't worry, they're fake, at least for now. I also have lots of raven and general Edgar Allan Poe-esque decor in my home. And what I refer to as my art desk is decorated in all sorts of weirdness, like skulls, skeletal hands and other bony body parts, potion bottles, old and creepy books, and so on and so forth. It all inspires me and makes me happy.)

4. It would probably be wise if I closed my bedroom window blinds at night, but I instead leave them open for Eddy.
(I believe it's common practice to close blinds and curtains at night. After all, people are like fish in a bowl in their own homes when it's dark outside. That's what my mom always says, anyway. The main window in my room, though, always has its blinds open. After all, this window is by Eddy's favorite cat tree, and Eddy enjoys watching wildlife during both the day and night. When I used to try to close those blinds at night, Eddy abused the living daylights out of them. I finally gave up and just said, fine, the blinds stay open. I will say, though I live in a single-story home, my bedroom is in a part of the house that is raised a bit excessively off the ground. That means unless someone is freakishly tall, they can't see into my bedroom from outside the window, so all is well.)

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.

Today, blooper queen Eddy is sharing some outtakes that are flashbacks from a couple of years ago. They're a segue into the Halloween season, which is fitting enough, since this weekend I'm hoping to do some of this year's spooky photo shoots with my kitties. Today's flashback bloopers feature Eddy's blurry bum, as well as a kooky feline friend that hangs out around our house all year long.

Eddy and all of us here wish you a fun and freaky Friday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today we have yet another flashback doodle, this one all about that transition into autumn and the Halloween season.

This weekend, I hope to work on some new Halloween doodles. It was initially my plan to share a new Halloween doodle every day in October, or at least close to it. I actually succeeded in that last year. Since losing Astrid a couple weeks ago, though, followed by Evan's severe cystitis flare, I lost a lot of my inspiration and have not yet finished a single one of my planned Halloween doodles for this year.

Over the past couple of days, though, I finally started to feel that spark again. I have many Halloween drawings I'd love to complete, including a couple in honor of my sweet angel Astrid. I also have plans to create some for all of my other angels, and for my kitties who still bless me with their company on this earth. At this point I'm just rambling, but I am glad to finally feel some artistic inspiration again. All of my angels play a part in that, and I will be keeping their memories alive in my art. That includes this year's Halloween doodles.