Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Creepy Coziness on Independence Day

To all of our friends in the United States, we wish you a happy and safe Independence Day!

To our friends outside of the US, have a fantastic Friday!

***

Now, of course, we're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. 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 July 4th include _________.

2. I _________ fireworks.

3. I'm grateful that I have the freedom to _________.

4. I wish I could do a factory reset on _________.

My answers are below in bold.

1. My plans for July 4th include working on my creative projects and eating hot dogs.

(Since I have the day off of work, I'd love to spend a good chunk of the day on my newest drawing projects as well as my current writing project. What's more, for lunch I'll be going to my parents' house for our typical July 4th hot dog meal. I'm generally not a big fan of hot dogs, but I love the Nathan's Famous brand of hot dogs, which is what we'll be having. So, I'm admittedly looking forward to a lunch of none other than hot dogs.)

2. I loathe fireworks.

(When I was younger, I liked fireworks. They seemed fun and festive. Then I became aware of how fireworks affect wildlife, other outdoor animals such as stray and feral cats, and plenty of animals indoors, not to mention individuals with PTSD. Now the sound of fireworks puts me on edge, because I spend the entire time they're going off worrying about the poor animals affected by them.)

3. I'm grateful that I have the freedom to snack whenever I want.

(I almost put something far more meaningful, as there are many freedoms in the US for which I'm grateful. But when I got hungry and ate cereal in chocolate milk at nearly midnight the other night, it got me thinking back to when I was a kid and didn't always get to pick what and when I ate. I know there are reasons why parents say that kids shouldn't eat sweets at midnight, but I'm thankful that as an adult I can feed my grumbling stomach whatever I want, whenever I want. Weird answer, I know, but it's what came to my mind.)

4. I wish I could do a factory reset on my house.

(My house is hanging in there, but it is an older home that needs things done here and there. What home doesn't? There are always plenty of little projects needing done, and then sometimes bigger issues spring up. The past few months have included a variety of issues needing addressed, and it's times like this when I wish I could just do a reset to the home's original state. Though maybe I don't want that, since it was built in the 1960s and over the decades it's had plenty of needed updates. Even so, some sort of reset would be nice sometimes.)

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.

***

Your Eddy fix for today is actually a photo I took a couple months ago but failed to share. In this photo, on the wall behind Eddy is the only painting I've ever created as an adult. Despite my love for drawing with pen and marker, I'm neither good at painting nor enjoy the mess it creates. But, a few years ago, one of my cousins had her bridal shower at an art facility where we all created a painting. I chose my own design, and went for a kitty on a hill gazing at the full moon. It's hard to tell in the distance behind Eddy, but that's what it is.

If you squint your eyes and gaze into the blurriness behind Eddy, you'll also catch a glimpse of a little cameo from Thimble. Also, this is another photo that I think really brings out Eddy's gorgeous aquamarine eyes. Just look at those peepers!

***

Spooky Doodle of the Day

And now we have Eddy's doodle in our new series of spooky summertime weird and wacky whatnot. Like in last year's set of spooky summertime doodles, Eddy is enjoying herself a cozy nap in a creepy little chair. This is because Eddy is my kitty who indeed has a favorite chair, and no one else is allowed to use it. And since Eddy is my skittish kitty who is infinitely introverted, she's also the only furry baby I ended up drawing in a spooky indoor setting. Enough rambling, though. Here's Eddy's spooky doodle.

***

Tip of the Day

We're doing a bit of a repeat tip today, since it is, after all, the day of fireworks. I think we even shared this doodle around Memorial Day, but we're going to share it again. On this 4th of July, there are ways to help keep your furbaby calm and safe during the often booming festivities. While those fireworks go off outside, close all window and doors, as well as blinds and curtains. This will help reduce the sights and sounds of the fireworks. You can further drown it out by putting on a movie or some music, and turning up the volume enough to mask the sounds of the fireworks. Just make sure it's not so loud that it is uncomfortable for your kitty or pup's sensitive ears.

What else can you do to help keep a nervous dog or cat calm during the fireworks shows? Try to distract them. Start a game inside with them, such as fetch or hide-and-seek. You can also offer some treats or a special meal. Sometimes simply talking to them can help, or even reading a book out loud to them.

Still, there are a few more potential ways to help a cat or dog feel as calm as possible while fireworks are set off this time of year. You can use a ThunderShirt, which, as many of you know, may help reduce anxiety in dogs and cats. You can also fashion something makeshift yet similar, using a blanket, towel, or even one of your shirts. If nothing else, simply provide a scared or anxious furbaby somewhere safe to hide inside the home. Ensure that they have somewhere to retreat that is pet-friendly, whether that be under a bed, behind a couch, or in another nook or cranny. You can also offer them boxes in which to settle down, if that helps your furbaby feel safe.

Lastly, in the unfortunate event of an escape or other emergency, ensure that your cat or dog has identification on them. Of course try to ensure that they are safe indoors and unable to get out of the house, but should they escape, be prepared. Many animals are uncertain of the sights and sounds of fireworks, and so if they find themselves outdoors on days like today, they might very well run and hide. This is why it is so important that, today and every day, your furbaby have an updated microchip and/or an identification tag to help them find their way back home. Of course no one wants to think of their furbaby escaping and getting lost, but it is always best to prepared for the worst case scenario.