Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Blurry Bloopers

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. _________ is my biggest time waste.

2. I am allergic to _________.

3. _________ heavily influences my _________.

4. I like to DIY _________.


My answers are below in bold, and are accompanied by far too much rambling. My apologies.

1. Doom scrolling is my biggest time waste.
(I recently saw someone refer to the act of endlessly scrolling on your phone as doom scrolling, and I felt personally called out. While I can often realize what I'm doing and make myself stop, I do still procrastinate by pulling out my phone and scrolling Instagram or even YouTube. I don't use many other apps, but those two alone have plenty to offer during my moments of procrastination.)

2. I am allergic to chickens.
(I'm not referring to chicken meat. I eat that all the time. I'm referring to actual chickens, their feathers, their excrement, and everything else that comes with interacting with chickens. My college degree was in animal sciences, and one of my required courses involved hands-on experience at the university's chicken farm. While I generally enjoyed working with the chickens, I learned on day one that I'm allergic to everything about them. Well, except for their meat. While taking care of the chickens, there was much sneezing, red and itchy eyes, a running yet also stuffy nose, headaches, and all that jazz. I wore a mask every second I was at the chicken farm, but that did little to nothing to stop the allergens from coming after me. It was a long semester, but I did still enjoy working with the chickens.)

3. My mood heavily influences my reading choices.
(I love reading, but I have to be in the mood for what I'm reading in order to keep from putting the book down. I see a lot of people make TBR lists, or "to be read" lists, and they'll plan entire months that way. I don't know how they can make those book choices ahead of time. I have a lot of books on my to-read list, but I pick and choose which to read one at a time, depending on what I'm in the mood for when I finish a book and am ready for a new one. More often than not I'm in the mood for fantasy, but other times I'm in the mood for a thriller or horror, or sometimes something entirely different. If I try to force myself to read something I'm not in the mood for, I often end up putting the book down.)

4. I like to DIY what hangs on my walls.
(While I do have some store-bought or otherwise premade art that I really enjoy, I much prefer the homemade, DIY sort. Though sometimes it makes me feel odd or a bit conceited to do so, I enjoy hanging copies of my drawings on my walls, or signs that I've crafted up using my drawings. I love seeing cartoon versions of my kitties and pup around my house, amongst other silly characters I've scribbled up. I also love art made by others in my life, and I have various crafty pieces created by my mom, dad, and sister hanging on the walls in my house. It makes it feel like home.)

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.

My blooper queen Eddy is not a big fan of the camera. I try not to bother her too much with it, but I cannot go without photos and memories of my sweet and sassy girl. When I do whip out my camera, Eddy usually turns into an annoyed, active, blurry little gal. Which is why I have so many photos of her that look like these here.

I'm actually surprised I got the closeup outtake I did in that last photo, as Eddy rarely chooses to approach the camera. She really hates when that thing points at her, so I was shocked when she actually came up and sniffed it. Of course, she did immediately jump down and leave the scene of the camera crime after that blooper was snapped.

Eddy and all of us here send you warm wishes!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Yesterday I shared a flashback doodle of some kitties hanging out with a classic ol' gnome. That same year I remember feeling inspired to draw those same kitties with a fully feline gnome, hence this right here.

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Tip of the Day

Today is likely our last tip in our winter safety series. For this last tip, we're going to do an overview of winter weather concerns, and remind you of some of the signs to look out for that might indicate a furbaby is struggling with the winter elements. To begin, when outdoors in the cold winter months, closely observe your kitty or pup and watch for shivering, a hunched up position, restlessness, whining, lifting paws off of the ground, redness of the ears, and other signs that the furbaby is becoming too cold. On extremely cold days, frostbite and hypothermia can happen fast, which is why it is not only important to closely monitor a furbaby who might need to venture outdoors even for a short time, but to also reduce time outdoors as much as possible. Also monitor your kitties and pups indoors, and ensure that they are remaining warm with sufficient heating and bedding.

Coldness, frostbite, and hypothermia are not the only issues that can arise in the winter, though. Injury to the paws, for example, is another potential. Pups and kitties who go outdoors can be affected by the cold ground, and by the snow, ice, and ice melts that might cover the ground in the winter. For this reason, be watchful for paw pads that are dry, cracking, bleeding, or otherwise injured, and monitor for lifting of the paws or altered ambulation.

The winter issues don't end there, though, as many more potential concerns can arise from the harsh cold of winter. For example, dryness of winter air and heated homes can lead to dryness of the coat and skin. When it comes to this, be on the lookout for itching, scratching, dander, and a dull coat. Yet another system of the body that can be affected by the winter months is the respiratory system. Dry, cold air can affect asthma and other such ailments, so be on the alert for coughing and other similar signs.

Winter can be a harsh time of the year, as you all certainly know. It can be hard on us, and also of course our furbabies. For this reason, always monitor your furbaby when outdoors but also when indoors. Over the past couple of weeks we've discussed some of the potential ways to combat the various issues that might arise due to the harsh winter weather. What it comes down to, though, is that it is important to monitor your furbaby, and if you have any concerns regarding their health and comfort, to never hesitate discussing this with your veterinarian in order to keep your kitty or pup as cozy as possible even on those cold winter days.