Sweet Astrid's Angelversary

Today marks an entire year since my sweet pup Astrid gained her angel wings. Rather than focus on the awful events of this time last year, though, I'm going to share my gratitude for the endless fun and beautiful memories my Astrid gifted me with over the years.

This girl was and always will be truly something so special. She was sweet and sassy, and she was so smart and had such a fun and quirky personality that I will always love so much.

I cherish every single memory I share with my angel Astrid. Some of my favorite, though, admittedly come from all of the grand adventures we took on walks and occasional day trips. This girl loved her walks as well as car rides, and so the adventures were many.

I've had my primary memorial drawing for Astrid outlined since soon after she passed last year. I still haven't colored it in, though, because it just seems like such a daunting thing to finish when I know nothing will ever be good enough for my perfect pup. I'll of course still be finishing that doodle soon, especially now that it's been a year. But, for today, I want to share the first drawing I completed for Astrid after she passed.

As a preface, just a couple days before Astrid passed last year, I decorated my house for Halloween while she was having one of her rare moments of restfulness in her final days. Astrid and I had very similar tastes in weather, meaning we loved going for walks on cool autumn days. I loved perusing the neighborhood with her, looking at all the Halloween decorations people had out in their yards. None of that rambling made sense, I'm sure, but it all leads up to this doodle that I scribbled up last year very soon after my sweet pup passed.

The inspiration for that there doodle was of course Astrid herself, and my favorite sweater I got her a couple years before she passed.

You better believe Astrid and I went on a great many autumnal walks with her wearing that sweater.

Astrid, I love you so very much, always and forever! You brought me so, so much happiness, my sweet girl, and you still do and always will.

Plumbing Repairs and Cat Beds

Hello, friends! I did not mean to skip yesterday's post. I had the day off work for Labor Day, but I wasn't on my computer much. Even more so, though, what really derailed me was the plumbing emergency that started on Saturday. It actually ended up not being anything truly major or requiring any wall-destroying repairs that were first anticipated, so I'm grateful for that. Even so, I had a repairman out this weekend and thereafter had a lot of cleanup following my shower's decision to spray water out onto my bathroom floor. Some baseboards still need replaced, courtesy of some opportunistic water, but the worst of the issue is remedied.

All that said, we're here! We're late, but we're here. Since it's the day Tonks usually gets to post, but Evan missed his post yesterday, how about something starring both of them?

Not too long ago, Tonks shared her newfound love for cat beds. She never really paid them much mind before, but these days she loves snoozing in the spare bed I put down for Evan every day.

In case you're curious, that photo above has a sort of ethereal glow because I didn't realize my camera lens was smudged.

For his contribution to this photo shoot, Evan decided to go the blooper route by taking a bath.

I have so few photos of Tonks in cat beds, so this here makes me so happy!

Have a terrific Tuesday, friends! Evan and Tonks hope you get in a good nap in a cozy bed!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

In between plumbing repairman visits and bathroom cleanup this weekend, I did get at least some of my Halloween decorations up. I also finally got my first Halloween movie watched last night. Given that we were having something 105°F heat indexes this weekend, though, this old doodle seems apt enough.

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Tip of the Day

Today's autumn pet safety tip is about none other than snakes. Depending on your location and the types of snakes, it might be baby snake season, or it might be the time when snakes are prepping for hibernation. In such cases, more snakes might very well be out and about and therefore pose a risk to furbabies and humans alike. Of course, not all snakes are dangerous. However, some snakes could indeed pose a risk or could be venomous. The types of snakes that are around of course depend on the area in which you live. So, it might be wise to a bit of research on the types of snakes in your area, and to also research which ones are dangerous to animals and humans. All in all, though, if in doubt, monitor your furbaby when they are outside to ensure that they don't run into any snaky danger. If you do see a snake, remove your kitty or pup from the area, especially if you know the snake is dangerous, but also if you are unsure of the risks it might pose. If your cat or dog is bit by a snake, do not hesitate to seek veterinary care to help ensure that no toxic reaction or infection results.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Curmudgeonly Eddy in Her Chair

Hello and happy Friday, friends! We're here and 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. Never have I ever _________.

2. My September to-do list includes _________ and ________.

3. I wouldn't mind hosting a _________ party.

4. I'm always curious about other people's ________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. Never have I ever been to Disney World or Disney Land.
(I'm more than fine with this fact, and it'll stay this way. I did grow up in the 90s and watched almost every single original, animated Disney movie. What Disney has become today, though, is not my thing.)

2. My September to-do list includes decorating for Halloween and finishing lots of new Halloween drawings.
(I'll be starting to decorate my house for Halloween this weekend. My sister is in the process of moving out of my house, but don't worry because she's just moving to an available house across the street and so she and her kitties will still be close. All that to say, my home is a bit chaotic right now and so I won't be able to finish decorating the whole house until that's all settled. But, I can at least decorate parts of the house for Halloween, and that'll make it really feel like spooky season. What also will make it feel like spooky season is scribbling up new Halloween doodles. I have 5 said drawings already outlined and ready to color in with my markers, and just today I got an idea for another series of Halloween doodles. I still have a dozen or more new doodles from the past few months I haven't yet scanned or shared, but at this point they might have to wait until after the holidays to see the light of day because I'm far too excited to start sharing new Halloween, autumnal, and then Christmas doodles.)

3. I wouldn't mind hosting a small Halloween party.
(I'm not big on parties or other gatherings, or too much hullabaloo or socializing in general. But, as for a low-key, quiet Halloween party that mostly involves eating lots of sugar and watching spooky, kooky movies, I'd be more than fine with that. In truth, I already sort of do that every Halloween night with my parents and sister. I always get my parents and sister some of their favorite candies, and I make spooky cupcakes and sometimes other freakishly festive baked goods, and then we watch Halloween and other movies at my house. I look forward to it every year.)

4. I'm always curious about other people's book and music preferences.
(I had a couple of ideas on what to put for this one. For example, I like knowing if someone shares their life with any animals. I often get annoyed if I find out someone doesn't like animals, though, so I decided to veer away from that and use the above answer instead. And truly, as an avid reader and picky song listener myself, I do often wonder what others like to read and listen to. That information might not tell you everything about a person, but I think it can reveal at least a bit about them.)

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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Who's ready for a Friday Eddy fix? We know you all are. So, today, Eddy wanted to show off how she loves lounging in her favorite chair.

I had only placed that blanket there momentarily before taking it to its rightful place, but Eddy claimed it as hers and so now it just stays in her chair in a messy heap like that. At least until she pukes on it, which is her favorite way of telling me she wants a new blanket on her chair.

Oh, and in this next picture, can you tell that Eddy was getting exceedingly annoyed with me taking her photo?

Eddy truly does not like having her photo taken, but I refuse to have no memories of my sweet and sassy girl. So, she usually gives me a few seconds to snap a couple shots, and my goal is always to finish taking her pic before she gets up to escape the camera. I succeeded at that with this photo shoot, and Eddy resumed her nap when I was done annoying her. And don't worry, she got some treats and kisses for her cooperation.

Eddy hopes all of her kitty friends out there have way less annoying humans than she has!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

The leaves here have of course not even started to change colors whatsoever. Even so, since I'm eager for autumn and Halloween, and since I'm decorating my house for Halloween this weekend, this flashback doodle felt accurate enough for today.

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Tip of the Day

As part of our autumn series of pet safety tips, we recently mentioned keeping school supplies out of your furbaby's reach. In addition to this, there are further potential dangers that might pose a risk especially as the weather cools. One such hazard is, as you all certainly know, antifreeze. Without going into the chemistry of it, coolants such as antifreeze contain components that are highly toxic to cats and dogs. It also can smell or taste sweet and enticing to our furbabies, mostly dogs, making it all the more dangerous. For such reasons, try to avoid all emergencies by simply keeping antifreeze, and other similar products, hidden away where your cats and dogs cannot reach.

We'll also mention one more toxic group of products that is often more commonly used once the weather cools. We're referring to rodenticides. When the temperatures outside start to lower, critters like mice might very well try to find ways to enter our homes in order to find warmth. This might result in some people using rodenticides. However, these products can be highly toxic to our furbabies. Not only is it dangerous if a cat or dog finds and ingests the chemical itself, but they can also become sick if they ingest a rodent that has eaten the rodenticide. All of that being said, it is likely best to avoid using rodenticides altogether, to ensure that your furbaby is not affected by them at all. Of course, keep in mind that snapping mice traps can also pose a risk, especially if they contain  enticing cheese or peanut butter and are somewhere that your furbaby can potentially access. One safer option is to look into using humane mouse traps, such as catch-and-release types. Of course, it is still wise to place these somewhere hidden away to avoid complications with your furbaby.

As lovely as autumn is, it can still pose risks to our kitties and pups. As the seasons change, think of any and all new products that you might be using. Then, consider how such products might affect your furbaby and their health, and then only use and store them in manners that keep your furbaby safe.

A Power Outage Post

Hello, friends! We've been having power outages at both my house and my workplace. Due today's lack of power, I don't currently have access to any computers with internet. I'm therefore writing this post on my phone using data. Since I'm notoriously slow at typing on my phone, this will be a quick post.

We just wanted to pop in and say hello as well as share 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. Never have I ever _________.

2. My September to-do list includes _________ and ________.

3. I wouldn't mind hosting a _________ party.

4. I'm always curious about other people's ________.

Unfortunately, every attempt I've made to include an image on this post has crashed my phone. So, we'll be back tomorrow with cute kitties and weird doodles!

(Wannabe) Autumnal Adventures with Angel Astrid

As soon as September rolled in, we were hit with a heat wave. It's been about 95°F every day this week. So, to make us feel like autumn might actually be around the corner, here's a fall memory with my sweet angel pup Astrid.

Astrid had no issues walking through fallen leaves in grass. However, if leaves were covering the sidewalk, she'd act like she had to jump over them or go around them. She had a lot of idiosyncrasies like that, and I loved that so much about her.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is another bit of concept art for the weird story I'm writing. Here you're seeing the kitty star of the story and a certain K9 officer.

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Tip of the Day

Since we've reached September, we're all excited for autumn and are therefore doing a series of autumnal tips. Since autumn means the beginning of the new school year, yesterday we mentioned keeping school supplies out of your furbaby's reach. Today's tip also relates to those furbabies potentially affected by a new school year starting up. School starting up can mean a new routine, which can include a cat or dog suddenly being home alone more often, or for longer periods of time. For some furbabies, this type of change in their routine can lead to anxiety, which can in turn lead to destructive behavior, increased vocalization, and other behaviors that are out of their ordinary.

There are some potential ways you can help combat a cat or dog's separation anxiety, such as that which might result from the start of a new school year. First, you can try to introduce changes to your furbaby's routine slowly. If you are a teacher or have children with whom your cat or dog is used to playing, then leading up to the school year, transition your furbaby to being home alone by going out of the house more often slowly over time. In addition to this, you can set up interactive toys to help keep them busy when their humans are away. Of course, ensure that any such interactive toys are safe and will not cause any harm to an unattended furbaby. You can also try using diffusers with synthetic pheromones that can potentially help a cat or dog feel calmer. All of the above being said, in some cases, the safest thing might simply be to ensure that your cat or dog is kept secluded in a safe area where they cannot harm themselves, or the house. This might mean keeping them contained to a safe room or a crate of a sufficient size while you are away from home.

What's more, if your cat or dog does display signs of anxiety that do not relent, it is of course wise to discuss this with a veterinarian. First and foremost, it is important to ensure that there is not an underlying medical reason for anxiety in a cat or dog. Once medical issues are ruled out, anxiety in a cat or dog might require medication, which can help calm them or help balance out their mood and behaviors. Anxiety can lead to an unhappy and unhealthy furbaby, so if you notice any signs of anxiety in your cat or dog, do not hesitate to seek advice from a veterinarian, and to implement anti-anxiety techniques to help your furbaby feel happy and healthy.

A Rainbow Bridge Birthday Bash

Today is a special day. It's the birthday of my kitty angels Rosie and Sammy. My parents adopted these two blessings when I was just 4 years old.

My sweet Rosie lived to the age of 21, and she was with me from the time I was 4 until I had just turned 26. She passed in 2015. Anyone who visited our blog in its very early days would have gotten to know Rosie, as she was the star of the show back then.

Sammy, sadly, only lived to the age of 5. He passed in 1999 from an undetected heart condition. Those 5 years were filled with so much fun and joy, though.

Happy Birthday, Rosie and Sammy! I love you always and forever!

I unfortunately didn't get a new birthday doodle scribbled up for my Rosie and Sammy this year, but I really liked the one I created for them a couple years ago, so I'll share it again for their birthday today. 

As a bit of an explanation for that drawing, I've gotten into the habit of making Rosie and Sammy's birthday doodles Harry Potter-esque, which explains the general content and color choices in that there doodle. After all, Rosie and Sammy were my reading buddies. Since my sweet Sammy passed when he was only 5 and I was only 10, I never got to read Harry Potter with him. I did start reading it soon after his passing, though, which helped me during my grieving process. My Rosie, though, lived to the blessed age of 21, and so she was often by my side as I read every single Harry Potter book from the time I was 10 until I was 18. What's more, in the Harry Potter series, the magical school known as Hogwarts always starts on September 1st. As a kid, it excited me so much that this date was shared with my Rosie and Sammy's birthday. I don't know if any of that made sense, but it's why I often incorporate magical whatnot into my sweet angels' birthday doodles.

HAPPY HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY,
ROSIE AND SAMMY!

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Tip of the Day

I apologize to anyone who does not yet wish to unofficially begin autumn. For me, though, September 1st marks the day when I can really start celebrating my favorite season of the year. (Let's just pretend it's not 95°F today, okay?) That's why, starting today, we'll be doing a series of tips on pet safety during the season of autumn.

Since the fall semester of school is starting up for students, that's what our autumnal tip for today relates to. If any students live in your home with your furbabies, be sure that care is taken to keep your kitties or pups safe from any rampant school supplies. Pens, pencils, erasers, glue sticks, tape, scissors, and any and all sorts of school supplies could potentially pose a risk if left where a furbaby can turn them into a toy or snack. Ingested erasers or other supplies, for example, can result in gastrointestinal upset or even perforated or obstructed bowels. Obviously, this is not ideal, and so school supplies should be tucked safely away, out of reach of cats and dogs. Keep this in mind throughout the school year as well. Backpacks, for example, might contain some of the aforementioned potentially dangerous school supplies, or even lunches or snacks that contain hazardous ingredients. Therefore, again, be sure to keep all such school items well out of reach of your furbaby. As we always say, i's better to be safe than sorry.

Mancat Monday: Beds and Books

It's Mancat Monday, and so Evan is of course here to grace you with his presence. Today he's again showing off his favorite bed, which he does admittedly love to have loaded with blankets.

The layer of blankets does spare Evan's poor bed, since my boy is indeed urinary incontinent. I got Evan that bed for his birthday last year. It's already pretty worn down from ample use and abuse, but he still loves it so much, and that makes me so happy.

Happy Monday to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

When Evan wasn't in his bed like above this weekend, he was cuddling me on the couch as I worked on my weird book-in-progress. I was really hoping to finish writing the first draft in August, but it doesn't look like I'll manage that. I'm honestly really close, though, so I'm not too upset. I should be able to finish the story in September. It's a wacky fantasy tale co-starring none other than a hind limb paralyzed kitty inspired by my boy Evan. And that's why last year I scribbled up this doodle of Evan with some sort of manifestation of our book.

Don't worry, because it's not just my boy Evan that inspired the book. All of the furry babies in my life, including my angels, have at least some sort of cameo in the story. This is made possible by a few animal loving characters, a cat café sort of restaurant in the story, and the kooky world's K9 police officers. Weird, huh?

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Tip of the Day

Today is our last tip relating to those feline vet visits. This tip is actually far more of a general one, though, and it's to remember your veterinarians, vet techs, and all of the staff at your vet clinic on special occasions. Whether it be Christmas, Veterinarian Appreciation Day (June 18th), Veterinary Technician Week (the third week of October), or another similar day, do consider sending some appreciation to those at your veterinary clinic. You can send a simple card, some flowers, a basket of goodies, or anything that demonstrates your appreciation for all they've done for your furbaby and yourself. Sometimes, being a veterinarian or veterinary staff member is a thankless job, or one that is forgotten in the shuffle. So, if you appreciate what your veterinary clinic has done for any and all of your furbabies, then do consider being one of those grateful customers who expresses their appreciation.