Friendly Fill-Ins, Photo Fails, and the Letter U

We made it to Friday! Isn't that all shades of wonderful? It is indeed, because Friday means the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. If you'd like to participate, we'll share the fill-in statements again below. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. If I couldn't live in my country, I would live in _________.

2. I wish I had kept _________ from my childhood.

3. I would choose _________ over _________.

4. _________ doesn't matter in the long run.

My answers are below in bold.

1. If I couldn't live in my country, I would live in Canada.
(I live in the United States, but I have a fondness for my upstairs neighbor that is Canada. If I'm being specific, I'd love to live on Prince Edward Island. I'm a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables, the stories by L.M. Montgomery, and they take place on Prince Edward Island. Shows and movies inspired by Anne of Green Gables often film there, and it looks gorgeous.)

2. I wish I had kept my drawings from my childhood.
(I do have some of the wacky drawings I created as a child, but nowhere near all of them. I remember drawing tons of cats and dogs in every notebook and on every piece of scrap paper I could find as a kid. I'd love to see all those wild drawings to compare them to the doodles I scribble up these days. I'm sure I'd be laughing hysterically at my childhood artistic style.)

3. I would choose staying home with my furbabies over going out.
(I'm pretty sure I've made this sort of answer work for a variety of fill-ins over the past couple of years. Probably because it's completely true. There's really nowhere I'd rather be than at home with my kitties and pup.)

4. A person's collection of worldly possessions doesn't matter in the long run.
(In reality, a person's house, car, clothes, and any random item you can think of won't matter at the very end. Perhaps this is a pessimistic or morbid thought, but this is what I've come to see as true. I meet people who fret over a tiny scratch on their otherwise fully functioning car, and all I can think is, does that really matter in the long run? Aren't there more important things to concern your time and mind with? It's not a house, car, clothes, or any physical possessions that will matter most in a person's final days. That sounds like such a dark and depressing sentiment, and I apologize for that.)

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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What's next? How about the A to Z Challenge?

Going along with the theme of "A Day at Rosie's Restaurant", Rosie has finally reached her dessert menu. What sweet treat did Rosie whip up to go with the letter U?

How about an upside down cake? In particular, Rosie baked you all a pineapple upside down cake. Help yourself!

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There's even more fun to be had today. Why? Because today is the day of the Pet Photo Fails! Blog Hop, hosted by Mudpie and Melissa of Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows.

As I've said before, I'm really glad bloopers are a Friday sort of thing. This is because Friday is my girl Eddy's day on our blog. Eddy is also our blooper queen, and so that's a perfect combo.

Today's bloopers are brought to you by Eddy and a new friend of hers. This friend is a little someone she'll formally introduce to you on another day. For now, though, enjoy some bloopers with Eddy and her pointy-hatted pal.

Wishing you all a fun and fantastic Friday!

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Tip of the Day

Obviously, it's best to refrain from feeding your kitty or pup cake. After all, it's bound to be filled with excess sugar and all that jazz. What about plain pineapple, though? Can your furbaby have a taste of this sweet fruit? In moderation, pineapple can offer health benefits for a cat or dog. Pineapple contains a variety of nutrients, vitamin C being just one of those many nutrients.

The above being said, though, there's a reason that moderation is important if feeding pineapple to your kitty or pup. First, pineapple contains a great deal of sugar. This sugar is indeed natural, but it's still sugar, and our kitties and pups only need so much of that. Along these lines, be sure to refrain from feeding your furbaby pineapple, or any fruit, that comes stored in sugary syrup. That added sugar is far more than a cat or dog needs, so stick with feeding fresh fruit to your furbaby.

One more note to make is that pineapple is high in fiber. If you feed this fruit to your kitty or pup, keep an eye out for any diarrhea they might experience. In some kitties or pups, fruits like pineapple simply might not be a good idea for this sort of reason.

Tonks Tuesday Outtakes

Our reigning blooper queen is Eddy. That being said, there's a certain calico around here who comes in at a close second, and that calico is Tonks. What you're about to see is a series of bloopers that were snapped after I placed our resident ghostly ghoul next to a sleeping Tonks.

Whoa. Did you just see that up there? That's almost a clear shot. It's a Halloween miracle. Now, on with the bloopers.

I hope you didn't come here looking for quality shots of kitties today. You sure got some shots of a kitty, and even a ghost, but scarcely a single one of them was focused or full of quality. Sometimes my furbabies cooperate and give me opportunities to snap clear and sort of quality photos. That hasn't really been happening lately, though, which is why our blog is filled with all sorts of blur and bloopers these days.

Happy Tuesday!

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Halloween Doodle of the Day

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Halloween Tip of the Day

If you think it might be fun and festive for your furbaby to get in the Halloween spirit with a chocolaty treat, consider getting them some goodies made with carob. Carob is a chocolate alternative, and it can give items such as candy and baked goods an appearance and even flavor that is similar to chocolate. What's more, carob does not contain the component found in real chocolate that is toxic to cats and dogs. There are carob pet treats on the market, and even items such as cookies for furbabies are sometimes made with carob. So, if you think your kitty or pup might enjoy some chocolaty treats of their own while you enjoy some candy on Halloween, then consider the safe and festive alternative that is carob.

Friday Funday

Today, we have fun.

This time of year, there can be so much hustle and bustle, and it's so easy to exhaust ourselves with it. On top of that are all of the recent losses in this blogging community of ours, with so many angels gaining their wings. Sometimes, in the midst of all of this, one of the most important things you can do is take a deep breath and just let yourself have a little fun. So, that's what we're doing today.

We'll start this off like we always do on Friday, with the fantastic Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by the fantastic 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

We were so excited when we first saw the fill-ins for this week, because they're all full of festive fun! Here they are:

1. I love the following Christmas film(s): _________.

2. I don't care for the following Christmas film(s): _________.

3. At the holidays, I cannot resist _________.

4. A favorite holiday memory of mine is _________.

I put on my thinking cap Santa hat, and here's what happened:

1. I love the following Christmas films: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Elf, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and A Garfield Christmas.
(These are just a few of my favorite Christmas movies and specials that I watch every single year, usually more than once. I also love watching some of the older Christmas specials of some of my favorite television shows. Although perhaps I'm one of the few here who might say this, I love watching the Little House on the Prairie Christmas episodes, because they're festive in such a quaint and simple way.)

2. I don't care for the following Christmas film: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
(I feel like such a Scrooge for giving this answer. To be honest, though, Rudolph's story has always been a bit too sad for my taste. And, although I can't quite put my finger on why, and although I feel terrible saying this, this little film just kind of creeps me out overall.)

3. At the holidays, I cannot resist fudge.
(There's not much more I can say about this. I mean, it's fudge.)

4. A favorite holiday memory of mine is when Frost the Snowman made my life difficult.
(This is a weird one, isn't it? This goes back to when I was in high school and did a lot of babysitting, especially around holidays when parents were off at Christmas parties and the like. One such Christmastime night, I was babysitting for a little girl, and we sat down to watch Frosty the Snowman before her bedtime. We made it all the way to the end, to the scene where Santa Claus gives Karen a lift home, at which point he drops her off, well, on the roof. This is where watching TV with kids can get a bit iffy, because the little girl I was babysitting suddenly gasped, wailed "But how is she going to get in her house from up there?!?", and then proceeded to get teary-eyed with worry. Gee, Santa, thanks for that. How was I supposed to encouragingly say, "Don't worry, sweetie, she'll just slide down that steep, snow-covered roof and pop right inside through that tiny window there." Although I found myself in a bit of a jam on that night all those years ago, I now laugh every time I watch that scene of Frosty.)


Now, on to the next bit of fun. As seems fitting, Eddy will be the star of our contribution to this month's Pet Blogger Bloopers Round-Up, hosted by The Lazy Pit Bull.

Eddy's bloopers started off as far more promising than they look. It began with me walking into my bedroom to find her sitting all prim and proper and perfectly calm on my bed. I thought I'd immortalize that rare image by obtaining photographic evidence, but by the time I whipped out my camera, she instead decided it was time to start clambering up to her favorite spot on the post of my headboard.

Given that she's a cat and all, I thought the process would have involved some semblance of grace. She was just a tad bit lacking in that arena, though.

Looks like an awful lot of work, Eddy, especially given that there's a perfectly good window just one room over.

Whew. You made it, Eddy! Bravo!


Well, with that accomplished, what's up next? How about some art? Some Christmas art? Maybe a panda in a Santa hat?

This human here loves her some panda bear, which is probably why this was one of the first ornaments I drew this season. This little guy wishes you a beary merry Christmas!

And you know what other fun news we have to share with you today? We recently got a little something special in the mail!

The furbabies around here think this mom of theirs is a real party pooper, though, because she decided to make them wait until just a little closer to Christmas to open up and delve into the goodies inside that glorious box. That being said, we do now know the identity of our Secret Santa Paws! But, we're going to make you all wait and see who it is, because we're cruel like that. Our Secret Santa Paws know who they are, though, and we want to thank you! Getting this box made our day, our week, our Christmas season! We can't wait to dig in (although we already know that we're going to love what's inside)!

We also got something else fantastic in the mail recently, which you will see tomorrow. So, stay tuned!

We're sending you all warm wishes, and we hope you have yourselves a fun Friday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:
Especially at busy times of the year such as this, always remember that our furbabies can sense and feed off of our own emotions. If you're feeling stressed this holiday season, so will your furbaby. So, although life can sometimes make it tough, always try to stay positive and be happy. After all, that's the best and most healthy state for both you and your furbaby!

Friday Fun

TGIF! We sure hope everybuddy had a fantastic week. Although sunny and gorgeous, we're finally getting some truly autumn weather over here in our corner of the world. The furnace may even have to be kicked on soon. I never would have thought that to be the case, what with the weather just these past few days being more indicative of summer.

Anyway, before I get to rambling, we'll get on with the Friday fun times. First up? The Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by our good friends over at 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader!

This week's fill-ins are so very clever. They're always that, but this week especially I really had to get the gears in my brain twisting and turning. See?

1. _________ should be taught in schools.
2. The last item I donated was _________.
3. My (personal) song is _________, because _________.
4. Three things I am thankful for this week are: _________, _________, and _________.

My brain's gears are far from superior, so I don't know how well I did. But, I had a lot of fun doing it.
Here were the results:

1. Humane education should be taught in schools.
(I have always thought that, even if as an elective, humane education and animal welfare classes should be available at schools for the benefit of children with young and impressionable minds. Children gain so very much in life from learning the significant role that each and every animal can play in this world. I would have loved a humane education class at my childhood school, but I did not have access to one until college. I think that is so unfortunate, considering what wonderful teachers animals can be.)

2.  The last item I donated was a basket of drawings and mixed media art I created for a charity auction.
(I somehow end up at lots of animal welfare charity events that are requesting handmade arts and crafts to be used as prizes and auction items for the purpose of raising money for shelter and rescue animals. I'm not complaining one bit about this, though, because I love it. Art and animal welfare are two of my utmost favorite things, so when they come together to work as a team, I am one happy camper.)

3. My (personal) song is "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast, because this is such an uplifting tune from one of my all-time favorite childhood movies.
(I'll admit, this was such a tough fill-in for me to complete. I love music, so the options seemed so endless. In the end, though, it had to be this way. I used to watch Beauty and the Beast as well as The Little Mermaid all the time as a child. Honestly, all the time. Don't believe me? Ask my dad. I think he still has both of these movies memorized, even all these years later. Anyway, "Be Our Guest" will always ring true for me as such an inviting and fun and altogether hopeful song. There's not much more heartening than listening to the song of all those dishes and cups and clocks and candlesticks and cleaning items coming together to so eagerly greet their new friend that is Belle.)

4. Three things I am thankful for this week are: my furbabies, my family, and my blogging friends.
(I am thankful for these wonderful gifts every week, every day.)

Ready for more Friday fun? Well, that's great, because it's also time for The Pet Blogger Bloopers Round-Up, hosted by The Lazy Pit Bull.

Each of my furbabies wanted to participate this week. That's not all that hard around here, though, because this human tends to chase her furbabies around with a camera and so usually ends up with far more bloopers than beauty shots.

Anyway, here you go:

 This is Astrid's multitasking blooper. She is showing off her Halloween night 

costume and imprisonment all while refusing to look at the camera.

Is that you, Evan, or a giraffe?

My, what a big mouth you have, Thimble. Yikes.

Silly Eddy being silly Eddy.

More fun? Well, this next part was fun for this human at least. That's because it's time for today's art, and since I like to get my hands all dirty and walk around covered in pen and ink, I for one enjoyed myself creating this next part of this post.

So, for this art, remember when, earlier this week, on a particular day, I posted a drawing of two best friends who just so happened to be an elephant and a donkey? Well, my furbabies gave me permission to create and share that piece that was sans cat and dog, but only with the stipulation that I had to soon thereafter draw these two best friends:

So, there you go, furbabies of mine! No elephants and donkeys today. Kitties and puppies for the win this time around!

Last but most certainly not least, today being Veterans Day, we want to wholeheartedly thank all those who have served and fought for our country and our freedom. We are beyond grateful for your service.

We hope all of our furiends are having fun on this Friday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Please take at least one moment today to remember, thank, and pray for all those service men and women who have fought or are currently fighting for our freedom and rights. Please also remember that our armed forces also include soldiers of the four-legged and furry kind. So, again, please don't forget to offer up your thanks to the men, women, and four-legged soldiers who have risked their lives to defend us and our country. Many have served and perished while fighting for us, and many continue to serve our country each and every day. Never forget, and always be grateful. Even if you are not in the US and officially commemorating Veterans Day, please still keep all such men, women, and of course furry soldiers in your thoughts, including those of your own country.

Fill-Ins and Funny Faces

Happy Friday, furiends! Today brings us to the always anticipated Frindly Filll-Is challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

Here are are the fun fill-ins our hosts created this week:

1. It is good to have a spare _________.
2. I don't understand why _________ is/are so popular.
3. The spookiest thing that ever happened to me was _________.
4. My favorite Halloween tale is _________.

And here are my best attempts at doing them justice:

1. It is good to have a spare lip balm.
(This one may be something more or less exclusive to myself. I can't stand the feeling of chapped lips, and so I always have a lip balm on hand. I also always have a spare one tucked away somewhere. Why? Because all three of my feline furbabies think that their mom's lip balm is just about the best thing since fresh nip. If I leave my lip balm unattended in their reach, it will be gone when I get back. Guaranteed.)

2. I don't understand why duck face is so popular.
(Do you know what I'm talking about? That pose that a lot of folks, mainly girls and women, are using these days when posing in photos? They quite literally stick their lips out to look like ducks, it would seem, and I just don't get it. When I was a kid, duck face was when you shoved two Pringles chips between your lips to give yourself a duck bill. Nowadays, though, the chip props have been nixed and folks would rather go au naturel duck in every photo they post online. No offense to any of our pals who do this, I myself just don't get it.)

3. The spookiest thing that ever happened to me was when I heard the sound of my deceased dog's barking.
(Growing up, I had a Sheltie mix who was a barker. She loved to talk. This was especially the case as she got older, I believe due to both cognitive decline as well as her deafness. Sadly, at the age of 14, she developed leukemia and passed away not long after her diagnosis. Just one or two nights after she crossed the Rainbow Bridge, I woke up to the distinct sound of her barking. We had no other dogs at the time, and the sound was coming from within the house. Sure, it could have been my grieving imagination, but it sounded like she was right there. I even got out of bed and looked around the house, because I just kept hearing it. I made my way to one of her favorite snoozing spots, and that was when it finally stopped. I've had many experiences where I think I see or hear deceased furbabies, but this was the only one that felt so tangibly real.)

4. My favorite Halloween tale is "The Hound" by H.P. Lovecraft.
(This isn't really a definitive Halloween tale, but it is the one of my absolute favorite scary stories that always read every single Halloween. I love me a spooky tale, and Lovecraft is a master of that.)

Next up, it's that time of the month! Come on, you know what I mean. The Pet Blogger Bloopers Round-Up, hosted by The Lazy Pit Bull!

For this month's set of bloopers, each of my furbabies decided to share a funny face, in one way or another.

Astrid went for the smiley face in motion:

Evan went for the in-your-face pose:

Thimble took her big brother's lead and also got all up in the camera's face:

And Eddy, well, I don't even know what this is:

Did anybuddy else make funny faces for their bloopers this month?

And now, lastly, we have today's drawing for JNW's Halloween Challenge. Eddy usually gets to be the sole star of our Friday posts, but since today she had to share that honor, I told her she would get to be the sole star of today's illustration. Using today's prompt of broom, my active and acrobatic Eddy inspired me to create this:

We're wishing all of our furiends a beautiful day!

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Our Tip of the Day:

How many of you out there have a kitty that likes to chew on broom bristles? This is not uncommon, as these bristles spark a kitty's instinct to clean their teeth or floss, not to mention that it mimics the fibrous material that a cat's instinct prompts them to consume for intestinal health. That being said, although most brooms are more or less harmless, they aren't really meant as proper kitty chew toys or consumables. Instead, to give your cat a more natural, proper source of floss and fiber, try giving them their very own cat grass. You can get seeds or fully grown plants at many stores, and most kitties love to chew on it and even consume it. Like a broom, except far more natural, cat grass aids in dental health, and of course also gives a source of fiber to get kitty's intestinal contents moving properly.

Fill-Ins and Photo Fails

Friday at last! We're ready for the weekend over here in our corner of the world, and we hope you are, too! Another thing we're ready for is today's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by our good friends over at 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

If you want to have fun while also working that brain of yours, give this excellent challenge a try. This week's fill-ins are just as clever as ever:

1. I can't wait for the new season of _________ on television.
2. In my home, _________ needs to be repaired.
3. I thought I lost _________, but I didn't.
4. Once, I found _________.

And so, here's what my mind mustered up this week:

1. I can't wait for the new season of Daredevil on television.
(Okay, so this show is not necessarily "on television", but is instead an original Netflix series. But, I live off of a streaming device, and this is the primary show for which I am eagerly awaiting the next season. This is actually a funny thing, because, in general, I am not the biggest fan of superhero shows or movies. I never understand why these supposed good guys always seem to be reducing mass amounts of our civilized world into rubble. Honestly, if I heard they were in town, I'd run screaming. But that's beside the point. Daredevil, I really like. So, I hope this answer counts.)

2. In my home, the kitchen cabinetry needs to be repaired.
(When the previous owner of my house painted the kitchen cabinets - pink, believe it or not - he took all the cabinet doors off, hinges and all, even the magnetic closures. When putting them back on, to be honest, he really botched the job. So, my kitchen cabinets are beyond unique, like abstract art, all crooked and full of gaps.)

3. I thought I lost my childhood Teddy Ruxpin doll, but I didn't.
(As a young child, I had a Teddy Ruxpin, one of those animatronic bears that came with cassettes that you shoved in his backside to hear a story. He was all sorts of hard plastic beneath that fur of his, and made all sorts of rattling sounds when you hugged him, and he smelled like burnt motor. Yet I was infatuated with that bear. When I got older Teddy Ruxpin was stored away with all of my childhood things, but for years after that it was like he had escaped from his imprisonment, because I couldn't find him. I was a bit sad, despite feeling silly for having been so fond of a rather of creepy animatronic bear. But then, just a few months ago, I was in my parents' garage, and Teddy Ruxpin was right there. He was just sitting in a pile of old things that hadn't been touched in ages. Although even creepier than I remembered, I was still happy to see him.)

4. Once, I found a possum waiting for me on my front porch.
(I have a feeding station in my back yard for the feral, stray, and outdoor cats in the neighborhood. I have a lot of kitty visitors out there. The same goes for the possums. But, since these mangy-looking things do keep down the tick population as well as do plenty of other surprisingly useful things for the environment, I've resigned myself to just letting them be. But, that doesn't mean I'm all that keen on being greeted by one on my front step, especially since it's always been a rule of mine to never put a feeding station anywhere near the front door. Yet, there it was that night a few months back. He just sat there, waiting for me, giving me this bizarrely doe-eyed look, only to then hiss and scamper off to the back yard to wait for a snack.)

As if the Fill-Ins weren't fun enough, it's also time for this month's Pet Blogger Blooper Round-Up, hosted by The Lazy Pit Bull.

As only seems fit, Eddy stars in our bloopers this time around. These are from the same photo shoot that yielded this active girl's sort of acceptable picture from last Friday's post. As you can see below, the success rate of Eddy's photo shoots are perhaps a bit subpar.

"How's this, Mom? Too close? Can you see my whiskers? Huh? Well?"

"Whoa, what's that over there?"

"And over there, what's that?"

"Now it's over there!"

"Oh. Hi, Evan!"

Thanks, Eddy! You never disappoint.

We hope everybuddy has a grand Friday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

There are many types of symptoms that should never be ignored if seen in your furbaby, and one of these is the manifestation of neurological symptoms. Head tilt, nystagmus (rapid movement of the eyes from side to side), stumbling, falling to the side, spinning or walking in circles, and any other sign of abnormal neurology should be addressed as quickly as possible, such as to avoid the possibility of permanent damage or even death. Such signs could be the result of any number of things, including ingestion of a toxin, ocular disorders, cancer (such as of the brain), and infection or swelling near or on the brain. In some animals, such as older dogs, there is such a thing as vestibular disease that can result in symptoms such as stumbling, falling, head tilt, abnormal eye movements, and even vomiting from resulting motion sickness. In cases such as this, if given time and assistance, the animal can often recover mostly or even fully back to his or her normal self. If an infection, such as toxoplasmosis in cats, is the cause for the neurological symptoms, treatment that includes antibiotics can aid the animal, with most or even full recovery possible. Also keep in mind that some breeds of animals, such as Siamese cats, may have a higher tendency to display neurological signs such as head tilts and nystagmus. Should your animal be predisposed to and/or show signs of neurological disorder, please do not hesitate to consult your veterinarian regarding any necessary course of action.

Fill-Ins and a Bum of a Blooper

Happy Friday to all of our furiends! It's one of the best days of the week, in large part because it's time for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by the clever 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

Our hosts gave us some great fill-ins this week:

1. My nickname is _________.
2. The first thing I ever won was _________.
3. I have never been to _________.
4. Next year _________.

I scrambled my brain like eggs trying to live up to these. I hope the results are palatable enough.

1. My nickname is Lluugghh. 

(This one is going to take some special explaining. For those who don't know, my name is Lorianne. That's just the generic names Lori and Anne smashed together into one. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, let's just say that throughout school, roughly 99% of new teachers, and anyone else who read my name for the first time ever, butchered it. This still happens to this day. Most often they guess something along the lines of Lorraine, which I understand, given how close it looks to that. But I have heard and seen plenty of other random and weird guesses, like LaRyan. Back to the nickname, though...It came about a few years back when, after an especially memorable butchering of my name by a new acquaintance, my sister told me that I should just simplify things and start introducing myself by simply drawing out the sound of the letter L. I asked her how she'd spell that, and for whatever reason she came up with Lluugghh. And it stuck.)

2. The first thing I ever won was a porcelain doll named Punkin. 

(I was maybe four years old or so, and though the details are fuzzy, I remember there being a raffle at a local kids' event for a doll and winning. She was made of porcelain, which is just great for a child of four, and came with a tag declaring her name to be Punkin. Truth be told, the doll kind of freaked me out. There was something about her buggy eyes, or maybe it was that crooked smirk on her face. My mom put her up on a shelf for me, and I remember feeling hardly bothered at all when angel Rosie's brother Sammy broke off some of her porcelain fingers. When I moved out of my parents' house, I told my mom to keep the doll.)

3. I have never been to Disney Land or Disney World. 

(When people ask me if I've been to Disney Land and/or Disney World and I say no, they often look at me with this aghast look on their face, like I've just sprouted wings or a unicorn's horn. Honestly, though, I've never had any inclination to go to either of those famed theme parks, not even as a kid. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Disney, but I'm not a fan of thrill rides, I'm kind of creeped out by people dressed up in giant plushie outfits, and I'm just as happy watching The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast from the comfort of my couch, surrounded by furbabies, of course.)

4. Next year is a blank canvas.

(I went back and forth between a number of plans, hopes, and wishes I have for next year. Unable to settle on one, I figured this was good enough.)

Now, on to the next bit of business. It's not only the day when you get your weekly fix of Eddy, but it's also time for the Pet Blogger Bloopers Round-Up, hosted by The Lazy Pit Bull.

This is quite opportune, as active Eddy is arguably the best source of bloopers in our home. This time around, she has a bum of a blooper to share with you.

How's that for "say cheese"?

We hope everybuddy has a wonderful day!

***

Don't forget to tune in for today's Blogville Pawlympics event, Tuneful Farting, hosted by Easy!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Did you know that cats can suffer from separation anxiety, just like dogs and humans? Some kitties will experience anxiety when their favorite human is away. Sometimes, this is the reason why your kitty may urinate or even defecate on your clothes or other possessions while you're away. Other signs of separation anxiety include excessive meowing or yowling, pacing or restlessness, obsessive grooming, gorging on food, or hardly eating at all. Although every animal will respond differently, you can try certain techniques to help your kitty feel at ease while you're away. For example, offering distractions, such as in the form of interactive toys, automatic treat dispensers, perhaps leaving a TV on, or even a radio. Especially if your kitty tends to get him or herself in trouble while you're away, you can also try creating a safe room for them to stay in while you're away, a place they can consider their "safe haven" or "happy place" while you're away. Another option to try are Feliway diffusers, to help calm the anxious kitty. Of course, in some cases, more extreme behavioral modification may be required, which can be discussed with a vet or behaviorist. In some more severe cases, anti-anxiety medications may be required. Cats respond to drugs such as Prozac similarly to humans, and sometimes a kitty just needs a bout of an anti-anxiety medication to get their chemistry and anxiety back in check. Again, consult your veterinarian!