Happy Thursday! As we always do, we'll kick off this post with our participation in the Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, hosted by
Angel Sammy and Teddy.
Each week, our hosts share a photo prompt to help us on our poetic endeavors. The prompt for this week is this nostalgic image here:
Believe it or not, even though we've reached the first week of January, I'm still in a festive mood. As I've said many times before, I celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas, the first of which is Christmas Day. Today is the Tenth Day of Christmas. What I'm getting at is that I felt compelled to still scribble up a poem that involved Christmas. For those who are still in the Christmas spirit like myself, I hope you've enjoyed the continuation of Christmas. For those who are tired of the Christmas shenanigans, this will be my last Christmas poem of this season.
So, anyway, I wanted to incorporate Christmas into my poem for today, as well as a bit of that sense of nostalgia that the photo prompt offers. Since we also recently celebrated the New Year, I also wanted to throw in some sort of nod to that. Also, even if it doesn't really, truly fit the photo prompt or my resulting story, I will always force some kitties or pups into the rhyme. This poem is no different. So, here's a mishmash of Christmas and memories of days gone by, of course with some kitties thrown in the mix.
Time Flies
It was days after Christmas when Libby's grandma arrived.
She showed up late because of the sheer length of her drive.
Truth be told, Libby didn't mind this one single bit.
It wasn't that she hadn't missed her grandma on Christmas,
But now the festivities could continue, and the tree remained lit.
Libby's grandma of course arrived with gifts galore.
From her car they carried a dozen, and then a dozen more.
Libby's father said she had brought far too many,
Telling her that she hadn't even needed to spend a penny.
Libby's grandma scoffed and out of her mouth slipped,
"What's a grandmother for, if not to spoil her kids' kids?"
Libby's father could only reply with a sigh,
As he stacked up the grandma's gifts in a mountain higher than high.
Grandma had even brought gifts for the cats,
And she had said, "I could never leave out Pip, Puck, and Pat!"
That night, they all sat around the table to chatter and feast.
Libby was ecstatic for this continuation of Christmas, to say the least.
The red and green napkins and plates had appeared once more,
As had the turkey and stuffing and gravy to pour.
Pip, Puck, and Pat the cats tried to steal a biscuit, or four.
The Christmas tree glowed and candles were lit.
Libby's favorite was the one that smelled of peppermint.
After dinner, they all sat by the fire with cookies and hot cocoa to sip,
And on her grandmother's lap snoozed Libby's cat Pip.
From Libby's grandma the cats had received a dose of catnip,
And now the wrapping paper on the rest of the gifts was being ripped.
It was as Libby grabbed up the last of her gifts,
That her grandmother asked her to wait just one little minute.
"This is a special gift, Libby, if I'm to be quite honest.
It may not seem like much, but it is, I promise."
With that, Libby opened the gift up with a great deal of care,
Breaking whatever was inside was something she did not dare.
When the box was opened, and Puck the cat had promptly jumped inside,
Libby pulled out a pair of roller skates, which happened to be just her size.
Her grandmother beamed as she watched Libby try the skates on.
As Libby clapped and smiled, her mother yawned.
"You can take those out for a test run tomorrow," Libby's mother said.
"Now, though, it's late, and we should all retire to bed."
As the family dug their way out of wrapping paper that littered the floor,
Through which the cats called Pip, Puck, and Pat ran, jumped, and tore,
Libby wished she could enjoy her skates that night even just a tad bit more.
At the sight of Libby's frown, her grandmother said, "Don't you worry, hon.
Tomorrow you'll put those skates on and see that time flies when you're having fun."
Libby had heard all about time flying when you're having fun,
But right now she didn't know if she could wait until the rising of the sun.
She wanted to have fun right then and there,
And time was right then moving like a tortoise rather than a hare.
Though Libby indeed went to bed,
There was nothing sleepy about her eager little head.
For hours and hours she lied there awake,
Just thinking about her new pair of roller skates.
She had always wanted to move faster than fast,
And she knew those skates would help her do just that.
The clock across the room told her the sun was surely still asleep,
And throughout the house she heard not a single peep.
That is, until she sat up and Pip, Puck, and Pat purred and meowed,
And she told them they mustn't make any loud sounds.
With the cats winding and twirling around at her feet,
Libby tried her best to descend the stairs that so loved to creak.
After what seemed like nothing short of an eternity plus one,
Libby made it down the stairs without waking anyone.
She then tiptoed her way to the Christmas tree,
Still shuffling around the parade of cats at her feet.
Clearly, Pip, Puck, and Pat were just as eager to skate as she.
Indeed, Libby's roller skates were tucked beneath the tree where she'd left them.
They were bright white and glistened in the tree's twinkling lights like gems.
Libby sat by the fire and pulled the skates onto her feet.
Now, she only needed to stand without breaking a bone or busting her teeth.
It took a few thuds and a fall to finally get up and go,
But soon enough Libby was gliding across the rug, arms flailing to and fro.
Luckily, Pip, Puck, and Pat had now backed away,
Probably because they saw how on the skates she did teeter and sway.
Though her balance was still far from pristine,
Libby could not help but smile, and her eyes twinkled and gleamed.
Faster and faster Libby glided and rolled,
With every passing minute she was feeling more and more bold.
She had made half a dozen laps around the firelit room,
When a strange sound stopped her mid-zoom.
The sound had been a strange little yip,
And Libby realized it had come from her little cat Pip.
In fact, all three cats were looking quite uneasy,
Looking around the room in a manner quite freaky.
Actually, now that Libby was taking it all in,
She thought that maybe the cats were onto something just then.
Something about the room no longer jived.
Perhaps it was that the tree had moved from one end of the room to the other side?
Or perhaps it was the sign on the mantle that read, 1935?
Wait a second, was that year?
Libby was beginning to feel less festive and more fear.
Not only did the sign on the mantle read a number way off,
But a radio was playing static and a song that would make kids these days scoff.
Oh dear, oh goodness, Libby was in 1935!
Isn't that the year her grandmother had been something like nine?
As if the universe had heard her question loud and clear,
From behind her she suddenly heard a youthful girl's cheer.
Beside the Christmas tree sat a girl Libby had seen in photos.
It was her grandmother in front of the tree and a window showcasing snow.
Her youthful grandma was tearing open a box wrapped in paper of red.
Whatever was inside, over her face it made a smile spread.
In that trip to 1935, Christmas Day was the date,
And Libby's young grandma pulled out of the box her very pair of skates.
Libby watched as her grandmother pulled them onto her feet,
And glided around the room with far more talent and grace than she.
Libby didn't know if it was minutes or hours that passed,
When she suddenly heard mews of annoyance coming from the cats.
Though now in 1935, she was still accompanied by Pip, Puck, and Pat.
"Oh, yes, you're right," Libby nodded and agreed.
"Back where we belong we really should be."
It was a simple roll on her skates that had landed her here.
Perhaps the same would take her back to her proper year?
With a push and a glide and a roll on her skates,
Libby and three grouchy cats found their way back to the present date.
Indeed, here was the Christmas tree that she knew,
And this time on the correct side of the room.
The sun was still beneath the horizon, sleeping,
And through the house could be heard not even the slightest squeaking.
Libby very much so wished her grandmother were awake.
She sure had some questions about these roller skates!
Then, Libby realized her grandmother had already explained her trip to 1935.
As her grandma had said the night before, when you're having fun, time flies!
***
As always, this Thursday post is now moving on to Thimble and what she's grateful for as part of
Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop. Today, and all Christmas season, Thimble is thankful for the Christmas decor throughout the house. She is especially thankful for this jolly old man:
Despite the fact that Santa is hanging out at the middle of the table in that there photo, that Santa figure was originally stationed way over on the other side of the table, against the wall. For some strange reason, though, he kept traveling all over the table. I'd come home to find him in a different spot on the table pretty much every single day. Then, one day when I wasn't home, my sister said she heard a strange scraping sound. When she investigated, she found innocent little Thimble dragging Santa across the table by the staff he's holding in his right hand.
Thimble even found herself an apprentice.
In order to save Santa and Christmas, I had to move Santa so that Thimble and Winky could no longer gang up on him. Do you think these two girls are on the naughty list now? Either way, they sure are thankful for fun, unsuspecting Christmas decor.
All of us here are indeed thankful for the Christmas season and all that comes with it. Of course, we're also thankful for our warm home, for the food in our bellies, and for our family and friends, certainly including all of you.
***
Last but not least, we're here to share with you tomorrow's fill-ins for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. Ellen of
15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.
1. Looking back, _________.
2. _________ is a treat I give to myself.
3. A new skill I want to learn is _________.
4. One bad habit I want to stop is _________.
We'll see you tomorrow, friends!
***
Something that comes along with offering outdoor ferals and strays shelter, which we discussed yesterday, is warmth. There are a great many considerations to make when it comes to offering warmth to ferals on cold winter days. We'll start with considering the size of the space the cat will be occupying, such as the size of the shelter you have for ferals and strays, as that affects how heat is trapped. Shelters should of course be large enough to fit one or a couple cats, or even a few cats if you care for that many that get along. At the same time, though, the shelter should be small enough that cold air does not easily circulate throughout it. A shelter that is not too large will better trap and insulate heat. Another consideration to make when it comes to the shelter's construction and heat retention is the doorway. Though you don't want to block entry or exit or make ferals feel trapped inside a shelter, try your best to block drafts from entering through doorways. If possible, keep entrances faced away from the wind and drafts, such as by facing the doorways toward a wall of your house or other building, so that the shelter's entrance won't directly face open air.
In addition to the warmth that a shelter itself can offer, there are more direct heat sources that can be put out for ferals and strays. One simple option includes heating pads or beds that do not directly produce heat themselves, but that instead contain material that allows the bed to radiate heat. There are beds on the market that are said to warm to approximately the animal's body temperature when they are lying on it. There are also electric heating pads and heated beds that do indeed produce heat, allowing for immediate access to a warm place to sleep. Of course, always be cautious and aware of the dangers of burns and fires when electricity and heat comes into play, and go the safest route possible. That being said, also keep in mind that any bedding made with fabric, whether heated or not, can become and remain wet as well as dirty, and therefore can prevent a cat from wanting to use it. For more information on bedding material in an outdoor shelter, visit us for tomorrow's tip.
All of the above being said, you can also go for heating lamps or some form of space heater to use inside an outdoor cat shelter. This is of course yet another option you have to research, though, to ensure that you get one that is safe for outdoor use, and that will be the most practical to prevent burns, fires, and so forth. All in all, when it comes to providing heating sources for outdoor ferals and strays, do your research and take all precautions possible. Always be aware of the dangers of burns or fires when it comes to electricity and heat, and choose and use heating sources accordingly and wisely.
