Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Hello, friends! It's Thursday, so let's get to rhyming with Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, shall we?

For this week, our poetic host shared this photo prompt:

As some of you can probably guess, this Halloween-obsessed human wanted to turn that there prompt into something, well, Halloweenish. So, this silly thing happened:

Daredevil

Martha was a witch, and that's that.
In case you wondering, yes, she had a cat.
It all started during one moonlit flight,
Since she indeed took her broom out for a whirl every night.

Past the little ol' animal shelter Martha flew,
A fact that she never even truly quite knew.
In fact, Martha had no idea the shelter was there,
Until through the window she saw a bright green stare.

Guiding her broom to those little eyes,
Martha found herself looking at a sweet little soul in a black cat disguise.
After a oohing and awwing and speaking in meows,
Martha knew that very black cat was hers, here and now.

Well, except Martha had to wait for the shelter to open,
Since she took her flights when no one else had yet awoken.
Impatiently, she waited and waited.
When the first shelter worker showed up, Martha was elated.

There was paperwork and, well, you know the drill,
But even with that, she was happier than happy still.

Martha learned that her new furry friend's name was Daredevil,
And that for a variety of reasons, he was really quite special.

Martha was beyond excited to learn that Daredevil was not afraid of flying.
Most cats she knew treated the activity like something akin to dying.
But Daredevil hopped right onto the broom,
And then to their home they did dash and zoom.

Actually, Daredevil more than liked to fly.
He was obsessed with it, and that was no lie.
"Is this why your name is Daredevil?" Martha asked the cat one day.
After all, in that moment he was all alone flying the broom every which way.

Daredevil the daredevil flew up and away, and upside down.
Martha could sometimes only manage to watch with a cringe and a frown.
She simply had to look away when the cat dangled from one paw,
Though nothing but happy meows emerged from between his jaws.

Martha would always be grateful for that flight,
The one that led her to finding Daredevil that night.
But, at the same time, she was certain this cat would be the death of her.
She pointed to where the cat dangled from the broom undeterred,
Yelling to him, "Is giving me a heart attack something you prefer?"

This is the part where I usually share the illustration for our poem. But, I forgot to scan it last night, and now I'm way late and just now remembering to put the last touches on this post while on a break at work, so for now you get a similar doodle I scribbled up for a poem around this same time last year.

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Now, of course, it's time for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is so very grateful for boxes.

Can you even see that box she's s sitting on there? It's a box from none other than Target. This here human is grateful for it too, because it contains some new Halloween decorations, which always make this here human excited.

The only problem for Thimble is when her furry siblings show up wanting a turn with her box.

Sorry, Evan, but it's not your turn yet. Thimble will let you know when, or if, you can use her box.

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Last but not least, how about the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two:

1. I wish I could train _________ to __________.

2. I am planning to get _________ for _________.

3. I know it's time to _________ when _________.

4. I felt brave when I _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Today's Halloween tip relates to Halloween parties or other festivities of that nature. There are a number of potential dangers that such gatherings can pose. First, parties mean that guests are arriving, which means the door will be a busy place. When guests are arriving, keep your kitty or pup away from the door, such as by secluding them to a safe area away from the door, so that there is no chance of them escaping the house. Sometimes it might also be best to keep your furbaby secluded to a safe area during the duration of Halloween or other similar party, for their continued safety. There will be extra foot traffic in the house when there are guests, which could potentially lead to your furbaby getting stepped on or otherwise injured.

In addition, there could be toxic foods present at a Halloween party, such as alcohol or chocolate. If your furbaby steals a taste of such foods, or if unwitting guests feed your kitty or pup treats of chocolate or other foods, there could be dangerous side effects. There is a variety of dangers to your cat or dog that can be present at festivities. Therefore, always do what you must to ensure your furbaby's safety during Halloween or other parties. Even if your kitty or pup is friendly and enjoys the company of others, there are still many dangers for a kitty or pup when gatherings are hosted at their home. If there is any doubt for their safety, or simply to prevent any accidental dangers, keep your kitty or pup confined to a safe area of the home during festive gatherings.

Woof Woof Wednesday

Poor pup Astrid can't even get in a nice nap by the window, thanks to our ghastly, ghostly little visitor.

There. Sometimes you just have to squash away your problems.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday's Halloween tip was the obvious recommendation to keep candy away from your furbaby, since chocolate and other such goodies are indeed toxic to kitties and pups. Today, we're going a tad bit further and reminding you that even the inedible parts and pieces of candy can pose a risk to our furbabies. We're referring to candy wrappers, sucker sticks, and other candy-related bits and bobs. These remnants of a scrumptious piece of candy can smell and taste good to a pup or kitty, and might therefore end up in their mouth. If ingested, wrappers, sucker sticks, and the like could result in gastrointestinal distress or more serious bowel obstruction or perforation. So, needless to say, don't only keep candy out of your furbaby's reach, but also wrappers and other leftovers after the candy itself is gone. Put any trash left behind by candy in a secure trash can where your kitty or pup cannot get to it, in order to keep your furbaby happy and healthy.

Tonks Tuesday

It's Tuesday. It's Tonks Tuesday around here, to be exact. And today, Tonks is here to tell you that our pesky little friend is still haunting us.

This little guy just won't leave us alone. Tonks is hoping a stern talk will send him on his way. Do you think he'll move on after that? Or do you think we're destined to be haunted by him forever?

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Look familiar? I made that there doodle from last year our Halloween banner for this year, and so I thought I'd share it as a flashback today. As if the giant version of it at the top of our blog wasn't enough. I remember scribbling that doodle up after seeing and feeling inspired by a photo of someone's house fully and truly decked out for Halloween. All of the furbabies at our house are in that there doodle, and it includes a TV playing a feline version of my favorite Halloween classic. I remember how much fun I had with this one. I also remember that it was a doodle I had to overcome my perfectionism for, because I made a number of mistakes while scribbling it up, my favorite drawing pen was running out of ink and I was waiting for new ones to arrive in the mail, and all that jazz. But when I tossed perfectionism out the window, I had a ton of fun with it. It will probably always be one of my all-time favorite Halloween doodles I've scribbled up.

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Tip of the Day

We're just in the early stages of our October-long Halloween tips. Today, how about we get one of the most common Halloween tips out of the way? That's right, today we're talking about candy. The long and short of it is that you should never leave candy sitting out where your furbaby can find it and help themselves. Whether it be candy you're saving for yourself, or the candy dish you've prepared for those trick-or-treaters, always keep it well hidden from the kitties and pups.

As you all certainly know, chocolate can very toxic to our furbabies. Another candy danger includes artificial sweeteners like xylitol, which can be found in sugar-free candy, among other foods and goods. This candy discussion can also include raisins, and the double whammy that is chocolate-covered raisins. After all, raisins are toxic to kitties and pups just like chocolate is. To be on the safe side, no matter what kind of candy you're handing out this Halloween or have around the house, keep it hidden away from curious paws and maws.

In the event that your furbaby finds the candy, know the potential signs of toxicity. These can vary, and might include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or even neurological symptoms. Should you think or know that your furbaby has gotten into your candy stash, or should you observe any signs of toxicity, do not hesitate to seek veterinary assistance. It also does not hurt to have on hand a poison control number, such as the ASPCA at 1-888-426-4435.

A Mancat Monday Ghostbuster and Rhyme

To begin this post, how about a manly mancat who moonlights as a ghostbuster?

Whew. There. No more hauntings at our house. Probably. Maybe.

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Now, we're finally sharing the poem from last week's installment of Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.

Last week's photo prompt was this impressive one here:

I yet again tried to find a way to turn this prompt into a Halloweenish poem, because I simply can't help myself. I took some major liberties, therefore, and ended up with this:

I'll Take the Vanilla Scream

Cupcakes are, without a doubt, my favorite food,
So much so that I visit the local cupcake café every day, times two.
When I make my trek to that wonderful place this very night,
I am met with a most frightfully glorious sight.

The crisp and brisk, creepy and crawly season is upon us.
It's the spooky season, after all, which is always a plus.
At the blessed, beloved local cupcake café,
This means all the creepy and kooky cakes come out to play.

Onyx and Coal are the mascots of the café,
But right now they're standing outside the windows, telling me, "Not today."
They just can't seem to stomach this wonderfully woeful season,
For some dastardly, unfathomable reason.

The menu is overflowing with scrumptious spooks and horror,
Overflowing with all shades of delectable guts and gore.
What should I get?
Missing out is something I do fret.

The menu offers Cauldron Cake and Vanilla Scream,
But then there's also Bloody Red Velvet and Black Cat Cream.
I look out the window at Onyx and Coal, saying,
"Is that why coming inside is something you're delaying?"
With a cupcake named after them like that,
No wonder they want nothing more than to hiss and scat.

I miss my usual furry, purring company,
But going without cupcakes would be quite obscene.
When the waiter shows up to take my order,
My mind is in every possible level of disorder.

I tell the waiter, "I'll take the Vanilla Scream.
Wait, no, I don't think that's what I mean.
The truth is, I'll actually take one of everything.
I don't want to miss out, that's what I'm saying."

With a sigh and a frown, the waiter retreats.
I'm already waiting in my most favorite seat.
Luckily, I don't have to wait terribly long,
For here comes my waiter, clearly quite strong.

My waiter, the good soul, has his arms covered in plates,
Carrying every single one of the menu's offered cupcakes.
I say, "Good grief, what are you?
An octopus? The one and only Cthulhu?
Surely you can't be carrying all of that with just two arms?
Never mind, though, as long as my cupcakes meet no harm."

With a grumble and a grunt, the waiter loads up my table.
Under the weight of all those cakes, surely it is no longer stable.
That will not be a concern for very long, though,
Because down my gullet these cupcakes will now go.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Our month-long Halloween tips continue. We've been mentioning the importance of being aware of what decorations you use, and of course keeping in mind your furbaby's safety. Today we're expanding on that even further. We're here today to remind you to also keep in mind wildlife, as well as stray and feral cats, when decorating outdoors. Cords to light strands, for example, can be just as dangerous to outdoor animals as they can be to indoor animals. The same goes for candles, such as those in jack-o'-lanterns that you might set up on your porch. So, for the safety of animals outdoors, make sure you use cords that are approved for outdoor use, and keep them as safely and securely hidden as possible. As for candles in jack-o'-lanterns, just as we mentioned for indoor furbabies, you can use battery-operated or other artificial candles. This can prevent burns or fires should an animal outdoor become curious of a lit jack-o'-lantern. Again, though, do keep in mind that batteries and plastic pieces can also pose threats to animals, so do still monitor them.

One other particular outdoor Halloween decoration we want to address are artificial cobwebs. Please use these with caution. These fake cobwebs could lead to animals outdoors becoming dangerously tangled. In addition, ingesting them can lead to issues such as bowel obstruction. Decorations such as artificial cobwebs might be fun and festive, but always keep the safety of both indoor and outdoor animals in mind when using any such products.

Spooky Sunday Selfies

For our first Sunday Selfies Blog Hop of October, how about a bit of spookiness?

Has anyone heard of the term spoopy? Apparently that means something is spooky and cute at the same time. So, would these selfies be spooky or spoopy?

Happy Sunday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Now, I know I said that today I'd be sharing our poem for the past week's installment of Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge. In all of the Halloween doodles I worked on yesterday, though, I somehow forgot about finishing the one that illustrates said poem. I considered just sharing the poem since I said I'd be sharing it today, but if I share it tomorrow then I can share it with its proper illustration. So, tomorrow will be the final day of catching up on our weekly poems. Then we'll be back on track with sharing them on their assigned Thursdays. Slowly but surely I'll get my life together.

The above said, the poem and its illustration that we'll be sharing tomorrow will involve yet more creepy and kooky cupcakes. Apparently that has become one of my favorite things to doodle. So, anyway, in honor of that here's a flashback doodle from 2019, with none other than a kooky cupcake.

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Tip of the Day

Our past two Halloween tips were reminders of the potential hazards of Halloween decorations. As we mentioned, wreaths, garland, and festive trinkets can pose dangers, as can candles in or out of jack-o'-lanterns. And, of course, don't forget cords for strands of lights or other decor. Today, relating to potential Halloween home decor dangers, we're going to mention some ways that you can indeed put out decorations, but in a safe manner.

First, of course, keep any and all potentially hazardous items high off of the ground, or out of the reach of your furbaby in any other way necessary. This might mean putting decorations on shelves that are high off of the ground, or in display cases that have doors. When it comes to cords, it is best to find a way to safely tuck them away or tape them down. There are even pet-safe and child-safe cord covers, under which cords can be tucked away from curious paws and mouths. And what about candles? Aside from refraining from burning them, or keeping them out of reach or in a room your furbaby does not have access to, you can try battery-operated or other similar artificial candles. You can use these types of safer options in festive candle holders, or even to light your jack-o'-lanterns. Of course, though, do keep in mind that batteries and plastic parts and pieces can also pose their own risks to furbabies. So, while fake candles might not burn your furbaby, it is still wise to keep an eye on your furbaby around such items, especially if your kitty or pup is a chewer.

Rhyme Time on Caturday

As I mentioned yesterday, after a bit of a wild September over here, this weekend we're getting caught up on sharing our poems for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.

Today we're sharing the poem based off of the photo prompt not from this week, but all the way from last week, which was this image here:

Even when I saw this prompt back in September, I of course already had Halloween on my mind. That said, this image reminded me of a Halloween movie I used to watch all the time as a kid, and which this here adult still watches, and that is Halloweentown. This movie includes a girl and her witchy grandmother who lives in a place called Halloweentown. So how did this image remind me of that? Because in Halloweentown there's a taxi and its driver that are quite memorable, probably because that taxi driver is none other than a skeleton. There's even a scene where the skeletal taxi driver has to speed away from a dog before he loses a bone or two. Anyway, long story short, inspired by the above prompt and the movie Halloweentown, I scribbled up this weird rhyme:

Throw the Dog a Bone

Marley's grandmother lived in a strange place.
It was called Halloweentown, and it would win any weirdness race.
This time, to Halloweentown Marley brought her best friends along,
Those being Florence the cat and Jerome the dog.

To get around town, Marley took the one and only taxi.
That itself was a strange thing, in case you were asking.
The taxi driver named Lenny was a bona fide skeleton.
In truth, bones and more bones were all there was to him.

Lenny was never all that excited to see Marley and her furry friends,
No doubt because Jerome the dog had for Lenny an interest with no end.
After all, Lenny was made of bones,
Something that was very much beloved to Jerome.

On Halloween night, Marley prepared herself for the festive fun,
Looking like a true witch by the time she was done.
Florence refused a costume, but she still fit in just fine as a black cat.
With a white sheet off her bed, Marley turned Jerome into a ghost just like that.

Unfortunately, Jerome had broken into the Halloween candy stash earlier that day.
He was bouncing off the walls, almost literally, suffice it to say.
The hyperactive pup hadn't calmed down one bit when Lenny's taxi arrived,
And when he saw the skeletal fellow, the dog had more than orneriness in his eyes.

Lenny screamed and yelled and ran up and down the street,
While Florence watched and Marley yelled, "Jerome, no! Sit! Come here for a treat!"
Finally, Lenny seemed to form a plan of his own,
And that plan was to indeed throw the dog a bone.

No longer screaming, though now missing just a little part of his leg,
Lenny jumped back into his taxi, peaking out only his head.
Jerome lolled out his tongue in a drooling smile,
Enjoying his new toy in his festive ghostly style.

And we'll go right on ahead and use that silly little illustration as our contribution to Athena's Caturday Art Blog Hop.

Happy Caturday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

As we mentioned yesterday, we're dedicating October to tips all about Halloween. We already discussed keeping wreaths, garland, and other similar Halloween decor either pet-friendly or out of your furbaby's reach. Today, we're expanding on this with a tip that we've covered in a variety of ways in past tips. We're talking, yet again, about candles. This time of year, candles often become more popular because of cool weather, and because of the delicious scents often associated with this season of autumn. What's more, candles often come into play when we carve jack-o'-lanterns. Jack-o'-lanterns can pose just as much of a risk as open candle flames. Curious paws or faces, or even wagging tails, could be burned by candles out in the open or those in a pumpkin. Dangerous and destructive fire could also result if a kitty or pup knocks over a candle, or a jack-o'-lantern containing a candle.

For the above reasons and more, light exposed candles or those in jack-o'-lanterns only if they are safely out of the reach of your furbaby, even if that means lighting them in a room not accessible to your kitty or pup. It is also of course best that candles or jack-o'-lanterns be left lit only if you are available to monitor the situation. If you are not able to keep an eye on a candle, jack-o'-lantern, and nearby furbabies, then do not leave any flames lit.

Candles and jack-o'-lanterns can make for very festive decor. However, flames can of course pose a risk to your furbaby, and also to your home in general. Therefore, always put the safety of your furbaby and everyone else in the home first when it comes to fiery festivities this time of year. Also, of course, be aware of the safety of wildlife if you light jack-o'-lanterns outdoors.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Happy October to all! On this fine day, how about we get right on with the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? If you'd like to join in on the fun, please do so! My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. So far this year, I have accomplished _________.

2. My plans for October include _________ and _________.

3. _________ maybe difficult, but it's worth it.

4. I don't think I'll ever master _________.

My answers are below in bold.

1. So far this year, I have accomplished finding a routine for keeping hind limb paralyzed and urinary incontinent Evan as clean as possible.

(I don't know why I felt compelled to put this answer, but I did. Evan has been hind limb paralyzed since kittenhood, and he's been urinary incontinent for about two years now. When his urinary incontinence grew worse late last year, it took a little while to figure out the grooming schedule and the best cleaning routine for him, but we finally got it down. At least, mostly. There are certainly some hiccups here and there, of course, but I can totally live with that if my boy is healthy and happy.)

2. My plans for October include enjoying the autumn weather and doing all things Halloween.

(What a basic answer for October, but it rings true for me. October is my favorite month of the year. I love the weather and how cool and crisp it is, and there is no time of the year that I enjoy being outside more. And I love Halloween, and I will spend this entire month watching spooky films, scribbling up spooky doodles, and I'll definitely be carving a cat-o'-lantern. It just couldn't get any better than October.)

3. Sharing your life with a specially abled furbaby sometimes may be difficult, but it's worth it.

(I had to add the "sometimes" in there because I never want to make anyone think that specially abled, or special needs, furbabies are a hassle. They're not. They are perfect the way they are and sharing a life with them is beyond rewarding. Does my hind limb paralyzed boy Evan have urinary incontinence and therefore make messes sometimes? He sure does, as I even mentioned in fill-in #1 above. But is working around these issues worth it? Absolutely.)

4. I don't think I'll ever master closing a Ziploc bag.

(I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this weirdness on our blog before. For some reason, Ziploc bags and I do not get along. It's such a basic, everyday sort of thing, and yet I struggle with it nearly every time I come across one of the little buggers. I can never get the zipping mechanism, or whatever you might call it, to line up or close right. Well, I often do eventually manage it, but it takes far longer than it should for an adult like myself. My sister often laughs at me for it, but that's probably because I'm often asking her to just close them for me before I lose my cool over a plastic bag. One of my co-workers once made a comment about having a chronic struggle with closing Ziploc bags, and I no longer felt so alone.)

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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Are you ready for your Eddy fix? Just like this here mom of hers, Eddy is still on the lookout for the first leaves to turn those beautiful autumnal colors.

Have any of you friends of ours found any autumn leaves on your trees?

Wishing you all a spooktacular October!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

For the past couple of years, I've really enjoyed sharing tips centered around Halloween all throughout October. So, we're going to share those tips again. So, are you ready for the first Halloween tip of the season? We're going to start with none other than the festive decorations. Most people might be more cognizant of their Christmas decorations and how they could affect the resident furbabies. However, also keep your furbaby's safety in mind if you put up Halloween decorations. Halloween decorations can come in all shapes and sizes, such as wreaths, garland, and all sorts of trinkets and goodies in between. If you're anything like us, you have all sorts of black cats and pumpkins out on display this time of year. No matter what kind of decorations you put out, make sure that anything your furbaby might chew on is out of their reach. Small pieces of Halloween decor, or parts and pieces of off larger pieces of decor, could lead to choking, obstruction, or perforation of the bowel if ingested. Be aware of cords that might come with certain decorations, and realize the various hazards those cords can pose to a curious kitty or pup. While you don't have to refrain from being festive and decorating for Halloween (or any holiday), you simply need to take your kitty or pup's safety into consideration and do your best to prevent injury to your furbaby when putting up your decor.