Some Sort of Selfie and a Rhyme

I'm not sure whether we can call this week's selfie a sleepy selfie or not. On one hand, it is a yawn. On the other hand, it looks like this:

How would you classify this selfie from Thimble? Sleepy selfie? Scary selfie? No matter what it's called, Thimble is quite proud of this shot. She hopes you enjoy it!

P.S. Can you see where Thimble's missing the teeth she had extracted last August?

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In the month of April, we're also sharing our Thoroughly Poetic Thursday poem challenges on Sundays, due to the A to Z Challenge schedule. That means we're about to do some rhyming.

Our host, Angel Sammy, always offers a photo prompt to guide us. This past week's prompt was this adorable image here:

I believe I've mentioned my love for panda bears before. I've loved them since I was a kid, and I even have a huge collection of panda knickknacks that I've collected and been gifted over the years. I just love how pandas are an adorable mixture of cute and clumsy. Videos of panda bears playing on slides and other playground sets are some of my favorite to watch. They may bumble around a bit, but they have fun while doing it.

Anyway. I absolutely had to show my sister the above photo. When I did so, she told me I had to write my poem about pandas named Percy and Priscilla. Using the playground concept, as well as the names my sister gave me, I just started scribbling words down and ended up with this silly rhyme:

The New Kids on the Block

A new family moved in on the quiet little block.

To the playground their two children immediately did flock.

The regular residents watched as the young ones bumbled to the park.

"Do they think they own this place?" Mr. Wolf did bark.

Mrs. Lion chuffed and said, "It's a public playground.

It's free to use by any single soul around."

From their yards and windows the neighbors continued to watch.

The new neighbor children went to the swings and slide and played hopscotch.

Mrs. Lemur asked, "Do these two little ones even have parents?

I sure hope they're not about to ruin our neighborhood like tyrants."

"Just look at them," said Mr. Chimp from the tree stump on his lawn.

He watched as one of the new kids on the block fell off the slide with a yawn.

Then the other one fell off a swing, rolled, and landed in a lazy lump.

These new kids were quite uncoordinated, and more than a bit plump.

The house these new kids moved into was surrounded by leafy trees.

Even when squinting, it was a difficult home to spy on and see.

More than one resident declared, "We need to meet the parents of these little boors."

Mrs. Zebra and Mr. Giraffe began debating who should go knock on their door.

There was much more debate before Mrs. Grizzly said, "Good grief, you schlups.

I'll just go knock on the door and see what's up."

She sighed and sauntered her way down the block.

When she arrived at the new family's home, she rang the bell and knocked.

There was a shuffling inside the house,

With sounds made by nothing resembling a mouse.

After waiting something like an eternity,

Mrs. Grizzly finally heard the door unlock, quite slowly.

In response to her knock and ringing of the doorbell,

In front of her now stood two individuals not much different than herself.

"Oh, hello," one of them said.

"I'm Mr. Panda," he added, scratching his head.

The other one smiled, her cheeks hiding her eyes.

She said, "And I'm Mrs. Panda. Thank you for this surprise.

We were hoping to meet our new neighbors in little to no time."

"Oh, yes, it's a pleasure to meet you," Mrs. Grizzly said.

She added, "I was actually here to inquire about your children just ahead."

She pointed to the playground in the nearby distance.

The children were both tumbling down the slide at that very instant.

"Oh, goodness, yes," Mrs. Panda said in reply.

"They are both really quite clumsy, I cannot lie."

Moseying out onto the lawn,

Mrs. Panda first had to stop for a yawn.

Then she shouted, "Percy! Priscilla! Come over here!"

Stumbling and rolling, the two little ones in the park drew near.

"Yes, Mama?" the new kids on the block asked.

Mrs. Panda said, "Come say hello to our neighbor. Come on. Fast!"

Fast was not a thing for the two young ones.

They were too busy ambling and having fun.

"Hello," Percy and Priscilla said when in front of Mrs. Grizzly they finally did stand.

They smiled and added, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Yes," Mrs. Grizzly said with her own smile.

"I'm realizing it is a pleasure to meet the newest neighbors we've had in a while."

As Mrs. Grizzly began to chat with the Pandas in their yard,

She learned that they had traveled really quite far.

They were slow to tell their story and slow to move around,

But it would be a lie to say they were unfriendly or capable of frowns.

Perhaps because they saw that Mrs. Grizzly was not immediately scared away,

The rest of the neighbors came over to see what all there was to say.

Greetings were made and pleasantries were exchanged.

Every resident on the block joined the welcome party until to night the day did change.

Perhaps it had been wrong of them to judge so quickly

There really was nothing wrong with Priscilla and Percy.

The Pandas were instead quite friendly, even if slow and clumsy.

The neighbors grew to find Percy and Priscilla in the park not annoying but funny.

***

Did you know?

Rather than a tip today, we have some fun facts. The topic at hand was first brought about by Thimble's toothy selfie. Then the poetic photo prompt got me thinking about pandas, and so now today we're just sharing a couple of facts about different species' teeth.

Did you know that adult cats have 30 teeth? This is compared to an adult human's 32 teeth. And did you know that dogs and giant pandas have the same number of adult teeth? That would be 42, in case you were wondering. Each of these species also has teeth and jaws specially designed to properly consume their natural diet. Cats and dogs, for example, have teeth and jaws specifically designed for piercing, tearing, crushing, and other actions required of predators. Panda bears, on the other hand, have teeth and jaws that allow them to consume food such as—you guessed it—bamboo. This means pandas have powerful jaws and sturdy teeth, both of which are required for eating bamboo. Obviously, different species will have different types of dentition, largely depending on what they eat. The animal kingdom is filled with all sorts of variety.

P is for...

It's time for another alphabetical installment of the A to Z Challenge.

Today's letter is P. In her theme of "A Day at Rosie's Restaurant", today Rosie went for something classic and well-loved by many. What might that be?

Pizza! Pepperoni pizza, more specifically. What kind of pizza is your favorite? Rosie is happy to throw on any toppings you desire.

Happy Caturday!

***

Tip of the Day

Most humans sure do love pizza. Should our furbabies enjoy it, too, though? Pizza is one of those foods that likely won't be life-threatening if your kitty or pup has a tiny taste of it. Nonetheless, it really isn't a great idea to share pizza with your furbaby. And if they steal a large amount of it, danger could arise. Depending on the type of pizza in question, it could include a wide variety hazardous ingredients. For example, pizza might contain garlic, onion, highly processed meats, excess salt, excess fat, and a multitude of other dangerous options. The obligatory cheese found on pizza could easily be problematic for cats and dogs, especially those who are lactose intolerant or sensitive to excess fat. Even pizza crust itself is often sprinkled with extra salt or garlic. Pizza might taste great to us humans, and it also might taste great to our furbabies, but it truly is not an ideal food for our kitties or pups to be eating. So, it's best to keep it away from those furbabies and to offer them a healthier snack instead.

Friendly Fill-Ins and the Letter O

Happy Friday! Are you ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins? If so, 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. I can't wait for _________ to reopen after the quarantine.

2. I am in no hurry for _________ to reopen after the quarantine.

3. These days, _________ is my default mood.

4. Have I ever told you _________?


My answers are below in bold. I apologize that some of them (I'm looking at you, #4) are accompanied by a painfully long explanation.

1. I can't wait for my church to reopen after the quarantine.
(I know not everyone is religious, but I am. I'm Catholic, and the Easter season felt so strange without the usual church services. There are multiple ways that I can watch live church services online, but it admittedly does not feel the same. Aside from going to work, the only other thing I for certain do every week is go to church. Since I'm still going to work every day, and since I'm essentially always at home when off work, the only thing this pandemic has kept me from is church. I miss going to church.)

2. I am in no hurry for restaurants to reopen after the quarantine.
(I certainly do not wish any restaurant owners or workers to be without jobs. The only reason I put this answer is because I don't eat out at restaurants very often at all, so I haven't felt affected by the changes in restaurant availability during this pandemic. I wish the best for all restaurant owners and workers, and for all those whose livelihoods are affected by this pandemic.)

3. These days, reflective is my default mood.
(I struggled with what to put for this one. I'm guessing a lot of people might answer with feelings of anxiety and uncertainty, which is completely valid and understandable. As for me, I've been feeling a bit reflective, thinking about how the world was just a couple months ago, and how it will hopefully grow to be once this is all over.)

4. Have I ever told you why Evan's birthday is April 15?
(Evan is like many rescue kitties in the sense that his birthday is a guesstimate. I met him at the end of May 2013, when he was roughly 6 weeks old, and I just had to guess a birthday for him. I actually feel bad about the reason why I picked April 15. Ready for a lengthy story time?

I worked at a cat clinic when I met Evan. When I arrived to the clinic one day in late May in 2013, I found him abandoned in a carrier outside the front door. He had a snotty, crusty little face thanks to a nasty URI. He had explosive diarrhea thanks to coccidia. What's more, he was dragging his hind legs behind him thanks to a coyote attack, something I only knew because a letter had been left with him. He was also hissing and spitting up a storm, as he was apparently a semi-feral barn kitty.

At that time, I was the only employee the veterinarian had hired to work at her cat clinic. It was a clinic that offered not only typical veterinary services to cats, but also offered boarding as well as had cats up for adoption. I was the only employee there to answer the phone, assist clients at the front desk, assist with appointments, assist with surgeries, and feed and clean boarders and adoptees. I loved all the animals I worked with, but it was nonetheless incredibly stressful trying to juggle all the daily tasks on my own.When I found Evan outside the clinic's front door, I realized he would require extensive care that I would have to add to the other tasks I was juggling. So, when I backtracked his approximate age of 6 weeks and realized the little orange kitten in need of intensive care was probably born mid-April, I decided to give him the birthday of none other tax day in the US. His was a taxing case during a taxing time, so that's what I went with.

I really feel bad for picking that day. I've since kept that as his birthday, since it is the day that was first chosen for him. Despite the fact that April 15 is technically tax day, I love my boy Evan so much and really don't find him taxing at all. He's my hero.)

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.



***

And now, of course, we have today's installment of the A to Z Challenge.

"A Day at Rosie's Restaurant" is our theme, as many of you probably already know. Today's letter is O. So, what did Rosie prepare for the occasion?

Oysters Rockefeller! If I'm being honest, I had no idea what it meant for an oyster to be Rockefeller style. I'm not much of a fan of seafood, and I've actually never eaten even a single oyster in my life. So, I had to look up oysters Rockefeller. If you're like me and have no idea, oysters Rockefeller are oysters in a half shell, topped with a sauce consisting of butter, parsley and other herbs, and bread crumbs. Sometimes spinach is involved. Lemon also often plays a role. Honestly, oysters sort of freak me out, so I just looked up oysters Rockefeller, used the first one or two images I saw as inspiration, and went from there.

Is anyone our there a fan of oysters? If so, help yourself to this dish. It's all yours.

***

Now, are you ready for Eddy? Today's shot was yet another one I snapped from a weird angle while Eddy was distracted by the window.

I'm not positive whether Eddy was looking outside or looking at her own reflection, but either one would've been a lovely view. Perhaps she was admiring her whiskers. They're especially stunning in this shot, don't you think?

Have a fantastic Friday!

***

Tip of the Day

We talked about oysters for the A to Z Challenge today. So, are oysters safe for cats and dogs? In moderation and as a very small treat, your kitty or pup could enjoy a taste of oyster. That being said, be sure to give them a taste of oyster only if it is prepared in a safe way. Do not feed raw oysters, as they can potentially contain bacteria or even viruses, and it is generally just not advisable to feed raw seafood. Try not to feed a cat or dog fried oyster. Rather, if you wish to let your kitty or pup have a small snack of oyster, make sure it is steamed or prepared in another safe, healthy way. As we always say, also do not feed oysters or any other food that contains ingredients that could be harmful. For example, do not feed oysters prepared with onion, garlic, excess salt, excess fat, and so forth. As you probably already know, also keep those oyster shells away from your furbaby. Not only can they be choking hazards, but they can also be sharp and therefore painful and dangerous to chew or swallow. All in all, if fed in moderation and if properly prepared, oyster is not necessarily harmful to dogs and cats. If you have any doubts regarding how an oyster dish is prepared, if you have doubt on whether your kitty or pup is allergic to foods such as oyster, or if you have any doubts at all, simply do not feed it to your kitty or pup, and speak to a veterinarian as needed.

N is for...

Hello and happy Thursday! Shall we start with the A to Z Challenge?

For our theme of "A Day at Rosie's Restaurant", Rosie of course stirred up something tasty for the letter N.

Nachos, anyone? Rosie even provided melted cheese and guacamole on the side, so that you can pick what you dip those chips in. How do you like your nachos? Drowned in cheese? With a bit of guacamole? Or are you only in it for the salsa?

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Today is also of course Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Since today is all about the letter N, what might Thimble be grateful for on this Thankful Thursday?

That nose! Isn't this little lady's nose so cute? This momma of hers sure thinks so. Of course I'm not biased. We bet all of you furry friends of ours have adorable noses, too!

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

1. I can't wait for _________ to reopen after the quarantine.

2. I am in no hurry for _________ to reopen after the quarantine.

3. These days, _________ is my default mood.

4. Have I ever told you _________?

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

P.S. As we've mentioned the past couple of weeks, our weekly poem for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday will be posted on Sunday. This is only for the duration of April. Regular programming will return in May.

***

Tip of the Day

Today's tip is of course all about those nacho chips. We'll cut right to the chase and say that nacho chips, and chips in general, are not an ideal food to let your kitty or pup snack on. Not only can chips have a potentially concerning fat content from being fried in oil, but the salt content can also be dangerous. Just a handful of chips can contain all the sodium a cat or dog should healthily consume in a day. If a furbaby breaks into the chip inventory and eats an excess of them, sodium poisoning could very well be a concern. Such an excess of sodium can result in your cat or dog displaying symptoms such as excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, lack of coordination, tremors, and even seizures. The above doesn't even touch on how eating too many or even too big of chips could also potentially cause your furbaby gastrointestinal issues, even ones such as bowel perforation. All in all, for the sake of your kitty or pup's health, keep those chips away from them.

A Birthday and the Letter M

Today is all about the letter M. First, we have for you a mancat.

And why are you seeing this mancat today? After all, Wednesday is usually pup Astrid's day to be exploited here on our blog. Today, though, we have mancat Evan. Why? Well, because it's his birthday!

Don't mind the 6 candles on Evan's doodled up cake there. He's not 6 today. Can you guess how old he actually is? Can you? He's 7! That means this momma's boy is now technically a senior cat, a fact I'm trying not to freak out over. Honestly, though, my extra special, hind limb paralyzed boy is my hero, no matter what his age may be. Besides, he still acts like a young fella, so I won't let any numbers define him.

Happy birthday, Evan! Your momma loves you!

***

We're not done with the letter M just yet. We of course still have our A to Z Challenge M installment to share.

If you've visited us at all during the month of April, you might know that our A to Z Challenge theme is "A Day at Rosie's Restaurant". So, what M food did she prepare for today?

How about a meatball sandwich or two? Growing up, I ate meatball sandwiches constantly. I'd order them at sandwich shops, and I'd make them myself at home. I haven't had a meatball sandwich in years, but now Rosie has me craving one.

Happy Wednesday to all!

***

Tip of the Day

Today's tip is admittedly nearly identical to yesterday's. Yesterday we explained why it's not a great idea to offer lasagna to your kitty or pup as a treat. For the same reasons as we mentioned yesterday, it's probably best to avoid giving your cat or dog tastes of meatballs from a sandwich like above, or from spaghetti or other similar meals. Meatballs, especially those in various types of tomato sauce, could potentially include dangerous ingredients such as onion and garlic. It's also possible for meatballs to be high in fat and salt, additionally making them less than ideal for your kitty or pup to consume.

All of the above being said, if your kitty or pup shows an affinity for meatballs, perhaps try some pet-friendly varieties. There are some mock meatball treats on the market that are pet-friendly, for example. Then again, you can also cook up some safe versions of meatball treats for your furbaby, such as by using a variety of recipes that can be found online. There are recipes for pet-friendly meatballs of a more typical variety, as well as chicken meatballs and even tuna meatballs. Of course, before using any recipes you might find online, do make sure you only use ingredients that you're absolutely certain are safe for your furbaby. Also, as always, remember that even if a human food is concerned safe for furbaby consumption, they should still only be fed in moderation. And as we also always say, consult a veterinarian with any dietary or other questions or concerns you have.

L is for...

Who's ready for another alphabetical day of the A to Z Challenge?

We've reached the letter L today. Given that our theme is of course still "A Day at Rosie's Restaurant", can you guess what our L is for today?

L is for lasagna! Garfield would be proud, wouldn't he? Rosie just pulled a handmade dish of lasagna out of the oven, so help yourself!

***

L is for something else at our house, too. L is for looking in the mirror.

We've shared photos probably nearly identical to this before. After all, Thimble is notorious for looking at herself in mirrors, glass cabinets, and really anything reflective. She must know how gorgeous she is.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

***

Tip of the Day

Despite the meal Rosie prepared for today, and despite Garfield's penchant for it, lasagna is actually not something recommended to feed your kitties or pups. Lasagna requires a variety of ingredients, and depending on what recipe you're following, some of these ingredients could cause anything from discomfort to toxicity for a cat or dog. For example, the tomato sauce you use might include onion, garlic, or any other number of potentially dangerous parts and pieces. We've already discussed onion and garlic and how they can cause issues such as anemia, and these are just a couple examples of what tomato sauce, or lasagna in general, can include. Lasagna also typically includes cheese, and some cats and dogs are lactose intolerant. Some kitties or pups might also be more intolerant of the fat content of cheese and hamburger, both common ingredients in lasagna. All in all, to be on the safe side, simply avoid giving your kitty or pup a taste test of your lasagna. There are plenty of other healthier treats for them, so avoid the ones that might cause them any variety of issues.

K is for...

We're back at it with the A to Z Challenge.

In our theme of "A Day at Rosie's Restaurant", can you guess what might be served for the letter K? Well, can you?

Kebabs! The options are endless for these kebabs, too. You can have kebabs with meat, with veggies, with fruit, and anything and everything in between. Just let Rosie know what you're hungry for and your wish will be her command.

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Do you know what else K is for? It's for lips that are kissable, obviously. And who wouldn't want to kiss these lips?

Evan is probably my furbaby most likely to give me a kiss. I don't mind that one bit.

Happy Monday!

***

Tip of the Day

Our tip today is of course related to food like kebabs. To begin, if you're putting foods toxic to cats or dogs on a kebab, obviously do not offer it as a treat to your furbaby. There are even more precautions to consider when it comes to kebabs and other such foods, though. We're primarily referring to the parts and pieces related to certain foods. In this case, we're even more particularly referring to kebab skewers. If chewed on or ingested by a kitty or pup, skewers can cause various forms of damage to the gastrointestinal tract. For example, if they're wooden, kebab skewers that are chewed on or ingested by a cat or dog can splinter and cause perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. What's more, don't only take precautions while foods like kebabs are on the table, but also before and after that. Store cooking tools like kebab skewers well out a furbaby's reach. After you eat a meal like kebabs, make sure the potentially dangerous skewers are not left exposed on the counter, in the sink, in the trashcan, or anywhere else a furbaby might be able to find them. All in all, always consider not only how to keep your furbaby safe from your food itself, but also ensure they are safe from the tools used to cook or serve your food.