She's Here! Meet our Newest and most ADORABLE Family Member!!

SHE'S HERE!! And...no...she isn't a cat.......(but she makes little tiny licking and cooing sounds like one!), and she lives with 3 cats and dogs.........meet Harper Amberle our first grandchild!!! (the photos below are photos that I took FROM photos that my bonus daughter was so thoughtful to give to us when we visited the other day, so I apologize for how they reproduced on the blog)

Harper Amberle

Proud Parents and Baby Harper
they have adjusted so well!
They are going to be pawesome parents! 

This precious cutie was born TWENTY days early! She was born August 10, 2018, (which makes her a LEO, "Leo the Lion", a feline, and as a result she can be on the blog!!! lol).  My husband and I are COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY  IN LOVE!!! 

I was never blessed to have children of my own, but I certainly have been blessed to be able to hold and love this precious sweetheart. When I hold her, all of my cares just disappear, she is such a good baby and the pets at her home are smitten with her too! They are all soooo good with her!


So, be prepared, occasionally you will see this darling little one making appearances on the blog, and who knows....I might just be motivated to write a children's book for her while I babysit. You never know!

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day: Honoring My "Baby Bobo"

ABOUT RAINBOW BRIDGE REMEMBRANCE DAY:

Deb Barnes founded Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day (RBRD) in 2015 as a special day for pet guardians to honor the memory of those beloved pets in their life they have loved and lost, but never forgotten – whether fur, fin, feathers, scales or something else. It’s held every year on August 28, in honor of the day Deb had to say goodbye to her  precious Ragdoll cat, Mr. Jazz, the meow author of Purr Prints of the Heart – A Cat’s Tale of Life, Death, and Beyond.  Be sure to share your posts, photos, videos, etc. on Facebook too by clicking this link.

My "Baby Bobo"

In order to not make this post overly "photo heavy" I have created three collages to honor my beloved Bobo whom I was blessed to share my life with from December 1989 until July 2, 2007.

Bobo was found as a stray in sub-zero temperatures when he was approximately six months old. He spent every day of his life showing me his gratitude for having rescued him, and more unconditional love and devotion than I ever thought could exist. His life cannot accurately be portrayed in a mere three collages, but that is all I can do for now. Many of the photos I am sharing with you today,  you have not seen, (I apologize for their poor quality, but they were taken before the days of cell phones and blogging), and I will offer some explanation of the photos. Please join me in remembering my beloved Bobo with all of my love and with a heart that still breaks and grieves when I gaze upon his photos and share these memories.

In this collage you will see in the top left some of Bobo's favorite toys that I cannot bring myself to part with, nor do I ever allow Cody to play with them. The photo on the top left shows them in the bag in which they are stored, in the bottom photo you see his "kitty" that he slept with every day, his stuffed woofie, a mouse, two balls and his catnip pillow with a picture of a kitty that looked so much like him.

In the photo on the top right, are his last bowls that are kept in a trunk for safe-keeping. I have never let Cody use them. They were Bobo's and as much as I love Cody, I never could bring myself to allow him to use these bowls.

This collage is rather eerie when you hear a story that accompanies it. First, why in the world I bought my mancat a PINK carrier is beyond me! For the life of me I have no idea why I did that!

The bottom left photo shows my maiden name with Bobo's name on top of the carrier, all ready for for trips to the vet. The photo on the right is my Bobo sitting on TOP of his carrier which he used to do ALL of the time!

The photo on the top left is a photo of the  carrier as it looks today.  I keep it in the closet of my office, everything in it is exactly as it was since the day he crossed the bridge.I haven't changed or touched a thing. I sometimes think I should dispose of it, but I can't. It will be with me always.

What is eerie is one day I couldn't find Cody. I searched everywhere, and when I finally found him I found him IN the closet, IN Bobo's carrier. He had opened the door, crept in, and it has now become  one of his favorite sleeping spots. He does this nearly EVERY DAY.  I like to think that on some level he and Bobo are communicating, and I am convinced that they are. How and why Cody ever discovered this in the closet, I have no idea. For some reason it brings Cody happiness and comfort to sleep there, and it makes me happy that he does it.

I leave you with a photo of Bobo on the top left in his eating area when we moved to Michigan in 2001. 

The other photos show him on the couch that was Lenny's before we were married. There is a photo on the top right of Lenny and Bobo. Lenny didn't meet Bobo until he was 12 years old and had already slowed down considerably, but they were blessed to have six years together. Sadly, that is the same couch that the Vet helped him cross the Bridge on and we no longer have it. I just couldn't keep it, it caused me enormous pain every time I looked at it.

Painting of Bobo by Becart

I used to think Bobo's markings were so unique until I saw a number of cats in the blogosphere who looked so much like him it was uncanny! I adored his perfect four white paws and his "bib", he was such a handsome boy.

He wasn't a people cat as Cody is, I often wondered what Bobo experienced in the months before he found me. He didn't like strangers, he was a much more fearful cat than Cody (who is fearless), but he had a sensitivity and a remarkable way of being attuned to every nuance of my being that was something that isn't experienced often in ones' lifetime. When I hurt, he hurt, and vice versa.

The Rainbow Bridge poem was given to me by a friend when Bobo passed. I keep it in a frame in my office, where it still brings me comfort.

I didn't intend for this post to be quite this long, and I thank you for taking the time to read it. I also would like to thank Deb Barnes for creating this wonderful event.

I send my love to each and every one of you, and look forward to reading your stories and seeing your photos of those "who came before." May we all derive some comfort from these posts. 

Plea from the Cat: "Don't believe FAKE News from the Pet Sitter!!"

Last weekend my husband and I were attending a beautiful family wedding in Chicago. My dearest friend, Cheryl was pet sitting for Cody and Dakota as she has MANY times before, and she ALWAYS does a SUPERB job (Cody would disagree but she did a great job this time as well and we are blessed to have her!!) Saturday morning I called home to see how everything was going, and the second I heard Cheryl's voice I knew immediately that she was NOT happy.

The main NEWS was that Cody woke her up at FOUR IN THE MORNING. (In defense of Cody, that is my husband's fault entirely. When he substitute teaches he gets up at 4 am and feeds the boys. Yes, it is summer, and my husband doesn't substitute teach in the summer,  but because he is kind a pushover, Cody continues to wake him up at 4 am and my husband willingly feeds him then. How I don't always hear Cody is beyond me, but the times that I DO hear him he IS particularly insistent and his meow is UNREAL, Cheryl said she thought a screaming infant was in our home!)

The main problem is Cheryl had taken a muscle relaxer for an issue she was having, and was looking forward to sleeping in. In Cody's world, sleeping in IS NOT AN OPTION!!!

Cody is also used to receiving a number of snacks in the evening, (which are also my husband's fault!). When Cheryl didn't comply with Cody's self-imposed feeding schedule, or if she wasn't serving up food and/or treats with the speed that Cody felt that she should, he proceeded to knock a number of her personal items (which included her prescription glasses),  off of the dining room table. Cheryl said that virtually EVERY SINGLE TIME she approached the kitchen at ANY TIME of the day or night, Cody went in and sat by his bowl. He was relentless!!

When my husband and I returned home we found this note:

"Hi Caren and Lenny,
Everything went better (than the first night). Cody was a little mad at me because I wouldn't give him a bunch of food.  He will tell you I was mean but I wasn't LOL. Hope you had a good time, Dakota was awesome, he didn't complain at all. He was a trooper. Love, Cheryl"

CODY'S REBUTTAL: "I was a "little" mad? I was ENRAGED! I am used to my evening snack starting at 10 pm and the snacks continue every 15 minutes after that until 11 pm. OF COURSE "Sheltie Boy" was a trooper and didn't complain. He kisses up to everyone. I don't kiss up because I don't have to! I did tell Mom and Dad you were mean because when Mom and Dad are here I RULE. I love you Cheryl and so does Mom and Dad and Dakota, but YOU need to realize who is boss around here! I was simply doing what any self-respecting kitty would do. I RULE THIS HOUSE AND YOU NEED TO GET WITH THE PROGRAM!! "

Cat Offers 3 Tips On How To Avoid: Take Your Cat To The Vet Day #Cat2VetDay

FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY: Portions of this post appeared in 2016 on Take Your Cat To The Vet Day. We liked it so much are so lazy, we wanted to repeat it this year with some modifications.  And...don't listen to Cody TOO MUCH. My husband and I are HUGE advocates for pet wellness visits and we make sure that we are not strangers at the Vet's office!! Since Cody is a senior kitty we have wellness visits TWICE a year and any other time we deem necessary. We are  blessed that we go to:

 DePorre Veterinary Hospital

here in Michigan

 which is a:

 (For a list of Cat Friendly Practices in YOUR area, click here)

Now that we made everyone feel better, read on and enjoy!!! Take it away Cody!!

================================================================

Hi my furiends!!! It's Cody and as many of you already know, today is *******(Bring or Take) Your Cat to the (dreaded) Vet Day better known as Mom, Dad,  "Dr.Smiley" and his evil assistant get a good laugh day at MY expense!

******* (According to Days of the Year it is "Take Your Cat To The Vet Day",  catvets.com  is referring to it as "Bring Your Cat To the Vet Day" the message is the same!)

This photo is from a previous visit to Dr.Smiley's Evil Laboratory
Just for the record, Dr.Smiley and Gabby
are really NOT evil!!! 

Well, this is ONE CAT who is NOT going to the Vet today,  (Don't get nervous!! I AM going in September for my Wellness exam and my annual Rabies shot!!! )

Anyway kitties, if YOU want to avoid a trip to the Vet, let me tell you what I have done in the past to delay that dreaded trip! You can take these tips and apply them to your own house, or come up with better ones of your own!

TIP #1 BE OBSERVANT!!!

One day I was minding my own business, resting on a chair during the dark and quiet wee hours of the morning trying to drown out the relentless droning of Big Brother After Dark that Mom is obsessed with. My PTU (Personal Transport Unit for those who haven't been blogging long), is always kept in the living room with BOTH doors open. I will often slink into it's cozy, furry, blanket padded depths to get some much needed slumber. That night/morning something unusual happened. The rotund one actually moved off of the couch and closed one of the doors on my PTU. I WAS ON HIGH ALERT!!!! KITTIES! THAT IS A WARNING!! THAT MEANS YOU ARE GOING TO THE VET AND THEY ARE LEAVING ONE DOOR OPEN AT THE TOP SO THEY CAN PUT THROW YOU INTO YOUR PTU AND LOCK YOU IN FOR WHAT FEELS LIKE FOREVER!!!!!! I was beginning to formulate a plan, but didn't want to act prematurely. I  decided to see what else would happen that was out of the ordinary, and if strange things continued, I would spring into action!!

TIP #2 WATCH FOR A CHANGE  IN ROUTINE!!!

Normally, every morning I am on the couch getting some  much-needed rest, (I am already fed because Dad gets up early to feed Sheltie boy and I while Mom snores away.) Mom usually says good morning to Sheltie Boy and then forgets that I exist. Well, that day, after her usual morning greeting, Mom walked over to me and started petting me and cooing. Then, I heard her start telling Dad, "I hope he stays there, this will be MUCH EASIER." ONCE AGAIN, I WAS ON HIGH ALERT!!!  "THIS WILL BE MUCH EASIER?" I KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT!!!! I strolled into the kitchen and figured if I showed Mom and Dad my ample belleh, (which they LOVE to pet), they would be so overcome with my adorableness that they would be distracted.

 More talk followed...Mom said "Oh no!! He's off of the couch! He will soon disappear and I won't find him!!" I WAS OUTTA THERE!!!!!

TIP #3 BEGIN TO PUT YOUR PLAN INTO ACTION

Find the MESSIEST closet or room in the house and GET THERE FAST!!!!!!

Observe the photo above. My hiding spot of choice is in the messy closet that is in Mom's our office, (that she never uses). That white closet door doesn't open properly for humans, which is PURRFECT for me! That pink PTU was Angel Bobo's, (why she got a pink PTU for a male cat is beyond me, but I digress....) and I love to sleep there. When I go there, I feel Angel Bobo's spirit, and I know that  I am SAFE! Mom can't fit her fat-filled arms into that tiny space to get me because the door on the PTU opens TOWARDS her. I can get in, but SHE CAN'T!!!

I waited til I heard Mom say, "I don't feel like, stressing Cody or myself out today, I can't reach him when he is in Bobo's carrier, it's much too hard.   I am going to reschedule his appointment. It's just a shot and it can wait." 

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

Once I heard Mom on the phone with Dr.Smiley's evil assistants saying something about "being stupid because she forgot to barricade the closet", and I heard something about  rescheduling, I waited til I noticed that  the chauffeur,  Dad,  had left to run errands. Once he was out of the house I knew I was safe!!!! That day Mom re-scheduled the appointment for the end of August, thankfully, TOTALLY forgetting that August 22nd is (Take or)  Bring Your Cat to the Vet Day! At about 8:30 am (which would have been more than enough time to stuff me into my PTU had Mom not already canceled the appointment), I   nonchalantly strolled out of the closet and went back....WHERE? Why the COUCH of course!!!

YAY FOR ME!!!

FROM THE MOM: While Cody DID successfully sabotage a trip to the Vet that day, he was by NO MEANS out of the woods! He ended up  going to the Vet at the end of that month!!! In our house we are firm believers in "wellness visits", (going to the Vet for check-ups when all is fine, and not waiting for an illness or a crisis to present itself), and keeping up with NECESSARY vaccines, (if applicable!)

Infographic courtesy of   Cat2VetDay

Wellness visits are important because they can often detect problems that could be cropping up. By catching a potential problem EARLY it can help avoid some costly vet bills! Preventative care is important for humans and it is equally as important for our cats (and dogs!!!) 

FROM CODY: Ok, so Dr.Smiley isn't really so bad, he is quite nice really, but I am not thrilled with being called overweight and getting poked, prodded and having a shot, even if I DO know how important it is. So kitties, what have YOU done to escape going to the Vet? Share YOUR tips because I can always use a few new ones!!

Oh and my FINAL tip for today?

KITTIES....WATCH YOUR BACK!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Cody

AAHA (the American Animal Hospital Association) - The League of Champions (Guest Post)

FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY: In honor of National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day  (which is Wednesday, August 22nd),  Cody and I are pleased to present  to you a wonderful guest post about the AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association). I am proud that the Veterinary practice I have been going to for approximately 16 years is AAHA accredited. From the DePorre Veterinary website: 

"DePorre Veterinary Hospital is AAHA Accredited!"
We've chosen to voluntarily go through the process of becoming accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association because we understand your pet holds a valued place in your heart.  Only 15% of animal hospitals in the United States and Canada are AAHA accredited, and we're one of them! ​We have been accredited since 2013."

"AAHA Accreditation is a Very Big Deal"

Cody and I received no compensation for this post. We love sharing information that is of interest to our readers.  Becoming AAHA accredited is not an easy process.  Finding an AAHA accredited Veterinary practice should be of the utmost importance for anyone with pets.   it is our pleasure to share this guest post with you.

Courtesy of Consumers Advocate.org

AAHA (the American Animal Hospital Association)

The League of Champions

In 1933, the United States was reeling. It was the fourth year of the Great Depression. Unemployment stood at 25%. A new and untested president had recently moved into the White House. It was a turbulent and uncertain time.

But amazingly, during America's darkest hours, seven leaders of the veterinary profession came together to form one of the country's greatest organizations: the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). It was and remains the only institution that accredits companion veterinary hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. It was built on the premise that pets deserve nothing less than the very best veterinary care.

 Fast-forward to 2018. In 85 years, the country has changed in ways that were unimaginable in 1933. But AAHA has endured. Thrived. And today it is the most esteemed veterinary association in the country.

Dr. Heather Loenser-Courtesy of Consumers Advocate.org original article

 As Dr. Heather Loenser, AAHA’s Senior Veterinary Officer, put it recently, “Veterinary medicine is always evolving and improving. And AAHA has to remain flexible, ready to challenge previous protocols and upgrade them to the latest recommendations."

 It is that flexibility that has maintained AAHA as the standard of veterinary excellence in a rapidly-changing world.

AAHA Accreditation is a Very Big Deal
Being accredited is about operating at a higher level. And when it comes to health, that's the only level to play on. The process of accreditation is challenging and rigorous. It is also voluntary and not guaranteed. When a veterinary facility steps up to become accredited, it means they are making a proclamation they are committed to excellence.

Since 1933, AAHA has charted a course to accreditation for approximately 3,700 practices. Currently, only 12 to 15 percent of animal hospitals are accredited. AAHA invites all veterinarians to take the accreditation challenge and go at their own pace. This allows prospective practices to know exactly what lies in front of them. 

Dr. Mike Cavanaugh, the CEO of AAHA, believes that accreditation “means they care enough to be their very best on behalf of their patients, their clients and their staff. I often hear about the wonderful outcome of a hospital team working together to achieve accreditation and the bonding and team-building that results when they successfully achieve their shared goal of accreditation.”

At its core, accreditation has two functions. First, it recognizes and objectively certifies great veterinary practices. This is valuable to pet parents as they search for the best possible care for their nonhuman family members. Second, it helps good veterinary hospitals become great ones by coaching their personnel and helping practices live up to their potential. Many practices are poised to take the step from good to great, but need the counsel and guidance that AAHA provides to fully realize their latent qualities.

The Path to Accreditation
Accreditation involves being measured against over 900 standards of veterinary care across 18 categories. Fifty are mandatory, and then a certain number of additional points must be accumulated across these 18 categories.

Courtesy of Consumers Advocate.org from original article

Being accredited by AAHA doesn’t mean that a veterinary practice is accredited for all time. Instead, accreditation is a continuing process. Accredited practices are re-evaluated every three years. That way, AAHA can continuously guide animal hospitals through the changes in veterinary practice and technology to ensure they can deliver state-of-the-art services.

The current president of AAHA, Dr. Mark McConnell agrees and notes that there are other benefits to accreditation as well. “Some choose to become AAHA-accredited because they want the structure and assistance in running a practice. Others want the best for their patients and AAHA provides resources for the practice team to deliver the best medicine. Some want a recruitment tool to attract skilled and dedicated employees who want to practice with high standards.”

Courtesy of Consumers Advocate.org

The Future of AAHA
Dr. Cavanaugh believes that in the coming years, AAHA will continue to focus on its core function: accreditation. The organization is looking at modernizing the processes of collecting and analyzing member-generated data. Additionally, the way AAHA runs its on-site visits is being reimagined.
 
AAHA also hopes to focus on developing healthy workplace cultures. Practice members experience all kinds of emotions in the course of serving patients with all kinds of ailments. While all practitioners feel depressed at times, coming into a positive work environment makes a big difference.

That kind of forward thinking has characterized AAHA since its inception. Though its goal has remained constant for 85 years, the ways of achieving excellence are constantly changing.

Author Bio: Scott Smith is the lead pet editor for ConsumersAdvocate.org. Scott's Facebook page, Everybody Loves Sammy continues to influence over 149K animal lovers and provide resources for pet adoptions and animal rights activism. Additionally, Scott created the Dr. Harp Seal Community, the "I'm a Pig Man" advocacy message, and the "Drive With Compassion" movement in Puerto Rico. Most notably Scott wrote and recorded "Where is the Geneva Convention for Animals?" which can be heard on SoundCloud by Dr. Harp Seal.

OurPets Pounce House Electronic Spinner Cat Toy Winner!!!

Thanks to all who entered our give-away!!!

The lucky winner is listed below! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HUGE CONCATULATIONS TO SUMMER!!!! You kitties will have so much fun! And...unless you are living under a rock you know that Summer has a blog. But if you ARE 

living under a rock, you can check her blog out here

Winners! Cat Coloring Book Give-Away!!! "Curious Cats" by Susan T. Hall

Thank you to all who entered our give-away for:

HUGE CONCATULATIONS TO OUR 

LUCKY WINNERS LISTED BELOW!!!

(they were chosen by random.org)

LAILA from 

CLICK TO VISIT

AND 

GREG from

CLICK TO VISIT

Happy World Cat Day (International Cat Day) !!

World Cat Day (International Cat Day), was founded in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. (IFAW) But,  cats know that EVERY DAY IS WORLD CAT DAY!!

It is a day "dedicated to celebrating the most popular pet on the planet!" Well, we do that EVERY DAY, right?

Did you know there are an "estimated 500 million cats across the world"?

My fellow bloggers and I are beyond lucky that thanks to  the Internet, we get to celebrate World Cat Day with kitties located all over the world!!! 

We love you all!

Enjoy International/World  Cat Day!!!!

Cat Toy: OurPets Pounce House Electronic Spinner Cat Toy!!! Give-Away!!

Hi my furiends it;s Cody and I have a special surprise for you today!!! You know how I have been reviewing some toys from our furiends at OurPets? Well, today I am featuring the OurPets Pounce House Electronic Spinner Cat Toy and I have some super special GUEST REVIEWERS!!! YES I DO!!

Love Olaf's raised Paw
Photo Courtesy of Kimberly M.

You are probably wondering why I have guest reviewers today, well, the reason is I am not a big fan of tents or tunnels, (yes, for a cat that IS strange!), so Mom and I panicked enlisted the assistance of three darling kitties that happen to be the cats of one of our favorite receptionists that just happens to work at  our Vet "Dr.Smiley's Evil Laboratory"!! The kitty's names  are (and I sure HOPE I got this right!) Olaf, Manhattan and Martini. (Olaf is the kitty featured above and is an older kitty, Manhattan and Martini are much younger). These kitties were soo excited when they found out they were going to be reviewing the OurPets Pounce House Electronic Spinner Cat Toy.

Photo Courtesy of OurPets

If you are a kitty that likes to be inside of things, this is right up your alley!!! Kim's kitties absolutely love the OurPets Pounce House Electronic Spinner Cat Toy!!

Olaf, Manhattan and Martini
Photo Courtesy of Kimberly M.

"The OurPets Pounce House is designed to stimulate your cat's hunter instinct, engaging them in fun and healthy play.  The spinning feather teases your cat into action while the large hunting holes give them full access to bat, claw and pounce on their prey.  When playtime is over, the OurPets Pounce House is the perfect place for a catnap until it is time to spring back into action!"

Requires 2 AAA batteries (not included)

Photo Courtesy of Kimberly M.

It makes Mom and I so happy to see how happy Olaf, Martini and Manhattan are with the Pounce House, wait til you see what Kimberly's kitty "Olaf" does in the video below!! IT IS ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!!



See? I told you that was HILARIOUS!! That Olaf is one smart kitty! He was taking the Pounce House away to keep all for himself!

From Kimberly: "Manhattan lost his mind when I pulled the feather out of the drawer to put it in the tent. I almost couldn't get it in there, he was jumping up on me, so needless to say it's a hit. Manhattan and Martini are still playing with it even though I put the feather away."

Photo Courtesy of Kimberly M.

Mom and I are thrilled that Kimberly's kitties love the Pounce House so much! That makes us super happy!! 

Olaf, Manhattan and Martini THANK YOU SO MUCH for your pawesome photos and thank you Mom Kimberly for your adorable video and for being such fantastic product testers!!!!!! You are the BEST!! (even if you DO work at our Vet!).  I would also like to thank OurPets for not only sending me a Pounce House but for sending Kimberly's kitties one of their own to test too! That was incredibly kind! We LOVE YOU!!

Photo Courtesy of Kimberly M.

About OurPets® 

The OurPets® Brand offers product lines that feature a variety of premium and innovative toys, accessories, feeding solutions, and waste management solutions specially designed to awaken a pet’s natural instincts. Available exclusively at pet specialty retailers, no other brand offers products specifically designed to foster a healthy relationship between pets and their parents.

Get Social with OurPets®
 

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GIVE-AWAY!!!

Our friends at OurPets are generously offering a give-away to our readers who live in the U.S.A and who are 18 years of age and up. One human will win a OurPets Pounce House Electronic Spinner Cat Toy for their kitty (or kitties! An approx. $29 value. Entering is super easy, just enter on the Rafflecopter below and good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 This post is sponsored by OurPets® . I received the OurPets Pounce House Electronic Spinner Cat Toy, batteries,  as well as compensation for featuring this content , Kimberly and her kitties also received a OurPets Pounce House Electronic Spinner Cat Toy.  Cody and I only share information we feel is of interest to our readers.

It's National Friendship Day!!

Hi all! It's Cody and I just wanted to take a moment to thank every one who wished me a Happy Gotcha Day on July 28th  , we replied to as many as we could, and we apologize for not responding to everyone who was kind enough to leave a comment. It was MUCH APPRECIATED!! 



I thought that since this is National Friendship Day it would be the purrfect time to say THANK YOU!!!

I am blessed to have many friends!

Now, I haven't been the best friend lately because I have barely been around on MANY blogs! Mom has been focused on the impending arrival of her new step grandchild (the FIRST!!)  who is due any day now! Also, Mom is trying to quit smoking so a few days a week she has been going to water exercise and she has been swimming laps. Mom and I often don't get online til evening, which makes us backed up on email, blogging and keeping up with many impawtant events. We are doing our best to visit everyone 

BUT...............

Mom says we have been bad friends  because there is a Feedburner issue again and ALL of the Blogger blogs (and other blogs that use Feedburner to deliver blogs) are NOT showing up in Mom's inbox. We don't mean to not be visiting, and we apologize! The last time this happened it lasted 4 weeks, Mom and I hope it doesn't last that long!

So, please know that we appreciate each and every one of you and send you lots of love...........the rest of 2018 is gonna be kinda crazy, we are working on our "new normal", but since Mom says she has never been normal, and I haven't either, we're just gonna be crazier than we usually are! Mom and I are hoping you will still hang in there with us!!

Love, Cody (and Mom too!)

Cat Coloring Book Give-Away!!! "Curious Cats" by Susan T. Hall

In honor of National Coloring Book Day (which happens to be TODAY) I am pleased to present one of the most darling coloring books I have ever seen!

The cover is beyond adorable and is certain to make you want to POUNCE INSIDE!!!

"Explore Space, the Sea & More

with these Far-Out Felines"

The darling kitties in this book are "out of this world!!" There are "THIRTY imaginative illustrations that feature cats napping on Neptune, singing songs   atop Saturn, hanging around a crescent moon, and frolicking among backdrops bursting with stars flowers, fish, and other fun-to-color images."

Here is the page that I colored:

I am beyond upset that the past few months have been BEYOND INSANE (part of the insanity is we are waiting for our first grandchild to be born any day now!), and I haven't been able to find the time to color that I would have liked to have had. 

The creator of this precious book, Susan T. Hall, seriously has to be one of the NICEST people I have met. There were a number of times I was going to blog about this fabulous book, but I postponed because I wanted to have time to color, and Susan graciously kept telling me to "take my time!!" Because things are about to become crazier, I did NOT want her to have to wait any longer.  Fall is approaching and there will be MANY rainy/cold days that I will want to color, stay tuned because as I complete more pages I will feature them. Here are a couple that I am excited to begin coloring!

FROM SUSAN T. HALL:"I had such a good time drawing these, coming up with visual puns, researching cosmic bodies, adding nonsense and sprinkling a touch of anything else that I love into these illustrations. The ideas flowed easily and it felt like they drew themselves!"

Coloring books were a staple in my home when I was a little girl, and when I have the time, I love how when I open a coloring book, it takes me back to the days when my only worry was what color crayon to choose next! Even Susan's cats know that coloring is relaxing and soothing and that it is a hobby we all should do more of!

Meet Susan's kitties, Sundance and Cocoa. They are not only excellent models but they are PURRFECT artist assistants too!

Photo Courtesy of Susan T. Hall

Coco has to make sure that everything is PAWFECT!
Photo Courtesy of Susan T. Hall

National Coloring Book Day is a day to RELAX AND COLOR !! This would be the purrfect time to reward yourself and get your paws on this book!! Click here to visit Susan's website!

Susan currently lives in Dallas, Texas with Sundance and Cocoa.  She says "they have a way of making things right" which  ALL cat lovers can relate to! Susan is a freelance illustrator and yoga teacher. She has a Masters Degree in illustration from Syracuse University, and as she says, her "unofficial Social Expression Art Degree" is from working 12 years at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. When you visit Susan's website be sure to click through to see her incredible illustrations, she has done TONS of them! CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A COPY OF THIS DARLING BOOK THAT IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON! 

GIVE-AWAY!!!

Susan is graciously and most generously offering TWO OF OUR READERS WHO RESIDE IN THE U.S. A COPY OF THIS DARLING BOOK!! (an approximate $5.99 value) I am going to make entering super easy and omit using Rafflecopter. IF YOU WISH TO BE ENTERED, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LEAVE A COMMENT THAT STATES THAT YOU WISH TO ENTER TO WIN A COPY. THAT'S IT!! THE GIVE-AWAY IS OPEN NOW AND WILL END AT 5PM ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8TH, THE WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG AND WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 9TH WHICH IS BOOK LOVER'S DAY!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

Cody and I would like to give a HUGE thank you to Susan for her patience while waiting for us to blog about this darling book. Susan is a true gem and her kitties are precious! 

DISCLOSURE:We received no compensation for featuring this book, we received a complimentary copy in exchange for our always honest opinion.

from Texas Tech University