Good Riddance, July! #SundaySelfie

We're joining our friends at The Cat On My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Caricature #CaturdayArt

Meows from Mudpie!

Mommy ran my picture through the Caricature effect on Photofunia and look what it did to me! I look like an old man with a beard!!! 

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

Mommy's answers:

1. I would rather hear nails on a chalkboard than a lawnmower.

2. The best part of summer is when it's over.

Mudpie's answers:

3. I wouldn't mind if the hots disappeared. I'm ready for cuddles!

4. If I could create one rule that everyone in the world had to follow, it would be treating animals with kindless, love, and respect.

Dumpster Diver #PetPhotoFails

Meows from Mudpie!

Thank you for joining us for this month's edition of the Pet Photo Fails Blog Hop! Two months of summer done, one to go...phew! 

We would first like to apologize for not having a blog post the last couple days. We had one written and ready to go, but the postal service let us down and didn't deliver something we needed to take a photo of to accompany the post.

My blooper today was taken as I was getting up from a nap on my pile of half empty birdseed/squirrel food bags that I've been using for a bed this summer. Mommy said it's so messy it looks like she's been throwing trash into the wastebasket, missing, and leaving it there.

I gave her a raspberry and walked away.

That's my blooper...let's see yours! 

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list...

He's Behind Me, Isn't He?

Meows from Mudpie!

The kitty behind me is our friend Mo (named because he looks so much like Morris, but he's also a Puss in Boots clone). He's extremely skittish and even though Mommy has been giving him snacks for years, he's never allowed her to touch him.

Strangely enough, even though I don't care for other cats, his presence has never bothered me. In fact, sometimes we share a snack from opposite sides of the door!

When Mommy snapped this picture last week she thought it was super funny that I didn't seem to realize he was peeping in the door behind me. Good thing I was decent (although I'm fairly certain he's only interested in food and not me!)

I'm Melting... #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

Today is the 6th day in a row it's been over 90 degrees. In Vermont! 

Mudpies melt, y'know? (Both the dessert and furry varieties...)

We're joining our friends at The Cat On My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Summer Storm...Or Bride of Frankenstein? #CaturdayArt

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

Mommy's answers:

1. I think eating out is a waste of money.

2. Lately, I spend a lot of time wishing I had more time to do the things that bring me joy.

Mudpie's answers:

3. Visiting the squeezie factory is the craziest thing on my bucket list.

4. Tortoiseshell Cat Appreciation Day is a holiday I'd like to create or see more celebrated. It's April 17th, for anyone who doesn't know. I think it should be my Gotcha Day, which is right around the corner...

Thankful Thursday: Christmas in July & New Beginnings

Today we want to thank our sweet friend Ellen at 15 and Meowing for her surprise Christmas in July gift that arrived a couple weeks ago. Mudpie got a sweet little pink fishie and I got a much needed kitty stress ball.

I emailed Ellen right away to let her know that while she always hits the nail on the head with her gift choices, this time that was the case more than ever. 

Every now and then here on our blog I've alluded to workplace stress, and recently I made the difficult decision to resign from my job after 23 years. Long story short, we were acquired by a large company back in December. There were many layoffs but in March I was offered a new position to begin in June that had to be full time. (I've been working part time for quite awhile because of everything going on with my parents.) I accepted, but then changed my mind.

Merging the two data systems has taken longer than expected so for the past 6 weeks I've been working full time while continuing with my regular duties, but as soon as the transition is complete I'm done. It's a very demanding company and I just can't handle it on top of mom and dad's continuous health issues. At this point in my life I need a low stress job I can do part time from home (preferably in the pet space) - not an all-consuming career which is what this has become. I'm a simple girl - not a career woman.

Ever since dad was in the hospital for 2 weeks over Christmas it seems like life has just fallen apart bit by bit and my stress level has been off the charts. I hate to complain because there's been so much sickness and death in our little cat community lately, and thank goodness Mudpie and I are healthy (knock on wood), but the thoughts of changing jobs after so many years is pretty overwhelming. When I opened up the stress ball I couldn't believe how timely the gift was.

I should also add that Mudpie has been treating her pink fishie like a stress ball too. I think my anxiety has been rubbing off onto her!

July Retro Country Rewind #MewsicMovesMe

It's been a few years since we premiered our mewsic feature "Retro Country Rewind," a look back at favorite songs that hit #1 during that month from 30, 35, 40 plus years ago. In this new year we'll be delving into #1 hits from 1972, 1977, 1982, and so on. Let's take a look at July for this freebie week in the Mewsic Moves Me blog hop...

50 Years Ago - 1972, Eleven Roses, Hank Williams Jr.

45 Years Ago - 1977, Almost Like a Song, Ronnie Milsap

40 Years Ago - 1982, Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby, Janie Fricke

40 Years Ago - 1982, Take Me Down, Alabama

35 Years Ago - 1987, That Was a Close One, Earl Thomas Conley

35 Years Ago - 1987, The Weekend, Steve Wariner

We hope you enjoyed our choices this week!
Let us know if you have a favorite.

Neighbor Kitty #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

We have a guest selfie for you this.week. Please meet T-Two...

T-Two belongs to our neighbor who is a pianist and spends every summer (well, except for the last two) at a piano school for the second half of July and much of August. During this time Mommy takes care of her, which means I have to share Mommy for the next 5 weeks!

I guess it doesn't really bother me that much, as long as she stays at her house and doesn't come live with us. I kind of feel sorry for T-Two, having her Mommy abandon her for so long. It would kill me if Mommy left me for 5 days, say nothing about 5 weeks!!!

We're joining our friends at The Cat On My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Caturday Art

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers (all answered by Mommy this week) for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. A fun way to celebrate Christmas in July is to start daydreaming about how you're going to decorate this year.

2. My favorite summer activity is counting down the days until it's over. I was even excited that as of yesterday (7/15) we're halfway through the months of June through August!

3. When I sleep, my dreams are nonsensical. I sometimes wonder what's going on in my head to come up with such craziness!

4. House centipedes scare me more than any other bug.

Killers of a Feather by T. C. LoTempio - Blog Tour with Character Guest Post and Giveaway

 

Shell McMillan and her feline friends must unravel a mystery where everyone’s a suspect and no one’s to blame . . .

With the grand re-opening of her Urban Tails Pet Shop just days away, Shell McMillan has her hands full planning entertainment for the festive event, including a fortune-telling parrot. But her jubilant mood is soon threatened by ominous rumors of the return of Johnny Draco, a former investment guru who swindled money from most of the residents of Fox Hollow and then vanished without a trace. And when the parrot predicts a dire future for Draco and his dead body is found just hours later, no one can say they’re surprised—but no one will say who did it.

With virtually everyone in town a suspect, the police turn their focus on a good friend of Shell’s who was seen arguing with the victim shortly before his death. Determined to clear her friend’s name, Shell begins investigating Draco’s past, his former employer, and everyone who lost money to him. And when the trail of clues suggests there may have been a completely different motive for the murder, Shell suddenly realizes she’s uncovered a secret someone would kill to keep hidden—and that if she’s not careful, the parrot may be predicting she has no future at all . . .

Character Guest Post by Purrday the Cat

Hi there! I’m Purrday from the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries! I’m a big, beautiful Persian cat who was out on the streets for years before Shell’s Aunt Tillie took me under her wing. It dind’t even bother her that I lost an eye during a fight (you should see the other cat!). She just gave me plenty of love, food and more love! She also gave me my name...Purrday. Aunt Tillie was a big movie fan, and of Cary Grant especially. I’m actually named after one of her favorite movies, Her Gal Friday...Her Cat Purrday...get it???

Honestly, I was quite upset when she passed, wondering what might happen to me, but Shell stepped right in and seamlessly took over. My one-eyed presence doesn’t even bother her....I wish I could say the same for her mother! The first time Clarissa McMillan laid eyes on me she screamed out, “Crishell! Do you know that cat has one eye!”

Having one eye doesn’t affect my ability to nose out clues either, as evidenced by our two adventures together! Shell says I’m quite the little sleuth, and I have to agree! I aspire to someday be as clever as another feline detective I know....

About the Author: T. C. LoTempio is the award-winning, nationally bestselling author of the Nick and Nora Mysteries, the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries, and the Cat Rescue Mysteries. For more information, check out her and her cat Rocco’s blog at www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com and visit her website at www.tclotempio.net.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Is This Weird?

Meows from Mudpie!

We need our friends to settle a bit of a disagreement between Mommy and me.

I have beds and blankies all over the house. So many comfy places to sleep. But this summer my favorite spot to hang out is in the kitchen (NO, not on my pizza box, although that's still there!) on a pile of bags filled with the food(s) Mommy puts out for the birds, squirrels, and other wildlife. I curl up on top of them and nap these yucky hot days away. Most nights I sleep there too, instead of going to bed with Mommy, which really upsets her.

Mommy says I'm downright weird to be so in love with what looks like a glorified junk pile, but I say who is she to judge what's comfy or not? 

What say you?

To Be 30 Again... #MewsicMovesMe

The theme of this week's Mewsic Moves Me blog hop is "build a playlist from the year you turned 30". I turned 30 in 2007, and not being a fan of today's country music I didn't have my hopes up that I would find many great songs, but I think I did!

We hope you enjoyed our choices this week!

Let us know if you have a favorite.

Sittin' Pretty #SundaySelfie

We're joining our friends at The Cat On My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Caturday Art

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers (all answered by Mommy this week) for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. Every July, I count down the days until fall.

2. I could be Snow White's 8th dwarf named Worrywart.

3. I could use some quiet time to do absolutely nothing right about now.

4. I would like to start my own pet sitting business.

Tara & Truffles...Forever Loved, Forever Missed

Today marks the 7th anniversary of the day my baby girl Truffles flew off to the bridge, and the 9th anniversary of the day her big sister Tara paved the way before her.

It goes without saying this is the hardest day of the year for me. Comprehending the tragic set of circumstances that took Truffles from me far before her time is something I will always struggle with, and most likely something I will never be able to accept. She deserved so much more from life. And the fact that I lost them both on the same day two years apart makes me wish I could scratch this date right off the calendar. 

In honor of my precious girls, please give your own fur babies a little something special today. Maybe an extra hug or kiss, a few more minutes of play or cuddle time, extra treats wouldn't hurt either.

Our time together is so fleeting; their fragile lives all too short. Never miss an opportunity to show them how much they're loved.

Happy Birthday, America!

Where Did My Yard Go? #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

I haven't been spending much time in the bathroom window this summer, preferring to catch some rays at the back door instead. Yesterday morning I hopped in a for few minutes though and decided to snap my selfie there.

Obviously it was a super sunny day because by shooting directly into the light my whole backyard disappeared!

We're joining our friends at The Cat On My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Caturday Art

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers (all answered by Mommy this week) for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. A fashion trend that I hope never returns is shoulder pads.

2. I fashion trend I wouldn't mind coming back in style is poodle skirts. I'm a '50s girl at heart.

3. I think classic country music is superior to anything being recorded today.

4. When a new month rolls around, I turn the page on my Conway calendar. (I have one made each year at Walgreens.)

We'll Miss You, Cleo

 

Our hearts are broken over the news that beautiful tortie lady Cleo has gone to the Rainbow Bridge.

Every beloved pet's loss is devastating, but Cleo looked SO much like Mudpie that we felt an extra special connection to her and her wonderful mom and dad.

We're sending them both bucket loads of love and purrs in hopes they know how much their darling girl was loved and how much she will be missed.