Just Thinkin' #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 for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. I would describe my home as cluttered but cozy.

2. I would never give my pet to anyone. I just can't fathom how anyone can give a pet - a family member - away.

3. I share my secrets with my mom. She's been gone nearly 6 months now but I still tell her everything that's going on every night before I go to sleep. 

4. Did I ever tell you I've never been on a plane?

Squirrel Feeder Failure #PetPhotoFails

Meows from Mudpie!

Thank you for joining us for this month's edition of the Pet Photo Fails Blog Hop! Only one month left to this wretched summer. Ooh, and my Gotcha Day is coming up soon! 

Right outside my bedroom and bathroom window is our bird/squirrel feeder. My grandpa build it at least 35 years ago and it's on its last legs. Several times this summer Mommy had to nail it back onto the pole it was sitting on, until one day the pole itself came crashing down! 

Until she can find a way to fix the pole and see if grandpa can build another box, she propped the box up on a decorative urn in our yard. Our backyard visitors haven't seemed to mind the change, but one morning Mommy looked out the window to see that somehow the squirrels had managed to knock the box off the urn and onto its side, but kept right on eating! 

She grabbed her camera and took some pretty bad pictures through the screen window. We are cracking UP at the squirrel's little butt sticking up out of the box while he pokes around for a snack! (Our squirrels love animal crackers.) 

Those are our bloopers...let's see yours!

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Christmas in July

Meows from Mudpie! 

Today we want to thank the wonderful Miss Ellen of 15 and Meowing for the pawsome Christmas in July package she sent us. Just look at the goodies! 

She sent Mommy a vintage Garfield bookmark, a bunch of Simon's Cat stickers (one of them features one of her all-time favorite sayings, "I hate morning people. And mornings...and people...), and a wish bracelet with a cat charm on it. She sent me a super cute pink crocheted toy.

Can you see it in this picture? When Mommy and I opened the package I immediately pulled the toy out and tucked it under me for a cuddle. (On a side note, how adorable is my right paw? Mommy says it's downright yummy. Geez, I'd better watch out or someone might start nibbling on it.) 

LET'S PLAY! 

I Have To Move AGAIN?!?!?! #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

As you can tell, the back door is my favorite place to hang out during the summer months. I spend so much of my time there that Mommy calls it my apartment. 

The problem is, the back door is the main exit to the house, so every time Mommy and Grandpa have to go out, I have to move. (Well, Mommy can step over me, but if Grandpa tried that it wouldn't end well for either one of us.) If they're just doing something in the yard they leave the door open so I can go back to my spot, but if they're going somewhere they lock the door behind them and I have to wait patiently for them to return.

Now Mommy is cat-sitting for our neighbor for the next two weeks, so she'll be in and out even more than usual. And I'm sick and tired of moving!!! 

Can't she hop out a window or something and leave me alone?

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 for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

Mudpie's answers:

1. Mommy taught me that being unbearably adorable gets me anything I want. My charms work on her every time! 

2. I wish I could remember to go "nite nite" with Mommy at night. She calls me and calls me when she goes to bed, but if I'm napping and cozy somewhere else in the house I ignore her. Then morning comes and I've forgotten to go cuddle with her! 

Mommy's answers:

3. I could be convinced summer isn't disgusting only if we could eliminate heat, humidity, storms and bugs.

4. I had to delay my never-ending decluttering because it's too darn hot and humid to do anything.

Unboxing June's CatLadyBox

 The theme of June's CatLadyBox was Sunshine and Purrs...here's what was inside!

Featured Cat Lady Artist: Ellie Szymanska

Tropical Kitty Tee:

I'm crazy about the mint green graphics!

Paws & Flowers Pint Glass:

Purrfect for iced coffee! Love the little paw prints in the flowers.

Kitty Trinket Dish:

Probably the cutest trinket dish ever...so small and delicate.

Woven Cat Trivet:

I'll probably hang this in the kitchen because it's so decorative.

Sassy Starfish & Ellie the Jelly Catnip Toys:

Mudpie loves biting the legs on both of these little guys.

Not a subscriber yet? Visit CatLadyBox today!

Interested in purchasing individual items from past boxes? You can do that too!

Disclosure: I receive a discount on my CatLadyBox subscription as a thank you for my monthly review. Regardless of compensation received, we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers.

Paw & Order by Chris Abernathy - Blog Tour with Character Guest Post and Giveaway

 

What’s better than a K-9 cop? A feline detective. Detective Whiskers is out to prove himself, and keep his human from being framed for murder, or worse. He'll need the help of his new animal friends and Sheila's group of female sleuths. This cozy mystery set in a small town in Old Florida is purrfect for cat lovers and anyone who enjoys a fun beach read.

Who is really catching killers in Paradise Cove? It’s not the local police. The Paradise Cove Murder Society is getting the job done, with more help than they realize from a furry detective named Whiskers.

Sheila and her cat Whiskers are starting a new life in the perfect little Florida beach town that managed to avoid the big crowds, condos and chain stores. But as soon as they arrive the town has its first ever murder. Good thing Whiskers is a trained detective! Fred, Sheila’s husband of forty years, was a police detective who recently passed away, right before they were supposed to retire to the beach. After forty years of devoting herself entirely to being a good wife and mother she’s now left to put her life back together, but what kind of life will it be? In a fresh setting, and with some quirky new friends, she slowly begins to remember all of the dreams she had as a young woman. She has a second chance to chase those dreams, if she can stay alive and out of prison. When her next door neighbor is killed and the evidence points to Sheila, it’s time for Whiskers to step up.

Whiskers was Fred’s loyal assistant and he’ll need to remember everything he learned from his mentor to keep Sheila safe as she rediscovers herself. With the help of some unexpected new friends of his own Detective Whiskers sets out to prove to the world, and himself, that he is worthy of the shiny badge on his collar. If you love humorous cozy mysteries where pets take the lead and eccentric friends come together to solve crimes with just the right amount of suspense then the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series is exactly what you’re looking for. Buy Paw and Order now and find out why the only thing better than a K-9 cop is a feline detective!

This book is an absolute joy from start to finish. I immediately fell hard for Whiskers, still grieving over his master's untimely death and the special connection they shared. He finds comfort in tummy rubs, sleeping on the detective's uniform, and is serious about his new job of protecting widow Sheila. The last thing they expect when beginning their new life in sleepy Paradise Cove is to become embroiled in a murder, but that's exactly what happens. It's a good thing Whiskers is a bit of a detective himself, and with the help of some new 2-legged and 4-legged friends, is able to save the day. 

Besides Whiskers himself, my favorite characters are Zappa the hippie kitty and Roddy the mouse. Absolutely adorable! This story gets four paws up, and I look forward to spending more time with these delightful characters in subsequent books.

Character Guest Post by Detective Whiskers

Hi! My name is Whiskers. Gotta say, this is a cool blog. Who doesn’t love mochas and mysteries? And meows — well, that goes without saying since I am a cat!

I am also a detective. Yes, a cat can be a detective — just look at my badge if you don’t believe me. It says Detective Whiskers.

My former partner and mentor, Fred, gave me the badge after I helped him solve a bunch of cases. It wasn’t easy. I can’t talk to humans so I had to find ways of getting his attention at the right time and showing him what he needed to see. Eventually he caught on and taught me everything he knew about being a detective. We spent hours every evening working on cases after he got home.

Unfortunately, Fred’s not with us anymore. Sheila, his wife, and I have relocated to the purrfect beach town in a part of Florida that has somehow avoided the big condos and crowds. It’s a quiet town. Or at least it was until we showed up. I don’t know why but all of a sudden people are getting killed left and right. Fortunately, I’m here to find out what happened and bring the killers to justice.

I won’t lie — it gets a little crazy. The local police chief thinks my badge is just some silly gimmick. His K-9 officer, Kojak, clues me in on some of their evidence but I’m not allowed to be part of the official investigation. So there are two investigations going on at the same time. Mine and theirs. Oh, three actually. Sheila has met some “unique” new friends and they call themselves the Paradise Cove Murder Society. The get together to solve murders and drink margaritas. Mostly drink margaritas (especially Tarrie Ann) but I have to admit they’re getting better at it. Anyway, yeah … three investigations going at the same time. It gets a little crazy. Not only am I trying to find a killer, I‘m trying to keep Sheila safe. I promised Fred I would. I didn’t realize at the time that she would be chasing after killers.

Sheila’s not the only one who has made new friends. I’ve met some pretty cool cats down here. And dogs. And a great blue heron. I’ve even made friends with a mouse, but don’t tell Sheila! She would not be happy if she knew I let them him with us at Sunset Cottage.

I already mentioned Kojak. He’s the K-9 officer at the local police department and he was not exactly my biggest fan at first. But he’s come around. It’s nice to have someone I can talk about cases with who understands. And without him it would be a lot harder for me to investigate.

Then there’s Zappa. Let tell you, he’s living the good life. A total beach bum. This cat lives in the sand dunes near our house. He just chills out all day and eats fresh seafood, courtesy of a fisherman named Jimmy. Jimmy fishes almost every day and shares with Zappa and Blue.

Blue is a great blue heron. She’s not much of a talker. She’s not much of anything really. She just glides in on those big, beautiful wings of hers and stands on the beach until Jimmy tosses her a fish. It takes a while to get to know her but it’s worth it. She is a great listener and I know that if I ever really need her, she’ll be there for me.

Oh, I almost forgot Roddy. He’s a mouse that lives in a wall at Sunset Cottage. I know, cats are supposed to keep mice away but he’s cool. We’ve worked out a deal. He stays hidden and only eats things that fall on the floor, stuff that Sheila will never notice. And I keep him safe in the Whiskers Protection Program.

So that’s a little bit about life in Paradise Cove, the neatest little town that nobody knows about in Florida. If you happen to find it, get a room at the Parrot Eyes Inn and stay for a while. I guarantee you’ll love it.

One more thing. You may have noticed that all of the books about my cases are named after TV shows and movies. That’s because Sheila and I love to watch TV together, especially the shows about other great detectives. People like Jessica Fletcher, Crockett and Tubbs, Thomas Magnum. Now that Fred isn’t with us anymore, these shows are a great way for me to continue learning about how to be a great detective. You can never know too much, right?

Did anybody else hear that? I think I just heard Roddy scratching around in the living room and Sheila’s not in bed yet. I’d better go check on him and make sure she doesn’t see him.

Be safe, everybody. And give your cats a little extra Fancy Feast for me, okay?

**************************************************************

About the Author:

Chris Abernathy has narrated more than 200 audiobooks and now he is writing his own stories. He has been a storyteller his entire life — around campfires at a summer camp as a counselor, on the radio for more than 30 years, as an actor with background roles on major motion pictures and TV series, as a producer of short films for social media and more. Chris is married with two sons and lives on the Gulf Coast in Alabama. He is a dual national with citizenship in the US and UK and visits family in the Scottish Highlands as often as possible.

Author Links:

Webpage – http://authorchrisabernathy.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorchrisabernathy/

Amazon author profile – https://www.amazon.com/stores/Chris-Abernathy/author/B07YLJPKNQ

Newsletter signup – https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a7s6c0

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Soaking Up Some Sun...While It Lasts #SundaySelfie

 

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

Turn Off the Rain Please #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 have a spare case of squeezies and can of coffee on hand at all times. The two things Mudpie and I run on! 

2. Saturday is the day I do my main grocery shopping for the week.

Mudpie's answers:

3. I need to invent a squeezie machine so that I'm never at risk of running out.

4. Losing my grandma really made me rethink the security of my forever home. Could Mommy leave me one day too?

Death Steals the Spotlight by T.C. LoTempio - Blog Tour with Character Guest Post and Giveaway

 

It’s exit stage left, permanently, for a big-time director who lands the starring role in an unscripted death scene . . .

Desperate to find a director for their annual production, the Fox Hollow Players have a stroke of luck when Shell McMillan’s actress mother lands a prominent theater director for the job. He’s more gruff and demanding than the small-town cast and crew are used to, but his soft side for animals quickly endears him to pet shop owner Shell. Persuading her to let him use a shed on her property where he can work in peace, Shell is horrified when she finds his dead body there. And with obvious signs of foul play, she can’t help but investigate the murder.

As she digs into the man’s past, it becomes apparent that at one point or another he was romantically entangled with just about every woman involved in the play. And just when Shell discovers he may have been blackmailing one of them, other clues surface that suggest a more sinister motive. With her hands already full with a beautiful stray cat she found and christened Princess Fuzzypants, Shell will have to fill two roles, caring for the Maine coon and trying to track down the killer before it’s her turn for a fatal curtain call . . .

A chat with....PURRDAY THE CAT

Hello there! My name is Purrday, and I’m one of the main characters in T.C. LoTempio’s Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery series! (Actually, I think I’m the main character, but Shell and Gary think otherwise).

A bit about my backstory: I was a stray who was adopted by Shell’s Aunt Tillie, and now Shell is my human. I’m a fighter and a survivor, as you can tell by the fact I only have one eye! (You should see the other cat lol) I’m also a pretty good sleuth, as I’ve proven in our first two adventures, THE TIME FOR MURDER IS MEOW and KILLERS OF A FEATHER. OH, and I don’t want to leave out my sister, Kahlua, a beautiful Siamese. I have to admit, though, Kahlua isn’t too much for the detective end of things. She’d much rather take a nap in the sun or yowl at her empty foodbowl! But she is pretty!

Getting back to sleuthing....I have to admit, I sort of take a backseat to the newest member of the Urban Tails family: a beautiful red Maine Coon cat by the name of Princess Fuzzypants in our newest adventure, DEATH STEALS THE SPOTLIGHT.

I take full responsibility for the Princess entering into our fold. I found her, injured, in the backyard of the pet shop and I immediately got Shell to rescue her. It didn’t take long for myself and the Princess to form a bond. She’s so beautiful, with all that long, red hair......and those luminous eyes! A cat could get lost in them. Do I sound a bit lovestruck? Well, I must admit I do have quite a crush on the Princess, and date I say it? I think it’s reciprocated! (Hey, a cat can dream, right? And I’ve been told I’m quite the cat-ch myself!)

The Princess is turning out to be a creditable sleuth herself, as you will see in this adventure and our next. I’ve hinted at more facetime for us but I’m not quite sure I was taken seriously. Which leads me to think...maybe the Princess and I should ditch the humans and start our own series? What do you think? I believe I’ll have a chat with the human who chronicles our adventures, T.C. LoTempio. She just might be receptive to that idea!

But if not, rest assured, the Princess and I plan on helping out Shell and Gary with their detecting in the future. I have inside information that both the Princess and I figure prominently in the detecting in adventure number four.....Let’s face it....just where would these humans be without their four footed helpers, right?

Ah...I see Shell is putting out the eats. Time to go before Kahlua eats my share! Hope you’ve enjoyed our little chat as much as I have...we’ll have to do it again! (Maybe after book four?)

PURRDAY

**************************************************************

About the Author:

While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic. She and her cat pen the Nick and Nora mystery series originally from Berkley Prime Crime and now with Beyond the Page Publishing. They also write the Cat Rescue series from Crooked Lane and the Pet Shop series, originally published by Midnight Ink and rebranded last year as “Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries.” Number three in this series debuted June 27, DEATH STEALS THE SPOTLIGHT. Recent other releases include Book six in the Nick and Nora mysteries, A PURR BEFORE DYING, and book one in the new Tiffany Austin Food blogger series, EAT, DRINK AND DROP DEAD.

You can cat-ch up with them at ROCCO’s blog, www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com or her website, www.tclotempio.net

Author Links:

ROCCO’s blog: www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Website: www.tclotempio.net

Twitter: @RoccoBlogger

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.lotempio.5

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A Sad & Scary Monday

Meows from Mudpie!

By now you've probably heard about the catastrophic flooding that hit our home state of Vermont on Monday. Many towns across every corner of the state, even the capital city which is still under water as we type this, were inundated with 5-9 inches of rain.

I'm relieved to say that in our area we only got 2". Much more was predicted, and Mommy was having a meltdown all weekend worrying about the basement flooding or the sump pump failing or the washing machine filling up with water again. To say she was a basket case is an understatement. 

This is the biggest natural disaster to hit our state since Hurricane Irene in August 2011 (before I was born!) Before that was the Great Vermont Flood of 1927, which Mommy's grandparents lived through. 

Then, in the midst of the storm, Mommy had to take Grandpa to an eye doctor appointment Monday afternoon. Just minutes after leaving the house she ran over a little vole. He was so small, and walking across the road so slowly, she didn't even realize it was an animal until it was too late to slam on the brakes. She swerved but not enough to avoid hitting him. She was absolutely heartbroken and can't stop thinking about it. She says he was just out there innocently living his life, and she snuffed it out.

I told her she's being way to hard on herself. If he'd crossed my path I would've taken him out too! 

It's About Time You Got Up #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

My favorite place to spend the long summer days is parked by the back door soaking up some rays. Mommy says she'd like to know how she ended up with such a sun and heat goddess, because I sure didn't get it from her! 

If I had opposable thumbs that could open the door, I would have it open by 6AM, but unfortunately Mommy isn't a morning person. When she got up Saturday morning she found me hanging out in the bathroom window, waiting for her, and this is the disgusted look I gave her...

Yep, her first stop after going potty was to open the back door for me! MOL

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 for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. I am never without my phone.

2. My favorite place for fast food is Little Caesars Pizza. We used to have one within walking distance but it closed many years ago. Another one is finally opening locally on Tuesday and I'm counting down the days! 

3. I feel like I'm naturally good at writing.

4. I would probably benefit from sewing lessons. It's the one thing mom was never able to teach me. 

Tara & Truffles...Forever Loved, Forever Missed

 

Today marks the 8th anniversary of the day my baby girl Truffles flew off to the bridge, and the 10th 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!

 

Neighborhood Friends Guest #SundaySelfies

Meows from Mudpie!

Most afternoons when it's nice out (i.e. not raining or elebenty billion degrees) Mommy and Grandpa have been going for a walk around the block.

Mommy says her favorite part of these outings is getting to meet neighborhood pets! Some are even willing to take a guest selfie!

This sweet pup is Amber. She's 14 and still gets around great! Sometimes she sunbathes in the driveway, sometimes she's on her front lawn, but wherever she is she enjoys the comfort of her dog bed! It's the cutest thing.

This friendly kitty is Amber's brother, Ernie. Ernie doesn't have a cat bed out in his yard, and we often wonder if he ever steals a corner of Amber's bed! Ernie loves visiting with Mommy, and especially enjoys nibbling on grass.

 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 for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. When I lose interest in my favorite things, it means that I am sick.

2. I don't care anything about fireworks. I just don't see what makes them such a big deal.

3. I have a newfound appreciation for people whose jobs require them to be outside all day, especially in the summer heat and humidity. Imagine being a roofer or road construction worker or when it's 90 plus degrees out!

4. I think everyone should include pets in their estate planning so that they'll continue to be cared for by someone you trust.