Retro Tortie #CaturdayArt

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. I'd like to peek into nobody's closet. It's kind of embarrassing the lack of interest I have in clothes LOL. Now bookshelves, on the other hand...

2. I secretly enjoy social distancing. 

3. There's no use crying over things you cannot control. Easy to say, not so easy to do.

4. If I don't get enough sleep, I have to take a nap at some point during the day.

Thankful Thursday: Gotcha Day Wrap Up

Meows from Mudpie!

I had the most pawsome Gotcha Day on Tuesday! I had squeezies, a taste of cream cheese from Mommy's morning muffin, a little deli meat. I got a couple packages of my favorite Party Mix Morning Munch. and yesterday Mommy went to PetSmart and redeemed a coupon I got for a free treat (squeezies, of course)!

Most importantly, temps were only in the 60s so Mommy and I had tons of cuddle sessions! It was chilly enough I even felt like playing a little, and in the evening Mommy helped me read all the nice Gotcha Day comments I got on our blog and social media.

Oh, and today is my grandma's birthday, so I bet I'll be getting some extra cuddles out of her too! She thinks I'm the cat's pajamas, and she's right!

I'm super thankful for one of the best Gotcha Days ever!

Happy 7th Gotcha Day, Mudpie!!!

Meows from Mudpie!

Seven years ago today my life changed forever when Mommy decided I was the kitty to fill the empty hole in her heart that Truffles left behind. We've told this story for the past 6 years on my special day, but it's a real life "fairy tail" and I didn't think you'd mind reading it again. I know that I never get tired of telling it!

It all began 10 days earlier with a series of photos posted on the shelter website. Mommy says she saw my picture and had the same feeling in her heart that she had the first time she saw Truffles. Still, she didn't want to make a hasty decision so she saved my picture to her PC and tablet and kept looking at it over and over. When she finally decided to call the shelter and ask about me it didn't take long for her to decide that I was the one.

She filled out the adoption application, gathered the needed references, and was immediately approved, but then we hit a bit of a snag. The shelter doesn't typically finalize adoptions before the prospective family meets the pet, meaning I couldn't be placed "on hold" (for lack of a better term) and when Mommy spoke to the shelter on Friday afternoon she learned that another lady had just stopped in and was very interested in me! Thankfully the nice shelter volunteer heard the panic in Mommy's voice when she reiterated that she just couldn't come get me until Sunday (they had already agreed to open the shelter just for us!) and said she'd do everything she could to steer the lady's attention to another cat. (People are just drawn to me...what can I say???)

So on a sunny Sunday morning Mommy and my Grandpa made the hour drive to make our union legal and bring me to my forever home.

She had never been to this particular shelter before and thought it was so beautiful. She especially loved the cat quotes on the walls.

She enjoyed spending a little time with Thomas, the shelter mascot, but her heart was pounding with anticipation to meet *me*!!!

There was a cute little tortie in the front holding room, and at first Mommy thought it was me! Then she was told that I was sequestered in the shelter director's office because I don't play well with others. Tattle tails!!!

As soon as Mommy saw me it was all over...I held her heart in my paws!

In no time at all the paperwork was complete and I was on my way home. Mommy rode in the back seat with me and I barely made a peep. We just gazed at each other as well fell completely in love.

I made myself at home the moment I walked in the door, immediately gravitating to the toys set out waiting for me...

...and the pawsome cat beds too! (Geez, wasn't I a skinny, scrawny little thing???) I was totally tuckered out at this point!

The whole day was just a dream come true, one Mommy and I will never forget. Life is pretty darn amazing for this little tortie today. I have a wonderful family who worships the ground I walk on, and loads of friends in the blogosphere who welcomed me with open arms.

Of all the kitties in the world, Mommy picked me. And I thank Cod for her every single day.

Note from Mommy: I thank Cod for you every single day too, precious girl!

Do you remember the day you moved to your forever home?

'Tis the Shedding Season #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

Every morning when Mommy goes out to feed the birds, squirrels, and neighbor kitty, I'm waiting for her when she returns so she can hold the door open for me for a few minutes. 

That's when this selfie was taken, and it's obvious from the loose furs showing that she hadn't taken time to "do my hair" yet! (During the hot, humid weather she brushes me 3-4 times a day!)

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

Cutie in a Coffee Cup #CaturdayArt

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. The highlight of my summer so far has been Christmas in July and seeing Halloween merchandise appear on store shelves.

2. August is a good time to start scouring stores for new Halloween decor.

3. Political discussions often get me into trouble.

4. I start sneezing every time I try to dust. So I dust as little as possible!

Shifting and Shenanigans by Elizabeth Pantley - Blog Tour with Guest Post and Giveaway

 

Paige and her adventurous Aunt Glo inherit a country inn from eccentric GeeGee. They pack up and hit the road, arriving at the charming place they both loved since childhood. Finally! They can get into the secret room in the basement that GeeGee kept locked! They discover it’s a wonderful library filled to the brim with mystery books. But more than the room was a secret – it’s a magical place that houses enchanted books. Paige and Glo find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a murder mystery, along with a motley group of book club friends. The club will need to work together to solve the case in order to get out of the book and back to their home.

Author Guest Post

Cruising Vicariously through My Cozy Mystery

I love to cruise and have taken many of them in my life. We dragged our kids on a number of them until they were old enough to beg us to stop. Then we continued to cruise as a twosome or with friends.

I love the idea of settling into my own cabin with all my belongings. It’s great to stop at new ports of call and visit interesting places yet return to my own sanctuary at the end of the day. I love the vibrating excitement of life onboard. The pools, restaurants, piano bar, promenade, game rooms, and the glittering shops and art galleries are a wonder for the senses. It’s all very exciting and fun.

Since the pandemic hit, I’ve given up cruising. But I miss it! What’s a writer to do?

Planning a Vicarious Cruise

When writing the outline for the second book in the Magical Mystery Book Club, I pondered the perfect setting when it hit me – a cruise ship! I could take a cruise without ever leaving home, based on my vivid memories of all the ships I’ve traveled on.

I sorted through photos and reminisced about my favorite trips. I loved the adventures in Alaska, but my favorites are tropical – warm sunshine and sandy beaches call to me. My daughter and her family just returned from a trip to Hawaii and loved it. I’d never taken a Hawaiian cruise so set my scene there.

I spent the next week pouring through cruise websites and reviewing Hawaiian excursions. Then outlined a 7-day trip for my book club members.

The characters had a magnificent time. Well, not counting finding a dead body, but other than that! Even though it’s all in my mind, I got to take a Hawaiian cruise after all! Now I’m looking forward to doing it in real life. I just hope there are no vampires on board . . .

About the Author: 

Elizabeth Pantley says that writing the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic book series is the most fun she’s ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the stories she tells. Elizabeth is also the internationally bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the beautiful inspiration for the enchanted Destiny Falls world.

Author Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24811.Elizabeth_Pantley
Website: https://www.nocrysolution.com/books/
Newsletter Sign-up: https://www.nocrysolution.com/mailing-list/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethpantley/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nocrysolution/_saved/
Blog: https://elizabethpantley.com/

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2022 Cat Writers' Association Certificate of Excellence

The last two years have been very unproductive writing years for me, so when the time came to choose my entries for the 2022 Cat Writers' Association Communications Contest (for Contest Year 2021) the pickings were pretty slim.

A highlight of 2021 was being asked to write for Jackson Galaxy's Cat Pawsitive Pro program. It was a pawsome opportunity to work with people who are making such a huge difference in the lives of cats. The cats I wrote about completely stole my heart, especially a sweet pair named Bob Meowly and Ebony.

I entered From Fast Friends To A Forever Home At Roice-Hurst Humane Society in the Written Article: Rescue & Advocacy category, and I'm so excited to announce we won a Certificate of Excellence for the article! While I may have only submitted one entry this year, I couldn't be happier that it's for a special project that I was so honored to be a part of.

I can hardly believe that in 6 years I've now won 16 Certificates and 2 Muse Medallions. Never in my wildest dreams did I think such a thing was possible when I joined the CWA back in 2013. Cats are my greatest passion and being recognized for my writing about them is truly a dream come true.