Friday, July 31, 2020

Totally Random #PetPhotoFails

Meows from Mudpie!

It's the last Friday of July (THANK COD!!!) making it time once again for the Pet Photo Fails Blog Hop!


This first picture was taken after my grandpa was released from the hospital last month. Mommy was busy making lots of appointments for him and she had laid the phone down on the floor because it was ringing so frequently. Apparently I was expecting a call myself because before long I was cuddled up next to it. This would've been a super cute photo if it had been taken from in front of me but Mommy was sitting on the couch behind me and knew if she got up I would move so she tried taking it backwards. 

Can you imagine if the thing had rang while I was laying on it? Now that would've been a major life choice blooper!


This second photo isn't of me but it really cracked Mommy up. NASCAR has been running mid-week races quite frequently to make up for all the weeks they missed this spring. It interferes with our regular TV time so usually Mommy has the race on her phone while we watch our shows on the television. One day she was scanning through the photos on her phone looking for something and couldn't understand why one picture was of a bunch of race cars. Then she realized - while adjusting the volume one night she must've accidentally taken a screen shot of the action!

It's actually a pretty good photo...


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


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Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Best of Mudpie 4: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

5 years ago tomorrow I saw Mudpie on Petfinder and she completely stole my heart.
Who wouldn't melt at the sight of that precious little face?


The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes


And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the endless skies


Even though I was still shattered from losing Truffles I followed my heart and brought her home 10 days later.
She's been my guiding light ever since.

Monday, July 27, 2020

Cat Christmas in July Shopping Guide from Etsy

It's no secret that I loathe summer. We've now had 16 days over 90 degrees this summer and I'm so sick of feeling disgustingly sweaty I could scream. I just want to curl up in a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and Mudpie on my lap but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Many times I've said Christmas in July is the only decent part of summer, and this year that holds true more than ever. It's not just the summer heat driving me crazy, but also the lack of any sort of normalcy whatsoever thanks to COVID and other family stuff. I just want things to be the way they used to be, and I'm sure all of you feel the same way.

Our friends at Four-Legged Furballs have been running a series of Christmas doodles this month and showing some adorable holiday decor that stays out year round. It got me to thinking now might be a good time to check out some festive goodies over on Etsy. We all "need a little Christmas" now more than ever, even if it is the middle of July. Let's go shopping!





















We hope you enjoy our picks, and don't forget, if you find something here you like and make a purchase using our affiliate links, Mudpie gets a little money for her piggy bank!

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Christmas in July #CaturdayArt


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


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

Mommy's answers:

1. I had soup for dinner last night. I couldn't think of anything else I wanted even though it was over 80 degrees outside. You can call the men in white coats now.

2. I don't care for surprises. I like to be prepared for things.

Mudpie's answers:

3. Bopping a pom pom is my idea of fun. Mommy hung a strand of pom poms on a dining room chair (we think it was originally Christmas garland) and when I streak out of the bathroom after using my litter pan I give it a whack.

4. If I were a food, I would be exactly what my name says, a mud pie! Mommy even says I'm yummy!

Friday, July 24, 2020

Flashback Feline Friday: Best of Mudpie 3

Meows from Mudpie!

A couple weeks ago for our "Best of Mudpie" series leading up to my 5th Gotcha Day in August we told you about the day I got my all-time favorite toy, an animal print mousie we lovingly refer to as Baby.

Life with Baby was nearly perfect for a year until tragedy struck. Late one night when Mommy went to bed Baby and I were playing in the living room. I was picking her up in my teeth, tossing her in the air, not a care in the world. The next morning we woke up to find her face down in my water bowl. 

Photo recreation minus the water

She had sopped up every last ounce of water in the bowl. She was saturated! Apparently I had bopped Baby into the water while playing and then gone off to bed. Mommy said I wasn't a very responsible caretaker, but I think I was in shock.

Mommy dove in to save her before I hyperventilated. After wringing her out we had to find a place for her to dry *sob*. Hanging her outside wasn't an option because it was raining, plus I feared some klepto squirrel might take a shine to her! Mommy tried hanging her on the bathtub rack but in no time I had pulled her down.


We ended up having to hang her all by herself inside the screen door where I couldn't get to her, and I spent the day howling and searching for her in the bathroom...

Thankfully Baby made a full recovery and we've been spending long, blissful days playing and napping together ever since. 


Don't we make a cute couple? Our colors even match!

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Lounging Around on National Hammock Day

One of my most treasured mementos of my time with Truffles is her beloved Peach Industries Kitty Lounger Mini, won in a giveaway from Glogirly.com. Katie and Waffles first announced the giveaway on August 20, 2013, the day Truffles arrived here at her forever home, and in all the excitement of a new kitty in the house I completely forgot that I had entered. A short week later we got an email that we had WON!!! It's like the lounger was meant to be Truffles' and she loved it from the day it arrived in the mail.

This picture was taken just a few minutes after I put the lounger together...


She just loved napping in her lounger.


And like every girl she stashed stuff under her bed.


The night I came home from the ER after losing Truffles, looking at the empty lounger felt like a knife through my heart, yet I couldn't bring myself to pick it up. That would mean she really wasn't coming home. It stayed right where it was for the next month until Mudpie arrived. I was so happy when she hopped into the lounger her first night here.



As the weeks went on Mudpie used the lounger less and less. She never really fell in love with it the way Truffles did, preferring to nap in the KatKabin (which Truffles never cared about!) Eventually I disassembled the lounger and now have it stored away in memory of Truffles. Maybe one day another kitty will get to use it, but more than likely it will always belong to her.

Monday, July 20, 2020

Moon Over Mudpie #MewsicMovesMe

The theme of this week's Mewsic Moves Me blog hop is songs about, or mentioning, the moon.


We're starting out with our two favorite versions of the classic song Blue Moon. Conway first, of course, followed by the ridiculously adorable singing mice choir from the movie Babe



Who else loves this movie as much as I do?



A few country songs about the moon...






What song are you mooning over this week?

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Pretty in Peonies #CaturdayArt


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


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

1. My latest obsession is pita pockets. It's been so hot I've been living on sandwiches this summer, and I've been filling these with everything from BLT fixings to rice and beans.

2. I am so over summer and COVID.

3. I'm skilled at being thrifty. Yes, I love to shop and I splurge on my collections, but when it comes to basic household essentials I'm a dollar store junkie.

4. I'm not very good at saying no to Mudpie. That precious little face gets her anything she wants.

Friday, July 17, 2020

Unboxing July's CatLadyBox


The theme of July's CatLadyBox was Purr Paradise...here's what was inside!

Featured Cat Lady Artist: Little Oil from Taipei, Taiwan. This card is extra special to me because it reminded me of a memorable moment with my childhood cat Patch. He was leash trained to go out in the yard and one very hot day he sought out the shelter of a large leaf plant to shield him from the sun. My mom and I have commented so many times through the years about how adorable and smart that was, and this artwork practically recreates it.


Cat Eye Bamboo Sunglasses: I'm prone to headaches from the sun so I'm never without sunglasses year round. As a lover of all things from the 50s, the cat's eye design make these my new favorites, and I love the pink pouch they came in just as much!


Meow-libu Paw Tank: I never wear tank tops alone but instead like to put them over long-sleeved tees in the fall. Love the heart-shaped paw print! 

Ameowzing Makeup Case: I don't have nearly enough makeup to fill this darling bag so I'm looking for another use for it. Suggestions? Here's one idea, found on Instagram...



Rad Surfboard & Sally the Seashell Cat Toys: Not very often do I get Mudpie's reaction to her new toys right out of the box, but this time I did. Even though it's been too hot to play she immediately started licking and rolling around with them.



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.

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Beautiful Mistake

This picture was taken during a failed selfie attempt. Mudpie turned away at the last minute and the sun was way too bright behind her, but for some reason I think it's just beautiful. 

Monday, July 13, 2020

July Retro Country Rewind #MewsicMovesMe

Last year 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. We have so much fun gathering the songs for it and hope you enjoy our selections. 

Let's take a look at July for this freebie week in the Mewsic Moves Me blog hop...


45 Years Ago - 1975, Touch the Hand, Conway Twitty

Swoon...



40 Years Ago - 1980, He Stopped Loving Her Today, George Jones

(Considered by many to be the greatest country song ever written.)



40 Years Ago - 1980, True Love Ways, Mickey Gilley


35 Years Ago - 1985, Love Don't Care (Whose Heart It Breaks), Earl Thomas Conley


30 Years Ago - 1990, The Dance, Garth Brooks

And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end, the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance 
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance

Those lyrics pretty much say it all.



Let us know if you have a favorite this month!

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Painted Cat Parade #CaturdayArt

Meows from Mudpie!

This week I was super excited to be a part of the Painted Cat Parade presented by our sweet friends Peaches & Paprika in celebration of National Body Painting Day. Didn't they do a pawsome job turning me into a painted lady? (NO, not THAT kind!!!)


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


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

1. When this pandemic is over, I hope to never hear things like unprecedented/uncertain times, we're all in this together, abundance of caution, wear a mask, self isolation and social distancing ever again. I'm so over all of it.

2. I have zero interest in anything summer-related.

3. I always look forward to Christmas in July. The only worthwhile part of July!

4. Summer heat is the bane of my existence. We've already had 12 days over 90 degrees this year, and the past 2 days have had a heat index of 100. That's just wrong in northern Vermont and I hate every minute of it!

Geez, all my fill ins are complaints! Guess the crazy heat has made me grouchy.