Friday, October 11, 2019

Unboxing September's CatLadyBox

The theme of September's CatLadyBox was "Teacher's Pet"...here's what was inside!


Cat-related office supplies are right up my alley, so this box made me very happy! The items are pretty self-explanatory so this month's post is primarily pictures.

"I Speak Fluent Cat" Shirt


Black Cat Scissors

Cat Binder Clip Set


Light-Up Cat Pen

Cat Memo Notepads


Catnip Ruler Toy & Crunchy Catnip Apple Toy

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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, October 9, 2019

The Napping Negotiator

I posted this story on my Facebook page Monday evening, but for anyone who didn't see it...

Put this at the top of the list of Cutest Mudpie Moments Ever...

My car lease is up at the end of the month and I've decided to buy it. I wanted my Dad on speaker phone when I called the leasing company because I had no idea what I should be asking.

While we were on the phone Mudpie strolled into the room and heard the seemingly disembodied voice coming from my cell phone. She climbed up into Dad's lap and started meowing...right into the phone!

The lady didn't say anything but I was laughing so hard I could barely contain myself. I only wish I had video! It surely would've been a contender on America's Funniest Home Videos, and maybe my little one would've won me enough money to pay for the car!


Negotiating such a tough deal took a lot outta Mudpie and she needed a looooong nap afterwards! I think she earned an extra Delectables Squeeze Up, don't you?

Monday, October 7, 2019

October Retro Country Rewind #MewsicMovesMe

This spring we premiered our new 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 were so happy that you guys seemed to enjoy it! Now let's take a look at October for this freebie week in the Mewsic Moves Me blog hop...


45 Years Ago - 1974, I See the Want to In Your Eyes, Conway Twitty

In a way it breaks my heart and irritates me that some people only know Conway as a running gag/distraction on Family Guy. On the other hand I've read YouTube comments from people who say they looked him up after seeing him on the show and fell in love with his voice, so I guess if it's introducing him to a new generation it's a good thing. The one episode that featured an entire song, not just a snippet, was this performance.


40 Years Ago - 1979, Last Cheater's Waltz, T. G. Sheppard

Such a beautiful song...


35 Years Ago - 1984, I Don't Know a Thing About Love (The Moon Song), Conway Twitty

This footage came from 1985's Wembley International Festival of Country Music in the UK. 


30 Years Ago - 1989, Living Proof, Ricky Van Shelton

Read on for my personal RVS story!



This picture was taken on August 31, 1991. As a fan club member, this was actually the second time I'd gotten to meet Ricky backstage. It was 2 weeks after the death of my childhood cat Patch and our hearts were still broken, but it was still an amazing night. Two things in particular I remember - it had been very rainy and the mud was insane, and I took note when he covered a couple Conway songs. (Even when I was enjoying another artist it was still always about Conway!)


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

Saturday, October 5, 2019

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!

Mommy's answers:

1. October is the perfect month for kitty cuddling. Mudpie is wanting my lap and extra blankies on the bed more and more lately, and I'm loving it!

2. The most recent purchase I made online was Grumpy Cat Halloween pajama pants from Walmart. My store didn't have them in stock so I ordered them online for free pick up.

Mudpie's answers:

3. If I turned invisible for a day, I would have fun scaring Mommy. Every night when she's getting ready for bed I wait for just the right moment to fly up the recliner outside our bedroom door to scare her. She's come to expect it and it has become a fun game between us, but I still manage to make her jump. I can only imagine how much more fun it would be if she couldn't see me coming!

4. Doing the aforementioned has gotten me in trouble in the past.

Friday, October 4, 2019

Fun Feline Finds for Halloween from Etsy

Meows from Mudpie!

I'm excited because Mommy is planning to start pulling out our Halloween decorations next week. Even though she already has more than she could ever use she's always looking for more, and one of her favorite places to shop for Halloween goodies is Etsy. There are so many creative people out there creating pawsome kitty items, and we thought we'd share some of our favorite finds (for both humans and cats) with you today!





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

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Review/Interview: Two Bites Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein


Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce. Settled into a cozy carriage house with her sassy Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her modest law firm receptionist job and—if befriending flea-bitten strays at the local animal shelter counts—lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end …

When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands—the Blair girls’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle. Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block?


I'm always wary about jumping into a cozy mystery series without the benefit of reading the first in the series because these books tend to have lots of characters, potentially making for some confusion. In the case of this book I didn't need to worry about a thing. Events from the first book are mentioned frequently, and in such a way that I felt "caught up" and like I wasn't missing out on anything. Of course this isn't to say that I won't be going back to read the first book, because I certainly will!

The first thing that jumped out at me about this book was the cover. How cute can you get?!?!?! But what kept me reading was the characters, especially the mother/daughter bond between Maybelle and her twins Sarah and Emily. Siamese RahRah steals the show of course, especially during the pet parade and animal blessing, both taking part during the town's YipYeow Day to benefit the animal shelter. I was kept guessing until the end and am looking forward to seeing what's next for this cast of characters. Anyone who enjoys sassy Southern cozies - and women - will find this book as satisfying as a glass of sweet tea.



Mudpie was very excited to have the opportunity to interview RahRah, the feline star of this series. We hope you enjoy learning more about him!


Welcome, RahRah! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself and how you came to live with Sarah?

Mudpie, so glad to be visiting with you today. As you can tell from my tan color, eyes, and markings, I’m a Siamese cat, but I have a bit of a Southern flare to me. I was born in New Orleans. When I was a kitten, Mother Blair, Sarah’s ex-husband’s mother, pulled me out of a hurricane’s swirling waters and adopted me. She liked to tell anyone who’d listen that she especially loved me because I used up one of my nine lives.

Because the hurricane destroyed her New Orleans home, we moved to Baton Rouge. We thought we’d live out our lives there, but her son, William Taft Blair, had a different idea. He decided because Mother Blair was getting old, we needed to move near him and his wife, Sarah, in Wheaton, Alabama. As he explained, he’d found a property that was perfect for all of us. While Bill and Sarah shared the big house facing Main Street, he installed Mother Blair and me in the carriage house. As he explained, we’d be close to Sarah and him, but far enough away Bill’s allergy to me wouldn’t bother him.

Sarah, Mother Blair and I grew very close. It was a sad day when Bill announced he’d fallen in love with another woman (Sarah refers to her as Bimbo) and wanted a divorce. Sarah had to move into an efficiency apartment, but she still visited us in the carriage house. When Mother Blair died just before Sarah and Bill’s divorce was finalized, I didn’t know what to expect. I was afraid Bill would send me away because of his cat allergy. Happily, when he asked Sarah to take me in, she did.

Is there a story behind your unusual name?

Mother Blair was going to name me Katrina, for the hurricane, but when she realized I was a boy, she knew that would never do. She decided to celebrate my life by calling me RahRah.

What is a typical day like for you?

My typical day is perfect. Considering I’m a trust fund fur baby, what could be wrong?

When I wake up, I stretch and rub myself against Sarah until she wakes up. I jump off our bed and make my way to the kitchen – my favorite place. Sarah is well trained, so she comes in and feeds me immediately. After breakfast, if Sarah isn’t working, I nap, sun, or play with her. If she is working, I nap, sun or play with one of my toys or anything I can jump on until Sarah gets home and feeds me again. Life is good.

Tell us about Two Bites Too Many, the new Sarah Blair mystery you star in.

I’m excited about Two Bites Too Many. Things are finally looking up for Sarah following her unsavory divorce. Settled into a cozy carriage house with me, she has somehow managed to hang on to her law firm receptionist job and – if befriending flea-bitten strays at the local animal shelter counts – lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end…

When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands – the twins’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle. Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice.

You have quite the adventures in this book, acting as grand marshal of a pet parade and taking part in an animal blessing. How did you feel about those two events?

Although I was flattered to be the grand marshal, it really wasn’t as big a deal for me as it was for Wheaton’s mayor and Sarah. Riding on the wagon was a bit bouncy, but Sarah held me tightly. Don’t tell anyone, I did enjoy when Sarah waved my paw at the crowd.

I originally thought the animal blessing was a public relations gimmick, but the service, including the blessing and the songs sung, were quite peaceful. The event brought a lot of Wheaton’s finest together – animals and people.

Who's the pup on the cover with you? Do you two get along?

Fluff was abandoned or lost when Mr. Rogers, who has a home directly across Main Street from our big house, spotted her. With kindness and treats, he coaxed her to let him help her. He adores Fluffy. Sometimes, though, we take care of her. As long as Fluffy remembers her place is secondary to me, we get along just fine.

Can you give us any clues as to what's next for you and Sarah?

Think motorcycles, vegan recipes, a new veterinarian clinic, and me in the middle of it all --- what more could you ask? In Three Treats Too Many, which is scheduled for release in September 2020, Sarah gets a big part, too. In the meantime, I hope you and your human will enjoy learning about Jell-O in a Can in One Taste Too Many and how to make a Howellian Catnip Wine Spritzer in Two Bites Too Many.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. This post contains affiliate links.