Barks! Hello my sweet friends. Welcome to Friday. We made it!! It’s down hill from here and I can see the light of the weekend. That means lap time, cuddles and extra treats for sure. I just have to show you something that mom did to me recently. I know “did to me” is kind of harsh. You see mom got me a booster seat for the car. I had a leash attachment but mom thought it would be better for me to also have my own seat. Really, I was fine with the leash attachment. Honestly I was but we all know how mom’s can be and mine is no different.
I have to tell you I was listening while mom was installing my booster seat. I’ve never heard more grunting… well not since last night when Bacon was running around the Hotel Thompson. And I have to admit that there was some very colorful adjectives. I mean very colorful but that’s probably a story for another time – barks and rolls around with puppy laughter.
So mom finally got my booster installed and now it was test time. Mom put me in my new seat and buckled me in to go for a quick ride. Of course dad sat in the back seat with me just as a safety precaution for the first spin. Mom snagged a picture of me. Do you think I make this booster seat or does it make me? Good question huh?
While you think about that, now I leave you with Jokes with Dad. Have a great weekend!
Hello sweet friends ❤ For the month of June we are focusing on something that you have cooked lately that you absolutely went bonkers for and everyone enjoyed. This could be anything – even a cheese cracker. Just make it the best cheese cracker you ever had and post prices… and pictures are awesome. That gives us something to drool on while we read your recipe.
Today, I’m handing our recipe over to mom. Can you believe that me and dad actually got her to cook dinner for us one night? Now don’t get me wrong. She cooks for us but she’s been watching her diet lately so we have to say she went overboard with this dinner. And *we* all appreciated that – trust me.
So without further ado, take it away mom!
Hello friends. If you know me really well, then you know here in the south I just can’t get enough of fried chicken – ever. I’ll admit it. Usually instead of taking the time to fix it, I will usually just buy it from the store or a local restaurant. Every once in a while, I will bring out my southern experience and fry some for the family. Of course when I do, everyone wonders what they’ve done to deserve it – HA! It just keeps them on their toes I say. What you will need:
♦ A package of chicken. We enjoy thighs. You get whatever pieces your family likes – mixed or whatever. This date, we bought a package of thighs. There was 8 of them for $3.23
♦ You should have some of these ingredients on hand: flour (3 cups – $0.75); buttermilk (2 cups – $0.50); eggs (3 – $0.50); frying oil (4 cups $2.50); salt/pepper/cayenne pepper
Now this is a pretty basic recipe that we have used in our family for years. You can also use the same ingredients with different types of meat – fried fish, shrimp and you know that other white meat that we can’t mention on Bacon’s blog. You can also use different spices that you like. Be creative and have fun.
Now is the time to get your assembly line going. It gets a little messy. You will need two bowls. One bowl you will put your ‘dry’ ingredients in – the flour, salt, pepper and shake cayenne pepper to your taste. Now test your taste. Remember you can add more, you can’t take out. In the other bowl, put your 3 eggs and beat them. Add your milk, salt, pepper and more cayenne pepper. As that is sitting, put your grease in a frying pan (we like to use an iron skillet) and let that start to get hot somewhere around medium/high. Now while that is getting hot, put about 4 pieces of raw chicken (that you have already washed) into the wet ingredients. Let the oil get hot.
Once hot, here comes the fun part. You want to take the pieces of chicken out of the wet ingredients and coat them in the dry ingredients. Get everything coated. Now repeat that step. Yep, I believe in double coating for an extra crispy skin on the chicken. Dip the floured chicken back into your wet ingredients, back into the dry ingredients and then place the chicken in your hot oil skin side down. Your pan should comfortably hold 4 thighs – don’t overcrowd. I cook the chicken about 8 minutes and then flip the chicken over to the other side for about 6 more minutes. Once it is nicely golden brown, put on paper towels to drain and do the remainder of your chicken.
There you go – a classic southern dish from the Hotel Thompson. Eight wonderful fried chicken thighs for around $7.50 – great for a Sunday meal. Enjoy ❤
I don’t think we have a chance in this zombie apocalypse. To my right is daddy. To daddy’s right is Hemi. To Hemi’s right is air. We are totally in trouble here at the Hotel Thompson.
I called mom at work and asked her what was to her right. Lowers head and prays. It’s a calculator. Can you 10-key someone to death? Snorts with piggy laughter.
This picture comes from Bashful’s host family in Wyoming. Bashful is out on the highway – headed for adventure… just where did he head? Check it out here to find out.
Welcome my friends to SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY. This is the time that I will introduce you to one of my fellow anipals so you can get to know them better. Some of them, you may already know. We hope that you enjoy this series!
Name: Murli (I only come and react when called Murli, but Mum has other names for me like: Mi, Miez, Peeps, Feepsy, Schatz (=Treasure), Maus (=Mouse), Mau, Moo, Mauz, Flausch (=Fluff). )
Age: 11 (B-day iz August 17, 2005)
Location: Graz, Austria (We livez in da center of our city)
Web/Blog Page: https://freecatlady.wordpress.com/ Mum Natascha and me have this blog as a way to connect with our furends, and share a bit from our life and about ourself with them and everyone interested. We made so many really wonderful human and furry furends through da blog and we loves to make new lovely furends!
What were your first thoughts when you met your new parents? Me was a tiny small kitty, da last one of my siblings who still was in da foster pawrents home. Mum Natascha founds me through a work colleague of hers, who tolds her about a lil black kitty needing a furever home. As da day to meet came… Me was in a little box within a carrier, and completely focused on playing around in there with some toys. But then suddenly, Mum was there, sitting down in front of da open carrier, but with enough space between me and her, because she didn’t want to frighten me. Me stopped playing instantly and looked at her fur a moment before coming out, right to da hand her was stretching out to me. Me said “Meeep!” and instantly thought that she smells nice. Me thought “Who iz dis? Me likes her!” Then me climbed into her arms, not feeling afraid at all. Me just liked her right away fur some reason. I didn’t even know what was going on anyway, but me wasn’t afraid at all and me felt safe with her.
What was the defining moment when you knew you were in your forever home? Right from da first day I was home with her, I didn’t want to leave her side. It was da way me felt instantly loved and cared about. When I spent da first hours in ma new furever home on Mums lap, or in her arms, me just felt safe and loved, like you feel with your Mummy. I knew from then on, me had found home, my furever home.
❤
What has been your biggest “Oh no, now I’ve done it” moment so far in your home? hehe, me never got in trouble with Mum, her just can’t be mad at me Da biggest mess I ever made was causing a full container with flour to fall on da kitchen floor. It was epic! Because after I caused it to fall from da counter, me had to explore da mess of course. I found it hilarious. Me laid down in da mess, so there was flour everywhere! Little paw prints in da flour and on other places. Me was suddenly more like a tuxedo kitty, than a black kitty. Mum being too worried for me to even take pics of that mess, just started cleaning me up first thing. Her was worried me could breath in da flour and have trouble with it. She was also worried it would irritate my eyes. But me was fine, though it took a while to turn me back into a black kitty
Who do you have wrapped around your paws more – mom or dad – and why? Mum iz my only pawrent, but me haz a grandpaw (Mums Dad). I haz both of them wrapped around my paws completely They just really love me. But I have Mum wrapped around my paws even more maybe, because she will drop everything instantly if me wants or needs anything.
What’s the biggest misconception that humans think about you? Me thinks that humans who dont know me underrestimate how smart I am. But that goes for all animals. Some humans, mostly from other more superstitious parts of Europe and da world think that I’m bad luck because I’m a black kitty. But Mum always says me brings only luck, love, happiness and a bond for eternity. Just like all other animals too
As you can see, me was kind of a black tabby as kitten. But when me got ma grown up fur, it was replaced with mostly black fur. But in da sun you can still see some stripes when you look closely. And da fur on some parts of me looks almost red brown in da sun. I like to sleep above Mums pillow. I love hanging out at the windows and watch the birds and da humans in da street below. Mum and Grandpaw made all da windows safe fur me and he build those frames for da screen himself. Iz a wire grid, but it has some kinda coating to make it smooth. And then da netting to keep out insects, especially because of bees, hornets and wasps, so me cant be stung. This is ma fav grey mousie. Iz da oldest and me does not give it up. I loves all ma toys, but me still loves da old grey mousie da most MOL!
Hope you enjoyed meeting my friend – check back next week for another Spotlight edition!
Mom has been under a little stress lately. There I said it. My mom is weird though. Instead of letting things out, she holds things in and gets really quiet. Like super quiet. Which is so unlike women – come on all of us can admit that. Us men know that when women go quiet, there is something brewing and trouble is on the horizon.
So here she is trying to exercise, lots of things on her ‘to do’ list, sweating deadlines and you know before too long she is going to blow. Shaking my piggy head. This can’t end well if you know what I mean. So I think I’m going to let mom explain the rest. Take it away mommy. Remember I love you ❤
Thanks my sweets. Mommy loves you too. I’m better today. Really I am. But I think a lot of people can relate to stress – especially when things pile up and you just can’t get it off your back. I’ve had lots of deadlines lately – work deadlines, September surprise deadlines, government deadlines, accounting deadlines. Usually I just juggle everything and off I go but this past week. WOW. Everything added up until I ran into a wall. Like for instance….
Here in Georgia we get our car tags every year which are due by your birthday. My tag is coming up due so I was going to get it one day last week. Went to the local government office to get it. Stood in line for what seemed like forever cause you know there was only what 20 people in front of me. Finally got to the window to realize that I forgot to get my emissions checked on my Jeep. Really? How could I forget that?! I’ve only been doing it for YEARS. So, I leave the office and in my favorite Scarlett O’Hara voice reminded myself that tomorrow is another day.
The next day I get up early and decide that I will get my emissions/tag on the way to work. I have plenty of time – famous last words. I go to an emissions shop that I normally go to. Guess what? They are closed because their computer is down. Lovely.
So I go on down the street to another emissions shop and pull into the facility. Their machine is working; however, the guy using the machine is pretty new at this. You can tell because of his clumsiness in getting around everything. I keep repeating to myself be patient. Then the young kid… did I mention he was young too?…plugs his contraption into my car that turns on all of the lights on the dash – which is the point of said contraption. But the young man starts getting excited telling me I’m not going to pass because my check engine light came on the dash. This kid is acting like he won the lottery jumping around and waving his hands. I thought maybe I had missed something. He rambles on and on when finally he takes a breath. I tell him that all of the lights come on during this stage to verify they work. That’s when this kid did some incredibly stupid. He told me oh no I was wrong.
Okay so maybe at this point I closed my eyes and counted to ten while this kid continued his rambling about the check engine light. I finally held my hand up to him and asked for the manager. He went and got the manager. Walking back to my car I could hear Mr. Excitable explaining to the manager what happened. The manager stopped him and pretty much told him the same thing – that’s suppose to happen. I was good. I promise you I was good. I didn’t say a word but sat there smiling like the southern gal I was. But I admit, it took a lot. And guess what? My car passed emissions. I got my paperwork, paid and told them to have a good day.
I then proceeded back to the government office to get my tag. The Gods were with me. Maybe they were paying me back for not going off on the young kid at the emissions office because I was able to walk straight in and get my tag decal. Now is that tag on my Jeep yet? Nope. I keep forgetting to put it on. Shaking my head – I think I need a secretary myself.
So I’m ahead of schedule so I’m thinking I need to take care of one more thing before work. Remember back in April when I had my car accident? The accident made one of my tail lights go out on the Jeep. I had it replaced and last week the darn same light went out again! Of course, that was bugging the heck out of me. The place I had it fixed at only takes appointments. Really, appointments at a service department. What about last minute things that come up. You have to make an appointment two weeks out? Drives me crazy. So I thought I might just go to this place this morning and check it out.
I enter the office and it was full. There was 5 consultants and they all had people they were helping. So I stood waiting patiently. No one acknowledged me but hey I’m good. That was until a MAN walks in and everyone jumps to wait on him. WHY do car places do this?! I don’t get it. What? I’m a woman so I’m invisible? I’m a woman so I don’t know how to think? Okay that might have been the point that I turned in my southern charm card. I might have said really, REALLY loudly, “So much for waiting in line.” Maybe I said it too loudly because I do believe I heard a mouse fart in the corner. Of course then someone finally acknowledged me and offered to help me.
I told him what was wrong with my car and that I was just in to get it repaired. I advised that it should still be under warranty and I wanted the bulb replaced again, that if it quit working again I would take it to the Jeep dealership. Mr. Service Guy just smiled at me and get this had the gall to say – are you ready for this? – “Okay little lady we will do just that and it will be about an hour.” What the heck?! I think the look on my face might have been his first clue that I was fixing to blow. I took a breath and told him, “First off, I would like to say thank you for calling me little and thank you for *finally* waiting on me. However, an hour of waiting for you to replace a simple bulb is totally unacceptable. I’ll give you 20 minutes and thank you.” Needless to say, I was out within 15 minutes.
So come on friends. You know we’ve all had these kind of days, right? LOL
Sometimes the best treat can be the easiest treat. Really it can. Let’s look at this week’s edition of Travels in the South. Mom/dad found something that even this oinker can wrap his piggy jowls around and enjoy fully. Two words for you – strawberry shortcake. Understand now? Look at that deliciousness. So simple yet so delicious. Don’t let the bare basics fool you.
This pure awesomeness is made out of simple sliced pound cake covered with sliced strawberries, strawberry syrup and topped with whip cream. How could you not want to lick the plate… and you do, don’t you? I won’t tell anyone.
And this dessert is just wonderful for the heat outside. A simple dessert to eat for dessert or like mom did, for dinner – snorts with piggy laughter.
Check back with me next week my friends for another edition of Travels in the South.
That’s right friends. This past weekend was the 40th Anniversary of the Smokey and the Bandit movie that came out in 1977. Do you remember the basis of the movie? This is what it says on the IMDB webpage:
Big Enos (Pat McCormick) wants to drink Coors at a truck show, but in 1977 it was illegal to sell Coors east of the Mississippi River without a permit. Truck driver Bo “Bandit” Darville (Burt Reynolds) agrees to pick up the beer in Texas and drive it to Georgia within 28 hours. Cledus “Snowman” Snow (Jerry Reed) drives the rig while the Bandit helps make his path. When Bo picks up hitchhiker Carrie (Sally Field), he attracts the attention of Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). Angry that Carrie will not marry his son, Justice embarks on a high-speed chase after Bandit.
Knowing the story line, you now know that some of the movie is based in Georgia, home sweet home to this oinker. And downtown Jonesboro (less than five minutes away from the Hotel Thompson) held its 40th Anniversary over the weekend. The big rig came rolling in on Main Street followed by the famous Pontiac Trans-Am. And not only was the rig and Trans-Am present, so was the sheriff’s car that was driven by Sheriff Buford T. Justice (played by Jackie Gleason).
And of course they had a re-enactor that was playing Burt Reynolds character… who just happened to get arrested by our finest here in Clayton County, Georgia.
Nah, not really. It was all for show but doesn’t that guy look just like Burt Reynolds years ago in the movie?
He was a great guy for getting arrested and hanging out with everyone… and mom said not bad on the eyes whatever that means.
Burt Reynolds did show up to the festivities. This is him in the picture next to the Trans-Am. What an awesome time it was for everyone in attendance.
Did you know some of this trivia that we read on IMBD?
• A senior executive at Pontiac promised Burt Reynolds a free Trans-Am if the movie became a hit. It did and the 1977 T-Top Trans-Am became one of the hottest selling cars of the year. When the movie became a hit, Reynolds expected the executive to come through with his promise. But the Trans-Am never came. After a few months, Reynolds, (who was afraid of looking like one of those pretentious stars looking for freebies), finally called Pontiac. As it turned out, the executive that made the promise had retired and the new executive refused to keep the promise that was made, by the previous Pontiac Trans Am executive.
• Jackie Gleason would often ask his assistant Mal for a “hamburger,” which was code for a glass of bourbon.
• In Jonesboro, GA (YAY close to us here at the Hotel Thompson) where a lot of the film was shot, Snowman’s house and the warehouse where the Coors beer is picked up (in Texarkana, TX) are actually only about a half a mile away from each other.
• The line of Jackie Gleason’s dialogue printed on the movie’s poster is incorrect. The quote on the poster reads “What we have here is a total lack of respect for the law.” In the movie Gleason actually says “What we’re dealing with here, is a complete lack of respect for the law.”
Credit to IMBD web page for information on movie. Credit to Scott Stubbs for pictures.
Dear Bacon – This is the pits. No, I mean it really. It’s not bad enough that my humans put these ridiculous pajamas on me. Now I have to wear the cone of shame. AND they sat me in a make shift bed which is really an old potty box with a blanket. Really? This is how they treat me. Can you give me a word of encouragement my piggy friend? Signed Cat in the Hat
Dear Cat in the Hat – You know my friend. You are looking at this all wrong. Look at it from the positive prospective. They put pajamas on you – I’m guessing – so that you wouldn’t scratch whatever you had done surgically, right? Then they put the pitiful projector on your head so you couldn’t lick or bite that particular surgical spot, right? AND then they put you in a comfortable spot with a blankie so you would be comfy. See, look at it from this perspective. Do you know what all of that adds up to this little piggy? To me, it says your humans care for you way more than you think and want you to be comfortable during this duration. Instead of looking at it from your point of view, take it from my point of view. And let me add, suck it up for all it’s worth – humans love that when they think they’ve done something to you 🙂
Dear Bacon – Can you believe my humans have the audacity to blame ‘me’ – innocent cute little ‘me’ – as stealing one of their valuable orange crunchy things they snack on while watching television? Me. There is no way they can pin this crime on me. There is no proof! Signed Cheeto
Dear Cheeto – Do me a favor my friend. Go to your nearest mirror and look at yourself. Go ahead. I’l wait. Whistles while waiting and taps hooves. Oh good you are back. Did you see that incriminating evidence on your cute little face? The orange stuff my friend. That would be evidence of eating your humans prized Cheetos. By your name, I’m thinking this is not your first run in with the law on being busted for this crime. Might I make a suggestion for future escapades? Once you have partaken of the evil Cheeto, go drink some water out of your bowl with delight. I mean slush that water around on your cute little face to wash the orange stuff off. No proof means it didn’t happen my friend. Happy eating.
Dear Bacon – I was cold. It was freezing in this house. My humans like to hang me as they so delightfully like to say. Don’t worry about us little pooches. I had to resort to the last step and wrap myself like a hot dog. It does the trick especially with the sun coming in from the window. Have you ever been this cold? Signed Cold Dog
Dear Cold Dog – WOW. I say if you’re cold, go for it my friend. I’m one of the very few here with us anipals that love it cold. I’m with my mom and like you said, we like to hang meet here at the Hotel Thompson. The colder the better. Heck, if we could skip over summer we would so do so. Stay warm my friend!
Dear Bacon – Here is my brother. He is so weird. I was looking down at the dog just minding my own business. That’s when Patches (my bro) jumped up and pulled my head up. What was so important that he wanted me to see you ask? The humans were cooking breakfast. Something smelled so delightful. They call it bacon. I’m just wondering. Do you know what this glorious smell is? Signed Matches
Dear Matches – I know exactly what that awful stuff called bacon is. It’s horrible. Such a bad thing to ever try. Some humans get addicted to it. See, that’s how bad it is for you cats. Once hooked, they can’t go back. And I for one can guarantee you that you don’t want to get hooked on that bad drug. Yeah, it’s a bad drug. Better steer far away from it my friends. I wouldn’t want it to stunt your growth or anything. Snorts!
Dear Bacon – Don’t you jussst love my new ssssweater? I got it for my birthdaysss. I just love to sssslither around the house wearing itsss. I think it makesss me ssslim and bringsss out the color of my eyessss. What do you thinksss? Signed Sexy and I Know It
Dear Sexy and I Know It – As long as YOU think you are sexy and you know it, does it really matter what anyone else thinks? You rock that sweater around your house all you want. Perhaps maybe next time your humans can get you a longer one? Keep slithering there where you are my friend.
Welcome my friends to our weekly issue of Journey with Friends. This is a time that we come together for support, for encouragement, for fellowship – all with one single goal in mind – to live better. Welcome to our journey to share our goals and our accomplishments and our disappointments and frustrations.
Together we can do this!
Sunday, June 18, 2017 – Today’s plan – get this awful cold out and get rid of this migraine. Of course somewhere in there involves cleaning the house and doing laundry. A woman’s job is never done, right? Miles Moved: 2.02
Monday, June 19, 2017 – Okay so it’s 12 weeks until “D” day – you know the revealing of the mystery. So game plan tragedy. That’s 12 more weeks of hard walking, no sugars/sweets/sodas. I need to step it up a notch and kick some ass. Today started out well 🙂 Miles Moved: 4.67
Tuesday, June 20, 2017 – Yesterday was a great start for my 12 week plan of taking over the world. Okay maybe not taking over the world but doing something for myself on this journey – snickers. I’m not walking as much as I did yesterday but I will still be kicking it today. The last couple of mornings it has been rainy outside so it’s not hot-hot but it’s humidity hot. I guess you can’t win either way huh? Miles Moved: 3.68
Wednesday, June 21, 2017 – I can really tell this week with stepping it up on my walking (no pun intended-LOL) that my body is feeling it. My thighs and butt are really getting some great workouts. I’m doing my main exercise/workout in the morning before work. Then throughout the day, I do spot walks from anywhere between 5-15 minutes at a time. You know to stretch my legs and to give myself a break from sitting at my desk. It seems to be working. Miles Moved: 3.92
Thursday, June 22, 2017 – Sighs. It’s raining today. Big time here in the south. I think we are going some of the effects of Hurricane Cindy. It’s been so bad this week with the rains that I believe I need to wear my floaties to work… just in case I get caught outside in the rain. I didn’t walk outside today for obvious reasons but I think I moved pretty good inside. Miles Moved: 2.37
Friday, June 23, 2017 – I wore my “I can’t adult today” t-shirt. That tells you everything I’m feeling today – LOL. I need the weekend, some rest and relaxation. Maybe some wine. Wine fixes everything – LOL 🙂 Miles Moved: 2.18
Saturday, June 24, 2017 – I’ve earned it this week. Today I’m walking my 30 minutes but I’m not pushing it. I’m doing a small walk and then me and the hub are heading to the spa. It’s time for us to get some pampering – my nails need it desperately, a little chair massage and relaxation. Bring it! Miles Moved: 1.21
Thoughts for the week: Make a goal and shoot for it. For me that’s working. Every week I make a challenge for myself. That gives me something to look forward to with the week. Sometimes it might be small and sometimes it might be something big – like this week. I’ve ‘trained’ my body for six months now in walking. I was determined to hit 10,000 steps in one day. And it’s a juggle. You have work. You have home. You have to take care of the kids/cooking, etc. It really doesn’t leave much time to walk 10,000 steps in one day. I’ve been close before but this week I hit it on the nail!
So I hit it. Is 10,000 steps over now? Of course not. Now I challenge myself to do it again. Remembersmall goals turn into big accomplishments. ❤
Miniature pot bellied pig and friends - Bacon, Houdini, Hemi and all of the Rock Clan with Journalist Rocky the Squirrel all out looking for adventures from the Hotel Thompson.
What’s the biggest misconception that humans think about you? Me thinks that humans who dont know me underrestimate how smart I am. But that goes for all animals. Some humans, mostly from other more superstitious parts of Europe and da world think that I’m bad luck because I’m a black kitty. But Mum always says me brings only luck, love, happiness and a bond for eternity. Just like all other animals too
I enter the office and it was full. There was 5 consultants and they all had people they were helping. So I stood waiting patiently. No one acknowledged me but hey I’m good. That was until a MAN walks in and everyone jumps to wait on him. WHY do car places do this?! I don’t get it. What? I’m a woman so I’m invisible? I’m a woman so I don’t know how to think? Okay that might have been the point that I turned in my southern charm card. I might have said really, REALLY loudly, “So much for waiting in line.” Maybe I said it too loudly because I do believe I heard a mouse fart in the corner. Of course then someone finally acknowledged me and offered to help me. 
Dear Bacon – Can you believe my humans have the audacity to blame ‘me’ – innocent cute little ‘me’ – as stealing one of their valuable orange crunchy things they snack on while watching television? Me. There is no way they can pin this crime on me. There is no proof! Signed Cheeto
Dear Bacon – Here is my brother. He is so weird. I was looking down at the dog just minding my own business. That’s when Patches (my bro) jumped up and pulled my head up. What was so important that he wanted me to see you ask? The humans were cooking breakfast. Something smelled so delightful. They call it bacon. I’m just wondering. Do you know what this glorious smell is? Signed Matches
Piglove 