Shopping Around the World

Welcome my friends to another edition of Shopping Around the World!

This month my brother Phenny is hosting SATW – thanks bro!  This month we are highlighting pumpkin recipes.  This should be fun because my mom loves anything and everything pumpkin.  Doesn’t pumpkin just scream fall?  In fact, mom just posted a funny on her Facebook about pumpkin spice.  I thought I would share with you and let mom take it away  with our recipe.  Again thanks brother Phenny for helping us out here at the Hotel Thompson ❤

 

 

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mmm – pumpkin – one of my favorites this time of year.  Put spice behind it and I’m in hog heaven – sorry Bacon.  My favorite recipe is Pumpkin Spice coffee.  I love it so much throughout the year – not just at Halloween.  And yes, you can ‘buy’ it in those fancy coffee shops and even McDonald’s has a great one; but, why not make it at home yourself.  I mean think about, coffee shops will range from $3.50 to $5.50 a cup.  And that’s just enough pumpkin spice coffee to make you want more.  A second cup at a coffee shop and you will be getting out a loan – LOL.  So what do you need?

Now I’m a sugar free girl.  Of course fully leaded you get more of a pumpkin spice taste but sugar free gets me there.  I use the following:

⇒ Skinny Syrup Pumpkin Spice (costs $9.00 a bottle.  A full bottle can last about 30-35 cups = that’s only $0.26 a cup!)

⇒ International Delight Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie Spice (costs $2.50 a bottle.  A full bottle can last about 20 cups = that’s only $0.13 a cup!)

⇒ Your choice of coffee.  We use Maxwell House here.  We buy a medium can for about $5.50 on sale.  That has enough to last 52 pots!  So basically how do  you price that, right?  LOL

⇒ Two packs of Splenda (a box costs $4.00 for 200 packets = $0.04!)

So let’s talk price first.  For somewhere around $0.50 a CUP at home vs coffee shop prices.  Doh!  It’s a no brainer for sure.

Prepare your coffee as you normally do in your coffee pot.  On our coffee pot, we have the option of making one cup or an entire pot.  When I want one cup, I put my Splenda in my cup along with a shot of my Skinny Syrup Pumpkin Spice.  I then place my cup on the coffee maker and hit Latte (I know I’m blessed).  While that is percolating and the aroma is driving you crazy, pour some creamer into a glass container.  Then froth that cream… again my coffee maker has a frother – don’t hate.  Froth that cream as much as you want.  I find the glass container keeps it cold. 

Once your coffee is done, pour the froth into your cup.  Then sit on the couch, prop your feet up and enjoy that pure delight.  And then go back for another cup… .you’re welcome ❤

 

 

 

 

Shopping Around the World

Oinks and snorts sweet friends.

This month my cousin Teddy is hosting Shopping Around the World for me.  (You might want to make a note now that cousin Teddy will also be hosting for me next month as well.)   Thank you so much cousin Teddy – we really appreciate the help here during these hectic times at the Hotel Thompson.

This month the assignment was favorite snacks.  Now mom has been enjoying a favorite snack that she kind of whipped up (literally) that she can’t get enough of at work.  She says that sometimes she needs the extra caffeine.  Rolls my piggy eyes.  I guess since she has given up sodas she has to make it up somehow huh?  I hope you enjoy her snack my friends.  It seems mom proof which means it might be a little easy – I hope.

First you need some ingredients:  Creamer.  Mom loves the Almond Joy creamer – but any kind will do.  This entire bottle was $2.50 and it lasts mom for almost three weeks.  That averages to about $0.12 a cup for creamer.  Two packs of Splenda.  A box of 100 cost $3.00 therefore that is $0.03 per packet.  12 ice cubes – free YAY.  1 cup of cold coffee.  Mom paid $6.00 for a container of coffee that makes something like 32 pots of coffee which calculates to $0.19 a pot.

Total cost for mom’s treat is less than $0.50 – what a steal for a cup of instant energy.

Now how does she make this wonder?  Put all ingredients into a blender.  Make sure blender is plugged in (mom has forgotten that important step in the past – snorts) and push blend button for smoothie.  There you go bend and then pour into a cup.  Add straw and enjoy your moment in the afternoon… or morning… or evening… or in the middle of the night.  Mom makes this snack all of the time now.

 

So That’s Where Bashful Rolled To…

Did ya’ll think that Bashful would never get to his new destination?  Well, you would be wrong.  He is well and rolling around.  Where do you ask.  Get this – Bashful is going wild!  Wild, wild west that is.  He is currently staying with his host family in Northeast Wyoming!  Be sure to go check it out here.  Thanks friends! ❤

 

Bashful Badge

Friends – if you have hosted my sweet little innocent Bashful (I know – that’s definitely a stretch – snorts with piggy laughter), you know have a badge that you can proudly display on your blog.  My brother Phenny across the pond had his dad make this awesome badge.  Isn’t it great?!  So please, proudly display this badge if you have hosted my little tyke ❤

 

And He’s Off Again

Guess what friends?  Bashful is off on another journey.  We heard this weekend that he has arrived at his host family’s home.

Where could it be in the world?  Who has him now?  Stay tuned to find out more.

 

And He’s Off Again

He’s off again my friends!

Mom took Bashful to his fight earlier this week for his next host family.  Where in the world will Bashful end up at?  Any guesses?

UPDATE:  Mom just received a phone call that Bashful has landed and is at his host family.  Stay tuned ❤

 

Bashful is HOME!

Squeals with piggy excitement.  My son Bashful made it home last night from his latest field trip adventure.  We were so excited that we celebrated to the wee hours talking about his adventures at the nest with Evil Squirrel.  Lord help us,

I think he got an education in his travels this time.  His cute little smile doesn’t always get him out of his troubles.  And yes… he still slightly smelled of skunk gas.

He rambled on about his adventures and said that he was hungry.  So mom/dad took him out for pizza to get the 411 on some of the behind the scenes happenings that took place.  O.M.P.  Shaking my piggy head.  Sometimes what happens at the evil squirrel’s nest, stays at the evil squirrel’s nest.  That’s all I can say my friends.

BUT on the other hoof, I need to introduce you to the latest member of the Rock Clan here at the Hotel Thompson.  May I so introduce you to Sparkles.  Isn’t she pretty?  She has now taken residency on our fine rock couch in our living room.  It must have been a rough plane ride home because she left a pile of sparkles in the box.  But all is well now and she is fitting right in.

So my friends, please join us in saying hello to Sparkles.

❤

And the Hotel Thompson wants to say thank you so much to  Evil Squirrel. for hosting our little guy in his latest adventure.  He had such a blast – and you were worried!  Snorts with piggy laughter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 Days of Spook – Story Submission

Oh my sweet friends.  How are you holding up so far with my 31 Days of Spook?  Are you leaving the lights on at night yet?  Are you watching all of the shadows behind you?  Are you spooked when someone says hello to you?  Snorts – if you are, buckle up those seat belts because I’ve got a great scary story for you today.  This story was submitted by my friend Easy.  If you haven’t met Easy, please visit his blog and tell them that Bacon sent you.  Without further ado, here it is straight from Easy’s mouth – his horror story 🙂

“The Haunted Archipelago of Britanny or the Archipel des Glénan is located some miles westwards of my crib.

Because the whole area was subtropic once, the archipelago with 9 islands and a lot of dead coral reefs accrued there. There are Saint Nicholas, Loc’h, Penfret, Drenec, Guiautec,Quignénec, Bananec, Brunec and Cigogne. Some are inhabited, some are abandoned and some are occupied by sheeps – butt ALL are haunted. The reefs and rocks  and the the special drifts shall be the reason that many ships got lost there and a giant ships graveyard was built during the years. But the truth is, that this ships were sunken by La Groac’h de l’île du Loc’h, a witch who lives on the island Loc’h. She is the richest woman of the world, because she collected all the treasures from the ships she pulled to the ground of the sea. She is described as a beautiful girl what caught the sailors who lost their ships, butt in reality she is a  wild creature, as ugly as a baboons ass with snakes and algues in her hair and with giant fangs in her mouth.

Her home is at the bottom of a lake at Loc’h and it’s being said that this lake has a secret connection to the ocean where she is luring for her victims. Once in the clutches of La Groac’h you belong to her fur ever and ever…

and ever…. Maaaan, thanks Overlook-Twins, are you everywhere or what? Breeze off!

Because the bretons are practical thinking people, they built a chapel and a cemetery on Loc’h, where they buried the sailors who died in maritime disasters. That was much easier than to bring them to mainland, because they anyway landed at the island of La Groac’h.  And btw. the striped sailor shirts, called Mariniére or matelot ,  were invented there. Dating back to March 1858 French Navy-Wear Act when all mariners were required to wear a blue and white striped top in order to aid spotting and rescuing should they fall into the sea. The rules required 21 white stripes of 20 mm and 20/21 blue stripes of 10 mm and soon all sailors, particularly around the busy ports of Brittany were wearing it. The legend tells that every one of the 21 stripes stands for a victory of Napoleon… and the hole for the neck probably stands for Waterloo or what?  Butt anyway that’s the shirt what became famous in 1917 as Coco Chanel wore it with  widelegged pants.  Althought many designers and chainstores  copied that style , the  original  is made by ARMOR LUX, they are still in business and if you want to be prepared for all reasons what can happen at sea, you should get one.

Another island, called Cigogne has a fort, what was built in 1717 to safe the coast from pirates, dutchmen and brits. The fort was used by french troops and during the WWII occupied by germans. Today the island is used by the world famous Sailing School Les Glénans, but it’s totally haunted and during stormy nights you can hear the screaming and howling of the lost souls of the former residents. Sometimes a sudden mist comes up there and between the fog patches you can discover the praying arms of the lost souls who crave for salvation.

Till today the archipelago is a beautiful but dangerous area, every year the coast guards  find bodies of smart tourists or people from Paris who thought they can hop from island to island by foot during ebb tide. Some of them  end as the prey of  La Groac’h who is insatiable. Also many ships end there, from rubber-rafts  to  million-dollar yachts, La Groac’h knows no difference. Treasure hunters mostly land between their objects of desire or in jail, because the whole area is a protected reservate.

And the boast of some bathtub-captains and the special weather there, what changes within minutes without a warning, are La Groac’hs helpers… That’s very annoying for the coast guards who have to risk their lifes to collect the peeps who fidget in the creek after a sudden storm… and otherways their  Bouillabaisse, the traditional meal after a storm gets cold while they have to pick up that folks…and a cold Bouillabaisse is  totally NOT tasty, just saying…

 

Dear Canadian Cat – Special Edition

September we are highlighting some of my friends who volunteered to help me out with my Dear Bacon issue. Today’s special edition is by my friends Kali and Shoko.  If you don’t know Kali and Shoko , you *must* go visit them and check them out on their blog The Canadian Cats.  Tell them that Bacon sent you.  Now, on to some great advice to help out our fellow anipals.

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Dear Canadian Cats,
Oh dear furry kitty heavens. What has been seen can not be unseen. I saw my humans naked…without a stitch of clothing. Why would they do that? Can you explain that to me? Signed Scarred for Life

Dear Scarred,
Land sakes alive.  The horror, the horror!  I hope the picture you sent is of you and you’re not a kit.  If, you were a kit, you’d need extensive therapy immediately.  As to why they would wander around without their coverings….who knows.  Hoomins are not known for their bashfulness.  Perhaps they were airing out their private parts like we do.  You would think they would lay down and stick their feet in the air if that were the case.  They could have been headed to the watering closet…they take their coverings off for this.  Very curious that they put on stinky coverings after getting clean.  I’m sure they weren’t trying to scare you though.  They just don’t realize how repulsive there bodies are to us.  I suggest in the future, you cover your eyes with your paws and RUN at the first glimpse of their naked bodies..  This is not safe but if you run into a wall your problem is solved.  When you come to you’ll wonder if all this was just a nightmare.  Good luck my friend.

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Dear Canadian Cats,
Water is the root of all evils my friends. Cats don’t need baths. We bathe ourselves. Why do the humans insist on dunking us – it’s like they want to baptist us. I don’t get it. Signed Walks on Water

Dear Walks on Water,
Water can be terrifying…especially when its not our idea to be anywhere near it.  Yikes!  I have a theory about hoomins sniffability and our own sensitive sniffer.  They are totally different.  When I am smelling beautiful and allow mom to get a whiff of my exciting scent…she says I stink.  How rude!!I’ll bet she wouldn’t like it if I took a sniff of her and ran away.  Wait!  I do that now.

Walks on, tell your mom how you feel and suggest dry shampoo. Your mom just brushes it in your fur and you’re good to go.  If, she still insists on baptizing you…then baptize her back again with lots of water.

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Dear Canadian Cats,
Trust me my friends. Never play in the kitchen when the humans are doing what they call cooking. The dropped a cup of something on me. Now I look like Casper. Help. Signed Cat Ghost

Dear Cat Ghost,
Hahaha….you look funny!  Lighten up Cat Ghost.  You still are cute as a button.  Let’s take a bad situation and turn it around.  This is the time to go “trick or treating”.  You’ll clean up….so to speak.

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Dear Canadian Cats,
Meow. What do I do for fun around the house? I strut around holding the dog treats in my mouth What? I look at it as helping the barky things out with their diet. Yeah. That’s it. Meow. Signed Dog Whisperer

Dear Dog Whisperer,
I like your style.  Up front and in everybody’s face.  My kind of friend.    However, the constant exposure of dog treats is positive reinforcement to your hoomin to get more treats for the dog not you.  This is not what you were aiming for.  So take those puporoni and stash them where no one will find them.  Grab a bag of your favourite treats and walk around the house.  It’s basic psychology my friend.  Now, get ready for lots of treats to come your way!

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Dear Canadian Cats,
Who says us kitties don’t get even. This will teach that dog to mess with me again. Don’t worry. I didn’t cut him. But I did take this picture to threaten him on future escapades. What do you think? Signed Corleone Cat

Dear Corleone Cat,
I’d say you made him an “offer he can’t refuse.”  Look at his eyes CC.  Anyone can tell, he’s learned his lesson well.  So, leave the knife and take his treats.  Put the knife somewhere handy though and let him know he’s padding a thin line.

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Remember my friends – Dear Bacon can’t happen without *you*.  Please continue to send your letters and questions to me here at the Hotel Thompson at baconthompson@gmail.com

 

Dear Dezi – Special Edition

September we are highlighting some of my friends who volunteered to help me out with my Dear Bacon issue. Today’s special edition is by my sweet dear purr thing Dezi.  If you don’t know Dezi, you *must* go visit her and check her out.  Tell them that Bacon sent you.  Now, on to some great advice to help out our fellow anipals.

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Dear Dezi,
My humans forgot to bring me in for the night. Help! I don’t think they hear me or see me hanging on out here. What can I do? Has this ever happened to you? Signed Knock Knock

Dear Knock Knock,

Oh meez sweet furiend yous need new hoomans!!! But ifin yous gunna stay maybe yous oughtta we-fink goin’ outside or get yous hoomans to put in a cat flap. But fur now at least when yous do get inside again, leave them sum luvly hairball designs on their pillows and in their underwear drawer. Bet they don’t soon fur get that. Me made this hairball once that….oh yeah not da purrawlem. Anyways, don’t furget to steal da T.V. remote and giv it to da neighborhood dog.

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Dear Dezi,
I think I’m in trouble here. I got invited to the party. I just didn’t realize I was going to be the main attraction to the party. What am I suppose to do now. Little help here please. Signed Walking Dinner

Dear Walking Dinner,
Yous need to stawt investigatin’ yous dinner invitations and make suwe yous not da main course. After all, yous don’t have to accept evewy invite. Yous know this weminds me of da time….oh yeah, it’s not about me. As fur yous situation, it’s too late now, so just point them in da direction of da neawest golden arches and then stawt flappin’ those wings like nevew afur. Yous life just might depend on it.

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Dear Dezi,
Does the outfit make me look tough? My dad says I have the eye of the tiger but yet my mom says I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. What do you think? Signed Upper Cut

Dear Upper Cut,
Yous do look tuff. Me wuld suwe want yous in meez corner.  Let me tell yous ‘bout….Aw nevew mind, yous worried ‘bout floatin’ like a butterfly and stingin’ like a bee. You know it’s not always looks dat count. There wuz a famous dude once dat floated like butterflies too. Hims wusn’t much to look at, but hims wuz like da heavy weight champ boxer of all time. So it looks like yous followin’ in da wight footsteps. Keep yous chin up and growl a bit, me finks hims did.

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Dear Dezi,
I’m ready for the beach. My flippers are on and I’m ready for some adventure. My favorite shows to watch on the nature channel show seahorses. Do you think I can blend in with them? Signed C.Horse

Dear C.Horse,
Yep yous got yous flippers on alwight. Let’s see…will yous fit in? Well these days yous wuld fit wight in most evewywhere so me dusn’t see why not. Yous might wanna check into an air tank tho’ meez not suwe yous lungs can take all at water. Yous know don’t ya’ dat male sea horses hav da babies? Is dat da kinda adventure yous lookin’ fur? Me dusn’t fink it works dat way ifin so. Yous might get luckier and find mowe adventure in da nearby pasture.

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Dear Dezi,
I don’t get it. Why are my humans laughing at me and taking pictures? Do you get it? If so, please explain to me. Please. Signed Jagger

Dear Jagger,
My what big teef yous hav.  And they be so white. Yous hoomans shuld be fankin’ their lucky staws yous not need dental work. But hoomans do hav a stwange sense of humor and always wiff da flashy box too.  Meez  mommy is always… ah hoo cawes. I fink yous vewy fotogenic and maybe sumday yous will be as pawpular as Lassie or Rin Tin Tin. Hoo ya’ fink’ll be laffin’ then. Yous dude while yous head on down to da local piercin’ shop and buy yous self a 24 kt. gold gwill.

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Remember my friends – Dear Bacon can’t happen without *you*.  Please continue to send your letters and questions to me here at the Hotel Thompson at baconthompson@gmail.com