Journey with Friends – Week 49

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!

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Sunday, December 3, 2017 –  Finally a day of rest.  I don’t think much moving was done by me, Jim or the anipals here at the Hotel Thompson.  We slept and rested which is exactly what I needed!  Miles Moved: -0-

Monday, December 4, 2017 –  Back into the grind of things.  It’s already the beginning of December!  There is so much to do but this year I feel we will be taking things easy and light.  I don’t have the stamina to be crawling around putting up decorations and it’s just me and Jim.  This year having this surgery was our gift to each other.  Having the lumps gone and being here for each other.  What else could we ask for, right?  Miles Moved: 0.95

Tuesday, December 5, 2017 –  Working on a surprise for Jim for next week.  Do you know how hard it is to work on surprises for that man?  Do you have one in your life that can almost guess every.single.time what you might be doing?  The boy has a sixth sense for some things.  But what he *thinks* and what happens could be two different things.  My sister is in cahoots with me.  You know this can’t end well – snickers.   Miles Moved: 1.21

Wednesday, December 6, 2017 –  So much to get done this weekend and it’s only Wednesday!  My list is getting longer and the days are getting shorter.  What’s a girl to do?  Maybe I can start training Bacon and Houdini to help out with errands?  That should be interesting for sure.  Miles Moved: 0.93

Thursday, December 7, 2017 –  Today was a hiccup.  I’ve had one spot under my left breast that has been bothering me.  I just don’t like the looks of it.  I called the doctors office last week and they told me it was a ‘spitting stitch’.  It still bothers me today so I called the doctors office and sent him a picture via text.   Of course he wanted me to come in to look more closely at it and to check a few things.  Of course I got worried when he pulled out scissors and tweezers.  Can you say ouch?  Remember to check out my other blog here for details of this situation.   Miles Moved: 1.13

Friday, December 8, 2017 – Friday I love you so much!  Thank goodness we made it to you.  Now to get finished at work and start some errands!   Miles Moved: 0.93

Saturday, December 9, 2017 –  Work up feeling a little under the weather.  I guess the doctor ‘operating’ on me Thursday finally caught up to me and I was aching a bit today.  And on top of everything else, we got snow this morning.  Okay it was SNOW to us…we freak out with one snowflake – LOL.  But today needs to go on.  Houdini has a spa appointment and then he is off to see Santa.  Be afraid Santa.  There is no telling what he will ask for this year for Christmas.  Miles Moved: 0.65

 

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Thoughts for the week:  Baby steps.  Life is not a race.  We all get to where we want in the end.  That’s my motto for my recovery.  This Wednesday 12/13/2017 will be 5 weeks.  Some days I feel like it’s been FIVE WEEKS.  Some days I feel like it’s a rush of time.  Recovery is slow but I’m so happy with my results so far.  And believe it or not, I’m itching to get back into my workout routine in January.  January is a new year all around for me.  Have a great week my friends ❤

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This week walked: 5.80

TOTAL 2017 Miles:  523.56

 ❤ small goals turn into big accomplishments ❤

 

The BIG Surprise Revealed

Okay go ahead. Can you guess what the BIG surprise is that was acheduled for September?   Let me show you one picture and see if that helps.

Mom and dad are in Melbourne, AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺 visiting Fozziemom and her hubby. Squeals with piggy excitement. Can you believe that!?  A great trip planned and kept a secret since Christmas.

And don’t worry folks, since my rolling stone Bashful has dual citizenship in Australia he went along for the ride. Bashful was used to that long flight – somewhere around 20 hours – so he talked to everyone that he might. In doing that, he got invited up to cockpit for a personal visit. And trust me friends, even that wasn’t his first time. We will be sure to post more information when mom/dad get back.

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31 Days of Spook – Sheraton Read House Hotel

Happy hauntings my sweet friends.  Today I have a story for you that was sent to me by Lexi’s mom, Amy.  Amy told me to look into a haunted place in Chattanooga, Tennessee called the Sheraton Read House Hotel.  This sounded just like the place I needed for my 31 Days of Spook so I started my research.  I was *not* disappointed at all my friends.  So if you need to, grab someones hand, paw or hoof and get ready for a bumpy ride.

The Sheraton Read House Hotel is located at 827 Broad Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee.  The most haunted room in the hotel is room 311.  Room 311 is rumored to be haunted.  You see back in the day there was a lady named Annalisa Netherly who lived at the hotel with her husband.  One day, her husband came to the hotel and let’s just say caught Annalisa Netherly in a compromising position with another man.  Well, the husband lost his mind – was it momentarily or was it already lost – and killed Annalisa.

Now if you talk to some of the workers of the Sheraton Read House Hotel that have been there for years and know about the history, they will tell you that room 311 isn’t really the room that this death took place.  They remodeled the hotel and sealed off the room the murder actually took place.  They then moved the room number down one door.  Now the murder room is still there and you can see the barred window but yet the room remains empty… or is it.

And also a side note that I found out during my research.  When Al Capone was awaiting trial, he stayed in the murder room.  Can you imagine that?  And let us not forget of the story of a soldier ghosts that walks around the 4th floor of the hotel.

And if that murder room and soldier ghost isn’t intriguing enough, there are also secret corridors throughout the hotel.  Some that even the longest employees haven’t even found yet.

So my friends, are you ready for a field trip to spend the night next door to the murder room?

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AND A SIDE NOTE:  This is a personal story that happened to Lexi’s mom, Amy.  Shivers to mergatroid!

Long before Lexi was born, this actually happened. At that time, I lived in a house just north of Cleveland, Tennessee. I had three pictures hanging adjacent to each other on two walls. For a while, when I would get up in the morning, I was sure they had been rearranged. (They were very similar.) So one night when no one else was home and no one else was going to be home before morning, just before retiring for the night, I said out loud, “If you can hear me, I want this picture (pointing) over here and this one over there.” The next morning they had been rearranged, and instead of hanging on the walls, they were propped on the floor in the order I had specified. The spirit wanted to be sure I noticed.

 

What? Really? No Way!

For Bashful’s birthday on Friday, mom/dad took him out to a local restaurant that has really awesome southern food.  He said that he was in desperate need for great food.

I tell you – in some ways that rock eats better than I do here.

In this picture, you can see that he ordered beef tips over rice, macaroni and cheese and sweet potato souffle.  Talk about southern comfort food huh?  Bashful said it was totally delicious and that he even licked his plate clean.  That’s my boy!

When Bashful came home, me and him had a heart to heart about some of his travels and his plans for the future.  That’s when he told me something that I couldn’t believe.  I think I actually fell over because it was totally unbelievable.  He told me a secret that I was shocked – astonished – I couldn’t fathom it to be true.  So I did what any piggy would do.  I ran to my mommy.

Mommy!  Bashful told me X-Y-Z.  Is it true?  My mom got this silly grin on her face and said, “It could be.”  WHAT?  I tell you I cried.  I literally cried like a little baby – look at this picture!

What the piggy heavens?  My friends.  You are so NOT going to believe this secret.  I’m dying to tell you but I can’t.  But Oh My Piggy Heavens.  You will absolutely WET yourself when you find out what it is.  Shaking my piggy head.  It’s like a dream come true.

So until I can tell you, you will just have to sit and simmer and hope that I don’t spontaneous combust from excitement.

 

Explain This To Me

 So mom goes to the store yesterday to buy a few things.  One of the things on her list is deodorant. So mom goes down the aisle looking for deodorant and starts laughing.  Daddy asks what is up.  Mommy said told him that Secret has a line of deodorant out with fragrances from around the world.  For instance, Brazil, Hawaii, Paris and she even saw one from Australia.  Daddy then started laughing.  I mean it is kind of funny.  What exactly do these places ‘smell’ like?  And by all means, if you had a deodorant from your area, do share – what would it smell like?

 

PPSSTT – I Have a Secret

Time to do some partying and dancing my friends.  Me and dad have a secret but you have to keep it to yourself okay.  Are you ready – pinky hoof/paw promise – you can’t tell – especially my mommy that I told you.  July 3rd is mom’s 29th birthday again.  We are throwing her a surprise birthday party here at the Hotel Thompson on July 3rd.  She doesn’t have a clue!

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ssshhh – you didn’t hear that from us okay.  I gotta go practice some twerking now for the party 🙂  Where is Fozzie – the twerk team captain?  Snorts!

 

 

Dear Bacon

Dear Bacon – Hey dude!  With all of the soccer craze going on right now, I thought I would hop along and be a professional athlete as well.  I love soccer.  There is nothing more relaxing than kicking the ball around. I think I’m just as good as David Beckham or Pelé or even Cristiano Ronaldo.  What do you think?  Do you think they would count my front feet as hands?  Do you ever play ball?  Signed A Beautiful Mind

Dear A Beautiful Mind – Awesome.  That’s what I say.  I think it’s awesome that you love to play soccer as much as you do.  I can see you in the Olympics and at the big game.  And yes I can see you next to the greats that you mentioned.  I myself have snouted a ball around the backyard here from time to time.  I think it’s a great way to relief some stress.  I don’t care what any other peep thinks, you do what you love my friend.  Go score BIG TIME!

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Dear Bacon – Can you guess who my hero is?  Go ahead guess.  I bet you can’t figure it out?  I know you can’t!  I’ve gotta go now and find my brother Luigi and that gorgeous Princess Peach.  Signed Mario

Dear Mario – Snorts!  Good one my friend.  You are awesome.  You look just like that guy.  No doubts in my book at all.  And yes we guessed right off who you were.  You see my mom loves Mario and Luigi and all your friends.  She says she grew up with them and gave them a run for their money playing arcades.

I think you need to work your look for as long as you can and make it work for you.  Perhaps you can go on a nationwide tour and promote Mario and Friends. Wouldn’t that be fun?  If you come to my neck of the woods, I would love to see you in person.  Take care and safe travels!

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Dear Bacon –  I told everyone I would be back and here I am.  I’m back and ready to take over the world.  This time I’m coming back as a pooch that is deadly… that has secret weapons of destruction.  Don’t get in my way.  Signed Poochnator

Dear Poochnator – WOW!  Does your humans know about this?  And I have to ask.  Do you know my friend Easy?  Are you secretly Easy in disguise?  A pig has to know these answers my friend.  And hey, does your mother know about your late curfew while you are out saving the world?  And my mom says to tell you to remember to wear clean underwear… you know just in case something happens.

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Dear Bacon –  I’ll do anything for a carrot.  I’ve heard you are the same.  What would you do for a carrot?  Signed Tony “The Pig” Hawk

Dear Tony “The Pig” Hawk – You go my friend.  You ride like there is no tomorrow.  Hit those decks, do those tails, ride those carves and hit some air.  I can see you doing all of these tricks and getting all of the carrots you could wish for.  And have I done anything for a carrot?  You betcha.  I’ve given Mouse Girl here back scratches and washed Hemi’s feet.What? That’s as adventurous as this pig gets!

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Dear Bacon – Oh my pussy cats.  There I was in the house walking around like I normally do.  I went into the bathroom and there was a beautiful bubble bath in the tub.  I looked around and no one was there.  So I decided to take a little dip thinking that humans left it for me, right?  I’m laying back enjoying the suds and then have mercy – the human master walked in naked.  What has now been seen can not be unseen.  I’ll even be honest with you. I’m not sure which one of us screamed the loudest.  Signed Rub-a-Tub-Puss-in-a-Tub

Dear Rub-a-Tub-Puss-in-a-Tub – WOW!  Now first up.  That is a lovely ‘scared’ picture of you in the suds.  It does look like you were enjoying yourself.  Second up, I gotta ask.  Did you give up your luxurious bubble bath and give it to the human or did you share?  Snorts – I know I wouldn’t have gotten out!

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FRIENDS – Please remember that Dear Bacon can’t happen without YOU.  Please email me your pictures and letters 🙂

 

Bacon’s Show and Tell

For Bacon’s Show and Tell for March we are focusing on another great toy you had from childhood.  Mom and dad both had this toy.  They played with it for hours – you could mess things up, redo the picture, write stuff and draw beautiful pictures… if you were talented – snorts.  What was this awesome toy you are asking.

 An Etch-A-Sketch.  Do you remember them now?  Oh my pigs.  Mommy got a dreamy look on her face as she reminisced about her memories.  One of her favorite things was going line by line only moving inches at a time to the left to make the entire screen blacked out.  What a thrill that was when you couldn’t see any part of the screen – snorts – mom was so easily amused for sure.  She said that hers got broken because one of her brothers stepped on the glass part.  Another toy that had a brief life expectancy but was fun while she had it.

Dad remembers playing with his as well.  He had more talent… I guess you could call it that… and he would draw on his.  Now, I’m not saying that you would recognize the pictures – snorts – but he would attempt at it.  And then write messages on it and erase them to keep them secret.  He doesn’t remember what happened to his childhood inspiration.  It’s probably a good thing.

Can’t wait to visit other blogs and see what they had as one of their cherished toys from childhood.  Hope you had fun this month my friends!

 

Shopping Around the World

My friend Fozzie and I have scheduled a group posting today of Shopping Around the World.   We thought it would be interesting to see the differences between different countries all over.This month we are focusing on items that we *have* to have in our lives.

Items priced this month – Prices in Georgia USA:

• Water.  We buy 24 packs of Nestle water when they are on sale for $3.00 – this is for 16.9 ounce bottles.
• Bath Soap.  We are kind of picky here at the Hotel Thompson on our bath soap.  Mommy ❤ the Lever brand – that’s almost all she ever buys.  Every once in a while, our local grocery store will have packages of two bars on sale for $1.00!  Mommy stocks up on it when they go on sale.  It always smells so fresh!
• Deodorant.  What is up with prices on deodorant?!  Mommy and daddy – even though it’s made for a woman snorts – use Secret clear gel.  This runs $4.99 a bottle – that’s almost like highway robbery just so you don’t stink… well that’s what mom says – snorts.  Sometimes if mom is lucky, she can get a package of two for $7.99 and she sometimes has a coupon for $2.00 off making it $5.99 for two – which is a lot better than $4.99 for ONE.  Thank goodness I don’t need this stuff – WOW!
• Laundry Detergent.  We use Tide pods – dad ❤ this stuff.  It’s easy for him since he does all the washing/drying.  He can just throw a pod in and doesn’t have to measure anything.  We buy a tub at Sam’s Warehouse for $21.00 for 90 pods.  That’s pretty good for us – it almost lasts us an entire year!  Not bad at all my friends.
• Random Item.  Andy Capp’s Hot Fries.  Delicious – Yummy – Out of this World – Licks Piggy Lips  This is one of mom’s weaknesses.  If she goes to our local Sam’s Warehouse, she has to buy a box of these.  There are 48 bags to a box and the box runs $9.00 – that’s lots of joy.  Have you seen this?  This is what the picture of them look like to the right.  You want some now, don’t you?  Snorts

If you have some items that you want to get on the list, email me at baconthompson@gmail.com

Hope you had fun!!

 

 

PPSSTT – I Have a Secret

Time to do some partying and dancing my friends.  Me and dad have a secret but you have to keep it to yourself okay.  Are you ready – pinky hoof/paw promise – you can’t tell – especially my mommy that I told you.  Tomorrow is mom’s 29th birthday again.  We are throwing her a surprise birthday party here at the Hotel Thompson tomorrow.  She doesn’t have a clue!

ssshhh – you didn’t hear that from us okay.  I gotta go practice some twerking now for the party 🙂