Spotlight Thursday – Meet Ruby

 Spotlight Thursday

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!

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Name:  Ruby (African Grey)

Age:  16 years

Location:  Colorado

Web/Blog Page:  https://peacewithmylife.com/

What were your first thoughts when you met your new parents?  I wondered if I would be allowed to grow out my feathers and fly. I was so excited to learn that I could! I was ready to leave my previous home and go with the new family. I figured I had nothing to lose!

What was the defining moment when you knew you were in your forever home?  Probably when my new parents got so concerned that I was too bored and lonely that they installed cable and gave me a TV! I was so excited – they must really love me! I like watching TV all day; I learn lots of new sounds and words.

What has been your biggest “Oh no, now I’ve done it” moment so far in your home?  I can’t think of anything. I’m going to let Sugar answer that one next week; he has LOTS of those moments. I’m a good girl and don’t do that sort of thing (*bending over to preen a little*)

Who do you have wrapped around your paws more – mom or dad – and why? Dad! We watch movies together sometimes, and he hangs out with me a lot. Talons down, it’s DAD!

What’s the biggest misconception that humans think about you?  I hate it when people think that I’m just babbling and don’t know what I’m saying. Sure, there are times I just like to play around with new sounds and roll them off my tongue, but if I’m talking to someone, then I mean what I say. We’re not just some sort of a recording device. We know what our words mean. Well, mostly.

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Hope you enjoyed meeting my friend – check back next week for another Spotlight edition!

 

Bashful in Nature

This weekend we took Bashful for a walk. He rolled away from us and we had to search for him. Thank goodness we didn’t have to look far. He was hiding out with some friends talking about his travels. He’s had a lot of special showings in the past week. This week he is headed off for his next destination. I wonder who he will visit next. Any guesses? 

 

Bar Dog Can Talk

 

Squeals – Guess Who Called!

So there we were this past Saturday all of us bundled in the living room watching the clock intensely.  We were expecting a long distance call from someone here in blogville.  Someone that we have talked to verbally by type, sent packages to back/forth and even talked to them on Facebook.  But we had never talked in person via the phone.  Emails were sent back and forth and the magical time was set for 2:30 pm our time which would make it 8:30 pm their time.  That’s right, they are SIX hours ahead of us.

Then it happened.  The phone rang.  We all jumped of course because we were concentrating on the phone and clock.  Mom answered the phone and put it on speaker.

Mom – “Hello”

Friend in blogville – “Hello is this the Hotel Thompson?”

Score – jumps for joy.  It is our friend and not a solicitor or robo call – snorts.  I know – I know.  You’re asking who was the caller.  It was – are you ready for this – my brother Easy from France!  We were ALL so excited.  We got to talk to Easy’s dad and had such a blast!  Mom was so excited that she got to talk to a real Frenchman – hubba hubba.  It was an awesome time full of fact changing and getting to know each other and ask questions that we’ve always wanted to.  And talk about accents.  WOW!  It was great.

One never knows who might reach out from across the telephone lines in the future.  Thanks Easy for calling this oinker.  We had the best of time!  I know it’s greedy to say but we can’t wait to do it again!

 

Pet Talk Translated – The Anipal Version

Welcome back my friends for the second part of the Pet Talk Translated – The Anipal Version.  If you missed the HUMAN TRANSLATION FROM MOM, please check back earlier today on my blog postings.  You gotta read what humans ‘think’.  Now I’m going to give you what the anipals are thinking.

“Okay ya’ll – it’s time for our nightly meeting.  It’s now midnight.  The humans are snoring and asleep.  I called this meeting in my bedroom to discuss our early morning assignments.  I have first shift.  I will squeal, softly at first, until mom is awakened from her slumber.  I’ll give her a few minutes.  If I don’t hear her moving, I will amp it up just a little at a time until my shrieks can break glass.  Hopefully, it will be so loud that she stubs her toe on the bed again.  Hemi, did you move that towel that she had wrapped around the leg so she hits the leg straight on again?”

“Yes, Bacon, I did that yesterday while she was at work.”

“Great Hemi. I will fuss at her as we walk to the kitchen.  Hopefully I will get my piggy chow and Cheerios again – gosh those things are delicious.”  I’ll eat it fast so she has to wake for that icky looking brown stuff to make.  That gives me more one on one time on the couch with her.  Houdini, do you know your assignment?”

“Barks!  Yes Bacon.  I’m to get up, start barking and be really active really early running around as fast I can wanting to play to wear mom out.”

“Great Houdini, do you have your ball ready”

“Yes Bacon.  It’s hidden in the front room near the couch so I can get it and play with the human”.

“Great Houdini.  Don’t forget to go potty before tickle time.  That way you can play longer.  Now Hemi and Mouse Girl – do ya’ll know your assignments?”

“Yes Bacon.  We have it down pact.  We will wait until mom is just about ready to go to work and then get up demanding our breakfast.”

“Awesome.  Mouse Girl, did you move mom’s keys to the other side of the top of the fireplace so she will have to hunt for them?”

“Yes Bacon.  It’s already been done.”

“Great.  Hemi, what else do you have planned for mom?”

“Well, we will eat and then I will make a detour to the litter box to leave dad something first.  Then, we will go back to the human bed and go back to sleep on mom’s side of the bed.  It should still be nice and warm there.”

“Great guys.  Sounds like a plan.  Assignments are completed.  We will meet back here at noon today for assignments on how to work dad over today.  Snorts and out!”

 

Pet Talk Translated – The Human Version

I’m sure you humans have always wondered what we are saying when we talk.  Well my friends – I’m here to help you out with this.  You are so very welcome!  We always walk around meowing, barking or oinking and humans just look at us and think, “I wonder what they are saying?”  We anipals understand each other – we speak the international language of anipals.  We even understand what YOU are saying.  But, there is a language barrier with YOU understanding us.  No need to send me $19.95 for a translation book (unless of course you want to – snorts).  We anipals of the Hotel Thompson have come together to help you out.

This will be in two parts.  This morning’s issue will be what the humans say.  This afternoon’s issue will be the translation of what we anipals say.  Both will be the same conversation that takes place.  I hope you enjoy it and learn something about us anipals.  So here we go – HUMAN TRANSLATION FROM MOM.

“Stretch – Who needs an alarm clock with these sweet little babies here at the Hotel Thompson?  Pig squeals are routine here at 6:30AM sharp.  I stretch from my cocoon of comfort in my soft bed.  The squeals continue and get louder.  Someone wants their breakfast.  If I don’t jump up and get to him soon, he will wake up the other kids.

I stumble out of bed and always seem to stub my toe on the foot of the bed.  I say it every morning but once I again I mutter, “I need to fix that” while shaking my head.  I really thought I had fixed that already.  I guess not.  I open up Bacon’s bedroom door and we wobble to the kitchen together turning lights on in each room on the way.  Me muttering how early it is and him muttering what he want’s for breakfast.  I flip on the kitchen lights, hit the coffee pot to on and look intently at my baby.  “What do you want to eat”? is a regular question but it’s a weekday and mommy has to work.  So Bacon gets his usual of piggy chow and Cheerios.  What?  Gotta be heart smart even for the oinker. 🙂  

I feed Bacon, give him fresh water and try my best mentally to make the coffee percolate faster.  In the meantime, I give Bacon fresh water.  After he’s finished eating and I’m working on my first cup of liquid awakening, he comes over and nudges my legs for some loving.  We then go sit on the couch in the living room and watch some of the morning news together.  Such a wonderful way to start the day – watching television together not the pig squeals of “Get up now and feed me before I perish” wake up call.   We have a few moments before the next wake up call starts with the, “Bark, bark, bark” of little puppy chatter and I enjoy it immensely.

I see the clock is pushing 7:15am so I persuade Bacon back to his room for a early morning nap before the next cutie wants his breakfast.  Just as I shut Bacon’s bedroom door, I hear the barking of puppy power Houdini.  I go back to our bedroom and get him for his routine.  Yes.  He is puppy all the way in the morning.  He zips and runs and barks and is totally active in the morning.  OMG – he tires me out just watching him.  I need to go back to bed or another cup of coffee.  We go to the kitchen to prepare his breakfast of champions – puppy food and a little treat of wet food.  He snarfs it down and wants to play.  Really, at 7:15AM I’m playing fetch and tickles with a puppy.  Where did I go right?  🙂  We play while watching television.  Okay let me change that.  We play while listening to the news on television – LOL.  Finally, he’s had enough and wants to take a nap.  YAY.  I put him back in bed and then get ready for work.

Never fear though.  The cats are the last for breakfast.  One does not ‘wake them’ for their breakfast.  They come to you and usually it’s right before I’m leaving for work and especially when I’m running late.  Go figure huh?  They follow me around meowing demanding their food and treats.  After they are fed and have eaten, I turn around to love on them.  What in the world?  I think deep down they are secret agents.  They are gone from the kitchen already without a sound made.  Where in the world?  I look around the kitchen, the front room, the bedrooms – nothing.  I go into my bedroom and what do you know?  There they are all cuddled back up in bed – on my side deep in my warm cocoon that I had to leave. Shakes head.  It never fails.

I say, “Have a great day” to all as I leave the house.  Someone needs to work to keep them in their kibbles.”

 

Oh Dear Piggy Heavens Above

Oh my friends something has happened.  Something BIG.  Do you hear me – B.I.G.  And it happened to Houdini.  But I’m getting ahead of myself as usual.  Some of you have missed mommy on your blogs, texts or emails.  You see mommy has been sick for a couple of weeks now.  In fact, last Sunday mommy had to go to emergency care.  She has been feeling icky and had this horrendous cough that just wouldn’t go away.  The cough was so bad Sunday that she couldn’t catch her breath and she passed out.  It was early morning and we were all asleep except for her and Houdini.  Fortunately Houdini woke her up by jumping on her and licking her face.  After that, mom and dad went to the emergency care.  After a lot of tests, x-rays, a breathing treatment and an EKG for safety, mom was diagnosed as having severe bronchitis.  She came home that afternoon with lots of medicines and has been resting every since.  We are all taking turns checking on her and nursing her back to health.

 I tell you all of this so you know where mommy’s head is – sick in a cloud.  Fast forward a couple of nights ago and little Houdini was playing in the front room with mommy watching from the couch.  Let me show you a picture of how cute, small and adorable he is 🙂  You’ll thank me for this picture in a few minutes.  I promise you.

Houdini was playing with his puppy – it’s a stuffed teddy bear.  He was pouncing at it, barking at it and pretty much attacking it like he normally does.  He looks like he is well… how shall I say it… humping it.  There you go – snorts.  Last month mom talked to his vet about the humping part.  The vet assured mom that it really wasn’t that but more of a domineering kind of thing of who is in charge.  Do you see where I’m going with this story?  Hold on – it gets better.

So, there he is in position ‘playing’ with his puppy when all of a sudden he whines and looks at mommy deep afraid.  Well that got mommy off of the sofa in no time flat and also woke me up to look and see what was wrong.  When she looked at Houdini, it looked like he had something stuck to his butt.  Mommy thinking was that maybe he had a little poo stuck back there and couldn’t get it out so she was going to help the little guy out – see what mommy does for us ❤

Well, she walked over and picked the little guy up, flipped him over and son of a nutcracker it wasn’t a piece of poo. She immediately told daddy that Houdini was broken.  Wacks my forehead with my piggy hoof – broken?  Mommy had no clue.  No don’t get me wrong.  My mom is a smart woman but she had no freaking clue of shall we say Houdini’s ‘manly’ parts.  We all started laughing so hard that daddy almost fell off of the sofa.  Poor mom – she was shocked that her little baby is now a man.  But then you should have seen Houdini’s face as well – he was scared.  He didn’t know what was happening.  And daddy was no help because poor mommy was out of it.  There she was holding Houdini with all of his junk exposed, she’s sick and coughing, worried about her broken baby and we were no help.  Daddy finally found his voice and told her what it was.  Mommy’s response?  Priceless I’m telling you.  She said quote, “Well it’s been so long since I’ve seen one.”  OMP (oh my pig)!  And then – OMP – wait for it and remember mom was on medication.  She said, “Oh my goodness.  I have the John Holmes of puppies!”  That’s when I lost it and started snorting and rolling on the floor.

Daddy never to miss a beat said, “Well what did you expect when you bought him his first leather jacket this past weekend?”  Oh have mercy!  I know this is something so simple – a part of nature if you will – but it was so hilarious with mommy being sick and taking medication.  It was definitely a priceless moment.

And yes, things did finally straighten up if you know what I mean – snorts.  She finally handed Houdini to daddy and told him it was that time for the boy to man talk.  So, daddy tucked Houdini into bed that night and he, me and Hemi got ‘the talk’.  Lord have mercy so that’s what that is – snorts and rolls around laughing.  Have your parents had ‘that’ talk with you yet?  My tummy is hurting from laughing so hard.  Gotta stop now.  Take care my friends!

 

Bubble Talk From Anipals

 

 

Really Dad? You’re Not Invited

Let’s start by saying, me and mom are so NOT morning peeps.  We have a schedule that we keep in the mornings.  I wake her up for breakfast.  She gets up and we eat together.  Then we bundle on the couch together and listen to the morning news as we cuddle for a couple of more minutes of snooze together.  Do you get the picture?  Together as in me and mommy time alone.  NOTICE I didn’t say: me, mommy and daddy.  There was no mention of daddy.  It’s called me and mommy time for a reason.  Let me say again… me and mommy.  So you got that, right?

So this morning of ALL mornings on a Monday, guess who decides to get up with us and infiltrate into “our” time?  That’s right – daddy.  Not just daddy but non-stop-diarrhea-of-the-mouth talking daddy.  Go back to bed daddy!  Really.  But no… let’s keep chatting away.  Let’s keep singing away to Eddie Rabbit… to Elvis Presley… to Brooks and Dunn… to Pink.  Yep, you read right – Pink.  Rolls piggy eyes and shrugs shoulders.

You see, this is the problem.  Daddy is a morning person.  He wakes up happy, chirpy, full of life and wonderment.  Me and mom not so much.  Even this little oinker knows not to talk to mommy until after that first cup of coffee… sometimes maybe a second.  And hey – I’m not that jolly myself in the morning.  I have one thing on my mind – food.  And then some snuggles.  Sometimes not in that particular order.

Daddy was so bad this morning – a MONDAY of all days, that me and mom went to her room.  I got on the big bed and watched her get ready for work.  Guess who followed us?  Mouthy man!  I could see mommy and the steam was rising.  She looked at me and I could just picture her in my head telling daddy, “SILENCE!”  But she didn’t – it was a nice dream though.  Poor dad.  He was like a little puppy this morning following us around.  I thought at one time I heard mommy mumble, “Jabber Jaws” under her breath.  I can’t be sure though.  Of all days, I think mommy was ready to go to work.  She kissed me and put me back to bed for a morning nap.  Daddy even followed her to the car.  It’s going to be a long day for me here at the Hotel Thompson.  Please pray for me that daddy goes back down for a nap.  Snorts.  Do you have a morning person in your house?  What do you do when they get over obnoxious?

 

 

I Understand Certain Words/Phrases

I’m not sure if you know this, but I’m a smart piglet.

 

There’s lots of things that happen in my little life that I can figure out.  There’s certain words and phrases that I understand and know what they mean.

For instance, I definitely understand the word, “No.”  I’ve been trained with this word since mommy adopted me at 3 weeks old.  She says it one time and I know that I need to stop what I’m doing or I will be in trouble.  Usually, she doesn’t have to tell me twice.  Now daddy on the other hand – he doesn’t have me so trained yet.  LOL

 

I also understand certain phrases like, “Go to your room”, “Let’s go to bed”, “Pick up your toys” and my favorite, “You wanna eat?”

It took me a couple of weeks to get these down but mom reinforced them with snacks.  Nowadays, you tell me a phrase and I’ll do it.  It’s really fun when there is company over and mom tells me one of these things and I do it.  Everyone is always astonished but like I said, I’m a quick learner.  I’m just like a little child at heart.  As mom tells people, I’m her little pig son. 

I’m a lot of fun too.  I know people often question mom of how I act around the house.  I act just like any other animal.  See in the picture – I lay around a lot.  I take naps.  I play with the purr things.  I run around the house.  I’m kind of like a forever puppy.  I need structure – lots of it.  I have a certain schedule that mom and dad keep me on every day.  I like that.  I get a lot of love from mom and dad and I give a lot of love in return.