Merry Christmas 2013

Here it is, only 4 days until Christmas. If you're like me, you've hustled and bustled, but still aren't quite ready for the big day. Last Saturday snow slowed shoppers down. Today heavy rain may do the same. But no matter, everyone will dodge the downpour to check off the final items on their list. It's what we do for the people (and critters) we love.

Before heading out to join the holiday frenzy, we wanted to take this chance to wish all of Blogville a very Merry Christmas. We hope you have a relaxing peaceful holiday filled with family, friends, and fun. Stay safe and (like the happy puppy in the cartoon) may all your fondest wishes come true!

Bogey's Favorite Things

Bogey spent the week with pencil in paw, working hard to come up with his list of favorite things. He did take time out to pose (sort of) for a picture. Please disregard the hand subtly working to prevent him from removing the Santa outfit. Said hand is now on brief medical leave after a few well-placed puncture wounds.

Despite the drama, we'd like to present Bogey's favorite things:

1. Feather teaser-You know the ones. They're attached by a string to a plastic wand. Whip the feathers around and watch your kitty turn into a tiger. Down, Simba, down!

2. Treats-Bogey adores kitty treats. He particularly favors the Friskies line of treats with a crunchy outside and soft middle. Apparently they are so yummy that he'll sit up and beg like a dog to get one.

3. Box-Any size, any shape, if there's an empty box, Bogey will climb inside. Even if the box is half his size he can somehow stuff his chubby self in. This obsessive box behavior looks a lot like Houdini in action, if Houdini had four paws and fur.

4. Grooming brush-I use a short-wired grooming brush on Bogey. Using the brush amps him up so high it's a good idea to run when done. There's nothing more dangerous than an ecstatic cat.

5. Water fountain-This is indeed the Holy Grail of Bogey favorites. Spoiled boy that he is, he wouldn't dream of drinking from a bowl. And if I so much as unplug his fountain for a few minutes to wash it, he carries on like someone just smashed his tail in a door. A water-loving cat? Welcome to my world.

We hope Indy's and Bogey's suggestions come in handy when finding a gift for your four-footed friend because time is running short. Can you believe there are only 18 more shopping days til Christmas?

Indy's Favorite Things

If Oprah can do it, so can we. Do what you ask? Why, talk about our favorite things, of course. So for your gift giving pleasure, Indy and Bogey are going to let you know what gifts put the pitter-patter in critter hearts.

First we have Indy's holiday picks.

1. A delectable delicious chewy bone. There are few things more delightful than gnawing on a flavored chew bone. Indy loves them all, from softer dental chewies to hard nylon bones such as those made by Nylabone. Nylabone lasts longer than any other chewy and Indy keeps a stash on hand at all times. Happy chewing!

2. Any plush toy with a concealed squeaker. Indy's older and a bit hard of hearing, but a loud high-pitched squeaky toy is still able to perk up his ears. Beware, though, if your dog is a squeak-removal expert. We certainly don't want you to spend Christmas in the emergency vet clinic.

3. Unlike Santa hats and mufflers, a soft comfy dog sweater is a clothing item Indy enjoys wearing. Find a sweater that is not too snug and not too loose. It will help keep old bones warm when the thermometer drops. If your dog has never worn a sweater before, let him/her slowly get used to having it on. You'll soon have a true canine fashionista on your hands.

4. Plush fleece-type bed topper. Indy has several beds throughout the house and insists on snuggling in fluffy layers of softness. Plush blankets are fairly inexpensive, but here's an even cheaper option. Go to the fabric store and buy a couple of yards of plush fleece material. Fold it and place on top of your pup's bed. No hemming needed. Ahhhhh. Now that's luxury!

5. A personalized bandana. Indy has several that range from a checkered flag pattern to snowmen to red-white-and blue. Each one has "Indy" embroidered in a contrasting color. You can find a ton of sizes, patterns, and colors at K9Design. We've ordered from them several times. They do good work and have always gotten the finished product to us FAST. What stylish dog wouldn't want a wardrobe of bandanas?

Okay, there you have it. Indy's top five favorite things. Bogey is now hard at work on his list. We'll share it with you next time.

Special Gifts

Christmas 2011 is over and I feel a faint sense of relief.

Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays. But right now I'm shopped out, have become more roly-poly than the jolly old elf, and am weary of running from event to event like a mouse through a maze. It feels good to sit in front of my computer screen and feel at least a bit back to normal routine.

I do have some cool gifts to share with you.

The Son made our holiday with an awesome announcement. He's officially engaged to a wonderful girl and we couldn't be more pleased! It will be such fun to help plan their special event which is scheduled to take place in 2012. And don't worry. I hereby pledge to give advice only when asked, thereby avoiding the dreaded "monster-in-law" sydrome.

The Daughter gave me a unique gift. Check out these t-shirts.

Cute, huh?  But take a closer look...

Tee-hee! I love them! They say every writer needs to advertise. I plan to become a walking Critter Alley billboard!

Hope your hectic holidays brought equally delightful pleasures!

Doggie Duds

If you're looking for a Christmas gift for your pup, you may wish to consider a personalized bandana.

Indy wears a bandana nearly all the time. I first started putting one on him because he's coal black with dark eyes. In other words, without the splash of color from a bandana, he looks a lot like a walking shadow.

A lot of bandanas don't hold up very well, but a few years ago I discovered a company called K9design displaying their wares at a major craft show in our area. The customer gets to pick out the fabric (from hundreds of possibilities) with an embroidery color that complements the design. They do the rest. The bandana wears beautifully and washes up like a champ. And of course Indy looks like a million bucks in his special neck wear. It's fun to have a design for holidays, seasons, or just because you plain like the colors. Cost and shipping are reasonable, too. Take a look at their website and see what they have to offer.

The only problem for me is which bandanas to choose! Oh, and by the way, this endorsement is my personal opinion. No compensation was offered or received!

Soup, Anyone?

My true story, "Canine Angel", appears in this volume.

In this weather, what's better than a cup of soup? How about seven Chicken Soup for the Soul writers?

On Saturday, December 12 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Main Street Books will sponsor a holiday book signing featuring Becky Povich, Tammy Goodsell, Teri Sanders, Linda O'Connell, Sherri Stanczak, Patsy Zettler, and yours truly. An assortment of titles will be available for purchase and refreshments will be served.

Chicken Soup books make wonderful gifts for anyone on your Christmas list. And if you bring along canned food items for donation to a local food pantry, you'll not only help a needy family, you'll also receive 10% off your entire purchase.

For more information, check out www.mainstreetbooks.net.

Hope to see you there!

Easter Gifts

A popular Easter gift for children in my youth was a bunny, chick, or duckling...yes, a live one. What animal loving child wouldn't be thrilled to receive a cuddly bunny or charming chick of their own? Of course my parents didn't indulge me, as much as I asked for one. In retrospect, I understand how wise they were.

The purchase of a live bunny, duckling, or chick for a child's gift nearly always resulted in the death or abandonment of the animal. What seemed like a good idea quickly became an annoying slice of reality. No one was fully prepared for the extent and type of care required or the delicacy of small fragile bodies in tightly clenched hands. Thus the impulse gift swiftly became a fatality, or simply a nuisance.

Luckily, through zealous education efforts, live animals as part of an Easter morning celebration are now seldom seen.

And I'm grateful that bunnies, chicks, and ducklings come to us another way these days. As a chocolate treat!