SPARKS on Monday

Happy Monday and HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY………………….time for those of us who participate in Monday SPARKS to share a thought with each other.  What exactly IS this Monday SPARK thing we do?   Well, most of you know that Annie of McGuffy’s Reader – who started SPARKS – was hacked and has been on an extended break from blogging although her idea to spread some inspiration on Monday of every week goes on.   Many of us who participated in her SPARKS Blog Hop and found value in sharing a thought on Monday continue doing that to hopefully give each other a “Monday boost” – perhaps something to think about to inspire us in the week ahead OR help us deal with something that’s on our mind.    Why not join us by sharing something that SPARKS you?   It might just start a spark in us too.

Thinking a lot lately as we all are about the future……………….this “mess” we are in right now – is it endless?   What will happen to us?    Will things EVER be the same?    All good questions and I guess we don’t know for sure what the answer is to any of these other than WE WILL GO ON.   We will…….it’s what we do – and that is kind of the message in my SPARK today:

I guess we really all NEED to believe this…………..we have learned some things already about ourselves, each other, the world around us – and how fragile life can be.    I also think it’s something like the ultimate “WAKE UP CALL” to have this sort of thing occur.    I choose to believe that many things will never go back to how they were – they will be better.    That’s my wish – just in case there’s a genie out there reading this blog post!

Happy Week ahead………….stay safe………….stay healthy…………stay hopeful.

Love, Pam and Teddy too

Teddy says don’t forget tomorrow is Geography Class……..we’ll show you a photo of a place -you tell us WHERE the photo was taken.  Cool huh?   See?  We’re not just a pretty face at One Spoiled Cat……you learn stuff here too! 

Friendly Friday Fill-Ins

Friday!  WOO HOO!   Time to do a bit of filling in of blanks in sentences courtesy of our co-hosts for this fun Hop……..15andMeowing and Four-Legged Furballs.   If you click the badge above it will wisk you away to Four-Legged Furballs and you can join us by using the link up tool.

This week I thought I’d be EXTRA SWEET (!!) and let my Mom do ALL four fill-in-the-blanks sentences.  Why?   I just thought she’d have fun being IN CHARGE totally for a change instead of sharing with ME.     Her words are in RED.

 

1. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the International Space Station – would love to look out into space and see the Earth ALL DAY – wow – a real “room with a view” !.

2. I am missing watching TV on our favorite PBS station – they got a new broadcast signal which is out of our range!   Boo Hoo!.

3. I could use more adventure in my life.  (after the pandemic is gone we will make up for lost time and travel again)

4. I could do without political craziness – it reminds me of kindergarten.

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Say Mom – that #1 answer is interesting but you know the minute they open up one of the doors to do a repair or space walk or something you’d probably fly out and never get back in again!   Think about that!   Dad and I would miss you – well I would anyway.   HAHAHAHAHA

OK – enough silliness – let’s just say HAPPY FRIDAY and thanks to our co-hosts for another week of fun fill-ins.    STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY EVERYONE!

Hugs, Teddy

 

Teaser Tell All Time!

Oh goodie………time for TELL ALL class…….and Clowie and Co. say school property checked and secure so LET’S GO!

“I was First Commenter” – “No I WAS” – “No you weren’t, I WAS!”

Alright you two – neither of you were……………so there – now have a seat and quit squabbling and we’ll tell you who our TWO ACTUAL First Commenters were!

Announcement!!!! 

TAAA DAAA!

Our TWO First Commenters were:

CLOWIE and PHENNY !!!

Concatulations for being FIRSTIES and winning this badge:

I was one of TWO EARLY BIRDS and FIRST COMMENTERS on the Teaser of May 19, 2020! YAY FOR US!

“emmmmphhhit!!”

Tommy pull your mask down and repeat what you said please – can’t understand you!!

“YAAAAAAAAAAY!”

Much better……….now put your mask back in place…………………

Here’s the photo we had on display yesterday – we love the colors and thought it might be a bit of a “CONFUSER” type Teaser……………..it looks like some beautiful and foreign port of call doesn’t it……….well it did to us………………….

Actually this was a Graphics Department find – and we did NOT know until we got our First Right Guesser that it was in fact the beautiful roof top of the ritzy “Montage Hotel Beverly Hills” hotel in Beverly Hills, California.    We just knew it was BEVERLY HILLS!     Here’s some info on this place which is a bit out of our league but gorgeous!   CLICK HERE

Who guessed it?    Who was our GENIUS of the week?

OUR FIRST RIGHT GUESSER WAS:

Drumroll……..

JACKIE OF TWO DEVON CATS!!

HIP HIP HOORAY – RAH RAH SIS BOOM BAAAAA

Concatulations for being our FIRST RIGHT GUESSER and winning this badge:

I figured the Teaser photo out and was FIRST RIGHT GUESSER on May 19, 2020! I’m so proud!

And if you too guessed Beverly Hills, California, you get one of these:

Well I was RIGHT with my guess but NOT FIRST RIGHT on May 19, 2020 Teaser!! Maybe next week I’ll be FIRST!

And of course if you DID guess but were wrong………….well………..we’ve got you covered too!!!

I guessed WRONG on the Teaser of May 19, 2020 but at least I gave it a shot. I get a badge for TRYING!

Our Cheer Team is proud of you all too so here they are to do their THING!!

It seems again we’re late for ballet we’re gonna have to hustle
Our instructor will be grumpy or as we say “have a cramp in her bustle” !
We’ll do great though just like you did for yesterday’s Teaser fun
We’ll tell you who the winners were before we have to run
FIRST COMMENTERS we had TWO in that category
Phenny the Weim and Security Guard Clowie both can share the GLORY!
Our FIRST RIGHT GUESSER is a frequent winner she really is a smarty
The Winner is MISS JACKIE and our congratulations are quite hearty!
Now pardon us while we grab our Uber and get ourselves to class
No doubt Miss Grizelda, our instructor will be ready with some SASS!

Hurry girls – hope you don’t get in trouble!

“I sure hope they don’t get in trouble – maybe one day we can go see them at a recital???”

Well maybe we can do that but no promises!

Now who wants to head to the cafeteria for lunch????     I hear it’s PIZZA/BURGER day…………oh boy…………..put on your bibs and lets go eat!

Greetings Class!   Actually it’s PATRIOTIC Day in the cafeteria in honor of upcoming Memorial Day weekend – but there are burgers and pizza on the line so let’s go!

PATRIOTIC LUNCH IS SERVED:

Steak and Cheese

Grilled Cheese with Fruit!

Corn Dog and Fries

Crispy onion rings

Crunchy fries

Patriotic Pizza

“Flag” smoothies

Fruit ice cream sandwich

Hot Dog Platter

Deviled eggs (2 per serving)

Dingleberry Fried chicken

Oven Swiss Steak with Gravy

Bacon Cheddar Potato Pancake

iced tea

Milkshakes!

Kismet Sunflower/Pumpkin Seed Balls

Thanks Miss Dingleberry!   See you next week!

Home again!  See you students in class next Tuesday!   

Your Professors

 

Sunday Selfies

Sunday!    Time to share our selfies.    Our hosts at The Cat On My Head want us to strut our stuff and celebrate Sunday together.  If you’d like to join in, click on their badge and fill in the linky form and you too will be a star selfie.

I’m doing another flashback today – Mom took a few photos of me this week but it seems the only time she has even HALF a chance of capturing me on film it’s when I’m asleep – and let’s face it – just how interesting can endless photos of a BIG GINGER CAT SLEEPING be?    As I look back in our photo files I’m looking for a photo of me taken about this same day of the month….and with my luck it will be yet another photo of me sleeping…………let’s see:

This is as close to today’s date as I could get and it’s an artified selfie Mom did of me on May 21, 2017 – that means I was 14 months old and had lived with them for two months then.   Gosh – was I really THAT LITTLE?     EVER?     Since it’s already artsy, we don’t have to do that – in fact I don’t know what Lunapic effect Mom used on this but I quite like the textures.

I did a puzzle of it for you as it seems back then Mom wasn’t yet doing jigsaws:

Click this MINI-ME picture to go directly to the JIGSAW and good luck!

Mom says we should take a minute to say we hope you are all in good health and being safe……stay that way OK???   Just remember this though:

Love, Teddy (and Mom too)

 

Teaser Tuesday Begins!

“Well Troops – we’ve done a circuit around the school and down the halls and it seems all is in order!   Let’s tell the Profs”

TIME TO COMMENT NOW BEFORE YOU SIT AT YOUR DESK!

Greetings students……happy Tuesday……let’s get to it shall we?

We trust all of you made sure your Moms (or Dads or other caregivers) had a SPECIAL DAY on Sunday right?    We must always show our appreciation when someone in our lives makes sure we are OK – feeds us, makes sure we are healthy, gives us love (and treats and toys of course).

You forgot to say “changes your diaper once in a while” !

Well there are lots of things our Moms do for us………too many to name in fact.    They also make sure all of you students are at class on time on Tuesdays!  YAY!   Now let’s get started – first with the rules and badges then with the PHOTO of the DAY!

Hopefully you will be lucky enough to get one of these badges to add to your collection!   You know you want one (or more) – right?

I want to win a badge but I need to be able to SEE the Teaser photo – someone pulled the wool over my eyes!

Yes that could be a problem!    Just a minute – I’ll give you a quick trim…………………………..

“Snip…..snip….snip…..there you are!”

Now let’s get on with class shall we?    This week’s photo for Teaser is from our Graphics Department (who just celebrated Mother’s Day) so let’s see what they came up with shall we???????

OHHH!  Pretty village or town but WHERE IS IT??????   Your guess is what we need so start studying class!    Our Cheer Team will give you a push:

Man oh man that photo is rough!
And we thought last week’s was kind of tough!
You find some winners that’s for real
Now students it’s up to you – that’s the deal
Study and decide what town this is
You have to guess RIGHT and we mean “biz” !
You might win a badge and get a cheer from us
Otherwise you might ride in the back of the bus!
We know you can do it – you’ve done it before
Come back EVERY Tuesday for more, more, more!!

Thanks girls……………….you can go hit the hot tub in your locker room or pop on your Harleys for a cruise…………..we’ll see you tomorrow for the TELL ALL!

Groovy……

Professors – I know you don’t like mischief in the back of the classroom but that new student Gary is being VERY NAUGHTY!

Now Gary you know that stuff is in short supply these days so you really shouldn’t do that!    This is your only and last warning!

There’s always some kid in the back of class causing trouble!   CAN WE EAT NOW???????????  I’m not the only one either!

Alright everyone – to the cafeteria!   We’ll see you in class tomorrow for TELL ALL !

Hello Students!   We have a wonderful lineup of goodies in the cafeteria today – enjoy!

Bacon corn chowder

Irish Pub Steak

Ratatouille

German feast

Beans and Rice

Lobster roll

Baked potato

Roasted Mixed Veggies

Stuffed peppers

Pan seared scallops

Toasted peanut butter and jelly

Minion cupcakes…….

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes (2)

Chocolate peanut butter cup pie

Eclair Cake

Watermelon tea

Hot chocolate

Fruit Smoothies

Kismet Sunflower/Pumpkin Seed Balls

See you tomorrow Students!   GOOD LUCK!!   Your Professors

 

Sunday Selfie Hop for Mother’s Day

To all Moms in the world – wherever you are – thank you for being Moms…..it’s a big job and it’s a “forever” job.   We appreciate you more than we sometimes remember to say.

My Mom and I are closer than close.  I know she and Dad will take care of me always.  I am a very happy guy.

Thanks to our hosts, The Cat On My Head for THREE HUNDRED weeks (today) of fun with sharing selfies!   If you click their badge you can visit and join the hop!   

Now how about a nice Mother’s Day Selfie of YOURS TRULY?     Mom snapped this as I was happily napping (almost all my selfies are “nappies” instead of actual “selfies” !!!!)……….and here’s me snoozing away yesterday afternoon.     We also jazzed it up with Lunapic then did a puzzle for all of you puzzle fans!

Well I may look adorable (haha) but it needs a little jazzing up right?   Lunapic.com to the rescue!

WHOA!   This effect was called “SABER” and Mom says it knocks our socks off!   

Here’s the jigsaw puzzle as promised:

Click the Mini-Me for your puzzle!!!

Coincidentally today is also our Ninth Blogaversary.    Mom started this blog with Angel Sammy in 2011 and brought Angel Sammy to life posting “for him” instead of for herself.    After he went to the Bridge I became “THE STAR” and have had lots of fun ever since along with my Mom.   We will keep going as long as we feel we have something to say and as long as we have an audience to share thoughts and fun with!   Thanks for making us part of your lives all these years.

Bakin’ With Bacon And The King!!

Happy Almost Mother’s Day to All Moms (especially mine!)

In honor my Mom and her addiction to potatoes among other things (!) I am making a special bacon potato casserole for cooking class today.     This is one of my Mom’s fave ways to eat potatoes even though (yes she knows) she shouldn’t eat so much starch.   Anyway, it’s a special day tomorrow so I’m making it for HER and for YOU too!

Potato Bacon Casserole

 

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the baking dish

6 large russet potatoes

Pinch salt

8 ounces sliced bacon (or more!)

1 cup milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Pinch garlic salt

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

2 cups grated Cheddar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.   Boil the potatoes in a pot of water with a pinch of salt until tender, about 20 minutes.)
3. While the potatoes boil, cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels and, when cool enough to handle, crumble it into small pieces. Set aside.
4. Add the milk, mayonnaise, sour cream, butter, garlic salt, pepper and 1 cup of the cheese to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Whip the mixture until thoroughly combined. Drain the potatoes and add to the mixer. Mix again to combine and the potatoes are whipped smooth.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon and remaining 1 cup cheese over the top and bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through, about 20 minutes.

Mom this is just for you but I have a feeling other Moms will enjoy it too!!!

Love, Your KING of Hearts, Teddy