Typing With Wet Paws: Mama Anna Smells Like Other Cat Edition

March 16, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Nails. This week, Mama Anna did not blog because the same day that she was supposed to blog, she also had her first appointment with a new talking people vet, and it was on the phone. The video kind. Anyway, this was on the phone, not the big glowy box where she usually talks to my aunts, and while Mama Anna was expecting this talking people vet (TPV?) she did not expect that it would be a male talking people vet, because her prior talking people vets have been gals, like us.

Apparently, they let all kinds of humans be talking people vets. He seemed okay, so Mama Anna will give him a chance. She knows she can tell the regular people vet if she really needs to switch to a lady. Anyway. she had to answer a lot of questions, and I could tell she was getting anxious, so I told Papa and Aunt Linda that Mama Anna needed some help. The call was pretty much over by then, so I made her have cuddles with me as soon as it was over. She seems to be okay now. I, on the other paw, still need more reassurance. Can you believe she went out after all that? One day, she took out the trash, and then the other day, she went out hunting with Aunt Linda. They are back now, so that is good. Mama Anna seems okay.

She will talk to Mr. TPV again in a couple of weeks. I am trying to convince her to do it at her desk, so I can video bomb the appointment. Who doesn’t need a daily dose of calico? I know well enough there are two places I am Not Allowed, and those are both in the kitchen. I can’t be on the counter (including stove and sink) and kitchen table. The kitchen table was where Mama Anna took the call, so I could get up to where she was. There has been some talk about getting me a sling like some humans put their babies in, so Mama Anna can wear me when she needs to work and I need to be around her.

Despite the scary coffin pillow, don’t worry; I am only sleeping in Mama Anna’s office chair. The coffin pillow is there to support her back, making the chair perfect for her, and for me. This picture is dark because it was nighttime the first time she caught me in this chair. She said I can sleep in it but not claw it. Joke’s on her, because I didn’t want to claw it in the first place. I have a scratchy cardboard thing for that. I love my scratchy thing.

Today was the time when Mama Anna and Aunt Linda went hunting (they say shopping) and when they came back, they smelled like two other animals. One was Moe, our across the hall neighbor. He is a Chihuahua. I know all about him. He’s cool. The other animal was another cat. In case you were wondering where they met another cat, it was in a craft supply store. I did not know that cats were allowed in those stores (I was told we were not) but apparently so. I will keep this information on file.

In case you were wondering, the other cat is called Sherry. She is a black American Shorthair. Mama Anna says she was on a leash and a harness and was super friendly. Mama Anna also reminded me that I am an indoor cat and will be staying home, but Sherry had to smell me on her, so I guess we’ve kind of met in a parasocial sort of way. Mama Anna and Aunt Linda weren’t sure if I was going to be jealous that they smelled of another cat, or if I was going to want to know where our new friend was.

In the end, I didn’t care much. I was happy enough to see them come home, and I wanted a belly rub, which I got. I really love belly rubs. I know Mama Anna will always come home to me, so it’s fine if she wants to say hi to other pets. I tagged her.

How’s your weekend?

Typing With Wet Paws: Sproing Forward Edition

March 11, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up. Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. This is also the time of year when humans move time around. I don’t know why they do that, and before anybody asks, it does not affect my mealtimes, because I ask my humans for food when I am hungry, so there is no fixed mealtime, at least not for me.

Me, asking Papa for the treats in his top drawer.

Anyway, this is the time of year when Papa’s and Mama Anna’s seasonal depressions pass each other in the hall while his is punching out and hers is punching in. Mama Anna does not like daylight savings time, or longer days, and her allergies have turned on, and this are kind of chaotic around here from time to time. Turning seasons over, winter into spring, means not only the time changes, but the humans have to turn over seasonal clothing, and, for Mama Anna, turning over her stationery/journal/planner stuff. Basically, I get to investigate a lot of sutff.

Mama Anna is officially back in Writing A Book mode. A historical romance novel, to be exact, or maybe a novella. She is in the discovery draft stage, which appears to be kind of fun. She sometimes calls this her “magpie stage,” where she collects random things that feel like her story and get them all in one place, creating “idea soup.” I am not entirely sure what is going on at this point, and sometimes, neither does she, but she seems fairly happy about it, so I guess it’s fine.

Papa and Aunt Linda love springtime. This does not always work in my favor.

She likes picking me up. I do not always want to be picked up. I am more of a belly rub girl. To be fair, Aunt Linda does give really good belly rubs. Actually, everybody here is good at belly rubs. That worked out super well. I did the math. There are three people with two hands each, and twenty-four hours in a day, so that is…let’s see…four hours per hand. I think that is more than reasonable. Not even that much once the windows are open and I want window time.

How is daylight savings time going for you?

Finding Camaraderie at Writer Conferences

March 6, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Welp, it’s March. Not quite winter, not quite spring. Time for my and Real-Life Romance Hero’s seasonal depressions to pass each other on the way in (mine) and out (his.) In the before times, it has meant Conference Season, the time of year when Melva and I would make the trip to the New England RWA chapter’s annual conference. The trip there was a four-hour deal; two hours in Housemate’s car to meet up with Melva a couple of states over, and then two more hours in the Melvamobile to get to the actual conference. We always have a great time on these trips, to and from, shooting ideas back and forth. We are only half joking when we talk about renting an RV and driving cross country until we have a first draft.

I adore everything about conference season. Even packing for the occasion means I get to give special attention to clothes, shoes, makeup, etc (things I love anyway) and it never hurts to include non-perishable safe foods because I have food allergies and aversions. If it turns out that I can’t eat at dinner (it’s happened) I know there’s food in the room. I love getting the tote bag at registration, stuffed with swag, which I must immediately inspect. Bookmarks, stickers, postcards, pens (Hannah Howell’s purple pens are a highly prized commodity, and the only promo pen I have tracked down to find the nakey version in the wild – Pentel RSVP.) Sometimes there will be sweet snacks, and maybe even books. There will be more of the above at multiple places throughout the weekend.

Mealtimes mean a book on one’s seat and swag on the table. Usually a raffle for the centerpiece. If you have read Chasing Prince Charming, there really was a lollipop centerpiece. This is where “so, what do you write?” is a standard icebreaker. Be aware you may be asking this of a Big Name, but they will usually be gracious. This is where a simple answer to “what’s your favorite book?” means the asker will command the person sitting next to you to switch seats with them, because you have the same favorite book, or when one’s seatmate whips out their Kindle to show that they are in fact reading your latest release right now. That is a fabulous feeling, and one I can very well get used to as a regular event.

If five years between siblings in birth order means the new kid is also a firstborn, and five years between releases means being a new author again, what does five years between conferences mean? I’m assuming it means the whole thing being new again, at least in part. No doubt, there will be changes. Many of the RWA chapters, including the NERWA, have disbanded, so conferences may be run by different groups, though still dedicated to romance.

I don’t think Romantasy was a word back then in the before times. Then again, Romantica maybe still was a word. Possibly. I am not sure. Been a while since I have heard that term. There’s e-books, indie books, Bridgerton made it to Netflix. Dark Romance is a thing. The world is basically on fire, so we absolutely need romance novels to get us through. (As readers of other genres need theirs; to each, thankfully, their own.) We don’t have Romantic Times anymore, but we do have Book Tok and Book Tube. It’s always changing.

Since I am still a member of the RWA, I do get their monthly newsletter and it does list upcoming conferences. I live in NY now, not CT, so there are probably other gatherings closer to me that I could consider. I miss the camaraderie, the support, and the talking of shop. I even miss the pitch sessions (get an agent or editor to be your captive audience for a full eight minutes) and definitely the book fair. I miss the workshops the most, not only as an attendee, but, a few times now, as a co-presenter. I miss hanging out in the hotel lobby with writer friends I only see when we gather like this, far past the hour that we should. I miss the breakfasts most out of all the meals, because I am an extroverted morning person, and I love breakfast. Give me a bottomless source of tea, and it is extroverted morning person Christmas. Stay in an entire hotel full of people who love to do what I love to do? Sign. Me. Up. Right. Now.

There is probably some virtual version of this, which I would be happy to do from home in my comfy robe with my own bottomless supply of tea. There is nothing stopping me from setting up video chats with other writer friends (seriously, Last Call Girls, DM me.) and commune thusly.

I can see I am rambling here, and there is a School Spirits season finale waiting for me, so I need to get to that. Have you ever been to a writers’ or readers’ conference? Would you like to go? Are you watching School Spirits? Yap at me in the comments, so we can discuss. I’ll even put a book on your chair.

Typing With Wet Paws: Relentless Reading and Overstuffed Doppelganger Edition

March 2, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm troopers. I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. It’s cold and wintry mix-y here in NY state. Mama Anna was draggy today because sleep deprivation (not my fault) and cranky because desk chair wanted to be a Tilt-a-Whirl instead. I also claim no hand (paw?) in that, even though I sproinged out of it multiple times per day until it was finally unable to support a human.

That’s moot now, because Mama Anna got a new chair that is better constructed. I have not had a chance to sit or sleep in it yet, but Mama Anna seems to like it fine. Having a good chair will go a long way in doing stuff in this new month and beyond. The start of a new month is when Mama Anna turns her planners, journals, and pouches over to the new theme/season. That will probably be part of what she will be covering in the next week. Right now, she likes the idea of tying things to the way March used to be in the Before times, when she and Aunt Melva would go to conferences. I have been told that there is not a cat track at these things, so I have mixed feelings about that.

Also new around here is the latest in the ever growing army of Calico stuffed animals. This new one does not have a name yet but I don’t think we look anything alike. Well, except for the calico-ness. I am long and lean, and this new kid is pretty round. Her splootches aren’t even that visible from this angle.

*Relentless,* by Bertrice Small and Thomas Small

Mama Anna is also excited about her reading progress this year. The book above, the first Bertrice Small title in a decade, is part of that reason. It’s not a historical romance, but part biography, with early poetry, fiction, and a never-before-seen novella set in the world of romance publishing. Click on the link above to read her five-star review.

So far, Mama Anna is almost one-third of the way to her reading goal for 2025, which is twenty-five books. She’s currently reading two novels; one on audio and one on e=book, so she has room for a paper book. As long as she has one hand free to rub my belly, I am fine with that. Her reading is going super well this year, which is good for everybody.

I, of course, was on hand/paw to watch Mama Anna and Aunt Linda put together the new chair. It came in a huge box, which I found super interesting. I was really good and did not try to play with the hardware from the chair, even though it was extremely tempting. Not to worry, though. I am always up to find interesting new toys around the house.

What’s going on with you guys?

Reading Progress, TV Hangovers, and Other Stories

February 26, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Two days away from March, and I am certain that I did not sign off on this. For many years, March meant conference season. I think it always will, though through various events, finding romance writer conferences is not as easy as it was before. I do plan on getting back on that particular horse. Most likely, when I do, everything will snap back into place and I’ll wonder why I waited so long, blah blah blah.

Anyway. March. March is that place between winter and spring. In like a lion, out like a lamb, or the other way around. We’ll see soon enough.

Knock me over with a feather, because I am ahead of schedule on my reading goal for this year. Last night, I jumped on the release of Relentless, by Bertrice Small and Thomas Small, as soon as I knew it was out, and devoured it in one sitting. Not a novel, not historical romance, but part biography, part memoir, part poetry, short stories, and a never before published novella. I did not make a dent in my sleep debt last night, but I have no regrets. Dare I say I even feel encouraged that I can get myself back on that horse and keep moving forward.

This week, I set the goal that I have to write actual English words in manuscript format for A Heart Most Ardent, the second novella in my Ravenwood series. Only a couple more boxes to tick before I can release A Heart Most Errant, so definitely time to be writing-writing the next one. Her Last First Kiss has also been tapping me on the shoulder and looking at me over whatever document it is currently reading. This means I am going to be hopping from medieval to Georgian to contemporary times, and I am looking forward to it.

Melva has finished her edits on Drama King, plus a couple of additions. I can’t want to get eyes on that, and then we start the process on that one. The world of indie publishing couldn’t be more different from the traditional publishing world of the first wave of historical romance. If I had some holodeck time (TNG Trekker, yep) I likely would have a program where I was an up-and-coming author in the 70s/80s/early 90s in the historical romance realm. A weekend on Fantasy Island would also suffice, although things would go completely pear-shaped on that one, so maybe not. I am nothing if not genre-savvy.

The TV hangover from Z Nation continues. Then again, there is a release date in sight for Dead City, season two, and new School Spirits tomorrow, plus Yellowjackets on Friday. Do I sound like a cranky old lady when I reminisce about fixed seasons for television? Maybe? Do I care? No. Do I continue to sail my favorite ships (relationships) even if they are not canon and the property is now decades old? Abso-fluffing-lutely. No standout ships for Z Nation, oddly enough, though I am delighted that the actors who played Sarge and 10k got married in real life. Oh wait, Citizen Z and Kaya. Also, Warren got three romances, so there is kissing.

That’s enough of a ramble for today. March means a return to a more consistent blogging schedule, so I am taking advantage of the wiggle room I have left. Time to wrestle with the printer, which likes to tell me it’s offline when it isn’t, but I am not above unplugging it and restarting the laptop to get it back in line. Also time to pop in the earbuds and listen to an audiobook while carrying out domestic warrior queen duties, because I am all about filling the well and keeping it filled.

What’s filling your well this week?

Typing With Wet Paws: Zombie Shows and Future Plans

February 23, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. Still snowy here in NY’s Capitol region, and my people have a heating pad and weighted blanket, so napping on cold days is primo. I don’t know why Mama Anna thinks I would be on her desk chair (even though she has pictures) when I have all of those things (plus a new stuffed friend that she says looks like me, but I don’t see it) on the bed. Either way, I may be able to convince her to work some from the bed because there is definitely something going on with the chair.

The boys, my play cousins, Ollie and Murphy, are also doing well, even though they literally broke Aunt Melva’s heart (shaped glass candy dish) on Valentine’s Day. They are cute, so she forgives them. They say hi. They are looking forward to doing some guest blogging here in the future. Maybe I will let them chime in from time to time.

what do you think is causing Murphy’s airplane ears? Also, why is it Ollie?

There is a guy named Murphy in Z Nation, the show Mama Anna just finished watching. He is kind of a main guy, and is sometimes blue or red, but usually kind of pink. Mama Anna liked that show a lot, and she has already seen Black Summer, the show that comes before it, which she will probably watch again at some point. Do you know of any other zombie shows she might like? The Walking Dead is her favorite, and In the Flesh after that. If she gets a new show (preferably with a lot of seasons) then I get belly rub time while she watches it. Sometimes, I watch along with her. I can get behind a show based on hunting. That’s how I like to imagine it works when she goes to that “shopping” place.

Now that we are starting a new week, she will be spending more time at the desk, so maybe these shows are training for future shopping expeditions. Sometimes, she and the other humans (Papa and Aunt Linda) make other humans bring them stuff and then go away. I can respect that. Oen of those people brought Mama Anna a new set of ink cartridges for her printer. The box is far too small for me to sit in but that’s okay. I still have a mailer from when the sticker paper came. I am resourceful. Anyway, this week, Mama Anna is working on figuring out how to blend two websites and then start putting down some actual English words on the new book.

What are you up to this week?

March-ing Along

February 19, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Right now, my desk chair is tilting forward. Housemate says that’s probably because that type of seat balances on a ball, and something probably set it off where it should be. That something is more than likely Storm (who really does still owe posts; I will not let her forget.)

I begin with that bit of information because we are having a blabber today. That sort of thing is best done when one starts where one is and uses what one has. What I have is a chair that occasionally scoots out from under me, because my cat thinks it is a time share. She is not wrong. Conveying this has successfully put me over the block of “where do I even start?” because I already started. Follow me for more tips.

Speaking of following and why people should when this gal says nothing for the longest time and then when she does, it’s all about her office chair. Also, more cat pictures. I hear you. Storm is a very photogenic cat and Melva and I are both committed to Storm’s play cousins earning their keeps around here.

Yesterday, that meant time with my writing planner, looking at March. Once I take care of a wee bit of housekeeping, I will be ready to launch A Heart Most Errant. It should be a real live e-book this spring. Melva has already finished the final-final pass through of Drama King, so that is ready to get the same treatment. Queen of Hearts, we both agree is going to need more work, but it’s a fun book, so we don’t mind. After that, well, we get to write more books, both together and on our own, which is a good thing.

In the before times, March was the time of the annual regional RWA conference, which was the place Chasing Prince Charming was “conceived.” Then RWA and the world both exploded, as did personal life, and, well, it’s been a while. Still, I can’t shake the feel of March being the time of getting a big dose of “you got this, Wondrous Writing Warrior Queen.” It also is firmly themed in my mind as blues, grays, wind, and precipitation. That last part may be because I live on the east coast of the US. We’re like that for several months, not just March.

Anyhoo, we’ve got some changes coming to make it easier for me to be more consistent in content creation. As with most things, this requires planning. The fact that it lets me play with pens, washi, stickers, etc, is a bonus. Consistency is key when creating content, and planning is a good way to get that consistency. Right now, I am planning for two blogs a week, starting in March. Typing With Wet Nails will be from me, posting on Tuesdays, and Typing With Wet Paws will be Storm (and occasional guest play cousins) on Caturday…I mean Saturday. I am still figuring out where Anna Log will best fit, but making videos is fun, and I sure do watch a lot of blabbery videos on You Tube and would love to see something like that centered around vintage historical romance, because I crazy love that stuff. There will probably also be planning and journaling content there, as that’s my second instrument as it were. I cannot promise I won’t talk about zombie shows.

I am also looking at the best way to put this site and MelvaAndAnna.com under one virtual roof. We are coming to the conclusion that our indie publishing journey may at this point be a small publishing house with three clients; Melva, me, and Melva-and-me. Do we need an LLC? If so, do we need a lawyer, or can we do it ourselves with a form? To say there is a learning curve is to put it mildly. Then again, in this season of new beginnings, it fits.

Okay, that’s about it for today. I’m giving myself wiggle room for the back end of February to get the schedule under control, but starting in March, things should be much more consistent. Many thanks to all those sticking around. You will be rewarded with many cat pictures, and other delights, as well as getting a chance to give your input. What would you all like to see me (or Storm) talk about in the future?

Typing With Wet Paws: So, That Was January Edition

February 2, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up. Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. Not a lot of blogging this month, but we (Mama Anna, me, and everyone else) are still here. Here are some of the highlights of what I will call the Silent Month:

Mama Anna is taking longer than she expected to get to the Actual Publishing part of independent publishing, but that only makes her more determined. Papa will be helping her, so look for updates soon.
My new purpose in life is to break into the drawer where Papa keeps my treats. He has caught me multiple times and he and Mama Anna are pretty sure I will eventually get it. I also know where they keep the BIG bag they refill the one in the drawer from, but I know I can’t open that on my own (yet) so I still have to ask humans for help.
Speaking of help, Mama Anna has found a couple of things that help her a lot in both the mental health and writing fronts.
- she now uses a specific notebook for a sleep tracker; how many hours, if she remembers any dreams/nightmares, that kind of stuff.
- writing time is every weekday, and it doesn’t have to look the same every day.
- the reading tracker is a big ol’ success. She may do a blog or video about that, because visuals are a big part of it. She will probably do something similar for TV/movies, as she wants to do more of that kind of stuff. She can watch stuff while rubbing my belly, so I am all for that being a more regular thing.

As you can see, I am extremely committed to getting into these things. This does seem to mirror Mama Anna’s determination to get back on the writing/publishing horse (metaphorical horse; we are in an apartment, so there is no room for a horse.) It may take a while, but we will get there.

This is obviously the year of play cousins, because I have another one. We have a new across the hall neighbor, and it is our building’s maintenance human. He is really good at playing guitar. He also has a dog, Moe, who is a Chihuahua. We have kind of met through the door. Moe’s dad told Mama Anna that Moe likes cats. I am always down for new friends, so we will see what happens.

Another thing Mama Anna has started doing is to design stickers/images for her planners and journals. She is, of course, going to make some me stickers, because duh. Cats are the best. Making her own stickers and stuff is helping her creative brain a lot, which is a good thing. It also makes sure that she keeps monthly themes for her planners, and that the themes are things she likes.

Okay, that’s about it for January, so we go on to February next. Hope yours is going great. Headbonx!

January Blabber Post

January 7, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

We’re going to need a headboard. Not the most exciting way to start the new year (well maybe, but this isn’t that kind of blog) but that’s what’s most on my mind. Not exactly news, but an unavoidable fact. We do have one in storage, though it may take some Storage Tetris to access it, so we are also browsing. It’s actually fun to think of starting out the year with doing something as adult as picking out furniture.

So far today, I have had Housemate help me figure out why Real Life Romance Hero and I couldn’t get the bed properly aligned with the wall and what do you know, that’s space for the headboard. Well, okay then. I’m actually excited about this because a good headboard does a lot to tie a room together (well, a bedroom; it probably wouldn’t do much in the kitchen, et al.) That does bode well for the coming year.

This is the current desk setup. Wooden crate with planners is on the other side of the laptop. The posterboard may eventually be replaced by a corkboard (we have one in storage.) The fairy lights are staying as permanent fixtures because mental health. Storm has been not so subtly suggesting that I reverse the positions of tent and crate, because if she is on the side of the desk where my crate currently is, she can get an excellent view out the window. We are in negotiations.

According to my own plans, I am now officially in prewriting for A Heart Most Ardent, the second story in my medieval series. This is also the time to finally pull the trigger on the whole uploading and actually publishing thing, to which I am equal parts excited and terrified. The way publishing looks now is not the way publishing looked when I first started this journey. I’m not sure how I feel about this. I’ll figure it out, because that’s how these things work.

Reading, which was almost nil last year, is going gangbusters now, as I am diving deep into the big vintage historical romance novels I have always loved the very most. I have a reading journal I look forward to getting into every evening. I will be intuiting the living daylights out of a writing journal. Jump in with both feet and splash around until I end up swimming.

Social media…who knows what’s going on with that anymore? I certainly don’t. This is my blog, so I am planning to make sure I stay on track with this. Thinking and talking (and blabbering on paper and/or keyboard counts) happen at the same time for me, which works super well with being an extrovert. This means time to talk to my friends, both old and new. My anxiety is not as on board with that as the rest of me, but we have ways around that.

So. It doesn’t feel like I’m saying all that much right now. I have spent the greater part of the day, after sorting out the bed to wall ratio, changing sheets, and then probably the most fun part of the day –organizing my pens. I have a lot of pens. Like seriously, a lot of pens. There may be some de-stashing going on in the near future, but putting like with like felt seriously soothing. Maybe a pen case tour could be in the future.

Anyway, hi. I’m Anna. I write stuff. I plan. I journal. Sometimes I make art. I share my desk with a calico cat. Let’s do this year.

Typing With Wet Paws: Overstimulated and Loving It Edition

January 3, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. This post is a little late because I have been busy. Christmas was great. Here is a picture of me in the middle of a huge pile of tissue paper:

While Mama Anna’s usual way of wrapping presents is to use pretty paper and tape over every single possible way to get into the package (fun fact: the first present Mama Anna gave to Papa was one of the “I am going to marry this girl” signs, because that’s how all the women in his family of origin wrapped presents.) this year she went a different route and everything went in dark red paper bags stuffed with white tissue paper. This made Christmas awesome. So many bags! So much crinkle paper! I didn’t know where to look next, what to investigate. Everything was crinkly and there were paper caves and the humans were all super happy.

Well. I soon made a decision. This year, Mama Anna brought back stockings (the presents kind, not the wearing kind) to the holiday, and I got my own. It says “C” on it, for Calico Cat. I got a teeny me-sized insulated tumbler, because Mama Anna and Aunt Linda have and love their big ones, so I got one in proportion. It’s mainly decorative because I have water bowls. (One of them, I have had since I was with my first human, Mama D –Happy Holidays, Mama D! Hope you are doing as great as I am! — and the other one was passed down from Big Sister Skye.

Oh. Speaking of which, I am going to get another play cousin. This one will be the puppy kind, and her name will be Skye, so she will be Cousin Skye and Big Sister Skye is Big Sister Skye. Or maybe she will be Dog Skye or Puppy Skye. I will decide later. Mama Anna and Aunt Mary have already started making plans for virtual play dates, which will involve them holding us up to the screen while they have their weekly video chats.

Okay, back to Christmas. I got a stuffed fish that was not very interesting, so Mama Anna and Papa put it in a bag with some catnip sprinkles and sealed it. They will leave it there for a while and then try giving it to me again. I LOVE catnip. I have also discovered that I love a treat called Temptations. Papa gave me my first one on Christmas morning, and I LOVE it. Now Papa has to give me one or two when he comes home from work. This is non-negotiable. Mama Anna reminds me that while treats are fine, the prayer does NOT go, “lead me straight to the Temptations.”

This morning, I reminded her why there is the rule about not allowing me near her open mugs without supervision. The humans got themselves a machine (it is on the counter, where I am not allowed) that makes hot water superduper fast. Mama Anna uses that to make her morning tea if she doesn’t want to wait for the tea kettle. I should note that her big pink tumbler is too big to fit in this machine, so she has to use a regular mug. Some of you can see where this is going next.

Is this not the most appropriate paper clip I could possibly put in Mama Anna’s tea when she wasn’t looking, or what? Now she’s mumbling something about mug covers. Wonder what that’s all about. Anyway, that’s what’s going on around here. 2025 is shaping up well so far. How’s it going for all you guys?

Headbonx!