Books, Books and More Books

It's no secret that I like to read. I have books stashed everywhere in my house. The attic has several bookshelves, some double-stacked. My bedroom has two spots stacked with books, the living room has a wall shelf that is double-stacked as well as a table with a shelf that is double-stacked. I recently started a stack of books on the china cabinet. I just don't have enough room for all the books I want to read. I try to read every day, normally before bed. It's how I wind down, get my brain to shut down, and enjoy a little me time. Sadly, as much as I try to read each night, it doesn't happen most nights.

A few weeks ago, Gene and I were out at Barnes and Noble. As we were browsing the books, we were also talking about my website. I was saying that it can be a struggle to figure out a topic to write about. I'm not sure why that happens—when I first said I was going to write a blog, I thought I had plenty of things to write about—and now I can't seem to remember any of them. He said to me that I need to combine more of what I like into my blog, like my book reading.

I run a virtual book club on Facebook - Pages & Ponder: A Novel Experience. While we have a good number of members, only a few consistently participate. We vote once a month for the following month's book. Our discussions are conducted through a post containing 4-5 questions, where you comment with your answers. There is no pressure to discuss the books or read the ones we choose.

In addition to voting and discussing the books, I try to post book-related items—something that tends to fall by the wayside, as I just don't have enough time to spend scheduling posts. In some ways, running a virtual book club is harder than one that meets in person on a monthly basis because I try to keep things low-key and with no pressure to participate. That often leads to people not voting on books or answering the discussion questions.

Almost 2 years ago, I started doing "Live readings," where you can be added to the "Conference call" - I call you and merge the line with any other "Call-Ins," or you can join the live stream video. When you choose to do the video, you have the chance to see my cats or whatever pets I may be house-sitting at the time. The live book reading led me to think, I can record these and put them on YouTube.

So I started a channel for that - Mel's Book Corner. Like every other online thing I do, I don't have a huge following. But there must be one or two people who find my videos and listen to them, as each video has a handful of views.

At Gene's recommendation, I have started again reading and videoing them. Currently, I'm reading Animal Farm by George Orwell. So head to YouTube and have a listen, and share it with anyone who likes to listen to books. You can even drop requests in the comments on YouTube or send me a message for the next book I should read!

Til our Tails cross again,

Mel

#purrfectdozen #books #bookreader #reader #livereading #readingfun #bookclub

Traveling Cats!

At a recent event, I met a few traveling cats. It's not the norm to see cat owners out and about with their cats. Dogs rule the world of traveling with their humans everywhere. There are some very valid reasons that happens.

Cats are very independent and love to explore their surroundings on their own terms, while dogs are happy to sniff around, mark, and move on. Not to mention that cats are extremely territorial and don't take to being outside their everyday environment very well. It ends up being more stressful than enjoyable. So how do cat owners manage to get their cats to be traveling pets?!

Training is not especially easy. You need to start early with a leash and harness, as early as possible. You'll want to make sure that the harness fits correctly—snug but not too tight—and that it has a "breakaway" option in case they get caught, so they can get out of the harness. Once they are comfortable wearing a harness, attach a leash and get them used to walking with you. Cats will want to stop and sniff everything you go past, not to mention trying to catch anything that catches their eye—birds, bugs, squirrels, etc.

If that doesn't sound like a scenario that will work with your cat, you can go more expensive and get a pet stroller! You can clip them in, and most of them have screened zipper enclosures to keep them safe. This keeps them in a safe environment while you take them out—giving them a sense of safety and comfort. For the ultimate adventure with your feline friend, you can use a stroller and harness/leash setup, giving them the option to walk and explore or just ride in comfort!

One cat I met - Lucifer, a black Egyptian hairless cat, was on a leash, being carried in her owner's arms - but they also had the bubble backpack to put him in as needed. He was social and comfortable being on a leash/being held, letting strangers pet him and loving the attention. A bubble backpack is a kind of cat carrier that is the size of a large backpack, but the front of the backpack is a hard clear plastic with holes for fresh air. He stopped and let me pet him and enjoyed two handfuls of cat treats. Even doling out an accidental bite - he ate all the treats and thought my ring was the last bite and bit my finger instead!

There were two other cats we had the joy of meeting - they were leashed and clipped in a pet stroller. The stroller is slightly smaller than a standard stroller and has many of the same features - a basket underneath to store things, an adjustable back to lay flat, at an angle, or straight up. There's also a sunshade that pulls over the top of the stroller and a mesh screen to keep bugs out.

Since I saw these cats out and about, enjoying the fresh air and getting lots of attention from all the people they met, I have considered getting a stroller to take some of my more social cats out. Most likely, it would be Smokey—she is the extremely social cat always looking for attention. Getting a pet stroller is now sharing the back burner with Smokey getting an unpaid job at the nursing home as a visiting cat. Only time will tell if either or both of these things happen!

Would you ever take your cat out for an adventure - on a leash or in a stroller? If so, where would you go? Would you use the stroller or a harness/leash combo? The #purrfectdozen crew wants to know how many cat owners will be joining the traveling cat club!

Till our tails cross again,

Mel

#purrfectdozen #travelingcats #petstroller #catwalks #felineadventures #crazycatlady #catlife #catsfyp

July 4th ponderings

Fourth of July is here - hard to believe! The weather has caught on to its summer, now it seems the summer is half over with July 4th being here! This day carries significant meaning - I feel it gets lost among the general population. We have become a nation that simply sees this as a day off from work, a chance to have a BBQ, watch fireworks (or set them off), with many people not even thinking why this day is a day we get off. Read on for a short history lesson.

July 4th - the birth of the United States as an independent nation. It commemorates our adoption of the Declaration of Independence. This was done in 1776 by the Continental Congress, separating 13 American Colonies from Great Britain. We celebrate this with fireworks, parades, and BBQs. But does anyone truly stop to think about the reason we do these things?

The first celebrations in Philadelphia, PA, began in 1777 with fireworks, marking a significant moment in American history as the nation sought to commemorate its newfound independence from British rule. The event was not just a display of pyrotechnics but a collective expression of joy and patriotism among the citizens who had fought for their freedom. July 4 officially became a federal holiday in 1870, a pivotal step in recognizing the importance of Independence Day across the United States. This designation allowed the

to be celebrated uniformly, fostering a sense of national unity and pride. It was not until 1938 that the day was designated as a paid holiday, which marked a significant shift in how the government acknowledged the contributions of its workers. Before this change, for a span of 68 years, July 4 was considered an unpaid holiday for many employees, meaning that those who did not work on this day would not receive compensation. This situation often led to discussions about labor rights and the importance of honoring national holidays while balancing the economic realities faced by workers at the time. The holiday has become an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their history, celebrate their freedoms, and enjoy the company of friends and family.

This day became a holiday after major events like the American Revolutionary War in 1775. With recent news of the bombing of Iran's nuclear facility, I believe we should pause celebrations and focus on getting our nation back on track. I usually avoid political debates, but my stance is clear: violence is not the answer. There are better ways to resolve issues. While I understand the rationale behind bombing the nuclear plant, I don't think it was the right approach.

I find it extremely ironic that we use this day to celebrate the ability to choose our government and who runs our country, yet (as I write this in 2025) there is major discord among the political parties, people, and our government. How can we celebrate something as significant as this when we are in such turmoil over who our current president is (Trump), the bombings in Iran, and the overall upset everywhere? What are we truly celebrating this year? That we, Americans, have turned our beautiful country into a literal dumpster fire? Do you truly feel that this is something we should be out celebrating? Do you feel that we have lost sight of the meaning behind this holiday?

Which gets me thinking, why are we so excited to have an extra day off work - just to be off from work, attending BBQs and seeing or setting off fireworks? The last 8 years we have

been in turmoil over who's running our country, the economy, COVID, recession possibilities, hiring freezes, layoffs, wage freezes. I know most of us are sick of hearing about this stuff in the news; some feel they can't do anything about the state of the country. I don't think it's too much to ask that we take some time to reflect on what's happening around us, who we have decided to lead our country, and why.

I'm the first person to admit that I don't watch, read, or listen to the news daily. I know, it's not the best practice. I get super stressed and anxious about things that are going on that I can't change. Knowing that, I limit how much I let into my mind. But that doesn't mean I'm oblivious to what's going on; I just choose to keep it at bay instead of it being front and center in my world.

Till our tails cross again,

Mel

#purrfectdozen #July4 #4thofjuly #history #america #unitedstates #USA #landofthefree #celebration #patriotic