Tag Archives: dogs

Faeries, Swords and Devils.

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One major reason for my recent, unintended absence, was that the reading bug finally got me again. For all of 2023, I only read 10 books. Since the first of this year, I have read 11 and I’m currently working on two. One thicc boi for at home and one in my tote for lunch time at work.

Here’s a roundup of the few I’ve read recently:

For most of this novella, there wasn’t much that set it apart from other fantasy novels, but I was still enjoying myself. With the route it was taking, I didn’t expect the turn that it took towards the end. I thought it would follow a middle of the road path straight until the end and leave you wondering if the second book was worth the effort. But with that twist, I will read book two. I’m not running out to the store to get it anytime soon though, it wasn’t THAT good. Perfect size for work travel.

This book has some sentimental value. It is the last book in the last batch of books that my grandfather bought me before he passed away. That was 9 years ago. Somehow, subliminally, I saved one of the best for last. ZOMBIES. It’s been a minute since I last picked up a zombie novel. They are not all created the same. This one however, had enough twists to the world that my interest was piqued immediately. The zombie plague broke out 20 years ago and humanity has been dealing with it ever since. Not on the fringes barely being able to squeeze out an existence, but with cities and government still intact. The internet still exists, so communication is key. How have they not rid the undead pestilence yet when technology is so prevalent? Every human carries a virus payload within them, the virus can at times spontaneously overload your body and cause immediate transition. (Getting bit is still the main lethal spread.) We follow our main characters, journalists who run a blog (more trustworthy than the actual news, news failed to provide actual help as the outbreak happened) as they follow the presidential campaign across the country. It mixes adventure, flirting with death, politics and zombies into a deliciously morbid blend. I did not see the end coming.

Most of the time, I was burning through this series. It has taken me by surprise how much I have loved it. I was sketchy about trying the first book years ago, but a good friend convinced me, despite my reservations that it was worth it. She wasn’t wrong. Then, Moth bought me the second book and it sat on my shelf for about a year. Talking to the same friend who recommended it, she informed me that the second book was better than the first and she said, “Just do it.” I did. Before I was finished with it, I ran out and bought the third because there was so much detail that I knew I didn’t want to forget anything if I left off for a while. I got to the middle of the third book and Mr. C&M was ordering the last two for me so I wouldn’t have to fret. This series has unexpectedly launched into my top 10 series list. I still wouldn’t read Maas’ original assassin series as that does not appeal to me, but I will definitely keep up on her adult books. Now I anxiously await the next installment.

The blank says, “Beware of pit bulls. They will steal your heart.” And it is truth.

Mr. C&M also set up a new reading spot for me (and Ridley). This big recliner is right next to my bookshelf, the lamp is directly behind me, and I have a coaster for a drink. Ridley is my reading partner in crime, and we have sat together for many hours getting lost in different worlds. ❤

What are you reading right now?

SIP (Swim in Peace)

Scrumptious Delirium, , , , , , ,

It has been a busy couple of weeks since my last post. We had a friend from out of state come visit for a week and during that time we celebrated Moth’s birthday and went on some adventures. You can read about our trip to a death museum here if interested.

The grim reaper came to our house too. I announced that Ace passed unexpectedly. Unfortunately, a few days later, Booberry passed. He could not recover from his constipation despite my best efforts. (It could have also potentially been a stomach tumor, hard to tell with fish.) A week after that, Gourdie died as well! So here I sit, currently feeling like the worst betta owner ever. However, I have to remind myself, I’m also rescuing already unhealthy fish.

Booberry was especially hard as he’s the one who reignited my love for bettas and began my journey back into aquariums. D:

For anyone keeping count, I went from 5 bettas to 2 in the matter of a few weeks. That leaves some tanks sitting empty. No rush to add anyone new however, there is only one tank that I trust which is Booberry’s old place. He didn’t die of any environmental ailments that I can tell. I’ve decided the other two will be torn apart. One will be decommissioned and the other will be completely revamped and new plants added.

Yes, I said no rush for new tenants but there may be a new one lurking in Booberry’s place as of this minute. No official announcements until they are adjusted and deemed healthy enough that they won’t kick the bucket shortly after I post about them. :3

In other completely unrelated news, the verdict of the homemade dog food is in. The recipe I shared in my last post, lasted for 10 days, around 20 meals for 2 dogs. That broke down to about $0.72/meal. The cost of the cheapest canned dog food broke down to $0.67/meal. So, for $0.05 more per meal, I have food I can trust, that is healthier, and my dogs enjoy more. I think I will keep with it. I’m sure that I will share other recipes that I try in the future.

Finished books:

I will read about any cult, ever. I find it absolutely fascinating. This one is not for the faint of heart as there was child sexual abuse in this cult and the author is honest about their own experiences with it. I think it was so brave of this woman to come forward and share her experience being raised in a cult after keeping it secret most of her life.

I have had this as my lunch time read at work for over a year now but I FINALLY focused and finished it so I could clear it off of the shelf. While I did enjoy it, I did not like it as much as the first book. But this could very much be my fault, I sometimes did not pick it up for months at a time, so I wasn’t fully invested in what was happening.

Craft club returns for our second meeting ever this coming weekend! I am very excited. We’re trying to make dry terrariums. 😀

What is the most exciting thing coming up in your life in the near future??

Eat Your Carrots!

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In the random workings of my mind, one day I decided that perhaps, I would attempt to make homemade dog food. My reasoning? Canned dog food has gone through the roof as of late. The cheap stuff is $2/can and the more expensive, quality stuff upwards of $5/can. My dogs eat 2/3 of a can per day. Why do they need canned food? They really don’t. It all began with Ozzy YEARS ago. He had to be medicated so much when we got him, we had to hide the meds in canned food to get it down him. Then, add to the fact that my brain decided that it would be really boring to eat the same thing for every meal, and you have my situation 15 years later.

Anyway, I digress. I began researching some homemade dog food recipes online and decided to give it a shot. I am not replacing my dry food but supplementing with homemade. There are MANY recipes on the internet, and this is the first one that I am trying.

In case you want to try this yourself; here are the measurements of the ingredients: 1.5 cups brown rice, 3 pounds ground turkey, 3 cups spinach (chopped), 2 cups carrots (shredded), 1 zucchini (shredded) and 1/2 cup peas (canned or frozen). All cooked up and put together.

It cost $14.40 and made around 4 quarts of food. (I know this because I froze some.) My final verdict on whether this saves me money, won’t come for a minute. I’ll do the math when I run out of food. But in the meantime, the dogs are losing their minds over it:

I’m adding fruits to it at least once a day as well. Strawberries were a hit. They both like banana and I think we’ll try blueberries soon. This was the thing that I was most excited to try over the weekend.

In other C&M news!

I finished two books since my first book of the year:

This was a lunch time book. It was entertaining and incredibly easy to read when you only have 20-30 minutes to do so. It was light-hearted, despite some dark content but there was nothing revolutionary here since I watched the HBO special once upon a time.

I finally picked up book 2 in this steampunk series that I started a few years back. I had a good time and was invested in the main characters (and some of the side characters too). I love the imagination that comes out in steampunk novels. This is a series that I think I will continue although I’m not racing out to find book 3.

Our betta Ace died unexpectedly Saturday night. I had cleaned his tank, came back a few hours later and he had passed. I’m not sure what happened. I don’t know if it was something I did, or the stress just took him. He was the least healthy fish rescue that I’ve had yet. I won’t lie and pretend that I’m not upset. Many people will (and have) said that it’s just a fish but to me, bettas are not your average fish. I will take solace in the fact that he had a very good 6-8 months with me that were not guaranteed when he came so close to dying in a cup at the store. RIP.

So, a mixed bag since my last post folks! How was your week? What was the best thing that happened? (Doesn’t matter if it’s a little or big thing, it just had to make you happy.)

Happy HOWLidays!

Scrumptious Delirium, , , ,

“Dear Santa, even though I recently ate SEVERAL bags of cookies, I really shouldn’t be on the naughty list. Love, Ridley”

Remember those cookies that I baked my last post? Well, someone who thinks he’s sly and has not been caught, decided to get them off the counter and eat EVERY SINGLE COOKIE in EVERY SINGLE BAG. That was less than a week after they were made. Then, just the other night, he stole the new bag of bulk dog treats off of the counter and ate those too. 1.5 pounds of treats to be exact.

He says he’s not sorry and he’ll definitely do it again given the chance.

Kids, amiright?

Anywho, I just wanted to drop in and wish everyone a very merry holiday season! I hope that you get to rest, relax, eat good food and enjoy good company. Refresh your soul and prepare for a brand new year of shenanigans. ❤

Thankshenanigans

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POW! BAM! BOOM!

Now that I have your attention, hello. How are you doing there? Did you have a good holiday weekend? Did you attempt black friday sales? Are you ready to get holly jolly?

We had a lovely four-day weekend. (Or at least I did. Mr. C&M had to work on Friday.) I currently feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle a work week. I’m sure future me will disagree come tomorrow morning. :3

We shared a lovely Thanksgiving feast with Mr. and Mrs. Moth at Moth’s parent’s house. It’s always laid back, with fun banter and good food. I could go there every year and perhaps we will. We tend to be flexible when it comes to Thanksgiving, but it’s hard to resist a place with zero drama that brings the flavor game every time.

We also had a belated celebration for Mr. Moth’s birthday. He had expressed interest in getting a betta a few months back. As far as I can remember, I don’t think he’s ever had a fish. So as a birthday present, we set him up with the tank he had envisioned. A black light tank. We’ve started him off with a 5-gallon tank and if he should dream bigger, he can upgrade from there. It was so much fun watching him pick out “the one.” It was a daunting task to not bring another one home myself as there were a LOT of dead fish in the wall of cups. But he rescued this handsome devil from a possibly terrible fate:

His name is to-be-determined but I’m so excited to get another person into the betta fandom and to have yet another betta to post about from time to time. 😀

Ridley and Noi were past due for some BFF time. (According to them, one day apart is too long.) Moth captured this very adorable moment when Noi was attempting to spring Ridley from “jail.” She was actively trying to slide the handle with her mouth and using her paws to try to pry the door open. Why was he in jail? He had just eaten his breakfast and I wanted him to chill a minute before getting rowdy again. Not on Noi’s watch!

As this fabulous weekend comes to a close, it chose to start snowing just before we started our journey home. We took our time and arrived safely, but it reminds me that it’s getting to be that time to hunker down for the winter. I regularly look forward to hermit season. Time to pull out all the ultra-warm pajamas, tons of blankets, and get back on the hot cocoa train. WINTER IS COMING. BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE NEXT ADDITION TO THE SONG OF ICE AND FIRE SERIES.

I honestly gave up on that LONG ago, but I intermittently like to complain about it still. Currently, Moth and I are rereading Little Women. I haven’t read it since I was quite young so it’s almost entirely new to me. I remember that it was one of my aunt’s favorites and that I enjoyed it too but that’s about it. I’ve also surprisingly never watched any movie adaptations since I was a child either. It has a very cozy feel to it which I think is perfect for this time of year.

Next on my to do list? Decorate for Christmas!

Your Favorite Goblin is Back

Scrumptious Delirium, , , , , ,

‘Ello friends! Long time, no chat. I did what the kids call ‘touching grass’ for months and it was great. I’ve barely touched this laptop the entire time. Ridley has had my undivided attention outside of work for months now, the minute I sit down to try to type this out, he’s on my lap begging to be cuddled. Fastforward to me sitting at the coffee table like it’s a pretend desk, so he’ll give me space to type. He’s progressed to zoomies so I’m also dodging a cannonball flying around the living room. Life with dogs is fun and weird and I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

Speaking of that specific little devil, July was one year since his foster mom sprung him from the clink and August was one year since we adopted him. We had some setbacks with his behavior while we let a friend move in temporarily. Said person said they were great with dogs, maybe dogs with no issues, which is not our boy. Ridley hated him with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. Once that person moved out, boom, our boy was back to his normal self. He’s still come a LONG way in the last year, and I look forward to keeping his progress going. (Future post of his first birthday party with his BFF soon.)

I’m not sure that we stopped all summer. There were trips up north and out of state. Day shenanigans with friends and coworkers. Work on our house. Becoming obsessed with new hobbies. I would not have had time to blog, so the hiatus was a good decision. I’m ready for my favorite time of year, Autumn, and all the fun that comes with. Fall means that we start slowing down. I will also begin my preparations to squirrel away for the winter. I like leaving the house as little as necessary once it gets cold and it makes for the perfect reading atmosphere. (I’ve barely read anything this year!)

Oh no. Ridley has figured out that the coffee table is his height, and he can wedge himself in my lap AND plop his head on the keyboard. The old school desk might need to get cleared off just so I can post. **5 minutes later and we’ve advanced to him sitting on the couch and hanging his head over my shoulder. **

August brought another mighty storm which led to yet MORE branches coming down from our trees. Luckily, this time the damage was minimal, and it was mostly just a massively annoying mess to take care of.

There is no way that I can catch up on months of everyone’s blogs so I will be starting fresh from this past week. I look forward to getting back in touch with everyone!

For myself, I have months’ worth of updates to share so I hope to be back at this at least once a week.

How was your summer? Did I miss anything big?

Summer Hiatus

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It’s time to stop making excuses for my disappearances and just do what needs to be done. I’ve decided to take the summer off of blogging and limit all social media use. I’ve gotten very into aquariums and plants and other creative endeavors that I would like to work on now that school is OUT. FO. EVA.

I adore you all and miss you but I’m sure I will be back in the fall.

Sunbathing + butt scritches = bliss

First Book Haul of 2023

Book Reviews, Light My Fire, , , , , , ,

Even when money is tight, sometimes you just gotta treat yo self.

As a mood reader, the one thing I did not have in my collection to quench a thirst if it popped up, was any non-fiction. I’ve always liked learning and even though I’m in school currently, my brain still wants more.

This is my second ever order from Bookoutlet.com. Their prices are pretty incredible. I bought 7 books for $38. (That tops what I spend in all of 2022 on books but who cares?! Books!)

The tantalizing box!

True crime, non-fiction, mystery, dogs. The range is good with this lot. I’ve already started Death’s Acre so expect a review of that in the near future.

What treasures did you get in your latest book haul??

Winter Has Come

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It’s been a weird winter here in Michigan. We’ve received hardly any snow, mostly cold rain and gray, gray days. This past Wednesday we were hit with a pretty good storm, and it finally feels like a real Michigan winter. At the very least, the snow is pretty, and it makes the house feel cozier.

I’ve been hunkered down with lots of schoolwork as of late. I do have a book haul on the horizon, a book review and a possible comic review as well. Until then, I try to check in every couple of days when I have extra time. So, for now, I leave you with cute dogs in winter pictures.

Welcome, 2023!

Scrumptious Delirium, , , , ,

Well, I just kind of disappeared there, didn’t I?

The holidays started to kick into full gear, and I just rode that crazy tidal wave into 2023. Sorry for the total absence but it did me some good to step away for a bit.

Ridley loved his first Christmas! To be honest, that is the thing that I cared about the most this year. The poor boy has known nothing but torture before 6 months ago and I intend to spoil him absolutely rotten for the rest of his life. He was showered in toys and treats and now he really wishes Christmas was every week.

On the 30th, Melanie and her husband Nick came to town to engage in various shenanigans. She got to meet Moth in person for the first time and the boys all met each other. They ran off without us immediately to try some craft beers. We ate good food, bowled terribly (except Nick), and laughed a LOT. It was great time and I’m so thankful to count Melanie and Nick in our friend circle. ❤

On NYE, we hung out with Mr. and Mrs. Moth and their fur child (and BFF to Ridley) Noi. It was a very chill evening, just the way we like to ring in the new year. The fur children wrestled endlessly but we also forced them to wear pajamas for pictures. I would like to think we embarrassed them, but they seemed to enjoy themselves.

I for one, am ready for a new year. 2022 sucked for our household and I have hope that things turn around in 2023. I’m not sure whether or not I’m even going to try for any resolutions this go around. I might to see where the wind takes us.

How as your New Year’s Eve? What was your favorite part?