OscarPug - My Take on Hollywood's Big Night

Yeah, I watched the Oscars. I thought they (It?) were entertaining as far as award shows go. And yeah, most of my choices won (Zootopia! Yeah!). But I have to say this one left me feeling a little. . .

Well maybe a POEM will help express myself better

The Oscars

By 

Noodles Hamilton

On this night we gather

Our HDTV panel alit

Snacks, Beverage, veggie platter

What ever the table will fit

Our MISSION, should we choose

To pick a movie, dress and actor

That special MUSE

A great distractor

from our daily matter

WHO AM I FOOLING?

This is how I watched the Academy Awards program

Friday Means Yarns, Academy Awards, Reading Time

 To be honest, I don't know what IF ANYTHING Mommy has planned for us this weekend. I mean, today she worked . . . does not involve me . . . she vacuumed . . . definitely does not involve me. . . and she ran errands. . . no byebye for me.

So I asked her "Mommy, what plans do WE have this weekend (hinting not so subtly that she should include me)?"

Well, she said, I plan to

1. Go to Stitches West and see what is new in the world of yarn and knitting. Maybe I will take a class or two. "Do they allow PUGS," I asked? Well, no, she said. 
2. Going to watch the Academy Awards. That, she said, involves SNACKS, BEVERAGES, and a lot of SNUGGLE time with Noodles.
3. Clean the bathroom - "I don't particularly like to do that Mommy," I said. Neither do I Noodles, she countered. But someone's gotta do it!
4. Read the new book by our FURiend Lucy's HuMOM (Feeling Beachie) : Plan Cee. Mommy got a preview of it and so far she really likes it! She said it comes out very soon and right now GoodReads is doing a giveaway 

Goodreads Book Giveaway



Plan Cee

by Hilary Grossman

Giveaway ends March 15, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway
5. Take a walk to see Auntie B who will be in town. Oh that will be the MOST FUN OF ALL.

I hope you all have a great weekend full of good times and good stuff.

It's A Challenge, Part Two . . . #chewyinfluencer

It has been two weeks (and a little extra) since Chewy.com asked me to participate in the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK challenge and I gotta tell you . . .

It is NO Challenge whatsoever

I mean, if the challenge is to EAT the food, then it is no contest. I happily eat this food. It has all of the requisite features I look for in a food 

• It is Yummy
• It is Crunchy (this is not a hard fast rule)
• It is FOOD

VOILA! Meets all of my requirements. It has been a pleasure to HAVE to eat this food.

Mommy, however has more stringent requirements regarding protein, vitamins, fat content. For the MOST part, the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK meets her standards. The main ingredients are Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Pea flour, Whole Dried Potatoes, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Whole Flaxseed, Cranberries, Duck, Quail, Menhaden Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Sweet Potatoes

She does wish there was less PEA PROTEIN, MEALS of all kinds, and PULP and larger amounts of Duck, Quail and Fish proteins. That, to Mommy would be a higher quality food. But of course, that would raise the cost of making the food and put it in a different category. For a mid-priced food, Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK is very good.

This is a SATISFYING food, though. I am satisfied on relatively small portions (D-I-E-T portions is what I mean to say) and as a result my weight is staying down in the 15-16 pound range which is PERFECT for me. Even Molly likes a few pieces in her soft food. She still has a couple of molars so she can eat some satisfyingly crunchy foods now and then.

The one downside so far is my BELCHING. Yes, I have been belching A LOT since the challenge began and Mommy cannot figure out what in this food is making me BELCH. And these are STINKY belches, not ladylike at all. Last night I coupled frequent BELCHING with farting and was booted out of my FAVORITE spot next to Mommy's feet. Note to self - do NOT beg for Brussels Sprouts. They make me toot.

So Belching aside, I think this food is pretty much living up to expectations - at least in terms of what the commercials say. Is it any better than the other foods in the NUTRISH Line? Well THAT's a topic for our FINAL CHALLENGE POST.

*I received no monies for this review nor was I told what to write. I was given enough food to eat, possibly enjoy, and to rate the food in terms of what it does for ME, Noodles the Pug. All opinions are my own.

Hopping Through Life On a Wordless Wednesday

Not really Hopping

Unless you count HOPPING through

Puddles

But we ARE Hopping 

in Blogville

Hop Here

OR

Love and What it Means in MY House - #NationalLoveYourPetDay

I am always open to suggestions about what to write on this BLOG. As clever as I am, writing a blog 5 days a week can sometimes stretch the imagination and creativity to its limits. Last week sometime  SimpliSafe.com contacted me with a blog idea. SimpliSafe.com is a company concerned with home security, is very very into PET SAFETY. The company wanted to know what my HUMOM does to keep me and Molly and Sunshine the Cat and Jade the Parakeet save and happy.So Mommy #2 asked for my help and this is what we came up with. . . because, you know, SAFETY is part of LOVE.

I didn't want to just list the things that keep me safe so I decided to take you on a TOUR of our SAFETY steps.

Look how cozy this pen is . . .and the "flags" are bandanas we
got from different dog expositions and fairs

1. The primary way Molly and I are kept safe is to confine us when the HUMANS leave the house. We are never allowed to wander the house unless a family member is present. This keeps us (Molly) from exploring the trash can and recycle bag in the kitchen, climbing up on chairs or couch backs which we may fall from and get hurt, opening cabinets and getting into whatever is stored inside (which may sometimes not be so good for a pet). We use a pen and neither one of us is big enough to jump out of it. If we were, like Daisy who visited over Christmas,we would be crated. I think most dogs like the security of a small space when they are alone - I KNOW I DO.

2. We keep no poisons in the cabinet under the sink or in the bathrooms. This habit began with the HUMAN kids and continues. There is no real reason to keep drain cleaner and such under a sink. What is under our sinks are dishwashing soap, plant food and vases. Pretty tame stuff and safe for pets. Even sponges are kept out in the garage and up high. Both Molly and I are out of the puppy stage but when we were smaller - everything was a chew toy.

3. Plants they might be poisonous to pets are kept up on a shelf and not on the floor or table. We try not to have them around the house anyhow but who doesn't like poinsettias at Christmas?

These are some of the houseplants we have. The poinsettia has long gone to the garbage (it would have gone to the yard but "someone" not a dog forgot to water it.

4. Stairs are blocked off with kiddie or doggy gate. Right now it is a doggy gate since the kids are all 10 years and older. Before it was a kiddie gate. Again minimizing the danger is MY MOMMY'S favorite course of action with kids and dogs. Our stairs are steep and can be dangerous if a kid or pet trips on them or tumbles down them (it has happened despite the precaution).

5. Pet food and treats are up high and not on any cabinet that can be moved. One of us (Molly) is clever (?) enough to jump on a cabinet until something falls down. That creates a huge hazard not just from the falling object but also from the spilled food. I admit I will eat spilled food until I fall into a coma without realizing the danger of eating that much. Best to leave all temptation in an inaccessible (for the dogs) place.

6. Outside our fences are frequently checked for holes or small gaps. Neither Molly nor I are overly adventurous but why

This is what happens after
a rain - weeds immediately
grow! Mushrooms, too.

chance it? Sometimes we dog sit for friends and so have to be cautious for their well being as well. We do not have poisonous plants outside either. On warm days following a lot of rain, Mommy #2 checks for mushrooms and removes them all. It just takes a small bite to kill a dog. And pugs will sample anything. We have had a couple of dog FURIENDS who died from eating wild mushrooms and it freaks me out. So Mommy and I try to be very proactive with that.

 7. The front door is usually not opened unless we are confined. Even we little homebodies will sometimes get excited and dash from the house.

8. TREATS. A major concern. We get small instantly consumable treats when we are left alone. This is just to reward us for staying in the pen. We never get chewies or dental treats which take a long time to chew unless we are supervised. And we are not allowed to chew hours on end - one hour at most and then the chewy is taken away. We are not allowed to have rawhide - as small dogs our systems cannot handle it. And I, Noodles the Pug, has been banned from bully sticks because I like to soften them and swallow as much as possible. When Mommy had to pull a 4 inch strip from my throat to stop me from choking, She said that was it. Banned. 

9. Toys are inspected regularly for tears, small pieces coming off, squeakers exposed. . . etc. WHO  can afford an emergency vet visit to remove a blockage?

I got a brand new SOCK
MONKEY for Valentines Day

10. Training - Mommy spent a lot of time and strained her voice over and over to get ME to stop chewing on branches and wood. Same reason as above. I enjoy it but the hazard is not worth the small amount of pleasure from chewing a stick. I never even think of chewing a stick anymore. And making me sit when the door opens . . .  and teaching me to "drop" on command whatever is in my mouth in case it is dangerous. . . and so on. Training has saved my curly tail more than once.

The TOUR ends here. This is just some of the things our Mommys do to keep us SAFE and make us feel LOVED. I know they do a lot more. It is so important that we all - pet and human alike - stay aware of danger and do our best to AVOID it or ELIMINATE it altogether,

Happy National Love Your Pet Day

We Are Family

Make no mistake about it - I am fiercely protective of my family. That goes for Sunshine the Cat, as well as Molly. That goes for my Mommys, as well as my Aunts and Cousins. Why? Because we are family and that is what we do.

What does FAMILY mean to you? Yes, it means security. It means a regular meal and fresh water. It means a place to sleep. A lot of time it means having someone to cuddle with and give you lots of attention (it sure does in my family).

To pets in shelters or (shudder) wandering the streets looking for a home, F-A-M-I-L-Y is a dream, an ideal. Something they know they want even if they have seldom had one.

To me FAMILY is everything. My family is the reason I get up in the morning. I cannot imagine a single day without each and every one of my family members and I hope I never have to. I know they have my back at ALL TIMES and I have theirs.

Princess Leah JUST reminded me to include FURiend/Friends in my definition of FAMILY. She is so very very right. My FURiends are indeed my family and I will ferociously defend them as well.

family

[fam-uh-lee, fam-lee] 

 

• Examples
• Word Origin

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural families.

1.

1. a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children,considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not:
   the traditional family.
2. a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with thechildren they care for:
   a single-parent family.

2.

the children of one person or one couple collectively:

We want a large family.

3.

the spouse and children of one person:

We're taking the family on vacation next week.

4.

any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children,uncles, aunts, and cousins:

to marry into a socially prominent family.

5.

all those persons considered as descendants of a common progenitor.

6.

Chiefly British. approved lineage, especially noble, titled, famous, orwealthy ancestry:

young men of family.

7.

a group of persons who form a household under one head, includingparents, children, and servants.

I LOVE a Good Challenge - #chewyinfluencer

I was napping on Mommy's lap when the email came in. 

I love a good CHALLENGE so when Chewy.com contacted me about a new challenge, I jumped at it. I mean, I literally JUMPED at the opportunity to try a new food. I did not even investigate it other than the name. That is how excited I was to TAKE ON THIS NEW CHALLENGE.

The challenge for me is NOT finding a food I like. Nope, I like pretty much LIKE and eat everything. And I am pretty sure if you go through all of the reviews I have done you will see that I have liked all of the foods I have tried.

The challenge for me is finding out

1. Is the food FILLING
2. Is the food weight friendly
3. Is the food economical (not necessarily inexpensive)

Within a week I received this BIG BAG of food from Ms. Natalie at Chewy.com. That's a lot of food and I was happy dancing all over the house because it was ALL FOR ME. Okay, okay, I give Molly a few pieces of kibble because even though she is almost toothless she likes a crunch now and then.

Chewy.com you spoil me!

I like the look of the bag, don't you? It is all outdoorsy and STUFF and it really gave me a sense of healthiness. I completely fell into your trap MARKETING PERSON. But although the packaging certainly attracted me, there is more to product review than a pretty package. I needed to SMELL the product. . .  SEE the product. . . FEEL the product . . . and yes. . . TASTE the product.

The food in question is the latest in Rachel Ray's NUTRISH family of dog foods - PEAK. This kibble is different from her other formulas in that it is NUTRIENT rich with 30% more protein. Why, you may ask, is this important? It is more satisfying for one. Dogs thrive on a high protein diet (not as high as cats, though, who require almost 100% protein). Protein gives a PUG more energy and makes her more ALERT. It is also more filling without being fattening. I am proud I am down to a reasonable 15-16 pounds and I plan to keep my weight right there. So it is important to me that I am not eating empty calories. Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK also contains no grain, no gluten and no fillers which translate into BAD FOR YOU. Dogs and Pugs do not need grains, at least not much. And gluten + fillers is just asking for trouble. Give me good farm raised or naturally sourced food please.

I opted for the NORTHERN WOODLANDS FORMULA which is Turkey, Duck, and Quail. The other available PEAK is OPEN RANGE FORMULA which is Beef, Venison and Lamb. Both sound yummy to me, to be honest. But I am more of a poultry gal so that is the way we went.

Here are the ingredients - note the first, I dunno, TEN are all real food. The rest which are LESS pronounceable are naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and so on. ALL GOOD STUFF - Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Pea flour, Whole Dried Potatoes, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Whole Flaxseed, Cranberries, Duck, Quail, Menhaden Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Sweet Potatoes, Salt, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Mommy decided to TORTURE me and make me POSE with the food before she would let me eat it. Very cruel. This is the kibble in comparison to me. It is a good size, don't you think? Not too small so big dogs have a good mouth feel and not too big so that little dogs wouldn't have trouble biting into it. Just the right size for PUGS who run the middle ground between the two.

Mommy. . . . Mommy . . . MOMMY!!! See this here? I want to eat this here food right now. How will I know if I like it if you don't let me taste it?

Mommy does this. She likes to make me sit and be a good girl before I get to gobble. I play her game because I know at the end of the day I WIN.

This is me SAMPLING the kibble on the floor. It is just as yummy as I imagined it would be. The TURKEY taste is so rich and inviting. . . and the DUCK is out of this world gamey and dense. . . and the QUAIL is so subtle but definitely there. Oh this is really good stuff. Time will tell though if this this is GOOD STUFF, if you know what I mean.

Mommy wanted me to point to that piece of kibble on the edge. I am NOT a show dog, Mommy. You can't make me do a bunch of tricks for your entertainment. She finally had to HAND FEED me that bite. Hahahahaha! She does not like to do that. She knows it's a POWER PLAY by me.

So that is the tale of our challenge. We look forward to sharing with you our progress and thoughts while eating this new food. If taste alone was KEY, well I can tell you Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK would be a winner. BUT it is not all about taste. So be patient THERE IS MORE TO COME.

It's Time to Talk LOVE

I am a PUG. I am all about LOVE. If there is one thing we PUGS know it is to get and give a lot of lovin' to our families . . . and our FURiends. . . and, well, pretty much anyone who shows us attention.

It is MY OBSERVATION that there is not enough LOVE going around these days. I am talking about the hatin' going on in this country. I am talking about the hatin' going on in other countries. I am talkin' about TOO MUCH LACK OF LOVE everywhere.

It overwhelms me and makes me sad. I do NOT understand HATE. Who cares if there are different breeds (or races, whatever)? The diversity is what makes the world go around. Who really believes one group is better than the other by something so arbitrary as fur (or skin) color, density, shape? It is all so superficial - what really matters is what's inside the SOUL. And when it comes to the soul - well we are all pretty much equal.

This is a little too deep, huh?

All I am saying is to practice more LOVE in your life - and if you do, more LOVE will come your way. And the more LOVE that comes your way, the more LOVE you have to share. Pretty soon there is a whole lotta LOVIN' going on everywhere.

Wouldn't this be a good thing?

It's About Time I Do a WORDLESS WEDNESDAY and a BLOG HOP

Join me in a HOP

What to DO On a Rainy Day

I don't know about you, but rainy days flummox me. What is the proper amount of activity? Am I supposed to go outside and get wet - and when I do, what's all the fuss? Sometimes it is rainy and cold . . . and sometimes it is rainy mild. . . sometimes it is very dark . . . sometimes it is occasionally sunny. I just cannot get a handle on it.

One of my favorite rainy day activities is sitting on my Mommy's lap when she is reading. She doesn't do this a lot although she does try. She gets a cup of tea or coffee, finds a nice comfortable chair (usually by the window), and then . . . something always comes up. Always.

What kind of books do Mommy and I read? Ah, that is a difficult question to answer. Mommy (and me as well) like a nice variety of fiction and non-fiction. She has Ron Chernow's Hamilton on her kindle right now. She loves fantasy (The Hobbit), sci-fi (anything Ursula LeGuin), and historical fiction (Outlander series). Sometimes she reads chicklit like Debbie Macomber.

Right now she is reading the third novel by Feeling Beachie blogger, Hilary Grossman - Plan Cee. It is not yet out - she is lucky enough to be in the test group for the book. She will review it on Amazon once she finishes it and the book is released.

Hillary's first two books - Dangled Carat and Plan Bee were very enjoyable. This kind of book is not something my Mommy reads regularly and she tends to be quite critical of them. But she really enjoyed the first two books because the characters were relatable and not soppy silly women. She likes strong take action women heros like Claire in Outlander. If you are looking for a good read, check them out on Amazon.com.

Breakfast ALL Day Long - #chewyinfluencer

Chewy.com sent this to Molly. It was well disguised.

I was on my own ALL DAY early in the month because Molly was at the vet. She needed a dental cleaning and when they did it she lost a couple of teeth. Not only that, the vet said she had several more that needed to come out. This was not good news for Molly because it meant she would have very few teeth left to eat kibble.

We had just received via email another Chewy.com newsletter FILLED with yummy things to try. Picking out something from the list is one of my favorite activities and I generally give it my ALL! When it comes to food there is no effort too small or too large. So I perused the snacks and the supplements (and toys) on the list. I was having a hard time deciding.

Then I thought of Molly being toothless and it helped me narrow down the selections. Eventually I decided to try Blue Buffalo Healthy Starts. It sounded very yummy and Blue Buffalo is a well known brand, so why not? I could have it as a topper for my meal and Molly could have it as a meal. It sounded like a win win for me. . . . I mean, US.

That does NOT look like me on that package, harrumph!

Not too many days later the package from Chewy.com arrived and we were so exuberant over it. We yipped and jumped and yipped some more. Mommy #2 could not open the package fast enough! No, I am telling the TRUTH! She could NOT open it fast enough because I was so excited to show Molly that I thought of her and her toothless state.

Molly - "Southwest Skillet with Beef and Egg. . ."

"Look Molly! Look Molly! Look Molly," I yelled! I picked this out just for you because you have a very hard time eating kibble these days. See this is from Blue Buffalo and this is a company which makes some very healthy foods. I picked this one because it has Beef, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Potatoes, Dried Egg, Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Carrageenan, Cassia Gum, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Oxide, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9).
And the chelated mineral help support the immune system and the Biotin is good for the skin and coat. Not only that, it is a complete meal, like some of the raw diets we have tried but this one is a lot easier to serve because there is NO WAITING FOR IT TO HYDRATE!!! We all know how painful that time lag is. I think you will like it and it will be very good for both of us to maintain our weight and our good health. Too bad it won't help our teeth too much, that has more to do with genetics than anything else. But it helps if we are overall healthy.
Besides - it looks really really yummy and I WISH it was BREAKFAST TIME RIGHT NOW.

Do you know what Mommy did? She OPENED the package and let us all (me, Molly, and Sunshine the Cat) have a little taste of the Blue Buffalo Healthy Start. And you know WHAT's WHAT? It was as delicious as I envisioned. We all gobbled it up super fast and then begged for more. We didn't get it - of course. We had to wait for dinner time. It was a long long long wait, I tell you.

But it happened! We got BREAKFAST for DINNER and it was perfect. Who doesn't like that?

Over the course of the month I have noticed Molly's appetite improving. She no longer picks at her food nor does she stand by the bowl hoping for something different before she jumps in and eats her meal. She RUNS to her dish and GOBBLES her food. It is almost like she is channeling her inner PUG. I am so happy. Not just because she has to share this wonderful food with me BUT also because she likes it so much and it is doing amazing things for her.

So tell your human about Blue Buffalo Healthy Starts. It is good food that is good for you. Can't go wrong there. And Chewy.com carries a whole selection of Healthy Starts (indeed it carries a whole range of Blue Buffalo products) with flavors like chicken and egg, turkey and egg,  and salmon and egg. Something to please everypuggy. Check it out at Chewy.com

*We are not paid for the opinions expressed in this blog. Ever. We receive free of charge enough product to try for a specific amount of time and then we have to write a review of the product. It is our pleasure to do so.

It Had Been a LUAU JANUARY at Casa De Noodles - #chewyinfluencer

Sunshine the Cat was very very excited when the January newsletter from Chewy.com arrived. She was given the GO-AHEAD to pick whatever she wanted to review and the mommies of the house would NOT interfere. She perused the list over and over weighing the benefits and value of each choice. Finally she did something we never never thought she would do - she picked
Tiki Cat King Kamehameha Luau Variety Pack Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 2.8-oz, case of 12.
It wasn't so much that she chose Tiki Cat. She has tried a couple of their variety packs and generally speaking, she likes them, No, it was more the KIND of fish this selection offered - it was like nothing she ever tried before.

• Hawaiian Grill - Flaked Ahi Tuna, Tuna Consommé
• Lanai Luau - Flaked Ahi Tuna, Tuna Consommé, Flaked Crab surimi (Sea Bream, Crab broth)
• Tahitian Grill - Sardine Cutlets, Sardine Consommé
• Molokai Luau - Flaked Ahi Tuna, Tuna Consommé, Calamari, Brown Rice
• Honolulu Luau - Flaked Ahi Tuna, Tuna Consommé, Flaked Crab surimi (Sea Bream, Crab broth),                                Brown Rice
• Waimea Luau - Flaked Ahi Tuna, Tuna Consommé, Prawns, Brown Rice
• Waikiki Luau -  Flaked Ahi Tuna, Tuna Consommé, Flaked Tilapia, Brown Rice
• Makaha Luau - Mackerel Cutlets, Sardines Cutlets, Calamari Consommé, Calamari
• Bora Bora Luau - Sardine Cutlets, Lobster Consommé

I mean - Calamari? Lobster? Sardines? Mackerel? This is the definitely food worthy of Kamehameha and Liliuokalani themselves! Sunshine the Cat has had Chicken of the Sea before. . . period. So this was otherworldly for her and that, she said, is why she chose to try and review it. An OLD CAT can learn new things, she said, and she was going to prove it.

*Please take note of the ingredients. Tiki Cat is a well crafted food that uses natural and naturally occurring ingredients. Even the names you cannot pronounce are naturally occurring. Here are the rest of the ingredients excluding the above: Calcium lactate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline chloride, Taurine, Vitamin E supplement, Zinc sulfate, Thiamine mononitrate, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Manganese sulfate, Vitamin A acetate, Potassium iodide, Ferrous sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Copper sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

Tiki Cat King Kamehameha Luau Variety, according to Sunshine the Cat, lived up to all of the hype AND THEN SOME. It was tasty enough to make her want to BEG and she said the high protein and low carb formula made her feel as chipper as a kitten again. 

There was one formula that kinda sorta gave her the . . . um . . . oh . . . loose bowels . . . the Hawaiian Grill. Odd since it was THE MOST BASIC of all of the formulas. But it was just the ONE FOOD and once it was gone the problem was as well. 

Over all we at Casa de Noodles give this variety pack a 10 PAWS UP (we took two off for the poopy-runs) for flavor and quality. It is truly food fit for ALI'I.

++ We were not paid for this review. We were also not schooled on what to write. All of the opinions expressed on A Bowl of Noodles belong to Noodles, Molly, Sunshine and occasionally the huMom. We received free of charge enough product to try for a period of time and then to write a review. We thank Chewy.com for this opportunity.

That Was a LONG Tomorrow - Now More March

Mommy and her FRIENDS got to the march very very early and as a result, they STOOD for over 5 hours before organizers started the march. The truth was there were so many people (500,000) that it took a long long LONG time for the streets to clear enough for anyone to move. PLUS, by being so close to the stage they were more at the rear of the march than at the front. That means they had a good seat for the "show" and were lucky enough to see   Cecile Richards, president, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Erika Andiola, activist, Ilyasah Shabazz, activist, J. Bob Alotta, activist and filmmaker, Janet Mock, activist, writer, and television host, LaDonna Harris, activist, Maryum Ali, activist, Melanie Campbell, activist, Rabbi Sharon Brous, Rhea Suh, activist, Sister Simone Campbell, attorney, Sophie Cruz, activist, Zahra Billoo, activist, America Ferrera, actress, Angela Davis, activist, scholar, author, Gloria Steinem, activist, Ashley Judd, actress and activist, Scarlett Johansson, actress, Melissa Harris-Perry, television host, Michael Moore, filmmaker, Amanda Nguyen, activist, Randi Weingarten, attorney, Van Jones, television host, George Gresham, activist, Mothers of the Movement (Sybrina Fulton, Lucia McBath, Maria Hamilton, Gwen Carr), activists, Hina Naveed, activist, Judith Le Blanc (Caddo), activist, Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, author and activist, Aida Hurtado, psychologist, Melissa Mays, activist, Raquel Willis, activist and writer, Rosyln Brock, activist, Sister Ieasha Prime, activist, The Honorable Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington, D.C., Ai-jen Poo, activist, Wendy Carrillo, activist, Dr. Cynthia Hale, pastor, Tamika Mallory, Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour, Bob Bland, Women’s March co-chairs . . . AND performers/special guests Alicia Keys (a real surprise), Janelle Monae, Kamala Harris (Mommy was so thrilled that her HOME STATE and her home REGION was so well represented at the March), Maxwell, Madonna, Indigo Girls.

But the performers and speakers were NOT what the march was all about and after standing for over 5 hours, Mommy and everyone else was anxious to MARCH.

So they did.

FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND strong marched and raised their voices in protest of the assault on women's rights, immigrants' rights, and so on. Yes, there were anti-Trump protests as well. It was a VENUE - a PLATFORM for speaking your mind and expressing disappointment in the policies being put forth by the elected representatives and the president.

It was so important to Mommy to use her FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. If you don't SPEAK UP - no one will hear you.

The next day she went SIGHTSEEING around Washington with Auntie D. Wasn't it cool that they were BOTH there? They saw the Hall of Portraits and wandered to the MALL. Unfortunately this is ALL they saw of the White House. I guess our new President was not feeling too happy or something because fences were up and guards were all over. And she said they indicated it was to take down the stands erected for the Inauguration. . . BUT no one was actually doing that.

 Mommy was kinda disappointed. The White House belongs to ALL of us and she wanted to see it. Maybe next time.

Her trip to D.C. was pretty much over BUT BEFORE she came home she hopped an AMTRAK train and headed SOUTH to see friends of ours who had moved. You might remember me talking about them in 2015 when I stayed at their house while Mommy traveled to San Diego. WELL. . .. they moved to North Carolina and Mommy was very excited to see them. She stayed 4 days and played a lot with their 8 month old GSD puppy, Ruskin Roy. Isn't he adorable?

After enjoying the hospitality of North Carolina for a few days, she finally made her way back to me. I was soooooooooo HAPPY to see her.