Exploring Alaska Coastline Aboard the Holland America Koningsdam

Friends, this isn't Dori so don't wait for me to do any wavy paws. This is Kim (aka The Momanager) who along with Ray (aka Dadders) managed to escape the Wonderpurr Gang for ten glorious days to cruise the Alaska coastline aboard Holland America's Koningsdam ship.

Being away for ten days was both fun and worrisome. My fur babies mean the world to me, and because they are sliding into their golden years, being away is rough, especially when I'm on the other coast, plus aboard a ship without a way for anyone to get a hold of me. I deliberately didn't buy the WiFi package for the ship as I could check in with our kitty sitter when we stepped on land, and I felt secure in that my almost-nineteen-year-old super senior ChauncieMarie was in good shape to not need any close monitoring. And in all honestly I needed a break from both cats and my social media life. I've heard it's good to take a break, and after this past long hot summer, I was truly ready for one. I told Ray I wanted to go someplace where my melting brain could solidify, so he chose to take us back to Alaska.

We had already enjoyed a cruise to Alaska during the Summer Solstice 2015, and while it had been cold in June, I wanted COLD so Ray chose one of the final cruises for the season in September aboard the Holland America Koningsdam. With me being overwhelmed trying to write Rabbit's book (still a work in progress) and juggle umpteen cat social meowdia accounts, I had no brain juice left to plan a huge vacation. And since Ray is retired and constantly complaining he's bored, I let him take the reigns.

He truly hit one out of the park. He booked us first class on Alaska Airlines out of Tampa. We flew to Seattle, and the next day took an Amtrak train to Vancouver, Canada. The next day we boarded the Holland America Koningsdam ship with early boarding access as Ray booked us in the Neptune Suite that came with a private concierge lounge with coffee and yummies right across the hall from our room - I had to stop Ray from popping across the hall barefoot and in his robe for morning coffee - plus access to Club Orange private dining room.

PS - Orange is the color of the Dutch royal family - the House of Orange-Nassau - and has thus been considered the national color of the region for hundreds of years. The Holland America line has splashes of Orange everywhere, and therefore so do my videos. I've created short video highlights of each day, so please enjoy at your leisure. Thanks so much. 

Celebrating Dori on her Birthday

 

We at It's a Wonderpurr Life are celebrating our beautiful Dori today on her birthday.

Dori arrived in our Southaven, Mississippi yard at 3 months old on a cold winter night shortly before we left to drive up to Michigan for Christmas. At the time I thought it was just one stray, a black female with a bad eye. I told my fabulous pet sitter, Michelle, to feed her while I was away.

When I returned a week later, Annie the stray had brought her entire family - baby daddy Nikolas, two black panther sons and twin tabby girls. 

While the parents were sweet and tame, the kittens were WILD and scared the hekk out of me with their hissing and spitting. But I caught them all and kept them in an upstairs bedroom throughout the winter while I worked to simmer them down in order to be adopted.

Almost immediately I knew the one tabby girl had to be removed from the others. She was very sweet and never once tried to murder me with her mittens. She was so pretty with such a delicate feminine face. Ray started calling her his little peanut. Her twin was cute, but in a tomboy kind of way.

I put the family on Pet Finders, and right away there was interest in Dori. But when Ray found out his little peanut could be adopted, he said NO! To be honest I was relieved even though at the time we had around nine or ten ex-strays living with us. 

So Dori was officially adopted, and we also kept her daddy, Nikolas, who truly was the best daddy I've ever met. He loved his kittens and played with them all the time. I recall dragged a rug around the cat room for Nikolas to surf on, with the kittens jumping on to ride with him. To this day Nik is still a very sweet guy, and rooms with our FIV+ tabby Chevy. They were Garage Bandmates with Jesse until we moved to Florida and Jesse was kicked out of the band after losing his teeth to stomititis.

We cannot imagine our home without Dori. She has a sweet, spunky spirit, and greets every day with Joy. I especially cherish hearing her squeals of delight upon finding her precious Dolly Meow (who is constantly being lost under furniture or inside closets), or when she snuggles with me at night, waking me every now and then to pat my face and lick my cheek. Who needs REM sleep when you have the sweetest little girl reminding you that life is truly Wonderpurr, even with a dozen plus cats.

Happy Birthday, Dori! You are the true inspurration for It's a Wonderpurr Life.

Field Trip to Yates Cider Mill

 

Hi evfurrybuddy, it's me, Dori, President of the Ber Months Fan Club.

Today I invite yoo to join me on my first ever field trip to celebrate Everything Autumn. 

We're going to visit Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

My momma and daddy grew up in Michigan with fond memories of elementary school field trips to Yates Cider Mill, now celebrating 160 years of being one of Michigan's most beloved places to spend a day in autumn.

So without further delay, click on the video below.

I hope yoo enjoyed my field trip and learned stuff yoo didn't know about how apple cider is made. If the links in the video aren't working and yoo want to learn more about the history of  Yates Cider Mill, please click the image below to go to their website. And while there yoo can also order apple cider and donuts to be shipped to yoo on the day yoo request.

Well, I'm exhausted and need a nap, so I'm going to say bye bye. If yoo would leave me a message to let me know if yoo enjoyed my field trip, it might help me create future field trips. Thank yoo so much for joining me. Now go off and make it a Wonderpurr day. 

Until Next Time...

Rabbit Receives Much-Needed Advice from Dr. Basil

 

Pals, Rabbit here. Yah, long time no meow, mostly cuz our momanager has allowed Dori to monopolize our family blog. Pffft! That's show biz, I guess. Anyway! I happened upon the homesite of the Bionic Basil B Team last week and saw Dr. Basil is back to giving advice.

Years ago my brother Herman consulted Dr. Basil on various topics, and was even fortunate to meet his momanager in purrson at the Blogpaws conference in Myrtle Beach. Good times, good memories. So when I was growling about feeling unappreciated, Herms recommended I unload my issues on Dr. Basil and see what resolutions he could come up with.

Boy, do I feel vindicated! Dr. Basil has a phenomenal background in understanding the feline psychic and as a result, he totally got me.

Please do yourself a favorite and click the image below, not only to read Basil's advice, but also to find our how you can get your problems resolved by the ultimate expurrrt in feline problems.

You won't regret it! Until ... well. Whenever cuz clearly everyone's darling Dori has full reign over this blog. Purrs, Rabbit.

Baking with Cats: Almond Joy Cookies

 

Dear Fwends, this is Dori. *wavy paws!* I hope yoo all are enjoying a nice AugtoBER and getting excited about the arrival of Fall where we bweak free from the leash of Summer and start to dwink lots of pumpkin spice lattes, and nom on pumpkin spice muffins and pumpkin spice Spam, and pumpkin spice ... Everything!

Recently my momma got into the mood to bake some cookies, and she wanted to try making Almond Joy Cookies because Almond Joy is one of her favorite candy bars. Daddy prefers Mounds Bars, but that's not the point. The point is, Momma chose a day to bake these cookies when Daddy was finally out of the house after three weeks of not golfing due to storms and high heat. After yoo see this video, I'm sure yoo can see why she chose a day when Daddy was not home, because Daddy and Wabbit are almost one and the same in purrsonality.

Anyway, we have been hunkered down trying to get through this summer because the heat is making my momma crabby, and also she's trying to help Wabbit write his Tell All book. Gosh. I hope there's no unseamly gossip about me in it. I would have to sue.

If yoo are interested in making the cookies in the video, I have included it below. And ... maybe lock up yoor kittehs if yoo do decide to make them. Sticky coconut and kitteh fur do not go well together, even with a Pumpkin Spice Latte. 

Almond Joy Cookies

1 - 14 oz bag sweetened coconut flakes

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup chopped lightly salted almonds I used Blue Diamond Low Sodium Lightly Salted - light blue bag

1 - 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions
• Preheat the oven to 325F.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Note
• Parchment paper is critical for these cookies to turn out right. Silicone mats, waxed paper, etc. will yield a slightly different result.
• In a large bowl combine coconut, chocolate chips, almonds, and sweetened condensed milk.
• Stir until combined.
• Scoop out dough with a cookie scoop onto prepared baking sheet.
• Moisten the tips of your fingers with water and shape into discs. Pat the tops flat.
• Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until tips of coconut are just starting to turn golden brown.
• Let cool on baking sheet.
• Store in airtight container.

Until Next Time...