I have been spending a lot of time at the hospital lately. Jason's sister Debbie can tell you in her own words here why all of our lives have been turned upside down for the past few months (and one of the reasons I haven't been around my blog or yours very much.) I am on month three of not being well myself but no matter how I am feeling, frequent visits with Debbie at the hospital are an absolute must. The last few trips, I took pictures of some of the animals whose faces have been greeting me and attempting to bring cheer during this extremely difficult time.
Typist: Bethany I have been spending a lot of time at the hospital lately. Jason's sister Debbie can tell you in her own words here why all of our lives have been turned upside down for the past few months (and one of the reasons I haven't been around my blog or yours very much.) I am on month three of not being well myself but no matter how I am feeling, frequent visits with Debbie at the hospital are an absolute must. The last few trips, I took pictures of some of the animals whose faces have been greeting me and attempting to bring cheer during this extremely difficult time. Best of all animal healers are my very own wonderful pets (plus our West Seattle views can't help but make us all a little healthier too!) Share this post:
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Typist: Bethany What feels like a lifetime ago, I skipped home from school and asked my parents for money to receive the addresses of other students my age in other countries. It was a pen friend exchange offered in my French class and I believe it cost one dollar per address. For those of you who don't know what letters mailed in envelopes are or that people once used ink filled styluses called simply "pens," having a pen friend was an old fashioned way to communicate before e-mail and social media. This is how I met Jane from Manchester, England. And why it feels like a lifetime ago. Jane and I have met only once, when she came to visit me here in Cascadia while we were both in college, and we have stayed in touch since back in the sending mail to street address days. She and I agreed many years ago that we are sisters even if from different parents and continents. An invitation to the wedding of a friend like Jane is one of the only reasons I would ever even consider traveling without my pets. Jane was married in Stockport, England in August and Jason and I were there. It was wonderful except for how very much I missed Wilhelm, Brychwyn, Huxley, Amelia and Leo. Fortunately, Jane's adorable young son liked to look at pictures and videos of my pets. And I did get to see some amazing things, including dogs and cats, on my journey.
Perhaps one of my very favorite things about Manchester is the incredibly tasteful mix of old and new architecture. Not once during our visit did I see a new building that seemed out of place or an old building that wasn't being properly preserved. I wish more cities would follow this excellent example of bringing in the new without disregarding the old. Not only is my beloved friend Jane one of the only people in the world who could drag me out on a holiday without my pets, she is also the only person on the planet who could convince me to pose for a cheesy vacation photo. I have a very hard time taking photos of anything without my pets in the frame and I don't think I really ever need to be in a photograph. But here at last is the moment you have been waiting for, the greatest dog-less vacation photo ever taken. Thank you Jane. For everything. Seriously. Our next UK adventure: Stockport And Dobcross Phone Booths Plus Dog-Friendly Peak District National Park here. Share this post: Need Motivation To Simply Open And Use A To-Do List App? Meet The Cute Cats And Dogs @doMOARStuffs9/16/2014 Typist: Bethany Over the years I have gone through dozens of to-do apps on my smart phones. The problem with task organizer apps is that even when I have had the most expensive, feature filled app, it doesn't help me get stuff done if I never open the app. So I was very excited about the premise of the doMOAR Stuffs app. It's a simple, gesture-based, fully featured to-do list app that uses dogs and cats as motivation. My pets inspire me each moment of every day. Perhaps the doMOAR app will finally be the to-do and reminders app I'll actually open and use. Well, I have had a pre-release version of the doMOAR app for a few days and so far I have actually been using it! This is not to say that I have gotten more stuff done but I have been having fun organizing my tasks. The doMOAR app has everything I always look for in a to-do list app: colored labels (at the time of this review publication, adding a new label was causing my preview app to crash- this is the only problem I experienced and I did inform the developer,) sub categories, prioritization settings, recurring task settings, reminders and notes. Best of all, the interface is very intuitive and I learned to use doMOAR very quickly. Of course, I have also been making motivational memes of my pets. You don't have to register to make use of doMOAR's powerful task organizing features or to make and share pet memes. You can like, dislike, flag and share other memes. So whatever cuteness inspires you will more often be in the background of your lists. Further getting stuff done motivation comes from a cats meow each time you swipe an item complete. The tutorial says I earn a treat when I complete a task but the only treat I have noticed is the meows. Maybe I haven't completed enough? Perhaps I should have had a "make doMOAR memes" task list... I got a lot of those done! I am a very organized person. With all of these pets, I have to be. I also tend to be very good at getting stuff done. However, I have always searched for an app that to help motivate me to make lists, share tasks with Jason, and check stuff off lists. So far, the doMOAR Stuffs app is the first task organizer I have tried that doesn't just sit, unopened, on my home screen for days and days. And maybe soon, once I am feeling better and life stops bombarding us with bad news, it will help me get more done! The doMOAR Stuffs app is available now at the app store for $2.99. This app has all the features of more expensive to-do list apps I have used, is easier to get used to and, of course, features awesome motivation from adorable cats and dogs. What MOAR could you need? Cascadian Nomads received complimentary preview doMOAR Stuffs apps in exchange for our honest review. We were not otherwise compensated for this post. Cascadian Nomads only shares information that is relevant to our readers and all opinions are always our own. Share this post: This post is sponsored by Hill's and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Weight Food but Cascadian Nomads only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article. Typist: Bethany I remember when my parents would shop for the best dog food. They would have a dog nutrition discussion with the veterinarian then do what they could to purchase healthy dog food. There weren't nearly as many options back then as there are now. There are even foods that can help manage certain health conditions. I try to follow the pet health model taught by my parents but all of the dog food choices out there can be staggering. Instead of being overwhelmed by it, I savor the opportunity to research and learn about what is best to fed my pets and why. I am also thankful for my relationship with my veterinarian. Throughout Tynan's life, my vet recommended changing dog food several times. I always transitioned Tynan from old food to new food gradually, in stages. Gently switching foods was especially important with my cats. Changing cat food is particularly tough when you have had picky feline eaters with health issues like my first cat, Emily. Finding the best cat food is often more difficult for me because I didn't learn how to care for cats from my parents. I have had just my vet and my own research to help me discover all I could about cat nutrition. And I am still learning. What is a healthy cat food for one cat may not be perfect for another. Plus all pets nutritional needs change as they grow and age. Part of admiring my pets individuality is respecting their unique and dynamic nutritional needs. I love all that I have learned about loving and caring for my pets from my parents but I am glad I have more healthy pet food options than they used to. Through consulting with my veterinarian, knowledge that my dogs and cats nutritional needs ebb and flow and willingness to put in the effort to gradually change their foods, I know I have many more memories to make with healthy, happy pets.
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