What's Your Favorite Animal?

While Lollita is blogging about eating and being healthy, I am going to write about two of my passions: college football and animals.  Today, it's about my animals. 
My favorite?  A blue crown conure named Sqwaki! I've had Sqwaki about 16 years, and his life span should be about 30 (although he loves Zaxby's fries).  Sqwaki has quite an interesting vocabulary which includes, "I gotta go bye-bye, cracker, Sqwaki, what are you doing?, and my personal favorite "Here, Kitty, Kitty," which isn't too smart since I've had as many as 13 cats at one time.
Most Unusual Pet I Own:  Shadow the Hedgehog (see blog pic).  Shadow is kind of like a small porcupine. He curls up in a ball when threatened, and he also makes hissing noises that sound more like a rattle snake.  Shadow only comes out at night, and he mostly likes to eat meal worms but also opts for fruit, cat food and hedgehog food.  I hope to have a video of him on this site soon.
Runner-Up Most Unusual:  My Hemmingway Cat, Bengal.  Bengal looked like a small orange tiger, and what made him unique was he had extra toes on his front paws.  The legend goes that these cats came from Ernest Hemmingway's house in the Florida Keys.  How I got Bengal was even more interesting....when I was living in Key Largo, some boys were throwing a kitten off the bridge to see the sharks get it.  My brother (who is like living with the Crocodile Hunter) jumped off the bridge to rescue this kitten. He gave it to me (maybe the only nice thing he ever did for me) and I had Bengal 21 years.
2nd Runner Up Most Unusual:  My manx cat.  A manx cat has no tail.  I've had this cat for 17 years. She is gray and is named "Kitten."
Most Beloved:  Sugar Bear. He was my mom's little poodle, and he lived to be about 18. Wonderful dog.
Sugar Bear, Shadow the Hedgehog, and Sqwaki the Parrot are in the picture above.
Animals are grand!

Skinny Bitch

I picked up the book Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin this weekend.  Wow what an informative book about the food industry and our health.  The title of the book is deceiving.. but once you get beyond it, you will find a ton of useful facts about healthy food choices. It is unbelievable how americans are kept in the dark about the way our food is handled and processed.  It is so disgusting the way animals are housed in filth and poisoned before they make it to the grocery/restaurant for our next meal.  The list of chemicals that are used in preparing the foods that line our grocery ailse will blow ur mind.  Beware of vegetables and fruit too, they are not safe either, from chemicals [to make them grow year round and larger than life]  and pesticides [to make them less appealing to bugs - but ok for us to eat and to feed our children].  Organically grown vegetables and fruit are the answer.  The old saying goes you r what u eat, and our food supply is disgracefully contaminated w/ drugs, hormones, and unpronouncable chemical compounds that have been approved by our gov.  I can see now why american's health is in the pits.  The book actually is promoting a vegan lifestyle which excludes all animal meat and by products. 

If your interesed.. there is a documentary out called Food Inc. that is pretty interesting too.  It gives you a visual of what is described in the book regarding the way the animals are handled and slaughtered.  Also has interesting facts about genetically altered crops. 

Today I tried to be aware of what I was putting in my mouth.  I had fruit for breakfast and some green tea sweetended with honey.  For lunch I stopped by our local health food store and had a cup of vegetarian chili and a chocolate/coconut Larabar.  For a snack I had a hand ful of mixed nuts/seeds [my own mixture from what was in the house - almonds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds].  For dinner steamed spinach and a chic patty [made by the Boca Burger people - fake chicken].  I probably didnt have enough water...... but a much better attempt then days gone by.

I will continue to read the book and share.  Nite!

Coming Soon! Don't Miss Out!

Hi, there, and welcome to our new blog, currently under massive construction!  There are 3 of us gals collaborating on these events, and we will strive to bring you some very interesting thoughts and materials....want to know all about hedgehogs, parrots, and other kinds of creatures?  Check back here soon, and we'll be posting pics and videos of our newest little friends.
Interested in cooking without having to read from a cookbook?  No problem, we'll have a section about "free cooking" (cooking without books).
Use coupons?  Hey, we've got an expert coupon saver and clipper. She'll be showing you the latest with links to tie in.
Wanting to lose a few pounds without being the "Biggest Loser?"  Check back in soon, and we'll guide you through our journey to lose those dreaded few pounds, complete with tips on nutrition and exercise.
...And there's more, like college football and recruiting from a woman's point of view, favorite restaurants, critiques of the show Southpark, etc...

So join us in our fun and check back often! You'll be glad you did!
And by the way, if you have any ideas for a unique blog name with a Tallahassee flair to it, we would love to hear your ideas!