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May 21, 2009

By Jennifer Serda
Anchor

For the first time in Mo’s life I was gone. I took a nice five day vacation back home to Virginia and left my little friend behind; I don’t know who the separation was harder for me or him.

I really missed the way he follows me all over the house, lays and watches TV and just hangs out.

While I was gone my boyfriend took care of Mo and he says Mo clung to him and terrorized the house. I say that’s because he missed me =)

Since I have been home its been like old times he grabs at my pant legs, sits on my head while I am laying down, and is in my face when I eat, basically bothers me all the time ~ but it’s funny the things we miss when we don’t have them. 

Peanuts Galore At the East Alabama Food Bank

May 19, 2009

By Tiffany Simmons
Reporter / Videographer

After the salmonella scare, dozens of people cut back on their peanut butter intake. I will admit I was a little hesitant myself.

But I soon started eating it again and that’s what peanut producers want consumers to start doing also. Randy told me they have a surplus of peanuts and that’s part of the reason they decided to bring different peanut organizations together to help donate to food banks.

This is really for a good cause especially since the food banks were experiencing a shortage of peanut butter. And what snack can you make that is fast quick and in a hurry? Peanut butter and jelly!

Hopefully this large distribution will put everyone’s fears at ease and they will jump back on the peanut butter waggon!

Sneak Attack

May 18, 2009

Harmony Mendoza

Butterbean, Butterbean, Butterbean….Why are you so sneaky.  I do not mind playing when I am awake however; Butterbean likes to roam the house at night investigating strange sounds.  If I get up in the middle of the night, I seldom turn a light on, so my eyes don’t get bothered by the light.  I put myself in a position to get pounced. 

Just last night, she pounced me as I walked out my bedroom door.  She attacked my leg as if she were attacking an animal, no hissing though.  Yes, she has claws so, as she hung from my leg by her Kung-Fu grip, I fell to the floor.  She looked at me like I overreacted or something.  Clearly I did not; I have the scratches on my leg to prove it. 

Some people ask me why I did not de-claw her.  Well, I just figured I would not want someone to remove my fingernails.  Think of all the things we do with our fingernails.  Imagine being covered in fur with a scratch you can’t itch.  So, a few scratches from a late night pouncing isn’t so bad for a ball of love that is always down for a nap, no matter what time of day it is.

Okay, so I don’t really have a pet….........

May 15, 2009

By WRBL Staff

In the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t have a pet, and even if I did I am not sure I could compete with the fierce love Jennifer, Teresa and Harmony have for their pets.  Nobody has anything on Pepper, Mo and Butterbean.

I do like pets, I just go for something a little different. I grew up raising sheep and pigs to show, so my idea of a “pet” is more like a farm animal.  Now, before you start to think I kept meat for the table in the back yard, let me explain. My family was active in the Tennesse 4-H Program and my grandfather used to have a huge hog operation outside Murfreesboro, TN. Hence, we grew up around pigs.

This may be old news to some, but just in case, “showing” a pig means you actually compete.  A pig show consists of a dozen or so pigs and their “owners” walking around in a sawdust ring (I promise it is actually awesome).  Most pigs are judged on muscle, how lean they are, their body structure and overall appearance. Some might be amazed to learn that you actually have to wash pigs and shear them (or give them a nice fresh buzz). 

Instead of walking the dog, or cleaning the kibble bowl, I grew up giving my pig’s their shots and marching them around fairs.  It wasn’t the most popular hobby in high school, but I can promise you nothing builds character like taking care of farm animals.

So….....My suggestion for parents with unruly teenagers. Get them a pair of steel toed barn boots, and a pig.  You will be amazed at who squeals first.

 

Birds Eye View

May 14, 2009

Harmony Mendoza

Butterbean is an inside cat.  As stated in a previous post, she turns her nose up when I open the door.  She does however, like to stake her claim in the window. 

She has a birds eye view from the upstairs window. 

I have a tree outside my window so; there is plenty of action in the afternoon.  She specifically likes to hunt, at a safe distance, squirrels.  They are sneaky little devils and Butterbean just love watching them swing from branch to branch.  She also has her eyes fixated on the birds in the tree and on the power lines.  It is so funny to watch her ears move around like a radar dish when she hears a funny sound.  If I have time for an afternoon nap, it is quickly disrupted by her meowing, chirping and her tail swinging back and forth.  It’s ok because if I did get that nap, I wouldn’t have this story for you.