Squeak Goodbye to the Old

 
Wow, can you flealieve it? We’ve come to the end of another year already! I’m super excited because, in keeping with tradition, I get to take you through all of this year’s blogs.
  

In the Rat hovel, the year started off quite sweet. The pups did well in school and even learned a new subject or two, and with such a beautiful spring we spent a lot of the early months outside. A very soggy summer drove us all to indoor fursuits, like playing video games and sniffing around Muzzlebook online. I unfurtunately was taken away from my hovel for a time in pawtumn, leaving me a very lonely rat indeed.
 
But 2013 was a rat-tastic year too, despite those difficulties. Bob’s Blogs celebrated a great milestone with the posting of my 100th blog! We also observed the most hallowed of all rodent pawlidays with National Cheese Lover’s Day in January.
 
Through it all – pawhaps more so through adfursity – I learned some important lessons: Sometimes life makes us uncomfortable and rakes us over the coals, but it’s when we’re put through trials that we find we really grow. We’re not outcast as long as we’re surrounded by those who truly love us. And even when others lie to us, in the end right will prevail.
 
I hope that 2013 was a time of goodness for you, and that 2014 will be even more so. May you always feel welcome, may your days be bright, and know that in the new year Bob’s Blogs will keep you laughing.
 
Rat-tastic wishes for a pawsome new year,

Bob

Christmouse Truths

 
Merry Christmouse, everyone!
 
This special blog is going to break with tradition: instead of enraturing you in my rodent realm, I want to dedicate this one to my real-life family. The ones who know me not as the persona of “Bob the Rat,” but as just Bob. And on occasion, Bobby.
 
I’ve occasionally mentioned my human family; here you can know them better. Big Burly Pop is better known as dad Hobie, and yes, he really did suspend me over a boiling pot on a campfire once. Mom Betsy is as sweet as the cheesecake she leaves for Santa Paws every year. And the twins, Sabrina and Sandra – well, that’s where my story started.
 
I was originally a gag gift between Sabrina and her best friend. In 2004, with the help of said best friend, I found my way into Sabrina’s bed covers one Halloween night. One blood-curdling scream later, I was a member of the family! The twins got a riot out of me, and when Sandra moved out-of-state a year later I eventually went too, as a welcome reminder of home.
 
In 2010, with her feet firmly planted back in “Ratlanta,” Sandra launched this blog to showcase her writing skills and begin a new career in writing and editing. (Although you and I know that I do squeak her what to write about.) The blog has been a success, her career has been a success, and both are going strong.
 
On this special day, as we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus and the truth of Heaven He revealed to us, I encourage you to take stock of what’s true too. Pawception – ahem, perception – is not always reality, and sometimes, in midst of our hectic lives, our focus drifts to things that are less important. As I have enjoyed sharing my life with you – the real and the make-flealieve – please take joy in the ones you love and who love you. I encourage you to put one another first, because on this pawliday and always that’s what truly matters.
 
From my family to yours, Merry Christmouse.
  

Keepin’ it squeak,
Bob
 
P.S. If you want to know more about my real beginnings, sniff out the second, third, and fourth blogs I posted, way back in 2010 when I was still learning how to blog!

Chocolate Mouse

Yesterday my human got together with some friends for a fun girls’ day. And as it’s Christmousetime, they decided to do something everyone loves this time of year: make treats!
 
They favored one particular food: chocolate. There were white chocolate-dipped Nutter Butters decorated like snowmen, and frosted sugar cookies with shiny sprinkles — plus chocolate on the side. They had chocolate-peanut butter-oatmeal cookies. They dunked pretzel sticks into chocolate, and then some crackers too. And to top it all off they made peanut butter sandwiches with the crackers and — you guessed it — dipped them in chocolate!
 
My human brought some home to share, which is pawsome. But in their treat-making festivity, I noticed they left out one very important dish: chocolate swirl cheesecake, topped with chocolate mouse — er, mousse!
 
Keepin’ it squeak,

Bob