Cast of Characters
Starring:
Choppy
Choppy is a dog of unknown provenance (the fancy term around here for a mutt), who was a 12-week old puppy when I got her from the Terre Haute Humane Society back in 2009. I gave her the very un-puppy-like name of Tchoupitoulas and immediately shortened it to the much more appropriate Choppy. I also immediately started dressing her up in clothing, and today she owns a wardrobe that rivals a Hollywood starlet.
During 2013, Choppy and I traveled across the United States (hence the title of the blog). During our travels, Choppy visited 43 of the States in the United States, as well as four Canadian provinces and one Canadian territory. I am hoping to increase all those numbers in the future!
Reluctantly Starring:
Schooner
Schooner is the newest member of the household around here. He is a cat of unknown provenance from the Jefferson (Wisconsin) County Humane Society, who was also about 12-weeks old when we brought him home in November 2015. He is not very good at dressing up (yet), but has quickly adopted Choppy’s love of treats. I have taught him how to sit. So far, this is the only trick he knows. A dog, this one is not.
Supporting Cast:
Sarah
The one writing all of this (or, as is more often the case, putting up all the pictures) is me, Sarah. I am a 30-something lawyer who gets on the road whenever I have the chance. I grew up in Wisconsin, but I have lived in Indiana for most of the last decade, both during law school at Notre Dame and later (for work) in Terre Haute. I recently moved back to Wisconsin with my new husband, Paul, who is transplanted from Pennsylvania and learning just how many types of cheese exist. I refuse to count the number of pairs of shoes I own, lest I actually realize how out-of-control that particular habit has gotten. I love watching sports, though the only ones I am good at playing are those where beer features prominently. Also, when I got married my name became Sarah Ferguson. Should you have any desire to treat me like a duchess, I won’t object. Also, I have a completed travel memoir and novel. If anyone wants to represent or publish these, shoot me an email and we can chat.
Paul
Paul is my husband, the Pennsylvania transplant who has spent his two years in Wisconsin learning about cheese, sausage and the very long season that is winter around here. He is the one who wanted the cat. Like the cat, he is reluctant to dress in costume.
Guest Starring:
Izzy
Izzy is Choppy’s best friend. She spends most of her life with my brother and sister-in-law in Illinois, where she enjoys the run of a backyard and lives a dress up free lifestyle. When she comes to visit, though, she is forced to wear clothing. It’s the price one pays for free boarding.
As Featured On:
(Please email us any links to or comment on places where you see pictures or articles featuring Choppy!)
Dear Sara & Tchoupitoulas 🙂
I like your site very much and I particularly like how you make a story our of everything in your daily life! Dont mind me saying – it is small things like this that keeps me going in my daily too 🙂 , i.e. reading your FB updates, holidays, vacations, costumes, CATS..etc!
So keep posting 🙂
ps.s wat does Tchoupitoulas means?
cheers,
priya
Malaysia
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Hi Priya –
Tchoupitoulas is a street in New Orleans. I believe it is also an Indian tribe. Choppy is named after the street, though.
-Sarah-
Sent from my iPad
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Thanks for the follow Sarah. I’m not a big blog reader but I love photos (and dogs) Your blog has a few of those.
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There are definitely dog photos around here!
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Thanks for the follow, looking forward to following your adventures as well!!!
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Glad to have you here!
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Hi Sarah! 🙂 I’m actually amazed coz, Choppy accompanies you every time you travel. I’m also a dog person and I can feel you connection to Choppy thru your blog post, with that I nominate you to One Lovely Blog Award. If you are interested click here: http://iamkimyu.wordpress.com/2014/10/16/one-lovely-blog-award-my-first-award/
Hope you’ll accept it 😀
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Well, nice to meet you Sarah and Choppy! Thanks for stopping by my house! It’s always nice to meet new friends!
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Yes it is!
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I love the idea of your blog and taking 2013 to travel… wow! how cool is that!
will definitely be back for more choppy stories and photos.
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We’re glad you’re here! Enjoy!
]
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Choppy is living the good life! Homes in Indy AND Chicago here (not due to being rich but due to current job assignment). We’ll stop back on by. Abby the Lab’s Mom http://www.thebookofbarkley.blogspot.com
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Thank you for visiting my blog and liking one of my posts. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
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You are welcome!
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Hello! I have nominated you and Choppy for the Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award!
https://lmgcomic.wordpress.com/2015/01/16/new-comic-up-sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award/
I hope that you’ll accept it.
Thank you!
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Awesome! I will check it out when I am not posting from the phone!
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Thanks so much for liking my poem On Kauai on WordMusic. I love living here and wanted to share it. I appreciate the approval.
Brent Kincaid
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I am visiting for the first time in a couple weeks – I can’t wait!
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Hallelujah! May I suggest you get this book BEFORE you come? It tells you all the ins and outs you will need to have a good time. Move fast, it is only four bucks. And if not, get one of the others. It is called Ultimate Kauai.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/271744599992?lpid=82&chn=ps
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I bought a copy for my husband for his birthday! I am glad I chose well (though I should have gotten this cheaper one…).
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Hola! I’ve just nominated you for a Liebster Award – feel free to accept or ignore 🙂
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Thank you! We’re in Hawaii this week, so I am lucky just to get through all the comments and the like – I will have to decline, but thank you so much!
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No problem at all, of course … enjoy Hawaii – my husband spends half his life on Big Island 🙂
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I would like to spend half my life here! It is great (and my first trip)!
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Thanks so much for following me over at Roamin’ Gnomials. The gnomes are rather indifferent, but they’re known for being an ungrateful lot. I, however, appreciate it very much!
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As someone with a rather indifferent dog who features prominently on her blog, I appreciate at least your appreciation.
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LOL! I am so in love with your Choppy! She is so amazingly patient, what with all the costumes and masks, wigs and bunny slippers and all. And then only being allowed to use drinking paraphernalia as photo props. Humph. Miss Tchoupitoulas is the epitome of patience. I suppose we ought to call Her Princess Patience, now that she’s a Ferguson? But the main question I have is, “Why the heck does Choppy not have a published book showcasing her outfits? Or at the least, a calendar.”
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She really is a most patient dog – I think anyone who sees the sessions where she dresses up comes away rather amazed – with few exceptions, I can usually lose her however I want (the diva Choppy does come out sometimes and refuse, though).
As for a book, it is something I have been working on for a while – hopefully at some point it will become something real that I can share with the world!!
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Boy, do I miss Wisconsin. Give it a hug from me. Cheers
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That is easy enough to do!
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Hello there ! thanks for following my blog. I have a pleasant memory of Wisconsin and the lovely people I met there. The cherry were the best I’ve ever eaten 🙂 Say hi to Choppy for me xx Gin
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I’m glad you enjoyed your visit here – it’s home, so I am biased when I say it is a great place to visit (but really, it is!). And I will say hi to Choppy (she is right here with me, so it’s quite easy).
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Delighted that you and Choppy both came to visit my blog. So I thought I should come over and browse around at yours. Sarah, I hope I gave you and choppy a few laughs and you are always welcome at the attic. Have a fabulous weekend. :O)
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Your blog is great! I have to say the pictures on the Champagne Wishes post cracked me up (also, when did I get so old that there are people who don’t remember Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous?).
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Thank you Sarah. I love that I can give you and others a good laugh, which is the only reason this blog exist. So I appreciate all the kind words. And your knowing about Robin doesn’t mean your old, just well informed. :O)
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I like that – well-informed! I can get behind that.
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There you go. ;O)
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Just saying hello to a fellow AtoZer! Love your blog and Choppy, too! She’s beautiful! 😄
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Glad you stopped by! Funny enough, my husband has a pseudo-owl collection – we have a ton around the house. I am going to send him over to your blog!
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Oh very nice! Happy to connect with you both! 😄
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🙂
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Hey Choppy. I feel ya. My mom dresses me up, too. It’s mostly when I do my therapy pet work, to make people smile. I used to eat my clothes when I was little. Now I know when I wear a dress, something fun is about to happen!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
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Choppy feels for you, too! It’s hard to deal with the crazy things humans do.
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Hey Choppy & Sarah (in order of importance, lol): just liked your facebook page with the zillions of other likes. You are one popular furbaby. And Sarah, next time you’re out wondering with Choppy stop by and visit us. You’ll have a lot in common with my hubby and Choppy will have a lot in common with Max & Bella. Have a grrrrrrrrreat week. ❤
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If we are out your way we would be happy to stop by! We love to see people we’ve met online. I’d love to get back on the road sooner rather than later (though for now, bills need to be paid!).
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Hi great blog! I just nominated it for the Versatile Blogger Award ( https://justafellowhumanray.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/versatile-blogger-award-x2/ ).
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Thank you so much! I will put this in the Challenge Queue – after April, I have stored up a bunch to do. So you should see it sometime soon!
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Hello Sarah! I’ve decided to read and follow 10 interesting and new blogs a day every day of May 2015, and yours is today’s #2! Feel free to come visit me when you can at http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.com, and follow if you like what you read. Happy new year and happy blogging!
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Thank you! And what a great idea – I’m headed over to your blog to check it out!
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We may be on opposite sides of the pond, but sounds like we’re rather similar (I’m in early 30s, also a Sarah and travelling around with my dog after quitting my long term job!) Here was I, thinking I was the only one!!! Will enjoy reading your blog.
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I just went to your blog and saw this – we really are similar! I am going to have to poke around your blog some more, it looks great!
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Hey dear,
It’s my pleasure to nominate you for a lovely award called, ‘The Real Neat Blog Award’. You can check the details here- https://feelingsoulmate.wordpress.com/2015/09/14/opening-the-first-surprise-box/ 😊 💝
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I posted this at your blog as well – thank you for the nomination! I have been trying (and failing) to get to all the awards I have been nominated for – I need more time in the day to get to all of these!
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Many congratulations dear! Not in hurry… Take your time.. I know you will do it 😊 💖
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So nice to meet you! cute blog!!
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Thank you! I dropped by your blog and immediately saw something about ‘chocolate sauce.’ I can tell I am going to enjoy your blog already.
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ha ha I am so glad!
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I had to come back and read this again Sarah! hahaha love this blog!
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Thank you so much! I am glad it has served its purpose of amusement!
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I love how you write!
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Oh, you are too sweet – thank you!
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🙂
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Hey! Thanks for visiting my blog! You’ve got a very cute and charming blog:) See you around!
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Hey Sarah, I just recently started blogging again around last December, and I just wanted to say I appreciate the support you’ve given to my blog previously, ie all the likes,comments etc. I’ll definitely be catching up with your blog now! Great stuff 🙂 And that’s one really awesome dog!
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Thank you!!
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Hi Sarah and Choppy, we nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award! Take a look:
https://twopupsandakitty.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/blogger-recognition-award/
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Thank you!!
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Hello Sarah and Choppy. Thanks so much for finding and following my blog. It led me back to yours and now I’m having a great time searching for Choppy in all sorts of unexpected places. Great idea for a blog.
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Oh, thank you! We’re so glad you like our little corner of the Internet!
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Sara and Choppy thank you very much for following my blog. I certainly look forward to reading more here on yours. Happy day to you both! 🙂
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You are welcome! I can’t wait to read more!
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You guys have a wonderful story 😀
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Thank you!
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Hi Sarah and Choppy. I just had to pop over and say Hi, thanks to Lynn from Lynz Real Cooking highlighting you. I totally love your About Page and look forward to reading your blog further. Enjoy the rest of the weekend 🙂
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Thank you! We’re so happy to have you here, and we hope you enjoy our blog!
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Hellooooo! I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger award! https://lmgcomic.wordpress.com/2016/03/16/lmgs-internet-buffet-the-versatile-blogger-award/
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Ooh, fun! Must. Find. Time.
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Hi Sarah! I’ve nominated you, Choppy and Schooner for the Creative Blogger Award! No pressure at all, but if you’d like to participate, here is the link: https://lifebellissima.com/2016/04/16/the-creative-blogger-award/ Have a wonderful weekend! 😀
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Oh my gosh – thank you! We will try to get to this, but between our regular posting and A to Z, blogging is hectic right now (we’ll ignore that whole ‘regular job’ thing as well).
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You’re very welcome, and believe me, I completely understand! 😉 Most of all, I want you to know I think your blog is great! 😀
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Your introductions of characters is brilliant. Great wit and humor and a skill that places smiles on people’s faces. As a physician using the blog world to attain positive REALISTIC healthy changes to help improve the quality of life people are entitled to experience, I appreciate your blog site and the positive impact it will have on your readers.
Stay healthy and happy always!
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Thank you! I think you’re doing great things on your blog. I got a chance to poke around a bit the other day (thanks to Cameron sending me there), but I haven’t gotten to really get into it yet.
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Take your time and browse at your convenience. Most of us are in too much of a hurry most of the time. I look forward to seeing you there and reading your thoughts on the subjects I cover.
I know you have a special relationship with Choppy, so I thought I would share with you my special relationship with Tucker (my beagle.) I used him in the following post to create a lighter attitude about improving health. I think you may enjoy it:
https://allabouthealthychoices.wordpress.com/2015/10/13/want-to-get-healthy-follow-your-dogs-advice/
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Sarah you really are a certified Dressophile 😨
I had to follow your blog for intervention purposes !!!!
And maybe to secretly fulfill my own latent Dressophile tendencies 😦
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It’s a pleasure to meet you all.
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You too!
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Thank you so much for the follow! Looking forward to reading more of your posts.
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You are welcome – and the same for your blog!!
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Hi Sarah! I nominated you for The Black Cat Blue Sea Award (which I just recently heard of :p) @ https://serenasinclair.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/the-black-cat-blue-sea-award/
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Hi Sarah, I nominated you for the 3 Day Quote Challenge. I know you’re really busy and have a lot of posts planned already so no pressure to accept! Today was very hard so I nominated three blogs that always cheer me up and looking at pictures of Choppy and Schooner as well as interacting with you always cheers me up! ❤️
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I made it to your comment!
Thank you for the nomination! I will try to find time, but I love just being nominated – thank you! And I am so glad we can cheer you up. Even if we don’t get to the award, we’ll keep up the random dressed up animal posts. It’s the least we can do!
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That is better than fine 😊. Maybe someday you’ll get around to walking Schooner on his leash too…😝😂
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I was just looking at it last night and thinking we should make an effort!
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Hi Choppy (and Sarah)!
I just nominated you for a Liebster award. You can read more about it here:
https://diyalogues.wordpress.com/2016/06/26/liebster-award-2/
No pressure whatsoever to accept. But a Choppy Liebster acceptance post would be the highlight of my day 😉
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Thank you! I have a bunch of outstanding awards posts to do – I really need to get on them (especially because I really do enjoy reading them on others’ sites, so I want to share my own answers).
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I completely understand. It takes me months to get around to my nominations and I still have 3 left to do! I look forward to your answers when you eventually get around to it 🙂 Chop Chop Sarah! 😉
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Oh, I am so glad to hear I am not the only one who is slow at them! It makes me feel much better!
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Love your “about” page! What a happy-fun family you have! 🙂
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Thank you! I updated it a couple months ago – I think it is quite fun!
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Hi there, thank you for visiting my blog and I’d say Choppy and Charley could be cousins!! With love from Ohio, Johanna
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They certainly do look like they could be relatives!
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Hi, Sarah! Hi, Choppy!
I paged through your blog and noticed that we have quite a bit in common. I am originally from Pennsylvania, now living on the Gulf coast of Florida. Members of my family once lived in Terra Haute. I love dogs and cats and blogs that feature them and I am drawn to people with a sense of humor. Given all of the above I have decided to follow you. I look forward to reading more of the adventures of Choppy and Schooner!
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Oh my gosh! Your awesome comment got sent to my spam folder!
We really do have a lot in common – and I love the Gulf Coast. We used to vacation in Fort Walton Beach, back when it and Destin were just sleepy beach towns. Thanks for the follow!
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Hi again, Sarah &, Choppy!
I’m glad you finally found my comment and I thank you very much for choosing to follow me at SDMM. It will be a challenge for me to leave comments on your blog because I am not registered on WordPress and do not have Twitter or Facebook accounts. Please remember to keep checking your spam folder. 🙂 Thank you again for your interest in Shady Dell Music & Memories, Sarah, and have a nice weekend!
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We’re happy to have you here – I’ll keep an eye on the spam folder. I have been having a lot of comments end up there, so it’s one of those things I definitely need to keep an eye on!
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Sarah I knew there was a reason we clicked so well. Retired Paralegal. I love that you can and do turn off the legal. Keep it up.
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I have to turn off the legal – I am not sure I could survive without some daily time away. It can get intense!
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I am so glad you do. I know what you mean.
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Your blog is just lovely.
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Thank you! So glad you enjoy it!
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It’s really nice.
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