Today I read a very sad message from someone I don't really know. But I felt as close to her as if she were my sister. Her dog Oliver, her friend and companion for 13 years, had passed away after suffering a stroke. I could feel her pain and anguish and wanted to reach out and help her in any way possible. But what could I do? A virtual stranger. Just offer a few words that hopefully were of comfort, and sat here alone so totally overwhelmed by the recent deaths that I have been avoiding dealing with.

Out of respect for Oliver, I would just like to say a few things about our incredible friend Dewey.

He was one of a litter of 9 puppies (6 girls 3 boys)and was born under our house. His mothers name was Minnie (Mouse) and daddy we called many thing but his Official name was Peanut Butter. This is what happens when you let the children name the pets. I can't remember what we called all of the puppies but in keeping with the Disney theme the 3 boy pups became Huey, Dewey and Louie. We managed to find homes for all of the pups, giving the last one to a relative as a Christmas gift. Then I heard rumor of one family planning to get rid of their puppy. I went to their house and said I'd take him back. That was our Dewy!

He went through a lot of growing pains. As a young'un he loved to eat crayons and rolls of paper towels and any assorted object he could sneak into his mouth. It was mostly harmless and "Just Dewey" until he ate the brittle plastic water gun. He survived, but couldn't sleep in the house for a long time after that.

He was a wonderful watch dog. He decided that was his job on his own. If he was running loose and playing with the kids he was just a friendly playful puppy. If he was tied up, he wouldn't let anyone he didn't know anywhere near the house. That was great fun when the Church folks came to call!

Even when our family broke apart, we still shared Dewey. We didn't fight over custody, we shared it, just like the kids. So Dewey's circle of love grew in his later years. We let him live where he was happiest, which happened to be the home with the most kids! Everyone adored him and he had plenty of love to spread around. No one was left out.

The last year we knew was bad. It was getting harder for him to walk and even stand. We knew he couldn't handle another winter and decisions would have to be made.

On August 27, 2000, the decision was taken out of our hands and he passed away on his own, waiting just long enough for one last kid to come and say good bye. Even in the end he was thinking of his people.

What a bright light he was in our lives. I hope he and Oliver are able to meet up in Good Doggie Heaven. They were both surely Princes of the Canine World. God Bless Them Both.

This is young Dewey

in Sanford Michigan

where he was born.

Here is Dewey nearly 14 years old. Three months

later he would be gone. This picture was the

only one in the whole batch that had those

light streaks in it. They were all taken about the

same time, same place. We believe he was

surrounded by Angels preparing to carry him

home.

See you tomorrow.

It was sure a happy day for us today!!! After months of waiting and "playing by the rules" Alexander James finally came home for the first time in over 5 months! Only a few hours at a time for a while until he gets to know his daddy again, but it was so wonderful to see my son smile and his son smiling too. It was enough to make this old one cry, but I didn't. Too busy taking all the pictures I could and playing with our little guy. How fun to have a baby again! And he's just so sweet! I feel some scrapbook pages coming on! LOL

See you tomorrow.

Happy Don't Forget To Remember It's Almost Valentines Day Day

If the slide show doesn't load for you, click on view all images. That's what I did and the slide show was there.

It's really been a foggy brain day for me so I got nuttin'! Hopefully the temp will rise enough above zero I'll be able to get outside tomorrow.

See you tomorrow.

I don't think it matters how old they are, how long it's been since you've seen them. It doesn't even matter if they were the oldest or the youngest or the middle child. Were they from a large family or small or maybe a medium one? It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter because no matter what, If you are a Mommy, you will remain a mommy for the rest of your life. You will worry about your kids even when you're pretty sure that you're being ridiculous.

I have given birth to six beautiful kids so I am an expert worrier. When my daughter and her family get the Disney itch, I just don't figure into the short list of people to inform. They go, have a super Disney vacation with lots of pictures. Just perfect for a family with little boys who adore the Disney characters.....almost as much as their parents!!!!

Meanwhile, day after day goes by with no sign of my daughter.....not just my daughter, my very much pregnant with her first baby girl, daughter. The first week I was cool with it. I'm not an annoying phone caller, I'm a blog watcher. She isn't an everyday blogger so a few days not seeing anything is no big deal. I think that I actually made it most of the way through the second week before making the dreaded "Phone Call", I left a message. I didn't try again 'til just before my phone and Internet troubles began. By then it had been nearly 3 weeks, quite a long time for a Disney trip even for these die hard season pass holders. I was certain that something was wrong. Maybe with the baby, or maybe she was depressed, maybe I'd done something and made her not want to talk to me.

Today I finally reached her....and was chastised for all the worrying! They wanted to fit in one more Disneyland before they'll be tied down for a while with the baby. So I worried for nothing....or did I?

I didn't-

worry myself sick

bother others with my foolishness

leave a bunch of irrational phone messages

I did-

what any normal mom who loves her kids would do. I cared.

Do I care too much for my adult kids? As long as I keep remembering that there is no S in front of mother, it'll be fine. What do you think?

See you tomorrow.

AAaaarrrrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!!!!! My cable, phone and internet provider really let me down this weekend! The service tech who came out to fix it was really perturbed because the problem was caused by another employee who shouldn't have been doing anything with my wires and meters. Anyway, it's all fixed now, but I didn't think that I'd be able to get caught up on this by doing 5 daily's, so this is a brief show and tell of Jan. 30-Feb. 2.

Now hopefully I'll still have time to post for today. Yay! I'm back on track!

It's National Puzzle Day!!!

Yay for National Puzzle Day! I do love me a good puzzle! I'm more of a word puzzle kinda girl, but totally respect all the jigsawer's out there. I just don't have the personal patience or the space for them unless they're quite small.

One of my favorite puzzles involved 2 bent nails that you had to figure out how to take apart, then put back together again. That puzzle kept the family occupied for quite a while.

When I don't have access to my computer I always like to keep 2 puzzle books handy. One just an ordinary word search and the other is almost always a Penny Press Variety Puzzles and Word Games book. That is packed full of about every word puzzle you can imagine! Crosswords, codewords, syllabuses, cripto families, places please, and on and on.....

Then there are those puzzling questions. Sometimes they are really sorta funny, and sometimes they make you think. Some questions like these maybe,

If it is zero degrees outside today and it's supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?

If someone invented instant water, what would they mix it with?

Some months have 30 days. Some months have 31 days. How many months have 28 days?

Well, I could go on forever and make up a word search and blah dee blah dee blah. Just not techie savvy so am totally puzzled when it comes to blogging on this subject.

See you tomorrow.

Who Is That Kopy Kat?

(This is an add on because I forgot to put it in the original post.) Today is National Kazoo Day, so I want to wish Happy Kazooing to all of you Kazooers out there! Hey, do you guys have your own website or Facebook page? I was wondering if there is a kazoo band or if you all are just soloists or whatever?
--A Kazoo Fan From Kalamazoo


Having two cats reminds me a lot of when I had kids at home. Way, way back, when I only had two daughters and two sons, the oldest child had a severe case of sibling rivalry. Mostly with the next one down. Any time #2 child would do or say anything that got attention from mommy or daddy, #1 child would always pipe up and say "Me too!". We heard it so often that eventually we named one of out cats Metoo in honor of our #1 child. It also stopped said child from saying it all the time.

Now all I have at home are two spoiled rotten cats. Susan B Anthony (Suzy) and Isabel (Izzy) might as well be sisters. Izzy was born in my house so she has always known Suzy and until all of our trauma happened last summer Suzy hated little Izzy with a passion.

The nearly two months of hell that they went through together brought them to a peaceful and sympathetic truce. Suzy would allow Izzy in the same room as long as she respected her boundaries and remembered who was Top Cat in the household! Izzy played along for quite a while....as she watched. Suzy always had the top spot on the back of the couch and it was OK for Izzy to lay on Mommy's lap, just as long as she was lower.

Izzy has always been a Mommy cuddler. Suzy is a Mommy watcher, she needs to be able to see me but not necessarily touch. Any time I even go into the bathroom Suzy follows and sits on the edge of the tub and waits. If Izzy follows she has to stay on the floor.

Well, that's how it was....but these girls are so jealous of each other that recently they have taken to switching places every couple of weeks. Izzy started it by running ahead and getting to the spot first. I could almost hear her saying "Na Ne Na Ne Boo Boo!" and waving her little paws up by her ears.

At first I thought that Suzy had just given up her "place" and I was mad at the little one ('cause Suzy is older and by far my favorite!), but when she got tired of playing the game and letting Izzy pretend to be boss, she just got up one day and tackled her, beat the snot out of her and went back to her role as Queen.

I learned my lesson. I will not interfere with their kittenish squabbles as long as they don't break anything!

See you tomorrow.