Random Picture Challenge

It's been ages since I've participated in the Random Picture Challenge by Brittany over at 4 little men and girly twins. Just for kicks, I looked in my picture folder tonight and when I came to my 27th picture I thought, "Oh yeah, this is the guy you want for your financial advisor." He won't too happy with this, but I needed a goofy son with an even goofier cat to cheer me up from a weekend spent with a sad puppy who has no control over his bodily functions.



Tea tonight: jasmine

The Community of GOD (or spell it backwards if you must).

Do not read this if you are not a dog lover. You will be bored out of your mind, and you will think I'm out of mine.

Sometimes we do things that seem so stupid to others. A waste of time. Or important things to you become habits. Like brushing your teeth, pouring your coffee (or so they say, I've never had a cup), or tying your shoes.

And emailing dogs.

Lucky's been doing it for several months now, after he joined Doggyspace. He has special friends like Jack-Jack, Sandy, 12, Chappy & Whiskey, Kane, and Sierra, just to name a few. There are even friends like Moses who are already at the Rainbow Bridge and tell him how wonderful it is there, how he will run like a puppy again when he gets there. They are doggie bloggers. They are not people. They type and they send (virtual) gifts like bones and frisbees and basketballs, and they have favorite sports teams like the Cubs, the Michigan State Spartans, and the Arizona Cardinals.

So when Lucky responds to these emails, it is not me.

It is Lucky. And he so dearly loves our new friends.

I know they are real dogs and not blogging people. They talk about their "furiends" and their "pawrents" and pray with "paws together." They send quick messages like "OMD" and "BOL" and even "ROFBOL." They tell you what a "pawsome" friend you are and mail you bandannas purchased from non-profit organizations that care for hungry, hurt puppies. Someone is always there to give you a "Paws Up."

These dogs have been raised by loving pawrents parents, so they have learned well. They have Doggy Prayer Chains, Secret Paws, and a Cheer Up Campaign headed by Gizmo, which is much like my Bible study group at church. They know when Lucky needs some cheering up, and the emails just keep coming. And then Hans at the Bridge or Moses shows up with encouragement like "keeping my angel wings around you" and you know that yes, everything will be ok in the end.

They ask "can you ask your mom to send me the recipe for your soup?" and "are you snuggling with your mom and dad tonight?" And when he has "accidents," they tell him how much his pawrents love him anyway and not to feel bad. They even send tips on how he can clean the inside of my computer screen, just in case he gets too much pupkiss on it.

They even have their own private jokes, like The Community Service Haircut or The World's Smartest Dog.

Lucky always responds from his heart. When he's sad, it shows. When he's peaceful, it shows. When he's restless, it shows. He wears his heart (and mine) on his paw.

And as he's dying and moving closer to the Rainbow Bridge, well, that shows, too.

When Lucky gets on this computer, it means he needs his friends, and he's in the zone. So don't you dare bother him, or for heaven's Bridge's sake, change your password without telling him. He'll give you the stink-eye, for sure.

Doggyspace isn't addicting, but getting into the heart of my dog in his final days sure is.

Note to Lucky: please drink some water tonight. Please? It's been 3 days and you are very dehydrated. Moses and Hans say you're not quite ready to visit them yet.

Click to pray

Tea today: Young hyson

Unplugged

Need a break. Taking a break. Lost in dear ones and prayer. Peace.

Tea today: Good Earth Green with lemongrass

My Quest to Ban the Remote

You know that guy who invented the remote? If I ever find him, I'm going sick the Ninja Bear or Chuck Norris on him because seriously, he ought to be nunchucked. Note to Blogger: no, I wasn't trying to spell upchucked!

I tried, really I did. I don't much like TV to begin with. There's just nothing on I have a desire to watch anymore except Food Network or perhaps a Westminster Dog Show. I was bound and determined to have some cozy family room relaxing time tonight. How about some supper in front of the TV which we never do (albeit a horrible supper, since Mother Hubbard never could cook)? Perhaps a basketball game, a movie, a drama, a poker tournament....watching anything for a spell. It might even trigger something in my brain that I wanted to say all week that either it left too quickly or there was nobody around to tell except a deaf dog and a cat who could care less.

But that dang remote can really ruin my mood. I would seriously rather get up off my bum and change the channel every time a commercial comes on rather than have to put up with the flipping flipping.

Flip. FLIP. FLIP. FLIP.

Three to five seconds on a channel and it's gone - even with 25 seconds left in a close basketball game. Oh look, it's a war movie with a tank getting blown u...by the weird sunglasses guy who has a pair of Queens....Eddie Murphy is so good in Trading Pla....oh what a cute little baby collie on Animal Plan.....45 degrees tomorr....and if we call right now we can get one for $9.95 but only unt....dang, a full house, who kne.....and the captain of the All-Tournament team is.....Walker, Texas Rang...with SNL guest host Tracy Morg....

You get the picture.

It's the ultimate display of ADD. Three different times I cozied up in the chair, only to be terrorized by the strobe-like screen and various decibel levels of angst. I kept telling myself to suck it up. I asked a couple of questions about the "movie of the second." But by the time my question was out, the scene was gone, and the calloused thumb and the glazed-over eyes told me it was pointless. So I went back to my work I brought home from work and my mounds of laundry, which I so badly didn't want to do.

"Remoting" yes, I just verbed that drives me absolutely crazy.

Fortunately, it will be a very short drive.

And I'm betting (that pair of Queens) on the Laundry Ninja to stealthily show up in the middle of the night, only because he'll find my remote and mistake it for his own.


Tea tonight: Green with Pomegranate

The Lost Generation

My friend Nick over at Fellowship of the Traveling Smarty Pants led me to this. A definite must to listen all the way through. Incredible! (Turn off my music on the left sidebar first).


Tea tonight: Tazo Green Ginger

New Issue! Serious Life!

I wanted you to know about this publication I’m a part of called Serious.Life Magazine. They just published the February issue today, and I am in their Featured Blog Directory. It’s a very high quality magazine… you’ll really like it.

The magazine includes a lot of great content from bloggers you’ll appreciate, as well as great features, photos and other content. The magazine is owned and published by a family who have seven kids, three adopted and one who has Leukemia (www.riggsfamilyblog.com). The magazine gives away a bunch of ads to charities and ministries. Besides great articles on interesting people, there is a lot about family, adoption, personal finance, spiritual life, humor… all sorts of “life” topics.

Again, the subscription is FREE, and I know you’ll enjoy the magazine, so take a minute to check it out and sign up to get future issues. www.seriouslifemagazine.com

My Secret's Out

Most of you loyal readers (that would be three out of the five of you) know how cheap I am. Ouch. I hate buying things at Target that add $30 to my grocery bill that I can't even eat.

But I'm going to have to cave tomorrow and buy deodorant. All of my Secret samples are gone. It's been about 3 years since I've had to buy that stuff, and I know the price has probably doubled since my last purchase. In the interest of friendships, keeping my job, smelling a mite better than the family dog, and getting closer than five feet to Ron Burgundy, I must buy some. It's the least I can do to stimulate the economy, and the most I probably will do.

Note to companies of those dreaded products: send out samples and if I like it, I will buy it. Cut out the fancy packaging that probably costs more than the actual product. I am not impressed by scratch-n-sniff labels or newfangled dispensers. I'd even buy Oxy pads in a zip-lock bag. But I'll still cut them in half.

I just want the stupid product.

And I might even buy into this bail-out thing if Uncle Sam would send me a sample.

Tea tonight: Green with pomegranate

Wondering When

MAKING THAT FINAL DECISION TO SAY GOODBYE
- author unknown -

You're giving me a special gift,
So sorrowfully endowed,
And through these last few cherished days,
Your courage makes me proud.
But really, love is knowing
When your best friend is in pain,
And understanding earthly acts
Will only be in vain.
So looking deep into your eyes,
Beyond, into your soul,
I see in you the magic, that will
Once more make me whole.
The strength that you possess,
Is why I look to you today,
To do this thing that must be done,
For it's the only way.
That strength is why I've followed you,
And chose you as my friend,
And why I've loved you all these years...
My partner till the end.
Please, understand just what this gift
You're giving, means to me,
It gives me back the strength I've lost,
And all my dignity.
You take a stand on my behalf,
For that is what friends do.
And know that what you do is right,
For I believe it too.
So one last time, I breathe your scent,
And through your hand I feel,
The courage that's within you,
To now grant me this appeal.
Cut the leash that holds me here,
Dear friend, and let me run,
Once more a strong and steady dog,
My pain and struggle done.
And don't despair my passing,
For I won't be far away,
Forever here, within your heart,
And memory I'll stay.
I'll be there watching over you,
Your ever faithful friend,
And in your memories I'll run,
... a young dog once again

Tea tonight: Young hyson