Search Results for: blog do you kiss your pets goodnight

Learning about Coping Gracefully from My Pets

Over in Marriage I wrote about how this year has been one blow after the other and I feel like I’m living under a black cloud. A string of them to be exact. No sooner does one pass than another one moves in and pours on me some more. I don’t even get a chance to fully dry off. I’ve been trying to cope as well as I can, but I have to be honest. My defenses are wearing down. Yesterday I got another blow. My dad’s girlfriend called to say she was at St. Anthony’s with my dad. He … Continue reading →

Taking Abstinence Too Far?

The other day Jade sent me a link to a Chicago Tribune story titled “Practicing abstinence, bride and groom have never kissed” by Vikki Ortiz. It was about a couple, 30-year-old Claudaniel Fabien and his 28-year-old bride Melody LaLuz, who decided to abstain not only from sex before marriage, but from even kissing on the lips. Jade’s subject line when she sent the link read “Good luck with this one.” I’m surprised she didn’t say “Have fun with this one” or “Can you believe this one?” I’ve had to let it digest for a few days before writing about it. … Continue reading →

Beware If Your Pet Gets Hurt During a Kennel Stay

Just as Aimee (and most of us pet owners) experiences separation anxiety when she has to be away from her pets for an extended length of time, so do I. But after what happened this last time we went away and came home from vacation to a hurt Murphy who needed surgery on his paw, I’m going to be even more anxious. And not at all inclined to entrust my Murph to any kennel. A Lesson in Responsibility Wayne and I learned very fast that the kennel was not going to accept any responsibility for Murph’s injury without us pressing … Continue reading →

Life Without Murphy

Life without Murphy hasn’t been very much fun. “Wait a second,” you might be wondering. “Life without Murphy? Where did he go?” The Surgery We dropped him off at the specialist’s office early Wednesday morning for his paw surgery. Luckily Wayne was able to come with. Turns out we needed each other. It was surprising how much we both broke down once the vet tech came and escorted Murphy away. I think I’d always get nervous if any of my pets had to go into surgery, but I think I get especially nervous because my beloved Mackie died after what … Continue reading →

Greatest American Dog: The Personality Episode

Over the weekend I had the chance to get caught up on “Greatest American Dog” episodes I missed. Which was only last week’s show, the personality episode. Take It or Leave It The first challenge tested how well the dog owner knew his or her dog. The dogs and owners were put in individual corrals. Various items were set out on a dish in front of them. The owner had to make a call whether or not the dog would take whatever the item was. (With no prompting or cajoling from the owner.) I thought this challenge would last forever. … Continue reading →

The Elderly Teach “The Baby Borrowers” Lessons in Love

I may not have children, but last night’s episode of “The Baby Borrowers” was one I could definitely relate to: The teens had to care for the elderly. Since I’m fresh off my duty of caregiving for my mom, the episode struck particularly close to home. Even more so because one of the ladies was on oxygen and two others had suffered strokes. (Except only one, Hedy, was actually being cared for by a teen. The other, Reggie, was the wife of one of the men, George, who had volunteered to stay with a teen couple.) The only thing missing … Continue reading →

Velvet Ears, Golden Paws, Angel Butt

Do you have nicknames for your pet(s)? If so, just one or more than that? In Tabby, the Continuing Saga, I wrote about some of the nicknames I developed almost immediately for my stray girl. (Those have all now been incorporated into her unofficial full name: Lady Tabitha, Tabernathy, Tabberkins Pryor, but she’s also picked up Tabbins, Tab Tab, Little One, and Stinker Princess.) Mr. Meow also has his fair share: Gato Bato, Monkey Paws, Gorilla Arms, Crazy Cat, and the good old standby: Creepy Cat. Then there’s Murphy. He’s got a whole slew of them: Murph Man, Murphy Jones, … Continue reading →

What Have I Done to My Marriage? – Part Two, The Meltdown

In a previous article I wrote about some behind-the-scenes drama I’ve been enduring with the big changes in my marriage. Drama that could have threatened it even this early on in our new arrangement–-if I’d let it. I’ll get to the part about the salvation strategies I employed in another article, but first I’ll give you an idea of why I needed to call on them at all. Honeymoon’s Over Today marks a week and a half since my mom and I returned home. (Well, to my existing home and what is becoming her new one.) The first few days … Continue reading →

The Gift That Proved Most Precious Indeed

When Wayne gave me my Christmas gift (a camera) a little early last year I was super excited. I knew it spelled trouble for Murphy, Mr. Meow, and Tabby because I’m snap happy. Being the proud mom I am I think everything they do or every pose they make is worthy of a click. As it turns out it’s a good thing I’m that way. Goodbye for a While When my sister called in the middle of March to tell me about our mom being admitting to the hospital I knew I was going to be away from home for … Continue reading →

The Personal Pet Therapy Project

One of my resolutions for 2008 was seeing about getting me and Murph involved in a pet therapy program. Well, recent developments have certainly seen to it that this resolution will be kept this year. A Family Affair Not only is Murphy going to be involved with the pet therapy project, but so are Mr. Meow and Tabby. And the person we’re going to concentrate our therapeutic energies on is my mom, who in addition to her dementia was also recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Grandma Dorothy Moves In On Wednesday March 19 I flew to Denver. My mom had … Continue reading →