Quarantine and chill and kindness chatty clubhouse: Jump in and join the conversation! All is welcome!

[Bianca and Bernard]

So sorry to hear this. We have decided against a surgical biopsy on our dog this year too, she is 14. It is so hard to say goodbye to our beloved pets.

((huggles)) for you too, @snappy
my sympathies as well

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My heart goes out to those of you who are facing these tough decisions about your pets. I have been there many times and it is truly heartbreaking. I am still sad from the last one I lost. We got Toto when we knew we’d be losing her. His presence softened the blow even though it was bittersweet. She wasn’t thrilled he was here, but I remember whispering in her ear, through tears, that he was going to be taking care of us after she left (and he has!).

Please pray for Jasper that he has an easy entry into doggie heaven and that our other dogs and family members that have gone on before him will be there to greet him.

I believe that he will! He is so surrounded by love!

I happened to read some near death experience stories the other day which had pets in them. In these stories where people actually died but came back to tell about it, they were thrilled to be reunited with their pets in heaven.

Meanwhile, this always helped me when that difficult time came. [From petloss.com] I hope it helps you, too, especially @Snowysmom since your decision Is happening right now. Many hugs. ❤

FROM FRIEND TO FRIEND

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 'til 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.

 

[Allison Joy]

@easyas123... Know of any "drought busters" in your area? My neighbors and and my families both called ourselves the "drought busters" because it we went tent camping, it was almost guaranteed to rain. Know of anyone like that? And... sorry. I'm booked for the week!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

In the midst of a work stretch. Have a patient who touched my heart this week who could use some prayers if anyone has any to spare. Appreciative!

 

[lynxstch]

In the midst of a work stretch. Have a patient who touched my heart this week who could use some prayers if anyone has any to spare. Appreciative!

sending prayers their way, and yours too..as a caregiver I know how hard it is for you sometimes. Sending you an extra today @Pea-n-Me

 

[Snowysmom]

Saying prayers for your patient. You are a kind and caring nurse.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Love that poem, Pea and prayers for your patient and you as well! Thank you for being so caring!

 

[easyas123]

@easyas123... Know of any "drought busters" in your area? My neighbors and and my families both called ourselves the "drought busters" because it we went tent camping, it was almost guaranteed to rain. Know of anyone like that? And... sorry. I'm booked for the week!

that’s the problem! It ALWAYS rained when we camped, too! I’m headed out to water my tree line… I’m hoping that does it!!!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Oh @Snowysmom, I'm so sorry!

@Pea-n-Me, that poem is lovely and made me cry.
Prayers said for your patient as well.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

@Snowysmom, @snappy, and @dazedx3, I am so sorry to hear about your pets. It's such a heartbreaking decision and it never gets easier.

I do firmly believe that they will be waiting for us in Heaven. This is going to sound totally kooky, but years ago, I visited a local psychic (who would only ask your first name when making the appointment, and who would only take cash...basically ensuring that she really couldn't look up anything about you). One of the things she told me was that she could "see" an older gentleman - she thought he was my father - wearing glasses, and he had a big white dog with him; she said, "I'm getting a strange 'T' word around the dog." Well, I grew up with my glasses-wearing grandfather, and of all the dogs we had, his favorite was a white German shepherd named Tripoli. She passed away in 1979, so there is NO WAY this woman could have known about her. I just know that she and my grandfather are together in Heaven

@Pea-n-Me, I will certainly add your patient to my prayer list

@apirateslifefor me...I heard you have had a LOL of rain , quit hogging it, we haven't had any in weeks. My ex sister in law lives in Chicopee..and said they have had at least a foot or more of rain this month? That's a lot for this time of year.

Ugh, you are more than welcome to it! Last summer, it didn't rain for 2 months straight...now we're getting swamped (literally). We drove past a pond/lake today and it was very high. While we're happy to get the rain after our lawn has been treated, it's too much and we have a lot of mushrooms now. I'd love to send some your way!

The smoke from the wildfires has made its way out here. When we left for Storytime this afternoon, there was a heavy haze in the air and it smelled like burned plastic/rubber. Our police department had to release a statement about it, explaining it and basically saying "there's nothing we can do about it, so stop calling us." It *is* kind of amazing that it can go across the country like this, without dissipating, that's for sure - not just the smoke, but the smell, too.

Yes, our library really has some wonderful programs, for both kids and adults. Josh started attending storytimes when he was in preschool. But the children's librarians have really gone above and beyond this summer. My mom and I both are probably going to write a letter to the library director about them. They definitely deserve recognition.

(I wonder if Miss Lisa recognizes me at all...she and I sort of worked together 30-some years ago at a video store, and then again when I graduated from college and worked for the police for a short time. I don't think we ever worked actually "together" on the same shift, but we'd overlap; she'd be leaving when I came in and we'd see each other in passing. She's never said anything so I don't think she remembers. I don't want to bring up the police job, as I only lasted a few weeks and I'm still embarrassed about it, 25 years later.)

We also have something called ERfC, Educational Resources for Children, and they are great, too. They're the ones doing the Wednesday evening shows. In the past, pre-COVID, they had an occasional "play lab" for the preschoolers. For an hour, you could go in and there were all different stations for building with the giant blue blocks, playing with kinetic sand, a music area, an art area, making sculptures with Magnatiles and the interlocking gears - it was really fun! 2 years ago in the summer, they hosted Playground Tuesdays, a 2-hour playgroup at different parks in town. We went to almost every single one. So many residents in our town are down on "things to do for kids," but I'm finding that there is almost too much!

 

[AuntieMe3]

@Snowysmom I'm so sorry.

I had a little emotional breakdown this week about one of my boys....I have a feeling his time coming soon and it makes me so sad just thinking about it.

 

[snappy]

It really takes a lot out of you even just anticipating them leaving us. My mind says no more dogs (we are in our late sixties) but my heart does not agree.

 

[Kirby]

Next thing to do is see if I can upgrade our autotrain to a sleeper. The reason we booked the train to Florida instead of driving was to see how we do sitting up in coach but with this new Delta variant of the virus, not sure we want to sit in coach for 18 hours with strangers. Sleeper will add a lot of $$ to the trip but is fun and will be safer. First world problems.

Wish we had a more direct train route to Orlando. The current one takes 67 hours.

I'm driving my folks spare car this week, it hasn't seen the outside of the garage in months. I'll leave the windows down in order to temp the Fates! And I'll leave the laundry on the line!

Don't forget to wash your car!

Just stopping in quickly with a Jasper update. Unfortunately we have to make the decision to put him to sleep.

In the midst of a work stretch. Have a patient who touched my heart this week who could use some prayers if anyone has any to spare. Appreciative!

Prayers lifted up.

Today was warmer than yesterday. Got my car inspected. Went over to a friend's house. I don't know if I told you about her, she left her and DH's medicine at home and I sent it Fedex to her. Well, it did not arrive and she ended up calling them having it sent back to their house. Fedex really messed up this time, tentative arrival date ended up being three days after guaranteed date. She ended up having to pay for emergency prescriptions for one day that cost over $50. So we contacted Fedex about filing a claim. Got that taken care of. We shall see if they reimburse any money. So much for overnight delivery.

Had Book Club tonight. July book was Summer Kitchen by Lisa Wingate. Was pretty good, some liked it more than others but the group consensus was that it was a 4 out of 4.

Dinner provided by the book club host was like a picnic. A couple of really good salads, watermelon, chicken salad, boiled shrimp, deviled eggs with peach cobbler for dessert. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were also served because they were part of the story line in the book.

 

[lynxstch]

Good morning everyone. Warm outside already , heading for 93. They say by Thursday our high temp will be 78 and we 'might' get some rain. We need it, but at this point, it's not going to save the grass, or do much for the garden unless we get a few days of it. I water all I can, but it's still not enough.

I slept fitfully last nite, so am tired this morning. Going to try and get in an hours nap before I have to get to the hospital for 7:30.
Going to make for an extra long day, and I bet they don't 'teach' me anything I don't already know, lol!

Have a nice morning, will check in when I get home.

Stay cool today!

 

[easyas123]

Well, none of it worked… no windows down, no laundry on the line. Left sprinkler on garden and spent hour in tractor watering the tree line. The Fates did not acquiesce to my request!!!!!
Tonight we dance! (By dance I mean complain about lack of rain again )

lynn- good luck today, hope you get some worthwhile & helpful information you can put to good use.

Kirby- good luck to your friends & their issue with FEDEX. I used to use them quite frequently when I had to send docs / dwgs to the Bahamas. They were only ones who could get my stuff there!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Good morning.

DH mowed part of the lawn last night and I helped finish it this morning before it gets too hot.

My mind says no more dogs (we are in our late sixties) but my heart does not agree.

Same here. I had two dogs when I met DH in 1983. We always had two dogs until fall 2007 when we were dog-less for about 6 months before we started to adopt our two rescues in summer 2008. Ended up dog-less again in January 2020. We are in our late 60's and want to travel. At least we have a grand-dog. I haven't ruled it entirely out to get a dog, we really miss them.

Don't forget to wash your car!

I was going to saw that too.

Summer Kitchen by Lisa Wingate.

I looked at that after you mentioned it. Looks good but it is #2 in a series. Is it stand alone or do you have to read the other first? I put the first one on my "to read" list.

Might go to Boscov's today to look at their dresses, if I get motivated.

 

[snappy]

Same here. I had two dogs when I met DH in 1983. We always had two dogs until fall 2007 when we were dog-less for about 6 months before we started to adopt our two rescues in summer 2008. Ended up dog-less again in January 2020. We are in our late 60's and want to travel. At least we have a grand-dog. I haven't ruled it entirely out to get a dog, we really miss them.

We are retired and spend as much time traveling as we can while mindful of my mom’s needs. We do have a great dog/house sitter. It makes such a difference to know your pet is in good hands.

We have had great luck with adopting dogs. I never knew I was such a dog lover until we got our first one when our youngest was 4. When growing up my dad worked for a large corporation and in the 50-80’s this meant moving to a new city and usually state every 3-4 years until 1977. Mom wasn’t a dog person anyway so that meant no pets. My husband and I have only moved a couple of times, and in our current house for 22 years. No telling what the future holds. Florida is looking promising for us. We will see.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Morning Everyone

It's cooler here again this morning and overcast. I put my throw blanket on my bed a little bit in the early morning hours.

Love and hugs to all who have cared for and are currently giving love to furry friends. Dogs truly capture our hearts forever. It brings me both a smile and peace to know one day when I enter into Glory, Champ will be waiting for me. I absolutely believe your canine friends who have passed will be there, too. I know that doesn't make it easier when they leave you here. As I've said, one day God-willing should Dad and I be able to move somewhere a little nicer and bigger with even a dash of out door space, I would love to adopt a dog. I am a homebody at heart so would not have the travel concern. Thank all of you for making sure your pets are in good caring hands when you're away from home.

Always love to hear of libraries and communities in general offering quality children's programs. Apirateslifeforme, a lot of times your small town really sounds so family friendly. I am very thankful Josh gets to grow up there and of course with the family he has.

Thinking of Tina again this morning and sending prayer she will stop by to check in with us.

Hugs to all of you and Happy Tuesday

 

[Snowysmom]

I say no more dogs right now as my heart is still breaking after losing Jasper. It is so quiet here and everything reminds me of him. I know it will get better but right now it is hard. My anxiety and stress are through the roof today. We may decide to get another dog some day but that is off in the future. We are traveling a few times a year now so maybe when we cut back on travel or if we are feeling the house is too lonely without a four footed friend we will adopt a dog. We do have 2 granddogs.

Thanks for the condolences. I appreciate the kindness.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

@Snowysmom, I think I cried for two days straight after we had to put Grace down a year and a half ago. And we didn't want another dog, we wanted Grace back. Until we could get over that, it wouldn't be fair to another dog. I remember we came home at 2 am from having her put down at the emergency vet but before going to bed, DH and I had to put away all her toys, bowls, and beds. The next day we vacuumed everywhere for all the hair she left behind.