Check out the woman's boots... oh and the painting, too. YOU CAN CLICK ON ALL PICTUES TO ENLARGE THEM AND THEN CLICK AGAIN IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER.

I’ve been intrigued by the ads a credit card company has recently been running in magazines about “THINGS TO DO WHILE YOU’RE STILL ALIVE”……maybe depressed would be a better word….. because these are things I will never do…..i know that- which is probably the “hook” of the ad. Nobody can do all or most or even one of these without some extra money which the company will gladly supply at an interesting interest rate.

But it’s not just money that prevents us from realizing our dreams, is it? It’s lots of reasons --- fear, family responsibilities, time, priorities, age, health…just the pressures of living prevent a lot of people from realizing most of their dreams….even achievable ones. (hmmmmm…..i wonder if it’s a dream if it IS achievable ---- maybe then it’s just a matter of hard work and persistence)

Well, anyway, here’s some of the items on these lists of “THINGS TO DO WHILE YOU’RE STILL ALIVE” with pertinent comments on their applicability…..in case you want to apply for the credit card and live a little…..

THINGS I WOULDN’T DO ANYWAY:

----MASTER JAPANESE COOKING - now why would I want to do that? I haven’t quite mastered microwave cooking yet.

----GO CAMPING AND LIVE OFF THE LAND - they must be kidding

----SHAVE YOUR HEAD - (I’m not making these up, btw) not sure why a woman would want to do this? it did get Brittany a lot of extra publicity…as if she needed that. But now that I think of it, here’s a story: One of my best friends’ daughters had breast cancer and naturally lost her hair after chemo. She went around bald. Refused to buy a wig or wear a hat. Said she wanted people to realize what cancer looked like and that so many more resources could be devoted to cancer research. Did I say how much I admired that young woman.

----VISIT AN UNINHABITED ISLAND – if they let people visit it, it wouldn’t be uninhabited for very long, now would it? Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Captain D’s, KFC, Taco Bell, Burger King, and undoubtedly Larry King wouldn’t be far behind me.

----DRINK A MARGARIETA ON ISLE MARGARITA – Let me qualify this. I don’t like tequila, but would gladly drink some other tasty libation on this isle….wherever the hell it is, it must have a beach. Sounds like my kinda place.

----TEST DRIVE A SUPERCAR – suffice it to say, I never have to drive anywhere. My friends always offer to do the driving (right Barb?). and I value what living I have left.

----SPEND CHRISTMAS ON A TROPICAL ISLAND – let me qualify this. it just doesn’t seem like a place for Christmas Celebration…but I would be glad to go there anytime if I had luxury hotel accommodations.

----EAT AN INSECT - now i know they're kidding

THINGS I WOULD LOVE TO DO:

---RUN WITH THE BULLS IN PAMPLOMA – Hemingway and I would have had a mah ve lous time in Italy, I think.

----WALK THE RED CARPET AT A MOVIE PREMIER - and win the academy award for starring in it. why not dream big?

----SEE THE TONY AWARDS LIVE – hell, I can’t even keep healthy enough to attend a Clay Aiken concert to which I already have tickets. oh, wait, does that sound like whining? sorry

----GO TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES – but I want VIP seating and Jerome to keep the crowds away from me.

----SEE THE TERRACOTTA WARRIORS - do photos or tv count?

----GO ON A SAFARI – does watching my favorite movie “Out of Africa” count?

----SEE THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA – my daughter has done this. Why is she living my life???

----LOOK DOWN FROM THE CLIFFS OF MOHER

----FLY AROUND THE WORLD – I assume this doesn’t mean non-stop, but with daily stops at exotic locations. yeah, I definitely could do this.

----VISIT AN ACTIVE VOLCANO – I assume this means to fly very high over it in an air conditioned plane.

----SEE A PENQUIN IN ITS NATURAL HABITAT –see above, substitute heated for air conditioned.

----DISCOVER A PLANET – Here’s a tidbit of info about me. When I was a girl and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said an archeologist or an astronomer. Obviously, i always wanted to know everything in both directions. I still regret my inability to achieve either of those goals. Unfortunately, a working-class family, mid-twentieth century society, and Missouri State College did not afford me those opportunities (not to mention my own lack of insight and gumption). oh well

THINGS I COULD DO:

----WATCH A SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH – does tv count here? but I think I could drive there from here. but, that’s chancy for me since those are scheduled and I’m usually in the hospital for these "schedules only infrequently events" not whining, just stating the facts.

----TRAVEL WITH HANDMADE FITTED LUGGAGE – i don't even know what "fitted" luggage is but i do know if i bought it, then I couldn’t afford the trip.

----WIN A KAROKE CONTEST – I certainly sing as well as William Hung.

----GET A DEGREE IN ENOLOGY – I looked this up – it's wine making. sounds like fun classes to me.

---STOMP GRAPES - why not? might be part of that enology degree.

THINGS I HAVE DONE:


----OWN A ROOM WITH A VIEW – I had the most beautiful view from every window in my house at the Lake. oh, wait, does this mean some view of some European scenery or architecture??? oh well, nevermind.







----WRITE A SCREEN PLAY – doesn’t say it has to be produced, does it?


----EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF BROADWAY UP CLOSE – bless my beloved daughter’s generous heart for these wonderful experiences.






----DRIVE ACROSS THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE – ok, this is a lie. but I have driven the bridge across Lake Pontchartrain which is the longest bridge in the world and should be on their silly lists anyway.

----HAVE A MUSEUM ALL TO YOURSELF – ok, I’m hedging on this one. but the pic from the magazine (yes, in case you were wondering, that’s the pic at the head of this blog. takes me a while to get anywhere, y’know) shows a couple (doncha love her boots) viewing Monet’s Waterlillies, which I have seen up close and personal. the enormous canvases were magnificent and the Art Institute of Chicago’s special exhibit wasn’t crowded so I took my sweet time on each painting. it’s almost the same thing, I think.

That credit card company seemed to have forgotten to include these impossible dreams that are at the top of my own personal list:

THINGS I DREAM ABOUT DOING:

---TO GO ON AN ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG

---FLY IN THE SPACE SHUTTLE (Did I tell you I applied for the Teacher in Space Program a few years ago? Well, I should have, anyway. but of course, if I had won I wouldn’t be here writing today, would i? and let’s never forget the name, Christa McAuliffe.)


----HAVE OPRAH CHOOSE ONE OF MY BOOKS FOR HER BOOK CLUB

--- WIN A MEET AND GREET - hahahahahahahah, oh sure, and my name’s Lucky Geni

----DO THE CLAY AIKEN TOTAL CONCERT TOUR – of course, you do realize you are listening to “The Impossible Dream”…….it’s one of my favorite songs. May have something to do with “to reach the unreachable star” line….



--(however, Clay may be trying to remember my name in this blend by Gerwhisp.)

it’s just me, geni

While I am not normally a country music fan, I really like this song….it’s the Feminist in me, i guess. ,,,,, . I’d much rather listen to “My Way” than “Stand by Your Man".

So while country music, imho, has not been notably pro-feminist that I know of, Martina McBride has something to say to all of us. This song does relate to all ages and stages of life and this is such a diversified group, I’m quite sure there’s a woman reading this who recognizes herself in one of these lines:

---wonderin where your life is goin to
---livin on dreams
---ever had a broken heart
---love without holding back
---lines on your face made you who you are
---wished upon a shooting star
---deam with everything they have


It was probably the lines about stars and dreams that caught my ear. Anyway, thinking about all the stages of life got me in a philosophical mood. So I thought I would offer my own take on how to get through the different stages that all of us face with as few scars on the psyche as possible:

GENI’S ESSENTIALS FOR GETTING ON WITH YOUR LIFE:

1. ACCEPTANCE – I know this is just about the hardest thing to learn in the world, but you might as well get started on it. There are some things in this life you just can’t stop, or solve or change….death….disability…..disease…..divorce. First of all, don’t blame yourself….some or all of these happen to everyone. It’s no one’s fault and certainly not God’s…so don’t try to give Her the guilt trip. I tried it….She ain’t having any….

2. FORGIVE YOURSELF – Yep, another difficult lesson but essential for getting on with your life. Sure we’ve all done things we regret. We can ask God for forgiveness and be sure it will be given. We can ask others for forgiveness and maybe get it. . But convincing ourselves to forgive ourselves is just the hardest….for me anyway. (I never said I had accomplished these …..just that they were essential…..)

3. HAVE FUN AND PAMPER YOURSELF – No matter how few or many family responsibilities you have (and naturally, women put their families first) you have gotta take care of yourself, too. If you burn out….who’s gonna do the laundry??? So here’s my list of fun things (and yes, I have accomplished these….) go shopping, spend some money on yourself for a change. Get a new hair style/color, have lunch with friends, go to a play or movie or sports event. Or just sit by yourself and read a book, listen to music, pet the dog, watch the stars come out…..if you try hard to find the time and refuse to share YOUR time, you will be a better person for it…take my word for it.

That's all i got, folks. What? You expected a pompous, extensive, exhaustive, enumeration? from me?

Well, here is something else i reommend. Another fun thing to do: WARNING---CLAY CONTENT HERE: download some clack, sing along with Clay, dance by yourself, email a clayfriend, go to a concert if at all possible.





So in case i haven't mentioned it a few hundred times, my friend and i are going on the southern leg of our Summer Clay Concert Tour starting this Thursday. We are flying to Raleigh, NC renting a car and attending three concerts in three days before flying back from Knoxville, TN, on Monday. Yes, this is what Clay groupies do. We go to as many concerts (yes the same concert) as we can afford. Nan and i only regret that we are not rich....Here's where i'll be this week-end. Don't try to call me, i'll be busy.




KOKA Booth Ampitheater in Releigh, NC(click on all pix to enlarge}





Biltmore Center, Ashville, NC


Biltmore Estates is also on our tour list.





Theater in Nashville, TN

it’s just me, geni

FRIDAY, JULY 6 – JEANIE IS OFF TO SPRINGFIELD AND ON TO TULSA
Here’s my picture album of our trip to Tulsa to our first Clay Concert of Summer 2007.




you can click on any picture to enlarge it.




As you MAY have heard, I am a BIG fan of Mr. Clay Aiken and my friend Nan and I decided to fulfill our teen-aged fantasies and become groupies. And since we’re big girls now and can afford to do whatever we want without asking anyone’s permission, we had a blast.




I drove to Springfield on Friday night and we took off Saturday morning for the three plus hour drive to Tulsa, OK. We arrived at the Crown Plaza Hotel by lunchtime and signed in with the 300 other lucky preregistered dinner/preconcert party guests. Then met up with the other SW MO ShowMe Clay Fan Club members attending the affair.



i'm talking as usual in this one.
here's the rest of the fan club.






I’ve met some wonderful new friends from Springfield and as you can see, we are a varied group. Mainly we enjoy music in addition to participating in fund raising activities for the Bubel/Aiken Foundation to help include kids with disabilities in summer camps….oh and we do appreciate a certain young singerman…….






The biggest hassle of the trip was the long wait in line with several hundred other fans to get our rooms at the hotel. Seems they just didn’t have them ready for us at three as promised…..but we finally got in our rooms and changed for the party.






As you can see the Tulsa fan club put in a lot of work for their guests. The food buffets were marvelous. The decorations were fantastic and they auctioned and raffled literally hundreds of items with all profits going to the Bubel/Aiken Foundation.

Then we were off to the concert at the historic Brady Theater. Well,,,,let me tell you this about Oklahoma. Their definition of historic is not the same as Missouri. Think the beautifully restored Midland and Fox…velvet and gold inlay. In OK, historic just means OLD. Think concrete and frayed carpeting.(This 2500 seating theater is one of the smaller venues this summer. Over 12,000 fans enjoyed his show in Columbus, OH last week and our next concert in Cary, NC is a 7000 capacity outdoor amphitheater. His fans fill every seat.)

The acoustics at the Brady were excellent though, and that’s all we cared about. Our Clay was in fine voice and his fans were as enthusiastic as ever as you can hear from this music captured by one of the many technically talented fans that were there. (and NO that wasn't me hooting when he started singing...i don't think)

My pictures of the concert reflect my quite limited photography skills. Uncounted photos and videos of the concert are shared on line by other generous claymates so those are what i'm showing you here.



he almost always tours with his two backup singers, Quiana and Angela




in the background, you can see some of the symphony orchestra



Most of us met for breakfast the next morning. Here’s Nan and I…I’m showing off my new 2007 concert shirt.





This trip was just our practice run for our REALLY BIG TOUR TRIP in august. We are flying to Raleigh, NC, for a concert in nearby Cary, renting a car to drive to Asheville, NC the next night, driving to Knoxville, TN the next night and flying home the next. Maybe we’re crazy…..but it’s the most fun I’ve had in years, kiddos…….

HEY, GF'S,
HERE'S HOW CLAYFANS
CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY

THE FIRST TOUR OF CLAY AIKEN'S SUMMER TOUR STARTS TONIGHT IN DALLAS.
MY NBFF (new best friends forever - sorry old best friends) AND I WILL BE ON OUR WAY TO TULSA FOR JULY 7 CONCERT. CAN YOU SAY "ROAD TRIP"?







I WILL BE HERE

When the hush is loud and heavy
When the heat begins to rise
When a knife could cut the tension
When exultation fills our eyes

When house lights start to flicker
When our hearts begin to rage
When the air's alive and crackling
And Clay Aiken stalks the stage

(Though the wait had seemed forever
And we’d bitched beyond belief
He had wanted to be perfect
All we wanted was relief)

But Clay Aiken’s back in concert
Claymates arrived en masse
Yes, our fervor is amazing
And we’ve proven we’ve got class

He’s finally here before us
The spell he spins is cast
The angst has been forgotten
It’s opening night at last

The crowd is on its feet now
The screaming has begun
United in euphoria
Our voices rise as one

He shines with arms outstretching
Eyes twinkling with delight
When he bites that swollen lower lip -
I’ll pass out at the sight

Just my luck to miss the opening
And no one will notice me
Lying here semiconscious
Awash in ecstasy
geni 2006


TOUR DATES

AN EVENING WITH CLAY AIKEN
07/04/07 Dallas, TX, US Pizza Hut Park
07/06/07 Houston, TX, US Jones Hall
07/07/07 Tulsa, OK, US Brady Theater
07/17/07 Philadelphia, PA, US Mann Center for the Performing Arts
07/18/07 Syracuse, NY, US Mulroy Civic Center at Oncenter
07/19/07 Canandaigua, NY, US Constellation Performing Arts Center
07/20/07 Chautauqua, NY, US Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater
07/21/07 Columbus, OH, US Chemical Abstract Service Buy Tickets
07/23/07 Sterling Heights, MI, US Freedom Hill Amphitheater
07/25/07 Gilford, NH, US Meadowbrook Farm
07/28/07 Newark, NJ, US New Jersey Performing Arts Center
08/02/07 San Diego, CA, US Embarcadero Marina Park South
08/03/07 Pala, CA, US Pala Casino Starlight
08/04/07 Los Angeles, CA, US Greek Theatre
08/05/07 Indio, CA, US Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
08/10/07 Cary, NC, US Koka Booth Amphitheater
08/11/07 Asheville, NC, US Biltmore Estate
08/12/07 Knoxville, TN, US Tennessee Theater
08/15/07 Atlanta, GA, US Chastain Park Amphitheater
08/16/07 Fort Myers, FL, US Barbara B Mann Center
08/17/07 Tampa, FL, US Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
08/18/07 West Palm Beach, FL, US Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
08/19/07 Orlando, FL, US Hard Rock Live

Here is some information about BAF, the charity supported by our fan club.

" As a Foundation we have an
effective inclusive summer camp program entitled
"Let's All Play." Our Friend Mikayla, written and
illustrated by the 3rd grade class in Lower Nazareth
Elementary, has been well received. The Federal and
State Farm grants have generated excellent initial
work for a K-12 inclusive curriculum and work with
Johns Hopkins University has highlighted interesting
potential for helping to bridge the educational gap
that exists for many students with special needs and
their peers. All in all, great progress, but still
much to do. I feel most importantly we have to
challenge ourselves as to how we can touch the lives
of more kids!"

The SW Missouri Show Me Clay Fan Club had our June meeting at Jaiken’s home and what a sweet time it was. You can see the pool in the background from the deck where we ate.






She prepared a birthday surprise for one member. Guess who that is popping out of the cake?? Unfortunately, he wasn’t there, he’s rehearsing, ya’know, for that summer concert tour complete with orchestra. We'll all be in Tulsa for a concert on July 7. Yeah!!!! Road trip!!!!
…….




Here’s the famous redhead herself, my good friend, H2, and the lovely natural blonde geni having a little fun, as usual….well, I’m talking as usual and she’s lookin way too young.




Our president keeps things percolating for BAF. The club donated eight OUR FRIEND MIKALA books to area libraries,






Now we are in the planning stages of a Scrapping for Inclusion tour de force next fall to raise fund for BAF. I can’t believe so few women (we have a very small club) can do so much. Get your friends together. You to can make a difference.






Remember “it’s better to light one little candle than to curse the darkness” or “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” or “not dead yet”……whatever your mantra might be…..




Clay Aiken in concert. Of course, making a difference is Clay's mantra. Just ask that guy who didn’t give up and drove from Charlotte and Atlanta to try out for American Idol again after he had been turned down the first time.

It’s just me, geni

MY FATHER'S DAY TRIBUTE




This is my daddy opening a Christmas gift I bought him. After he retired he took over the cooking and his specialty was vegetable soup….don’t ask me why…..oh, he took over the cooking because my mother wasn’t any better a cook than I am.

My father died over fifteen years ago and I can still hear his laughter, see his smile. He was the man by which I judged all other men – and very few even came close. He was not a wealthy man, not an imposing looking man, not an important man in the eyes of the world. But he was the world to the women in his life, and his daughter adored him. I am his legacy. All that I am, he shaped. All my values were his, as are his personality, his assets and his faults, even his interests are still mine.

When he died, suddenly of a heart attack, I handled his funeral, and wrote his eulogy. This is my testament to him. I believe a man should be eulogized by one who knew him well – someone who loved him – and I loved him most of all. His passing from this earth should be noted by more than a short paragraph of facts in the middle of a newspaper obituary column.

My dad was a man of character. He was a man of strong moral fiber. You knew where he stood and where you stood with him. He always spoke his mind, regardless of who might be hurt, including himself. This was an asset or a fault – I always admired it in him but Mother always said he could think whatever he wanted, he didn’t have to say it out loud.

I always felt a little sorry for my father – always surrounded by women – his mother and two sisters as a boy – his wife and daughter as a man. And hard women, too. The women in his life, either born or married, were and are rock-hard, all of them – including me, his only child. Undoubtedly, we alll helped shape his character. He was always a gentleman among women, but he had to be tough to survive. Maybe that’s why he learned the fine art of argument.

My, how that man loved to argue! His friends were also men who loved to argue. I have listened to him spend a whole evening in loud disagreement (not a debate, no one ever changed his mind). I’d wonder how they could remain friends after that. But, you know, he never downgraded another man behind his back after those arguments. He respected a man’s right to his opinion and respected any man or woman who had the guts to voice those opinions. I finally decided that arguing was a source of entertainment to both of them.

He was not a joiner. The only memberships he ever held were his church and his union. He remained a union man long after his retirement. Of course, this was a fine topic for arguments, as was politics – a Democrat to the end. He even admitted he was a “yellow dog Democrat” – with pride, I might add.

He didn’t argue about religion. His faith was a fact and not arguable. He was a true believer in saving grace. I walked by their bedroom every night on my way to get ready for bed, and I would see him on his knees every night. I never heard a word. He was not a demonstrative man, even in private. It was between him and his God.

He had no hobbies, unless you count swinging. Many an evening he and I would spend swinging on the patio or deck, talking, sometimes arguing, gazing up at the stars. We were very curious about those stars. We were avid science fiction fans and had all kinds of speculations about distant galaxies. Or sometimes we were quiet, just swinging back and forth, lost in their beauty and mystery.

What more can you say about a man than to say you were proud of him. His wife was proud to sit beside him every Sunday in that same church pew. His daughter was proud to have him walk her down the aisle. His grandchildren were proud to have their friends also call him grandpa.

I was also proud to print Shakespeare’s soliloquy from Romeo and Juliette in his funeral program. It could have been written for him. Who knows, maybe it was.

“When he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars
And he shall make the face of heaven so fine
That all the Earth shall be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun…”

And now you know why I love stars.





Kansas City - Daddy hadn't been back from WWII too long when this was taken.





I was always holding Daddy's hand when i had the chance....and i seem to be edging away from Mother......hmmmmmmmm





We look so serious here. Of course, without my glasses, i always looked like i was a little worried about something.





It’s just me, geni

Ebb Tide by The Righteous Brothers is certainly not as familiar as two of their other hits from the ’60s. For some strange reason (yeah, right) I bet everyone here is quite familiar with ‘Unchained Melody” and surely everyone’s favorite Tom Cruise movie, Top Gun, rings a bell with even younger members, and the unforgettable song from it, “You’ve Got That Lovin’ Feelin” was by The Righteous Brothers. Still sends chills up and down my spine, anyway.

In case you’re wondering where I’m going with this…..or where it came from…..Clay’s late night blog, so full of information contained this referenceBut, when I got to my room, I was so excited by the cool view…. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, is located on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula. Both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean, viewed from a Mexican balcony are breathtaking. Here’s another view.





I’ve been to both coasts of Mexico.






The color of the water at Playa del Carmen can hardly be described.
And I was especially entranced by the sound of the tide at night.




So I wrote a poem about it…..how did you guess…………

The waves thunder into the shore each night
The exotic Caribbean blue has solomned
Sitting alone on the beach, it’s mesmerizing
They roar in, then recede
They roar in, then recede
They roar in, then recede
Endlessly

The majesty of their force is primeval
Since before time began
Leveling all before them
Absconding with what had been
They never end
They never will
They are mindless

Are the waves louder, more forceful at night?
Or does the silence of the stars still the soul
And it can listen with the heart?
Is it the gentle warmth of the Latin night
And the softness of the embracing sand
That revives this poignant yearning?

Do they have, do they need a purpose?
Is mindless, ceaseless motion enough?
But life is always seeking meaning
In the stars or in the surf.
Even when there is none.

The tide will return
I never will.
geni 2007


Here are the words to Ebb Tide.

“First the tide rushes in, plants a kiss on the shore
Then rolls out to sea and the sea is very still once more
So I ll rush to your side, like the oncoming tide
With one burning thought, will your arms open wide?

At last, we’re face to face,
and as we kiss, through an embrace
I can tell, I can feel, you are love, you are real, really mine
In the rain, in the dark, in the sun

Like the tide at its ebb,
I’m at peace
in the web
of your arms.
Ebb tide.

ahhhhhhhhhh, it’s just me, sentimental geni

JUST FOR DOG LOVERS

The music is "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables - no reason except it is one of my very favorite songs and from the first Broadway play Lara took me to see in NYC.




Mr. Bruce, he's waiting for me somewhere, i know.




I got this email from a friend yesterday. you may have already read it...i know these things circle the globe quite speedily, but i just love it.

and as i've said before
"if dogs don't go to heaven, then i want to go where they go."

EMAIL
Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. She dictated and I wrote:

Dear God,
Will you please take special care of our dog, Abbey? She died yesterday and is in heaven. We miss her very much. We are happy that you let us have her as our dog even though she got sick. I hope that you will play with her. She liked to play with balls and swim before she got sick. I am sending some pictures of her so that when you see her in heaven you will know she is our special dog. But I really do miss her

Love,Meredith Claire
P S: Mommy wrote the words after Meredith told them to her.
We put that in an envelope with two pictures of Abbey, and addressed it to God in Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith stuck some stamps on the front (because, as she said, it may take lots of stamps to get a letter all the way to heaven) and that afternoon I let her drop it into the letter box at the post office. For a few days, she would ask if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch. Curious, I went to look at it. It had a gold star card on the front and said "To Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand.

Meredith took it in and opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers,
"When a Pet Dies" Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God, in its opened envelope (which was marked Return to Sender: Insufficient address) On the opposite page, one of the pictures of Abbey was taped under the words "For Meredith" We turned to the back cover, and there was the other picture of Abbey, and this handwritten note on pink paper:
Dear Meredith,
I know that you will be happy to know that Abbey arrived safely and soundly in Heaven! Having the pictures you sent to me was such a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
You know, Meredith, she isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me--just like she stays in your heart--young and running and playing. Abbey loved being your dog, you know.
Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets!-- so I can't keep your beautiful letter. I am sending it to you with the pictures so that you will have this book to keep and remember Abbey.
One of my angels is taking care of this for me. I hope the little book helps. Thank you for the beautiful letter. Thank your mother for sending it. What a wonderful mother you have! I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I am in heaven but wherever there is love, I am there also.

Love,
God and the special angel who wrote this after God told her the words."

As a parent and a pet lover, this is one of the kindest things that I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is some very kind soul working in the dead letter office. Just wanted to share this act of compassion
_____________________
THERE ARE WONDERFUL CARING PEOPLE IN EVERY LINE OF WORK.

you may want to go read another blog now, cause, wouldn't you know it, i wrote a poem about Mr. Bruce.

THE TALENTED MR. BRUCE


He could bound straight up,
Four feet in the air, ten times in succession.
He could croon along with any song,
A canine Caruso.

He could demolish a pillow
In ten minutes flat.
He knew a bed, not the floor,
Was for sleeping.

He could see ghosts
From the hallway door.

He’d rather mouth a hand than be petted.
I never left a room that he didn’t follow,
Nuzzling my fingers.

He’d crawl up my lap, stare in my eyes,
To beg a bite of food,
Or just steal it right off the plate,
Then run like hell.

He’d race through the house
With a toy in his mouth
To entice us to romp.

One soft, pale hair is sometimes seen still
And moves me to tears.
He filled my dreary days with life and joy.

He died as he lived,
Running full out.
geni 2000

CAN THERE BE SUCH A THING AS TOOOOOOO MUCH?

Well, of course NOT when it comes to our Idol or our family or our pets. (hhmmmmm?? Is that the right order?) Surely not when it comes to buying clayconcert tickets, or protecting your kids, or pampering your pets??

Oh well, actually the answer to that question is YES. Especially regarding PETS - sorry I didn’t make that clear in the beginning.




CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO OF OUR DOG FREEDA

DOG SCOUTS

1. “These dog scouts wear scarves, earn badges, do community service, go to summer camps, and learn new skills” Here are some of the badges that can be earned by your dog in dog scouts. (This is from an article in my local newspaper. honest, I didn’t make this up – even I’m not that big a liar)






I especially liked the badges in “therapy” and “back packing”. Do you think the dogs are in therapy, or giving therapy to other dogs? Oh, wait, maybe they’re those dogs that visit senior citizens in nursing homes. I wonder what in the world the one with the musical notes on it is for? Tommy howls a bit. Think that would qualify? Does the dog have to perform before the scout pack (pun intended) or can you just take a recording of the canine virtuoso? Do they play instruments? Wonder if dancing is included?



THIS IS MY MUSICALLY TALENTED SHIZ TSU SUSI

BTW, the dog scout motto is “ Let us learn new things that we may become more helpful.” Wonder if the dogs bark out the motto? Wonder if they have to stand on their hind legs and raise one paw?

These pet pamperers need to get a job or volunteer for a charity or even clean out their closets. And I just have to share this tidbit from my days as “supermom”. When my dd was a brownie I used to staple her badges to her sash. Give me a break! I worked eight plus hours a day, got her to the brownie meeting, in brownie outfit including beanie and sash. Surely you didn’t expect me to sew too. It was a wee bit embarrassing when one of her badges fell off and the smirking scout leader announced that they had found a badge on the floor…..with a staple attached. My innocent dd went and retrieved it while I acted like I was the competent mother of one of the other brownies. My poor dd didn’t know that all mommies didn’t staple badges and superglue hems.



DD is on the right and btw that's why you're listening to Lara's Theme

Well back to the theme of this blog. PET PAMPERING

If your dog barks excessively, the Dog Shrink recommends a Citronella Collar for about $80.(YES, I said dog shrink. This advice comes directly from her magazine column) “Barking will activate the microphone on the collar which discharges a harmless citronella spritz. One problem is that a “genius” dog may learn to turn his head and bark until the spritzer empties and then continues to bark to his/her heart’s content.

The DOG TREAD MILL sounds interesting. Guess that's for owners who are never home or too lazy to ever walk their own dog. Wonder why they got a dog in the first place?

Clothing for dogs is a really big seller now. Paris Hilton has her own line of pet clothes. (I swear on my Clay Aiken Official Fan Club Membership Card that I’m not making this up.)





Here’s some cute doggies in their designer dresses.










THIS ONE MUST BE FOR THAT GENIUS DOG THAT LOVES TO BARK.

Well, MY cocker spaniel, Tommy, just wouldn’t have a thing to do with any of these. He is a boy after all. And he’s so good looking anyway – what does he need clothes for?





It’s just me, geni

p.s. Just in case you didn't know who the aforementioned IDOL was. Here he is with his dog.