Are we REALLY United? I don't think so.

 This has been a horrible couple of years for the United States. A president who will not admit he was beaten, and so people went to the Nation's Capital to hurt lawmakers for an election they believe was 'stolen'. Innocent people killed because of the faith, or sexual preferences, and children shot in schools or on playgrounds. This is NOT a country united. It is a country in turmoil with themselves. The believe that, 'Everyone is wrong, I am right. And if you don't agree, I'll just kill you'. That is insane. It is a given, NOT EVERYONE THINKS THE SAME WAY. We are different and we need to just deal with it. Don't get mad, or want revenge just because you lose an argument or election, or don't like a certain religion, or the color of someone's skin, or like someone's politics, or their lifestyle. 

When a situation is in front of you, and there are clearly two ways to go, and the TRUE facts are there too, as a sane individual, you should be able to see the right avenue to go or say. Yes, you may not agree, but admitting that you MAYBE wrong in your decision making is your fault, not the fault of everyone else.

Emotion is one of the human flaws. Whether it is in love, hate, sympathy, anger or any other facet of emotion. When allow that to take over and rule our actions without thinking it thoroughly, people will get hurt, either physically or mentally. And that action is like a snowball. As long as it continues to roll, it will get larger and larger and larger, and it keep picking up more debris or trouble. 

I am as bad as anyone, I hate to lose. But I have learned (the hard way), anger is not the way to deal with lose. Because the more it boils inside, the worse it becomes.

Our country was born out of turmoil because we hated to be second class citizens to England. And now, some of us think our own citizens are second class just because they don't think the way you do? This is NOT the country I once knew. No we are not perfect, but we ARE better than that.

We are coming up to a very holy and cherished group of religious holidays. They all celebrate a similar event and worship time in the world. In my home, it is Christmas. A time when my family and friends come together over food and joy of the season. We understand the reason of Christmas and rejoice in it. Some have stronger feeling than others but we rejoice in it together. We have discussion and not everyone agrees, but no fights break out over it. I don't expect every house to be the same. Discussion is health, even in disagreement, but anger should NEVER be part of the debate. Agree to disagree if you wish, then shake hands, hug and just say, OK.

From my family to yours, we wish you a joyous, happy and peaceful holiday season, no matter what your beliefs are. 

I am going to gone for few weeks, so not blog for a while. Take care and stay safe.

The joy of Pets

How many of you have a, or more than one pet? Whether it is a cat, dog, snake, goat, pig, bird, or any other creature, it's your pet. We buy them, inherit them, you find them, or are given them, it is still your pet. Why do you have the pet? To be a companion, just because you like the animals. or whatever the reason you put up with the antics and sometimes cost to keep them and healthy. 

Sure I have had pets. I am a dog guy. Actually, I love all animals, but not crazy about snakes as a pet. I have always loved dogs the most.  Nancy and I have had many, and lost them which was always very hard. It started back in 1977 with a boy puppy we named Toby. A really cute Dalmatian. And then we got Tasha, a female. Both were fixed and got along great. They were great with kids and were very protective of our whole family from anyone we did not know. Both loved human babies and would be a nanny to them if needed. We adopted another Dalmatian called Vicky, but her and Tasha did not get along, so we re-homed her to a nice fellow who had a large farm.  

All was good for many years and then they passed and we all were heartbroken. So we got another Dalmatian boy puppy named Dreyfus, and then later another female we adopted called Cali. Again, they loved and enjoyed them, and their crazy stunts, but mostly their unconditional love for us as a family.

Dreyfus loved to play in the mud and Cali loved to run and chase jack rabbits.

But again, pets like humans die. And more heartbreak.

It was several years later, as we began to travel internationally and nationally, we decided to go small and got a Miniature Schnauzer as a puppy and she was named Scooter. Scooter bonded with me really fast and she became my girl with all my heart and soul. We took rides in my hot rods, we watched football together and she traveled with us all over the country.

But at last, after 11 years, she went blind and never recovered. She could not cope with her final time and just died. 

It's been more than 7 years since then, and we pretty much decided, NO MORE HEARTBREAKS. I wanted another dog, but did not want to go through that again. But one day Nancy said "We NEED another dog." I was stunned, but happy.

We both through it should not be a small dog and one smart enough to accompany Nancy while she hiked. We both still basically work at our hobbies (quilts for her and cars for me), so we did not want a dog that shed and one that is friendly and loving. We weren't crazy about getting a puppy again either. But we did.

Presenting our new puppy Cooper, a standard size Goldendoodle. 14 weeks old, smart, not going to be small, and energetic and sometimes gets in trouble. Some call them designer dogs, a mix between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. He plays hard for hours and then drops for a well deserved puppy nap. Gobbles his food in seconds and dribbles water all over the tile floors. Not yet been groomed (coming soon) but has two layers of hair. Tight curly hair on bottom, and a fuzzball of top. Good for dusting the floors he messes up. Kidding!

Pet bring us joy, laughs craziness and heartbreaks. I would not have it any other way.