The Doctor's Office

So the stress test results say that Meme isn't 100% normal. We already knew that and it's not necessarily a bad thing. But poor Meme says "and so it all begins ... old age, tests, doctors, yuck".

She got a call from the doctor's office saying she needs another test, she's not 100%. Seems like if one test isn't normal, they do another test to actually find out what's wrong with you. Call me "just a dog", but I say why not just do that test straight out of the gate; save a lot of time, money and worry.

Of course she wants to know exactly what that means; just how much of a percent is she? But they won't talk over the phone. She's told she can come in the next day and discuss it with the nurse practitioner. I should explain that Meme's doctor became one of those fancy boutique kind that you pay an annual fee just to be able to talk to them. So now she's pushed off on the nurse.

But the nurse wouldn't get on the phone with her. Again they insist she must come to the office (i.e. become billable) and then they'll talk. Meme had a few choice words while all the time assuring the voice on the other end of the phone that she's not angry at her, just the situation. She's told she can either come in or see a cardiologist to talk about the results. She decides to go that route. She asked if it was any kind of emergency and she was assured it was not, she should go on vacation and enjoy ... plenty of time when she returns.

A couple weeks later her appointment was at 12:30. They called the day before to confirm and ask her to arrive 15 minutes early to fill in paperwork. Because she always plays by the rules, she was dutifully there 20 minutes early. The paperwork took maybe 2 minutes tops. There were several people in the waiting room, but there's more than one doctor so no worries. She settled in, there was a nice widescreen TV tuned to her favorite news, all was well.

There were 2 clipboards on the counter ... "Gastro" and "Cardio" and Meme came to realize there was one doctor for each clipboard. Another patient grumbled a bit about the wait, went up and looked at the Cardio list. He told his wife the last guy in (at 12:45) had an 11:15 appointment! He sat back down and they continued holding hands as they had been doing since Meme got there. Meme thought how sweet that was, but she's not nearly as patient as this nice couple.

About 10 minutes later Meme ventured up to the desk and asked the girl how long a wait did she think it might be, how late was the good doctor running? She clicked away on her keyboard, looked at the clipboard and then clicked again. She said "You're Heather, right?" Yes. And then ... "There are 4 patients ahead of you."

4 Patients??!!! Say WHAT??!! It's 1:15 now. One patient had been called since she arrived. Being a bit of a numbers whiz, she quickly does the math and realizes that at that rate she'd be there at least 2 more hours! And she hadn't even had lunch! They asked if she'd like to reschedule and she said yes, that would be a good idea.

You may already know that I believe everything happens for a reason. Well, I'm right. As she stood there hoping she wouldn't go into cardiac arrest in the meantime, Meme decided to confirm that the office received the stress test and blood work results her doctor had faxed over. Click, click, click .... "Ummmm ... I see we received your mammogram ".

HER MAMMOGRAM???!!!! Hello! Oar out of the water? One or two porch lights out? What gives here? Meme's in a Cardiologist's office for Pete's sake!!!!! I guess I don't need to tell you that Meme had a little conversation with her doctor's office the next day.

They told her that since she'd already filled out the paperwork and provided her license and insurance card, she only needed to arrive about 5 minutes early to which Meme responded "Well, you already owe me an hour soooo.......".

Postscript: Meme opened a letter from her insurance the other day. They were billed almost $7,000 for the stress test. This is after about $5,000 for the blood work. And she feels just fine!! We don't even want to think about what happens when she's actually sick. Maybe these tests will avoid that, maybe they won't. Of course her insurance didn't pay all that money and Meme will have to pay some, but $12,000 seems like an awful lot to me just because she mentioned maybe it was time for an EKG. That's how this snowball started rolling down this horrible hill.

Not even going to tell you about my health issues; that's a chapter for another day. But I feel fine so I'm not going anywhere near a doctor if I can help it

'Til next time ...
Molly

Fair warning from one who knows ...

Meme was out of the house real early this morning. I wondered what on earth could be so important that she'd leave me so early, and with no breakfast (I always get extra food when she has breakfast). She didn't seem upset so I thought maybe she was headed out for some special treats or something.

Boy was I ever wrong ... and so was she!!! She thought she'd be gone a little over an hour ...ha! Instead what happened next set her brain in a tailspin (pardon the pun) and she came home dragging and all meshuggeneh. So while she's recovering I'll do my best to translate what she said and tell it as close as I can to how she told us.

There are some words we should never trust ... things like "mild discomfort", "you'll feel a bit of a pinch", and now this new one: "maybe a little rushing or flushing sensation". These are words commonly used in, you guessed it, the medical profession. And if some friend tells you a test was "a piece of cake", don't trust them either because we're betting they were slipped something under the table from somebody somewhere ... maybe a Starbucks gift card (more on that later).

Seems Meme went for a Nuclear Stress Test. She can't have the regular kind because of problems from her car accident. She made the mistake of not googling 'nuclear stress test' before she went today; she googles everything under the sun so this was an oversight or maybe not. I don't get it at all because one of her favorite sayings is "forewarned is forearmed". Well, poor Meme wasn't armed at all this morning!

She arrived at 8:30 a.m., right on time. She'd been barred from all food and drink since last night and no caffeine since yesterday morning. So already she's not off to a good start. And then she woke up with an awful headache ... two strikes.

Strike three was over an hour wait which I think is a huge no-no for a stress test!!! No coffee, no food, and now an hour wait? I mean, are you serious? Let's stress this lady out first and then do a stress test. So when she finally got in (the doctor was late ... what else is new?), her BP (usually very low) was up. But given the temper tantrum she was trying to control, she thought it was pretty darned low all things considered.

She's been fortunate health-wise throughout her life. She's had chicken pox, tonsillitis, colds, flu's, a few relatively minor surgeries, back problems and one major car accident. Other than that, she's in really good health when you think about all the birthday cakes she's eaten. But she's had a lot of tests and according to her sometimes tests can be as bad as whatever is wrong. Now and then we just may be better off riding it out and letting the chips fall where they may.

She can't have a "closed" MRI, goes insane in the tube. But going in for this test, it never occurred to her a tube was involved. So finally, IV inserted (surprise...who knew?), she walks into the room where everyone is being way too friendly and warm while the room is absolutely frigid. It's over 90 outside, why do these places have to be so darned cold? She sees the table and the tube and decides to remain calm and not give herself away. No one wants to be a wimp.

As instructed, she lay down on the table with her head in some sort of pillowed device that didn't feel bad at all. She was then attached to all sorts of monitors. She couldn't see so she didn't know what, probably just as well. She mentioned she was really cold and they gave her a blanket which was nice, but didn't help her bare arms which had to be stretched way above her head the entire time. They tell her this will take just 25 minutes and all she has to do is lie completely still.

Easy right? Easy wrong. Lying still is not as simple as it sounds because it's another word (at Meme's age) for instant cramping, her foot going numb, and itches on her cheek and eyelid that she can't wiggle or scratch away because she's not supposed to move. So Meme decides to use meditation. Visions of beaches, soft breezes on her cheek and the soothing sea start to form in her mind as she prepares to lift herself from where she is and put herself in another place and time. She can do this.

Suddenly the table starts moving into the tube and Meme's tiny voice says "you're not leaving me inside the tube, are you?" No, no ... not to worry, going straight through. Midway, the table stops. Instant anxiety attack begins and she calls out "Don't leave me in this tube!!" Silence. "HellOOOOOOO! Get me out of this tube!!" ... not such a tiny voice anymore. And a seemingly distant voice says they're just taking a couple of pictures and then they'll take her out. "I CAN'T BE IN THIS TUBE!!!"

Pictures finished for the moment, they push her all the way through, but by now she's a nervous wreck. They tell her the first set of pictures will be 10 minutes; lie perfectly still breathing normally, being careful not to move her arms or chest. What seems like 3 hours later they inject the medicine into her vein so they can see how her heart functions under stress.

So Meme says "Will I feel it?". A new voice answers "You may feel a small rush, but it will be gone in a couple of minutes". Okay, not so bad ... Meme was a young girl in NY in the 70's, a small rush could be a good thing, even better than meditating.

"Small rush"???? Ha! I don't think so! Meme says she felt a sudden surge like she'd never felt before, her heart beating fast but more than that ... an alien force seemed to go through her entire body ... almost felt like she would explode. So she said "I'm not liking this a whole lot". Her doctor was there to soothe her, saying it was all okay, that she and the others were there to "guard" her. Guard her!!!???? Why oh why, she thought, do I need guards???

Thankfully she read only later that in the rarest of circumstances it's possible one could experience a heart attack or other "complication" during the test. Terrific. She didn't. She survived. And because of the inconvenience of the long wait, they gave her a Starbucks gift card for $10!!! Pretty nice. That should cover a tasty mocha latte enchilada at the very least.

She was barely able to walk out of there she was so hungry, so longing for caffeine and a really delicious treat. She managed to get behind the wheel and drive about a mile to the nearest Starbucks where she had a good strong cup of Joe along with a yummy chocolate chip coffee cake (not a drop for me...go figure).

She sat in her car just feeling so good to have it over. So she popped over to Panera's for a couple of scones to take home and an asiago cheese bagel to wash down the chocolate chip coffee cake. I know!!! Go for a stress test to check if your arteries are flowing free and then load those same arteries down with plaque!!! But I don't get to tell Meme what to do.

Here's my conclusion, though. Beware of tests. I've had them and I know. They tell you there's nothing to it, done in a jiffy, it won't hurt or only a mild "discomfort". But it's just not true. Even the tests are the pits and I think that oftentimes things are better just left alone. Let the body do its thing and when your time's up, it's up. We live too darned long anyway and something's gotta getcha at some point. The main thing we need to do is hope it's quick. Pray for quick.

Yeah, okay, so maybe you disagree. That's okay. All I know is Meme came home from lying on a table for 30 minutes and to hear her tell it you would think she'd run like a gazelle to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. She lasted about an hour before lying down and falling into a blissful sleep, leaving me all on my own to tell you her story, even typing it out myself here.

The moral according to me? Ask for only the most basic of information before going in for any testing if you're going to do it at all because reading everything on google is going to make you crazy. If you're over 65 skip the tests unless you're actually sick. Believe me, they'll test you for everything if you let 'em. Chances are you're fine and you'll give up half your day for nothing ... someone will make a lot of money and it won't be you.

But what do I know? I'm just a little white dog.

'Til Next Time ...
Molly

The Dance

We've heard it all before ... 'it's the journey, not the destination'. Garth Brooks tells us he could have missed the pain, but then he'd miss the dance. We all know it's what we should do, greet every single day with joy rather than count the days 'til the end of the week, the first day of Spring, Christmas, the end of winter ... accept the agony of pain, the wisdom we learn from defeat, and move on through life experiencing the bumps we find along the road. We know this. But sometimes, lots of times, we forget to slow down and just enjoy the ride every single day.

There's a couple kinds of dances that we do. First, there's life's daily dance and then there's the crazy spinning in circles dance, the one when you pretty much know where you're going to be standing when the band stops playing, but you dance around in circles just in case it will take you somewhere else. Usually, though, you end up right where you thought you would even if you'd just danced once around the floor.

On January 15, 2001, I was born. In December 2000 Meme said to Poppy ... "I want a dog." And Poppy said, "We don't need a dog".

January came and Meme was still talking about getting a dog, her family always had dogs in her childhood and she promised herself that once she retired, she would adopt a dog. But Poppy kept saying they didn't need one and right about that time, I was born. I'm a natural born Floridian, born in Daytona Beach ... and some say there are no "real" Floridians, but I'm living proof that there are!

Meme has a really good friend who knew how badly Meme wanted to find me and how much I would add to both their lives. But Meme told her "I don't know, we need to both want a dog, not just me". And her friend said (and Meme has never forgotten this) .... "You're just doin' the dance."

And so they danced around the idea of a dog through the rest of January and all the while Meme was searching the internet looking for me. Of course, Poppy eventually relented as he always does (not sure why he even tries to go against my Meme because once she makes up her mind she is relentless!). All that was needed now was for the stars to align so we would meet and that's just what happened in the middle of February when she and her friend drove north to Daytona Beach.

And there I was with my litter mates. Meme picked me up and I nuzzled into her neck and magic happened, the stars aligned and everything fell into place. It was in that moment that I found her, she found me, and on that day the dancing around in circles was done, but life's dance had only just begun .... at least for me.

In the 10 years that followed sometimes I would lead and sometimes they would (mostly me though). One of my biggest challenges is trying to get them to notice me when they're about to go out the door and I can't think of a reason in the world they can't take me along. Sometimes they do, but sadly I'm often left behind. Over time, guess who fell in love with me and wondered how he could possibly have considered not getting "a dog". You guessed it. And I could have told him what would happen because I'm not just any "dog" ... I am Molly and they were put on this earth just for me and of course I was born especially for them.

I got to thinking about all the times people check off days on the calendar looking forward to the next big event without enjoying the dance of life every day. Maybe we start to think more like this when we get a little older and the 'days dwindle down to a precious few'. When we're young it seems like our days will go on forever. An infinite period of time lies ahead so we often end up just looking forward instead of enjoying the moment.

I live in the moment; all dogs do. I care what's happening this second ... and now this one. I don't have the ability to think ahead or look back and learn from my mistakes; I don't understand that when times are tough and everything seems as dark as it can possibly get, it will get better. If I'm in the vet's office sitting on that table and they're poking me I just hate it. And no amount of "this will be over soon" is going to placate me. Still, somehow I know it's all part of the dance ... even the lousy stuff. And like Garth says ... we could have missed the pain, but then we'd also miss the dance.

Remember the colors of the festive holiday season? All the joy, the happy sounds of laughter, the gentle feeling of good will seems to be everywhere? A snowflake strays to your windowsill and you just happen to be there at the window right at that moment and you watch as it sparkles in the glow from the firelight inside.

That one snowflake, different from any other that has ever fallen, will melt away ... but that's just one tiny moment in the dance we call life. And while the snowflake will melt, the joy of that moment, different from any other before or since, will live forever in your heart. Imagine if you'd missed it, imagine if you had turned away and when you looked back it was gone.

Cherish this day ... it will not come again.

'Til next time ..
Molly

Ending a Year ~ And a New Beginning

So all the wonderful winter holidays are almost past us. Christmas with all its promise, magic and wonder (not to mention very yummy presents) has come and gone once more. And now it's time to look toward another year.

In our family we think of a new year as a fresh start because we're really not all that nutty about telling a year good bye at this stage of our lives. We love all the holidays from Thanksgiving right on through New Year's Eve because even though there can be ups and downs, overall it's a very happy time. But then the year is gone and especially for Meme that's not such a great thing since she turns the calendar and sees she's suddenly another year older. This year she's especially flustered since she says it's the last year in a particular decade or something which I guess isn't such a good thing? As for me, I turn the page on my very first decade in the new year and it's very unlikely I'll ever turn the page on another. So she should be happy she's had so many.

Endings just aren't fun, but beginnings sure are. Like the beginning of a trip when the possibilities of what will happen on the road ahead are boundless ... or the beginning of a brand new day. As pretty as a sunset is, darkness follows. But think about the dawn ... light follows. It's the beginning, the sun comes up and everything looks fresh, sparkling and new. The day stretches out before us like a flower about to bloom.

Maybe that's why people make resolutions; they figure it's a new beginning, a fresh start. And no matter how many times they break those resolutions, they still make 'em!!! You would think after pledging to do something every year and then not following through, they'd just stop doing it. But they don't! Every year January 1 rolls around and people promise to stop smoking, lose weight, start working out (whatever that is ... Meme won't tell me). And they're pretty good about it for awhile, but come February ... something happens and they slip.

So I've been giving this a lot of thought and wondering what sort of resolution I could make and stick to. After all, I'm pretty darned close to perfect as it is. I'm very fit, I do a lot of walking and running. I'd eat more if I could, but for some reason I don't get to choose what or when I eat. So getting pudgy isn't an option for me.

And then it came to me ... came in a way so many thoughts come ... almost a whisper. Like Meme, I believe there really are no coincidences, thoughts don't suddenly appear out of the clear blue sky. Something made me remember these words .... "And on Earth peace, good will toward men."

Have we just heard the words too many times? Are they just words we read or sing over the Christmas holidays? Meme says respect and good will are a thing of the past and I sure hope not. I think she's wrong. I think we watch too much TV where we sure as heck don't see any good will what with Snooki, the Housewives of just about everywhere, reality this and reality that ... and don't even get me started on what they call news these days. And politics seems to get in the middle of almost everything and there's no sign of good will there.

But in this great big world is it really gone? I believe most ordinary creatures of the earth still wish for peace and feel good will toward all mankind. I see it around me every single day with all the good things people do for each other, just regular folks like you and me who open up their hearts, their arms and their homes to help and be there for others. We really do look out for each other despite what you may see on the nightly news.

So I think, as we go into this new year, maybe we should renew our vow to have the greatest good will we can muster for everyone in the world. This isn't an easy resolution. We can't just think as far as next door or down the block, or even around the corner. We have to reach beyond our states, across nations and around the world.

There are really more of us than there are of "them"; there are more like me who greet every person and every dog, I see with anticipation that something good is coming my way. We're living in a world where strangers help strangers when tough times come along. There's always someone whose eyes light up when they see me ... even if they've never seen me before.

This is a good world and I won't give up on it, Meme won't give up on it; Poppy's not so sure (he's a tough sell), but we're working on him. So for our resolution this year let's all hang in and hold tight so that just maybe this will be the year the magic happens. This is something we can all stick to by just getting up every morning and make some time to go a little bit out of our way just to bring a smile to someone.

Wishing everyone a healthy and wonderful new year. But most of all I wish for you much love and lots of laughter because when we have that, all things are possible.

'Til Next Year ...
Molly & Her Family

Hope Springs Eternal ...

Have you ever had one of those days when you look back and you just have to wonder ....... "Whatever was I thinking!!!???" Well, Meme and a friend had a day like that last week and it may have topped just about all others except maybe the last time they went shopping. They've known each other "forever" and when they get together something weird happens, all common sense gets tossed out the window and they seem to lose their minds completely. Meme says it all comes down to vanity; something maybe a lot of us can relate to.

One day like any other, when I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen all day, the door suddenly flew open and Meme's friend landed in our house with her suitcase. Now you and I both know that suitcases (for me) are not a good sign. I knew right then that upheaval would reign around here for a few days and I was just going to have to grin and bear it.

Turned out that this was a friend of Meme's from 'back in the day' and they sure had a lot to talk about. On Friday they came home looking pretty sheepish and after just sitting and listening to them for awhile, I was able to piece it all together.

It seems they went for a yummy lunch by the ocean and then drove to the mall. Evidently this is a very dangerous thing to do especially when you go with a friend. Donna had fallen in love with the color of a lipstick "Beckett" wears on a TV show and the only place she could buy it is Nordstrom's.

They arrived in the cosmetics area where they sell stuff that's supposed to make you look better. They nosed around awhile trying to sniff out this lipstick and then someone showed up to help. She didn't seem to know who Beckett was and the Bobbie Brown lady was in a class, but eventually they found what Donna was looking for. So shopping done and they could come home and pay me some attention, right? Wrong.

Meme was just putting a lip pencil tester back when she realized Donna was nowhere in sight so she went looking for her. After passing a couple of counters she found Donna sitting in a chair and 'Vicki', the sales rep, was putting something on her face! Seems that Meme had said something about lipstick "bleeding" and Vicki had the cure!!!

So she was smearing some cream followed by a "magic" color wand over Donna's face telling them both that all the lines would pretty much disappear in mere seconds. Just for fun Meme had taken a picture of Donna's lips with the new lipstick (actually a blend of two lipsticks) just moments earlier so now she decided to take an "after" picture.

Before her very eyes the lines were gone! Can you imagine their excitement??? Meme was practically jumping up and down saying "It's a miracle, it's a miracle!!!" Donna looked amazed, but hadn't seen it yet. Meme immediately insisted on taking another picture of what had happened because her eyes alone just didn't convince her. Then they both gazed at the proof positive in the photos.

The three of them were exuberant ... practically dancing in the aisles. They were overjoyed when Vicki told them that someone had invented this cream for runway models and the results were so fantastic that Yves St. Laurent decided to introduce it to all of us so we could all look like models. Of course, if you ask me, that should have been their first clue that something was amiss because all that stuff they plaster on models only lasts a short time.

As an aside, I'm fortunate I have fur all over my face. No one knows what goes on behind that fur and I can't understand why Meme and Donna don't just grow fur and leave it at that, but for some reason they'd rather just fuss around with a bunch of creams and potions.

Anyway! They continued to marvel at this amazing miracle and finally Donna said to Vicki ... "so how much is this miracle going to cost me?" Vicki told her the color wand was $40. Hmmm ... not so much for a miracle. But! The cream is over $100 ... I don't even dare tell you how much over because Poppy will read this at some point and he's just too young to die.

Ouch and double ouch!!!! Have they lost their bleeping minds??? HellOOOooo ... can you spell 'recession'? And, by the way, Nordstrom's is completely out of stock because this potion is so magical and so popular it literally flies out of the stores!!! Vicki said she can't even keep it in stock and now that this experience is past her, Meme is pretty sure they order just one at a time!!! So now Donna hesitates and Meme said she's not buying it! No way! All together almost $200 for something you smear on your upper lip just to make a few lines go away? Forget it! How many people get that close to your face anyway?

But Vicki assures them the price is low in the long run because it will last 7 months. So Meme thinks it will last over a year because she'll hardly ever use it. They're told the results build up over continuous use and eventually all their lines will be gone. Vicki encourages them to look at her and they'll see how amazing the products are; she's 65 years old and her skin is virtually line-free. It's also plastered all over with make-up ... more than either Donna or Meme had ever seen so close up.

Meme is suspect and flat out says "C'mon, Vicki, you've had a tug or two, right? ... maybe a little Botox? You can tell us; we're all friends here" She can't recall getting a clear answer on that and later Donna told us she couldn't believe Meme asked her something so personal!!! But after all, she was saying it was because of the miracle cream so personally I don't see anything wrong with calling her on it.

Anyway, suddenly Meme is in the chair and Vicki is performing the miracle on her. Watching the transformation take place before her very eyes; Donna says that it is absolutely amazing.

So now they have both decided to bite the bullet and purchase the whole enchilada (and let's not forget the lipsticks!!!). Somewhere along the way they learn it isn't really for the upper lip after all ... it's an eye cream!!! So double miracle. People have gathered and seem curious. Together, Meme and Donna can draw a crowd because they're not all that quiet and they really have fun which is sort of contagious. So it was kind of a show if you know what I mean.

As Donna is completing her order, Meme again looks closely at her and notes that the 'miracle results' seem to be disappearing. So she takes another picture and compares it with the earlier one. For some reason they deny what they can see with their own eyes and complete both purchases leaving the store in miracle 'la la land'.

They shopped around the mall for awhile and returning to the car they passed through Nordstrom's again. At the entrance were two cosmeticians who invited them to have a makeover. Appalled at the suggestion given their recent transformation, Meme said "But we just had one, can't you tell?" Almost pitying faces looked back at them which took a little of the wind out of Meme's sails.

Ever hear about 'buyer's remorse'? Well that kicked in big time later that day when reality hit them smack in the face. They came home and looked in the mirror and realized that while maybe the product had plumped up the skin for a few moments, the party was definitely over. Meme grabbed the phone and called to cancel her order. She begged them not to put her through to the department because she couldn't bear to talk to Vicki when they'd all had such a good time. She didn't want to disappoint her even though, as Donna said, Vicki had sure put one over on them!!!! This was confirmed later in the day when a friend who had worked in the cosmetics industry throughout her career came by and laughed hysterically that they honestly believed, even for a moment, that a cream could erase what it took several decades to create.

It was too late. The order was in the works and on its way, but customer service assured Meme that she could return it as soon as it arrived which is exactly what's going to happen.

We are born beautiful with skin as soft as corn silk. Along our journey changes transform us and we grow prettier, cuter, more handsome, gawky, awkward, thinner and chubbier. We grow and we change and one day it all begins to fade (except unfortunately for the chubby part). We get a few wrinkles and everything seems to fall a little bit. Hair can turn white or gray and lots of other stuff happens that may not make us very happy.

Women especially don't like these changes and look in the mirror wondering what the heck happened. They spend and spend trying to find something that will fix it. Sometimes they actually go somewhere and have stuff tugged and pulled, even sucked out and sometimes injected. They strive to bring back what once was, but the truth is that no matter what they do no one can take us back. They can cut and tweak, defy time for a little while, or stand in front of the mirror thinking that just the tiniest tug would fix everything. In the end there no stopping time from doing what it does.

But I think a new beauty forms if you just leave it all alone. Whoever said that wrinkles are ugly, where is it written that a sag here or there is a bad thing? When I walk our streets every day I have seen faces lined with experience, wrinkles that show all the joys of life and I wonder why anyone would ever want to take those away? They tell the story of a life well lived, the tale of all the laughter and even the tears. I've looked into tired old eyes that reflect the love of the children, husbands, wives and others who have gazed into them over the years. The crinkles around the eyes show how many times the person has smiled at a warm moment and the laugh lines around the mouth show all the joy they have experienced.

So there is no magic wand to wave all that away .... and why would anyone really want one to anyway? It's all just a part of the journey.

'Til next time ...
Molly

September 11, 2001 ~ Afterward

Sometimes something happens in our journey through life that in one single solitary moment changes our lives forever. It happened for us when I was just 8 months old.

Words don't come all that easy for me sometimes. When you're looking at the world from only about 12 inches off the ground, there's a lot you can't see and everything looks different from down here. Yesterday at dinnertime I took my usual perch on a footstool by the table. Meme and Poppy always bring a tiny plate of dog treats for me to have while they have their dinner. Knowing this, as soon as Meme puts that footstool by the table I hop up because I know sooner or later I'll get my treats. What's so good about my life is most of the time I know what to expect each day from the moment I get up until it's time to plop on the bed with my 'peeps' and sleep safely through the night.

So this is the easy stuff, the things we expect at certain times in the day; I get up every morning confident that everything will be just as good as the day before. But Meme says nothing is forever and that became crystal clear 9 years ago this month when the world everyone thought they knew was shattered in mere moments on a beautiful bright sunny morning when the last thing anyone would ever have expected could happen ... did.

Growing up maybe Meme was a little spoiled. It isn't that there was nothing to fear, but the world seemed so much bigger back then. Every once in a while there would be drills called "Duck and Cover" and all the kids dove under their desks at school and covered their heads with their arms. But when she heard "grown ups" talk about the governments they were fearful about, the countries were on the other side of the world. As a child Meme always felt safe at home with her family.

After the Vietnam War was over and when the Berlin Wall came down, people fell into a sort of wistfulness that finally all was well. For Meme it was a joyous time of falling in love, getting married, buying a home, working in a job she loved and meeting new friends. When she turned 50, she decided she wasn't so over the hill after all.

So life was good. And on September 11, 2001, Meme and Poppy were living here in Florida and I was pretty new in their lives. That morning was just like any other except for that brilliant blue sky not just in Boston and New York, but in Washington, Pennsylvania and here in Florida. Another glorious day when all Meme had to worry about was going to have her teeth cleaned.

The TV was on, I was asleep on the bed and Meme and Poppy were getting dressed. And then everything seemed to stop. I could feel it in the air as all the joy was sucked out of the house. They just stood staring at the TV.

In that moment, that day, that second ... all innocence was lost, the playthings got put away, trust in everything they thought they could depend on was gone and I remember Meme said so quietly I could barely hear her ... "Nothing will ever be the same again".

Meme is a lot like me and when she feels something deeply, she writes. A month later she wrote something she's never shared before. So I thought maybe her words were better than mine just this one time.

AFTERWARD by Heather Boyd Sandarr

Afterward ...
Strangers became brothers.
Tears fell and would not dry..

Afterward ...
Strangers rescued strangers risking their own lives
Realizing they'd also saved their own.
Strangers on a plane wove their lives as one
halting yet another tragedy
Yet lost their own in the doing.

Afterward it was said that life had changed forever...
That the world would never be the same.
But in so many ways life is exactly the same as before.
It is simply that such an evil
Was beyond anything we’ve ever known or could ever imagine .

This evil has lived with us for many years,
a noxious gas festering its way toward this agonizing day.
It has slithered through our streets brushing against us as it passed.
It has used our minds and hearts and shelters to grow within itself.
It has lived next door to us and passed us on the street.
It has used our schools, enjoyed our land, eaten our food, drunk our wine.
No one saw it smile yet still we gave it space to grow
Because that's who we are.

So life has not changed ... we have changed.
Now we know what we did not know
And now we stand together as one.
We stand for our country, our family, our core, our very soul.
We stand as one with the goal to end evil forever.
Afterward ... they thought they could tear us apart;
They have only drawn us together.

My country is my Family.
I may criticize my brother,
Lash out at my brother, cheat my brother.
I may even hurt my brother,
But no one may attack my brother
And expect that I’ll ever forget.
Buildings can be rebuilt, but lost lives can never be reclaimed.

Afterward...
When we've managed through the agony,
When we've grieved beyond our grief,
When the open wound has healed to a firm resolve to ensure
that no one, certainly no evil such as this,
Can take away our liberty or destroy our country.
Afterward may we come to know
That those who died that day
Did not do so in vain.

It was 9 years ago my Meme wrote this and she tells me that sadly our country is now divided in so many ways. Meme says there are always ebbs and flows to everything.

Though she wrote "they thought they could tear us apart; they have only drawn us together", now it sometimes seems they won after all. Yet she realizes that while we may be divided about where we should go and how we should get there, we are not divided in our resolve to stand together against those who will do us harm. Torn apart we will break; bonded together we will be whole, strong and indestructible.

I confess this is really way too much for me to absorb. I'm just one little dog. But like I say, I'm just twelve inches off the ground so I have a different perspective. For me life is pretty simple. I don't make enemies and I don't look for trouble, but I watch out for my Meme and Poppy and they look out for me.

'Til Next Time ...
Molly

An Empty Nest on Hornby Island

www.hornbyeagles.com
Photo by: Boonibarb

Today I'm going to talk about a little bird ... not just any bird, but a magnificent eaglet named Phoenix, who hatched April 29th on beautiful Hornby Island in British Columbia, Canada. We mourn Phoe who suddenly collapsed in her nest only days beyond her 2 month birthday. Gone way too soon, she is mourned by thousands.

Back in the first days of May, on one like so many others, my Meme looked in on her group on the internet where one friend had posted a link to the Hornby Eagles. "Click" and that was it ... there was little Phoenix, just a tiny ball of fluff, nestled with an ever gentile Mom, nourished by a doting Dad. And Meme, being a bit of a nurturer herself, was hooked forevermore as only she can ever be, and as I can personally attest from my own experience ... once hooked, she's a goner.

What separates Phoe from all the other eaglets in the world is the bond formed among people across the globe through a webcam perched high in the treetop above Mom and Dad Hornby's nest and broadcast live all over the world. At any time of day anyone could go there and watch Phoe grow more each day, watch her antics, see her grow to be just a little bit spoiled and a whole lot bigger most particularly her extremely large, yellow, sort of ugly feet.

And thousands of people came to watch this funny little eaglet. When she was such a fuzzy fluffball Meme worried all the time that some harm would come to her, but as time went on and she became bigger and stronger, everyone became more confident that she was on her way to soaring the skies in just a few short days.

Everyone watched and wrote about Phoenix's antics, her screaming for food, her bossiness, her sweetness and as they watched, they fell in love with both her and her wonderful doting parents. I don't think most of them had any idea that Phoe had wrapped herself so tight around their hearts that what was about to come was going to tear them up inside more than they ever thought possible.

Eventually Mom and Dad Hornby stayed away from the nest for longer periods enticing Phoe to want to move farther from the center of the nest. They would perch on a branch or on the cambox above so Phoe could see that she, too, could do it. And she did ... clumsily for sure, but she did somehow make her way onto the box and back in the nest, wings batting haphazardly with no grace at all. And when she did, hundreds watched in awe at her admirable attempt even though it was hardly what anyone could call a "flight". But it was a start and everyone hungered for more, waiting anxiously, sometimes even impatiently, for her to take to the skies and soar against the bright blue backdrop that is the magnificent sky over Hornby Island.

Every night just before bedtime Meme would click on the live video to check on Phoe and see what people were writing about her, what she had done that day that perhaps Meme had missed. Next morning before she would do anything else (except for walking me of course which remained a priority, thank heaven) she would click on the cam where the picture was still dark and wait as dawn would break over Hornby Island. Phoe would already be up and waiting for Mom or Dad to come with food. Meme would watch and listen to the sounds as Phoe looked out over the landscape that she surely knew would be hers one day to devour and explore.

Especially in the last couple of weeks, Meme clicked more and more on the video, on Chat and Facebook because everyone thought any minute she would fly and no one wanted to miss that special day. Everyone was already worried about what they would do without Phoe being a part of their daily lives, but they told themselves it would be okay because Phoe would be soaring on outstretched wings high above us, flying strong and brave for many years to come.

And as the days unfolded Meme noticed more and more of a camaraderie among "Phoe's Phans" as more and more people would worry about Phoe; she was sneezing, she didn't seem "with it", something was off, she was turning down food, but others would say "Phoe is phine".

But she wasn't fine. Phoe had pneumonia, an acute strain that her little body couldn't overcome at such a young age and even though those who knew there was something wrong had already set the wheels in motion to get her down from the nest so they could care for her, it was just too late.

Nature took its course and that night as the sun set gloriously over beautiful Hornby Island, Phoe valiantly made one last flap of her wings and pushed forward bringing herself to the outer edge of the nest looking out over her world as if about to take flight. And there, where she was loved and nurtured by her parents and adored by her family all over the world, she died as darkness fell over Hornby Island.

So many people looked on that night and the heartfelt words filled with tears and anguish poured out onto those pages that only hours before held such promise and hope for Phoenix.

It was at that moment that Meme knew the full impact of what had happened here. This was about Phoe of course. But it wasn't only about the loss of one lone eaglet on an island some had never heard about before, this was about all that Phoe had stood for in everyone's minds and hearts ... love and hope and promise and all that we reach for in a desperate world with so much anguish and so many unanswered questions.

It was about refuge from the storm, a shining light in the darkness, a beacon of hope and a place to go to escape and simply experience sheer joy and love for a tiny bird about to fledge. Phoe stood for the bright tomorrows everyone dreams about. And now she was gone and that night, for that moment and the days following, it seemed that we had lost a lot more than a little bird named Phoenix. We had lost our ability to soar above it all and make our way to a better time and place.

But one thing I've learned from living almost 10 years and watching more closely than some would think ... there is evil, greed and gluttony out there in the world but it does not prevail and it never will. So much love poured out from around the world over the loss of little Phoe and a bond formed between all those people and gave them hope. Friendships were born and that love will live on even though we won't have Phoe with us.

In our hearts she stood for love, she stood for hope, she stood for truth and clarity. She was simple and sweet in a time of incongruity, tension and confusion.

She lived too short a time and she died a symbol of strength and freedom leaving many feeling at the time as if hope died with her; it did not ... it lives on in the thousands who love her and in many who never even knew her and have still perhaps never even heard of Hornby Island.

"To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven". I don't think there's a bird ever in creation who will live as long in the hearts of so many as our sweet Phoe.

'Til next time ...

Molly

To Topsail Island, A Love Letter ... Filling Our Senses

There are things that are so extra special they fill us to the point we just don't think there can be anything better anywhere at all.

For me, of course, every day is a good day with very few exceptions. There are things that happen in my day that I love more than anything. For instance, I know that after Poppy walks me in the evening that I'll come back to the house, Poppy will unhook me and I will run faster than the wind into the kitchen where always, always, Meme throws me two treats ... never just one, always two. I can depend on it. And then dinner comes with a new bowl of fresh water. How much better can it get?

Well it can. Just before bed Meme takes me out one last time and I know as sure as the moon fills the night sky that when we get back I will get two tiny bones and one big bone right on the bed where we all sleep through the night.

I'm a dog all about habit. I like things I can count on. But then there are those really special times ... the surprises, the once in a lifetimes. And just recently one of those happened for us.

One thing I know ... when Meme and Poppy pack their suitcases to the brim it is either very good news or very bad news. I tend to think it usually means they're going somewhere without me. I'll never understand why they do that; we're a family after all.

But a few weeks ago, after a ton of stuff was taken out to the garage( including two of my precious beds by the way), Meme looked at me and said "Do you want to go for a ride in the car?" Here's another thing I know ... a ride in the car is not necessarily a good thing, but so far in my life if we're all getting in it together, it's good. When it's a vet visit, it's just Meme and me. When it's grooming, it's usually Poppy and me. But all 3 of us??? Now this is what I call a ride in the car!

It wasn't too long sitting up on my bed in the back seat that I knew this wasn't just any ordinary day trip. This was one of those extra long trips that are so special my heart sings. It's stops at friend's houses and Wendy's and McDonalds, Hampton Inns and wonderful parks on the side of the road where there are new smells like you wouldn't believe. So I settled in to sleep through the hours of driving ahead of us and all my dreams along that road were good ones.

And as it turned out, this was a trip that not only brought me lots of good smells, it filled Meme's senses as well. This was a journey she had longed for ever since she was a small child vacationing on Cape Cod with her brothers and their parents.

So we rented a cottage right smack dab on the dune on Topsail Island in NC. Sweet, warm, quiet ... a journey back in time. Ever since those childhood vacations, Meme has wanted to stay for as long as she could right on the ocean. She had never imagined having the ocean at her feet for 7 days, but here we were. She literally could scarcely breathe from the joy of it. Poppy loved it, but Meme was in love. And so was I.

Let me describe bliss just in case you haven't found it. At first light, I open my eyes because I don't want to miss a single second of the day. Meme gets up and attaches me to her as always. She opens the sliding door to the deck and we step out into the morning with the beach and a beautiful blue ocean in front of us. Only one or two early risers run along the sand and we hear nothing but the sound of the waves breaking on the shore. Sandpipers scurry along the water's edge and pelicans skim over the water in perfect flight. And just at that moment the sun starts coming up over the horizon creating such magnificence that we're sure it can't be real ... sun, sand and sea, and very little else.

Meme draws a breath and we venture down the steps and onto the beach. I love the smells of the shoreline and suddenly I run as fast as I can toward the sun. As it rises, the sky and the sea change every minute and Meme has her camera in one hand and me at the end of her other one.

I see a wave come toward me, just a bit of foam, and I wonder about it. I try to go after it but then water comes rushing up at me again and my feet get all wet. If I could laugh, I would. It just feels so good, bubbles and suds everywhere ... and all the time the sand beneath my paws.

There is nothing to disturb us, just the sound of the sea, the gulls, occasionally footsteps running past on the sand. And Meme says that at least for this one moment in time, we have filled our senses to the limit ... and we have found peace.



'Til next time ...
Molly

"The Best of Times Is Now"

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, and years before I was even thought about, Meme and Poppy met in a tall office building on a dark and rainy night in New York City. It wasn't love at first sight, but it was pretty close. And it almost didn't happen. She had an awful cold, but she'd promised one of her best friends in the whole wide world that she would come to help her move offices that night. As luck would have it, Poppy was the man who designed that office and he almost didn't drop by because it was a Friday, it was cold and raining and he just wanted to get home to his warm apartment.

But she did and he did and a few years later they were married on a beautiful Spring day in the church her parents were married almost 50 years before. They danced to the theme from "Ice Castles" and listened to the amazing lyrics of "The Best of Times Is Now" from La Cage Aux Folles. They sailed away on a beautiful pea green boat and the rest, as they say, is history.

We fast forward 25 years. To celebrate those many years of (almost) wedded bliss, Meme needed to find the perfect restaurant. Mind you, it feels like they've been exchanging gifts for months and for some reason not a blessed thing for me ... the dog who has brought them acres of happiness over the last 9 years.

Meme had seen a review of a restaurant called Top of the Point overlooking the Intracoastal and the Atlantic Ocean. She thought it would be perfect. Then one day Poppy tore an ad out of the paper so decision made! It promised magnificent views from floor to ceiling windows and to top it off the food was supposed to be really good. It's part of The Breakers of Palm Beach so how bad could it be??? So Meme made a reservation.

When friends asked that day what they were doing to celebrate, Meme told them ... Top of the Point sounded almost magical to her. They had to drive around the building twice to even figure out where the valet was, but somehow they managed. All this time, of course, I am again not included and left at home to listen to country music on the Bose. I don't understand why they think leaving music on fools me in any way. I know they're not here .... so who the heck's the music for?

Anyway ... this was not the time for a pity party for poor me. This was their day. They arrived on the Club Level (which I seriously think is the 13th floor because it was 12 and then "Club" ... hmmmmm). They were welcomed warmly and wished a very happy anniversary (yes, Meme had told them of course) and shown to a wonderful table for two by the window overlooking the Intracoastal, the city of West Palm Beach and The Breakers in the distance with the Atlantic Ocean beyond. Wow!

Tom served them and he was wonderful ... courteous, friendly and efficient. Looking back now Meme wondered why they were not offered a drink or a bottle of wine. They don't drink, but usually they are offered a hundred times so this was unusual and Meme was so happy not to have to explain that they reached their limit over 20 years ago and alas could have no more. All would be revealed.

The menu is wonderful and it was hard for them to decide between filet mignon, rib chop, swordfish/salmon/snapper, even meatloaf and lobster scampi, not to mention Duck a l'orange and more. They decided to share calamari, light and crisply fried and delicious, followed by pan-seared Sea Bass with lobster-mashed potatoes, spinach and roasted tomatoes with a light citrus sauce. Meme decided the fish was the best she's ever tasted. Poppy thought he'd skip dessert, but not my Meme!!! Noooooo ... so when Tom came back offering coffee she said "...and dessert, please". He almost insisted they order coffee first which she thought strange, but when in Rome. Soon after the coffee arrived and she was asked where Poppy was. Odd, she thought, but answered he'd stepped to the men's room.

Meme tries to be gracious when she's in a nice restaurant, but she wondered why they needed to know where he was? Anyway, he returned and relief spilled over the server's face. Then Tom arrived with the most amazing dessert Meme and Poppy thought they'd ever seen! There was a huge slice of decadent chocolate 7 layer cake with frosting literally dripping down the sides, there was New York style cheesecake and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies along with dark chocolate brownies, strawberries and blackberries! It was extraordinary! And Meme thought .... WOW! She'd never seen a restaurant come through with such a surprise. But Tom quickly informed her there was a card with the gift.

They couldn't think of who on earth would be so thoughtful. After all, let's face it. Anniversaries belong to the couple. Sure, maybe if you have kids together they come through with a nice surprise, but otherwise who???

They should have known. The very same good friend who introduced them over 30 years ago had arranged this from way up in Maryland. And it just made the night even more special than anyone could imagine. After dinner Meme took pictures of the view from the Top of the Point and in the car coming home she called her friend who solved the mystery. She had told the Manager that normally a bottle of wine would be in order but her friends didn't drink. Meme was really impressed they made a note of that.

This was a night of nights for Meme and Poppy ... a real milestone in their lives so I don't really mind too much I was left alone for 3 hours. They deserve to celebrate 25 years of being married, still loving each other, still having lots to say to each other ... still the owl and the pussycat "hand in hand on the edge of the sand, they dance by the light of the moon, the moon, they dance by the light of the moon."

And the words echo in Meme's head now and always ............

"Now ... not some forgotten yesterday

Now ... Tomorrow is too far away

So hold this moment fast,

And live and love

As hard as you know how.

And make this moment last,

Because the best of times is now,

Is now, is now is now, is NOW!"

'Til next time ...

Molly

Life is Good!

You may be wondering how I'm doing! I'm a little superstitious and didn't want to jinx it, but the good news is I am so much better! In fact, I'm fine. The bad news is it seems I'm better because they changed my diet. If you're one of those people who have to watch what you eat, you know having a "special" diet isn't fun. But it beats traveling down the road I was on!

The only good thing about feeling really lousy is the day you figure out it's not forever, the day you wake up and think .... Wow I feel good! I talked a good game about getting better, but the truth is I wasn't really sure I was going to be okay. Now I'm back to my old self. I've even lost some weight and a couple of times I've actually jumped up on the bed (something I couldn't do for awhile).

So life is good once again. Well ... almost. Guess what came out of the attic? Those dreaded suitcases. Clothes are hanging all over the place, stuff is getting dumped into the suitcases and I know it's just a matter of time until they wheel those things out and I'm left here alone. Well .... "alone" may be an exaggeration. My good friends across the street will come and pick me up every morning and take me to their house for the day. They have 2 dogs so it won't be all about me the way it's supposed to be, but it's a darn sight better than hanging here all day.

I'll come back here to sleep at night; something about territory Meme says? I don't quite get it, but I know I'm not welcome over there overnight. And that's just as well because I like the smells over here. I'm comfortable in my own house. Besides, it's good to check to see if they've come home and no one told me!

Meme says that today is such a special day ... the day before a cruise. Cruising is magic; there's something about being out on the sea with blue sky and ocean surrounding you. At night the stars fill the sky sparkling like diamonds. Back here it's never really all that dark, the cities light the sky and we can't see the stars all that well. But out there on that big ocean they light the night.

Meme tells me that after all the excitement of the day Poppy goes to the Casino and she comes back to their room for some "quiet time". The lights are dim and chocolates sit on the pillows, the sheets are pulled back by the Steward and "towel animals" are placed on the bed (this one looks a little like me, doesn't it?). After she gets comfy in her robe, she steps out onto the balcony.

She looks down at the whitewash of foam slipping by as the ship cuts through the ocean. She listens to the swoosh of the water and gazes up at the magnificent night sky filled with the moon and the stars realizing that now and then you really can have it all. She knows that anyone looking up at that moment sees that same moon and that grounds her and gives her a sense of closeness with everyone she loves while at the same time feeling one with the vast sea and the warm Caribbean night. It's a very special time for her.

And because they love it so much, I forgive them for leaving me back here. I love them. Most of the time I am enough to keep them happy, but every now and then they pack up those suitcases and can't take me with them. That's okay. I am healthy and full of life, I have my friends to watch over me and I know that sooner or later Meme and Poppy will come back home to me.

So life is good.

'Til next time...

Molly

I won't go quietly ...

Everyone knows that I try to be as positive as I can about just about everything, but I'm not stupid. I've been making an awful lot of trips to the vet's office lately and that's never a good sign. Used to be I'd go once a year and that's that. I really like it in their waiting room and try so hard to put a positive spin on being there, but it's never good.

The other night I knew something was up when my water bowl disappeared. Lately I've been drinking an awful lot of water. I can't quite figure out why. And sometimes I lie down where I never did before and I've needed to go out extra times. I'm ashamed to say I've even had a couple of accidents waiting at the door and just not wimpering quite loud enough for anyone to hear. I just hate to bother them, but when you gotta go you gotta go.

I sleep a lot more, content to lie on the bed for hours, but when we go for walks or play together, I'm just as happy as I ever was and nothing really hurts. And I absolutely still love to eat! But I wasn't surprised the morning after the water bowl disappeared when my walk treat didn't show up and there was no food bowl either. Next thing you know Meme popped me into the car and off we went to the vet's office for a blood test. It was over quickly and while Meme paid them(why she would pay for that invasion I have no idea), she fed me 3 of the special treats they have on the counter. So all was well! When we got home my food was back and my water bowl full and I drank half of it in one gulp.

But last night Meme and Poppy went out for pizza and the phone rang. The machine picked it up and I stood listening to my vet's voice and he sounded really serious. Meme was so sure that this blood test was going to be okay, but it wasn't. He said my cholesterol is higher and it didn't sound like high was a good thing. Now they have to send my blood for a thyroid test. And so it goes.

Meme doesn't understand. They cut out all the treats and boy do I miss them. I never get fruit anymore which makes no sense ... I thought fruit was a good thing. Maybe they should give me that again!!!

So we'll have to see what happens. Today is my Birthday. I'm 9 years old and I think I feel pretty good. This is what I know ..... Meme and Poppy will not let any harm come to me, they won't let me hurt, they probably won't have me cut to fix me. They will just make sure that every hour I spend on this earth for the rest of my life will be as good as they can make it for me. Poppy said he's going to take me to my favorite lawn where I can run because Meme read somewhere that exercise is good for me. They'll find something good for me to eat that might be better for whatever's wrong with me (if they can ever figure it out). And no matter what happens down the road I know they are just happy I've been here with them all this time.

I can't make this stuff up. I heard them talking and that's what they said. And it's okay with me. I always knew I'd have to leave this earth before they do! After all, what would I do if it were the other way around? Truth is, I talk a good game but I'm helpless without them and depend on them for everything.

So it's all good ... not for them so much because I worry what they'll do when I'm not here to make them laugh. But they love each other and they'll get through it. It's just not the best of times in our house right now and I didn't want everyone to wonder why there hasn't been a peep out of me since Christmas.

I share the good times and the bad times here and I hope the next time you hear from me, it will be much better times. I'm hoping to be around a good long time.

'Til next time ...

Molly

A Brand New Year Awaits

It's Christmas and Holiday time again and there's a whole new year sitting on our doorstep just waiting for us to open the door and invite it in. This is a joyous time for all of us who celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah, a very special time of year when families and friends gather to share the traditions set down for generations. And sometimes magic happens because people can just feel the spirit all around them and somehow dreams come true and prayers are answered.

"They" say we dogs live in the moment and I guess that's true. This isn't a moment I've liked a whole lot so I'm sort of ready to get out of it and move on to the next one! Meme and Poppy have been a mess because I'm not feeling up to par and they instantly went into doom and gloom mode. Lucky for me it looks like I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, but in the meantime it looks like my diet is going to change a bit and I'm not at all happy about that! Still, a dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do ... I have no control over what I eat anyway so I might as well just learn to live with it. Meme's been in the kitchen baking and I smell all these delicious smells including peanut butter, but all I get is a cut up piece of my own dog food. Who does she think she's kidding? I know the difference between dog food and peanut butter!!!

I had to visit my vet twice just this past week and they did things to me that shouldn't even happen to a cat!!! Then I had to undergo the embarrassment of Meme sticking a tin pan under me when I'm just trying to pee!!! I tried to tell her to get that darned thing out from under me and give me some privacy, but she was relentless. Seems my kidneys aren't quite right, but I told them they're good enough to get me through the next 5 or so years I plan to be around so just leave me alone!!!

All the boxes came out with the ribbons, wreaths, ornaments and lights. I thought for a minute they were packing again for one of their trips and got pretty depressed, but then I figured out they were unpacking the boxes, not packing them. So now we have three trees with dozens of lights and shiny ornaments; glittery stuff and red bows all over the place. Candles burn to make it smell like pine and balsam, but this is Florida for heaven's sake! Nobody's fooled! Still, I understand it's Meme's little slice of New England so we let her have her fun. The presents are being wrapped and put under the tree, but so far I haven't sniffed anything worth my while to attack.

When I saw how upset Meme and Poppy were I decided to put my best face forward ... figured if I jumped around a little and stood on my hind legs for them, they'd stop putting me in the car and taking me to the vet. So far it's worked and I'll let you know if I have to go back there again. If there's a angel watching over me, she'll make sure I don't have to go back for awhile. It's one of my least favorite places, even worse than the groomer if that can be said.

It seems that snow has fallen almost everywhere, but not here. It never snows in southern Florida. That would be a good name for a song if someone hadn't already used something like it for a song about California. So we're jealous of people with snow because it just makes it seem a whole lot more like Christmas and it's much easier for Santa to land on the roof in his sleigh. I have no idea what he does down here because we have tile roofs and no chimneys so that's quite a conundrum for him.

But I'm thinking somehow Santa will figure it all out and come Christmas Eve he'll make it to every house around the world where children sleep waiting for him. And Christmas morning, as it's been for hundreds of years, the faces of thousands of children all over the world will fill with wonder at the sight of stockings stuffed to the brim, hanging from their hooks by the fireplace and presents large and small laying nestled beneath the branches of Christmas trees that have been adorned with the ornaments of today and generations before.

And I'll be sitting on our bed with my little stocking stuffed with little treasures for me. I'll watch as Meme and Poppy open their gifts on Christmas Day. And on that day, at least for that moment in time, all will be right with the world.

But the biggest present of all is the one as yet unopened ... a whole new year, a fresh start, a bright new beginning. Happy New Year.

'Til Next Time,

Molly