And Not to Be Forgotten

This has been a full, very full holiday weekend. Thanks have been given amongst several circles of loved ones. The privilege of having parents, friends, children, spouses, and the new friends of children coming to our abundant table has been celebrated with joy and gratitude. And we are reminded of just how blessed we are.

Welcome Mat


There is a group of family members that we tend to not think of when we give thanks. Today, I just want to introduce you to some of them. There isn’t enough room on this blog to bring each one of these wonderful beings to life for you, but you’ll recognize all of them as they’ve existed in your life, past and present.

No doubt, you’ve guessed that I want to salute our pets. The quiet and not-so-quiet members of our clans. The “relative” who can be demanding, pesky, noisy. The “relative” that will always love you without reserve.

The friends who joined us for Thanksgiving Day brought their dog/daughter, Lucy, the Minpin. She was a rescue dog, obviously abused in her former life. She’s a bit high-strung, partly because of her breed, partly because of, well, only she knows what. And she is devoted to her “mom”. Attached at the hip, or rather, ankle, happy in her “mom’s” company. She is protective and loving of her persons; the persons who saved her and gave her the security she hadn‘t had before.



Lucy is very camera-shy so this blur
is the best we could do.
Wish you could see how sweet she is!

 It was fun watching her taking on the new environs of our house. She got the tour, was introduced to the first and second floors, fed and watered, and had her bed put on the floor near her “mom”. The house in which she lives is infested with cats as is ours. We figured it wouldn’t be an issue since she lives with cats and our puds are a touch cautious with dogs. They’d probably disappear for the day.

Looking Like Leo

Wrong, wrong, wrong, I was. Mickey, our red tom, and overall tough guy- or, so he thinks- decided that he needed to scope out the dangerous beast and guard what was his. Which is everything. He is not only his “mother’s” helper in all she does, he is the lead lion of the house and the other (female) cat, Sweetie. From inside the safety of the house, he’s ferocious when it comes to chasing rabbits, birds and woodchucks away. He has been known to tear through screens though when other tomcats come sniffing around. That’s a little more than our mighty Leo can stand.



It's hard work some days!

 He tried to scare Lucy. He puffed. He hissed. He stared. He even tried to chase her- from a safe distance. He was not succeeding. She wasn’t leaving. He took as victory that she moved away from his fireplace so that he could curl up in his chair. Our mighty warrior strutted the rest of the day.

But, just as Lucy is my friend’s love, Mickey is mine. My mother has hers: his name is Timmy. And he has her totally wrapped around his pretty paw. He cannot be disturbed when he is sleeping on her bed. He gets fed when he yells enough. The world revolves around Timmy. And he’s earned every bit of it. Timmy is my mom’s best buddy. He helps her with everything from paper filing (on the floor) to pulling thread (and tangling it) as she uses it to sew.

They are all entertaining, loving, and indispensable in our worlds. Our lives would not be as fulfilled without having our animals to care for. And having them to care for us.

So, once the chaos of the weekend has subsided, remember to raise a toast to your pet, your furry four-footed friend, your incomparable companion. Give thanks for the rest of your family!


Peace & Love