The Scarett Y by River Song

My Mommy does an incredible job taking care of us.  She inspects every inch of our bodies.  So it was not surprising that she was mad at herself when the groomer told her that I had another ear infection.  Since I got my last infection 12 months ago, Mommy checks my ears after every bath, which happen too frequently.  Two weeks before the grooming she checked and sniffed, and my ears were fine.

When Mommy went to the groomers, she expected to get glowing reports about her own grooming skills.  Instead, the woman handed me over the counter to Mommy, wrinkled her nose in distaste and said “yeast.”

My mother could not believe it was true.  “You must be mistaken; I take such care of her ears.”  The groomer grabbed my ear, pulled it back, and with her other hand she took Mommy’s head, shoved it down to my ear and told her to sniff.  

The woman let go of Mommy’s head.  She looked at the groomer, softly admitted “yeast” and slunk out the door.

The next morning Mommy asked my Dad to call the vet. She did not want to be shamed by having a wear on her clothing a giant Y  for yeast on her dress and be shunned in public.  The last time I had an infection our old vet gave me a thorough examination and charged $150.00.  Who knew what this vet would charge for a second offense?

The vet tech told Daddy that she would check my records.  She called back and told him that he could come in and pick up medicine for me.  Since I had a full examination two months earlier another one was not needed.  Mommy and I both sighed in relief.

When Daddy picked up the medicine, the vet tech told him that she thought it was a seasonal allergy and was not anyone’s fault.  That made Mommy feel better.  As hard as Mom’s try they cannot stop an allergy.

So for the next two weeks, I get drops which I don’t like, and ear rubs, which I like a lot.  I have not been in pain, so this entire incident has been more something I have witnessed then taken a part of.   

I just want the yeast out of my ears to make my Mom happy and to make sure she never has to wear a big Y.

Wordless Wednesday

Beat This Caption

Where is that damn woman and the food?

Mondy Question

I don't want to embarrass anyone but are there any poop eaters here?

Pocket:  Oh yes, I have been a poop eater my entire life  I am a poop-a-holic.  My parents have to be fast on the pickup.

River Song:  No, I am a lady, and I can't beat Pocket to the poop.  

Cappy is our October 1, 2017 Pup of the Week

This week our friend Mama Jackie Ross had her heart light go out when her senior rescue dog Cappy gave up her long fight to stay with her mom.   Despite Cappy's slowly fading body she struggled to stay on the mortal side for as long as she could.  Cappy arrived here at Rainbow Bridge accompanied by huge clouds filled with her mom’s, and our parents’ tears, and many angel hugs from her friends who came here before her.

Some dogs arrive at Rainbow Bridge, and other pups like Cappy arrive a little at a time.  First, her vision appeared, and we put it in the house where she would be living.  After that, her hearing came, and we put it in the same place.  A short time later we got the muscles that made her back legs move.  Little by little more parts arrived until Cappy passed over, was reunited with the body parts she had lost and was whole and young again.

Before that day came Cappy, her mom, and Dr. Steve tried very hard to keep Cappy on the mortal side.  Cappy got a special diet, which she gratefully ate.  She had control over her bodily functions.  But time was against her. Her back legs were failing her sight and hearing were gone, and each day the burden of life became a little harder to carry.

The most difficult thing for her mom was knowing that there was nothing she could do.  But she still found it in her heart to do the most important things.  She kept Cappy comfortable, pampered her, left work early to spend more time with her, and let her know every second of her mortal life that she was loved.

The biggest change in the dog world since I was born is the ability of angels to prepare dogs for what will happen when they become immortal.  Cappy arrived knowing all the steps she needed to become an angel and quickly get to her duties watching over her mom, visiting her in her dreams, even if her mom won't remember it, borrowing the body of a flying creature to visit her mom in another form, and being a ghost, that vaguely seen thing in the corner of her mom’s eyes, or that unexplained noise in the middle of the night.

Mama Jackie may not be able to hear Cappy’s heart still softly beating in their home, but the connections between their heart will never be severed.  

All of us turn to dust someday, but the love lasts forever.

Tails From Rainbow Bridge: A Prayer for Puerto Rico

Citizens of the United States have been devastated by three hurricanes this summer, Harvey, Irma, and Maria.  Two of these storms caused Americans react with solidarity, money, and prayers.  The third, Maria, has been termed a near miss to the mainland.

But there is still Puerto Rico, the fifty-first stepchild in a fifty child family.  The people of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States just at the colonists in North America were citizens of Great Britain before the Revolutionary War.  Puerto Rico is in no position to fight the States for independence, but Americans need to remember that, despite not having the right to vote or representation in Congress, they are part of us.

My parents have many friends who have family on the island.   Scores of those family members have lost their houses, have no electricity, food or water, and witnessing a climbing death level.  They are living in the worst conditions any American citizens have endured in decades.

Not only do our parents have friends from Puerto Rico but so do we.  Our besties Max and Baron were both rescued from the streets of Puerto Rico.  Few stray dogs survived the flooding.  If it weren't for Max and Baron’s wonderful rescue parents, they would not be with us today.

The citizens of Puerto Rico are just like people living in the States.  They work hard, want what is best for the family, love and will not leave, their pets.

That devotion nearly cost Sandra Harasimowicz and her husband Gary Rosario their lives.  They miscalculated Maria’s ferocity and tried to ride out the storm with their eight cats and seven dogs.  The couple did send their two children to higher ground but would not abandon their pets

The couple lived near a river that crested its bank and water slammed into their abode.  It quickly filled with water  They put the cats on top of the cabinets and then struggled to carry their dogs to the roof where they clung to solar panels.  Several times one of the frightened dogs jumped into the water and Gary swam out to save them.  When the storm passed the water receded to below their knees, they went back to their mud-filled homes.

Sandra and Gary tried to salvage what they could from their home.  At night they put all their dogs in a top bunk and snuggled together.  But the water rose again, and they had to break into a neighbor’s house and spend the night in their rooftop annex.

Sandra and Gary will not be rebuilding.  After twelve years, and two hellish nights they have decided to move.  As a neighbor said, “Puerto Rico is destroyed.”

It has been a year with many disasters, and good people have donated more money than they can afford to help hurricane victims.

But if you have any spare change you can help people in need by donating here

In the words of Lin Manuel Miranda:

“Your citizens are suffering. Stop the bleeding, stop the loss

Help Puerto Rico. It's just a hundred miles across”

From the Desk of Pocket Dog: Precious New Art Work From Enzo's Mom

Humans don’t like plain walls.  Blank spaces bother them for some reason.  They go to galleries and buy expensive artwork to cover their empty walls.

My parents have been very fortunate.  They have framed paintings, photos, and pictures everywhere, but seldom have they paid for them.  Their walls are supported by our friends and family.

Daddy's Mom did two paintings in their living room.  He found them in her cellar shortly after she passed away.  She had them wrapped in garbage bags.  Like all artists, she found unseen imperfections in her work that caused her to discard the paintings, but the creator can only see those flaws, and to us the works are perfect.

Along two other walls are pictures of her seldom seen grandchildren and, above the television, which all stare at dutifully, are pictures of we three dogs, done by Freddy’s dad Steve and Leo’s mom Eileen.  

The kitchen is also the Connie Gross Art Gallery.  There are nine paintings and drawings along hallway and kitchen wall one by Zoe Boe’s mom.  They are all of Foley and I and chronicle our lives together.  Each one is cherished.

This week we received two new beautiful pieces of artwork from Enzo’s Mom Kathy.  I stole my Mom’s ringing camera and took two pictures of her very kind gift.

My parents love the sea.  They have come from generations of people who have stood on the docks and watched people sail off to risk their lives for a living then gratefully eat what they caught while complaining they got salt water on their good shoes.  One of the paintings Nana did is a seascape, so Enzo’s Mom’s picture fit perfectly at our house.

Enzo and his mom are a fantastic team.  They are a real renaissance couple having mastered writing, art, and humor.  They bring joy to our friends every day.  And now we have these drawings, which are true glimpses into the artist’s soul to brighten our lives each day.  There is no greater gift than art.  It is the gift of imagination more precious than a rare stone.

Aunt Kathy insisted we recognize Willie’s mom Sandy Von Nostrand, who has encouraged her artwork and patiently helped Aunt Kathy find the brilliant artist inside of her.  But we think Aunt Sandy would agree the credit all goes to Enzo’s fantastic mom.

Enzo lives with his mom on her mountain, and it is unlikely that my parents, who don’t travel further west than Worcester, will ever know the joy of meeting her, but now that Miss Kathy has treated them with this part of her heart they can experience meeting a part of her every time they look at it.

Thank you so much, Enzo and his mom.

You have made my mom very happy and, like the other artists whose works are on our walls, we owe her a great debt that we will spend the rest of our days trying to repay.