What’s Valuable to You?

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Who does not thank for little will not thank for much. ~Estonian proverb

The other day, Monkey and I were walking along when a truck pulled up beside us, slowed, and its window slid open.

‘I’ll give you $15 for that dog,’ said the stranger with a twinkle in his eye.

I thought about it for a half-second, then replied, ‘You know, there are days — like when I have to pick up this (and I showed him Monkey’s filled poop-bag) that I might take you up on that offer.’

We had a nice chuckle before he drove off.

The encounter left me pondering how much — or how little — we actually value things in our lives.

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Practice Before Perfection

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Things could be worse. Suppose your errors were counted and published every day, like those of a baseball player. ~Author unknown

Our symphonic band’s first concert of this year took place over the weekend and despite practicing, despite some of us being involved for four (or more) years, we finally found a way to crash and burn.

It was bound to happen, but it wasn’t pretty.

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Memories of Dallas

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I wish you enough good memories to see you through the bad times. ~Pam Brown, Australian poet

Dallas, April 2015

I

Am still

Missing you,

My beautiful

Soul Dog Dallas, and

I guess I always will.

Two years now. You departed

Right as the Pandemic began,

Leaving me sad and broken-hearted.

At last you’re free from pain and misery.

Time really has helped me process the grief

Of your passing, and I must admit

So has the arrival of a

New Sheltie puppy, Monkey.

He’s not you, nor will he

Ever be, but still

It helps to have

A puppy

Under

Foot.

Note: This poetic form is called Double Etheree.

Growth and Changes

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God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them. ~Author unknown

Sometimes growth and change happen in the smallest of ways. Ways nobody really notices.

Other times, the differences hit you like a load of bricks.

Most bloggers love when readers remind us to do an update on something we posted that piqued their interest. Something they wanted to fill in. “The rest of the story,” as it were.

This post will attempt to do just that.

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Gotcha Day!

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You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. ~Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American writer, poet, and visual artist

Happy first Gotcha Day Anniversary to my favorite Monkey!

 

Catching a Snooze

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Finish each day before you begin the next, and interpose a solid wall of sleep between two. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, abolitionist, and poet

Totally relaxed

Eyes shut, limbs splayed, soft breathing

Finally asleep

 

Time for Landon to Go Away!

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When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels. ~Author unknown

This week, we finally got one of those snowfalls like we had when I was a kid.

Back then, I’d have been happy to make snow angels and get a day off from school; today, the shoveling task falls to me.

Sigh. Adulting can be hard.

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Yuck! Gross!

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Silent gratitude isn’t very much use to anyone… ~G. B. Stern, English author

Monkey here.

Recently, Mama bought me a big bag of dog food and, because it didn’t have one of those self-closing flaps to keep it fresh, she dumped it into a plastic bin on wheels she’d bought for my predecessor (St. Dallas).

Like so:

But there was a problem lurking within. Check the photo again and see if you can find it. I’ll wait.

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What is a Friend?

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It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend. ~William Blake, English poet and painter

I don’t know why we stayed friends as long as we did, but it’s my opinion some friendships are destined to die.

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Milestones

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Happiness is a warm puppy. ~Charles M. Schulz, American cartoonist and creator of the Peanuts comic strip

Time

Passes.

One day you’re

A little pup —

Weak, needy, clingy.

And then I blink my eyes.

You’re all grown up. Beautiful,

Full of energy and ready

To take on the world (or your back yard)

You’ve become a lean, mean, Sheltie machine!

Experts say you’re fully grown at one year;

However, I’ve learned that it takes more

Than twelve months to grow a Sheltie.

You still need to learn to mind

And never poop indoors.

Now please settle down

And take a nap

So I can

Have some

Peace!

Note: This poetry form is Double Etheree.