The Divinity of Dogs

Before I get to today's topic, I'd like to address the inevitable comment from Mum:

But it's not Monday. You said you'd only post doggy-type thingies on MONDAYS!  

What can I say? It's a bonus doggy-type-thingie kinda day.  And now, back to our regularly scheduled blog:

Author Jennifer Skiff is writing a delicious book called The Divinity of Dogs. I email-met her thru HARO when she sent out a query for submissions and I responded with my story of Maggie & Millie. So fingers crossed, they will be in the book!

You can submit your own story here until October 15th.

I read it to John Morgan, author of Grasshopper Notes, and he said,

If there is a heaven, then in order to get in, everyone should have to answer the question, "How did you treat animals?"

AMEN!   :-)
P.S. See Mum? Really--short 'n' sweet! 
 

Eat, Pray, Love

So Mum & I went to see Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love last weekend.  When I first moved out to the wilderness, more than one person suggested I read that book. And then chiro-sister got it for me for Xmas. Anyway, you know that line from Legally Blonde, where Reese Witherspoon dresses up for her first day of law school? And she says, "I totally look the part."  Well . . .

You can see Mum's reflection to the left. :-)

I'm wearing my Indian prayer beads and holding the Eat, Pray, Love bible in my hands. I walked in to the theatre, and Ticket Gal says, "Eat, Pray, Love?"  :-)  The movie was pretty authentic to the book, and the cinemetography is gorgeous. Mum & I were both hungry half-way thru Italy and starving at the end of Bali. [Let me splain: She spends 4 months in 3 countries; she eats in Italy, prays in India, and loves in Bali]. One of the lines from the movie that struck me was: You Americans know all about entertainment, but you don't know about pleasure.  Hmmm . . . .anyway, if you go, don't drag a guy to see it. It's definitely a chick flick. Unless he's a sensitive-new-age-burkenstock-wearing-guy. Just sayin'. And take something yummy with you so that you'll have something to eat while you're drooling over Julia's pasta.Preferably something sweet and decadent. And then go out to dinner to a nice little Italian place afterwards. No really, go after--it doesn't matter if you just ate yourself into a Thanksgiving food coma beforehand, trust me on this: you'll be hungry!

If you're a fan of the book, you'll enjoy the movie. I'll leave you with this quote from the book that ends the movie:
I've come to believe that there exists in the universe something I call "The Physics of the Quest"--a force of nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity or momentum. And the rule of Quest Physics maybe goes like this: "If you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting (which can be anything from your house to your bitter old resentments) and set out on a truth-seeking journey (either externally or internally), and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue, and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher, and if you are prepared--most of all--to face (and forgive) some very difficult realities about yourself . . . . then truth will not be withheld from you."

What would you take?

See the firetruck? See the smoke billowing out from in front of the firetruck? (Dirt road dust from behind; kinda looks similar).

I went down to the garage and it smelled like smoke. I looked out the windows and I see smoke coming from my neighbor's. I thought, What is he doing burning on a day like today?!  It was so windy. And the smoke was blowing in under the garage doors. And then I realize that the power is out. So I call Neighbor Dave. He answers with, "Hi, Hali. Yes the power is out. There's a fire and the fire department is on its way." Oh. So it wasn't the (other) neighbor burning trash. The wind knocked down a tree and took the power line with it and sparks flew and poof! Forest fire! Up behind Fisherman Willie's house. Yikes!

So long story short, I decided to "get out of Dodge," as my friend Susan advised. I packed everything as if I was going to lose it all in a fire. All my John Morgan stuff in a suit case, an overnight bag, my Important Box (with important papers), and my family photos. And my foot bath with tuning forks and whatever other healing modalities I could throw in the tub. It was so HOT, and the house smelled like smoke from the wind blowing it in as I loaded up the car. I called Neighbor Dave & told him I was heading out. And then I asked if he had taken any pictures of the fire. "That wasn't my first thought," he replied, dryly. If I were braver, I would've gone up and taken some photos. I dropped the dogs off at Mystic Pet and went to Mum's. Exhausted. But it made me think about all my stuff. And how attached I was to it like one of those pack-rat-hoarders you see on HGTV. And at the same time, I heard XM Radio Guy saying, "If EBay has taught me nothing else, it's that everything is replaceable." Indeed. Except the 90-year old photos of Mum's family in England.

Neighbor Dave called later that night to let me know the power was back on. And so I picked up the girls the next day and headed back down my road, where I saw flares on the road and then this:

Yikes!

There were two woman sitting on the side of the road behind the car. I slowed down and said I was glad they were OK and I wish I had some emergency chocolate for them. Sometimes, it's the thought that counts. I didn't lollygag--you can see the police car up ahead and he was talking to some young guy. I've never seen anything like this along the road. I saw evidence of spinouts when we had snow, but wow! You have to be careful on a gravel road.

So lessee . . . this year, we've had a flood, a blizzard with a 5-day power outage, a drought, and a forest fire. What a year!

M&M Monday

Outdoorsy Girls

Yoohoo, girls! Where are you going???

Oh. Okay.

Back Porch Girls

Hullo.

Snoozy Girls

Maggie

Millie. Zzzzzz . . .

Funny Friday

See my avocado tree?

This is what lurks on it:

The stink bug season is upon us.

I have a live 'n' let live policy pretty much. Unless it's something that stings or is poisonous. And these guys are fairly innocuous. So far, I haven't had the stink part of the stink bug. They fly in the door when I go onto the back porch. Ha ha ha! They think. We're in!  My friend Susan posted this video which I thought was appropriate for the season, so here you go:

BEAR!

I popped down the road and stopped by Neighbor Chuck's. And there was the bear in his backyard again! So I got to take some pix off his front porch.

 

 

Can you see him? They disappear so quickly!

M&M Monday

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

A year ago today, I picked up M&M and brought them home. I felt compelled to get them, even tho I knew that taking on another pair of senior dogs would be a lot of work. But it has been totally worth it! They are my sweet girls, and I am so grateful to have them.

I've mentioned before that Millie likes tea--well, not any tea. Apparently, she is only partial to my PG Tips; proper British tea. I was in the other room, and I heard a slight thud. I came out to see that Millie had maneuvered my tea cup onto her dog bed and was eating the tea bag!

 

 Heh heh hehhhhhh . . . 

 

Nom nom nom

Maggie's feet

Both girls at my feet, so I stood on the sofa & took a picture.

They snooze throughout the day . . . 

Millie spilling off her bed. 

[Yes, I know, I know. The bright light from the window; if only I were a REAL photographer!]

Maggie snuck her bone outside & is guarding it from Millie.

While she eats the dirt.  ;-)

I never thought I'd say this, but here's to another year!

P.S. I have successfully failed to upload a video of Maggie thumping her tail. Will try again for next week.