This is a picture of my Grandmother and I, taken on her 100th birthday. Gram was 103 on February 25, 2001. She passed away on March 13, 2001 at the age of 103 years, 2 weeks and 2 days. My Grandmother was a real character. She lived in her own home until one month before she died. She cursed getting old because she couldn't get around as well as she used to. Gram was born into a world of horse & buggys and lived to see man walk on the moon. She lived through wars, depression, the death of her parents, husband and all her siblings. She has also lived to see 4 generations of her offspring: 3 children; 8 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren and 9 great-great-grandchildren. How many people can say they lived in three centuries? Gram did: born February 25, 1898, all of the 1900's and 2 years in the new millenium. Amazing!! I loved to sit and talk with Gram while she showed me her photographs and recalled her life through the memories the photos evoked. Some of my favorite childhood memories of her are playing dominoes at her kitchen table; listening to Gram and her sister speak in German so the kids wouldn't know what they were saying; and the sound of her laughter. I will always feel blessed for having had her in my life.
Hey Gram, I'll see you when I see you. I love you.
My kids, Paige and Michael (32 and 30 respectively) are the SUNSHINE and LAUGHTER of my life. They are both hard-working, responsible adults. They are caring & sensitive (Paige can't watch anmial movies -they make her cry; and Michael is a champion of underdogs). They are out-spoken, self-assured, opinionated, family-oriented and hilarious. Of course, they can still be brats at times, but I wouldn't have them any other way. These are pictures of Michael (9 mos.and 23). My daugher didn't want her picture on line, but trust me, she is a striking beauty. I also have a son-in-law, Paul. He is wonderful. I couldn't ask for a better son-in-law. He and Paige are great together. I also have a daughter-in-law, Donna. Beautiful woman! I don't know her that well yet, but I hope that will change. My first grandbaby is due very soon. "Its a BOY!"
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MUFF CAT (a/k/a Muffin, Muffy, Fido): petite, aloof, curious and cuddly (when she feels like it - lol).
She came to live with me when she was 15 weeks old. Muff thinks she rules the house. If I don't pay attention to her she knocks things off of my shelves, while staring at me, just waiting for my reaction. She does have one little quirk: she has to sit on my lap when I'm in the bathroom. Strange, I know. She likes to cuddle when I go to sleep at night. That's when she has to lay her body on mine and stay that way all night long. She likes to lay on the balcony in the sun or in my planters. Muff is now 7 years old - my how time flies, and just as spunky as ever. She loves to play hard to get. She actually plays ball with me. Every morning I have to throw her little yarn ball and she retrieves it and brings it back and drops it at my feet. She is a very unique cat (at least I think so.)
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KI DOG (Kiote, Ki-B-do): devoted companion, exercise partner, quiet shadow at the foot of the bed.
Ki adopted me after I saw her in the dog shelter. At seven years old her big brown eyes expressed her sadness at being locked in a cage. It was love at first sight for both of us. Little did I know when I brought her home that she could fly! A week later she jumped off of my third floor balcony and was completely unharmed. (The balcony has a solid rail around it, so she couldn't see that it was 3 floors up. I'm sure she just thought it was a fence to jump over.) Either she has Angel's wings hidden under her fur, or she was caught by an Angel. Whichever it is, I'm thankful. Needless to say, she never did that again. She loves to dig for mice and moles on our walks. We will be walking along and all of sudden she'll pounce and vigorouly dig, stop - put her snout in the hole, cock her head and listen, and start digging again. Only twice was she faster than me and actually got a critter. {Sadly though, her hearing and eyesight are failing, she's stopped digging, I guess she can't hear them.} Ki enjoys our walks as much as I do. It's social time! She gets to met her friends, and sniff and play. She loves male dogs and actually poses around them. But with female dogs she has to be the top dog. Her favorite pals are Belle (my daughter's dog), Lokie (a little Schipperke mix) and her boyfriend, Snoopy (a beagle).
June 13, 2003 - My beautiful Ki is gone. I agonized over the decision, but finally I felt I had to do what was the best and kindest for my girl. Her arthritic hind legs could no longer hold her. Too often she could not get up from the floor. When I would lift her 57 pound body up, more and more often she would fall back down. Walking her up and down the three flights of stairs from my condo was treacherous for her and many times she would have fallen if it weren't for the grip I had on her leash. She could no longer jump into the car but had to be lifted in. She didn't always have the strength in her legs to hold herself upright to stick her nose out the car window - something she loved. Her walks became shorter and shorter until it was all I could do just to get her around the building. I couldn't let Ki suffer any longer. The medications no longer helped her. It was the humane thing to do - so I am told. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. I felt as if I had killed my best friend. At the end I was there with her, holding her and rubbing her when she eased out of this life and into the next. No more pain. She is in Heaven where she is young and healthy, able to run and play again. She can see and hear again. My guilt and pain have lessened somewhat but I will always miss my girl. We came into each others lives when we both needed someone. We loved each other and were constant companions. Anyplace I could take her... I would. She was a good dog, calm, gentle, protective, she loved kids and cats. She will be greatly missed by me, Muffy and Spika.
"Until we meet again."
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SPIKA-DO: joined the family when she was about 12 weeks old. She fit in immediately and became Muff's baby. Between Ki and Muffy, Spike had two mothers. Spike was first thought to be a boy. But low and behold "he" turned out to be a "she". By then I was too used to calling her by the name Spike, so I just changed one letter and Spike became Spika. She is a very sweet cat, very gentle - never uses her claws at all. But she is not a cuddler. However, she does love to be brushed. She loves to rub my legs and feet and will occasionally come lay down next to me and Muff to sleep. But as soon as I move, Spika moves away (only to sneak back later). She is special in her own way and we're very glad she is part of our family.
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Chief joined our little family 9/6/03. I got him from a rescue organization, Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA). He is a 1 year old German Shepard/Labrador/Akita mix. He came to me totally housebroken. He is affectionate and loves people, cats and dogs. He walks well on a leash, though I'm working with him to walk even better. He loves chew toys and rarely barks. He sleeps at the foot of my bed on a blanket. During the day when I'm at work I gate him into the bathroom. After all, he is still young (an adolescent - young teenager - and you know who mischeivious they can be- lol). Muffy and Spika are fine with him. Spika actually plays with him at times. Muff ignores him most of the time. Chief has the intelligence of a German Shepard and learns quickly; he has the build, webbed feet and personality of a Lab, and the tail of an Akita. Chief and I went through basic obedience training and he did wonderful. Out of a possible 200 score, he earned a 190. The instructor told me she thinks Chief has the potential to be a therapy dog. It takes a lot of work and dedication and I'm not sure I'm up to it, although Chief would be. The next course of traning is intermediate and then the testing for therapy dog. I have to think long and hard about this. It would be a big commitment for us. I'll let you know what I decide.
If you are interested in adopting a dog or cat, and you live in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, please click on the FOHA link below to go to visit a wonderful rescue organization website. You can also go to Petfinder.com for other rescue organizations in your area. Open your heart and your home to an animal in need of a loving home and forever family. Our animal shelters are filled to overflowing with homeless animals. Put a wiggle in the tail of dog or purr in a cat. They will love you unconditionally. I truly believe they know they've been rescued and love you all the more for it. You won't be disappointed.
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