Let the Kids Enjoy Themselves!

I live in a safe neighborhood. I know many of my neighbors. My kids are going trick or treating in a group. They know not to go in anyone's house. So, why should I pay to take them to "Trunk or Treat" or to some indoor Halloween party. We had the fun of going trick or treating door to door. Why deprive our kids of this fun?

If you have a toddler or very young child, I understand the convenience of "controlled" or "limited" trick or treating at pumking patches, etc.

But for kids over 7, let them have fun!

My kids are making their own costumes this year too. What's this new fad that everyone goes to the store and spends $20-$30 on a piece of fabric. It takes all the fun out of the costumes.

I always dress up to give out candy and the kids love it.

So carve your pumpkin, cook the seeds, let the kids make their costumes, and let them go out and have fun. Let's rebuild our community. And yes, someone stay home and give out candy.

The Miracle of the Harness

Kipper has always been a little, shall we say, boisterous when walking him. Basically, I would take him for a walk, he would pull on the lead, sometimes pulling the leash right out of my hands. Like the time he pulled it and it got caught on the black rubber landscaping material of my neighbor's yard. I'm not sure the neighbor lady appreciated it. We were actually able to catch him that time.

So, after having to go the doctor for recurring knee issues, I decided not to walk him anymore.

Six months later, Kipper developed very dry skin around his neck. This area was aggravated by his collar. Someone suggested using a harness instead of a traditional collar. After figuring out the various attachments, I got it on him. Reading the manual, the harness promised to make control of your dog when walking him a breeze. I decided to try it out. To my amazement, Kipper could no longer pull me off my feet when he saw a dog within 200 feet of us!

So, I've started walking him again. Usually he doesn't even try to pull. When he does get excited and pulls, he ends up doing what resembles a somersault with a twist. Nadia Comaneci would be proud. Finally, after all these years, it is possible to walk my dog without having to worry about those pricey surgery bills.

A Little Prayer

Lord, you take care of me regardless of my level of trust. But if I trust in you, my life becomes simpler, easier and less stressful. I don't complicate it with worry, busy work and fretting because I am at peace. I've freed myself to enjoy life.

Thank you Lord for all the gifts you have given me and all the blessings you continue to bestow. I ask your blessings over all my friends and family.

I pray especially for my mother in-law and father in-law as well as for my friend Gerry, recently diagnosed with terminal liver cancer.

Amen.

Kipper Installment

Dogs, like us, are creatures of habit. Here are some of Kipper's more interesting ones.

Kipper, likes to play air guitar. When he gets an itch on his underbelly, he takes his back leg and moves it back in forth as if to scratch himself, but he can't actually reach the spot. He keeps doing it any way.

When Kipper is in the house and excited, he walks around the dining room table over and over again, like an Indian doing a war dance around the fire.

Like most dogs, Kipper loves affection. One of his most annoying habits is to present his snout to your hand when you are not paying attention and he does it just right so that your finger ends up his nose. It's rather disgusting.

Speaking of affection, Kipper is very jealous. If the cat comes on my lap, Kipper makes his way over, sits down, looks at me with those big brown eyes and whines (or talks), saying, "Hey, spread some of that over here." He is also jealous when Steve and I are without the kids and in the living room having a good conversation. He starts whining or turning circles. When he's in that mood, if I ask him if he has to go out, he just stares at me dully. If Steve asks him if he wants to be poked in the eye with a sharp stick, or anything else, he starts wagging his stub and dancing in circles. It doesn't matter what Steve says to him or the tone of voice, Kipper indicates he wants to do something with Steve. I can ask him all excited, "Want to go out boy?!" and he'll turn his head to Steve.

On the other hand, when it comes to discipline, Kipper listens better to me than Steve. So I don't know who is the master. Well, actually I do know. If I really think it over, all the history, everything that's happened, yes I do know. It's Kipper.

God Provides

When I've lost my way and think God isn't listening,
God provides,
When I let go of trying to control,
God provides,
When I give up my plans and schemes,
God provides,
When I ask for help despite my fears,
God provides,
When I see no way out,
God provides,
When I surrender and listen,
God provides,
When I keep doing the next right thing,
God provides.

Tenderness of a Dog

Kipper comes and sits by me in the morning. He regards me with his big brown eyes. He doesn't try to speak so early in the morning, but uses his eyes to tell it all. He holds nothing back. Kipper tells me he loves me, is grateful for my love, wishes I would sit with him all day, wants to go out exploring and that he will always be loyal to his family. He sits quietly, enjoying the stroking of his neck, ears and face. His nose is cold and his fur is fluffy. I can tell he feels sleepy, but still he sits until I lift my hand away to pick up my basket of books. Then he jumps in the window. He lets me go on with my day, but I can be sure that the next time I sit on the couch or walk in the door, he will come to me and greet me, offering himself for another session of soothing.

God's Will

I don't have to keep doing. I only have to be the instrument of God's will--an instrument of his peace. I only have to let it be done according to His will. I do not need the plan. I don't have to do it all. The greatest events in history: Jesus' birth and death were both passive from the human standpoint. Mary gave birth to Jesus, but did nothing to conceive him. Jesus was crucified although he did nothing directly to make it happen. He only prayed for acceptance of God's will. So it is with me. I simply have to be here and let God's will happen in my life.

Thoughts on Creativity

When I try to force myself to create, the result is stale and flat. When I create from the heart--from a place of connection--the result is extraodinary, tremendous and beautiful.

Whether it's an apple pie, short story or a an arrangement of flowers, creation from the heart is always simple and magnificent. If I'm creating out of a sense of obligation or if I'm nurturing a resentment, I will struggle and the output will be somehow lacking.

Kipper's Socializing

Kipper has a big, deep voice. He loves to bark. He loves to talk. He loves to sit in our large bow window and watch the people and dogs go by as they head to the park at the end of our block. The only problem for us is that he loves to bark at other dogs. It can be a great dane or a chi hua hua--if it belongs in the canine species--he wants to bark. After several years, he has finally learned that his human housemates do not admire the high-pitched incessant barking accompanied by the ramming of the large snout into the window. So, he tries to control himself. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If' it's the pooch that lives on the corner, he cannot help himself. He has to let out at least one bark, before forcing himself from the window and proceeding to pace in circles around the dining room table. He tries so hard.

Another thing he likes to do is to "talk." When I come in after being gone for a while, he meets me at the door with a wagging tail, like most dogs. But what is unusual, is his verbal greeting. "Arooo" strangely sounds like "hello". He is also fond of saying, "Garooo, grooo, roo, rarh, rah." I think the meaning is something like, "I missed you so much."

For a while, Matt was learning the flutophone as part of his music class at school. When he would practice, Kipper would join in with high pitched singing or howling. Kipper also reacts this way to the sound that comes from hand-held video games or if any of us sings for more than a few moments.

Kipper's musical talents are not restricted to singing. He also likes to dance. His age keeps him from being able to stand on his back paws and present his front paws to you for a quick two-step around the living room like he used to. However, he still stands up, wags his tail and pants at you, indicating his desire to boogie. I think he really loves music and recognizes how it lightens the mood and relaxes all of us. His favorite is probably "Hey Bulldog," by the Beatles. "What d'ya say? I said Woof!"

Kipper's Kong

Kipper's Kong and all his other dog toys are made of red, thick, hard rubber. There's a reason for that.

Once Steve (Kipper's dad) retired, he found himself home much more often. What started to become obvious was that Kipper could be left out of his crate for short periods of time--say 15 minutes without him wreaking havoc (see previous blogs about his diet of sofa's and armchairs). Eventually, we started leaving him for an hour or two.

Advancing age and the security of having someone home more during the day eventually led to Kipper's release from the crate. Call it probation, time off for good behavior or whatever you want. Kipper is now free.

Still, Kipper suffers from separation anxiety and everyone once in a while shows it. He has a particular fondness for my shoes. He ate my favorite black velvet pumps. He also ate his dog bed, socks, pillows and the ever popular paper bag. What is interesting is that his taste always varies. Anyway, we may be fools but we trust him now and put up with the occasional eaten sneaker as it makes our life so much easier to not have to bring him down to the basement and put him in his crate. I mean, we are so much happier being able to let him roam the house free. Are you buying it?

So Kipper has mellowed considerably. He's around 9 years old; so it is to be expected. But he still has plenty of antics up his sleeve (or fur, in his case). In future editions I'll tell you about his penchant for popcorn, his love of music and his yearning for speech.

Yes, Kipper's Kong is hard rubber because he chews, digests and voids any other type of material.

Kipper Kontinued

So, for the most part, the beast was contained. Once in a while, someone would let their guard down, and he'd run the neighborhood, barking at little old men, getting in mud up to his chest in the creek, and just generally wreaking havoc on the neighborhood.

He became a legend. In other words, our neighbors know us as "you're the ones with the dog that gets loose." It's a heck of a reputation to live up to! But we do the best we can.

Kipper has always loved harassing our cats. Our cat Smokey died about a year after Kipper came to live with us. I don't really think it was a coincidence. Tiger came next and the two learned to pal around well. We thought we needed a buddy for Tiger to keep him company while Kipper was crated when we were at work/school during the day. We tried adopting a cat, but she was so thoroughly scared of Kipper that she crawled up into the ceiling in the basement. Once I tried to extract her, while she stationed herself atop the VCR to avoid the dog and found myself with two deep teeth marks in my hand. Later, we got Chips. But he and Tiger ended up having it out...that's another story for another time. Anyway, Kipper will frequently try to rile up Tiger, but in typical cat fashion, Tiger just gives him a look or makes himself scarce.

Just as we got into the routine of locking up the dog in similar fashion to how they keep the gold in Fort Knox safe, something changed. Steve retired and found himself home with the dog all day long.

What new metamorphosis would this bring about? Stay tuned...

Letting Go

Last night, I wrestled with thoughts of finances swirling through my head. Sometime in the middle of the night to early morning, I surrendered to God.

I got out of bed refreshed and ready for the day. The financial concern which loomed so large yesterday resolved itself during the day, with no help from me. By taking my hands off, I allowed the miracle to take place.

Thank you God for once again taking care of me and matters beyond my control.

A wise person referred me to Psalm 131 and I would like to share it with you:

"Lord, I have given up my pride and turned away from my arrogance,
I am not concerned with great matters or with subjects too difficult for me
Instead, I am content and at peace,
As a child lies quietly in its mother's arms,
so my heart is quiet within me.
Israel, trust in the Lord now and forever!"

P.S., Stevie you were right--something worked out! :-)

Check It Out

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