DEATH COMES TO ALL

I just learned that my first wife who divorced me mainly because I would not tow the line to the religion I had fallen for earlier in life is on her death bed. I have neither joy nor deep sorrow over the situation. It was inevitable that this day would come soon, and I know all too well that it isn't that far away where I'm concerned.

When people die, it leaves a temporary hole in some lives and it's sad that it leaves such a little one in her children's lives. She was not an evil person in basic intent. Nevertheless, the ravages of cultic religion took their toll on her and led to her estrangement from all her children.

A few years later, after my second wife left me a widower, she made overtures to a renewal of our life together, but I was not interested. I knew it would be disastrous to try anything of the kind.

I moved on and built a new life and so have the children. I know she could not have been deeply happy, but none of us could do anything about that.

Time to go to bed and reflect on this and many other things, like her telling me right after she separated from me and filed for divorce that I was going to "lose everything." That's about as good as all other prophetic prognostications that came out of that cultic hodge podge.

CONTROLLERS

Controlling, opinionated and hateful people are a great big pain in the ass!

We went to WalMart today for some shopping. As usual, we took our Poms with us and sat with them on the bench just inside the entrance and cart area. As soon as we appeared, some hateful woman complained to the greeter that they were allowing dogs in the store and he told me it might be best if I didn't bring them next time.

I'm not one to bow to that sort of thing and objected to some bitch with a bad attitude destroying all the joy we and so many others get out of those little dogs and certainly the joy they get. People have learned to look for them and fall over them in joyful petting, dog kisses, etc. So, I told him that until the management told me to cease and desist, I intended to keep on bringing them and sitting in that entrance area where they store carts and welcome shoppers. We never take them into the store proper, but many do and claim they are service dogs whether they really are or not.

The manager happened by a few minutes later and the greeter mentioned the situation to him. He said not to worry about it. So, we're home free for now.

No matter what people do, some scowl-faced busybody is sure to try to take all the joy out of other people's lives based on their personal quirks, beliefs and prejudices. Those dogs live for trips out like this. They've never even growled at a human being in their entire lives. It's two-way love, and the world needs a whole lot more of that!

THAT OLD ANXIETY ATTACK

I'm sure everyone has had that constricted feeling in their throat when some anxiety or fear gripped them. It can even get painful and last a while after the episode is over.

We're not the only creatures in which this phenomenon occurs. I've seen it in our little dogs, especially the oldest and most sensitive Pomeranian, Trouble.

I wrote about our losing Daisy, our Pomchi, last Friday. Everything that transpired had an obvious effect on her two fellow pack mates. They were obviously upset when she failed to come back home Friday and I'm sure they didn't know she was in that little box. Saturday, Trouble developed a hacking cough that got so bad we were back at the vet's by late morning. It was just a restricted breathing passage, which is common to small breeds like Pomeranians, especially when they are upset. We got an expensive prescription which helped yesterday, but the problem cleared up by today.

Now that we know why these attacks come on, it will be easier to deal with them. I took extra pains this evening to brush and pet Trouble in my lap and make him feel secure. People make a big mistake when they discount other creatures capacity for emotions and deep feelings. They're not that much different from us.

IN MEMORY

There's sadness at our house today. "Little Girl," our beloved Pomchi didn't survive a medical procedure to realign her right hip joint. I had forebodings last night and was up over two hours, unable to sleep.
Daisy had breathing difficulties that were enhanced by any emotional upset, a sort of asthma. She got very upset when we went yesterday for diagnosis and that was heightened by a nearby electrical storm last evening. She was even more upset when we put her in the car to go for treatment this morning. She's been a bundle of nerves ever since her original owner gave her up to us because she was being bullied by her new husband's chihuahuas. She grieved over that for many moons but had settled down to a seeming acceptance of us.

Even when she would stand at the bedroom door and yip to be let in or out when she was perfectly capable of going through it on her own if we weren't around, we couldn't be cross with her. You see, she was a princess, and by cricketty a princess should get better service than that.

So, a little bit of the consciousness that has evolved out of the atomic mixtures of the galaxy is now returning those wonderfully organized atoms back into the intricate mixture that makes up everything and they'll go on in myriad new forms and mixtures, including other animals and vegetation.
It's been a privilege to have her in our lives, to see her joy and a multitude of delightful little idiosyncrasies. She'll be remembered as long as our breath continues. Inevitably, we will join her.
Not the best birthday present.