I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND . . .

I cannot understand why or how some people can just leave their dogs beside a road somewhere and drive off.  It breaks me heart!  If they can no longer keep their dogs because of job loss, financial troubles, health issues--what have you--isn't it just about as easy to drop them at a pet shelter where the dogs would at least have a chance of being adopted by another loving family?

I find this action heartless, cruel, and selfish.  Such people should not even own pets in the first place if they are going to throw them away when things get tough.  Animals were created by God and are living creatures, and "man's best friend" deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, and especially taken care of.  So often, they give us far more than we ever give them.

When circumstances warrant giving up a beloved pet, do the best thing:  find a loving home for your dog or find a caring shelter. 

Dogs deserve such better treatment from their humans.

FALL FESTIVAL AND HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

 

 

Daughter Holly and the grandchildren entered the costume contest at our town's fall festival this past Saturday.  She was Carmen Miranda, Alexa was an Egyptian princess, Annika was a Dutch girl, and Asher was Iron Man.

 

Asher's age category had the fiercest competition, with Peter Pan winning first place.  Alexa won third place in her age category, with Annika and Holly winning first place in their respective categories!!

 

It was a beautiful fall day, sunny and in the 50s--the smell of foods, the colorful costumes (they even had a doggie costume contest!), the balloons, the rides, and all the blaring music just made the day so much fun!  Annika and Alexa rode several rides, while Asher enjoyed the inflatable slide.

 

So glad we could enjoy the small town atmosphere.  Happy Halloween, everyone!

A DOG IS A FAMILY MEMBER

My dog Duke is a truly member of our family, and so is Shadow our granddawg.  Oh, of course we all know they are dogs--it's just that we want to treat them well, see to their well being, and make sure they know we love them.

I am certain that some children wish their families loved them as much!  We do put humans before animals, but our animals need us to take care of them.  If we happen to love them along the way, that is even better.  Because if you've never had a doggie kiss, a warm little body snuggling close, or a doggie smile, then you have missed out on something special.

I will repeat the statement below because I have witnessed it firsthand:

Papa Duke, one of the beloved characters in THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES series of dachshund books, so aptly states our feelings about dogs:
"A dawg loves you no matter what. You can be ugly, old, even dumb--but a dawg don't care. All he wants is your love and some food now and then. I think dawgs represent the unconditional love God has for us--maybe that's why He created them, to show that to us."

Yesterday was the thirteenth anniversary of my dad's death, and we still miss him.  Our daughter Holly posted the following picture and status on Facebook:

"Can't believe it's been 13 years today since my Papa Duke passed away. I loved him so much my heart could burst! He was one-of-a-kind. So thankful I was blessed to have this sweet, strong, hilarious, story-telling, musically-talented, superb chef, and best teddy bear ever as my grandpa. This is the first anniversary of his passing that my grandma is with him."

Yes, he's the same Papa Duke in THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES books, and much of the things I wrote about, he actually said and actually did.  He was the kind of person whom all dogs loved immediately, so to me, that's proof positive of the wonderful man he was.  

Dogs just know.

SATURDAY MORNINGS

Time to sleep in, these Saturday mornings.  Here in Georgia, it's cool, rainy, and cloudy outside--so what better to do than to laze around, drink coffee or hot chocolate, take in an old movie on TV, or type a blog post?  When I ran across this cute doxie puppy, I opted for the latter, obviously.

Happy Saturday, everyone!  May you have a blessed day.  <{{{<

HAPPY HALLOWEEN (AND FALL), DOXIE STYLE

FUNNIEST DOG VIDEO I'VE EVER SEEN!

 

 

 

 

WARNING:  this video (the link is below) will make your day, so if you don't want to be uplifted, laugh in spite of yourself, or at least smile--then I suggest that you do not view it :).  Although the dog is not a dachshund, all dog lovers will recognize that he exemplifies what our pooches are thinking!

A friend posted the video to Facebook, and I've had to go back several times to watch it--because I positively laugh out loud every time I view it!  The person who produced this video, as well as the one who did the dog's "voice," must be geniuses, because it is spot on.  The dog's expression, body language--all are perfect.

If you watch it, please leave a comment below; I'd love to read about your reaction to the video:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10153202463540230&set=vb.521740229&type=2&theater

Note:  If clicking on the link above doesn't work, try copying and pasting it into your browser, then click GO.  That should do it.   

 

CHANGING DIRECTION: A DIFFERENT PATH CAN BRING BLESSINGS

A few years ago, we (my publisher Oaktara and I) chose to change the dog's name in my books as well as my first book's title and series name.  Suffice it to say that an individual planned to sue if we didn't, saying he/she had placed a trademark on the name I had used.  Although my dog's name was not really under a trademark, we decided that years of court battles and hundreds of thousands of  dollars in costs were just not worth the battle, although we were not in the wrong.  My book would have been shelved during those years as well.  I've found that the individual in question has also gone after other authors and entities for that same reason, citing that he/she was planning a TV series using the dog's name that I (and they) had chosen.  That TV series, by the way, has never happened. 

BOOK 4, A DACHSHUND'S TRIBUTE, NOW COMPLETED!

Yes, I know:  "it's about time."  My mother passed away in January at age 85, and then I had a bad fall in April from which I am still recovering.  Those are the two reasons I put Book 4 on hold for a time.

It was difficult for me to write about my mother after she passed away.  I needed some time to mourn, miss her, and reassess how I wanted to finish Book 4 without her.  After some time passed, I solved the problem by simply writing Sarge's final installment like all the family were still with us, then added "A Word from the Author" at the end explaining that she had left us.

I had spoken to my editor last year before even starting Book 4, knowing it would be the final book of the series.  I asked her what she thought about Papa Duke passing away in the book (he did, after all, die in 2000).  She replied, "No!  We don't want Papa Duke to leave the books!"  So, that settled that.

Now, although my right leg still has some numbness and the left leg still has some pain from the fall, I am doing much, much better.  I find that I tire much more quickly, but then, that could just be due to creeping decrepitude :).  In any case, I have one final read through of Book 4 this week, then it's off to the publisher.

It's a bit sad for me that Sarge's tales have come to an end, since I enjoyed writing them so much.  However, my parents will live on in the books, and for that, I am grateful.  Their great grandchildren will get to know their great grandparents through the stories that share about them, and that makes it all worthwhile.