Terrific/Terrible Tuesday

This Tuesday, my fellow Pennsylvanians and I will have some very important choices to make:

Never Say Goodbye

It was in the spring that we met. Actually, you found me and you insisted upon never leaving my side. It's hard to believe that was sixteen years ago. You were wirey but always a source of laughter and enjoyment.

You were my friend when there was no one else around. You would cuddle with me and protect me and if I wanted to, you let me cry my eyes out until your fur was completely soaked.

You didn't want much, just to be fed and loved. And boy were you loved. You knew when warmer weather was on the way because you wanted to be left outside so you could walk around the back yard, chase butterflies and grasshoppers, nibble on grass and claw on a tree. You were always a part of whatever festivities were going on outside. You were the king of your domain.

You were such a bright spot in my life. I couldn't wait to get home to see you at the end of the day. You were also my alarm clock never letting me sleep too long or I would suffer the fate of those long, tickely whiskers or the occasional poke from your long claws letting me know it was feeding time.

It was in the spring, with flowers blooming and the morning bird songs filling the air when you went on without me. I'm so thankful I was able to be there with you and could hold you and be with those that loved you.

You will be forever missed and forever loved. Rest well my buddy.

Thanks Oprah!

Today's Oprah show is an inside view of puppy mills. Living about 45 mins outside Lancaster County, a big farming community, one learns about puppy mills pretty quickly. They are quite abundant there.

Puppy mills are apparently a way to make a good, quick profit by over-breeding dogs. I'm sure most are aware of the Appalachian Mountain inbreeding jokes, well, it works the same for animals. These dogs are kept in cages, are constantly pregnant and the puppies are often deformed or have bad characteristic traits and health problems because of the over-breeding.

Needless to say, one should never purchase an animal from a puppy mill, and I believe through awareness people are becoming wise to these mills and legislation is in the works to have them abolished.

In support, I'm asking each of you to email Oprah to thank her for producing a show like this to bring further awareness on this issue. Even if you didn't watch the show (I couldn't bring myself to watch), a thank-you in support will still help.

Here's a link to the Oprah web site: http://www2cdn.oprah.com/email/email_landing.jhtml