Puppy Love by Melanie Peine.

 This is the second article I've written on my dog. I love my dog. Her name is Kitty. 

Kitty is helping me to center and create structure in my life. I have Bipolar and PTSD. Some days it's hard for me to even get out of bed. 

Kitty doesn't allow that. By 7AM, Kitty is ready for her morning walk! What that translates to is, at 7AM, I am dressed to the shoes - no matter what!

I may be wearing yesterday's clothes, but I'm up and moving! That little bit of a walk wakes my brain up, whether I like it or not!

Kitty adds normalcy to my life. I've had a very stressful, difficult month... and at times, Kitty's walk was the only normal, time-out, thing I was doing.

Kitty is a blanket hog. She likes to burrow in the covers - stealing half the blankets as she nestles down! She's a good cuddler, though. It feels good to have a snuggle buddy.

Kitty teaches time management. When I have to go somewhere, I need to allot time for her walk before I leave. 

This morning on her walk, Kitty walked in dog crap. I have 2 hours to write my article and get the proofreading done. I do not have time to bathe the dog! Better make time! Or else my whole house will have smears of crap all over it when I get home. That was a labor of love!

I'm wondering what it would take to make Kitty a service dog. She certainly is improving my life... 

Say whatever you like, Spell Check, but I declare "cuddler" to be a word!

January Birthdays... Wishing you lots of love & happiness!

1. Robert Smith Sr., Dennis Stanton
2. Phillis M.,
3. "Raindrops on roses & whiskers on kittens..." [Julie Andrews]
4. Autumn S.,
5. Tim M.
6. Alan W., Jeff Kane
7. "Hope is a waking dream..." [Aristotle]
8. "A dream is a wish your heart makes..." [Cinderella]
9. "Begin anywhere..."[John Cage]
10. Sage M.,
11. Ronnie Hammond, Elizabeth K. [best lit teacher ever!]
12. "The power of imagination makes us infinite." [John Muir]
13. "Be a voice, not an echo." [Albert Einstein]
14. Sara W.
15. "Everything you can imagine is Real." [Pablo Picasso]
16. Marie T., Jean Sisco (Best Poetry Teacher In The World!)
17. Marge D., BETTY WHITE [FOREVER LOVED]
18. "Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud." [Maya Angelou]
19. "Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone." [Robert Allen]
20. Heather D.
21. "If you're not making mistakes, you're not making decisions." [Anonymous]
22. Brock B.
23. Beulah McRae
24. "You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress." [Sophia Bush]
25. "She remembered who she was and the game was changed." [Lalah Delia]
26. "There's never enough time to do all the Nothing you want." [Calvin & Hobbes]
27. "I believe in Reason. I believe in Progress." [Catherine the Great.]
28. "You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them." [Maya Angelou]
29. "I raise up my voice—not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard."
    [Malala Yousafzai]
30. James H.
31. "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." [Anaïs Nin]

For more inspirational quotes, just click here!

Happy Belated Birthday(s)... a look back on 2021.

 Since October, November, and December birthdays were forgotten or glossed over due to drama and chaos, I'm taking the opportunity now to do a look-back... 

October:

• Darcy S. (3rd)
• Donald M. [Jr.] (15th)
• Fawnna C. (18th)
• Sheryl W. (29th)
• Joanna W. (31st)

November:

• Dianne & Larry P. [Anniversary.] (11th)
• Azreel R. (13th)
• Joni & Willie W. [Anniversary] (15th)
• Willie W. (18th)
• Epi I. (19th)
• Winnie W. (27th)

December:

• Alan F. (3rd)
• Paul H. (8th)
• Daniel G. (12th)
• Patsy S. (15th)
• Erin K. (18th)
• Izzy Marie, Norman H., Tanya H. (24th)
• Carla K., Christopher M., Courtney B. (25th)
• Rick Carver (27th)
• Kenny T., Mary Eton, Lyn M., Tony The Karaoke King (30th)
• Byron S. (31st)