Is Summer here or almost here? :)

Yesterday I went to town to do errands and I decided to stop by to see my sister at her work for a while and have lunch there. We catched up on news. So it was a great visit! Afterwards I went to Wal-Mart to do some shopping. By the time I got home- I was sweating!! It was so HOT as it got up to 89 degrees! My car didn't have A/C. AHHH! I already missed Winter! wahhhh. lol. heh. Summer is here already? Or is it too soon? Maybe it is still Spring? ha! Good thing I went to TJ's father's house and let the father work on my car so now I do have A/C. Hoooraaaaaaaay!!!!!! Whew! :P

Oh yeah guess what? I measured TJ last Sunday and to my surprise he is now...

5 FOOT TALL!!!!

He is only 8 years old but he will be 9 years old next month. I am only 5'3.. 3 more inches he will be tall as me! only one more inch he will be tall as his GodMomma! WOW! Unbelivable! huh? :( He is gonna be taller than his daddy? I wonder?? Hmm that's remain to be seen. I will let you know if he did beat his father or not? LOL. :P

We will lose another precious member of our pet family as I will be giving one puppy away to a new family today. They are now 6 weeks and 5 days old. Time for them to go to a new life with new family. I wish I could keep them all but that is not so. :( I know they will be happy with new family. So I gotta keep that in mind and not be sad. :(

My. Today is another gorgeous day. Blue sky, birds are singing, flowers everywhere. You can smell honeysuckle out in bloom. Ah the summer smell is here. I think I will go out and enjoy the beautiful day!

I hope you all have a great day! :)


As always,
Ginger :)

Enjoy the Petwarmers that I get from email below. :)
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~ Welcome to Petwarmers ~
http://www.petwarmers.com


Kathy presents us with a bittersweet story today -- mysterious
and enchanting. So steal a few minutes, grab another cup of coffee,
sit back and enjoy your Petwarmers.
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TEARS AT TWILIGHT
by Kathy Pippig Harris

I turned off my computer and said good evening to my coworkers.
Outside, the brisk winter air chilled my face. Crossing the
street and entering the parking lot I thought about what I wanted to
do that evening.
A week ago I looked at a litter of Golden Retriever pups.
They'd been rescued and were placed in a foster home. I chose the
runt and named her Clarity.
Duncan hadn't met her yet and I went home to get her. As I
pulled into his parking lot, a pearly fog was swirling low to the
ground. Through the mist the tiny white lights framing the windows
and eaves of the bookstore twinkled warmly.
I opened the door and walked in. Warmth from the portable
heater wrapped around me.
As he heard me enter, Duncan turned around and a big smile lit
his face. He was a tall, bear of a man and ruggedly handsome. I
walked over to him and we embraced. Clarity pressed between us and
barked in her puppy voice.
Duncan reached for the pup, "Maurine! What a cutie you have
here!" He held her at arm's length and chuckled as her paws pumped
rapidly in the air. "She's adorable."
"How are you doing, Duncan?"
His face grew ashen, and he placed Clarity in my arms...
* * *
His father had passed away on New Year's Day. Duncan had taken
his father to a nursing home, against his father's wishes, but his
dad's dementia had made it necessary. The decision had left Duncan
filled with remorse.
Duncan sat down in one of the two chairs he kept behind the
counter. Clarity and I took the other. He shook his head.
"I can't rid myself of the guilt, Maurine. I keep seeing his
face when he begged me to never put him in a facility."
"I know, Duncan. I know..."
We talked until a customer entered the store. As I readied to
leave Duncan me a quick hug.
"Why don't you come over this Friday night? We can celebrate my
birthday."
I nodded and hugged him back. "It's a date."
* * *
I stood at his front door, a neatly wrapped gift with a card in
hand. He greeted me at the door and quick on his heels was the
patter of paws. I looked past Duncan and saw a pup. A black,
Flat-coated Retriever, gawky and panting.
I gaped up at Duncan. Grinning like a kid, he ushered me in.
"His name is Piper. A birthday gift to myself. He's cute,
don't you think?"
"Oh, yes. When did you get him?"
"Day before yesterday."
* * *
Saturday afternoon I received a call from Duncan's housekeeper.
Sometime that morning Duncan had died from an aneurysm. She'd found
him on his kitchen floor, unresponsive. An ambulance was called out
but it was too late.
I dropped the phone, rushed out to my car and drove over to
Duncan's house. My mind refused to believe it. The front door was
ajar. I entered to find the house eerily quiet and dark. Sitting on
the back porch, the black pup had been looking in and saw me. At
once, he began whimpering. I ran over to the French-door and let him
in. He came over, stood up and pawed at my legs.
I bent down, scooped him up and gazed around. The house seemed
like a tomb and I felt I was suffocating. I took Piper and left.
* * *
Three months later as I sat in my backyard, tears spilled
unbidden to my lap. I ached for Duncan's company. It was unbearable
-- this business of missing him.
The days were longer and the two pups had grown gangly. The sun
was setting and the air was thick with gold motes. Glittering specks
danced around Piper and Clarity as the two romped playfully in the
grass.
Something in the garden had captured their attention. Warmth
radiated from the far-reaching sunbeams that wove the daylight and
twilight.
The air was alive and the sky a moving painting of colors. It
was a sight Duncan would have watched with wonder, and I would have
been at his side.
I turned toward to the house, unable to summon that feeling. It
was not the same as when it was shared.
"But it is shared, Maurine. I will never leave you. You were
so much a part of my life, it only makes sense that you would be a
part of my new life. You cannot see me, but you can sense me... in
the warmth of the sun. In the gold motes at twilight."
Numb at first, I turned around. Clarity and Piper sat studying
me. Their tongues lolled out and they were clearly grinning. Then,
together, they raised their heads and closed their eyes in pure
pleasure, as dogs will do when lovingly caressed by their human
companions.
There was a twinkling in the air, the last specks lit briefly by
the setting sun.
"Duncan?"
"Yes." The word came with the scent of his cologne, ethereal and light.
"Thank you for taking Piper."
I nodded, unable to formulate a thought.
"You are my heart mate. When you desire me near, I shall be
there for you. Our connection transcends our human, physical life on
Earth. That is how it is with soul mates. So do not miss me."
I lifted my chin and swallowed back tears.
"I have also left a part of me with Piper," Duncan chuckled.
"That is how it is with our fur kin. They have a connection in both
worlds -- yours and mine. And that's why he so readily expresses his
love, and mine, to you."
"I don't know what to say. I cannot even see you."
"Don't worry about what to say. And, you don't need to see me,
it is what is inside that counts -- inside of you. That place where
you keep me close."
I was speechless.
Soon, the dogs were begging to go inside. I followed after
them, closed the door, and shut the aching, lonely past away at the
same time.

-- Kathy Pippig

___________________________________________
Kathy dedicated this story to Ed. She says, "I wrote this because
life can be filled with magical moments and those we care about,
humans and animals, are often a part of that enchantment. Such times
as described in the story are what make life a special gift and I
thank God for the gift."
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MY BEST FRIEND
by Diane Hartman

I have a friend like no other friend
I've ever had before,
He's loyal, kind, he's there for me
through thick and thin and more.
He's always there to listen
when I've had a real bad day,
He looks at me with trusting eyes
and listens as I say
What's on my mind and on my heart,
he never interferes,
Just sits and hangs on every word,
he really is a dear!
It wouldn't matter who I was,
or what I had become.
He'd stick by me no matter what,
No matter what I'd done.
You see, he doesn't discriminate
against color, creed or race
He only knows that I'm his friend
and shows it in his face.
He will always be right by my side
through sunshine, rain or fog,
He is the heart and soul of me,
You see -- he is my Dog!

-- Diane Hartman

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Diane says, "I live in Hixson, TN, with my husband and three
Miniature Dachshunds. I make dog apparel (for small dogs) and do
animal artwork. I love animals and I can't think of a single time in
my life that I haven't had a pet."
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