“Note to Self – A Guide to Self Preservation in my Senior Years” in Lynn’s exact words: Reblog

Photo of Lynn

Great advice offered by blogger Lynn that can serve us at any age…

How Do You Say Goodbye? by da-AL

Photo of ailing cat at the vet

This week I’ve been looking after a friend’s two elderly cats. While one shows her age only by her lack of teeth, the one in this photo was thin and slow. A couple of nights ago, this little guy was listless. My husband and I massaged him, got him to drink some broth, turned up… Continue reading How Do You Say Goodbye? by da-AL

“Open Me First,” by Sharon Lynne Bonin-Pratt: Reblog

Drawing of a wrapped present

Drawing of a wrapped present6 tips for heartfelt giving by writer and fellow blogger Sharon Lynne Bonin-Pratt

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The holiday dilemma: what do you get for the person who has everything?

Perhaps something goofy like slippers that sing Rock Around the Clock, or something extravagant like a set of diamond encrusted napkins rings, the kind of thing that becomes an expensive party joke. Maybe a bauble like a garden statue of lighted snowmen or a set of holiday themed coffee mugs, useless most of the year because, well, they’re holiday themed and who wants to drink coffee in July with Rudolph’s red nose stenciled on it? We can get truly original: a dozen bottles of wine with personalized labels, Humphrey Malarkey Family Reserve Chardonnay, so it looks like Uncle Humph became a boutique vintner on Christmas Eve.  Another possibility is the very exclusive Himalayan Cilantro Sea Salt Spa Scrub with Acai Crystals – imagine how much fun Great Aunt Agnes will have trying to figure out…

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Five Across, Four Down by Sharon Lynne Bonin-Pratt: Reblog

Crossword Puzzle
Art by Sharon Lynne Bonin-Pratt
Art by Sharon Lynne Bonin-Pratt

Love words? So do I! No matter how hard we try to be precise though, verbal communication can be confusing. Here fellow blogger, Sharon Lynne Bonin-Pratt, shows us one example of how when we combine our actions with our words, magic can result…

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That which we encounter everyday should be that which we celebrate. That which we celebrate can be that which teaches us how better to do what we love. And that which we love can inspire us to write, even when we think our inspiration took off with the last Mongol invasion of Central Asia.

Crossword puzzles occupy a lot of my time, especially true in the last eight years. I don’t have an obsessive love of crosswords, but my mom always did. A pop-in visit to see my folks was as likely to be met with the urgently asked, “What’s a seven letter word for something important?” (gravity) as a heartfelt, “Glad you came by.” Right there, the beginning of a story for NaNoWriMo. Whose mom wants the right puzzle word more than a visit from her progeny? Yours, course. (Well, mine, but you know what I mean.) You thought…

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Brushing, Fish Oil, Turmeric, Digestive Enzymes for Young and Geriatric Cats and Dogs by da-AL

Striped cat with great fur

What do dogs have to do with cats? It all began with a brush, some fish oil, and some turmeric. For good measure, some digestive enzymes too. About a month ago, I cat-sat a 15ish-year-old cat for a week. She was bony, flaky skinned, clumpy-furred, and lethargic. It as just as well that her 'usual… Continue reading Brushing, Fish Oil, Turmeric, Digestive Enzymes for Young and Geriatric Cats and Dogs by da-AL