I’ve always been an animal lover. There are none (except spiders and snakes) I don’t like. Though you know I am a cat person, you may not know that I like dogs, too! More importantly, dogs also like me. Mostly!
One of my doggy friends is Maggie, doggy companion of Liz, Jim, and Jamie. A rescue dog, she’s had a tough time of it, learning to trust people, learning to behave, expressing herself in ways that earn her a nice pat on the head and a reassuring “Good dog!” She is a good dog! And a beauty.
I was pleased to get a signed photo of Maggie of maggie0019 when I was ill and then in therapy. It cheered me and I couldn’t wait to get home to hang it where i could see it easily and often.
Right next to Andy and Dougy as kittens, you’ll find a signed photo from my dog buddy Maggie! The drawn cat was a gift from Kaelia, now 19 years old (!), who was a little kid of seven when she drew that kitty and gave it to me to cheer me up when I was recovering from my initial flare of Wegener’s granulomatosis. It doesn’t show that well in the photo, but her teacher wrote this critique of the drawing in the upper right hand corner: “Wow!”
I thanked Liz (Maggie’s “human Mom”) at the time. She also sent me a white blanket (fuzzy like a Persian kitty and very comfortable) that I use at dialysis. Chris of contrafactual sent me a tasty basket of citrus from his personal citrus tree at the same time. I’d just learned I was supposed to restrict certain foods in my diet. No more bingeing on citrus for me, so I shared the majority of the fruit with staff at the care center where I was at the time. It was much appreciated! Liz and Chris definitely were a positive factor in my recovery.
Later, Pam, Chris’ wife made and he sent a beautiful afghan that showed up in the corner of a recent Dougy photo.
There’s Pam’s beautiful (and very useful!) afghan on the left, hanging on the recliner.
I feel blessed with these friends!
Nice blog
Thanks! Many people gave me wonderful consideration during my illness and recovery. I highlighted two here, but only because their contributions related more to the photo of Maggie.
I am glad you have such good friends, Doug. Good friends are worth their weight in gold.
Maggie is a beautiful pup!
I am blessed that way, Lavinia!
Ifg she could tell you anything, I think Maggie would tell you “woof!” I agree! She is a beautiful dog!
Those are wonderful gifts.
That they are! I was surprised and very pleased to receive them!
You are indeed a fortunate man to have kind friends like these. The furry friends and the unfurrt kind. MOL
Shoko
Very true! I also appreciate my neighbors across the lane who took care of Andy and Dougy for the two months and a weeks I wasn’t home, and the other friends who substituted for the neighbors across the lane when they couldn’t be there for the boys (doctor’s appointments out of town) or helped me big time by bringing me home. One drove me from Denver to Scottsbluff, the other came to Scottsbluff to bring me home. I all instances, they did this without letting me pay for gas, whatever. I am blessed!
It’s great to have a peanut gallery
Especially now a days
Keep those cards an letters comin
As always Sheldon
For sure! Lots of fun, too!
I had to look up Wegener’s granulomatosis to get educated about it. Fortunate that you have such good friends and furry companions to help you through.
As you now know, it is a rare vascular disease. I don’t waste time with the garden variety ones…. LOL!
Reblogged this on maggiesblog0019 and commented:
Such a sweet post by Doug, Andy and Dougy’s cat-dad!
Thanks! I am proud to have such wonderful friends! I hope I can be as good a friend when others have need for help! Also, that is such a sweet photo of Maggie, it cheers me up to look over from my computer to see it and my kitty drawing and the boys’ “baby” pictures!
awwww (blushes)
I get good comments about the photo, mostly about what a beautiful doggy you are, Maggie! Woof!
Thank you!!! Woof!
My pleasure, Maggie!
Thank you SO MUCH for this and we will always be there for you! (Woof, woof, tail wags, licks face) 🙂
Much appreciated! I only hope I can be as good a friend in times you have needs! Woof!
You have been a mountain of support and good advice, especially when going through troubling times with Maggie!
I’ve been moved by how much you’ve taken on to give Maggie a good family home. No bad dogs!
Maggie looks much better without a staple in her nose! Hopefully, she will soon look like her old self.
Yes, she had a bad moment at the boarder’s…. Poor dog! She’s had too much excitement in her life, but she tries to be a good doggy.
It is a shame that she doesn’t have a nice, calm sitter.
It’s a regular problem for people with animal companions, eh!?
Ideally, the pets should stay at home and have people come in to assure they are doing well, have food, water, toilet breaks (if they use the outside for a toilet), etc.
On the other hand, most people aren’t fortunate enough to have reliable family and friends to do that, and commercial boarding operations vary a lot in quality of care, provisions for safety of the pet, and amount of interaction staff have with the pet.
In Maggie’s case, she is a good dog with some hang ups that can trip her up from time to time. Her fight may cause her human family future problems because boarders (and groomers) regularly refuse to take in pets that have shown aggressive or unacceptable behavior.
Knowing how much resistance my cats put up when I had to give them baths when they were kittens with diarrhea (ugh!), I always ask their groomer how they behaved during grooming. Fortunately, they are good boys there because there is a sign on the shop window telling pet owners naughty pets will be refused service!
We are fortunate that Kiara lives about 5 miles away, so the furries stay with her, when we need to be away. We also take care of hers when the situation is reversed…. Actually, I suspect that Purr & M prefer her house, since they can be right there if/when she is developing a new blend….
LOL! I have no doubt! And, yes, it is great to have a convenient arrangement that is furbaby-friendly when one is away!
Very true. I’ve always been surprised when I met someone, who adopted a baby furball and didn’t have a clue what they would need to do to care for it properly… then, again, I see many children, who seem to be in a similar situation. …
How true. When I decided to have a cat as a retirement companion, I made sure I had all the information on care I could find and the million things they need (toys, litter boxes, etc.) before I looked at the shelter for the lucky candidate. Even then, I was new to cats and was unprepared for their amazing behaviors!
I’ve often felt people should be licensed to have animals rather than the other way around. A good course on care and responsibilities specific to the animal they want to have would save a lot of suffering and unwanted babies, for example.
I agree with you on licensing for animals and confess I’ve often thought humans should pass a test to be allowed to be parents…
Absolutely! You and I would be tough masters, Jeanne!
I wouldn’t doubt it one bit!.
Of course, the world would be much nicer! (LOL!)
You have wonderful friends. The cat picture is so sweet.
Thanks! I think so, too. As for the kitty, they are capable of being sweet, but they are exceptionally ornery in their individual ways. (I’m afraid Andy and Dougy are very spoiled cats!)
Haha I bet they are spoiled, but who can blame you? 🙂 All spoiled cats are very cute 🙂
It’s inevitable they will be rotten because they are so cute, eh?!
Closed circle 😉
I am smiling for all of your friends two or four legged.
Me, too! We all need a good support system, and I found I had one when I was ill and recovering.