I was a cat person most of my life. In 1996 my stepson moved out and took the last cat with him, and I started traveling a lot, so it was convenient to not have pets... house plants were about as deep as I got into caretaking. I was very proud when I finally kept one for a year without killing it.
But now thanks to my wife we have two dogs. I've never lived with dogs before, and it's a whole different experience. They are so smart, it's like they can read your mind. I couldn't take care of them by myself, but the two of us with the help of a fenced yard and daycare 2 days a week, we get by. They are a lot of fun - both raised from puppies.
The kids want to call her "Rainbow" lol. I think now that we have 3 goats, 3 chickens, 2 guinee's, and a pony, we are officially done getting animals! They do poop a lot! LOL - but they are so fun to watch. 2 of the goats are just babies yet. They remind me of peppe lepew on the road runner... they prance around like that. Have a fantastic day all... just really excited and felt like sharing... sorry it doesn't have much to do with AA : )
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
I have a dog who's been with me since coming into The Program. She said with me after my separation from my wife. I very grateful God kept her in my life. She's a wonderful friend to have around. I even take her to meetings if the weather is right. I learned on here, the dog spelled backwards= GOD.
WOw - awesome Mike! My kids told me the other day MoM upside down was WOW - I thought that was fitting. It's amazing how the association between animals can strike you... I have a LONG story about this one that I will spare you lol : )
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
I lost my beloved Maine Coon Cat Samantha 5 days after her 16th birthday last May to cancer, she died in my arms knowing her Papa loved her above all others . Fortunately I still have Chiquita the stray my ex took in and left behind, she's been a great comfort to me. These small souls can be wonderful companions, they don't have hidden agendas like our relationships with our fellow humans, they're our special friends and they're devoted to the person who puts forth the effort to bond with them. Their only short coming is their much too brief life span, they leave a void in our hearts all out of proportion to their size, but the love and joy they provide us is worth the sorrow we feel at their passing. We honor their memories when we take in another little one in need, they can't replace our departed ones but they can make their own place in our hearts if we let them.
-- Edited by cooncatbob on Friday 23rd of March 2012 08:03:36 PM
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Work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt, and
dance like no one is watching.
I had to put my beloved cat Pepper down last night. She was est. 15 YO-was originally abandoned & I've had her for 12 years. She outlived her kidneys. My vet was so wonderful with her, and me, and when it was time to let her go I really felt immensely grateful for his and his wife's support and compassion. She was "gone" before he even withdrew the needle. I "planted" her in my little garden by my front porch and put good quality wind chimes over her (excellent sound), and added some new flowers that will come up every year. This morning was rough, no meows, no warm fur, no rituals of water and food, and silence instead of "no you can't go out I have to go to work". Not so bad coming home and hearing the chimes and seeing the flowers before I went in.
If I weren't sober I either wouldn't be feeling anything, or would be off the deep end of hysterical grief. It would not have been about my cat, if you know what I mean. But this passage was all about her, and me, together.
I got my cat 2 months before I stopped drinking. I call her my sobriety kitty because at time, it seemed like she was the only one on the journey with me. There have been times when I cried and hugged that cat (mostly after break ups lol) and told her "It's just you and me." The fact is, nothing is going to take that cat away from me except her dying or me dying so that bond is really the most solid one I have. I know that they say when getting sober to get a plant, then get an animal if the plant doesn't die...whatever. It was hard during the first few months of sobriety to focus on much, but I could focus on taking care of my cat and that did make me feel better when the world seemed pretty crappy.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Its about a study that was done on two eight year old boys.
They take one boy and put him in a room filled with candy and toys.
They take a second boy and put him in a room with a big pile of manure in it.
They check on the boys in an hour.
The boy in the first room is just standing where they left him, hasn't moved or touched a thing. They ask him why. He says well if I play with the toys I'll probably break something and catch hell for it. The candy will probably give me cavities and I'll catch hell for that.
When they approach the second room they hear all this whooping and laughing. When they open the door, the second boy is in the pile of manure and he's throwing it all around the room. So they said my dear boy what are you doing? He said are you kidding, with all this horseshit there's gotta be a pony somewhere.
-- Edited by Wolfie55 on Sunday 15th of April 2012 12:41:41 AM
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Not all my days are priceless, but none of my days are worthless, anymore.
I'm so sorry, Leeu! I had to put my 18-year-old cat down last year, same reason. I'm glad that a good friend is a vet so I knew we had done everything we could for her, and was grateful to have the warning that she was dying about 6 months ahead of time so I could give her a lot of extra love towards the end. :)
