Grammys Corgi Country

Getting ready to go on a big trip for a few weeks is really a pain! I’m sure it will be fine once I get there, but I have never liked the getting ready part… trying to remember all of the things that might come up and make arrangements to cover them… Getting things cleaned, folded and packed… and for me, it is so hard to look at my dogs and horses and contemplate leaving my babies for any length of time. It just really tears me up.

I’ve been around animals since I was born… My parents always had dogs… In fact, that is how they met when they were 9 years old (They were born within 6 months of each other). My dad’s little white Pomeranian went to visit my mom’s little dog. They became friends, and he would go over at 4 in the morning to help her chop wood and get their stove going so she could make the tortillas for the day, and she would give him some for his family too. That was in 1929 and the early 30’s, when food was scarce for a family whose father had died of pneumonia 3 years earlier.

They always had dogs, and got my first dog for me when I was 6 months old. She was a little half-dead Chihuahua/Doxie mix. They got her fixed up and I had my Bootsie until she passed when I was 11. By that time, I also had a german shepherd and one of Bootsie’s pups, Bootie, while my mom had her dog, and my dad has his.

Over the years, my dad brought home all sorts of other animals as well. We had rats, and snakes… rabbits, raccoons, a skunk, and a raven (from the time when he was a featherless nestling until he passed at the age of 25 years old) among many others. He was able to get me a horse for me for my 11th birthday, and helped me train her and learn to ride. He taught me to go to the older people at the stables where we kept my Ladybug, and to listen to the older, experienced horsemen to learn about horses… their handling, care, and training.

Anyway, the only time I haven’t been around dogs is during the time I was in Bible College for a couple of years, and then I had a big stuffed dog that I kept in my dorm room to hug and pet. I believe that is one reason I’ve always had really good blood pressure… Researchers have proven that having a pet and just sitting there stroking it helps people to calm down, relieves stress, and lowers blood pressure. That is the main reason why more and more nursing homes are allowing animals in to visit patients… and lowered stress hormones also helps speed healing.

At least the last time I visited my son a couple of years ago, he did have a dog, so I won’t be “dogless,” and that is some consolation. (Maybe I can hide a corgi in my carryon… What do you think?)

Take some time doing something that will help you find calmness and peace today…

Today, I had a doctor’s appointment in the late afternoon and we got home about an hour after dark… to a completely dark house… It turns out that somehow (the electric company didn’t say) the power lines were down and it would be several hours before they got them running again. No electricity, no computer… AND, since we don’t have gas out here, NO anything else either (like a way to cook, etc.)

Of course, we have backup plans, like an emergency, battery-powered light that is plugged in at all times and automatically comes on if the power goes off. It lasts about an hour, so we had time to run around and gather up the candles, flashlights and hurricane lamps that we also keep for emergencies.

I made a quick dinner of cold sandwiches and then went out and fed the horses. The flood lights for the back were off, so for a while, I had to juggle a flashlight and the hay, but at least I HAD a flashlight and hay to feed. While I was out there, my son started to come out to help, but he got his foot caught on something and took a pretty hard fall off the step from the washroom into the enclosed patio. He got bloodied up, even through his clothes, on his arm and knee, and pulled some muscles in his calf and the back of his knee, but did come out anyway and help me feed.

We came back in, hunted up the emergency First Aid kit, got him cleaned up and then settled in the recliner chair in the living room with an ice pack on his knee and some ibuprofen to, hopefully, help keep his knee from becoming to inflamed and swollen.

Even though it was only 9:30, I went in and went to bed (Hubby had done that just after we ate, so didn’t know any of this) I turned on the light switch so that when they finally got the electricity on, it would wake me up, and that happened a little after midnight, so here I am, finally getting to type this.

It is interesting, though, because I had planned, during the drive home, to write about light tonight. We had driven past a church, on the way home, that had a message board outside that said, “Dusty Bibles lead to dirty lives.” I had been thinking about that and what Psalms 119: 104 & 105 says: “I gain understanding from your Words, therefore I hate every wrong path. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Little did I know that I was going to get a real example of that about 45 minutes later when I got home.

It seemed to bring home to me that if God’s Word is “Light” and we don’t use it to light our life’s pathway, then we will end up falling and getting dirty and/or hurt, but if we do use it, we will have a lighted way before us and be able to go around most of the pitfalls that we come upon. One thing that I noticed though, is that a candle or lamp doesn’t light very far in front of you… just enough for a few safe steps at a time. I think I even remember a book about something like that by Stormie O’Martian called, “Just Enough Light for the Step I’m On.”

I read a blog about this very thing yesterday (See A Corgi in Southern California in my blogroll)… Do you think maybe God is trying to be sure He gets my attention on this subject? I already read my Bible daily, and have for many years, because my Mom had been an excellent example of someone who does that. One of my fondest memories is of laying in bed, listening to her read her Bible to my Dad one night. (He read, and was a brilliant man… they were just sharing this together).

Anyway, maybe I was just supposed to share these important insights with others or something, but I will definitely keep thinking about this, because God got my attention!!!

Note: You never know when an emergeny will crop up, so be prepared with flashlights (and batteries if needed… some of ours are windup), candles, First Aid Kit (kept up, not USED up already), etc.

Keep the light on in your life, so that you will walk in safe paths, and have a great day!

The teacher that I told you about yesterday, worked with me for 7 years before she transferred to a school that was much closer to her home. She had asked for, and gotten a class of preschool aged children, and she worked with them for a few more years before retiring.

During the first 5 years that we worked together, we worked with children that had mild learning disabilities. Children with this type of problem are now given RSP (Resouce Specialist Program) classes while being included for part or most of the day in regular education classes. The last two years, we had children with more severe handicaps, such as autism, and other severe learning disabilities. We found that there was usually something that each child really liked to do, or eat, or play with, that we could use to stimulate their interest to complete the short learning tasks we would set up for them to help them achieve their IEP (Individual Educational Program) goals.

They, often, needed a lot of repetition to help them remember the basic facts that were the building blocks to the rest of the things they needed to learn. We found that many of our children’s parents had been given such little hope for the future abilities of their children, that they didn’t push them to try things. It was so much easier to just “do it for them…” than to take the time to teach them to do it themselves.

Also, many times, they seemed to believe that “since their child is unable to learn,” there is no way to teach them any kind of discipline or self-discipline. This makes them terrors to themselves, their families, and others. If the time is taken to teach them manners, then they will be able to be included in so many more activities, and to have friends, etc. It is so MUCH better for the child in the long run.

Our school district provided seminars for those of us that worked with Special Education Students, and they made it clear that one of the first things that we needed to do was to teach the children to follow rules and to learn to listen to directions… This was usually one of the first main goals in their IEP’s. This is the basis of any child being able to learn. We were taught that where a “normal” child (whatever that is…) might take 50 to 300 repetitions to learn something, it often took 1,000 to 3,000 or more repetitions for some of the special students to “get it.”

I think that working with computers and learning the basics of programming helped me to understand some of the ways of thinking I needed to have to teach and work with many of our students. With the OLD computers I learned on, when you were programming, you had to think through a project and then program, tiny step by tiny step, each part of what you wanted the computer to do. (Print “A”, now put in a space, etc.) Each step would lead to a new step, but if you forgot a step or got it wrong, then either the program stopped or it did something totally off the wall.

Most of us have brains that take fairly large leaps in putting together the information that we have taken in, to learn or figure out the problems that are set before us. Many handicaps have a tendency, in one way or another, to short circuit the leap, and/or slap it out of the air. Where you might think, “Ok, I want to get from here to there, and to do that I need to use these stepping stones,” some handicaps require that the person think, “I want to get over there. There is water here, and I can’t get wet. That rock looks like it might hold me, but can I reach it? I need to move this muscle this way to pick up my foot, but maybe I should try to find something like a stick to help me balance. Where is a stick? etc.”

With children with severe handicaps, you often have to model the action several times, then help them to do it with “hand over hand” help 5 to 100 + times, etc. In some cases it’s like programming their muscles to be able to do a specific job. ALL children learn, the question is just “how fast can they learn?” Patience, love, and lots of praise for each small step will go far in helping that child/person learn what you are working to teach them… and wouldn’t that actually be a good thing to remember in all of our interactions with others?

Show love, praise, and patience to those you come into contact with today and throughout this new year, and see how they react… (and maybe some more patience?…)

P.S. Today, I got my wedding ring back, and it is as good as new. It is so beautiful… Still, to me, the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen! Thank you, God, for giving Hubby the money and thank you, Honey Bear, for doing such a special, wonderful thing for me!!!

When thinking about my special day, yesterday, with “Bear,” I thank God, that He has given me such a blessing in my grandchildren and my children. I wish the others didn’t live so far away because I don’t get to spend even the little amount of time with them that I do with my “Little Bear.” Children grow so fast! I loved being with my children, and if home schooling had been allowed when I was raising mine, I probably would have done that.

After they got old enough that the youngest had to attend school, I started to volunteer at the school he went to (schools can ALWAYS use volunteers.) I worked with the children and created a “computer lab” for them. This was over twenty years ago before that was a normal thing for a school. After three years of volunteer work and doing some subbing as an aide in the special ed. class, several of the teachers urged me to try out for a permanent Instructional Aide position in the Special Education classes. I totally loved the work and was completely blessed to be an Aide to one of the best teachers in the County.

She had been teaching, at that time for over 30 years, and loved the children and the job. She taught me so much, and allowed me to use the talents in art and my knowledge in science and with animals to help the children to learn with any hands-on activities that I could offer. I brought in some of my tack and taught them a little about saddles, bridles and other tack that is used on horses, and then we brought one of our horses and our pony to show the children, as well as allowing them to ride them. Now, they probably wouldn’t allow that anymore because of insurance problems.

I drew some of their favorite cartoon and/or movie characters reading, for reading charts, or cutting up pizzas for math fractions. We used computers in our room to stimulate the interest of several of the autistic children and get them involved. We used “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” videos to do dance/exercises that got the children’s attention and let them have fun with music and movement, while getting their exercise. This was one of the most amazing teachers I have ever seen or had the privilege of working with, and I will forever be thankful for her mentorship in my life. This wonderful lady and I still keep in touch and are good friends now.

If you have had a special mentor or teacher in your life, let them know if at all possible. They will appreciate the acknowledgement of their work in your life.

Late yesterday afternoon, Hubby took me to the big town, bought me some hay and put my wedding ring in to be fixed, both of which were the best Christmas presents I could have had.

I always ask for hay, since it is so expensive, and to me, it is like being given more time with my horses… not having to sell them because I can’t feed them… so it means a lot to me. I didn’t know that he’d gotten a bonus that was big enough for him to get me these two wonderful gifts, and I had really been praying about having enough hay, with a few little prayers about the ring. He got me enough hay for two more weeks which should hold them until I get paid.

I haven’t been able to wear my wedding ring for the past couple of months because the prongs that hold the diamond in the engagement ring part were so worn that the diamond could have fallen out with a simple bump. Praise God we found that out before it happened!

Worn prongs

Since I’ve worn it for over 33 years, I have really missed having it on my finger. My son had the idea for me to find a ring that I could wear so that I had something there and that helped a lot. One other time I’d taken it off to have it fixed and had some kind of nervous attack… it was really weird. I have been wearing my mom’s “mother’s ring” with a plain wedding band, and it’s been ok… just not the same because I’ve loved my ring since I first saw it.

Proper prongs

When we were engaged, Hubby and I had gone to Roger’s Jewelers to look for one that would be something like one my girlfriend had gotten, and when I saw the simple, single antiqued rose with the diamond in the middle, I totally fell in love with it. The black antiquing in the golden petals set off the glittering diamond like it had been laid on black velvet. The wedding band that came with it wrapped around the rose of the engagement ring. I’ve never seen a ring that I’ve thought was prettier throughout all these years. It is much simpler than the one my friend got, but I like it much better. I’ll post a picture when I get it back.

After that, we went to the bookstore (Hubby’s favorite place, and he had gotten a gift card for it) and then tried to go to Applebee’s® because we’d gotten a gift certificate for dinner, but they were packed and we didn’t want to have to wait forever to eat. We ended up at a Farmer Boys ® Restaurant and had dinner there and it was very good.

As we were leaving town, we drove by a bunch of people protesting our country’s involvement in the wars we are in. My husband got rather upset, because he remembers the hurt of the way he was treated for being in the service during the Vietnam war. There hadn’t been time to roll down the window, as we drove by, and say something, or I would have told them that those men over there are brave and honorable, and are fighting for their rights to freedom of speech that lets them hold their protests. They should be supporting them instead of cutting them down and saying evil things about them.

We talked a lot on the rest of the drive home, and I learned a lot more about my special man’s life, so it was a very nice evening together.

I hope that you have time to spend with a loved one this weekend. Share your thoughts and learn more about their life; their loves, hates, and other feelings. Take time to listen…

It’s twenty minutes to midnight and I finally got a chance to sit down at the computer. Christmas is almost over. I just came in from feeding the horses and it is REALLY blowing out there… hard enough that I had to lean to walk against the wind while carrying the hay to Cory’s stall. At least once in the stall, it was nice and cozy, so his hay won’t blow away.

I put Dancer and Tuffy’s hay by some other outbuildings so that they can eat without their hay blowing away either. They do have a stall available, but I’ve only seen them in it when it is really hot and they want to stay out of the sun… I don’t think they like the creaking of the tin walls or something when it’s windy.

The stars shone so brightly that I could see the sweep of the Milky Way, which only happens when it is extra clear and dark. It made me think of a very interesting television show that I watched a few days ago. It talked about this lawyer that had a computer program that star researchers use, and how he had used it, along with all the references in the Bible about the star that the Wise Man followed, to pin-point what he thinks was the Star of Bethlehem. It was a fascinating program, and I plan to purchase it for our Church Library (I’m the librarian.) If you are interested in checking this out, his website is: http://www.bethlehemstar.net/.

It turned out to be quite a day. Last night, at about 1 a.m., I found that there had been a hole in my purse and my lower partial (which I had taken out because of a sore on my gums) had fallen out and the dog (probably Sadie) had chewed them up… This is NOT GOOD!!! I had recently had the dentist check to see how much it would cost to make a new set, and the part we would have to pay, even with the great insurance I have, is WAY more than we could handle. This partial is of the four lower, front teeth, so it is VERY noticeable. I guess I needed to be humbled a little or something. There is nothing I can do about it, so I guess I’ll just have to live with it until the Lord makes a way for me to get some new ones.

I finally got the last gift wrapped and went to bed, and when I got up this morning, my cowboy son called to ask if it was alright if he came by to bury one of their old dogs who had passed away. Cheyenne had been a rescue dog that they had found and befriended a little over 9 years ago. She acted as though she had been abused before they found her and was terrified of most people and just a bunch of skin and bones. My daughter-in-law finally got her trust and, like most abused or neglected rescue dogs, she won the COMPLETE love and devotion of the beautiful animal.

Cheyenne looked as though she was probably a cross between a Golden Lab, and a German shepherd. She looked like a Golden Lab, but with German Shepherd coloration. She was beautiful, and once she learned she could trust some people, she was very sweet, though still a bit wary around strangers. She was really good around my grandson from the time he was born. She was several years old when they took her in, and had been showing her age quite a bit lately. Cheyenne will be greatly missed by those that loved her. My son buried her out in the side pasture where several other doggy friends we’ve had over the years are buried.

The rest of the day went pretty well, though. There was tons of food, (tomorrow, I’ll give you the recipe to Nana’s Candied yams) lots of love, and fun opening, and watching the little kids open, presents. The Corgis helped clean up the wrapping paper, as usual, and enjoyed their jerky treats and the many handouts of food and leftovers during cleanup time.

It’s a good thing they don’t get to eat like that all the time or we’d be rolling them around from place to place. Corgi’s DON’T have very long legs, so if their bellies get to big, they tend to drag the ground… remember the picture of O.C. when she was pregnant with those eight pups?!

I hope your day was a full and satisfying one, and that you were able to give God your problems and count your blessings. .

There is another treasure waiting for us in Heaven… Today, my husband and I attended another funeral. This time it was for a good friend of my husband’s… one he had worked with for many years. About a month ago, we saw him for the last time, and, as usual, he was smiling and joking around, and Hubby had a really good time talking to him and reminiscing about old times.

He’d been living in a little place beside his sister for the past several years since her husband had passed away, and while they talked, she came over to me and quietly told me that he had recently had surgery and the doctor had opened him, then closed him back up, because cancer was all through him. She said that they figured that he only had a few more weeks to live. Even knowing that, he still was joking and kidding around with my husband and having a good old time. That’s the way he was… always had a smile… and so did you by the time you left his presence.

At the funeral, we read the 23rd Psalm. The minister talked about how all people, both good and bad, go through “valleys’ in their lives, but that during the bad times, we need to remember that life has both downs AND ups. We need to keep in mind, during the “dark valley” times, that if we keep our eyes looking up toward the “Light” of God, then He can lead us through that “Valley of the Shadow of Death.” John wrote, in a couple of the books of the Bible, that Jesus was the Light of the World. (John 1: 4 – 14, and I John 1: 5 thru 2: 10)

I guess that is what takes away the sting of death for me… knowing that Jesus is the Light that shows the way to Heaven. By following this light, I WILL make it there sooner or later, in His time, and see those “treasures” that I have talked about before… my mom, dad, friends, etc. that have followed Him to the homes He has made for them there.

As I think of the reason that He was given to us so long ago in that manger, especially during this time of year, I have to thank God for His gift to us… the gift of light and life that Jesus paid for. It reminds me of that Randy Travis song called “The Gift,” where it says, “He had the Birthday… WE got the gift.”

For many, this time of year is very hard to get through… in times past, it has been for me. It seems that this is a time that brings back those bitter sweet memories of those that have gone through that “Valley of the Shadow” before us. To those who are hurting during this season, I ask that you try to remember that God is there to help you through, if you ask Him too. He can show you a glimpse of that light, even if it is just flickering faintly in the haze ahead of you, and if you keep on looking, He will guide you through and out of the other side of the valley.

May God shine the light of His Holy Son into your heart and warm any coldness from pain, until it eventually melts away. To those of you who are having a good, or even great, year, find a way to shed some of that joy on others who don’t have as much as you do right now.

For many years now… actually, since around the time we got Welsh Corgis, I’ve had a rule. When my Honey Bear and I want to snuggle, the corgis are to be on the other side of a closed door! It’s been a rule for so long, that I forgot the reason, and didn’t follow it this morning…. BIG mistake!

An interesting phenomenon occurred. Suddenly, my hubby’s shoulder grew a pair of ears… About the time he got over the shock of an icy nose in the middle of his shoulder blades, the pair of ears grew into a “Kilroy…” For those of you in the younger set (under 45), during W.W. II, one of the inspectors of the rivets on newly made ships was named James J. Kilroy, and to mark an area that he had inspected, he would write “ Kilroy was here.” Many times the ships were moved out and put into action before these “inspection marks” were painted over. They became a source of inspiration to many of the servicemen, reminding them that the people at home were doing their job to support them (with the inspections, etc.).

A little cartoon grew up into the legend that stood for this saying. It was of a bald head, a pair of eyes, a long nose with fingers on each side, peeking over a line. It ended up being an icon for the American Spirit during that war and since, even ending up on the moon. It’s a very interesting story, and if you want to read more, check out the following link: http://www.livescience.com/history/080915-hs-kilroy.html

Anyway, except for the bald head (this one had corgi ears), there was suddenly a “Kilroy” peeking over Hubby’s shoulder. The little eyes and tilted head were clearly asking, “Whatcha doin’, Daddy?” We kissed again to see what would happen (both of us are giggling by now…) and Beeg tipped his head back and forth a couple of times and then jumped on over into the middle of us and wanted to join in the kiss too, I guess.

Well, I guess that will teach me that I’ve made rules for a good reason, even if it has been to long for me to remember it. At least this incident helped bring back some good memories of my dad who worked in the shipyard in Long Beach during the war, and also used to draw little cartoon characters from things like his Ham Radio call sign.

May you have a day full of fun and good memories…

Today is just a short little note as it is pretty late and I’m very tired, and besides, I really want to get out of here…

Sadie went and caught a squirrel or a rabbit yesterday or this morning, I’m not sure which, and she and the pups ate most of it, so tonight, there are clouds of green, noxious gas in the air. I don’t know if it works that way with all dogs, but with all of the dogs that we have had over the years, if they get any fresh meat… Goodness, gracious, me… better break out the gasmasks.

I remember one night many years ago, my son’s big dog (part wolf, we think) had eaten a squirrel or two and he took her and went to bed and shut the door. It was really hard to wake him up the next morning… I finally opened the door and was about bowled over by the gas cloud that exited the room around my head. He had a real small room and the gas build up in there was almost enough to asphyxiate him! He ended up with quite a headache.

If you want to read some interesting and, I think, hysterical material about “gas,” check out the following website I found. http://www.heptune.com/farts.html (Guess I’ve lived around boys to long…)

Have a wonderful day filled with fresh air !!!!

Today was a day of remembering… My dad passed away 39 years ago today and I usually get nostalgic on this day or around it every year. As I mentioned before in another of my blogs, this year especially has been getting me, because the dates all fell on the same days as they did in 1969.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day that year and the next day was mostly pretty good too. As we were all in the kitchen cleaning up, my mom who was not very demonstrative, suddenly turned to my dad who was sitting at the kitchen table and said, “I love you so much!” Everyone knew that, of course, but I guess she had never really verbalized using those words because he broke down and said, “Now I can die happy, because you finally TOLD me you loved me…” and then they hugged.

Later, that Friday, I had a fight with my dad because I wanted to go to a movie and he wanted to just sit and watch TV. I ended up going (I was 17 years old and stubborn) and when I got back late that evening, his bedroom door was closed, so I didn’t get to say goodnight to him or take him his ice water like I’d done every night for years. The next morning, my mom couldn’t get him to open his door and woke me up to go around the outside and open a window to check on him, and he had passed away during the night.

I tell you all this because, especially at this time of year, I KNOW that it is very important that we take the time to tell those we love them, that we DO love them. Each day that you spend with your loved ones is a blessing and a very special gift. You NEVER know what is going to happen the next hours or a day from now.

Of course, now I know, at least in my head and usually in my heart, that my dad knew that I loved him and he forgave me for that last fight, but that stupidity on my part will always cause some pain.

Take a lesson from me and don’t lose what might be your last chance to say “I love you…”