A sad day in our world..

I'm sure by now everyone has heard about the tragic events that have unfolded in Japan today.

It is so deeply saddening to see so many suffering and so much destruction. My heart truly goes out to anyone and everyone affected, and I pray those who lost their lives will rest in peace.

Events like this make you realize just how precious life truly is, and how quickly everything can change. None of us are bullet proof. None of us are indestructible. No one is beyond the reach of something like this happening to one of us.


I truly hope and pray that each and every one of us remembers this. Take a moment out of your day and be thankful for all that is in your life. Both good and bad. Remember you cannot smell the sweetness of the rose without getting through the thorns. You cannot dance in the rain without wading through a little mud. You cannot truly love until you have felt the bitter sting of heartache. Most of all, you cannot know true happiness without feeling the heart-wrenching surge of sadness. The bad helps us grow. It helps us find purpose, and to appreciate the truly wonderful things in our lives. We live because we learn. We learn because we falter. We falter because we choose wrongly. Life's lessons are not always sugar coated. Usually, there is a huge mountain to climb before we can bask in the sweet sunlight. Life is a journey...we all travel it. We stumble, we fall. But we will arise and go on. Until it is time to go home.

My wish, for anyone reading this is, that you treasure each and every moment on this planet. Good and bad. Hard and easy. Let those around you who mean a lot to you know how much they are worth to you.

God bless you all..and those who have suffered today.

Blllaaaaargghhhhhh

it's one of those days. I was previously excited with the prospect of getting a job. Don't get me wrong, I still am, however....

Yep...I'm sick. Which sucks, because I really didn't want to go into a job interview looking sniffley, sneezy, and red nosed as a drunken reindeer. However, my luck never runs in my favor, so I have to deal.

Awesome....sooooo not.

And that's saying a lot.

So, with this in mind, I will be slurping orange juice faster than the speed of light for the remainder of the day...or until 2pm, which is when said interview occurs.

ughh....that is all.

PUPPIES PUPPIES PUPPIES!!!!!

.....Sigh.....

I do so love my dogs. They are loyal, sweet, crazy, insane, hyper, "talkative", loving, and protective.

But it never ceases to amaze me how different their personalities are, and how each does things that reminds me of things I have caught myself or Hank doing.

But, let me introduce them to you.
First, we have the "leader of the pack (at least in his mind)"....Chubasco Storm Ledwig. Also known as Chuy.

This is my furry little protector. He is also my nurse when I am sick. He won't leave my side, and checks on me incessantly! He chases away those pesky squirrels, birds, pine cones, and cow patties (yes...cow patties). However, he runs from vacuums, roaches, and Hank's Ampeg Bass amp. (hilarity ensues!). He LOVES...repeat LOVES to "Play roo", which consists of him listening to a video of himself howling, and joining in. His personality is so playful, but sweet. He gets his feelings hurt easily. (for anyone who says animals do not have feelings...You must be insane. Or have never known the joy of having a pet.) He is quirky and hilarious! One day, after he followed me to the restroom, and closely observed what I was doing, I returned to the restroom to find him "doing his business". Smart guy!! He also loves to get any and all of our underthings and throw them randomly around the bed...only to pick his favorite and snuggle into it for a nap.

And now onto his sister, Daysie Mae Ledwig. Aka...Daysie.

She is, most definitely, the pretty little princess, with complete bad-ass tendencies!! She doesn't put up with any of the shit the other ones give her. However, she loves to be brushed and clean, and will actually (after it's on) enjoy wearing her sweaters, etc. We recently got Daysie from her owners, as they had to move and were unable to take her with them. She was an outside dog there, and adapted to life inside with such amazing finesse! She is definitely the most well behaved of my 3 fur babies. She learned going outside to use the restroom with ease! She amazes me, how quickly she picks things up. She's a good girl :)

Finally, the most pampered and spoiled of the bunch: Dunn Dunn Ledwig (Aka....Dunnie Bear)

Yep..that's him in his "I don't  wanna" pose. He has little tantrums when he doesn't get his way. And there is no greater attention whore than Dunnie!!! He is the pampered little prince (definitely my dog) and loves sleeping on soft, warm pillows, with his special blankie (yes..he has a blankie!!). He is the one, however, that let's us know when things are not as they should be. When Dunnie barks, you know something is wrong. Dunnie Bear went through a lot when he was a few weeks old. His momma got run over, so he was given to us. He almost died, and was very hypoglycemic. But he survived, and is a strong little turd now, and overly spoiled! But I do so love him!! He's my furry lil bear!!!
My dogs are a trip, but they fill a very important spot in our lives. They keep me going, and laughing, and they are very much a part of our little family. (a friend referred to them as our respective mothers "Grand Dogs" LOL!!) They are the most loving, and faithful beings I have ever known. That love comes without condition.

We could all learn from our pets....just sayin'....
And with that..I leave you with a couple of parting snapshots...

Until next time...be kind to your furry friends...love like theirs is very precious!