Newfoundland: 60 Years in Canadian Confederation

Today is the 60th Anniversary of Newfoundland becoming a Canadian Province.

(Today it is called Newfoundland & Labrador.)

The uniqueness of Newfoundland cannot be overstated. From its beautiful craggy terrain to the intellects who inhabit its capital of St.John's to the craziness of humor, Newfoundland is unique. I am an Honorary Citizen of Newfoundland, having been "screeched in" back in 1982 while attending one of their dog shows.


When Newfoundland first joined Canada, Eastern Provincial Airways used to shuttle the mail back and forth to the mainland. EPA was owned by the Crosbie family - John Crosbie was in the Canadian parliament and Andrew used to lend his Rolls Royce to the Queen when she visited.

It was at one of the Crosbie homes on their compound where the "social" was held where I was subjected to the "screeching in" ceremony. The person who actually performed the ceremony was a Lhasa breeder. He made fun of me and I laughed and laughed and finally he had to stop or I would not be around today! (You will have to go there to find out just what this ceremony is all about.) I will tell you that Newfie Screech is made from the rum accumulated at the bottom of the barrel. There was a lot of rum running during prohibition to and from Newfoundland. (They don't like to forget their history.)

St. John's (on the East Coast of Newfoundland island) is the home of Memorial University where there is a Biology course that attracts people from all over the world. When I was there, I noticed more new vehicles than one would see on Toronto streets. The city is a typical university city with more than its share of intellects.

Although there is wealth in St. John's, Newfoundland has had high unemployment, probably because of its isolation. The main industry was fishing including canning factories. Now, Oil & Gas is the main industry. Of course, there is farming, but the growing season is short.

Newfoundland is the most easterly part of Canada. It was the first place the late ABC News Anchor, Peter Jennings (a Canadian) took us when he broadcast the Millenium celebration of North America. (Labrador is on the mainland.)

If you ever have the opportunity to travel to Newfoundland, jump at it! The people are very special and the landscapes are second to none. The people will greet you with open arms, anxious to show you their homeland. (The Vikings originally discovered Newfoundland over 1,000 years ago.)

I am wondering one thing. Given their sense of humor, I am thinking Premier Joey Smallwood would rather have signed into Canada the next day - April Fool's Day!

[Many thanks to Steven Davis for his timely corrections! I have been away from Canada for over 12 years now!]

A Tale Of Orange Traffic Cones: Remembering A Lhasa Apso Named Garbo

Some of you know that I have been going for Physical Therapy since the beginning of the year. I had tremendous pain in my back which is a major problem which would be tricky to tackle with surgery.

The idea is to strengthen my legs and thus take the pressure off my back and give me a firmer and surer footing when I walk. The bottom line is for me to be able to walk confidently without using a cane.

It has been a rigorous time and I am tapering down now and will be just working at home after three more weeks.

Today, my therapist, Leo, set up a course for me on ceramic tile which included a step, some foam cylinders, and several orange "traffic" cones.

The orange cones brought back memories from working with a Lhasa Apso at obedience training about 18 years ago.

Her name was Garbo and she was not as smart as most dogs I have owned. She was attractive and we did show her in conformation briefly.

We were working in "kindergarden" with orange cones like I just mentioned. She was on a training lead held in my left hand and we were to go in and out the orange cones.

(I should tell you that I was wearing new glasses - bifocals.)

As we were going in and out, around the orange cones, Garbo was pulling and straining. I was having difficulty adjusting to the second lens in the eyeglasses. Pretty soon, I was down on the ground and the instructor was grabbing the dog's lead.

Well, I sure didn't want to repeat that performance today and I did not.

It is amazing that the older we get, the more incidents like that we think about and what it felt like at the time.

I recall being very embarrassed and feeling pretty foolish. The dog was about six months and she and I were not real bonded like I have been with many others.

Suffice it to say, Garbo (and she was actually the second Lhasa I had named "Garbo") did not graduate at the top of her kindergarden class. She did, however, win the "Most Improved" trophy. Hmm . . . that does not say much for how out of control that dog really was when we began.

Like I said, I was thinking about that today and glad there was no puppy with me! (I did just fine and I am certain lots more obstacles will be added to that course before I finish.)

Just Plain AMERICAN!

It could be that I am overly sensitive about this. Toronto has been so ethnically diverse for so long, that it bothered me when I came to East Texas to see people not mingling so much with people of another ethnicity.

Now that we have a President of Black and White background, it is past time for Americans to stop noticing people's color or background so much.

Watching the President speaking in California, I saw him take a question from a person identifying herself as being multi-racial and stating she is happy our President is also. The President looked decidedly uncomfortable.

United States of American and Canada are countries developed by immigrants. Most of us can trace our roots to other countries.

It is time to be just plain "American"!

Choosing a Family Dog

Purebred dogs have been my hobby for over 30 years. This year I was made a Life Member of The Canadian Kennel Club. I bred, owned and showed Shih Tzu for twenty five years. I have also owned Scottish Terriers, Lhasa Apso, and a Boxer.

I have studied all groups of dogs and although I no longer show dogs, I try to keep current by reading dog magazines and watching dog shows. In Canada, Dog Shows were not televised and so I really enjoy watching an event like Westminster K.C. Show.

We currently have a male Lhasa Apso. Buddy is very typical for his breed and is a pleasurable part of our household. He is not the most obedient dog I have owned but he keeps improving! He absolutely THE most loving companion dog Keith or I have owned. He will be six this summer. We purchased him from a very fine breeder named Lucas Lhasas in Nacogdoches when he was ten months old. From a training aspect, this is not a good age to acquire a dog. I assume Buddy was held back because they were considering showing him. I imagine he is a little Texas-sized for showing.

For us, Buddy is a pleasure and great part of our household. He really loves us both equally and loves for the two of us to be at home.

The Lhasa is in the Non-Sporting Group, but was originally with the Terriers. Lhasas were initially guarding dogs and Buddy does a good job of picking up all neighborhood activity! We crate Buddy when Ava comes over because I do not expect him to be a child’s dog. In fact, the Standard for the Lhasa Apso calls for him to be “gay and assertive by chary of strangers”. The term “chary” means suspiciousness.

In the sport of dog showing, there are currently seven groups. They are Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding. The Herding Group is the newest and was created to cut the size of the Working Group. Probably more changes will come over the years.

Generally speaking, the Groups represent dogs of similar purpose and traits. Unfortunately, the Groups are not labeled “child-friendly” and “adults only”. That would make finding a family dog that interacts well with children a lot easier!

Certain breeds are better suited to being around children.If a child is in the household first, then it is a little easier to acquire a dog. A dog who has been in a family first, is truly the “child” in the household so it is more difficult to bring a child into the home.

Several dogs in the Sporting Group that seem to get along well with children, or be easily trained to interact well with children, in particular Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay, Curly-Coated, Golden, Labrador, and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling).

The Labrador Retriever has been the Number One Dog in popularity for the past decade! The Golden Retriever is also very popular. Both breeds are good selections for family dogs.

There are currently 157 breeds recognized by the A.K.C. and of course, we can only work with figures for purebred dogs.

I am a strong believer in crates and not asking your dog to do handle situations beyond his known capability. Dogs regard crates as safe havens. There should be a nice, soft blanket or sheepskin in the bottom and toys already in there. When you have to place your dog quickly in the crate, his things are already in there.

Generally speaking, I do not recommend small dogs – the Toy breeds – for children. A few little dogs who have been raised with small children in the household, do well. Others feel intimidated by children. When the dog feels intimidated, he does not behave as one would wish. (Loose Translation: the dog will bite the child.)

My Boxer, Red was very true for his breed and perhaps over-trained. He probably was obedient to the extreme. We spent a lot of time working with this dog: he was confident and obedient. He did not feel intimidated by new people or situations. I like the Boxer breed very much because I feel they are very trainable and confident about themselves. The Boxer is also in the top ten A.K.C registrations. The A.K.C. Standard describes the Boxer as fundamentally playful yet patient and stoical with children.

Let’s take a look at behavior. Dogs are not people, even though they often seem to be! When a dog sees a child playing with his toy, his natural instinct is to take that toy from the child and particularly if the child resists, the dog harms (generally bites) the child). Many times also, the child has a size disadvantage.

For some smaller breeds such as Shih Tzu, the dog IS THE CHILD IN THE HOUSEHOLD. This breed and some others, has prominent eyes and a child likes to poke at a dog’s face. This result in disaster for the dog. Some little dogs will bite a child, but probably not a Shih Tzu as he does not have really good teeth and they are undershot. The youngest child in families I sold my Shih Tzu to was twelve. So you can see how serious I was about not placing Shih Tzu in families with young children.

Labs and Goldens feel very secure about themselves and have a gentle nature. The A.K.C. Standards for both dogs indicate excellent temperament and gentle attitude.

Dogs are not people and one cannot expect any breed to deviate greatly from its original purpose or temperament.

When selecting a dog breed for a household with children, do check out the standard of the breed you are contemplating at akc.org. Look for a dog that has an easy going temperament and is known to get along with children. In general, when you ask around, you will find that most sources will lead you to a large dog breed.

Animal Shelters are excellent sources for family pets and generally they will be able to tell you a little about the breed or mix of breeds and whether of not this could be a good family pet.

http://www.akc.org

It Only Takes A Few Minutes to Help Our Returning Troops Who Have Been On Guard For All Of Us!

I have two requests this week - one for letters and cards; the other for e-mails - for troops.

On April 2nd, Michael Ricks will complete his third deployment in Iraq. His mother, a Brookshire Brothers (Grocery Stores) employee, has asked for e-mails to encourage him as he travels back home. He will be traveling several days before he reaches home. (If you send an e-mail today, while you think about it, it will be waiting for him when he first has e-mail access as he starts his long journey home.) His mother says he has kept every letter and card he has received and that is all he is bringing home besides his gear. It will only take you a minute to send Michael a message. (Since I have a tag on my e-mail to link people to this blog, I trust Michael will be reading this as well!) You can reach Michael at:

mcricks4@yahoo.com

The second request is for cards and letters for wounded soldier, Sgt. Tye White who was injured in a Humvee Accident in Iraq. Tye is currently in a rehab house here in Texas and here is his address:

White, Tye Sgt
Towless Guest House B 3625
3298 George C. Beach Rd.
Fort Sam Houston, TX
78234-7569

If my Canadian readers and friends are sending notes to these men, do let them know where you are (i.e. Port Hope, Ontario, Canada, just east of Toronto.) It is even more exciting to get a note from far away!

It is so important to us all that these young men and so many others just like them have been protecting us from further attacks like 9-11 which could just as easily been any city or field in North America.

God Bless these Troops and their comrades. We thank them so much for all they have done and for their comrades who continue the watch. We pray that they can integrate back into society and live wonderful lives.

Coming back home - as I wrote about two weeks ago - is challenging. There are so many thoughts going through these young people's minds of what they saw and did but also, they are wondering,

"What is waiting at home for me?" What should I do now?"

For wounded soldiers, there is the long, hard struggle to come back into a society where everything is just that much harder if you have any kind of disability.

We have a friend in Toronto who had an aneurysm about 20 years ago. He was in a coma for a very long time, had surgery and was left crippled and in a wheelchair. He lives separately from his family who do keep in touch. He relies on various services the government helps with but he is quite dependent on others for simple everyday things. One time, he said to me,

"I am the luckiest man alive!" As long as people were stopping by and telephoning and sending notes, his life was worth living, even though he was unable to do many things for himself.

Our government is working each day to improve the lives of our returning soldiers. Many have post-traumatic stress disorder and other unseen problems they must struggle with daily. Some might need counseling, some need physical medical treatment, and many need rehab. Rehab - when it is hard to do simplest things - is difficult. Outside encouragement is a special and priceless addition to these people's return home.

It only takes a few minutes to send a letter or an e-mail. It will make you feel good, but it will make the other person feel remembered, welcomed and wanted.

God Bless you for reading this, for writing to these men and for all your prayers for those who have been on guard for all of us!

[If you want to add a person you know to these addresses, just click on "Comment" and send their name and address along.]

Financial Literacy Month - Where are the teachers?

Here's a photo from 100 years ago of a family. From what we know of their life, I think it was simple and not too complicated. People made their own houses, furniture, clothing and purchased a few things from a general store in town.

Fruits, vegetables and chickens would have come from their own land. They talked to one another, ate dinner together, read the Bible together and prayed together.

Sunday was church day and probably their only day of relaxation.

Well, we sure have advanced! We have so many electronic, computerized, digitized gadgets and gizmos that adults and children alike are overwhelmed. They are not time savers really, and in fact most people aren't even get the sleep they should. Instead of all these "conveniences" saving us time and giving us more time to relax and be together, perhaps even talking to each other, our days are longer than ever!

Where did we go wrong?

Are we happier than the folks in this picture? I don't think so! Do we get a good night's sleep like they did? Not likely!

You get the idea and you may even agree with some of what I am saying.

I read an article today declaring April, 2009 FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH!

The article says that parents should be talking to their children - especially ones on their way to college about how to manage money!

Hello? Heck, you just have to read a paper or watch a TV newscast to see how well so-called adults are managing their money!

The wealthier people appear, the more they owe! People getting bonused for non-performance at companies who have failed now operating on borrowing government money. "Government money" - that's us - we the people, you know!

Whoa! Living better in 2009 than 100 years ago - perhaps not!

Wake Up America - Let's Get Back to Customer Service!

We made the rounds to our local hotels the other day to pick up directories for the various chains.

At Holiday Inn Express, I was informed that they no longer print a directory of their locations.

Well, if you are on the road and planning to stop when you are tired, or when it is getting dark, it sure would be nice to have a directory to see where the next hotel is!

If Holiday Inn Express thinks I have a computer at home to book reservations, they are correct - if I know exactly when I am staying in a certain city and for how long.

If, however, they presume I am carrying a laptop or using an Iphone or Blackberry (with internet) as we set out to drive up the road, 1650 miles to Canada, they are very wrong!

The assumption of so many businesses that everyone is living online 24-7 may cause them to lose a lot of business.

In prime holiday times, we book before we leave to make certain we will have accommodation each night. The problem with that is that there are deadlines and schedules which take a lot of the fun out of traveling.

This time we have opted not to book ahead "on the road". We are still taking a chance on this trip as certain areas may have conventions or special events that fill up rooms. When I have a directory in hand, I can use my cell phone to ascertain their situation.

I absolutely detest walking into a hotel and asking if they have a room for the night, even though I have the cards for most major chains. It is very time consuming and morale deflating if there is no availability.

What are these people thinking? Do they ever travel themselves or are they just looking at how they can cut costs?

I am surprised that many front desk clerks have no idea what the layout of a room looks like. That is fundamental. My favorite layout is to have a bed at one end and a sofa with a coffee table across from the TV. That, to me, is a comfortable layout. I also want a micro frig to keep our water cool and it is a bonus if there is a microwave, although we generally eat out in the evening.

Isn't it fundamental for the people booking the rooms at the front desk to know the layouts? Funny thing is I can pull that up on my home computer, so why can't they?

If we want to get back to basics and a sound economy where there is business for everyone including hotels, we need to get back to customer service.

How long does it take to show a new employee the 5 or 6 room styles you have at your hotel?

Wake up, America! Bring back customer service!

Angel of Joy Lutheran Church - Sisters In Christ Dinner

SISTERS IN CHRIST DINNER

FRIDAY APRIL 17 2009

6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Angel of Joy Lutheran Church

4003 Daniel McCall Drive, Lufkin

(Intersection of Daniel McCall & College Ave

Phone: 936.632.4777 OR 936.639.1577)

Fellowship,Fun,Food and Entertainment

Table Trimmings and Table Settings

Created and Decorated

by

The Women of Angel of Joy Lutheran Church

Table Servers – Men of Angel of Joy Lutheran Church

Tickets $10

Entertainment will be provided by

Ransomed Quartet

Big News Day . . . Worth Smiling About!

Back when I would be doing the PR for a dog show in Toronto, I always hoped for a slow news day! If nothing special happened, then I could often get 4 minutes on the 6 o'clock news for the event I was promoting.

Well, today is not that kind of day! Not at all!

The DOW index closed up almost 500 points today. Several AIG executives seem to be returning their bonuses. David Letterman finally married Regina Lasko, the mother of his son, Harry. And that is just part of it!

It's a big news day, where things seem to be falling into place. That is good. Let us hope and pray that we have lots more good news days! Hopefully we'll be able to smile and heave a sigh of relief!

Keeping in Touch With The President

On Tuesday evening (March 24th), rather than watching American Idol, we will be able to watch President Barack Obama's Prime Time Press Conference.

There is debate as to whether we are seeing too much of the President these days.

No President since John F. Kennedy has mesmerized the population, perhaps the world, as Barack Obama is doing.

On a 20/20 interview this evening, Steve Kroft seemed to be rather uneasy. He questioned the President's laughter. It seems to me that if the President is not laughing, he surely would be crying because his days are long and full of decisions - all of them big.

As the President pointed out, if it is not a BIG decision, it doesn't come to him; someone else makes it!

We are in times that will surely be discussed into the future - forever. At the very least, we definitely need some change.

I personally like seeing the President as often as we do. It helps me knowing that he is all the time working to pull things back together.

You don't have to have voted for this man to know he is bright, quick-witted and working for the American public every day.

One really good Presidential remark I would like to repeat in case you did not see tonight's interview, is that people who live in New York City need to go somewhere else and take a look at what is happening in other parts of the country. That is a very true statement. In the "big city" real estate is very expensive and salaries are higher than in smaller communities. Neighbors do not know one another and people are isolated. Many things go unnoticed.

The executives in all banks, trust, insurance companies - all corporations - make major decisions every day, no matter where they are but most do not expect major bonuses for doing their jobs. I always felt that if you did a good job, you got to keep your job; if you did not - you were fired! Pretty simple concept, but apparently we are dealing with some other mentality. We, the taxpapers, are a party to bonusing people who did a bad job! What is wrong with this picture?

Why were these executives expecting to be rewarded for bad behavior, or poor performance? The "common" man is a lot smarter that some people think he is and I believe Mr. Obama is very aware of this. Hopefully some of these executives will be returning these bonuses - one way or another. It is time that lack of performance means you must give up your mansion and come into reality. Technically, American citizens are the boss of these people now.

Do remember that if you want to know what is current, you can go to the government website.

www.whitehouse.gov

This Must Be Rocket Science!

We know dogs love to play with toys! Especially, they like soft toys and toys that make noise. Just sort of wondering why in the 21st Century, the peepers (noise makers) only last about 90 - 120 seconds average. Why is that?

(And, yes, we know teddy bear type toys do fall apart but we carefully sew them back together, because they are lifelines to many canines!)

Out Of The Loop?

One thing I do have difficulty with is people who do not watch their local TV news or read a local newspaper. Even scanning the website of your TV station or newspaper will give you the highlights of what is going on!

Why wouldn't you want to know if someone was robbed down the block from you? Don't you want to be able to join in any general conversations about current events?

Wouldn't you like to know if there was a murder committed and it involved people you had met or known?

How can you know what outfit to wear tomorrow if you have not seen a weather forecast?

What if you ate something that was reported to cause illness just because you didn't hear about it?

What if a road was closed and you didn't know and so you were late for your appointment or for work?

Wouldn't it be nice to know that there was going to be a show, a luncheon, a meeting you would enjoy - before it happens, so you could attend?

It's nice to read someone else's opinion of something to enlarge your perspective of an event.

And if a hurricane was forecast for three days hence, wouldn't you want to stock up on a few things so you and your family could be comfortable and safe during the storm?

It's nice to know what is going on in your community, the world, new ways of doing things so when you are with a group, you can contribute and be a part of the conversation.

I cannot imagine Hubby or me not knowing what is going on around us, in our area, in our country and in the world! Why would anyone want to be isolated in times when it is so easy to access current knowledge?

Martha From Texas . . . My Special Friend, William: Planning our Canadian Trip

In about seven weeks we will be in Ontario. Each time I visit Port Hope, the town in Ontario where I was living before I moved to East Texas, I look forward to seeing my young friend, William.

Wil will be 7 in November, so that means he'll be six and a half when I see him this year. Wil is the one who wanted to be a meteorologist. He has been reading about weather for a long time and sometimes I send his Grandma Judy links to look at a storm in our area, although they also follow the weather channel.

I always have to remind myself that when William was born, I was living here in Texas. He wasn't even born when I lived in Port Hope. So, that is why Wil opens the door when I knock and says,

"Oh, look: it's Martha From Texas!" (You gotta love that!)

Actually, I just scrapped some photos of his parents' wedding - again. I just love those photos and I had cropped them for his grandmother's book. I was wearing a dress that is sort of orange color and well, if you scrapbook, you know that makes for some interesting possiblities.

When we think about Christine & Les' wedding, we think about the wonderful English Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding. Keith had never eaten that before. Once you know my Hubby, you know that he has done lots of things and speaks a few languages and has lived several places. So, it was fun to see something served to him he had never enjoyed before! It was a wonderful wedding with lots of family and friends and everyone enjoying themselves.

We always plan time with Grandma Judy and the family. They are such special people and we feel very much like family. So, William, get ready 'cause it won't be long till you can open that door for us!

You Might Have Known . . .

Well, you might have known that a young man like William would have . . . well you know . . . of all things . . . a sister! She won't look like this now, because I took this almost two years ago. Yup, ya gotta have a sister in the family and this one is named Charlotte!

Mom & Dad - Christine & Les!

Here are Christine and Les, now simply known as William and Charlotte's parents!

Ah Yes . . . The Orange Dress!

Well, if I did digital scrapbooking, I would have done some orange stuff around this pic of Keith, Martha, Don & Judy at Les & Christine's wedding. These are the people who live in a town so good, they make it into Hollywood North!

Watch President Barack Obama Tonight On Jay Leno!

This is President Barack Obama speaking in Casa Mesto, California the other day. He took off his jack and carefully rolled up his sleeves to take questions at the Town Hall meeting.

At one point when asked about all the different things he is attempting to do, he commented that, yes, he has to walk and chew gum at the same time.

No matter what your previous politics have been, it is obvious that we have ourselves a very special, talented man as our current president. If he doesn't straighten America around, it will not be for lack of trying!

Set your VCR or if you can stay up, watch Mr. President on Jay Leno's Tonight Show (NBC) this evening. It will be the first time a sitting President has appeared on a late night talk show.

Port Hope, Minnesota, USA? Port Hope Dresses Up For TV Shoot!

My favorite card and gift shop . . . are they flying American flags there?

Do I know this bread company from Halpin, Minnesota?

North Minnesota Savings & Loan? I bank at Canada Trust!
Capital Theatre changed to Halpin Theater? Hmmm . . . Didn't Men of the Deeps (with my brother-in-law, Sen White) play there?

Particularly since you have just read about Natasha Richardson's husband, Liam Neeson, flying from Toronto to her side in the Montreal area after her skiiing accident at Mt. Tremblant, you probably are aware that there is a major movie and television industry in Canada. Liam was filming a movie named Chloe. [Post script: Our condolences to Natasha Richardson's family. She died on March 18, 2009 from her trauma.}

A lot of production is done in Toronto and Vancouver but this week, the town where I was living before I came to Texas is involved.

Port Hope has been changed to be Halpin, Minnesota. ABC Television is filming a pilot called Happy Town this week.

My friend, Christine, thought it would be fun to take some photos for me and so I am sharing them with you. Thanks, Christine!

ASK YOUR DAD . . . To Take You to DOG FAIR '09!

East Texas Working Dog Association is having a fair on Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Farmer's Market (on the loop in Lufkin - Loop 287 at Hwy. 69 South). You can go to their website to get more info.

Go to the right side bar at this blog site and scroll down for more details. Thanks, Buddy.

http://www.etwda.com

Wearing Some Green ! Hope This Brightens Your Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day - The Day When Everybody's Irish! March 17th

Don't forget to wear green! Tuesday, March 17th

Giving Back!

Baseball season is almost here and of course, that is my favorite spectator sport. It is very "social" to attend a game because you do not have to ignore the person you are with to enjoy what is going on.

I posted a photo of Carlos Beltran because it is heartwarming to know that this is a sports "hero" who - with his own money - has bettered the lives of many Puerto Rican and Harlem children by donating millions of his own dollars to schools and sports.

Just thought you'd rather hear about Carlos Beltran than the CEOs of major companies who are still taking bonuses from our tax dollars for non-performance.

Some Ramblings About Some Very Special Friends: Our Dogs!

I chose this photo of a Shih Tzu from a photo service - so it is not one of mine, but looks a lot like at least one of my Shih Tzu that I enjoyed over a 25 year span. (I do not have any of my photos on computer or you know I would have posted one for you!)

As some of you know, I owned, showed and bred Shih Tzu for 25 years. When the last, "Harry" (Cdn. CH Ayr of Importance) died, we sort of thought that was it. (No more dogs!)

Of course, five weeks later, we added Buddy the Lhasa Apso to our family. That was almost five years ago.

I was cropping some Shih Tzu photos the other night. I had a couple of show photos which didn't need anything very fancy. Dog Show photos pretty much tell their own story. Then there was a really special page where I showed Sadie and Harry, my last two homebred Shih Tzu, and Smokey and Sugar, Hubby's cats. My dogs had never seen cats before but the cats were used to dogs. It was wonderful how well all of them got along!

Sadie and Harry travelled in crates in Keith's 1995 Ford Taurus - when they and I immigrated to Texas from Ontario!

As I look back on the twenty-five years of Shih Tzu, I can absolutely tell you that although most were my own breeding, every one was different. Each had its own personality.

Harry and Sadie were the two who had the most interesting lives of all my Shih Tzu. Harry was shown by a professtional handler and lived with him for about six months. He also went to Obedience School at Humber College in Toronto. The instructor commented that she wondered if Harry took the commands from her or did actually wait for me to give them to him. He was a sharp little fellow who loved his life. When we moved to Port Hope from the big city, he and Sadie became fast friends and he always made sure she was okay.

The two of them were gated off in our kitchen and one morning, Keith went to get them to go outside. They went out and back and Keith came back to shave. When he went back to the kitchen area, Sadie was lying there, quiet, with Harry standing at her side. She was dead. So peaceful!

Our Pastor came over to dig her grave on that wet, dark day. His loafers were covered in mud but he wanted to do that kindness for us. It was over by the fence and Keith's sister Louise gave us hydrangea to plant on top.

When a dog dies, there is an expression that they will be waiting for us at "The Rainbow Bridge" and we will see them all when we die. It was sad the day Sadie died, but it was sad the day each of them died.

I can recall the traits of each one and each one absolutely had their own personality.

Both Harry and Sadie went to visit at Regency Manor as therapy dogs. The residents would pet them and hold them and they were very good about that. I felt it was a wonderful breed for working with people. Its a loving breed and they absolutely live to please people.

My first homebred was Fanny and I have a wonderful photo of me when I handled her to a win. Neither she or I was very good about dog shows but we loved being together.

Dogs give us so much and ask so little in return. I cannot stress how much I believe that we must dwell on this pleasure rather than their short lives.

I would especially like to make one special comment about "owning" dogs. Please make sure you know where your dog would go if something would happen to you. Find a friend who you know would take care of your dog and ask them if they would do this. Then make sure others know this arrangement.

Having dogs is a big responsibility. They rely upon us for everything! Give them a safe, fenced yard, keep them clean and well-fed. If the tables were turned, you know your dog would take very good care of you!

Scrapbooking - Again!

No, this is not one of my own pages but it is a very nice one and shows just one person's concept of committing boy's best friend to a fabulous memory.

Last night I cropped some of my Shih Tzu and and I also made a beautiful page of my last two homebred Shih Tzu, Sadie and Harry, who learned very quickly to live as family with Keith's two cats: Smokey and Sugar when I emigrated to Texas. I also added the beautiful hydrangea my sister-in-law, Louise contributed as a memorial to these animals.

You know we have Buddy the Lhasa now, but each dog (or cat) had his or her own personality - just like our human friends and it is nice to crop them in memory books.

I also have cropped some show portraits and one I did last night is of me with my first homebred Shih Tzu, Fanny, who was very sweet and devoted to me. She was not a "showdog" who could do a lot of winning, but we did pretty well that day when she was still a puppy. It is a photo dear to my heart and I will enjoy looking at that page over the years.

Scrapbooking has evolved tremendously and some people are into digital work now. That is not for me because - as you well know - I spend lots of time at my computer every day and would not consider that relaxing.

Regular cropping is changing with new three-dimensional embellishments arriving at my favorite store daily.

I can see when I look at a simple cropping of our church Mardi Gras Party three years ago and our Choir about five years ago, just how much this hobby has changed. The older pages are very flat with construction-type paper and stickers. A few weeks ago I did beautiful pages of this year's Mardi Gras party with glitter for a 3-D effect.

The papers now are sparkly with texture and beautiful patterns. We still use simple paper for borders, frames, outlines, etc. and it comes in so many colors, it is possible to match exactly to what you want.

Last night I used some metal lettering for Taury (my first Shih Tzu) and Fanny's pages and it just popped the page up perfectly.

I used my circular and oval cutters on the page of the "gang of four" on a background of paper that already had glistening circles on it.

Lots of you like to scrapbook and lots of you would "crop", if you had the time, etc. All those people who could be making such beautiful memories while making new friends and relaxing with this wonderful hobby. . .

Excuse me now . . . I am on my way back to the Crop Room!