Posts Tagged ‘dogs’

27 May

Bella Brings Joy

Posted by DOGKISSES in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, dogs, healing, health. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

My sweet dog, Bella, was one happy dog today.  My son and I needed drinking water.  He drove us to Weaver Street market in Carrboro to fill our containers. 

Weaver Street is a wonderful place. You can buy fresh local produce, bulk items, such as coffee, organic peanut butter, nuts and seeds, beans, and herbs. I sampled fresh blueberry bread. Yum! I don’t eat much bread these days, but that one bite was bursting with flavor from the fresh berries.

The clouds protected me from the usual harshness of sunlight and heat in North Carolina.  Thou it’s not yet summer, our springtime is hot these days. I sat outside on the lawn with Bella, while my son filled the water containers.

Bella waiting on my son to return.

I’ve been very fatigued for the best of two years. Living with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), is not new to me. I was diagnosed in 2005 after having Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and earlier, Lyme’s disease. I also live with chronic widespread pain and various other conditions that developed over the past two decades.

Talking about my life, without mentioning or thinking about fatigue and pain is a challenge. Today I got a short break. Bella and her joy had a lot to do with the freedom I experienced. I’m not even sure I recognized that I was free at the time. That realization came after we returned to my son’s apartment.

My favorite part of the outing was while Bella and I were on the lawn. Her tail wagged and for the first few minutes, she swirled a few times, getting a look at everyone around her. A young boy was playing with a toy sailboat. Bella loves children. She lied down when he got close. She does that around babies and young ones. Letting them know that she isn’t a threat. I mean, she is just so cool!

Bella is watching the bustling market.
On the Lawn

The feelings I had while waiting outside for my son, watching Bella be so happy, were healing. Sometimes, maybe all the time, healing comes in spurts. Unexpectedly.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Michelle.

DOGKISSES.

16 Feb

Bella the Peace Keeper

Posted by DOGKISSES in Canine companions, companion animals, relationships. Tagged: , , , .

My sweet dog, Bella, has a splendid personality. Her nature is patient and loving. She’s generous with other dogs, allowing them a time or two of less-than-stellar behavior. I think she has higher expectations for us humans.

Fourteen pounds of love!

There’s a lot that I love about Bella. She brings me joy and laughter, comfort and love, and all the amazing wonderful feelings we dog lovers get to experience.

On a most personal level, I am moved by Bella’s way of expressing her needs. Particularly when she focuses on peace in our home and family.

Bella knows when I feel frustrated. In fact, she knows and has a strong sense for all emotions. She not only senses my emotions, but others’ as well.

My adult son and I have been coexisting for more than a year in my studio apartment. He has his own place, but has been staying with me part of the week for a nearby job. We’ve been in a limbo as a result, but are living this way by choice for now. There’s advantages to our arrangement, but a downside is the space doesn’t allow for much privacy. As a result, sometimes we get on each other’s nerves.

Bella will not stand for either of us raising our voices or an argument she deems is going too far. She barks in a loud way, looks upset, and runs to her bed. This behavior sends a message to my brain and heart. I promptly quiet my voice, as I’m most often the one who first verbalizes frustration. My son tends to hold his tongue.

I am incredibly grateful to Bella. Her ability definitely keeps peace. She loves us very much. I guess it’s simply her nature, but she’s like a child who needs her people to be okay. I get that.

Dogs are amazing companions. Every one I’ve had in my adult life has had a unique attribute that I need. Bella is sweet as strawberry pie. Still, when she needs something like a walk, she certainly knows how to ask. She knows how to ask for food. She also knows how to make sure her people are okay.

Dogs are teachers. Us humans have only to listen and learn.

Thank you for visiting my blog, DOGKISSES!

Michelle and Bella.

29 Jul

Life and Loss

Posted by DOGKISSES in dogkisses, health, hope. Tagged: , , , .

Struggling to Find Uninterrupted Time for Writing and Reflection

My hands and fingers started bothering me more over the past two years. My vision is compromised. Writing once came so easily and I adored the process. I identified with the craft as an important part of who I am.

Bella still offers up her bright eyes every day. She prances about like she’s the happiest dog in the town.

I was diagnosed with another autoimmune disease. Mixed Connective Tissue Diseases. Doctors and their diagnoses do not impress me. One says one thing and another says a different thing. After years of this dynamic, I don’t know if I should trust any diagnosis.

I miss writing. I miss the home I left in 2014. I miss the many birds who visited my yard. And to my own surprise, the butterflies that started visiting my mostly shaded moss covered yard.

I had dozens of plants! The butterflies first enjoyed the Lantana. By the time I moved, I had almost every plant I had ever dreamed of having.

The birds that came into my yard felt like they were mine. Believe me, it was really sad after I left. I thought of them every night when I lied in bed. I cried for the best of a year.

Everything I lost was because I made a choice; many choices, that I believed at the time was what I should do for someone I dearly love. Now, I think perhaps I was blinded by my motherly instincts.

I have to go to physical therapy now. I’m not progressing. PT is all about the patient doing the exercises at home. Like writing, my time is interrupted.

I wish I had a more positive post. I figured why not just write. Right?

Until next time, which I truly hope is not months and months in the future, I wish you, my readers, a good day!

Very truly,

DOGKISSES.

6 Nov

dogkisses for Roscoe

Posted by DOGKISSES in blogging, Canine companions, health. Tagged: , , , , .

I’ve been trying to publish a post in this blog for several months or more, but after such a long time away from writing, the endeavor is challenging. 

An honorable mention of Ruthie Mae, a wonderful dog, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2015 and now lives in my memories, feels like a good place to start.

Ruthie named this blog, “DOGKISSES,” with slight little kisses on my arm each time I reached for her bag of food.  She was forever a tender heart.  So sensitive.  So sweet.  Ruthie’s kisses felt like snowflakes melting on my skin.

Not long after Ruthie passed, my late friend, Laurie, a former fellow blogger, who lived with chronic illness, also passed away. 

I was sad.  I also had to move.  Again.  Life has been hard. 

My writer’s voice seemed to have vanished for a while, but after settling into a new apartment, which meant that I could finally sleep, I gradually found myself making notes on random sheets of paper.

Also during my online absence, the bond I’ve always had with my blog and the blogging community as well, never abandoned my mind or heart, which I think is pretty cool. 

Aside from the logistics of moving and an extreme backlash of severe widespread pain, (fibromyalgia with chronic fatigue syndrome), during and after my son and I moved two apartments, twice, I became exhausted. Utterly exhausted.  

There is a lot I could say about the past two years and what led to my long absence, but that would take a while and more energy than I have today.

For now, I’d like to introduce you to my new and most special friend, Roscoe!  He’s a beautiful dog.  I don’t have many photos uploaded to this computer yet, but soon I’ll show you his beautiful hound-dog spots and multi-color coat. 

img_8452
No Words for this Face!

I’m pretty sure Roscoe is a mix of German Shorthaired Pointer and bluetick hound.  His face reminds me of a Husky.  His eyes are an unusual green.  He has wonderful long legs, enabling him to run fast and climb high too!  He’s a thin guy, but some of us just can’t catch a pound or two for long. 

As I write, Roscoe reminds me only of a hound dog.  Whining all the time 😉

Roscoe and I have had a truly amazing journey together since we met at a rural shelter in April, 2016.  I hope to soon tell you about our adventures and for various reasons, a few several misadventures as well.

With luck and determination, I shall return soon.  Fingers crossed.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

DOGKISSES!

31 Mar

In Memory of the Sweetest Dog in the World

Posted by DOGKISSES in Announcements, Canine companions, dogkisses, pet loss. Tagged: , , , , .

In Loving Memory of Ruthie Mae

I knew every day for almost ten years that I was lucky to have Ruthie Mae as my friend, and to be loved dearly and tenderly by the sweetest dog in the world.  We were the very best of friends.

Ruthie Mae passed on the first day of Spring 2015.

A Dog Smile

I’m Ruthie! A Beautiful Dog! I’m Nine Years Old!

Farewell my beautiful friend!  I shall forever be the incredibly lucky person who was loved by you!

Ruthie’s Human Mom,

Michelle.

 

Post Script:

Ruthie had a type of vascular cancer that commonly doesn’t present symptoms until the disease has progressed.  She became severely weak and shortly afterward, at the veterinary hospital, she passed peacefully.

Thank you for visiting this blog, dogkisses, named after Ms. Ruthie Mae.

 

17 Jun

Dogs Make Good Neighbors

Posted by DOGKISSES in Canine companions, companion animals, dogkisses. Tagged: , , , , .

Four-legged Neighbors

Ruthie and Happy sure know how to be good neighbors.  They’re polite and respectful to one another.  They always greet each other with a bark or if there is time, several dogkisses!  They are good friends.

Happy has a busy schedule of walks, playing and sleeping, but she enthusiastically remembers Ruthie on her way home from her morning walks.  Ruthie is always happy to see her friend and neighbor, the dog, Happy!

Ruthie Mae Looking Pretty
Happy and Ruthie, with stick.
Ruthie chews Happy’s stick.
Ruthie pretends a struggle with Happy’s little stick
Happy tries…
I AM RUTHIE GIRL

31 Jan

A Dog Smile

Posted by DOGKISSES in Canine companions, companion animals, dogkisses. Tagged: , , .

Thanks for the hike Mom! by Rosa Blue
Thanks for the hike Mom!, a photo by Rosa Blue on Flickr.

Dear Human Mom,

Thanks for the hike!  I had a great time.

Love,

Your friend,

Sweet Ruthie.

16 Jan

Thank You, Tiny.

Posted by DOGKISSES in Canine companions, pet loss, pets. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Returning to Nature

Taking Comfort in our Great Mother

Before you go, I want to tell you how grateful I am to have known you.  I want to say thank you, my four-legged friend.

Thank you for being such a dear loyal friend to my son.  Thank you for communicating with me during times when he, and you, needed me.  Thank you for loving him.

Thank you for your tremendous patience.  You’ve lived a life of many stories, my dear friend, and I will never forget them.  I will never forget you.

I will however remember the fun times, because my girl Free, who lives where you are going, taught me this is the best way to let a beloved Dog go to, “The place that’s the best,” with, “The Spirits in the Sky.”

Thank you for loving my son, especially when he wasn’t well.  Thank you for always thinking of him, letting him know you loved him, no matter how far away you were from each other.  Thank you so much!

Thank you for making people laugh with your playful antics.  Thank you for sticking by us through thick and thin.  Truly, you have, and I am in tremendous gratitude.

Thank you for never biting anyone.  You scared me a few times, but it is best that you didn’t act on your instincts, even though they were correct and the people may have indeed deserved a nip, or two.

Tiny, thank you for loving me.  I wasn’t sure if you would like living with me, but you did,  I could always tell. 

I know you feel closest to my son and I love you for that, but when he wasn’t here, I always felt proud that you followed me around, watched out for me and slept at the end of my feet.  You were such a great little, “Foot-Feller.”

Tiny, I will always love you.  Always.  You will live in my heart because there is a place in it shaped exactly like you.

I’d also like to say thank you for loving my girl.  She was afraid of so much when she first left that stinky shelter and came to live with me.  She sure wasn’t scared of you! 

I’ll never forget what it looked like to see two dogs fall crazy in-love with each other.  I did and it was beautiful.  My new girl’s eyes widened big and her mouth literally dropped open when you walked in our door.  She was stunned!  It was so funny.  I could see the love she felt for you!  It was amazing.

Thank you for always treating her like a Princess.  She thinks she is one now, I guess.

She sure has been a good nurse hasn’t she?  Boy, I’ll have to do something really special for her, like take her for a walk where she can pretend she’s hunting squirrels.

She will miss you Tiny.  We all will.  I will give her lots of hugs and extra love.

I promise, per your only request of me during the past few months, to be here for your true Master.  He is my son and you know I love him with all my heart and soul.  I’m honored that you asked and very grateful that I heard.

I will do the best I can to keep my head up.  I know I got pretty sad when the Vet told me you had cancer.  I did and I have cried a lot, but I promise I’ll be okay.  I may cry for a while, but you know me Tiny.  I do cry.

I will help your best friend get another four-legged companion when the time is right.  I promise.

Thank you, Tiny.  You are the most amazing boy dog I have ever known and loved.  You are my grand-dog!  Thank you for being my friend and sweet foot-feller.

I could say a lot more.  I could.  I could thank you for all the times you’ve been there for us, but I must stop writing.  I want to come lie down beside you.  I guess, it is our last night together.

We will go to the Vet tomorrow.  We will go.

Thank You, Tiny.

We Love You Forever!

Photos of Tiny in this post.

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