AN ACTUAL CRAIG’S LIST PERSONALS AD To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown Savannah night before last. Date: 2010-09-27, 01:43 a.m.  E.S.T. I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend, threatening our lives. You also asked for my girlfriend’s purse and earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message. First, I’d like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn’t expect you to actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket. The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason. My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening.. Obviously you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head .. isn’t it?! I know it probably wasn’t fun walking back to wherever you’d come from with that brown sludge in your pants. I’m sure it was even worse walking bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again]. After I called your mother or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you’d done. Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station, — on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful! I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go’s, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!] I then threw your wallet into the big pink "pimp mobile" that was parked at the curb … after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver’s side of the car. Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell phone. Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what ‘s going on with that? Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA’s office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target. The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc.). In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you … but I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you’ve chosen to pursue in life. Remember, next time you might not be so lucky.Have a good day! Thoughtfully yours, Alex P.S. Remember this motto … An armed society makes for a more civil society! I probably don’t have to ask you to forward this one.

The following is a poignant vignette reminding us that all those with special needs, animal or human, do need understanding and help when needed.  Too often a blind eye is cast towards those needing help or understanding which we are always called to offer.   A few weeks ago, a naked man bleeding from scratches evidently from going through brush and branches, appeared on the doorstep of a home in Hilliard, Ohio. He begged to be let in as he was freezing in the bitter cold and snow.  The owner of the house did not open his door but called 911 which was the proper call to make in the owner’s eyes.  I am not one to judge the owner’s reasons for not throwing out a blanket at least, but I wish he had done more.  With the 911 call, the naked man became frightened and ran away. When the police arrived they looked for the man and were not able to find him.  The man took refuge in a shed and was found dead of hypothermia the next morning.  Now if his tracks could be followed the next morning, why did not the police use flashlights to track him the night before?  The police dropped the ball. I know that the naked, the homeless, the broke and broken do not always fare well in our society, but why did the police not do a more thorough search and why did the house owner not do more.

The television show “What Would You Do?” can be turned into What Would I Do?  if a freezing naked man would appear on my doorstep or anybody’s doorstep. My friends and I have had deep discussions about the tragic scenario of a life not being saved. I know deep in my heart what several of my very brave, caring girlfriends and I would do: we would have gathered sweats, blankets, and opened the door and invited the man in to get him warm with something hot to drink and then would have called 911. I could turn the name of the TV show into “What Would Jesus Do?”  I was truly enraged and horrified at the outcome for this mentally ill man so in need of help. In my opinion, we need to remember the Golden Rule as difficult as it sometimes to do so.

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A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell.  He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

“Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."

"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"

"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out  a whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called. Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.

The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up…

"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt.

The farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said, "Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup. Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy.

“How much?" asked the little boy… "No charge,"  answered the farmer, "There’s no charge for love."

The world is full of people who need someone who understands.  Just like our naked, freezing man!

I love whales.  When I was in New Zealand several years ago, I went whale watching.  I was humbled by the beautiful creatures as they spouted and then dove with their tales waving in the air. I abhor hunting them and the possibility of their extinction.  Mankind is so greedy which has been the cause of so much warfare with our taking what we want no matter what.  The following true story was sent to me by my friend Marilee; I have seen it before but it never fails to touch me. 

…The Whale… If you read a recent front page story of the San Francisco Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth. A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands (outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.

    When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around as she was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

    May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude. We pass this on to you, my friends, in the same spirit.

Jim and Margie Rogers emailed the sad news that their beloved Rattlebridge RuffRider (Fletcher) passed away: “Our beloved Fletcher passed away today, peacefully in our arms.  He was 15 years and 9 months old. I only hope we gave him as much joy and love as he gave to us (I doubt it). We thank you for bringing him into our lives. “ 

I remember Fletcher as a dear, sweet puppy and the lovely couple who gave him such a wonderful home.  It is always too, too hard to lose a beloved, but I am sure Fletcher has already met up with my husband and the rest of the Rattlebridge gang and will be waiting for Jim and Margie at the Rainbow Bridge.  Please look at his wonderful face, as beautiful in his old age as it was as a puppy.  I loved him too.

The following, sent to me by my friend Alana, certainly had an impact on me today.  I have been very depressed mourning my Al and wondering what my purpose is in life now that he is gone.  I have always been independent so it is not that I can’t carry on, the question has been do I really want to without him.   For all my independence, Al was my rock, my foundation, and my deepest love.  Reading the following gave me pause and something to think about.  Of course, I want to strangle the girl and hug the boyfriend. THINK There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, ‘If I could only see the world, I will marry you.’ One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend. He asked her, ‘Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?’ The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn’t expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him. Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: ‘Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.’   This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations. Life Is a Gift Today before you say an unkind word – Think of someone who can’t speak. Before you complain about the taste of your food – Think of someone who has nothing to eat.. Before you complain about your husband or wife – Think of someone who’s crying out to GOD for a companion. Today before you complain about life – Think of someone who went too early to heaven.. Before whining about the distance you drive -Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet. When you are tired and complain about your job – Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down – Put a smile on your face and think: you’re alive and still around..

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

 

MAY 2011 BRING YOU JOY, PEACE, AND GOOD WILL TOWARDS ALL.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Midnight Mass was glorious last night!  The Church is always almost mystical at night, even more so at Mass.  As we celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior, let us remember the humble circumstances that He chose to become one of us so that He could lead us to Salvation.  May God bless you.

 

I am so far behind in posting extended family pictures that I may never catch up. Besides the pictures I have been sent on email, I have a huge folder of pictures that need to be scanned. ANYIONE WANT TO VOLUNTEER TO SCAN??  I have no idea when I will get around to doing this.  I am as proud of the Rattlebridge Cavaliers who go to wonderful pet homes as much as the show dogs, therapy dogs, and performance dogs.  Cavaliers have no purpose if they do not become the beloved companions they were created to be.  Without my Cavaliers, I would not have made it through my husband’s death.  Our extended families of owners of our Cavaliers keep begging me to not quit breeding because of the splendid dogs we breed. 

There is so much heartache in breeding dogs, but so much joy also.  A few weeks ago, I lost Ch. Rattlebridge Arch Rival to congestive heart failure. Archie finished his championship at ten months and shortly after our cardiologist, Dr. Linda Lehmkuhl found a click in his heart which was not there as a puppy.  Further testing revealed that Archie had the beginning of mitral valve disease.  He was a beautiful Cavalier that could have had a career as a show dog, but we never bred him and had him neutered so that there would be no accidents with our girls.  He lived a good life though not into his teens like most of our dogs.   He was one of my husband’s very favorites, but Archie loved me with his soul.  I picture Al scooping Archie up at the Rainbow bridge with Al’s Katie, Sammy, and Tia wagging their tails. 

                                                                                                                  

Ch. Rattlebridge Arch Rival at ten months.  He had such a sweet face!!!

I would like to introduce Rattlebridge Cyber Dawn who went to his first shows a few weeks ago to lovely wins in the three shows in which he was entered.  I have not shown a dog in three years; I have never been a great or even decent handler on some days, but handled my untrained boy very bravely as I was almost gimping around the ring with a sprained ankle on one leg and fifteen stitches in the other.  Oh, the will to win against all odds!!!   Anyway, Cyber took winners dog and then best of breed over champions all three days even garnering a Group IV.  Not bad for a 13 month old puppy that had never been to a show and was in my own unique style “ half assed trained.”  Now I am giving away my total ineptness on filling out forms online when I tell you that I had registered Cyber online and thought it went through, then entered him with his litter number which a couple of my doggy friends told me I could do.  NOT!!!  He was not registered as I must have hit a glitch on the online registering process and his three majors were taken away.  Oh, well,  we will just have to start over and have more fun and he is so much fun to show with his effervescent attitude!  His brother Rattlebridge The Dawnald who like his siblings was co bred and co owned by my friend and partner in crime, Sherri Meyer, and his sister, the wicked Rattlebridge Dawnatella lives with me; she chewed up a rosary tonight and could get me in real trouble with the Blessed Mother just before Christmas.  She, in the true sense if the word, is a little bitch and gets away with it due to her beauty and adorability (my newest coined word—don’t you love it?). She and her brother, The Dawnald, already have points toward their championship.

                                                                                                                                                                   Rattlebridge Cyber Dawn

AND NOW TO THE NEWEST EXTENDED FAMILY COLLAGES:

   

 

I thought the following amusing for it shows men at their best.  NOT!

And That’s When the Fight Started . . .

One year, a husband decided to buy his mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a Christmas gift. The next year, he didn’t buy her a gift. When she asked him why, he replied, "Well, you still haven’t used the gift I bought you last year!"
And that’s when the fight started. . .  

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I asked my wife, ‘Where do you want to go for our anniversary?’ It warmed my heart to see  her face melt in sweet appreciation. ‘Somewhere I haven’t been in a long time!’ she said. So I suggested, ‘How about the kitchen?’
And that’s when the fight started.

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My wife and I are watching “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” while we were
in bed. I turned to her and said, ‘Do you want to have sex?’
‘No,’ she answered.
I then said, ‘Is that your final answer?’
She didn’t even look at me this time, simply saying ‘Yes.’
So I said, ‘Then I’d like to phone a friend.’
And that’s when the fight started…
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I tried to talk my wife into buying a case of Miller Light for $14.95.
Instead, she bought a jar of cold cream for $7.95. I told her the beer
would make her look better at night than the cold cream.
And that’s when the fight started….. 
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I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter, for some reason, took my order first…
‘I’ll  have the strip steak, medium rare, please.’
He said, ‘Aren’t you worried about the mad cow?’
‘Nah, she can order for herself.’
And that’s when the fight started….. 
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My wife sat down on the couch next to me as I was flipping
the channels.
She asked, ‘What’s on TV?’
I said, ‘Dust.’
And that’s when the fight started…

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My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming
anniversary.
She said, ‘I want something shiny that goes from 0 to
200 in about 3 seconds.’
I bought her a scale.
And that’s when fight started..

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My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school
reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table.

I asked her, "Do you know him?"  "Yes," she sighed, "He’s my old boyfriend;  I understand he took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago and I hear he hasn’t been sober since."

"My God!"  I said, "who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"

And that’s when the fight started. . . .

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I rear-ended a car this morning. So, there we were
alongside the road and slowly the other driver got out of his car. You know
how sometimes you just get soooo stressed and little things just seem
funny?
Yeah, well I couldn’t believe it… he was a DWARF!!!
He stormed over to my car, looked up at me, and shouted,
‘I AM NOT HAPPY!’
So, I looked down at him and said, ‘Well, then which one are you?”

And that’s when the fight started….. 

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SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST…..

THE BROKEN LAWN MOWER

When our lawn mower broke and wouldn’t run, my wife
kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed.
But, somehow I always had something else to take care of
first, the truck, the car, playing golf,
always something more important to me and rightfully so!

Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point. When
I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass,
busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors.
I watched silently for a short time and then went into the
house. I was gone only a minute, and when I came out again I handed
her a toothbrush. I said, ‘When you finish cutting the grass,
you might as well sweep the driveway.”

And that’s when the fight started.

The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp.    

 

You gotta see this!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUtPKbMwnRo

As you watch the frivolity in this youtube video, remember that all pets are not as lucky to enjoy the holiday season.

Please remember all the dogs, cats, and other animals suffering from starvation, cruelty, abandonment, and neglect in this season of giving.  As the economy worsens, the plight of animals also worsens.  Please do what you can do to help either by donating money to your local shelter, fostering a dog, volunteering at the shelter, and helping where you can. Not every dog, nor every child, will be safe, warm, fed, and loved this year.  As I look at my well cared for lot, I cannot help but pray for the unwanted and thrown away animals in our society as well as all of our homeless and displaced people trying so hard to survive. As foreclosures increase, so do the number of abandoned pets and much worse the number of homeless people.  Please give your time and money to our fellow man and those animals in dire need.