Nancy's World

Brothers for Life

Hello Nancy,

I’m about to add a photo!

The unique corpse flower is supposed to bloom soon in Houston, Texas at The Houston Museum of Natural Science.

All media and people are waiting for this unusual flower to bloom and let off its stinky smell.

Here’s a haiku I wrote and submitted online to a Houston newspaper.

Google “corpse flower, Houston” for updates and to watch it online when it blooms.

Corpse flower blooming
beauty for the world to see
revealing secrets

           “Remember me always, but do not grieve for me too

long. I have tried always to comfort you in times of

sorrow, and have made every effort to add joy to your

life.  I never wanted to cause you pain.

Peace for me is certain now, and I suspect I will have

eternal sleep in the Earth I do so well.

Please, after your period of grieving for me, make room

in your heart for another.  You are the kind of human

being that should always have a friend like me to love.

Your kind and gentle heart should not be wasted on my

memory for too long.  Give your love to another.  I know

your new friend will never take my place, because we

had something very special.

It may not be quite the same, but a new devoted and

loving companion will in time, become special in their

own way.

You loved me very much and I love you.  My spirit will

always be with you, and no matter how deep my sleep,

my grateful heart will always remember you.”

-Author unknown-

Right now is the season where animal shelters have many kittens who need homes.

I have adopted both older cats and young kittens – they all deserve a loving, safe environment.

Please consider adopting an older cat when you visit the shelters.

They make great pets. We adopted two older cats a number of years ago-we reunited a brother and sister! They filled our lives with joy, and we were so grateful to have them.

Many of these older cats will live the rest of their lives at the shelter if someone does not adopt them. Worse yet, some shelters may euthanize them.

Thank you for giving them a chance in your life !

Hi, my article on Writing Haikus Can Be Fun! is now published online through http://www.devokids.com.

Click on the left side where it says WRITE NOW.  

It’s an article on how to write Pet Haikus. You can have fun with children (and other adults).  Enjoy !

Children can also find great writing tips on DevoKids’ website.

I have written an article about using bicycle horns to train my cats.

Hoping it will be published in a well-read cat or animal magazine in the near future.

Note: The blog post below is not the article. It is just information from the article.

Just a note on cat training for those whose cats/kittens are jumping on countertops and other places they are not supposed to be. 

Below is not the article I have written on bicycle horns for cat training – it’s just a summary of what might help you with your cats.

I tried spraying them and hissing – that didn’t do a thing.  They squinted their eyes and looked at me.  Eventually one cat started lunging and squatting at the spray bottle – knocked it out of my hand ! Let me say these are loveable, sociable, fun twin kittens, not mean or aggressive in any way, except with the spray bottle.

I tried aluminum foil on the countertops. They found it a great new cat bed to lounge on.

I did all the recommended, known things, but nothing worked.

Finally I bought a boat horn ($10) . It works great, but it’s so loud, I was concerned about damaging both my ears and the cats’ ears. 

Final Solution:

I bought two bicycle horns (under $5 each) from Wal-Mart and placed them on the countertop and on the table. The cats now jump off the counters and table, plus it doesn’t damage my ears. The bicycle horns are lthe old-fashioned ones – a big black bulb to squeeze for the horn and a nice chrome design.

Hiking Question:

I have not tried this yet, but why not take a boat or bicycle horn when walking in the wilderness?

Maybe an unexpected, dangerous animal on the trail will run away when they hear it ?!?!?  Let me know if you try it, whether it does or does not work.

Here’s a haiku I wrote for my wonderful canine friend, Murph, who passed away yesterday from lymphoma:

Murph, you warmed our hearts.

We will love you forever,

Our four-legged friend.

February 23, 2010

DEALING WITH GRIEF – Some things that helped me

Remember, if you have any guilt, forgive yourself.

Write out your feelings and experiences.

Do nice things for yourself.

Avoid making major life decisions during this time.

Allow yourself to experience uncomfortable recurring feelings.

Talk about your feelings.

Eat regularly and nutritionally – your body needs nutrition.

Give yourself permission to feel down.

Know there’s no “right” way to feel. Whatever your feelings are, they

are normal, appropriate reactions to an abnormal situation.

One thing that may help is to write on an index card or a piece of paper all of the things your pet loved, your pet’s nicknames plus happy memories.  At the top of the card write:

Fluffy Love (example name).

If you need help, please call the Humane Society nearest you and see if they offer pet grief counseling or can refer you to pet loss support group.

Websites:

http://www.petloss.org

http://www.dogheaven.com

http://www.superdog.com

Here’s a reading list:

All God’s Creatures Go To Heaven by N.A. Noel (beautiful artwork)

Cat Heaven by Cynthia Rylant (easy to read, colorful pictures)

Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant

Charlotte’s Web By E. White

Coping With The Loss Of a Pet: A Gentle Guide For All Who Love Pets

by Christina M. Lemieux

Pet Loss: A Thoughtful Guide for Adults and Children by H.A. Nieberg

and A. Fisher

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Vorst

When a Pet Dies by F. Rogers