Lights Out

If I saw this Military canine, named Brutus, coming at me I'd be sure to stay behind a tree, probably find I could climb it in a hurry. This is his happy face as he heads for his handler who has milk bones for him. Brutus is remarkable, handsome, and well trained in sign language. His handler and two others were taken prisoner by Iraqis and placed in a huge shed with thick doors, which didn't phase Brutus who killed the guards and freed his handler and the other soldiers. It seemed when they were taken prisoner Brutus read the sign his handler sent . . . "go, but come back and find me" and for his efforts he received the Medal of Honor and I'm sure a lot of loving and attention from the men he saved. As much as I enjoy reading such stories and sharing them, I still have to call my neighbors to put her two dogs out the back door so I can go in the front door to share a cup of tea with them. I have no idea why I am afraid of big animals, city bred I guess., or impatient when they are 'jumpers' who love to be petted without end . . . needy . . . or just not trained properly. One of my neighbors, further up the street, has a huge Husky who is beautiful and soft. I do love a soft dog. I call her 'beauty', because she has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in a dog. She stops by for her petting and then ambles on down the street and has trained her owner to keep walking and not do a lot of talking; after all it is her walk for the day. I digress, as I titled this bog 'Lights Out' and we had our lights go out for hours last evening for hours and hours, talk about feeling deprived . . . no television, no computer, no way to have a hot dinner, or a cup of hot tea or coffee . . . but finding ones way around and lighting candles has a feeling all its own. I have a lantern that gives good light so I was able to read, actually finished one book and started another. I nibbled on smoked steel head, rice crackers with tasty cheese wedges and topped it off with a Cameo apple that was mouth watering in its crispy sweetness. I thought of trying to find ways to heat some water but was afraid I'd burn the house down so I settled for unsweetened cranberry juice with tonic water, not bad. I could have put some vodka in it but what would that do to my new blood pressure pills? Maybe a jolt in the right direction. By ten o'clock the lights were back on with flashing clock faces in every room. Where did I put the instruction manuals? How does one stop the fire alarms from beeping? Pushing buttons helped but I wonder what today will bring. All I can tell you is I am very happy to have the lights back on, especially the furnace as it was getting pretty chilly around here. So . . . I am content this morning with my heat on, lights on, my hot coffee sitting beside me in a colorful mug. I can reach out and 'touch' my children and wish them all well today, and of course my friends who make my world a happier place. I had an e-mail attachment with pictures of cacti in all of their flowering beauty. It made me think of tearing out all of the plants I have and just have a cactus garden but then I have to remember I am in raining Oregon and not in the heat of the Arizona desert. Well, there is nothing wrong with my beautiful rhodys.

Make today your day as you start a new week in the middle of January, 2010, which will fly by before you know it. Think positive thoughts and remember my favorite word 'moderation' as it is the key to good living although you may not get rich on it. Enjoy! Hugs to all.

I have a P.S. this morning as I just got an e mail telling me the story about the military dog is only a 'legend'; no truth to it . . . how sad to dash ones hopes that good vs. evil and wins . . . oh well, it was fun to read and write about but only a 'fairy tale'.