How My Pets Communicate with Me

February 19th, 2012

My little dog is approaching 11 1/2 actual years and is the light of my life. His chin hairs have turned silver as has his whisker area around the nose. But he still looks like a young pup to me.

He has that sparkle in the eyes when I ask him if he wants to go for a walk or go chase the “critter” down the hall. His critter is a stuffed toy, his favorite and resembles a ferret. I have lost count of the hours where I threw the critter and he retrieved it. He always knew just how to ask by sitting up and handing me his paw and I never let him down.

I think that is part of trust. A habit that results in something is reliable and it showed him he had some control over the process of play. He also feels that he is my second in command since he takes it upon himself to dispatch a correction to my 18 year old cat when she yowls for attention and starts misbehaving to get it. He does not hurt her but chases her and that is just what she wants.

My cat has gotten to this ripe old age by being smart and of course, she thinks she is in charge. There is an inherent understanding between the cat and my dog that is truly remarkable. Sometimes they play what I call the train game where he is the caboose and she is the engine. With his nose in her behind, they travel from room to room till she tires of the game.

They both know that they can rely on me to play with them and to provide routines so they know what to expect. Take meal time for instance. Both are fed early morning even before I consider my own breakfast and they eat in two different rooms to cut down on any friction. My dog gets cooked liver along with the usual dried kibble and she gets some canned food for seniors, just a little since her innards are sensitive.

They look forward to it. Also, I go to bed at the same time every night. I start turning out lights and the cat moves into the living room where I was sitting to get the warm spot while my dog and I head for the bedroom. He cuddles up to me on the covers and another day is done. I always feel grateful for this since my animals sense my moods and give love so freely.

If you ever have lost a pet, you know how hard that is and what a hold they leave in your life. A few years back, my dog got a horrible and mysterious infection internally that almost killed him. I was without him for three days and it made me see how close we truly are. I guess the only message from this is to appreciate your pets while you have them. They teach us so much about living in the moment and loving life. I hope you too feel as blessed about your pets as I do about mine.

 

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Life Lessons

January 28th, 2012

I have never found anything in life to be terribly dull although there were times in my school years that I put this feeling to task. Some people are just better than others at making information interesting. I will always remember those special teachers who knew about attention spans in youth and who went out of their way to make the lesson fun and educational.

In my day, learning the lesson was considered more important than anything else and even the teachers got caught up in that directive. Somehow, those who forgot what it is like to be curious and spontaneous, got lost in the power of controlling a mass hostage audience.

Later years when my time and interests could be directed at my own discretion, I found subjects of all kinds that interested me. It was a definite attitude shift and a few years of maturity did not hurt either. But more than that, I saw potential of information. There is more than one thing that can be done with it and there is always a solution. I just had to find it.

Now that made looking for facts interesting. Now I was on a quest to do something with the learned details that would benefit me in a particular way. My own interests became enhanced and the scope increased dramatically. Life became fascinating and full of promise.

Dull, no not in the least. In hindsight, I suspect those same teachers who had difficulty making a subject interesting, also had a life that reflected this fact. What you see, how you see it is who you are. Change that and everything else changes too. Now that is just marvelous.

Be open to possibilities and always alert to the solutions being offered every minute of the day. Don’t let the word dull enter your vocabulary. Make your life a credit to who you are inside. Make you yourself a subject of wonder and joy!

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God Bless Us Everyone

December 24th, 2011

I just finished watching a movie called, “Meet John Doe”.  Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper do a great job of acting in this 1941 classic tale of the little guy versus giant corporations and politicians.

The point in this lovely movie is that we all need someone to believe in and that we are all just as important as the next guy. John Doe represents all of us in our struggles to survive and be heard. On the flip side, those that control the purse strings and all the trappings we know so well, seem to be lording over us, telling us what to do, where to live, even what to eat and they have yet to truly hear us.

We are told we have to work hard to get what we want, we have to sink into the 9-5 mentality and settle for jobs that do not satisfy. Who says? We all can have the life we aspire to simply by believing in it. We now know that and more of us being spiritual do not feed into the mentality of 1941.

There is a residue that hangs on those of us who are baby boomers and who remember the late 1940′s. But it is a fact that we all want to matter. To that end, I found myself very intrigued with the film that offered hope to those struggling just to survive. So to them whoever they may be, I want you to know I care and you all matter to me. We are all special and have something to offer humanity.

This time of year we act like people who are more caring and loving. It seems to go with the season. Linger a while this year and remember those in your heart who might have slipped through the cracks of every day life. Make somebody smile all year long. As Tiny Tim observed, “God bless us everyone”!

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We are sabatoging our relationships!

December 9th, 2011

In this crazy world where people try so hard to befriend each other, we actually have less connection than ever. The very technology we depend on to do that is not helping either. Cell phones offer instant contact but it also invades what would have been a crucial space of “me time”.

We need to be able to remove ourselves from others in order to truly appreciate them. Otherwise, what we share with our friends and contacts is really material that is not beneficial for deepening the attachment. Who cares if many people have called you that day. It doesn’t mean you are popular. It means you are caught up in the fascination we have in filling time because of ever present boredom.

In my day (yes, I am aging myself), it was encouraged to follow creative pursuits, interests, hobbies, etc. The idea you are learning something new, a little self-education is a good thing for many reasons. It builds confidence, it relaxes you and brings out the abilities that might otherwise never see the light of day.

Actually reading a book and following it through over a period from beginning to the end is also very satisfying. It feeds our imaginations. No not an e-book where you only have a few pages to absorb and then go on to something else. A real book. Savour the beautiful cover, enjoy the true craft of writing and let it take you away into romance, adventure, intrigue and let it introduce you to people you might never meet. Immerse yourself in the fascination of it all.

I am not saying to throw away all the new technology. But remember, new is not necessarily better and you owe it to yourself to take time with whatever interests you. Life cannot be enjoyed at break neck speed. Slow down and smell the flowers. Find out who you are and always keep that all important “me time” so you have so much more to offer to those you care about.

It will make you a better mother or father, it will add depth to love relationships and it will make you appreciate others more. Turn that ringer off, take a break and re-think those constant tweets. Do it for you and do it for them!

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Love is Everything

November 29th, 2011

I could say that this realization has always been with me. But I truly understood what that means when I gave my heart to everything in my life.

Life is too short they say. Well it is so true. If I had it to do over, I would embrace more of my life, even the bad moments. Life is about living it to the fullest, seizing the now and savoring it for the memories that I know will make me smile.

I didn’t know life was supposed to be fun. I thought it was all about working hard, making a name for myself and being a good person. When I realized I wasn’t smiling so much any more, I questioned the meaning of my existence. What about the rest of the people? Were they happy I wonder?

Judging from the faces I saw around me, I figured they too were caught up in the doing and not in the being. Why is that? I think it is because we can’t see our way out of the net we find ourselves in. The trap we walked right into is our own belief system.

So what has my life got to do with love? Everything!! The only thing that makes any sense, that gives me pure joy and that I give back in abundance is love. It is the only universal vibration that creates without taking away from anything else.

It is the top of the heap, what everybody is secretly looking for and finds so hard to get. That is because what you give is what you get back. I finally understand that. It applies to everything living. When I love a plant, it gives back by growing and flourishing. The same thing applies to people. All life responds to this.

So why am I sharing this? I want you to be as happy as I feel when I see a glorious sunset, a blooming flower spreading wide open to the sun, bread rising in the oven, two lovers holding hands and children playing with gay abandon. That pure joy is love. I wish you much love. I hope you too find it in everything.

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Halloween is not for Pets

October 24th, 2011

Halloween is meant to be a fun occasion for families but it is not
so much fun for the family pet. So please indulge me as I mention
a few things to keep our furry friends safe.
Dressing up your pet should not be encouraged even though you
think it is cute or funny. Often there are pieces than can break off
or could be chewed off by your pet. The costume might be confining
or hinder breathing. The look on your pet’s face should speak volumes.
The excitement of the occasion will draw in your pet to see what all
the commotion is about. That is when they get into trouble investi-
gating candy dishes or bowls, decorations and electrical connections.
We all know chocolate is bad for dogs but especially the darker variety
or dark cooking chocolate. But any candy can cause irritations and
stomach upsets since it is not a natural food for your pet.
Black cats suffer especially on Halloween so keep them in, keep all pets
inside and away from windows and doors. Even the pet adoption
centers will not adopt cats out on this of all evenings since there are
too many people who have cruel intentions towards them.
I recommend you do not take your dog with you when going door-to-
door. The dog will likely get traumatized by all the activity and could
get hurt or lost.
Last but not least, fireworks are a dog’s worst nightmare. The noise is
sudden, unexplained in his eyes and makes most dogs dive for cover.
Find a quiet place in the home, not outside, where he can feel safe and
secure. Since he really is your best friend, he deserves to be treated
with all the love and kindness you can muster. Take a minute to think
about all this and do him proud.

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Thanksgiving – a Time to be Thankful

October 6th, 2011

Here in Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving at the end of the harvest. It is something we look forward to since we can express our gratitude for the bounty we gathered all summer long.

I am made aware of all those not lucky enough to have a small plot of land to grow food on and I have to emphasize just how important this really is. Ask you neighbour to share a plot, start a neighbourhood or community garden, get involved with school gardening programs and anything else you can think of to give you access to fresh food.

Since the products in our fresh food aisles in grocery stores is already days old, you are not getting all the goodness you should be out of the plant. The only way to assure yourself of this is to get to a farmer’s market and buy there, have your own plot and harvest it or resort to frozen food which is still the best bet as a last resort since it is frozen quickly after it reaches maturity.

Having control over what you eat is still the only way to assure yourself you are eating healthy. This Thanksgiving which is all about bounty and gratitude, think seriously about obtaining a small piece of land for our next spring season.

I recommend going as natural as you can in having your own garden, picking your own fruit, hunting and gathering herbs for teas, etc. If more people took the time to do this, we could live the way we were meant to with little disease and natural solutions to living issues.

Happy Thanksgiving and bless you all!!!

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Triggers to Sleep

September 18th, 2011

Everybody has those nights when they just can’t drop off to sleep so easily and we all need to find ways to make the process less of a struggle. Some folks are highly stressed and so frequently experience sleepless nights. One of these possibilities might work better than others. Here are a few to try:

  • Take a few minutes to write down in point form, the stressful things of the day. Take that paper, crumple it up and put it into the waste basket. Now you should be able to sleep without mulling over every little thing that worries you since you have psychologically thrown them away.
  • You can be overly energized by triggers like tea or coffee and even your multi vitamin so keep those activities for the morning when you want to be awake.
  • Maybe you have a secret passionate desire to travel somewhere or to build a dream house or some such thing. Get right into it where you can visualize yourself enjoying the beach or looking at the view from your new home patio. Pleasurable activities like this keep out stressful emotions and so allow you to relax.
  • Eliminate any sources of noise or light from the room and be sure to keep the air circulating if it is a warmer night.
  • Prevent the phone from ringing by disconnecting the cord and turn off your cell phone away from you and your bed. Anything electrical has a magnetic field around it so eliminate anything of that nature away from your sleeping area.
  • Two proven natural remedies if all fails are taking 1 mg of Melatonin or 100 mg of Valerian about an hour before bedtime.
  • Create your own acupressure routine before bed by freezing two plastic bottles of water and rolling them under your feet for about 10 minutes. Since the pressure is relatively the same on the entire foot, you are effecting all of your organs and body parts to relax normally.

 

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Pet Tricks I Have Learned

September 8th, 2011

When I say I have learned pet tricks, I mean I have learned how to do a few things to make my relationship with my pet even easier. I have an old cat, a female named Greyfax and a male dog named Cody.

Both are the light of my life since they have been with me for quite a while. The cat is now 17 and Cody is 11 years young. Just like family members, they interact and maintain their own idea of dominance and playfulness.

Cody was a rescue and was mistreated at a very young age before I got him. But he reached out to me to help him and he has taught me a lot. Grey was really my husbands cat and when we split up, he left her behind, something she has never really gotten over since she did not choose me to be her master.

So they have their own history and needs, quite separate from each other. By spending a little quality time with each of them doing what they enjoy the most, I manage to maintain a sense of equality and lessen any of that green-eyed jealousy.

For example, when Grey awakens from a solid sleep, she talks a lot to me telling me about her dream. I always respond by interacting which she loves. She also tells me when her litter box is in need of a change by sniffing the air and when she needs a brushing, I notice she starts scratching her back against furniture.

Cody sits up when he wants me to throw his stuffed “critter” to play fetch. Other times he finds his ball and starts rolling all over it with his back to tell me it is time to play catch. He also has a way of intensely looking at me when he needs to go out. Most dogs scratch at the door but not my Cody. He figures I can read his mind.

On that note, give a try to envisioning what you want your cat or dog to do. Strangely enough, they catch that mind transfer and do just that. I have had several people try this and report it does work. But it takes you a bit of doing to actually see them in your head. Give it a try, what have you got to lose?

Also Cody and the cat respond well to my speaking in soft tones, higher pitched and excited when I want to praise them and play and low and gentle for when I am trying to persuade them. A firm, sharp and low toned “No” works for stopping Cody and Grey from bad behaviour. The main thing when they are misbehaving is for you to remain calm as it is infectious.

Well those are a few things I can pass on from personal experience. I am sure you have a few too. Feel free to pass them along to me.

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Resveratrol – not a weight loss panacea

September 2nd, 2011
 PR: n/a  I: 154  L: 0  LD: 8  I: 8  Rank: 13422422  Age: December 3, 2007  I: 0  whois source Robo: no Sitemap: yes  Rank: n/a  Price: n/a
Info  PR: n/a  I: 154  L: 0  LD: 8  I: 8  Rank: 13422422  Age: December 3, 2007  I: 0  whois source Robo: no Sitemap: yes  Rank: n/a  Price: n/a Density

I recently read an article about Resveratrol and the debate that continues regarding the benefits including losing weight. In fact, only animals have been tested with this product and so it leaves a considerable area for doubt.

It stands to reason that if we can exercise for a longer period of time and do so without showing the usual signs of fatigue, we will go longer with our regime. That alone should bring about some weight loss but we could get that anyway by pushing through and not using the pill.

Since this is an antioxidant, why not take more of those healthy products that contain it like grapes and berries. Red wine in moderation is also on that list but I would not recommend it since there is a tendency to take too much of it and lose any benefit we could get.

The effect comes from the extra Oxygen we are able to store which in turn fires up our muscles and slows the heart when doing exercise. Thus the sensation that we can do more without tiring.

So if it is Oxygen we need, why not take in more with proper deep breathing exercises before our work out? That combined with eating the right foods will help us to exercise longer and more effectively and give us the result we are seeking.

Also, combine that with already established weight loss helpers like eating much more fiber found in whole foods. Till we get some long term answers re this pill, I would not be a guinea pig!!

 

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