Today’ Guideposts devotional compared the two animals and explained why Lions are King.
Sometimes I don’t relate to either of those cats! This morning I felt more like a monkey! 🐵 Sitting around waiting for our new Boston puppy to arrive – selecting toys and a dog bed & blankets! “Kenny” should arrive around Feb. 6 or 7!!Named Kennedy by his Missouri breeder, we’ll call him “Kenny.”What animal are you identifying with today?
As most of you know, I spent my career in education. I taught all grades K-8 (except 3rd… don’t know why I skipped that one). Children are my passion…. their education, their safety, their equal opportunities. It breaks my heart when I see evidence of neglect or abuse or (heaven forbid) sex trafficking. Children are our most vulnerable humans and they need our protection, for they cannot protect themselves.
My passion for animals is especially poignant right now – – especially after our horrific accident last week when we lost our sweet puppy, Owen. I still can’t stop crying. My heart aches.
He was such a little rascal, but he wrapped himself around our hearts and we miss his company more than words can say. I am passionate about having a pet. Our house feels empty and vacuous without one. Owen filled all the empty corners of our hearts and our home. He brought such joy. How can we go on without a Boston Terrier chewing on our rugs, tugging on our heartstrings, filling our days?
Rest in peace, sweet puppy. You were an object of my affection, the recipient of my passion. Bob & I miss you so much!
My mom always quoted this saying: “It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
I don’t know its origin, but I certainly believe it.
Have you ever experienced a day from hell? We just had one. We are devastated. Our sweet, adorable, beloved Owen, our 10 month old Boston Terrier, died yesterday. It was a tragic, bizarre accident. He jumped out of the car window while connected to a leash and hung himself. I can’t go into any more detail – I can’t stop crying. I can’t stop blaming myself. With all the best of intentions, with love for Owen as the motivation, we left him in a situation that we never in a million years anticipated would turn out so horribly. If you don’t hear from me for awhile, you will understand why. I am so so so sorry!!!!! My heart is broken in a million pieces.
He filled all the empty places in our heart and home… he was such a sweetheart… learning and growing… and now he is gone. A day from hell…
I can’t stop blaming myself. We were gone less than 5 minutes. We never should have left him… Woulda, shoulda, coulda… Heaven help us!
Owen Leo Beekman Born 7-24-23 on my 85th birthday! (We’re both Leos!!)
Just look at that face! Doesn’t he look innocent?
Guess again! That “Ducky” used to have a head!
First to go at the expert chewing of our destructive pup was the beak… then the whole head!
And next, the wings had to come off, and all the stuffing out of the body!
So, I cut the limp body off of the rope, and as you can see, he loves his rope!
We’ve had Boston Terriers all of our married life, 62 years worth, with about six different pups in those six decades. But none was as destructive as this guy!!
See that collar on him? It is to prevent him from pulling the stitches out from the surgery he had last Monday.
Suppose getting him neutered will calm him down? We hope so!!
He really is a sweetheart… when he’s asleep! But he is such a live wire when he’s awake… Always into something! Will not sit still in Bob’s arms to have his toenails trimmed the way our last Boston, TazE, did!
But, Owen’s just 10 months old today… and so he is still learning, still a puppy. Give him time, huh? Owen is destined to be an angel…
We just pray that he makes that transition while he is still here on earth. Right?
My mom loved poetry and she saved those she liked the most when she saw them in the newspaper back in the 1930’s. I have the cardboard on which she taped her favorites.
It’s inside my kitchen cabinet door. So faded you can just barely read it. The date says 1936! One of my favorites of that collection is:
My dog is a nuisance, an absolute pest, With him in the house there is truly no rest. He leaves dirty tracks on the mirror-bright floor, And scratches the paint from the tidy front door.
He slobbers his water and spills half his food; The rugs are all gnawed and the slippers are chewed. He sheds tufts of hair and he scatters his fleas; He buries his bones under bushes and trees.
He keeps me awake every night with his yaps; The neighbors all cuss him for spoiling their naps. I’ll stand it no longer. I’m getting fed up. I won’t be a slave for that bothersome pup.
Er, pardon, excuse me – but what did you say? You ask if I’m giving my puppy away? You’ve the nerve to suggest that you’ll take him with pleasure. Well, certainly not – he’s an absolute treasure!
…Margaret Macprang MacKay, poet
Here’s mom… with my dad … back in 1936 At the time she collected those poems, Before my sister and I were born. Aren’t I the lucky one? To have such parents?
Thank you, Mom, for your love of poetry And your love of dogs, and your tolerance. Er, pardon, excuse me, but what did you say? You ask if I’m giving my Owen away?
Well, certainly not! I’ll keep him with pleasure. He’s an absolute treasure!!
Today I am being prompted to post this n that… a little about a lotta things. Today would have been my dad’s 113th birthday if he were still alive. So, May 14th has a special ring in my heart. My daddy was a very special, very kind, very positive influence on my life. Happy Birthday, Dad!!
He gave the best hugs in the world!!
And today he would have loved to have been here with us in Ennis, Montana to witness the influx of antelope on our golf course’s driving range!
I am in touch each morning with our daughter, DeAna, in Switzerland, and our “adopted daughter,” Laina, who lives in Glen Burnie, near Baltimore. Today Laina sent me this photo of her “grand-dog” on her daughter’s lawn. Laina said the grass was foot high. She just finished mowing it! What a wonderful, thoughtful mama she is!
Our daughter, De, in Switzerland, sent us this picture of the flowers her middle son, Nicky, gave her for Mother’s Day. Isn’t it nice when our kids remember us on Mother’s Day and call or send flowers?
I was treated with flowers from De and Laina, and a phone call from our son in CA. Bob & I treated ourselves to a Mother’s Day buffet at “The Mint” in Belgrade. It’s a delightful restaurant not too far from the Bozeman Yellowstone Airport. I highly recommend it. Bob gave me a lovely card and the restaurant handed out flowers.
Just look at that happy smile and the beautiful plate of prime rib, potatoes, bacon, and asparagus. The Mint also had a section where there were salad fixings. All around us were families with their young children. I love watching little kids with their attentive parents, don’t you?
While we were in the restaurant, our pup Owen, stayed in his crate in the car. He is such a good traveler! On the way home he decided he wanted to travel on the floor between my feet, He usually sits in my lap. Go figure! Owen is 9 months old! He’ll be 10 months on the 24th. That’s the day we’ll get him neutered and have a chip installed.
Our waitress at The Mint was “Solaira.” Isn’t that a pretty name? She said her mom made it up. I had never heard it before. She was a very attentive, efficient waitress.
💋 Today Owen was happy to be in my lap as we traveled to the Post Office to pick up our mail. It’s a gray, cool (56 degree) day. We’ve had a little rain. Can use some more moisture here. We haven’t seen the last of our snow yet!
Well, that’s enough of my rambling this n that for today. I hope you had a Terrific Tuesday and the rest of your week goes well, too. What are your plans for this week? What are you looking forward to?
Jeremiah 29:11 ~ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Tune in to God’s Plan. It’s definitely the one I wanna go with! Have a blessed week. Love, JanBeek
Yes, you Owen! You chewed and shook and squeaked and rampaged that toy to death!
But Mom, it’s such fun!
Ya, well it isn’t made of cast iron, you know.
Can I chew this foot off of it?
Obviously you can, Owen. And you did. And then the ear. And then the other feet. And finally got a piece of the stuffing. And then the squeaker. What a mess!
It’s okay. I have other toys!
Uh-huh! But how long will they last!? You are hell bent on destruction!
But you love me, Mom, right?
Yes, Owen, I love you! But you definitely need some training … and some cast iron toys!
Boston Terriers are such fun!
Owen keeps us on our toes! He’s quite a character. My blogging has had to take a back seat to his care and attention. This week we’ll begin some intense training for him. Do you have any advice!?
You want me to ring that bell? What a silly idea!
Yup, ring the bell. Do your business outside. Don’t chew on the furniture. Stop grabbing your dad’s shorts off the bench in the bedroom and carrying them to the living room.
“Enjoyable Job” – hah! For some that’s an oxymoron! But not for me. My job (as an educator for over 30 years) was mostly enjoyable! 👌🏽
I submit that I would be lying if I said I enjoyed my job every day! Some days, as a teacher, I didn’t have enough corners in the classroom to separate the trouble-makers! Then after 24 years in the classroom, I changed my job to educating teachers… and mentoring parents. That’s what principals do as effective administrators! Some days I didn’t have the patience I needed in order to enjoy the role of principal when it came to disciplining a recalcitrant teacher or suspending a troublesome, disruptive student and helping the parent know how to follow-through at home.
My job now is to take care of my hubby and our home – and to house-train our new puppy, Owen.
Owen and Bob
Do I enjoy those jobs? Not always! I’d be lying if I said wiping up “mistakes” always is enjoyable. But, do I feel blessed to have them both? You bet!
Every job is a blessing!
“Enjoyable” is not always the most important definition for an important, successful job. How do you define it?
Owen is our new Boston Terrier. Seven months old, born on my birthday last July 24, he is an 8 lb. bundle of energy. Our home is new territory for him. He was part of a kennel litter of seven in Springfield, MO. Being in a home with snow covering the outside areas is new to him. My job is to teach him to be a reliable family member. Teach him to walk on snow. Teach him to signal us when he needs out!
His jobs are to learn how to live inside, how to play with his new parents, how to communicate with us, where to “go” and where not to. His favorite spot is my lap! I’m learning to “read” his needs. It’s a challenging, but rewarding job!
Meet Owen!
Sweet pup! You are bringing such joy into our family!
What are your current jobs? Don’t try to convince me that they’re always “enjoyable” 🤪 !!
