Monday, September 12, 2005

Buster, Buster-Part Four

Living in South Carolina most of my life we
only had snow about once a winter if we were lucky.
The same here in North Georgia. I had never made a
snow angel until I moved to North Georgia.
Annie shared that wonderful experience with me.
We lay in the snow made our snow angels and
laughed.
We laughed even harder watching our beloved
dogs play in our yearly snow. Sebastian and
Buster were big snow lovers. Lil' Bit not so
much. The snow got her precious feet wet...And,
she just could not have her feet wet.
Buster being the short little thing he was
would run and play for hours (if we let him)
in the snow. We had to make Buster and Sebastian
come inside. Buster would have snow tags hanging
from all his hair.
They were so cute running and playing with their
doggie sweaters on making their own version of
doggie snow angels. Buster would roll in the snow
completely covering himself with the white stuff.
Looking at his face we could see a big doggie grin.

Lil'Bit would stand in the snow only after we
would clear away a snow spot for her....Then
she would stand there in the grass long enough
to potty....Look up at us as if to say OK I'm
done hold me now please.
I would take her into the yard and put her down
in the snow. It was too funny watching her run
to the porch to the safety of no snow.
Buster tried to get her to play with him in
the snow....She would have no part of it.

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Slugs All Around-Finding The Humor

Annie and I had a great laugh just now.
I worked 7pm to 7am last night and slept the
day away. I got up at 3:45 pm and went to my
computer as always. Annie was working on her
blog. We kissed hello and I said sorry I slept
all day.
Later the conversation turned to the lack of
what we had done this week.....Nothing to be
exact. On Monday she cleaned house and did laundry.
John, Katie and I did outside stuff, grass, shrubs
and trimming. I worked Monday night.
Tuesday we did nothing....More of the same on
Wednesday....More of the same on Thursday....Nothing!!

Annie made a comment a few minutes ago that when she
drove Katie to work this afternoon she did so in her PJ's.
While driving she was thinking to herself.....Don't let
anything happen....I would hate to be on the side of the
road in my pink pants. Pink pajama pants....We just had to
laugh, and laugh, and laugh. I can see her now standing
on the side of the road in her pink pajammies....Oh you
just got to love that woman.
We did so little this week, that we did not even dress.
My feelings about this.....Oh well....Sometimes you
just deserve to do nothing....You just have to!!

What we have done a lot of is be glued to the TV.
Watching Katrina stories....Many, many of which have
been happy, a joy to watch. Many happy tears for us
to see these folks getting help. The stories of kindness
and love. There is hope, there is help, there is love all
around.

Friday, September 02, 2005

Tragedy and Devastation

How much and what can one say!!!
Tragedy and Devastation....A National Disaster.
As I sit at my computer in the safety of my home
I watch the TV. A home filled with love, with food, water,
electricity...All the comforts. Comforts that so many thousands
do not have right now....And do not know when they will.
I watch a concert, a charity concert to financially support
Katrina's wrath. How much is enough?
When will that enough get there? How many people have to die?
A painful truth.... Thousands of lives lost, dead....Thousands more
without the comforts of home.
Summer heat and humidity, no shelter, no food, no water, no
basic necessities. NO HOME.
I can not even imagine being there....

If those storm ravaged people can find food, water, mattresses,
or anything to help ease their pain and suffering....I say
good for you. Take what you need as long as it hurts no one.
Is it stealing when you are doing it for survival?...Hell No. It's
survival.

Tears flow in this house for all those involved.
Why was so little done so slowly. Everyone knew this
storm was coming. They said get out....Leave your homes.
I am so happy that many did. But, for others that did not,
I am sad. Not just that they did not leave...They could not.
For financial reasons they did not, could not.
The poor could not leave.

Annie and I were in Albany, Georgia this week. I was there
for a mandatory class. We saw many, many people in the very
hotel where we stayed run out from their homes. Running
from Katrina. We saw the looks on their faces, the sadness
in their eyes. I know they had to wonder and worry if
they still had a home. If their relatives were safe.
Albany was filled with people. People who if they could have
would have been in the comfort of their homes.
This I am sure would not have been their choice. It is no
vacation for them.
Two guys in the room next to us, went out and bought a
generator, multiple gas cans and cases of water. They grilled
out every night because it was cheaper than eating out.
How long do they have to wait? How much do they have to suffer?

There is no way to know they suffering and struggle of
these people without being there. I wish I could be there.
I wish I could be there to help. I know I would never be the same
after seeing all the tragedy and devastation, first hand.

Much time must pass before things, people will be back to functioning.
Much more time before things are settled. For all these people, their
lives will never be "normal" again.