ENTRY # NINETY FOUR

Hi.
Here is something else that I want to show you but it is to large for my regular blog. Helen sent this and I want to give credit to her and the author. Thanks to you both. DAD.
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BEN AND JAKE
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by Debra Easterling
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Ben and Jake were inseparable. Sure, Ben loved me. We had been married thirty years or more. But there was a bond between him and that Retriever tighter than a three-ply cattle rope.
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Every night like clockwork, my husband, Ben, would come home at 6pm, shake off his boots, and hang up his coat while Jake danced back and forth. He'd always be rewarded for his performance as Ben stooped to rub his ears. The grateful dog would then immediately run to our room, pick up Ben's slippers as if they were as fragile as egg shells, and then he would bring them to Ben's big easy chair.

Once the fuzzy slippers were snug on Ben's feet, Jake would walk around in circles until he found just the right spot beside Ben's chair. It was always the same spot, but the dog relentlessly made a ritual of settling down.

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After the evening news, Jake would take his place beside Ben at the dinner table. He didn't beg for food, like other dogs. He merely rested his golden head on Ben's lap until my husband was through with his meal. With the dishes washed and dried, Ben would stagger into the hallway and find Jake waiting beside the chair, leash in his mouth, waiting for their nightly walk.
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Without fail, Ben would say sweet terms of endearment to his buddy as he again donned his coat and boots. No matter what the weather, the two of them would head out to embrace the elements together.

. Last year about this time, a drunk driver drove his truck into Ben's path. My husband did his best to veer the bus out of the way, but there wasn't enough time. Ben and three passengers went to live with Jesus that night. I lost the only man I ever loved and his passing was extremely hard. I was grateful we had no children to break the news to, but there was Jake.

.The poor thing couldn't understand why Ben didn't come home. He waited at the door every night at 6pm for a month. Ben never came in to rub his ears. There was no one to dance for. I walked him every night, but he only sat at edge of the property, waiting and watching. Jake barely touched his food. He never joined me at the table. I tried to make him feel better every once in a while by placing some of Ben's clothes by his old chair, but Jake preferred to sleep now by the door. Jake spent many evenings with his big yellow nose poised on the doorstop, whimpering in his sleep. I thought my heart would break. Last night was the one year anniversary of Ben's passing. I didn't bother to cook a meal. Food had little appeal. Even with Jake by my side, I felt so alone.
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Then suddenly, promptly at 6pm, Jake jumped to his feet and ran to the door. He danced back and forth wagging his tail, whining like a puppy, full of glee. He dipped his head, and then he bounded to the top of the stairs, grabbed the slippers, and raced down to gently lay them at Ben's chair. Jake then walked in circles, over and over again, until he found the right spot, and laid himself down. Naturally, I thought the poor old dog had finally lost it. His grief caused him to recreate his nightly ritual. I bent down to pet sweet Jake with the intention of whispering comforting words into his floppy ears. As I did, I found that my darling Ben had come back for his faithful friend . The two of them went for a final walk to embrace the elements together. -

- Debra Easterling
merry1621@aol.commerry1621@gmail.com

"When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently."
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I like that Thanks for coming over. DAD.

Entry # Ninety Three

Good Morning.

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Here is another one that is too long for my regular blog.



The History of 'APRONS' !! I don't think our kids know ,
what an apron is.



The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath,because she only had a few,it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

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It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

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From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

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When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

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Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

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From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

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When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

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When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

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It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

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Send this to those who would know (and love) the story about Grandma's aprons.

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REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies
on the window sill to cool.

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Her granddaughters set theirs
on the window sill to thaw.



They would go crazy now trying to figure
out how many germs were on that apron. * I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron !!!! *

ENTRY # NINETY TWO

Hi There. this is old Dad, and I have an entry that is just too large for my regular blog. So I am showing it to here. DAD'
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My Resignation
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I am hereby officially tendering
my resignation as an adult. I have
decided I would like to accept the
responsibilities of an 8 year-old again.
I want to go to McDonald’s and think
that it’s a four star restaurant.
I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud
puddle and make a sidewalk with rocks.
I want to think M&Ms are better than
money because you can eat them.
I want to lie under a big oak tree and
run a lemonade stand with my friends on
a hot summer’s day.
I want to return to a time when life was
simple; When all you knew were colors,
multiplication tables, and nursery
rhymes, but that didn’t bother you,
because you didn’t know what you
didn’t know and you didn’t care.
All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware
of all the things that should make you worried or upset.
I want to think the world is fair.
That everyone is honest and good.
I want to believe that anything is
possible. I want to be oblivious
to the complexities of life and be
overly excited by the little things
again.
I want to live simple again. I
don’t want my day to consist of
computer crashes, mountains of paperwork,
depressing news, how to survive more days
in the month than there is money in the
bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness,
and loss of loved ones.
I want to believe in the power of
smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth,
justice, peace, dreams, the imagination,
mankind, and making angels in the snow.
So . . . here’s my checkbook
and my car-keys, my credit card bills
and my 401K statements.
I am officially
resigning from adulthood.
And if you want to discuss this
further, you’ll have to catch me
first, cause……..
……”Tag! You’re it.”
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Pass this on to other people and brighten
their day by helping them remember
the Simple things in Life.

ENTRY # NINETY ONE.

What A Dog! This is a MUST read !!!!!!!!!

Thought everyone should know about this dog and his story. Especially like the ending ..... A Pets Ten Commandments........... Be sure to read them too.

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My kind of dog!
The K9 above is Brutus,
a military K9 at McChord.
He's huge - part Boxer and part British Bull Mastiff and tops the scales at 200 lbs. His handler took the picture. Brutus is running toward me because he knows I have some Milk Bone treats, so he's slobbering away! I had to duck around a tree just before he got to me in case he couldn't stop, but he did. Brutus won the Congressional Medal of Honor last year from his tour in Iraq . His handler and four other soldiers were taken hostage by insurgents. Brutus and his handler communicate by sign language and he gave Brutus the signal that meant 'go away but come back and find me'. The Iraqis paid no attention to Brutus. He came back later and quietly tore the throat out of one guard at one door and another guard at another door. He then jumped against one of the doors repeatedly (the guys were being held in an old warehouse) until it opened. He went in and untied his handler and they all escaped. He's the first K9 to receive this honor. If he knows you're ok, he's a big old lug and wants to sit in your lap. Enjoys the company of cats.
K-9 Congressional Medal of Honor Winner
Thought you'd find this interesting.
Talk about animal intelligence and bonding with humans!

Remember that they can't do a lot of things for themselves and that they depend on you to make their life a quality life!
A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS.........

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

Take a moment today to thank God for your pets.
Enjoy and take good care of them.

Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters.

Please pass this on to other pet owners.

We do not have to wait for Heaven, to be surrounded by hope, love, and joyfulness. It is here on earth and has four legs!
Dinner Made Easy Newsletter - Simple Meal Ideas for Your Family. Sign Up Now!
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-- Roy

ENTRY # NINETY

Hi.

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I did not have room for this on my regular blog. It is good, thanks to Helen. DAD
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"I rescued a human today. Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them. As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well. Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one."
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I received this in an email and thought it was good.
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Thanks Helen!

ENTRY # NINETY-ONE

ATTORNEY'S ADVICE - NO CHARGE

Not A Joke!! Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday. Maybe we should all take some of his advice! A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company.

1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'

2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.

3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you h ave a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.

4. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.
I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards. Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have first hand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(S) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.
But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:

5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where yo u can find them.

6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one). But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)

7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the internet in my name.

The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:

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1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 .)

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2 .) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742

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3.)Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289

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4.)Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

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These phone numbers above are very important, hold on to them. DAD

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We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about everything. If you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help someone that you care about.

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Author Unknown

ENTRY # NINETY

Good Morning.
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The poem below was sent to me bt John M.

WHERE IS THE WAY?

From life and peace with the fold,.
In crooked paths o’er mountains cold;
Like sheep, we all have gone astray,
And to get home where is the way?

Our Shepherd Christ was never lost,
I’d follow him at any cost;
The path he trod was very straight,
And led directly to the gate.

But other men have come and gone,
Who cared not what was right or wrong;
His standard they have taken down,
And in its place have put their own.

Deceitful men of every day,
Will lead the multitude astray;
These wicked men, poor people pay,
To tell the world, “This is the way”.

They trifle with God’s holy words,
And lead men on in flocks and herds;
The Shepherds voice they cannot hear,
For paths and sounds are everywhere.

I would dear Jesus, I could break,
The hedge that creeds and heresies make;
And like Thy first disciples be,
In person, led and taught by Thee.

I read Thy words so pure and sweet,
And seek the footsteps of Thy feet;
But men so mystify the trace,
I long to see Thee face to face.

ENTRY # SEVENTEEN HUNDRED & THIRTY FOUR

One of my roses blooming in the front yard

Good Morning.
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Time is so precious-do not waste it...
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The sun never sets on Dad's Tomato Garden Journal...

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Posted on 13 May 2009 by tomatocasual.com
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Staking Tomato Plants

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By Michelle Fabio.
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If all is going well with your tomato plants, soon you’ll be considering staking them.If you need a refresher course on the process, here is list of frequently asked questions about staking:
What is Staking?Staking is a way to physically support tomato plants as they grow.
Why should I stake tomato plants?The two most important reasons you should stake tomato plants are:
• Staking provides physical support so tomato plants don’t break under the strain of fruit or inclement weather;
• Staking enables better air flow through tomato plants, which results in less internal moisture that can result in disease.
How do I stake tomato plants?There are several ways you can stake tomato plants including single wooden stakes driven into the ground, frames, trellises, and cages.
How do I know which staking method is right for my tomatoes?Which staking method you should use for your plants depends on the type of tomato as well as how many tomatoes you’d like to Read the rest of this entry »

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Related Posts
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What’s the Difference Between Indeterminate and Determinate Tomatoes?
Growing Tomatoes on a Slope
Transplanting a Large Tomato Plant
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Email This Post
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http://dadstomatonews.blogspot.com/
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This link above will bring back many precious memories.
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