What’s up in your neck o’ the woods?
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
Cafe folks want me to add my blog to the blogroll — what’s the procedure?
I just had a quick look at your blog Cali Scribe. Wonderful start. Your blog focuses on a topic which is so important to many of our lives, but one which is difficult to speak or write about in a forum outside of a small circle of very close friends. I look forward to what may come from your site. Over the last few years I’ve tried to write about mental health issues repeatedly, yet I’ve only completed one post.
For example, this past weekend I was going to write a post on a person named Sam Ryan. I knew Sam only a very little and haven’t seen him in over a year. Nevertheless, Sam has been on my mind since he committed suicide by police a few blocks from my home a week ago.
I wanted to really talk about just what goes into that entire mess from top to bottom – nobody comes out in good shape. I’ve seen just enough suicide in my life to have a good idea of the effect on the bystanders. I thought I might be able to say something meaningful. Nothing. I thought, since this is a political site, that I might be able to bring some public policy elements into the discussion. I tried, but I couldn’t do it. For me, mental health issues are like poison on the keyboard.
Serious discussion of mental health issues are woefully lacking throughout all of our media, partially due to wimps like me, so I wish you the best of luck with your new blog Cali Scribe.
In the first 14 hours of the day (since she and I awoke at 2:30 am), she’d gone from feeling “ooky” and walking with some effort to not being able to walk, and unable to stand without assistance. Her pupils stopped dilating, and her head adopted a tilt. She was in a lot of pain.
We (all three of us — my wife, my MIL and I) brought her in to the doc about 6 pm, after giving her some steak (she ~lived~ to eat…she was an Alaskan Malamute).
We had a large crunchy treat that we all kissed, then gave her for the ride over to the doctor’s office. We left our little dog at home.
This seems to be a time where folks are saying goodbye to fuzzy companions. Booman recently told of how he had to say goodbye to his longtime friend Buster. My wife tells me that a friend of her from LJ just lost a longtime companion.
I just thought I’d share.
Here’s some pics:
Missy, the “Woo” dog
“I have a toy.”
“Don’tcha want some ‘Woo-cuddles’?”
Here’s a pic of ‘The Little One’
I am so sorry for your loss. The canine friends are very hard to loose. My sympathy to and yours.
Thank you, Brenda.
It never is easy to loose a good friend. I lost one of mine just last Nov. Her mother dies two years ago. Samantha, the mother was a woo woo song type swooner for me when we sang together…We had such fun together both of the German Shepards. Her daugher, Bandit she would look at Sam and me and tilt her head as we sang together and just watch us…was so funny…So I know how the death of a very good canine friend is so sad….
So sorry to learn of her passing, GreyHawk.
She looks like such a sweetie in those pictures.
Thanks, ask.
She wasn’t like most Mals that I’ve known. I think because I was her fourth owner in her first five and half years of life, she took to me more strongly when she realized that she had found a permanent home.
She was very protective, highly intelligent, and quite intuitive.
My wife and MIL both found that Missy could damn near talk, and would often cross her front paws and try to engage them in long warbly conversations.
Missy considered herself to be a co-matriarch of the house (we all live in my MIL’s house, as my MIL has mid-stage dementia and can’t live alone). “The Woo Girl” would go into “Mumsie’s” room at night, opening the door with her nose, in order to ensure that all was in order. If “Mumsie” had fallen asleep with a light, the radio or the TV on, Missy would come get my wife or I to turn it off.
In the mornings, it was the same thing — she’d open my MIL’s door and go check on her. Sometimes, she went in to sleep on the floor of the sewing room — esp. if she was tired and my wife & I got up early.
In the past 6 months, she hasn’t been able to do the stairs leading up to “Mumsie’s” room. For most of that time, my wife or I would sleep downstairs to keep Missy company; I was usually the one to stay downstairs, but Wifey took a few turns now and then.
We’re really going to miss her. She was big, fuzzy, warm and loved to cuddle. I used to fall asleep on the floor using her as a pillow. A great big pillow. My wife would leave us sleeping on the floor, saying that she’d never seen a dog grin like the way Missy did, and that we both looked soooo comfortable and happy.
:/
I miss my “Woo Girl”.
What a loyal friend! 🙂
:/
Oh, I can see you will miss her terribly. Lovely and wise.
So sorry to hear that GreyHawk. Thanks for sharing the pictures. She was a beautiful dog.
Thank you, Mary.
…she was one of a kind.
The wind here whistled past the windows a short while ago — just before the normal dinner time for the “girlz” (we referred to the two dogs, both female, that way).
As it blew, it let out a singular mournful, warbly howl that set our hair on end…it sounded sooo much like Missy, trying to convince us to feed them early.
:/
…we gave her some steak before we took her in, but obviously since it wasn’t a full meal, she must’ve been looking for more.
Evidently, she’s already looking in on us.
She’s beautiful, and looks so happy in the photos.
Thanks, Olivia.
My deepest and most sincere sympathies and condolences to you and your family. So sad to lose a beautiful and loving companion so quickly.
Peace and Blessings.
Thank you.
She was slowly degenerating over the past six months — perhaps she was far worse than she’d let on. She was very stubborn that way.
On cold, low-pressure days that followed wonderfully warm ones, if I forgot to check and be sure she was warm, she’d have trouble getting up in the morning and would ask for help.
When she began having the same problem getting up when the day was already rolling into the afternoon, she’d refuse any offers of assistance — often lurching to one side or another to avoid helping hands — until she’d given it a second, then a third, try. Sometimes, she’d succeed and scold me for doubting her. Other times, she’d have to accept the help and quietly nuzzle her thanks.
I was usually good at knowing when she wasn’t feeling well over the years; it pains me to think she got very successful at hiding her own pain the last few months. She knew my wife and I were worried about my wife’s mom, so it’s quite like her to try and tough things out — she reminds me of my MIL that way. Very stubborn to the point of possible self-detriment more often than not.
:/
I posted a diary with a poem in honor of BooMan’s dog Buster. Click the link in case you haven’t seen it. (Go ahead and substitute the word “Missy” for “Buster.” I won’t mind.)
Thanks, Omir.
It was your poem that first alerted me to Booman’s own loss of Buster. I’d missed seeing it before.
…it appears this isn’t a good month for fuzzy friends and companions. :/ There’s even a dKos diary out there ’bout someone else losing a dog today.
Oof.
I know that is a sock in the gut. I wish I had a little Newf to help me deal with my loss. I did visit my cats at the exes house tonight. That helped.
I’m very sorry for your loss. I know how much it hurts. Boo had a steak dinner the the last night too. He really loved it.
Yeah — I could see it coming, but didn’t think it would hit so quickly. My wife cried just watching Missy try to get up and walk a few steps this afternoon; it was so tragic to see. We all knew that the time had come, sooner than expected even though we’d known it would likely arrive within the month. We’d hoped we were being cynical with the thought that at the earliest it would be by the weekend.
:/
Missy was my first dog, and special due to the tremendous love and trust developed between us. I’ll be feeling her absence for a very long time.
Well, take your time and give yourself the right to feel your loss.
I just cleaned up the various Buster accouterments lying around tonight. I feel like shit, but I don’t apologize for feeling like shit. It’s how I should feel.
Don’t rush it. And feel better when you’re ready.
It sounds like you have adopted exactly the attitude you need to get yourself through this. Yes, you should allow yourself to feel like shit and by all means no apologies to anyone are needed! You’re absolutely right, give yourself the time you need, and feel better when you’re ready, and only you will know when that is.
I do hope you’ll keep Buster’s things around in a special place … I still have a little shrine to Coco here in my study. I have a spotted dog cookie jar with her ashes in it, along with her collar and leash. I keep her food bowl next to it, along with her picture. I also keep a little treat in the bowl and every so often it disappears and I replace it with another. Hope you don’t think me too weird for that, but it helps keep her memory alive for me, and she’s been gone almost 11 years now.
Really moving.
Thanks, Booman.
The past few months, when “Woo” wasn’t able to climb the stairs, she was able to clambor up on the couch and get comfortable. The past month, however, she wasn’t able to do that. Wifey and I put out a fouton on the living room floor, placing a vinyl cover over it and then a big green furniture moving cloth (she’s occassional leave little gifts when she was too tired to call to be let out — never puddles, oddly enough).
Wifey pulled the vinyl and the cloth off last night to wash them, but we left the fouton for now.
One step at a time…
I’m sorry, GreyHawk, that you lost such a wonderful friend. It’s difficult to say good-bye but if life has any fairness about it at all then there is a “Rainbow Bridge” and we’ll see our lost ones again. Take care..
Thanks, Denim.
…Missy’s likely to steal across the bridge from time to time, to let us know that she’ll help us find it when the time comes. She’s kinda stubborn that way.
Thinking of her in that way, esp. when the wind howls so uncharacteristically like her warbling woos, helps us feel that she’s definitely still with us in spirit.
I’m so sorry. She looks like she was a wonderful dog.
Thank you. She was — my wife and I have many pictures of her, and will likely compose a memorial over the next few days as part of our healing process.
I’ll share it here when it is available.
As others have said, there seem to be a lot of great furry friends moving on recently. Each loss, no matter how individual to the human involved, is indeed a greater loss to the greater bond we have with all our canine companions. I may not know you, but I can understand what you are going through. Please accept my most sincere sympathies at this very painful time.
Those pictures of Missy truly reveal what a beautiful soul she was (and still is!). She was a gorgeous dog! As BooMan said, give yourself the time to mourn. Yet, know that she will always be with you. Your account of the wind whistling past the window earlier may very well have been her giving you her thanks at her passage and reminding you that she will never leave you. I hope the “little one” is doing ok… it’s hard for them to understand at first, but I’m convinced the one who leaves does pass on wisdom to the younger. I am convinced that was the case when my Coco died almost 11 years ago, shortly after I had adopted Pepa (who is still with me). It may take you a while to notice it, but I do think it happens.
Thanks, IVG.
It appears to be dawning on the little one already.
I came downstairs to have some coffee and check messages, and she elected to stay upstairs for now.
When I take my MIL to the doctor today, she’ll be waiting home alone for the first time a long time — other than last night, when she seemed to understand that she wouldn’t be coming with all of us to the vet.
I’ll be taking her for a long walk later, through all the paths that we walked together with Missy.
I’m so sorry for your loss GreyHawk.
Thank you.
She’s already missed, greatly, by all.
I’m thinking about how, if the Dems manage to win back Congress in November, we should start pushing for the Fairness Doctrine to make a comeback.
the Constitution of the United States to make a comeback.
been catching up on my reading since I have been working for so long
Booman, have you all chosen casey in your state for the primary?
George Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney were flying on Air Force One. Bush looked at Rumsfeld, chuckled and said, “You know, I could throw a $1,000 bill out of the window right now and make somebody very happy.”
Rumsfeld shrugged his shoulders and replied, “I could throw ten $100 bills out of the window and make ten people very happy.”
Cheney added, “That being the case, I could throw one hundred $10 bills out of the window and make a hundred people very happy.”
Hearing their exchange, the pilot rolled his eyes and said to his co-pilot, “Such big-shots back there. Heck, I could throw all of them out of the window and make 300 million people very happy.”
<applause> :o)
In my neck o’ the woods, the 7 year old boran2 boy has taken to telling me what is and isn’t cool. So much social conformity, so little time.
Boran2 🙁
Did I offend you in some way up above?
Clueless me, I’m not sure what you mean. But I can’t imagine you being offensive.
Maybe you’re just a hard grader?
Fixed it. Just a slip of the mouse. I wouldn’t intentionally downrate my friend Mary. 😉
I didn’t think so. It would have broken the M&M bond 😉
;o)
::sniff::
Better get used to it…it’s not going to stop anytime soon. 🙂
Just declassify the Taliban and Afghanistan is gettin’ all Peacified…just peachy, eh?
BooMan you seem to have misplaced the Midwest.
I hope it’s not with your remote.
Before reading this I had no idea of the real identity of “Adam B” on dKos. If he hasn’t disclosed that information himself you have no business doing it here. No matter that he may not be a registered user here.
And it certainly sounds to me like you behaved inappropriately in contacting his place of employment.
If it were up to me I’d ban you here too.
If everything that you have revealed is true
but we have no idea if any of this is true.
So people can just come onto this site, expose the real identity of people on other sites because of claims they make that WE can’t verify?
Sorry Tracy. What he is doing is wrong. He has a problem with Kos he should keep it over there. He should NOT go onto other sites and reveal dKos user identities — no matter who they are and no matter what they do.
a secret who Adam B was…..what was though are the charges that this poster is making. Upon checking into it further also, the charges made appear to be correct. We misunderstood though that he had exposed Adam B’s identity….lots of people knew Adam B was Adam Bonin and that hasn’t been a secret.
we can’t take the time to check out every post in detail to find out whether someone’s user name hides a secret identity or not. What are we supposed to do, allow people to post people’s names and then comb through all the diaries at dKos?
Are we supposed to research campaign finance law to find out if this guy’s insinuations that a law was broken are true?
You’re not going to convince me. This was an inappropriate post. It was sour grapes because he was banned at dKos. What happens at Orange should stay there and he shouldn’t be coming over here making accusations about someone who isn’t here to defend himself.
is Adam Bonin. It is accepted common knowledge and it is on the Kos front page today because he is a speaker at yearly Kos. The front page says Adam Bonin (Adam B on Daily Kos). This person did not out Adam Bonin in any way…..we just read that into his words and assumed that was what he was saying. Kos has a part in this that is beginning to look unethical to some people too….like me. I need people to keep me informed when people in my own party and have voice are pulling unethical stuff, I desire it, I want that. I don’t want to live in a bubble. That’s how the Repubs live these days and look what it’s done to them. Kos is a big boy. I’m sure he can deal with the reality of being Kos and I’m sure that he can explain or tell everybody to bugger off if he wants to.
it’s not something I knew. But the rest of the post is still inappropriate. He draws legal conclusions and factual conclusions for which there is no support. And he does it in a forum where the person whom he is accusing is not here to defend himself.
My gut reaction was that this was entirely inappropriate. After many hours, I still draw that conclusion.
I don’t know what you’re talking about with Kos. To me this has nothing to do with Kos except that this guy is pissed that Kos banned him. So he brought his anger over here and published a lot of unsubstantiated stuff that is mostly HIM drawing conclusions of fact and law for which he gives no citations and no basis. And he does it about a person whom he names by name.
You won’t convince me that this isn’t wrong. Even if it turns out that everything he alleges is true. Posting this here in this manner is wrong.
Markos owns and runs the biggest LeftWing Blog in the world. Neither of these two points is a secret either, and he has added his voice and highjacked diary threads on Kos to attempt to bully people for criticizing Casey also. Now he is silencing and booting individuals off of Daily Kos who have information about Casey and the “Casey Machine” that Democrats might want to know and deserve to know before they go to the polls next week to vote in the Pennsylvania Democratic Primaries. We despise the Republican money machines that choose Republican candidates and silence the voice of the people but the Casey Machine hasn’t been different. I do my best daily to not be a hypocrite and somedays it takes a conscious effort. I owe it to my country and my children and myself for that matter though to not just follow anybody blindly and if anybody wants to make allegations they can always be checked on. If they are false then they are false and if they are true then they are true. These have checked out to be true and they got the poster booted…….Kos’ allegations about him though are what don’t seem to hold water. Time will tell I suppose.
what Kos wants or doesn’t want. I’m more concerned with what THIS GUY did, HERE. And I still think it was inappropriate. And, don’t take it personally, but I’m not going to take your word that his conclusions of law or his assumption of facts are correct.
But I now understand why I don’t know anything about Adam B. If he writes about PA politics I would automatically skip reading him when I’m at Orange.
AFter all, there’s only so much PA politics that someone not from PA can take. 🙂
Want to call it quits?
but I must add just one more thing and I swear to God I’m then gonna have a nice cup of shut up. When I checked on this I called PA. We have lots of friends who work for Chuck on here and none of them have said anything so far because I’m sure they want to be real damned accurate before they let any fur fly….. the pro bono work thing I am told is accurate and this is probably going to raise one hell of some kind of a shit storm by next week.
They are VERY wise to not raise any issues like this until they are sure. And then if they are sure they should raise it in proper channels. They shouldn’t post it in open comments on a blog that the person who they are accusing IS NOT EVEN REGISTERED on (as far as I can tell).
Can we just hang out in the cafe now?
Looking at the clock though I realize that I probably need to take my Singulair and go to bed. Every night is a new chance for my Singulair to work even better. I’m just past my first week taking it and it takes a few more weeks before it hits full strength. I’m not sure which is worse, having my lungs feel all fluid filled and be miserable or having them only feel half filled and better so I go outside to plant hydrangeas or something until I start to wheeze again. I will see you tomorrow though girlfriend, after I go to school to help the kindergartners wrap up their Mother’s Day handprints for their moms. Life is short so play hard with short people. Take care til tomorrow. Gonna take my meds with my nice cuppa. Sending All My Love
night girlfriend. Have fun tomorrow.
BUt I just got here…can’t you stay up a little longer?