A Memorial To Bryce

Sunday will be a week without Bryce. Although it is getting easier to have him not here, I can't believe how painful it still is. I have never had to deal with putting a companion down. We were both with him and petting him as he took his last breath. That was hard to do and I picture it too many times in one day.

It was a very hard decision, but I decided to have him cremated so that he would always be with me. I couldn't bear to bury him here and then if I ever move he would be so far away and all alone. I feel so guilty vacumming up his fur, cleaning all the towels as if I am just washing him away.

Anyhow, I created an online memorial.
http://fortheloveofbryce.pets-memories.com
to him but couldn't get the music to save, so I added my dedication song to him on the blog.

It sure is hard leaving Emily alone these days. Of course, she has adjusted very well, its still hard to have her here all by her lonesome.

Glad everyone had a Merry and Very safe Christmas. Love you all.

In Loving Memory of My Beloved Bryce Jan.98 - Dec. 21 ,2008

For all the times we got upset with you for getting up on the counter, licking the dishes while we were loading them, jumping up on top of the jacuzzi to peak over the fence,


constantly nudging me to give you more attention to rub your bottom and ears, eating the fish food out of the pond, running away when you had the chance to bolt out the door and playing the game of get me get me dad...

Barking at everyone who passed by, having to clean up all your dog hair for 11 years, and for the last week, having to clean up your throw up and bowel mishaps 5 - 8 times every day. The tap, tap, tapping of your nails on the hardwood floor, the staring at us when you knew it was time to eat.

I wish I had all those moments back, without any angry words or thoughts. And now that we are home, I feel guilty washing all the towels used to clean up your messes and all the covers to your dogbeds as if I am washing you away. I should have taken you to the beach and taken you for walks more often. The exercise may have kept you with us longer.... My guilt of so many things that go through my mind just breaks my heart and soul that words can't explaing.


So as you all know, Bryce had been having trouble with his legs, artritis in one and the other we couldn't figure out. This last week he had been on a really fast downward slide. Unable to hold his bowels, throwing up everything he ate and drank.



We took him to the vet early Saturday morning and he got an I.V to re-hydrate his body and some bloodwork, and pills to help him control his bowels and his vomiting. To no Avail. It didn't work. Saturday night, I slept by his side and he didn't sleep all night, nor would he eat, drink and his eyes were distant. He basically had liver problems and he was just shutting down.

Early Sat. morning he started getting the shakes & seizures. The vet called w/the bloodwork and we decided it was time. Bryce had too many problems too be fixed. We took him to the beach (his favorite dog beach) one last time. (he took a crap all over me as I lifted him out-I didn't care) and at 3pm we had him put to sleep.
Even Emily who was kind of mean to you,has now realized you are gone, is sad and very sorry for all of your pain.

It was so hard to see him put to sleep.. Our eyes are so sore from crying. We truly thought you would be healed and tried everything we could do for you baby. May God take care of you.

Life just won't be the same without your cute smiley face.

You were the most handsomest Dalmatian I have ever seen.

Thank you for the unconditional love, companionship and friendship.

You are forever in my heart and soul sweetheart!

Breaking And Entering Christmas

So we have this local radio station whom for 11 years during Christmas has received letters from teachers, about their students who are living around the poverty level. Trying to get their students a house full of dreams. Usually it is a student, who even though they have so little, have big hearts. Unfortunately, they can only pick one letter from all of those sent in to suprise with a Christmas dream.

What they do, is read the letter on the air of the family who will be surprised that year on the radio a week before it takes place. Of course the family has no idea what is going to take place. Here is this years letter. Click on the Breaking and Entering letter for 2008.

http://jeffandjer.star941sandiego.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=jeffandjer_archive.xml

Somehow every year, they get the family out of the house. This year, the family has no house and lives in a shed. This breaking and entering will take place this Thursday. It sounds like the family may get a house. Which is way above and beyond what they have ever done before.

Anyhow.. every year, they go in.. decorate the inside and outside with lights, a christmas tree with presents underneath, all over the house, leave them money, a car in their driveway (as most don't have cars) new TV's, beds, sheets, toys galore, clothes for the whole family, a fridge and cupboards full of food, on and on... The letter's make me cry so hard.

Then, the day of the breaking in (730am Pacific time) they broadcast it on the radio (listen live) http://www.star941sandiego.com as it happens (which is usually less then a half hour) The whole house (actually its usually an apartment) is left full to the hilt with everything the family needs. Nobody ever stays behind to see the families reaction. Its always kept private and of course leaves you so happy for that family. How wonderful would it be to come home to everything new.. that people really do care.. I can't even imagine.

Although the reading of the letter is full of stupidity before they even read it, I urge you to listen to it. Every year, when I hear this, I cry my eyes out and wish I could do the same for some unsuspecting family.

Of course, I will post the actual event when it takes place this Thursday. The true meaning of Christmas. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to give like this every year.

Tribute to the 80's

So Angie posted on her blog about Lexi's tribute to the 80's. That was so my time, my passion, my life in my very early 20's. Good friends, good music, so free.

New wave music and clothes was my ultimate favorite. I just realized that ever since then I had to be a little bit different. Hence the reason to this day, that I still to this day sign and am known by Jef with 1 F!

That was the best time of my life! I always think back to that time, when I finally had a group of friends who were close and just loved to enjoy and be around each other. I still listen to that music and get a little tear in my eye thinking about the fun we all had together... How funny, I get tears in my eyes looking at this stupid site just looking back. It sucks to get old!!!!!!!!!!

Parachute pants, so gnarly, Michael Jacksons hey day, Madonna look alikes,punk music, mosh pits, mohawks, video arcades, rubiks cube geeks,scrunch socks, ray-bans, etc..., etc... so sweet, so stupid, yet so fun...

MUSIC: Berlin (My Fav) Howard Jones (Hey Jen, remember that messed up concert that I took you to in Park City outdoors?) Tears for Fears, Yaz,U2, Modern English, Go Gos, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, ABC, Bananarama.. OMG!!!

Not to familiar with the 80's? Go here

http://www.tripletsandus.com/80s/fashion.htm

and you will find everything you need to know about it.

The Year Was 1908

This will
boggle
your
mind!

The year
is 1908.
100 years ago.



What a difference a century makes!

Here are some statistics for the Year 1908 :
************ ********* ********* ******

The average life expectancy was 47 years.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles
Of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!

The average wage in 1908 was 22 cents per hour.

The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year .
Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!
Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which
Were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard. '

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used
Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from
Entering into their country for any reason.

Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The A American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas , Nevada, was only 30!!!!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea
Hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind,regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.' ( Shocking? DUH! )

Eighteen percent of households had at least
One full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE ! U.S.A. !

Now I forwarded this from someone else without typing
It myself, and sent it to you and others all over Canada & U.S.A
Possibly the world, in a matter of seconds!

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
IT STAGGERS THE MIND!!!!!!!!!!!

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.

Bryce Is Showing Signs of Old Age

Bryce has been slightly limping on his left leg for about a month now, so we went to Petco and got him arthritis medicine (the miracle cure) which claimed he would be jumping around in weeks.

Well last night he couldn't get up the stairs, so I carried him up and laid him in his favorite chair (the old Papasan)not sure I spelled that right. Well I woke up this morning to Matt crying hysterically and hugging Bryce. I asked Matt three times what was wrong. I though someone had called with news that someone had died. So I yelled at him to answer me for the fourth time, "Matt.. what is wrong"!


(If you don't know what a papasan chair is.. Heres a picture). Apparently Bryce couldn't get down the stairs very well and fell down the stairs. Now his right leg has given out and he was pulling himself across the floor with his front legs trying to get around.

So we headed off to the emergency vet clinic this morning. They felt around and Bryce wasn't wimpering to show any pain, so they sedated him and took X-Rays.

They told us to come back in an hour so we went to Linens and Things going out of business sale.. (spent too darn much money)

So we came back and the doctor told us that he had arthritis in the left leg and that surgery would be best for that leg. (Okay, As far as we know there is no surgery for arthritis)Have your heard of people having surgery for arthritis? Angie? please tell us.. and that would be at a cost of a couple of thousand dollars. His right leg that was giving out, they could find nothing in the X-Rays and told us that they recommended an MRI and a dye treatment that they could shoot into his blood stream to figure out what the problem was. Another $1000.

They did give us joint medication and told us that the problem could possibly solve itself and he could possibly be back to normal in a week or so. So we chose that route to see if it would heal before spending thousands for no reason.

So we have basically gated off the stairs so that he won't be tempted to go up, laid a huge comforter on the living room floor, and placed the outdoor furniture pads on the hard garage floor. Tomorrow morning, I will create a ramp down the back stairs so he won't have to walk down steps to go potty. I am so not ready for him to show signs of age. He is 11, so I knew it would be coming soon.

It really makes you realize how time flies and how short of a time we have to spend with each other. Its so much harder with pets.. I don't think they understand what is going on and why we as owners take them to the vet to go through so much drama.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: Can someone tell me why when I add a picture now, it comes out in this computer bullcrap code that I can't understand instead of just the picture like it used to be? This is what I get when I download a picture now.

What happened to the simple download and the picture shows up as it was intended?

It's a Day Dream

So I figured out one of Grandpa's (dad's) sightings. He talks about bulls or cows in the corner of their living room. The part of the Living room that the cows or bulls hang out in, is the corner that houses the fabric chairs. Joyce just recently purchased a very nice leather chair for dad to sit in and a couple of leather couches.

Turns out, that the cows and bulls hang out in the corner of the living room where the fabric chairs are placed. So, my take on it, is that they are the ghosts of the cows who were slaughtered to cover the furniture and they are pissed!!! Turns out that they never hang out around the leather furniture. So I told dad to hang around the leather furniture and he would always be safe.

While I visited Dad before I left, he proceeded to walk out onto the deck (very cold) and told me that there were very tiny soldiers (about one ft tall), construction going on at the bottom of the canyon (I told him that they were most likely cutting down the tree limbs for the deer to cross). Owls in the trees, streams of water. I tried to convince him that the drugs were making him see things that didn't exist. (Hey Doctor, can I get some of those drugs? LOL, just kidding) He knows that the drugs are creating hallucinations, but can't quite wrap his around his it. We were out there in the cold for about a half an hour. I proceeded to tell him that it was most likely the drugs and this is why Nancy Reagan came up with the phrase, "Say no to Drugs". Whatever he is taking is probably halluconagenic.

I think that our Thanks for this year is that Joyce is a true angel, and loves Dad so much that she can take care of him, and that we don't have to. I do wish though, that I was around to see, visit, and give her a break once in a while.

Its funny how he remembers those things of the yesteryear, but can't remember that of the present.. He talked to me about how we used to go deer hunting with the Archibalds, etc.. and ran the deer out of the bushes so that they could hunt them down, while camping in the big tents, etc... etc...

Funny how we can connect to the old times.. Makes me cry so hard.

I so enjoyed seeing most of you again, and Matt was very happy to get to know you all a little better then he did.I just wish that I could have spent more time with the all of you.

Now its your turn to visit. I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful family. Love and kisses to all of you.

I was going to add pictures of the Temple Square lights for those who haven't seen or been this year. But Its been too long that I have added pictures to remember how, so I will add later.