This was a put a mirror under her nose to see if she’s breathing sort of morning. I stayed up until close to three and didn’t wake up until nearly 11. I think it was the, “No joy in Mudville,” which kept me awake watching really bad movies. The Sox are done for the season, no more baseball. Summer is officially over. Oh the pain! Oh the agony!

Today is cloudy and will probably rain some more. It rained some time last night, and the day is too damp for anything to dry. Cold air is on its way, possibly down to the 40’s at night.

Gracie has fleas. She is the first dog I have ever owned who has picked up riders. She has been scratching, and her fur was sensitive to the touch so off to the vets we went yesterday. She’s now on an anti-itch medication, more anti-flea medication and I bought some for the cats as well. The bill was over $300.00. I am still in shock.

We always had pets when I was growing up. I think my mother’s family once had a dog, but I know my father never had pets when he was a kid. His parents were not pet people. We got Duke when I was five. The first cat didn’t arrive until I was 16 because my father didn’t like cats, but that changed quickly once he met that first kitten. After that, he and my mother always had two cats. They had Beebe, a dog who was found as a puppy at the dump, and she was their last dog. My father doted on Shauna, my Boxer. He’d get a bowl of ice cream for himself and Shauna after dinner. On St. Patrick’s day she had a boiled dinner, compliments of my Dad. When he passed away, Shauna roamed the house, the yard and the garage looking for him, and she’d stand the foot of the stairs whenever she heard footsteps from upstairs. She’d wait to see if it was my dad then walk away slowly when it wasn’t. It was as sad as anything to watch Shauna miss my Dad.

We all have pets, my sisters and I. One sister has 3 cats; she did have a dog, but he passed away and they were heart-broken and decided not to get another. My other sister has 2 cats. My nephews have a dog and one cat though at times they have had multiples of each. Another nephew has two dogs. He always has rescues, and he always chooses the ugliest dogs. Now he has Jack and Elvis. My niece has a dog and either two or three cats I forget which. Her roommate moved out and just left the cats. Sarah adopted them. Our family has a tendency to do that. One of my sister’s cats used to be her father-in-law’s. After he passed away, she adopted Tommy. My sister’s dog came from golden rescue, and both my cats were 5 when I got them from the MSPCA.

I think my family being pet people says a lot about their capacity to love.