Marley and Me

7 hours. 289 pgs. I know..It took me a long time to read it(Ty I know you could have read it in 3). Best book I have read in years. DH asked me what I was reading. Must have been because I was laughing so hard. He didn't get to witness the tears running down my face as I read about Marley's last days.

Marley is a very large yellow lab. 97 lbs big. Goofy, dorky, trouble, watchdog, loyal. A story of a family and their dog. The lessons that we can learn from our four legged friends. How they love unconditionally. Amuse us. Torment us. And that old age /disease sucks.

Mr. Grogan makes a great point as he belatedly researches the Labrador retriever breed, always find out as much about a breed as you can BEFORE you decide on what to get. I learned that there are 2 versions of labs these days. English and American. Of course it is the qualities of the American kind that Marley demonstrates. The English version is more compact and calm. Thinking back on my 13 years in the Vet world it makes sense. The bigger they are the goofier they are.

Marley gets kicked out of his 1st round of obedience training. Chews up the garage when a thunder storm comes along while his people are at work. A truly ADHD dog.

As Marley moves through his life he experiences the sorrows and joys of his family. He learns how to accept little people as his own. Even how to comfort a stranger.

Maybe this book affected me the way is has because we put our 11 year old Aussie down this year. I remember watching Fisher grow old as well as diseased. I remember him as a puppy with more energy than the sun. His gawky teen age years. The dog that met us at the door with a smile and a stuffy. He really didn't understand "No" when it was time to quit playing. The old man that had a hard time getting up. He was the son we didn't have. Fisher was the dog that would never die. We loved him...Unconditionally as he love us.

We live with just Jasper now. She misses Fisher too. She meets us with a smile and a rawhide bone that she will not chew on with out Fisher around. She just carries it with her. Jasper is 5 now and getting grey. She is the American kind of yellow lab. And no matter what we say....We love her too. Unconditionally.

The Dog Whisperer

Ok... I haven't read the book but I have watched many episodes on the National Geographic Channel. The guy is amazing! No loud voices, just calmness. He stresses that the dog is an animal. Yes, an animal. Not a people. What a concept. People need to be the dominant member of the pack. Once that is established it is easier to work with your dog. Having worked with dogs for 13 years I find that it is common sense. I also realized that I did treat dogs that way. Of coarse sometimes that wasn't the ideal way to act at that time. But is was all good. I would recommend the book based on how he deals with animals and people on the show. His motto is " I rehabilitate dogs and train people".

Mind Block

Why is it that when I sit down to write I can't think of anything worth saying?
I am supposed to be blogging about what I read. You would think that would make it easier right? Nope. I look back at the list I keep and wonder which one to pick on, I mean pick. When I pick one I can't think of an intelligent thing to say. Maybe that is a good thing :)

Fallen

Back in January I came across "Fallen" by David Maine.

David Maine's fictional account of Adam, Eve, and fam. Come on, we all imagine what might have happened in between the lines. I do anyway, sometimes.
The writing drew me in and made me forget that we didn't really know all that. Sign of a good writer, or maybe I am just simple, hmm could be :).
A simple story of a family who have no idea how to be one. They have moved to a new "town" and are wondering how to survive. Adam and Eve are bitter and they blame each other for being moved from the Garden. They have a favorite son, and the other one knows it. Cain is not a happy son. He wants to be the favored.
The book starts out at the end of Cains'(i think that is where the apostrophe goes) life and the story unfolds backward. Dealing with things we struggle with in our everyday lives it is interesting to read how Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, might have faced them.
It is very different that's for sure. I recommend it.