MISTY SENDS A POEM

The mystery of each thought in mind, Checked each inviting room,
Each nuance sent a message clear, Translated came to me,
One room for this, that one for that, each fragrance tells so much,
Quietly I check each space, I softly move along,
On padded feet I find a bowl, Good food is there for me.

New Vernon friend embraces me, like family at home,
Call me Mum-mum her thoughts say, Does other preference come?
She seems just like Ranch family – Earth families are one.
I race around and check out more, Green spider plant I find,
Delicious fragrances and food, All makes me feel at home.

An exit door leads to a deck, Says come and check me out,
Fresh air just like out at the Ranch, It makes me feel like home.

Farm family have disappeared, My sisters and their Mom?
Ranch Dad who holds a kindly heart, Have vanished in thin air,
A slender crack of light I see and check the entrance door.
A fragrance like my family, They will come back later on,
Mum-mum holds me to her heart and pats my soft white fur,
She will love and care for me, I purr a quiet song.
Silent messages I send, We help each other on,
I purr my love out to them all, And with Ranch Sisters four,
Including our sweet Grandma T, Earth’s families are one.

Now I’m back out at the Ranch, My Step-Mom calls for me,
Now engorged with too much milk, I fill her need you see,
Ranch Mum comes to get me, Mum-mum and her have tea,
We send each other happy thoughts, joy for both families.
Through sunny days and moonlit nights, Help to others is the key.

HIKING IN HAWAII - PAGE 2

Skeeter’s Mom was a busy lady who returned from work a little later than me. I often saw her pass our window as we waved a greeting to each other. If I had news I added a nod to the wave indicating we would see each other later. She always carried a Deli Food package containing their dinner. Later I tapped on her door and commented about the short hiking trip our children had that day. “Oh yes,” she said, as she recounted the story of their adventure. She had finished reading her mail, placed it in a box and took the last bite from the container that was marked Chicken Livers. “I eat a container of chicken livers every day,” she said. “It gives extra energy for my work in the evening. Your boy told Skeeter he didn’t want to worry his parents so wouldn’t bother giving them the scary details about their hiking adventure.”

My grandson once asked me if I knew more about a future family event being planned. “You know how your Dad is, a man of few words.” I commented. He laughed and replied, “You can say that again.” Maybe that’s why our son found a pleasant chatty wife to fill in other necessary details.

A wise proverb tells us that everything that happens has a lesson to teach us. Today’s lesson tells me to follow up each experience with action. This brings to mind the old adage, “Actions speak louder than words.” On Friday this week a CBC radio program interviewed someone on that subject. I’m sending a prayer of thanks and blessings to that wonderful man, and to Skeeter who both worked together to save our son’s life on that warm sunny day in Hawaii. The birth of each invention begins with a thought that requires work to bring it into action. One of those hikers is known to be an excellent organizer. Perhaps both of them learned this lesson well. It is possible that Skeeter and his Mom may still be living there in Hawaii, they are about our age.

MEMORY BOX - HIKING IN HAWAII

“Skeeter and I are planning an extra long hike today,” our son announced at Saturday’s breakfast table. “That’s why I was late doing my homework and getting to bed last night,” he added. My husband always kept the volume low on our newly acquired television when our son was in his room doing his Grade 8 homework. All the room dividers had the top two feet open for movement of air that seemed to keep our home cool with the Hawaiian breezes.

Skeeter was a pleasant teenager who lived with his mother in an apartment a few doors down from ours. The boys shared the same Grade 8 classroom in school. His father was with the military and stationed elsewhere. The boys, with cap and lunch in hand set off early as planned. Skeeter was familiar with all the water channels in the city. This one he heard was a long one and so the return time was uncertain. The steps at the entrance of this particular draw curved around to lead to a main draw with high cement walls that gradually increased in width and height. It was easy to enjoy the blue Hawaiian skies that featured tropical trees laden with citrus, bananas and all manner of delectable foods. Palm trees waved to us as their fronds conveyed a welcome. One of the boys noted the tops of the trees looked shorter. The steep high cement walls began to feel foreboding. Then a powerful surge of water suddenly rushed at them from the rear. Skeeter was smaller and agile and able to claw himself up to dry land. Using a ladder, a nearby man was trimming his fruit tree. “My buddy is drowning,” he shouted over and over again. The Oriental man dropped his pruning shears and hurried over with the ladder and saved the day. Wet bedraggled boys hurried home for a warm shower. “I’ll check with Skeeter’s Mom tonight,” I said. The rest of this story will appear on tomorrow’s blog.

TOXINS CAN OVERWHELM YOUR PETS

A reader had just lost her dog to cancer and asks Doug Knueven, DVM, who writes a magazine column, Why are we are seeing so much cancer in dogs and cats.

In his reply he says, “Veterinary oncologists in the USA estimate that almost 50 percent of aged cats will die of cancer. Cancer occurs when a mutation of the DNA happens during normal cellular reproduction. The body has billions of cells continuously reproducing cancer cells every day. A healthy immune system destroys the deranged cells before they can cause harm.

The most important thing we can do to prevent cancer in our pets is to limit their exposure to toxins. An individual can handle a certain level of chemicals in their system, but at some point the threshold is reached, past which the body is adversely affected. The fewer our pets have to deal with, the better.

A study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found high levels of industrial toxins in the systems of pets. Blood and urine samples from dogs were contaminated with 35 chemicals, and 11 of them were carcinogens. Cats were polluted with 46 chemicals, including 9 carcinogens. Some toxins were five times higher in pets than in humans. ‘Stain resistant’ treatments for furniture and carpets were one source of contamination. Find green alternatives to household cleaning supplies. www.ewg.org/reports/pets.

Do your pets a favour and use organic yard-care products. Flea and tick sprays, collars, shampoos and topical medications can all add to our pets’ toxic burdens. Vaccines can reduce infectious diseases but stress the immune system. A recent study showed that adding some shredded vegetables to a dog’s diet three times a week could reduce the risk of cancer by 70-90 percent. Diet is important. More at www.BeaverAnimalClinic.com

THE MEMORY BOX

The Condo development I live in has 65 units and owners are expected to be over the age of 50 years. Except for taxes paid to the city on July first and strata fees at $250.00 per month that can be paid electronically, there is nothing to keep us from flying south and spending several months in the sunshine. One of us who stay here is glad to take the take the mail in for the happy wanderers. My husband and I lived in the U.S. for 15 years, mainly in California and Hawaii. Since he passed away with Parkinsons in 2003 the thought of traveling alone is not appealing to me and I prefer to remain home, volunteer and do research in food science. We visited places like the Smithsonian Science Center in Washington, D.C., the space center and other areas of interest when we lived the U.S.

While living in California we often had parents and other relatives drive south and spend some of the winter months with us. We would take them to the tourist spots on weekends and while we were at work during the day they explored areas close by. One weekend when one of my brothers and his family were staying with us we all went to an area where many movie films were shot. The place was full of tourists, curvy roads and fast cars. My sister-in-law was ahead of the rest of us with their small daughter and their son was walking with Dad. He saw his mother further along and suddenly bolted toward her, no doubt thinking one is always safer with Mom. I was still on the other side of the walk and heard her yell. From her point of view she could see what was about to happen. A speeding car had come swinging on two wheels and in a split second I was able to snatch my young nephew by the arm and pull him to safety. All grown up now, he is now serving as a cabinet minister. Memories like this are indelible in memory. We do keep our guardian angels very busy at times.

RESEARCH PET'S NEEDS BEFORE PURCHASE

If you have asthma challenges, your own health needs come first. Plans should be in place for delivery of pet to a veterinarian or animal hospital when the need arises.

An indoor cat may be de-clawed by a veterinarian. Later their claws can be clipped when needed, just like we clip our fingernails. Outdoor cats need claws for protection. Open outside doors with caution so pet will not escape and be harmed when if de-clawed.

Neutering should be done at five months when male hormones have developed. Seven months is best for spaying a female.
A single cat needs a playmate for games and exercise during the first five years. Buy a playmate or become the playmate.

When owner plans vacation trips or other absence, check airlines travel requirements and all other needs for the animal. A newly acquired pet should not be left alone. Another family member should stay with your pet.

If your cat begins to scratch at the furniture, cradle him in your arms and say a firm No. It may be frightened and hide under the furniture’s skirt. My daughter-in-law says they bought a little squirt gun and gave him a quick spray of water and said No!

When caring for another’s pet when owner is on vacation, find out what you should do if the owner’s return is delayed or if they are involved in an accident.
Cats are very fussy and may require a glass container or bowl for drinking water, rather than the usual plastic bowl. When they back up back up (showing disgust) and sometimes give a quick shake of their head so, replace the plastic water bowl with a glass container.
Check safety of electric circuits and telephone cords.

SEARCHING FOR THE MISSING PLANT

I must have put the missing plant in another room. This potted plant contains several bulbs that rest over winter with minimum moisture, ready to spring to life when the days get longer in early spring so growth won’t start too soon. I clear everything off the sewing table which includes Misty’s new filing system and begin to pull out the encyclopedia books that are kept under the table for quick reference. The tops of the books opposite the spine are now covered with dry black soil that leads to the window sill, scattering it on the way. The heavy pot had apparently balanced briefly on the sill as Misty used it as a support for his forward leap. The pot got off balance during this leap and crashed to the metal register with a loud bang. The pot itself is hung up behind the wide support ledge. I was nearby and rushed to the entrance hall. Misty was there calmly looking up at me. His large blue innocent eyes said, ‘Not me, I’m just sitting here waiting for Ranch Mom to arrive.’

The genes of Siamese cats must be programmed to check each forward leap by getting the back feet well secured in this leap. The 3-way lamp may have been knocked over during this leap, being less secure than those rocks of ancient Siam. Dry top layers of soil from the ceramic pot were scattered in all directions. Misty must feel happy to be back in the wide open spaces at the Ranch. “He traveled well in the carrier,” Ranch Mum reported later on the phone. I had taken him out to the hall a few days before. My next door neghbour came down the hall with her shopping cart and seeing this little ball of white fluff with navy blue ears commented, “Oh isn’t she cute but she looks so frightened,” she said with deep sympathy and understanding heart. He looks so handsome everyone thinks he is a she kitty. “Gimmie those wide open spaces,” he is doubtless purring at this moment back at his Ranch home. Thank you Ranch Mom, Dad and all the family. I would not have wanted to miss my week with Misty. Thanks again. Sue

THE SPIDER PLANT WILL SOON RETURN TO THE SUNNY WINDOW

It’s time to put everything back in order. I’ll soon find out what that loud crash was that I heard the same time as Ranch Mum arrived to take Misty back home. I have Misty in my arms so he won’t escape and run down the hall. I hand him to Ranch Mum and they are happy to see each other. I ask Ranch Mum if she has time for a cup of tea and can stay a little longer. She agrees and Misty goes back to play, testing which piece of furniture would be nice to scratch at to sharpen his claws. We’ll just stay at the kitchen table because I haven’t had time to vacuum the carpet where the spider plant sits at the short end of my L-shaped sewing table. “Tell me about your birthplace in Holland and your impressions when coming to Canada when you were only 18 years old. Your English is flawless without any accent,” I say.

Her voice is clear and almost musical. She quietly admonishes Misty for scratching at the carpet by the door in that pleasant voice and shows him the scratching post that Ms S had given him. He goes off to his food bowl and enjoys the dry kitty food that is always there for him whenever a hunger pang comes on. Ranch Mom says stray kittens are sometimes left near homes sympathetic to pets when their owners move elsewhere. She advertises kittens and helps finds good homes for them. Ms S, who brought all the gifts for Misty does the same thing for strays. She told me yesterday she will pick the gifts up later and add them to the Gift Box she prepares each Christmas for the SPCA. Ranch Mom has all the things Misty needs back at the Ranch. Too soon it’s time for them to leave. She assures me that I am very welcome to visit Misty any time I have an opportunity. They leave with pleasant goodbyes. I am puzzled when I bring my vacuum to over to the sewing table to clear up the floor by the sewing table. One of the three plants near the table is missing. The search is on. More tomorrow.

TROUBLE AT THE RANCH - MISTY TO THE RESCUE

From Misty – Dateline November 22, 2009. “A few chapters earlier I told you how my mother had gone out in the evening to hunt mice for us. Our systems are built to eat raw meat to keep our bones strong and healthy and nourish each cell of our bodies. One night she did not return. The coyotes have been howling these fall days and the hunter must have become the hunted.

Another mother cat at the Ranch had two kittens of her own younger than me. She took me in, kept me warm and fed me. Someone in Kamloops wanted these two kittens now at a good age to leave home. Ranch Mum thought my sisters would almost be through nursing and wanted them to have this nice home for the coming winter. My Foster Mom still had milk for me and would be more comfortable if I could come back to nurse her for a little while. Ranch Mum called Mum-mum and they talked about it. If Mum-mum found me almost too fast and frisky to handle, would she like Ranch Mum to come and get me and take me back to the Ranch and it would help solve this challenge. Mum-mum thought that it was a good idea. I think Mum-mum did not like the new filing system I had set up for her and was already restoring her old system back. It had worried her when she found me eating the leaves of her spider plant so she had called the poison control center about it. They looked it up their book and said that spider plant leaves were safe for cats.

So now I am back at the Ranch. After a week away we knew each other right away and licked each other as cat mothers do together with their kittens. She will likely soon find a mouse around here and we’ll have a treat together. I licked my paws and body as I do after eating and paused to reflect on the wonderful vacation I had in Vernon with Mum-mum but was glad to be home at the Ranch.”

KITTEN CAPERS

Misty has been with me since November l4th and shown how well a kitty of three months and a lady of 86 years can do well together. He seemed to be so special we wanted to find a home to match. Animals are so loved by so many they can sometimes get through to us and teach us how to get along together, even better than the plans of our government’s official members. We are all trying to make our global village a more peaceful and loving place to live.
We can all point to recent examples of those who have left a legacy of peace that has blended with the laws of our country to make a difference.

Misty has just awakened from her afternoon nap (remember her night is my day.) She will be able to better explain what I was trying to say in the above message. “Mum-mum was trying to say the right kind of “No” when teaching me not to scratch the carpet or chairs but instead use the scratching pole, one of the gifts from Ms S. The firm “No” Ms Marge told her about did not have to be preceded with an unpleasant almost sharp “uh” to get my attention. We both pretend we can read each others minds but what we are really doing is reading each other’s eyes and voice timber and heart. I felt shock and hurt. I raced off but soon returned, and both of us said ‘I’m sorry’ using both eyes and quiet voices. Both hearts learned a lesson. Mum-mum thinks I will live longer than her and says I should take any good opportunity to accept a nice place to move before too long. She and Ranch Mum spoke on the telephone this morning and if the little ranch nearby doesn’t work out (where Mum-mum may be able to visit me once in awhile) our Ranch Mum will come over and take me back with her to her place where I was born. I will be able to be with my Ranch sisters and enjoy them, the outside protective dogs and Mum-mum might be able to visit me there also."

NEW DEVELOPMENTS - NOVEMBER 20, 2009

Both Mum-mum and I have had a lot of fun this week. Time brings its own wisdom and we both learned something new. Mum-mum aunt died at age 52 after an asthma attack before I was born. Her older sister has reminded her of it. During the forest fires this summer getting a complete breath was difficult for her and many others. The doctor said she would set up a test at the hospital and she would hear from them when an appointment was available. She was given a prescription for a puffer that said to stop immediately if it caused certain increased problems. One puff was enough to make her stop immediately. A friend told her about a product called RespirActin at Nature’s Fare, composed of various herbs that had helped them. Also she bought a bottle of Aerobic Oxygen used by runners esecially when walking up our steep hill while carrying groceries. This week a call from our local hospital saying they could work her in for my appointment this week. She told the nurse she was gradually doing better since the forest fires were contained and now felt she should save this cost to the health system. The nurse replied it would be left in her hands to take the next step.

Mum-mum had also learned to think about it when takineach breath. A friend said that learned to take a deep breath to the count of three, and then breathe out with a count of seven – pushing out that last bit of stale air that may be lingering at the bottom of the lungs. Years ago when gtheir young son asked if he could have a dog my husband was delighted because dogs had always been part of his life as a youth. From that point, they enjoyed having a dog and other small pets including turtles that hatched out in our back yard. She now has had the opportunity to see what it is like to share my home with a kitten. That call from the hospital this week about the breathing appointment caused me to consider the possibility of cat dander being harmful in the future. "How quickly I had forgotten the feeling of desperation one gets when it is hard to get a full breath of air and now am so grateful for friends as we share thoughts, advice and the challenge of and being responsible for taking care of ourselves in simple ways and being careful regarding our own health. It is good that I never took up smoking when so many others were saying it was so 'cool' to do it." Mum-mum said.

A HELPING HAND AND FOOT

November 19, 2009 – Hello again, it’s Misty. I am very busy doing everything possible to make life easy for Mum-mum and have come to you for ideas because I heard her tell someone on the phone that she now has to use her cane more often “chasing after me” were her very words. I am asking you for help. Many people don’t know it but cats get the message through cyberspace. If she goes in another room I stay there to help. If she closes the door I stay close and gently tap with my paw. I have now decided to do more. I run behind or beside her and if she seems to hesitate or be confused I “step right up to the plate” with all four of my feet, and place them between hers. That should help since she is now operating with the help of six feet. Please let me know what else I can do to help. http://stayingintouchblog.blogspot.com. She is also asking her niece and I’ll tune to her Blog for help also at http://cicerosings.blogspot.com. Her posts tell a lot about dogs too.

I help Mum-mum with her Blog to save time and sit on her lap to encourage her. A nice lady in this building who is always being helpful says she knows a little farm nearby that might want a cat. She tells Mum-mum that I am “so beautiful.”

The first morning I was right beside Mum-mum’s right ear and purring. That shows everyone I am happy. The next night she closed door and asked me to sleep on a soft cushion in my restroom. She found me chewing on her spider plant and had to move it into another room that has no sunshine. I dug out some of its fallen leaves under a huge chair that she can’t move because it is about a thousand pounds. Later she saw me scratching at the carpet even though Ms S had given me a scratching post. At night I now sleep in my restroom on my soft cushion from our family in St. George. Thank you so much for your helpful ideas.

NOVEMBER 18, 2009

November 18, 2009 – Misty here again. On August 18th, 2009 a special day came along because it’s the date I was born. It was getting pretty crowded in there and good to see the light of day.

Yesterday I spent a whole morning trying to teach Mum-mum the shuffle polka. She is getting better but I don’t think she will ever get on stage, but she just wants to learn so she won’t step on me.

I still miss my family at the Ranch but it is fun here also. I think my Ranch sisters should make a sign with a special name for the Ranch. Ms S being the artist can draw a picture and print the name and Ms M could create the words that fit in with what we do here. Misses E and D must be very busy in college so only have to give advice when we ask for it. Ranch Mum helps us all get organized and Ranch Dad works in his shop and is always kind and helps us whenever we ask him. When all this is finished then Mum-Mum will be able to find my old place and visit the Ranch. I am looking forward to hearing Mum’s nice musical voice that sounds just like a symphony to me.

I should tell you that after Mum-mum was finished learning the dance I taught her, it was my turn to learn something new. It is called the “No-No” that is found in Marge’s text book and includes playing with toys and learning which ones not to scratch or chew on. I wriggled away and tried to run away and ignore her “No-No” talk. She made a quick turn from her typing chair and the keyboard stand caught the arm of the chair and the whole thing fell on the floor. I thought I’d be safe snuggling in the big chair and pretend it was the right thing for all kittens to do. But she did just what Marge told her to do when she was over here in the morning and I think I now understand. Marge also brought me some cat food that her two kittens were too fussy to eat. I really like it better than the food Mum-Mum bought at the store. Thanks everyone for giving me a nice birthday.

EVERY DAY AT MY NEW HOME GETS BETTER

Dateline 11/17/09 – Misty here in Vernon. Fall is here and the days are getting shorter and cooler so it is best for me to be here in town helping Mum-mum. My Ranch house sisters will be in school, Mum may go to Kamloops and work with her mother-in law on a project and Ranch Dad is busy in his shop doing taxidermy. So it is good for me to be in town by the fireplace.

I have a brain wave that might keep all of us happier here and other newly arrived people and their pets from other places across the seas. Years ago any student who wanted to be in touch with an unknown person in another country could address a letter to a school in France or England, naming any town of their choice in either of these places. Now we can invite them to blog together on the worldwide internet and promote peace, fun and happiness in more languages while improving the way of life for others. Reaching out to other people, their relationships and way of life will promote goodwill with others all over our global village. Young and older folks working and communicating together could blog together and change the world for good.

Today Mum-mum and I are sharing ideas on how to help the disabled or folks residing in care homes do helpful things to assist others in recovery. She has a left finger working the keyboard while her hand is whirling a golf sized ball on a string so any new pet can get exercise and not think about chewing on the furniture. The deep blue inquiring eyes belonging to a Siamese kitten peek from a credenza near the keyboard to relax at times. Both find it fun and feel helpful. Disabled veterans from this war (or any war) will feel they are still helping their country. Mind-killing Medications may not be needed.

A CLOUDY SUNDAY

Day 2 at my new home and I don’t miss the Farm/Ranch quite so much as I did yesterday. It must be a ranch also because there are so many animals around there. Mum-mum had a nice bed ready for me last night with a picture of bears climbing Australian trees. It had been a gift from her son and his wife when they came to Vernon for a visit last summer. It has a zippered cushion filled with puffed grains. At the time they thought it would be soft for Mum-mum’s knees while writing. But I thought it was more fun skipping around under her bed skirt. When she awoke in the morning I had tucked myself under the quilt by her right ear and started purring.

After working on the computer and posting her Blog we went to the kitchen where Mum-mum started fixing breakfast while I munched on some dried food in one of my new food dishes. But I wanted meat and watched her take too much time rushing from frig to stove to sink and washing her hands every few minutes. I just want some raw or cooked meat. She rolls around with her draftsman chair to avoid stepping on me. She tries to make herself look fat so I won’t take chances, attempt to jump beside her and fall on the floor. But it’s not working. I consider every jump carefully. My ancestors in Siam jumped over rocky areas for centuries and it’s in my genes. I sure miss my Ranch family sometimes and all that jostling around on the porch with my mother and family and all of us reaching for the best piece of a mouse she had hunted down for us. I haven’t seen a mouse around here anywhere. Mum-mum doesn’t know how to catch mice anyway. Her son in St. George says she should hire a housekeeper to save time to do more fun things and not want to work a job again because she worked hard all day at Carnation Research while we lived California and sometimes typed papers for college students in the evenings. He adds, “I know about the stock market falling and the expired GICs that drop down to .06 per cent or less, but “I will stand behind you with help when you need it.”

SAY HELLO TO MISTY

First of all let me say that Misty was a very lucky kitty to be born on a family farm with people who loved him from the very start.

Just a moment, I am getting a “meow” - perhaps I can translate it.
This is Misty: “My caregivers on the farm were wonderful, but my mother disappeared one night - perhaps she went hunting because she knows how important raw meat is for us to grow big and strong. A coyote may have grabbed her. The other mother cat on the farm kept me warm on cold nights along with her kittens. I was delivered to my new home in the arms of Misses Eli, Dan, Mar and Ser, while their parents drove the car. They had all taken such good care of me. I felt bad after they left and kept my nose at the crack under the door for a few minutes until I remembered they had said they would visit me in a month or so if the roads are open and then I felt happy in my new home.

I played with my new toys all morning and had a great time until after lunch and then fell asleep in the crook of Mum-mum’s left arm while she was using her writing stick with her right hand. While falling asleep she told me a friend, Ms S had brought my new toys yesterday with lots of other things that included a sparkling litter box with a dome lid with 50 pounds of litter. Ms S wouldn’t take any money from Gi-Gi for it all. She turned to her daughter (who had carried in the 50 pounds of litter) and said, “Tam, you were very small but you might remember how we picked all those delicious plums at Gi-Gi’s place about 25 years ago. And please dear, dash out to the car and carry in those dozen packages of apricots we prepared for her when they were in season. Gi-Gi had been inquiring about food for me where Ms S works at Nature’s Fare. Waving away Gi-Gi’s thanks they rushed home to get dinner for their husbands and families.” “Cast thy bread upon the waters and it shall return after many days.” Thanks Misty,I couldn't have said it better myself.

CAST THY BREAD UPON THE WATERS

“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for it shall return to thee after many days.” This is one of the Biblical translations from Ecclestiastes 11:1. Sometimes when it is least expected this can happen, days or even years later.

Six years ago my husband passed away with Parkinsons after a 10 year health challenge. His work had required the use of harmful substances which are no longer permitted to be in use. I keep very busy posting a blog most days, mainly about recent science and health-building discoveries. The first year I posted every day. The research sometimes takes a great deal of time. The day slips by - with no one to watch TV or be with me. I complete folding the laundry and vacuuming and decide to call my younger sister in Kamloops. She and her husband catch me up on their news. My older sister has been moved from Rehab to a care home and as her advocate my brother-in-law completes his part of the duty. What’s new with you, they ask. “I am getting a room mate,” I say. There is silence. I can almost hear their thoughts, ‘She must have got blown away in the stock market like some of the rest of us.’ My sister asks, “Male or female? I explain that part presented a problem. I hadn’t thought to ask that question at the time. I am ready to say, “Oh well I can always have him neutered,” My brother-in-law with his usual wit asks, “Does he have four legs?” Yes, I am getting a kitty. Sometimes when people move they may not be able to take their cat along and drop it off at what they know is a friendly place. They feed her and she sleeps on their porch. A new litter of kittens may be born. Good homes must be found for them soon. After reaching 8 weeks, the kittens can be chased by other animals and refuse to be caught even by people trying to help them. Mother cat goes hunting to feed them. Every Thomas Cat in the area denies responsibility. The hunter becomes the hunted and is not seen again. Read the sequel about my new room mate arriving on Saturday.

SHORING UP THE BULWARKS

A solid wall-like structure saved many an ancient castle from being taken. The Great Wall of China speaks volumes about protective measures used throughout the centuries to save their country from invaders. Presently we are searching for what measures may be needed to keep the pandemic flu at bay and the millions of dollars required for massive vaccinations each year. Dr. Brian Goldman suggests changes may have to be made. Does one flu shot protect us for the rest of our lives?

Perhaps the voices of nutritionists who speak about shoring up the defenses of the body itself with foods needed to build the ramparts of the body itself are not heard from enough. Perhaps the need for the vitamins from fresh vegetables and fruits should be given out by doctors as a prescription. Simone Gabbay, RNCP, writes a bi-month column in Venture Inward. Her columns appear in many other health magazines and in her books as well, and brings a new challenge on the subject. Nourishing the body with 70 percent live foods - the fruits, vegetables and salads - the alkaline reacting foods, always set a pleasant buffet table for the body so each cell within can have a good selection to build up the immunity needed. Fish, chicken, lamb,are good proteins, the whole grains, along with those in the bean family offer the needed protein required for a healthy body so each cell can build the immunity required to handle all germ invaders. That, with the hand washing we heard about on various news programs, and the needed exercise for each day should keep us safe. For further information: www.holistic-nutrition.com.

REMEMBRANCE DAY CELEBRATION

It is Remembrance Day with a time of silence at eleven o’clock a.m. to remember those who served in the armed forces to keep our country free. The red poppies displayed on our chest or hat and the living poppies in Flanders Field in France, and other lands facing bondage, tell the stories and wave or salute their thanks to those who died to retain freedom or others who were maimed.

Thank you very much! This includes all those whom we have elected for Ottawa’s powerhouse and those needed to carry out our laws. It is nice to hear from those who express their thanks in words. Words can soon be forgotten in the following days. But we have another gift to give to those seeking to restore whatever measure of health that might be possible for the recovering ones. This gift is to send thoughts of appreciation whenever possible. Although thoughts are not visible to the naked eye or audibly heard, they can still be very powerful. Our son had been transferred from his Canadian employment to the U.S. The parents with their small son settled nicely into their new home and registered him in grade school. On Remembrance Day students are given the opportunity to join other classmates for a visit with soldiers recovering from war injuries. The children were told they could speak to one of them if they wished so they could better understand the reality and consequences of wars. My daughter-in-law tells me that one of their son’s classmates laughed at the strange metal bandages worn by one of the injured men. Fearing that the soldier might feel offended, he reproved his fellow classmate. At the dinner table that evening he asked his parents if he had done the right thing. “If you said it kindly and in a gentle voice, you need not worry that you won’t fit in with your new classmates,” was their answer. Later, they returned to Canada, where their son was selected as one of the Valedictorians of the Graduating Class from high school and voted President of the Student Council by classmates at Okanagan Regional College.

ANOTHER WAY TO CONVEY WARM GREETINGS

During what is now called a Flu Pandemic, it has been suggested that unless really necessary it is best for those with a compromised immune system to stay away from malls and other crowded areas. A few years ago I was inadvertently drawn into a crowded area while walking home carrying a large bag of groceries in my right hand. It was REMEMBRANCE DAY. The poppy pinned to my coat was tilting and ready to fall.

A passing War veteran snatched the falling poppy in flight and placed it back on my coat securing it with a firm clip. Apparently he carries extra clips in his pocket. To keep another person from stumbling on my bag I placed my left hand on my brow, bowed slightly and saluted the veteran with a smile. I have placed this poppy (with its more secure fastener) in one of the ceramic shoes on my dresser and each time I see it blossoming forth from one of these 5 inch shoes I am reminded of the many pairs of boots these men wore as they served our country. My brother was one of them who returned to Canada in 1945 after five years of army service in Europe. More than eleven thousand others did not return and remain in Flanders Field where poppies wave and bloom anew each year and remind us of their sacrifice. The person who gifted us with the pair of ceramic shoes in 1949 was operating Dorking Bed and Breakfast in Banff, Alberta where we spent our wedding night. Thanks to those soldiers and flyers Canada has been able to preserve our freedom for the rest of that century. Dorking is a large domestic bird common in England. Perhaps there is a subtle message from this bird that exemplifies the joys of domestic life in our own domain without having to conquer other countries or the need to fight wars to help others obtain their freedom.

I continue to use that type of salute with a smile to those I pass on my way. It does not offend anyone and keeps the germs at bay.

ASTHMA IS COMMON IN CATS

Sometimes a cat will hunker down in front, stretch out her neck, and take raspy, wheezing, spasmodic breaths. A reader of “Venture Inward” has asked Veterinarian Dr. Knueven, what might cause this. “As for treatment, it is possible there may be an inflammation in the airways of the lungs which is often related to allergies or other disruptions of the immune system. X-rays can be helpful for clarification. A balanced, raw-food diet has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Adding fish oil to the diet quiets inflammation. Feline specific probiotics added to the food has a balancing effect on the immune system and can be helpful. Dusty kitty litter, cigarette smoke, other airborne particles and chemical fumes can trigger asthma attacks and must be avoided. Using fewer chemical cleaners and air fresheners, and getting an air filter may help. Taking anti-oxidant vitamins (l00-200 milligrams of vitamin C (ester-C is preferred) and 50-100 international units of vitamin E can be of help,” says Dr. Knueven.

It is very important to check on the kind of kitty litter being used. When cleaning the litter box each day, if it looks too clumpy when being cleaned that would indicate it might be dusty and lead to asthma. There are acupressure points on either side of the spine between the shoulder blades that affect the lungs. Massaging these points during an attack can lessen the severity.

Doug Knueven, DVM, is the author of “Stand by Me, A Holistic Handbook for Animals, People and the Lives They Share,” For more information, go to www.BeaverAnimalClinic.com.

VENTURE INWARD COLUMNIST

As a regular columnist in Venture Inward, June Bro, who received her masters and doctorate in divinity in 1974, guides her pen with brevity using a few selective words that say volumes. Speaking of the “Oneness” of all people she says, “We all need love and support from others. We all have to meet the same spiritual problems no matter what our background. We are one in the history of the world. We know better than ever, that we are all affected by what has happened in the past or is happening today anywhere on the globe. Yet even though every spiritual group is trying to grow its people toward oneness with God, each one concentrates on specific ways to get there and then claims that their way is best. Some day we will look at the shared ideal of oneness held by us all, and help each other get there. In spite of differences in people, my real joy comes when I connect with them at the soul level.”

In light of recent events regarding loss of life among our own and trying to understand how this could come about, we are exhorted to make changes at the core of the problem. Considering the positive aspects of living together, the “fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness and faith” can lead out each day for greater understanding and kindness to others rather than criticism. Using our lives as a tool each day to practice as well as preaching with words we say and then backing them up with deeds can change everything. That is our small sermon for this Sunday and any Sunday we are unable to go out to church. Because of our present flu epidemic caution in shaking hands is being recommended by the medical profession.

Reverend June Bro lives in Virginia Beach, Va., and is associated with Living Waters Sanctuary.

THE WAYFINDERS

This week a CBC radio program called the Massey Lectures are featuring the 9:00 pm program called “Ideas” with the speaker presenting parts of his book called “Wayfinders.” with Anthropologist Wade Davis. He has traveled in many areas of South America where no westerners had been before. Last night he told about an area where he saw proof that there had been “giants in that land.” I remembered a verse in Genesis 6, verse 4 that said: “There were giants in the earth in those days.” When I had read those words years ago I thought this must have been the scribes having a problem with translating from the ancient scrolls.

I recall reading an article in “Venture Inward,” (March/April, 2005) telling about a group trip Henry Reed, was leading into the Andes among the Q’ero. An attribute of these people is that although they consider their teachings sacred, they don’t consider them secret. This leads into the Andean prophecy, handed down from the Inca, foreseeing a change of worlds, timed exactly in accordance with the Mayan calendar of December 24, 2012. Not so far away, perhaps that will begin the lead to a more peaceful world. The Q’ero termed this shift “The Age of uniting ourselves again - when people come together to realize their oneness in God.” They see it as an end to boundaries, where people will drop their identification with each individual, and living the intention of realizing harmony, treating all living things as relatives that would bring us into the spiritual practice of the “attitude of gratitude”. That sounds like a better way than centuries of wars throughout present day patterns that our history books tell us about.
Scientist, Henry Reed, Ph.D., group leader of this Andean group gives a Website, but too late now to join this trip of 2004. www.creativespirit.net/peru.
If he is planning a similar trip again, it would be interesting to join them. 1-800-333-4499.

GRANDKID'S GAZETTE, October 31, 2009

Halloween, the day of the year that brings good luck to many families as they gather to express gratitude to our parents as well as all others who have expressed kindness in many ways during past years. Some people also expect there may be mischievous gremlins hiding in unexpected places that cause problems during that October month. Perhaps that is what happened to the stock market that began a year ago this month.

But for most children and grandchildren Halloween was a fun day. My great-grandchildren arrived at 6:30. Miss Six was dressed as an angel, looking like one of those spiritual angels that love and protect her sisters and family from dangers. Her tall wings got out of place for a moment but Mommy was handy and straightened them out. (Those wonderful Mothers who are always there when needed.) My neighbour opened her door and called out for us to come over to her place next. Just a dozen or so steps saw them racing down the hall and a tap at the door brought Miss Six followed by Miss Four in her delightful fairy costume and Miss Two dressed as a ballet dancer. I’m glad the French invented the tu-tu for many dances because she looked absolutely fabulous. For a brief moment she tripped on one of her tiny feet and the treats scattered around the hall. But she was undaunted, bent down, picked up each wrapped treat, and returned them to her basket. If there had been thousands watching they would certainly have thought it was all part of the dance. The fascinating part was when she bent her knees, the tu-tu opened like a beautiful smiling flower when she rose and presented her basket before Grace, my lovely neighbour and her visitor. Daddy (dressed as a pleasant pirate) and Mommy (dressed as the perfect mother) were offered treats as well and then we hurried back to Gi-Gi’s place. I commented on each costume and one sister said “Grandma Stewart gave her the tu-tu last week for her birthday and we’re going to visit her next.”

SMILE - ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

With family responsibilities, work deadlines to meet, it can be tempting to become sidetracked and stressed by a multitude of little problems and lose sight of what really matters in this increasingly complicated world. If your working days are over and your retirement fund that once paid 4 per cent for your living expenses has been reduced to less than one per cent there can be pause for reflection. Or sometimes these funds have disappeared altogether in a black hole in the stock market.

There is one thing we can still do and that is to change our thinking according to Lee L. Jampolsky, Ph.D. in his book “Smile For No Good Reason.” At this point it is time to rewire our thinking patterns and choose peace and happiness through the doors of forgiveness and love. “People can and do begin smiling for no good reason when they find that in order to be happy they need only to change their own thinking and attitudes. Use a few more smiles from the heart that ‘Attitudinal Healing’ can bring.

True and lasting happiness is not tied to income, jobs, partners, material possessions or friends that seem to vanish. When you catch yourself reacting with negativity keep rewiring thinking patterns and choose peace and happiness or your own conflict and pain. Nothing outside of us has more power than our own decision to be happy. One page of his book opens with this advice, “Think of God as a good dry cleaner.” He explains that God can remove stains - painful emotions and past choices – nothing and no one outside of us has more power than our own decision to be happy.
There is always family for emotional support to rely on and new friends will pop up on your journey. And keep your smile handy. More information can be found at l-800-723-1112.