Up and Down, In and Out, Laugh and Cry

Up and Down, In and Out, Laugh and Cry

Scrooge to the Ghost of Christmas future:  “Spirit, you have shown a Christmas Yet To Come, which mingles great happiness with great sadness, what is to become of me?”  Scrooge Movie 1971.

I seem to always be quoting scenes from this movie about this time every year. This morning, this seems especially real. Yesterday I was saddened to hear that Jack Bassett died of a stroke early Christmas morning. I knew Jack from my days in radio. He was a talented, creative, honest advertising guy. I respected and appreciated him. I will miss him.

A few hours later I got a text picture of an ultrasound from Jason McKenzie. A quick phone call connected me to a very excited newlywed/soon to be father! What wonderful news from a great guy, at Christmas!

Now, this morning, I get news that Mike Venable has died. God bless him and Jill. Their life, and battle to live and appreciate life, has been an inspiration to me and countless others. I will miss him.

Now, as Gail and I get ready to go celebrate my grandson Alex Thor’s 9th birthday. I am reminded how happiness and sadness enter each of our lives. I prefer the happy times. I am grateful to have known these gentlemen. I am grateful to have known many friends, and relatives, who have passed on. I think of them often at Christmas. I hope you will remember your lost loved ones, and how they made you smile.  😊

I am happy to be here now.

I wish all of you out there a Happy New Year.

“May we all Live as long as we’re Alive”

   -------------------------------

Chestnuts are roasting and so am I

This Christmas movie is making me cry

Why, oh why, oh why, oh why?

Do I get the Blues at Christmas?

(Joseph W McClure @ 2023)

Day of the Dead?

The Day of the Dead?

I know, I promised to give you some more Adventures of Dooley and Me. We finally got home a few days ago, and I’ve had plenty to catch up on, and I’ll get to that soon. But my question today is: What’s this with the Day of the Dead? How have I gone 67 years and never heard of this phenomenon, er… day?  It’s apparently on a lot of people’s minds this year.

This time of year has been pretty weird for me for the past 4 years. The Irony of having open heart surgery on Halloween has never been lost on me. The bleeding out internally, having my heart stop, for some period of time, and being in a coma for 3 days, (apparently during The Day of the Dead) wasn’t part of the plan. Well… it wasn’t part of MY plan!

Well, this isn’t about me, as my sweet buddy Dooley nuzzles my hand for some love, today I’m thinking about, and remembering companionship from my furry friends throughout the years.

My very first pet was given to me by my Gramps. He was a sweet little Beagle puppy named Sam. My parents were NOT happy about this gift. Sam wanted lots of attention and was quite vocal about that… I came home from school one day and Sam was gone. I was told he escaped through a hole in the fence. I rode my bicycle around my neighborhood for a year calling Sam’s name. (the neighbors loved that!) I never found him.

Other pets early on involved cats, I had several as a child. There was Zero and P-40, a brother and sister who were constantly chasing each other around the house. Linus, an orange tabby, who ruled the house, (including my brother’s dog). Poco Skeekrah, which actually means “Little Voice” in two separate languages! And later there was, Smokey, Spooky, Shadow, Trixie, Mr. Rogers, Downy, Jinx, and Bill. (Bill was a sickly little fellow, in a litter of Kittens, his name was a result of all the Vet bills we paid.)

Then there were our dogs. The first one’s name was Valentine, a mostly black mutt who would stand out in the rain and bark, … constantly. We had to find Valentine a different home. The kids were scared of him. Then our neighbor brought over a beautiful Springer Spaniel we named Jesse. Jesse and Cotton the Cat got along very well and Jesse was everyone’s pet. They both lived happy long pet lives, we miss them.

Then there’s Boo. We met Boo on Halloween. He was calm, sweet, and loving at a party with 50 people in a crowded small room. His original name was Boogie, but we thought Boo was appropriate. Boo was great, you can read more about him at A Wagging Tail — Joe Songs Music   And there’s Dooley, he has his own blog.

I’ve had a few people wish me “Happy Resurrection Day” on Halloween and even now, The Day of the Dead. It seems a little blasphemous to call it that. But I know God was guiding all of those doctors, nurses, family, friends, and furry friends. I owe them every day I have left. I thank you for your love and support. And I’m wishing all of you going through your own Day of the Dead, remember them and smile through those tears…

Dooley at Jesse and Cotton’s resting place…

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 15

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 15

Dooley goes to Camp!

Remember how you used to go away for summer camp for a couple of weeks every summer? We decided to fly out to Colorado for a couple of weeks, and flying means we couldn’t take Dooley ☹  So we did what our parents used to do , We sent Dooley to summer camp for a couple of weeks! I wonder if my parents missed me as much as I missed Dooley?  … . . . Somehow I doubt it :}  Dooley loves summer camp, and he loves his camp counselor, Miss Caroline too. He gets to learn new tricks, play with other dogs, and cats, get some good training and socialization from the experience. I get to spend a couple of weeks without worrying about Dooley eating my socks and underwear! (If you know… you know)

Dooley’s new trick from this trip was to learn to jump in the car without having to be lifted into the car! (Believe me, this is a GREAT trick! My back appreciates it!) The only problem is, now every time I open the door, Dooley wants to jump in. 

As you may know (from previous blogs) Telluride is a very dog friendly place, everywhere I turn I see another Doodle of some kind, and many almost exact duplicates of my sweet boy Dooley. Instead of walking around showing people pictures of my grandkids, I’ve been showing off pictures of Dooley. (Don’t worry, I have pictures of the grands as well!)

Here’s an update on my friend Bruno, the maitre’d from Italy, who was about to get his United States citizenship. (See: Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 11) I asked him if he had been home to Italy yet, to see his parents. He said: “Yes! And I have never been so proud as when I landed back in the U.S. at LaGuardia airport; showed my passport to the Customs official, and he said “WELCOME HOME!”. I was proud to be HOME, in The United States of America!”

Wow, what a refreshing statement!

Dooley and Me will be driving across The Good ol’ USA again very soon! See you there!

The Adventures of Dooley and Me - Part 11

The Adventures of Dooley and Me - Part 11 

Children, Dogs, Grumpy Old Men, and Home … 

Why does the smallest dog bark the loudest? Why are some dogs friendly and some aren’t? Why do some bite and growl while some just want to be loved and petted? Why are some people the same way? 

Sweet dogs, Tired children, and Grumpy Old men. The world is full of all of them. And you could swap the adjectives around any way you want, it’s really all the same, Dogs can be tired, children can be sweet, and Lord knows we all can be Grumpy. There are all kinds out there in the world. But something Dooley and Me are learning, People in the world have good days and bad, regardless of where you are or what you’re doing. Some days I feel sociable and some days I don’t. Here are some people I met on my more sociable days.  

There’s Bruno, Maitre'd at the La Piazza del Villagio restaurant, from the “heel” part of Italy. He’s getting his United States citizenship in 4 days. He’s been in Telluride for 23 years. I asked him why now?  

He replied: “Cause my Mama and Papa are getting old, and for the last ten years I’ve had a Green card, and they’ve been changing the laws and now I’m afraid if I leave, they won’t let me come back. So, I join America, so I can travel safely and see my Mama and Papa.” 

He continued: “I found my American Dream here, but I haven’t been home for 43 years. I need to see my Mama and Papa. I came to the US with a sleeping bag around my waist and 500 dollars. I went everywhere looking for a job, times were tough then.” 

When you look at Bruno, (He’s tall, strong, handsome) you can’t help but think “Goodfellas”, but he’s got a heart of gold... and he wants to go home … 

Then there’s Julia, from Uzbekistan. She's making money with her recipe website. She makes up recipes and puts them on the internet. She has dual citizenship with the US and Uzbekistan but hasn’t been home for 20 years. They keep changing the laws and if she goes home, she can’t come back... she wants to go home ... 

A family from College Station Texas. The kids are VERY excited. The little girl can’t wait to go to Kids Club. Grandma is from Sweden. They were too busy with the excited kids to tell me anymore... 

Couple from New York. Teaching their kids to Ice skate. Patience ... and Love …. beautiful ... 

And a Dad from Atlanta, with his daughters on a Gondola ride. One daughter is in the Navy. So was Dad. The other daughter is still in school. It’s always nice to talk to folks from Georgia... It reminds me of home ...  

It was time for Dooley and Me to go Home …  

I hope they don’t change the laws … 

Dooley and Me PART 9 - People and Dogs

So, Dooley and I made it to Telluride. Dooley has done a great job adapting to throngs of people adoring him. There are people here from literally all over the world, even Columbus Georgia! Some I can spot from their accent, and some not. I love to hear a southern accent, It reminds me of home and good people, I tend to gravitate towards the sound, strike up a conversation …. Usually I know their mom, in-laws, or neighborhood … it’s a Big world, but not that big …

Good people aren’t defined just by their accents. You can meet good people at the Bar, the restaurant, the sidewalk, the elevator, the ski lift, the gondola, the airport, picking up pizza, walking your dog, minding your own business, or minding someone else’s!

There’s Blain from Louisiana. Blain’s daughter is graduating from Nursing School. He’s very proud of her. She’s been studying OB/Gyn stuff. She delivered her first baby at the hospital as a nurse a few days before, asked the parents what the Baby’s name was , … they told her … “Blain” … Karma? … Love …   Blain is a … “lineman for the county”… (they really do exist!)

Nick is from just north of NYC, He’s got kids who love to play Jazz. He loves to go hiking and camping in below freezing weather, …  3 or 4 feet of snow… Brrrr … He likes it here! …and there …

There’s Laura, who doesn’t like sushi, and her friend from Kentucky. Her dog is an Aussie Doodle named Moonshine! He and Dooley were fast friends… common names and lineage, I guess …

There’s Jonathan from Dahlonega, GA, we know a lot of the same people. I overheard him talking about B-25’s. My Dad flew B-25s in WWII.

Jared, formerly from Boone, NC, His wife is from Macon, GA. They’re moving to New York City to start their own business … If they can make it there …

Those girls from Mobile, AL … “Say snow -mobile” … they threatened to take my dog with them … I told them they should meet my friend Lee Baby! … He’s from Mobile … and he’s really sweet …

So … Dooley is teaching me to socialize, to come out of my shell, to realize that ... there are good people from all over, regardless of where they’re from, … or even how they act … Just greet them with a smile and a sweet puppy sniff! Some will growl back, and some will ignore you … but some are dealing with stuff you’ll never know, and some will appreciate the smile and the Good Will, and I will try to love and appreciate them … though I may not hang around them very long …

The Adventures of Dooley and Me – Part 8 To Hell you Ride! At Last

Travel, while it is an adventure, by the obvious nature of it, requires change, the coming and going of the beautiful people you meet, the people you miss by leaving, and the people who leave us.

They say the only constant in this world is change.

Most of us (come on admit it) don't like change. Change in our world, change in our daily routine, change in our perspectives, change in our friends, change in our circumstances. Changes, changes, changes. If we don't change, if we don't grow, we die. Period. It's a law of nature. If we aren't growing, we are dying.

The change weighing on my heart the past few days is losing Loved ones. No, it’s not just people dying, it’s people leaving, moving away, moving on with their lives. Good people who continue to grow and Live their lives, even when it means facing change, People who enrich my life, whether they are next door or 3,000 miles away. 

For the past 13 years, I’ve been spending several months a year in and around Telluride, Colorado. I have been blessed to make real true friends here and meet some fascinating people. I’ve been told the average time for people who live in/or own property in Telluride is 3-5 years. I’m finding that to be pretty accurate. Of course there are those who come here and never leave, but they seem to be the exception.

Last night Dooley got to witness his first poker game, yep, a bunch of guys, sitting around being guys. Dooley is my good luck charm BTW. I cleaned up! (So did Dooley, when he snuck that piece of pizza off the counter.)

But it was also a see – ya - later party for another person moving on in the world. I’ll miss you Jonah. Thanks for being patient in teaching me how to play Texas Hold’em … Even though I took all your money!

I have good friends in this town, and all over this country. … I hope that never changes …

 …

The Adventures of Dooley and Me - Part 7 Durango

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 7 - Durango

Picking up Poop/ and Snow!

Cleaning up after your dog is just simply not fun. It’s something I have rarely done in my previous dog ownership experience. I’m not talking about cleaning up the carpet or an “accident” in the playroom. I’m talking about picking up freshly deposited poop from a commonly used outdoor location.

Dooley and I are learning… At home we’re used to me opening the door and letting him go where he wants. It’s simple, easy, relatively clean, and I’ve been perfectly happy with that plan for 30+ years of pet ownership. The world is changing, and changing locales, weather conditions, local mores, and rules, require adaptation, from owners and pets. Dooley has lived his life thus far, looking for, and enjoying grass, pine straw, leaves and dirt, as his depository locations. As we traveled through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, these “normal” locations were fairly easy to find, although the cleanup was becoming more and more necessary, as well as required.

Durango, Colorado was Dooleys first contact with snow. It was quite exciting for both of us. We had to stop in Durango because a snow storm had closed Lizard Head Pass over the mountain to Telluride. Getting out of the car onto the icy, snowy parking lot must have been great to watch, a careful step here, a careful step there, a moderate slide… It felt very comical with Dooley pulling me across the ice, both of us slipping and sliding!

A quick look around the parking lot revealed 3 and 4 foot piles of snow where there should be grass and dirt. Hmmm … where could Dooley go? We went around the hotel to a sidewalk along the Animas river that had been plowed clear and found a very small patch of dirt next to a small tree … Bingo! Dooley was happy, I cleaned it up, all was good so far. Dooley was now ready to explore. He quickly found snow drifts to disappear into and leap out of. He loved it!

In the next 24 hours, Dooley learned how to make yellow snow, and pretend it was grass, and I learned to clean poop out of the snow. (The trick is to get to it before it melts down into the snow)

Living and Learning Y’all, … Life is Good!

Next Stop: Telluride …

The Adventures of Dooley and Me - Part 6 Texas/Lubbock

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 6 - Lubbock

There’s something about certain Texas towns. I’m sure it’s because of what must be the world’s largest per capita cow population in the WORLD! But now I can understand certain people’s concerns about methane gas and global warming! I would rank Lubbock 3rd in my travels across the country, as far as the prevalence of cow produced methane smells… (Since you asked… Amarillo is number 1, Clovis, New Mexico is 2nd.)  At least in Lubbock it depends on which way the wind blows…

Georgia boy, and his dog visit Twin Peaks! … Huh?

So we check into a “pet friendly” hotel in Lubbock, fortunately, upwind from the cattle yards. I ask the front desk if there’s a “pet friendly” restaurant nearby. He says right across the parking lot, a place called Twin Peaks. I told him thanks for the tip as I look out at a sign with two mountains in the logo and thought to myself: “Mountains? In Lubbock? Ain’t no mountains around here".  

Me and Dooley walk into a pretty nice, rustic sort of bar/ restaurant with lots of TVs and dead animal heads on the wall. Dooley didn’t know what to think about the creatures staring down at him. I didn’t’ know what to think about the creatures walking around with short shorts and … well, … Twin Peaks took on a whole new meaning! As well as the term “pet friendly”!  

Yep, Dooley’s a chick magnet!

Next up: Durango, Colorado : Snow and poop!

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 5 - Texas/Austin

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 5 – Texas/ Austin

Keep Austin Weird -Please!

I don’t know where to start about Austin and middle Texas. So many good people, great music, and weird things to do. Just imagine; There’s Gruene Hall, Luckenbach, Hippie Church, The Snake Farm, Wine Country, Esther’s Follies, Fredericksburg,  Austin “The live music Capitol of the world” (the best music can be found around a campfire in somebody’s back yard!)

Dooley likes it too, (well, except for the snake farm) There are water bowls, treats and dog lovers at every door step. And Dooley loves dog lovers!

A few words about some of these:

Gruene Hall: I saw Ray Wylie Hubbard there, plus several other cool people.

Luckenbach: bucket list spot for people all over the world, I’ve played in their song circle a few times. Good folks there. If you haven’t heard of Luckenbach, Look up, Waylon, Willie and the Boys…

Wine Country: Well, at least the music’s good!

The Snake Farm: Just ask Ray Wylie about it!

Next up: Lubbock: A country boy, and his dog… can survive!

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 4 - Texas/Houston

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 4 – Texas

My dad always told me, “Son, some of the nicest people in the world live in Texas, but that state has a whole lot of ugly country.” He spent some time in Texas, near San Antonio, as a flight instructor for the Air Force. I have found his words to be entirely correct.

Texas is green and flat in the east, hilly and scrubby in the middle, desert in the west, and cold and flat in the north. Most Texans I know agree, the Hill country is the prettiest part of Texas. My response is, “that ain’t saying much!”

Texas music is awesome, and Texans, (in my world) are great fans, that appreciate original music. If you don’t know I have spent 25+ years going to Texas for music. Primarily going to The Kerrville Folk Music Festival. I have made countless friends there from all over Texas, and the country actually. I could do an entire series of stories about Texas, maybe I will. For now, I’ll just cover this trip with Dooley.

Houston

Southpaw Guitars: You would have to be a left handed guitar player to understand. Imagine walking in to a guitar store with hundreds of right handed guitars but only 2 or 3 of them for lefties. Southpaw guitars = Lefty heaven! It’s the only place of its kind in the USA, as far as I know.

JP Hops house: Songwriter Beer Joint, I’ve played there a few times, met some great people there. It burned down this past summer. I think/hope they’re rebuilding.

Brian Kalinec: a songwriter I have known about and met some years ago, at a SWRFA (south west regional folk alliance) meeting a few years ago. I met him at JP Hops house, again last September. We had dinner together, this trip and I got to know another excellent human being. He’s just finished a tour in Europe. I learned a lot from him. He’s an awesome musician, and a great songwriter. He’ll be releasing his new project, The Beauty of it All, this spring. I’ll post a link. Here’s a song from it. https://youtu.be/6jur6XiyLeA  This one’s called Redwood Fence.

Café Benedicte: An excellent family run place , with some crafty cocktails and great food. It’s a few blocks away from a Pet friendly Hyatt Regency. I highly recommend this place.

Next up, … Austin: Keep it Weird!

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 3 - Lake Charles

Blown Away – Pat’s of Henderson; Dooley is a Chick Magnet

Pat’s of Henderson - Blown Away

For the past several years of driving through Lake Charles on the way to The Kerrville Folk Festival, a special place has always stood out for me. Pat’s of Henderson is an excellent restaurant that is absolutely the best Cajun food I’ve ever eaten. Great service, friendly place.

A couple of years ago, it was quite disappointing, driving through Lake Charles, looking forward to eating at Pat’s, only to find a concrete slab with several trash dumpsters full of what was left of the family restaurant that had been there 50+ years. The building had been destroyed by hurricane Laura in late August 2020.

Dooley and I returned there, a week or so ago, to a beautiful new building, a stately bar, and an open spacious dining room. I sat at the bar, people watching as usual, and noticed an older (about my age)  couple walk in. Everyone seemed to know them, and they knew everyone.

“Who are those people?” I asked the bartender.

“They’re the former owners” he said.

Me: “New Ownership?

 He: “Well, their son Nick has taken over and rebuilt the place.”

Me: “Oh, the nice guy who welcomed me at the door”.

He: “Yup.”

Me: ”Do you think they’d mind if I spoke to them?”

He: “Nope.”  

So I walked over and introduced myself (something actually not like me, maybe it was the wine and the happy full tummy)

They told me how proud they were of Nick, He’s the 3rd generation to keep the place going, how they were ready to give up when the place blew away, but Nick wouldn’t say no, and wouldn’t give up. We talked for about thirty minutes, as they graciously let me interrupt their dinner.

As I walked out, I told Nick, I had met his parents, and what nice folks they were, and how I was “Blown Away” (pun intended) by  what a beautiful place it was. The place was packed by then, and he was busy. But not too busy to shake my hand, give me a smile, And tell me to “Hurry back!”

I will.

Dooley is a Chick Magnet!

I can spot a dog lover from a good 10 or 15 yards away… Dooley can spot one from 100 yards away! He starts wagging his tail and pulling on his leash and bouncing up and down. The approaching dog lover starts speaking in a high voice and smiling and saying things like, ”Oh he’s sooooo cute!”, or “I love your dog!”, “Can I pet him?”, “He’s soooo pretty!”. Dooley loves it, I get worn out with him dragging me around.

It turns out The Golden Nugget Casino in Lake Charles is a pet friendly place. They even allow your pets in the Casino! A guard told me about a guy with a Monkey on his shoulder a few nights before we were there. He said it was crazy, I believe him!

I have occasionally visited casinos in my travels, and must say, I’ve done well! Yes, “I have a system”,… a statement which guarantees I’ll lose!

But, with Dooley as your companion, it’s impossible to gamble. He draws attention from everyone. From big pit bosses, to dealers, to patrons, everyone. I’m going to estimate Dooley got over 50 hugs in 45 minutes in the Casino. One lady remarked how good he smelled, which didn’t make sense to me, he smelled pretty much like a dog when we walked in…  Then I realized he had been hugged and petted by about 50 well perfumed people.

A chick magnet? Well, he’s definitely a “Lover, Not a Fighter!”

Next up: Texas, nicest people, but the landscape?

The Adventures of Dooley and Me - Part 2 - Mobile

The Adventures of Dooley and Me Part 2- Mobile

After 4 hours or so on the road, Dooley and I arrived in Mobile to our first “pet friendly hotel”. Boy did we have a lot to learn about unloading a car, while watching the dog, cleaning up his business, and keeping him (and Me) out of trouble while doing all of that! Plus, it was Dooley’s first night ever in a hotel!

In the past few years, I have changed my perspective on traveling. Instead of just getting from one place to another, I have begun looking up old friends along the way, as well as meeting new friends, and finding new inspirations.

2 great things about Mobile, my buddy Lee Baby lives there, and Wintzells Oyster House is there. Put the two together and you have a great time! I haven't seen Lee Baby for several years and it was great to see him and catch up. It is true about what happens when you see a good friend after some years... sure you catch up, ... but it's like you've never been apart. Lee Baby is Da Best! I Love you man! (C’mon!) 

We went to Wintzell’s Oyster House for food… I love a place with bartender’s with attitude. I’ll have to admit, the best raw oyster I ever had was at Wintzell’s … at the bartender’s constant urging, turns out he was right!

Last time I went through Mobile (last September) I stopped to see Sean Dietrich (Sean of the South) play at a local church there. I discovered Sean on Facebook between my heart surgery and covid, and I credit him with getting me through it halfway sane and happy to be alive. I met him and found that he was as real and as kind and as positive a person as I hoped. If he plays near you, go see him. He’s for real! Sean’s coming to Columbus, to the Springer Opera House, February 18th. Buy your tickets soon, they’re selling fast!

Next up, … Lake Charles, … Dooley is a chick magnet!

The Adventures of Dooley and Me - Part 1

The Adventures of Dooley and Me

If you haven’t met him yet, this is Dooley. He’s my buddy, and of late, my traveling companion. We’ve been traveling from Cataula, Georgia to, so far, Telluride Colorado. It’s been quite an adventure, and, learning experience. If you travel with your pooch, you know how it is. You’ve got to find a “Pet friendly” place to stay, and quickly find out “Pet friendly” means: “We’re going to charge you an extra 100 bucks for your room”…. Good grief!  Not to mention the extra long pit stops, where Dooley has to sniff every blade of grass at the rest stop before choosing the appropriate spot, while you quietly urge him to “potty-potty”!

My plan here is to share with you all out there some of our adventures as we trek across the USA. People we meet, things we observe and lessons we learn. (And lessons we don’t learn!) I’m going to try to leave out the boring parts, (hours and hours of riding in the car) and share the interesting parts, like the “where am I and what day is it?” syndrome…. Well, … okay there may be more boring parts!

Next stops: Mobile, Lake Charles, Houston, Austin, Lubbock, Bernalillo, Durango, and Telluride!

Hospitals

I hate hospitals. Wait, that's not fair, I love hospitals. They save lives, then again … not always. People in the Hospital are sick. People who visit their loved ones in the Hospital are scared,  worried, afraid. But without the Hospitals (and of course the people working there)  well …            you know…

A Hospital is a place where Life Happens,  often at its most crucial point in time. A place where love, generosity, caring, hope, happiness, camaraderie, and family,  live… As well as a place where fear, hopelessness,  sorrow, loneliness,  and despair, live… It all comes together at the hospital. It's where the best and worst parts of our lives can occur. It's where we reckon with real honest to goodness life and death. And besides our prayers and presence, there's really not much many of us can do with this reckoning. It’s pretty much out of our hands.

There are three main groups of folks at a hospital. Those that care for the sick, those that are sick, and those who love the people who are sick. All these people are under the pressure of their role. God bless them…

I have watched Life Happen in the hospital from two of these roles, as a patient and a visitor, and they both require courage.

I have a friend in the hospital now, he’s preparing for Open Heart Surgery. My longest time in the hospital as a patient (more than a couple days) was due to Open Heart Surgery. I’ll have to admit to a bit of PTSD after being there for a few hours. I also have to admit feeling the Love, Happiness, Hope, Faith, and Joy for Life amongst the fear and helplessness that a Hospital can bring…

I hate Hospitals, But I Love the people in them …

Joe McClure

Joesongs.net

Left Behind

Left Behind

Here's a thought for those of us who've lost loved ones and are missing them this Christmas.

We're still here for a reason,  a purpose... seeking that purpose not only gives life meaning...  Finding that purpose...  gives us true grateful lasting Joy... spreading that Joy may very well be why we're here...

Christmas Blessings to all of us this Christmas Season!  And may the New Year ahead bring Love and Joy to our Loved ones and the World! 🌎

Joe McClure

A Wagging Tail

A Wagging Tail

It’s happening, very soon, an event that we were told 3 or 4 weeks ago would come. We hoped it wouldn’t, that some miracle would happen, but it hasn’t…It’s just a day or two away…

This sucks, it hurts, it’s hard to watch, to see unfold, to lose our buddy, our companion for the past 12 years, our sweet dog, Boo.

We found out a few weeks ago that it wasn’t a sinus infection, it’s an aggressive cancer that’s growing in his sinuses, through his skull, his brain, and his nasal passages. “We’re sorry” they said, it’s gone too far into his brain to remove.

It didn’t seem to bother him much, other than those sneezing fits and that awful yucky stuff draining out of his nose. We didn’t really know what to expect, the doctors weren’t much help, they described several horrifying scenarios, told us to watch him and sent us home.

We figured if he could wag his tail, he was happy, and we’d keep him happy. About 3 days ago, he quit wagging his tail… We know it’s time to say goodbye to Boo, his soft ears, big Boo smile, and wagging tail.

I’ll miss Boo as my hiking companion, he loved to explore the woods with me.

Boo loves to sleep on my feet, or under my chair, next to the bed, in the middle of the doorway, by the fire, … Okay, … Boo loves to sleep!

He loves the kids, the grandkids, and granddogs as much as they love him.

He loves to sit on the porch and keep an eye on things.

He welcomes everyone with a hearty bark and a wagging tail.

He knows when I need some doggy love. Last year about this time, when I came home from open heart surgery, Boo was there, looking after me, wagging his tail and lifting my spirits. He just stopped by to see me now, he knows I’m sad.

Did I mention his wagging tail? When Boo wags his tail, he does it with his whole body. From head to tail, his body undulates as if he is doing some kind of Big Boo Waggy Dance! He has a big tail too. More than one toddling child has been wacked to the floor with that happy dance!

I miss that happy dance already. I’m going to miss our sweet dog Boo.