What Me, Blog?

Hello. Welcome to my blog.

I’ve started this blog for several reasons:

• We’re busy these days, and have limited time to learn about all the new and interesting things going on.
• I love pets, and find what’s available today can be inconsistent in quality and usefulness.
• If done right, a blog can add much value by collecting data and sharing thoughts that positively impact our quality of life with our pets.

Here’s what I hope you get from reading this blog:

• Information that you find useful and wouldn’t know about otherwise because you’re busy too
• Insights that you might not get otherwise because you don’t have time to sift through the various sites and publications
• An opportunity for you to comment and share when you do find something interesting that could also be useful to someone else who is as busy as you are

What should you expect?

• I'll do some initial posts.
• Your insights, comments and additions are important, please share your thoughts.
• Since you're busy too, I won't post so much that you feel lost, but will aim at three times a week or so.
• We'll revise as needed.
  

Like many people, I can be overwhelmed by the amount of material that comes my way every day, both on printed paper and painted screen. If there’s an opportunity to streamline this, especially when it comes to one of my favorite topics, pets, then it’s not only useful, but fun and interesting too.

So this will be a blog about pets. I actually love all animals, whether they’re pets or not. But to stay focused, we’ll keep it to pets. How we love them, care for them, think of them as family. How we never have enough time to do all the things that need to be done – maybe if we share ideas, thoughts, and tips, we can discover ways to make our lives easier and more efficient. At least that’s the goal.

And it’s about the wonderful things our pets bring us – the unconditional love, the companionship, the serenity of being able to share our lives with others who are unlike us, but teach us many things about ourselves, our lives, and what’s important.

Minnie and Doodah

Our house is currently home to two 13-year-old DSH (domestic short hair) cats, Minnie and Doodah (named by a then 3-year-old), one surviving 6-year-old Shubunkin goldfish named Bumpers (from an original batch of 18, in three different tanks), and one Yorkie, Chocolate, 7 years old, who never gives up trying to rule the whole pack.

Chocolate is my “first” dog, since the dogs in my past bonded to others as alpha, not me. I was always the “cat person.” And I still love the special time I have with Minnie or Doodah, but I must admit, it’s that Yorkie who takes most of my attention now. He’s my constant buddy, my personal trainer (walk!), the one who’s always the happiest to see me (maybe this makes it obvious that I also live with a teenager?)

He’s a very friendly guy, with one exception, a story for another time. So I get introduced to a lot of my neighbors as we walk the neighborhood and say hi to anyone also with a dog, big or small, that cares to stop for a sniff and chat. These are times that I cherish, because sharing a thought or insight or story with another pet person always makes me smile. And I don’t always have time beyond the quick trip around the block as I’m rushing to make one appointment or another, if that.

So that’s what I have as an introduction. Now let’s see where this journey takes us…