Furry Friendships

I sat down to post about yesterday's trip to the ER with my youngest daughter (appendicitis scare) and decided I'm still too emotionally spent to turn it into anything besides AARRGGGHHH! So the appendicitis-that-wasn't story will have to wait a few days.

Instead, I'm writing about a topic that never fails to cheer me:  my furry buddies! If you know me or read my blog, you've seen pictures of the animals that share my space.  To make it easy for you, I posted photos of my furry beloveds. Aren't they the coolest hairy kids ever?

Sitting here in my office with my gray kitty, Bailey, in my lap and my black Lab mix, Penny, stretched out at my feet, I considered how lucky I am to have been born with an "I-adore-animals" gene.  I know people who don't care for animals ("Too much hair!" "Eww, slobber!") and I can't understand it.  So dogs and cats shed. . .big hairy deal.  Pull out your vacuum cleaner a little more often.  Slobber? Nothing a little soap and water can't take care of.  Those things are a small price to pay for tail wags and purrs and unconditional love that reduces stress and eases heartache.

How do our dogs know when we need a wet nose pressed against our hand?  How do our cats know when we need a purring body curled up in our lap?  Pets know their humans.  These wonderful creatures read our moods and decipher our emotional needs like furry barometers.  Don't believe me? Ask anyone who has an animal companion and they will tell you the same thing.

What do the furry friendships in your life mean to you? Do you have an animal companion who senses your moods? Who is your furry beloved?


Til next time -
Lisa

Sisters of Serendipity

ser-en-dip-i-ty: noun

The faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought after. 

Some time ago I crowed about "serendipity" with regard to a book I stumbled across at the library.  A great read, The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert brought sheer delight. Well, Easter weekend gifted me with another serendipitous find, this time in the form of a friend.

The weekend promised to be entertaining since my 16-year-old daughter and I road-tripped to Virginia to visit my sister, Sophie, and her family.  We blasted our CDs, sang loud, and giggled our way through six hours on the road.  

Joining us for the weekend was my brother's beloved Meg, a lady I had yet to meet.  I knew she would be something special because she owns my big bro's heart and because our sis said, "She is the berries!", which is Sophie-speak for "super terrific".  Due to all of that I expected to like her.

 

So where does serendipity come in? Well, I went to Virginia expecting to make a new friend. Returning home with a brand new sister-of-the-heart was not even on my short list of things to do, but serendipity bloomed and her name is Meg. (If I'm honest, her name isn't Meg, it's Jerri, but our family is big on nicknames and hers is Meg, so dubbed in reference to something my mama once said.) 

 

Only rarely does the universe bring into our lives a person who fits our contours with seamless ease.  Truth be told, were my brother to lose his mind and move to Bora Bora to join a cult of dart-playing turtle worshipers, Meg would still be on my speed dial and Sophie would continue to beg for her sausage gravy and biscuits.  We're a new trio, Sophie, Meg and me--sisters of serendipity, unexpected but treasured.  I am so looking forward to strengthening this bond of friendship.

 

Ah, Miss Serendipity...I love it when she drops by!

 

Til next time,

Lisa 

 

Photos courtesy of stock.xchng.