Is it the food blog again tonight? Not really but mealtimes have always been happy times of family gathering together. However, this one has nothing to do with family but rather just with ME. Remember last night I told you I was very tired - - - - I found out why. As the evening progressed, my throat became more and more sore and RED. This morning was more of the same. I knew I was fighting off something - - - possibly a flu virus that one of my precious co-workers caught a couple of days ago. Bless her heart. I really like and respect her and hated to see her the flu grab hold and wrestle with her. She did not realize that was what it was when it first hit her.

Anyway, I have discovered that if you take the Rice A Roni, add the frozen vegetables, and some cooked chicken, (I generally have some in the freezer) you have a very simple and fairly nutritious meal in 30 minutes. It is one of my favorites dishes to make whether I am healthy or sick. The great news is I don't work on Fridays so was able to take some naps and drink a LOT of fluids. I am not 100 percent tonight but hope to be by tomorrow evening. I am not adverse to getting antibiotics when needed because I can't see the sense of stressing your body unnecessarily with illness - - but if your body can fight something of its own accord, I think it strengthens your immune system better.

Since we're on the subject of food, let me tell you we are having ham steaks left over from last night's supper. They are topped with a pineapple slice and glazed with an orange marmalade sauce. It is a Weight Watcher's recipe. My husband is participating in their plan again. In two weeks, he has lost 9 pounds.

And on a totally different subject, have you all gone to Pandora Radio? One of my daughters blogged about it a few weeks ago. You can create your own radio stations(s). It's free and it's easy. You can search songs, artists, and they will add other similiar songs. You can then bookmark them if you wish and even tell if you like the song so you can be sure it will play again. If you like music, you will love it. Guess it's like an iPod but since i don't have one - - - and don't want one either - - - - - - one nice thing about it is you can listen to your Pandora Station on any computer - whether at home or work and it's commercial-free.

Well - - - guess this is enough reading for anyone tonight!

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul; when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward. . . . . Proverbs 24:13-14a

Bye Sweet Dog

Last night our sweet, sweet dog died surrounded by his family petting him. We knew he was old and were expecting it but you still never are ready when the time comes. His time came after he had been outside investigating the yard one last time. He came into the house and pretty much laid down and passed away within 15 minutes. His heart just gave out.

Here he is this past March helping his Daddy do yard work. The wind was blowing a bit.We got Bunky from a friend who rescued him when he had been abandoned by neighbors who had abused him. The night we picked him up, he immediately bonded to our younger daughter. She has posted different poses of him on her blog.

We were not in the market at that time for another dog because we had a chocolate lab at home but we couldn't turn him away because he was too cute. Also, he looked like my mother-in-law's dog so that made him special to my husband because his mom had just died a few months earlier.

Bunky and Baby (the lab) bonded instantly. They really loved each other. Bunky bounced and bounded everywhere. He loved to nip playfully at Baby's heels so Baby would chase him. It kept Baby active. Both dogs were generally taken for a walk around a couple of blocks each night by two persons but sometimes by only my husband.

When the lab died, we were concerned that Bunky would mourn his loss but instead he relished the fact he was an "only" dog. He got all the scraps from the table without having to share with the big dog.

He had a very gentle personality and was extremely grateful for attention. I think it goes back to being abused. However, even after having him over 12 years, he would sometimes flinch a bit if he wasn't expecting you to pet him and it surprised him to see your hand approach. It hurt us to wonder what he had lived through prior to coming to our home.

Look at all his hair! We never had him professionally groomed although he would have looked adorable. Taking him in the car was traumatic. When he went to the vet, he shook until we got back home. We thought good looks were not worth the price it would have cost him emotionally so he got home hair cuts by me. Some were much, much better than others.

This is one of the last walks our Bunky got to take with his Daddy. Bunky dearly anticipated that each evening. He and my husband played a game. The leash would be dangled and the dog would dance on his hind legs and bark. Then they would bound out the door together. it was obvious as summer approached that even walking down our hill and up was stressing the dog's energy level. He would pant just walking around the yard.

Even though I prefer cats to dogs, I loved this little man. He was the best dog we have owned in our (almost) 33 years of marriage. Bunky has left a tremendous hole in our heart and a huge emptiness in our house.

Will we get another dog? Probably - - - - but not yet. First our emotions have to quit missing Bunky before we have a desire for another canine. And yes, we know it was just a dog but he was a family member who loved us deeply and we loved him, too.

Who thinks there are animals in heaven? Do we know if we will ever see our pets again? I can't give you a definite answer to the second question but in Randy Alcorn's book Heaven, he talks about earth being a mirror of heaven and expects all created beings will be found there. I won't argue or expound but am thankful that our pets can give us a little "heaven on earth" for a while. The heartache of their passing is a small price to pay for the unconditional love they give us before that.

Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called every living creature, that was its name. Genesis 2:19