Chicken Soup for the Soul ‘Friend Friday’ Podcast with Amy Newmark

I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Amy Newmark on the Chicken Soup for the Soul ‘Friend Friday’ podcast. We discussed my stories, “Changing More Than Diapers” in the Empowered Woman book, about my experiences as an engineering student and coming full circle as an engineering professor, and “Teacher in a Fur Coat” in The Dog Really […]

How Did He Know That?

I recently read Bernie Siegel describing a quantum physics term called ‘nonlocality’, in which a quantum particle can influence another quantum particle instantaneously over any distance, despite there being no exchange of force or energy. Quantum particles that have had any form of contact retain a connection even when separated, so that the actions of one will always influence the other, no matter how far they get separated. Could this have somehow been true for Chase and Ginger as well?

Life and Death and Cancer

Thoughts swirled in my head as I watched the PBS special on cancer for the second night. I thought of the people in my family who have survived and have been taken by cancer. And the dogs in my family who have survived and have been taken by cancer. And even though we don’t know […]

Still Saying Goodbye

We lost our beloved dog Bandit to multiple myeloma in March. I had a beautiful pendant made with some of his ashes inside, and I wear it on a chain around my neck, or on a bracelet. I mentioned before that I had a hard time deciding where to release Bandit’s ashes, so I’ve been […]

A Decade of Devotion

We lost Bandit to multiple myeloma in March, and our little pack continues to find its way. When Bandit’s body was failing and I realized he was in pain, it became apparent that he was ready to go. But I could tell he was concerned about how we would manage without him. So we spent […]

Grateful for the Journey

Chase and I are planning a party. We’re celebrating one year of the Dog Gone Reading Program at the Valley Library, where the kids read to Chase to improve their reading skills. Ginny the librarian, the kids, and their families will join us on a Saturday to celebrate, hear Chase’s story, present participation awards to […]

My Inner Fire

I recently attended a yoga retreat. We were asked to visualize our inner fire, like as a flame or the sun. In my mind’s eye I saw this blazing orange cattle dog, this intrepid, very yang dog: Bandit. Yang means fast, solid, focused, hot, and is associated with fire, the sky, the sun, masculinity, and daytime. […]

My Greatest Gifts

I don’t participate in the sales, the super shopping, running around completely stressed, many of the things we’re ‘supposed’ to do during this holiday season. I think Christmas is supposed to be about love, and I don’t know how buying stuff for people became equated with love. It’s a misguided notion that helps drive the […]

Living with It… and Rocking it Out

First, an update on how Bandit and Chase are doing. Chase completed 21 radiation therapy treatments for colonic adenocarcinoma on August 23rd. He had a stellar follow-up appointment two weeks later. On September 24th he returned to his volunteer mission at the local library, where kids read to him. On October 15th, he had a […]

Get a Jump on Holiday Shopping–Book Sale Benefits Dogs with Cancer

Get a jump on holiday shopping! The award-winning Not Without My Dog Resource & Record Book is on sale, just $15 + shipping for this hard cover, journal-style book with photo pages, and everything for and about your dog. Quantities of 10 or more are just $12 each (+ shipping–please contact me directly). They make great […]