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GETTING MILEAGE OUT OF YOUR CAT ON REPURPOSED EXERCISE EQUIPMENT

Do you know someone who has turned their traditional exercise bicycle into a coathanger — a place where you drape pants over the handle bars and gracefully lay shirts across the seat.
 Perhaps you are the person who has helped your cat find a repurposed place to sleep.
For example, how many of you have purchased a recumbent stationary bike —not a cheap piece of equipment — for your noble and ambitious exercise purposes and watched as it transitioned into a place for a cat to take a nap.
And, there you have it, our formerly feral kitten, Stevie Ray, in the spotlight of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Pedal, er, Nap. His legs are too short to pawdal — sorry, pedal — the big bike if he sits in the chair, but he can get quite a workout by holding onto the handle bars with his front paws and really stretching out to put his back paws on the pedals. We’re thinking of doing a fitness video for people and their cats.
Yep, most people pay 20 or 30 bucks for a nice round, fluffily comfortable cat bed — not us. We could have bought a Tesla, but, no, we got a fancy exercise bicycle. My plan is to hook it up to a electric generator so that during the winter, when we need lights or electric blankets, I’ll just hop on with Stevie Ray and we'll pedal madly to give the cats and dogs enough illumination to dine and a warm place to pile up and sleep. Any scientific mind know how many watts an active cat can generate?
You may also note the other napping photo of Stevie Ray, a former Oak Cliff feral kitten plucked from a mimosa tree when he was a yowling baby. That’s him napping in a second-hand chair in my office — hardly “finely furnished. That corner of the room has a used chair and two packing boxes that serve as a temporary display cabinet for a guardian angel, the bust of a dog and a molded statue of a black Cocker Spaniel. All inexpensive.
And there’s that wild swirl of my dog Porche Noel’s office rug and Stevie Ray trying to navigate the pattern. And you see Stevie Ray and his Office Cat mentor William Powell flopped down in the middle of our bedroom floor — more expensive than a bike but not as comfortable.
I’ll include this photo of our Bird Dog/Boxer mix (maybe) Wendy, who loves to sleep in the $250 office-style recliner Martha found at a vintage shop on Ross Avenue in Dallas. I wrestled it into my Ford Edge all by myself. Heck, I once moved a living room sofa in a VW Rabbit. About a third of it went into the back of the car and the rest was ridin’ in the wind. People would honk and grin. Things were different in those days — nobody pulled up behind me and stealthily lifted it out when the light changed and I innocently, ignorantly drove away, eyes on the road.
Oh, Stevie Ray says that since he’s been napping on that bike, he’s knocked 2-seconds off his bedroom-to-kitchen hallway dash. He says he’ll be ready for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021. By then, with the pandemic and other challenges, there may actually be an Olympic Hallway Dash—All Species. Some face, eh -- eyes look as if they were styled by an Oscar-winning makeup artist.
I think he's having Olympic dreams in the picture of him stretched out on my computer desk. As much as he works out, it won’t be a problem for him to wear a gold medal like it’s a fancy ID collar. [That's our boy in July, 2019, getting a feral kitten face-washing from my rescuespouse Martha.]
The lesson for humans? You never know what you’ll get when you reach into a mimosa tree and lift out a stubborn, furry, palm-of-your-hand-sized kitten. The Olympian baby may inspire you to buy exercise equipment with a napping platform.
[LARRY REQUEST: Please, I’m begging you PLEASE, send photos of YOUR sleeping dogs and napping cats to me at dallrp@aol.com and we’ll proudly post them in our long-running, internationally read weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Your story may inspire someone to save an unwanted cat or stray dog such as this one (being groomed?) by giving the critter a wonderful home. And you’ll inspire insomniacs to believe that we, too, can get some sleep, though, of course, I have been unable to nod off on the recumbent bike — Stevie Ray always has dibs on the nap platform.]
— Offer slumber tips by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

A FRIDAY EDITION WITH DOGS, CATS, PEOPLE AND A GREETING ARRIVING AT THE RIGHT TIME

EDITION OF FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 [PetPowellPress] We’ve reached the final Friday of Summer 2020 — Fall arrives around here at 8:31 a.m. Tuesday. Recognize that dog? That's some nose, isn't it!  Keep reading.

Oh, wait, let’s not forget that the wretched Fall Back time change is scheduled for 2 a.m. on November 1 —unless Florida Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott manage to pass their bill ending the time change during the Pandemic. This legislative attempt will, no doubt, lead to a Senate argument over “how long is a pandemic?” It’s as long as a piece of string.
ADVENTURE CAT
SAVED BY PETFANS
A couple of nights ago I emailed my friend Kayla Smith to see how her graduate studies are going at Texas A&M in College Station. A little bit later she emailed, “Currently trying to rescue a small kitten that crawled into a car and got stuck. Thought you'd be proud. Class is hard and I should probably be studying, but the cat was so small.”
Yes, that is THE kitten. Kayla’s helper in this rescue was Emma McLaughlin, a “cat whisperer who ultimately saved the cat then took the baby to the animal hospital to make sure it wasn’t super sick or anything.”
And, Kayla said, “The kitten is 6 weeks old and smaller than a woman’s shoe."
Emily named the cat Onyx. And the cat is jet black, Kayla says, “with one blue eye and one yellow.” But Onyx, “skin and bones,” is too busy lapping up her special food to pose for a mugshot!
“She eats all the time, which is a good sign,” Kayla says. “She is always very cold and likes to cuddle for warmth, so Emma is crocheting her a small little sweater. She's also too small/young for flea treatment, so the poor baby has already had to have two baths (using Dawn - recommended by the vet).”

How did this rescue happen? Kayla explains, “I was eating ice cream in my car with Pepper (my puppy) when I saw something that looked like a rat but ran like a cat run under a parked car and crawl up into it. I went to investigate further and used meowing sounds to locate what side of the engine the kitten had gotten stuck in. I immediately called Emma. We couldn't find the mother cat.

“We had to wait until Old Navy closed for their employee be let out - but once he was, he popped his hood, removed the car's battery and we went about trying to get the kitten unstuck. Eventually we were able to get the kitten out the path that it had used to climb in. Once Emma had Onyx cradled in her arms, the kitten just cuddled right up to her! … It’s all been very exciting.”
[LARRY NOTE: Kayla’s an animal-lovin’ artist who plays a mean game of golf and is a pretty smart person. I’m going to recommend that A&M just go ahead and give her that doctorate in humanities/animal rescue.]
FOLLOWING UP ON SOLTON/SID:
GAP TAKES THE SPLIT-NOSED DOG
Week before last this split-nosed dog, known as Solton to some and Sid to others, was waiting in Fort Worth Animal Care & Control — his oddly divided nose wasn’t the problem. He had and has other canine difficulties — parasites, unexplained jaundice, etc.
So, someone needed to tag him and get him into a rescue group and rescuer/transporter Laurie Gautreaux got the privilege of loading up the handsome guy and taking him to his rescuers. She reports that "the adorable guy with the split nose...was tagged by Trinity GAP Rescue.”
You know, of course, of Trinity GAP Rescue, the group that began years ago as an on-campus effort with the Euless Trinity High School Girls Awareness Program. It wound up partnering with the City of Euless Animal Shelter and helping non-shelter animals, too.
You see Sol's first shelter photo, and in those trans- port photos you can see that Fort Worth Animal Care & Control made sure he was getting some good treatment — so good that his nose is now a shiny, envious attraction at the end of his happy dog muzzle.
Perhaps you’ll want to help GAP rescue with his funding —go to trinitygaprescue.org You can also see how to adopt the handsome rascal.
THREE IN MESQUITE: A HUSKY,
AN AUSSIE & A HONEY NEED HOMES
Oh, boy. Get a load of these three dogs — so much beauty in one shelter report. They’re in the Mesquite Animal Shelter and we learned about them from the volunteer biographers Debra Chisholm and Judi Brown. 

The purebred Siberian Husky is Leah (44275424), surrendered to the shelter on the 15th after “she went after the family cat and she tried to bite the 6-year-old but there was no actual bite.” Circumstances of the child/dog conflict aren’t known. But, as Debra says, “It maybe best for Leah to go to a home without young children and cats.” Leah is 5 years old and weighs 58 pounds — she’d lived with the family for four months. She’s an indoor dog, housetrained, knows “Sit” and is “good on a leash.” Debra’s hands-on report says “Leah has a mellow, calm and sweet nature.” And, “It would be wonderful if she could get that new home ASAP to free up needed kennel space.”
Judi’s report on this dog begins, “Treasure is truly a treasure!” He’s a “beautiful bronze-colored year-old, 44-pound mixed breed. My scanner said he’s probably part Australian Shepherd/ Australian Cattle Dog and Red Heeler mix.”
Treasure arrived as a stray on the 12th. Judi says, “He is definitely wanting to go home with someone as he sits by his window trying to catch the eye of everyone that passes by.  He’s calm, obedient, well mannered, friendly, gentle and very sweet. He doesn’t attempt to jump on you. He gives tender kisses and wags his tail a lot. He knows the sit command and gave me his paw.” He’s #45507467.

Judi’s report on Honey (45532702) is that she’s a year-old, 42-pound mixed breed surrendered to the shelter on the 16th “due to the health of the owner.”
What breed? Judi says, “She is possibly mixed with Black Mouth Cur and Boxer and who knows what else? Whatever she is, she has beautiful coloring and gorgeous eyes. At only one year old she has already been rehomed two times and now finds herself  at the shelter. Let’s make the next home her permanent, forever home! Honey is very energetic, playful and fun loving. She chases balls but does not retrieve them. Could you teach her to do that?
“She loves to romp in the yard and would certainly do well with an active family that has a large yard. She could benefit from some obedience lessons to teach her not to jump on you. At her previous home she was an outdoor/indoor dog. She was raised with other dogs and lived with children. When I sat down she tried to get on my lap. When I walked her through the bay she became frightened of the other dogs barking at her. Therefore I had to carry her to the yard.”
 And, that last sentence demonstrates how devoted to hands-on assessments these Mesquite volunteers are. Fits into the mission of finding the right home for the animals.

Remember, to ask about these dogs, use their ID numbers when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityof mesquite.com. 
To see more Mesquite animals click HERE.
Among the shelter cats is this beautiful 8-year-old Maine Coon mix named Victoria (#45509479). She is a “large” cat who came into the shelter on the 13th. [LARRY ASIDE: We had, for many, many years, a Maine Coon named Lucy — a darling cat who adored me the very moment I showed up at Martha’s house to take her on our first date. Martha will confirm that. And, of course, I believe Maine Coons are very good judges of people — that’s my experience, anyway!]
AND HERE’S ONE OF THE MANY
CATS AND DOGS WAITING
IN JUNCTION’S SHELTER
We got the tip on this Junction, Texas, cat and other cats and the dogs from rescuer/advocate Tami Kula who won’t hesitate to tell you how much she admires the small but hustling staff at the City of Junction’s Animal Control shelter — the ACO is Nichole Grubbs (ngruggs@ junctioncity.com).
Tami sent a note with several cat photos, including this one. “It is a complete mystery as to how these AMAZING SWEET cats have not been adopted yet. Over 500 days they have been patiently waiting for someone to adopt them or rescue tag them. They are each ready. We have their bags packed.” Here’s the pertinent info from the note: “Contact Junction Animal Control at 325-215-1696. #adoptakittyfromjunctionanimalcontrol
#500daysandstillhopingforahome.
[ONE MORE LARRY NOTE: This cat's very serviceable litter box is a Corona Extra beer box. I'm sure the box was donated to the shelter. Texas animal shelters rarely have an Official Beer Litter Box. But maybe that's a good way to get "refreshment money" into the shelter budget!]

CONTEMPLATIONS
Post-Giving Day; Zooming; A Needed Holiday
OK, it’s the day after North Texas Giving Day — that oughta free up some space in everybody’s in-boxes. But here’s the deal with all that mail: Congratulations to all of you non-profits with the campaign-planning volunteers. Two things that are totally necessary to animal-related non- profits: Spending money and volunteers.… On Thursday morning, I was Zooming with some friends of mine (high school pals sheltering in place ‘til we’re sick of it) when, suddenly, my cat, Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, jumped from the floor to my lap and was onscreen. I’m not saying my contemporaries need glasses, but two guys thought they recognized her from Latin class in high school. I’m kidding. She was a model in senior art. [That's not a Zoom photo; that's a previous moment in our lives.]… And, at sunset Friday, Rosh Hashanah begins — it is, as we Baptist kids were taught, the Jewish New Year and the first of the High Holy Days. In honor of my friends and family who are Jewish and hoping to inspire people who have no faith at all to acquire some, I type this traditional greeting: “Shanah tovah.” It means, translators say, “Good year!” If there ever was a time when we needed a “shanah tovah,” we need one now. In my native Texan, “Shanah tovah, y’all.”
—- Offer opinions and hopes by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

A CAT'S BUSINESS FACE, DOGS NEEDING HELP, PERSIMMONS AND MYSTERIES...

EDITION OF THURSDAY, SEPT 17, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Is it possible to think about things other than any politics, any pandemic related news or anything that will change the happiest parts of your daily routine.
Could be taking the dogs out, sitting for a purr session with your cat/cats (come on, how can you have just one?) or contemplating the importance of today's North Texas Giving Day for non-profits, particularly those that deal with children and animals. [LARRY ASIDE: Help ‘em all. I’ll be checking my Lotto Texas numbers after this goes to print, but if the right six numbers show up, there WILL be an Extra Edition at this website.] Oh, and that cat needs a job. Keep reading.
HOW DOES A DOG WIND UP
WANDERING IN EAST TEXAS?

Hunting dog who disliked the job? Dumped by someone from a larger city? On a mission to wake up the heart of someone who needs a really pretty young girl known as Maggie?
We learn about her from Karen Lee of barkleyworld.com who got the info from one of our longtime tipsters, Gail Whelan of Companion Animal Network.
As it turns out, Gail is the connection point for Maggie, so call Gail at 903-967-3226 or email can.adoptions @yahoo.com.
 The story is Maggie was found “wandering in the country” and is now in careful care until she’s adopted or taken in by a rescue group. She’s 15- to 18-months old, weighs 31 pounds and is heartworm negative. She’s had all her vaccinations, Gail’s note says.
All the wayward pup needs needs is a human who’ll love her and give her a home.

???
INTERRUPTION OF DOG/CAT REPORTS: 

AMONG  FIRST THINGS LEARNED AT WORK
We all have our “firsts” but my first in the newsroom of the Texarkana Gazette in 1965 was keep an eye on the trash basket at the desk where the editors who smoked pipes were working. Yep, tap a pipe out after a good smoke and, right there at deadline, the embers would set the trash paper ablaze! Probably never happens in these smoke-free days. Feel free to contribute to our NEEDLESS INTERRUPTION SERIES. Email dallrp@aol.com with the brief report of what you’ve seen in life that doesn’t have anything to do with a pandemic or a presidential election. (We return now to a canine note.)
???


ETHEL NEEDED SOME HELP,

THEN, SHE GOT IT!
Yep, before we could even post Amy Poskey’s appeal to help this girl Ethel as she waited in the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter, someone stepped up to help the girl described as a Great Pyrenees/Labby/Golden Retriever Mix.
Who? Our ol’ pals at Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas. Ethel needs some veterinary work — Amy’s note says she was “picked up as a stray and never reclaimed. She was favoring her back legs so she was sent to th offsite vet for x-rays which revealed bilateral luxating patellas; therefore she will need surgery.” 
To help Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas finance the surgery and aftercare, visit the website at goldenretrievers.org. Also, because she was injured, she was not able to pal around with the other pups and she has not been spayed. That’s coming, of course.
 Amy’s note reported that Ethel is 6- to 9-months-old, heartworm negative, weighs 36.6 pounds and “is as sweet as it gets.” [LARRY ASIDE: I mention that in case someone is thinking, “I am a good, smart, loving person who deserves a good, smart loving dog.” We’re on Ethel’s side. And congratulations to all of you Denton folks who worked to get her some help.]

???
INTERRUPTION OF DOG/CAT REPORTS:

ONCE UPON A TIME AT A BIG LAKE

My funspouse/rescuespouse Martha and I once judged contests for the Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas at a big local lake — can’t remember which one. But here is a fact: You’ve never seen happier dogs until you see Golden Retrievers chasing tennis balls into a wind-blown lake. Every time a ball splashed into the white-capping waves, dozens of these Golden dogs would change the direction they were dog-paddlng and aim toward the new ball. They looked like a giant school of hairy fish going after the same bait. Dogs are fun. Wet or dry. And that was the first time we’d seen a “school of Dogs.”
???

MEANWHILE, IT’S MIDNIGHT IN MESQUITE
AND SANDI IS IN THE SHELTER, TOO
If not for the volunteer critter biographer Debra Chisholm, we’d not know about Midnight or Sandi, a couple of dogs waiting for humans to come get them out of the Mesquite Animal Services Shelter. 
This handsome but needing groceries Pittie mix is Midnight (45502035), about a year old and 50-pounds of formerly stray dog. He arrived at the shelter on the 11th.
Debra, who meets the dogs she writes about, reports, “Midnight spent a lot of time in the yard during the photo shoot with his nose to the ground.  He has a mellow personality and a calm demeanor, yet he is lively and active.  He pottied outside.  Midnight takes treats gently.  He is a friendly youngster.  He has been to the vet and diagnosed with ear infections.  He is taking meds for the infections.  He also has goopy eyes.  It appears that Midnight has lived outdoors and has not been well-cared for.  Though he walks ok on a leash, when led through the bay he reacted to the other dogs who were barking at him.”
Also at the shelter is Sandi (45498097), an “adorable mixed-breed girl” who came in as a stray on the 11th. She about 3 and weighs 45 pounds. Nice on a leash, didn’t react poorly to other dogs. Did her business in the shelter yard. And she knows “Sit.” Debra describes her as “well-mannered, calm and gentle and has a mellow personality.” She also says, “There is so much to like about her and she would undoubtedly make a wonderful companion.
"
As you can see from her photos, adorable Sandi is also an Earhound. She’s in the category of “Poseable Earhound.” Perky. Not so perky. And others.
To adopt these dogs, use their shelter numbers when you ask about adopting or rescuer. Call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com. 
You can see other shelter animals on line at the Mesquite Shelter site HERE.
Among them is this guy who is available in the shelter’s barn cat program. And look at that face! That is a cat who knows his job and will take it seriously. [LARRY ASIDE: We’ve fostered feral cats. Sometimes they become un-feral, sometimes they don’t. We’ve heard from people who live with ferals and the ferals live with them and the only time they cross paths is, maybe, at breakfast or when both are in route to their respective “litter boxes” in the middle of the night. The last feral we had, Sugar Momma, got a job on a ranch. And my office cats were not domesticated when we got them, but William Powell and Stevie Ray are happy housecats now and don’t mind if I pick them up, turn ‘em over to rub their tummies. I adore those two boys.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
MYSTERIES OF LIFE, WORLD SERIES, ? & 96 TEARS
One of the great mysteries of life that I have now discovered, thanks to a promotional document from The Old Farmer’s Almanac, is forecasting winter weather by using a persimmon seed. My experience with persimmons is limited to reading about them, but perhaps you recognize this item in the Almanac’s photo. HERE’S THE LINK. [LARRY ASIDE: I have a friend who can predict rain by the ache in her once-broken toe, but I do not have a photograph of it. I have seen it work, however.] … Persimmon recollection: My Uncle Charles, also known as “Red” to some and “Uncle Bud” to others, would sometimes call his nephews by nicknames. I was Preacher, middle brother Barry was Appleseed and little brother Garry was, now and then, “Persimmon.” We could not predict the weather by Garry nor the the apple harvest by Barry — I won’t go into how far off Uncle Charles was with calling me “Preacher.” Never took up an offering, never had a cable TV show nor have I been investigated for “fleecing the flock.” … OK, here’s a mystery: Why is it that the first World Series played in the brand, spankin’ new Globe Life Field not going to include the home team Texas Rangers — wait, that’s not exactly a mystery. No hitting with men on base, unfortunate pitching. You can’t blame the virus — the Rangers were afflicted with those problems several seasons before the virus crossed the Pacific. … In keeping with the theme of this segment, we turn to a great song from 1966, a great year. Here’s 96 Tears by the Detroit garage rock band “? and the Mysterians.”  I apologize for the mysterious commercial that may appear before the hit song.
—- Offer tearful or gleeful song tips by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

HELPING ANIMALS BY FOSTERING, ADOPTING; BIG TEX, A BURGER AND LIFE ON VENUS

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Dogs and cats on Earth and life on Venus. What more can you ask the year 2020? A pandemic, a presidential election and the Dallas Stars skating for the Stanley Cup. OK, moving along we begin with Greyhounds — and Greyhounds need people. We’ll discuss Venus in Contemplations.
LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD PEOPLE
TO FOSTER SOME LOVELY DOGS
That photo was the one Greyhound Adoption League of Texas used in an appeal for foster help with their favorite dogs. [LARRY ASIDE: It purports to be a foster mom at work, but I think it may be a foster mom at play. Four Greyhounds and a pool, what else could it be?]

Why do they need fosters? Here’s the deal, according to the GALTx folks: “With our recent large intakes of retiring racers, we have about 50 hounds in boarding in our Dallas area kennel right now. We need your help providing them with socially distanced TLC to make their time awaiting a foster home as loving as it can be!” If you’re new to fostering or new to Greyhounds, email volunteers@galtx.org. There’s a volunteer application — veterans and new fosters — HERE.
THE KITTEN GETS SOME HELP;
CATS & DOGS WAIT IN LANCASTER
As the day wore on Tuesday, up popped an appeal to help this little cat who’d been dropped off at the Lancaster Animal Shelter. The mood was “urgent” — 4-Legged Helpers stepped in to help the shelter find someone who could bottle-feed this baby.
The initial appeal said the kitten might be 3 weeks old at the most.
As the evening approached, we checked with Leighann Hayden of 4-Legged Helpers and she replied, “We got someone to come get him! Yay! They found a vet tech to foster.”
[LARRY ASIDE: We’ve been dealing with vets for decades and adore our vets — one reason is our vets have always picked great vet techs! So, hooray for the vets and vet techs and for Lancaster Shelter for seeking some help.] 

Still waiting for a human to help ‘em are these two cats, Kit Kat and Peaches — hang on, the name Kit Kat has been changed — she’s Paisley now. Paisley and Peaches. A couple of shy former strays who are uncomfortable in the shelter.
Several dogs are waiting at Lancaster. We’ll focus on this one photogenic girl. She’s Sadie, a Pointer/Boxer mix, her bio says. “The sweetest, most gentle little precious girl.  HER EYES ARE AMAZING.  Just as beautiful as can be.  Sadie is a very sweet gentle little soul that so needs someone. … If eyes are the windows to the soul, you can see all the absolute beauty here of sweetness and love in those eyes.”

To ask about the grown up cats or Sadie or any animals in the Lancaster Shelter, contact Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers by calling or texting 214-949-2726 or by emailing cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS
BIG TEX, A BURGER & THE VENUSIANS
The State Fair of Texas contin- ues to be a pres- ence without ever opening for traditional business this year. The latest note had to do with a championship food contest — the Big Tex Choice people in competition. The headline on the State Fair website bigtex.com read “IT’S ABOUT TO GET HEATED.” See the story HERE. The intro paragraph explains, “For 2020, the State Fair of Texas is bringing all your favorite previous Big Tex Choice awards winners together to battle it out in the first ever Fair Food Madness: Big Tex Choice Awards Championship. This exclusive online competition will crown one champion through a series of bracket challenges and YOU get to vote who progresses to the top!” And that artwork is what the promotors have used to pitch this contest. It’s kind of amusing in an Oscarish sort of way, don’t you think? And Big Tex wears it well. ...
Yes, I’m a Texas Rangers fan. In the middle of a paragraph, I paused to turn and take a glance at the Texas Rangers/Houston Astros baseball game (I’m listening to Eric Nadel and Matt Hicks on the 105. FM radio broadcast while I type! Best way to see a game — through their eyes.) Anyway, I turned to look and what I saw was not a baseball game but a commercial for the “Pico de Gallo Burger” introduced by Whataburger in June. There are many mysteries under the sun, but two of them are these: “How many new burgers do we need in America?” and “Why isn’t there a Vegetarian Pico de Gallo Fauxburger?” …
So, maybe you saw the stories about some gas on Venus being a clue that there’s a lifeform that can live in the Texas-like heat of the second planet from the sun. Wait, even Texas is cooler than Venus. Anyway, there is a 1958 motion picture that already exposed the lifeforms on Venus. I’ve included a promotional photograph from the film Queen of Outer Space. IMDB summarizes the plot this way: “American astronauts are drawn by a mysterious force to the planet Venus, which they find to be inhabited only by beautiful women and their despotic queen.” In that scene, the world famous movie star and media personality Zsa Zsa Gabor is the woman in the center. (Has a Paris Hilton connection, you know... Was Grandpa Conrad Hilton's girl.) The guy sneaking a look from the curtain area is the astronaut pining for the queen, Eric Fleming, better known as the trail boss Gil Favor on Rawhide. Queen of Outer Space may be available on Venus. Netflix goes everywhere, right?
—- Offer dining tips for Venus or tell us how much you miss Zsa Zsa by clicking on comments below or by emailing dallrp@aol. —-

THE PARADE IS WHAT? NO! YOU'RE KIDDING! REACTIONS TO NEWSY NOTES & ADOPTABLES

EDITION OF SPOT-ON-MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER — THE 15TH, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Can it be the middle of the month of September already. 
...
WE INTERRUPT THIS EDITION TO LAMENT THE FACT THAT THE 2020 MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE WILL BE PRESENTED IN A ‘REINVENTED’ PARADE-LESS PARADE, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. Video recreation. [LARRY ASIDE: I think that turkey is the mayor’s float. Right? If the State Fair of Texas can be canceled, nothing is safe. I guess NYC’s Mayor Bill will also cancel the 2021 Super Bowl Parade featuring the New York Giants and the New York Jets. And if either of those teams is in the big game, you can look for me high-kicking with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes in the 2021 Macy’s Parade. Now I’m really mad at the darned virus that set of this pendamic, er, sorry, that should be pandemic. Let’s get back to something that hasn’t been reinvented by the NYC mayor — charity in North Texas.]
***
My inbox is filled with notes from non-profits reminding me that September 17 — this very Thursday — is the annual North Texas Giving Day. As you probably know, you don’t have to wait for Thursday to donate — go to northtexasgivingday.org and give early. 
On the site right now there’s a countdown clock at right under the numbers you can see the amount of money raised in pre-pandemic 2019: $50,192,976. [LARRY ASIDE: There’s a pandemic challenge for ya.] FYI, readlarrypowell.com is NOT a 501c3. We fall into a special category coded as “RNP-UTMM” — Resolutely Non Profit — Unlikely To Make Money. Born without the profit gene, you know. I am entertained, of course, by my “Bring Home An Extra Cat Gene.” Have yet to name a cat Gene.
NOW, LET’S TALK
VISIONS AT THE COLONY
Yep, these two animals are certainly visions of loveliness at The Colony. What brings this up is The Colony Animal Services began a Facebook post with this passage: 
“It’s been months since we’ve had to say this, but here goes....COME ADOPT because we’re getting full!! Since the COVID concern began, our shelter has had only a handful of dogs and cats available. Luckily, our pets have been getting adopted as soon as they become available. Well, it’s finally happened. Our shelter is full once again.” 
Readlarrypowell.com went online to check out the adorable adoptables at The Colony and found that fantastically coated cat Tortellini — look at that swirl of striping! Looks like something you’d see on a mission to outer space!
And then there's handsome Zeke, a Pittie with great eyes — one brown, one not. And you can tell by his pose that he is very, very proud of his nasal hygiene.

To adopt from The Colony, call the shelter at 972-370-9250 and schedule an appointment. Email animalservices@thecolonytx.gov.

AMONG THE MESQUITE DOGS,
TWO BEAUTIES NEEDING HUMANS
We got the tips on these two Mesquite Animal Services dogs from Debra Chisholm, the volunteer biographer. It’s the stories, the faces, the tails, the eyes — surely that will all work together to find homes for these two.

Destiny, at 7 months old, weighs 30 pounds and has a ton of breeds! She’s listed as “possibly Fox Terrier, Rat Terrier, Border Collie Mix." Debra writes, “Whatever she is, she’s got beautiful markings and is very very sweet. She was surrendered along with two of her siblings due to landlord issues. When I first met Destiny in her kennel she huddled in the corner but as I continued to visit her she would step out to meet me wagging her tail. She just needs time to get to know you and then her sterling qualities come to light. She’s very loving and gentle. She likes to be petted and loves belly rubs. She wags her tail a lot and gives soft kisses.”
Sweet and playful, she was raised with a slightly older toddler.” Her ID is 45498197.

Then there’s “happy-go-lucky” Dakota, possibly a Border Collie/Lab mix, who came in as a stray on the 4th. About a year old, he weighs 25 pounds and, Debra writes, “is a youngster with lots of puppy energy and spunk. In his exuberance, he will jump on you so manners training would be in order …. Dakota knows the sit command and will happily do so for treats.  Dakota is friendly and has a sweet and trusting nature.” He’s # 45456403.

For either of these dogs, use their numbers when you email the shelter at rescues@cityofmesquite.com or call the shelter at 972-216-6283. You can see more animals -- dogs and cats -- at the Mesquite shelter by clicking HERE. Among the little guys waiting for a rescue is this tiny month-old Felinus Earhoundus named Peter Pan. [LARRY ASIDE: He's so small that if he walks in front of an AC vent when it kicks on he might just fly across the room! If we weren't already at the cat limit...oh, boy! What a cat is probably growing up in that kitten body -- if he grows to fit those ears, he'll take up half your couch! Heck, you'll need someone to cuddle for comfort during a Cowboys game.]
MEANWHILE, IN A PRAIRIE TOWN
KNOWN AS DALLAS…SOME ANIMALS
As we were perusing the Dallas Animal Services Facebook site, we ran across this pitch for Bertie (A1104624). It read that Bertie thinks the best part of foster life is “they let you bring your toys where ever you go!” The rest of the message explained, “Bertie is in a foster home but is hoping for an adopter to come along soon!
She LOVES going outside but not as much as she loves chicken! She's learning so many tricks in her foster home, including sit and stay! Adopt Bertie online today at dallasanimalservices.org."
Now, that is an important web address — http://www.dallasanimalservices.org.
It will take you to the catalog of cats and dogs available at the big shelter on Westmoreland at I-30 in West Dallas, only a few minutes west of Downtown Dallas. On the DAS website you’ll see that not all available dogs are Pitties and some of them are little dogs. And you’ll see that for some reason, the cat we’ve frequently mentioned, the orange and white senior boy Meow Meow, continues to be overlooked by people who need a good tomcat. Lupi is that senior Chihuahua. DJ is the Up-’n’-Down Earhoun’, er, Earhound. And that little kitten is the very young Daena, a little fellow whose facial expression can be read as, “Holy smokin’ catnip! I didn’t know kittens were allowed to get this far off the ground! What is catnip, anyway?”


CONTEMPLATIONS
THE FUTURE — SOMETHING POSITIVE?
I haven’t missed a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade since sometime in the late ‘50s or early ‘60s. Always made time for it. Once I even hooked up a portable TV in the Bronco II so I could watch it while we drove a couple of hundred miles — NBC had a wide range. OK, moving along with our own parade…The Dallas Cowboys dropped their opener but they STILL have a shot at a perfect record: 0-16. They’ve come close before: In 1960 the brand new team went 0-11-1 (tied the Giants, 31-31, on Dec. 4 — lost to Detroit, 23-14 to end the season a week later). In 1989, first year under Jimmy Johnson, they went 1-15. (Beat Washington, 13-13, in D.C. in mid-season.) Oh, gosh, kids, remember, there was a time when the Cowboys were in the playoffs every year. But, like the Texas Rangers, the players have all grown accustomed to long off-seasons. … To my knowledge, this dog has never attended a Dallas Cowboys football game though she is wearing a "hang-dog look." But Jasmine has been on the clock in the Lancaster Animal Shelter and nobody watches the clock like a football team and animal rescuers. The folks at 4-Legged Helpers included her in last week’s report and cats and other dogs, too. I simply find this photograph enchanting! Jasmine is like that cat Daena at DAS — “Are we allowed to be this far off the ground?” Email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com or call/text 4-Legged Helpers at 214-949-2726 to ask about helping Jasmine get down to earth in a happy way! Help Selena, too — she’s a pal of Jasmine’s, also on the clock. (There also are two cats being driven nuts by shelter racket. We’ve posted Kit Kat and Peaches before — they still need a home. … And here we are talking about football, baseball and dogs and cats and we have yet to mention the arrival of Autumn — The Old Farmer’s Almanac says fall will get to North Texas at 8:31 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22. Where are your sweaters? Your thick socks? Your gloves? Your — wait. This is Texas. You won’t need all that stuff for a couple of months.
—- Offer life tips or Thanksgiving Day viewing tips by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com and using “Vegetarians Love A Meat-Free Parade” in the subject line.---

FROM A SPLIT NOSE TO THE B52s -- IT'S A MONDAY EDITION IN 2020

EDITION OF MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 [PetPowellPress] In the past week or so I have mowed two yards. One was dry, the other was not. Growing up in Northeast Texas, I understood “too wet to plow,” but now, in the challenge of adulthood, I’m fully, cloggingly aware of “too wet to mow.” Did it anyway. Engine stopped only twice — not as many times as the engine on my despicable 1971 Chevrolet Vega stopped and it was only traveling on a paved road with no resistance except its design. Honk your horn, please, in honor of my foolish purchase. Welcome to a Monday Stream of Consciousness Edition. The guy credited with creating that term, Stream of Consciousness, was William James, for his 1890 book The Principles of Psychology. I’ve never read it. We'll get to the dog with the unusual nose later in this edition. Nose of Consciousness -- that'll keep him in your streaming thoughts.
SPEAKING OF THINGS
THAT I HAVE READ…
I have read this note from our Denton tipster Amy Poskey and discovered that Texas is losing another good dog to another state. I also read the bio of this dog Buddy and it said, “He will make a wonderful cuddle partner!”
And there you have it: a significant assessment of a German Shepherd. But here’s the good news for a Monday morning from Amy. She wrote: “I am beyond thrilled to report that Buddy has left the building!!!  The AWESOME Bill Duncan pulled Buddy for Renee Riegel with GREATER DAYTON LAB & DANE RESCUE (GDLDR) and will be temp fostering Buddy until his trip to Ohio!!!  THANK YOU GDLDR AND BILL DUNCAN!!!  I’m tellin’ ya, I’m still just so humbled by all the animal lovers in this crazy world of rescue and I can’t thank EVERYONE enough for helping make this happen for Buddy!!!  WOOOOOHHHHHOOOO!!!  HAPPY LIFE, SWEET BUDDY!!!”

The rescue group is at https://www.gdlrr.org if, as Amy suggests, you feel the need to make a donation to help this dog and the rescue group make everything perfect for the people who’ll adopt Buddy.
Why was Buddy in Denton’s McNatt Animal Shelter & Adoption Center? He was surrendered, Amy reports, because “he was protective of his human momma and they didn’t want to risk small grandkids getting bit. They also said he has separation anxiety.”
THREE, READY FOR HOMES,
WAITING AT MESQUITE
We’ll open with Jordan, described as “possibly Black Mouth Cur/Carolina Dog/Anatolian Shepherd).” Mom got around, I guess. Anyway, our tipster, the Mesquite volunteer biographer Debra Chisholm says this guy came in as a stray on August 23 — he’s about a year old and weighs 52 pounds. Got a high energy level and “enjoys playing and stretching his legs in the shelter yard. Has potential, but needs some training, Debra says, “to realize that potential and be the best ever pet.” He’s #45361314.

 That brings us to Boston (#45476505), a 5-year-old, 40-pound, pointy-eared mixed-breed Earhound who’d spent his entire life with the family that turned him over to Mesquite on he 8th. Why? “Boston was not good with the owner’s 3-year-old daughter.” He’d lived indoors with the family. And, the owner told the shelter that Boston “is uncomfortable with new places and people he doesn’t know.” [LARRY ASIDE: Just needs to know some grown-ups who’ll adore him and not reproduce. We hope the former family will let their little girl get to know the love of a good dog when she grows up a little bit. You don’t want to make things tough on a kid or an animal, right?]
And then there’s Bella (#45480080) a 7-year-old Boxer mix who has been with the same family for ALL SEVEN YEARS and now they’ve surrendered her to the shelter because they’re moving to a different place. Debra’s report says the dog, spayed and 51 pounds, “has lived outdoors and served her family as a watch dog.”
This aging “watchdog” is described as “a friendly girl who is sweet-natured and likes attention.” Yeah, all the characteristics of a watchdog — what the owners probably meant was “she barks at strangers.” Not a watchdog, just a sweet dog alerting the family. Debra’s note reads, “Please help this senior girl get out of the shelter and on the way to a new home in which she will have a soft and comfy bed and inside life with her new people.”
For one or all of these dogs, use their ID numbers to help the process when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
See more Mesquite adoptable adorables by clicking on THE SHELTER LINK HERE. Among the many cats is this guy Groucho, just over 2 months old and, well-marked with that big M and those great eyes. He’s in the Cat Room at the shelter — came in on the 11th. Can go out whenever you show up to get him.
SOLTON AND HIS NOSE
AND HIS CHALLENGES
Ginger Leach of Fort Worth Animal Care & Control tipped us to this guy with the “split nose” last week. He had some health problems, but the nose wasn’t one of them. 
Appears to be naturally occurring. In some postings he’s “Sid,” in others he’s “Solton” but his shelter ID is 45168215. He’s positive for parasites and was being treated for them when the latest post was made a few days ago. Maybe he’s saved by now; maybe he’s gone on by now.
 Ask about helping him by tagging or adopting by emailing fwacctag@fortworth- texas.gov.
In case you wondered, our research shows that there are three breeds of dogs that have split noses and our theory is that Solton/Sid isn’t a member of any of these three breeds: Catalburun, Pachon Navarro or Andean Tiger-hound. All were bred this way to improve their ability to smell, according to the online reports. Yeah, humans. Sheesh. 
Bless this boy and his health and keep him alive and happy. He’s a 2-year-old Labrador Retriever mix. Friendly with everyone, his bio says.
CONTEMPLATIONS
TEXAS BEAUTY; A BOOK; PAPERBACK B52s
Some sunset, eh? We got the tip on this photo from the great Kathleen Tolbert Ryan. She told us about Tim McKenna’s photo of sunset in the Big Bend, taken on September 9. It may be the most beautiful sunset ever to occur on the planet. I know we didn’t have ‘em like this in the northeast corner of Texas, the Four States Area, aka, the Ark-La-Tex. Good thing digital cameras came along — no tellin’ how far Tim would have had to drive to get a roll of Kodak developed in the ol’ days. You can see more of his work on his Facebook page or by going to Pinterest HERE.
On the Pinterest page you can see close-ups of roadrunners, big-eared rabbits, cacti — you know, Lone Star stuff. Beautiful photographic artwork. … At the outset today we mentioned “Stream of Consciousness” and among the more noted practitioners of that is the author Dorothy Richardson, i.e., she wrote a novel, Pointed Roofs, that evolved into a 13-volume novel known as Pilgrimage. Yep, one word after another. Read about her HERE.  Born in 1873 and died in May, 1957. In 1957, I was in the third grade and didn't know that books could be longer than about 100 pages. If you’re up to the challenge of Pointed Roofs (Vol. 1 of Pilgrimage), the Gutenberg Project offers it free HERE…So, all this talk of isolated beauty in the Big Bend and authorin’ books led my stream of thoughtlessness to this term: “paperback writer.” So, in honor of The Beatles, here’s the LINK to The B52s performing the great Paul McCartney/John Lennon song. It’s good for a Monday, sir or madam. Be kind to animals and help the humans, too.
—- Offer opinions or objections by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com —-

ONE UPON A TIME ON A GYM PARKING LOT, WEATHERDOG STELLA FOUND HER HOME...

As if 2020 hasn’t had enough challenges, there was that darned Hurricane Laura that blasted its way into Texas and Louisiana back in late August —feels like months ago unless you were living there, I’m betting.
How — you may ask — can readlarrypowell.com connect a hurricane with our long-running weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap? Read on.
That is Stella on the couch at my longtime pal Bobbie Malsch’s home in the Greater Shreveportroplex. Bobbie posted the photo on Facebook on the morning of August 27 with this note: “Our weather barometer says everything is fine."

And that’s how Stella got the spotlight for Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. If you’ve had a weather-sensitive dog, you know that crawling up on the couch and snoozing is the “all clear” signal.
How’d Bobbie get this baby? Happened about a decade ago. “She’s a rescue who wandered up to my gym. I took her home to keep until we found her owners. LOL! Famous last words!”

Bobbie says, “My husband tells everyone that my idea of a stray is, “The gate’s not locked.”

That’s the hubby, Jim, and Stella doing a little nose-nuzzling at the end of the couch. Weather was clear, so Stella felt comfortable standing up to say ‘hey’ in a happy dog way.

Bobbie has a history of being knee-deep or even deeper in rescue work. [LARRY ASIDE: You veteran rescuers know how that happens. One day it’s one dog; the next day it’s two dogs and a litter of kittens…etc.]
Bobbie’s a longtime volunteer with the Humane Society of Northwest Louisiana (HSNWLA) in Shreveport.

Hence, she writes, “We’re also lucky to have Pixie and Marty who came in to HSNWLA as owner-surrenders. Needless to say they’re our children whom we love and adore.”

Stella’s a Lab mix, about 12 years old; Pixie is the 8-year-old Shih Tzu; and Marty is the 2-year-old Chihuahua mix.

Bobbie, like most rescuers, drops in a loving advertise- ment for the favorite non-profit, HSNWLA. Not sure how they pronounce it in northern Louisiana. (I’m just kidding!), Bobbie explains, “It’s a non-profit 501c3, a no-kill rescue established 28 years ago. They operate solely on donations and volunteers and find carefully screened, loving homes for more than 350 dogs a year.”
And the big heart of Bobbie and Jim is how Stella came to be the household barometer signaling when stormy weather is over — she just flops down on the “All Clear Couch.” It may be her favorite couch.

[DEAR READERS, please send photos of your slumbering household critters to dallrp@aol.com and we’ll spotlight them in our long-running weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. We’re proud to show them off and let you praise them and tell their stories. Remember, you may be helping someone decide to open their home to a dog or cat who needs a break. And, for sure, you’ll be inspiring insomniacs to believe that we, too, can get some sleep if we can just get a dog’s all-clear on the stormy weather! Oh, and yes, that's my personal editor The Senator -- he has just read one of my epic poems about my career in newspapers and he could not stifle the mighty MGM Lion-like yawn. The one that sent him over the edge is titled "Beat the Deadline Before the Deadline Beats You." Romance, breaking news and suddenly running out of hot coffee and learning that the java-fetching copy clerk has vanished, possibly the victim of space aliens. It may have actually happened. Anyway, those are the themes-- all pre-computer newsroom era except for romance, oh, and breaking news. As I recall.]
— Offer sage advice or iffy opinions by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

REMEMBERING A TIME...

9/11/2020 [PetPowellPress] Nineteen years.
Every news agency in the free world will have a number of stories about 9/11 on this anniversary. And, next year, for the 20th anniversary, no telling how much energy will be spent on recollections and analysis.
Be nice if the current unpleasant and difficult year turned out to be the "bookend" on the whole period stretching from the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, to Pandemic 2020 and stopping right there. Bring on good times without international horror and domestic awfulness..
Humans don't need to be committing mayhem and misery on each other. We ought to all cherish and practice the ability to love one another.
I remember the upbeat way the 2000s arrived -- we were in Martha's Range Rover on New Years Eve, across the Trinity River bottoms from the big fireworks show. We had 8 or 9 (memory fails me) happy dogs just gleeful to be sitting in the, appropriately, Rover with us. They were more interested in treats than in the distant fireworks.
We were excited about the 2000s, not even worried about the predicted Y2K computer collapses.
Our wonderful first granddaughter, Hannah Rose, was born early in 2001 and thrilled us.
That same year, the awful thing happened that stopped us all on a dime. 
America survived, pulled together and went about its usual business of arguing, compromising, arguing some more, i.e., the way the sturdy nation usually operates. As time went by, our roster of grandkids added two more great personalities, Emily Grace and Connor Michael.
And the whole time, in the backdrop of their lives, was violence, strife, challenges to the nation -- domestic and foreign. Needless nightmares.
Still, on this Friday morning 19 years later, it is difficult to think of that morning without being so deeply saddened and outraged. 
It's not just the losses that day, but it is also all that has come afterward that indicates humans -- bless our flawed souls -- find it hard to adopt anything that will help them build and maintain a peaceful world.
For this morning in September 2020, I will dust off a Lapsed Baptist Boy prayer for peace, for health, for wisdom, for grace and for happiness for the whole planet.
Oughta be easy to achieve if we don't let human tendencies get in the way.
Sounds simple. Maybe it is. Brains and hearts, two key ingredients.
--- Offer opinions or hopes by clicking on 'comments' below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. ---

HAPPY CAT MONTH: WE VISIT DOGS, CATS, PEOPLE & THE SOAP 'SUBURBAN MOODS'

EDITION OF THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 2020 [PetPowellPress] This may be the reason for the temp dip in Dallas/Fort Worth: Autumn came to town for its annual arrival and when it couldn’t find Big Tex getting into his boots, a chill fell over the region.
That aside, Holiday Insights, the online calendar, says September is “Happy Cat Month” — don’t we work at that! — and September 10 is Sewing Machine Day (we have 3 at our house) and Swap Ideas Day, too. Both of those days are light on facts-of-origin in their listings. It is interesting to think that Swap Ideas Day occurs during a presidential campaign — it ain’t ideas those dudes are swappin’.
So, these are a couple of cats that appear to be living up to the goal of Happy Cat Month while in a shelter— both need homes. The charming cat on the left is Bailey, a Tabby at Dog ’n’ Kitty City, the no-kill shelter operated by the Humane Society of Dallas County.
And that handsome baby on the right is Larson, currently in the care of the Humane Society of North Texas in Fort Worth.
[LARRY ASIDE: As a veteran observer of the human condition Texas, I’m prepared to declare that there are enough happy cats in the Lone Star State to rehome at least one with each person who needs a good friend and someone to talk to during a Dallas Cowboys football game. And we all may need a patient cat. Or a patient personal counselor.]
FROM HAPPY CATS TO HAPPY DOGS:
3 NEEDING HAPPY CANINE HOMES
We get the info on these three from Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden of 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that focuses on small shelters and connecting those animals with rescue groups and with good homes. And an animal need not be in a shelter to catch the attention of 4-Legged Helpers.
That first photo is of the happy dog Buddy, a 6-month-old Mastiff mix — he’s from a litter of pups that occurred in Red Oak because Mom, the purebred Mastiff in the couple, was … well, you know how this happens. We’ve posted Buddy before, but he’s gotten no interest. So here’s the key sentence that might inspire someone to get this dog to a safe place: “His family has no place for him and he has been found out in the street (rural area) a few times and it is just a matter of time before he is injured or killed. This is incredibly urgent. Very deserving big pup!”
This beauty is Rainey, “found out and about on her own and was rescued by a Good Samaritan who saw her almost get hit by a car,” reads the 4-Legged Helpers bio. “She has big pretty blue eyes and is just as sweet and loveable and cute as can be. She adores everyone, including all other dogs.” Rainey’s listed as a “young female Shepherd/Catahoula/Bulldog Mix.”
And we’ve posted the photogenic Dylan before, also. He’s in the Wilmer Shelter, described as “not open to the public,” so 4-Legged Helpers is his go-between. Nobody else will see him except by accident. He’s loveable and 4-Legged Helpers will help get him “fixed” and arrange his first set of vaccinations for anyone willing to save him from dying in obscurity.
To offer to help these dogs or any other animals 4-Legged Helpers is concerned about, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. 

WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH HUMANS?
RHETORICAL, YET CLINICAL, QUESTION
OK, animal fans, here we go with a parade of critters humans have betrayed. Surprise. Surprise. And, they are all in the Lancaster shelter. 
Here are the stories from 4-Legged Helpers. I’ll try to make them brief so you can look at the photographs and ask, “What the heck is going on in the human brains? Or worse, what’s happening in those hearts?”

KIALI, listed as a “Sheepdog” but thought by some to be “some sort of ‘Doodle’” is available on Monday. Shelter folks think “they know who the owner is, and that the owner is aware she is at the shelter but no one has come for her. Very sweet and playful.”

JASMINE is a “bulldog mix,” the shelter says. She’s available on the 15th. Her bio reads, “This precious little low-rider was found tied to the shelter front door when everyone came in Wednesday.  How can someone do that?  And you could not meet a sweeter little cuddle bug.  Loves to be held.  Look at those cute eyes.”
EVERLY is a young Basset/Lab mix — look at those front legs! Positively Basseterian, no doubt. This dog with a “tail as long as her body” is available on Friday. Her bio reads, “Absolutely adorable.   She is a complete love! Chipped girl but apparently owner decided to not come for her. We were told the owner is definitely aware she is there.  So incredibly sad.”
Still waiting at Lancaster, these siblings, Kit Kat and Peaches. “Extremely sweet” is their rating after they have a chance to adjust to their surroundings. Found stray and brought to the shelter, is the story.
And there are these dogs — that’s Sonja, a Lab/Dane mix on the left (“Goofy, playful, loveable”) and on the right is is formerly stray Selena, a Boxer/Bulldog mix, the shelter says in a bio that reads, “Selena is a wonderful girl — very sweet and very loving.”
The go-between to save these animals is 4-Legged Helpers
call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
A STOP AT THE MESQUITE SHELTER
TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME DOGS
This is Powder, a “Dogo Argentina mix.”

How did such a beauty (ID 45458657) wind up in city shelter? Our tipster, the volunteer biographer Debra Chisholm, reports that he was brought in on Sept. 5, “by a shelter volunteer after finding him abandoned in a park. Powder weighs 81 pounds, is approximately 10 months old and is not neutered.  He walks well on a leash but at 81 pounds he is a strong puller. …  He is quite sociable and has a confident and outgoing personality.  He is energetic and lively.  He likes to play with toys.” Use his ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescuesatcityofmesquite.com.
Mixed-breed Winnie, with the great eyes, is about 3, not spayed and weighs 49 pounds. Came in as a stray. Lively and active. “She seems not to be very comfortable in the shelter environment. Walks nicely on a leash, Debra says. “She seems to have been well cared for with a gorgeous leek and shiny coat.” [LARRY ASIDE: Yet nobody has come to her since she arrived on the 2nd day of the month. Why is that? Maybe there are significant reasons. Maybe there aren’t. “Aren’t” usually wins that argument when humans are involved.”]
Benny (45460012) is listed as a “German Shepherd/Carolina Dog” and Debra’s report says the 3-year-old, 59-pound, unfixed fellow came in as a stray on the 5th. As you may recall, Debra meets the dogs she writes about. In this case, Benny “has an outgoing and confident personality.  He is friendly and has a sweet nature.  He is an athletic dog who enjoyed playing on the climbing equipment.  Benny did his business in the yard.  He knows the sit command.  He is frisky, spunky and playful.  He walks nicely on a leash. … Benny takes treats gently.  There is so much to like about this dog so please consider helping him out of the shelter.”
 As you know, use the IDs when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
 You can see Mesquite’s shelter animals by clicking HERE. While there are many dogs and cats in the shelter, there also are these two little beings. Iceman is, of course, a boy, and Charli is a girl. Both are just over a month old. But, Star Wars fans, while most of us think they may be the product of a neighborhood date between two long-haired “blue” cats, I think we can really envision the family tree.
Starts with Yoda, it does.
IN CASE YOU WON LOTTO TEXAS
You can donate to your favorite non-profit — or several or many — by going to northtexasgivingday.org. Help animals. Help people. We can’t list all the non-profits who could use some donations, but the Communities Foundation of Texas can and you can see the list at the northtexasgivingday.org  site. (Reminds me, as this is being typed, I have yet to check my Lotto Texas numbers against last night’s drawing. Like Natalie Wood in Miracle on 34th Street, “I believe. I believe. I believe.” I’m sure I’m not alone.)
CONTEMPLATIONS
HALLOWEEN, LIFE WITH A DOG, SHOW BIZ
Cancelling the State Fair, I can understand. But Halloween? It’s designed for social distancing — put on a mask and don’t crowd the porch when you ask for treats. Right? Keep up with State Fair developments at bigtex.com. … 
“Life’s more fun with a dog.” is the theme of some commercial — when I
hear that declaration, I forget the name of the product. If you have no animal in your life, then one day you may find that it’s more fun to have a dog around the house than just your solitary human self. (That's our fun dog Wendy, demonstrating how to nap like your in need of a treat.)  But, if you get a cat, you may find that it’s more fund to have a cat around the house if all you’re depending on for fun is other humans and surprise visitors. Life’s more fun with both dogs and cats.
...
I’d like to point out that when it comes to acting, dogs need to be trained. Cats merely need to be told where to hit their marks and say their lines — most cats have studied under renowned thespians — some of you may recall award- winning Morris the Cat. One of our cats, Simon, who chose not to attend law school but to pad the boards (as stagefolk say), was on the network soap opera Suburban Moods for about 5 years. (That’s him rehearsing; below you see him emoting in this upcoming scene.) Ask Simon and he’ll recall his fan-favorite episode of Suburban Moods. He catmailed me the script for the episode “A Salesman Bothers Bethyl Jo” and underlined his lines in the scene. Simon appears as “Mr. Sweetie.”
(Scene: In pleasant suburban living room, a stranger is talking to a woman and a cat.)

SALESMAN (insultingly threatening) : If you reject my bargain offer for this year-round electronic pest control, there might be that apocalyptic night when you awake to find a mouse eating cheese on your pillow.
BERYL JO (firmly, while holding a mug of sponsor’s coffee): I’m telling you once again, bub, I’ve got a no-fail pest-control system that won’t fail. And you’re a pest. Show, him, Mr. Sweetie.

 

MR. SWEETIE: (rising to his full height while standing on the arm of the couch  and glaring eye-to-eye with the salesman, suddenly, with the rage of a jungle beast, rattles the suburban windows with a mighty): RARRRRMEEOWWWWWGRRRRRPFFSSST. As Dusty says in Pure Country, ‘Go on! Gitchyer ass outta here.’ RRRRRGGGGGRRRMEOW!PFFFSST.”
BERYL JO (smiling with a twinkle): Better go, Mister. I’ve seen what he can do to a sofa if the dog won’t get up and move.” (Scene.)

Up for a couple of Emmys. Supporting Catactor and Derivative Writing.
—- Offer cat and dog info by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

WEATHER WAITING; TRYING TO HELP DOGS & CATS FIND HOMES; CHECK OUT CHICO'S SMILE

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Got the sweaters out, the thick socks, testing the household heating….waiting and waiting for the “cold front.” After the 100-degree temps, I’ll greet it like it's midnight on New Year’s Eve.
TWO CATS WAITING
IN THE DALLAS SHELTER
Well, more than two cats, and lots of dogs, too, but I clicked in on dallasanimalservices.org today and discovered that no one has adopted Meow Meow, the winky-eyed orange and white dear senior Tabbyesque lady. DAS describes her as “an extra special feline.” She looks like a cuddler to me and I’ve got experience with cuddlers, er, cuddler cats.
Now, the second cat is Elaine. She looks as if she’s grown her winter coat already. She, like Meow Meow, is an adult. As you can see by the M on her forehead, she’s a Tabby girl.
There may be more Tabbies in Dallas than in any other city in known civilization. Fertile town, you know. Go to dallasanimalservices.org and see how to adopt a cat that has an understanding of human nature and will join you on the couch to watch baseball and football — during a hockey match, our Tabby Kittie Leigh tends to sit close to the screen and wait for a pass so she can put the biscuit in the basket.
FYI: DAS has boy cats, too, among the cats and kittens. There also are dogs — what? You knew that already? Of course. It’s Dallas. And that boy is Chico. Waiting for adoption and a job modeling for a smile company.
MEANWHILE IN MESQUITE

Well, the story of this guy Hint gets to me. He’s a mixed-breed fellow, about a year old and only 34 pounds. Our tipster, the volunteer biographer Debra Chisholm, says he was surrendered on the 6th “due to the health of his owner who could no longer care for him. … Former owner reports that Hint lived indoors, is fine with other dogs, cats and children (2-5 years of age), likes to run, go for walks, travel, listens well to commands and is great with people.  I noted that he walks well on a leash, knows the sit command and has a calm and gentle nature.  He is friendly, likes being petted and is affectionate.  Hint takes treats gently.  “During his photo shoot he was quite the explorer, sniffing out all the interesting smells but always happy to come to me for some attention.  He did his business in the yard.  Hint's coat is sparse in spots, but probably a nutritious diet would take care of that.  This is one charming youngster who deserves a loving home with lots of TLC and would probably fit in quickly and easily.”
He’s #45463081 — use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite. com to adopt or tag Hint.
And there are these two waiting. Use their IDs when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite. com.
Kevin is the 2-year-old, 80-pound Pittie/Staffie boy who came in as a stray on the 2nd. Debra says the big fellow "walks well on a leash but is a strong puller.” In the exercise yard, he is “quite the investigator.” And he’s “fun-loving” with “lots of energy.”
She says, “He is friendly, affectionate and a lap dog wannabe.  He takes treats and does so gently.  He would seem best suited for an active person or family who would take him on long walks, jogging or just working off some of that energy!” He’s #45435938.
Bonnie, 2-years-old, 45 pounds and described as “a little livewire” came in as a stray on the 4th. She’s listed as a Pit Bull/Plott Hound mix.
Nice on a leash and, during her photo session, Debra says, “She thoroughly enjoyed running, playing with toys and chasing balls.  She is very alert to what is going around her in the yard and in what's happening in the parking lot as well!!  At first she seemed a bit skittish, timid and shy but it didn't take long until she relaxed and showed her outgoing and confident personality.  She is a friendly girl and likes attention and affection shown to her.” She’s #45456391.
Debra adds, “She likes treats and takes them gently.  Bonnie is lively, enthusiastic and energetic and would seem best suited for an active person or family who would take her for walks, jogs or exercise her.”

I was having trouble Wednesday hooking up to the Mesquite Animal Services site, so here’s an alternative link to seeing Mesquite animals.
CONTEMPLATIONS
WEATHER, TRAFFIC & THE ODDS
As a native Texan who has lived in Texas a lot longer than any occluded front has lasted, I should know better than to expect weather to meet expectations. Once you get past the months-long prediction of “hot and dry,” any forecast can get a little dicey. … As I’m typing this, I’m wearing a hoodie — my anti90s-and-abovespouseMartha keeps the a/c running at all times. I’m convinced she thinks “A/C” stands for “Arctic Cold.” … This edition would have been published early if not for three things: I was slow; I had to run an errand (fetch Earl the Rottie’s pills) and there was a car wreck that effectively corked 4 lanes of interstate traffic. Reminded me of a car-wreck I covered in Texarkana in the 1960s. I was out at 4 a.m. taking notes and the police officer assigned to the crash had his clipboard in his hands and was kind of mystified by the whole incident of two drivers running into each other at a traffic-light controlled intersection. “It’s 4 in the morning,” the officer said to me. “There can’t be six civilian cars on the roads right now and these two jokers managed to run into each other at a red light. How do you explain that?” I’m still trying. Both drivers had already been taken to the nearby hospital. I’m sure they had explanations by the time the officer got to them. I went home to get an hour or so of sleep before I had to show up for 8 a.m. biology class. Explanations of human behavior didn’t come up that morning.
—- Offer explanations or driving tips by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

CALENDAR'S IN CONTROL, SO HERE ARE DOGS, CATS & GOOD HEARTS

EDITION OF MONDAY, SEPT — HANG ON, IT’S TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 2020 (PetPowellPress) — Oh, boy, remember when getting the date wrong was the biggest complication in your morning? Ah, the good ol’ days. Now, let's mask-up and dive into some notes worthy of noting — from Big D to Burns Flat.
LETS’ START WITH A DOG
WHO HAS ‘HIT THE JACKPOT’

Remember this handsome young fellow Odin, needing a new home and the veteran animal advocate Debra Myers took on the task of finding one. (That’s one of the photos of Mr. Handsome that we posted when his appeal first began networking.) You may recall that a family had purchased Odin and then decided they didn't need the burden of dealing with an under-a-year-old Doberman.
Thanks to our tipster Amy Poskey, we have Debra’s report on Odin.
Debra wrote, “Odin is doing amazing! His new family adores him so much. Eileen (Odin’s mom) says he was meant for their family. All their family and friends think he’s a very special pup. Odin loves playing with his new fur sister, Sydney. Lots of romping going on...lol. He has a toy box and is very good about dragging out each and every one. They go on several walks a day, play in the back yard and come inside...to take long naps. One of Odin’s favorite things is snuggling with his mom on the couch...oh my heart…:)" (The last photo was captioned "Too cute!" by his new mom!)

Debra closed with this exclamation, “Just know this guy hit the jackpot!” Then she confided that he’s being neutered soon and “Odin’s uncle” is the veterinarian. Yep, “jackpot!”
‘TWO GREAT DOGS’ &

THEIR ‘DESPERATE’ NEED
Here ya’ go, an appeal for a Tuesday for dogs in different Zip Codes.
This first guy is Buddy from Red Oak. The other dog is Dylan from Wilmer. Both are in small shelters on the southern side of Dallas.
The other common points are (1) they need homes and (2) they have gotten the attention of the “rescue enablers” who focus on small shelters, 4-Legged Helpers.

The story of Buddy is he’s a 6-month-old Mastiff mix. “Look at his cute feet and ears,” the bio reads. “A couple in Red Oak had a litter of pups and were unable to place all of them  Momma is a purebred Mastiff.  Buddy loves children, and people of all sizes, and does great with them.  He is also fantastic with girl dogs.  Please, won't you help save this boy?  His family has no place for him and he has been found out in the street (rural area)  a few times and it is just a matter of time before he is injured or killed.  This is incredibly urgent.  Very deserving big pup.”
Then there’s this handsome boy Dylan, currently in the Wilmer Animal Shelter. 
We’ve posted Dylan of Wilmer before. The important point is the Wilmer Shelter is, as 4-Legged Helpers has told us several times, “not open to the public.” So, it falls upon animal advocates to keep an eye on the shelter and help the ACO there move the animals into places where adoptors and rescuers might find them.
Dylan’s bio reads that he “is a really sweet lovable guy who desperately deserves to be rescued or adopted.” And the 4-Legged Helpers say, “We can help get him fixed and first set of vaccinations if you are willing to help save him! “
Last time we posted Dylan’s picture, we also posted his sibling Darcie’s (left) and she’s now in a foster home. 

To ask about helping these dogs by adopting or rescuing them, email 4-Legged Helpers President Laura Macias at cat_girl_71@yahoo.com or call or text her at 214-949-2726.

CONTEMPLATIONS
PUPS; CATITUDES; BURNS FLAT RESCUE
We have three segments in today’s Contemplations. All three are something to think about.

— 1. I’m going to have to stop reading notices on the neighbor- hood/city help pages because, well, sometimes they’re sort of upsetting. Consider this notice of “For Sale & Free” puppies.
Yeah, I sent a note asking if the individual needs help with paying for spaying the momma dog — there are free and low-cost opportunities all over the Greater D/FW Fertile-o-plex. No response yet. But the puppies aren’t free, anyway — there’s a re-homing free. Could be a ploy to make sure the adoptors will take care of the dogs. But, maybe I’m being charitable with that thought. Why would I say that? Because here is the final sentence on the message about the free dogs with the “homing fee.” It reads, in all caps, “IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING NEGATIVE TO SAY, DO NOT COMMENT AS IT WILL BE DELETED OR IGNORED BC I DO NOT ENTERTAIN STUPIDITY..” [LARRY ASIDE: I’m not being mean when I say this: If, in this era of too many puppies and bad attitudes about Pitties, you’ve not taken a simple step to keep your dog from creating more unwanted dogs, you may be guilty of entertaining stupidity. I’m sure the poster can explain it all. Maybe the dog wandered up and delivered. I hope that is the case — if so, let’s get Momma fixed. That won’t be entertaining stupidity.)
— 2. I’m on many mailing lists that have nothing to do with animal rescue and I no idea how I wound up on them. One, however, sometimes has a bit of humor — it needs it to live up to its name, Think and Laugh Daily. In Tuesday’s email it listed this as a “Happy Thought”: “If cats could text you back, they wouldn’t.” My cat, The Senator (at his desk, left), suggests that’s a shortfall not of the cat, but of the cat’s staff. ….
— 3. And, here’s an upbeat note from way out west in Burns Flat., Okla., about an hour east of the Texas Panhandle. The resilient rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher sent a note about her Labor Day activities in the town where she fights to keep the shelter no-kill. She wrote: “As I was getting ready to go clean and feed at the pound, I got a call from the [Washita County] Sheriff’s Department.

“An elderly lady had her old disabled cat chased into the storm drains [Sunday] night.  I called my son, Jason, and we got one of his friends to go check it out.

"Then, I called and got permission to remove the storm drains and they went down in them.  
After searching a three block radius, they finally found this old guy.
He was exhausted.  
But look at the smile on his owner’s face when we handed him to her.

“This is why I do what I do.  And one reason I’m so proud of my boys.”

Contemplate that.
And, maybe, send Terry Lynn a note at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com to say, “Thanks for helping that cat and his human.” [LARRY ASIDE: I don’t know if you know this, but research reveals that animal rescue pays the same in Oklahoma as it does in Texas. It’s an emotional currency.]
—- Offer advice or mood elevators by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

CELEBRATING LABOR DAY

For decades in my career as a newspaper editor/reporter I worked on Labor Day. There are lots of people who work on Labor Day.
And there are people who don’t work on Labor Day. They’re the ones who spend on Labor Day (in a non-pandemic year ) and pay for things that keep the Labor Day workers on payrolls!
God bless America and let’s keep our holidays economically vibrant! Rest of the days, too — I’ve got dogs and cats to feed!
Here are photos that represent the off day at our house. My funspouse Martha is doing some work on a couple of projects and I can’t take her photo while she’s working. She told me that. Many times.
My own photo would frighten people. So, that’s my formerly black beard accented by one of my mood-elevating shirts.
I spotted The Senator on the couch. He’d gone to sleep reading the latest edition of The Smithsonian magazine (I wondered where it had gotten off to — there are pawprints on the pages). When he wakes, he intends to read from two of his favorite collection’s: T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and Robert Caro’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book Master of the Senate, Caro’s third book in his series The Years of Lyndon Johnson. The Senator and LBJ were not contemporaries in the Upper House but I did once shake hands with President Johnson and that may be why The Senator likes it when I tickle his chin, offer him a bonus treat and ask for his vote on a particular issue. 

That atmospheric photo? Don't assume that's an autumn picture because of the dead leaves -- a big limb fell out of one of our trees and I'm still working up the mental energy to haul it off.
On our back ground-level “porch,” I snapped this picture, officially titled for contest purposes, “The Long Fowl Shadows.” That’s our Weather Duck on the left, a piece of art I found while clearing out the garage at the old house — the duck belonged to the person who owned the house before I bought it 35 years ago — I liked the duck and didn’t think it should become trash. The big chicken belonged to my mom-in-law Violet Muse — a woman with a great sense of humor and a love for animals. The duck and the chicken seem to fit together.
By Thanksgiving I’m hoping to make a vegetarian statement by adding a big fan-tailed turkey to the scene. The bird photos may be the book cover for my next novel-in-progress, a Christmas story about carols and a fowl trio trying sing them — working title is “Not Exactly Songbirds.”
Oh, that’s my dog Porche Noel — I thought I was alone in the office but when I turned my chair around this morning — actually on Labor Day — to head out the door of my office for more coffee and there she was, in tribute to the term “holiday,” out like a light on her favorite rug. She’s a great personality in the universe. Brown eyes that rival Martha’s — Porche has no dimples, but she admires Martha’s.
Happy Labor day and, in honor of Labor Day, and the United States of America and all of its people and all our harmonies amidst the tears, here’s Woody Guthrie performing an American song.  Consider this a loving hug from one American to ALL the rest.

—- Offer opinions by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

SLEEP THROUGH IT ALL WHILE STAYING FIT; THE BETTER SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

For this Labor Day Weekend edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap, we salute the household companions who were quicker to comprehend “shelter in place” than humans were. We fidgeted, they rested and watched TV as we nervously changed the news channels.
Dogs and cats have a natural ability to understand the state of affairs — that’s our theory anyway.
This dog Izzy deserves the spotlight of our long-running weekend feature.
Izzy teaches us how what we’ll call “varietal posturing” can enhance months and months of sheltering in place and socially distancing.
We got her photos from her humans, our pal Della Wallace, the noted rescuer/animal advocate and her hubby David, also a devoted advocate of animals. They’re all a good match.
You see there a photo Della sent us of Izzy sitting up straight. This, for humans, is known as the “Upward Dog Kangaroo Pose.” There’s a tail component — keep reading.
We’re quite a way into this Pandemic Stay Home thing, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still be able to get involved in Izzy’s Shelter-at-Home Fit & Happy Program — that’s the working title of Izzy’s book, but we’re expecting a livelier title later in the year, i.e., Sit! Stay! Walk It Off Lardbuttski. The other alternative is “I Bit the Biscuit, But I Did Not Bite The Deputy’s Cheese” — that version, hopefully with a forward by Eric Clapton, will contain tips for etiquette that must be honored once we can all have big gatherings at restaurant tables again.
 For n
ow, the opening sentence reads, “If you’re human and can’t easily wag your tail, put down that pizza and read this book with both hands.” Second sentence reads: “Also, get a mirror and see if your tail has been docked.” You never know — that’ll affect a human’s balance when performing the Upward Dog Kangaroo Pose.

Izzy has other fitness exercises. For example, that’s her with the dirty paws. The exercise is called “Roll the Dirt Off” and should be performed on carpets that are easily vacuumed. All it takes is a quick dash outside through a freshly tilled garden and a run through a rain shower back into the house.
Izzy also has an “example-setting photograph” — it’s titled “JUST EAT ONE” and is designed to help people remember to get two cookies, eat one and give the other to a nearby dog — or an adventurously dining cat.
Perhaps you wonder how Izzy became a fitness expert? She left home. Nobody knows how or where but her. Several years ago she was “running around a lakefront community near Little Elm," Della says. "Nobody claimed her, so, of course, we adopted her. She is a sweetie pie."

You see another dog here, also. We’re waiting to get confirmation, but we believe Alastair is functioning as Izzy’s assistant coach for televised workouts on cable fitness channels. 
Della and David adopted him at Dallas Animal Services on Christmas Eve in 2012. In March of 2016, Alastair showed his appreciation. Della says, “Alastair saved David’s life by alerting me at 4:30 one morning that David was having a stroke. We saved him from the Dallas pound, he in return saved David!! Hero Dog!!!!”
Known as Chico at DAS, David and Della renamed him Alastair after the Scottish actor Alastair Sim who portrayed Scrooge in the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol. 

As you can see from these photos, Izzy can demonstrate many methods of comfortable sleeping. That is Izzy taking it easy in Pillowville. So, in summation, you have here these important messages from Izzy:
(1) Exercise
(2) Get plenty of sleep,
(3) Watch your diet and
(4) if you are a human, watch your tail — sage advice during either a pandemic or a presidential election campaign.
Our final canine photo shows Izzy and Alastair demonstrating comfortable social distancing during an important session of restorative sleep.
[PLEASE SEND PHOTOS of your slumbering dogs, cats, geckos, hamsters and any other snoozing creature to dallrp@aol.com and we’ll post them in our weekend feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. You’ll be encouraging people to devote their hearts and homes to beloved animals and you’ll be persuading insomniacs to believe that they too can get some sleep if they can just figure out where to comfortably tuck their tails. That's my cat The Senator performing one of Izzy's feline exercises, "LImbercat." It involves twisting, stretching, reaching and dancing to the theme from Fame.]
—- Offer nap tips or exercise excuses by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

AN EXTRA FOR FRIDAY: DOGS AND CATS AND ACCENTUATING THE POSITIVE

EXTRA EDITION FRIDAY SEPT. 4, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Nothing particularly more urgent than usual for this EXTRA — it’s not like we spotted Elvis buying donuts while wearing a Hunka Burnin’ Love virus mask. 
Nope. Just the opportunity to save lives.
These are some heads-ups for people who work hard to save the lives of shelter animals and others. Some dogs, some cats may be helped. Some people who help animals may be helped. And this dog is Darcie — in our early edition today we did not yet have a good photo of her beautiful face — read the early edition to see how Darcie came to be in a fix. Here are the EXTRAS.
SONNY AND BEAR,
TWO WAITING IN MESQUITE
Debra Chisholm, the volunteer biographer at Mesquite Animal Services, provided these photos and these two bios of dogs who are in a shelter and in need of a rescue or an adoption.

This guy is Sonny (#45410665), described as a “handsome Australian Kelpie mix who arrived at the Mesquite Animal Shelter on 8/30 as a stray.” Unfixed (that’ll be fixed, of course), 41 pounds and about a year and a half old. He’s gifted with “an outgoing and confident personality.  He is a lively, on-the-move youngster.  Sonny walks well on a leash.  He pottied in the shelter yard.  He was quite interested in scouting out the yard during his photo shoot.  He takes treats, but not gently.  He is friendly,  has a sweet nature and enjoys receiving attention and being petted.  In the yard he seemed restless, though enjoying being able to stretch his legs."
The Lab mix is Bear — surrendered on the 2nd because “the owner could no longer afford to care for him.” His shelter ID is 45434238. The year-old, neutered dog weighs in at 68 pounds and has “an abundance of puppy energy,” Debra wrote. “He has so much energy that I had a difficult time getting good pictures.  He will jump on you, not realizing his own strength.  He definitely would benefit from obedience classes.  He will sit for treats and takes them gently.  Bear is playful, exuberant, and friendly.  Former owner reports that he lived indoors, was OK with other dogs and children, but not cats, and likes to play and act silly.  He enjoyed playing fetch in the shelter yard.  He does walk OK on a leash but is a strong puller.”
To ask about either of these dogs, use their IDs when you email rescues@city0fmesquite.com or call the shelter at 972-216-6283.
See these dogs and other animals currently awaiting homes or rescues in the Mesquite Animal Services Shelter by clicking HERE. There are cats of all ages waiting for homes, including this 12-day-old (in the photo) kitten who may be the first cat I’ve ever run into named Pineapple. (#45399894) He appears to be one of four look-alike kittens from the litter surrendered on Aug. 28. The others are Banana, Kiwi and Lemon. 
CATS AND A DOG:
ON LANCASTER CLOCK
These are among the animals who arrived in an e-mail with the subject line “URGENT!!! —SHELTER ALMOST FULL — LOTS OF NEW CATS.”
Here’s the story on these two beautiful cats, according to the note from 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that focuses on small shelter populations and tries to get more eyes looking at them. 
The bio reads, “A Lancaster resident found this pair that appear to be siblings and brought them in together. The citizen said they are extremely sweet but just need a day or two to get to know their surroundings.” [LARRY ASIDE: Could have been dumped. Could have strayed. Could be waiting for a familiar voice to call out their names — they are “Kit Kat” and “Peaches” at the shelter. Cats don’t get to be this pretty and this old without having run into a human at some point. Not to blame a human for their on-the-clock plight, of course.]
And that brings us to the “Tiger Tabby” Sasha and the senior little terrier Mila. Quoting from the 4-Legged Helpers’ bio: “This is such a sad story,” it begins “This pair's owner passed away and they came into the shelter as what is called ‘custody hold’ or ‘police hold pets.’ They do this to give a family member a chance to claim them.  Heartbreakingly that did not happen.  Instead, a family member came in and released them to the shelter.  They are both very, very sweet.  We know the little girl dog is an older girl and shelter staff says both are probably fixed per the family member but they do not have the paperwork.  They do have tags as you can see in the pics.  A vet can confirm both are fixed.  They actually have both in the cat room right now but not together.  They desperately need someone.  Both are very, very sweet and precious.”

To ask about these shelter animals, contact Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers by calling or texting 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

CONTEMPLATIONS
HUMANS, BRAIN CELLS, JOHNNY MERCER

Maybe it’s just the way humans are, but, holy smokin’ unused brain cells, how in the world can cats and dogs be dropped off at city shelters with a “see ya later” and “be good” and “You’re so cute, I know you’ll find a good home.” Do these people think the animals are all going to go wind up at a big lotto-supported, fully staffed, climate-controlled, canine/feline amusement park ranch in the middle of Shangri La? [LARRY APOLOGY: Forgive my mood this Friday. Blame my diminishing inability to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, as the great songwriter Johnny Mercer suggested. I simple have seen too many photos of dogs wearing a look on their faces that says, “Oh my God, what’s going to happen to me next?” Those two dogs with that look are in Dallas Animal Services care for right now but DAS would love to place them in a happy home.] … Sure, I’m no longer concerned about the Texas Rangers and the 2020 season — I accept the team’s fate and will, as Rangers fans have been doing for nearly a half-century, “wait ’til next year.” If there is one. … Heck, for all you Boys of Texas’ Summer, here’s a version of that Johnny Mercer song of optimism — almost certain he couldn’t swat a curve ball or throw one, either, but he could sure hit the right lines for a song. Positively click HERE  to hear the great Sam Cooke’s version of one of Mr. Mercer's masterpieces.
—- Offer pitching advice for the Rangers or surefire lotto numbers (same odds) by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. ——

MAINTAINING THE MISSION: SAVE 'EM ALL; PLUS MANNERLY CONTEMPLATIONS

EDITION OF FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 [PetPowellPress] We write about a lot of animals and animal people at readlarrypowell.com, so when we get a chance to praise fosters and rescuers it’s great. And when we learn that the actions of a couple of neighbors have saved a dog such as this guy Teddy, that’s an episode to praise and to remember.
We won’t ID the people who took all the extra steps to save Teddy (without asking them!), but we will say “Thank you” to them for saving the life of a dog we’ve never met.
When I first read about Teddy’s problem — bleeding wound aggravated by rat poison that keeps blood from clotting — I thought it was going to be curtains for him. I also figured that the 4-Legged Helpers had hitched their wagon to a sad effort. I am so happy I was wrong.
 Teddy’s not out of the woods altogether, I’m guessing, but he does have a better chance now than he did roaming and bleed- ing in the animal dump- ing area on Malloy Bridge Road in South- east Dallas. [LARRY ASIDE: If any- body knows who might have fed Teddy rat poison and dumped him, well, Texas has anti-cruelty laws, you know … the SPCA has a cruelty-fighting unit.]

I just felt like starting this First Friday edition in September with a word of gratitude for being allowed to see rescuers, a non-profit and a vet office and staffers beat the odds on behalf of Teddy. That car seat scene, by the way, is my favorite Teddy photo. A dog taking a “sleepy ride home” to recuperate. Bless his heart…
A LITTER OF KITTENS
KEEPS A MOMMA BUSY!
Yeah, this is clearly a photo of a Momma cat and her kittens. They were posted on a Fort Worth Animal Care & Control page and the explanation is “the storm blew in Mary Jane and her crazy kids to FWACC.” The note, posted by Bree Sinner, identified the kittens as — and some of you will recognize these names — Daphne, Shaggy, Scooby, Velma and Fred.”
You can see the kids having a snack by clicking on this LINK. 
Fosters can apply at FWACCfoster@fortworth- texas.gov. The shelter number is 817-392-1234.
A THOUGHT ABOUT PEOPLE
One more reminder: Teddy’s case was dramatic; the shelters in our area face dire odds with animals all the time and they save tons of ‘em — not quite so dramatically, but frequently with glee and relief. So, on this Friday, we’re just really appreciative for anyone who is busy helping animals find good homes to live good lives. It’s a good time to think about all the dogs and cats and other critters that have encountered your heart and lived better lives because you stopped to pick ‘em up, you signed up to foster them or you made sure they had a chance at being seen by people who might love them.
 Thanks to all of you who help the dogs and cats in all of the cities and “unincorporated areas.” As for those who dump animals -- such as our personal Rottweiller Texas Earl the Cheeseman, dumped in Kiest Park -- there's a special place for you and it's not in our hearts.
ODIN GETS A BREAK
IN QUEST FOR HOME

 We cited the story of Odin in Thursday’s edition — he was purchased, then proved to not be quite what the buyers wanted. So, Debra Myers, the veteran rescuer/animal advocate, has been trying to help Odin find that REAL home. He started “his trial adoption” on Thursday.
 Debra wrote, “This couple is very excited to add this sweet pup to their family. His new mom works from home and dad is a fireman. Best of all, Odin will have a fur sister to play with. We’re all very excited. I pray thingd go very well for this pup.” Anybody ever see a better lookin' Dobie?
WHEN ROOM IS MADE
FOR AN HONORARY POM
The great Patty Sprong, the legendary foster mom, posted these photos and wrote, “Check out this honorary Pom!! She was at a shelter with her Pom friend, and the shelter didn’t want one to leave without the other. Kudos to Recycled Poms for taking her and her HW+ Pom friend! She will be available soon.” You can keep up with Recycled Pomeranians and Schipperkes — and “honorary Poms” — at recycledpoms.org.
[LARRY ASIDE: We do not know if the “big dog” lived with her friend long enough to adopt the traditional “pomatude,” but there are worse things than being cute and cuddly and devoted to a human.]
MEANWHILE IN WILMER
TWO DOGS, NO TRAFFIC
The folks at 4-Legged Helpers turned their focus to two dogs in the City of Wilmer’s Animal Shelter in Thursday’s email from Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden. “Both of these very sweet dogs are at the Wilmer Shelter, which as you are aware is closed to the public,” the email began. “It is heartbreaking.  There are NO adoptions at this shelter.”
 There is, however a go-between to help animals get out of that shelter. The go-between is the non-profit 4-Legged Helpers, which works with the shelter and with rescue groups to match up animals with places to go. 
Dylan gets the 4-photo treatment because he’s like model — someone had a camera and Dylan managed a quartet of poses and moods.
The photo of Darcie is the best that could get gotten, we’re told. The shelter staff (one person?) “said she is really precious. Hopefully you can look past the bad quality of the pic and see the sweet dogs and very sweet souls hoping beyond hope that they will be chosen and someone will save them.”

To offer to help these two dogs get into a rescue group where they can be seen by more people and maybe find that perfect home, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
ONE MORE NEW SEPTEMBER REPORT
FROM THE SHELTER AT LANCASTER
This one involves a cat with an irresistible face — well, for catfans, anyway. At readlarrypowell.com, we happen to be fans of cats and dogs. So, heck, yeah, this cat has a great face! 
His bio comes from 4-Legged Helpers, which has taken on Lancaster Animal Shelter as a small-shelter-focus project.
[LARRY ASIDE: Our understanding of small shelters is that they may have big hearts, but they have small facilities and too-large populations and little walk-through traffic and no budget to launch a major public relations drive to get more eyes on their efforts to save the town’s unwanted dogs, cats and other critters than can wind up being fed by taxpayer dollars.]
That kitten is a boy — medium-long fur and the name “Cosmic.” He’ loves being held and purrs a lot. In the photo, he’s “perched on a shoulder.” Yep, that’s a cat for a person who knows how to love.
Same thing for Edgar and Lindsay and Laurie — they’re not photographed on a shoulder but they have love to give and room to accept a human as their friend. 
Edgar, the black and white fellow with the intelligently- cocked head, is a Great Dane/Lab mix who was “found out and about as a stray but no one has come for him.” He’s also said to be a “very sweet and friendly boy.”

The other two dogs are listed as Smooth Collie/ Shiba Inu Mixes. Lindsay is the sitting dog. Laurie is the standing dog. A couple of strays that wound up in the Lancaster shelter. So far nobody’s come looking for two dogs that appear to have once had a role in someone’s life.
Call or text Laura Macias at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS

SAVE ‘EM ALL; BIG TEX ’N’ TREATS; MANNERS & NEWSPAPERS
The thing to remember is: We can save all the dogs and cats we want, but until we have a dramatic influence on the malformed thoughts of the people who dump them or fail to treat them responsibly, the animals are in danger every single day of their lives. How do we change the hearts of these people? There’s your big question of the day. In the meantime, when it comes to unwanted and abused animals, save ‘em all. Save every one of them. If that sound’s stupidly irrational, let me point out that Teddy was saved. A lot of us live with other dogs that were saved. And cats, too. …. Been contemplating that Big Tex Drive-Thru event in which people with cravings for the State Fair of Texas’ legendary midway treats can buy tickets to drive onto the otherwise idle fairgrounds at Fair Park and grab some Midway grub they're craving. The Fair usually has a run each fall — so why couldn’t the State Fair have a Fair Food Drive-Thru in the springtime, or early summer or dead of winter just as a fundraiser for scholarships — don’t tell me you’ve never looked at a platter of Thanksgiving leftovers and said, “Boy, I’d sure like to have me a Fletcher’s Corny Dog.” As a vegetarian, of course, I am immune to cravings — well, except for the Belgium waffles with extra whipped cream. Oh, my, don’t get me started — this office chair isn’t strong enough to support my cravings. … Here’s a calendar note: The people at Holiday Insights say September 4 is both “Bring Your Manners To Work Day” and “Newspaper Carrier Day.” Yep, two vanishing elements of society — manners and newspaper carriers.
— Offer opinions or cogitations by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com if you have manners. —-

UPDATE ON TEDDY: BEATING THE ODDS

These are “leaving the vet” photos for Teddy.

We told the story in the earlier edition today about Teddy the dog with the double problem of an ugly bleeding cut and having been fed or having eaten rat poison that was blocking his blood’s ability to clot. Things looked bad.
And, after a couple of stops, he was in the emergency care of King’s Creek Animal Hospital in Kaufman. The latest report from his benefactor, the non-profit 4-Legged Helpers, reads:

“Latest UPDATE 9/2 Wednesday 2pm: Teddy is headed home with Good Samaritan!!!   See his ride home pics today. The bleeding stopped and vet believes he is well enough to continue to recover at Good Samaritan’s place who is committed to caring for him and working with him till Teddy is ready to go to a rescue or can be adopted!  Thank you so much everyone for your donations and prayers.  By the way, donations covered both his vet visits almost to the dollar.  We cannot thank you enough! Teddy thanks you!!!”
To ask about supporting Teddy’s recovery or adopting him or helping the 4-Legged Helpers in some way, call or text 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
Now and then, a miracle shows up in the inbox.
—- Offer cheers for Teddy by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

THE STORIES OF LIFE RANGE FROM CHICO'S TOOTHY GRIN TO ANIMALS THAT BOOST SPIRITS AND A QUOTE ABOUT LOVE

EDITION OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to the brink of Labor Day Weekend which some of us forgot to remember because we were busy doing other stuff. That dog? He is available at Dallas Animal Services where he is listed as Chico (#A1105304). That is some face, isn’t it. His shelter bio includes a first-person line from Chico that reads, “My talents include being adorable and making music. Just because I can't sing doesn't mean I won't sing.” Readlarrypowell.com isn’t sure what Chico might sing. I suspect he performs the Johnny Mathis standard Chances Are which includes these lines: 

"Chances are 'cause I wear a silly grin
The moment you come into view
Chances are you think that I'm in love with you.”
Clearly he's a romantic. See the DAS dogs and cats at dallasanimalservices.org.
OK, ODIN? ODIN, OK?
ODIN NEEDS A NEW HOME
I think even the very handsome Chico (from DAS) might agree that there has rarely been a more handsome Doberman Pinscher on the planet.
 What, besides a handsome countenance, does Odin the Dobie have in common with Chico the Pittie Boy? Needs a home. Both boys need a home. Only Odin isn’t in a shelter. 
He’s being helped by veteran rescuer Debra Myers who got the word out via networking with such folks as the critter helper Amy Poskey, one of our consistent tipsters.
The deal with Odin, as outlined by Debra, is this: “Odin is a 10-month-old Doberman looking for a new home. He’s only had one round of shots and is not neutered. I’m fairly certain he’s not on any heartworm prevention. However, he is an inside dog. He does well with other dogs and lives with young children. I have no idea how he does around cats. The owners paid a lot of money for him, but realize they just don’t want the responsibility...so sad. He’s a great dog...still a puppy that would benefit from training...with the proper owner.” 
The proper loving and responsible human should email dkmyersone@yahoo.com or call 940-367-4627.
WAITING FOR THE RIGHT MOVE
AT THE SPCA OF TEXAS
Yep, Chunk Norris. Name cracked me up the first time I saw it a couple of months ago. Look at the whiskers on that guy? He’s at the SPCA of Texas and waiting to make the right move into a good home with a need for a cat with star quality. Go to spca.org and ask about #43364809. He’s pushing 7 years old and is a “medium” size, though, clearly he’s a big star. Call this an appeal on behalf of “Purrrer, Texas Ranger.” That’s the original Walker, Texas Ranger — aired from 1993 through 2001, meaning kids born when it was a prime time hit are now anywhere from 19 to 27 years old. Lots of it was shot in the Metrofilmoplex.
JOLENE: THE INSPIRATIONAL DOG
AND THE COLONY’S HEART
We saw the news on The Colony Animal Services Facebook page. Probably no way to break it easily — and the people who’d dealt with Jolene were upset, but inspired. This dog was loving during the toughest times of her life — possibly an example for human behavior, I guess.
Mark Cooper, The Colony’s Animal Services Division Manager, posted the note that began, “It is with a very heavy heart that we let our followers/ supporters know that Jolene did not survive her surgery today [Tuesday].” The whole posting is on Facebook and you can read more about the The Colony’s shelter HERE.
You may recall that Jolene’s human brought her in to be euthanized several weeks ago. But there was something about this dog that suggested it wasn’t her time. Indeed, as The Colony posted, “nothing indicated cancer” in those many blood panels and biopsies.
“The surgeon felt very hopeful that the swollen mammary glands could be safely removed. We took the chance of knowing the surgery was going to be very invasive, but we all were optimistic for a full recovery. This afternoon Officer [Lesley] Langston and I got a call that we needed to get to the clinic as soon as possible. We soon learned that just beneath the large mammary gland mass, the tissue was covered in cancer and vessels had attached to the stomach and major organs. Jolene was consumed in cancer with no hope of removing. The decision was made to end her suffering and stop the surgery there. Officer Langston sat with her, kissed her face, and whispered in her ear as she took her last breath.

“Jolene came to our shelter as a breeding dog. However, she has spent the last 5 weeks with Officer Langston and her husband and son. She ran and played with her other dogs, as though she was part of their pack. She slept in their bed like she owned the place. She was spoiled and well cared for. She was part of a family that loved her like their own. She had 5 amazing weeks filled with more happiness and compassion she had ever known in her life.”
There’s more to read. But you understand how much Jolene touch humans and how much humans touched Jolene. I hope you’ll read the Facebook post. Among the expressions of love in the post: “The last thing Jolene heard was the strokes along her face and kisses on her cheeks and the words ‘I love you, sweet girl’.”
BEFORE YOU STOP READING, KEEP YOUR TEARS HANDY…
There are opportunities for tears of happiness at shelters. Why is that? Because for every animal that is lost, there is almost always a chance to save the lives of more animals.
The day the story of Jolene was posted, the shelter also posted this photograph and an attempt to help save some puppies.
It was headlined “CALLING ALL RIVERDALE FANS” and explained, “We are pleased to introduce JUGHEAD, ARCHIE, MOOSE, VERONICA and BETTY.” 
They are being held by Animal Control Officers Ahmad Moore and Lesley Langston. The story of the puppies reads, “We believe they are American Pitbull Terriers. They are roughly 8 weeks old and ready for their forever families!! It is a first come first serve basis. You MUST call and schedule an appointment ahead of time to visit with the puppies.”
You can’t reserve a dog by phone, you have to arrange an appointment. Here’s the LINK to The Colony Shelter and here is the phone number 972-370-9250.
IT’S SEPTEMBER! GOT A CRAVING
FOR SOME STATE FAIR FOOD?
State Fair of Texas Executive VP Karissa Condoianis sent word that tickets “are officially on sale for the 2020 Big Tex Fair Food Drive-Thru” — that’s the celebration in lieu of the actual State Fair 2020 — its planned run Sept. 25-Oct. 18 was canceled by pandemic concerns. (The 2021 Fair is set for Sept. 24-Oct. 17.)
 Read more about the Big Tex Drive-Thru and getting to have your photo made with Big Tex in — no kidding -- a “Big Tex-sized face mask” by clicking HERE  and details of other Fair efforts at bigtex.com. 
[LARRY ASIDE: And in the website announcement is this great description of the Fair: “Join us at the most Texan place on earth….” Now, that might be true for the Fair when it’s in full operation. Might even be true for a few weekends this year — nothing’s more Texan than a car-load of family on a road trip. But, I’ve been to Fort Worth, Alpine, Terlingua, New Boston (for a rodeo and street dance), the Panhandle (Muleshoe and the giant mule statue)…well, you get the drift about "most Texan" places. Texas is so big that you can spread its Texasness across the entire state and maybe only have gaps in Dallas, Houston and Austin. And, of course, half of Texarkana is in Arkansas. …]
CONTEMPLATIONS
TIME, EMAILS AND TRUE LOVE WAYS
My grandson, Connor Powell, who has (mostly) shed the toddler nickname he earned, “Crash,” turned 17 on September 1— this is incomprehensible. How can he be that old when his father is only 15 and I’m just now pushing 30. He goes to school via computer these days, something that was a science fiction gimmick when I was 17. I went to school via a Plymouth. Studied with a stack of textbooks. And I wasn’t a pianist with the school jazz band like Connor "Tunes" Powell. I’ve seen and heard my musical grandson play. He’s got the chops, as we used to say. He also plays tuba -- the piano is harder to march with at halftime. But I’m just one of many proud relatives. I was looking back at Connor’s life. He’s made me laugh a lot — of course, his big sisters Hannah Rose and Emily Grace have taught him the need to laugh in life. Yep, baby brother of two already grown-up sisters — I’m almost certain they think he’s adorable. And I know Bixby, his dog pal, is positive Connor is adorable. Never thought I’d be writing about grandkids. But they’ve all learned how to stretch their birthday celebrations from one day to a week or maybe more. Their dad Bart and his brother Bret, the dynamic duo, stretched their teenage years over several decades. If they didn’t laugh at that line, I know the grandkidders did. That is a photo of the current Crash — posing for his dad’s cameraphone, I think. … Is the pandemic producing more emails? I keep trying to weed out the commercials and the stack keeps growing like ice cream cravings in a pandemic. OK, enough whining. But there’s a doctor somewhere who, four or five times a day, sends me an email swearing that there are vegetables I should never eat. I’ve unsubscribed to him and some others until my mouse squeals, but, the robots are determined. … Speaking of romance, here’s a quote my funspouse Martha and I agreed to keep on our refrigerator. We both think it’s funny. Honest. Don't remember Peter Ustinov stopping by for dinner, however. Reads like he might have at some point.
—- Offer Blue Sky Theories of Life or tips for growing roses by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

DRAMA FOR A DOG NAMED TEDDY; OTHER ANIMALS WAIT FOR THE RIGHT HUMANS

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 2, 2020 [PetPowellPress] By the time you read this, Teddy Bear may have reached a key point in his story.
Maybe his fate was decided earlier — possibly by someone with a heart set on ridding themselves of a dog. Perhaps fate will smile on him, even though he's up against bad odds. Someone either put out baited poison to kill rats and got a dog instead or someone fed rat poison to an unwanted dog.

As this is being written, there is a drama underway. We learned about it from the rescue folks at 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that focuses on small shelters and animal situations, mainly on the south side of the metrosprawl.
This is one for the prayers, folks. 
The initial email arrived with a warning about graphic pictures of a badly injured dog. [LARRY ASIDE: I’m just using the two more dignified photos of Teddy Bear rather than the bloody, ugly photos of his “private region.”]

It turns out the dog had a cut that, under most circumstances, might have been fixable but there is a “major” problem — the rat poison keeps his blood from clotting. How’d he get the cut? Who knows? Caught that area on a barbed wire fence? 
How’d he get the rat poison? If he didn’t accidentally discover it while looking for something to eat, then someone fed it to him, perhaps before they threw him out in a “dumping area” — yes, the notorious Malloy Bridge dumping area in southern Dallas County. 
The note from 4-Legged Helpers says the “incredibly sweet boy” was found by a woman who called “a Good Samaritan friend of hers in Ferris and this gentleman thought he could try to get the sweet dog to a vet” in the morning. But once he had the dog at home he realized the bleeding wasn’t stopping. He took the dog to a vet clinic in Alvarado.
Here is the latest update that came to us around noon on Tuesday from Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden with 4-Legged Helpers. 
“The vet in Alvarado last night believed the bleeding was due to a cut and bandaged the cut and sent him back home with the Good Samaritan, a gentleman …  The dog started bleeding again last night (or perhaps never stopped) and bled apparently all night. He was rushed to King’s Creek Animal Hospital in Kaufman this morning. This vet believes he was given rat poison possibly prior to being dumped or just after, and Teddy’s blood is unable to clot due to the poison.  He is being treated for rat poisoning but cannot be given a transfusion due to the probability any prick will cause more bleeding that cannot clot.  He is critical.  Please pray for him.”
 You want to help this dog? Email Laura at cat_girl_71@yahoo.com or call or text 214-949-2726.
A GOOD MOMENT
IN THE DOG WORLD!

You may recall the item we posted about the missing foster dog Zeus, one of the dogs under the care of the Euless Trinity GAP Rescue folks. He’d gone missing in Chisholm Park in Hurst.
Our pal Karen Lee, the barkleyworld.com founder and a devoted supporter of Trinity GAP, reports, “Great news! Zeus was found at the Arlington Animal Shelter and he is now back with Trinity GAP! Yay!” 
[LARRY ASIDE: There’s a lesson in that story. A dog may be lost in Hurst but he may not stay in Hurst. This one wound up in Arlington. Remember, the roads are paved in the Metrosprawl and people can pick up a free-roaming dog or cat and drive not to the nearest shelter, but to the one they know about! Thank heavens for computers and the internet — some shelters even have a posting for “found” animals on their websites.]
VAL IS DOG OF THE MOMENT
AT MAZIE’S MISSION
It could just be me, but it might not be: Seems like there are more polite big brown dogs with adorable faces available for adoption than usual this week. I cite this girl Val at Mazie’s Mission. (In the September 1 edition I pinpointed Max at the Weatherford Parker County Shelter and Honey in Lancaster. Scroll down to the previous edition.) The Val bio reads that she is a “super sweet gal who just wants to be your best friend. She has been great with kids, dogs and cats. She can be unsure about new adults, so patience is needed while she builds that trust.” 
Nearly perfect, right? Read this final paragraph: “Val is generally a calm girl, but has short bursts of energy so caution is needed around small or older animals. She walks very nicely on a leash and is non-reactive towards other animals. She’s not a big barker and she is crate-trained and house-trained.”
THREE FROM MESQUITE
WITH DIFFERENT TALES
Our tipster Debra Chisholm, the volunteer critter biographer at Mesquite Animal Services, has cited 3 dogs ready to go. In fact, two of them have already gone once, but there were complications.
First up is Dixie (#45418091), a mixed breed dog surrendered to the shelter on Monday— she’s 8 months old and weighs about 45 pounds. The bio reads that an “elderly couple adopted her as a young pup” but she has developed “too much energy and is getting too big for them to handle because of their age and health. They seemed genuinely sorry to have to surrender her and obviously love her and have cared well for her.  They brought her vet records to the shelter.  Dixie has all her shots, is microchipped and spayed.  … She is house-trained, is fine with other dogs and children, likes to run and is very playful, loving and sweet.  They also shared that she learns quickly and wants to please.” The bottom line is she’s a lively, loving dog waiting for the right-fit family or friend to give her a lifetime home.

Then there’s Julius (#45320399), described as an “American Pit Bull/ American Staffordshire/ American Bulldog mix.” Debra writes that he “was returned to the Mesquite Shelter on 8/29--the same day he was adopted.  The new owner took him home and the family dog did not take to Julius and showed aggression.  The adopter stated that Julius did not react to the aggression but went into a submissive mode.  Adopter did not want to work through this initial interaction so simply returned him.  Julius weighs 55 pounds and is about 2 years old.  He is, of course, neutered, has all his shots and is microchipped  He walks well on a leash.  He is high energy and in his exuberance he will jump on you.  Obedience classes would certainly be in order for him to fit into a new home situation.”
When he’s not in submission, “he has an outgoing and confident personality.”

The final dog in this report is Jordan (#45361314), a Black Mouth Cur/Anatolian Shepherd mix — he came in as a stray on the 23rd. A year old, he walks well on a leash and appears to be house-trained. “He's a frisky and lively youngster. He needs slow introductions and once he is comfortable with a human friend, he warms up.  He seems to be protective of the person he is attached to.  He does enjoy affection.  In the shelter yard it was noted that he spooks easily.  This is a dog with potential but is a work in progress and will need some patience and TLC.” And he doesn’t seem to be a fan of cats. Nobody’s perfect, eh?

To offer to help these dogs or any animal in Mesquite Animal Services’’ care, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
And, go to the Mesquite Shelter animals listing HERE and you can see a whole bunch of kittens and cats in addition to the dogs waiting for homes. This small girl is Shelby Ford (45334572) — she’s a kitten as are a whole fleet of younger kittens including Lexus, Mercedes, Chevy, Dodge and Nissan. There’s also a Viper and a Maverick (anybody else remember the Ford Maverick?). And there are kittens named for favorites: Taco, Nacho, Tostada and Quesadilla. [LARRY ASIDE: These names are evidence that spay and neuter is important. When a shelter runs so low on kitten names that they have to resort to automobiles and menu items, that’s a sign that too many unwanted kittens are being born just to wind up on the clock in city shelters. Then there are the kittens who only have numbers — no names. Spay and neuter — it’s a kind thing to do.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
THE RETURN POLICY; THE HEAT/HUMIDITY; HERACLITUS
This is really something to contemplate. See this dog? Cute, isn’t she. Name is Stacy. You may recall the story we did in the late Monday edition about the Clear the Shelter result at Lancaster Animal Services. The folks at 4-Legged Helpers told us that there was just one adoption from the shelter on Clear the Shelters Day. One is better than none -- right? On Tuesday we got this note about Stacy from Laura Macias at 4-Legged Helpers, “Sadly, even that dog came back before even 48 hours had gone by. Apparently the person adopting wanted an outside dog and couldn’t understand why the young dog they adopted as bored in the backyard and wanted to be in the house with them.” Oh, my…oh, my. And Laura added, “We are thinking it is a very good thing this dog came back and has been saved from what would have not been a good life….” Contemplating giving this dog a good human home? Email Laura at cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. [LARRY ASIDE: I put this in Contemplations because I love my dogs and I cannot even contemplate the emotional pain they’d suffer being stuck out in the backyard when they are, clearly, our companions, not our possessions.] … You’ve heard the line “It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity.” I walked out into a wall of soggy heat Tuesday afternoon and decided it is the humidity. And it is the heat. And no dog should live outdoors in Texas. That’s why God made air-conditioning — keep the dogs and cats cool and the humans in their place (in front of the TV). …. Did you pay attention to the Texas Rangers’ changing things before the Major League trading deadline Monday? Sent one pitcher away; kept everybody else. Before baseball was invented, Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, not in English, “The only constant in life is change.” But the Rangers are constantly not in the playoffs, constantly not winning the division. No change. Another great philosopher, the Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige, once explained his approach to his profession: “My pitching philosophy is simple — keep the ball away from the bat.” The Rangers’ batters seem to have adopted that philosophy, too, especially with runners on base.
— OFFER BIG LEAGUE TIPS BY CLICKING ON ‘COMMENTS’ BELOW OR EMAILING DALLRP@AOL.COM. —-

SOME CHALLENGES TO THE PEACE, THE PUPS AND THE CATS ON THE PLANET

EDITION OF TUESDAY, SEPT. 2, 2020 [PetPowellPress] The year 2020 has trotted right along at a odd clip, hasn’t it! And here we are on the first of September — we’ve had disarray, weather challenges and other difficulties since so early in the year I can’t remember.

Perhaps it would be great if we started the month with peace and love and finished the year and began 2021 with it, too. Surely humanity is capable of that. Surely. 
Vanish the virus and defeat the pox of violence, hate and disrespect that we let grip the brains of so many of the rest of us. If I can use the word “pox,” it makes me feel like William Shakespeare.
We could use some pax populi, i.e., Latin for “the peoples’ peace.” That's a peaceful scene with my girl Porche Noel and my little boy Stevie Ray enjoying some musing time on the Throwback Sixties Meditation Rug and setting an example of how to get along when you don't even belong to the same species. Call it "Pax Pup'n'cat".
CONSIDERING THE WAY THINGS
WORKED OUT AT TWO SHELTERS
FIRST WE TURN TO LANCASTER and get this report from 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that has “adopted” Lancaster Animal Shelter as a small-shelter focus project. The note sent by Laura Macias began: 
"Lancaster Shelter had a CLEAR THE SHELTERS DAY on Saturday and only had one adoption. That’s right,. Just one.”
These are two of the dogs that were ignored. Laura’s note says, “This city has 40,000-plus people and a tiny old shelter. Only 5 people even came by apparently. Only one adoption. This completely breaks our hearts.” And, she says, that one adoption is the same count as on the "Clear" day in 2019.
Beth, the American Bulldog/Mix is one of the unwanted dogs. “Beautiful girl — just as sweet as can be,” the bio reads. Why is she in the shelter? “A resident unable to care for her brought her in, in hopes someone might adopt her.” 
Look at Beth — she’s got to be dumbfounded by the disappearance of what she thought was people who loved her.
[LARRY ASIDE: Do people think a dog has no heart?]
And that brings us to Honey, a dog with a chip but nobody responding to calls. Might have been dumped. As the 4-Legged Helpers note reads, “Honey is named Honey for a reason — just the sweetest girl you could meet.” 

To help these two dogs — or other Lancaster animals — get to safety away from the ticking clock, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email at_girl_71@yahoo.com.
MEANWHILE, THERE’S THIS WEATHERFORD/PARKER COUNTY SHELTER note from our pal Becky Dodge. She reported about that facility’s Clear the Shelter efforts Aug. 24-Aug. 29.
“They had a pretty good week for the middle of the pandemic - 100 adoptions, 7 animals returned to owners, 21 rescued. They also provided assistance to a family that need help with care for a pet that they could not provide. They also took in 89 new animals (53 dogs and 36 cats).”

That’s Max. He was the focus of a Facebook post by Deborah Haller just as the Clear the Shelter event was coming to a close at Weatherford. Here’s what she wrote: “Close up of Max! Just want you to see what you’re missing. One the longest residents at the shelter! He’s amazing! Gets along with the dogs on the trail walks, couldn’t be sweeter or more attentive trying to please. He says he will be your best friend and listening companion, walking companion, meal companion and protector of the home! If you can’t adopt but can foster, please click on Deborah Haller. She’s the “Volunteer and Dog Rescue Coordinator” at the shelter. Rescue tag for Max can be sent to animals@weatherfordtx.gov.
THE CHALLENGE TERRY LYNN
FACES IN BURNS FLAT
It’s no secret that readlarrypowell.com loves cats and thinks people who mistreat them need to be seen to by a mental health care professional. Here’s an example in a story we got from the rescue angel of Burns Flat, Okla., Terry Lynn Fisher. 
She wrote, “Oh my gosh!!! An elderly lady here in town has been feeding this cat and it’s litter mate for months now.  This one disappeared for a few days.   He came back [Sunday] and had something wrong with his mouth.  One of the neighbor little kids came up and told her they saw a boy kick its face three days ago.

“I’m pretty  sure the jaw is broken.  He is in a lot of pain. Please. If anyone can help with this poor creature let me know.  He needs to see a vet and a safe place to go afterwards. Please. I’m sick over this.” Email Terry Lynn at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com.
[LARRY FYI: Terry Lynn has built a following at her hometown in far western Oklahoma. In an appeal for veterinary funding last month she wrote a thank-you note to those supporters: “I am very grateful to all of you for making it possible to stay NO KILL for our FOUR small towns in Western Oklahoma.” Oughta start a fund to get medical professional help for mean-ass kids.]

REMINDER FOR
SPCA PHOTO CONTEST
There’s the big promotional block of illustration and you know to go to spca.org to vote for your favorite critter’s picture — ends at midnight if you’re reading this Monday and it ended at midnight if you’re not getting around to this until Tuesday!
Whenever you read this, you may also go to spca.org to see what dogs and cats and other animals are available for adoption. Note the Earhounds such as January and, of course Sister, and, without a doubt, Betty.
Betty? Wait, let me check the reference books. Yep, Goatus Earus Houndus. Pretty sure that’s an authentic Latin translation.  January is in this collection of mugshots! You'll spot her ears right away.
CONTEMPLATIONS
PEACE AND JOY AND MUSINGS
Back to the opening where I cited Pax Populi, the people’s peace. How did I become so dynamically facile with the Latin language when, astoundingly, I grew up in Texarkana, Texas, a long way from the Roman Empire? Ah, I paid attention in class — remember when people did that? — and I own a computer. I was a lousy Latin student. The Latin II class I was in, first class after the lunch hour, was full of alert, sharp and energetic students so I was largely unnoticed until I had to translate out loud. “Ouchus! Wrongus!” as a stunned and insulted Roman might have said. These days, with the help of a computer search, I am able to make sure I’ve used my Latin learnin’ to pluck a key phrase out of the air, or, as it might have been said in Latin, “vellunt clavem sententia ex aere.” Anyway, when I am able to cite Latin, it makes me feel like maybe I was better than an unsteady C student in Mrs. Marguerite Hamilton’s Latin II class at Texas High in 1963-64. That was, as you history students may recall, right after the fall of Rome (395 AD) and just before the 1971 birth of my twins Romulus and Remus. (Old Roman joke at which some of you may smile. My sons Bretus and Bartus may notus smilus.) …. I’m going to close with a quote from the Rev. Martin Luther King that seems to be a particularly important reminder in the current era. He said, “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” Yes, we all need more understanding. … I thought back in the ‘60s and ‘70s that my generation would bring peace and love to the planet — bigger challenge than expected. Underestimated the size of human stupidity. We can’t even keep things calm in our own Zip Codes. Failures? Maybe not. Some peace-proponents are still percolatin’. Peace now.
—- Offer wisdom or advice by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

MONDAY'S QUIET ARRIVAL ... SOME DOGS, CATS, STAR TREK & A TUNE WITH A THRILL?

EDITION OF MONDAY, AUG. 31, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Relax. It’s not Labor Day. That’s next Monday. 
But, to get you out of August looking forward into September, we’ll note that September (bless Holiday Insights for its calendar) is both National Blueberry Popsicle Month and National Piano Month - which, I suspect represents two declarations that will NOT be celebrated together. No pop- sicles at piano lessons, right? 
We wondered if there might be a cat somewhere named Piano or Popsicle but a quick look didn’t find one. However, at the Humane Society of North Texas in Fort Worth, we did find a listing for a 3-year-old tomcat named Mickey Mouse — got to be some irony in that — and this “too tall for the carrier” fellow named — hold on Dear Trekkers, — Worf. More Worfian musing in Contemplations.
GAP’S SEARCHING
FOR A MISSING PUP
Our pal Karen Lee, the Trinity GAP Rescue supporter and founder of barkleyworld.com, tipped us to this missing young dog. You see the details in that poster. 
Chisholm Park is in Hurst — it’s the city’s largest park at 50 acres, plus a lake, on Norwood just south of Highway 26.

As you may recall this rescue group evolved from the Euless Trinity High School Girls’ Awareness Program several years ago and became a devoted partner in rescue with the Euless Animal Shelter.
Now it is not only a rescuing group but also an adoptions group.
Sometimes, as we all know, dogs are too clever for their own good. So, that’s why this pup is missing. He’s only about 6 months old — and he’s microchipped and was wearing 3 tags when last seen.
We’ve included an earlier photo of him — with a big ol’ Pittie faced grin. You see the contact number on the missing poster: 817-629-1941. Or email GAP Rescue at steffeniegaprescue@gmail.com. [LARRY ASIDE: There’s a reward. But a good heart will be happy just because you got the pup to safety in an uncertain world.]
A PHOTOGRAPH
THAT ENCHANTS
How’s that for a kissing dog photograph? We got it off the Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center Facebook page. Is that a happy dog? Sure looks like it. Here’s what the DAS caption said: “Grateful kisses from some of our #HurricaneLaura evacuated pets who are now on their way back to be reunited with their owners! We are glad that we were able to provide these pets with care and support during their stay with us and are so grateful that both these owners and pets are safe. Learn more about the DAS #HurricaneLauraResponse and what you can do to help at https://bit.ly/3loNyZo. Human Animal Support Services #TheHASSLife #AnimalShelteringReimagined #BeDallas90."

We repeated all this because, frankly, you just never know whether there’ll be more post-storm dogs and cats making their ways to the greater Metrosprawl. 
[LARRY ASIDE: At our house Sunday, we were blessed with a pre-dawn rain that would have put a sane person back to sleep for another two hours — naturally, I was able to alertly watch 3 episodes of Matlock before I turned in to Willie Geist on NBC and then CBS Sunday Morning. Even the dogs went back to sleep before the rain stopped. The cats demanded breakfast. So I fed ‘em and THEY went back to sleep.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
WORF, PICARD/RIKER 2020 & IS CAPT. KIRK’S THRILL GONE?
Yes, that is the Fort Worth cat Worf, his name just like that of the beloved Klingon who debuted in the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away — wait. I’ve time quoted Star Wars in a Star Trek note. Trust me, I’m kidding and I know the difference. … You see here the current version of the Picard/Riker campaign bumper sticker. The Next Generation debuted in 1987, just before the 1988 election, when I was still writing a daily column for The Big Paper Downtown and I think, if memory serves, a Dallas PR executive brought me some Pickard/Riker 1988 or 1992 stickers with Picard’s traditional message, “Make it so.” (I have a couple in a storage box somewhere.) All these years later, I’m still thinking that might just be the way to go. Who among us doesn’t wake up some days, catch the morning news of all sides of the political spectrum and go back in time while yelling, “Beam me up, Scotty! Beam me up.” For you non-Trekkers, that’s a reference to the 1960s original Star Trek. … Oh, and speaking of Star Trek “originals,” nobody’s more original than William Shatner, the original Captain Kirk. Here’s one of his latest recordings from his new album The Blues. If you are a B.B. King fan, you’ll really find this version of his signature hit, perhaps, interesting. Click HERE. That's Captain Kirk in the '60s and that's the great B.B. King with his guitar Enterprise -- I'm kidding; she's Lucille. Live long and prosper.
—- Offer wisdom or unfounded complaints by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

WHEN DOGS AND CATS RULE YOUR WORLD...

Once upon a time, Dallas, Texas, had free-roaming dogs and cats.

I know you "cain't hardly b'lieve 'at," Dear Readers.

But, allow me to present some evidence. I'm going to feature one former free-roamer of each species in this edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap.

As you see in this opening photo, we have captured via cellphone camera a couple of tranquil and beloved members of our family. 
The dog is Porche Noel; the cat is The Senator. I caught 'em snoozing in the living room couch.
But each night they have their places in the king-size bed. Porche is between the humans and The Senator is between me and the edge of the bed -- he's up and down several times a night and likes to meow to wake me when he returns from his nocturnal adventures. He also will nibble -- OK, he'll BITE -- my bare arms if they aren't where he wants them. Porche is out like a light -- it's like trying to move a bag of cement that got wet and solidified.

I've told their stories before. The Senator had wandered up in 2008, dining with the front porch ferals, but sticking around after they'd leave to go nap or hunt or whatever they did. The Senator invited himself into the house and everybody got along -- he got his name because his hairline looked like he'd gone to Washington and gotten hairplugs.
 He's my editing consultant, as you can see in that photo of him glaring at what I've written. His beautiful pink nose is just out of the frame. 

At Christmas in 2009, Porche Noel crawled through the burglar bars on our front porch and filled up on the feral cat buffet -- three or four were watching her. By the time she finished all the bowls, her abdomen had widened so much that, when I went onto the front porch to check on the odd noises, she could NOT get back out the way she came in! So, we kept her. Of course.

As you can see, her appearance has changed a bit since that day I put her in my pickup and drove her to the vet's office. She was starving. She rasped when she barked (she'd arrived with a too-small collar) and she limped when she walked due to "some kind of trauma" to her left hip. Still shows up now and then. But she can bark with the best of 'em nowadays.
Her heritage? Here's what I wrote after her vet visit all those years ago. "What kind of dog is she? Lots of guesses: Part Corgi. Part French Bulldog.  Maybe even some kind of miniature pit. But the real answer to what kind of dog she is is this: Nice."

The penultimate photo shows her on the back of one of our couches -- the dogs' favored red one -- while Martha naps and one of those front porch feral kittens (from 2011) scopes out a place to snooze with the gang. That's Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson, as sweet a little girl as you'll find on your front porch. She's far from feral. Sleeps in my arms if she catches me watching TV or reading or trying to type on a laptop. Yeah, she's the anti-insomnia cat.
Our dog Porche and my cats The Senator and Kittie Leigh -- and, oh, yeah, my funspouse Martha -- let 'em all sleep and nap and enjoy happy dreams. Sometimes you can even see Martha's foot shaking when she dreams she's chasing a cat or dog through an Oak Cliff park! It's so cute.
[LARRY APPEAL: Send us photos of your sleeping dogs, napping cats, snoozing reptiles, snoring mammals (can be human relatives!), etc. Include the bios of the photo subjects when you email the info to dallrp@aol.com. This pays no money, so don't fret an IRS windfall profit inquiry. You'll be encouraging people to open their hearts and homes to animals. And you'll be helping insomniacs believe they, too, can get some sleep if they can just get the right red couch.]
--- Offer opinions or facts by clicking on 'comments' below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. ---

DOGS, CATS, TREATS, ADOPTIONS, AVAILABLES, AN OLD PHOTO AND A BUFFALO HERD

EDITION OF FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2020 [PetPowellPress] What a week. Whoa. Last weekend of August is arriving and we’re not quite completely healed from the muscle strains endured during this wrenchingly impossible week of wretched news, politics and empty stadiums, fields and courts! At least it’s not sleeting outside. There I go being upbeat for a moment.
FIRST UP: TREATS IN FORT WORTH
AND STORM DOG IN BIG D
Now and then it’s the face of the dog that catches out attention. And that’s why that photo of King is today’s introductory photo. Yeah, that’s a dog enjoying the treat. And the info from Fort Worth Animal Care and Control tells us that King is “part of our behavior program at the shelter.” Volunteers and staffers uses treats to “train and enrich our dogs while they are in our care,” the FWACC Facebook post read. So, why bring this up? The shelter is running low on treats. King is the face and big ol’ tongue of the treat appeal. FWACC says it needs “meaty soft treats and non-rawhide chews.” You can drop ‘em off at the shelter, 4900 Martin St. in southeast Fort Worth. Or send ‘em via the Amazon wishlist: https://a.co/7CUfCUs.
So we found another photo of King and then, just to be sure all Kings are recognized in the realm, that’s King James, also in the FWACC shelter.
You want a cat? That’s young Calypso the Kitten. And the big guy is #45216108, a Maine Coon mix who came in on Aug. 3 — He’s 6 years old and his name is (get this!) Meowth. 
Meowth.
WE’RE GOING FROM MEOWTH TO MEOW MEOW. READ ON.
We move the focus east on I-30 to Dallas Animal Services, exiting at Westmoreland and turning north toward the big DAS Shelter & Adoption Center where this cat lives. We posted Meow Meow before. But this time he turns up as the featured cat on the DAS Facebook Page. Meow Meow (#A1106206) is a large older cat and, according to his listing, “This winking kitty is available for online adoption at Dallas Animal Services.
Here’s the online adoption link: bit.ly/daspets. Remember, its Clear the Shelters time and the adoptions are free.
One of the availables at DAS is this guy Jeep (#A1106417) — he’s 7, loves to romp and splash in pools. And, DAS notes, he is “one of 17 unowned dogs that were transferred from the SPCA of Brazoria County, a shelter near the coast, so that they could have more space to take in pets that had been separated from their owners due to the hurricane.”

Go to dallasanimalservices.org or the DAS Facebook page for more info on how to adopt and how to help.

CHECKING IN ON JB,
THE DOG IN TRAINING
You may recall that a couple of months ago we began telling the story of JB, a Lancaster Animal Shelter death row dog. The people with 4-Legged Helpers saw a dog who needed saving. Why? Because he had been wrecked by the person who “owned” him and made him frightened of people. The non-profit didn’t think he deserved to die because some jerk had made him afraid of humans. As it turns out, the dog “adopted” a shelter staffer -- a human he didn't fear -- and the staffer stepped up to help JB and now calls him “Red” and is helping 4-Legged Helpers help Red. 
That's the happy pup riding away from the shelter toward the training facility several weeks ago He has been in training since leaving the shelter’s death row. (That cage photo is of JB when he was "on the list.") We asked 4-Legged Helpers President Laura Macias about Red/JB’s progress. She reminded me that if the organization “had not helped him, he would have been killed about 3 weeks ago. He is now nearing the end of his 4 weeks training and working on the next 4 weeks. He is doing better, I was told, and is learning boundaries. We are praying he will get tons better.” [Red still needs help financing his training. Laura gave us this donation link: helpingshelterbabies@gmail.com.]
Lancaster still has dogs that need homes — scroll down to our Thursday edition and you can see the 4 newest arrivals. Email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com and ask Laura to send you photos and info about the other dogs in the shelter. Help ‘em out and save some lives.
CONTEMPLATIONS
A PHOTO, A GAME, A SONG ABOUT HAPPINESS
Stephen Foster, the voice and founding spirit of DFW’s Furgotten Friends, posted an interesting non-dog/non-cat story on his Face- book page. It has to do with an old photo- graph acciden- tally found in a vintage frame. There’s a search on to identify the people in this photograph. Here’s the LINK  and here’s what Stephen wrote to explain the challenge: “This might be a weird thing to do but Shawn wanted nice old frame for a picture of her Aunt Gigi. We stopped at a thrift store and found the perfect antique frame. When we opened it we found this old picture stuck to the back of the cardboard backing. We think whomever donated it didn't realize there was a picture there so we thought we would put it out on social media just in case someone recognizes this picture and would want it back.” That’s a challenge, but it also may be a great adventure, too. … Sincere thanks to the Oakland Athletics for calling off last night’s Texas Rangers game — at least our home team didn’t lose another one. … We’ll close today’s report and head into the final weekend of August 2020 with a song by the late Fort Worth native son and lyrical genius Roger Miller. He explains happiness HERE. He won 11 Grammys and a Tony for Big River.

—- Offer praise of Roger Miller’s career or lotto advice by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

PHOTOS OF FAME, UPSIDE DOWN, 4 NEW DOGS; SALLY GETS A RIDE & CONTEMPLATIONS

EDITION OF THURSDAY, AUG. 27, 2020 [PetPowellPress] The online calendar Holiday Insights, pegs August 27 as “Global Forgiveness Day.” I’ve been watching the world a while — probably need more than one day to get that job done. Oh, and in the category of admirable things to do: We’re heading toward the August 31 deadline for voting in the SPCA of Texas 2021 Pet Photo Contest. FYI: There are 208 entries and every one of them looks like a modeling contract or Hollywood movie roles might be in the future. Go to spca.org to cast a vote.
And rather than post a photo of a contestant, we’ll post photos of adoptable SPCA animals who might be entries in the 2022 contest. We’ve posted this dog before — he's got a history in an animal cruelty case and he’s working hard on always being a good dog — that upside-down boy is Apollo (41469749), a 3-year-old who is around 44 pounds of entertaining mixed-breed canine. And that upside-down, medium fluffy cat doing her Apollo impression is Amber (43675640), about 2 years old, small and, her foster says, “She is just the cutest floof you’ll ever see. She likes to lay in sunbeams and be a big ball of fur.” [LARRY ASIDE: The SPCA has animals available who are right-side up, in case you wondered.]
FOUR NEW ARRIVALS
ADD TO THE RESIDENTS
We’re about to cite some Earhounds. And we’ll just go ahead and stipulate that regular readers know Lancaster Animal Services Shelter is not a giant facility, that it can stay pretty full of critters and that 4-Legged Helpers has adopted it as one of the small shelters the non-profit monitors and tries to help. So, what’s new? Four new dogs. Here they are (and remember, scroll down to see earlier notes we've posted about dogs and cats in the Lancaster shelter.) The person to contact about these for rescue or adoption info is Laura Macias, the 4-Legged Helpers president, at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com. Also, 501c3 groups can be aided with transport plans. 

That first dog is the sometimes lop-eared, sometimes pointy-eared, but always eyes of two colors Aussie Cattledog Mix Blake. “Gives hugs. Just as sweet as can be, “ his bio says. 
This second Earhound is Stacy, a formerly stray female “Terrier/Bulldog Mix,” who “has absolutely adorable ears that flop in different ways based on what she is thinking or feeling,” the bio reads.
And look at the sweet face on this baby Beth, listed as as “American Bulldog or Mix.” Her bio reads, “She is calm and gentle and a really sweet girl who just wants to be loved…A resident unable to care for her brought her in, in hopes someone might adopt her.”
The fourth girl is Honey. So named for a reason, the bio reads. “Just the sweetest girl you could meet.” And there’s this: “She may be spayed since she is microchipped.   The shelter staff has been unable to reach the owner, after reaching out to the chip company, etc., so it appears she may have been lost for some time or perhaps even dumped, which is the saddest thing.” 
[LARRY ASIDE: All animals in all shelters have individual stories and their own personalities. They’re like humans only most animal personalities are sweet and forgiving, even when it’s not Global Forgiveness Day.]
SALLY — A DOG WHO INSPIRED
SOME GENUINE CELEBRATING
This is the first photo we posted of Sally, a “Pittie/Labby” mix also known as "Hershey"
who wound up in the Denton McNatt Animal Shelter and Adoption Center.
She was sheltered, but she wasn’t adopted. But something good happened, we learned from our reliable Denton tipster Amy Poskey.
 Sally, with a lot of skin issues, came into the shelter as a stray and stayed for 30-something days — her issues were handled and she got better and better. Senior dog, you know, somewhere between 8 and 10 years old and a friendly 54.6-pound dog. Amy’s first note read, “She’s perfect, and how can you resist that face begging for love.” 
Denton’s patience paid off. Amy sent a note in traditional caps and lower cases, no exclamation points. But, then, after weeks and weeks of nothing, something happened and it inspired the traditional Amy Poskey reaction! [LARRY ASIDE: These reactions are genuinely from the heart of a critter fan and readlarrypowell.com appreciates them because they celebrate when celebrating is important!] 

The first note Amy sent came in this style: “My heart is singing right now cuz Beverly Antaeus with BRIDGING THE WORLDS ANIMAL RESCUE AND SANCTUARY in NM has tagged Sally!!!  YEEEEEEEEEE- HHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAW- WWWWWW and WOOOOOOOOOHHH- HHHHOOOOOOOO!!!  THANK YOU, BEVERLY!!!  We will be working on transport next …”

Then, on the 21st, Amy sent this note: “SALLY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!!!  YEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW!!!  Yep, thanks to the hard work of SO MANY people, this precious girl is outta jail and on her way to a happy life!!!  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR SWEET SALLY!!!  As always, it takes a village…Amy.”

And you see there the photo of trusting Sally and her driver, Page Butler — I think Page might be proud to be regarded as “Sally’s Driver.” Amy shared the “precious freedom picture of precious Sally with one of the transport angels, Page Butler! Page and Sheila Butler pulled Sally from the shelter…and took her for a lovely Spa Day, and they reported that Sally is a big love bug, soooo sweet, and her tail wags no matter what! You can see the sweetness all over that loveable face and in her soulful eyes.!” 

The next day, Page and Sheila and Sally hit the road and met another transporter in Wichita Falls. Sally then took the second leg of her trip, eventually arriving in Santa Fe.

Amy wrote, “Thank you again and again to EVERYONE who helped make this happen for this beautiful, frosted face, fur angel!  Your HUGE hearts and never-ending devotion to helping pooches is very humbling and I’m just so grateful for ALL of you! HAPPY LIFE, SALLY, WE LOVE YOU!!!  J Amy.”
[LARRY ASIDE: I posted this combination of notes for two reasons (1) To give faith to people in rescue that they can, with patience, find that right place for every animal and (2) to celebrate the hearts of people who help animals and help people. As a guy who has written about people and animals for decades, and seen joyful episodes and horrifying behavior, it is so wonderful to be able to repeat these “happy teamwork” stories. To quote Amy Poskey, “WOOOOOHOOOOOO!” I don’t quite have the celebratory panache of Amy Poskey, but I do love to see her WOOOOHOOOO emails!]
CONTEMPLATIONS
SALLY’S RIDE; AUTUMN GEAR, DOG HUGS
There’s probably nothing about Sally the Dog’s life that I envy except winding up in Santa Fe — oh, and on her itinerary, it shows she stopped at Cline’s Corners on I-45 (old Route 66) at 285. I hope she got to go into the Cline’s Corners Gift Shop — an ol’ dog might have seen a lot of stuff in her life, but Cline’s Corners will dazzle anybody! … Personal note: I know my neighbor probably think I’m nuts. Here’s one more reason: I walked out of the front door Thursday morning to fetch the empty trash bin and I was wearing my jeans, a shirt and my gray hoodie. The outside temp was in the rising 80s, but inside I live with someone who keeps the atmosphere akin to arctic climate level. Icebergs can form in the bathtub, penguins come to our house for vacation. Not complaining. Just explaining why a guy in Texas is wearing autumn gear on Aug. 27….The Texas Rangers have lost 10 of their last 11 — but the pitching looked good for a while last night. Not sure how that works into Global Forgiveness Day. Hang on a second….Just had to take a time out and do some huggin’ and pettin’ of the Drop By Dogs — Porche (left, in her natural sleeping mutt state) and Dudley (Border Collie/Chocolate Lab). Sometimes they just need to be petted and, as a needy human, I need to hug ‘em like they were bringing me a bag of money they found digging in the back yard. OK, my funspouse Martha’s back from a morning errand and they’ve gone off to be with their official human. I’ve run out of treats and they are smart dogs.
—- Leave sage advice or smarmy remarks at ‘comments’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-

RESCUES IN A STORM; SHELTER CRITTERS; PSYCHEDELIC POSE ON NATIONAL DOG DAY

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26, 2020 [PetPowellPress] In honor of National Dog Day,
readlarrypowell.com proudly presents this photograph of Porche Noel as she takes one of her multidirectional trips on her new psychedelic rug while listening to her favorite mellow-inducing song by Steppenwolf. Porche meditates along with Magic Carpet Ride, as can you if you click HERE.
NOW, BACK TO THE REALITY
OF HELPING GULF COAST ANIMALS
It occurs to us this peaceful morning in the Metrosprawl that the words “landfall” and “Hurricane Laura” by the time you read this — are combining with “Pandemic” and “California fires” to move 2020 to the top of the list for “worst years for natural disasters in the U.S.” since the lid blew off Mt. St. Helens in 1980.
The SPCA of Texas gets credit for these photos of rescuers at work and cats and kittens benefiting from the ride! Read on!
Among the many organizations helping to get Gulf Coast animals to safety are three of Texas' most notable — Dallas Animal Services, the SPCA of Texas and Operation Kindness.
We got an explanation from Operation Kindness’ Marketing./Communications Director Natalie Buxton:  “"As we have done in the past with other hurricanes, we will offer support to our rescue partners to help with transfers, making space for displaced animals, as we are able to help.”
OK is a partner with DAS and prepared to help when animals arrive — also, the Operation Kindness Pet Food Pantry has been called into service to help DAS “provide food for those in hotels with pets.”
There probably are more rescues and shelters helping the hurricane areas. Let us know by emailing dallrp@aol.com. They can all use financial support to help feed and give vet care to the incoming rescued animals. And they can use places to let animals stay until they’re adopted or returned.
[LARRY ASIDE: Is this irony? This storm-fleeing animals are arriving as NBC5 and others conduct the annual Clear the Shelters Event — Aug. 24-29. Timing. The key to everything, right? New animals to “clear” and they’ll have stories to tell.]
On its Facebook page, Dallas Animal Services posted notice that it is “taking in 20 dogs currently available for adoption at the SPCA of Brazoria County in Lake Jackson to help them make room for loose and owned pets displaced by the storm.”
And DAS says that won’t “push DAS past its capacity” but notes that
there’s already pressure on the staff because of the new routines (teleadoptions, etc.) brought on by the pandemic. Friends of Dallas Animal Services has a fund set up to help with the expenses of the incoming storm animals. Here’s THE LINK.
The SPCA of Texas reports that it has already been transferring animals from Gulfport, Miss., and Houston. And, of course, the SPCA is prepared to take in more as the — horrible term — “evacuation efforts” continue.
Working with the Humane Society of North Texas on Tuesday afternoon, the SPCA took in 24 cats and kittens that arrived via a Wings of Rescue flight from Houston SPCA. These felines went to the SPCA’s Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney. Later Tuesday evening, the SPCA’s Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center west of downtown Dallas took in 21 cats and kittens from the Humane Society of South Mississippi.
These animals, the SPCA of Texas says, are all shelter animals that had yet to be adopted - by moving them out of the storm areas, that makes room in those local shelters for animals in the path.
The SPCA of Texas is prepped to help other areas in the path of the foul weather. And it’ll need donations — www.spca.org/hurricane.
The photos in this report are all courtesy of the SPCA of Texas. And what they show is a Momma cat and her kittens, the lineup of cats in carriers, a particularly handsome solo traveling cat and the masked-relay line for loading the van before the trip and during a pandemic!
[AN IMPROMPTU RESCUER PRAYER: Bless all those workers and keep ‘em healthy — let them have wonderful stories to tell about the time they helped save all those lives. Make sure the cats and kittens, dogs and puppies, and the people, too,  all find wonderful homes and never again have to be transported across state lines in an emergency situation!]

A FOLLOW-UP ON TWO DOGS:
OH, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD….
We posted photos of Rose and Bo earlier in the week, a couple of the dogs waiting for help at the Lancaster Animal Shelter. We learned about them through the life-saving efforts of the small-shelter-focused folks at 4-Legged Helpers. 
So, this morning, we get this note from 4-Legged Helpers. Here’s the way the 4-Legged Helpers' story goes: “We found out Rose has a microchip from DAS so one of the Lancaster ACO’s reached out to DAS  last week since they have not received any calls back on the phone number provided through the chip. This girl was brought in by the same family that owned Bo, and told shelter staff she showed up as a stray.  DAS said they would attempt to contact the person on the chip also through mail.  Lancaster ACO also emailed the person. No responses.  Yet.   Dumped perhaps?   Rose is just precious.  She is an adorable sweet SMALL girl … She is darling and lovable.  The person that brought her in (with Bo) apparently said when she originally showed up as a stray that she was so very sweet  and got along so great with their own dog Bo that they kept her thinking they would get her vetted and keep her but sadly, circumstances changed and are now no longer able to care for either dog and brought both in together in hopes they would be rescued or adopted. Heartbreaking.”

And then, there’s Bo who is “already fixed! Can anyone say goofy lovable goober? He is cute and sweet and charming and everything a dog should be."
To help Rose and/or Bo, call or text Laura Macias at 2214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.
CONTEMPLATIONS
GAME CATS; STORMS; ANOTHER DOG DAY PHOTO
We clicked open the DAS Facebook page Wednesday morning and spotted this pairing of photographs — that black and white cat with the championship whiskers is Mr. Monopoly, whose shelter picture we posted last week. This combo came with this explanation written by some clever person at DAS: “Who remembers Mr. Monopoly? This cute little kitten with the handlebar mustache just went off to a new home! Game night will be even more fun for his new adopter who not only adopted Monopoly but also adopted one of his siblings, Scrabble! Congrats to this happy family!” I checked at dallasanimalsservices.org to see if any other “game” cats were available, but no dice, so to speak. I did however, spot this great senior cat named Meow Meow and a baby tomkitten named Sunny (probably not kin to Meow Meow, but this is Dallas, so you never know for sure). … A kid who grew up in the ol’ neighborhood with my little boys in Grand Prairie, is now Chaplain and Deputy Sheriff Ken Spivey at the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office in Gonzales, La., southeast of Baton Rouge, i.e., NOT out of the expected path of Laura’s weather wrath. I used to play basketball with all the kids (I was much taller in those days and they still out-shot me). Now “young Kenneth” is an all grown up family guy/Man of God/peace officer. This reminds me that the badge isn’t a target, it’s a shield. Prayers for everybody and every beast in the path of the storm. …We’ll close with another National Dog Day photograph. This is one of our foundlings — Wendy, official name Wednesday Louise Wagstaff Arden. This is her on her favorite couch. And, of course, Porche got up and left the office about 20 minutes ago because I was typing instead of paying attention to her, so Wendy came in and flopped down on the psychedelic rug and decided to enter a tranquil state of mind while I typed these last few sentences. Wendy, who is a dog of assorted heritages, is evidence that an unwanted dog can become the most adorable, loving, devoted and downright dear soul on the planet. Credit goes to my rescuespouse Martha who fell for her the moment she saw her running free on a Dallas street and pulled over to give her a ride to a happy future. Happy National Dog Day.
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STORMY WEATHER, GIVING DAY, ANIMALS IN A FIX, THE BIG PARADE AND MUSIC: A POTPOURRI

EDITION OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Extra rain may be coming to North Texas — bless you folks on the Gulf Coast and keep you healthy and dry and upbeat! 

Moving along, we must ask who hasn’t seen this logo or a similar bit of artwork recently? It’s the annual “heads-up” we get for North Texas Giving Day. The reality of life is this: Ain’t no pandemic gonna shut down the charitable hearts in Texiz! [LARRY NOTE: I wrote that in the piney woods/river bottoms ’n’ bayous patois of my charitable, native Northeast Texas.] Yep, North Texas Giving Day — go to northtexasgivingday.org. If you don’t have a favorite non-profit, there’s a list of eligibles on the website. 
[LARRY BASEBALL ASIDE: FYI: the Texas Rangers are not registered as a non-profit, so you cannot donate to the franchise on North Texas Giving Day and expect a fireballing lefty to appear magically on the mound. Of course, after this season of no crowds and no concessions/parking profits, the team might qualify! ]Let’s move along.
TAZ AND ZEUS: TWO TO GO
FROM MESQUITE’S LIST
The list is long for dogs and cats — all of ‘em needing a home.
Our reliable tipster Debra Chisholm, the volunteer biographer at Mesquite Animal Services, gave us the heads up on this guy Taz, a German Shepherd/ Malinois mix surrendered to the shelter on June 18. The selling points are he’s a “high-spirited youngster and just needs some direction and training and someone who can handle his energy level.”
The back story is this: Taz’s human “abandoned the dog and a friend took care of Taz for 3 months” but finally surrendered the year-old, 77-pound neutered, primarily outdoor dog to the shelter. The surrendering human said Tax was “not friendly to other dogs.”
That may change; it may not change. Doesn’t mean Taz wouldn’t be your beloved dog. He’s #44890881. Use that shelter ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 and or when you email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
That number and email addy work for Zeus the Kitten, too. He has his own number — 45266045 — almost longer than he is. Zeus is around 28 days old, a boy with expressive eyes and he is among MANY kittens available (with some grownup cats) at the Mesquite Animal Shelter. [LARRY ASIDE: Once again we note that no matter how hot, no matter how cold, North Texas is blessed with a year-round kitten season. Why? Because Dallas is the most fertile city in North America and a “mammal in the mood” pays no attention to city limits signs. That’s also why humans build freeways, as I’ve been led to believe.]
See more dogs and cats in the Mesquite Animal Shelter by clicking HERE. 
ALL THOSE DOGS:
NOT A SINGLE QUERY
Our 4-Legged Helpers tipster Laura Macias papers the metrosprawl with emails asking for help for animals in the small shelters on the southern side of Dallas and elsewhere. 
Yet, the dogs from Lancaster that she focused on Monday didn’t get any attention at all from adoptors or rescuers. So, she noted that in her Tuesday email which, by the way, focused on animals in other facilities. (To see the Lancaster dogs — Benji’s particularly heartbreaking), scroll down to our Monday report.
For Tuesday, we’ll cite Jasmine, this “absolute sweetheart” picked up in Ferris after “hanging out at the local Dairy Queen for several months now, apparently begging patrons for food.” She may be a Catahoula/Aussie Shepherd mix or something else. She simply needs a home that will feed her and love her without needing a roller-skating carhop. Laura’s note reads, “She is very loving and wanted nothing more than to be hugged or roll upside down to have her tummy petted.” [LARRY ASIDE: She’s so human, don’t you think, my fellow affectionate people?]
And this guy is Wiggles, a Wirehaired Terrier Mix, about 8 months old, originally adopted from the Sherman Animal Shelter, Laura’s note reads. She adds, “The people that adopted apparently had trouble keeping him in their fence (rural area) and a neighbor helped them get the fence fixed. They have apparently now decided they are moving and gave this precious guy to the neighbor, asking if she can find a home for him. A friend of the neighbor reached out to us.” So, 4-Legged Helpers, which focuses on getting animals into safe rescue groups and homes, is representing Wiggles in his journey to a loving home. 
For these dogs or the Lancaster dogs such as Benji, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email cat_girl_71@yahoo.com.

ABOUT THE HEAT
AND THE KIDS
AND CRITTERS

David Perle, the Media Division Manager for PETA, distributed a note that reminds people who need reminding that you shouldn’t leave children or animals in your car in the summer.
You would think nobody needs a reminder of that, wouldn’t you. 

The opening paragraph reads, “As temperatures remain high across the country and amid reports from Duncanville that a police officer had to break a window to rescue a 1-year-old baby from a hot car, PETA is taking action with an ad campaign, 'Too Hot for Spot and Tot,'
warning people never to leave dogs or children in parked cars on hot days.
“Even a 'quick' errand can turn fatal, as forgetfulness—being distracted by running into a friend, taking a phone call, or otherwise being delayed—can take a vulnerable life.”
That’s the gist, but there’s one more note: “This year, 19 children and at least 26 dogs and cats have died from heat-related causes.”
Remember, call the cops, maybe break a window, but for crying out loud save the lives.
CONTEMPLATIONS
A PARADE; NEWS PHILOSOPHY & STORM PREPARATIONS
Having come to grips with the fact that the 2020 State Fair of Texas is not happening, my fretting has moved on NOT to the NFL season or the election or the World Series, but to the fate of my long-running tradition of watching the TV presentation of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Many news stories say there'll be a "Macy's Day Parade," as the locals say, but it won't be like the usual parade. Go to this Macy's link -- https://www.macys.com/social/parade/ -- and you'll see the store's latest announcement and a link to seeing visuals of past parades. No idea, yet, how NBC will get its team onto the parade route or how all those balloon handlers will be spending the day. Maybe there'll be positive news between ow and then. That's a Doxie balloon from the 1950 parade -- I missed that one: We didn't have a TV. ... If news agencies only told you good news, how would you know who needs help and why they need it? (That’s a closed circuit message to all those people who think it’s cute when elementary school kids get national air time with cutesy good-news sites on the internet.) You might recall how news got out about people and animals needing help when Katrina savaged Louisiana. OK, there I go taking life too seriously, right? … On Monday I got an email from a sporting goods store that asked this question in the subject line: “Are You Storm Ready? Get your essentials now….” If the full muscle of a Gulf storm makes it to Dallas/Fort Worth, there’s probably nothing in a sporting goods store that’s going to be helpful with a prairie tsunami. The fish won’t be bitin’ and the waves will  swamp your trampoline. Storm essentials? Not sure sporting good stores have battery-operated freezers to preserve several gallons of my favorite Blue Bell ice cream, Katrina and the Waves of Taste. I made that up. But here’s the appropriate link for a non-stormy day. Walk on back 35 years.
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