ReadLarryPowell.com

THE PARADE OF OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUES AS DECEMBER 2020 ARRIVES WITH A CHILL

EDITION OF TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 [PetPowellPress] I saw a sign of “normal” on the last day of November and I expect it to continue being on display throughout December. When the letter carrier stepped onto our front porch, the dogs rose in unison in the living room and barked a "traditional Post Office greeting" toward the front door.
They’re older dogs, so that’s about the only instance outside of meal time that they’ll “spring” to their paws! So, thank you, United States Postal Service for being “normal in their neighborhood.”
That dog? Why, that’s Starla, a girl who has a 1940s movie star Veronica Lake peek-a-boo thing going with her right ear! (That’s the film star in a publicity photo.) Starla’s on the clock in a local shelter. More on her in a moment.
HERE ARE TWO SIBLING CATS
CAUGHT UP IN A 2020 DRAMA

Mary Sullivan, who guided the happy voyage of the great cat Sailor to a wonderful home, is now working on these 9-year-old cats.
Mary’s email reads, “Someone contacted me late last night (Saturday) about helping her rehome her 9-year-old kitties.  They’re brother and sister, and have lived together with the family since they were itty-bitties.  The family is now really struggling economically and has made the very difficult decision to part with the cats.  
“Bagheera is the male – a beautiful black kitty who likes to talk.  His sweet sister with the lovely blue eyes is Ariela.  Although we’d love to see them go to the same home, the owner assures me that they can be separated.  Both are healthy and have been fully vetted.”
 (How about Bagheera's chin-scratching on that catfood can!)
The contact point is, of course, Mary’s email at [email protected]. She signs her appeal to the animal community and anybody who’ll help these cats, “Thanks a million — y’all are the best.”
SOME FACES WAITING
ON THE MESQUITE CLOCK
Mesquite Animal Services has volunteers who hustle to get more eyes looking at the available animals in the city shelter.
Judi Brown, one of the biographers, sent us a note about Starla, a 3-year-old, 56-pound girl who arrived as a stray on November 24. She’s got that one floppy ear a lot like movie star Veronica Lake’s hair style. 
Judi’s pet scanner says Starla is “a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog/Dalmatian/Pointer mix. Whatever she is she’s a true beauty with, in my opinion, show dog qualities. Her name fits her because she’s a real STAR! It’s hard to imagine why her owners haven’t come looking for her because she’s the whole package! Not only is she very attractive, but she’s got a wonderful personality. She is sweet, gentle, friendly, loving, and alert.” She’s #46159988.
This brings us to Debra Chisholm’s report on the siblings Buddy and Bacon, a couple of 5-year-old Chocolate Labs. Buddy’s the 84-pound dog on the left and Bacon’s the 91-pounder on the right.
They have been together for their entire lives, so it would be one sensationally kind act to adopt them together and give them a loving home for the rest of their lives. Why were they surrendered on the 28th? Their people were “moving and couldn’t take the dogs with them,” Debra's note says. These dogs are gentle, can walk well on a leash, loved being with their people. Debra says the photograph doesn’t do the boys justice. And, FYI, Bacon has “captivating hazel eyes.”
Buddy is #41909064 and Bacon is #46159988..
To ask about any of these dogs use their ID numbers when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmes- quite.com.

Oh, and Judi also sent us a note about Noodles (#46164774), a recent momma Pittie “with sky blue eyes and a sweet disposition.” She’s a 3-year-old, 59-pound girl who came in as a stay on Nov. 26. She has nice manners, knows sit and shake and, Judi says, “I asked her to sit and she gave me her paw!” She has all the signs of being a sweet, calm, adorable family dog.
That brings us to the report on Harvey (#46127311), a 2-year-old, 40-pound Border Collie/Golden Retriever/Belgian Shepherd (possibly) mix. He’s listed as “RESCUE ONLY” because of the way he wound up in the shelter. He was out wandering when he “had the misfortune of entering a yard where there were two dogs in the residence and was attacked by them.” Mesquite Animal Services picked him up and took him to a vet. He had lacerations and puncture wounds. Needed some stitches. He’s on the mend, now, and “is affectionate, gives kisses and wants to snuggle.” Fond of treats. And his bio reads, “This is one charming boy who will make a loving and devoted pet.” The “rescue only” label is because he is still recovering from his already-treated wounds.
Use the same number and email that we gave you for Bacon and Buddy and Starla: 972-216-6283 or email [email protected]. 
[LARRY ASIDE: Sheesh. What does it take to convince people to be as careful with their dogs and cats as they are with their cellphones, wallets and credit cards!?]
STILL WAITING IN LANCASTER,
FOUR DOGS THAT NEED HOMES
We’ve posted the bios of these four Lancaster shelter dogs before. The information and the reminder of their “still-a-the-shelter” status comes from 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that focuses on small shelters with not much human traffic and more animals than a small shelteer should have. You know how shelters can be in a pandemic when access is diminished by human behavior.
 Of course, human behavior may be while these 4 dogs wound up in the shelter in the first place. Thus we’re hoping to inspire the good-hearted among the planet’s humans to step up and save these babies.

That first dog is the chunky Dena, a “sweet as can be” Bulldog mix who loves to be with humans.
Next up is the magnificently autumnally brindled Autumn, listed as an American Bulldog who is “so cute and adorable. Looks like a little chunky teddy bear….Her coat looks just like Autumn leaves.” Well-behaved girl. (She needs donations for Cherry Eye surgery and you can do that through a Giving Tuesday notice for the 4-Legged Helpers, the Helpers say.

Meadow is that Boxer/Bulldog mix with the white blaze. Youngish dog whose test came back (you may cheer!) “Heartworm negative.”
And the last girl — with the great face and the distinct ears — is a Mastiff/Bulldog mix named Lexie. She’s described as so sweet that “her name could easily be Honey or Sugar or Precious because she truly is all of those things.”
To help these dogs, call or text Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
PAYING SOME ATTENTION
TO 2020 GIVING TUESDAY
We’ve got a number of notices reminding us that this is the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, i.e., Giving Tuesday. You can read up on it with some googlefication. That a word? Or a process? Anyway, it has grown into a “worldwide celebration of generosity.” 
Google, call, text, click-on, etc., your favorite charitable outfit — human or animal — and you can see how to make a donation. [LARRY FYI: readlarrypowell.com, in operation for going on two decades, is not a non-profit. We also are not a “not-for-profit.” And, we also don’t make a profit, though we would if I could convince car dealerships, grocery stories and political parties to advertise. Really, we just focus on helping the animals and picking the right six numbers in Lotto Texas.]
CONTEMPLATIONS

NEEDS, THE MOON AND HE'S GOT E.T. EYES
Our longtime pal/tipster Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake has sent us a “needs” list. The items are all needed at the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City, Texas. It’s the Friends’ clinic which, traditionally, operates on Tuesdays. There are some familiar items on the list but one caught our attention, probably because we don’t frequently see them unless they have animals on them (from vet’s, rescues or the one Martha made for us last year). Yep, Wall calendars. Sydney says, “I know they are a dinosaur, but we use about 5 around the clinic.” It would be nice, of course, if they were for 2021. Hint. Hint. Now, this next item can be from any year: The Friends need newspapers. Sydney says they’re collecting them for the clinic and for Kaufman County Cats, “a cat rescue for whom we do surgeries.” [LARRY ASIDE: I keep up with media stock prices. At the current rate, the Friends will soon be able to cancel their subscriptions and just buy a whole darned newspaper!] The Clinic also needs “bleach — never ends,” says Sydney, and distilled water, garbage bags (39 gallon or 13 gallon) and 70%- strength isopropyl alcohol — it’s for medical use, not recreational use. Deliver these items to the clinic between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesday or call Sydney at these numbers to arrange a drop-off: 903-451-4701 or (cell) 214-808-4701. Or you can leave donations at Flair Printing in Gun Barrel City — want a real authentic Texas direction? It’s across the street from the Dairy Queen. …
This photograph is of Sunday night/Monday morning’s full moon as shot through the western window of my slumberspouse Martha’s home office -- the reflection on the window shows the office environment while focused on the exterior moonset. That was about 4:30 or 5 a.m. when Mr. Insomnia was listening to local radio and heard a weathercaster say the area had a “magnificent full moon” beginning to set in the west. The shot looks a little bleary but so did I. …. That cat? That’s Stevie Ray, one of my office cats, who is re-enacting a scene from E.T. The Extraterrestrial. Stevie Ray had left the office and, in the early hours, found his way into Martha’s bathroom where he pulled open a lower cabinet, crawled inside and began to rearrange carefully stacked towels, cloths and other items into a pile on the floor. Heck yeah, I picked him up, hugged him and kissed him. Click on his photo to make it large enough to see those eyes! He’s a cute cat who puts up with me. I plucked him out of a mimosa tree when he was a palm-sized kitten. Could be an extraterrestrial. You know how cats are.
—- Offer hope for the future by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. ——

LAST DAY IN NOVEMBER, THE IMPORTANCE OF HEART FOR TACO, LENNON AND US

EDITION OF MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020
[PetPowellPress] 
November is my favorite month and as the leaf said about the Oak limb, “I hate to let it go.” But, that we must do.
Our illustration for this opening is my little girl Porche Noel, snoozing on the couch Sunday morning after a brief walk outside where, somehow, she acquired a small traveler on her back.
Porche is a giving dog with a feeling for nature. She is a Leafhound.
More later in Contemplations.
THE CONNECTION OF HEARTS
HAS AN ENDURING STRENGTH…
For years we have had a tipster/friend who prefers to be known just as “MB” in public writings.
As the week was ending, Dear MB sent us a message that read, “My heart is going out to two dogs waiting for a home for a long time.”
One dog is in Carrollton, the other in Fort Worth.
So, I asked MB, “What caught you eye about these two?"
And, as you may suspect, it is a heart thing. 
MB replied, “My little dog recently died due to complications of diabetes. He was such a good boy and rare color. Taupe brown eyes, nose and coat. He was adopted from Carrollton Animal Services 13 years ago. I look at the websites out of boredom and sadness. Taco has been on the site (Carrollton) for a while. He was rescue only at first. Now up for adoption. Just saw Lennon for the first time today (Fort Worth). He is goofy and looks like a fun dog with his squeaky toy.”
So, readlarrypowell. com went online, got photos and information. We’ll get back to MB in a moment.
She told us abut Taco, a 5-year-old Rottie mix — he’s neutered, came in on October 6 and is available in the “foster-too-adopt” program. He’s #45838124. Here’s the CARROLLTON LINK. And, in this era, you have to call the shelter (972-466-3420) and “schedule an appointment to visit Taco.”
Lennon also caught MB’s attention. He’s a 2-year-old, 55-pound neutered, vaccinated and heartworm negative dog. He’s listed as a Cur/Mountain/Mix. And he came into the FWACC Chuck Silcox Animal Care and Adoption center on JUNE TENTH — he’s had plenty of care, but no adoption. Now’s the time for the adoption. You see how handsome he is. Here’s the LINK to the Fort Worth’s shelter. 
When we asked MB about her inspiration and she told of us her little dog, she also told us that an infamous pet store’s sale of lots of bred-to-sell dogs “horrified” her. “I saw the saddest Dachshund pups on that site. So sad….”
She also told us, “My little red-headed cat friend is still coming by. But likes to travel at night. He will come into one room in my house to eat. The other night he was batting the door. I opened it and he walked in [with some prey]…. Shudder. He has avoided coyotes and a neighbor chasing him with her Great Dane. I originally thought he was a female, but is a neutered male. I call him Little Boy. He is sweet. One of my indoor cats loves him. Carrollton is allowing some pets to go out on a rent-to-own-type basis. I hope you can help Taco and Lennon (in Fort Worth) find a home for Christmas. Thanks. Sincerely, mb.”
[LARRY ASIDE: So, Dear Readers, that’s the mission for this Monday edition. Find homes for Lennon and Taco and while you’re at it, any other dog or cat in a public shelter. ‘Tisn’t the season to let them meet their fates in shelters. Homes are where they ought to be living the good life for a long, long time.]

CONTEMPLATIONS
NOVEMBER, MOOSE RULES AND LEAVES
OK, that headline makes it read like the moose made a ruling and left. Moose rules and leaves. There goes my award for clear writing in headlines.
 Three different things in that headline: (1) November, the most autumnal month in Texas; (2) Moose rules of behavior in Canada and (3) leaves off trees in autumn. We’ve got a moose predicament, the shadow of a three-eared dog and what the dog was thinking.
 First, November turned cold Sunday and I’m typing this while wearing a hoodie in my home office. Cold is a concept that differs from place to place. For example, right now my hands are cold but my feet aren’t. I may put sox on my hands. 
Now, about the moose situation: The headline on autoblog reads “Canadian officials urge motorists not to let moose lick their cars.” The fine is $20,000 in U.S. currency; $25,000 in Canadian currency. Not sure what it is in Moosecoin but everybody knows you can’t bribe a moose.  In Texas, of course, it’s considered good luck if a moose licks your pickup. That’s what I heard, anyway. I’ve never seen a moose in Texas. I’m almost sure not even zoos have mooses in the Lone Star State. Your Texas cars are safe from mooses — it’s the birds you have to worry about. An ostrich with no sense of decorum can really hop up on the hood and wreck a paint job — hard to wash the car. …
We’ll close explaining that photo shows Porche in a state of contemplation on her ‘60s Den of Tranquility Dazzling Rug of Meditation. She has the ability to concentrate so sincerely that she doesn’t create a Third Eye but creates a Third Ear that is so powerful it can cast a shadow.
And, of course, we’re closing with the Porche Face you’d see if you caught her napping with a leaf on her back — exactly what was going on when I snapped the picture. Oh, and this is the joke I was going to close with: “Right after this photo was snapped, Porche woke from a vision about the Dallas Cowboys and said, ‘I don’t know why everybody’s making a big deal out of Denver playing without a quarterback for one game — we’ve seen entire seasons when the Cowboys played without a functioning quarterback. Thank you, Jerry Jones.’ ” But, instead, I’m going to close with a this: “Thank you, November, for being the most interesting month of 2020. Some day you’ll have to tell us about all these people who were making headlines. Unless there’s long, long a statute of limitations on whatever shenanigans they pulled.” Anybody up for forming The Shenanigan Party? Could be ready for 2024.
—- Offer opinions or November wishes by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emaiiing [email protected] and put “31 DAYS ‘TIL 2020” in the subject line. —-

IGNORE THE SCORE; EXPLORE THE CAT'S MIND

Here we go with the Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap for the final weekend of November, 2020. Still more than a month left in this spectacularly out-of-the-ordinary trip around the sun.
We are prepared for the holidays, aren’t we? Christmas, Hanukkah and others that we cherish.
FYI, we open with a photo snapped on game day while some members of the household may not have been happy with the way a certain professional football team (not from Washington, D.C.) was playing.  You know which team. I almost can’t type the score, but I’ll go ahead: 41-16. Ouch, that hurt.
That's Porche's sleep-it-off face on the left and Deputy Chief Kittie Leigh Johnson's "leave-me-alone" look on the right. Who knows what's really in her mind. Let’s move on.
While shopping just before Thanksgiving, I was in a grocery store that keeps a large rack of seasonal and regularly-published magazines next to the checkout stand. [LARRY FYI: This store has actual check-out clerks. It doesn’t expect customers to work for the privilege of paying for the purchases. You don’t have to be able to “scan” items.]
Anyway, as you can see in the magazines, some attention is being paid to cats. Christmas and cats. My favorite is the one titled “INSIDE YOUR CAT’S MIND.” At the public library, this magazine would be stacked in the “Mysteries” section. 
I speak with personal experience.
Now, usually we turn to the online calendar Holiday Insights for special citations of a notable day. This time we happened to run across a specific day on the National Today site.
It suggests why there may be two cat magazines available among the Christmas, Cooking and Dieting publications.
December 15 is National Cat Herder’s Day. Here’s the LINK.
Now, resolutely determined not to be herded is that cat Simon, a young man photographed while in his special pose that he calls “The Furball of Meditation.”
Note how his paw curls around his cute face. It is the Paw of Contemplation. 
And his nose is the “Nose of Nasalification.” I have no idea what that means. And I also have no idea what’s inside my big, fluffy, curled-up-as-much-as-he-can-curl cat’s mind.  And, no, he won't help me pick Lotto Texas numbers. He says sudden wealth would ruin my cheery outlook on life. Not sure he actually used the word "cheery."
[DEAR READERS, Please, just for the holiday season and beyond, send photos of your sleeping dogs, nappng cats, slumbering reptiles, snoozing elves, to [email protected] with bios explaining how you acquired them and how much you love them. We’ll feature them in Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Napping Cats Nap. It’ll inspire people to open their homes to animals who need someone to love them. And it’ll inspire insomniacs to think they, too, can get some sleep if we can just stop laying awake and staring back at their cats.]
—-Offer opinions or recipes by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

HAVE A REALLY GREAT THANKSGIVING 2020! -- REMEMBER, IT'S PERSONAL, NOT BUSINESS.

THE EDITION OF THANKSGIVING, 2020 [PetPowellPress] We have many reasons to be thankful and not enough room to list them all. But we have faith that You Know Who knows our hearts and will forgive what’s in them while also seeing the good things we do and think. Also, speaking on behalf of the humans in our house, we are thankful we were born in the Lone Star State and its United States. So, what we have in this edition is a holiday collection of notes linked by the fact that the Lapsed Baptist Boy and the Pentecostal Preacher’s Daughter are united in thanks-giving and critter-adoring. 
TIME-OUT: Just learned this fact Wednesday. Remember that song “Over The River and Through the Wood” — did you know it’s original title is “The New-England Boy’s Song about Thanksgiving Day” — it’s a poem published in 1844 by Lydia Maria Child. Early versions went to “Grandfather’s house” rather than “Grandmother’s House.” That book cover looks like the Thanksgivings of my childhood in Texarkana, Texas, except for the snow, the horse, the sleigh, the warmly-dressed passengers and a mountain in the background. TIME-IN.

EXPLAINING THE CAT: There is no explaining this cat. He's our youngest foundling — Stevie Ray. You saw him in a recent edition standing in my office window and watching a Mockingbird that he thought was a Turkey — the young, inexperienced cat had never seen an actual bird in person before (that I know of though I did pluck his yowling little self out of a tree).
On Wednesday I was in my luxurious home office typing madly on some project that I hope to sell to the movies for 80 million bucks — I’m kidding. I think I was typing a fortune cookie that read "YOU WILL ENJOY THIS COOKIE BUT SOON EAT TOO MUCH ON A NOVEMBER THURSDAY...AND FRIDAY."  Martha was away on an errand. And I was the only human that I knew of in the house.
Suddenly, like in a Twilight Zone episode, I heard one eerie musical note drifting elegantly through the house. Because it was only one note, I figured a cat had walked across our radio with the on/off switch on top and turned it on, then off, with one footstep. 
But then I heard at least six very musical notes in a row gently traveling calmly, sweetly through the house. And I recognized the tone but not the song. So I walked into Martha’s Harp Room and, there, in proper position for plucking with one extended toe and nail, was Stevie Ray. He saw me, rose and walked out before I could convince him to play Greensleeves for the video cam.
TIME-OUT: Martha and I are united on her Preacher/Mom Violet Muse’s chocolate pie recipe at Thanksgiving though we go through different serving lines when it comes to the main dish — I like mine to be what’s now referred to as “plant-based.” Some people are “traditional” with a holiday fork. [FYI: As I’m typing this, I am also sharing a rice cake with peanut butter to my darling companion Wendy, aka Wednesday Louise Wagstaff Arden. It helps us both think. I hope the photo demonstrates the affection we have for each other and peanut butter.] TIME-IN
A THANKSGIVING NOTE
FOR SWEET CLYDE
Spotted this on Facebook Wednesday. Got a soft spot for Border Collies. So while we have no place for “Sweet Clyde,” maybe someone reading this on a calm, quiet Thanksgiving will have a spot. According to the League of Animal Protectors Rescue (www.laprescue.org) Clyde was rescued from a Dallas hoarding situation earlier this year. He has been living with a trainer and is a gentle, quiet guy who, the trainer says “never barks even during doggie playtime.” LAP Rescue says Clyde’s shy, but once he likes you, it’s a lock!
The handsome guy is in command of his household manners. The LAP note reads, “We would love to place him in a foster-to-adopt home to help with this transition and opportunities to work with our trainer to make this process as seamless as possible.” Click HERE for the adoption application.
[LARRY ASIDE: As a kid, we had a Border Collie named Queenie, perhaps the greatest dog who ever lived. Herded the three brothers like we were renegade goats. My rescuespouse Martha and I now have a Border Collie/Chocolate Lab mix named Dudley The Angel after Cary Grant’s character in The Bishop’s Wife. Dudley lives up to the Angel designation.]
TIME-OUT: On Thanksgiving, I usually watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC — it’s a tradition I started way back in elementary school when the TV hosts might have been Today Show stars Dave Garroway and a chimp named J. Fred Muggs. Or maybe the hosts were Hugh Downs, Jack Lescoulie and Barbara Walters. I can’t remember. 
I just know that Santa is always on the final float. 
The system was I’d browbeat my brothers into watching Captain Kangaroo until the parade started and then we’d switch to NBC where the parade was presented “In Living Color,” though we wouldn’t know that until around 1965 when Mom and Pop got a color TV. We happily, ignorantly watched “In Living Monochrome.” That’s the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes high-kicking in 1958 — got the photo from NBC Today’s online collection HERE.  If I remember correctly, in this photo, I am the third from the left (near the curb) and fourth from the left is our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andy Fisher who was a writer for NBC and the Today Show before he became The Critter Whisperer of Indian Lake in Denville, N.J. Happy Thanksgiving, of course, to him and Annie, son Ian, and the rescues: dog Maxie and cat Chloe. Heck, Happy Thanksgiving to the entire Eastern Seaboard.
TIME OUT ADDENDUM: Of course, I’ve never high-kicked with the Rockettes though it remains a dream. I have, however, edited the written word and written words that needed editing. So, this Thanksgiving, I am very, very thankful to teachers who constantly work at making sure their students know that words matter, phrases should be clearly understood and the phrase “you know what I mean” should only be used in fiction and, then, only sparingly. I’m still puzzled by Joe Namath’s use of the phrase “one of the only days” in a Medicare commercial — an “only day” is the “one,” not “one of.” Also, I was listening to a storm report Wednesday morning on a respected local AM radio station and heard a news anchor say some people in Tuesday night’s storm had suffered “minor wounds.” I believe “minor injuries” is the proper usage unless the tornado was shooting at these people. Bullet wounds, knife wounds. Tornadoes, car wrecks, dangling participles -- all injuries, not wounds. Of course, the fact that I am a stickler for proper contextual usage means I may suffer an emotional wound from those who are, when it come to communicating, as slack as a deflated exclamation point. Know what I mean? [THAT BOOK? Published in 2014. I like the title. Never read it. Title reminds me of some of my editing shifts in newsrooms. I kid my former colleagues as a Thanksgiving gift! The author, Thomas Erikson, has written sequels: Surrounded by Psychopaths (reminded me of meetings with newspaper management) and Surrounded by Bad Bosses (I'm sure it has a "Fiction" label as there is not such thing as a bad boss, right?)]  TIME IN

CONTEMPLATIONS
YOU AND YOUR COMPANIONS
Our friend Dianne Cole has been a rescuer for a while and Readlarrypowell.com once tracked her adventure in trying to save a little bitty dog that was among several dumped near the southwest Dallas campus of Mountainview College where she works. She and hubby Mike have a history of saving dogs and giving them a happy home we all envy! 
The dog she was trying to save in this Mountainview adventure is named “Lil’ Bit.” That’s her reaching out toward the camera.
Diane summarized the story this way: “Lil' Bit is still going strong...well, not as strong as she used to, but she's like the Energizer Bunny...she keeps on going.  I can't imagine my life without her.  She's always close by and looks at me with adoration in her eyes daily.  I LOVE my girl.  She loves Mike, but she will always be a Mama's Girl and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Yes, people still remember my adventure trying to catch her...and what a catch she was!  Nine years later and I still have high school friends ask me how she's doing.  LOL!  She's a lucky little girl.”
Here's how Dianne explained the emotions in her post on Thanksgiving's Eve. Written in Lil' Bit's voice, it reads:
"My Mom and her friend rescued me after I was dumped as a 3 month old puppy... I’m now 9 years old. It took Mom and her friend almost 5 months to catch me, but I hit the jackpot when I let myself be caught.
My nickname is: Bits or Bitsy
My age: About 9
My weight: 20 pounds
My favorite human food is: My dog food since I don’t get people food
My biggest fear: being dumped again, but don’t think that will ever happen
My favorite thing to do: sitting in my Mom’s lap
My second favorite thing to do: looking out the window
My favorite toy: toys are beneath me
Do I love car rides: Only if I can sit in Mom’s lap
Do I snore: ALL the time & very loud for such a small girl
My job: keeping Mom & Dad safe from outside people & dogs
My breed is: Chihuahua mix
My favorite human: my Mom, of course, but I do love my Dad."
That’s not all from Dianne. She adds, “Jewels and Dice are lucky, too, and a big part of our lives.  I just wish I could have more dogs, but Mike tells me 3 is enough.  LOL!” That’s Jewels and Dice wrestling — good dogs, best pals, lots of fun. And proof, Dianne will tell you, that you can boost the happiness in your heart by adopting those Big Black Dogs that nobody wants. They're waiting in shelters for a Thankful Heart to stop by.
IN SUMMATION: For Thanksgiving 2020, my festivespouse Martha and I are so happily thankful that we have dogs and cats and friends such as all you Dear Readers. 
We have a lot to be thankful for in this country and after the 2020 political campaigns, some of us are thankful that we can still find quiet places to sit and contemplate. 
For example, that is The Senator, our politically experienced cat and my personal counselor, having a very quiet moment with an old operative acquaintance who is trying to reshape his resume in order to qualify for a cabinet position -- Secretary of Baby Boomer Influence. In the second photo, you see my shoe, Martha’s toes, Dudley snoozing and the incredibly wonderful face of Texas Earl the Cheeseman, the Rottie I recovered free in Dallas’ Kiest Park more than a decade ago — he was waiting for whoever dumped him to come back and get him. In keeping with this holiday, I am very, very thankful I said to him, “Jump in the pickup kid, I’ve got a place for you to spend the rest of your life making two people happy.” And that, Dear Readers, is a great step toward having a wonderful Thanksgiving each year. Oh, yeah, I need to mention the kids and the grandkids, too. That’s enough — they’ll understand. They have critters.
— Be thankful today and let us know why on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

TIME'S PACE; SAILOR'S COOL; SHELTER REMINDERS, WASHINGTON IRVING AND 'MY, WHAT A GRAND PRAIRIE!'

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY NOV. 25, 2020 [PetPowellPress] Here’s a midweek reminder for a weekend edition before we get to dogs and cats and the origin of local names.

Please send us photos of your sleeping dogs and napping cats and any other snoozing critters — opportunity to snap a shot of a brother-in-law out like a light in your recliner during the Thanksgiving Dallas Cowboys game. 
Email photos and bios of the slumbering critters/in-laws to [email protected] and we’ll post ‘em in the weekend’s Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. [I hope you saw last weekend’s edition with Muriel Parker and her pal Shiloh. One of my favorite Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap photos of all time: Shiloh captaining the Rollator powered by our pal Muriel! The look on the cat’s face cracks me up. Shiloh is the captain of his ship!]
OK, let’s move on with today’s report.
AN UPDATE ON SAILOR,
THE CAT WHO CHARMED SO MANY
We knew from an earlier update that things were moving in the right direction for Sailor, the handsome cat who’d lost his human.
His primary advocate, Mary T. Sullivan, the critterfan, sent this email with a Thanksgiving tone. She wrote,“Just thought I’d pass along some good news...Sailor has been adopted by a lovely family in the DFW area that has two other kitties.  One has taken a real shine to Sailor, so he finally has a buddy after years of being an ‘only’!  He’s also getting all kinds of TLC and recent photos suggest that he’s adapting very well to his new life. 
“As we approach Thanksgiving, please know that I’m immensely grateful to all those who passed Sailor’s info along to their friends and neighbors, or who said a little prayer for him, or who offered other kinds of assistance.  The outpouring of support for this sweet older boy who lost his human companion so suddenly has been truly humbling.  Y'all are amazing.”
That first Sailor photo is from his pre-adoption days; this second photo, more recent, shows the lad enjoying a nice bit of tranquility in his new loving home.
[LARRY ASIDE: Just think, Dear Readers, we’d never have known of this wonderful cat if it hadn’t been for Mary Sullivan and her connections in the pass-it-on animal world. So, yes, Mary, on Thanksgiving and every other cat and dog day, you’re a reason for the rest of us to be thankful.]
A BOUNCE-BACK IN MESQUITE;
A SWEET-SPIRITED DOG; AND
A SEASONAL KITTY CAT
Bless those volunteers at the Mesquite Animal Shelter. Without them, i.e., Judi Brown and Debra Chisholm in our case, we’d never know the actual stories of the dogs and cats and their tendencies and charms.
Debra has provided us with these two dogs — Samson and Trevor.

About Samson, Debra wrote that he “has been returned to the shelter after an adopter kept him for 3 days.  She reported that Samson had displayed aggression toward her dog.  This boy is high-strung and really needs obedience training and training to walk better on a leash in order to fit into a family, especially one with other animals.  He is a bit mouthy and will turn his head side-to-side to chew on the leash.  He reacts to other dogs walking past his kennel.  If interested in Samson please ask the staff for a dog test.”
In her original evaluation, Debra wrote that this Plott Hound mix had arrived at the shelter as a stray on November 7. The 3-year-old, un-neutered Samson weighed in at 75 pounds. She said, “He walks OK on a leash, but is a strong puller.” And he reacted to the other dogs who barked at him when he was “led through the bay.” He has a charming side; likes treats, takes them gently. And, she wrote, “He is playful and loves to chase balls in the yard but does not return them. He finds it much more amusing to run around the yard with the ball in his mouth.”
He’s #46055614. And, as you can see, he’s not just a Plott Hound mix, he’s an Earhound. Check out that photo where one of the masterpieces of creative earness appears to be asking, “Beg pardon? Did you call for Samson? I’ll keep an ear out for you.”
That brings us to Trevor. He’s described as a Border Collie mix.
The 3-year-old, 60-pound, “intact” stray arrived on November 18. 
Debra wrote, “Trevor is a lively and high-spirited fellow with a confident and exuberant personality.  He will jump on you in his excitement, so obedience classes would be a great idea.  He knows the sit command.  He was totally taken with scouting out the yard and spent much of the photo shoot investigating the smells.  However, he is friendly and has a sweet nature.  He walked fairly well on a leash.  … He would seem best suited for a person or family who is active and would take him for walks, jogging or just play with and exercise him.  Trevor seems to have been well-cared for and it is mystery to me as to why his owners have not come looking for him.”  Trevor is #46120008. Please help Trevor by networking or tagging at [email protected], typing in the subject line TAG, ID 46120008.  If additional information is needed, please call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email at [email protected].
For either of those dogs, call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected]. [LARRY ASIDE: Trevor may already have been adopted— he wasn’t on the website display Tuesday afternoon. If he’s already got a home, then there are other dogs who need to bunk at your place for the rest of their lives.]
ONE MORE THING: Mesquite not only has a lot of dogs, but a lot of cats in the shelter — click HERE — and those cats range from tiny kittens to grown-ups. This is Holly, one of the grown-ups with a seasonal name — just in time for the holidays? Yeah, she came in before Halloween — back on Oct. 26. She’s #45970712, a little over a year old and smallish. She’s waiting in the Cat Room for that right person to pick her up and cuddle her and make sure she has treats and some conversation. Cats need conversation, you know. Helps ‘em put up with humans.
A LANCASTER REMINDER SERVING
AS A REMINDER FOR ALL SHELTERS
Remember, there are shelters and rescue groups brimming with cats and dogs all over the State of Texas and the Great Southwest. Millions of people with opportunities to save the lives of lots of dogs and cats after they’ve been put at peril by our state’s vibrant population of knuckleheads and numbskulls. But all that name-calling aside, we’re using these two animals to remind everybody of the small-shelter low foot-traffic situations. Lots of paw traffic; little foot-traffic. That’s whey 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit exists. Serves as a go-between for rescue groups and potential adoptors and the shelters with limited personnel and budgets.
That “adorable chunky bulldog mix” Dena is waiting at Lancaster. Available now. Her bio from the Helpers reads, “Adores all people, especially children! She is so cute — she actually talks — it is the cutest thing. Even great with kitty cats.”
And, as an example of a kitty cat to be great with, we cite (once again) the young cat Kahlua — she’s the one who was found outside the shelter by someone arriving to help with transportation with an animal already inside the shelter. That saved Kahlua from danger outside, but now it’s time to save her from danger inside! There’s a clock ticking at all small shelters. 
To offer to help 4-Legged Helpers save the lives of animals in Lancaster and other small shelters, call or text Laura Macias at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS

TIME MOVES ON, NAMES OF TOWNS, THE WAY THINGS WERE….
Nobody tells you this when you’re a kid, but pass it on. Seriously. Be prepared. The passage of time is a startling event; the realization that time is speeding one can be a breathtakingly shocking event. Example: I just found out a teenage copy clerk I worked with at The Former Really Big Paper in Downtown Dallas is 62 years old. How is that possible? Last time I saw her feels like it was just a few editions ago. Nope. Just over four decades ago — and I am still in my early-40s. I swear. …
I’m starting to understand Washington Irving’s cautionary tale, Rip Van Winkle. Do students still get to read Washington Irving’s writings? Don’t let the passage of time and the evolution of education cheat you out of classic reading. Finding classic writing online is why God made Google. Remember, Irving also wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 
He has a local connection.
This collection of conversation points reminds me of a legend I once heard about the City of Grand Prairie. It was told to me when I was the newly-appointed editor of The Grand Prairie Daily News. It was alleged that the wife of a railroad president was riding the train through the unnamed area. When the train stopped, she looked out the window and declared, “My! What a grand prairie!” and that’s the origin of the town’s name. I got that “My what a Grand Prairie” story from a reporter. He also said, “Same thing happened just north of here. An executive's wife got off the train at a depot, looked around and said, “My! What a grand Irving.” I suppose that could have happened. Let me check. FYI: The Handbook of Texas says that the “My, what a Grand Prairie” story is pretty much true! [That’s a photo of the once-immortal Texas Stadium in Irving being demolished. “Once-immortal,” my phrasing to note that the strong wake of the passage of times is relentless in re-shaping the present.]…. FYI: The Handbook says Irving was named “possibly after Washington Irving,” the “favorite author” of the wife of an influential resident.
None of this history will mean anything unless students are reminded that towns didn’t just spring up right after the darling babies were born. History is important. That photo? A lingering sign from the past in front of the cafe that was once named Prairie Dog Drive-In. It’s on eastern Main Street in Grand Prairie, whose high school team at North Grand Prairie is NOT the Prairie Dogs. It's the Gophers. The lesson is Main Street can change over time, but every Main Street has memories. Some of them are still standing. The Beatles knew it. Click HERE.
— Offer coping advice and pie recipes by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

A TURKEY AT THE WINDOW; HORSES IN TROUBLE?; HELPING SHELTER ANIMALS; CORN AND COB; PACE OUR TRASH!

EDITION OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020 [PetPowellPress] "…at which time one guy turns to the other and says,  'Yeah, I was there, too. That was something, wasn’t it! Needed help standing up after that meal!' ”

Thank you all for reading that paragraph from a diary about a Thanksgiving dinner in the pre-pandemic times in Northeast Texas where the term “second helping” may be interpreted as a “good start.” Could be true; could be made up. Now, without resolution, let’s see what we have for this edition.
Speaking of second helpings: Save the Turkeys. We cite Corn and Cobb, the turkeys
scheduled to be pardoned by President Trump, as has been tradition at the White House. And we’ll explain that photograph later in this edition.
THE HAMILTON COUNTY
HORSE SITUATIONS
We got the tip on this from veteran animal advocate Janie Perelman in an email with the subject line “Starving Horses.”
[LARRY ASIDE: I’m that rare native Texan who has never felt at home on a horse, but I am extremely uncomfortable when I see a photo of a horse with ribs-showing, hip-bones protruding and a beautiful face that indicates the horse trusts that a human will resolve this situation. The situation deserves investigating — you know, just in case there’s not a medical reason for several horses showing their ribs at the same time.]
Janie posted the initial report we saw on her Facebook page HERE and that led us to the original poster Silke Schwalbe who wrote powerfully about this dire situation for several horses. See it HERE. Hamilton County is southwest of Fort Worth and the horses are said to be in a largely barren enclosure near Hico.
On Janie’s page, you can get the numbers to call to talk with and see responses from other people who are concerned. Same for Silke’s page — and you can read of responses, including a “We’re working on it” from the sheriff’s office.
[LARRY ASIDE: Several animal cruelty agencies have been contacted, according to Janie. But, as you know, the voices of voters and political supporters carry weight even if there’s not an election for a while. Need I remind any citizens or authorities that animal cruelty is against the law in The Great State of Texas no matter who is president.]
OK, LADIES AND GENTS,
LET’S GO TO A SHELTER…
Which shelter? Pick one. They’re all full of animals that need a break. In Monday’s edition we cited Dallas Animal Services and Mesquite Animal Services. But every city with a shelter has more unwanted animals than it needs. Rescue groups are full, too, this time of year.
[LARRY ASIDE: Gosh you hate to blame people for all the unwanted dogs and cats, but, who else do we blame? The Dallas Cowboy’s defensive backfield? Nope. The blame goes on people without a code of moral behavior. But that’s not for us to judge — it’s just for us to rise above our fellow humans’ behavior and work hard to save the animals. Save ‘em all. Every one of ‘em. In spite of the humans. Help me off this soapbox before a slat breaks and I snap an elbow here at the holidays — that would hamper my ability to eat pie with a fork.]
Now, about animals. You probably spotted that cat’s photo and thought, “I’ve seen that cat before.” Maybe you have. I featured Kahlua a couple of weeks ago and she still doesn’t have a home. We got the details on her from the 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit group that helps small, low-traffic shelters around the Dallas area. Without the inner connections, some of the animals in small shelters would never have an advocate between day of arrival and day of the needle.

How did Kahlua wind up in the Lancaster Animal Shelter? A transporter arrived to pick up another animal and on the way into the shelter, found this baby dumped or set free on the grounds outside the shelter. So her life was saved — for now — but she needs help. Get in touch with 4-Legged Helpers by calling or texting Laura Macias at 214-949-2726 or by emailing [email protected].
Wait. There’s more.
Karma is this black cat with the green eyes — she arrived with an entire litter of mixed kittens. Her bio reads, “She is soft and her fur is velvety to the touch. …The green panther eyes are amazing!” (Use the same contact points cited for Kahlua.)
And there’s Autumn, described by 4-Legged Helpers as looking “like a little chunky teddy bear and look at this sweet little face. Her coat looks just like beautiful Autumn leaves and she is a very good girl who is cuddly and cute.”
Another dog? Yes, that’s Meadow, a Boxer mix whose white hair on her muzzle makes her look older, but she’s really a younger dog. The shelter reports “her teeth look beautiful.” And she is “precious and loving,” 4-Legged Helpers reports.
We close with this girl Lexi, said to be a Mastiff/Bulldog mix. Her bio reads, “Such a sweetie! Look at that cute smile! A Good Samaritan found her out in the rural part of the county and said she is the sweetest girl ever…. Her name could easily be Honey or Sugar or Precious because she truly is all of those things.”
Again, the contact points for all of these animals are these: Call or text Laura Macias at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
[LARRY ASIDE: Remember, the area you call home may not be close to Lancaster, but arrangements can be made for you to adopt or foster or rescue via 4-Legged Helpers. And, remember, also, that there are other shelters with animals that need homes or fostering or transport. Maybe you’ll have time on your hands this week since the relatives decided not to come stay with you and eat your food and spoil your dogs and cats. It happens, bless the hearts of all who live animals enough to spoil them!]
CONTEMPLATIONS
AH, THE TURKEY AT THE WINDOW, THE GOBBLERS’ CHANCES; A CITY SCHEDULE PILES UP
You see, of course, the photo we referenced in the opening paragraph. That is my Apprentice Office Cat Stevie Ray Treeboy (pulled from a weak twig on a mimosa tree in Oak Cliff when he was barely palm-of-the-hand size — Stevie Ray honors the great Oak Cliff guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan). I snapped the photo of my Stevie Ray as he assumed a “predator-at-attention” stance at the window — this cat hasn’t been outside since his eyes were nearly shut and he’s never seen a turkey or any other bird up close. But he exclaimed that he’d seen a wild turkey in our front yard. Click HERE and technology should show you an 8-second video of Stevie Ray excited about a free-roaming turkey. After I took the video, I leaned over and looked out the window and spotted a good ol’ Texas Mockingbird sitting quietly on a nearby tree limb. FYI: I have never heard a Mockingbird "gobble." …
Ever wonder which president pardoned the first turkey and which president actually made the pardoning a tradition? The White House Historical Association has the answers HERE. Those are the 2020 turkeys, Corn and Cob, and you can read their story from KATC Channel 3 in Louisiana, though the birds are from Iowa. [LARRY ASIDE: Nothing is rational in today’s media coverage, though, well, the KATC story had this great photo of the turkeys in their turkeyquarters, a suite in a Washington, D.C., hotel. Not the only turkeys in Washington, I understand.]…
ABOUT THE GARBAGE: Our neighborhood’s trash day is usually on Thursday, but this holiday week — when cooks generally have a whole lot of trash to go to the bin for pickup — the pick up day is Wednesday, the day before the creation of more trash than a landfill deserves. So, we’ll have to pace our garbage for the next week. Bet you never expected to read the clause “pace our garbage for the next week.” May never have been written before, though I think a t-shirt with the slogan ‘PACE OUR GARBAGE’ might set off a movement, as we used to say in the ‘60s. PACE OUR GARBAGE — it has the slight aroma of success. That's my companion/editor The Senator from his days as a spokeman for the pro-efficiency with trash bins organization, "People's System to Save Serous Time!" Known informally as "PSSST!"
— Offer turkey alternatives and happy veggie dish recipes by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put SAVE THE TURKEYS in the subject line. —-

A WIDE-RANGING EXAMINATION OF HISTORY & CULTURE WITH ADORABLE ADOPTABLES, TOO

EDITION OF MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2020 [PetPowellPress] This is the 23rd of November. So, I went to Holiday Insights to see how to celebrate: The online calendar site says the 23rd is “Eat a Cranberry Day,” “National Cashew Day” and “National Espresso Day.” Or, “Breakfast For a Really Skinny Model.” In case you want a family holiday, the 24th is “All Our Uncles are Monkeys Day.” Well, I’ll be a….
We’ll get to the JFK Anniversary in a moment. First, that’s one of our former ferals, Esme — we do not know her uncles. She was photographed enjoying a nice bit of relaxation in my catnapspouse Martha’s lap over the weekend. Esme arrived as an unclaimed but available-to-steal-your-heart-anyway kitten many years ago. Since that time, she has never been in danger of starving. When you encounter a Tabby or a Torbie or whatever “type” Esme is, if you play your cards right, she will own you. And when you can pick her up and pet her, you’ll feel pride and relief that you may be one of only two people on earth she will trust. For that moment. Things change quickly for Esme the Cat.
WHO IS WEARING A MASK
THESE DAYS IN TEXAS?
When I saw this photo in a Greyhound Adoption League of Texas email, I thought, “Is there anyone not wearing a mask in Texas?”
Then I realized those are custom muzzles for this gang of Grey- hounds. The photo was used to enhance a GALTx appeal for donations on “Giving Tuesday” on December 1.
Why do Greyhounds need help? GALT has more than 100 of these dogs in the program and around 20 of them are on GALT’s “Injured Reserve” list of dogs with broken legs, heartworm and Ehrlichia Canis. That count was made on the morning of November 18. That afternoon, according to GALT, “we welcomed an additional 13 hounds — 6 boys and 7 girls — from a recent law enforcement seizure.” They’d been living in awful situations - some had injuries and ailments. There was an 11-year-old, 2 10-year-old and “a 6-year-old male tripod.”  (And, as you can see from that strip of mugshots, Greyhounds are Earhounds, too.)
GALT says a “generous, anonymous donor will match your Giving Tuesday donations up to $20,000.”
You can see how to donate via the GALT Facebook fundraiser and the 2020 Giving Tuesday Matching Fund. [LARRY ASIDE: If anyone deserves a good Thanksgiving, it's these relentless rescuers of "used up" athletes and mistreated hounds.]
At galtx.org you can link to those points, also, but you can also see non-Greyhounds, i.e., this really beautiful, fuzzy- faced 2-year-old Skyler, a female  "gray and black Irish Wolfhound mix” who was a stray —not in Dallas — but in the GALT “territory” in southeastern New Mexico. Her puppy is Walter Jr. Go to the GALT site to see 'em.
And one more thing — GALT is always in need of foster homes. As an example of why, the organization recntly took in 14 Greyhounds from Louisiana — either ex-athletes or storm victims. To ask about become a Greyhound foster, email [email protected].
Years ago, I encountered a Greyhound adoption event and one of the volunteers confided something like, “Yeah, they run fast. But the great hidden secret is Greyhounds are really just couch potatoes.” So, there you go. They’ll beat you to your favorite spot on the couch every time.

IN CASE YOU HAVE AN OPEN SPOT
AT YOUR THANKSGIVING TABLE
OK, who doesn’t? Right? Pandemic, right? But apparently no government office limits the number of dog and cat guests you can have at Thanksgiving.
We went to dallasanimalservices.org to see if we could spot a couple of animals — they’re all free to adopt these days — who look as if they might be saying, “Please, sir, may I have another serving of that delicious dressing and some warm rolls?”
That’s Nicki (#A11109456), a 58-pound, year-old “American Pit Bull Terrier mix. Handsome fellow. [LARRY ASIDE: Traces his lineage back to Plymouth Rockie, a dog who showed the pilgrims how to safely step onto Pilgrim Rock without slipping on the algae. That’s what I heard.]
That cat is Dutchess (AD1110218), also a free-to-adopt Dallas cat. She’s a 7-years-old, 15-pound “domestic long-hair — and, as you know, a 15-pound cat has certain diet standards. Her menu reads “Thanksgiving — I’ll have what you’re having.” She clearly knows how to behave at the table. Look at that face as she patiently awaits service of the soup. [LARRY ASIDE: Our understanding is that Dutchess traces her lineage back to Quicklad, one of the Mousers who signed on to help the Mayflower get the Pilgrims pest-free to the New World. Little known story: Dutchess' ancestor had a best mouse friend on the voyage and smuggled him and his family onto Plymouth Rock in a picnic basket. You’ve heard of Mickey, no doubt. That’s my understanding, anyway. Paper records from the 1620 are hard to find.]
THREE (AND MORE) READY TO GO
IN THE MESQUITE SHELTER
Our dog bio-writin’ pal Judi Brown, the volunteer at the Mesquite Animal Shelter, lined up these three bios of available dogs at the suburban shelter on the east side of Big D.
Take a look at this handsomely attired terrier Duke, 11 months old and returned on Nov. 17. Judi writes that the adopters gave him back because “there had been a change of lifestyle.” [LARRY ASIDE: Not sure what that means, but it probably wasn’t the dog who changed.] Judi says she’d rename Duke “Happy because that’s exactly what he is! This dog just exudes joy! He’s friendly, excited, wiggly, good-natured, playful, loving, and fun loving! His tail never stops wagging and his body never stops wiggling. He loves life and everyone in it! For that reason he would probably be good with children! When I sat down he sat down next to me and tried to get on my lap. He gives sloppy kisses.” You can learn more abou this 34-pound, already fixed dog by getting in touch with the shelter. His ID is 45535629.

Dale is a 3-year-old mixed breed who came is as a stray on Nov. 15. Judi reports, “The shelter has him down as a hound dog probably based on his ears. My pet scanner said he’s probably a Terrier Pit Catahoula mix. He’s got beautiful cinnamon coloring with hazel eyes to match. He’s very photogenic and a very handsome guy! He’s somewhat timid. I get the feeling he’s not used to much attention. I did coax him to me when I was sitting on the bench and although he was receptive to having his ears scratched, he seemed like he didn’t really know what to make of it. He spent most of his time at the door wanting to go in even though it was a nice day. It may have been because he felt more secure in his kennel or because he’s been an inside dog. He will need more TLC to warm up and let his true personality come out. Actually, when I got done with the photo shoot he did give me a tentative kiss!” The “on-the-thin-side” 51-pound dog’s ID is 46103259.
Judi says Gina (#46107008), this 10-year-old Boxer/Pittie mix came in as a stray on the 16th. She weighs 61 pounds and has gray on her muzzle, but “her dark brown eyes are very striking!” Judi writes. “She is adjusting to her new surroundings, but when she goes into the yard she spends her time at the gate whining. It’s very obvious that she’s looking for her owner to come back and get her. It’s also very obvious that she is capable of a deep love. Would you consider opening your heart to this sweet senior? … At this stage in her life she would do best being an inside dog cuddling up next to her new family members. Gina is a sweet girl just waiting for you.”
To ask about any of these animals, use their IDs when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
See more Mesquite animals by clicking on the SHELTER LINK HERE. Plenty of dogs, plenty of cats available. Among the cats is this 3-year-old, already spayed, dressed for autumn black and white girl named Majestic (#45589424). [LARRY ASIDE: I know nothing about Majestic, but, based on my experiences with beloved black and white cats, I will declare that she probably lives up to her name and would be an idea, polite guest at your Thanksgiving table or in your lap on the couch as you watch either a traditional Thanksgiving movie or a football game or your relatives play cards and complain about indigestion from your ultra-spicy giblet gravy. You won’t hear that carping from a cat.]
A BRIEF DIVERSION/RECOLLECTION
REGARDING ONE HISTORIC DAY
Between the pandemic and the rest of our challenges, I guess commemorating President John F. Kenndy’s assassination in Dallas sort of slipped through things in some local media — maybe squeezed out of the spotlight by the virus and the NFL games and other challenges. Could be a “passage of time” thing for younger minds that cannot hear the echo of the gunfire that others from the era can still hear. 
As a veteran Dallas watcher, I’m prepared to declare that this was the most important event to occur in Dallas (even more than its founding by John Neely Bryan). It was tragic for the nation, but it inspired people who loved Dallas and, thus, the city’s response to being labeled a “city of hate” was to work hard to prove it would not live down to that label. It took decades and lots of public/private spirit to grow Dallas from a prairie town where a president was murdered to the dynamic global business center that it is today. That attitude spread across the area, too — and this was nearly a decade before “Metroplex” was invented to become an ad term for the sprawling "under construction" swath of Texas. [That's a Dallas News photo of JFK and LBJ and others leaving FW's Hotel Texas just before the trip to Dallas on THAT day.] 

On Sunday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram had THREE JFK-related stories, including an update by columnist (and my ol’ colleague at The Fort Worth Press and The DMN Bud Kennedy. He’s still working on solving the mystery of "just who were Lee Harvey Oswald’s pallbearers?" Bud says there are two mysterious figures in the photos and the stories.
Yep, Nov. 22, 1963. Fifty-seven years ago. At my high school, Texas High, in Texarkana, we learned of the attack during the Friday lunch break. We learned of the death about a half-hour later when the kids picking up attendance slips from each class told us from the classroom doorways. Our guy leaned in and told our Latin II teacher, “He’s gone.” Simple, chilling words. That was the beginning of learning just how fortunate we were to live in a resilient post-World War II nation. God bless America. Again.
CONTEMPLATIONS
THE MIND’S JUKE BOX AND MOVIE THEATER
Here’s one that slipped past us and didn’t even make The New York Times until this weekend. The singer Len Barry died at 78 on Nov. 5 — a bone marrow disease was the cause. Now that the mournful part is out of the way, let’s talk what the guy gave us. If you have a constant juke box running inside your brain, as I do, every now and then you’ll hear the great Len Barry singing “1 2 3.” Enjoy it by clicking HERE. He sings on a set with “go-go girls” and dancers who may be pretending to be teenagers. If you go back as far as The Twist, here’s Chubby Checker introducing The Dovells (with lead singer Len Barry) doing The Bristol Stomp. Listen, kids, this was the era when all we had to sweat was report cards, the Cold War and finding a job. ... My apologies for advertisements you have to navigate before you can get to the songs. This is America — everybody’s trying to make a buck. …. I’ve been watching, thanks to on demand at Turner Classic Movies, the Peter Sellers film I Love You, Alice B. Toklas.  We don’t have time machines — well, at least no secret government agency has revealed one yet — but if you want to be reminded of what 1968 was like for some people…. well, there’s that movie. And some of you, Dear Readers From the 20th Century, may recall that film is how you were introduced to a very exotic brownie recipe (click on the poster so you can read that clipping) by the “hippie chick” Nancy, portrayed by Leigh Taylor-Young (career launched with TV’s Peyton Place and continues…). The film summary reads, “A 30-something square falls in love with a hippie and decides to ‘drop out’ himself.” It may have been named “Film of the Year” by the Amercan Society of Divorce and Settlement Lawyers. (I made up that society, but you get the drift. In that era, “dropping out” was a male hobby. As I recall.) … Want even more wackiness of the era, pilot your time machine to Dec. 23, 1969, and catch The Arrangement, staring Kirk Dougls, Faye Dunaway and deborah Kerr. The advertising line read, “The girl knew about the wife. The wife knew about the girl. It was all part of the arrangement.” But the movie poster had this line: "If your wife insists you see it together, be careful." Director Elia Kazan wrote the screenplay, but he also wrote the novel and in those days that book was pretty darned good reading in your spare time at the office. In the late 1960s, before computers conquered the world, offices had spare time that was treasured.
—- Offer recollections, opinions or “who cares?” by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by bitterly emailing [email protected] where we know, as The Bard wrote, “What’s past is prologue.” —

SHILOH & MURIEL: WE CITE SOME HAPPY REASONS TO CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING 2020

Dear Readers, we are presenting this pre-Thanksgiving Weekend edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap with the greatest thankfulness for our readers, our tipsters and all of our critter companions, be they well-coated, well-feathered or well-what-ever-they’re-wearing in nature!
One of our longtime animal tipsters, Muriel Parker, has written a wonderful examination/appreciation of this handsome cat Shiloh.
It is with pleasure that we present a friendship profile well worth the reading.
In mid-October, readlarrypowell.com posted a Cat Pop Quiz. Question #5 inspired Muriel. It read, “My cat not only has a human staff, but also a dog and they are fast friends. True or False.” Yep, “True” was her answer.
When it comes to adoring Shiloh, Muriel writes:
 “Shiloh is not my cat, but in the few months I have lived with him at my son's home I feel we have become BFFs.  He fills the criteria in your Question #5... He has human staff (Steve, Nina and me) and a dog named Serendipity.  You have met her a few times in the three years since she was rescued by Steve and Nina.”
[LARRY ASIDE: We wrote of the serendipitous moment in 2017 when Steve and Nina adopted Seri at Plano Animal Services. More later.]
Muriel continues: “Shiloh is about 3 years old.  As a young boy he found himself at the Plano shelter at the time the ‘kids’ were looking for someone to fill the empty spot in their hearts after Theta went to the Rainbow Bridge. [LARRY ASIDE: On the left, that is a photo of Theta and Seri in a moment of hello in their early days together. On the right, that's Seri and Shiloh in the Universe of Happy Pals.]
We return to Muriel’s story of Shiloh’s entry into the home: 
Serendipity (aka Seri) had already settled in and was curious about the newcomer; Shiloh was not intimidated by a 40-pound bundle of energy. His invitations to play confused Seri at first since the previous resident cat had been hostile to her. But, after a couple of days they were doing rough-and-tumble play as though they were equals in size.
“He can also entertain himself for a long time by playing with a plastic straw, chasing it all over the room.  However, his favorite game is having one of us throw it across the room for him to fetch it.  He brings it back to be thrown again, and the game goes on until Shiloh decides it's over.  We've tried to get a picture of him carrying it proudly in his mouth, but it happens too fast to catch.  When it's tidy-up day we find them here and there.

 “Seri loves to have him groom her neck with his sandpaper tongue; she even has a subtle way of requesting it by nudging him and lifting her head. The closeness will sometimes turn into play time, sometimes into nap time. 
"Shiloh thinks the Rollator I use for safer walking is his personal bus.  When he jumps up unto the seat, that's my cue to walk him all around the house, especially through the rooms that connect in a circle.  He usually jumps off after a bit, but sometimes I have to tell him "This is your stop, mister" and park the bus.
" [LARRY ASIDE: The look on Shiloh's face cracks me up! He's clearly in charge of his staff!]
“The virus situation has Steve working at home (thank Heaven) but, as you can see, it is not without supervision.  Fortunately he is a good speller.  I think I remember a picture just like this of you being helped by the Senator.”

 Indeed, she did accurately recall my cat The Senator serving as editor.
 FYI: This is the LINK to the Cat Quiz that Muriel cited. And this is the LINK to one of our earlier stories about how Seri came to be the adorable dog in the lives of Steve, Nina, Muriel, Theta and Shiloh.

One more thing: Muriel signed her note with “Be happy. … Stay well!”
 And readlarrypowell.com endorses those words of encouragement! We are, indeed, thankful for them.
[LARRY NOTE: Please send the photos and stories of your sleeping dogs, napping cats and other slumbering critters (could be a brother-in-law, an uncle, etc.)to us at [email protected]and we’ll spotlight those beloved companions in our long-running weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. You’ll be inspiring other people to give homes to animals and you’ll be inspiring insomniacs to think they, too, can get some sleep if they can just remember to “Be happy… Stay well!”]
—- Offer happiness by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

TOMATO SURPRISE, HELPING A CLINIC, HELPING ANIMALS, AN OWL TRIP, HUGE THIGHS AND A DISCO BLAST FROM THE PAST

EDITION OF FRIDAY, NOV. 20, 2020 [PetPowellPress] On a sunny afternoon, as we wonder if rain will ever gently fall again on the yard, the flowers and the cars, we dive into this report and we ask, “Whatever happened to Sir
Monti Rock the 3rd?” Some of you will recognize that name. In the meantime, before our Contemplations, some of our traditional reports follow. Oh, and neither of those tomatos is a 1970s disco star: They are, from left, Edward and Edwina, the two ripened tomatoes on my agrispouse Martha’s autumn plants. How do I know those are their royal names? Surely you’ve stared deeply into a tomato and psychically received the answer to “What’s your name, red?” from the edible cousin of the belladonna plant, a poisonous perennial. Surely.
A CLINIC IN NEED
IS THIS CLINIC, INDEED
Yep, the world’s most successful spay/neuter clinic at Gun Barrel City, Texas, needs some supplies. As you probably know, the clinic is run by the Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. 
Our tipster, the voice of the clinic Sydney Busch, says the current needs are newspapers, bleach and dry cat food for a feral cat colony the Friends are helping.
[LARRY ASIDE: Old newspapers are getting harder to find, I understand. During my entire more than half-century in journalism, I have consistently said there would always be a good use for newspapers — as long as there are dogs, cats and parakeets.]
Donations can be “brought to the clinic any Tuesday,” Sydney says. That’s the day the clinic is operating. To arrange a donation, call or text her at 214-808-4701 or email [email protected].
That’s a photo of the “recovery room” at the shelter. I've used it before; it's an adorable example of the tender care the clinic gives its patients. Snapped in 2016 or thereabouts, these patients were described that day as “the burritos” — seemed appropriate in the way they were warmly wrapped to get through the aftermath of anesthesia. You can see Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake on Facebook or by going to friendsoftheanimals.org where you can get the details of signing up for surgeries and the rules for human behavior at the clinic.
MEANWHILE IN MEQUITE,
TWO DOGS WITH FAILED PEOPLE
Good grief. One of these dogs, Oliver, fell victim to a “pit rule.” The other, Alice, was picked up after being “dumped.” People. Some save animals; some make lives miserable for animals. Creeps.

OK, opinions aside, take a look at these photos of Oliver that we got from Mesquite Animal Services volunteer biographer Debra Chisholm. She reports that Oliver was "returned to the shelter on 11/14 after having spent a month with his adopter.  Reason for the surrender was that the apartment complex did not allow pits on the property.  He is now neutered, microchipped and has all his shots.” 
[LARRY ASIDE: Seems like that Pittie rule would have come up during the apartment negotiations, wouldn’t ya think?]
This Pittie boy first arrived at the Mesquite shelter on October 1. He weighs around 62 pounds and is a year old. (ID is #45650309.)
 Described as energetic and exuberant, “he sits and takes treats gently.”
[LARRY SECOND OLIVER ASIDE: Looking at those photos you see a boy who is wondering where his human suddenly went? Is he on the other side of this fence? And, in the standing-still photo, you see a puzzled, peaceful, dog with the look of, “Wait a second — I got tossed because of a reputation rather than my own behavior?” Hey, kid, it’s America in the 20th Century — wait, sorry, the 21st Century.]
That brings us to this beauty Alice (#46056435). The tip on her came from Judi Brown, who was our first Mesquite Animal Shelter volunteer biographer source. Like Debra, Judi meets and greets the dogs she writes about. This girl Alice, 5, a 65-pound, gray and white Pittie mix, “was abandoned and picked up by animal services on 11/7. She has been in protective services in the back for the last 10 days and is now available to the public. She’s a beautiful girl with potential to be even prettier once the hair loss on her back and tail grows back. She has been given an oatmeal bath and Nexgard. She is extremely sweet. I have no doubt that she will become a shelter favorite. She certainly is one of mine! … She’s friendly, gentle, and very calm. She will make someone a very loyal devoted companion. She sits for treats and takes them gently. She gives kisses galore.”

For animals in the Mesquite shelter, use the ID numbers when calling the shelter at 972-216-6283 or emailing [email protected].

CONTEMPLATIONS

LITTLE OWL IN THE BIG CITY, CRAVINGS AND BACK IN TIME WITH MONTI ROCK III

Can anybody say "animated motion picture coming soon"?
By now you’ve seen a version of this story from ABC about Rockefeller, the young owl found in the giant Christmas tree about to be the focus of holiday attention at New York’s Rockefeller Center. I had to hunt for the NBC story — the whole Incident at Owl Tree occurred right outside 30 Rock, if I understand correctly. This inadvertent owl journey made me wonder, “If people were more careful with animals, would they be more careful with people, too?” Sometimes I give people too much credit. …
Here’s something constant dieters face. I opened the ol’ inbox this AM and one of the first emails I see has the subject line “COTTAGE CHEESE” and the sender is — I’m not kidding — “HUGE THIGHS.” I walked into the kitchen at mid-day to get another cup of coffee and found a pecan pie, one slice missing, on the counter.
There are, as of this writing, two slices missing. I’m going to send a letter of complaint to a correspondent named, “Huge Thighs.” It’ll read, “Dear H.T., Stop putting food in your subject lines. Also, stop sneaking into my house and baking pecan pies and leaving them on the kitchen counter.” No sense blaming myself for giving in to cravings. Right? Coffee tastes really good with pecan pie in November. ...
While cruising the internet in search of a fact from the past, I saw a story that was headlined “WHERE IS SIR MONTI ROCK III WHEN THE WORLD NEEDS HIM MOST?” Fresh news? A cry for help in 2020? Nope. Written in 2014. A quick look into 2020 says he’s an ordained minister marrying people in Las Vegas. The gentleman in question exploded on the scene as a music, movie and TV performer and personality in the ‘70s. And some of you will remember the disco hit by Sir Monti Rock III and The Sex-O-Lettes. When you click HERE  skip through the annoying advert or adverts and GET DANCIN’.
—- To offer dance steps or music requests, click on ‘comments’ below or email [email protected] and put “Disco Inferno Huge Thighs” in the subject line.—

SAILOR FINDS A HOME; A DOG IN TROUBLE; FERALS NEED FOOD AND RESCUE; A FOX STAR; AIRHOGS AND AN OFFICE CAT

EDITION OF THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 2020 [PetPowellPress] How do you know when an apprentice office cat is comfortable in his position — er, positions. Plural.

As you can see, he’s quite comfortable using the back of my chair and the back of my back for a sleeping platform. These shots were taken Wednesday during the noon hour as I typed. You’ll see where he went next in Contemplations. First we have stories about animals in need and we have an update on the handsome cat Sailor.
BUTTERCUP WAS FOUND
‘ON THE SIDE” OF A BUSY ROAD…
[DEAR READERS: The update on Friday the 20th regarding Buttercup comes from the Dallas Dogrrr Facebook Page -- Buttercup died during emergency surgery -- many tumors and pyometra (uterine infection). What follows is our early appeal for help in saving an abandoned dog.]
How in the world this stuff can happen is beyond me. But sometimes animals need help their humans appear unable to give.
So, there the note from 4-Legged Helpers. It begins very spot-on: “EMERGENCY - IMMEDIATE RESCUE/ MEDICAL HELP NEEDED/ ... The Lancaster and Hutchins ACOs just contacted us begging for a rescue that can take an emergency medical. Someone just found this little dog laying on the side of Bonnie View in Lancaster (Lancaster is just south of I-20 and west of I-45 …
“We are naming her Buttercup.  She has two fluid-filled areas - stomach and hip.  She is on stray hold but they are willing to release her immediately on an emergency medical release.  PLEASE, SHE NEEDS HELP TODAY.”
 I’m hoping that by the time you are reading this, Buttercup has been helped. The contacts are Laura Macias at 214-949-2726 or Leighann Hayden at 214-906-7680 — call or text both. Email [email protected]. The Lancaster shelter is open until 4 p.m. but has staffing until 5 p.m. It’s at 690 E. Main in Lancaster.
MEANWHILE, IN SCURRY
THERE IS THIS CAT SITUATION…
Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake forwarded this appeal on behalf of Nancy Watts in Scurry, Texas, about 45 miles southeast of Dallas. In a time of tough challenges, Nancy is trying to help a bunch of feral cats. “A bunch” is more than a couple of dozen fertile ferals.
 Sydney writes, “She desperately needs help trapping these cats, transporting them to us (the Friends’ clinic in Gun Barrel City) on Tuesday mornings, returning them in the afternoon. We have traps for this — just need someone to do it.” 
Nancy also needs to find some food for all these cats. Donations are appreciated as autumn begins to look more like winter while retaining its “Kitten Season symptoms.”
To volunteer to help Nancy, email [email protected] or call 903-498-0947.

SAILOR, THE HANDSOME CAT,
FINDS A HOME AND FAMILY
You may recall animal fan Mary Sullivan’s appeal around a month ago — she was trying to help this handsome cat Sailor find a new home after his human died suddenly. The family couldn’t keep him. And the guy charmed everyone he met. Mary wrote that the 7- or 8-year-old “wonderful boy” is “extremely affectionate and sweet with a motor that just won’t quit.”
 We checked with Mary for an update and she reports happily that “Sailor has found a home!  A nice couple with two other older kitties.  We’re optimistic that everyone will get along, and the couple is extremely chill about it – they love Sailor and don’t foresee a situation that they can’t handle and that would result in him coming back to us.  We actually had several wonderful potential adopters.” 
[LARRY ASIDE: Yep, people were lining up to adopt Sailor. May that be the case for every other homeless cat from now until there’s a feline birth control pill that is as effective as a catnip-flavored treat.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
CRICKET, ACTING AND LIGHTS
You fans of the great global sport have no doubt seen the news that the Grand Prairie minor league baseball park formerly occupied by the city’s AirHogs is about to become a major league cricket pitch. I spotted this quote in an AirHogs story on the baseball website ballparkdigest.com “We are disappointed in the loss of the Texas AirHogs, but we are determined to continue expansion in the state of Texas,” said American Association Commissioner Joshua Schaub. “We have a great operator in Cleburne with the Railroaders, and we anticipate announcing future expansion in Texas in 2021.” So no more AirHogs — thank you, virus — but the Railroaders will still play at a field called “The Depot at Cleburne Station.” Additionally, if you go to the website railroaderbaseball.com you’ll learn that the team is going to host “Movie Night at The Ballpark,” showing Field of Dreams on November 21. Baseball — surely 2021 will have games at all levels. If it doesn’t, well, that’s just not cricket. ….
HEALTH IS FORCING MICHAEL J. FOX to retire (again). Parkinson’s, as hopefully everyone reading this already knows. He’s Canadian so here’s how a Canadian outlet covered the story. And here’s how to reach the Michael J. Fox Foundation that funds research into ending Parkinson’s. I thought you might like to see two quotes from the 59-year-old actor who stands 5-4 but photographs like a movie giant. He once said, “When you're a short actor you stand on apple boxes, you walk on a ramp. When you're a short star everybody else walks in a ditch.” That’s a situation quote. Here’s a philosophical quote: “Life is the power that's greater than I can ever comprehend. The way life runs through everything, even the tiniest elements of nature - that makes me humble." ...
SOME CABLE STATION, during the noon hour Wednesday, was showing the 1962 Jimmy Stewart/Maureen O’Hara film Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation. It’s a comedy like comedies aren’t made any more -- not an "*@$%-word" in it. Kind of a period piece (Cold War era with a Khrushchev reference). But there is a link to the 21st century. Mr. Hobbs (Mr. Stewart!) is in the basement of his vacation rental home and pulls the string to turn on the light that is extremely dim. How weak? Hobbs says, “You can’t even call it a light! It’s a dark.” Reminds me of the transition from happily bright incandescent lighting to the 21st century miracle bulbs that give off about as much light as a bright-eyed cow.

And this is where Stevie Ray moved next after jumping off my shoulder to the floor, then back onto the desk. Comfy cat. Darlin’ boy. I found him in a mimosa tree, clinging to a flimsy limb and yowling for help like tiny kittens in trouble will do. He’s grown happier with larger sleeping planks.
—- Offer whatever you’ve got by clicking on ‘comments’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-