Relationships & Family

Rambler's Return

jbloustein — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:08:26 -0500

Christmas Eve should have been a happy day.

Our house was decorated. Work was done at the small-town church where my wife, Ricki, and I are pastors. Our kids and their families were coming over the next morning. And best of all, Blake, my grandson, was coming with them.

Blake had just finished basic training in the Navy. We hadn’t found out till the last minute whether he’d be home for the holidays. It would be such a relief to see him.

Our Year with Penny

jbloustein — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:15:40 -0500

The day I met Penny my life was pretty much falling apart.

My husband had just told me he wanted to leave. We were in the middle of a remodel, and our house literally was falling apart. I had a job at a costume store in a city south of Los Angeles. But I felt farther than ever from my dream of being a Hollywood costume designer.

How was I even going to make my house payment?

Our Golden Girl

jbloustein — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:51:01 -0500

I write books for a living, but it took a dog to teach me what living was all about.

In the end she taught me about dying too, and how to let go of something you couldn’t imagine going on without.

Her name was Trixie and my wife, Gerda, and I would never be the same after she came into our lives.

Trixie was an inspiration. She restored our sense of wonder. She made us laugh and at times made us weep in anguish.

The Dog Next Door

admin — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:32:55 -0600

When I was about 13 years old back home in Indiana, Pennsylvania, I had a dog named Bounce.

He was just a street dog of indeterminate parentage who had followed me home from school one day. Kind of Airdale-ish, but of an orange color, Bounce became my close companion. He'd frolic alongside me when I'd go into the woods to hunt arrowheads and snore at my feet when I'd build a model airplane. I loved that dog.

Cattle Dog to Receive Special Award for Administering CPR on Owner

batch — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:05:29 -0500

One dog went above and beyond the call of duty after she witnessed her owner collapse at work.

Jim Touzeau was in his glass factory in Tinana, Australia, when he suffered a heart attack and collapsed on the floor. Upon seeing this, his cattle dog Teka ran over to him and began to jump up and down on his chest with her two front paws.

She also reportedly barked in his face, which caused Touzeau to wake up.

The Cat Who Came Back

jbloustein — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:17:23 -0500

We didn’t need another cat.

When a friend dropped by with a tiny white kitten in search of a home, we determined to be adamant. No more cats.

This one looked around calmly, not at all intimidated by the two cats (one vastly pregnant) glaring at her from their separate corners. Then she yawned, climbed up onto my husband’s lap and into the pouch of his hooded sweatshirt, and fell fast asleep.

It was love at first sight.

A Loss Like No Other

jbloustein — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:47:58 -0500

They’re always up for cuddling and a tummy rub when we’ve had a long day.

They offer unconditional love, helping us through job loss, illness, divorce and the deaths of friends and family members. They don’t judge or offer advice; they’re always there for us.

When an animal companion dies and that unique bond is severed, our grief can often be profound, deeper than we’ve felt before.

The Cross at Ground Zero

admin — Sun, 01 Sep 2002 11:27:00 -0500

I'm an excavation laborer, and a member of Union Local 731. Pick-and-shovel work is my trade. I live in New Jersey, but I'm a New York City native, Brooklyn born and bred. After the Towers collapsed, my city was hurting. When I heard they needed guys like me for search-and-rescue work at Ground Zero, I couldn't get there fast enough.

Saying Goodbye to a Pet at Home

batch — Thu, 28 May 2009 04:05:11 -0500

Saying goodbye to a cherished pet with a serious illness is never easy, but some animal lovers are finding that hiring a veterinarian to administer euthanasia in their home helps them through the grieving process.

An article in USA Today describes a growing trend of vets who provide this service in families' homes.

All Mine

admin — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:18:45 -0500

"Marion, why don't you get another cat?" a friend suggested one day last spring. "You loved Minnie."

"That's exactly why I don't want another one now," I said. "That cat broke my heart. I'm not ready to go through something like that again."