Everybody always needs a friend!
(With many thanks to dear neighbour Dordie who passed these on to me to share with you all.)
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Have a great week.
Year: 2017
Stupendous!
From the sublime to the amazing!
First, the sublime.
As in this stunning picture from the latest Cloud Appreciation Society newsletter.
“Though outwardly a gloomy shroud,
The inner half of every cloud
Is bright and shining:
I therefore turn my clouds about,
And always wear them inside out
To show the lining.”
[From ‘The Wisdom of Folly’ by Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler in Verses, Wise or Otherwise (1895)]
Then to the amazing!
It’s hard to comprehend the sheer size of objects in space, but take 2 minutes and give it a try!
This video is from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) comparing the sizes of Earth, our sun and stars.
Max, our dark Prince
Another crossing of the Rainbow Bridge
Yesterday, in came an email that brought a tear to my eye:
Dear Paul,
I came across your blog this morning and saw the post on ‘We shall not forget them’ to pay tribute to our fur babies.
My black Labrador, Max, crossed the Rainbow Bridge on November 28th. He’s on my mind all the time and I have constantly been trying to do little things that make me feel his presence.
I was hoping I could pay a tribute to him on your blog. Please find a small poem and a portrait of him that I had penned down earlier. This is the original picture I sketched of him.
The email came from Samyuktha Sridhar and it is a wonderful honour and privelege to offer Sam’s tribute to Max.
ooOOoo
Max, our dark Prince
by Samyuktha Sridhar
Max, our handsome black labrador who was eleven and a half years old crossed to the other side of the Rainbow Bridge on 28 November, 2016. We miss him like crazy and it hasn’t yet fully sunk in.
There is no way we can make the pain go away, but we need to move on and learn to live with the beautiful memories. Every person has a different way of dealing with loss and sadness. I like to put my thoughts on paper. It helps me get things out of my system.
So here’s what I did..
If memories could bring us closer, if tears could bridge the gap
I’d cross the oceans to see you, in warm wet hugs we’d wrap
I opened my eyes to reality, to warm wet tears instead
The pain in my heart was real, as the voices in my head
Echoed, “No teary goodbyes were exchanged, no words of farewell spoken,
Would it have made it easier, if we had that chance?” I’m torn!
If I knew t’was the last time, that you’d look into my eyes
I’d have cradled your head upon my lap, stayed by you as you lay.
Were you in pain that fateful night, when the big brown clock struck three?
Sadly I’ll never know, would I? If you’d reached out to me.
With every breath you took you filled, my heart with so much love
You took a piece of my heart with you, the piece that belonged to you.
ooOOoo
Again and again we are reminded of what our dogs mean to us. So beautifully expressed by Sam.
Please, if you want to offer a tribute to your dearly departed dog do share it on these pages.
Yet another recall
This time concerning Against the Grain Pet Foods
Against the Grain Dog Food Recall of February 2017
February 14, 2017 — Against the Grain Pet Food is voluntarily recalling one lot of Against the Grain Pulled Beef with Gravy Dinner for Dogs because it may be contaminated with pentobarbital.
What’s Recalled?
- Against the Grain Pulled Beef with Gravy Dinner for Dogs
- 12 ounce can
- Lot Number: 2415E01ATB12
- UPC Code (second half): 80001
- Expiration Date: December 2019
About Pentobarbital
Oral exposure to pentobarbital can cause side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, nausea nystagmus (eyes moving back and forth in a jerky manner), inability to stand and coma.
To date, no complaints have been reported to Against the Grain for this single lot number nor any of Against the Grain’s pet foods.
Where Was It Distributed?
The recalled product was distributed (in 2015) to independent pet retail stores in the following states:
- Maryland
- Washington
The company has verified that the affected lot is no longer on any store shelves.
What to Do?
Consumers may return any can with the relevant lot number to their place of purchase and receive a full case of Against the Grain food for the inconvenience.
Customers with questions may contact the company at 800-288-6796 between 11 AM and 4 PM Central Time, Monday through Friday.
U.S. citizens can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.
Or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.
Canadians can report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.
Get Dog Food Recall Alerts by Email
Get free dog food recall alerts sent to you by email. Subscribe to The Dog Food Advisor’s emergency recall notification system.
ooOOoo
As ever, do share this important alert.
Having a head for heights!
Sorry, folks but still a few days away from being back to normal service.
We awoke yesterday morning with Casey sufficiently unwell that Jim Goodbrod recommended taking him to Southern Oregon Veterinary Services (SOVC) down in Medford. There SOVC said that it does look as though Casey has a failure in one of the spinal discs in his neck. First, we have been advised to up the pain medicine before embarking on an MRI and then, possibly, surgery.
In the middle of all this the tube from my catheter into my drainage bag became blocked, evidenced by pee running down my leg!!
SOVC offered me their very comfortable bathroom where I then unblocked the tube using a syringe and sterile water; luckily all brought with me.
Then it was up to Grants Pass to find a solution to my ‘leaking’ catheter only to find that Southern Oregon Medical Equipment, who we thought were in Grants Pass, had moved a year ago from Grants Pass to …… guess?? ……. yes: Medford!
Plus it was raining for most of the day!
Yes, it was one of those days!!
One of those days where one needs a head for the heights that life can throw at one.
No better demonstrated by the following video sent to me by my loving son: Alex!
So will just close by saying that until my catheter is taken out next Tuesday (fingers crossed) I may be ‘distracted’ from Learning from Dogs at times!
Blue Buffalo Dog Food
Yet another dog food recall alert!
February 13, 2017 — Blue Buffalo Company has issued a voluntary recall for specific lots of Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Healthy Weight due to possible aluminum metal contamination.
What’s Recalled?
The recalled product includes:
- Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Healthy Weight, Chicken Dinner with Garden Vegetables
- 12.5 ounce can
- UPC: 8-40243-10017-0
- Codes: Best By 08/03/2019
The “Best By” date is on the bottom of the can.
No other Blue Buffalo products are involved. The company has not received any reports of illness or injury as a result of the problems giving rise to this recall.
What to Do?
Customers are invited to return the impacted product to your local retailer for a full refund. For additional information, call 866-800-2917.
U.S. citizens can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.
Or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.
Canadians can report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.
Learning from Dogs 