Well. How interesting, Tom. Here you are, away from your wife and open to some companionship, and along comes a beautiful golden retriever who would make a wonderful companion. Consider that this is no accident and think hard about taking him into your home. Your cats' noses will be out of joint about it for awhile, but I'll bet they'll all get along just fine.

A large dog showed up at our house years ago. I didn't want to take on the added responsibility of a big dog, along with my children, but reluctantly took him in because Animal Control was going to take him. (And the kids had already named him, so what was I to do )

He was a joy. We lost him to cancer a few years ago. I still miss him and take comfort in the joy he brought into our home.

Just a few points tonight. Tanam my wife brought home a Samoyed back in 1988 when we lived in our house and our kids were young. She didn't even tell me when I got home from work that day - and I believe it was around August as well - and we had three cats then. I feel she had a great life with us and was much loved, and she had our big back yard at that time to run in. She died in '99 partly due to hip displasia which affects large dogs and the impact on her.

Well tonight took a leap. This gal stopped by on her way home from work asked me what I thought and said yes. So we agreed that she would bring her over to stay here for a couple of days starting in a little while. She's being cautious and really it is good. I'm not sure and neither is she and this is a trial thing but have to admit Im apprehensive and excited but feel bad for her tho. I can't imagine the feelings of having to give up a friend. This is just me but I feel I am not going to get much sleep tonight staying up and making sure everyone is calm. Have a couple of Netflix films so. well anyway.

Did talk to Char late this afternoon. Communications there In NC must be overloaded or strained because it took her awhile to get thru. I doubt I am going to be able to do much in terms of resolving this as I was put on hole by Dept. of Aging today for half an hour and I guess due to large number of calls.

By way Marital I didn't mention to Char about dog. I just don't want to do that until and if she becomes part of family.

Thank you all, and I would much rather live in Green Bay WI right now than in NC... *s*

Tom

I think that's a fine idea, Tom.

Your story reminds me of my neighbors. They had gotten a Golden about seven years ago, as a puppy. About five years ago they saw an ad in the paper about another Golden who needed a home. As it happened, the owners of the dog were divorcing. The wife had become wayward after her H went for a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and had sent him a Dear John letter.

Well, 'John' came home to find that she had moved herself and the kids out, lock, stock & barrel. And she considered the dog a possession of her BH's and didn't want it. Poor John had to move into an apartment that didn't take dogs, so he had to give the Golden away.

Enter my neighbors. They answered the ad, picked up the Golden, and I'm happy to report that Toby is living the life of Riley now and bringing joy to my neighbors every day.

well she's here with me now an just now laying out on the patio. I got a leash dog food and her dish now so am prepared for the worst. I'm really just kidding because she is really very gentle. She is honest to god sitting on the patio with her nose in the air - it's evening here - smelling like a fresh carpet and a clean bathroom. That's bacause I powered her with a combination of glade carpet deoderizer and baking soda to prevent any threat of mosquitoe bites and the west nile which is getting harsh here now. It is serious here and no way is she goiing to be a victum of this. Shee just looked at me while I powdered her and I think she feels trust and well she melted me.

You are right marital about the akin to animals which God gave us. Char has always told me you can tell a person by way he/she is around pets.

Tom

I'll say it again, Tom - you're a good man. And a good human. I'm looking forward to hearing what you've named the new addition to your home.

Just a word. Those of you who do have family and loved ones on the coast hope they are safe as well as those who are trying to travel. Couldn't reach Char tonight but I understand, power outage and satelite interference.

I pretty much know she is safe - she's near the coast there -but just wish I could be there with her now.

Tom

Prayers going up for you and Char, Tom. I'm sure she's fine.

Harve tried to get thru to Char last couple of days. Busy signal and is what I assumed with power outage and maybe towers down.

Meantime yea family has expanded. A new dog now and she feels at home. But of course I get her out early and then a couple of times more. She seems so very realaxed and that is good because I am too now. Cats well they are standoffish now. Got her last cerfificate and tag from her previous owner last night then saw her move with a van here, so no recourse now as I really did do it. Marital she was called Rusty. That is name of one of our cats. So new name is Goldie. She's starting to respond now.

Tom

Tom, good for you! Goldie will love her new name and new home! Your cats? They'll get over it I'm very happy to hear about your new addition to the family. You will never regret bringing Goldie into your home! Good job, Tom! You have been blessed with that little girl.

I'm sure Char is fine. I was tracking the storm to see what impact it might have on our posters. But let us know she's okay, Tom!

Hello Marital,

Thank you for your concern first of all. Char is fine, talked with her yesterday and more today. They were hunkered down in the facility and had to rely on their generator when the power went out Sat. Their main concern was the flooding but it didn't reach that point where she is. I admit to being friehtened when I kept getting busy signals when I tried to call over weekend and my son and dau encountered that too. I finally got thru to the local police dept. early Sunday morning and they confirmed that everyone seemed safe.

Goldie, well what can I say. She seems more at home here than the cats do now but they seem to be calming. A few days with hissing and spitting with the cats - typical of females I guess *s* - but seriously now in the evenings they all lay in the living room while I'm watching a movie or TV. I've made a point to get her out several times a day on that path and forest area in back of us for walks and by night she is tired. She is a gem tho! Other morning we saw a herron one of those long-necked birds just standing in the stream. I know Goldie wanted to be let loose she kept looking at me and then just kept staring at the herron and didn't budge. It was a good experience for both of us to be out in nature here.

Tom

That is one well-behaved dog. Most dogs would pull your arm off to get to something like that.

Hi Karma,

She really is well-behaved. Her previous owner didn't have opportunity to have her outside much except for bathroom chores but I do and we've taken some long walks and I sense she thrives on them and realizes it's a forest preserve we are walking in and that all other animals are protected. I think she knows she can look but not touch!

Tonight is awful tho in terms of humidity here and encourageing the mosquito population. Was out talking with a few people earlier and we felt them. I had to take her for a walk so I patted her coat lightly with Off. Then back in I wiped her down some to remove the residue. Maybe stupid but I don't think so - wouldn't be enough there to make her sick but wanting to protect her.

She's fine ..just is looking at me just after I coated the meathloaf I'm baking for tonight with ketsup, brown sugar, and chili powder, and hoping. Marital, she is a love. I did tell Char I did this and she cant's wait to see her. I firmly believe we can't wait to see each other but she dearly loves animals.

Tom

One of the first breakthru's that I had hoped for after over a year and it came from her doing. A face to face meeting with her and her brother. She and I have been talking about her changing POA for the last few weeks and ad infinitum. That happened, her appointing him when she was upset with me not defending her as I should have after the fire almost exactly two years ago.

Tom

Tom, are you saying that Char is agreeing to revoke the POA that she gave to her brother, and give YOU POA instead?

Well first of all I am very happy to see that President Obama recognized that he could not interfere with a Green Bay Packer nationally televised game - especially the opening game of the season with the Saints - and even think of initially scheduling his jobs address to the nation later next Thursday everning to interfere in this! So, I am thankful he rescheduled. Unfortunately, it means that his rescheduling of his address to an earlier time that evening means that most of the nation will be in rush hour traffic driving home from their visits to their unemployment offcies! I am not making light of the plight of the unemployed people - just of Washington DC!

Anyway Marital, yes and at least as of yesterday when I talked to her. She seems to have been thinking of this for awhile and I believe this is her intent. I don't think tho that I have expressed our situation well in that this whole ordeal is complicated with her short-term memory loss and panic attack/paranoia syndrome. No it isn't like she doesn't know who I am or know who our kids are or know I or they called yesterday. It has to do with any kind of changes. Just as an example, when I gave her the telephone number for the Dept. of Aging Ombudsman agency there and advised her what to tell them, when I heard back from her after she called them she said she felt they ignored her and the person diminished her. I don't believe that tho. I feel it was she didn't express herself adn her concern. I asked her to take this on herself in terms of the initial contact because I felt the whole situation would be best coming from her. Another couple of examples are that when I had to get the police there awhile ago to investigate why they were not accepting calls from me or family the officer who followed up with me told me she appeared confused and didn't realize calls were blocked. Also, when I used to bring her back to the nursing home here she would go into panic mode and it was like she rushed around panicky and you could not even talk with her in the present.

I was able to talk with her psychiatrist down there today. She is the one who suggested that Char is prone to panic modes now. She said that Char hasn't fully recovered from her last suicide attempt last spring and that she suspects that she has sufficent brain damage now from overdoses that is permanent and cause these states. I gave her the name of her former dr. here who has seen her for about 30 years. She is going to have Char sign a release form and send it to me to complete and mail to her former dr. here to realease her records to her. Then she will have the info to prescribe some additional exams.

The real problem is that apparently POA is legally more potent than that of a husband (or wife for the matter) when someone is deemed mentally insufficient. Especially down there! Her dr. realizes this and also told me that she isn't 'that impressed' with her brother and sister-in-law, realizes Char's best bet is to be back here. I don't care that much about her funds and obviously it would be a financial hardhip to have here here now again but that I would gladly accept. Within this the POA she gave includes Medical POA and that is hard to fight. I feel her new dr. realizes this and is going to help but as she said it is going to take some time. As far as any meeting now tho that Char wants with her brother, it isn't going to happen. Would be fruitless right now. So according to her, game plan is this 1) me assiting her in getting her past records, 2) her (dr.) comlpeting her evaulation and hearing from me and our kids that she was duped into going down there based on a promise she would live in an assisted care facility at a time that she was vulnerable (last spring after the attempt), 3) getting a statement from her former counselor in the nursing home here as to her condition just before she left, 4) being assureed by Char that she wants to live under care of her immediate family and not extended family, and 5) getting her to a stage where she can vailidly revoke current POA.

Tom