Having spent a full third of my life working online, it’s not often that I’m surprised by The Internet anymore. But to say last week surprised me is a massive understatement. I have been in complete awe of the response to my post about Charlie. I’ve received close to three thousand emails, and ten times that in telepathic messages. They’re still coming in, each one so full of love and connection and kindness and care. Some are just a few words, some are several paragraphs with stories and photos of your beloved animal companions. Some make me laugh and some let me cry. I’m still reading through all your messages but know that I am reading each and every one of them. So much good advice, so many kind and loving words. Thank you for showing me how profoundly Charlie has touched your lives.
Along with info on medication and supplements, there have been numerous suggestions for a heated dog bed. Charlie lost his privileges to be around cords a long time ago but I loved the idea of a warmer bed for him. Charlie has always had his own twin mattress on the floor beside my bed (this is because it’s the only bed he can’t drag outside and cover in mud) which is soft and supportive to begin with, but after reading your notes, I made it even cozier. I folded a queen-size feather duvet in half, which happened to be the exact dimensions of the twin mattress, and put that on Charlie’s mattress with a flannel sheet over the top to secure everything. The feathers hold his body heat around him and he looks so cute and cozy and comfortable on his new deluxe bed!
When my mind goes into a pretzel spiral of reconsidering my stance on diagnostics via blood draw or wondering if I should give him an injection of antibiotics or other medication “just in case,” a voice in my head states a simple yet resounding “NO.” I believe this is coming straight from Charlie, and so I have heeded this directive. Charlie’s lack of appetite is worrisome but his spirit is bright and he is singing and modeling with an air of calm confidence that is so palpable, I feel wrapped up in his calm.
A few housekeeping notes because I have not had time to blog: Signed copies of my new book Meditations with Cows will be available from Storyteller Books indefinitely. There was so much demand, the bookstore owner decided to order an extra batch of books which I signed the last time I was there so that she can continue to fulfill orders as they come in. These are not personalized but they are signed and you can get them HERE.
If you’ve already read and enjoyed Meditations with Cows, will you please leave a review on the amazon page? Amazon reviews help the book SO much and you can leave one even if you bought the book somewhere else. It doesn’t have to be a book report – your notes to me (like “Couldn’t put it down” or “A masterpiece!”) make phenomenal reviews. Thank you so much.
And yes, the 2021 Charlie Calendar is in the works – I know it’s usually ready by now but I didn’t want to release it before sharing the news of Charlie’s health in case sensitive souls would find it painful to own if Charlie takes a turn for the worse. Regardless of what the next days/weeks/months hold, I’ve decided to create the calendar in celebration of Charlie’s immortal magnificence, even if only five people want it (I count myself among them).
Thank you again for the love you share, and I will update you again on our beloved boy next week.
