* SAD NEWS ABOUT CHARLIE *

Ron and I had to say goodbye to our beloved Charlie Thursday evening. We knew it was coming sometime soon, but he went downhill quickly...He hadn't eaten in almost 2 days, but drank water pretty much like normal, went outside always for potty, and was getting up and down the steps okay. But Thursday he began to really look confused and wasn't walking good and the last time he drank any water, he immediately threw it up...just the water.

(He had blood tests about 3 weeks ago and had very serious problems that no one was aware of. He had liver problems, thyroid problems, diabetes and a heart murmur! And he never seemed sick or uncomfortable before then.)

We had an appointment for this morning, so we could see our usual vet, but we didn't want Charlie to have to wait that long, so the clinic fit us in and they were all so kind, just like always.

I told Ron I can't go through this again and don't want another fur baby, and I truly believe it this time.

This was Charlie on his 12th birthday, this past February. 

I love this picture! This was earlier this year. Ron was walking with Charlie, and all of a sudden this stray cat decided he not only wanted to follow them home, he wanted to walk right next to Charlie and look at him as his new best friend! (Have you ever seen something like that?!) I think it's so adorable. Our next door neighbor already had a couple of cats, and she happily adopted this little guy, who she named Lucky!

Below are just a few of my favorite Charlie photos. 

~~~~~

And 2 beautiful quotes. 

Friday Night of Halloween Weekend

Playlist now playing: What Child is This? (aka: Greensleeves.) I love this song, and the harp is so beautiful. Anyone who's known me for a long time, knows that when the first really cold days arrive, I dig out some Christmas music to play! It makes me happy!☺

Welcome to my 2 newest followers: Sierra Godfrey & Traci Harrell! Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy what you read and see!
List of Calls for Submissions & Contests:
Whispering Angels Books is now accepting stories for an upcoming book. Deadline is March 15, 2011.
Wisdom Has a Voice: accepting daughters memories of mothers, or mother figure. Deadline February 1, 2011.
YA Novel Contest: This contest looks really awesome! I know so many of you are writing this genre right now. It's open only from November 1st to November 30th, so get on over there and check it out!
Long Story Short: This is a monthly e-zine. I don't really know that much about it, but wonderful blog friend, Janel of Janel's Jumble recently had a fantastic story published there! Congrats again, Janel!
Blue Mountain Arts: Seventeenth Biannual Poetry Card Contest! Deadline December 31, 2010.Who wouldn't want their writing to be on one of their greeting cards?!
The Animal Anthology Project: Tentative deadline for submissions is December 31, 2010.
Funds For Writers: 9th Annual Essay Contest. The theme is: When Writing Made a Difference. Looks like a great contest, but HURRY. Deadline is October 31, 2010!
Memoir and...: I'm not very familiar with this, but it looks interesting. Next submission period: November 1, 2010 until February 16, 2011.

I think that's about it....for now, anyway. Hey, when I promise a list, I give you A LIST! I told myself I was really going to enter some (one?) of these, before Monday....but, hhmmm, I haven't even thought about any of them yet!

(courtesy: tvguide.com)

Have a wonderful, fun, blissful & safe Halloween weekend. I leave you with this hilarious quote from It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Linus: "You don't believe the story of the Great Pumpkin? I thought little girls always believed everything that was told to them. I thought little girls were innocent and trusting."

Sally Brown: "Welcome to the 20th century!"

** Happy Birthday, Big Brother! **

No...not the TV Show!! Over the past few years, whenever I see my older brother, Mike, I always hug him and say, "Hello, big brudder!" ...In the way that Sally refers to her brother, Charlie Brown!

(photo courtesy: dvdizzy.com)

I looked for quite a while, hoping to find an image or video of Sally saying that to Charlie, but I couldn't fine one. Instead, I found this darling picture of the two of them, most likely walking to school....in my favorite time of the year.....Autumn!

My brother, Mike, is 15 months older than I am. We were born in the early 1950's, back in the days of cloth diapers, washing & sterlizing glass baby bottles, etc. (Good thing our mother had two teenage daughters to help out. We've been told many times, that they didn't mind helping out one bit. They loved and spoiled Mike and me like crazy!)

In honor of Mike's birthday, please click the link below for a little dancing and singing by the Peanuts Gang.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znDRrf7VkCE&feature=related

*I turned off the automatic start on my Play List, so you won't have dueling music when you click the link! *

"Birthdays are good for you.  Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest. " ~Larry Lorenzoni