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NobodyGetsIt, always very sad when you hear or read of a missing pet. I've had this happen to me before and it is very distressing. I still believe though that the joy of having animals outweighs the pain of losing them, whether that's wandering off or just through old age or illness. And I love my cats even though they drive me crazy at times!
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"Chriscat83,"

Ohhh, how cute that your MIL knitted your cats Christmas sweaters but, not so cute that you had to cut them out of the sweaters! Our doxie never liked us putting anything on her. I had bought her a dark green plaid coat to keep her warm on walks - no go!

I'm glad you found your cat - how can you be mad at him when he was "innocently" sleeping under the Christmas tree???

On a sad note - for the first time ever I opened up our mailbox the other night when we were walking our dog and in it was a glossy 5x5 postal card of someone who did a "special mailing" for a fairly large area regarding her cat still missing with two pictures, description and a reward. She wrote some other things and I felt her desperation. I felt bad all the way home. She even said "PLEASE KEEP THIS CARD."

I would love to have found her cat, give it to her and say "Merry Christmas" (I would never take a reward - how sad that people have to be bribed). I've been tempted to text her and ask if her cat was ever found. :(
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My wonderful MIL knitted our cats Christmas sweaters. We put them on and they hated them, sulking and cringeing, but they were too tight to get off again. We had to cut the cats out of them! On a separate note, we wasted several hours yesterday, looking for one of the cats who had gone missing. Turns out he was asleep under the Christmas tree. Grrr....
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😍😂😍
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I have been doing folk dancing on Zoom during the pandemic. When there is a waltz, I dance with my stuffed bear.
The first time I did that, half the people on the screen disappeared and I was confused. They all came back with stuffed animals and one guy had a plastic Godzilla toy.
Somebody just sent my stuffed bear a Christmas card. LOL
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Glad,

Alternate! Wine on Sun, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Beer on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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"gladimhere,"

I'll be reading that article -

Finally, something I enjoy - red wine and cheese is now good for something!
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GardenArtist: You're welcome. Thank you! That's a great idea for kids and elders. Actually I have turned into my mother. My mother loved to give and receive greeting cards. I do as well.

In a non related topic, my mother was a helpmate well into her later years. She was the person who went the extra mile. Two friends in my hometown required help and of course, I was up for the joy of helping them.

What joy you gave to others by sending greeting cards. Yes, I remember Kilban's cats. How great it is how you use rubber stamps. I do recall those. Back in the day, I used sealing wax when corresponding with 10 international pen pals.
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"Shell38314,"

Shadow looks so pretty under the tree on the red tree skirt. That's funny that your kitties used to like sleeping under the Christmas tree too. I know what you mean about missing them doing that because this is the first year our doxie hasn't been under the tree. I don't know if it's because she's now deaf which means she's got some new peculiar behaviors too. It's kind of like when little kids do and say the cutest things and then they grow up. I wonder if for some reason she never got used to living at your mom's house or maybe it's just aging.

Every now and then something small happens and I think to myself, gee this is so nice and I'm reminded how it doesn't take much to get joy out of something simple.

Hey, the Grinch smiled - took him awhile but, in the end - he did!
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Shell: How sweet!
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Wine and cheese and cognition, just in case anyone is interested.

https://nypost.com/2020/12/16/drinking-red-wine-and-eating-cheese-could-reduce-cognitive-decline/

Might have to switch from beer.
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Bah humbug, but not new for me.
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Nobodygetsit
I have seen those tree skirts. They are very pretty. That is so sweet of your doxie.🐶

My kitties use to love sleeping under our Christmas tree, but sense moving in with my mother they don't do it anymore. In fact, they all are acting weird and have been for years now. My avatar is a picture of my cat Shadow under our Christmas tree, but that picture was taken back in 2015. That is the last time she has laid under our tree. In fact, she has came out of our basement for a year. If Shadow is on the 1st floor and hears any noise from the 2nd or 3nd floor she hid tails to the basement. I miss all my kitties under our tree. And yes, the whole Covid thing has made this year harder on me with not being able to live freely. The little tree does makes me happy. Isn't it funny how some of the little things can bring you joy, but I have to be honest, I still feel like a Grinch! A smiling Grinch...if that makes any sense?💚
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"Shell38314,"

Not only do we lose out on so much being caregivers but, especially this year with the pandemic and our ability to do all the things we enjoy doing freely. The other way I guess I look at it, is living in the "present" (no pun intended) while we're able. Who knows what will be a year from now.

I'm glad your SO got you that cute little Christmas tree, lights and all hoping to bring you some good cheer - putting it on your dresser so you can see it while watching TV or being on the forum is perfect!

Now about that snow......even if it didn't melt in transit, where we live it would melt in a couple of minutes!

I have one of those deep hunter green with burgundy and gold trim velvet tree skirts and that's where our little doxie loves to lay - under the Christmas tree!! One year, she took three of her kibbles and placed each one under the tree - I told my husband, she's giving each of us a gift :)
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Bridger,

Awwww! So cute! Hey, I live in New Orleans. We have a guy that walks around the French Quarter with his iguana! There used to be an older woman that owned a duck that followed her everywhere! She died a long time ago.

Well, when I was a kid I got bored watching my hamster just spinning his wheel in his cage.

I took my kite string and made a noose for a collar and tried to walk him. I didn’t want to strangle him so I made it loose.

Anyway, my hamster escaped. My mom freaked because he was missing for three days.

One Sunday morning I heard her screaming just before leaving for church. My hamster was snuggled up in her high heels!

She called out for me to come and get my hamster. I was thrilled to see him. She was relieved too.

She said that she hadn’t slept for three days thinking about him crawling on her when she was sleeping.

Mom wasn’t exactly a fan of my hamsters! I had three of them. Hahaha 🤪
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Need , My son has a pet iguana, Rico. He has several bandanas. He won a pet costume prize at a bar last year. I couldn’t believe he took Rico on a leash to a bar.
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My daughter bought her last dog, her little poodle a darling Christmas sweater! I used to hang a stocking for my dog and fill with toys and treats.

Of course, he had an LSU jersey when she was in college. I bought him a New Orleans Saints jersey.

Now she will have to get a new wardrobe for her Siberian Husky! Actually they have a double coat!

I will have to ask her if she plans on getting doggie attire for him. I am thinking of sewing some bandannas for him. I think those are cute.

She had to buy new clothes for herself. We don’t need very many winter clothes here in New Orleans. When she moved to Denver she had to buy snow boots, wool socks and warm clothes, plus the right kind of coat.
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Nobodygetsit
You're right, we do lose so much that we shouldn't lose Christmas as well. My sig-other bought me the cutes little Christmas tree that looks like he dug it up out of the yard. It has burlap around the bottom and it is green with white (looks like it has snow on it) with little white lights. I have it on my dresser in my bedroom. I can have it on while I watch TV or posting on here. ❤💚

Give me your address and I'll send you some snow; however, I can't promise that it won't be melted. LOL ❄ ❄

Early, that is too cute! What a great idea. You put a smile on my face!🎄🐕

Let it snow! ❄ 🏔 🌨 ☃️ ⛄
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"Shell38314,"

The day after Thanksgiving, I decorated the house and it was because it would be the one thing I could make normal for my husband and I. He was so happy. I have mini lighted Christmas trees in different spots, our regular Christmas tree with a lot of ornaments that my mom and I use to make along with a Dachshund ornament in honor of our 13 year old dog, a letter "J" in memory of my dad and others. I'm a candle person, so I have those around, got out the Christmas placemats and have the Christmas music playing softly in the background. I don't do much outside, I have a beautiful wreath on the door that I added battery operated lights to, alternated green and red light bulbs up the walkway to the front door and in the two lights by the garage. Put two artificial Poinsettias underneath the garage lights. I'm glad I did it - everything else has been taken away from us but, I won't let them take our favorite thing away. Last night as a treat after dinner, we had eggnog and chocolate drizzled popcorn. Now if you could just send me some of your snow, it would be perfect!

I'm glad your making your dad's favorite dish - Duck w/orange sauce. That should make things special along with feeling like he's with you!

I bought our doxie her Christmas gift the other day - she'll love it for ten minutes and then be done with it but, it's a tradition and we love to watch her toss it up in the air!
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Shell, We used to wrap our dogs presents and he would open them on Christmas with the rest of the family.
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It is finally snowing here. I have been such a Grinch this year. I read some where on here Cwilly posted "humbug" and I thought "yup that is how I feel this year." I didn't want to put up my tree, nor do the lights outside, however, my SO thought it would put me in the Christmas spirit, but nope! So, I thought the snow will do it, nope! It is pretty and it is feeling a little bit like Christmas, but Cwilly had the right word " humbug!"

But maybe I'll feel different once I have my ducks in the oven. Making Duck and the orange sauce always makes me feel closer to my dad. He use to make it every Christmas. Or maybe I still feel like a Grinch!


Llama, I use to give gifts to my fur babies. Santa Paws!🎅🐾
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Received 'the Christmas letter' from a friend. I might be the only one who reads these, and really appreciate hearing from friends and relies. (relies is an abbreviation for relatives).

Hardly anyone sends Christmas cards, hand written anymore. Hope it is not too late to send mine out.

The thing is, friend has been very busy during Covid safe-at-home orders, states all year she has been staying home. Maybe staying home 5 months out of 12 counts as staying home for her. The rest was travel to really nice places.

Busted. Sorry, something must be wrong with me. I suffer from 'all or nothing' thinking.
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Royal Caribbean just sold two of their cruise ships.

I can’t help but wonder how many businesses will be impacted by COVID.

It’s very sad.
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Llamalover, what a great idea to give cards to and from pets!   I think that could be a project for little ones, or for elders.    It would help younger ones think creatively...i.e., what would one cat wish another for Christmas (other than mice!).   

In the past, when someone was injured or ill, I selected a group of cards for various stages of the healing process.   I also used rubber stamps (remember when those were so popular?) and stamped the envelopes for various situations, such as when the person was down, or up and happy, or for hot or cold days.  

E.g., one relative was healing from cardiac surgery during the summer, so some of the cards featured marine mammals.  On the outside of the envelope, I wrote something to the effect of opening the card when one of those hot summer days is slowing everyone down.   I stamped the envelope with rubber stamps of dolphins, chatting to each other about how cool the seas were.  

I got a kick out of that; I don't know if anyone ever really read them or enjoyed them, but I thought it might relieve some tension.

After reading your comment, I'm going to dig out my MomCat stamps  (remember B. Kliban's MomCat?) and send those to relatives with cats.  

Thanks for sharing such a great idea!
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Glad,

Add some fruit and crackers and it’s a complete meal!
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Add crackers to that, and gerd is treated too!
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This just in.,....

Wine and cheese may help prevent Alzheimer's Disease.
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Need: I always gave cards from my cats. I also gave cards and gifts to DD's cats and doggies.
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I think I may have a DNR as part of my will, but not totally sure. I must check it, but the last 5 months for me has been completely nuts! Now teeth issues are ratcheting up. Ugh. Give me a break God. Thank you. Amen.
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Polarbear,

This last year has absolutely made me think about my mortality!

Before I had surgery a couple months ago I filled out an advanced directive.

It was very uncomfortable, but for all the reasons you stated, very worthwhile!! I feel good for having done it!

I think so many of us that have become caregivers have learned from our older LOs who weren't prepared.

Like you, I don't want to be a burden to my LOs.

I went online to my state government website and found forms specific to my state.
My state only requires 2 witnesses signatures. No notary.
It varies by state.
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