Well it’s been a “heck of a day”, and we’re quite overwhelmed by all the attention “Mr. and Mrs. Puppy” are getting. But first I would like to tell you some really good news we have just received.

My father had his “second” surgery today to clear his other carotid (the left one), you may remember that he had surgery for his right one, just before Thanksgiving; everything went well with this latest and “last” surgery too, although we had a “little” scare when he initially had trouble coming out of the anesthesia, although he has now (as of this writing) successfully recovered from that issue, and the doctors are “real happy” with everything they are seeing now.

This one was not near as “critical” as the first one, but as you all know, you still sweat it out, especially at his age (79). Anyway, he is doing great now, and we feel really blessed this Christmas season, for that, as well as many other things.

As for the Puppy/Ice thing; well that didn’t start out to be a “secret” or anything, and as Blog Stalker has already testified to, I was quite loose with statements like “my wife is running around on this stream somewhere”, early on in our Blogstream experience. In fact, I talked “in depth” with Debunkem about my wife operating a kennel and raising Schnauzers, and me being the maintenance man. lol

The reason it became a “secret” was that Pup wanted her own identity because she has always said I was the “writer,” and that she wasn’t that good at writing (ha). In fact, I had to talk her into the blog experience, which wasn’t that hard - because she kept seeing all the fun/enjoyment I was getting from it.

And now, as all of you know, Puppy has her own identity, as well as an offer to appear on television, and tell her “most embarrassing story”. Plus, she was “Miss Runner Up” in two categories - in the contest that Lucy just completed, and I (the writer) - am now being referred to as “Mr. Puppy”. Go figure. Lol

So, all’s well that ends well, and you folks have certainly played a huge part in that good ending, and for that we “thank” everyone of you very much, and appreciate you more than you can ever know.

Puppy and Mr. Puppy

back into space
to where I’ve been
and looking back,
to where I’m going

as if in some kind of madness
old rock and roll tells
my tale; marking the place
from hence I came

and it’s a long rush down
from this window on high
all wrapped in white
my flying escape from the fright

of this way I’ve become
each day of mercy
extending the darkest night
of where I’ve been

and lest one more sun
warms my face again
with its lying promise
my vow is to the night

Had one of those things (colonoscopy) yesterday, which is why I've been a little less active than usual, since it (colonoscopy) actually starts on the day before, in my case, "Sunday", which was spent "with no food" - "just coffee" (black) and "water and laxatives".

----"7 years late"---- getting it done (it's recommended at age 50), so you won't hear any "preaching" from me (about getting one of your own), other than to say that yes it's unpleasant and all that, but the benefits of getting it ---"far" outweigh those of "not doing it".

In my case, no polyps or anything, everything looks good according to Doc.

So, after getting home from Hospital I ended up staying up till midnight - mainly because my computer screwed up again. "Man" - I go out and "bite the bullet" and pull out the ol wallet to get me an "up to date" "rocking" computer - which this one is supposed to be -- and what happens? - I get to talk on the phone to "techs" almost every night - as they try to make it work the way it's supposed to, "Each one of them" declaring victory and telling me it's fixed! Yeah sure.

By the way, all this crap drives my "computer literate wife" - nuts - because (lord help me) she actually understands "computers", and gets somewhat riled (often) with my "constant bitching and cussing of computers". But since I'd had a rough couple of days with the colonoscopy thing she hung in with me. God I love this woman.

Spent three hours last night on the phone with = 1st Tech - whose instructions to me - "literally" made everything worse; at one time I could not even get Yahoo, much less Blogstream. Had to call a Supervisor (got lucky here; found one who felt like doing his job) who was kind enough to get his "best man" on the phone with me, and with this guy's expert help - we got everything back the way it was supposed to be, although "Blogstream" for some reason still sends my "brand new hot rod" computer into spasms - occasionally.

Do any of you guys have trouble in Blogstream sometimes; i.e. "slow moving" - "freezing up" and the like?

Anyway, that's been the last couple of days for me, hope you all are having a good Tuesday and I end this little message with one comment. Like I said above, "I was 7 years late getting my colonoscopy ----- so ----- I can't preach--- but I will say this----------- "don't be like ice - get yours when the time comes". ---It won't be near as unpleasant and bad as you think.

ice

a long time ago as I recall
I was somewhere in time
cruising and living
on my way for fun

the air was cold
though I was warm
a party a brewing
this night

shifting gears
weaving through traffic
in my element
time on my side

in my mirror
I did see
ice looking back
a smiling at me

tis a “moment”
I asked?
a time in place
for a memory?

a certain nod
of the head
memory recorded
time to party

since then
this memory
I’ve often recalled
while cruising and living

rain falls gently outside
as she lays in the bed
studying the ceiling
watching the spider

as he weaves his solitary web
so devious and complex
how patient he is
and tenuous it must be

to weave so silently
while all around
danger lurks
and time is so short

she hears the sighs
and her mind wanders
to kitchen matches
in the drawer

laying amongst
silverware from the past
and a single speck
of bread

a time to leave
behind
matches and silverware
tis time to go