Old Sally

Rest In Peace Sally 

Our old dear friend Sally left us today to go where all very good and loyal pets go after they have given everything they have to improve our lives.   Is that place Heaven?  I don't know for sure and really do not want to debate with anyone.  I remember years ago when a Catholic school teacher really upset my oldest boy after his cat died.  I had suggested to him that A.J. (the cat) was now in Heaven with Papa Gus (my dad), that thought comforted Kenny and when he shared it at school this particular teacher sent my 9 year old son home in tears with her theory. Not nice..  What does it hurt to believe that your very best friend in the world is in the best place you can think of?  

Sally and her boy a few years ago

I myself am choosing to think that Sally, who let everyone of my grandchildren pull her ears and kiss her nose has now met Olivia in Heaven and that both of them are happier and healthier than we who are left behind here can imagine.

Sally was thirteen years old and has been ours since her and Caleb were both babies.  Crystal brought Sally and her 8 siblings home in a laundry basket, from the pet store she worked at so they wouldn't be turned into the pound.  We worked real hard to find homes for all of them except little Sally the runt.     She was always what we called soft lipped, a very gentle spirit and perfect family dog.  She was Caleb's best friend and always slept in his bed until this last year or so when the jumping became too much for her old bones but she still slept in his room.  These last 3 nights she when was just too weak to make it up the stairs, Caleb slept downstairs with her instead.  He hand fed her left over turkey and helped to carry her outside to go potty.  I am very proud of him.  

Sally will be missed.

Laughing for the camera...  :-)

   

The Holidays and History

Caleb and I are studying ancient history this year and I am finding it, as I do all history, very interesting.  I have recently become especially interested in the origins of  our holidays.   I just did a  study on Halloween, All Hallows Eve (the eve before All Saints Day), Samhain, the Celtic observance of the end of summer, kind of like our Harvest Festivals.  A lot of legends and traditions are mixed into this day to bring us trick or treating, wearing masks and carving Jack-O-Lanterns. Very interesting stuff, some things things that make you say hmmmm but not really an exceptionally evil beginning.

Of course Thanksgiving is a no brainer on its beginnings, all of us have read "Squanto", but how it actually became a national Holiday is interesting;
http://tarrytown.patch.com/articles/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-thanksgiving-but-were-afraid-to-ask-2

Now I have started looking into the origin of Christmas, Wow, Very interesting stuff here, how did I get to be 53 years old believing in so many things that are not true?  No Santa? Really? (haha jk) It seems  that Christmas tradition is really a hodge podge of all sorts of old pagan Druid celebrations that "the Church" tried to get the people to forget by introducing the celebration of the Christ Child's birth  (that was not really even in December!).
I am really a little put off at the thought of being spoon fed these very nice ideals that are untruths made up by some old bishops during the time of the Roman persecution, and I am feeling rather moronic that I have so staunchly defended "keeping Christ in Christmas" when He really is not the "reason for the season", that would be the Roman Saturnalia, a winter festival that marked the winter solstice- the return of the sun-and honored Saturn, the god of sowing. Pretty crazy huh?


Now, no need to worry, I nor any of the family will be wearing togas on Dec. 25th this year and none of this has anything to do with my belief in the Gospel truths surrounding the birth of Christ, the Messiah. Please don't call an exorcist. lol  I am just stating that for me knowing the 'true' history of things is very important.