A Rainbow Bridge Birthday Bash

Today we're having a bit of a birthday bash. And whose birthday is it? It's angels Rosie and Sammy's birthday!

That there is actually a photo of Rosie and me from one of my birthdays years in the past. I believe it was taken 11 years ago, on my 21st birthday. I remember it was taken when I was on a break between two of my college courses on my birthday that year, and so I stopped by home for a snuggle with Rosie. My sweet calico Rosie was never huge on being held, but she still always gave me enough patience to squeeze a hug out of her. I loved my Rosie hugs. I would love to give her a hug for her birthday today.

Now, how about a childhood memory with both of my birthday angels? I shared this same memory last year, but it means a lot to me and so I'll share it again this year.

That there is a photo from the olden days. On the left is Rosie sitting with my sister, and on the right is Sammy sitting with me. I remember Rosie and Sammy keeping my sister and me company so many times as we read, did schoolwork, watched TV, and as we simply grew up. Also, I am indeed wearing an eye patch in the photo above, in case you had or hadn't noticed. That eye patch was thanks to a childhood eye condition. I remember feeling a bit insecure about that eye patch, but I never minded wearing it around Rosie and Sammy, because they never judged.

My angels Rosie and Sammy were born on September 1, 1993. My family adopted them when I was just 4 years old. Sammy only lived to 5 years of age, sadly, due to an undetected heart condition. Rosie, however, lived to the wonderful age of 21.

Though I wish my angels Rosie and Sammy could have lived forever and that they were still here with me, I won't feel sad today. I'll feel happy that these two angels filled my childhood, and my adulthood, with more joy than I can ever begin to express.

Happy birthday, my sweet angels! I love you forever!

In case you were wondering, we do know for a fact that Rosie and Sammy's birthday was September 1. That's not a guess, but an actual known birth date. I always loved that that was their birthday. Autumn is my favorite season, and I start celebrating it on September 1. Rosie and Sammy have always been my autumn angels. I also may or may not like to think of the Halloween season starting somewhere around September 1, so they might as well be my sort of Halloween angels as well. I'm perfectly fine with that.

Now, feel free to join us as we party. Come on inside and have some tasty treats, toss around a toy or two, and even have yourself a healthy dose of catnip.

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Tip of the Day

I apologize to anyone who does not yet wish to unofficially begin autumn. For me, though, September 1st marks the day when I can really start celebrating my favorite season of the year. That's why, starting today, we'll be doing a series of tips on pet safety during the season of autumn.

Since the fall semester of school is starting up for students, that's what our autumnal tip for today relates to. If any students live in your home with your furbabies, be sure that care is taken to keep your kitties or pups safe from any rampant school supplies. Pens, pencils, erasers, glue sticks, tape, scissors, and any and all sorts of school supplies could potentially pose a risk if left where a furbaby can turn them into a toy or snack. Ingested erasers or other supplies, for example, can result in gastrointestinal upset or even perforated or obstructed bowels. Obviously, this is not ideal, and so school supplies should be tucked safely away, out of reach of cats and dogs. Keep this in mind throughout the school year as well. Backpacks, for example, might contain some of the aforementioned potentially dangerous school supplies, or even lunches or snacks that contain hazardous ingredients. Therefore, again, be sure to keep all such school items well out of reach of your furbaby. What do we always say? It's better to be safe than sorry.