I was recently on a forum and the question was asked “How did you get your pet’s name?” So I started thinking about names. Lil dog, as I commonly refer to him, name is Jaegermeister. When I tell people his name they usually smile at me with that knowing grin as we all think about the drink. And yes, that was part of it but not the whole reason. My first consideration was that I wanted a good German name for my German breed. Big dog’s name was Max and he was a Weimaraner. So I had a big German dog and a lil German dog.

Translated literally, Jägermeister means “hunt-master,” combining Jäger (hunter) and Meister (master, in the sense of an accomplished professional). If you know the dachshund breed, they are a hunting breed originally trained to hunt badgers. Dachshunds were first bred in the early 1600s in Germany. The goal was to create a fearless, elongated dog that could dig the earth from a badger burrow and fight to the death with the vicious badgers. They can actually dig a foot and a half in one minute with their powerful, spade-like claws and strong feet.

Ok so back to my point of lil dogs name. Even when he was a pup he was an avid hunter. He will search for hours for his “prey” or as we call it “piggy”. When we go out to the field, often only part of him you will see is his tail up in the air as he borrows through the weeds.

The color of his coat is also of similar color as the drink. The reddish brown with the overlaying black coat makes for a nice rich color. Actually when my hair falls over him, our hair is almost the same color (not the black part though).  See the similarity? Yes, I love that dog.

Lil dog is a tough lil fellow. He is a big dog in a little dog body. He is not a yapper but has a strong bark that will have people passing by jump out of their skin (that’s entertainment folks – gosh I need to get out more). His walk is proud with his chest out and his head held high. His determined personality only adds to his likability. I have yet to meet anyone that doesn’t like him or anyone that he doesn’t like.

So there, my reasons for his name and the similarity to the drink (that I somewhat favor – story for another time):

1. German name
2. Master hunter
3. Color
4. Powerful impact
5. Everyone loves Jaeger

One final interesting fact I learned while writing my reasons, it was originally brought back to American from Germany and made popular by Frank Sinatra.

So what about Rosebay? Any guesses? Where did you get your pet’s name? Or better yet, if you are using a name on your blog, where did it come from?

BTW- Rosebay is another name for Oleander which is a very popular plant here in Florida with pretty blooms and is also very poisonous. I thought it fit.

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the  questions. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

The Challenge: Make a difference in someone's life today.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar... and the coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes!”

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your God, family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

“Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.
The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked that. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

I have been busy with the golfballs, pebbles and sand in my life. But I want to share a cup of coffee with everyone. See ya soon.

It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The creeks and streams were long gone back into the earth. It was a dry season that would bankrupt several farmers before it was through.

Every day, my husband and his brothers would go about the arduous process of trying to get water to the fields. Lately this process had involved taking a truck to the local water rendering plant and filling it up with water. But severe rationing had cut everyone off. If we didn’t see some rain soon...we would lose everything. It was on this day that I learned the true lesson of sharing and witnessed the only miracle I have seen with my own eyes. I was in the kitchen making lunch for my husband and his brothers when I saw my Six-year-old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. He wasn't walking with the usual carefree abandon of a youth but with a serious purpose. I could only see his back. He was obviously walking with a great effort ... trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house. I went back to making sandwiches; thinking that whatever task he had been doing was completed. Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful stride toward the woods. This activity went on for an hour: walking carefully to the woods, running back to the house.

Finally I couldn't take it any longer and I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey (being very careful not to be seen...as he was obviously doing important work and didn't need his Mommy checking up on him). He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked, being very careful not to spill the water he held in them ... maybe two or three tablespoons were held in his tiny hands. I sneaked close as he went into the woods. Branches and thorns slapped his little face, but he did not try to avoid them. He had a much higher purpose. As I leaned in to spy on him, I saw the most amazing site.

Several large deer loomed in front of him. Billy walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him to get away. A huge buck with elaborate antlers was dangerously close. But the buck did not threaten him... he didn't even move as Billy knelt down. And I saw a tiny fawn lying on the ground; obviously suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion, lift its head with great effort to lap up the water cupped in my beautiful boy's hand. When the water was gone, Billy jumped up to run back to the house and I hid behind a tree.
I followed him back to the house to a spigot to which we had shut off the water. Billy opened it all the way up and a small trickle began to creep out. He knelt there, letting the drip, drip slowly fill up his makeshift "cup," as the sun beat down on his little back. And it came clear to me: The trouble he had gotten into for playing with the hose the week before. The lecture he had received about the importance of not wasting water. The reason he didn't ask me to help him. It took almost twenty minutes for the drops to fill his hands. When he stood up and began the trek back, I was there in front of him.

His little eyes just filled with tears. "I'm not wasting," was all he said. As he began his walk, I joined him...with a small pot of water from the kitchen. I let him tend to the fawn. I stayed away. It was his job. I stood on the edge of the woods watching the most beautiful heart I have ever known working so hard to save another life. As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, other drops...and more drops...and more suddenly joined them. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God, himself, was weeping with pride.

Some will probably say that this was all just a huge coincidence. Those miracles don't really exist. That it was bound to rain sometime. And I can't argue with that... I'm not going to try. All I can say is that the rain that came that day saved our farm...just like the actions of one little boy saved another.

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard,

"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.  Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse  turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse.  I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." 

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected,

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.  In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife.  

The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.

To feed them, the farmer  butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.

So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you,

We are all involved in this journey called life.

We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

REMEMBER:

EACH OF US IS A VITAL

THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY;

OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend

This is in my achieves and had so many hits this week, I thought it was a good time to bring it back. Watch out for traps and don't be a chicken, pig or cow. Remember the mouse. 

I got home late from sis' last night and found this:

What a treasure!!! So with limited time in the morning, I overcame the challenge of getting it into File Den (easy enough) and putting it back into the guest books (not so easy in some Spaces) from those I have received it. The rest of you are gonna get it when I get home tonight. LOL

To ALL my Spacee Friends, you are in my heart.

This came in an email and I just had to share. Thanks to Bruce the Scout Leader for this one. Be sure to go by and say hello. Don't be shy. His Birthday party had elephants, jugglers and clowns  

Quote

YouTube - Christian the Lion - the full story (in HQ)
  

 

Ok this is so sweet! Get out the tissues Friends. Ain't love grand!

 

PS Christian is my son's name too.

Hello All!

Well I almost gave up. So much has happened since I was last here. I've thought of you all often. I really miss my computer (which has been gone for months now) and I especially miss communicating with everyone in our "Spaces" world.

So I did finally get a job. It is in the same industry as my last one. I feel I can make a difference there and still have the opportunity to move up in the company. I took a job as the receptionist (also known as Director of First Impressions) and was immediately put into the call center (which sucks big time- next time you call into your cable or phone company to yell about your service, think of me). Within two weeks I was named as the Case Manager. Now at 60 days in, I am in Trust Oversight department (don't be to impressed, the department never existed before). I can't say I love my job but there is potential there.

I'm still in my apartment and lil dog has adjusted very well.  Since my work hours are long, I have a dog walker, which is great. I never have to worry about him being home alone too long. He has matured into a good dog and I feel lucky to have him with me.

My garden is beautiful, I wish you all could see it. It was a life saver and  kept my mind occupied. When I was unemployed and really going out of my mind it seemed to do my soul good to go out and dig in the dirt. It really paid off and I now have a great view from my living room that makes me happy to come home to. I have neighbors bringing me plants to add to the garden view since it is our common area and everyone gets to enjoy.

I hope that all is well with all of you and thank you for checking up on me and your wonderful comments. I'm watching my sister's kids tonight so I have access to a computer. I should be paying bills but thought I would buzz by here to say hello.

Take care my Spaces friends.

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard,

"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.  Be assured you are in my prayers."

 The mouse  turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse.  I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected,

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.  In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife.  

The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.

To feed them, the farmer  butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.

So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you,

We are all involved in this journey called life.

We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

REMEMBER:

EACH OF US IS A VITAL

THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY;

OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend

So I have returned to the land of the living after a week long illness. I'lll fill you all in on the happenings as soon as I catch up at work.

Today I lost my best friend...

Today I lost the dearest friend that I have had for 51 years.  Tomorrow would have been our anniversary.

 

Jim passed away this afternoon at 3:15 PM at St James Hospital close to Chicago.  My heart is broken.

 

Thank you all for the kind thoughts and prayers you shared with us these past months.  Bless you all.

Poor Beth. Can you even imagine 51 years? Everyone go by and leave a comment of comfort and support. She will need our community now more than ever.

If you feel up to it, light a candle to remember...

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/enter.cfm?l=eng

If you do, please enter "BM" in the group name so Beth Marie can find your light.