The Wednesday Medley is all about Pets...

NATIONAL LOVE YOUR PET DAY

On February 20th, pet lovers everywhere observe National Love Your Pet Day.  This holiday is a day set aside to give extra attention to and pamper your pets.  This is a good day to focus on the special relationship that you have with your pets.

Did you know that most households in the United States have at least one pet?  While there are more cats than dogs in the United States, more households have dogs than cats, but not by much. Pets are not limited to the canine and feline categories.  There are quite a few who prefer the companionship of birds, reptiles, fish or rats.  Whoever your pet companion is, we are sure you will enjoy spending a little extra time with them on National Love Your Pet Day and reap the benefits, as well such as stress relief and lower blood pressure.  So on February 20 (and every day) show your appreciation to your pets!

HOW TO OBSERVE

Bring your pet a special treat, take an extra long walk or give them more attention on National Love Your Pet Day.  Whatever you decide to do, spoil and appreciate your pets!  Use #NationalLoveYourPetDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

Within our research, we were unable to identify the creator of National Love Your Pet Day.

1.  Have you ever had a special pet in your life?  Many!  Will you tell us about it?  I will tell you about Onyx.  Onyx was a Hannakah gift for a co-worker's two children.  When my co-worker got a great promotion and had to move his family to North Carolina, they needed to find a new home for Onyx (2 years old).  Of course, we took him in.  Onyx quickly became the alpha male of our four other cats.  He was calm and well behaved and very smart. I am positive he understood every word I said.  He would always hang on my left shoulder when I picked him up.  He cuddled with me in bed every night. Not with Joe, but with me and none of the others were allowed to get close. I went so far as to call him my soul mate.  It made me think of the witches in Salem who had cats that were "familiars".  That was Onyx.  We had a Hannakah stocking for him at Christmas, hung with the Christmas stockings for the other cats.  After two years, he converted to Christianity (wink) and we bought him a stocking to match the others. We had fun with that!!  Onyx had cancer and died at home. He was 16 years old and has been gone for about three years.

2.  Did you grow up with pets in your home? Yes.  We had a dog named Happy.  What did it teach you?  I'm sure we learned all the usual things about taking responsibility and compassion. Happy was a family dog and I really don't remember being strongly attached to her, but my first cat, Ringo, was a different story for another time.

3.  Do you ever wonder what animals are thinking?  Ha!  Yes!  All the time!

4.  Sometimes a pet gets out and doesn't return for a few days. What do you think happens to them when they go on a walkabout?  Onyx went on a walkabout and was gone for 36 hours. We were sure we lost him. We put his picture on flyers and covered our neighborhood and two surrounding it.  He just came home one night, at midnight.  Joe was up and let him in.  He wasn't sick, wasn't hurt, and seemed like he had been eating. We wondered if someone let him in and fed him... we will never know but I was so happy to have my boy back home!!  I even thought he might have tried to go back to his first home to see Ari and Zoe but their old house was many miles and several busy streets away.

5.  With cats and dogs being the most popular pets, what is the most exotic pet you have personal experience with (didn't have to be yours)?  Birds and hamsters aside... when I was in third grade, one of my friends had a big snake in an aquarium, in her bedroom. I was fascinated and terrified!!  Her dad liked snakes and she did too.  I sometimes wonder if she still does, all these years later.  I don't even remember her name but can see her face, her room, and that snake!!

6.  Please tell us something random about your week so far...  It isn't random because I had an appointment, but I did get cortisone shots in my knees yesterday. They should start feeling better in a day or so!  They also gave me two new braces for my knees. I am happy with them and better yet, my insurance paid for them!  

Joe is scheduled for a catheterization a week from today (the 27th).  It is the first 'test' of four that he needs before they decide on which procedure to use for his heart repair. He has an appointment with the heart surgeon on March 13th to go over all the tests and make a decision. That means the other four tests... blood work, CT scan, and an ultrasound will be done within the next few weeks.  Your prayers are appreciated!!

Thanks for your visit!! If you answer on your blog, please link up below so we can all visit each other!!  

Peace & hugs!  God bless!!

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