Chapter Twelve in “Decades with the Squad,” by my late father, William Palmer Jervey, Jr. An evident factor in this tragic episode is the emotional burden placed upon the rescuer when you must tend a patient who is somehow close to you. In this instance said burden was quite weighty due to the long-standing and […]
“Dallas”: Guest blog by Laura J. Graham
Blogger’s note: see my post “It wasn’t all cats and dogs” for some backstory on my sister Mary’s pet skunk, whom she named Dallas. I must ask her where she got the inspiration for that name. You’ll notice in the stanzas ahead that it lends itself well to rhyme. To wit: *”Alice” is the collective […]
Genius Fly Trap
“You kill one,” said the old man from his wheelchair, “and ten more will come to the funeral.” This was not a mob boss plotting to get his enemies into a confined space. Rather, it was my dear old Daddy discussing houseflies with his daughter, who was looking for more and better ways to kill […]
A Family of Bobcat Wranglers
This story might be a miniature version of a braided essay, there being at least three major strands to it. First, let us establish what I mean by Bobcat. I refer not to the 30-odd pound wild feline, but instead to the small-by-comparison piece of heavy equipment. Like this guy, which picture I found on […]
It wasn’t all cats and dogs
My friends, I have written at some length about family pets, past and present. But I fear I may have misled you in a fundamental way by discussing only those pets that followed the canine or feline persuasion. During my storied childhood we had pets of all shapes and sizes and attitudes towards life. There […]
Update on my book: feedback requested!
My latest task is to write a 150-word description of my book. Such description must be simple yet engaging, brief yet packed full of tantalizing details. . .here’s my first stab at it, and I would be most grateful for some constructive criticism. . .so here goes. Book Description: Which is funnier, a loaf of […]
The Prince of Wales Pet Predicament
About twenty years ago, my dog Bandit came down with hot spots. I vaguely remembered the term from childhood, when one of our long-haired dogs suffered from the same malady. I thought at the time that it was just a sore that developed when the hair got matted and rubbed the skin. Not so! Watching […]
Guest Blog: the Story of a Cat Called Fanbelt
by Laura J. Graham A beautiful black and white tomcat came to live on our farm in the 1970s. At that time, frequent veterinary emergencies among dogs was the hbc, or hit by car, and among cats, it was being injured by jumping through a moving fan belt, after spending a cold night on a […]
Keep your corners clean and sharp!
Author’s note: I wrote this in November of 2022, when I was heading to a long-term substitute teaching job in Tanana, Alaska. There comes a time in most travel episodes when all the careful planning and organization go out the window, and the traveler is reduced to shoving items in wherever they will fit and […]
Update on my book
Hello, friends and family! My book is now in the hands of a trusted friend-and-man-of-letters, who has promised me some feedback soon. After that, I will have to figure out the cover as well as the final steps in the amazon self-publishing process. I will provide the link as soon as it is available. Also, […]