Published in the Rains County Leader on March 29, 2016:
Above all else, Easter is the time when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Beyond that, it is a time of tradition. When I was growing up, Easter was, among other things, a time for new clothes, big family dinners, and pictures. This year involved two out of three, but in a rather non-traditional way. (more…)
Published in the Rains County Leader on March 22, 2016:
It’s been several decades since I’ve shared my home with a cat, and I don’t remember how they reacted when I was sick. However, I’ve owned several dogs, and most of them were very empathetic when I didn’t feel well. I had a cocker spaniel who would lie down with me when I was in bed with a cold, and later, a malamute/husky mix who laid his head in my lap if he thought I was feeling down. Kitty is not nearly as empathetic. (more…)
Published in the Rains County Leader on March 15, 2016:
Kitty has spent most of the week reestablishing her dominance of the Brendle household. Several weeks ago, while we were still house sitting, I mentioned that she was in the metaphorical dog house after using her claws on the passenger door of our Pontiac. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of her mischief. One day when she was particularly bored, she amused herself by clawing the weather stripping on the doorway from the garage into the house and chewing on the corners of a small wooden bench. I later found out that the chewed corners were Spike’s work, Spike being the resident canine, but she left enough of a mark to require drastic measures to prevent more damage. (more…)
Our three week stint of house and pet sitting has come to an end. Spike’s people are back on this side of the equator, and David, Kitty, and I are back home. Our final week was mostly calm, but there was just enough drama to provide material for another column.
Two weeks ago, I wrote about the difficulty we had in tethering Spike one afternoon because a huge truck was spreading “natural fertilizer” on a hay field near the house. Because of Spike’s interest in rolling and nibbling, he wouldn’t come, even when tempted with a slice of bologna and a doggy treat. Only after running after the car for a mile down the road and back was he compliant enough to allow me to hook him up to his daytime spot by the covered patio. (more…)
Published in the Rains County Leader on March 1, 2016:
When I was growing up, I was taught that it isn’t polite to tell people how much you make, how much you paid for something, or who you voted for. Those rules have long since gone the way of a lot of the other customs and traditions of the pre-Sixties world. The one about sharing your candidate preferences is particularly outdated now. In fact, in the past weeks and months, the subject has dominated most polite, and lots of impolite, conversations. One of my favorite people to discuss politics with is my son, Christian Piatt. (more…)
The story of a lonely, innocent girl who gets tangled up in the sex trafficking trade in a small Texas town. It’s about her relationship with Eric, a slick suburban pimp; Jesse, a Christian tattoo artist and motorcycle rider; and Mrs. G, a compassionate but tough attorney and foster parent.
Linda Brendle's Life After Caregiving 