What can you say when you lose a companion that’s been by your side for 12-years? That every time you think about the first time you met, your heart still skips a beat. Shelby is gone. It’s been a week - Saturday April 4th - yet I’m still unable to put in words the depth of the loss I feel. His was a peaceful passing. The vet – Dr. Keefe - was wonderful. He put a blanket on the lawn outside his office. We - me, Carol Powell, Dr. Keefe and the vet tech - sat on the blanket around Shelby to say our final good-byes. When I was ready Dr. Keefe administered the sedative and then the lethal dose. My waggy-tail little boy went peacefully. I didn't want him to suffer. He looked at me earlier that morning; his eyes told me he was ready.

Shelby was diagnosed with lymphoma located in his stomach on Saturday October 11, 2008. He survived almost six months to the day. I immediately started him on chemotherapy. The purpose of canine chemo treatments is to preserve their quality of life – not necessarily to cure it. Shelby was going through the treatments with flying colors until Friday two weeks ago when he stopped eating. Then last Thursday he stopped walking. The vet believes the cancer metastasized to his bones.

Thank God I have Rudy. Without him, I would be a basket case. Rudy’s not a love-sponge – a momma’s boy like Shelby. But I can tell he misses his older brother. He seems to stay close all the time.

In 2002 I wrote a short piece that appeared in the Burlington County Times about the first time I met Shelby. Here’s an excerpt:
“…I was a pathetic soul that summer of 1997. In June of that year, my beloved bearded collie-mix, Sancho, died from cancer. For weeks I made weekend trips to the Lawrenceville Pets Mart just to smell dog smells, to see other dog lovers, and to show pictures of Sancho to anyone who appeared remotely interested…On one of my many Pets Mart visits that summer, I was told there were volunteers from a golden-retriever rescue in the store…I talked for two hours to the ladies and their dogs from the Delaware Golden Retriever Rescue. I decided I would adopt a golden…The application process was thorough…I will never forget when I got the call in September. There was a match with a 14-month-old blond golden male named Shelby. I was told I would be his third owner. Of course, I was concerned. I thought, ‘Why has this dog been rejected twice?’ I arranged to visit the foster home to meet Shelby. The plan was to stay for a few hours to make a determination whether he was right for me. I will never forget when I walked up to the screen door, peered through and saw at the top of the steps the cutest golden. I remember thinking, “Oh Lord! I hope that’s my Shelby!’ And it was. He ran down the steps, and when the door was opened, he greeted me with lots of puppy kisses…Two years after getting Shelby, I adopted another golden, this time a 15-month-old reddish-brown male I renamed Rudy…I often look at Shelby and Rudy wondering how people could give them up. But I am grateful they did.”

And despite the heartache from my loss, I’m blessed I had Shelby in my life.
“Death ends a life, not a relationship.”

* Shelby's birth date is unknown so we celebrated our birthdays together - I know he is a Gemini!


One of the last pictures taken of Shelby and me on April 4th




Nov '08 - Shelby resting in one of his favorite spots, the kitchen



Fall'08 - Shelby enjoying one of his many bones in his backyard

It's been awhile. Barack Obama is now the president; Michelle our first lady.  Wow!  I never thunk it.  I'm so disgusted with the way that the media are covering these first days of the Obama administration.  He's been in office slightly over two months.  Is he supposed to solve all our problems with a flick of a wand?  Ridiculous.  I'm going to make a concerted effort to post regularly. 

Can't do much now though.  Watching the NCAA.  What about that Gonzaga game yesterday!!!!  Villianova/Duke should be a good game on Thursday.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Now that my grades are in I plan to catch up on things like getting back to my blogging.  I found this process cathartic during the election.  We have a tough road ahead to get this country back on track so I'll have much to say.  Meanwhile, as we all look forward to the the inauguration just a few weeks from now, here's a wonderful multimedia retrospective of the 2008 election by the New York Times.

www.nytimes.com/packages/html/politics/2008-election-overview/?ref=multimedia

I think this is funny....

http://ldsrr91.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/baracks-house-ii/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHWByjoQrR8

Wednesday, November 05, 2008. 730 front pages from 66 countries.

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/default_archive.asp?fpArchive=110508

On my way to work yesterday got a call from Denise Clay in Temple Communications asking if I wanted to do an interview with 6ABC-WPVI on Michelle Obama. I jumped at the chance. I have admired the Obama relationship from afar so here was my chance to talk about it.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/politics&id=6493001

I was voter number 600 at my polling location at 6p. I was told about 75% of the registered voters in my district had voted.

Check out this website before going to the polls. Help keep the voting process honest by videotaping any election problems.
http://www.videothevote.org/

There is reason to be concerned about voter fraud and voter intimidation. Here's an interesting segment from Bill Moyers Journal about voting issues. Our system needs serious reform.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHCivnVWOh4

My 82 year old aunt voting for "the black man running for president."

For the most part I use this blog to express my feelings about politics - particularly this presidential campaign. However, Saturday October 11th I spent eight hours at the Langhorne Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center. Shelby had to get an ultrasound of his abdomen because he's been vomiting for about three weeks. They saw two masses which they say are cancer. I don't know what kind but will find out in a day or two. I can't speak about this, so I'm writing.

My Shelby at the vet on Saturday

The registration deadlines:
PA - Monday October 6
DE - Saturday October 11
NJ - Tuesday October 14

Here's a pic of one of several voter registration sign-up locations on Temple's Main campus.

I have been looking for this. Thanks to Cheryl Mack for sending!

I just posted information to my class blog http://community.livejournal.com/gen_aloud/ about the Bradley Effect. The students said they had not heard of this phenomenon. In light of this presidential election and the role that race will play in who gets elected, we need to do a better job in preparing the next generation of journalists. They must have the history to be able to put events into context. I was surprised that no one knew about this - especially since so many pundits have made reference to it. Here is an article and blog I posted:

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?pid=268328

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/06/the_race_issue.html

Harold Ford's senate race in Tennessee is one of the elections that may have been affected by the Bradley Effect. I'm sure the GOP's "Call Me" ad added fuel to the fire.

The media darling - dare I say celebrity - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is getting a bye by the news media. The McCain campaign won't let her do one-on-one interviews. And why not? Where's the criticism? In her article today, Washington Post's Anne E. Kornblut says..."She was the only member of the major parties' presidential tickets not to appear on a network talk show yesterday. Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, said on 'Fox News Sunday' that she would not put herself before a "cycle of piranhas called the news media" until reporters started to treat her "with some level of respect and deference." RESPECT AND DEFERENCE?!?!!!!! We're now hearing Palin will do an ABC News interview this week with Charlie Gibson. Let's see.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/07/AR2008090702402.html

Had to send a message to MSNBC's Morning Joe today:
Thank you Andrea Mitchell for your follow-up question about earmarks with Rick Davis this morning - 9/8/08. He didn't answer Mika's original question on the topic. Also, Davis is quoted in today's Washington Post saying Palin hasn't done interviews because she would not put herself before a "cycle of piranhas called the news media" until reporters started to treat her "with some level of respect and deference." Respect and deference? Where your outrage? Where's the "red meat" from the McCain campaign? For the most part,you guys are walking on egg shells. Don't let ANY campaign get away with not answering your questions. I'm tired of talking points.

Went to Camp Obama today. It's a two day workshop on political community organizing the Obama way. Couldn't go yesterday 'cause I went to Temple to see the play, In Conflict, based on the book by journalist Yvonne Latty. It's comprised of first person narratives of the tragedy and triumph experienced by young men and women who served in Iraq. Excellent..and it's going off-Broadway in a few weeks. Back to camp....it was exhilarating. I worked on Harold Washington's campaign back in the 1980's but since I've been a journalist I've stayed away from such activism. But the stakes are so high, I MUST put action where my mouth is...at least by working in NJ. I've NEVER displayed a lawn sign until today.

With Hurricane Gustav about to hit the Gulf Coast this week - and therefore putting attendance and the program at the Republican Convention in jeopardy - I couldn't help but remember the man who who posted a message on the Focus on the Family website asking people to pray for rain during Barack Obama's DNC speech last Thursday. You'll recall the weather in Denver the evening of August 28th was perfect!