Cookie's Cats

 

Cookie Monster was a great big English Golden Retriever. (They breed them with
Newfies to make them big and beefy.) Cookie was 125 pounds of pure love; he adored every person he ever met. He also had a profound love for cats. He couldn't have a cat because his dog brothers were fond of cats in the snack kind of way. I loved him to bits. I usually took him and his dog brothers, Paddington Bear and Noodle, out for a walk on the trail every morning and every afternoon.

Not so long ago, Cookie began having problems walking and it was discovered that he had cancer in both of his knees. His mom and dad, who loved him very much, still wanted him to go on special outings with me even though he could no longer walk with his brothers. So one morning I took
him to the park across from the cliffs where there is this large colony of stray cats. Cookie was very excited because he knew the cats lived there. So we crossed the street and walked over to the bushes and called to them. To Cookie's delight, there were several meows answering us back. So I sat on a rock and Cookie stood next to me as, one by one, several cats came out the the bushes and surrounded us. "Meow, meow meow". Cookie and I both knew what they wanted so I said, "It's good thing I have cat food in my car." So we fed the cats. Cookie was beside himself with excitement; his entire body was trembling.

So then every morning Cookie and I would go visit and feed "our cats", about ten of them. It made him so happy; it made the cats happy, too, because they got yummy canned food with lots of healthy supplements mixed in with it. It wasn't long before Cookie was no longer able to cross the street and walk over to the bushes. So I'd lay a blanket down in the grass under a shady tree right next to my car. The cats would always cross over to say hello and then Cookie would lay down on the blanket and watch me feed the cats. Then we would just snuggle together and watch them eat. Even when he could barely walk and was in pain he still wanted to go see the cats.

Cookie left this world about two months ago. But I am certain that he wants me to continue to feed "our cats". And I feel so close to him when I am with them. So what else can I do? They are Cookie's cats and I cannot leave them.

The Thousand Mile Journey: The Sequel

As many of you know, I was seriously injured in an accident last January, tearing several of the ligaments in my knee. I was in a brace and on crutches for six weeks--- not an easy thing for me. With the support of family and friends, both two-legged and four-legged, I persevered.

While my knee is not completely healed I have discovered that, while there are some things that I am still not able to do, I am able to swim. Last Sunday I completed the Dwight Crum 2.3 mile Pier to Pier Swim and launched the new thousand mile journey. This journey will take place entirely in the water. So yes, it will probably take years. I am swimming a thousand miles as an advocate for the world's oceans and all of the creatures that dwell within our oceans.

There are so many critical issues, it's hard to know where to begin. Since my heart has always been with the whales that will be my starting point. There is currently a brutal slaughter of pilot whales taking place in the Faroe Islands. Hundreds of whales are cruelly slain each year for the purpose of communal food distribution. And yet the Faroese ministry of health has recently declared that whale meat is now unsafe for human consumption due to high levels of mercury, PCBs and other environmental toxins. It's time to retire this tradition. The Sea Shepherd fleet is on hand to try to keep the whales from getting too close to shore. I am now a Whale Warrior for the Sea Shepherd Society. Please visit my donation page.

While giving money is important, I realize that not everyone can afford to do so. In coming months I will be highlighting other things you can do to save our oceans like sending emails, contacting government officials or participating in a local beach clean up day. Our own health and well being are tied to the health of our oceans. Please join me in making a difference.

A number of people have asked me about Run For Congo Women. The atrocities against women in Eastern Congo continue and the issue of conflict minerals is ongoing. Team Canine Congo Run and I will continue to walk for Congolese women. The donation site for this journey continues to be active.

So it looks like busy days ahead. Perhaps some of my dogs would like to start swimming!

The Thousandth Mile

Debbie and I walked 16 miles yesterday. It was such a perfect day for walking. Here we are around Mile 1000. I am so grateful for all of the encouragement and support of so many. For those of you who were waiting for me to get the thousand miles completed before making a donation to Run For Congo Women please feel free to donate now.

I was asked by a reporter today, "Having just walked a thousand miles, do you feel like this is the end of something or the beginning?" I had to smile. It's a great question. And I'm sure you all know the answer: A beginning, of course.

And so the Journey continues...

The Last Lap

My sister, Debbie, and I are starting the final leg of the journey this morning. We have about thirteen miles to go starting from my house and walking to the Pointe Vicente Starbucks and back. We started this journey together back in July and are together again to reach the thousandth milestone. I sincerely hope that we have made a difference for the women of the Congo. It is not too late to donate.

A Critical Time for The Congo

The new U.S. law regarding conflict minerals is keeping attention on the Congo. Check out this article by John Prendergast of Enough! Project. He suggests that now is the time for the U.S.-- namely Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, to orchestrate and secure a long term solution for this war torn region. Let us hope that this critical window of opportunity is not missed.

Check Option

I have had a number of people tell me that they don't like donating online. So here is a solution for all of you who prefer writing checks. Please make your donation payable to Women for Women International and send it to Waggin' Tails, Attn: Carol, 1525 Aviation Blvd. #185., Redondo Beach, CA 90278. Thank you for your generosity!!!

Art Incites Action

I am so grateful to have experienced one of the final performances in Los Angeles of the Pulitzer Prize winning play, RUINED. The artists were astonishing; the story was both provocative and heartbreaking.

In creating this story, both playwright, Lynn Nottage and director, Kate Whoriskey traveled to Uganda and spent ten days with Congolese refugee women, interviewing them and listening to their horrific stories. What they discovered was that all of these women have a powerful desire to share their stories with the world. Whoriskey commented about this fact, "They wanted Peter Jennings and instead they had Lynn and Kate. We know that theater has such a small voice in comparison but we have done what we can to make these stories heard."

But the voice of RUINED is not a whisper but a powerful call to action. The story gives a face and voice to thousands of women who have suffered unspeakable horrors. They have been raped repeatedly, been beaten and tortured, watched as their husbands and children were tortured and murdered. They are not unscathed but what is truly remarkable is that what remains within them is a spark of hope and courage. Please let us continue to fan this spark. Donate today.