Going through receipts and trying to get organized this week, I found there was no more room in the file cabinet.  Something had to go.  Over the 45-year marriage we’ve taken a lot of pictures and many of those in the first 35 years were film.  That meant we have a lot of negatives.  And we’ve kept them all. I pulled out several envelopes stuffed in the file cabinet with pictures and negatives – many of which were not needed.  Some from a time I took a photography class and others of the kids when they were young.  The stuff from the photography class had to go.  One more thing cleared out this week, I mean, who saves their negatives in a file cabinet? I felt I needed to report in about my progress. But, I had a better story to tell you than just my clearing out negatives this week. There were also positive in my life and those of others.

My children grew up in a house with animals.  We had cats, dogs, fish, birds and my husband had a small cow-calf operation.  We even had a horse for a while.  They learned to love animals and it became evident this week that that love still blooms. 

  My son found a small dog in the middle of a busy four-lane street that runs through town limping and barely avoiding traffic.  He scooped him up, called animal control, and took him to his vet.  The leg was out of joint and it had no tags, so it needed medical attention and at least a rabies shot.  After the visit to the vet, Animal Control called to say the owner was looking for the dog and gave my son a name and address.  An elderly couple was searching for their equally elderly dog, half blind, half deaf and lost.  My son had just the dog and took him to the couple.  They were elated to be reunited with their long-time companion.  With two dogs at home and several cats, my son really didn’t need another, but he was willing to take the dog in if the owner could not be found.    It was a good ending to a story.

Several years ago, my daughter decided she wanted a therapy dog for her mental health practice.  She picked the most adorable pup in a mixed-breed litter that someone was fostering, and he grew up as she took him to puppy training classes. And he grew, and he grew.  That wonderful dog became a part of a family with two small elderly dogs but never did become a therapy dog.  He never out-grew the puppy side.  He is the size of a Great Dane now and is a loveable pet but would scare many clients with his deep bark and size.  So, he is a pet.  After the small dogs died, she brought home another from an adoption event so the first would not be alone.  The second is a digger, but mild-mannered.  Another addition to a house with two cats, two dogs, and a possible lizard in my grandson’s room (I haven’t seen him in a while, I guess he’s still there).  The house is never without animals. 

I’m sure it is the fault of the children’s parents that they grew up to have such love for animals, but they provide good homes for them.  They are pampered and loved.  It is a good thing they both have big houses.

A positive to go with my negatives. Now, back to my de-cluttering.