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Disneyland Jail

Here I am with my husband, Jody. This was taken at Disneyland in August 2008, and I must say, neither of us has looked better in recent years.  Jody and I have been married for, um, let me see . . . oh yeah, 31 years. We’re both in our fifties now, so I guess it’s safe to say we’re a couple for life.

Jody is the guy behind the curtain for me, the one who is always there, always supportive, always helpful. He doesn’t offer me advice with my writing, which is good since he isn’t a writer. He doesn’t complain that I haven’t landed that million dollar book contract yet. Or that I probably never will. He believes in me and encourages me to keep trying. What more could any spouse ask of his or her better half? Thank you, my dear. I love you.

Although Jody and I have been empty nesters since moving to Fresno in 2002, our two daughters, Carrie and Katie, continue to keep in touch, so I guess we did something right in the parenting department. Both girls can no doubt remember their mother sitting first at a desk and typewriter, later behind a computer screen, spending hour after hour plucking away at the keyboard. Like Jody, they remain a source of inspiration. If they don’t really believe in me, they put on quite an act. My greatest hope is that I live long enough to actually make a living with my writing so they can see I’m not a total washout on the career end. Love you, kids. A whole lot.  And your guys are pretty okay, too.

Katie & Jose

 

Carrie & Michael

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to the human members of my family, I would like to introduce each of my animal companions. To avoid hard feelings, I’m listing them by size, largest first.

The Kook

This handsome fellow is Doctor Kookiehead. He was adopted from the local SPCA in 2003. Boxer owners will instantly understand the Kook part of that name, but for those who have never had the pleasure of living with this breed, they are, for the most part, loving, silly, attention-grabbing nuts. Since this boy has a rather large head, he became Kookiehead. Within a few months, he had become “Doctor Kookiehead.” His medical expertese is amazing. He knows just how to make us laugh and play and feel generally good about life. And he knows just how to cuddle up against my back when it’s tired and sore.  I love you, big guy!

Java

Java is another adopted boxer. Her mommy couldn’t keep her anymore but was determined to find her a good home. One day when Jody and I were out walking with the Kook, a lady pulled up beside us in a van and asked, “Would you guys by any chance like another boxer?” Jody and I were a bit skeptical, but Kook responded with a definate, “But of course we would!” Java isn’t as nutty as Kook, but he seems to think that’s okay.

Pinknose

Next up in the size department is the larger of two brother cats, Pinknose. Pink, as he is known around the house, is our gangster cat.  Back when The Sopranos was airing on HBO, the theme song would bring him running from wherever he was at. He would flop onto the arm of the couch for most of the show, tossing a glance at the TV screen now and then between naps. Pink is large cat, but he’s soft and lazy, prefering to leave the actual gangster duties to his brother, Batman.

Batman

Batman, or Bat for short, was so named for the mask on his face. He is definately more in tune with the modern-day Batman than the earlier Adam West TV era caped crusader. Bat takes his job of Cat Spokesman very seriously. He can meow for hours on end, however long it takes to make food appear in all the cat dishes. Batman would, however, prefer to belong to the canine side of the family. He is mezmorized by the National Geographic channel whenver Dogtown or The Dog Whisperer are on. He also prefers hanging out with the boxers, though he has yet to convince them of the value of his grooming skills.

Taffy

Taffy, the quiet member of the clan, likes to keep her distance from strangers and her adopted brothers, but she is becoming more social as she inches into senior citizen status.  Although she has tried numerous diets over her 12 years, she still hasn’t found that perfect one. She enjoys eating (surprise!), playing with toy mice, scratching rugs, and sleeping on the bed.

Mellow

13-year-old Mellow is the only indoor-outdoor cat of the family. Thankfully she has learned how to be safe; she rarely leaves our yard and keeps away from other outdoor cats. I don’t think she would win anyone’s Favorite Feline of the Family Award, though she does have her sweet side, at least that’s what she tells me. Her interests include bugging me to no literal end.