So what kind of "nuts" are you all chewing on?

Anybody know when it'll be back up?

On June 3rd, 2006, I posted the first Woo Tales that told the story of our family's much-loved Alaskan Malamute, Missy, who'd died the previous month.  For those who have been following those occasional tales, you may have caught the recent diary concerning our placement of Mumsie into a nursing home for full-time, long-term care.  She had become a bit too frail, and both the doctor and her adult daycare providers had suggested we move her to a nursing home for full-time, professional care sooner rather than later.

It's been an adjustment, but we're all managing well.

Mumsie still enjoys talking about Missy, who she recalls has passed away and was a much-loved dog more quickly than the time it takes for her to recognize Wifey or I.  In light of that special bond they shared, and apparently still continue to share, I thought I'd put together this piece for those who have been following our progress.

I've been busy at work (and will probably stay busy for a while yet) but over the weekend I saw something fairly inspirational: a bullock's oriole, a brightly colored but fairly small bird, entered a colony of much larger black-crowned night herons, and harassed and harassed and nipped a heron, and ultimately, the heron flew away.

A male Bullock's oriole, resting for a moment between attacks on a heron

"Mumsie" -- my mother-in-law -- was admitted to a nursing home with a special Alzheimers/dementia wing today.  She'd been getting more physically frail of late, so Wifey and I thought it was the best move for her. An opening came up unexpectedly soon (about four and half months earlier than we thought) at one of the homes we'd checked out and liked, so we started the process that culminated today.

Below are my reflections on this momentous change; I thought I'd share them, for anyone who may have had to make similar decisions or who might yet face this difficult time of life with their own loved ones.

Crossposted on DailyKos.

Marcus Mabry/Newsweek:  The Elephant in the Room   ". . . nearly two out of three Americans (62 percent) believe his recent actions in Iraq show he is "stubborn and unwilling to admit his mistakes," compared to 30 percent who say Bush's actions demonstrate that he is "willing to take political risks to do what's right."

Just shows-ta-go-ya, it's all in the genes.  Cross a throroughbred with a jackass and you get an "ok" horse with big ears and an attitude, that can't reproduce.

Cross breed PNAC w/mules and you get a circle jerk, with everyone concentrating on the same task, at the same time, going through the same motions to achieve short-term results.

S'why we call it "wrong-headed".
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Image @ theage.au, review of Mule.

Image @ NASA.gov