My Brother was a Hobo

My brother was a Hobo when Mom and Dad first met him. It was over at Grandma Toots' house and he had been walking around the neighborhood for a few days. Daddy pulled up in his lemon colored caddie and Mac took notice. I don't know if it was the color of the car or the smell of the leather...but Mac sat across the street and watched Daddy putting some oil in the car's engine.
   Mother was there to care for Grandma Toot;s that was before she came here to live for a while. Mom decided right away there was something wrong-- a pretty small dog was not suppose to be wandering. She watched Mac come closer and closer to the car to watch Daddy. So, mom took a few treats and went down to the driveway.
   She looked Mac in the eye and asked him if he was lost. He just stared at her. She told him it was time to come in and get some food and water. She put down the treats like a trail and he followed her in the house munching all the way.
  Grandma Toots lived up a very high hill from the railroad tracks and when Mac got in Grandma's house he started to tell mother all bout his trips around the country on the train. He was a Hobo and he would stay with mommy and be a good inside dog, but he was a Hobo and at any time he would have to get out his stick with the red bandanna attached to it and move on.
   I wasn't born yet, but mommy knew how to care for a lost doggie. She did a search of the Humane Society, the papers and walked him around Grandma Toots' neighborhood with no luck. She thought for sure a family would be missing him and did a poster...but after two weeks she decided he would have to stay with her.
   He was wild...part Westie and part Schnauzer meant his terrier genes were boiling. He dug up her lawn and chewed her flowers, he chewed Daddy's slippers and Mom's fancy purse. He went potty on furniture and barked way to loud at the front door.
   Thank goodness my Mommy knows how to tame Hobo's. Slowly he learned to have an inside voice and not to destroy things. He learned to to fetch a ball and play with his toys. He learned how to walk on a lead without pulling too hard and he learned how to sit nice and quiet to take treats.
   By the time Mommy adopted me; Mac was very new man. His Hobo days were long behind him...but he still showed me his backpack and bandanna stick in the closet. Mac taught me about Hobo stew and how to chase away anything bad from our yard. Mac taught me about how to sit in just the right spot in the sunshine to get warm but not to hot. He also shared how to drop a treat and lose it so mom gave him another treat and then he would find the first one...brilliant.
   Mac and I spent everyday in front of the window by the front door just checking out the other dudes in the neighborhood. Every once in a while Mac would escape the back yard...and he would run like the wind...but Daddy would just get in the old yellow caddie and drive down the street and Mac would come running to go for a ride. He was a cool guy and even though he thought PINK was the color of dirt...he loved me and kept care of me. He was always my big brother...he lived with mom for 15 years and she thought he was about 2 when he had arrived.
   Mac has been sick for quite some time now...today he took his Hobo stick and bandanna from the closet and went over the Rainbow Bridge. He wasn't sad; he said he missed the guys that he used to ride the rails with and he was going to join them on the road again.

   I am still sitting by the front window watching for Mac to return...I think I could see the red bandanna from far off..but I have seen nothing yet. Mommy and Daddy are sad but Mac knows his way around. He will get tired of traveling and come back one day...ready for a ride in Daddy's yellow caddie. 

Sourdough Summer and Stress Reliever

Auntie Bess and how to make her sourdough starter by francy Dickinson

Auntie Bess - Alaska Sourdough Starter

   Auntie Bess was just twenty in 1910 when she decided to leave her Washington State home and travel to Alaska. She was recovering from a personal loss and she wanted adventure. Well she picked the right place to have adventures; Alaska was still a wild and crazy place in those days. When she hit Anchorage, there were no jobs for a “lady” in the small town. So, she signed up to be the cook in a big logging camp!

   From a life of ruffles and privilege, she snapped her fingers and starting wearing pants and flannel shirts. She traveled 2 days by boat and horseback to the logging camp. She was the only cook for dozens of hard working lumberjacks and that meant learning how to use Sourdough. It was a flavor that they liked and it would lighten up biscuits, flapjacks, cobblers and the daily staple of bread. Suddenly she had to be an expert in how to keep men’s tummies full and tempers mild.

   Her stories of her time in the bounty and beauty of Alaska are the stuff that I have filled my mystery book series with the last couple of years. It was fifty years later that I came into my great aunt’s life and she started to share her recipes from “the old days” with me. Sourdough is something that is easy to do and a no brainer.  No matter how busy I am, I often need to break away to just do something trivial. So lately, I remembered sourdough and I started up a batch. Now each weekend I get it “cooking-up” with bubbles and add it to another delight.

   The sourdough starter takes a week to make. You stir it up and the bubbles and smells will bring Alaska or San Francisco memories into your mind. It’s smell is sour/sweet and it’s taste is rib sticking good. I don’t think a lot of people know about sourdough any more. Or maybe they just buy the bread and forget the flavor can come from your own home cooking. It only takes a bit of your time to make the starter and then you can enjoy it’s bounty for the rest of the summer.  Camping, boating or just the porch off your kitchen…the smells and rich tastes will be a treat.

   Sourdough does not have to be just bread. Bread takes a few hours to make and you have to want to learn that process. But you can still enjoy it in small ways in your normal baking…by just adding a dollop of sourdough. It will transform the normal biscuit into heaven for you and your family. You can drop it in biscuits, pancakes or waffles. You can use your recipes from scratch or put it into an easy baking mix (like Bisquick). Simply add a bit of sourdough and give it a few minutes to “cook” -- before you use it as you always do. The results are a wonderful aroma and yummy flavor.

   I will give you the tips to an easy sourdough starter…so you can try it. As you read this take note; I have a very high stress - busy life, I do this type of project to relax my mind and reconnect with my wonderful memories of love and family through food. Even if you are new to baking or cooking…think about trying this process as something to do just for yourself…for fun. No one is grading you…it will add a kick to your usual weekend breakfast. It will take your mind back to our great grandmothers and aunties and how they lived their lives baking the staples of life, every day. We will be doing it for a fun but they did it for necessity.

   You will need something to keep the sourdough in and I use a Tupperware measuring bowl with lid. You can see it in the above picture. Look around, this can be a fun tag sale hunt. You can find a Tupperware or glass container with pouring spout and lid out there or use a smaller crock. You do not want to use anything with metal; it will impair the sourdough starter. So even when you stir it; use a plastic or wooden spoon.

   Once you have your container you need to boil up some potato water. Take three regular potatoes- peel and cut them into cubes. Then put them in about 1quart of water with about 1tsp of salt and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes like you would when making mashed potatoes…but you are going to use the water, not the potatoes. Once the potatoes are done and falling apart…strain them off and keep the liquid. Do not be worried if some potato bits are still in the water…that’s ok they will be “eaten” by the starter.

   Now, in a large mixing bowl add in 1 ¾  cups of all-purpose flour (Yes some use whole wheat or rye flour, but we use regular flour) Follow that with 2 Tbsp of sugar, ½ Tbsp salt and the potato water. Stir using wooden (or plastic) spoon. Do not over stir just get it incorporated, the starter will eat the flour. The starter should look like thick pancake batter, if you have to add more flour do it slowly. Then pour the it into your “starter pot” to ferment.

   Remember it takes 7 days for it to “cook” just sitting out on your counter. You can cover the top with a paper towel or cheese cloth. It has to breathe with the yeast in the air, but you do not want fruit flies enjoying your work so keep it covered lightly. Every day for a week you are going to stir it and let it bubble. It will start to smell sour soon and it’s fun to watch it work. After three days add ¼ cup of flour and ¼ cup of water and stir and let it just bubble on for another few days. By the 7^th day you have a very sour smelling starter ready for you to use…so on this day…do something odd. Stir and incorporate the liquid and solids and then pour out ½ the starter. Now add in 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water and a tsp. of sugar and let it stand once again over night. That is called refreshing the pot. The next morning it will have big bubbles in it and smell so good…now-- it is ready to use.

   Using your favorite recipe or a baking mix (like Bisquick) measure out the dry ingredients and stir the sourdough and measure out  ¼ cup of the starter and then add the liquids. Add the liquids slowly; you might need to use less since the sourdough has softened up the dough. Let the dough stand for about 10 minutes for the sourdough to start to work on the batter. It will have small bubbles in it and it’s ready to use. Now you go ahead and make your biscuits, pancakes or waffles like you have done before. But when you bake or fry them up…they will have a heavenly aroma and wonderful flavor. (If you want a stronger flavor use ½ cup of starter)

Sourdough bread fresh from the oven for Georgie

   Every time you take starter out of the “starter pot” add in equal flour and water with a pinch of sugar back to the pot to replenish the fermentation. You can put it away in the refrigerator until you want to use it again.  Get the starter pot out the night before you use it…or early in the morning and let it come to room temp. Remember when it comes out of the refrigerator you need to pour out a bit and re-stoke the pot with equal parts flour and water and let it sit for a couple hours or overnight to bubble up. (Caution you do not want to cover the starter pot and not let it slightly air…closed tight it will build up and explode with starter all over your counter or fridge)

   It is easier than you think and a big surprise for your family. The smell of sourdough pancakes will get your family up earlier on the weekends. I know you can do it. Auntie Bess was a young woman with no cooking history when she arrived in that lumber camp. She looked at over 100 hungry faces and knew that she would have to “just get to it” and she did- a true Pioneer woman. I think there is still a pioneer inside of you, too. Just get to it. 

Happy Sourdough Summer…francy

  *Francy Dickinson, is the author of The Crescent Island Mystery Series – coming, Summer 2011
  *Member of BookPubMeetUp, a support group for writers- if you’re interested in joining us send a tweet to @MysteryCozy

Missy's Birthday Tea Pawty

"My birthday last year was great but lonely...only Hello Kitty came"

  
   OH boy, mother is going to bake up goodies for my birthday Tea Party and you are invited! I just love parties and I really love tea parties...my Dollie always joins me, too. This year, I want a fun party and you are invited. I really want to share my birthday celebration with all the anipals that have birthdays in May...and...this is important --> all the adopted anipals that don't have a known birthday date.
    Please ask them to adopt my birthday time and come and join me in a birthday celebration each year. I already have a few adopted pups and cool cats that are sharing my birthday. This way...we all have our special day together...for fun.
   This is going to be a party that we all join in together...and drink tea, eat treats...and maybe have a few bacon beers (served in tea cups) just to celebration the day. PAWTY...PAWTY...PAWTY
   Have you joined an anipal pawty before? Well its a kick...you see you just go to www.tweetgrid.com and click on the PARTY BUTTON then you click on the HASHTAG #MayTpawty and then add your own @name and you will then be inside the pawty with us all. You will see two sides...one is your tweets and the mentions that just belong to you. The other is the pawty and all the anipals that have joined it. It is so much fun. You have to have the security on your twitter account off (some anipals protect their tweets) this is turned off so you can SEE and have fun at the party...after you turn it back on again if you want extra safe tweets.

Now...circle this date

#MayTpawty

May 6th, Friday
4-7PM eastern time US...
That means the UK and the Westcoast can all pawty too!

To RSVPjust click this  http://twtvite.com/MayTpawty

The tweet invite site will put your name on the list for the pawty...it makes it more fun to know who is coming...

OK now you have the how to's---the party ---the day ---the time---the RSVP page

All you have to do is be there with us..please come...lets blow the socks off and just enjoy being friends together!

You can bring your dollie to the Tea Pawty but your mother has to stay in the Green Room with all the other mothers...we will have a wine bar and chocolate to keep them busy...but the pawty is just for us anipals...

I am so excited...Oh, by the way...if you want to give gifts...just do me a favor and donate to your fav charity in honor of anipals that need their own forever homes and wonderful twitter friends.

   Please spread the word- I want all anipals to have a birthday time that is fun and special just for them. If you know an adopted pet...bring them along and honor them for their special day each year.

Thanks for all you do for me....I am so excited...by the way...the #Pink Pups (my bestest friends) will be pouring tea and @SnowyWestie will do the security...the pawty will be safe and sound for us all. Missy

PS: I hope to be surrounded by gentleman callers ;O

"Pinkies Up"

Valentine Surprise from francy

It’s a strange road you lead when you are a full time caregiver / spouse. The days seems to fill with things that have nothing to do with you…but are so important that you find there is little time left at the end of the day…to be you. That was how it was going after the holidays. It was time for George to start his treks to his various doctor appointments. Getting the appointments getting George ready for and to the appointments and then the regular daily chores seems to blur the months together.


I found that it was Valentine’s Day. I had planned a lunch out with my sister and her husband so George would feel the change in the daily routine. Before I got up…George had left the bedroom early and gone to the kitchen to prepare his tea and bagel. His routine for breakfast has been set for quite some time. I have been pleased that he wakes each morning to remember the routine. But as the months go by the routine has been changed from a breakfast and tea for us both…down to a toaster bagel and tea just for him. I’m fine with that, the doctor has advised he keep doing small chores and the easy breakfast keeps his mind ticking away. Sometimes he leaves the tea on a forgotten counter, or the bagel in the toaster, but it’s the thought process that counts.

So I was happy when he returned with tea in hand and warm bagel wrapped in a paper towel and said; “Happy Valentines Day, Francy.” It was a pleasant surprise that he had remembered the day without my coaching him. I wasn’t feeling well. A small allergy had blown into a sinus infection with swollen itchy eyes…so I was nursing myself and feeling totally off the beam. But the tone of George’s voice brought me back to the blessing that I still have him by my side and he still remembers my name and the extra special day.

Oh, the years that have gone before were so different. George was quite smitten with Valentine’s Day. He would always bring me a sweet piece of jewelry; some years expensive and other years modest…but a remembrance that I still cherish to this day. He would have a fancy card, flowers and usually a dinner out. Sometimes we would go to a special Valentine function or dance and he would dress to the nine’s in his tux or dinner jacket. I remember all those years; I have to remember them because he has forgotten them. So, I often remind him of one of our sweet adventures when he is in a sour mood. And I remind myself when I join him in a particularly difficult day.

I got up that morning and wrapped myself in my robe and grumbled to myself as I scuffed my way down the hall to the kitchen. Thinking of making my own tea and taking a bevy of pills and eye drops to get myself well again. As I rounded the corner and entered the room…there was a large piece of paper propped up on the counter by our fish tank. At first I couldn’t really focus on what it was because my eyes were so swollen and so I had to move closer to view it.

There in front of me was a handmade Valentine card from a man that does not have an ounce of art talent in his body. I cried of course; cried tears that really had more meaning then just the card he had made, the tears were for how even when our life has changed so much…there is still love.

George had asked me to take him out to get a card that week. But my eyes were so bad I did not want to drive. I had told myself to remember to ask Cheryl to help him do a card for me on the computer, but that had also gotten forgotten in the midst of the daily routines. So when George got up that morning he was without a card and decided to take the matter into his own hands. He went up to my office and found some art paper and came down to the kitchen and found an ad flyer on the table with gifts for Valentines on it. He carefully cut out the jewelry from the ad and glued it to the paper and made his own card. I suppose when you read this you think it was a sweet thing to do. But you would not understand the many steps all of this took…it took him a couple of hours to do the project. While I was sleeping he was busy cutting away and pasting. He had to put all the thoughts together, remember the tasks, find the objects to cut, glue, and paste and then put a theme of a card together. It was by far the most complicated task that he had done in months. There were not tears of sadness and loss…for once, there were tears of joy for his creative self that was trying so hard to come to the top of his brain.

I have said it before but I feel my mother put it in words that I shall always relate to; as she aged into her 100th year she said she was becoming so upset with her daily regression. She shared with me; “Remember how a young baby starts to learn things and every day the mother is filled with pride and joy at a new ability the child has added? First it’s the baby’s eyes begin to follow movement, then they turn over, then they hold up their head and start to sit. Then the crawling and walking and talking come and you can barely keep up with the changes. Each new step is a mother’s rejoice. Well I am doing just the opposite. Each day I seem to lose ability. Little by little I can feel my body go backwards, getting weaker and weaker.” That is how it is now with George’s brain, day by day little pieces of his brain retreat and he becomes less of who is was as a person all his life. But this time; he was able to reach down and become something more. It was a joy on a day that like all other days except for its name of St Valentine’s Day. I think somewhere mother is rejoicing in George’s day of creative power…and certainly St Valentine is giving us a wink.

There will be a Valentine’s Day that I will be without George and when that day comes I am not going to remember all the fancy presents, flowers and dances he used to take me to…nope. I am going to remember this card of love that he worked so hard to piece together step by step…so he could reveal his love for me. How lucky am I?

George reading while I work in my office with little Mac on his lap

Cards to Give Me Hope...by francy

I got so many sweet cards this holiday...and each one meant something to me. I adore cards and I have a special guest bath that gets all my favorites highlighted and placed on the wall.
The fun one this year was from @PrincessGwenie. It was a pop-up of dancers and is so cleaver. Then there are the photo cards of dogs and cats that are so cute you want to lick them off the page. I love Santa's but the old fashioned snow scenes are wonder full too. Every time a card arrived during the holidays I put it up on the calendar on our wall in the kitchen for all of us to enjoy. George looked over them and kept forgeting who was who and where they were from. He must of touched and read each one dozens of times during December.
My little guest bath has cards from years and years. Old fashioned cards that came from my mother and sister that have now passed. Oh there is also a card from a gal pal that I adored and she is now gone, too. But to me, each time I look at the card I remember the person and time of receiving it.
I guess my heart is way over done with this memory stuff...but some times when things are so busy, so stressed and so so sad with my Georgie's care...I like to retreat back to times of pure love. Times when the cards came from special gifts picked out just for me and signed with big script and hugs.
Did you know they are going to stop teaching script cursive in school? Can you imagine? Well not that mine was every anything special. But my parents had wonderful hand writing and a dear friend of my mothers...we called her Aunt Harriet had a script that was worthy of a Queen.
I save things like that...so I can see the handwriting over and over again. My sister that passed used to write me notes and I have them tucked here and there to read when I need a hug of love. Its hard to believe that a card can bring so much love to someone, but it can.

For my birthday on the 1st of January...George wanted to buy a card for me. He had had a hard holiday and I knew he was not up for a trip to a busy store so I set up my computer on a print program. I have one that will do cards and simple things. I crossed my fingers and left him in front of my big screen and hoped for the best. So, on my birthday I opened up his card. He did such a wonderful job. He picked a light pink rose and sweet saying for the inside. Then he took a piece of my Hello Kitty stationary and wrote a little note and tucked that on the inside. Since George is sliding down with his Alzheimer's I do not think this project will ever be repeated...so to me, his card was like a ray of love. I put it on my little table and I just glance at it and feel his caring surround me.
When my days are filled with sad things...I can escape into that little bathroom and be surrounded by cards filled with loving thoughts and signed by people who care about me. It just reminds me; that I am loved and it gives me a boost to go back out to my life of care giving and start again with a fuller heart.

Making and Keeping Holiday Memories with Charms// by francy Dickinson

by francy Dickinson
@SeniorCareTips
Come visit me at my website for support of spouse and senior care givers www.SeniorCareWithSpirit.com

Along with the actual old pictures and family stories come the bits and pieces of memory; jewelry, buttons, badges, service pins and oddities. Every family has them…and I wanted to keep mine close to me to enjoy not put them in an old jewelry case and never see them again.


So out they come; coins from faraway places and charms from childhood. Baby rings in gold and an old locket that was my great grandmother’s with a tiny diamond in the middle and red hair tucked inside; all of this ready to put to use. I sorted through and found the things that would fit on a charm bracelet. Not the type of bracelet you see on QVC, but just all these little things that once meant so much to those who have now passed. From George’s dad there was one lonely gold and platinum cuff link and my aunt had a tiny pendant from her childhood Sunday school days. Two darling little frames for my dear mother and my sweetheart Georgie’s pictures and a gold four leaf clover that mother gave to me ages ago. There is a gold boat that George gave to me when we were cruising many years ago, it always makes me smile. A small earring from the Civil War era nestles in alongside a Eiffel tower charm from Paris all showing their stuff around the cuff. There’s a space needle charm from the Seattle World’s Fair next to a coin from the Alaska Bicentennial.

Along with a gold charm from my husband’s old travel business there is a tiny glass ball for dreaming. Someone gave us a charm on our wedding; a very small house that when you open the roof there are two people in beds inside. A mini fan from Spain and a polished rock from Mexico and a coin from Taipei marked 1987 all dangle and reflect the light.

Do you have a charm bracelet put away? Get it out; add a few family memories to it to make it your own and you’ll carry those stories with you whenever you wear it. It’s easy to do, don’t worry about gold or silver they blend together and my little pearl from my sister mixes in with it all. You will need gold rings that you find in the jewelry craft department of a place like Michaels. You will use these loop rings to attach your charm pieces to a sturdy silver or gold link bracelet that will be safe on your wrist. The loops come in all sizes so find one that is a little larger and strong so your charms will hang nicely around your bracelet. You might want to pick up a very small set of tweezers with a little magnifier from the store too. You will just open the little gold ring loop slightly and slip the charm through and then put it through the bracelet link. You close the loop ring back tight, with a squeeze of the tweezers, as it was before you opened it. Then move on till they are all done….as you work lay out the bracelet with the charms around it so they go on even and leave room to put new finds in here and there. I double the loop if the charm is heavy. This does not require you to be artsy or crafty… just open to the beauty of family memories carried on your wrist and willing to sit quietly with your mp3 player and a towel on your lap or table as you work. This towel will catch anything that magically tries to escape your fingers as you work.

When you have finished putting the charms on the link bracelet then lay it out and take a look. If you want to re-adjust it, this is the time. Once you have a collection that satisfies your eye…you replace the bracelet on top of a brown paper bag and then very carefully with your glasses firmly fixed to your nose and in a very good light…you put a tiny drop of Superglue on each small loop ring closure to make sure it does not come apart and let the charms drop off.

This is a great project to do on Christmas day or the week between the holidays. Take a look around and gather in any of your finds in a zip lock baggie. Ask your mom, sister, or spouse about special things they might be able to share with you and then your ideas will start ticking away to make your bracelet special and different from anyone else. This does not require fancy gold or solid silver…it will be a reflection of what you and your family treasures are at this time.

Now, I’m wearing my bracelet when I’m at home hosting a dinner or an “at home” night. I’m very careful when I go out to an event and only wear it when I can keep an eye on my wrist. I would wear it to a small dinner party, out for drinks or family gathering. That way the bracelet is kept next to my wrist without pulling on it or pulling it off in my coat cuff or gloves. This just protects you from a heart breaking loss. When I am not wearing it, I keep it in a nice padded bag so it has gentle comfort storage. I often rub the charms down with a jewelry cleaning clothe to make them shine. I also tuck in a small silicone square into the storage bag (you can find them inside your new purse or shoe boxes) they keep the bracelet dry where ever you store it. If you use a lot of gold in your bracelet, be sure to tuck it in a safe box so it is not easily taken.

You will find people asking you about the bracelet and it’s a great way to share family stories and keep the memories of those you love close at heart. Take a picture of the bracelet and add info on each charm so the next lucky gal to inherit your sweet jewels will understand the love and honoring that it represents.

There are so many bits and bobs in jewelry cases from your family and those around you…things you never wear any longer, or things that are odd looking and you always wondered what to do with them. Look at it all with a new eye and see if you can attach a loop and a ring to it to add to your collection. You can bring in things to jewelers and they will add a little loop to the top to add to your bling.

When you travel or something sweet is happening to you…add those little memories in with charms that may not be thought of as the usual charm. It makes for hours of comfort and pleasure. I am no longer afraid to ask for things from my elders. I have kept silent so long and seen the things I wanted to save and remember - just thrown away or sold at garage sales for pennies. So if you have seen something that you’re Auntie or Grandfather have had - just ask if you could have it given to you one day for your charm memory bracelet. Explain how you want to remember them and a special coin or other memory charm would be just the ticket to add to your collection.

What treasures do you have tucked away? I wish I could see in your grandmother’s sewing kit. I have my grandmother’s thimble and want to have a loop put on that as soon as I can and I have a very small Masonic pinky ring that was my uncle’s and I know it will be perfect. Oh, and there is only one of my first very tiny diamond earring left and I think I can have the jeweler fold the post over to make a loop. My mind’s eye is now trained to see charms in all that I view. Hope you find your treats and treasures rich and mild- start looking for those little things you have tucked away and get them out in the light again.

Blessings on your holiday …. Sometimes gentle gifts to our own self; are the moments of joy that we treasure the most.


Enjoy the project and think of the generations of girls that will wear your treasures for years and years to come. I always put a name on my special things with a note to the person I have designated to receive it in years to come. That way they will really feel a kinship to the jewelry and wear it with as much pride as I do. They will be remembering me and my family members from the past. I often tell them that one day it will be theirs and it always makes them feel even more interested in the stories and family memories.

How to Use and Enjoy Twitter with Your Pet

by @MissBusyBiz 

(I’m a Bichon with lots of Twitter friends and having loads of fun with Anipals)

It’s not everyday that I can go for a walk and meet great friends on my way. When I do I make sure that mom has my business cards in her pocket. Yup, even though I’m a dog (a very cute Bichon dog) I have business cards that tell everyone to join Twitter and become my friend by following me!

I had no idea when I joined Twitter that so many wonderful anipals were a part of the community. But now that I have been enjoying the daily chats with dogs, cats and guinea pigs from around the world, I don’t know what I did before Twitter. (BT to those in the know) Twitter may seem like a waste of time, or a 140 character a tweet routine that you don’t need to add to your daily duties, but it is so much more. It’s a community of other like minded anipal friends that chat about everything you can think of during their time online. Now, you know that I tend to tilt towards the fashion, shopping, and food areas of life. I am very much like my mum Francy and we like to talk to others about their lives and what they are fixing for dinner, what book they are reading and even about their day and what has happen in their part of the world. There is so much more, lots of boy dogs get on twitter and talk about sports, politics and bacon treats. Lots of girls talk about hobbies, travel and local events. Lots of anipals talking about what has gone on in their own home towns and homes all over the globe. It is very interesting and fun to be apart of it all. Yes, I do have some regular humans that read my tweets and write back to me but most of all I have best ever dog friends that teach me so much stuff - every day.
@PrincessGwenie is always talking about travel and her toys, she buys a lot of them and she sends me cards in the mail and gives me help when I have questions. @SmokeyPoodle is always there for me with ideas on how to use my iPod, laptop and anything about cooking. He is even working with his dad on a cookbook that has recipes from loads of anipal moms all over the place. Little @Niqqi talks about fashion and loves to shop. I do have to hold her paw when we go shopping she is still a young dog. @Danapixie is in charge of putting together paw circle for dogs that are unwell or lost and if they pass away she helps them find a place at the rainbow bridge. @SamthePoodle diets with mommy and @lunabellasworld ‘s mom talks about life on the east coast. @Tallulahsmom is a fancy designer chick and keeps me in the know with home décor. Yes my Twitter home is filled with hundreds of pets with expertise in all fields as well as good runners, jumpers and cuddlers.

Are a senior? Are you a busy parent, a young tween, a professional under stress or a just a regular guy it is good to have friends. Everyone knows that “man’s best friend is his dog” and that is no truer statement that those friends on Twitter.

If you have not gone on Twitter yet and wonder why you would? Then it is time for you to give the anipals a try. Go ahead and join Twitter which is all FREE…you type in Twitter.com and it will come up and you can walk through the sign up information. Always remember to keep your privacy high and use a fun name to represent your own real anipal. So my name is Missy. Since I am never in one spot longer than a minute mommy thought Busy was a perfect way to talk about me. And because mommy has home business she added Biz to the end of my name. So I am @MissBusyBiz on twitter. When you join you want to go and look for other dogs and people that you know on Twitter so be sure you type in the @ sign and then the name. I would be so pleased to have you as my follower. Then you just poke around and find other dogs, cats, fish, ducks and click on their page, read about them and then start to follow them. Send them a little Hello Tweet and wait for them to follow you back. That is how you do it, you slowly add a few friends at a time and suddenly you have a group of pals to talk to each day.

There is a little profile or bio on twitter so other people know a little about who you are when they follow you. I had mommy talk about me and her and daddy…Oh, and my brother Mac who is a westie/schnauzer mix. He is boring so no bother talking about him any more. But this profile section is under SETTINGS and you will find it important to those that look you up.

There is a place to put a website. So if you have a business you can put the website there, or a blog address, or just a site that has your family pictures on it would be fun too. This is an important place, lots of people will go there when they come to look at who you are…so direct them to a place they will get information or enjoy.

Pictures are called avatars on Twitter. They are what people see when you post on twitter so its important. You need to make them real. People do not like to see fake pictures or place holders from Twitter. Just take a friendly picture of your pet or you and your pet, and use that as the avatar. You do not need to have anything fancy, just real. Mommy goes through pictures of our family and crops out my picture and then posts that on the avatar. This picture will change through the months. Some times people do silly things with their picture. People will add a ribbon on a dog or a little toy on a picture of a cat…just for fun. What you do with you avatar says a lot about you as a person. Lots of very talented artists do very fun things. But simple photo of a pet is just right.

You will select a time zone and that will be posted, but you don’t have to tell where you live. You can say “West Coast, or Puget Sound Washington“…or your actual home town and state or country…you use what ever you feel comfortable with as you fill out the information. Time will pass and you will change your password, your avatar and your information, so just use something simple in the beginning. I like to check out new friends or followers and see where they’re from and what their parents do or what kind of a dog they are it makes it fun to know about them. I also know a friend in the UK is going to be on line at different times than I am, so it helps to grow a friendship anywhere in the world when you know what time it is at their home.

You check into Twittter each day and you quietly read over what messages you have in your twitter folder. Sometimes they are ads and you just ignore them. Sometimes they are peeps that want to know something and need help. Just hang out for a while and see who they are talking about and then ask them a question or tell them a statement from you and your life. You want to make sure you are on twitter with a group that you feel safe with when you come online each night. So at the beginning just say Hello and tell every one what you are doing like this:

Hi all, I am waiting for mom to finish dinner, having pork chops and I’m so hungry

When you are new you might not hear anything back, but after a while, you will get someone answering you and telling you HI and what they are having for dinner. Or they might ask you to send a pork chop over to them cause they are hungry too. This is just the usual chatter that goes on, on twitter. It is usually fun and informational so just read and respond. If you have a question, then click on the Return button and the name of the person you are reading comes up on your screen and you type in your message.


@MissBusyBiz hey Missy send me 2 pork chops plse, I am so hungry I could eat a bear-BOL

See that shows that this person is wanting to talk to you, they are hungry and making a little joke. The BOL is Bark Out Loud…some use LOL for Laugh Out Loud. To show you they are being friendly. You do not have to know all the short letters, they are just a way to use less letters and say more with a 140 character count. People would appreciate spelling to be easy to understand. So use words you know and know how to spell, make it simple and easy.

I try to make a few tweets each day. Even if I don’t have a lot of time, I go on and say what I am doing. Then I read what is being said by my follower group and enter into a conversation if it has interest to me. Or I might just leave a message for a friend that is not online at that time. To do that start the message directed at your friend.

@Niqqi just thinking of you, here for little while will be back later tonight got UR card, thanks!

That is called a Reply and it goes out for everyone to read and shows up under @Niqqi s in box so she can read it when she comes online. It is public, but directed to a special friend. Now if you want to say something to someone that is private you click on DM or Direct Message. This message goes only to the friend and not the general public.

D niqqi this is my personal phone 555-222-1345 call me around 10 your time

You see this information only goes out to your @friend…but, you must make sure you are careful. Most Twitters will give out their email and ask you to send personal information out through that venue. They worry about privacy on Twitter and it’s good to worry. You want to have Twitter a fun place not a place that brings you trouble. If you tell people you are leaving town, your home could be burglarized…so keep your personal information private and Twitter will be fun, not scary.

Using Twitter to ask questions is so helpful. One of our family members had a problem, they thought their dog had been poisoned and did not know what to do. They sent out a tweet and three Vets (moms and dads of the dogs and a cat on twitter) answered them back right away and they were able to save their dog.

It is hard to explain what Twitter is until you begin to use it on a daily basis. I would say your beginning would be 10-15 minutes once or twice a day. As you go forward and have friends you may want to set up a time that all of you can meet to chit chat each evening or a couple times a week. You plan to use a time that will fit - We use 7pm on the west coast so the friends on the east coast can check in before they go to bed. It makes it fun for our group to enjoy each other and our day’s ups and down with friends.

What I like about Twitter I think is the nice friendship without requirements. You don’t have to take someone out to lunch, or talk to them each day, or call and spend time on phone, or to worry about dinners together for a friendship to bond. On Twitter you just check in and talk about little things and check out. It is a nice way to feel a part of something bigger than your regular day, but still within your own limits of tastes, language and interests. There is a friend for everyone on Twitter you just go out there and find them.

Twitter will show you how to look for your friends on their system. Then when you find a dog or cat you like you click on the picture and it will take you to their Twitter page. You can read their bio and see if they sound fun. If they do you click on the Follow tab and there you go, a new follow is on your list. A message will be sent to them that you are following them and they can then decide to follow you back. You will also see a bunch of pictures of other people and pets that are following this friend on the page. You can double click on those followers avatars and go to their Twitter Page and you will be able to gather in more and more friends. They do the same back.

At any time you can unfollow someone. If they are using language that is not to your liking, or do to many messages that have advertisements in the twitter or what ever reason. You once again double click their avatar and their twitter page comes up and you click the unfollow button. If you click the block button they will not be able to see your messages either. I use the block only if the person is doing spam or is talking porn. That is when I draw the line. Otherwise I just unfollow and forget them. I have loads of other nice friends to talk to so I do not miss a person or dog that has been using blue language or sending information that has nothing to do with my interests or lifestyle.

The more followers you have the more fun you have online and more friends to talk to and enjoy. But the followers just come, it is like a snow ball going downhill…it happens with or without you. On Fridays lots of people will put up names of their new friends and ask you to follow them. Its called Follow Friday or #FF. You can take a little time on a Friday and go to a friend you like and see what friends they enjoy and then click on them and follow them.

If you have a hobby, profession, health challenge, type of pet, place, or common interest of any kind, those friends will come to you when you just post a Tweet. Talk about yourself and be real and you will find interesting people coming out of the Internet walls. Its what’s fun about Twitter.

What you do not do? The NO NO, Bad Dog Stuff? Do not say hurtful things about anyone. If someone does not please you, unfollow them instead and forget it. Do not use nasty language, we all have to see it and read it. Do not allow yourself to get so mad you go nuts over a conversation or thought. Everyone has options and you need to read them and respond to those that you have interest in each day.

Do not click on Internet addresses in tweets until you know a person. They could be places with sex or a bug that might hurt your computer. On the good side, when you get to know people and talk to them a lot they will send you fun pictures and to places on the net that have interesting information that you both share. They will do videos for your viewing and exchange information about SKYPE (it’s a video and phone site) that will further enhance your time as a friend. Its like anything else, it is building a friendship and it is all on your own terms. If you want to participate you can- if you don’t - you don’t. That is what makes it safe.

I adore my friendships on Twitter…they are fun and helpful and make me laugh and learn all at the same time. So, when I am out and about at my own home town, I carry a business card with my Twitter name and picture on it to hand to new friends. They can then join twitter and find me! When I go on my walkies, they are in my mom’s pocket.

You can order your simple @anipaltwittername business cards Free + shipping on VistaPrint.com…give it a try and collect friendships as you go on play dates and meeting mutts at the dogs parks -- Don't forget when you get on Twitter be my friend and follower! See you there...Missy