13 Comments

Such a wealth of information in here Janice - thank you for sharing.

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I've never heard of an electronic therapy dog before. It's interesting to know how well it worked for Dan. Thank you for the list of 20 questions Janice. I have already asked most of them but it did get me thinking.

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Hi Donna, You are so fortunate to have been able to ask those questions. The electronic pet can be a dog or cat, and there are even life-like babies.

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Perfect reasons for me to get a dog and a cat. I've had 5 cats in the past, all rescues. I really want to choose a dog and rescue a cat.

I asked my parents so many questions and it was like pulling teeth to get answers. My mother reluctantly eeked out some information long after my father was gone. I bought each a book that held prompt questions for them to share their lives with me. My father wrote nothing except a couple inspirational ditties on cocktail napkins. He did buy me the book 'A Short Guide to a Happy Life' by Anna Quindlen and signed with a note. It's the most precious memento I have of him. My mother wrote all sorts of quotes on random papers and napkins shared with me throughout the later years. My favorite was that I was precious and "joie de vivre" was what she thought of when she thought of me... precious forever in my heart.

They were the silent generation aptly named for good reason.

Great read, as always. Thank you.

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Hi Patti, Dogs are a lot of work, but they offer something that cats don't. I think of Fallon my daughter's 15 year old dog and he insists that we be friends. He watches for me, sits on my lap, and makes sure he gets his hugs in return. You brought back memories, I still have a book my Mom gave me 50 years ago - she wrote notes in it - and really set the foundation for the rest of my life.

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There is some wonderful guidance here. And the part about the dog that is an electronic one had me laughing but also appreciating that we will take our dog love in whatever form we can get it. Janice, I suspect you help so many with your newsletters.

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Hi Jill, For Dan, it was the perfect dog for him at the time. And thanks Jill, I hope so.

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I appreciate the 20 interview questions, Janice. It is too late now for me to ask them to my mom, but they would be wonderful personalized writing prompts. Answering them autobiographically would provide information about who you really were, for your grown children and grandchildren. Thank you.

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My Mom died in 1994 and I would love to have asked her those questions. I have so much missing understanding of who I am and why. I can guess, but that's all it is.

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I have the same picture, and one with a yelow flower, each making their way through cement...for me, that is a symbol of hope, of growth, and of love of life everywhere.

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Hi Rachel, That pictures say so much. When I first saw it, I was counseling children from low-income families and it portrayed for me the strength and courage they exhibited to survive their environment. I agree, it is a perfect symbol of hope and love - no matter..

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Thank you. I have joined AgingCare.com.

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Debbie, I'm so glad to hear that. The site provides an enormous wealth of information and support. I have found it to be a great resource.

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