sec tournament and many "grateful dawgs"...

friday



(outside the georgia dome)

(downtown atlanta looked like a war zone)


at our house the sec tournament is a really, really big deal; actually every type tournament and car race is a really big deal!!! i have seen john kicked back on the couch, with headphones around his neck, the radio blaring, the tv on with sound as well as closed caption, with remote in hand changing the channel among three or four channels so as not to miss out on any said sport (dana once said that she believed he would watch piss ants race if someone painted numbers on their backs)!!!

BUT, THE SEC TOURNAMENT IS A REALLY, REALLY BIG DEAL!!!

so, last night we sat in the den awaiting the uk/ga game when a tornado hit the georgia dome where the tournament was being held. john had thought about getting someone to go to atlanta with him to the tournament (but didn't; thank you, GOD!!!). the last time he had thought about going was a few years ago. you may remember it or not; but that particular year was the one that an inmate overtook, killed, and stole a deputy's gun. he went into a court room, shot and killed the judge and his transcriptionist, and went on the run through atlanta. no one knew where he was just that he was armed and dangerous. i thanked GOd john decided not to go that year either.

(^^^moral of the story, imo, it's best to watch the tournament on tv!!! and, if you hear that john's planning on going but decides not to, you may definitely want to watch it from the comfort of your couch as well:D)

saturday




i hadn't talked to dawn since monday, so, i decided to call her this morning. she thought i'd read the paper and was calling about the death of danny thomason, the son of a dear friend of my mother's and the owner of grateful dawgs training and boarding as well as paws (a local pet store from which i get all maggie's necessities). i hadn't heard; what horrible news!!!
danny was a beloved, only child of carl and bonnie. he had a heart of gold as he would take in strays, care for them, and call them his own. danny was only 47; all i can say is he lived a life unfinished. please pray for his mom and dad; as i'm sure they are devastated by their loss...

article about danny:

"Dear Annie: This is for the woman who complained about the mother's dogs climbing on the table and eating from the plates. A fellow trainer shared an effective cure with me. Each time you sit down to eat, have a towel or small bed positioned near the table and periodically toss a scrap onto it for the dog. Within a few days, the dog will automatically go to its towel (or bed) when you sit down, since that's where the treat shows up.

-- Danny Thomason, Grateful Dawgs Training

Dear Danny Thomason: Our readers will appreciate the useful tip. Thanks.

Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxattbi.com, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, P.O. Box 118190, Chicago, IL 60611; (C) Creators Syndicate



i love john.
i love that i had him at home with me last night.
i love the kind, caring soul of danny thomason.
i love bonnie thomason.