Tonight is the full moon. Give your monthly preventatives!
Note: If you have another way to remember to give your preventatives, that’s okay too! Do what works for you. I thought it might be fun for us to all give it together.
We do a great job helping pets, help us also help our neighbors in need! We will be accepting donations to assist in collecting items for Amos House’s Holiday Gift Program. Amos House provides new toys and clothing to hundreds of children who live in the Amos House housing program or who have parents who are a part of Amos House’s many job training or adult education programs. If you would like to help donate we will have a donation bin at the cat entrance of the Animal Hospital until Friday, December 6th. Any amount helps! Amos House will distribute these new toys to more than 350 children. Toys can be for any age (infant through 16 years old) and should be new and unwrapped. We will also happily accept donations of rolls of wrapping paper, gift bags, and tissue paper.
(See attached flier for more info!)
As I write the first part of this newsletter, I am in Maine visiting the mechanical engineering department at University of Maine with my son. Fall is my favorite season. We have just passed All Saints and All Souls day.
- It is a time to remember the dead.
- Those who have gone before us and whose guidance and love still direct our lives.
- It is a time to grieve.
My work, and that of my staff, is emotionally expensive. We sit with many many folks as they grieve their pet’s passing. I am currently in the interspiritual companioning class. We learn to sit with counselees as they share their lives, grief and concerns with us. I feel like I am learning things to help to ease other’s pain, and to learn to care for myself and to ease my own pain.
I LOVED theology beer camp. What did not factor into my decision to go was the natural beauty of the Denver landscape. It was breathtaking. My relatively inexpensive hotel room was beautiful and the size of the lower floor of my home here in RI.
- I ate Vietnamese food, Mexican food, and Indian food.
- I met like minded folks from all over the country.
- Since All Saints Day recently passed, I will share one of my meditation practices.
- I meditate, not daily, but almost, and I always feel better afterwards.
- I call to mind Saints and Ancestors that I admire and want to emulate.
- My first male saint is Oscar Romero.
- Oscar Romero spoke up for the poor in El Salvador.
- He was killed while saying mass. He was killed because of his support for the poor and speaking out against his government.
During breakfast at beer camp I met a man and his son who had driven from Canada to attend the camp. He met his wife at the local immigrant aid center where he was volunteering. His son’s middle name was Romero. I spent a week among friends. It was life giving.
There was a communion that ended the mass. About a quarter of the participants at this event were LGBTQ. Many had been excluded from their churches because of their sexual orientation. It’s hard to describe how moving it was to witness joy and tears as all of us shared communion at the end of the service/end of the week of camp. Bread and wine were served, but my favorite part was that Godiva chocolates were served as well!
There was art at Beer Camp and in the class they described a water ritual that took place at the Parliament of the World’s Religions. Women poured water together from wherever they were from and then took home mixed water with which to bless their communities. We were instructed to write where we were from on a paper rain drop and put it in a bowl and take a “raindrop” from someone else.
- I am “from” 11 different places, I put West Kingston in the bowl.
- It inspired an art project of my own.
- It’s hanging just inside the CAT door.
In clinic news, Dr Mack will be on medical leave (and visiting her first grandchild!!!). We will welcome her back in the spring. I’m working on the construction of an outdoor exam room which will be located behind the building. I hope it will be ready by spring!
Today, November 14, is my son’s 18th birthday and the two year anniversary of opening the doors to the clinic!
Cats love Krysta!
Dogs love Leah!
Everyone loves Coty!
She keeps the whole place running.
Sydnee’s internship ends in early December.
We welcome Destiny as our new intern.
Missy and Sally handle my phones several days each week.
Many thanks to all of them!
In honor of my trip to Denver and my two year anniversary we are sharing Godiva chocolates (while they last) just like the ones served at mass in Denver. Come, partake, eat chocolate, check out the camp art and be a part of our community.
Hope to see you soon.
– Dr Dana
