Yesterday we had to put our 17 year old cat Morticia to sleep. She had kidney problems for a while now and it finally was just too much for her.

She was a really unique cat. Where other cats would run and hide when friends came over, Morticia never knew a stranger. She assumed everyone loved cats and would always rub up against them. If held, she would actually put her front paws on either side of their neck as though she was hugging them.

The vet was very sympathetic and gentle. She passed peacefully while we held her and stroked her head.

When I was running tonight my mind, as usual, was bouncing all around. Somewhere in the flotsam and jetsam of thoughts my dog Marley came to mind. He’s the exact opposite of my other black dog.

We named him Marley because he’s a Rasta dog. Cool and easy going. He’s a very old black dog. He will turn 17 this July. I’ve never had a dog this old. For the last three years it was in the back of my mind that this will be his last Thanksgiving, Christmas, Winter, Spring, etc. but it never was. We should have named him Timex.

Last night I picked up my dad and brought him home for dinner. I used to cringe every time I’d walk dad through my garage and into my house as the garage has many of the tools that used to be his. It’s pretty common for children to have enormous guilt over placing their parents in a nursing home especially when they’re still cognizant enough to know they’re loosing so much and can’t do anything to stop it. It doesn’t matter that it’s the right thing to do. It just hurts and you have to keep repeating the mantra “I love them and it’s for their own good.”

I came home the other day to discover a new solution to a very old and perplexing mathematical problem. If a Bull Terrier owner leaves the house driving east at 70 mph and said Bull Terrier is sleeping on the couch at -20mph, what happens to the glass of unattended wine?

It’s not like we were a shrinking demographic before this news but my heart goes out to the newest members of the Black Dog Club.

Soldier, sailor, airman or marine, we all thank you for your service. Let the stigma of getting help for this problem be damned. Please get help, you deserve it.

Study Says 300,000 U.S. Troops Suffer Mental Problems.

Nearly 1 in 5 US troops reports mental problems, possible brain injury from Iraq, Afghanistan

Army Releases Mental Health Advisory Team V Report

On a lighter note - sounds like a lot of folks are getting rid of their black dogs.

Her name is Cosmo. Kramer’s Cosmic Mojo to be exact. She is the exact opposite of the black dog of depression. Most days she’s better than Prozac, Xanax and a gin & tonic combined. She is an English Bull Terrier which means she’s as close to a living cartoon as is possible. The bulldog part of the breed makes her sleep about 22 hours a day, the terrier in her makes her do bully runs which is the unique way Bull Terriers do their version of ‘rocket dog’. Unlike other dogs who grow out of the rocket dog phase, Cosmo is 8 (officially in the geriatric age group) and still manages a good huckle-butt once or twice a day.