My furkids wish Fred well and I wish your family well. So sorry...nm

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I had a feeling you were going to tell me high up on the tail, close to the body.

Don't thank me - I so know what you're going through, my cat of 12 years died in 2004 and I have never gotten over him (he was just a sickly cat, whose life I extended, per the vet, with love and caring) and have since gotten another cat (it was 1 y/o when I got her) but it's just not the same.......tho I do love her now...took me 3 years though *laughs*.....the other one I had since kittendom.....

Please, no posts about declawing. I would never do that!! I have brand new furniture and right now it is covered with sheets, blankets and the like, delivered yesterday, living room full of leather at that (along with new dining room, 10 new chairs that have cloth seats). I tried the scratching posts, I tried the bad smelling stuff they sell at the pet stores, I tried the water bottle (that is effective as long as in the same room), but I want to know who has tried the cat nails and if they work. I want to enjoy the beauty of my furniture and I love my kids! I would never damage those indoor babies but I want to look at my furniture also. Are the nails hard to put on. HELP!!

THE JOURNEY

by Crystal Ward Kent

When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey � a journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet also test your strength and courage.

If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life, about yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark.

Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life�s simple pleasures � jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joy of puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears.

If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable information. Your pace may be slower � except when heading home to the food dish � but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field.

Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details � the colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig. Once we walk as a dog does, we discover a whole new world. We stop; we browse the landscape; we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows: that nature has created a marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the seasons brings ever-changing wonders, each day an essence all its own.

Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world around you. You will find yourself watching summer insects collecting on a screen (How bizarre they are! How many kinds there are!), or noting the flicker and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life�s most important details slip by.

You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross, and even run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie � with a cat in hot pursuit � all in the name of love.

Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound.

You will learn the true measure of love � the steadfast, undying kind that says, �It doesn�t matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together.� Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race.

And you will learn humility. The look in my dog�s eyes often made me feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful companion. Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.

If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will not be just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to be � the one they were proud to call beloved friend.

I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a path you cannot yet go down. And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A pet�s time on earth is far too short � especially for those that love them. We borrow them, really, just for awhile, and during those brief years they are generous enough to give us all of their love � every inch of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left.

The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle now gray. Deep down we somehow always knew this journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be broken. But give them we must for it is all they ask in return. When the time comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one final gift and let them run on ahead � young and whole once more.

�Godspeed, good friend,� we say, until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again.

since an addition is being made to a family during pregnancy, a lot of families see themselves as pregnant - as one - as a whole unit...nothing wrong with it - actually makes the entire family participate in it, which is a GREAT thing............not like the men of the 1950s who went to work and the moms did absolutely everything else....I like men/families who WANT to take part and be involved.

Old fashioned or not - I prefer the way the men participate today in all of it..........makes for better communication and all know what's going on in the family....

FYI to all, keep your old fashioned minds open because a closed mind will make you old WAY before your time.

My biological mom moved out of state when I was in 3rd grade, and my stepmom's first husband had died in a car accident. Plus my sister and stepbrother are less than 2 months' apart in age, which mostly didn't get noticed because she moved out of state with my mom while I stayed with my dad. The only thing that caused confusion was that my stepsister and I have almost identical names (similar first name, same middle name, last name with same first initial), and the oldest 4 of us all have names starting with M. When my brother was born, they gave him name starting with J

I find it interesting that when a young woman posted that her mother and grandmother were abusing her, no one felt sorry for her. Everyone one told her to forgive and forget. I also find it interesting how judgemental everyone was about who was the victim. That the grandmother and the mother were the victim and not the daughter. It seems ironic given the long, long, long, posts on domestic violence this morning.

Wanted to let you know you are not alone. I went through a similar situation myself. I married this wonderful man, and while I knew he had really down moments, I did not realize they were to that extent. After moving 10 hours away from my parents and support system of friends I found out some very shocking news. He had bipolar manic depressive disorder. I loved this man, I even allowed him to adopt my son. Then the worst thing happened, I came home to find him sitting on the floor with a knife. I was scared so of course I called his father and mother. We checked him into a facility and while doing the interview/intake my MIL relates to the nurse that he had previously attempted to take his life. He had done this several times. I sat there in shock I knew nothing of this. I can clearly remember the look in my FIL eyes when he seen that I was not privy to this information. I was hurt and angry and still am to an extent. I still love this man to this day but had to let him go as that is what he wanted. My inlaws and I had several long talks one resulting in me becoming so angry I told my mother in law that she was allowing this behavior and I thought she was to blame for all of his problems. If she had been a better mother this would not be happening. I hurt her that night and I regret it now. When I did make amends she told me she knew I was just hurt scared and needed to vent. I think you will find that is what you have done. There will come a time for you to make your amends, when you are ready. I do not feel that you were being out of line when you said these things. That is how you feel. We have to own our feelings because running from them will never help. You are hurting right now. My guess is you are frustrated as well. Help was all you asked for and none was provided. You have a right to those feelings. I would just drop this idea of another email. Why do you have to be sorry? You have children and a husband who is ill concentrate on them. They need you. Best of luck to you and your family.