How long

How long will you vex my soul,
grind me down with words?

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Inspirational Video

Puppy Size

A loving story, be sure to read it as well as looking at the photos! If you’ve seen it before, it is worth a re-read…and if you don't shed a tear, you are hard, hard, hard

r hear. You will know precisely what this little girl is talking about at the end (you'll want to share this one with your loved ones and special friends)!

'Danielle keeps repeating it over and over again. We've been back to this animal shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now since we started all of this,' the mother told the volunteer.

'What is it she keeps asking for?' the volunteer asked.
'Puppy size!' replied the mother

'Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what she's looking for.' 'I know..... we have seen most of them, ' the mom said in frustration...

Just then Danielle came walking into the office

'Well, did you find one?' asked her mom.



'No, not this time,' Danielle said with sadness in her voice. 'Can we come back on the weekend?'


The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed

'You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply,' the volunteer said.

Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. 'Don't worry, I'll find one this weekend,' she
said.

Over the next few days both Mom and Dad had long conversations with her. They both felt she was being too particular. 'It's this weekend or we're not looking anymore,' Dad finally said in frustration.


'We don't want to hear anything more about puppy size, either,' Mom added.

Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning . By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs.

Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when
visitors weren't permitted.


Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one.
One by one she said, 'Sorry, but you're not the one.'

It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer.

'Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!' She screamed with joy. 'It's the puppy size!'

'But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks,' Mom said.

'No not size... The sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed,' she said.
'Don't you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!'

The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both.

'Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh.. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms,' she said. Then, holding the puppy up close to her face, she said, 'Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!'


Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that
makes you sigh. I not only find it in the arms of my loved ones, but in the caress of a sunset, the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day.
They are the sighs of God. Take the time to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear. 'Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take

our breath away.'


I hope your life is filled with Sighs!!!


Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends! Life is too short and friends are too few. Love YA All..., xoxo, sigh, oxoxoxo sigh.

Another Poem

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Poem

“My walls outside must have some flowers,
My walls within must have some books;
A house that's small; a garden large,
And in it leafy nooks.”

Elder Rights Protection CONSUMER ALERTS

Connecticut Better Business Bureau Warns Consumers about Chimney Cleaning Con Game
(Press Release)

Dishonest Operators Use Fear, High Pressure Tactics and Lowball Estimates to Cheat Consumers

Wallingford, CT - July 23, 2009 - In light of the recent arrest of two New York men who tried to cheat a Milford homeowner, Connecticut Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about chimney cleaning scams.
The arrests followed an investigation by the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), which alleges the men turned a $39.95 chimney cleaning estimate into a recommendation for $3,200 in unnecessary repairs. Charges against the pair ranged from impersonating home contractors to performing work without a license.
According to Connecticut Better Business Bureau President, Paulette Scarpetti, this is not a new scam, and the intervention by DCP shows its potential to cheat consumers. "When a contractor tells you that your life is in danger or part of your home needs urgent repairs to prevent serious damage, your first instinct is to protect yourself and your property.

Unlicensed and dishonest contractors often use fear tactics to turn routine maintenance into an unnecessary costly and potentially unsafe job." Chimney cleaning fraud usually starts with a postcard, flyer, an unsolicited telephone call or e-mail and an unusually low price, typically around $40.00.
Once the scammers perform an inspection, they may say that there is structural damage, problems with the chimney cap (also known as a spark arrester), and may even bring in dead birds or chunks of concrete to illustrate the "problems."
They often claim there is a carbon monoxide leak or that the chimney liner needs replacing.
Chimney liners cost thousands of dollars, and some con artist contractors may replace a perfectly good liner with one that may not even fit properly, or only line part of the chimney.

Connecticut Better Business Bureau offers the following advice to consumers to prevent them from becoming victims of chimney cleaning fraud:Don't be taken in by low prices:
An inspection usually costs $75 dollars; the cleaning is another $150 and should take about an hour. No reputable chimney cleaner will do an inspection and cleaning for $40.

Protect yourself from being pushed or frightened into immediate action:A chimney carbon monoxide leak is extremely rare. There are instruments to measure this. If they make this claim, ask them to prove it.Ask for documentation:Check to see that the company is licensed and insured.
You can check to see if it has a history of complaints by checking their Reliability Report at www.bbb.org.In some cities and towns, the local fire department may provide free chimney inspections.

How often does a fireplace chimney need to be cleaned? If it is used more than three times a week it should be done every year. One clear sign that it needs attention is if soot falls from the damper when it is opened. Once you have reputable experts doing the job, they also can tell you whether your furnace chimney needs cleaning.

Hope

Message to Ponder:

"If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes." - Saint Clement of Alexandra

What do you hope for? Imagine what lies beyond your hopes!

Comment below and share those hopes with all of our visitors!

This Makes Me So Sad.......

Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 min. a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 min. later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:
A 3 year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.

45 minutes:
The musician played. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace.

He collected $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised were: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made ....

How many other things are we missing?

Already saw the robins and heard the peepers. But........ Now I know it is spring! I just saw the ice cream man!!!!

Hi everyone! Watch for team New England Home Care at the MS walk in West Haven on Sunday! Awesome group of health professionals and 1 surprise!!!

What a face

So cute!

What we've all been waiting for! Honda is coming out with a dog-friendly model of the element- doggie bed, water bowl, and even a ramp fpr pooch to enter!

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