Charlie notes

Dad is on the road for a few days, so I’m moping around the Casa looking for someone else to harass. Gary called me yesterday to express his condolences and also to let me know that 147 new followers had joined the page this weekend; do what? 147? Where did they come from, out of the clear blue sky?

Well, I am just a dog, but even I know that that’s where special gifts tend to come from; when you expect it least but need it most, just like the beginning of my story. There I was, trapped and starving in a crate, apparently without hope. Somewhere “out there” was dad; recovering from a life-threatening accident, and improbably out riding a motorcycle when he should have been home tending his colostomy bag.

I often wonder, who saved who?

So in honor of the recent influx of new readers, I think it appropriate to. Use an excerpt from an earlier post to bring everyone up to speed; so here we go…

“Dad here. Charlie’s saga never ceases to amaze me with it’s own peculiar ebb and flow; it will seem to be settling down and possibly even fading into Internet oblivion when something unknown always seems to happen, sparking it back to life. Charlie certainly doesn’t spend anytime fretting over the ups and downs, as with her there are no “downs”, just varying degrees of “up”.

With the recent influx of new followers to this story, I thought it might behoove me to provide a quick update on some of the terms we use, as it can be a bit confusing; and yes, I did use the word “behoove”, not because it fit, but just because it makes the dogs giggle.
So here we go; everyone already knows Charlie, so we’ll start with the…

Casa del Whackos: the crazy house where we dwell, and of which I’m the warden.

The Inmates: the parade of dogs that pass through the Casa and obviously rule the asylum; currently consisting of Max E. Million, Mia the Spazcrobat, Angel, Charlie Bravo, Bull Taco, and St Echo of Vomitus… subject to change with any excursion.

Dad: me

Mom: her

Siblings: you

Gary: the tech wizard behind the scenes; he and Bonnie have their own Casa with its own inmates, but his dedication to this page is awesome.

Max E. Million: an Australian Terrier mix, the Grand Old Man of the Casa until his tragic passing a short time ago. RIP, ya hairy little goober.

Stevie: a recent inmate of the Casa, a rescue dog whose humble demeanor and unexplained demise still affects many to this day.

Miss Ellie: a 31 year young Subaru GL, the official chariot of Charlie Bravo… she has her own story of rescue and redemption.

The “Chark”: a Charlie bark, a plaintive mixture of bark/yowl/whine that she uses when she has something important to say, or she simply wishes to rupture my eardrums.

“Chark Diem”: Charlie’s personal credo; enjoy every minute of every day for the invaluable gift that it really is.

Charlie Bravo Day: not just one day a year, but every Friday. Actually, Charlie has recently submitted a formal request to declare every day as Charlie Bravo Day; modesty is NOT one of her strong characteristics.

The Message of the Crate: whether it be a cubicle at work, a chemical addiction, an unhealthy relationship, we all have a crate. Although others may marvel at our ability to stay in such a situation, we’ve grown comfortable and complacent, and will stay that way until someone or something not only opens the crate, but more importantly,shows us a better way.

“We be of one blood, ye and I”; a quote by Rudyard Kipling in “The Jungle Book”, expressing the belief that we’re all connected and we all make a difference.
In this case, in spite of political, religious, or geographical differences, a statement that we’re connected by the improbable story of a mangy dog in a crate and her transformation to the Queen of the Casa.

If it happened to her?

It can happen to you.