Like last year, I resolved to NOT make New Year resolutions. Rather than an end-accomplishment, I’d rather strive for the destination but try to enjoy the journey along the way. In my experience, some of the side-roads along the journey prove to be as much if not more rewarding than the final accomplishment. How about you?

Oh, there’ll be new thriller book HIT AND RUN in 2019, maybe a new nonfiction title and a few new webinars, and a new musical theatrical production RADIO DAZE in February, and and and . . . but the really important stuff is furry and shares my pillow. Ahem.

Magic (age 3 months) with 9-year-old Seren. *sniff*

NEW YEAR PET GOALS

It’s become a tradition to take stock of the past year from a pets’-eye-view, and the year to come. Karma became an “only pet” a year ago after we lost both Magical-Dawg and Seren-Kitty late in 2017. He’s a hefty man-kat eager for a game of tag, chase, and treats.

But the last day of April 2018, we brought home our Bravo-Pup. He and Karma bonded almost immediately, and together, they keep us humans laughing. So here are New Year Pet Goals from Karma, Bravo, and a couple from the enduring spirits of Magic and Seren, with commentary by Amy.

Karma with Magical-Dawg

“Spirited” Pet Goals

Magical-Spirit: “I will remind my humans daily to cherish each joy, and remember me with smiles.”

Amy: He loved fetch clear up to his last day with us, and found joy in every sniff, sound, treat, touch or game. We’re still finding his toys hidden under furniture or in unlikely places. I take it as a message to us to lighten up… So my new year pet goals include being more like Magic and pay attention to everyday miracles of the touch of soft fur, smell of rain in the wind in my face, to find music in every brash or quiet sound, relish each taste whether tears or treats, and open my eyes to every glorious sunrise, storm cloud and rainbow in my life.

Seren-Spirit: “I will remind my humans to ignore pesky aggravations like cat-brothers, stare down intimidating challenges (even if they’re 15 times your size like Magic), and find a sunny place in every situation.”

Amy: She remained in charge, the Queen of the house, to her last breath. A bit of a curmudgeon despite her tiny size, Seren ran our house and hearts with a benevolent paw. She never let arthritis stand in the way of a smidge of chicken, constantly reminded Karma who held the sharpest claws, and taught Magic—and her humans—what aging gracefully means. My new year pet goals include living like Seren, focusing on goals rather than roadblocks, stop complaining about age (not everyone gets the blessing of a long life), and giving myself permission to turn off work and take a sun-puddle nap.

Karma immediately adopted Bravo. In this picture, the pup weighs only 50 pounds –he’s doubled his size since then!

More New Year Pet Goals

Bravo: “I will finally catch the RED-DOT-DEMON and make sure Amy releases it from the drawer more often. Oh, and I will play wrestle-the-Karma-Kat and only stop for the TREATS word. Because that’s what I do.”

Amy: Bravo has reached the 100-pound mark, but remains a gentle, goofy adolescent. He’s full of boundless energy, and still doesn’t know his own strength. He keeps Karma’s head soaked with dog-spit from all the mouthing. The big baby needs more structure, so my new year pet goals include more training, more time outside (once the rain stops!), and perhaps even some play dates with dogs his size.

Karma: “I will stalk and tease and pounce on Amy’s feet, play “gravity experiments” on table tops, steal socks and rattle window blinds, paw-dig at the TV screen, and turn my new brother-dawg into my best tag-buddy, what fun!”

Amy: Karma adores teasing Bravo into chasing him. He mourned Magic and slept with his collar for two weeks after his passing, and became Seren’s care-taker by grooming his tiny cat-friend when she wasn’t able. Having a rowdy dog and curious cat zooming around the furniture offers treat entertainment for them – and they sleep together each evening. But Karma needs more one-on-one games, too, where he doesn’t need to compete with the Bravo-Pup. More new year pet goals are to play interactive chase games with Karma each day to give him the exercise, attention and fun he craves and deserves.

Magic-Spirit and Seren-Spirit: “We will train Amy there’s more to nine lives than paw-tapping and staring at a boxy computer-thing. Like catnip. And whisker-kisses. And we will train Amy that playing with pets is more fun than anything else. AND we will train Amy that there’s no such thing as too many treats. But time together is even better.”

Amy: My ultimate New Year pet goals are to listen to my furry muses. What about you?

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? 

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