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“If the reader wisely considers all that is laid down, he will find here the end of the premium mobile; a hedge lives for three years, add dogs, horses and men, stags and ravens, eagles, enormous wales, the world: each one following triples the year of the one before.” (The inscription made in the floor of Westminster Abbey in 1268 by the artisans, probably a prediction of judgement day.)

Is this the beginning of the erroneous adage that dog’s live in human terms in the ratio of 7-1, dog years vs. human years? Who knows? What is known is that dog lovers have since ancient times been aware their furry companions are destined for a very early demise, each leaving indelible marks on our souls.

Modern charts depicting a dog’s age, take into account the size of the dog. Big guys generally leave us earlier than little guys, to the disadvantage of folks like us that want them big, ravenous and affectionate. Then there is the scientific reality that chronological age does not equate to biological age. If only it were that simple. We must accept the world would be a very crowded place if dogs were placed here as forever critters. This consideration, alone, is a matter between dog owners and the Supreme Being.

I love complicated things, it is why I am married to a complicated woman, with a mind that fairly dances. A geneticist , Dr, Steve Horvath, from UCLA, suggests that we (dogs and people) have an epigenetic clock, which is a reflection of our epigenome, which is reflective of our DNA which tracks our biological age which may not be in synch with our chronological age. Wow…..a mouthful of science for a simple process.

Here is where I am going. Something accounts for the obvious decline in dog longevity over the past decade or so. This is attributed to certain epigenome triggers, such as nutrient levels in food, chemicals in food, physical activity, stress, obesity, pesticides, metals,particulate matter (smoke) and other air pollutants.

Six beautiful labs and two energetic and bright German Shorthair Pointers have come and gone in our household, each loved a little differently but passionately nonetheless. Dogs are the centers of our household, requiring the same care and attention as we provide each other. I am going to leave this with a single thought; we reflect poorly on our innate IQ’s. We feed unadulterated crap to our pets and eat the same, (dogs and humans have absolutely no need for carbohydrates in any form), we subject our dogs to the same epigenetic triggers we live in and at the end of the days scratch our heads and butts while wondering what is wrong and why our respective longevities are headed south. I write as I enjoy a cup of coffee (good), sliced fresh peaches (good) and a slice of almond Kringle from Trader Joe’s (bad).

I speak for all of us when I suggest we do better by our dogs and selves and give conscious thought about what ages us. We can impact the age of our demise……but not without a concerted effort. Believe me….

Have a great week!

SR

No, I am not talking about another Democratically led Sanctuary City that coddles jackasses with axes to grind and no emotional or intellectual ability. I am talking about what is described as the Queen City, otherwise known as Springfield, Mo. A picturesque city located along I-44 in southwest Missouri, the home of BassPro and perhaps the greatest wildlife museum in America. Why would I smear this lovely city, my home, with such a title. Read on.

Thankfully, our population of bored folks who take pride in packing up, commandeering a busy roadside and proclaim “no kings” is small. Every city has a population of jackasses who sees obstruction and hell raising as a way to solve problems. On this front, we are fortunate as their numbers are small, and our citizenry, by far and away, is unmoved by their antics. We my dear readers, are a sanctuary city for another societal problem, bad drivers.

Although, not directly related to safety, the Queen City is a sanctuary city for expired and no registration, meaning delinquent taxes and failure to insure. If you love to follow other vehicles close enough to be involved in the conversations of those in the car ahead, Springfield is your Mecca. Like to speed, weave and hate signaling welcome to Springfield. Love to turn every intersection into the starting line for a drag race, welcome home. If you suffer from uncontrollable road rage, the Queen City must be the place where obscene gestures were invented. Absolutely become incensed by drivers who, gasp, drive at or under the posted limit, we are your town. Do you detest the caution light before a red light, and accelerate rather than stop when the lights are changing, we are where you are safe. If you have absolutely no idea how to properly enter and traverse a round about, or respond in a 4 way stop, we are your place of comfort. If you love to accelerate, rather than brake to enter an exit ramp, cut off the car ahead, making a wild pass in doing so, welcome home. Do you regard the new law prohibiting a hand held phone while driving as a mere nuisance rather than settled law, you are in the right place. Finally, if you regard stop signs as advisory in nature, not a lawful requirement, we are your cup of tea.

This stuff is serious. the annual economic and societal costs of traffic crashes in the US is estimated to be a trillion dollars. In 2023,40,990 folks died on our highways in America, with another 42,789 folks departing earth in 2024. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of accidental death in folks aged 5-22. In America, between 1900 and 2023, 3,996,709 folks escaped their earthly bonds and entered the afterlife in a car wreck.

How do we change these appalling statistics. First, you promote a safety culture. That means enforcement and education, both impacting driver behavior. Parenting, nurturing safe practices, is almost non-existent. Next up is technology, which is being pushed through by regulation and a desire to build a better mouse trap. Another impactful strategy is fighting fatigue, a mainstay in the airline and trucking industry. To be fair, Springfield’s police department is under manned and over worked, leaving little discretionary time, or time to work traffic. An adequate traffic unit, dedicated to meaningful enforcement on a continuous basis, could be kept busy 24/7 in this town. I see little evidence of saturation enforcement activity, thus filling traffic courts, in our fair town. Such tactics work, I know as I championed them as a state trooper. I could rail on, but by now you get my point. Something needs to change….

Have a safe week ahead

SR

I am 76 and Sharon much younger. We are old enough though to ponder life’s mysteries, often relying on experience to guide our decision making process. Our beloved Tazzy has been gone exactly one year and another beautiful Lab puppy will soon grace our presence. The heartbreak of losing Tazzy never really gives us a break, instead morphing into a kind of grim reality. They all die at some point. Is it wise to set yourself up for the inevitable pain of their passing in 10 or so years? Absolutely……read on.

I am at the age where my presence on earth for an extended time is far from guaranteed. Sharon has a 10 year advantage and, based on current actuarial charts, is quite likely to be here at least long enough to suffer through the loss of another dog, namely Mr. Kai who will join us soon. If you know and love dogs, today’s musing will be easily understood. If you don’t love dogs, this piece isn’t your cup of tea.

We are farm people. Whether an emerging field of soybeans or a new calf, we are familiar with the realities of life inherent to this existence. Nurturing is in our nature and there is nothing as rewarding as watching the antics of a puppy as they grow into, well, big dogs. Their dependence on us is reward enough to weather their silliness as you add character to their life. Farm people love the feeling of being needed and a new puppy meets that need.

Loyalty is in short supply today as we dwell in the most narcissistic society ever. Loyalty is a two way street and we are lucky to have the friends who get this. I have worked for bosses who expected undying loyalty but did not feel the need to return it. Not so with a dog. The bonds between a canine and human can be described as absolute once established. It is why Pharaohs were buried with their dogs, and why dogs will linger at a master’s gravesite.

There was a time when I subscribed to the theory that dogs were driven by instinct alone, with no capacity to think. I am not so sure today. When you watch a puppy solve a mystery, such as retrieving a ball under a couch, or anticipating the action of his master, you understand that at some level they reason. They are superior to humans in their avoidance of an unpleasant experience as opposed to our willingness to undergo a bad experience again, thinking it will produce a different outcome. They know better.

Mr. Kai is Lab number six for us. Along the way we also enjoyed a pair of wonderful German Shorthair Pointers, Luke and Belle, who rewarded us with boundless energy and enthusiasm in the field. We loved each and every one of them and already are in love with Mr. Kai. This leads to the greatest reward of all, a warm affectionate living creature that loves unconditionally and provides yet another opportunity for us to return this great emotion. In a few weeks, Mr. Kai will enter our world permanently….and we can hardly wait.

Costco’s marketing scheme introduced us to yet another great BBQ restaurant, this time in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

We found a set of terrific, all weather, Thomasville patio chairs at our local Costco this last week. Unfortunately we were not shopping for them and arrived in the Orange Crush (BMW Convertible) which left little room for two chairs packed in a box weighing nearly 400 pounds. You can guess the rest of the story. By the time we drove home, fired up Cirrus (Pick-up truck) and made it back to the store, they were sold. The last of only 3 sets in the store. My electronics warfare officer (Sharon) went to work attempting to locate the chairs at another Costco and did so, the closest store with them in stock was in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, just outside of Tulsa. We called and they indicated in no uncertain terms they would not hold the chairs, even if we paid for them. We have road tripped for lesser causes and headed west on Oklahoma’s outstanding turnpike to Broken Arrow. We did not spare the horses.

We made it. Bought and loaded the chairs and began a search for a restaurant. Yelp gave a good rating to a BBQ restaurant and we drove over. It was perfect. From the street, you would not eat there on a bet. The lot was pot-holed gravel, there were no cars out front, and a circle around the place revealed a hap-hazard pile of oak and hickory and no signs or organization or neatness. It was scary in its “rustic” charm but the aroma outside was inviting. Inside, jeans clad waitresses were waiting on customers to arrive and we settled in with a big sampler plate and a taste test of several house sauces in old squeeze bottles. It was outstanding. Their beans were terrific, the potato salad average, and the meats savory. In a rush, the joint filled with tradesmen and construction workers and the place came alive. Cirrus fit in the parking lot nicely as it was soon filled with pick-ups of every description and vintage.

We are dives, diners and joint specialists and discovered another treasure. Great Q, perfect ambiance and cowboy charm are our sub-speciality. If you are ever in Broken Arrow, give them a try. They honestly rival KC Q and a tie is not required! In fact, a tie might get your butt kicked. Perfect…..

Have a great week.

SR

My status as a military brat has taken me to many parts of the world that most will never see. Germany, Okinawa and a tour in Vietnam are among my stops in life after having been born in Japan during the Korean War. These places offer a glimpse into life in the slow lane where folks trace their origins to a simpler existence. Our pursuit of wealth in America has exposed people from all over the world to our driven obsession with wealth. There are over 8 billion people in the world today and we forget how fortunate we already are, beginning at our moment of birth.

If you live in a home that is heated and cooled replete with running fresh water, you have more than 75% of the world’s population.

Assuming you are able, if you can walk about freely with enough money in your pocket for a chilled drink and a snack, you have exceeded the expectations of 70% of the world’s population.

In 2023, America ranked 184 out of 193 countries in terms of child mortality, yet we are 7 out of 190 countries in income per capital. Are we pursuing wealth or health?

In America, despite tremendous advances in medicine we enjoy a declining longevity. The incredible variety of our food supply cuts both ways. We are paying a price for this over abundance with our days on earth. If your are healthy, able to go where you want or need to be, remember that a million human beings are living their last week on the face of the earth.

Wal-Mart, the world’s retail giant, is visited by 270 million customers each week. Sounds impressive but is it? That is less than 4% of the world’s population.

Have you paused for a moment in one of our fabulous food outlets (grocery stores) and wondered what it would be like for folks who have never seen such extravagance to have access to such convenience and variety? 80% of the worlds population will never see it.

Is there a point in life when you sit back and say to yourself that you are through acquiring wealth or material things? Our education system is wrapped around the pursuit and acquisition of wealth. When young people today choose a vocation or profession, the first consideration is material reward well beyond “making a living” or “improving the human condition”. My grandfather, a small farm owner in the rural south was the most contented man I have ever known. He worked hard, but did not aspire beyond the normal conveniences of the day. Every Sunday of his life, he thanked the Lord for what he had, the first blessing being never having to go to bed hungry, or cold or too hot.

The next time you are standing in a Sam’s Club or a Costco, where you can buy or order everything from an automobile to a casket, pause, close your eyes and thank the Lord for the extravagance we enjoy. Never take life for granted. If you make it until this time next week, praise the Master and thank him. One million human beings won’t be alive to do this…….

If you are here then…..that, friends, is wealth!

SR