Doug Smith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, notes one of the character traits shared by dogs and humans and birds is the lifelong challenge of “fitting in”– to a pack or a flock or a tribe; and this verity came home to roost in recent days as the …
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Category:Aging
Kickass Makes Autumn Move
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that in this season of great changes–migration and hibernation and falling leaves and wholesale harvesting, the keeper and Phyllis are joining in the autumn upheaval by moving from one independent living facility to another for reasons as mysterious as the monarch butterflies deciding …
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Kickass and Pack Position
Photo from mila-del-monte via Pixabay By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, shared with the keeper and Phyllis yet one more example of what it means to be older members of a “together” pack when son Mike and granddaughter Sarah delivered grilled cheese sandwiches and chili, and stayed to help with furniture moving and official …
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Kickass Gets Sunburned
Ashwin Kumar, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper, having inherited from his Norwegian mother, light skin very vulnerable to sun damage; and having grown up when the only “sunblock” was to stay in the shade; and having suffered youthful sunburns so severe his skin peeled …
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Kickass and Moving Help
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reviews the keeper’s allegiance to the verity that descendants are there for the use and convenience of senior tribal members, as Phyllis’s son Todd and two granddaughters—Alexis and Taylor, show up to assist with moving several bulky items over to future living quarters. The …
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Kickass Resigns as Predator
WayneRay, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, does the keeper a favor by passing along the following proclamation which addresses the keeper’s desire to revise his predator status: “I, being of suspect mind and dilapidated body, “And having passed on predatory killing tools to younger clan members, “And marveling …
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Kickass and Flowing Water
Markheffron2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in observing the downstream nature of all things, and in considering how the moving water of flowing streams has been such a powerful source of pleasure through his many years. From boyhood nights alone on Miller Creek, to being …
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Kickass and Predatory Handoff
Photo by Phyllis Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper’s “digs” was the scene of a big gun/fishing-tackle deal on a recent morning as he–the keeper handed off to his heirs the tools of his life-long predation on the lesser creatures. From the BB gun that killed the first sparrow, …
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Kickass Says Thank You
Dimitri N. (DimiTalen, DimiCalifornia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, assists the keeper in expressing his deep appreciation for the wonderful 90th birthday bash that his clan produced in Mazomanie Saturday. They all did an outstanding job, and they have plans for a repeat performance on 9/11/31 when the keeper hits …
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Kickass Marks 9/11 and 90
Selena N. B. H. from Fayetteville, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that on this date–9/11– forever marked by death, the keeper celebrates 90 years of life with an open house birthday party at the Promenade in downtown Mazomanie where he will give away books he has …
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Kickass and 90 Degree Party
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in his amazement at how the keeper’s family, in planning for his 90th birthday party Saturday afternoon outside on the Mazomanie Promenade, managed to arrange for a predicted, age-matching, 90-degree temperature! (EVERYONE–vaccinated–is invited starting about 2p.m. Free food, free books and “Naked …
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Kickass and Cowbird Junk Plan
Photo by Andrew Haimerl on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper is adapting the “cow bird” technique for dealing with a lifetime collection of “stuff:” What he—the keeper does, is sneak an item of his saved junk into the living area of one of his kids, not unlike the cowbird laying its …
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