2005-12-04

After all these years...

I remember when it happened. I was in 8th grade, and the news broke into the show I was watching. John Lennon was shot and killed in front of his New York apartment building.

I will admit, I did not know a lot about him. His new songs were being played on the radio all the time, and I liked those. I knew about The Beatles, but my dad was into The Beach Boys and Herman's Hermits, so I didn't have a big Beatles background.

I remember, though, the Principal of Sweet Home Junior High doing the announcements the next morning, giving a summary of the bad news, and asking for a moment of silence. I barely remember what I learned in junior high, but I remember that morning, and the night before. Unfortunately for me, it seems his death started my big interest in him.

On this 25th anniversary, I just hope that when he sees the state the world is in, he's singing good thoughts to us. Imagine.

OK, pet peeve (no pun, I swear) number one of the winter for me on the blog: people need to use less salt and other ice-melting products on their driveways, or at least use pet/animal-safe products. Buffalo certainly gets enough snow and ice during the winter, and some people seem to think the best way to clear the snow from their sidewalks and driveways is by throwing handfuls of these products out.
Well, not only do people use too much of this stuff and don't spread out what they use, leaving piles and trails of it, too much of it will eventually get to the pads and paws of dogs like our rescue pup, Walker Evans, who limped for the first time during our walk tonight.

Interestingly enough, this time he got the hot foot while we crossed the street, and smartly walked on lawns where there was a lot of the salt and stuff. And don't ask a Rottweiler/German shepherd blend to wear booties.
There are several animal- (and yes, people-) safe products to fight ice and snow on driveways and sidewalks, as well as, yes, folks, shoveling and/or snow blowing the snow.

I am not asking for people to stop using salt and other products, but to be careful and take everyone, human, canine, feline and others, into consideration.

posted by Kevin J.