Congratulations to Beaded Tail who has just entered yesterday and tied Lucky Lady for the lead winning a free autographed copy of "My Funny Dad, Harry." Today is the last day of my book contest and Beaded Tail just entered yesterday with 7 right answers and got another one right today so ties with 8 right. The contest officially closes at midnight tonight (Eastern time) so there's still opportunity for one more winner to sneak in.
I enjoy reading about Beaded Tail's cats and dog and am sure my dad would have enjoyed this blog too. All the answers will be posted tomorrow.
I only got one entry from Lucky Lady, also a cat lover, so thought I'd ask her a few questions that may encourage some others to try:
1) How did you discover this blog and what made you decide to participate in the Father's Day Contest? I found your blog from surfing and I loved it- I do love a challenge and I think Harry seemed so neat that I want that book
2) How much trouble did you have coming up with 8 correct answers so far? I worked my fanny off-reading but having fun
3) How many answers have you actually found on this blog or did you just guess? So far, all on the blog but I am stuck now
I just thought people would guess but she has actually scoured my blog to find her answers! What about you? Don't you want to give it a try? Click here to Go To Contest.
UPDATED 5/27/09: I know it's not June 1 yet, but I see no point in making Lucky Lady wait any longer since no one else has even entered this contest. I mailed her an autographed copy yesterday. There is still time to enter and if you can get 8 or more answers correct, you too can win! (Limit 2 more winners) Answers to the contest will be posted June 1.
Who knows my funny dad, Harry, best? Who will be the first with the most correct answers to my dad's ten favorite things?
UPDATED 5/22/09: Lucky Lady got 8 correct answers and is our leader since she is the only entry so far. Hint: the search box may help. Why not give it a try?
Just send me an email to spunkydoodle@sbcglobal.net with your answers so others can't copy from you.
The winner will receive a free autographed book, "My Funny Dad, Harry."
The first three who get all 10 right before June 1 win. Winners will be announced as they win.
If no one wins by June 1, then Spunky Doodle, dad's kitten that I adopted, will pick a winner from those who have tied with the most correct answers.
(This way the winner can get the book in time for Father's Day if they reside in the U.S. and the runners up still have time to order it--overseas may take longer.)
What was my dad's favorite . . . Zoo animal? Food? TV show? Pastime? Cat? Magazine? Book? Drink? Car? Store?
I will be updating this post as I get entries and will list the leaders as we go along. Why not do it--you have nothing to lose and you may win a free book!
What are your favorites?
(Another chance: Red Pine Mountain is also running a book giveaway contest for my book through June 12. All you have to do there for a chance to win is leave a comment saying you'd like to. She loved the book and it was her idea to help promote it. She's my blogging buddy! You may want to wait to see if you win here first since my contest ends June 1. Click Here to enter Mountain Woman's contest.)
My dad never bowled, although I think he would have been very good at it if he had because he was slow, even-tempered, methodical and smart. I tried several times to try getting him to go but he just had other things he'd rather do, like woodworking or fixing something for someone. My mom bowled in a ladies league with one of her friends and had me take bowling lessons with her friend's daughter. I liked it and later I started up a church bowling league--our first ever at a small neighborhood bowling alley--Bowl-o-drome!
The first year, we just had all teens with just one adult named Norm, the friendliest man I ever knew who was very fat and single his whole life. It was the most fun league I was ever in. Our best bowler had around a 160 average. I would figure the averages that night and my mom and I checked the score sheets (this was before automatic scoring when you actually had to use your brain and add yourself). Everyone enjoyed themselves and there was no arguing or bickering about anything. It was just a lot of fun!
At the end of the season, my dad suggested we have a party in our basement and he offered to buy trophies. He said any league needs to give trophies at the end, the kids deserve them. Obviously, the church wasn't really behind it. I guess there were some that were pretty upset we even had it under the church name at the lanes. Some people always find something to complain about--it seems like they feel it's their "job." Anyway, my dad and I went to pick out the trophies and everyone was thrilled that we had them.
Slowly, as the league continued, more adults joined and it became a family league. I continued on for many years but I eventually got tired of doing all the work so formed a bowling Committee to run it later. We charged a little extra the following years to cover trophies and food for a banquet. Still, the first year was the best!
UPDATED 5/14/09: You may want to join in on the free giveaway contest for my book at Red Pine Mountain.
Liza at Mommy's Little Corner passed this award on to me.
To receive this award your blog must be exceptional in design and content; presenting us with new knowledge, a sense of style, or at times just giving us a smile!
Each recipient of the award will acknowledge the person who honored them with the award and then go to http://overthetopaprons.blogspot.com to copy/paste the code for the award: Your Blog is Over The Top. (located on the right sidebar, scroll down)
Following are the blogs I think are exceptional and "Over the Top" that I am passing this on to.
1. Problogger - I don't know if he accepts awards, but his blog is definitely Over the Top! A great help to all bloggers, tons of in-depth posts to help us blog better and build community.
2. We Used To Be You - It is well designed, easy to read and navigate, and is extremely interactive. Posts are well thought out, interesting and informative. This blog provides guidance to girls and women by sharing their life experiences, providing Godly counsel and sharing the love of Christ. Then answer questions from their readers. I added it to my blogroll and am now a follower. You may want to take a look at this one--it's awesome!
3. Losing It--Getting Fit - This is an exceptional fitness blog with interesting posts and video demonstrations of some easy exercises. Lots of exercise suggestions here.
5. Karlana's World is a blog that has articles about parenting and family, technology, education with an abundance of information that is easy to find.
If you don't want to bother with it, I understand and will not be offended. These awards can be very time-consuming.
As I gathered stuff from our house together for the Parma Heights Christian Academy's annual garage sale May 2 from 7 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., the memory of Sylvester's last day of May 5, 2007 came into my mind. I'll always connect this garage sale with a very bad day.
On a warm, sunny Saturday, the day of the garage sale on May 5, 2007, I stopped by dad's house early in the morning to take care of feeding his cats and clean their litter boxes. I always enjoyed doing this but something really crazy happened. Sweet Thing was by the door growling at Sylvester, the cat with feline aids. They could see each other because Harry had replaced the bottom half of the door with Plexiglas.
I was shocked when I felt Sylvester grab my leg as I was leaving and push right past me, chasing after Sweet Thing and attacking him! I was actually planning to bring them into my house the following week and keep Sylvester in our extra upstairs bedroom but with this happening, I just couldn't do it. I kept thinking that Sylvester could be attacking MY cats.
I yelled but, of course, that did no good at all so then since I couldn't get Sweet Thing, the one I really wanted to protect who was on the bottom, I grabbed Sylvester and just held him on the floor between my legs for a bit while he calmed down, which he did. I had a carrier close by and easily got him into it. I told him he just sealed his fate. I had no choice now but to have him put down. With a heavy heart, great sadness and tears in my eyes, I took him to the car.
It was amazing that I didn't get clawed up or bit when I broke up the fight, but I didn't. I believe this was God's way of giving me the courage I needed to make this very hard decision. Sylvester was normally a very laid back, affectionate cat. Of all the cats I knew, he was the only one who would crawl onto my lap and let me pet him and brush him for as long as I wanted. He was also my husband's favorite of my dad's cats because he let Gerard pet him nice and Gerard felt bad for him that he always had to be alone in that one room because he had the feline aids (little did I know that Sweet Thing had it too from being bit by Sylvester).
Sylvester and I went for a ride to the garage sale first to met Gerard's sister as I planned so I could give her something and left Sylvester in the car while I went in quick. I didn't stay and came back out within five minutes. I explained to Sylvester what was happening and congratulated him on winning the fight with Sweet Thing. I told him he would go out a champion and that he was really a nice cat but that he made a big mistake by fighting with Sweet Thing even though Sweet Thing was growling at him.
Then we went to the vet at the end of our street and they were very willing to kill Sylvester when I explained the circumstances. They were nice to me though and let me hold and pet him for quite some time. After they gave Sylvester the shot, it seemed like he just went to sleep and it was very peaceful. I was glad they let me stay with him to the end.
Just a week later, I also had to have Sweet Thing and Softie put down too. I was devastated because not only did I feel bad about not being able to find homes for the cats or a shelter to take them but I felt I really let my dad down. Tears are filling my eyes even now as I write about this painful experience two years later.
In October of that year I saw an article in a newspaper about a cat sanctuary that takes in stray cats including feral cats, older cats, and those with feline Aids to let them live out the rest of their lives in a house without cages until someone would adopt them. Oh, if I had only known about this place sooner. I became a monthly donor which I think dad would be happy about. I figure I couldn't save my dad's cats, but at least by donating to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue monthly, I am helping to save other nice cats. Doing this relieves me of most of the guilt. Here is a video of this Cat House I took when I visited it for the first time:
If my dad had been in my place, I think he would have just let them go back to being strays but since Sylvester and Sweet Thing were not neutered and Softie was so small with parasites, it could have created even more problems. People tell me I did the right thing; I hope dad would agree.
Congratulations to all the winners of the giveaway for "My Funny Dad, Harry" at Red Pine Mountain. I am so happy that four of my regular commenters won! Read what Tim thought of it at Everyday Living.
Congratulations to Beaded Tail who has just entered yesterday and tied Lucky Lady for the lead winning a free autographed copy of "My Funny Dad, Harry." Today is the last day of my book contest and Beaded Tail just entered yesterday with 7 right answers and got another one right today so ties with 8 right. The contest officially closes at midnight tonight (Eastern time) so there's still opportunity for one more winner to sneak in.
