Elizabeth Parmeter's Blog, page 2
March 12, 2018
Where and how do you run?
This is one of those sort of doomsday/apocalypse kind of thoughts. But due to some of the story in Jessica Jones, I've been thinking about how and where I would run if the worst happened. Like if you ABSOLUTELY have to go somewhere because your personal FBI guy decides to turn you in or you commit a crime you want to get away from or there's a super-villain after you (or a superhero, who am I to dictate what kind of super you want to be).... whatever, we all have our reasons.
Specifically, I'm talking about the sort of running where technology works against you and where continuing to use your own identity is not an option.
Where do you go and how do you get there? I'm pretty much of the thought that in this day and age, the average joe has no real choice but the streets in a major metropolitan city. I mean, it's sort of the sad conclusion of modern society that it's easiest to hide in a crowd of people that people actively look away from.
There's someone in season two of Jessica Jones that she goes to for fake identification more than once and I couldn't help but think how unrealistic that is. I don't know, maybe in New York City everyone knows someone who knows a guy that can get you a new identity. But that's not the case in the suburbs, or for normal people. Not too mention, even if that is a plausible option because somehow you know someone, unless they owe you a really big favor that shit isn't cheap. And if you're about to run, every cent counts.
You can't rent rooms anywhere without id, or travel and even buying things in cash is a tricky proposition if it's expensive enough. And then, for funsies, pretend you're starting this new life with no cash whatsoever. For whatever reason you can't grab any before you leave, there's nothing left to take, or you didn't have any to begin with. Maybe you can scrounge up a few dollars but that's not going to last long.
With some time maybe you can grab things to sell before you leave. Or maybe there's something on you worth selling. Chances of having something expensive enough to sell on me at any given time is pretty low. Unless pawn shops have started dealing in lipstick (because usually that's all I have on me at any time of any value), I'm sort of out of luck.
These thoughts haven't really gone anywhere -- I live the sort of life where I'm more likely to need to run from a zombie apocalypse than some sort of hitman, but it's an interesting thought experiment anyway. And not completely without its uses. Knowing where the nearest libraries, soup kitchens, domestic shelters or homeless shelters are in your town or city is pretty useful. In cities where public transportation isn't a priority for suburban neighborhoods figuring out where the nearest bus stops are and what it costs, is also good information.
My neighborhood for instance has a bus stop but it would take me a bunch of stops and changes to get anywhere useful, I'd have better luck walking toward downtown. But then I'd have to consider the best time to make that walk, on flat land anyone walking on the road is easily spotted... I'd be better served trying to float down the river and that has its own host of issues.
No plan is perfect. But I'm curious what other people have come up with, if anything. Have you ever considered what it would take for you to run without money or technology? And where would you go?
Specifically, I'm talking about the sort of running where technology works against you and where continuing to use your own identity is not an option.
Where do you go and how do you get there? I'm pretty much of the thought that in this day and age, the average joe has no real choice but the streets in a major metropolitan city. I mean, it's sort of the sad conclusion of modern society that it's easiest to hide in a crowd of people that people actively look away from.
There's someone in season two of Jessica Jones that she goes to for fake identification more than once and I couldn't help but think how unrealistic that is. I don't know, maybe in New York City everyone knows someone who knows a guy that can get you a new identity. But that's not the case in the suburbs, or for normal people. Not too mention, even if that is a plausible option because somehow you know someone, unless they owe you a really big favor that shit isn't cheap. And if you're about to run, every cent counts.
You can't rent rooms anywhere without id, or travel and even buying things in cash is a tricky proposition if it's expensive enough. And then, for funsies, pretend you're starting this new life with no cash whatsoever. For whatever reason you can't grab any before you leave, there's nothing left to take, or you didn't have any to begin with. Maybe you can scrounge up a few dollars but that's not going to last long.
With some time maybe you can grab things to sell before you leave. Or maybe there's something on you worth selling. Chances of having something expensive enough to sell on me at any given time is pretty low. Unless pawn shops have started dealing in lipstick (because usually that's all I have on me at any time of any value), I'm sort of out of luck.
These thoughts haven't really gone anywhere -- I live the sort of life where I'm more likely to need to run from a zombie apocalypse than some sort of hitman, but it's an interesting thought experiment anyway. And not completely without its uses. Knowing where the nearest libraries, soup kitchens, domestic shelters or homeless shelters are in your town or city is pretty useful. In cities where public transportation isn't a priority for suburban neighborhoods figuring out where the nearest bus stops are and what it costs, is also good information.
My neighborhood for instance has a bus stop but it would take me a bunch of stops and changes to get anywhere useful, I'd have better luck walking toward downtown. But then I'd have to consider the best time to make that walk, on flat land anyone walking on the road is easily spotted... I'd be better served trying to float down the river and that has its own host of issues.
No plan is perfect. But I'm curious what other people have come up with, if anything. Have you ever considered what it would take for you to run without money or technology? And where would you go?
March 11, 2018
Jessica Jones Season 2 -- AKA I'm not sure how I feel about it
I managed to finish Jessica Jones Season 2 tonight and as the title might suggest, I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I didn't watch The Defenders (maybe I'll get back to it, but it's not a priority) so I'm not sure how well any of it ties in, or doesn't, to what happened there. Although I feel like it's probably pretty stand-alone from it, given that the only real ties I saw/heard in season two related to Jeri.
For a pretty spoiler-free review I can say that I both enjoyed Jessica's progression in this season and what the focus was for her with Kilgrave out of the picture. I can also say that it's pretty freaking cool that they employed female-only directors for Season 2, however there was also a long way they could've gone to improve some of their diversity issues. Black women specifically got an unfair shake on screen and in ways that absolutely could've gone any direction. It's not enough to cast black actors, there's no excuse from writers not to be more cognizant of the roles those actors will be playing and what it'll look like on screen.
What I'm not really happy about (again in a way that's the most spoiler-free I can make it) is the direction they took Trish in this season. I understand the progression from her interests in the first season that this is one of the directions that could've gone. But, I felt it was really predictable in the beginning of season two and by the end, it was tiring and played out. To be a little more specific that'll only be spoilery once you get a few episodes into the season -- I really hate that she gets rewarded for that, even if we don't see it explicitly by the end of the season, it obvious enough.
One of the other things that's sort of holding back my complete enthusiasm for the season as a whole is the very cyclical nature of the arguments that start to happen in every episode about half-way in as Jessica makes the biggest discovery of the season. I don't have to say what it is to say that the way she talks herself in and out, or other people talk her in and out of the same decision in almost every episode gets old fast. And then to have the decision taken out of her hands entirely by the end of the season, undid part of the work of the first season. I get the character choice that was made and what that could set up for a third season, but it didn't have to go that way. It could've ended a dozen other ways and season three wouldn't suffer for opportunities to rehash the outcome.
I'm not really going to address Jeri's story line. I feel the same way about the whole season as I feel about her story. I do like Carrie Ann Moss as an actress though and I really feel like she and Robin Wright and she need to have some show where they play high-powered lesbians with great hair and expensive clothes. Or just give me some President Claire Underwood/Supreme Court Justice Jeryn Hogarth fanfic and I'd be good.
For a pretty spoiler-free review I can say that I both enjoyed Jessica's progression in this season and what the focus was for her with Kilgrave out of the picture. I can also say that it's pretty freaking cool that they employed female-only directors for Season 2, however there was also a long way they could've gone to improve some of their diversity issues. Black women specifically got an unfair shake on screen and in ways that absolutely could've gone any direction. It's not enough to cast black actors, there's no excuse from writers not to be more cognizant of the roles those actors will be playing and what it'll look like on screen.
What I'm not really happy about (again in a way that's the most spoiler-free I can make it) is the direction they took Trish in this season. I understand the progression from her interests in the first season that this is one of the directions that could've gone. But, I felt it was really predictable in the beginning of season two and by the end, it was tiring and played out. To be a little more specific that'll only be spoilery once you get a few episodes into the season -- I really hate that she gets rewarded for that, even if we don't see it explicitly by the end of the season, it obvious enough.
One of the other things that's sort of holding back my complete enthusiasm for the season as a whole is the very cyclical nature of the arguments that start to happen in every episode about half-way in as Jessica makes the biggest discovery of the season. I don't have to say what it is to say that the way she talks herself in and out, or other people talk her in and out of the same decision in almost every episode gets old fast. And then to have the decision taken out of her hands entirely by the end of the season, undid part of the work of the first season. I get the character choice that was made and what that could set up for a third season, but it didn't have to go that way. It could've ended a dozen other ways and season three wouldn't suffer for opportunities to rehash the outcome.
I'm not really going to address Jeri's story line. I feel the same way about the whole season as I feel about her story. I do like Carrie Ann Moss as an actress though and I really feel like she and Robin Wright and she need to have some show where they play high-powered lesbians with great hair and expensive clothes. Or just give me some President Claire Underwood/Supreme Court Justice Jeryn Hogarth fanfic and I'd be good.
March 10, 2018
Music: New Rules x Are You That Somebody? by Pentatonix
I'm happy to see new music from Pentatonix that isn't Christmas, or personal projects. Not that they're not all extremely talented on their own, but after Ari left, I wondered what new music from them might look like. Their cover for Havana is good, but this new song is a little bit of a return to some of their older sounds - new music mixed with an old beat. It also helps that I really, really dig New Rules from Dua Lipa right now. Putting the beat from Aaliyah's Are You That Somebody? just hits me where my teen-self lived, knee-deep in R&B. This is real good.
First We Feast: Hot Ones with Charlize Theron
If you've never watched Hot Ones before, you're missing out on a great interview show. In it the host, Sean Evans, interviews a celebrity while they both take down ten chicken wings made with hot sauces of increasing intensity on the Scoville scale. Between each wing, Sean asks questions of his guests that are usually a little unique (like the format) and always entertaining. It also doesn't rely on 10-15 minutes of a guest plugging their latest project like on so many night time talk shows. Even at the end when Sean offers his guests a moment to plug whatever it is they want to -- rarely do the guests actually do so in a way that feels played out.
The video below is the most recent episode where Charlize Theron takes the heat (like a champ) and is as charming and personable as I'd hoped she'd be. If you've never watched an episode, start with this one. Then, you've got more than a 100 episodes to watch back if you like the style.
The video below is the most recent episode where Charlize Theron takes the heat (like a champ) and is as charming and personable as I'd hoped she'd be. If you've never watched an episode, start with this one. Then, you've got more than a 100 episodes to watch back if you like the style.
March 8, 2018
One Last Thing
What is it about setting or deciding on a specific time to do something that seems to guarantee there's always ONE MORE THING that needs doing? I've tried to go to bed a little early every night this week and each time I feel like there's something I've forgotten to do. Last night I even tried to do it with plenty of time to finish what I was working on, let the dog out and take my meds -- all the normal stuff I do. And then of course I knocked over my drink as I was getting up from my desk. Usually it's the cats knocking my shit over. This time, my blanket knocked right into my open drink and spilled it all over my mouse and the books I keep by my computer at all times.
But having to clean that up got me thinking how often I'm picking up stuff or doing one last thing before I go to bed. It's a little like playing The Sims or Civilization or whatever your RTS game of choice is, where you always want to take one more turn before saving and closing down your game.
I can't be the only one that feels like there's always one more thing that needs doing anytime you're about to do something else? I'm sure it has more to do about our fallible human memories that makes us do this. Or at least my specifically horrible one.
But having to clean that up got me thinking how often I'm picking up stuff or doing one last thing before I go to bed. It's a little like playing The Sims or Civilization or whatever your RTS game of choice is, where you always want to take one more turn before saving and closing down your game.
I can't be the only one that feels like there's always one more thing that needs doing anytime you're about to do something else? I'm sure it has more to do about our fallible human memories that makes us do this. Or at least my specifically horrible one.
March 7, 2018
Audible, Luke Daniels, and The Buried Book by D.M. Pulley
I'm not sure if I've learned my lesson about buying audiobooks just because I like the narrator. I picked up The Buried Book by D.M. Pulley after browsing through a bunch of the books narrated by Luke Daniels... which is not the first time I've picked up a book narrated by Luke Daniels just because. Let me back up.
Luke Daniels is a fantastic narrator whom I once described to friend thusly: "I hope he has little kids that reads stories to at night doing all the voices." Not that his voice work isn't lovely, but somewhere out there I'd like to know there are some super lucky children getting to hear him do a variety of voices for Where the Wild Things Are or Harry Potter, or whatever.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks -- I got so fed up with the radio in Kansas City about five years ago and switched over to audiobooks for my commute pretty much exclusively. Although even before that when my husband and I could commute together, we often had audiobooks playing. But my Audible library is extensive these days, and I feel like that comes with a need to find books read by really enjoyable voices. I found Luke Daniels when I started listening to the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne (by way of the similarities in it and The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, which I loved for years). Anyhow. When you find a narrator that's good, getting into the book is easier and I feel like the stories go faster because they're into the characters in a way that makes them flow.
Davina Porter is another narrator I've grown to love through her work on the Outlander series audiobooks. I don't have a lot of series I listen to on Audible necessarily, mostly because if the narrator is only so-so, I don't have a lot of interest in picking up the next book. [And of course, Audible lets you return books you don't like... which I've done, and is a very nice feature.] (Again, #notspon, I just really like Audible.)
So, I say all this to say that I like Luke Daniels as a narrator and have several times gone through his catalog to see what new things he's read that I might like to listen to. He's done Scott Meyer's Wizard 2.0 series which is ... just okay? But not through any fault on his part as the narrator. The writing has some issues.
I got off-track again.
The Buried Book by D.M. Pulley. It's a stand alone fiction novel based very loosely on one of the author's family members who went missing for a time in the fifties. The story takes place from the point of the missing character's nine year old son, Jasper. Jasper spends the book desperately trying to learn more about his mother's life: her childhood, her work, and most importantly where she went and why no one will tell him what's going on.
Luke Daniels narrates from the mind of this poor nine year old who sees and reads and learns more than any kid should about his mother's troubled past, and present.
By the end of the book I was eager to finish, not just to have it over so I could move on to something more fascinating, but I was finally finally interested in what was going on. That took more than two-thirds of the book to accomplish. I felt like so much of this story was unnecessary. Sure, everything is daunting when you're a nine year old boy in the early fifties and everyone is always telling you to butt out, that you're not old enough, that you can't understand. And here's where the book falls down for me.
The thing that most often takes me out of a story is if I feel, as a reader, that I'm being condescended to by the author. I won't say that's what happened necessarily, at least not in a way that made me stop listening before it was over. But I did get very annoyed by the book many times because it's far more obvious to an adult reader than a nine year old what's going on. So I felt that the pacing of the story was just awful, it plodded along, doling out information in the slowest manner possible.
When the end came, and thank goodness it's not a super massive book (12 hours, I think... which is average for a normal novel length story via audio), I didn't feel vindicated on Jasper's behalf either. I didn't feel like anything had been accomplished. The small bits of resolution that do happen don't really happen to any of the main characters. They happen around them, as circumstance.
Not too mention, even my favorite narrator is going to run out of new ways to make the same gruff, farmer voices of the early fifties sound distinct. So it was kind of a lose-meh book for me. The only victory (for me) is in having finished it at last so I could move on. [I have a horrible time quitting books, even if I don't like them. I've only done it twice since joining Audible, once was the narrator and the second time was the book itself. *shudders just thinking about it*]
Is anyone else a huge fan of Audible though? Do you do this too -- pick out books because of the narrator? And please tell me someone else love Luke's narration like I do.
Luke Daniels is a fantastic narrator whom I once described to friend thusly: "I hope he has little kids that reads stories to at night doing all the voices." Not that his voice work isn't lovely, but somewhere out there I'd like to know there are some super lucky children getting to hear him do a variety of voices for Where the Wild Things Are or Harry Potter, or whatever.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks -- I got so fed up with the radio in Kansas City about five years ago and switched over to audiobooks for my commute pretty much exclusively. Although even before that when my husband and I could commute together, we often had audiobooks playing. But my Audible library is extensive these days, and I feel like that comes with a need to find books read by really enjoyable voices. I found Luke Daniels when I started listening to the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne (by way of the similarities in it and The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, which I loved for years). Anyhow. When you find a narrator that's good, getting into the book is easier and I feel like the stories go faster because they're into the characters in a way that makes them flow.
Davina Porter is another narrator I've grown to love through her work on the Outlander series audiobooks. I don't have a lot of series I listen to on Audible necessarily, mostly because if the narrator is only so-so, I don't have a lot of interest in picking up the next book. [And of course, Audible lets you return books you don't like... which I've done, and is a very nice feature.] (Again, #notspon, I just really like Audible.)
So, I say all this to say that I like Luke Daniels as a narrator and have several times gone through his catalog to see what new things he's read that I might like to listen to. He's done Scott Meyer's Wizard 2.0 series which is ... just okay? But not through any fault on his part as the narrator. The writing has some issues.
I got off-track again.
The Buried Book by D.M. Pulley. It's a stand alone fiction novel based very loosely on one of the author's family members who went missing for a time in the fifties. The story takes place from the point of the missing character's nine year old son, Jasper. Jasper spends the book desperately trying to learn more about his mother's life: her childhood, her work, and most importantly where she went and why no one will tell him what's going on.
Luke Daniels narrates from the mind of this poor nine year old who sees and reads and learns more than any kid should about his mother's troubled past, and present.
By the end of the book I was eager to finish, not just to have it over so I could move on to something more fascinating, but I was finally finally interested in what was going on. That took more than two-thirds of the book to accomplish. I felt like so much of this story was unnecessary. Sure, everything is daunting when you're a nine year old boy in the early fifties and everyone is always telling you to butt out, that you're not old enough, that you can't understand. And here's where the book falls down for me.
The thing that most often takes me out of a story is if I feel, as a reader, that I'm being condescended to by the author. I won't say that's what happened necessarily, at least not in a way that made me stop listening before it was over. But I did get very annoyed by the book many times because it's far more obvious to an adult reader than a nine year old what's going on. So I felt that the pacing of the story was just awful, it plodded along, doling out information in the slowest manner possible.
When the end came, and thank goodness it's not a super massive book (12 hours, I think... which is average for a normal novel length story via audio), I didn't feel vindicated on Jasper's behalf either. I didn't feel like anything had been accomplished. The small bits of resolution that do happen don't really happen to any of the main characters. They happen around them, as circumstance.
Not too mention, even my favorite narrator is going to run out of new ways to make the same gruff, farmer voices of the early fifties sound distinct. So it was kind of a lose-meh book for me. The only victory (for me) is in having finished it at last so I could move on. [I have a horrible time quitting books, even if I don't like them. I've only done it twice since joining Audible, once was the narrator and the second time was the book itself. *shudders just thinking about it*]
Is anyone else a huge fan of Audible though? Do you do this too -- pick out books because of the narrator? And please tell me someone else love Luke's narration like I do.
March 6, 2018
Halfsies dice; Superdice in super blue and heroic red
Forever ago, Matt kickstarted the Halfsies dice campaign. We were able to pick up four sets of dice and I got the Superdice (blue and red) and the Davinci dice (black and gold). We just got them in the mail today, but I had a D&D game tonight so I was able to put my new Superdice to use on my earth genasi bard, Ariyaris. That's it. I just want to show of my new dice and say how well they did for me out of the box. Ari rolled two nat 20s tonight and at least one nat 12 for damage. So they're off to a good start.My Davinci dice might turn into my GM dice for the game I run on Wednesdays, as long as the cats don't bother me. They didn't seem to care for them tonight, but they almost always want to be on my desk when I'm surrounded by dice, books and notes.
We would've had these dice long ago had some bad luck not befallen the nice guys at Gate Keeper Games in the form of a nasty fire just before GenCon last year. Thankfully, they've gotten things up and running and dice are available on their website. These dice are just like the tiniest skotch bigger than your standard dice from like Chessex, so keep that in mind if it matters to you. Check the all the other types they have at http://www.gatekeepergaming.com [#notspon i just like them]
March 5, 2018
Chime; Dessa and the Science of Love
With the release of Dessa's new album, Chime, stories and videos of her process in writing the songs on it have been making the rounds. As a bit of a science nerd, she investigated the impact of love on the brain. Comparing her brain's reactions to images of an ex she couldn't quite shake feelings for and another person, she was able to see exactly where in the brain her feelings for this person lived. She talks about it more in the video below.
I love Dessa's music, the lyrics in her songs deal not just with love but life. I've been listening to Chime for the past week or so and while I've not as in love with it as I have been with previous albums, I am thoroughly enjoying it.
I love Dessa's music, the lyrics in her songs deal not just with love but life. I've been listening to Chime for the past week or so and while I've not as in love with it as I have been with previous albums, I am thoroughly enjoying it.
March 4, 2018
Rewatching The Good Place -- What we owe to each other
I had some friends in town overnight who had never seen The Good Place. However we started it pretty late in the night so they didn't make it very many episodes into the first season before everyone crashed. But as someone that doesn't rewatch very many shows, just getting a few episodes in to season one made me watch to continue. It's also really entertaining to watch the show with people who haven't seen it before, knowing exactly what they have to look forward to by the end of the first season. Even my expectations feel different despite knowing what's coming.
There's so much about that first season I'd forgotten, especially about those first few episodes the prevalence of Michael's neurosis even before the reveal. (This won't be long, and I'm doing my best not to spoil anything specific, or the specifics about the end of Season One.)
There's something about a show like this one where the end of Season One changes the show fundamentally that makes going back to the beginning feel like a different show. I've seen the full impact of Season Two, so this like innocence of beginnings is so different.
That said, in fact despite the anxiety the main characters feel in the first season everything is just inherently cheerful in a way that has absolutely nothing to do with their location. And while the circumstances are different in the second season, the hope is still there. Though anxiety has given way to something deeper so the happiness is something they have to snatch in small moments for themselves.
I want these characters to succeed in a way that feels new, because I'm now seeing where they started all over again and the growth is pretty monumental.
Have you seen The Good Place? Rewatched it now that it's on hiatus?
I'd be curious to know if the rewatch feels like this for everyone.
There's so much about that first season I'd forgotten, especially about those first few episodes the prevalence of Michael's neurosis even before the reveal. (This won't be long, and I'm doing my best not to spoil anything specific, or the specifics about the end of Season One.)
There's something about a show like this one where the end of Season One changes the show fundamentally that makes going back to the beginning feel like a different show. I've seen the full impact of Season Two, so this like innocence of beginnings is so different.
That said, in fact despite the anxiety the main characters feel in the first season everything is just inherently cheerful in a way that has absolutely nothing to do with their location. And while the circumstances are different in the second season, the hope is still there. Though anxiety has given way to something deeper so the happiness is something they have to snatch in small moments for themselves.
I want these characters to succeed in a way that feels new, because I'm now seeing where they started all over again and the growth is pretty monumental.
Have you seen The Good Place? Rewatched it now that it's on hiatus?
I'd be curious to know if the rewatch feels like this for everyone.
March 2, 2018
Piper
Tonight we said goodbye to the toughest old lady I've ever met. When we adopted Piper no one was sure quite what her age was; we were told she was between five and seven years old. They knew she'd had puppies at some point not long before she'd been found and that her life up until she was rescued had been really tough. Her hair was thin, patchy and sun-bleached and it was clear she was scared around people and loud noises.
We got Piper about a year and a half after our other lab, Jazz, and even though she was an older dog, the two of them were good friends. I remember taking Jazz to meet her for the first time and watching how they almost immediately fell into sync as they walked, as they sat, as they watched the world go by. They were a good fit for each other and for us.
Two years ago we lost Jazz. And in recent weeks as Piper's health rapidly declined, I've felt like he's been here, with us. I've had these moments with her sitting next to me and as she would turn her head, I imagined Jazz sitting there too, turning his head at the same time... just like he used to. It's been a comforting thought at least, to think maybe he was waiting for her.
We had Piper for ten really good years. She was sweet and gentle and demanded attention, but was never wild. In the beginning, while she warmed to Jazz immediately, it took her longer to trust us. But once she did, all she wanted was to be close to us. She loved kids and didn't mind it when they crawled all over her to play. She was a good lady.
She was strong until the end but tonight we knew it was her time.
I'm going to miss her terribly.
We got Piper about a year and a half after our other lab, Jazz, and even though she was an older dog, the two of them were good friends. I remember taking Jazz to meet her for the first time and watching how they almost immediately fell into sync as they walked, as they sat, as they watched the world go by. They were a good fit for each other and for us.
Two years ago we lost Jazz. And in recent weeks as Piper's health rapidly declined, I've felt like he's been here, with us. I've had these moments with her sitting next to me and as she would turn her head, I imagined Jazz sitting there too, turning his head at the same time... just like he used to. It's been a comforting thought at least, to think maybe he was waiting for her.
We had Piper for ten really good years. She was sweet and gentle and demanded attention, but was never wild. In the beginning, while she warmed to Jazz immediately, it took her longer to trust us. But once she did, all she wanted was to be close to us. She loved kids and didn't mind it when they crawled all over her to play. She was a good lady.
She was strong until the end but tonight we knew it was her time.
I'm going to miss her terribly.
