Author: Steve Ainslie

I used to never cry. Instead I’d suppress my tears and stuff my feelings down deep inside my chest so I didn’t show weakness to anyone. At the time, it was the only way I knew how to cope. Things have changed a lot since the time. I still don’t cry a lot. And I…

My friend recommended that I use Lap of Love when I decided to have Snickers euthanized. Like me, he had experience having his pets euthanized at vet’s offices before. But when his elderly cat was struggling during its final weeks, he called Lap Of Love because they did in-home services and, like most pets, his…

Even though I’m a dog lover, I was never a fan of Chihuahuas. I thought they were ugly, bug-eyed, fragile, mean little bastards. I had only met two during my life. One was old and cranky. The other was a yappy little misfit that hid would dart out from under the furniture to bite your…

I have been reading Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond in which he presents his reasoning for how human societies developed from nomadic hunter gatherer tribes to agricultural empires to modern day civilizations. If you have any interest in civilization and history, I highly recommend this book. As I’ve been reading, I can’t help…

When I was speaking to my friend Bruce a few days ago about making the decision to euthanize Snickers, he said, “Of course it’s an awful decision to have to make. It’s the end of an era. Snickers was with you through many really hard times in your life that most people never get close…

When I was walking Wiggles yesterday she had stopped to sniff around some bushes and a woman came up behind us and said to me, “Aww, so cute. Don’t you just love dogs?” I smiled and said, “Yes I do. More than most humans.” She smiled back and replied, “I was just about to say…

As I am grieving my loss of Snickers, I’ve tried to focus on the good memories of time spent with her that I cherish. I think about the many walks we took together as a family every night for 10 years before dinner with me, Ellen and Snickers. I think about our road trip together…

It’s only been two days since Snickers passed, but it feels like much longer. I hadn’t realized how much life she brought to it when she was here. After all, she had been a little old lady for years now. She did a lot of sleeping or lounging in the sun. Wiggles, my 3 year…

Once again, the price of groceries has gone up. Ground beef, which makes up 95% of my diet, has risen by nearly 50% since pre-Pandemic. Eggs are 200-300% more expensive and liver is up 20-30%. Of course the quality of all three has not risen.  I had a mild freak out today due when I…

Every once in a while I wonder if I should focus the next few years on making money – as in millions. After all, I’ve learned over that past few years that if I set my mind to something, I can usually figure it out.  By having a singular purpose, I made it through the…