Reigning cats and dogs!

March 13/12.

It's our cat's birthday! Tru, (officially known as Trudeau) is a Devon Rex. (photo below by my daughter, Kate).  Tru is her special baby!

She's 15-years-old today!

Happy birthday Tru-tru! (I took the shot above when I got home from a few hours of errands).

During this March break week, I've been thinking about what a different life I lead now from

the good old "Global glamour days." (here on the Entertainment Desk set with Timothy Dalton).

Ever since I quit work to look after our Mum, (who died in October 2010), then clean out her home

for months with Carrie, put it on the market and sell it,

all while dealing with my own breast cancer, things have really changed, big time.

I spend my days trying to keep a handle on things in a three-storey house with multi-projects underway on every floor and in every corner of every room,

laundry on the go all the time, - starting in the basement laundry room, making its way upstairs to the livingroom to be folded and finally, put away where it belongs,

non-stop visits to No Frills, (because it's impossible for me to get everything we need in ONE grocery-store-run per week). Yep, I'll admit it, sometimes even I RUN OUT OF STEAM and can't do it all at once. And the older Tru gets, the more I need to change the litter box and the more litter I need to lug home! These massive bags weigh a ton!

And with all the guests in the house, we're always running out of everything. (don't get me wrong, I LOVE having kids in the house, but they keep me hopping, shopping and cooking). Hint today:  No Frills has a good selection of greeting cards at 50 percent off. Much nicer than dollar store cards, and half the price of Hallmark! We have some more family birthdays coming up!

At the checkout counter,

I don't often buy People Magazine anymore, but this issue, I couldn't resist.

The cover shot is Monkees star, Davy Jones, who died February 29th at the age of 66. It's just SO cute, I HAD to have a copy. Lots more adorable shots and a great story inside. I was amazed he made the cover, since People usually seems to try to appeal to a younger demographic, but I guess with Monkees repeats over the years, young fans loved him too!

On the way home, the weather was so beautiful. I saw lots of people running in Riverdale Park,

jogging along the sidewalks,

and the Withrow Park off-leash dog area was barkingly busy!

Canines go crazy!

Quite the community mosh pit for mutts!

I've never owned a dog, but it was fun watching them in action today. My attempt to try and take little breaks during the day, (you know, stop & smell the roses and all that) - although I didn't stop and smell the doggie doo doo!

I'm working on a couple of ideas and projects of my own right now 

to try and make some changes to my life for the better, and, (to quote something from a great Richard Ouzounian Toronto Star article/interview I read 

about Mary Walsh back on March 1st), to help me, "see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not even the train!"  (see article below)

Sadly, Mary had to postpone the opening of her one-woman show Dancing with Rage at Theatre Passe Muraille due to pneumonia. She hopes to be able to launch it on March 20th.

http://www.toronto.com/article/715251--mary-walsh-appears-in-dancing-with-rage-in-toronto

Davy Jones

February 29/11.

I was so very sad to hear today of the death of Davy Jones at the age of 66.

Hey Hey! I loved Monkee Davy! In fact, I loved them ALL!

This was the first album I ever owned! I still remember when my friend, Pam Gorman, gave it to me at my
11th birthday party. I opened it up, having no clue what LP she would have chosen, and burst into tears with excitement when I saw it was The Monkees first record! I had a tiny little GE record player and this album got played on it hundreds of times till it was worn right down!

Davy was known as "the cute one", and almost everybody's favourite. (as for me, I loved Mickey Dolenz, because I ALWAYS adored the funny guys!) But I DID idolize Davy for his singing voice, gentle nature and signature dance moves, (which I tried to do over & over again, and never could get just right).

 
 The flowing bell bottoms he always wore made the moves look so easy! (My fave parts are at
1:10 and 1:59).

Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, Mike "Woolhat" Nesmith, Davy Jones. I couldn't wait to watch them every week.

Even now, I have copies of the 58 episodes and still watch them from time to time on VHS.

I'll never forget seeing them in performance at the old Forum at Ontario Place, (it was a blast),

and while working at Global TV as entertainment reporter, getting the chance to meet and interview Davy and Mickey several times. I remember being saddened by the bitterness Davy lived with from day to day. He told me in our chat that he (and the other lads) should have been much better compensated for their work back in the days of The Monkees. He felt cheated. But those feelings never seemed to come across on stage, when he always had a smile on his face and played to the crowd.

Said to be Davy's last performance of Daydream Believer with the other Monkees, (except for Mike, of course), June 16, 2011. I don't want to believe that sweet singing voice has been silenced.

He remained as handsome as ever till the end of his life. I miss you already Davy.

 
And what teenager in the '70s could ever forget when Davy sang "Girl" on The Brady Bunch??????? Outasite!  And "Marcia Marcia Marcia" was the lucky one to get up close & personal with him!
I ask you, what girl in this universe wouldn't like to hear the man she loves sing THESE lyrics to her?

Girl, look what you've done to me,
Me, and my whole world,
Girl, you brought the sun to me,
With your smile, you did it girl,

I'm telling you girl, something unknown to me,
Makes you what you are,
and what you are is all I could ask for me,
and its good to feel that way girl.

Thank you girl, for making the morning brighter
Girl, for making the night time nicer
Girl, for making a better world for me.

I'm telling you girl, something unknown to me,
Makes you what you are,
and what you are is all that I want for me,
and its good to feel that way girl.

Thank you Girl, for making the morning brighter
Girl, for making the night time nicer
Girl, for making a better world for me.

Thank you Girl, for making the winter warmer
Girl, for making the music softer,
Girl, for making a better world for me.

Thank you Girl, for making the morning brighter
Girl, for making the night time nicer (fades off here)
Girl, for making a better world for me.

 
Marcia Brady (Maureen McCormick) meets Davy! I remember wanting to be Marcia that day!
Sigh.

Thanks for sharing your talent with us Davy. My heart goes out to his wife, four daughters, all his family and friends, - and especially, to the other Monkees, whom I'm sure are very sad today.