What's going on at our home!

My last posting told of Linda's brother not doing well and in hospice care.  A couple of days ago we learned he does not have kidney failure.  However, he does have two heart values that are malfunctioning and they do not want to operate.  When he called yesterday, he sounded better than I have heard in months so we are up in the air about what will happen.

Meanwhile, we are progressing with our plans to put our house on the market in the early summer next year and we will purchase a home in the Boise/Meridian areas of Idaho.  Our western families are happy we are coming and we have promised our two sons on the east coast we would be out for two months every summer.

Life goes on!

A lot has been going on in our household

Linda's brother who is 77 is not doing well and is at home with hospice care.  It has been hard for her. Linda is dealing with right knee problems and Mac is still growing in leaps and bounds.  He is currently 8 months old and weighs 60 lbs.  His vet cut his food intake so he doesn't get heavy.  The weather here in New Hampshire has been the hottest weather for the longest period of time, well into the twenty days mark.  I've lived here since 1966 and have never seen this long a period of hot and humid weather.  My eighth book "Blackest of Fridays" came out in May and I have been busy doing book signings at various Barnes and Noble stores and libraries.

Six and a half months

Mac came to us at the age of 3-1/2 months.  He is currently 6-1/2 months.  When he arrived he liked to sit on Linda's lap, he weighed 30 lbs.  He still likes to sit on Linda's lap but weighs 52 lbs.  Here is an update of our puppy.

Mac is clear of parasites

Our six month old lab-mix has had a bout with parasites for the last six weeks.  The second round of medications and I feel the holistic oils I began giving him have cleared him of any parasites.  I learned about the holistic oils from my massage therapist.  She had used it on her dog after three rounds of dewormers didn't work.  The book she showed me about various  holistic oils said this particular one helped remove parasites.  Did it do the trick, I'm not sure, but now our dog is clear of the parasites and is going to be free to mingle with other dogs.

Wow fifty-two pounds

This past Wednesday, Mac had to receive his Lyme disease booster.  He's had a series of the necessary puppy shots and still loves to visit the vet's office.  They tend to spoil him.  On the scale Mac weighed in at 52 lbs.  His first vet visit six weeks ago he was 34, next visit 43, third visit 47.  They keep checking his weight to make sure they are giving him the proper heart worm and flea and tick control products.  I believe he will top out between 80 to 100 lbs.  Our big baby and he's only 5-1/2 months old.

Book signings and sales

"Blackest of Fridays" my eighth book is receiving invitations for book signings in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  Orders have already arrived from as far as PA.   Don't miss out in attending an event you see me posted in.

They're Here!

If you followed the Boston Marathon bombing closely and enjoy police thrillers, my eighth book will keep you spell bound.  No there is no marathon bombing in it.  However, there is enough to keep you on the edge of your seat until you finish the 444 page book.  Go to www.joesmiga.com and order an autographed copy.

Announcement

I have expanded my creative abilities by having studied and practiced photography for the last couple of years.  A week ago I have created a website with some of my photography posted over and above the local exhibits that I participate in.  If you would like to visit my photography website it is: www.joesmiga.biz.  Currently I have 101 images posted onto the site in various galleries.  Let me know what you think if you browse the site.

Update on Mac the jet black lab -mix

Mac has been with us for six weeks now.  He is a bundle of joy as a puppy and is growing with leaps and bounds.  We were told he was 30 lbs. when we adapted him.  Two weeks later he was 34 lbs.  Two weeks later again. getting his proper shots he was 43 lbs. Yesterday, he received his first of two Lyme disease shots and was weighed in at 47 lbs.  We were told by the rescue people and by our own vet he would probably be 80 lbs.  Not a problem our last dog was 75 lbs. of solid muscle.  Somehow I get the feeling Mac will be between 80-90 lbs.  Only time will tell.  He is a love though.

Update on Mac!

When we adopted Mac, we were told he weighed 30 lbs.  On the first visit of his wellness meeting with his vet he weighed 34 lbs.  She told me that Mac will probably top out at 80 lbs.  On his second vet visit to get his distemper shot, Mac weighed 43 lbs.  He will be five months old on May 23rd and is one healthy puppy. He was house trained in five weeks and will begin training for pheasant hunting in June.  He is also one spoiled dog.

We have a new dog!

Our previous dog a German Shorthaired Pointer died of a disease that was not picked up by three local vets.  Was it their fault, no!  Vets in New England are not accustomed to looking for it.  So we put our wonderful 9-1/2 year old dog down in December 2007.

Last fall while I was deer and pheasant hunting with our son in Idaho, my wife advised me that our daughter in Utah finally convinced her that we need to get another dog.  My wife began looking at rescue Labradors.  

Since we were planning to be in Israel for a full month in March 2016, we decided to wait until we returned home to purchase a dog.

Below is a photo of Mac, formerly known as Olsen.  He will be 4 months on April 23rd and is a sweetheart.  My wife says he is much easier to deal with than our pointer.  That means she is happy.  Mac passed a test of having a nose for pheasants when he proudly carried around a pheasant wing when we were observing him. I used my starter pistol to fire two .22 cal. blank rounds to see if he would be gun shy.  We took him home so you know he passed the test.

Have a look at our beautiful Lab-mix, his mother was pure lab and dad is unknown.  The hair on is back has some creative swirls to them and that is not common to labs.   We love him and he loves us.

Three pictures of eighteen photo shots I took of the sunset

We rented an apartment for a month in the artist village of Ein-Hod in Israel.  The village only has around 400 residents most of whom have a creative side in one way or another.  Below are three pictures depicting  a gorgeous sunset the second night we were there.  I shot eighteen photos giving a good view of a descending sun.

We're back!!!

We arrived back home a week ago, we are finally starting to feel our old selves again.  I will be posting various pictures and tell you about how absolutely wonderful our trip was.

What Inspires You?

Did you ever ask yourself this question?  Try it and begin an endless process of learning about yourself, and why and where you are in life at this moment in time.  After we return from Israel in April, I will post some thoughts about what inspires me.  Maybe those thoughts will give you a chance to reflect upon your own ideas.  Good Luck!

It's in their hands now!

This past Thursday, I sent all of the necessary submissions to Xlibris to begin the editing process of my eighth book.  By the time editing and proofing is done I will guess the book should be published by the end of May.  Its title is:  "Blackest of Fridays."  When I am in Israel for a month, I will begin working on its sequel.

Wow! At the open house for our photography group this happened.

Our full photography group displayed a new viewing of their photographs on the lower level of the Hooksett NH Library.  We held an open house.  While I didn't submit a photograph for display this go around, I displayed eleven photographs on the main floor of the library as its featured photographer.  I am so pleased about the comments made by my fellow photographers and those visiting the library.  One was even a member of the library board of trustees and she was fascinated that I am also an author and took down the names of my books.  My exhibit will be up for a couple of months and this has taken my interest in photography to a new level.

It's up for a couple of months

My featured photographer exhibit went up yesterday afternoon on the main floor of the Hooksett NH library.  It will run for a couple of months.  Thanks to my partner photographer Nina Rados who helped me get the eleven framed photographs on the wall.  This is my first big photography exhibit.

A week from today

A week from today, I will set up my first exhibit as a photographer.  A picture will illustrate our trip through the Canadian Rockies.  Watch for it and let me know what you think.  Joe

My first photography exhibit as a featured photographer

Coming soon is my opportunity to exhibit eleven of my photographs of a trip my wife and I took last June.  The area of the pictures will be 50" x 52".  There will be three 13 x 19 prints and eight 9 x 12.  Keep watching for the creation of this exhibit which will begin showing on February 1st. for a couple of months at the Hooksett New Hampshire library.

Israel Here We Come

This year Linda and I will be going to Israel for the third time in our marriage.  Linda has been there one more time than me, when she was a teenager.  We look forward to relaxing instead of continuous sight seeing.  Linda plans to paint on the Mediterranean, and I will begin my ninth book which is the sequel to the book, "Blackest of Fridays," being published later this year.

I plan to do a lot of pre-selling book eight before it actually hits the streets.  Watch for our photos and write ups of our journey.

Happy New Year Everyone!