Puppy Love

Really, Mom?  Only $500?

A friend of mine used to move a lot (generally with pets) for her husband's job in the military.  When her family transferred to Maine, she registered with the local veterinary practice.  This particular practice had a long questionnaire to fill out, and one of the questions on it was as follows: "Do you consider your pet to be a member of your family?"  My friend, after thinking about this for a minute or two, wrote, "I consider my pet to be a member of the family only up to 500 dollars.  After that, NO."

I totally get that.  I guess you would say I am not much of an animal person.  But I do have a friend who is very much an animal person, someone who definitely does not put a $500 ceiling on her attachment to her pets.  Which helps to explain her enormous vet bills due to the amputation of her dog's cancerous leg.  Oh, and then there was the chemotherapy, and xrays...you get the idea.  She's gone way over 500 dollars.

Cory loves animals, too.

Now, Kristin and I share a strong bond - not through a love of animals, of course, but through our mutual adoration of Cory Booker, the hunk-y mayor of Newark who saves women from burning buildings and probably leaps tall buildings in a single bound.  Also, she held my hand (figuratively, across the Internets) early on Election Night, when I started freaking out and hyperventilating.  So I would like to tell people about the etsy shop she has just opened.  You see, she is a very productive knitter (unlike, say, moi).  She has put a number of her handmade items up for sale, with all the proceeds going to pay off her sky-high vet bills.  Also, there are the pain meds for her poor dog - they're pretty pricey.

Obviously Obamacare isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Cory! I think your mom would like this.

Anyway, Kristin needs to pay for these things before she starts seeking oncology treatment for her cat.  No, I don't know why both her pets have cancer.  In my day, pets didn't even get cancer.  They just got older and slower until they had to be put to sleep. Or, at least, that's what my parents told me.

So!  If any of you are interested in buying some darn nice hand-knitted items, please check out Kristin's Etsy shop.  If you are interested in a custom order (an American Girl doll dress for your daughter's doll, say, or a lacy baby blanket), take a look at the items she has knitted in the past for some ideas.

Hey, maybe I'll tweet Cory Booker and see if he wants to buy his mom a nice hand-knit hat.  After all, he IS that sort of a guy. 

[Puppy image: Steve Curtin]
[Cory Booker image: Business Insider]