Uncategorized
by kate
Comments Off on Kate’s 2¢: “Molly: the true story of the amazing dog who rescues cats” by Colin Butcher
Kate’s 2¢: “Molly: the true story of the amazing dog who rescues cats” by Colin Butcher
“Molly: the true story of the amazing dog who rescues cats” by Colin Butcher
I enjoyed this story. Butcher did a good job of reading his own story. So many ‘pets’ are a lot smarter than their owners think. Then, there are the dogs with a talent, like Molly, and my guide dogs.
A few take-aways:
–In order for a good idea to work, you first need the know how, then you need to know who.
–An animals love, thrust and loyalty, aren’t given freely. They have to be earned.
WWW.COLINJBUTCHER.COM
Colin J. Butcher was born on 10th June 1960 in Fareham maternity hospital, Hampshire, growing up in Jahor Bahru, Malaysia and Sembawang, Singapore. Upon his return to England in the early 70s, he lived in Bishops Cleeve near Cheltenham in the Cotswolds before moving back to Fareham.
His father, Geoff, was an engineering officer with the Royal Navy and his mother, Margery, was a secretary for a local construction company. Colin was one of four children. His brother, David, was diagnosed with Leukaemia at the age of 13 and died just short of his 21st birthday. He has a younger sister, Lynn, and a brother, Rian.
Growing up on the edge of a tropical rain forest, a young Colin would spend hours beneath the vast emerald green canopy exploring with David. ”I was a total animal nut. Every day we would see something new; there were insects and reptiles everywhere. I was bitten, scratched and stung more times than I can possibly remember and it was usually my fault. I just had to learn how to approach animals in a way that didn’t make them feel threatened.” Colin’s knowledge and experience in handling animals would one day come in handy: in his role as a Pet Detective.
About Colin Butcher Author
Colin joined the Royal Navy at the age of 16 and was drafted to HMS Antelope; a ship later sunk during the Falklands conflict. In 1983 he trained as aircrew for the Royal Navy’s Anti-submarine Seeking Helicopters and on completing the necessary 18 months’ flying instruction received his wings and, being the top student on his course, was awarded the Colin Vickers Trophy. ”These were amazing years,” he later said. ”Flying with the military is an incredibly exhilarating experience and one I shall never forget.”
In 1988, following his Royal Navy service, Colin joined Surrey Police as a detective. After five years’ service in drugs enforcement, he was promoted to Detective Inspector of the ‘serious crimes’ division, investigating cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and homicide.
Colin left the Police in 2003 to set up his own London-based Private Detective Agency, Complete Investigations, and in 2005 formed a second company, United Kingdom Pet Detectives (U.K.P.D.). ”I always knew I would end up working with animals. It just took me a few years to discover the right profession.”
With over 30 years’ investigative experience under his belt, Colin is a leading authority on pet crime across the UK and has worked with police forces across England, Scotland and Wales. His research into cat behaviour — specifically why they migrate away from their homes — was the subject of the BBC’s Horizon documentary ‘The Secret Life of The Cat’. Speaking of the project, Colin explains: ”We needed to develop a better understanding of why so many cats abandoned their homes. So, we set up a cat tracking project in our local village of Shamley Green. I was absolutely thrilled when the BBC Horizon team approached me and asked to join [it].”
Leading on from his work with the BBC, in 2004 Colin embarked on a second — slightly more ambitious — project: investigating whether it was possible to train a dog to locate lost cats by their unique scent (pheromone) signature. ”We recorded hundreds of hours of video footage during the cat tracking project and when we reviewed it, we discovered just how important scent marking is to cats,” Colin recounts of the time. ”It was evident that cats build an incredibly detailed odour map of their territories and, through careful examination of other cats’ pheromone signatures, can identify age, gender, health and social status.”
One of Colin and his team’s most significant findings was the discovery that when a cat leaves its territory — whether due to foraging, exploration or being forced out by a more aggressive cat — it quickly becomes disorientated and in many cases is unable to find its way home. As Colin explains: ”If you imagine driving at night through a country you have never visited before and suddenly your sat-nav fails, then you can begin to understand just how disorientating it must be for a cat.”
Sadly, the use of a dog’s incredible sense of smell to search for a cat’s pheromone signature, was rejected by every single dog trainer Colin approached with his idea. Some trainers were rude and unhelpful, some simply failed to respond to his emails and phone calls, and — most dishearteningly — the majority dismissed it as fanciful and pointless. Undeterred, he pressed on with the project: ”I knew it could be done because I had worked with so many different search dogs while in the police – it was just a case of finding the right people with the right attitude.”
Colin’s breakthrough came just over a year later when he was introduced to the team at groundbreaking canine charity Medical Detection Dogs; specialists in training dogs to identify human disease by odour. Their CEO Dr Claire Guest agreed to help and in December 2016 the country’s first Cat Detection Dog — a rescue spaniel named Molly — graduated from the M.D.D. Academy to begin field trials with Colin.
Three months later, Molly and Colin located their first missing cat, recovering 32 more in 2017 and a further 46 the following year. ”It has been an incredible journey,” he describes. ”It was tough going at times, with numerous setbacks along the way, but I had some great people working with me and every time Molly finds another missing cat my heart leaps with joy.”
Molly is now a fully qualified Pet Detective and important member of the U.K.P.D. team. In addition to her cat finding skills she has helped to locate both missing and trapped dogs and stolen jewellery and often accompanies Colin on his Private Eye investigations.
Colin’s passion for writing began as a child in Singapore, where at the age of seven his school essay on fire ants received the award for best story and most improved handwriting. ”I strutted around my school as if I had won the Nobel Prize in Literature as opposed to a handwriting competition,” he recalls of the experience. ”It really was a pivotal moment for me; having my work recognised at such a young age had such a big impact. From then on, I recorded field notes on all the interesting adventures I had with my brother and read every book I could get my hands on.”
He continued writing during his time in the Royal Navy and Police service, and whilst a Detective Sergeant, and in 1998 he co-wrote the first police training manual for the investigation of criminal cases for Surrey CID officers. He proceeded to publish three further CID training manuals on the investigation of serious crime and homicide. He was also awarded the prestigious Chief Constable’s Commendation for his work.
In 2004, Colin received his first paid commission; a training a manual for the investigation of major incidents and serious injuries for BP. Several other paid commissions within the shipping and logistic industries followed, but even so, ”It wasn’t until 2010 that I actually thought of myself as a writer. By then I was running my own Blog, drafting all sorts of articles on the investigation of crimes against animals and often received emails from journalists asking for contributions to features and news items.”
Colin’s first book, ‘The Owner’s Handbook on Preventing Dog Theft’, was released in 2014, and two years later he started work on ‘Molly The Pet Detective Dog’. In 2017, extracts from Colin’s work in progress were published in The Guardian newspaper, and several months later he was offered a publishing contract by The Little Brown Book Group. Over the following six months Colin was offered a further 14 book deals, eventually agreeing terms with Michael Joseph: an imprint of Penguin Random House.
From NLS/BARD/LOC:
Molly: the true story of the amazing dog who rescues cats DB118789
Butcher, Colin. Reading time: 9 hours, 51 minutes.
Read by Colin Butcher.
Biography
Animals and Wildlife
“As a veteran of the Royal Navy and longtime police officer, Colin Butcher was no stranger to dangerous situations. But a career in uniform can wear anyone down, so, in 2003, Colin left the force to start his own private detective agency, specializing in helping reunite people with their missing pets. And yet, despite his hundreds of successes, there were still heartbreaking cases where Colin couldn’t find the missing on his own. He knew he needed a partner. When Colin first met Molly, his friends doubted that she would be up for the job. Where Colin was battle-tested, Molly was young and inexperienced. She was willful, wayward, and stubborn. But Colin could tell that Molly was unusually charismatic and intelligent. He decided to take a risk and bring on Molly for training. Yes, Molly is no ordinary deputy, but a black Cocker Spaniel, and this is no ordinary detective agency. Trained by the top canine behavioral experts at Medical Detection Dogs, Molly can find missing cats-who are uniquely skilled at eluding humans-by detecting a unique scent signature, and she has been wildly successful. The work is not always easy. Molly has faced hardships ranging from a near-fatal snakebite to the challenge of winning over Colin’s girlfriend, Sarah. But through it all, Colin and Molly share an enduring love and affection. More than a working relationship, Molly is part of the family. Together, they are the Sherlock and Watson of missing pets.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
Downloaded: April 11, 2024
Download Molly: the true story of the amazing dog who rescues cats
cornucopia: National Poetry Month (6)
a dodoitsu, a Japanese poetic form which consists of four lines. The first three lines contain seven syllables, and the fourth line contains five syllables.
Blind man told St. Anthony
Loosing eyesight is the worse
No. St. Anthony said. It’s
Loosing your vision
(PS: I know it was a blind man, because a blind woman would have asked for directions.)
Cornucopia: National Poetry Month (5)
a dodoitsu, a Japanese poetic form which consists of four lines. The first three lines contain seven syllables, and the fourth line contains five syllables.
rain splats across the window,
loud Thunder rumbles and booms
Pull the covers to your chin,
good day to stay in.
Cornucopia: National Poetry Month (4)
a dodoitsu, a Japanese poetic form which consists of four lines. The first three lines contain seven syllables, and the fourth line contains five syllables.
Reflection of rejection
Pouty Down turned puffy lips
Sweetly kissing tears away
My love forever
Cornucopia: National Poetry Month (3)
The Guide Dog’s Dilemma
By Kate Chamberlin
Eeny, meeny, mynee, moe.
Which way should I go?
If I guide my lady to the right,
The bakery will be in sight.
If I guide her to the left,
The catastrophe will be set.
We’ll collide with another cart,
Surely, that wouldn’t be smart.
Eeny, meeny, mynee, moe,
I chose to guide My Lady forward, with all the confidence and decorum I know.
Cornucopia: National Poetry Month (2)
Rainy Day Challenge
By Kate Chamberlin
The rain splats across the window,
Thunder rumbles ominous and low.
Pull the covers back up to your chin,
It will be a good day to stay in.
**
The plip plopping of a rain drop
Cascading from flower anther to leaf top,
Is like the lively volley of the tennis game
That will be postponed -what a shame.
**
Fill your mug with tea and cream,
Enter a realm of thought and dream.
Reach for the long-forgotten book,
Curl up in a warm, cozy nook.
Cornucopia: National Poetry Month (1)
Vernal Equinox
By Kate Chamberlin
Vernal equinox, the scents of spring,
two moments in the year when the Sun is exactly above the Equator,
day and night are of equal length.
Listen to the plunkity plunk thunk of the melting snow in the gutter,
Many twitter-patered little birds in the pines, and A cacophony of frogs in the bog.
Smell the pungent odor of the emerging Crown Imperial Frittalaria,
Ozone left by the lightning, and earthiness of the damp loam.
Welcome the balmy, though still cool, breeze on your face,
The ooze of mud between your bare toes and stepping out of the house without a jacket.
Surely, you can see the willows yellowing and the Autumn Blaze buds swelling,
Not to mention, the white Snowdrops and lavender croci poking through the leaf mold.
The smoky taste of finger licking good chicken barbecued on the patio grill, freshly picked early peas, and plump, juicy strawberries are just around the corner.
The astrological Vernal equinox,
two moments in the year when the Sun is exactly above the Equator will continue,
But will climate change enable the scents of Spring to continue?
Kate’s 2¢: “Bone Truth” by Anne Finger
Kimberly Schraf did a good job of narrating this tory, however, I found that the narrative arc was in and out, up and down, and not easy to follow. I didn’t have much sympathy for this immoral, self-centered character.
I understand that her father abused her and her polio further complicated her life and self-image, yet, as an adult this character succumbed to her self-pity.
I think the time to think of becoming a parent is before you have unprotected sex. It would appear that this character will have the baby for all the wrong reasons and may not be the most stable of mother material.
From: Anne Finger – American Academy
WEBAnne Finger is a writer of creative nonfiction and fiction, and an activist for the disabled. She has written about her disability in Elegy for a Disease: A Personal and Cultural History of Polio (2006), and Past Due: Oakland, CA
Her novels include A Woman, in Bed published by Cinco Puntos; and Call Me Ahab, published by Bison Books and winner of the Prairie Schooner Award, which takes iconic disability stories and rewrites them from a disabled perspective. Two memoirs, Elegy for a Disease: A Personal and Cultural History of Polio published by St. Martin’s Press, and Past Due: A Story of Disability, Pregnancy and Birth published in America by Seal Press, consider Finger’s personal experience of disability, and look at how narratives of disease are formed and at the tensions and confluences between feminism and disability rights. Finger has taught both creative writing and disability studies, most recently as the Kate Welling Distinguished Scholar in Disability Studies at Miami University. She is the recipient of a 2021 Creative Capital Award, the Berlin Prize, and has held residencies at MacDowell, Djerassi, Yaddo, Centrum, and Hedgebrook.
annefinger.org
From NLS/BARD/LOC:
Bone truth: a novel DB43388
Finger, Anne. Reading time: 9 hours, 7 minutes.
Read by Kimberly Schraf.
Psychological Fiction
Elizabeth, single and unexpectedly pregnant, considers her own childhood and how her disability and her abusive father have shaped her. She finds peace with herself through her art and her humor, but worries about the effects she and the baby will have on one another. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex.
Downloaded: April 3, 2024
Download Bone truth: a novel
Uncategorized
by kate
Comments Off on Kate’s 2¢: “ Aracoeli: a novel” by Elsa Morante
Kate’s 2¢: “ Aracoeli: a novel” by Elsa Morante
“ Aracoeli: a novel” by Elsa Morante
I lived in Spain for a while, so I enjoyed the descriptions of the country and listening to Peter Johnson narrate the book. Beyond that, nothing resonated with me in this story. I read the
first part, then, skipped to the end, because I didn’t enjoy this story.
A few take aways:
–At times, especially in spells of extreme loneliness, a pulse causes them to seek their dead in time and space.
–I am not attracted to anyone, as I am unattractive to myself.
–Not even the 12 angels of death, are able to turn a mortal away from the course of his own fulfillment.
To live means to experience separation.
Elsa Morante – Wikipedia
Elsa Morante was an Italian novelist, short-story writer, and poet known for the epic and mythical quality of her works, which usually centre upon the struggles of the young in coming to terms with the world of adulthood.
Elsa Morante was born in Rome in 1912, the daughter of Irma (née Poggibonsi), a schoolteacher, and Augusto Morante. Her mother came from a Jewish family in Modena. When she was a teenager Morante discovered that Francesco Lo Monaco, a family neighbour, was her biological father.
Elsa Morante was a great loner, she knew how to put all her frustration, anger and sadness in words and this still makes her one of the most important writer of our history. Elsa Morante died of a heart attack in Rome in November 1985.
From NLS/BARD/LOC:
Aracoeli: a novel DB22894
Morante, Elsa. Reading time: 13 hours, 21 minutes.
Read by Peter Johnson.
Psychological Fiction
A man’s obsessive memories of his beautiful mother, who died when he was a young boy, plunge him into a search for her shadowy past and a confirmation of his own wretched psyche. His first recollection of his mother is a loving image of care and affection, but as he delves further, he unearths a fixation on maternal passion that turns repugnantly erotic. Explicit descriptions of sex.
Downloaded: March 17, 2024
Download Aracoeli: a novel
Kate’s 2¢: “Blood Orange” by Harriet Tyce
“Blood Orange” by Harriet Tyce
Julie Teal did a superb job of reading this book. I enjoyed listening to it. I even applaud the ending.
A few take aways:
–How She and I have both let our husbands tell us how to feel bad about ourselves.
–He hated his financial dependency on me.
–He wanted his power back.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harriet Tyce (born November 1972) is a Scottish barrister and novelist, the author of Blood Orange (2019), The Lies you Told (2020) and It ends at midnight (2022).
Tyce was at first educated in Edinburgh, before gaining admission to Oxford University to study English literature, and then completing a law conversion course at City University. For nearly ten years she practised as a criminal barrister before changing her career path to creative writing and crime fiction. Her first novel became a Richard and Judy choice and according to Amazon, it became popular during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020.
She was the eldest of two children of Lord Nimmo Smith, retired judge, and Jennifer, an academic and classicist.[1][2] In Edinburgh, she at first attended an all girls school where she became friends with Sarah Hughes.[3] Subsequently she joined the Edinburgh Academy for sixth form, which was mixed.[2]
Tyce lives with her husband, who works in finance. They have two children.[2]
• Blood Orange. Wildfire. 2019. ISBN 978-1-4722-5274-6.
• The Lies You Told. Wildfire. 2020. ISBN 978-1-4722-5279-1.
• It Ends At Midnight. Wildfire. 2022. ISBN 978-1-4722-8009-1.
From NLS/BARD/LOC:
Blood orange DB95046
Tyce, Harriet. Reading time: 9 hours, 59 minutes.
Read by Julie Teal.
Suspense Fiction
Psychological Fiction
Legal Fiction
London attorney Alison has just been assigned her first murder case. But she also drinks too much, neglects her husband and daughter, and is having a dangerous affair with a colleague. Saving her client may be the first step to saving herself. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.
Downloaded: April 3, 2024
Download Blood orange