When the Doge Does As Doges do..

Having a little too much fun.
And we’re just getting started!
First, Venice, Number one on my Bucket List!
From floating in the Grande Canal to exploring St. Mark’s Cathedral and the Doge’s Palace. Watching the glass blowers on Murano and sampling everything ‘Venetian’ we could find, It’s been a rare treat!

Through the wall of the Doge’s prison. Look closely....

Dream come true. I’m sitting in a gondola! Eeeeeeeee!!!

One Plus Twelve Twenties

From the time I was little, I’ve loved animals. Daddy was a veterinarian. It was a match made in Heaven.

I found a sick doggie. Daddy fixed him. At 50, I discovered that meant easing him across the Rainbow Bridge.

I wanted a bunny. I almost caught  jackrabbit. Who knew fully-grown bunnies could squeeze between two-inch cage bars?! Not me.

Daddy found a baby deer. We raised him on a bottle. For a little while, we had our own Bambi!

My first horse was a Shetland pony. Aptly named ‘Pinto’. Because he was one. He should have been named Ornery.

My family raised pigs. They were fun to play with. Smart. Resourceful. And when Daddy wasn’t watching, fun to ride.

I got my first puppy in grade five. Cheetah. She was a terrier. She was loud. I loved her anyway.

Cheetah once saved me from a mountain lion. It was just a bit scary. Sometime I’ll tell you about it.

Cheeko was my horse. I didn’t know till he piled my dad that only I could ride him. Big oops.

The first dog I bought for me was a sheepdog. Muffy. She protected me. I’ve loved the breed ever since.

My kids and I raised hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils and chinchillas. Furry and cute. Yep. I still like dogs best.

I directed a play that needed birds. I borrowed a finch. Oops. I’ve had finches now for over 20 years.

We raised Old English Sheepdogs for over thirty years. We really thought we were done. Turns out we are not.

Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: contributing bloggers each picked a number between 12 and 74. The submitted numbers were then assigned to other bloggers challenged with writing at least one piece using that exact number of words. 

I know it will come a surprise to know I was assigned the word count number: 20

It was submitted by: my BFF, Karen at Baking in a Tornado.

Thanks Karen! This was a blast!

Now, you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what numbers they got and how they used them.  

Baking In A Tornado 

Spatulas on Parade

Wandering Web Designer

Sarah Nolan    

Full Bucket

I don’t have money, I’m not rich,

But still, I have a bucket list.

There’s nothing daring, none risqué,

No scores to beat, no games to play,

I don’t need danger, cash rewards,

And only things I can afford,

So each takes time (to save some cash),

So nothing quick and nothing rash,

You’re won-der-ing what we could do,

With all those guidlines, plus a few,

Well, think no more how it could be,

We’re on a shoestring, him and me,

Yes, I tell you, it can be done,

And still will be a lot of fun.

We find the least expensive lair,

Clean and comfortable’s all I care,

The least of very costly meals,

We search the bargains and the deals,

And so we’ve managed, guy and girl

To see a lot of this old world.

This week, has been the very best,

I’ve crossed the top one off my list,

Yes, dear old Venice topped them all,

I got to see. I had a ball!

I floated in a gon-dol-a,

And climbed some church’s cup-o-la,

Saw famous art to drop the jaw,

With sculptures, hist’ry, opera,

And still our group was not done yet,

Just how much better could it get?

We watched them manufacture glass,

And tucked into some fine sea bass,

We’d navigate by public mode,

Got used to floating as we rode,

And watched gondolas slip on by

Like eels beneath Venetian skies,

(One thing to know, it’s hard to sleep,

With boats to count, instead of sheep,)

We spent each day from dawn to dark,

Explored from Roma to St. Mark’s...

Now as we leave, I’ve got regrets,

There’s nothing that beats this, I bet,

But...

Somehow, I think I won’t quite leave,

Something will help me as I grieve,

Things aren’t bad as they might seem,

I’ll see the Grand Canal in dreams.

Mondays do get knocked a lot,

With POETRY we all besought

To try to make the week begin

With pleasant thoughts, perhaps a grin?

So all of us, my friends and me

Have written poems for you to see.

Please go see what my friends have done,

You’ll be so glad. It will be fun!

Jenny
Mimi
MotherOwl

And now you’ve seen what we have brought...

Did we help? 

Or did we not?

Next week we’re back to Jenny’s bit,

We’ll talk of SOAP, my favourite!