Wednesday, December 18, 2013

• "Meet the Bloggers" with Go Pet Friendly

Buster (L) and Ty. I think Ty is smiling.
Amy Burkert is one of the coolest women you ever want to meet. Amy and her husband, Rod, and their dogs, Buster and Ty, travel full time. Their passion is helping people travel with their pets. Check it out: Go Pet Friendly. Amy even asked me to write a guest post about traveling with a hamster. Meeting Buster and Ty was my highlight of BarkWorld 2012.

So when Amy announced the "Meet the Bloggers Hop", I couldn't resist. And today—my birthday—is the perfect day for this post! Amy posed questions for us to answer.

What's my favorite non-animal-related movie?
I'm tired of watching "Where the Heart Is," but I cannot for the life of me change the channel when it's on. I think it's how Natalie Portman is so alone, and finds community. It gives me hope. "To Kill a Mockingbird" moves me. When Atticus Finch loses the trial, the Blacks, in the balcony because they are not allowed on the floor, rise. "Stand up, Miss Jean Louise," says one man. "Your daddy's passing." I tear up every time.

Who is my favorite actor?
Meryl Streep is scary good. Liam Neeson is just about the hottest guy around. Sir Laurence Olivier ("Is it safe?"). Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch is . . . unspeakably sexy and ethical. Sam Sheppard (oh, that snaggletooth!). Ed Harris. James Lipton. Jimmie Stewart. I can't think of everyone.

Butler was a partner in Equine Guided Discovery,
which is a blog post in and of itself.  :)
What makes me feel fabulous?
The Southwest. I don't know if its the heat, the terrain, the sun, or the freedom, but I come alive there like nowhere else. A locational geographer confirmed that several places would be ideal for me to live. And a great haircut makes me feel fabulous.

What's one thing I have to do every day?
Floss

What do I like to do in my free time?
Photography. My mother wouldn't let me take pictures with her Brownie, but I haven't been able to put down a camera since I was in high school. Recently I've taken classes in animal communication, TTouch, IET (Integrated Energy Therapy), and Reiki, and done energetic work with horses. Energy healing fascinates me. There's so much we don't know. And I watch reality TV. I'm not proud that Bravo is my go-to channel, but there it is.

What is one thing you've done that you're most proud of?
Getting clean and sober 21 years ago. This is as good a time as any to come out of the closet about this. When I was drinking I didn't mind who knew, but I feel like there's something shameful about having had a drinking problem. So. There it is.

If you didn't have your current pets, what pet would you choose to have?
A horse. Two horses so they'd have company. As Carol Bryant might say, my heart beats horse. I'm in Lancaster for my birthday, and today I drove 340, the Old Philadelphia Pike. Snowy fields and Amish farms line the road, which has wide buggy lanes on either side. You can see the horse's hooves when you're behind a buggy. Even though it was freezing (really—it was 30° F) I rolled the window down so I could hear the clip-clop when I passed.

Winnie
I didn't say much about my pet. My dear hamster Charlotte passed away about a month ago. I still miss her. Winnie is my new baby. Winnie is painfully shy. I have to remember to speak and move softly around her. When I came home from a three-day pet sit last week I startled the heck out of her. But tonight Winnie got in the ball for the first time while I cleaned her cage. And she left me a birthday present: poop! On that note, I'll stop here.