Chester's Journey Update...

I wanted to give a quick rundown of how the boy is doing. This has been a rough time for him. The chemo treatments are quite brutal and yet he struggles back each time. We are almost through the toughest part where we have to go back every week. I live by the alarm on Twyla's phone to get his meds to him on time. The good news is that Chester is in full remission. The bad news is the freaking cost of this. Literally thousands and thousands of dollars which we would never be able to afford without the subsidization we receive from  ACTSS. It baffles me...the cost that is put on the lives of living beings. Even the cost of spaying and neutering is, at best, beyond belief. When there is so much pissing and moaning about too many unwanted animals, too many puppies and kittens being born, too much cruelty, and yet the cost of altering a pet is utterly prohibitive. And why should a low-income family be told "well if you can't afford to spay or neuter, then you shouldn't have a pet." That is such a load of crap that it isn't even funny. And yet I tell myself as I rage silently on many occasions about the cost of Chester's treatment, that many people south of the border have to make the same decisions about their children and loved ones. It is a sick, sick (no pun intended here) place we live in when the ability to and cost of saving the lives of those we love are dictated by filthy rich creeps in suits who don't give a flying fart in space whether you or your child/parent/spouse or indeed fur child lives or dies, as long as they can line their silk pockets with what amounts to blood money. And yet there are many, many places such as France and Italy, where the people's health is what matters and the cost of saving a life is not even a question. Shame on all those who think a child's life is less important than being able to pay for their next Armani suit.

In other news, very quickly, we have been busy with the start of the event season. Our booth at A Taste of Animethon was tons of fun. The other vendors and many of the attendees are quickly becoming like a second family and it is with great anticipation that we look forward to our next gig. It is, unfortunately not until March and is entirely an experiment where we will have a booth at the Wild Rose Antique Show. We also look forward to May and the Knights of the Northern Realm May event. Then it is into a busy summer season.

Hope that you are all staying warm and safe. It's hard to believe we are nearly at the end of January and well established into 2013. Here's to a great year...or shall we say 11 months...to come!

Talk to you soon.