January 12, 2016

White Dog came and sat next to my leg. That is her new sign that she would like to be helped up to her usual place on the arm of my chair. She looked around the room at her Army all resting and daydreaming; everyone was peaceful and comfortable. We were enjoying a David Bowie music fest and she snuggled against me.

"Let's sing along, momma. We can be soft enough that we don't disturb the others. I cannot hear this music without thinking of all the memories associated with particular songs. It will be kind of like a musical scrapbook for us to share."

In the background played "This is ground control to Major Tom..." Although we own all of the old fashioned vinyl records we had bowed to technology and opted for the CD Steve had created so that we could shuffle the order and be surprised. We felt the artist, an innovator who embraced new technology, would not mind.

"You know," I told her, "this was one of the songs that captivated my imagination and pushed me into aerospace engineering so so long ago." She smiled and shifted slowly. "Here am I sitting in a tin can..." she hummed, "Planet earth is blue and there's nothing I can do."

Bella crept out from under the chair and sat with her head under my hand. She listened to WD and I for the rest of the song. Then looked at us when the next tune started, "Let's Dance!" she was so excited, "Can I sing too?"

We all fell silent and listened to two relatively unknown instrumental pieces that were rich and haunting. We came out of our meditation to find Puff resting on the blanket pooled at my feet. "I didn't listen to much music growing up," Puff admitted, "but I do like this song." It was Golden Years. We were all bobbing our heads.

Nilla, lying next to Puff, opened her eyes, added her thoughts. "I really liked the movie Labyrinth where he was the Goblin King; he was great and so were the Muppets." "The Hunger," Yo stretched and came over, now THAT was a creepy movie."

"Shush," White Dog told everyone. "I know it is weird but this one totally gives me goosebumps," In the background, "See these eyes so green? I could stare for a thousand years. Colder than the moon It has been so long and I've been putting out the fire with gasoline." All of the White Dog Army howled the last line nearly making me jump. "I never knew, Baby Girl." But I don't think anyone heard that...suddenly the living room had become a jungle of stalking howling singing dancing White Dogs celebrating the powerful music that has been a soundtrack for our lives.

Thank you, David Bowie, for today and for so many moments we shared. What about you, blog friends? What is your favorite?