WOOF: Britain's Got A Talented Canine!

It took a dog to impress the iracible, Simon Cowell, but Pudsey, the latest winner of Britain's Got Talent, did just that!

Pudsey and owner Ashleigh Butler, 17, picked up a cheque for £500,000 after winning BGT on Saturday.

Both are now headed to Hollywood to launch a career in TV ads and film parts.

Ashleigh, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, said: “It would be a dream come true to go to Hollywood and do films with Pudsey.

“He is perfect. If he sees a camera, he poses and holds his position.”

Butler hugged her dog and said: "I love you." She said Pudsey - a border collie, bichon frise and Chinese crested cross - had become "very diva-ish" during the last week, and had been demanding steak dinners.

Asked how she plans to spend her winnings, she added: “Pudsey needs a new lead. I will get him one and a collar. Then I would like to set up my own business getting film work for dogs or animals.”

As to Pudsey's fabulous talent; We're not surprised. Even if  our furry friends can't dance, sing, or act, they make us smile.  That's worth £500,000 any day of the week.

You can also read about some pretty fabulous canines in

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WOOF: One Ringy Dingy Lingy

So. I call the hair salon using my desk speaker phone.

A woman answers on the first ring. "Hello. Can you hold?"

"Yes." Silence.

Ding. I pick up my iPhone to read the text message that just arrived.

Okay, better text back. click click click...

"So...blah blah blah..."

What?!?! Where's that woman's voice coming from? How can it be coming from my text?!?! It's not Siri.

 Oh, wait. It's from my desk phone speaker. The hair salon receptionist.

I break into laughter and try to explain that I was texting and totally forgot I was on hold so I thought her voice was coming from the text I was sending and...

Yeah. She now pretty much thinks I'm crazy, too.

Multitasking. Used to be no more complicated than balancing the phone receiver on your shoulder while painting your toenails.

Woofers, beware. There's a little squirrel in all of us. ~ d.d.dawg

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A WOOFer Watching Out for Women Around the World

WOOFER WATCHING OUT FOR WOMEN

"In the past… the United States regularly supported peace talks that left women out of negotiating rooms and treaty documents… As of this spring, with the release of a first-ever secretarial policy directive on gender, advancing the status of women and girls worldwide is officially a requirement in every U.S. diplomat's job description."
Melanne Verveer   US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues

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WOOF: Media Monday - The "Old As Dirt" Syndrome

Fess up: How many of us WOOFers buy into the "old as dirt" imagine? In posting thoughts I received in one of those anonymous, supposedly uplifting emails, I added my own interpretation, in red.

As I've aged, I've tried to be kinder and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. (I'm my own worse enemy! Not buying into this kinder, gentler garbage)

Whose business is it, if I choose to read, or play, on the computer, until 4 AM, or sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50, 60 and 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will. (Still feelin' guilty about all my Facebook time!)

I will walk the beach, in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves, with abandon, if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the Gen X set. They, too, will get old. (Are you kidding me!! I won't walk through my own house without a coverup!)

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, I eventually remember the important things. (Okay. I'll buy into that)

Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But, broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding, and compassion. A heart never broken, is pristine, and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect. (Check)

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. (LOL, ROFL, LMAO! Gray hair and wrinkles? Not feeling so blessed)

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong. (Feeling more positive? About what? Sags and bags? Ever shrinking retirement income? Knees that creak when I walk? You don't agree? Guess what? I don't care!)

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day.  (Now, that's more like it!)

And, don't forget: Laughter is the key!

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WOOF: Media Monday - Letter From A Stranger

For all you Barbara Taylor Bradford fans! I became one years ago when I read Woman of Substance. While I haven't read all her books, I was recently sent the audio version of Letter From A Stranger by publicist, Esther Bochner of MacMillan and Co, and was reminded why I'm a fan.

Justine Nolan is a documentary filmmaker who lost her beloved grandmother a decade ago – the person who was the only source of love and comfort in her life. Her own mother, Deborah, has always been distant and uninvolved, following her own agenda in pursuit of her career as an interior designer.

But when Justine inadvertently opens a letter addressed to her mother, she discovers that not only is her grandmother, Gabriele, alive, but that Deborah has deliberately estranged the family from her for all these years. Justine’s search for her grandmother takes her to Istanbul, where she begins to uncover the family’s secrets, which stretch all the way back to World War II. As the layers of deception peel away, Justine begs to understand a woman she never really knew… and she begins to ask questions about the true desires of her own heart.

My Review:

As usual, Barbara Taylor Bradford sucked me, imediately, into this beautiful story of family secrets and intrigue. Vivid descriptions take the reader on a magical journey as Justine Nolan struggles to find answers to troubling questions revealed in a letter that could change all she's believed about her family.

At first, I wasn't sure I'd appreciate Nicola Barber's reading of the audio book, but her soothing voice quickly engaged.

I enjoyed this book every bit as much as other Barbara Taylor Bradford novels, although Woman of Substance remains my all-time favorite.

"Letter..." is captivating from start to finish.

Speaking of captivating! Don't forget about the

fun side of fifty!

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