Comment from Mustang Patty

Excellent

Hi, Craig;
I always wished I had a little brother. Only because I was the youngest and my brother and sister were so much older than me. I thought it would be nice to have a sibling closer to my age.

My parents didn't get me a dog. That would have been great.

I loved your poem and your new word for the day. Thank you for sharing,

~patty~

 Comment Written 23-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 23-Jan-2018

Hi Patty,

I imagine in some ways having much older siblings could be like being an only child. Many thanks for the lovely review, much appreciated.

Craig

Comment from Dawn Munro

Excellent

Awwwwww! What a sweet poem, and that picture is adorable! Is that you? Your pup? (Gee, you write amazingly well for someone so young! LOL - sorry - couldn't resist.) I loved it! More, please. :)

 Comment Written 17-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 17-Jan-2018

The good looking one on the left is Whiskey and the goofy one on the right is me. Considering I got her when I was two, and I named her, maybe that's indicative of a problem there somewhere, Many thanks for the lovely review, Dawn.

P.S. I still love my whiskey, but I'm sure it's only in reverence for my old pal.

reply by Dawn Munro on 17-Jan-2018

Hahahaha! Yes, I'm sure... :))

Comment from ~Dovey

Excellent

Hi Craig -

Being an only child isn't so bad... and yep, I'm sure they broke the mold after you... or at least it is a good cover story! ;) Two of you is probably more than the universe bargained for! lol And yet, you have two boys... though, they've fallen far from the tree?

This is a fun project. Sorry I haven't been more in touch... haven't been able to wrap my head around it lately.

Kim

 Comment Written 17-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 17-Jan-2018

Hi Kim,

Good to hear from you :)

You didn't stay long last time you dropped in - hanging around a little longer this time? ;-)

Thanks for reviewing,
Craig

reply by ~Dovey on 17-Jan-2018

Just too much death in the last month or so. I haven't been able to write much of anything... and I don't want to write sad things, as cathartic as they might be. Like I said, having trouble wrapping my head around it. I looked on FB but didn't see you :( I was hoping for a quick chat. I'm working a late shift today, so leaving for work soon. I'll catch up with you soon.

Kim

reply by the author on 18-Jan-2018

Busy day here, and I'm off to bed now. I'll try and catch you tomorrow :)

Comment from Barb Hensongispsaca

Excellent

I truly liked this one very much. The flow was spot on and the rhyming was fun. Okay is that a picture of you and your dog? And I take it this is true? My brother was 15 years older than I so I felt an only child

 Comment Written 17-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 17-Jan-2018

Yes, that is a picture of Whiskey and me. I'm on the right ;-) The story is true in that Whiskey was my best friend, and I spent more time with her than anyone else. I didn't really have an obsession with wanting a sibling, it was just a thing I occasionally thought, when I saw my friends who had them "that would be nice".

Comment from bichonfrisegirl

Excellent

Oh, this is a sweet write, Craig! "Cadette" ... when I read this word I immediately thought of the Girl Scouts. I can see why the original word "cadette" was used for the Girl Guides or Girl Scouts.

I love your cute poem. "Dad said the Lord above had smashed the mould the moment that he saw what he had done." ... my favorite line. Well written with abcb rhyme scheme. Excellent pairing of picture and poem too.

"Whiskey pup" brought back a long forgotten memory for me. Neighbours at my parents' cottage had a dog named Whiskey that used to run and greet us (what a frisky jumper he was) when we would arrive at the cottage. My mother would always go and fetch him a treat. A nice memory. :)

Thanks for sharing another archaic word with us. ~~ Connie

 Comment Written 17-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 17-Jan-2018

Thanks very much for the lovely review, Connie. I didn't know about (and my book didn't tell me) the connection between this word and the Girl Scouts - so you've taught me something this morning :) Much appreciated - Craig

Comment from --Turtle.

Excellent

Nice biographical poem, woven around the word of the day. It's like you read cadette and a bit of whimsy formed to produce the theme of not having one of your own... save for a four-legged friend variety.

The turns of phrases like 'my best friend be' worked well on me, as a poetic device to switch wording and have the rhyme in place.

There was a bit of humor, and irony, considering your use of the Lord saying he broke the mould with you... part of it feels playful, and another part feels like it highlights the lack of siblings as an excuse to save face--you being more than a handful.

Reading the poem compelled me to share my worries for my own only child. I've been wanting to adopt a dog for awhile, but if I do, that's it for me on any spare time.

 Comment Written 17-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 17-Jan-2018

Dang, Turtle - you had to go and say you liked that line, as I've changed it to a more "normal" construction. I was worried people might think is was unnecessarily forced. Maybe I'll change it back.

Yes, adopting a pet is a big undertaking, and one best not done if one doesn't have the time, or can't make the time, to spend with it. Where I live, dogs are often considered just "working animals", and are kept caged up outside away from everyone and seldom interacted with, unless they are needed to round up sheep. Other town dogs are kept outside all day in small yards, and their only worth is as "guards". That makes me so sad. Our dogs rule the roost, and as we have no children at home any more, they are effectively our kids.

That said, I'm not sure how old your child is, but from a pretty early age they can be charged with a lot of the care of pets. It's great for both them and the animal. And most dogs, if they are just shown a little love once in a while, and allowed just to be around you, aren't all that demanding.

Anyway, I'm sure you know all this, and are wise enough to make the correct choice. Thanks for a lovely review - Craig

reply by --Turtle. on 19-Jan-2018

You know, in my imagination, I replied to this... but I don't think I was able to save the reply from my phone.

The important part of my reply was that I had checked your updated version, and my vote was I liked the original phrasing better, for what it was worth, because there wasn't anything wrong with the new phrasing other than a biased preference on my part.

The other thing I think I started babbling was I've only had two dogs my life, and that was for more than two thirds of my life. Neither pooch worked a day, and generally only spent a few hours on their own.

It's been about three years since my second dog... who I adopted from the humane society... succumbed to cancer. (I named him Dager, to my male's eye rolling.) Dager Mates? That's a stupid name. To which I said: Plllllppppphffff.

No rash decisions from me, though.

Comment from Joy Graham

Excellent

Nice one :) Is that a picture of you and your dog? I think of cadette as a military person, but maybe that's spelled cadet? I'm a numpty lol! Keep the words coming. I'm learning new things.

 Comment Written 17-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 17-Jan-2018

Yes, that is us - Bonnie and Clyde :) And cadette is just the female version of cadet, so you were right with your thinking. Thanks for the lovely review :) Craig

Comment from Teri7

Excellent

Craig, This is a very well written story in a poem you have penned my friend about the little boy and his dog. You used very good descriptive words and very good imagery with the art work. I was born with one sister and two brothers. My only sister died when she was 29 due to a horrible accident. We had three sons and I always wanted a little girl to love and play dress up with, like a little doll. Instead we ended up with mega girl cats! lol Go figure! Great write! Blessings, Teri

 Comment Written 17-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 17-Jan-2018

I hope you don't dress your cats up, Teri! Or at least, not any boy ones you may have as girls :) I'm sorry to hear about your sister, that must have been a terrible thing to go through. Most grateful for the lovely review - Craig

Comment from Alcreator Litt Dear

Excellent

A boy wished he had at least a sister, unfortunately, he had no cadette, though he was happy to have a Whiskey pup; well said, well done. DR ALCREATOR

 Comment Written 17-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 17-Jan-2018

Thank you for reviewing, appreciated - Craig

Comment from Sandra du Plessis

Excellent

A very well-written poem about the boy and his dog, he wish he had a cadette (sister) to play with sometimes. But he only has his dog. A lonely only child.

 Comment Written 17-Jan-2018

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reply by the author on 17-Jan-2018

Thanks very much, Sandra.I appreciate your continued support in reviewing my work. Craig