Couldn't get a wink of sleep last night because our dog Trixie was barking up a storm outside our window. As a rule, there aren't many things that rile her up or get her attention. Noisy birds that swoop down to steal food from her doggy dish, the neighbor's tank cleaner making clanging noises in their empty tank, the occasional bug or mouse she'd try to smoke out of dark corners -- these are what usually cause her to sound the alarm from time to time. The other night it was a snake--yes, a snake--a foot-long firecracker that tried to look fierce and deadly under the threat of Trixie's bared teeth. In this case, we were very grateful to Trixie for her dogged determination (pardon the you-know-what) to get that thing out in the open, out from under a wooden plank, so that we could deal with it properly.

But last night, Trixie was on a desperate mission. A mission that was costing Rein and I some much needed rest (and probably annoying a few neighbors in the process as well). When we looked out the window, it took us a few minutes to see what was causing the commotion. A sleek, black cat with blazing green eyes had silently padded its way across the top of the wall to finally settle down right at the center, where it knew Trixie could get a good view of it. Trixie kept barking at it, trying to scare it away. She knew her job. Absolutely no intruders--human or otherwise! To my mind, that cat was deliberately taunting our poor pup and driving her to distraction. It knew Trixie wouldn't be able to jump that high up. And in the midst of all this relentless barking and howling, it just sat there, cool as you please, purring contentedly and basking in her moment of victory over an ancient foe, in behalf of all felines everywhere.

We walked up to the wall to try to shoo it away, to no avail. Finally, when it probably had its fill of gloating, it stood up and padded off to other unsuspecting roofs. After Trixie had calmed down, we went back to bed. The last thought in my mind before drifting off was that cats were not going to be welcome in our house after tonight.

On one of my "me" days this week, I watched "Charlotte's Web" all alone on its very first screening of the day. I bought a Taters hotdog sandwich with fries, a tumblerful of Pepsi and a great big bag of Holy Kettle Corn and settled into my seat at the very center of row F. There may have been two or three other people sprinkled around me somewhere, but as far as I was concerned, this was my very own private screening of a film I've longed to see for quite a while.

Based on E.B. White's classic children's tale of an extraordinary friendship between some (seemingly) ordinary farm denizens, this "quiet" film was to be a welcome change from all the noisy complexities of everyday life. When the lights went down, the national anthem began to play. With no one around to check my actions, I still found myself jumping to my feet--the lone patriot in a darkened theatre who was determined to start her day right.

One hour and 53 minutes later, the credits rolled and the lights went back up. I was no longer alone (the theatre had begun to fill up) but I didn't mind. By this time I was already lost inside my own little bubble of emotion. I was wiping away tears and daydreaming of buying my own farm (with a red barn full of pigs, horses, geese, sheep and cows named Bitsy and Betsy) somewhere in the rural Midwest. Needless to say, the film did not disappoint. I don't think even E.B. White could have found fault in this celluloid interpretation of his literary "magnum opus", as Charlotte herself would have put it.

I remained in my seat to follow the fascinating credits (the voice cast is unbelievable) and to soak in Sarah McLachlan's soothing melodies and poignant lyrics. Her words pretty much say it all. Let me share them with you:


It’s not that usual when everything is beautiful
It’s just another ordinary miracle today

The sky knows when its time to snow
You don’t need to teach a seed to grow
It’s just another ordinary miracle today

Life is like a gift they say
Wrapped up for you everyday
Open up and find a way
To give some of your own

Isn’t it remarkable?
Like every time a raindrop falls
It’s just another ordinary miracle today

Birds in winter have their fling
And always make it home by spring
It’s just another ordinary miracle today

When you wake up everyday
Please don’t throw your dreams away
Hold them close to your heart
'Cause we are all a part
Of the ordinary miracle

Do you want to see a miracle?

It seems so exceptional
Things just work out after all
It’s just another ordinary miracle today

The sun comes up and shines so bright
It disappears again at night
It’s just another ordinary miracle today

It’s just another ordinary miracle today


P.S. I have found my epitaph. Please remember to have the last two lines of the book (and the film) etched on my tombstone when the time comes. Just substitute "Charlotte" with my name.