Happiness Is a Warm Puppy

A warm puppy and a snuggly baby. It was a "Three Dog Night" last night. Temp was predicted to drop to 29. Without central heat, or a good goose down comforter, it would take three dogs to keep you warm in bed. I started the oven cleaning cycle on my range when I got up and am toasty warm in the kitchen as I do my blog.

The "happiness is a warm puppy" thing originates with Charles Schultz. A new biography is out. PBS did a special with his biographer. He paints a picture of a deeply introspective, sometimes depressed man. Maybe he had his problems emotionally but left a wonderfully warm legacy of Snoopy and Charlies Brown and friends.

My husband's father (also an artist, sometime cartoonist) was a friend of Charles Schultz. Roman gave him his first job in the art world and Sparky showed his gratitude his whole life. The job was a minor job doing the lettering for the bubbles in a cartoon strip, but at the time encouraged the young Schultz that his dreams could come true. He gives credit to Romie in his autobiography. They talked from time to time on the phone. We have photos taken of the two of them and sometimes someone else in our family with Sparky. When my mother in-law and sister in-law were sick, he sent an original art cartoon of Snoopy with a personal message. To our disgrace, we sold them. It is a hot market for those collectables.

What I will remember about the kindness of Mr. Schultz are the calls he made to cheer up my father in-law in his final years. Romie was depressed too, but a call from old friend Sparky did a lot to brighten his day. Now we know he probably did not feel very cheerful himself. It says a lot about looking past oneself and reaching out to others. Share the love and if you have a warm puppy be thankful and maybe share him with someone too.