Monday, June 1, 2020

Milliron Monday: Curtains 6 1 2020



Abbott "Pete" Smith, D.V.M.
June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010

Above: From the Smith family archives, a photo from an old slide, circa 1960s. 
Dr. Smith (center), his wife, Jody (right), and daughter, Jessica (left).

In every house, when the curtains are drawn, there's a story going on, and you never get to hear...  Peter Jackson

Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and  Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017). A graduate of Colorado State University and a well-known veterinarian in southeast Ohio, Dr. Smith continues to motivate and inspire. 

Last Friday, my farrier, Bryan Farcus, came to the barn to trim mare, Zubedia, and guest gelding, Crusoe. The horses were long in the hoof - the pandemic officials considered my farrier a "non-essential" business and, like hairdressers, it was all considered cosmetic. Now, the lockdown lifted, the horses have nice pedicures and are back in action (thank you, Bryan!). 

While Bryan was trimming, Jody (Smith) stopped by. We had planned a get-together at the barn - a visit with the horses and to catch up as we have been social distancing like everyone else. It was great to see Jody after being in lockdown. Jody and Bryan, have been friends for a long time (since the time Dr. Smith and Jody were the first on the local Hocking College Equine Advisory Board, where Bryan was a farrier school professor). A happy reunion for all, and smiles under every mask. 

But, the focus of today's Milliron Monday is curtains (I thought you would like to know the inside story). Curtains. After Bryan left, Jody and I viewed old slides from the 1960s, when the family lived in Colorado. The above photo is the Smith family in their living room, sitting in front of their window, curtains drawn. Jody, the forever horse-loving woman, hung horse print fabric for curtains. 

Jody remembers, "My mother, Virginia, was a very good seamstress. I picked the fabric and she sewed the curtains. I love the horse print. I still have the curtains. They're a little faded now. They still hang in my house." 

The photo made from an old slide, like the curtains, has faded. As we talk about the photo, Jody's eyes twinkle with memories. Good memories.

Special thanks to Jessica (Smith) for sharing the slides. 

Have a great week ahead!


Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.



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