Sandy - The one year passing

It is quiet this morning, the leaves are not rattling on their limbs as the air is still, the dogs in the yard to the left are still inside their warm beds, and the streets are still sleeping at this early hour on a Saturday morning at five am. A lone squirrel travels the branch of the big oak in the backyard savaging for acorns to stash away for the long cold winter before us. Otis, my mixed breed who truly thinks he is a human fur-child is sitting a few feet away from where I sit holding onto my mug of java and smoking a menthol cigarette. It should be a typical morning for us, we do this seven days a week, sit together looking at the stars, feeling mother Earths air upon our faces, the wind sometimes blowing our hair, and just sitting. I use this time to remember, dream, forgive, or at times even forget, but just to search my soul and let my mind take me where ever it wants to. Otis I can’t say for sure, but I feel he is doing just the same as I am , just thinking and relaxing while sniffing the air awaiting the day’s full beginning when the world awakes and the quite and soothing time we are now sharing turns into the every day hassles it usually becomes. Our mornings are the clam before the storm, our time to be still, our time to be together, and our time just to be.

Things in our house are in no way what I would call predictable, but we have routines; we have early morning routines, later morning routines, afternoon routines evening and night routines as well. The narrative of Otis and me alone with Mother Nature in our backyard before the sun has even risen is a typical early morning routine. Our later morning routine was just slightly different as it included another fur-child of mine, Sandy. She older than Otis by six years, lab –Sheppard mix, a bit over weight, but what lady these days doesn’t consider herself overweight compared to the models of today? She with her light tan and white her short course fur was beautiful anytime of day or night, but more so when she laid her frame upon the green grass with the sunshine beaming down on her. She would have this smile that she shared with the world and you could not help but feel a smile break out on your awn face when she looked at you.

She like many children these days came from a broken home and came to be my child in the year of nineteen ninety nine; and left me on October thirtieth two thousand seven to run and smile upon the stars and heavens that Otis and I now sit and gaze upon during those early hours each day, but now we look upon them with sorrow in our hearts and sadness in our eyes longing to once again gaze upon the beautiful baby girl that was once a significant part of our daily lives and routines, our playmate, our buddy, and now our lost friend.

Today, Saturday, is not one of our typical days; no day has been what Otis and I would consider typical since Monday. Otis and I both know there will come a time again in the future when we consider a morning such as this morning typical, but in our hearts we know it will be some time before we do. You see, although this early morning time we share belongs to just us, there was a time, last Monday to be exact in which we would come out here once again but we would bring our “baby girl” Sandy with us.

Sandy was our friend, our companion, our “baby-girl” all one-hundred and ten pounds of her. Although Otis has had his moments and I will tell you about them as we go alone, Sandy was the one that could always make you laugh all the while spitting out a mouthful of sandy colored fur that would always find it way into anything and everything as she bounced and pranced around with a huge smile on her face of yellow and white.

This is in memory of my "Baby Girl" Sandy who I lost October 30, 2007, written three days after her passing. I still can’t believe it has been an entire year, and yet I still look for her, think of her, and I still miss her terribly and wish for just one more hug of fur and a wet smooch.

Victoria

Here is my new niece just about an hour, Victoria Paige.

Pre-Op and Post-Op

I really don’t know where to begin today. I just woke up and took the three dogs outside, I made my coffee, and hubby is still sleeping. Thursday morning my new niece was born and I will post a picture later today.

Yesterday afternoon I went to the out patient surgery center to have a minor procedure done on my back, it was similar in what was done to the four I have had in the past, but my experience this time was horrible to say the very least.

We got there at noon as instructed, I got undressed and into one of those hospital gowns and the fun began. My blood pressure was taken; my heart rate was monitored, my temperature was recorded, and I was asked many questions as simple as what is your name and birth date.

The Pre-Op nurse then inserted the needle to begin my IV line. This, I did not like at all. Thankfully she got it in on the first try and the feeding began. All was pretty mundane after that, spoke to the anesthesiologist and the OR nurse more than two hours later as we waited patiently for my doctor to arrive; he was running late and there were patients lined up and own the hall already having gone through the same check in procedure I did, and all laying there in their checked blue gowns and blue bonnets atop their heads passing time as best they could without TV or magazines.

Many like I had a family member or spouse with them, one young girl talked on her cell phone and complained almost the entire time she was waiting in Pre-Op, I concluded she was either very scared about her upcoming knee surgery or she was just a spoiled you know what. One man was in for a 4mm kidney stone that would not pass, I also know he has had another one lodged in his kidney for a couple years that cannot be operated on, that he had heart trouble years ago and what medications he took, how many kids he has, what their genders are, how many grandkids he has, what his sister does for a living, and what size needle worked best in his size veins; okay folks this is way too much information, just waaaaaaaay too much.

All this on an empty stomach and no caffeine; we were not allowed to eat or drink since midnight the previous night and I was starving, caffeine deprived, and aching as I was forced to lay on my back in a checked blue gown that opened in the back, needle protruding from the top of my right hand providing no pain meds yet, and having to listen to who took two blood pressure pills with just a sip of water.

Finally the doctor arrived, he stopped by all our beds for a brief moment, then the very nice OR nurse and the pregnant anesthesiologist came and grabbed my cot and wheeled me down the hall to OR.

It was bright and cold as I was moved from my movable bed to the OR table full of huge fluffy pillows and stark white sheets and blankets. I laid on my stomach atop the fluffy pillows and the action took off all around me, beeping machines, blankets and sheets being moved, people touching me and placing things on me, and then the very kind woman in front of me with her protruding belly about eye level finally began to administer the good stuff, it took three full needles to prepare me, and I felt nothing at all as the needles were inserted so low into my back I would call it the extreme top of the rump.

Procedure done, off to Post Op. Again wheeled down the corridor, stopped at room seven, nurse comes rushing over, takes temp, takes blood pressure, and monitors heart rate; done. Gives me a soda, I asked for coffee but they didn’t have any, asked for Mt. Dew for my caffeine fix, they didn’t have any….reminder for next time, have one of these in the car for immediate consumption. Looks at my back, gives my husband papers to sign, because I am told I cannot drive a car, operate machinery, or sign legal papers for 24 hours, removes the IV and I am out of there.

We stop and get something to bring home to eat because I was about to eat the dashboard I am so hungry. All is well, take dogs out, eat the sandwich, made some coffee, and rested in front of the TV. About three hours later my head felt as if it was literally going to crack open and all the insides would blow out the top like lava from a volcano. It would NOT stop throbbing; hubby went out to get some Tylenol, told I could take nothing else because of the anesthesia I received. While he was gone I got out of bed as I needed some water, my stomach was now beginning to stir if you know what I mean; well needless to say I made it to the kitchen and then in the nick of time made it to the bathroom. Hubby comes in, I take pills with the water I had originally gotten up to take, and off to bed I go. Hubby can feed the cat, hubby can let the dogs out and dry their paws when they come in due to the rain we are finally getting, hubby can….it didn’t matter, nothing mattered at that moment except getting to my dark bedroom and stopping the lava from coming out.

I am awake now and drinking my coffee, and somehow survived yesterday pretty much unscathed except for the pin holes in my back, a small bruise on the top of my right hand, and a stomach that is complaining that if I don’t eat something soon it is going to revolt. So I must go for now…the fridge is about to be emptied.

Crate time again

Well it is crate time again. When I came home at lunch yesterday all the boys were good, no accidents and everything in its place. When I came home from work same again, no messes and everything in its place. WOW a great day and I was ecstatic that they had finally calmed down and could behave while I was at work.

Okay so I now go sit on the front porch to talk to my brother and I was out there maybe 15 minutes tops! I saw hubby’s truck pulling up the road so I went inside to get dinner on the table, I did not expect what I was about to find and wanted to just scream. I saw Marley on the floor with what looked like stuffing from a chew toy, but wait; he is not allowed to have them as he tears them up in seconds. I then look at the couch, it has a large, very large rip and the stuffing that Marley was chewing on had come from the couch. I immediately told my brother that I had to go, hubby was home and the dogs had chewed the couch!

Okay, react mode, run and get a sheet and place it over the couch, no sense in upsetting hubby as soon as he walks in. It didn’t take but a minute for him to say, “What did the dogs do that you have a sheet on the couch?” I told him, don’t look, and explained what had happened. I can’t believe he stayed calm; I thought for sure he would freak out big time.

So today I spoke to someone at work that has a crate that was big enough for two puppy German Shepard’s that would have been large enough for one full grown, so yes, I accepted his offer to take it off his hands on Monday.

I have tried to let them be free, but even I have a breaking point. They have about 10 toys left on the floor each day to play with, some are even Kongs with treats and there are always three rawhides as well. I think Marley just has to have a soft chew toy and since I will not give him one (they last only seconds and I don't want him to choke on it)the couch was it this time for both of us.

Until tomorrow…

Not a Dress Rehearsal

Reading some of the blogs I follow each day, and no they are not all listed as blogs I follow, I was enlightened. It is very true, and I myself said this in one of my recent blogs “Beyond the Concrete”, there is much good and beauty in the world around us, we just need to take the time to see it, experience it, and most importantly know it is there. Life has a way of getting us down, there are deadlines, grocery and gas price hikes, misc. other bills to pay, war in the world, teachers sleeping their students, and on and on the ugly goes. But stop, look around your world, the leaves are changing for most of us now that fall is here, maybe your new hairdo makes you feel good all over, my dogs alone bring me down to earth each and every day and show me that just breathing, being healthy for the most part, and being with the ones you love is worth more than we appreciate and most of us take this for granted.

I have been telling my husband forever to do as the book says, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. So a dish broke, the dog peed on the carpet, the floors need to cleaned, the laundry needs to be done…so does that mean the world must stop and life is ending, NO! The world will go on, and you can be happier if at times you just let things be and do something for yourself, or a friend, or your spouse. The life you are living now is not a dress rehearsal; it is the real deal, so treat it as such. As the saying goes, Live, Love, and Laugh…you will be happier in the long run, and as others say don't take life too seriously. Nobody gets out alive.......

Pain

Some days the sun is immaculately dazzling and brilliant, but then one faulty repositioning and like a relentless storm forthcoming the intermittent signs emerge slowly, progressively, and bit by bit the full intensity of the storm is upon me.

Some days the severity is there from the time I awaken and there is absolutely nothing I do can make the sun materialize to suppress and wash away this nuisance I am feeling from the very first moment I have risen.

Some days the vile torrent never appears and the sun is shinning in all its brilliance moment after moment, hour after hour. Oh how I wish for these days.

I have been in this cycle for close to six months now and I have just one more procedure to go for on Friday and then they say it will all be brightness for the days after. The hideous torrents will be suppressed never to overpower the rays of sun I have so long been searching for to awaken to each day; to have with me each day, moment after moment, hour after hour.

Pain is detestable, but my pain is existent. Pain is my adversary, and this foe I shall overcome.

Quotes from Dalai Lama

Some thoughts for today: Quotes from Dalai Lama.

It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.

If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Sleep is the best meditation.

Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.

Spend some time alone every day.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis.

There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.

Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.

With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.

Relax

Well, finally the weekend is here and I am amazed how well I made it though the first week back in the cube world. At first it was so unreal, as I wrote in a previous blog, but I must admit it did get better as the days passed one by one. I adorned the new cube I was moved to during my absence with multiple pictures of the babies in various poses, brought in a decorative pillow to cradle my spine while adding color and warmth, and I will finish it all off with a small lamp I will be bringing in on Monday; it is not home but as cozy as work can be.

Otis, Marley, and Brock have all done very well this week aside from one accident yesterday. Hubby almost never gets home before I do, but of course, wouldn’t it be on the day that one of them had an accident on the living room rug!

After dinner last night and the cleaning of the kitchen I decided I was owed some down time for me. I opened a very nice bottle of wine I had picked up at a local winery a couple years back and poured myself a glass, grabbed a clean towel, opened the hot tub cover and sank in. To help keep the mood relaxed, I kept all three dogs inside. The night sky was overcast with showers threatening so there was no glimpse of the moon or stars to gaze at, so I just closed my eyes, laid my head back and drifted into blissful relaxation. The warmth of the water was comforting, the wind rustling just a bit through the remaining leaves on the trees was harmonious, and the reverberation of the water as it washed over me streaming from the jets was just so incredible, it is beyond words.

Cube

There are ice cubes, Rubik Cubes, DNA cubes, storage cubes, and I am sure many more that I just cannot think of at the moment, but for right now there is only one cube on my mind…my work cube. I have been here for just a few hours and how I feel as if the world has vanished; the green grass and the scent of the flowers and the colors of the leaves cannot be seen from this cube I am entrapped in, the bird’s songs are not heard, the wind is nowhere to be felt upon my face, the sun and clouds are no longer visible when I look up as the sky is completely missing, replaced by dingy fluorescent lighting. I miss the smell of the air when I take a deep breath, I miss the dogs frolicking in the yard while I sit and get pleasure from their fun as they go round and round, playing and jumping and then lapping at the water within the bowl tired from their romp and then finally they would lay upon the earth and rest with the butterflies fluttering by and the sun falling upon their fur coats. To be at home again with all the wonderers of nature and life with the dogs would be the ultimate life of luxury for this simple soul now banished to this cube for eight hours a day, five days a week, longing for the sun and the barking and just the experience of viewing natures wonders any time of day; any day of the week, day after day. The mortgage is due every month, the car needs gas, the groceries need to be purchased, and yet…those lazy days of bliss are what I miss.

Beyond the Concrete

Did you ever just sit outside and watch the clouds go by and then watch as the white puff slowly disappears and fades as a gentle breeze moves it along to intermingle with the blue sky? Did you ever watch a butterfly as it glides through the air fluttering from here to there displaying its magnificent wings of multi-color as if there is not a care in the world? How many times have you stood outside on a quiet morning and just listened to the songs and melody of the neighborhood birds as they make their morning flights to the feeders for breakfast? Have you ever seen a shooting star or looked up into the night sky and gazed at the full moon and saw all the dimensions it beholds, or a sunset over the ocean blue?

How often do we take the time to see what nature has in full miraculous display each and every day for us to behold? I have recently had some time off due to a back injury and have had the luxury to see and hear these truly amazing sights that nature prepares for us each day. As I head back into the full time work a day world tomorrow I hope that I remember the times I took those precious tranquil few minutes to enjoy the world around me, to see past all the concrete buildings, or the traffic on the highway with the loud radios blaring and horns honking, or the even the dishes piled in the sink after preparing dinner. Although these are a reality of our lives, they are man made, and can take a toll on us if we allow them to, that is why God created a world of pure pleasure filled with treasure abound from nature. Take time each day to see the world in it’s natural beauty beyond the concrete and human noise and watch a sunrise without worry of how soon you have to be at work, gaze at the hummingbird floating in the air retracting the sugar from the flowers, even just take a moment and embrace the feeling of your beloved pet sleeping soundly with his head upon your lap. Life is to be lived and enjoyed and each day we should put aside a small slice of our time and savor a little wonder of nature and serenity.

Beyond the Concrete

Did you ever just sit outside and just watch the clouds go by and then watch as the white puff slowly disappears and fades as a gentle breeze moves it along to intermingle with the blue sky? Did you ever watch a butterfly as it glides through the air fluttering from here to there displaying its magnificent wings of multi-color as if there is not a care in the world? How many times have you stood outside on a quiet morning and just listened to the songs and melody of the neighborhood birds as they make their morning flights to the feeders for breakfast? Have you ever seen a shooting star or looked up into the night sky and gazed at the full moon and saw all the dimensions it beholds?

How often do we take the time to see what nature has in full miraculous display each and every day for us to behold? I have recently had some time off due to a back injury and have had the luxury to see and hear these truly amazing sights that nature prepares for us each day. As I head back to into the full time work a day world tomorrow I hope that I remember the times I took those precious tranquil few minutes to enjoy the world around me, to see past all the concrete buildings, or the traffic on the highway with the loud radios blaring and horns honking, or the even the dishes piled in the sick after preparing dinner. Although these are a reality of our lives, they are man made, and can take a toll on us if we allow them to, that is why God created a world of pure pleasure filled with treasure abound from nature. Take time each day to see the world in it’s natural beauty beyond the concrete and human noise and watch a sunrise without worry of how soon you have to be at work, gaze at the hummingbird floating in the air retracting the sugar from the flowers, even just take a moment and embrace the feeling of your beloved pet sleeping soundly with his head upon your lap. Life is to be lived and enjoyed and each day we should put aside a small slice of our time and savor a little wonder of nature and serenity.

Options

Well if you read my blog yesterday morning you know it started out pretty crappy, literally. Yes I over came and went on to have a pretty decent day. This morning I awoke in time to get all the babies outside in time for them to do their thing. As they were outside I was fixing my coffee and then proceeded to feed Spencer my 20 year old cat who was sitting near his empty bowl just meowing for his breakfast as if he had not eaten in months.

I filled his bowl and as I placed his food bag back into the pantry, I looked to the large water bowl to see if that too was in need of filling, all I saw was one big huge ugly looking spider bigger than a half dollar, way bigger! Now I am not a wimp by any standards, okay maybe to some I am, but this thing was huge and ugly and I was defenseless standing in my bare feet with just six inches separating it from me. Hubby was still sleeping so I had to defend myself, it was either this colossal spider or me, we were both not going to be walking away from where we stood, oh no, one of us was about to be laying flat on the floor, and I promise you it was not going to be me.

With bare feet I had to think quick, using the food bowl would not work, my hands would have to be too close to get the job done and food would go flying everywhere, so I opened the pantry door back up and there was my handy Swiffer! I tried to move slow and cautiously as not to spook the spider and have him on the run. Yea, me spook him, that would be a turn of events. I retrieved the Swiffer and used it more like a hammer than a floor washer and it seconds the job was done; I had overpowered the ugly mammoth spider, victory!

I am not one who enjoys killing anything, I don’t hunt or kill for sport but I was the one they were thinking about when they wrote the old song, “I don’t like spiders and snakes” if they are in my house, again I have to repeat, IN my house, they definitely were not given an invitation, therefore they are intruders and I have no choice but to treat them as such. If he were outside in the yard he would have gone on to have a nice morning, spinning webs, eating bugs, and waiting for the sunrise to peek through the cloudy horizon, we never would have met. But his choice to come inside uninvited was his demise, it makes me think, many choices I make can have a serious consequence, so think with your head and your heart, and make the most of your day, because we truly never know when it will be our last.

Morning News

What a morning! I overslept and did not get up until close to 8:00, two hours past my normal awake time. This may have been what my body needed, a few extra hours of rest, but for the dogs, my oversleeping I would soon find out was a decision I would soon be regretting. As I stated in a previous post I have stopped crating, something I am now rethinking. I awoke with the crisp morning air blowing through the open bedroom windows and the sun peeking though the curtains; I thought was a glorious morning!

I walked into the office and said good morning to my husband who was on the internet looking for what else, corvette items. The dogs were all jumping on me, tails were wagging and kisses for mommy were gladly placed upon my cheeks. I made my cup of coffee and went outside to sit and enjoy the morning and to allow the dogs to do their thing. So far the morning could not have been more pleasant, all was about to change when I returned inside. I went to the front door to go out and retrieve the morning newspaper that I was sure would only depress me if I read it, not much good news these days, the stock market taking a downward spiral and taking my 401K with it. Murderous descriptions, car crashes killing teenagers due to alcohol and speed, fights that had broken out and caused one lost soul to stab another, and now even the VP nomination is in the news for using her executive power in all the wrong manners. The paper is as depressing as a snow storm that prevents you from leaving your home for days on end with the electric out and having to wash your hair in freezing cold water. I am seriously considering not renewing my subscription when this one runs out.

As I came in the front door, there it was, plain as day and if my eyes did not see it my nose certainly knew without any doubt. One of my beauties had messed on the living room carpet that I just this week paid $200.00 to have cleaned. Okay, pick it up, get out my trusty hand held Little Green Machine and clean the area, then get the fabric spray and spay. Okay this was not how I wanted to spend twenty minutes of my morning. Life goes on and it is what it is, I can get past this….all cleaned up so move on. So as I moved into the great room, what???? Another mess, what is going on here! Okay repeat the steps listed above this time with a not so pleasant attitude about it.

Needless to say I was not enjoying the beautiful morning any longer and I am no longer in a joyful mood. But hey, now that I think about it, one of them did try to wake me earlier, I just rolled over, and so I guess you could say that this was all brought on by my doing. I have learned today not to sleep in past my normal wake time, the dogs know the schedule and they follow it, if I am not up they try to waken me, and when they can’t do that after a couple times what do I expect; nothing less than what I found today. Crating is still an option, but in all honestly I much rather have them crawled up in bed with me, and outside at a decent time to forgo any accidents. I have forgiven the entire morning alteration to my routine, and now have my alarm set for 6:00 so that tomorrow a beautiful day can be had by all no matter what the weather or the newspaper have in store for me.

To those that are visiting today for the first time, welcome, explore, and enjoy. To those that are returning guests you will notice some changes to my page. I don’t want my page to become one big advertisement, but there are a few non-profit organizations that need our support. I have outlined what each one is asking of us and how you can help without spending one penny or more than 10 seconds of your time each day. I promise to get back to the fun stuff tomorrow, but to me, this is important and I hope you feel the same way.

Pet Finder: is a wonderful tool if you are looking to adopt a fur-child. I adopted Marley from a place called Pet Tender Angels in my area and located them through the pet finder web site, currently today they are stating, the temporary home of 305889 adoptable pets. You place in your zip code, what kind of pet you are looking for, and up all the choices pop, it is that easy. The number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year is 6-8 million (HSUS estimate), and the cold sad truth is the number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year is a staggering 3-4 million (HSUS estimate). If given the opportunity, each dog or cat that would have been euthanized for reasons such as the pet overpopulation situation here in America, or due to neglect or disease is one that statically shows more often than not, would make a great companion if they were only given the chance to show their loving and adorable personality on the other side of their current home, the kennel cage.
Please help the pet overpopulation and spay and neuter your pet, and please, if you are looking for a companion, look to your local shelter and rescue you next companion from certain death.

The Animal Rescue Site: This is a click to give site, so simple, just click once a day and sponsors of the site pay for food and care. I went one step further and bought a beautiful fleece coat off the site with the logo; two paw prints. Trust me, you can find wonderful gifts on this site and every time you purchase an item you are feeding a pet in need. Please click every day and help, it will cost you nothing, but provides so much for the many animals that need our human assistance to survive.

The Breast Cancer Site: Again, this is a click to give site, click every day and sponsors will provide free mammograms to those that would otherwise not be able to afford this necessary test. Facts taken directly from the Breast cancer site state, “The National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates that each year, over 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and over 40,000 die. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Approximately 1,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year.” With something so easy as click and give, we really can’t say we don’t have time to help and the cost of the click to us is nothing, but the click you make could possibly safe a life.

Chew Toy in Red

Well the time has come for me to return to work next week. I am happy that I still have a job to return to, but at the same time sad I will be gone all day away from my “babies”.
Since I have been home (5 months now) Otis has not gone to doggie day care, Marley has not been in his crate, and we have the newest edition Brock. They are all wonderful and for the most part behaved and well mannered, but when mom is away the children like to play. I am very apprehensive as one of my fur-children, Otis, suffers from separation anxiety, Marley was crate trained from the day we adopted him, and Brock I am not sure about as he has only been here about 9 weeks and I only crated him a few days.

When I am gone for appointments I have left the three of them to mind after themselves and have the run of the house. So far there has only been a minor thing when I have gotten home, but just like watching NASCAR run at Talladega, you are biting your nails waiting on the big one. We had one of those a few years back and I am not sure my husband could handle another one

A few years back (before Marley and Brock) we kept Otis in the garage while we were out of the house, and in the garage to keep him company was a radio, a fan to keep him cool and a bone and chew toy. What we never could have imagined happened one day when we left him there for only about an hour and went to the store. When I walked into the garage through the side door, the fan was still oscillating from side, Otis was there wagging his tail happy I was home.

But I felt something cold in my bones, I just stood there not really seeing or hearing what was happening; my brain just could not focus on what I was seeing. I felt as if I was in a dream and all was blurred and moving in slow motion. I saw snow floating in the air, snow??? It was May in SC, there is no snow in SC even in December. I went to Otis and saw he had some blood on his mouth, I was scared and for all the wrong reasons. I moved to the front of the garage where the door to the house is and there it was...the snow machine. My husband’s corvette was parked in the garage and was under a car cover for dust protection, trust me when I say dust was not the car’s immediate danger, Otis was. Otis must have been bored or having an anxiety attack and so he proceed to chew the fiberglass bumper of this beautiful car. The snow was what was left of the car cover.

It was then I jumped into protection mode of my own, protection of Otis from the car’s owner who was just turning the door knob of the side door into the garage. I instantly ran to the door and tried to lock it, but Lennie, confused, pushed harder and the door opened. I ran back to the front of the garage and hit the button on the wall that opens the bay door and yelled, “Run Otis run!!!” Otis did not hesitate; he ran across the street and sat on my neighbor’s front step just quivering. I tried to calm my husband, but we need to be real here how would you have reacted if your corvette had just become the largest chew toy?

Many years later, and a call to the insurance company, we now laugh of that day and Otis has been very happy in a cage free doggie daycare. But times are tough and the daycare is no longer an option due to the cost, so back to where I began, wondering when that “big one” will strike again and what will be the new chew toy of choice?

Two Legged vs. Four Legged

Okay many of my friends don’t know what to say when I tell them that my four legged friends are more worthy than they are of my friendship. “More worthy!” one says, “How can that possibly be?” Well let me explain. When you are upset with your husband you call me on the phone and proceed to tell me in vivid detail all that is wrong with your husband. From his leaving his dirty socks on the floor next to the bed, to “oh and did I tell you that he would not stop staring at this lady in the store the other day who was wearing a mini skirt small enough to fit Barbie?” Oh I could go on and on, just as you do, talk, talk, talk, complain, complain, complain, but hey, I need to move on here. Not only do take up many hours of my time discussing (is that what you would call it) all the negatives of your husband, you want me to sympathize with your dilemma and even expect me to somehow fix the problem! So I try to offer you my take on the situation all while in agreement with you that your husband is a no good lazy womanizer that you should have dumped years ago.

So it should be problem solved right? I have agreed with you and we can now move on to something else, like me hanging up the phone and getting back to my life, but no, that would be too easy and much too logical. I listen as you are silent for a moment and then when you start up again you are lashing out at me! Huh? Somehow what I said didn’t calm you, oh no it somehow got scrambled in your thought process causing you to place all your marriage quandary on me…wait what did I do, I don’t even live with you and those certainly are not my dirty socks you just picked up. As we hang up, you are in love with your husband and crying that I am the worst friend you have ever had and you are not sure if we can go on with this relationship, as you clearly cannot be friends with someone that disrespects your wonderful, adoring, passionate, and devoted husband.

I hang up the phone shaking my head and pet the big, fluffy, drooling head that has been in my lap this entire time. He looks up at me with such admiration and love, nothing cynical or complicated going on in his thought process, no scrambled eggs up there. I look him in the eye and say, “What the heck just happened?” his response, a big wet kiss on the cheek before he runs to the back door as if to say, that is what you get with your two legged friends, complicated situations, lack of unconditional love and friendship, and headaches. Me, all I want to do is love you, comfort you, and chase the ball, come on let’s go out and have some fun.

This Dog for President

This is adorable! I am all for it as it supports adopting pets from animal shelters, and as my friends know all to well, that is where Spencer, Otis, Marley, and Brock have all come from. Lend your support and pass the word! http://www.thisdogforpresident.com/

Neighbors

If you live in the country, neighbors may be the people whose names you know, can match cars and trucks to the driver and their addresses, you only see them occasionally, and yes, at times, a visit to catch up on things is welcome from these people. More often than not however, it is simply a wave as you pass each other on the dirt road, a hello when you meet at church on Sundays, and then the rare, but important occasions, when they become your saving grace such as when you are baking and need just one more egg and the store is more than fifteen miles away.

These are your neighbors if you are one of the lucky ones and live in the country off that dirt road. I however, live in a new residential middle class development and have neighbors close at hand all the time. To some this is the life! People to see and talk to and share time and conversations with whenever the desire strikes, oh but beware, your personal life and your time alone is vanishing and being invaded.

My neighbor, bless her heart, is a sweet lady who is driving me nuts and has me begging for a dirt road to drive myself down. My email is filled each day with coupon alerts, store sale notices, grocery store shopping lists, and crock pot recipes. Not to mention the endless invitations to a party they are throwing for any and every occasion, from hurray it is summer to look we need to have a party because the leaves are falling from the tree limbs.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for a friendly hello and an occasional invitation, but there has to be a limit to how many times I need to have my inbox inundated with coupons and store receipt recitals showing how much she saved at every transaction for the day, every day.

So please, if you truly do want to be that friendly neighbor, please (I am begging) limit the emails to one a day, and honestly, do you really think that I need a coupon for breast pumps?