Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Friday, October 2, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
And now...the REST of the story...
DD#2 got her dream job at a vet's office. The doctor also has a no-kill pet shelter, and she naturally helps take care of them. The employees are allowed to foster the homeless dogs (they have about 15 I think) for a couple of days to get the animals out of the kennels, so they can run around outside, interact with humans, etc. This dog (below), Shaggy, was DD's favorite. At first I was totally against fostering a dog because of the four cats that live with us. The last time we tried having a dog, they disappeared and we didn't see them for the entire time the dog was in the house. We wound up having to find a home for the dog, who was a wonderful animal: very intelligent, sweet natured but rambunctious. She terrorized the cats who, after all, were here first. I hated giving her up, but we did find a nice family who really wanted her.
But, after much negotiating I caved, with the conditions that she would clean up after him, walk him, and if it didn't work out, no more dogs.
Well.
Five minutes after meeting this dog, I was ready to adopt him.
I know. I'm a wuss.
He was being treated for heart worm, so DH and I agreed that we'd see how things went and if the cats could tolerate him, we'd talk to the vet about adoption once his heartworms were cleared up.
It never occurred to any of us that they would put him up for adoption before he was over the heartworms. That very night, DD got a call from the vet's office saying she had to bring him back the next morning because he'd been adopted!
We were all so disappointed that DH called the vet to see if anything could be reversed but a contract had been signed. We had to take Shaggy back.
It was pretty sad for all of us, even though we'd only had him a matter of hours. I rarely meet an animal that I do not like, and I have to control my impulse to adopt every one I see (nearly adopted a Greyhound a few weeks ago!) But we all really connected with Shaggy, maybe because he was so gentle and calm, he was sick, somebody had abandoned him....but the good thing is, where nobody wanted him a short while ago, now two families were fighting over him. He got a good home, and that's what counts.
Unfortunately, there will always be homeless dogs, I'm afraid, so we'll see if another one comes along that we like as well and that fits into this cat menagerie.
I'd like to find one that could be trained as a search and rescue dog like the ones I see at the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk. That is a huge committment but must be so rewarding, and the dog would get excellent training.
I'll keep you posted.
But, after much negotiating I caved, with the conditions that she would clean up after him, walk him, and if it didn't work out, no more dogs.
Well.
Five minutes after meeting this dog, I was ready to adopt him.
I know. I'm a wuss.
He was being treated for heart worm, so DH and I agreed that we'd see how things went and if the cats could tolerate him, we'd talk to the vet about adoption once his heartworms were cleared up.
It never occurred to any of us that they would put him up for adoption before he was over the heartworms. That very night, DD got a call from the vet's office saying she had to bring him back the next morning because he'd been adopted!
We were all so disappointed that DH called the vet to see if anything could be reversed but a contract had been signed. We had to take Shaggy back.
It was pretty sad for all of us, even though we'd only had him a matter of hours. I rarely meet an animal that I do not like, and I have to control my impulse to adopt every one I see (nearly adopted a Greyhound a few weeks ago!) But we all really connected with Shaggy, maybe because he was so gentle and calm, he was sick, somebody had abandoned him....but the good thing is, where nobody wanted him a short while ago, now two families were fighting over him. He got a good home, and that's what counts.
Unfortunately, there will always be homeless dogs, I'm afraid, so we'll see if another one comes along that we like as well and that fits into this cat menagerie.
I'd like to find one that could be trained as a search and rescue dog like the ones I see at the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk. That is a huge committment but must be so rewarding, and the dog would get excellent training.
I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Something is going on in the universe today
My husband and daughter were headed to the equestrian center for riding and training with the Sheriff's department when his truck began smoking. The battery was having a meltdown of some kind it seems. He dropped DD#2 off at the center and headed home.
Meanwhile, I was having a bagel at Atlanta Bread when he called. I headed home. Upon cranking up, I noticed that my "check engine" light was on. This can't be happening, I thought. Both cars, just days before vacation. Less than a week after DD#1's battery went kerflewie.
We have a mechanic named Vinnie. No joke. Vinnie is my new hero. He checked my car in 5 minutes flat, told me nothing to worry about, a minor issue that he resolved and I gave him a huge hug, it was the best news all day.
So then we were so relieved we decided to celebrate by eating lunch. We stopped at Chicky Filly and ordered. The nice young man behind the counter told us to grab a table and he'd bring our food out. He did, in addition to being extremely pleasant, had great customer service skills.
That following up Vinnie's good news made me say, Something unusual is going on in the universe today. It is not common to have two consecutive positive human interactions in one day. Not that close together, anyway.
Maybe this is the other extreme of the pendulum swing after Thursday's high adrenaline day.
DH's car only requires a new battery; we can handle that. He might get it fixed in time to participate in the equestrian training. In fact, he just left for that purpose.
So it appears all is well and life can go on as planned. At least for the next five minutes.
It's just when all the you know what hits the fan at once that you feel hemmed in.
And right before vacation!
Meanwhile, I was having a bagel at Atlanta Bread when he called. I headed home. Upon cranking up, I noticed that my "check engine" light was on. This can't be happening, I thought. Both cars, just days before vacation. Less than a week after DD#1's battery went kerflewie.
We have a mechanic named Vinnie. No joke. Vinnie is my new hero. He checked my car in 5 minutes flat, told me nothing to worry about, a minor issue that he resolved and I gave him a huge hug, it was the best news all day.
So then we were so relieved we decided to celebrate by eating lunch. We stopped at Chicky Filly and ordered. The nice young man behind the counter told us to grab a table and he'd bring our food out. He did, in addition to being extremely pleasant, had great customer service skills.
That following up Vinnie's good news made me say, Something unusual is going on in the universe today. It is not common to have two consecutive positive human interactions in one day. Not that close together, anyway.
Maybe this is the other extreme of the pendulum swing after Thursday's high adrenaline day.
DH's car only requires a new battery; we can handle that. He might get it fixed in time to participate in the equestrian training. In fact, he just left for that purpose.
So it appears all is well and life can go on as planned. At least for the next five minutes.
It's just when all the you know what hits the fan at once that you feel hemmed in.
And right before vacation!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Incoherent Ramblings
Do something fun today while grilling the burgers. :-) Go to this link and vote for your favorite film short in the 5th NFB Online Short Film Competition.
It's cloudy and rumor has it we're going to have severe weather today. That's okay with me, since I had no outdoor plans, but I'm sorry for the folks who like to kick off the summer at Lake Lanier or the more humble Lake Allatoona.
I plan to spend my day sewing and recovering from last week's pre-graduation madness. My oldest daughter is working, my husband worked last night and works tonight, so it's me and DD#2 who is in kind of a stupor right now. For me, it's a perfect day to hole up in the sewing closet and get some work done.
Graduation pictures.
It's cloudy and rumor has it we're going to have severe weather today. That's okay with me, since I had no outdoor plans, but I'm sorry for the folks who like to kick off the summer at Lake Lanier or the more humble Lake Allatoona.
I plan to spend my day sewing and recovering from last week's pre-graduation madness. My oldest daughter is working, my husband worked last night and works tonight, so it's me and DD#2 who is in kind of a stupor right now. For me, it's a perfect day to hole up in the sewing closet and get some work done.
Graduation pictures.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Graduation
Today my younger daughter graduates from high school.
We're having a brunch for her before the ceremony since only six tickets were given to each student. After the three of us that leaves three family members who will be able to attend - her grandmother, someone to look after grandmother and one more person.
It's an interesting place to be, watching the youngest step out into the world. On the one hand, I'm so relieved to be done with school (public school) and for her to begin being responsible for herself (as if she weren't already). On the other, it scares the hell out of me that the last 17 years have flown by so quickly. Will the next twenty do the same? I will be 79 in twenty years. Twenty short, fleeting years.
She will be thirty seven.
Over on Althouse they were talking about whether women are unhappier now than ever, in spite of having so many choices.
Maybe it's the choices that make some women unhappy.
I for one, since I don't have enough money to buy happiness, take pleasure in simple things.
For example, in preparation for my daughter's party this morning (in 5 hours), I cooked most of the day. Blintz casserole, key lime pie cupcakes, hash brown casserole.
Then I went out and washed the windows on the front of the house, downstairs, where folks will be sitting and looking outside. I managed to get DH off his butt and he helped scrub the mildew off the lower part of the siding. We get zero sun and mildew will take over if you're not diligent.
Then I scrubbed the garage door, also a little mildewy.
Then I planted four or five hostas that a friend gave me.
Finally, we spread mulch over the front yard where we tried in vain to get grass to grow for many years, finally threw up our hands, admitted defeat and went with mulch. It takes 30 bags to cover that little patch of ground. I should post some pictures.
I was very happy. The old house looked pretty good, the yard looked nice, the food smells great. Friends and family are coming to share the day with us.
I was pretty happy.
My mother believed in making the best of what you had and she didn't have much. She lived in an old house that was built by her father some time in the 1930's. It's where she grew up, where she and her other ten siblings lived.
It wasn't particularly well built so over the years it started looking bad and required a lot of propping up. But she scrubbed and painted and did her best, and was happy that she had a place to live and wasn't in debt and wasn't like a lot of older folks who had to pay rent. In that way she was not unhappy, she didn't envy others or want for things she couldn't afford.
Some of my family members coming today live in a $2 million dollar house. Notice I don't call it a home. I am not envious but I do wonder what it's like to have that kind of money. I wouldn't buy a $2 million home with it because living in that kind of neighborhood doesn't appeal to me. I would, however, buy a huge parcel of land with a small house so that I could have as many animals as I could afford.
Sometimes I'm intimidated by their success and feel that I squandered too many opportunities but then, I do not have the personality or temperament to deal with what you must deal with to become wealthy.
I do admire their perseverance and vision and hard work and stick-to-itiveness.
But my family member is not happy. She is really depressed and takes medication for it. I have another friend, same story. They've never had money problems, she lives in a modest, mere $450,000 home (or it was, a few years ago), good kids, good husband. She's depressed, sees a shrink, takes medicine.
Me, I just go out and wash windows and dig in the yard.
We're having a brunch for her before the ceremony since only six tickets were given to each student. After the three of us that leaves three family members who will be able to attend - her grandmother, someone to look after grandmother and one more person.
It's an interesting place to be, watching the youngest step out into the world. On the one hand, I'm so relieved to be done with school (public school) and for her to begin being responsible for herself (as if she weren't already). On the other, it scares the hell out of me that the last 17 years have flown by so quickly. Will the next twenty do the same? I will be 79 in twenty years. Twenty short, fleeting years.
She will be thirty seven.
Over on Althouse they were talking about whether women are unhappier now than ever, in spite of having so many choices.
Maybe it's the choices that make some women unhappy.
I for one, since I don't have enough money to buy happiness, take pleasure in simple things.
For example, in preparation for my daughter's party this morning (in 5 hours), I cooked most of the day. Blintz casserole, key lime pie cupcakes, hash brown casserole.
Then I went out and washed the windows on the front of the house, downstairs, where folks will be sitting and looking outside. I managed to get DH off his butt and he helped scrub the mildew off the lower part of the siding. We get zero sun and mildew will take over if you're not diligent.
Then I scrubbed the garage door, also a little mildewy.
Then I planted four or five hostas that a friend gave me.
Finally, we spread mulch over the front yard where we tried in vain to get grass to grow for many years, finally threw up our hands, admitted defeat and went with mulch. It takes 30 bags to cover that little patch of ground. I should post some pictures.
I was very happy. The old house looked pretty good, the yard looked nice, the food smells great. Friends and family are coming to share the day with us.
I was pretty happy.
My mother believed in making the best of what you had and she didn't have much. She lived in an old house that was built by her father some time in the 1930's. It's where she grew up, where she and her other ten siblings lived.
It wasn't particularly well built so over the years it started looking bad and required a lot of propping up. But she scrubbed and painted and did her best, and was happy that she had a place to live and wasn't in debt and wasn't like a lot of older folks who had to pay rent. In that way she was not unhappy, she didn't envy others or want for things she couldn't afford.
Some of my family members coming today live in a $2 million dollar house. Notice I don't call it a home. I am not envious but I do wonder what it's like to have that kind of money. I wouldn't buy a $2 million home with it because living in that kind of neighborhood doesn't appeal to me. I would, however, buy a huge parcel of land with a small house so that I could have as many animals as I could afford.
Sometimes I'm intimidated by their success and feel that I squandered too many opportunities but then, I do not have the personality or temperament to deal with what you must deal with to become wealthy.
I do admire their perseverance and vision and hard work and stick-to-itiveness.
But my family member is not happy. She is really depressed and takes medication for it. I have another friend, same story. They've never had money problems, she lives in a modest, mere $450,000 home (or it was, a few years ago), good kids, good husband. She's depressed, sees a shrink, takes medicine.
Me, I just go out and wash windows and dig in the yard.
Monday, December 8, 2008
One Minute Writer: Values
What I value most materially are my photos from my mother. They chronicle not only her life, but mine as well, over decades I can see the evoluation and growth of the family, changes in life style, clothing, houses, cars. How we lived then, the importance of family, the fun we had together as I was growing up. I would not give anything for them. They would be the first things I grab.
The One minute Writer
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