Time is flying by. Heat oppressive, things drying out, dog learning, cohorts retiring, quick trips around the country. Things dpeed up, things slow down surprises around every corner. What’s next? Where is the crystal ball? Am I going to win the lottery so I can retire? Life is full of questions and just goes on by. Might as well sit back, sweat and relax. And remember the trite cliche, the only thing constant is change. Got to get back in the habit of posting more often.
Our pets become a part of the family, a part of us. Loosing one is a very sorrowful experience sometimes requiring a quick response. Twelve or so years ago we lost a dear pup that had captured our hearts. Thinking this had been our ideal pet we made plans to adopt her sister but that would take a while since she had not been born yet. We thought we could wait, but that was very painful and the decsion was made to fill the gap with an “emergency” dog. Provided with some unexpected assistance we set out and found an opportunity in the Stafford area where a puppy farm had several choices of a Schnauzer pup. Though disagreeing at first a decision was made to choose one particular young lady who seemed to have a mind of her own and was very playful. We called her Dixie though her actual name was Dickens. Full of play and msichief she was, her entire life. Play to the point that she did not want to be held or petted, really not all that affectionate. And then along came Holly, the sister to the earliesr pup. Quiet, shy, submissive, and very affectioante. Always wanted to be held, always wanted attention. And Dixie soon found that, hey, that other dog is getting all the attention, we need to do something about this. So gradually she started being more attentive, more interested in being petted. Soon you could not have a hand she could reach that she would not try to crawl under to have it on her, not hesitating to push Holly out of the way. All play and lots of mischief, she loved to run and this was fine as we had a reasonbly nice yard for a little dog. But we have an “Invisible fence” which the dogs very quickly learned to stay away from so they would not get shocked. But Dixie in her special way would get Holly to run with her keeping Holly on the outside and shifting as she ran to force Holly into the force field of the fence out of spite. Always the chow hound Dixie was always on a diet and you had to watch her caarefully as she would fininsh her meals quickly and then stand over Holly trying to push her away from her bowl to take over, and Holly would let her, so she had to be watched.
Dixie was also the great communicator. When you got home she would go to great ends to tell you everything that had gone on all day. She was the neighborhood watch, standing at the front door and sounding off every time anyone would pass the house or any child played in the court across the way. She also was the one who would remind us if you had not fed her or if the water bowkl was emptywith both verbal and non verbal cues. If the little barks, standing over the bowl did not get the desired attentioin, she would use her paw to skid the bowl across the floor like a hockey puck (GO CAPS), which made a lot of noise and generally got quick attention. You had to be attentive though as even if she had been fed maybe 1/2 an hour earlier, if someone other than the one who fed her heard her signal they might feed her a second time, but she didn’t get away with that too often. We also think she would bark if either one of them needed to go out, though we never figured out how she knew when Holly needed to go out.
Over the years she slowed down just a little, needed an extra step to let her get up on the bed. She was a very special part of the family and she truly was concerned and cared for us. When I smacked my head on the fireplace mantle I laid on the floor for a few minutes to recover and Dixie, though fearing being shocked by a sensor in the sofa, came immediately to my side, laid close and licked my face. And suddenly she became ill and had to be relieved of her pain, we will miss her forever. But now the search begins for the right new family member, we will see how this plays out.
This past week I turned 59. At one point in my life I thought I might retire at 60. Right now 67 is looking a little iffy. The stock market. What can a person say. Has it bottomed out? Is it really going to drop another 20% like some say? I am taking a gamble that it will not. I hope I am right. Well so much wishful thinking for now.
Whoa, this draft has been sitting a while………..
Okay, now I’m 60. It did drop 20% but it has bounced back,now I’m being told the second shoe has yet to drop as more ARMs are about to reset. Just got a new tax appraisal. Comment, we’re not going to sell tomorrow are we? It will come back. Let’s hope. At least we owe less than even this meager tax assessment. Current job is good, if can keep doing this no need to stop before 67. Lots could change, could hit the lottery, could buy that stock that goes through the roof. Retiement at 64 or 65 would really be nice, that’s just around the corner. And then if I had grandchildren………….
It has been a long time since I posted to my blog so maybe it is time to get active in this area again. The problem with keeping an active blog is that you really can’t write whatever is on your mind because you never know who is in the audience. You don’t want to talk about work because you don’t know if you might say something that your employer doesn’t want you to. You don’t talk about places you are going in fear of alerting someone that you are away from your house. You don’t talk about politics, religion, race, or sex for fear of offending someone. So what does one write about? I don’t want to seem to be complaining, I don’t want to appear to be bragging, I don’t want to appear to be dumb, boring or flamboyant. Okay, I begin to see why it has been a long time since I wrote anything. Maybe it won’t be so long until next time…
Gardening is a lot of work, especially when you are turning lawn into garden, all the grass has to come out. We are talking a fairly large expanse of turf here. The plants going in are white dogwoods, hosta (a white and green varigated foliage), and white astilbe. Probably some white mums will be moving here from the front of the house. Ultimately a nice formal green and white garden. But now it is a mud pit, as I got about half the grass up the skies have opened up and have continued the deluge for over four inches, and its still coming down. Twice I went out as I thought there was a lull, but as soon as I got out the rain picked up to a high pitch. So much for anything more tonight. Hopefully tomorrow night will be a little dryer.
One of my favorite shows is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and last night I saw it with my favorite people. Every production is a little differrent and this one was good but not my favorite ever. I seem to remember the show being longer but I couldn’t say anything was left out. And it was a dinner theater, so I overate, but everything was good. Of course it rained both ways making the trip longer. There are some more good shows coming to Toby’s I’d like to see this year. Perhaps we’ll get to some.
The day of reckoning is upon us, tomorrow the stitches come out of the eyes and I can’t wait. Just a bit uncomfotable (see the Happy Halloween album) Actually the healing has gone very well. The swelling is somewhat lessened and the bruising is somewhat faded but I am still asked what does the other person look like?, to which I reply, she doesn’t have a mark on her. Today was my first day driving and it went well. I do feel a lot of eye strain trying to read a computer screen (so why am I doing this now?) But generally i have pretty much returned to a “normal” life, whatever that is. Well, looking forward to the stitches being gone.
What a glorious day, an intimate gathreing of family and close friends to recognize the wedding anniversary of two of the finest people in the world. I am glad to have the honor of calling these folks Mom and Dad by virtue of marriage. Hosted by their three truly wonderful daughters and the three of us who were lucky enough to marry them everyone brought good cheer and happiness. Each brought their own special talents to the party. Marry’n Sam (daughter Charlene’s son) renewed the Hitch’in vows with the help of daughter Linda, the script prepared by brother-in-law Bob – Charlene’s husband. Room decoration and cake design was handled by daughter June with a little support from Linda. The cake was fabulous, tiered and well decorated as well as very tasty. (see pictures in gallery) Dinner prepared by the restaurant, arrangements made by Charlene, could not have been more tasty. A great time was had by all.
And then the festivities continued at the home of the bride and groom into the night. See you at the 75th party, they are young at heart..
If you are reading this you will also want to see the picture album Indian Country. http://picasaweb.google.com/billsanner/IndianCountry
An interesting week to say the least. The countryside here is not what I call beautiful, but yet it has it’s own attractiveness and interesting character. Often looking as if it were carved or set in place by some giant chess player. Not quite in bloom but soon to be it showed signs of green here and there, or so it seemed to me. I don’t seem to have captured that in my pictures. And there are very few people to be seen. Indian schools are not located in the most metropolitan of areas. That was the purpose of my visit, to become acquainted with the Indian Schools, their level of technology, their systems, and what needs to be done. Most everything. But the children are children, running, laughing talking, being children. Anxious to learn, shy but gregarious, everything children should be despite the harsh conditions and meager surroundings. These children like all others are our future, lets hope we can give them a better one so that they can make a difference.
I am going to have some surgery done on my eyes to raise the lids, had the pre-op and an annual physical done today so I guess I am really going to do it this time. Have only put it off twice. EKG and all seemed okay. Blood Sugar a little high but I guess it is within tolerance. Made for a short day today, after many long one’s I had the time. Even got a state safety inspection on my car and did some commissary shopping. Whoopie!
