Lookin' gooood!....

Hello Company Ladies!

Well, I'm just on my way out the door to take one of my daughters to her post-op appointment with the dental surgeon that removed her wisdom teeth last Thursday...but I thought I'd take a few minutes and post this pic of my four youngest at their Christmas church formal...not often that we see them all spiffied up...especially the tallest girl Maya.....she's what we used to call a tom boy and really dislikes dresses but she 'cleaned up' pretty good! The blond haired lady with them is one of the youth workers at the church and is a mentor to two of the kids.

This has been a hairy week, what with me being unwell, ALL the kids home all week for exams/p.d. days/and semester turn around...but praise the Lord they all went back to school today!!!! Yea!

Have a great weekend!

Attention Seekers....

Poor Reilly....he's confused.....he keeps looking for his buddy, Tucker....he keeps wanting attention. I know how he feels....I find myself feeling the same.

By Sunday evening I was feeling quite sick, was awake almost all Sunday night and draggy all day Monday.....today was slightly better but I was looking for Tucker and attention too. Hubby had to teach last night and tonight...so that means he leaves at 7:30 a.m. and returns late in the evening. Tucker always kept me company...wherever I sat, he was laying nearby. Reilly checks in every once in awhile but it's not the same. Tucker was company.

Now, I know I'm sounding kind of depressed and I guess I am....so.....it's a good thing there aren't many that read this blog...it's more for me just to talk. You see...to add to the mood...yesterday marked 30 years since the doctor told me that I was probably having a miscarriage and there wasn't anything that I or they, could do....eighteen weeks pregnant....you thought you were 'safe'......I hate January.....and February...and oh,..especially March........

c'mon April.......April to me is SPRING! Yea for spring!

Tucker

My Dog Tucker.......

born September 22, 1999....died at noon today, January 24, 2009

As you can see...it looks like a large bandage around is belly but it actually was a diaper. Tucker had become totally incontinent and had to wear a diaper continuously. The duct tape that we had to use to keep the diaper on slowly pulled out all his belly hair. I hated to say good bye to him...after I took these pictures this morning he got up (I was sitting on the floor) and came right over to my face and tried to lick me. I took the chicken way out and left my hubby to take him to the vet.......I took off in the car and came back later when everything was done.

He was a good and loyal dog....many people feared him...he could be very intimidating...he was a large black Lab, who would throw himself at our front door when salesmen came by....but he was soft and gentle and let my grandchildren sit on him....I was never fearful when hubby had to go away on a trip because I knew Tucker wouldn't let anything come in the house. One time my nephew tried to come in the front door without knocking...well, in a flash Tucker was there and believe me, my nephew never ran so fast...but not before Tucker ripped his shirt.

Dear Tucker.....a loyal friend. I already miss you.

Death and Dying

Wow.....what a weekend! Yesterday I spent a combined total of 10-1/2 hours driving in a van to attend a funeral of my aunt who passed away last week. These are the days that you just know that you're not as young as you used to be! We got home at about 1 a.m. today after getting up at 5:30a.m. yesterday to begin the long day. This morning I made the decision not to go to church....when I woke every bone and muscle hurt.......so hubby took the kids and I had a long Epsom salt soak in a nice warm tub.......the house was so quiet...I didn't even put on any music.....after a day just full of noises yesterday I craved quiet.....it was lovely.

I attended two funerals this week.....it was kind of weird because in both messages delivered by the pastors the main topic was Psalm 23......now, this is a psalm that is quite familiar to a lot of people but to have to sermons on it at two separate funerals was a little strange. IT GAVE ME PAUSE TO THINK. I would seem that dying people receive a lot of comfort from this psalm......not that I'm dying...well, in a sense we all are...but maybe I should have another look at it......some of these passages that have been common and familiar to us since we were youngsters ...well we sometimes take for granted.

Speaking of dying,....I think that Tucker, my dog might be dying this week......he's going to have to be euthanized......he's not getting any better and has completely lost control of bladder
function and some bowel.......he's definitely not showing signs of getting better....I wish he would but this has been going on for over a month and one has to wonder if he's really enjoying his life. I hate to see this strong, noble dog end his life in a diaper....I didn't want to see him get hit and killed by a car but this way is very slow.

I realize that having my dog die doesn't compare to our friends having their mom pass away or my uncle burying his wife (my aunt) of 67 years but it's still difficult. I do realize he's just a dog....but he's my dog....and I'll still miss him.

Is Houston warm in February?

Well, it's Monday and anyone that knows me knows just how much I love Mondays...especially when hubby starts teaching a new semester! That means on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, he leaves for work at 7:30 a.m. and doesn't return home til anywhere between 10 and 10:45 p.m. This makes for a very long day.....I find myself totally lacking in any ambition to make decent suppers for the kids.....they don't mind...really, they don't.....in fact..they quite enjoy getting what they want...or Emma makes something, like pancakes for everyone. The only trouble is or was that when hubby finished classes last December for the semester and was all of a sudden home for a month of evenings, he was looking for 'decent' meals and I was completely out of habit! Hubby has surprised me...again....but you mustn't tell the youngest 4 cause they'll have a cow! He has to go to Houston next month for a conference....and.........he wants to use his airmiles and take me too!!!!!!!!! Yea!! Oh,...it'll be so nice to have a break.....goodness gracious but I need it........tooooooooooo much stress in this life right now......yes, my doggie is still not bodily functioning correctly.....really don't know what to do! But, poor doggie is just the tip of the iceberg as the saying goes........

I saw some ads for a movie that just came out that reminded me of my own life.....I think it's called Bridal Wars.....it got me to remembering a little over 35 years ago when hubby and I decided to wed......there were 2 other girls at our church who were getting married all within a short time of each other.....one girl Sharon, who was a very good friend, in fact we were in each others wedding parties, was having difficulty finding a reception place. I said...well why don't you try our place......she did...there was a vacancy and they booked the place....a few months before our date. The second girl, Pauline, wasn't a 'good' friend, just in the 'group' but we were friendly.......I kept waiting for Pauline to announce her date...I knew ours was the 16th of June but I didn't want to mention it until I heard Pauline's.......I kept waiting and waiting....no announcement....finally I said..'ah, to heck with it' and announced it.......a week later Pauline announced hers.....June the 9th......and then to add insult to injury, she booked the same reception place.....that meant that people that attended our church that were invited to both weddings, went to the same wedding reception place and had the same food...two weeks in a row! That meant that of the three weddings, in the same church, in the same year...that they were all at the same reception place....the place that I found but was the last to use.....so, you can just guess what everyone was saying.......ya, ya...I know...water under the bridge........but at the time, I was truly ticked!!! Oh, and also...to make matters even worse....every girl that grew up in that church, looked forward to 'her church wedding shower'....it was usually a huge deal, everyone came......you felt very special.......well, because Pauline's and my wedding were so close together the church ladies decided, yes, and rightly so, but at the time I was very upset...to combine the showers.....put them together into one big happy time....didn't I just feel so special.......okay, okay...so I was just a little, teensy bit bitter.......Isn't amazing the innocent things that dredge up feelings you had completely forgotten about.

By the way, Pauline and her hubby ended up having a heatwave on their wedding day and I must admit to feeling a little smug.......see, I really am a terrible person...deep, deep, deep down.

A Day Off...

Hello Company Girls! Today was my day off and I had a lovely day if I do say so myself! My sister and I went to an Antique store where she was eyeing a buffet server that was quite nice.....pretty well what she was looking for..... I'm not a big antique person but it was nice to see some of the older things that seemed like they were from another era. Then we went to a little country type place that had lots of little things to look at and buy including half price Christmas things......I picked up an ornament for one of my grandkids for next Christmas and some Christmas napkins.....they have a little eating area where I indulged in some Apple Crisp and ice cream for lunch! All in all a lovely day.

Last night we took Tucker back to the chiropractor for another adjustment....I know, I know...ridiculous isn't it.....I just can't let him go without trying.....I mean other that not urinating properly he seems quite happy...eating, drinking, playing with our other dog Reilly...the diapers are getting tiring and expensive, so we can't keep this up forever but.....the chiropractor has found that his back (spine) indeed has been damaged and has probably caused the neurological problem that he's having......I'm just afraid that this has gone on for so long that he's forgotten that he needs to go outside to relieve himself...sigh.....what to do......it's hard to think of euthanizing him when he's running around, wagging his tail.

Well, hope everyone has a great weekend.

Wisdom Teeth and Adjustments....

This is Maya, doing what Maya does best...sports....on the 22nd of January Maya will be getting ALL four of her wisdom teeth removed....I know,..not really something to look forward to...I told hubby that he just had to take the day of...as you can see, Maya isn't a small girl...I really can't see me trying to get her out to the van on my own after general anesthetic! This week we've been going to appointments...a pre-op at the family doctor and then a pre-op tomorrow at the hospital where the surgery will take place....We're suppose to get freezing rain and snow tonight so I hope it doesn't make the driving too difficult for tomorrow. I also had to go into the high school today to take them proof that she indeed has surgery scheduled on that day because it's also an exam day......we've been waiting for this surgery to be scheduled since August so we really cant reschedule......

Another appointment that I had today was for myself because of my back problem...my chiropractor is just amazing. She asked if my stress level was tapering off....when I said no..it was worse...I told her about Tucker. I told her that hubby joked that maybe we should see if vets did adjustments. She said there is one and then she said..'I can look at him if you want'...I was so surprised...called hubby and he agreed to leave work at lunch and drive home and get Tucker and bring him. So, yes I know sounds a little crazy...Tucker had his very first adjustment....he quite enjoyed it! She feels that when a car hit him, (about seven years ago)threw him about 30' and he landed on his back that it did some damage and it's now manifesting itself.....I don't know if it helped but he did pee a bit when he went outside...he hasn't done that in a couple of days...we'll see.