United Pooch Service

Isn't what they letters UPS stand for?  Hi everyone!  It's Lisi again.  You thought I'd take it slower in the winter and not be up to my usual shenanigans.  Well, if you want excitement, you've gotta make it right?

The day before Christmas Eve, the Big Lady that yells but loves me anyway and one of the MYP decided to take me out on a little late-afternoon walk.  We had a great hike around the houses and ponds and I even got a good squirrel chase out of it.  Because I'm so incredibly obedient, Big Lady lets me walk without a leash most the time as I find them so undignified.  We came around the bend and there was the big brown truck!  That thing roars in and out of our neighborhood every afternoon.  It has been coming more often lately.  And it is full of boxes for people.  There are even two guys in brown uniforms working in tandem these days.  One of the guys was racing up to a house with a box and I thought I'd go join him!  You see one time a very long time ago, they threw out some treats to me.  We dogs remember kindness.  Like all our lives.  I have a Grandpa that buys me special treats and comes to our house and feeds them to me until I nearly feel sick.  But I wouldn't stop nosirreee.  You see it makes him all happy throwing them to me.  So I do what a dog has gotta do.

This guy gets down and gives me a good rubbing all over and then starts running back to the truck.  I already love him to the moon and back.  I hear Big Lady yell in her annoying way.  "LISI!  COME!  LISI!  FRONT!"  Nothing is going to work for her.  Because this guy is running back to the truck.  The truck has another real friendly guy.  And beyond all this, I'm sure they have a treat for me.  So I hop into the truck.  Would you believe Paul McCartney was blasting on the radio.  The song?  "Simply having a wonderful Christmas time".  No lie!  And that I was!  I got right between the two front seats and sat down.  I looked out the front window.  There was Big Lady looking all serious and determined and mad that I was sitting there having a wonderful time at Christmas.  The two guys in brown suits were laughing.  Big Lady offers up apologies.  And then yanks me off the truck.  And just like that, the fun was over.

Yeesh.  She's really one crabby lady.  I heard she said she was today.  But I think she tends to get that way often.  But don't tell her I said that.  She might not rub me in all those special places if I get on her wrong side.  But I doubt it.  She's smitten with me in every way.  Don't let her tell you otherwise.

Monday Musings

If a blogger posts during the holiday break, does anyone actually read it (think tree falling in woods example)?  I hardly think so based on the web activity I see.  Oh well so it goes.

The past days have been very relative.  Relatively speaking that is.  Like meaning lots of relation on both sides on two different days.  It was very very nice.  The food was very very good.  The company very very sweet.  With the exception of my mostly-nice older brother.  He's on the verge of being taken off the 'mostly nice' list and going back to 'mean older brother'.  We'll see how he behaves the rest of this week.  Is this blackmail?  I hope so.

I'm mostly alone today.  You see two of the MYP went over the river and through the woods (well not really) to Grandmother's house.  One of them is romping the neighborhood.  The Chairman works (or so I'm led to believe).  And I'm home cooking and trying to clean and feeling crabby.  Why you ask?  I don't know.  We women have rights to be crabby without explanation.  

Talk about confusing.  Yesterday, I got a couple e-mails from people wondering what I was doing sending out e-mails about stuff happening over two months ago.  I panicked and thought I had a virus or something.  But it turns out our cell phone provider finally sent all the mobile e-mail messages that they had never sent before.  Better late than never I guess!  Or so they think.

Yes, the holidays.  We exchange a few gifts with our immediate family.  Draw names and the like.  Well, this year one of the MYP had my name.  And he kept smiling big saying with enthusiasm how much I'm going to love my gifts he chose.  I was getting curious.  As I opened them, I realized why.  You see children love to give what they would like to receive.  The no-show socks were nice (albeit a bit small).  But the Costco-sized box of chemical hand/body warmers that hunters use made me smile.  I guess I'll be warm on my walks!

And speaking of walks... on my walk last night I noticed a neighbor.  You see this neighbor has about the nicest lighting display of all of them.  But on Christmas Day, not one of those pretty colored bulbs was lit.  Not even the enormous tree in their two-story great room.  I came up with three conclusions:  Santa figured out where they live and now the lights no longer are needed, they ran out of money for the electric company, or lastly, he's one of those contrary people that like to do the opposite of what you're supposed to.  I dunno.

I think this is enough.   Besides, no one out there is reading boring blogs.  They are catching good after-Christmas sales or eating fudge.  In fact, I might go have a piece.  Maybe it'll take care of my crabbies.

Thursday's thoughts...

Where did this week go?  Goodness!  And in less than an hour, the MYP will be bursting in the door with a lot of 'treasures' from their school parties.  Top that with a sleepover tonight and the thought of no school for 12 days and you have joyous juveniles!  I think I'll have a cup of strong Tazo Awake and enjoy the solitude until it returns again approximately January 3rd.

Yes, a busy holiday season indeed.  I am thoroughly looking forward to spending family time with my siblings and their children.  I am highly anticipating the need for roomy clothes to compensate for a double-header of eating this weekend - one day with my family, one day with the Chairman's family.  Urp!  I'm very excited about an upcoming wedding and all those that will be attending!  Unfortunately, we have no snow to welcome my mostly-nice older brother and family from southern CA even though every store's speaker system has been blasting to let it snow and dreaming of a white Christmas, and a couple crooning about how cold it is outside and she feels like she must go.

Today was yet another day I did not want to walk at all.  But her brown eyes were pleading.  And so I got my walking duds on and we headed out.  I was reminded of a line in a  book I read last night... "Anybody who has ever walked a dog knows the abiding satisfaction which comes from giving pleasure to a loved animal, and the sight of the form trotting ahead of me lent a depth which had been missing before".  Indeed.  And as I was returning, I saw three crows making a valiant chase of a red-tailed hawk.  It was nature at work.  And fascinating.  You can't see that kind of thing in a gym as you sweat on the elliptical!

Until next time.  I'm going to go sip my cup of ambition and count my blessings as they are many.  But before I do, I'll leave you with this:  (hope it isn't offensive!)

Monday Musings

Not sure what I was thinking by posting on Saturday.  Doesn't leave much for Monday since my life isn't all that riveting (contrary to popular belief).

A nice past few days nonetheless.  We enjoyed this lovely relative.  As you can see, she's not liked much by the youngest of the MYP...

When I uploaded photos, I realize I forgot to post Lisi's birthday pictures!  (Not that you non-dog people care one iota...)  But she got a little 'cake' and singing and a couple gifts.  Don't let her ever fool you into thinking that she's underprivileged...

waiting for the birthday song to be over

I had a massage therapist by the name of "Simeon".  I never asked if he had a brother named "Levi".  He was light-years better than the other lady.  Worked hard, but I wouldn't say his hands were instruments of cruelty... (ok, bad joke).

I cleaned the garage today!  You see if the snow ever does fly, we need room in there for a car that refuses to drive on snow.  And so our three car garage became a three car garage.  I did find a dead mouse in a trap that was quite stiff.  Just thought you'd like to know.  I'm fun like that.

You know you're a mother of somewhat young children when you pull out a tissue out of your bathrobe and find a tooth.

Drove our van for approximately eight miles with my distance to empty listed as "0".  And I still had two gallons left!  Toyota people must be very cautious.

A great holiday season is upon us.  Lots of family time.  A wedding.  And so it goes!

Some sentences

It snowed last night.  Not enough to build a snowman or make a snow angel.  But the road was white and it gives us hopes for more in the future!

We have special company here.  She is a niece and soon to be a Mrs.  And she will be making her home with a mighty-nice guy down where they race horses and eat chicken (or so I think).  I wish it weren't so far.  But that selfish thought is insignificant when you feel certain that she is going where she is supposed to be.  And that's all that matters.

Ping pong is the game of choice these days.  We have had the table for three years.  Only recently, have the MYP seemed interested in playing.  And now there's a lot of "pings" and "pongs" happening in the basement.  Oh,  that,  and a few accusations of something wrong and some fast stomping upstairs if the game isn't turning out how they'd like it to.

Someone dug out an old Pictionary game that I've had since college days.  Do the math.  It is approximately *gasp* 26 years old.  Some words are out of date.  Like litterbug and Popeye.  Some of our MYP didn't know who Popeye was.  I told them a big guy was always trying to steal his wife Olive Oil away.  Really mom?  Yes.  But spinach makes it all better.

There was some negativity last night.  The MYP were trying to make the other feel not so good.  It was getting annoying.  So finally I spewed off for a few seconds telling them that the next one that says something not-so-nice to the other would have to immediately go to their room for the night.  Wasn't long and one of them just slowly disappeared to a self-imposed place.  I was actually admiring that.  Maybe that's what we as adults need to do - just take ourselves away from a situation if we haven't a good thought or deed to do there.

And!  Yesterday at an upscale store, a lady called out "Miss!" and it was directed to me.  Really!  She called me "Miss".  But that wasn't what was so neat.  She wanted to know where I had purchased a knee-length jean skirt I was wearing.  I was almost embarrassed, but had to fess up.  "Goodwill".  She just waved her hand at me like oh great.  I said as she was turning away from me, 'But it is Ann Taylor Loft!', like that would help...

Someone very special was just given a diagnosis that she didn't want to hear.  I am sad for her and her family.  If you have your health, consider yourself very fortunate.  I think having a healthy body is the greatest gift taken for granted...

Monday Musings

Time flies when you're having fun.  And so here we go again!

The MYP are on a huge mission to convince the Chairman and I that they absolutely must have cell phones.  Really?  Are people desperately trying to reach them?  From what I can tell, the phone does ring for them at times, but it isn't ringing off the hook.  Lots of websites are pulled up and waiting for me to come look when I go to the computer.  Ads are strategically left open at the table.  You get the point.  And no, all three won't be getting them at the same time.  And no, we still aren't sure when to actually start down this very winding road.

The Chairman and I had a few hours alone on Saturday.  We actually did one stop which was pre-planned.  And then we did something really crazy and spontaneous (for us).  We went to a coffee shop and sat and sipped coffee in a unique environment.  It was almost a date!  Whoot!  But it was very nice.  And I'm so glad that I still love to have time alone with the Chairman after seventeen years.

I was likened to a children's book this morning and I think the correlation was actually uncanny.  I am sure all you parents know the story "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" and all the other titles.  You probably know where I'm going with this.  A daughter created a new title, "If you Give Your Mom a Piece of Toast" and then proceeded to tell me all that I did after she gave it to me.  I took the toast and saw that the small plates were all yet clean in the dishwasher.  I saw the dishwasher needed unloading.  So I put my toast on the plate and proceeded to empty the dishwasher.  As I put away the cups I realized I hadn't started the coffee.  I got that going and as I filled the carafe I realized that should make lunches.  And thus began another long line of tasks.  Until I was putting away the lunch items and saw the jam and realized that I wanted some toast!  I'm kind of like a mom with ADD in the morning.

I hesitate to write this, but for some reason, I feel moved to do so.  The other day as we left a parking lot, the vehicle next to us had a bumper sticker that said 'Abortion is Mean'.  Son #1 looked at me and asked simply, 'what really is abortion?'.  So I explained in 11-year old terms what it actually means (we feel honesty is vital).  After I explained it all, I added, 'we are so thankful that your birth mother chose what she did'.  He looked at me with his big, brown eyes and said, 'she could have done that?'.  Yes.  I almost felt like crying.  Then he said quietly, 'I'm glad she didn't because I would be missing all of this'.  "This" representing his life of parents and siblings and extended family and friends and basketball and baseball and hunting and a real reason for living.  I was glad it was dark out because I got more than misty-eyed.  Yes, he would have missed all of this.  And so would have we.  I'm once again grateful for being an adoptive mom.  And I'm once again grateful to be his mom.  Because life is worth living.  And he makes our life so much better.

Unnecessary words

A teacher asked me my senior year of high school why I talked so much.  My response was that there are so many words to say.  Like it or not, a good portion of this week has been the MYP, the dog, and myself.  You see the Chairman is burning the candle at both ends for various reasons.  And therefore, he's not here to listen as he does so well.  So you my dear peeps are the beneficiaries.  Or not.

Did you know today I was listening to an old '80's country song on Pandora to take my mind off of ironing and started realizing something?  I have been singing a couple of the words wrong for approximately 25 years.  Maybe it was due to the fact I first heard it on a crackly AM station in SD.  Just thought I'd mention this in case you thought I was perfect or something.

I cleaned out the freezer yesterday.  And I found seven bags that each held about two or three hot dog buns in various degrees of freezer burn.  Remind me next time to just toss the extras.  I will never use them again.  Amazing how much more room I have in there!

People from the country of India are very dedicated to their chairman.  I can't tell you how many hits I get from various locations across that vast country with the search for "Happy Birthday to the Chairman".  Must be pretty special to be a Chairman in India.  And they respect them highly.  Maybe I should take my role as the assistant to the Chairman with greater reverence.

I almost feel guilty.  I called Warehouse Club #1 to tell them that I would no longer be frequenting their location since Warehouse Club #2 had moved in our neck of the woods.  Do you know what WC #1 did?  They refunded my annual membership fee!  Now I almost feel bad since they were so nice to me.

I love being a mom.  Maybe it doesn't always show.  And I love the opportunity we've been given to parent both a son and daughters.  It is very different and yet so much the same.  Don't tell him I said this, but I just LOVE it when son comes up and wants a very long hug.  He's too cool for that.  But it melts this mama's heart.

Speaking of moms, I saw one tonight at a restaurant.  She had seven kids with her from the ages of approximately 3 and 13.  They definitely were all hers by looks and size.  They all were tidy, well-behaved, and ate without complaint.  I was impressed.

I beat the odds this week.  You see we live in a large metropolitan area.  Two days ago, I entered a store and soon heard a very obnoxious loud child crying.  Then throwing a tantrum on the floor.  Then the mother trying to determine what to do.  Pleading with "Abby" to get up.  Begging "Abby" to behave.  Walking away from "Abby".  It was a mess to the nth degree.  Today, I enter another store at least six miles from the other one at a very different time of the day.  I listen.  I hear "Abby".  I hear Abby's mother once again pleading with her to behave.... and so it goes.  What are the odds?  I think I might go buy a lottery ticket.  Or not.

Well I'm worded out.  And these have been mostly unnecessary.  But cathartic since the Chairman will be too tired to listen once he gets home!

Thoughts from the table (part 2)

I hesitate to pen type up my emotions for a couple reasons.  One is that I don't want to come off as an elitist that has a soft life.  And another is that I don't want to ever appear to be a complainer.  But today's experience merits mentioning.

I had a massage.  Not just any massage.  A very, very bad massage.  No, not bad in that way.  That would be a different kind of post.

So yesterday I felt some knots building.  I also knew I had a couple massages waiting because of my membership.  So I called and asked who was available for deep tissue on just the back.  Oh!  Patty is available tomorrow at 10:30.  Great!  That should work splendid.  

I walk in and meet Patty.  She's a slender lady with a ready smile and about my age and size.  I immediately feel at ease and am looking forward to fifty minutes of zoning out.  Drooling as I lie face down feeling the knots disappear from my upper back.  Listening to calming music while my mind slowly sails far away into an oblivious state of relaxation.  She warms up the table and gets to work.  Or didn't.

She lightly touches my neck.  Lightly rubs my shoulder.  Very lightly runs her hands down my spine.  I'm thinking ok, we're just getting started here and this is her style.  Except the very light touches never turn into anything more but very light touches.  I'm getting frustrated.  I start to tense up.  The more I tense, the lighter she rubs.  The lighter she rubs, the more frustrated I feel and I'm about ready to sit up and yell, 'STOP!  I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE'.  It was worse than getting a massage.  You want her to dig deeper.  Work on those tired old aching middle-age muscles and she continually dances her light fingertips across the skin.  AAARRRGGGHHH!  I'm not a complainer.  Or so I like to think.  About 20 minutes into this misery, I finally can't take it.  'Could you please work just a little harder?  I feel like nothing is getting accomplished.'.  She says, 'you seem very tense and so I thought I would work very lightly'.  Really?  I clearly ask for deep tissue.  I'm known for always having massage therapists that work the ba-jeebers out of my back.  And Patty tickles my backbone (and certainly not my funny bone).

Lucky the 50 minutes finally passed.  She says flatly, 'well you're all done...'.  You bet I am.  With you and this massage and this perfectly good waste of an hour of my morning.  But I didn't tell her that.  I smiled warmly and accepted her glass of cool water and got out of there with my knots in tow.

So hopefully, next time is better.  It certainly couldn't be worse!

And no, I try not to complain.  Just this once.  Can you give me a pass this time?

Monday Musings

I'm alone.  The silence is deafening.  And I love it.  After a busy past week, I was looking forward to a couple days to be alone in my thoughts and catch up on stuff.  Then the smallest of the MYP changed my plans.  She was sick.  She needed me.  And she needed to stay home from school.  So after 28 hours of sickness, she got her bootstraps laced up (figuratively of course) and ran errands with me on Friday afternoon.  It's kinda neat having just one child along at times.  I almost feel like doing a victory dance when only one person out of the family gets the bug.  We were lucky this time.  I think.

Another misled Google searcher.  This came from Punjab Pakistan looking for "Happy birthday wishes for my elder sister".  I'm sure they moved on quickly.  But it sure makes my visitor map look like I'm a real global-like lady.  Or not.

Caringbridge is a lovely avenue of communication.  When we went through some tough experiences, it would have been nice to have that site.  I would think it would save a lot of miscommunication, and repeating the same information.  Plus the little comments people would leave could be a big encouragement.

Fifty years ago today, a little baby girl was born.  She brought love and life and happiness to her parents and family, and those around her.  She was full of life and lived life to the fullest.  A dreadful disease cut the life short.  There were and still are some heavy hearts yet five years later.  I'm glad to have known her.  And I'm glad she was my sister-in-law.

Yesterday was December 4.  I woke up very early and decided to take an early walk.  And you know what I saw on my walk?  A lot of worms.  Yes!   Worms.  On December 4 here in the upper Midwest.  Odd I say.  Today isn't 'worm weather'.  A light dusting of snow.  I wish there was about 26" of snow.  It's winter!  Bring it on.  Especially when the Chairman does the snow removal, not me.

He doesn't like my hat.  The Chairman that is.  I wear a lot of hats... wife, mother, nursemaid, friend, and you get the point.  He likes all those hats.  But he doesn't like my hat.  The hat I bought for slightly less than $2 at Walmart.  I wear it walking every day in the cold weather.  It's a basic, drab-gray men's hat.  And he mentions nearly every day lately how I need a different hat.  For some reason I find this very funny.  But if you know the Chairman, it is all serious business.  So a'hat shopping I must go.  Soon.  But not yet.  It's comfortable you know...

Mused out.  And Lisi is looking at me with her pleading birthday-girl eyes for a walk and some serious sniffing.

Happy Birthday to me!

Today is my day!  It is my birthday!  The Big Lady that yells but loves me anyway has been singing an annoying song very loudly each time she walks past me while I'm just trying to have some peace and quiet on my dog bed.  I love her with all my hairy being, but she gets on my nerves sometimes.  

But it's my birthday!  I'm four years old today.  Well actually, I'm about 30 according to the golden retriever age charts.  How many of you have experienced 30 years old?  It's pretty prime for people and for dogs.  We are in a nice groove of life.  We know where we are and where we've been and where we're going.  And for me, I hope I'm going on a walk soon.  That's the epitome of a good day really.  

I heard the MYP talking to the Big Lady this morning.  I don't know a lot of words, but I do remember them saying something about presents and bones and candles and something else.  Then they'd look at me with a sneaky smile. The Big Lady took some pictures of me this morning.  It was a bit much.  Can you tell by my face?  

I think it's all good, so I'll just lie here with Snoopy waiting on the rug for the magical moment when Big Lady says the best words ever, 'Ready for our walk?'

my first day with the people I love

Cute little bugger wasn't I?

Thursday's thoughts...

She lies writhing on the sofa.  That after telling me right after g.m. that she didn't feel good.  Not feeling good led to feeling really rotten.  That led to looking inside the porcelain bowl a few times during the night.  Which then led to a fever and now writhing on the sofa with 'sore legs'.  And so goes my day.  Mothering a sick child instead of hopping into the van to run a lot of necessary errands.  But oh well.

You see "Steve" is coming.  Our relationship has blossomed.  Now he's sharing minute details about his life including the fact that his mother's birthday was yesterday.  You see "Steve" is the repairman for my oven.  It has now been out of commission for nearly a week.  The part has been on back order (due to wildly popular demand).  And he would have come yesterday, but it was 'mom's birthday' and you know how that is... as they get older you have to be there for them.  My hunch is that "Steve" doesn't have a wife.  Just sayin'...

The MYP have often complained about the bus driver that shuttles them to school.  I won't humor that thought anymore.  This morning about five minutes after the bus came and left, there was a knock on the door.  Son #1 bursts in and says 'I NEED MY LUNCH!'.  I ask, "did you miss the bus?".  No, she stopped at the corner and let me come home to get it!!!  Really?  So I look out the window.  There sits the idling bus.  And there races our son back to the bus with his lunch sack safely in his clutches.  And you think my school lunches are just mundane?  They're worth coming back for.  And they're even worth having a busload of unruly children wait for you!

So our special people left yesterday.  It's kinda funny how it all works.  We hear sometimes in advance that they will be coming.  We get bedrooms ready.   Come up with a ballpark meal plan (although this time I totally 'winged' it).  And they come!  It's wonderful and special and encouraging.  And before you know it, they are carrying their suitcases back to the car and off they go.  I feel almost sad to see them go.  But they had another family waiting patiently for their visit.  And so go they must.  As sweet as they are, one of them said to me after a walk together, 'you kinda feel like my mom'.  To which I thought within, 'and you just made me feel old saying that!'.   But that's how it should be.  We are mothers and sisters and brethren.  It's a wonderful thing.