Diva Dog

This past week, Jim and I had the fortunate coincidence of having both kids gone for 4 days, Chris visiting family in Florida and Bryan at a UCF Football camp. Free at last, I thought. I guess I wasn't thinking about the fact that we still have 2 clingy Dachshunds! They are truly under foot all the time, if I'm in a chair, they are on my lap, if I am cooking in the kitchen, they are standing directly under me to catch any slip-of-the-hand that may occur, nothing ever lands on the floor in my house, it is always caught in mid-air.

The latest addition we have had for just under a year, she is adorable and silky and cuddly but "dumber than a box of rocks". We are still having trouble with house breaking her and she is a destruction machine, each day we find one of her little "projects" She is kept in a crate during the day, I don't know when she manages to seek and destroy.

My older dog is so "with the program" she fits right in, I wish she could impart her wisdom to the younger dog, but I think she enjoys being the good girl, when the diva dog strikes.

The Brush Cut Kids

When I was growing up every summer we used to go to "the mountains" for a vacation. Now there were us normal people from the burbs who went up to the mountains for some R &R and then there were the types that lived up there pemanently through the desolate and cold winters. One of these famililes had a litter of boys there had to be at least six. They all sported brush cuts, which back in the shaggy-haired 70's looked pretty strange to us. So they were dubbed the "brush cut kids" they ran wild and free.

I never thought anything of it until recently when Bryan came home from workouts with a brush cut, the guys in the weight room had a bet going and he was the shaggiest kid in the room so he lost a bet and they shaved his head. Well it turned out to be a real favor because he loves the freedom of no hair to worry about.

So I had to buy some clippers to keep up with the maintenance --I was certainly not going to pay a barber every 2 weeks to shave him down! Well now Chris and Jim have joined in and I have my very own set of "brush cut kids." It sure cuts down on the barber bill, which I suspect is why that mother back in the 70's was shaving her boys. I just line them up and shave them down, it's like shearing sheep! Now everyone is cool for their summer sports and I have extra money to buy that expensive shampoo I love when I go to the salon!

Summer Freedom

Well summer got off to a rocky start, the first night of Bryan's 'summer of freedom' with his own wheels ended in a lapse of judgement in a 16 year old brain.
He was hanging out with friends he checked in as required at 11 p.m. and says"I'll be home in half an hour." I agree and tell him I am going to sleep. I wake up around 12:30 in a panic he isn't home yet! I assume something terrible has happened, since he has been really good about his curfew up to this point. My stomach churning and heart pounding, I call him, he casually says "Oh I decided to spend the night and didn't want to call and wake you up to tell you" I was so furious I couldn't sleep the rest of the night! I suppose its impossible for him to realize how scary this whole thing is from my perspective.

Needless to say, he is having a very boring first week of summer break.

Road worthy

Last month my taxi duties were cut in half (or so I thought) Bryan passed his road test and the 1984 Bronco we have been restoring is now road worthy, even though it has cost about double what we anticipated. I was thrilled to be able to catch an extra 30 minutes of sleep. That was until the parking Nazi at the school decided she couldn't be bothered issuing him a parking permit for the last month of school. Bryan pleaded with her, I called and tried, she won't budge. So there sits the Bronco with a "16-year-old boy insurance rate" being paid on it and no where to go. Luckily school will be out soon and he can park at the school this summer for his early morning workouts.

It was a great father-son project and they logged many, many hours getting it just right.

A Tough Week

Last week, was one of those life experiences you never want to happen. One of Bryan's friends at 17 years old decided life wasn't worth living and ended his life violently. I think everyone who ever knew this only child and his single mother just cringes in pain. Senseless. Bryan attended the funeral by himself, he didn't want his blubbering Mom with him I guess, I am sure I would not have been able to hold it together, I was already in a melancholy mood since my sister's birthday was the day before the funeral.

I was so touched to hear about all the young men who came to comfort their friend's poor mother, they all really stepped up and tried to help her through this. Not an ordinary scenario for boys on the verge of careless Summertime days. A true life-changing event in their lives.

Rest in Peace, Connor.

Mother's Day Tradition

Mother's Day 2006

Mother's Day 2010

Camping out on Mother's Day has become a tradition for us , the weather is always crisp and it is a nice time to spend unplugged with the kids. I came across this picture from 4 years ago and am marvelling at what a fine young man my son has become, he has grown a few inches along our journey together too, no I am not getting shorter! Hopefully he will always take time out of his busy life for dear ole' Mom.

Girl Power

I am so crazy about my nieces! I had a great visit this weekend with them and was so impressed with their joy for life! They are beautiful and smart, Elizabeth is an amazing reader, and very thoughtful, Emelia (the younger one) is the life of the party! It was so fun to have girl time and fuss over our hair and dresses. Love you girls and can't wait to see you develop into young ladies.