STAND BY ME
You know you hear it all the time.  A husband that walks out on his wife and kids… a wife that up and leaves to be with another man.  It's not unheard of.  You just never think YOU are going to be the one that's abandoned.  Life goes on, I guess.  It's a hard pill to swallow, though, no matter how you look at it.  At least for me. For richer... for poorer - in sickness and in health… I've had a lot of things happen to me and I know some people think I'm an idiot for thinking this -  I'll still say the worst is being divorced.   Ben E King died today… here's a  fabulous cover from one of my most favorite ladies.

THIS MADE ME SAD

There's a little owl or maybe it's a baby that I've seen a couple times on the side of the house near the gate. I haven't been able to get a pic.  There used to be a big one that we could hear (never saw it) but I haven't heard it in a while. I was never really a fan of owls because we always believed they were bad luck.  They are cute and this reminded me of RoseBud - dead on the blanket at the emergency vet. I'm sure the story is old - or maybe even made up.  So sad though.  "All I wanted was a mouse for dinner."  Oh, God - I feel like throwing up.

I'm really worried about this tick issue going on.  Lily has had so many.  I know it's more prevalent now but I can't believe that all the yard work that The Bud did with us at Dixon House - she never had a tick bite?!?  All the leaves she played in… All the sticks…  All the "give me my gloves!"

I don't like being a single dog mom and having to take her to the vet alone.  I don't want her to ever go outside again. She sleeps with me - on me - every chance she gets.  I can't possibly believe that I haven't been bitten. I had to take her to the vet for her eyes.  One of the residents pointed out that her eyes were all cloudy.  I noticed it before but didn't really pursue it.  The Dad said he thought she couldn't see and when I thought of it she was kind of always coming really close to things and always right on top of me.  I think she was using me as a guide in a way. When I picked her up to put her on the table I felt something - it was a damn tick!  I just checked her last night too! I give up.  I don't know what to do. It's official now. She's on prescription drops now for her eyes - 3 times a day for a month and then will go down to once a day with an OTC drop added at night FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.  I don't know how I'm going to do this. Poor thing. Poor little puppy dog.

CRANKY PANTS
I apologized in advance to those around me… I've been little miss cranky pants because I'm in so much pain - all. the. time.  We're not sure what's causing it - if it's the meds or something else.I can't even move and I hate working on the weekends. ;-(  I need a reflexologist - STAT.

"I LOVE HER AND SHE LOVES ME"
Here's a short clip of a dog that visits a nursing home in Oklahoma. She is much like Lily except I don't let her run around by herself. I'm still pretty paranoid she is going to "catch" something  - so much that I'm thinking about putting socks on her.  I'm also afraid she's going to pick up a pill or something she shouldn't off the floor.  I try to not be so paranoid about it but it's difficult.

The residents wait for her and always say she made their day!  I hear stories of their own pets or lack of them.  Their mom's that wouldn't let them have a dog… how they miss the ones they had.  It's heartbreaking and joyful at the same time.  They have their family bring treats in for her… She's like a little celebrity. She puts in a good day of work and is so tired when she gets back. She's the best pup around.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AUNT GLORIA
Chrissy should be home packing for her cruise but, instead, she came out to celebrate Glo's 87th Birthday.  Glo didn't have any idea it was her birthday and when we told her it was she really didn't care. She didn't know why we brought packages with us or to even open the gifts when we told her what they were for.  We finally convinced her to go to lunch. She got crab cakes and french fries.

After lunch we went to Oakmont Bakery and brought some things back for the nurses and some treats for us.

Later, Cara and I went back in the evening. We brought Rita's with us.  

Glo was thrilled.  She didn't know why we were celebrating, though, and said she was starving. I asked if she remembered if she went to lunch earlier in the day and she said no and, her normal response -  "I haven't eaten in three days!"

Click here for Glo's birthday video - it's equally sad and adorable.

PUPPY LOVE
I wonder how many times I've used that term on here?!?  More than once, I'm sure.  ;-)

I have a bunch of "drafts" - posts that I started and never finished for one reason or another... because I thought I should keep my mouth shut or I was a looking for a picture or because I couldn't get my thoughts together.  I know I had this link in one of them. I'm not sure if I ever posted it so I'll do it now.  It's a tribute to a dog named Duke. Photogtapher Robyn Arouty photographed a friend's dog on his last day on Earth.  It has resurfaced so that's what reminded me of it… Click this link: I DIED TODAY.

I've been thinking about RoseBud lately… I guess because her anniversary is coming up.  Some times when I pull out of the driveway I go right back to that day she collapsed in my arms and David went flying to AVETS.  I can still hear us screaming and telling her we love her.  Isn't that weird?

I don't know what was wrong with her or how long she would have lasted if she didn't but I do know she never should have gone on with that hike. I tried to carry her but couldn't…  she never should have been forced to be a "big dog."  It makes me sick.  I hope he thinks about that for all the days of his life. He probably won't, but he should.

I still hear her coughing like she did in the car at that bagel place and that night that I stayed home because we didn't want her to be alone while he went to Paula's for one of the boys birthdays…

Every time I go to the vets and put Lily on the table I see her.  Maybe it's because the vet STILL has one of our old RoseBud Christmas cards in Lily's chart - but still!

Funny how she's still around - everywhere.

Love The Bud.

...wherever, wherever, wherever you go...

A JUNKING WE WILL GO
My co-worker and I are a dangerous combination.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

I'm going to all the high school musicals for work… do I have the best job around or what?

PUPPY LOVE
We got the sad news yesterday that Sabrina passed away.  She was such a good pup and the sweetest Doberman around.  Lily would torment her when we would go over for dinner and wanted to be chased around the dining room table.  They were buds.  We'll all miss you, Sabrina.  XOXO

HAPPY EASTER

We had Easter dinner here.  It was a difficult decision as to whether or not to bring Aunt Gloria out.  I went up and she was really out of it. I talked to the nurses and they said she probably wouldn't even know or remember and I thought it actually might be too stressful so I decided to leave her. I know it was harder for me than her but still. She didn't even know it was Easter.

We had all the usual yummies including the obligatory Lamb butter.

Aunt Joyce, of course, made one of her fabulous Pinterest creations…

I guess the Easter Baskets were brought to storage because I couldn't find them here so Lily didn't even get a basket. ;-(

It was a nice day but I'm feeling a little depressed.  I didn't get to do an Easter Egg Hunt and I wanted to this year. Just didn't have time to get my act together.

NOT ALL WOUNDS ARE VISIBLE
We spent the last few days celebrating the life and mourning the loss of my cousin, Michelle.  Be kind - for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle...  Rest in peace, Michelle.

OH, BOY
I'm sad. We had a really nice Mickey head waffle maker we got in Disney one time.  DCD kept it - I think… I got the sandwich maker.  I recently bought a Mickey Waffler and it's really junky.

Still cute - just not the same.