• Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 148 other subscribers

  • “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers” — Isaac Asimov

  • Recent Posts

  • Pages

  • Categories

  • Archives

  • Blog Stats

    • 181,174 hits

Christmas Memory #9

Posted on December 9, 2008 by auburnchick

Not all Christmas memories are good.  After all, life doesn’t stop just because it’s the holidays.

In April 2001, I lost my dad suddenly.  I was still grieving heavily when the Christmas season rolled around.  I’m not sure why.  I guess you can’t put a time line on grief.

My dad always managed to select very unusual, yet thoughtful gifts.  One year, Soccer Chick received a doll that you could transform into Little Red Riding Hood, the Wolf, and the Grandmother…all by simply pulling the skirt over the doll’s head in a couple of different ways.  Another year, he gave her a soccer ball signed by one of the European World Cup teams.  He had gotten it from one of the World Cup games that year.  Very cool.

So, when December arrived, I wasn’t ready for it.  Dad’s widow had notified us that she would be sending us some of his things.  She had planned on sending the package to my sister’s house since I would be in town for the holidays.  However, the mail got delayed, and the package didn’t arrive before I had to leave.

I was devastated.  I had eagerly waited each day for the box, and it had not arrived.  I longed to hold something that had been my dad’s.  I was also upset because my sister would get to go through everything first.  Selfish, I know, but that’s how I felt.

So, the dull ache of pain, much like a toothache, accompanied the holiday festivities that year.  It seems like a waste of energy now, but I felt like I was drowning in the midst of it.  Fortunately, the Christmases that followed have been better.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

Guy Friend Deserves a Beanie

Posted on December 9, 2008 by auburnchick

This past weekend, while we were at Soccer Chick’s tournament, Guy Friend (Soccer Chick’s love interest) agreed to watch my fur babies. He’s been over to the house many times since the summer, so everyone knows everyone.

Molly is a skittish dog. It does not take much to scare her, and she frequently barks at sudden movements or noises.

However, Molly was clearly happy to see Guy Friend when he entered the house:

Molly Greets Guy Friend

Molly Greets Guy Friend

All went well Friday night.  Guy Friend had picked up dinner on the way to my house after soccer practice, and he sat down and watched a movie while loving on the dogs.

The next day was a different story.  One must remember that Guy Friend is a teenaged boy.  He likes to sleep, and that’s just what he did, not arriving to the house until around 9:30 or 10:00.  As he walked into the house, he was greeted by a pool of pee.  The poor dogs couldn’t hold it any longer.  Molly sat in a corner looking very sad.

Poor Guy Friend.  He called me to find out how to clean up the mess.  He didn’t sound happy.  I wouldn’t have been either.

After cleaning, he fed the dogs, applied Molly’s ointment to a cut, and let the dogs out.  The plan was for the dogs to stay out until we got home from the tournament.

The dogs had other plans.

Soccer Chick’s team won its second game, putting them in the Championship Game, held later that afternoon.  Between games, the girls went shopping.  During this time, my phone rang.  I looked at the caller ID.

My retired neighbors next door.

Great.

I haltingly answered the phone.

“AuburnChick, are you home right now?”

“No, I’m two hours away and will not be back until tonight.”

In the background, I could hear Aubie barking.

Great.

“AuburnChick, the dogs are digging again, and I can see Pele’s face.”

Great.

I assured her that I would have someone go over and let the dogs in.

First, I called a friend who lives down the street.  She wasn’t home.

Great.

The only person I knew to call was Guy Friend.  The poor guy did not sound thrilled (I found out later that he had been out with friends), but he was respectful and agreed to go back to the house and let the bad dogs in.

Once the dogs were in, we decided to leave things be until I could get home.

However, Guy Friend is a real sweetie.  Right before Soccer Chick’s final game, he texted me…asking if I wanted him to check on the dogs.  I assured him that he should go only if he wanted to (but that the dogs would surely be happy to see someone’s face and get to go outside and pee).  He agreed and went back.

Nice guy, this one.  The only thing I have against him is that he likes my daughter.  And she likes him.  Really, really likes him.  Wish I could delay their feelings just a few years.

Regardless, Guy Friend won’t let us pay him for the wonderful care he provided to my pups.

So, I decided that I’m going to make him another beanie.  Yes, I said “another” because I already made him one, which he didn’t like.  I can’t blame him.  It wasn’t my best work.  However, I’ve perfected the hat a bit, successfully making Rockin Rooster a beanie that others have been asking for.  It will be similar to this, except that I’m going to make it primarily green with one wider orange stripe:

Nothing But Ribbing Beanie

Nothing But Ribbing Beanie

I think it’s the least I can do.

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »