I Miss Being a Doggie Mom

Yes, I miss being a doggie mom. 

Maggie Mae Barnes shared Life with us from 2010 until October 2016.

Most days I’m okay with a dogless life, but hey, it’s Mother’s Day.  No card “From the Dog” again this year.

It is by choice at this point in my life that there are not paws heard in our home.  One of the reasons we chose this senior community is the fact that dogs are not permitted.

While that means our home is without a canine presence, my heart simply can no longer withstand seeing others treat their dogs in ways we would never dream of doing with one of our own.

Our dogs were family, and we treated them as such.

That being said, if management were to reverse the no-dog policy, we’d be hightailing down to the shelter.

Baby, who shared Life with me – and then us – for about 12 years until crossing over The Rainbow Bridge in 2010.

Maggie was the child Dave and I never had together.  Baby, on the other hand, spent most of her years with me before Dave’s entrance on the scene.  She was my protector, my strength, my playmate, my Soul Mate.  She truly had more of the protector instinct in her and less of “being the child.”  Perhaps that was the Shepherd in her makeup. 

Maggie had health issues off and on during her life, and required quite a bit of care at times.  Baby had no health issues her entire life, except those associated with age in her last year.  She was pretty much “rock solid.”

Maggie had the innocence and spirit of a child.  Baby was a wise Old Soul and, although playful and silly, she tended to look after me probably more than she needed looking after.

Perhaps that’s why Maggie felt more of the “child” and why I’m missing her particularly fiercely today. 

I’m fine, really, and this will pass. 

I’m so very grateful for the years with Baby and Maggie, for the memories and love I carry in my heart now and always. 

I can just picture the two of them together in the Afterlife.  I am positive they are together and having fun, restored to youthfulness and health.

I know, absolutely know, that they will be waiting for me when my time comes to cross over The Rainbow Bridge. 

Stay safe out there, okay?  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Boxing Day

Here we are on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas.  Spent a good chunk of ours getting a jump for a dead car battery and then over to the Ford dealership for a new one. 

Dealership doggie has the right idea, soaking up some rays.

This was the original battery, so it was just time for a replacement.  We have complementary road assistance with Ford, and it was prompt and courteous.  Opted for a slightly “bigger” battery than the factory-installed version.  So, our Wee Beastie is happy again.  It, and us, will be happier once we score a garage, but there have been no vacancies, so we remain 3rd on the waiting list.  Since our temperatures are consistently subzero now, the Ford tech recommended running the car about 30 minutes each day when we fall below zero.  I have been running the car for a while, but not every day, and even doing it 30 minutes/day probably wouldn’t have helped the old battery.  It was just time.

So we’re on day 3 of our 4 days off for the Christmas holiday.  Wow.  Christmas Eve I spent making goodies, and snacking was enjoyed instead of a proper meal.  So nice to have a larger kitchen and big oven again, although I did all this in the RV for about 7 years. 

Christmas was the major cooking day, turkey breast and the usual side dishes.  Didn’t do this at Thanksgiving, so made up for it this holiday. 

Our tree turned out pretty well, and we’re enjoying feeling festive this year.

Figured out the bindings on the snowshoes, but haven’t had a chance to try ‘em out yet.

Visions of snowshoeing, taking walks and other outdoor activities over the holiday have not been made realities, as it’s just too darn cold.  Yes, too cold.  Warnings for dangerous/life-threatening wind chills and really low (even for MN at this time of year) temperatures have kept us inside for the most part.  It’s just 6:30 pm, and the outside temperature is –18F with a wind chill of –33F.  And it was warmer today than yesterday! 

Early morning – December 21, 2017.  We’ve had snowfall just about every day, often for hours or even most of a day, but tiny flakes. None since the temps dropped into the deep freezer, though.  No big storms yet with significant accumulation, but we’ll see what January and February bring.

Oh!  On Christmas Day morning, we had sundogs!  I couldn’t get a decent angle for a photo, but you can read about sundogs here.  Pretty darn awesome.  Just a gift from Mother Nature for enduring the harsh Winter.

See the 2 specks on the roof peak?  Work has continued on the new cancer center down the street, even in the cold weather.  And snowfall.  And winds.  Gotta admire these guys!

It’s so nice to feel festive again for Christmas, this is the first time since 2013.  Last year really was a nonevent, with only having 1 day off and having lost our wee Maggie in October 2016.  I can’t even recall last Christmas.  We were still in Texas, so I imagine it was warm hot.  This year, however, we are in a much better place – geographically, financially and spiritually.  What a difference 12 months can make!

I do still miss our Maggs and having a doggie around, but did get out to the shelter to donate the dog sweaters.  That helped a bit, and they seemed glad to get the sweaters.  One of these days when I ever have spare time again, I’d like to volunteer my time. 

We sent out Christmas cards again for the first time in a few years and received some.  Certainly isn’t like “the old days” of receiving a lot of cards.  Everything and everyone seem to have transitioned to electronic greetings.  Don’t get me wrong, that’s nice, but there’s just something about Christmas cards.  I miss that.  Received some holiday phone calls, and those were very special.

My annual viewing of White Christmas took place on Christmas Eve; it’s just not Christmas without seeing that movie.  I’ve been watching it at this time of year since childhood.  Tonight It’s a Wonderful Life is on tap, and I’m looking forward to that.  It’s another holiday tradition in our home.

I don’t know that anyone really reads this blog these days.  It’s different now that we’re not full-time RVers.  Its purpose is more of an exercise in recording our life … I just don’t seem to have the creativity to even write … just write … at this point.  Probably because I’m too dang busy living life.  Working, my life with Dave, routine chores/housekeeping/cooking/errands … by the time I think of something to write about, I just don’t have the time or ambition to do so.  Too, it’s easier to toss out a simple post on Facebook vs. putting together a blog post.  I know I’m not the only one experiencing this, but I do miss those evenings of purely … writing.  Oh well. 

If you have made it this far, thank you so much for stopping by! 

Wherever you are and however you celebrate, I wish you the peace, magic and joy of the season.

First Winter Snowfall …

… and it was a doozy! 

Folks are referring to it as a blizzard.  Snow accumulation wasn’t spectacular, but let me tell you – it was pretty darn wild Thursday afternoon and overnight into Friday.  I haven’t seen horizontal snowfall since our time in New Jersey a few years ago when we were still full-time RVers.  Winds here were absolutely howling; think snow hurricane!  A local used the term “blizzarding” to describe what was happening.  Didn’t know that was a verb … ha!

View from my home office Thursday afternoon before the winds really picked up.

Maggie on the left.  Baby on the right.  They’re waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge.

October 25 marked the first anniversary of the passing of our beloved Maggie.  You can read the post – Our Maggie - from last year about our Wee Widget.  I miss her every single day.  She and Baby both loved snow; Baby was with us when we lived in Hibbing.  I know they’d be having great frolics outside these days!

Although it was 28F out this afternoon, it wasn’t snowing and the winds had abated, so I ventured out for a walk. Layered clothing is “the thing” up here, so I was quite snug.

  Thirsty Moose cozy hoodie

We lived in Hibbing, MN (about 100 miles east of here) from 2005 to 2007, and enjoyed burgers and pizza at the Thirsty Moose.  During one of our visits, I picked up the hoodie in the photo.  It’s really, really warm.  I wore it a few times around campfires we’d have in NJ, but the only other place it’s been cold enough for it is … you guessed it … northern Minnesota!  Wore it during my walk today and I certainly was cozy.  My comfy hoodie has come full circle, being back in northern MN again.

We have snow of some degree and intensity the next couple of days, with a break on Tuesday, and then it kicks in again.  I also learned this past week that we are apparently living in Blizzard Alley.  You’ve heard of Tornado Alley?  Well … same thing, only blizzards instead of tornadoes.  I’m okay with that.  Lived in Tornado Alley for a while, and I’m content here, thank you!

“Pssst … Momma Nature … it’s October, not January!”  Another local mentioned that we’ve gone from October straight to January.  Hmmm … what happened to November and December?!  Well, I’ll still take the occasional snowstorm over December 90-degree days in Texas any day.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is looking pretty good right now, with sunny skies and a high around 31F.  Did major grocery shopping yesterday, so just have a couple of errands to run.  Today (Monday), we’re back to sideways-blowing snow!  I have to say, the management here did a fine job of clearing the parking lot and sidewalks.  Sweet.

Tuesday is also Halloween, and we’ll be off.  That hasn’t happened in a few years, and we’re looking forward to ordering pizza and watching some appropriate movies.

So it’s now our Friday – a couple of days have passed since I started this post – and we’re looking forward to our usual Tuesday/Wednesday weekend! 

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

 

A Gentle Reminder from Mother Nature

 

View out my office window this morning!

Mother Nature is giving us a wee reminder of what Winter will be like here in northern Minnesota, so we’ll have time to prepare before the cold and seriously snowy months roll around later this year. 

We are on the waiting list for a detached garage.  There was one available when we reserved our townhome, but we didn’t take it.  We still had the truck (which was too big for the garage), we weren’t sure of our expenses, and so on. Hindsight is a lovely, precise 20/20, eh?  Wishing now I had included it.  Not only for the car, but for the bikes and other “garage” stuff that we have stashed away inside here.  We’re 3rd on the waiting list and hoping we’ll have the car snug inside before Winter kicks in.

Our vehicle was always garaged when we lived in Hibbing, MN 10 years ago.  If we don’t get a garage, I’ll need to study up again on the best ways for de-icing the car doors, windows, etc.  We had to do this in New Jersey, so it will just be a matter of refreshing the memory … and skills.  Hopefully won’t have to do that, though.

Our front porch and door is exposed to the North.  And the North wind.  Ha!  This morning, even with the small amount of snowfall we were having, there was a wee drift in the corner by the storm door.

So I’m thinking, “What if we get a blizzard with a foot or more of snow?  We’ll have a huge drift right here at the door! Might be tricky getting out.  Better get a shovel or something so we can dig our way out if we can get the door open a bit.”  Even though they did come clear the sidewalks a bit this morning, we’ll still want a shovel to tidy up our porch and sidewalk in front of our unit.

Here we are around 4:30 PM today

Even though today’s event is unexpected and a bit of a nuisance so late in the year, Momma is presenting us with a mild drill so we can be thinking about these things and preparing for later when Old Man Winter settles in.

I need to start a “Get for Winter” list.  Seriously.

On the domestic front, Dave got his computer desk and chair in place yesterday.  Drapes for that room should be arriving tomorrow (had to order them; can’t find pinch pleat drapes anywhere in stores around here).  If they are okay, I’ll order the same kind for the living room.  One of the 2 recliners we purchased had ongoing issues, so that was taken away today with a replacement on tap to arrive next week.  The other chair is heavenly, but this one was just not right in several ways. 

We’ve spent a good part of today finding places for our treasures that go on the walls.

Painting by my aunt Margaret, given to me by her years ago. It brings a sense of peace, comfort, and the joy of animal companionship.

Cougar was gifted to me about 15 years ago by my Reiki mentor in Austin.  It has hung over every entryway since then, even in our RV.

Baby was with us during our Hibbing, MN days and boarded with sled dogs while I spent Winter 2005-2006 with Dave in Scotland.  Maggie had her share of “snow days” in our New Jersey years.  Both our girls loved snow! (Sorry about the reflection on the photos.)

This storm started with an awesome sleet/ice storm last night shortly after we hit the blankies.  Such a sound on the windows!  It’s been snowing since we opened the blinds this morning and is still coming down.  The temperature today won’t get to the freezing mark, but will be warmer after that with sunshine for Friday.  Next week is looking good again with pleasant temps and a prolonged reappearance of Mr. Sun.

Hope your days are sunny and pleasant!

Thanks for stopping by!  Be safe out there, okay?

Winding Down 2016; Looking Towards 2017

Holiday lights add cheer

Honestly, I’m looking forward to wrapping up 2016.  We’ve had the usual challenges of Life  this year and said good-bye to our sweet Maggie.  We continue to be grateful for each other, our home on wheels,  work, food, reasonable health for our ages, and so forth.  I’m ready, though, to put this year to bed and move on.

Speaking of moving on, we are in the planning and dreaming stages of transitioning to a new lifestyle.  We have had 6.5 years of living as full-time RVers, but – if all goes to plan - that time is coming to a close.  We are currently both working “normal” jobs (Dave in the community and me telecommuting as an admin assistant) with our home in an RV park.  We might as well be living in an apartment somewhere. 

While we experienced challenges from Mother Nature during our years in NJ as an on-site security team, Mother also provided us with rewards of the Spirit, magical and breathtaking moments, and memories for a lifetime.

Our souls were nurtured.   Our souls are currently starving.  Time for a change.

That, of course, is not the only reason.  We’re ready to get out from under the physical maintenance and related expenses associated with RV upkeep.   We want to sell the rig while it’s in good shape, before it gets much older.  The reality is that I need a home office, not just a wee desk in the corner by the kitchen, as my job has mushroomed over the past months and continues to do so. 

I find that violent storms make me uneasy in the RV, something which never bothered me before.  Of course, we had sturdy buildings in which to take shelter, something we don’t have here, and we primarily experienced snow storms, not the volatile thunderstorms and tornado warnings such as we get here in Texas.  We don’t feel “hitch itch” as in previous years, although we are looking forward to being on the road headed to our new location next year; we do miss seeing new places and the experiences that come along with traveling. Giving up the RV certainly doesn’t preclude a car trip by any means.   We’re tired of … people and traffic in large numbers.  We feel the need to be closer to Nature in a cleaner  environment, closer to wilderness.

So … the plan at this point is to sell the RV and move to a smallish town in northern MN, settling in a cottage within a 55+ community.   Maintenance-free living.  Simplifying our life and expenses again.  No snow shoveling!

Will be  emotional selling our home next Spring.  She’s a good rig and provides us a cozy home filled with many memories. 

I hear you saying, “Minnesota?!  Northern Minnesota?!?!  But it’s cold up there!!! “ 

Yes, it’s cold up there.  That’s one of the reasons we want to go.  Having been back in Texas again this Summer, we realize we both need to be in a colder climate for comfort/health reasons.  We know about Winter in Minnesota, having lived there during  2005-2007.  Yes, it snows.    A  lot.  And it’s cold.  Really  cold.

Walking around town and loving it – Hibbing, MN 2006

But you know what?   I have grilled outdoors with snow on the ground and more coming down.  Life doesn’t stop up there when it’s snow season.   We both still find magic in snowfall.  We miss walking hand-in-hand, hearing our boots crunching in the snow. The cold?  Well, you can always put on more clothes.  I’m a “sweater girl” at heart, and Dave is from Scotland.  There’s only so much you can take off when the mercury reaches 100+.  It’s a dry cold, too, and that makes a world of difference.  Trust me.

Dave on one of our walks in Hibbing MN,  2006

Living in Minnesota is like … well, it’s like living in an entirely different country.  Seriously.  That’s what I thought when I first moved there in July 2005.  Obviously the weather is different.  Buildings are different, especially in the smaller towns.  It’s less ritzy and glitzy.  There is a unique and distinct Minnesota accent one hears.  We’re ready to be back in a small town.  Fewer people and less stuff  around,  enough to meet one’s needs (and ours are basic needs) – shopping, health care, etc. , and slightly larger and more prosperous than Hibbing, where we lived previously.   Where we hope to be is again in the northern part of the state – well north of The Cities - where there’s not much between us and Canada (again) except a lot of trees and a lot of bears.  I’m ready for clean air and clean water.  Fewer people doing stupid, rude, senseless, and violent acts.  I’m ready to return to an area where the predominant cultural influence is Native American.  My Spirit yearns for all this, as does Dave’s.  I’m ready to see Winter be so cold that it literally reboots Mother Nature for the next year.  I’m ready to be back someplace where we can pack a lunch and go out in nature for the day without having to drive and drive and drive and drive ...

Dave at the head of the Mississippi on our of our day trips – MN, 2006

No, it’s not Utopia.  There is no such place.  However, we believe that our quality of life will be greatly increased.

We are still active and vital, and not ready for your typical “senior community” and rocking chairs on the front porch.  Except for a lazy afternoon when the weather’s nice.  Ha!   We are, however, ready to live in a mature community where – hopefully – our neighbors share the same overall values as us.   Our age peer group, if you will.

It also seems fitting that we return to Minnesota, as that’s where we started our life together here in the States.

So that’s the plan at this point.   The logistics are going to be … interesting, at the least.  But hey, this is the same gal who in 2005, put her Texas property on the market, sold everything except bare necessities, loaded the rest in a 6x12 U-Haul trailer (with the help of awesome friends) and headed solo (but with 2 cats and 1 dog) to Minnesota to an apartment she’d never seen (picked out by an aunt and uncle), to a state she’d never been in, engaged to a man 4000 miles away with whom she had spent a sum total of 2 weeks.  All that was accomplished in less than 30 days.

Loaded  up  with the help of these 2 awesome friends (and others), ready to head to MN – June 2005

This is doable! 

If’s  … if our assignment in NJ had indeed lasted another 3 years, if by some fantasy that job opened up again, if we indeed had been given another assignment shortly after returning to Texas … we would be carrying on in the RV lifestyle quite contentedly.  But … things don’t always materialize as one has been told.    If we’d known there would not be more security work, we would not have returned to Texas. 

We’ve given this a year.   It’s time to make other plans. 

A bit of envisioning and manifesting going on with this blog post.  We’ve always said we would like to eventually return to Minnesota at some point down the road, and we’ve been talking about making this jump for months now, but this is the first time I’ve put it in writing. 

So, positive vibes, a goal to work towards and look forward to, and hopes I retain a wee bit of my sanity while we get our ducks – errr …. Canada Geese, more appropriately – in a row.  The prospect of this new chapter in our life together is exciting!

What’s on your horizon for 2017?

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

 

 

Our Maggie

 

Our Maggie  crossed The Rainbow Bridge on October 25, 2016

Our Wee Widget, our Little Stumpy Legs, our Little Jellybean, our Maggie Mae slipped from this earthly life and crossed the Rainbow Bridge peacefully on the afternoon of October 25.  Her health had deteriorated in recent months to the point where her quality of life was such that we realized we were being selfish in keeping her with us.  Comfortable on her pillow, lights low with only my Bear candle glowing to light her path, Reiki music playing, and our loving and releasing her … she now awaits to greet us when our times come to cross over.

Maggie became a member of our wee clan on February 28, 2010, adopted from a shelter in Texas before we started full-timing. I suppose she came full circle, her journey with us ending where it began – in Texas.

It was love at first sight for her, Dave and myself.   I just know she was waiting for us, as we were for her.  Our previous dog, Baby, had passed less than a month previously.  Dave and I both know that Baby had a paw in bringing Maggie into our life together.  She was a transfer from another shelter, and her prior history was unknown.  She was shy at first,  and during those first few days sometimes would look at us as if wondering what Life held in store for her.

Those first couple of weeks were about trust.  Reassuring her that she was indeed home at last.  Reluctant to believe the food bowl and food were hers and hers alone, I hand fed bits of kibble to her.   A few at a time for several days, until finally she realized that this was her  food and no one would take it away from her.   We came full circle with that, too, at the end.   In those last weeks when she was too weak or tired to stand at the food bowl, I would hand feed her once again.   Such a bonding, sharing of love, such an intimate act …hand feeding one’s beloved companion.

Seems like she was with us about a week before she did her “business,” and we were about to the point of taking her to the vet until one day … yahoo!  I tell ya, Dave and I were so silly and elated, like parents whose child had just achieved the milestone of being successfully potty trained.  We still laugh about that even now.  Our funny Stumpy Legs …

The initial shyness didn’t last long, and soon “Maggie’s Happy Face”  was a  part of our daily lives.

We embarked on the full-time lifestyle in our RV a few months after Maggie came to us.  She loved traveling and seeing-smelling-exploring new environments and meeting new friends, human and doggie.  For her protection, she rode in a spacious crate in the back area of our truck’s cab.  The ultimate road tripper, she was so quiet we joked that she must be doing crosswords or knitting back there.   She checked out countless rest areas during our time together.  Enjoying the break, she was ever eager to get back in the truck and continue on down the road.

Everyone says their dog is a good dog, a smart dog.  Well, our Little Jellybean was that.  She knew various commands, a few tricks and bunches of words and phrases. “Want to go on patrol?”  “Want to go to the beach?”  Oh yeah, you betcha!  More than that, she was attuned to us and our routines, as we were to hers.

Maggie loved snow, and got plenty of that during our time in New Jersey

So many adventures this wee doggie had in our 6.5 years together!

• She traveled the eastern third of the United States
• Two hurricanes and Superstorm Sandy
• One earthquake
• Numerous blizzards and Nor’easters
• Holidays at the Jersey Shore
• Two National Military Parks
• Countless campfires shared
• Geese, rabbits, deer, bears, horses, cows
• Went on patrol with us when we worked as an on-site security team and hung out in our office
• Many more …

Peek a boo!

The three of us were together virtually 24/7 ever since that day in February 2010.  She spent only two nights away from us during that time, both for medical reasons at a vet.  Our lifestyle afforded us the opportunity to be together.  Maggie was our constant companion, very much a member of our family.  Dave and I do not have children together, so I think Maggie was that child, albeit with four feet, a fur coat,  and a very pink tongue.

Happy to see  Dave home from his bike ride

If Dave or I were away from home and would call the other, you could hear Maggie barking in the background.  She knew it was us calling!  So funny, our girl.

On patrol  in South Carolina

Maggie and me  at Gettysburg

Fun at the beach house on the Jersey Shore.

Bedtime and mornings are the hardest for me.  Maggie would perform her “turndown service” every night without fail, even in her final days.  I would turn down the top comforter, neatly  (remember this word “neatly”) arrange my pillows and linens,  and place her folded blanket at the foot of the bed.  I’d go brush my teeth.  On my return …

Maggie’s version of turndown service

She would move to the foot of the bed while I was getting settled under the covers but, once that was done, she would come back up to snuggle by my side or – in colder weather – between my legs.  It’s going to be a colder Winter this year … no Snuggle Bud warmth in bed.   No quiet “woof-woof” while she dreams doggie  dreams.  Waking up was snuggle-and-silly time, an excellent way to start each day.

Raincoat, sweaters, parka, boots – Maggs was a well-dressed pup, ready for whatever Mother Nature had in store.  We had been told by a neighbor at an RV park they waited each day to see what sweater Maggie would be wearing.

Maggie was a joyous dog.  She lived totally in the moment … she was Mindfully Present in the here and now.  She awoke each morning in a good mood, was never cross with us, actually enjoyed being clipped (something I did versus taking her to a groomer), and tolerated baths, reveling in “crazy dog towel time” afterwards.  She was not a “yapper,” but would sound the alarm when appropriate, and I could say “Tell me,” and she would respond in kind.  Big bark or little bark, depending on what I asked she do.   She “sang” to us and made what we called “alien noises” – not barking, but her way of talking to us, yep, those “alien noises.”  Although provided with all types of typical doggie toys (including old socks, you know dogs love tug-of-war with socks) and encouraged to play with them, she never took an interest.  First dog I’ve known or lived with who just flat didn’t care for toys.  That being said, she would play with us. 

Silly doggie

She had a few health issues throughout her life, but obviously declined in the past months.  Liver issues or cancer were suspects.  Various tests were inconclusive and cursory treatments provided no improvement.   She had lost a dramatic amount of weight,  one-third of her original 15 pounds. Talks with our vet confirmed the ultimate outcome, so we opted for quality over quantity.   As a two-time cancer survivor,  I could not  submit our girl to the horrors of chemo,  given her age and other health issues.  Dave agreed,  and our vet said she would opt for the same path with her dog. 

As she declined, much of my day was devoted to Maggie’s care – feeding her, lifting her up on furniture and into the rig, keeping her comfortable, and seeing to her other needs.  Since she has been gone, I have realized I was subconsciously sleeping with “one ear open” in case she was in distress during the night.  Yes, she was a lot of care towards the end,  as one gives to a chronically or terminally ill loved one.   I am now left with a void in my routine and have realized that I have been tired – not just physically but emotionally and spiritually.  

Now I go to the bathroom unescorted … you know that’s what dogs do, they hang out with you, just like you do with them … The silence of the lack of Maggie’s presence is deafening at times.

The vet here determined that Maggie was older than we originally thought and, looking back at photos over the years, I can see that she had indeed aged.  Among her other issues, she had cataracts forming in both eyes.

It was tearing us both up seeing our little girl’s decline in health and her infirmity.   Having been down this path so many times before in my 58 years, I was seeing Maggie give me “the look,” and I knew she was asking to be released.  I knew it was time to let her go.   We owed her so much more than being miserable … we owed her joy and love, as she had given so unconditionally to us.   We wanted our little girl to leave this world peacefully.  We did not want her condition to progress to … well, something terrible. 

I would rather say good-bye a month early than a day late.

We owed her peace.

October 2016

Maggie was cremated, as we obviously do not have a yard for a burial spot.  When I was in hospital in 2012, Dave bought the wee doggie in the bed because Maggie couldn’t be with me.  Neither of us realized at first, but the doggie “breathes” courtesy of an internal battery.  “Gee, that is so thoughtful.”   “Wait .. is that dog breathing?”   That kinda freaked us and the nurses out when we first noticed!  It has been in a cabinet, but I got it out and attached Maggie’s tags to its collar.  Her urn is placed next to this slumbering doggie, in the spot where her crate used to be.  She used to sit on top of the crate, looking out the window and soaking up sunshine.  It was one of her “spots.”

Closure and comfort

This Tuesday will be three weeks and I am still blindsided by tears at times as I was this morning, but we talk about our adventures with our Maggie Mae, and smiles come more than tears these days.  It will get better, and perhaps sharing her here will help, too.  I realized today that I have always written about Life events in my blogging.  Once a prolific blogger/writer, that has taken a back seat in the past several months.  I am hopeful this will be a catharsis of sorts for me … more closure.

I also hope you enjoy reading about our silly, joyous little Maggie and our time together.

One of the lessons Maggie shared was to live Life with joy and to be present in the moment.    I know she would not want me to be sad because of her, but to live Life as she did.

After all, this moment is all one really has.  There are no guarantees of anything else.

I’m working on that, Jellybean.

Will there be another dog in our lives?  I don’t know.  It’s too early.  Time will tell.

Maggie  Barnes, February 28, 2010 – October 25, 2016

Kept the Balls in the Air Another Week

In my previous post, I visited with you about juggling Life and its activities.  I’m happy to report I kept those balls in the air another week, with my second Sunday evening yoga session.  As the routine I had chosen was only 30 minutes, I followed that up with a 30-minute guided meditation.  I’m thinking about extending the yoga portion out to 45 minutes or an hour; seems like 30 minutes left me wanting more.  I’m still modifying the routine, so it’s all a work in progress.

Outdoor time continued this week, sometimes mornings, sometimes evenings.

Not only did Maggie and I have what I call our “outdoor therapy time” but she got a clip and some extended massage/silly talk time one evening.  This was the result . . .

Silly leg in the air after all that lovin’.

Of course, yesterday was Mother’s Day and my thoughts went to Mom, who has been gone since 2007.  Here’s one of my fave photos of her . . .

Christmastime photo taken by my Dad, probably in the 1950s.

Since we are off on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Mondays are our Fridays.  Yay!  Lots of folks dread Monday, as it harkens the beginning of the work week.  We, however, look forward to Monday!  No great plans for this “weekend,” just the usual errands, cycling for Dave and hanging out for both of us.

After quite a bit of fine tuning, I believe I have found the right height and screen tilt for my laptop on my wee desk.  Did I mention I was hunting for a pair of prescription computer glasses I had from my medical transcription days?  Well, I think I have found them!  I have regular reading glasses for when I wear contacts, but they were totally ineffective for computer work.  After a grand “scavenger hunt,” I found a pair of glasses tucked away in a drawer.  I’m thinking they are prescription, as they are doing the trick so far.  What a relief.  The ergonomic chair purchased a while back, laptop position, mid-range computer glasses and increasing the magnification of my screen has lessened the eye strain, shoulder tension and general uncomfortable feeling I was having after putting in the hours of working on the laptop.  So far, so good for now.

It has been pretty darn blustery here today, although warm with no rain.  The heat has not been horrible . . . yet.  I have a routine I go through for “cool running” here in the rig after Dave goes to work.  I’ve been staying comfortable in shorts with both A/C units set at 76 and a floor fan going here in the living room.  I do turn them both units down before Dave gets home from work, so it’s really cool in here for him and in prep for sleeping.

“Cool running?”  Yes, that’s closing certain shades and curtains at different times of the day depending on the slant of Mr. Sun.  It’s not cooking during the peak heat time (4:30 to 7 PM) and not having the TV on.  The television puts out a fair amount of heat, actually.  Heck, I’m busy working or doing something else like house chores that I don’t need – or want - television.  What about with meals?  Nope.  I’ve been reading, as was my habit years ago.  (Right now it’s Bel-Air Dead by Stuart Woods.  I always enjoy the Stone Barrington novels.)

Enjoying cooking while it’s not 2000F outside.  Tuna biscuit casserole, a longstanding “comfort food” dish, for my meals this week

That inevitable time in Texas is approaching when the A/C units will be getting a thorough workout, so I’m trying to give them a break as long as possible.  I’m thankful we have not had really hot days yet and that, with the exception of one or two occasions, nights have been pleasantly cool for sleeping.

It is coming, though.  I dread it beyond description, but will soldier through and remember that it will come to an end.

You know what?  This blog post has come to an end.  Let the weekend commence!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Juggling Act

I've had this wee Gateway notebook for a few years. I used it now and then in New Jersey, but it seemed to run so slowly that I became frustrated with it on several levels. I dug it out recently just to see if it really was as bad as I remembered. Lo and behold, for some reason it seems to be behaving significantly better.  Who knows?  Perhaps it just likes Texas.

I’m composing in Wordpad, will save to a stick as a draft and then finalize the post in Open Live Writer and publish from my laptop.  The tricky part is typing on the very small keypad.

Why am I going to all this trouble?  I miss blogging and writing in general. I sit at my laptop working a significant number of hours these days.  I have less time for my brain to wander, if you will.  I miss letting my thoughts "freefall."

To say that my days are full is somewhat of an understatement. That's not a complaint, just a statement of fact.

I've got the basic daily routine of my life down pretty well and am now trying to integrate some other facets once again.

I have started giving Maggie more outdoor time, hooking her up to her lead and sitting out with her for 20-minute periods two to three times daily, weather permitting. 

She spends much more time indoors and is exposed to much less stimulation versus that in our life as a security team.  I could tell she was pretty much bored just hanging out watching me work.  Our "sit outs" seem to be helping, as she now anticipates them and seems more perky in general.  Yes, we walk the loop in the park, but it's not the same as just hanging out listening to birds, watching people, etc.

Being more sedentary these days, I need to resume a walking routine.  This is not only good for my physical body, but for my state of mind and my Spirit.  Nothing like a 2-mile walk (several times around the loop) with groovy tunes in my head to recharge my batteries on several levels.  I'm hoping it will also help acclimate me to the Texas climate again.

Well, one can hope, right?

A scavenger hunt of sorts failed to turn up my yoga DVD. It has to be here somewhere; I just haven't found it yet.  I did find my Tai Chi DVD, only to remember that the DVD player is disconnected from the TV to allow access for the cable converter box.

We have a Roku streaming stick, and I have found some yoga series on it.  In fact, I did a bit Sunday night and found that I need to do a lot more!  I think it will work be feasible to do yoga here in the living room.

It's all about integrating and maintaining balance in one's life, and that is what I am striving to achieve at this point.  I’ll have to compromise and improvise at times, but I think it will be worth it.

How’s your balancing act going?

Thanks for stopping by!

DIY Project Done and Dusted

Quite some time ago, I removed the godawful headboard that came with our RV.  Paisley fabric . . . funky-looking and just a dust collector. 

 

Not having time, energy, creativity or tools, I had not come up with a replacement, and the bare wall was starting to really annoy me.  Not to mention protecting both heads and wall when sleeping.

Thus began a search over the Internet for ideas on something to put in that space that would look better yet still be practical.

I found headboard tiles!  After reading bunches of reviews and tips on installation, I purchased a set.  They are 12” x 12” and can be arranged to suit one’s needs and whims.  I read that Command Strips worked well for adhering them to walls.  The adhesive that comes with them apparently does not work well and leaves a gluey residue.  All our framed photos are hung with Command Strips, so Dave picked up a few packs for me a few weeks ago.

The box of tiles has been sitting in the living room for almost a month.  With work and Life, I just haven’t had time or energy to tackle this project.

I played hooky from work this afternoon and got busy.  Armed with spirit level, measuring tape and pencil, I determined where the tiles would go. 

Discovered that those two lamps are not quite level with each other.  They aren’t off by much, but just enough to make ya go, “Hmmmm . . .”

The tiles really are level and aligned.  It’s either the light from the window or, more than likely, me off kilter a bit.  I’m tired!

Yes, a standard layout.  I tried different configurations, but the lamps were in the way.  Ah well, it’s better than it was and finishes off the room.  I’d like to update the lampshades next (and the ones in the living room, which are exactly the same), but that’s a project for another time.  I’m not crazy about the duvet pattern, but the duvet itself works well for us.  Again, that will be another update sometime.

So, finally, that DIY project is done and dusted.  I’m thinking I might as well clip Maggie this evening.  She needs it (again) and I’ve already blown off most of the day.  Spending time with her is fun, she feels better with a clip and I’ll have these two major time-intensive projects done.  Then I can jump back into work tomorrow full-tilt.

Hope you’ve had a fun, productive and rewarding Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by!

February 10th, Really?

Well, I’m just about falling off the grid when it comes to blogging.  Once again it’s a record time in between posts, this time being almost a month.

Our days (and weeks) seem to pass by in somewhat of a blur.  I find myself occasionally stopping to ask myself, “What day is today?”  Crazy.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing.  Our weekends are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Dave is still working at Walmart, really being “one of the gang” on his crew and even one of the long-timers by comparison.  I continue with my telecommuting as a virtual assistant and still enjoying that.  Our days and evenings are full, making the time we spend together before and after work (and our weekends) more special. 

Dave is now a fully permanent employee, so we’ve enrolled in health benefits and he is now accruing vacation time, although he won’t be eligible to take any time off until next year.  The health insurance is sort of a good thing and not so good thing.  A bit more expensive, but we’re now in a PPO vs. an HMO (via the Exchange) and there are some nice aspects of the plan we’re in.  It’s a bit scary . . . giving up some of our independence, so to speak.

One thing about this location; it is windy at least 9 days out of 10.  It’s reasonably flat here and quite open and, hey, it is Texas . . . so it’s windy. 

We’ve had a few warm days already, and I am really, really not looking forward to the summer months.  Mr. Sun hits the driver side of our RV all day; we’ll get to Lowe’s for some of the insulation panels we used to skirt the rig in Jersey, cut it to size and put it up on our big windows on that side.  Long before temps heat up.  I’m really only talking the side-facing windows in the slide-out on the street side.  There’s a small section of the big window that opens, so we’ll not cover that up.  Yes, it will make it darker in here, but that’s the idea.  Darker = cooler.  The door side of the rig is in shade all day.

Did I mention that we have changed out our interior lights to LED?  That’s excepting a couple of wall lamps.  The others that we use regularly are done.  I like the quality of the light much better and those puppies sure are a lot cooler, not to mention more energy-efficient.  Even though we don’t pay separately for electricity here, increased energy efficiency is a plus.

All that being said, I may be establishing my own private nudist camp in here during the hot summer months.  Well, not totally.  How about semi-clothed camp?  Ha!  And lots of quick cold showers.

The weather for our “weekend” (yesterday and today) this week has been pretty icky with nonstop rain.  So much for washing the rig again this week.  I did get out during a lull yesterday and headed to Office Depot in College Station.

A bit hard to tell from the photo, but that’s an ergonomic desk chair.  After snooping around on the internet, I found this model at Office Depot at a greatly reduced price.  I tested the display model, really liked it and was lucky enough to get the last one that was boxed.  Yay me!  I had an ergonomic chair prior to our full-timing in 2010; I sold it, as our rig had no desk and I didn’t need it any longer.  Well, now I have a desk and am spending quite a few hours each week working.  So.  Chair.  There are adjustments for height, seat tilt and lumbar adjustment and the armrests are height-adjustable.  I like it a lot so far.  I’ve always like the mesh-backed chairs, as they stay cooler and really are more comfy.

What else to do on a rainy day?

One other item I picked up at Office Depot was something for Dave’s cycling documentation.  At this point, he doesn’t have a proper desk, but uses a small computer table that is just big enough for his laptop and nothing else.  He keeps stats on his cycling, so his “stuff” was ending up on the floor beside his recliner.  Ugh. 

Now everything is tidy and handy for him to use.  It looks neater in his area and the hassle of moving all this stuff every time I vacuum is eliminated. 

Every now and then, actually just about every week lately, I go through another drawer, another cabinet, take a sweep through the closet . . . and am sorting through/organizing items with the result that some go out the door. 

Seems I am feeling burdened by too much stuff these days.  From 2011 up until last October, we had an office at our work locations.  We could spread out a bit, and we acquired some items that were necessary in our line of work, including heavy clothing and outerwear for the harsh winter conditions in New Jersey.  Our lifestyle has changed, we no longer have an office and, at least for the foreseeable future, we certainly are not experiencing harsh winter weather here in Texas.  Being outdoors was an integral part of our security jobs, and that is no longer the case.

That being said, I can’t (yet) bring myself to toss out expensive insulated overalls, heavy outwear and other items for extreme weather conditions.  Heck, most of those items weren’t cheap and I have worn/used them now and then even in our new way of life. 

Maybe it’s just the onset of Spring.  I’ve even measured living room furniture and our space in here with the thought of rearranging our furniture configuration. 

My measuring tape says that ain’t gonna happen.

I look at what folks are doing to their interiors on some social media groups and . . . sigh.  Oh well.  Ours is comfy and not disgusting . . . just not “spiffy” like some I see.  Of course, I wonder about the added weight of some of the furniture additions these folks make and I’m really not into painting the walls or cabinets in here.

I also wonder how folks keep the interior of their RVs looking like a showplace.  Really?  Do they actually live there?  Do they put the toaster away somewhere when not actually using it?  Do they realize the added weight of that wood wine cabinet and all those bottles of wine?  Perhaps it makes a difference that we eat at home all the time and that we are still working vs. being retired.

Ah well.  In the meantime, I did pick up a new comforter for the daybed that ties in better with the colors we have going on and a new doormat that does the same.  Whoohoo!  I’m glad I put in curtains while in NJ and that we have changed over to LED lighting.  Those things help.

Still . . . I’d love to be the winner on a program “Redo My RV Interior.”  Ha!

No, I don’t want a new rig.  I like ours and there’s nothing wrong with it.  I’d just like to do something with the inside.  Hence, new comforter, new doormat, etc.  Little things can make a world of difference.

But . . .

If you hear of a program like “Redo My RV Interior,” let me know.  I just might apply!

Stay safe out there, okay?  Thanks for stopping by!

Two Weeks and a Day

Wow.  We have been here at Aggieland RV Park 2 weeks and a day as of today.  It sure seems like a lot longer to both of us.  That’s not a bad thing, really, it’s just that we have been busy.  The days seem to fly by and run together.  Dave has Tuesdays and Wednesdays off, so our days get a bit blurred; our “weekend” starts Monday night. 

Let’s see.  He survived Black Friday, although it sure was crazy, especially Thanksgiving evening and Friday, and he did work some overtime.  Crazy.  He’s getting a firsthand glimpse of the retail world during the holiday season.  Yes, he worked Thanksgiving, and so did I.  This was the first time in decades that I did not prepare a typical Thanksgiving dinner.  Oh well.  I did cook bridies while he was off that week, so we had a nice meal.  He is settling in quite nicely with his job, even enjoying it now, and we hope – but not expect by any means – that he will be kept on after the holiday season. 

Although I’m still in training on my MT job, I am making good strides.  It’s not the medical terminology/knowledge part, it’s becoming familiar with and implementing the specs, the software requirements, etc.  Things have changed re: formatting, punctuation, etc., since I was an MT 8 years ago, and the specs of the company/accounts are quite different from the “old school” way I was taught and used back when I worked before.  I am still not enamored with voice recognition and being a medical editor; I really still prefer straight transcription.  Well, I’m giving it a whirl, and it is getting better.

My virtual assistant job is percolating along nicely, and I am picking up some additional responsibilities.  I really am enjoying it!  Honestly, if I had a couple of long-term VA clients with ample work, I would seriously consider ditching medical transcription/editing.

I believe I mentioned my work laptop crashed and burned.  Yep, turns out it needed a new hard drive.  It had been in the shop but is home now, and this evening I have it set up to be put back into service.  I’m composing this post on it.  There is still some additional tweaking to be done – getting things back on it – but at least it’s usable again.  I sure missed my larger screen!

Our gray tank is being ordered, being delayed by some issues pinpointing with Keystone exactly what type of tank is needed.  Hopefully we will be having the replacement work done in the next couple of weeks.  They might be able to do it on-site . . . that sure would be nice, although they are only about 10 miles down the road.  We are thankful the facilities are nice here, so it’s a short stroll down to the showers near the front of the park each evening.  Each is a suite unto itself, so one has privacy when showering.  Nice.

Our allergies are finally getting under control.  Yay!  I was able to actually sleep prone in bed last night for the first time in a couple of weeks.  My recliner is comfy, I slept well in it, and I can watch TV from there if I want, but Maggie sure appreciated me being back in bed.  Me, too, I tell ya.  Dave was suffering equally, with the added frustration of plugged ears.  We both are much better with regards to our noses, and his hearing is much improved.

We are even having evening meals together twice a week, the 2 days Dave is off.  I had taken some Mexican lasagna out of the freezer the other day, so that was last night’s dinner accompanied by a green salad.  Tonight was baked fish, wild rice, and sweet corn. The rest of the week, we’re on our own, obviously because of work schedules.

Mr. Sun finally made an appearance today after being AWOL for 4-5 days.  We have had definitely chilly weather – highs in the 40s and 50s – with miserable, drizzly, nonstop rain.  Ugh.  Sure was nice to see sunshine today.  I made a run to a self-serve car wash and washed off a lot of mud from the truck.  It could stand detailing, but at least it looks presentable again now.

Last week I went over to Suddenlink (the park’s ISP) and purchased a modem and then to Walmart for a wireless router.  We now have a direct “pipeline” into the Internet service here at the park, and it is a secure connection via our own router.  Pretty darn speedy, too.  Yay!  We’re wireless and secure in the rig!  Woot!  This is wonderful, as my iPhone is getting a well-deserved rest after serving as a hot spot for a couple of months.   (Note:  The park WiFi is actually quite good, but not secure.  Getting one’s own modem and router is suggested by the park owner/manager if one wants a direct connection and secure network within one’s rig.  If I wasn’t working online from home or we were just here short-term, we would not have done this.  It is groovy, though, eh?)

We have had issues . . . gray tank, computer crashing, Internet and cable going out for 24 hours, miserable rain, allergies, yada, yada, yada, (yes, all in 2 weeks and 1 day) but we truly are liking it here and thankful that we are both working and have landed in a nice environment for our home.

Have I mentioned I really, really appreciate stepping out onto concrete and not mud?

Thanks for stopping by!