Hello readers,
You know how much I love dogs. Well, I have started a new blog about them. Actually not any old dogs. It’s about dogs you know. It’s about Pippa and Henry, dogs you know well. It’s going to be a challenge because I’m going to try to post every day using the Daily Prompts as inspiration.
So, it’s Erin Tharp, signing off, at least for now.
I almost forgot! The new blog is ThePoochPlaceblog.wordpress.com. I can’t wait to see you there!
For health reasons, starting maybe six weeks ago, I am now on a gluten-free diet. Actually it’s for health-ish (what a tongue twister) reasons. Starting next month I am enrolled in a trial for a new physical therapy technique. Don’t ask me to give you the science, but it has to do with inflammation in the brain blocking blood flow.
Good news: I don’t understand it, but I have had a few treatments before the actual trial started. It really works!
Now to the diet. It has been an adjustment. Every one of my favorite foods contains gluten! Luckily, Sarah’s boyfriend’s mom is gluten free so Sarah gave me some tips and a list of foods his mom eats. Plus, with gluten-free being so popular, Sprouts and Trader Joe’s have lots of choices.
As I said, just the couple treatments in and I’ve already felt this new therapy work. Nothing huge—I’m not walking or talking—but I am more comfortable. If this continues, I can do without wheat.
I had gluten-free brownies at lunch today that were simply delicious! Who knew?
I like order. Needless to say, I despise clutter. If something doesn’t have to be there, it shouldn’t be.
I know I’m not alone in my opinion, but is anybody as anal as I am, to demand order in penmanship?
I googled “messy handwriting font” and was shocked when an entire page showed up, each worse than the other. Then I thought of the wedding invitation I received last week from my sister.
Now that’s a font! Now if only the font gods would agree…
I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of the Tharp household: Henry!
My son is an eight-and-a-half-week-old Jack Russell, and the sweetest puppy imaginable.
He is still too small to get up on my bed (if he fell it would be a Henry pancake!) but you would think he had epilepsy the way he clamors to reach me when my parents come into my room.
Henry does tons of sleeping. Actually I’m looking at him right now, and he’s out. Anyone with kids, be it human or canine, knows how dangerous a baby sleeping in the daytime can be.
It’s gonna be a long night.
I always marvel at how post inspiration presents itself at the perfect time.
Not finding inspiration in the prompt, I decided to listen to the Adele station on I Heart Radio while I thought. The music is free, but there is a commercial that plays when you first get on (I guess they need to make their money somehow). The commercial that plays is usually the same one, and it’s the same one that plays on TV, for Canine Advantix. The one where the woman won’t let her muddy dog inside.
Today, I was surprised to see a commercial, actually it’s not really a commercial per say, but it was for Walgreen’s. There aren’t many ads that bring me to tears. Okay, the ASPCA commercials around Christmas usually do.
What you are about to see was the type of thing that makes you all full inside. All I will say is, wouldn’t be nice if we all had the perspective of children: giving and optimistic. I think we be a happier planet.
As I’ve said, my medication is given every day and night like clockwork at seven. It’s antiseizure medication, so I guess every twelve hours helps to prevent seizures for 24 hours. Anyway, when either parent comes into my room, there is another thing that happens at seven pm. It’s guaranteed that I will get an eye roll, a shake of the head, and usually an “Are you serious?” because of what’s on TV.
I now realize how dumb “Full House” is, but does that stop me from watching? Absolutely not! Actually, it’s not so much the show I enjoy. It’s remembering a time when life was so simple. The biggest worry was that big test on the decimal system.
My sister Sarah jokingly (I think) gets after Mom: “why didn’t you warn me adulthood is so hard?” Sarah actually wants to go to our junior high and high school, where everyone looks so small, and tell them to appreciate this time in their life before it’s too late.
I’m listening to the nineties station on I Heart Radio as we speak, and in October Sarah and I are going to a Hansen concert. I expect the other concertgoers to be in their early thirties, like us. We all will be remembering when life was simple.
I complain about it all the time: my routine is the same every day. Wake up at six thirty; watch the news, medicine, “Good Morning America,” my aide, Maria, arrives at eight, shower… To most people, having your life run like clockwork would be maddening
In some ways having my life run on a schedule is comforting. It’s a sense of security. Predictability.
Looking back it could be for other reasons, but it seems like when the routine is broken, trouble follows. I could be in the hospital, etc.
On second thought, boring is okay.
That’s me, with the long brown hair. Doing the work.
I’m positive that MOST people are with me on this topic.
Think back to your school days. If you were like me, there were two words that I hated more than any other. Are you ready? Group projects.
Like I said, I’m sure most people hated them just as much as me. It’s not that I’m antisocial. But being a good student, of course I was always paired with the class dud. I never knew why teachers did that. Let the bad students be in a group of their own. {Sarah, if you do that, I am so disappointed!}
Of course, being an A student and wanting to get an A on the project, guess who did all of the work? ME!! Then, the skaters got an A. Because of me!
Mom and I watch “Project Runway” at lunch. When Heidi Klum announces the challenge, she says, “Oh yeah, this will be a group challenge.” You can see the slackers cheer. And the shoulders of the hard workers drop.
I think this hatred is universal. Kelley is always involved in some project at work and talks about the slackers she has to deal with.
Wouldn’t life be easier if all of the duds were in a group of their own? Far, far away.
Wouldn’t life be easier if all of the duds were in a group of their own? Far, far away.
Mom is on her Peloton bike as I write this. She said it’s to burn off some nervous energy.
Sarah is at a pre-game gathering at a bar before the game. She said Adam Morrison just led everyone in a cheer. Her principal actually gave her the day off.
I think Dad was ordering a shirt.
Confused yet? We are a Gonzaga family. They play for the championship tonight.
Sarah graduated from there in 2009. At graduation, besides being freezing (Gonzaga is in Spokane), it felt like such a close-knit campus. Almost quaint.
The school is probably best known for their basketball team. But this is the furthest they have ever been champion-ship wise and the announcers on Saturday (a game in which Dad and Sarah were at, as an early birthday present for Dad) said they expect Gonzaga to take it all. Wouldn’t Mom and Dad be in such good moods if that happened? I can only hope.
Mom asked if I was going to watch. I’m not really a sports person, but I suppose so.
Go Zags!
I started a Pinterest board entitled “Blog Prompts.” I also have a couple books of them. This post is in response to the prompt, “Name some things we use every day that will be obsolete in twenty years.”
What do you think will be obsolete in twenty years?
What do you think will be obsolet
Write Now 