The Elder Statesman

You already know that I am the mother of a ten-year-old Corgi named Maggie. But we also have a family dog—Wayne, also a Corgi. You didn’t read his name wrong. His name is actually Wayne. The name is courtesy of my middle sister, Sarah, which really explains some things.

When I got Maggie, the breeder said that though Wayne was older, when she grew up, my dog would rule the roost. He said females are just more dominant. Dad said that was just like people. And there was a huge eye roll, probably, and an Oh please from Mom.

But what Bill, the breeder, said is completely true. Of the two dogs, Maggie is definitely in charge. As they got older, Wayne spent more and more time sunning himself in the Southern California sunshine. Coincidence? I think not.

Wayne is now thirteen. He is now thirteen and a half, actually. My jaw drops whenever I see this saint of a dog. He is now elderly. When I look at him now I see a dog who limps and is extremely slow moving because of a bad foot.

I can hardly talk about it, but when he is in doggie heaven I hope I remember him as the rambunctious little puppy amusing himself by tossing pebbles to himself, not a deaf dog who has a hard time walking. He is my daily reminder that time marches on. That, and what unconditional love looks like: Maybe not perfect, but just right.

Wayne.

Wayne.

A 32-Year-Old Kid

This is truly a stretch, I fear, but our morning routine was really thrown out the window this morning! Usually it’s repeated morning after morning: I wake up at about 6:30 or 6:45, “soak” for a while, and at 7:15 Mom or Dad turns on “Good Morning America.” Medicine at 7:45. It’s like “Groundhog’s Day.”

Now to this morning. I was woken at 3:30! Why the heck? you ask.

This morning, Mom and I did a 5K at “The Happiest Place on Earth.” Translation: Disneyland. Dad was an extremely good sport and was our driver.

I hadn’t been to Disneyland in five years! I forgot how much fun it was—and we didn’t even go on any rides! Just strolling (The 5K was a “fun run” and not timed) down Main Street brought me back to childhood. My favorite “land” was always Fantasyland. Small World was my favorite ride, with Storybook Gardens a close second. They both have wheelchair lifts so I could go on them.

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Despite being tired from lack of sleep, I would definitely do it again. What’s missing three hours’ sleep to feeling like a kid again?

Shame On Me

I wasn’t planning on doing a post today as, no to offense WordPress, I thought the prompt stank. I also had a rough morning with every muscle in my body extremely tight. Tomorrow will probably be better, at least.

I was feeling sorry for myself, I’m ashamed to say.

His timing is uncanny! I opened Facebook and, well, let me set the scene.

I’m involved with a charity that provides with Free Wheelchair Mission, a nondenominational Christian charity that provides wheelchairs to the physically disabled all over the world. The people they help have literally spent their lives in bed, or crawling on the ground.

Once a year they have a gala, which is the big fundraiser for them. This year I think they raised a million dollars.

Dad and I attended the event in July. I knew there was going to be a guest speaker, but didn’t expect to be as inspired as I was. Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs. You would think he had no quality of life, having no limbs. What was so inspiring was, he went from being suicidal as a teenager to now traveling all over the world advocating for the physically disabled. He has gotten presidents and kings to change their laws regarding the disabled and bought accessible homes for people.

Us.

Us.

Back to Facebook. I now follow him, and get posts every so often. During my self pity I opened my page, and there was a post from Nick. It was my reminder about how stupid I was being. How dare I feel sorry for myself! He has the best attitude, even without something I take completely for granted: arms and legs.

I don’t have to wait for tomorrow to be a better day; it’s already happened.

A Study in Contrasts

Courtesy: outkube.com

When it comes to my bedroom, I live by the motto “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Actually, that might not be strong enough. Let’s just say that if one of my possessions is moved a foot from it’s rightful place, I go mad.

The worst is every other Wednesday when the cleaning women have been here. They have no attachment to my things. They are “put away” nothing like they found them, in an effort to hurry up and be done. Problem is, they are never how they found them.

You would think my computer desktop would be spotless. Far from it. Let me count. There are fourteen files currently crowding the desktop. More than half of those are empty files just cluttering it up.

My email inbox is ten times worse. It’s gotten as bad as 150 unread emails! I guess the problem is that I’m too lazy to clear out the junk. Also because it becomes overwhelming: You clear it out and there’ll be twenty more tomorrow morning. Gap and Amazon send something every day. Land’s End, Anthropologie twice a week, and about that timeframe for Pinterest, Facebook, and Bloglovin.

It’s a losing battle. It’s going to be easier to get a new email address and start fresh than to clear this one out.

Guess Who?

Have you seen the CBS show “The Briefcase”? It’s definitely not my favorite, but something you can DVR for when nothing is on. After all, summer TV is slim pickings! The show’s premise is this: Two families are given $100,000. They can keep all of it, some of it, or give it all away to another family in equal or worse financial shape.

If you’ve seen it, you know that part of the show is when the couples exchange houses, trying to find about the family who lives there? Instead of telling about the person/people I chose for this post, I decided to describe him/her/them using pictures.

Here goes—see if you can figure out what sorts of person/people would possess:

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Reagan book- does that mean he/she/they like our 40th president? Are they Republican? Or just a fan of bad movies?

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David Sedaris book: Does the person or people also have a quirky sense of humor? Or are they just sarcastic?

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Tools: Are they working on something? Hobby? Both?

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Medals: They look like running medals. Are they a runner? Or did they hit a runner’s garage sale then hang them up in their own home?

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Basket of toys: Do they have dogs? Or just a child with a propensity towards grimy stuffed animals?

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Last picture: Do they enjoy gardening? Is it even their yard? If not, where is it?

Okay, these pictures represent my parents, Linda and Gary. Dad is a huge Republican who thinks Reagan was the best president ever, hands down. He enjoys woodworking and is currently redoing our living room. Mom is a runner with a quirky sense of humor, hence David Sedaris. They both love dogs (Dad would never admit it). The garden is our backyard, and they both enjoy getting dirty taking care of it.

Hopefully if our family is ever on “The Briefcase,” whoever comes through our house to gather clues isn’t offended by Reagan, “gets” quirky personalities, and loves dogs. Otherwise, they’ll be keeping all the money for themselves.

It’s Not Just a Tattoo…

I have no tattoo (surprise, surprise) and am not looking into getting one. You could say that I have gotten stuck more times than I would care to, so I am not going to do it voluntarily.

I have family members who have them, my younger sister being one. I could cry when I think of Sarah’s tattoo, which is slyly placed on the inside of her foot. It says “ubuntu” in my handwriting. She spent a semester teaching in Africa and got it when she got back. The word “ubuntu” is an African proverb that means “I am because you are.”

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It’s not even on my body, but that tattoo means so much to me. Let’s say Sarah and I didn’t get along as kids. I know what you are thinking, what siblings do as kids? Our arguments were worse. Please don’t judge me, but you could say that I purposely tormented my two siblings, believing it was my right. Sarah got the brunt of it. I feel awful now.

Whenever I see that tattoo there is a mixture of guilt and extreme love for my middle sister.

But she now thinks it’s her right to take trips “browsing” in my closet, maybe as payback. I suppose I owe her that much.

Summer Morning

I had no idea about what, I just felt like writing today. I guess you can call this a post about nothing. Actually I have a point; it’s just not the most important.

What’s your favorite season? I am a warm-weather person. I love summer. Feeling 95+ temperatures on my skin and looking out my French doors and seeing the backyard full of color is my favorite. I have wonderful summertime memories: Playing in the sprinklers (this was obviously before the drought), riding bikes after dinner, and also after dinner visiting with Mary, the elderly woman across the street. So sweet, but as with lots of old people, she could be cranky. Mary would be puffing on her cigarette, while complaining our very uppity next-door neighbors.

About September, though, I was ready for winter. I had grown sick of my summer wardrobe, but would need it for at least another month. I would look at sweaters and long to wear them. I was tired of hearing the air conditioner click on longed for the dead-skin smell of the heater the first time it’s turned on for the season.

I guess you could me fickle. But I guess I shouldn’t complain. It is currently 9:48 a.m. It is 73 degrees, but there’s supposed to be a high of 92. People in other parts of the country would kill for such weather! I am in the backyard, the sky is bright blue, the plants are full of color, and Maggie is taking a nap in the shade.

No sweater needed this morning!

No sweater needed this morning!

I guess I shouldn’t complain about my wardrobe—maybe sweaters are overrated.

True Genius

I truly feel sorry for the Genius setting on my iPod. It has to figure out my taste in music and recommend things I would like. That’s no easy feat! The poor thing probably thinks I have multiple personalities.

What the heck is the connection between “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven and “Mmm Bop” by Hanson, my thirteen/fourteen-year-old music obsession.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=NHozn0YXAeE%3Frel%3D0frameborder%3D0allowfullscreenThen we have U2 and Louie Armstrong, the Beatles and Creed, a Christian band from probably fifteen years ago. “He” truly is a genius!

I probably have 200 songs on my iPod. As I scroll the “Purchased” list and wonder whether I’ve subconsciously purchased them or not, I realize albums have special meaning to me on an emotional level. Take “Ode to Joy:” Joy is what I feel every single day! Joy that I AM ME!

So I guess Apple can have a Genius, but he isn’t one in human emotion, but the songs I truly love, I picked.

Movies and Reel Life

Courtesy makingdifferent.com

Do you watch a movie strictly for it’s entertainment value, or can you usually see deeper messages in it? I have Netflix, and there is always the iTunes store, so I basically can view any movie anytime. I have seen some good ones this year. “American Sniper” and “McFarland” were my favorites.

When I leave the theater, I will say how good the movie was. But later, when I have had time to mull it over in my head, I can usually pick out things we all can relate to.   Take “McFarland;” it basically said through hard work, anything is possible.

Some of my favorites have similar “morals.” I have no idea when I will have nieces and nephews, but the following few movies they can watch with Auntie Erin. Besides being a good story, the movies have a meaning that is essential.

“October Sky” and “Gifted Hands” tell about how education is the key to anything, be it a rocket scientist like Homer Hickim, or Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon turned now presidential candidate.

“That Thing You Do” is just a fun story of four or five friends who have a garage band turned number one hit in the early sixties. Sometimes you just have to have a little fun!

If I had to narrow it down to just one movie that sums up what it means to be human, I’d be here all day!

It’s All in Your Head

This is me. Exactly.

Let me tell you how awkward this post is going to make me feel, as it’s not my personality at all. But I said I was going to speak my mind!

I don’t think I get embarrassed easily. Especially when I am reliant on other people for absolutely everything. I have help in the shower, while aides I know only on a superficial level wash the most personal of areas. You get the idea. I don’t know if I have just gotten used to it or what, but it doesn’t bother me nearly as much as it used to.

What truly bothers me is TV and commercials! It’s like with TV the networks try to outdo each other with the references to sex and they would be just as funny without them. I thought it was a new thing, but I started watching “Friends” reruns on Netflix last night, from ‘96. It’s a very funny show, and I will definitely watch it again, but let me tell you, if I were watching with someone else I would have turned it off. Why is that?

According to Time.com, I can blame my brain! I’m no neurologist, so I will let them do the explaining, but next time you see someone come out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to their shoe or watch a kid make a basket for the wrong team (my one and only basket in my youth basketball league), imagine how their brains are working!

Image: Jokideo.com