Penny Lane

There she is, cute little Penny Penny.  For those of you friends with me on the book of faces, you know that we lost our cute little pit puppy.  She was 1 day shy of being only nine months old.  She had a leg that the bone didn't form quite right so it was all but useless, but she used it.  She used it to paw at you to get scratches.  She used it to make you give her more scatches when you would stop.  She would use it to put around your arm when you were laying next to her holding her.

She was a cuddle bug.  She was moral and mental support for Cassie at home.  She really was a good puppy, and always, always happy.  She was however, ate up with worms she just couldn't fight off.  She would give you those puppy eyes and your heart would just sink, there was little that could be done.  By the time she started showing any symptoms, it was too late.

This will be a relatively short post, but I wanted to end it with a good story about Penny, so here it is.

Late one night, I had fallen asleep in the living room watching top 10 ghost videos on youtube and Cassie was laying in bed.  Penny was outside, and barking.  Cassie got up to see what it was, but found that she was barking at the only really dark area of our back yard between our shed and our fence.  Cassie wakes me up in a panic and, me, in all my recollection of the videos I had just watched went to investigate.  At any moment I knew I would find the ghost of a little girl asking me to play or something, but when all was said and done, we never figured out what she was barking at.  It wasn't until the other day I found out the other part of the story.  Cassie had went to go investigate herself before waking me.  As she went to stand next to Penny on the back patio to see what she was barking at, Penny darted past Cassie, heading towards the door, as if to say, "tag, you're it, I'm out."  She was like our own little Scooby Do at that moment.

You will be missed dear puppy.

Everybody’s Working For The Weekend

Yeah, I borrowed a lyric from a song for the title, big whoop.  It’s actually relevant to my blog post, so I did it, sorry - not sorry.

Let’s dig right in.  The “ideal” workweek for Americans (and all of us Earthlings probably) is Monday through Friday 8 or 9 AM to 5 PM.  I know that’s not what the majority works (and the world couldn’t function if we all did), but the idea I’m trying to convey is that everyone wants a break.  They want some time to relax, work on a home project, or spend time with loved ones, more time than the 5PM - Bedtime schedule that the weekday provides.

::Enter Weekend, Stage Left::

The weekend, it seems to be the answer to all of life’s problems.

::Exit Weekend, Stage Right::

The weekend is never long enough.  Vacations are amazing, and they too, never seem long enough.  Actually sometimes too much of the wrong vacation seems like more than long enough, too long in fact.  That however, is a different story completely.  We spend so much time getting ready to relax or preparing for a break that the “normal” days go so fast because we are in a kind of autopilot.

Those who are friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Instagram know that a few weeks ago I had a cardiac scare.  My chest was hurting, I was’t as responsive as I should have been... It was just an awful experience and ended up getting a clean bill of health for my heart, but my GI system is being suspected of causing the heart attack like symptoms.  That makes more sense because I had GI issues as a teenager, and I really figured if I was going to have a heart attack it would have been at the gym, either doing squats or on the treadmill.

It made me realize that each day is special.  Every single day we are given, we can never get back, so it's best to make the most of each one.  Tell those you love that you love them, don't assume they know, it means a lot to someone to get validation or confirmation that you relationship is solid.

This is the point in my blog where I tell you if you want to make a life change, do it.  Don't wait, you might not get the opportunity to do it again.  Take the trip, kiss your love, embrace your children.  It's been said many times, but this hold true - your biggest regret will be not doing it.  Our most precious resource is time, and we each have a limited amount.

I'm not just talking to you, my lovely readers, but to myself as well.  I have some (potentially) life changing things in my future, and I'm ready.  Will I be scared? Probably, better pack more underwear.  Will I do my best?  Yes, and better.  If you have anything you've been wanting to start, whether it be getting in shape, changing careers or asking that special someone to be yours, do it.

Now, for those interested, I will be preaching this very message (slightly edited) to Cassie when we go on a plane or boat (she likes neither), or when I'm trying to talk her into riding a scary roller coaster.  There will probably be video if that happens.

As I draw to a close on this post, I wanted to thank you, dear reader.  I have a lot of readers, and a lot of questions sent to me, and you can keep them coming.  I personally answer each question, and sometimes I post them here in case a lot of people ask the same question.  I started writing this blog years ago as kind of a therapy, writing is very cathartic for me. Between this blog, my book of short stories, my biography, and my neglected personal journal I do write a lot.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that you have been a part of that therapy and I thank you.

Until next time, dear readers...