A Little Less Merry....

Key...who we called "Key Largo"...anxiously awaiting something yummy to fall off the grill, a couple summers ago.

Missy and Megan...this picture makes me laugh...it seems that the sun is out and bright, every time we take pictures in my dad's backyard, so in every picture someone is squinting!

It has been a tough couple days for the Slater and Temple families...within a day of each other, my Dad lost his sweet Missy and we had to let our greyhound Key go.  It was a huge blow for the families.

My Mom and Dad adopted Missy when we were stationed in Petaluma...I think almost 12 years ago.  From the get go, she was their little princess.  She went on errands with them and became quite spoiled.  When my Mom passed away, my Dad became the spoiler.  He did a great job too....he was diligent about her vet visits and "spa days"...and always made sure she had a selection of treats.  He got her groomed in the cutest style, she looked like a little golden bear cub.  She always barked when the mail arrived...or anyone else for that matter.  She would roll on her back to make sure everyone who entered the house knew to rub her belly.  She would smother you with kisses if you let her.  She could be a little monster, but she did it as cute as possible.  We knew the end was near, Dad had taken her to the vet...and they said her kidneys were failing.  She slipped away quietly in her sleep...just like a little lady should.

As Dad told me about Missy, I was calling him to tell him we needed to take Key to the vet to see what was up with his leg.  When Key ran his last race (as a professional racer) his rear hock was shattered...and not repaired right away.  He later had surgery to fix the damage, but his leg healed in a way that left it a little misshaped.  One rainy day earlier this month, Key slipped.  He limped just a little bit...but he always favored that leg...so at first we thought we would let him go a couple days.  Key took his role of holding down the couch very seriously, and even with a sore leg hopped on and off the couch...on Thursday he got his foot caught in the cushions and yelped.  My heart sunk....I have heard that yelp before.  Thankfully Susan had some doggie meds and we could keep him comfortable while waiting for his appointment on Saturday morning.  Key barely moved all day Friday.  

Saturday morning comes, and Lee and I head to the vet with our sweet Key Largo...praying it was just a bad sprain.  It was not....Key had osteosarcoma. Cancer in his bad leg....as soon as we saw the xray the vet did not have to even explain it to us...we had seen that xray before.  When bone cancer is found in greyhounds...it is usually already spread to other places...the vet was convinced by how Key was breathing it was already in his lungs and likely elsewhere.  We knew what we had to do....so we held our big sweet boy as he ran his last race.  We came home brokenhearted....then there was a HUGE clap of thunder (thunder is kind of rare here) and Lee said Key had made his entrance in to Heaven, and he was running fast and free.

So, our house has been a little quiet...I catch myself still pushing things around on the counter...to make sure Key can't hop up and steal stuff.  I miss a nose nudging my hand as I make something...and trying to steal my bread when I am not looking.  

I bet in doggie Heaven, Key is chasing Missy, hoping she will play and she will have no part in it!

The best gift.....

I got her six months before Christmas...but she is my favorite gift!!  She is helping Mommy and Daddy decorate the tree!!!!  

Nervous...scared...excited????

Well.....I had my consultation with the orthopedic surgeon.  I had hopes that he would say the MRI was not bad, it would be an easy fix.  No such luck...it looks like surgery is in order.  Now, if I could just keep myself off the internet and researching information..geez, I even watched a you tube video of how the shoulder surgery is done.  Not a good idea.  My search for knowledge about stuff sometimes does not work in my favor.

He showed us the calcification within my ligaments...which is like having a rock in your shoe, depending on where the rock is, it either does not hurt or hurts like hell...I am the latter.  Whatever tears are in there will be repaired once he gets in there.  

I am nervous and scared...I have never been knocked out and intubated before...I have been knocked out so they could take out one of my wisdom teeth...but I was alert for the removal of the other three!  We all know that I do not do well in situations in which I do not have control.  I even asked Lee what he would do with my stuff if something happened to me.  Smart man said he would just keep it forever.

Recovery can be tough, especially the first couple days...for the surgery you get a nerve block from the neck to the waist...which also helps with pain.  I keep telling myself I had Elliott with minimal drugs, I can do this!!!  The surgery is tentatively scheduled for New Years Eve ( or a couple days later, in case the approval from our insurance takes extra time).  The sooner the better, because Lee will still be on holiday routine and Elliott does not go back to school until mid January.  I am sure after a week or two of them hovering around, I will be eager to see them go back to school and work.  

My to-do list grows each day...grocery shop, order Elliott's text books, get his bus pass early, pack up Christmas (and pack it for moving), get bills set up to pay automatically, make sure laundry is done, find all my jammies that button up the front, get prescriptions filled and on and on.   Ugh!  Most of that will get done soon after Christmas. 

Ok....enough rambling.  I am gonna go make dinner...pretty soon, I have to leave that up to the guys...Elliott will probably make me ramen for lunch everyday!

Dear Mom 2012.....

Our Christmas tree....with pictures of our family behind it.  I love my picture wall...just seeing everyone's photos makes me smile!!

Dear Mom,

Another year has passed (I have survived six year without you now), and I found myself thinking of you so often.  I have taken on the role, I believe you loved the most...Grandma!!  WOW!!!  Nothing prepares you for the love you feel for your grandchildren...it is pretty amazing.  Every thing she does fills my soul with love and pride, and she cannot even talk yet!  Sometimes I see you, in her eyes, and I think of how over the moon you would have been over her.  The best part Mom, is seeing Mason with her...its incredible.  He is such a loving and supportive father (and husband)...seeing him as a daddy makes me feel like I did pretty well as a mommy.

It is Christmas again, and for the last 5 Christmases I have felt detached from the fun of the holiday, like I was just going through the motions.  This year, everything changed...I cannot wait to see Mahoney's picture while sitting on Santa's knee.  The magic of Christmas came back...and I realized just how much I missed it.  I helped dad send toys to her, he was specific that he wanted one to be kinda noisy.  I am pretty sure he will buy her drums as soon as she is big enough.  You would be proud of him.

I could go over every memory of this past year, but I feel you around me all the time now.  Sometimes, I catch your words coming out of my mouth...and I smile, and giggle too.  I am one feisty chick....and its my favorite part of me, because it reminds me of you.

You are missed everyday.  There is not a moment that goes by, that I don't wish I could share it with you.  

I love you Mom, forever and always.

We Need A Little Christmas...Right This Very Minute...

I mean really....can she get any cuter??!!  I am sure Santa will be spoiling her!!

Saturday was the annual Eureka Trucker Parade...this year was a lot more colorful than years past, but it also seemed a lot shorter too.  This one was a favorite...and I am a Pepsi drinker!!  It was a nice night spent with my guys and some special friends.

What do you do when on a Sunday night, around 10pm and your college student, is in a snit because both printers are either not working or completely out of ink....Well, you thank goodness that you took advantage of the online Black Friday deal they had at WalMart, for an HP printer for $19 and free shipping!!  Seriously...a new printer was cheaper than an ink cartridge!!  So, Elliott got to unwrap a gift early.  He is pretty thrilled with the new printer too.  Score!

Wonderful Wednesday.....

From Port Orchard, looking toward PSNS (where Mason works) and Bremerton, with the Olympic range in the back.

Holy cannoli....what a week and it is only Wednesday.  On Monday, the neighbors dog bit my damn finger!  I have watched her before (which consists of letting her out a couple times a day and feeding her)...and it was not a great experience.  So, I should have known it would not get any better this time.  She won't go out to "use the lawn" when her family is not there.  I end up going over and leaving the back door open, in hopes she will go out, and then return in an hour to shut it.  When the dog is growling at me and showing me her teeth...it is a little terrifying.  Now, I am afraid to tell them that "Hell No!" I won't be watching your dog next time they decide to go out of town...Lee will likely put his foot down on that one!

Speaking of Lee, he has an inspection this week at work.  Specifically his office, a group of people come up from Alameda and make sure everything is being done correctly.  He is doing awesome!!  I reminded him that, with all the drama in his office, and lack of personnel... getting a great review is a direct reflection of him, and how well he does his job.  It is days like these that make me want to say "Stupid Coast Guard...you will miss him when he is gone!!!"

The guys only have a little over a week left of their fall classes....I know they are both ready for the winter break.  Lee said he think he might not take a class next semester, because he needs to get his resume ready for when he retires....we will see, I know he likes learning.  Right now, he has a perfect score in his Federal Acquisition and Contract Management class.  I am very proud of my guys!!

I am getting ready for an inspection too....our annual housing inspection.  So, I have been doing a little spring cleaning so to speak.  Nothing to extreme...which is nice.  They are just coming in and making sure the house does not look like an episode of hoarders inside and that we have not remodeled the rooms!   It is all good!

20 days until Christmas...and except for one thing for Mahoney...I am ready!  Trucker's parade is this weekend!! Woohoo!