Life with a teenager ... and belated birthday wish

My beautiful, blond boy is now 17!  

I think.

Maybe.

Peabody and Sherman (Thunder) - aged 5

OK, so maybe it seems weird to other people that I am celebrating my dog's birthday.  Especially since 1) I don't know what month he was born and 2) he came from a rescue.

Age 5 ish - about a month after adoption

I used to 'celebrate' his birthday each year on his adoption anniversary (February 14) ... it was an easy date to remember - the gift that keeps giving and all of that.

Tonight when I took him on his ever briefer and briefer saunter, we are now down to five blocks from six about a month ago, it dawned on me that when he escaped from his previous home and went to foster care, it was Halloween.  In fact, he and Peabody (his partner at the time) made a jail break a couple of days before Halloween and got to go trick or treating with their foster family!  

Age 14 - and we thought that was old ...

Shortly after arriving in foster care, a vet determined that both boys were five.  Yep, old enough for kindergarten, to know better, and to have some pretty decent manners.  The manners disappeared after the gel ink on the contract dried and so did the common sense, but their age was officially five.

More or less present day as a
typical teenager, no?

So, the one who determines the schedule for:  meals, treats, exercise, and bed (sound like a real teenager) - the one who sleeps all day, ignores me when I call him to dinner (and then wants anything but what has been made for him), makes me smile daily ... you get the idea ...

Thunder is now 17!  To think I was impressed when he was 16!

to truly learn love, live with a dog

Speaking of Love

Drum roll please!

Robert Indiana Love Sculpture in Arizona

Speaking of Love has just been released by Bright Light Multimedia and I'm pleased as punch about it.  I had the chance to write a short little something that was accepted into this august group! For over a year, I've known it was coming and I've been cheering them on all the way from the desert southwest to Australia.  No doubt they didn't hear me, but it was good exercise anyway.

You see, I've always looked at anthologies like a buffet, there's a little something for everyone and all of it is good.

From a reader's point of view, it is a chance to sample something new from a new author or in a new genre.  Stories are short enough to enjoy but long enough to really savor.

From a contributor's point of view, an anthology is a chance to stretch into a new genre, topic, or even point of view.

Even if my small piece hadn't been accepted, I would have bought and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I'm a romantic at heart and always have a little something in my purse to read.

A nice holiday gift, don't you think?

29 days of giving challenge - gift of support ... day 4

Even though we all think that Beaver Clever should have been the norm, it wasn't.  All families have issues.  That's just the way it is.

When my folks raised us, we were told that no matter what happened, you may not like your sister(s)/brother(s) right now, but they were yours for the rest of your life.  And there would be times when we wouldn't necessarily be the best of friends, but the tie among us was forever.

Later I discovered that no matter what, my sister(s)/brother(s) were there for me.  In MY corner.  NO MATTER WHAT.

I haven't always been good at expressing that to or for them, and I am making amends every day about that.

It is now my turn to be in the corner for my sister(s)/brother(s).  NO MATTER WHAT.

When I read the 29 day gift challenge the author talked about giving away something that meant everything to her as part of her challenge.  I realized that I never need to do that part of the challenge.  There is NOTHING I wouldn't give to someone in my family.  Anything (and I do mean anything) is theirs for the asking, taking, or needing. 

I've never seen myself as being charitable, kind, or even indulgent to others. Maybe I am, just around the corners.

PS - if you guys are reading this, know that I love you.