Gunslinger

Here is Gunslinger at a tender moment.

Too Much Flying

I recently hit over 502,000 miles on American ... and that's in just 4 short years.

Today was a challenging day, but kudos to AA for not losing my bag - despite a 20 minute connection. And more kudos for upgrading me on the last two legs of my journey - that kept me sane. Thank you.

My Baby Grows Up

As promised, more family enters the blog.

This is my youngest son. Admittedly an older picture of him, this young man is well on his way to adulthood. He is graduating with honors from HS this week. He is slated to attend San Francisco State in August.

I have been a mom for almost 24 years, and a single mom for 12. I have wiped noses, made lunches, thrown out homework by mistake, attended hundreds of hours of Little League games, laughed and cried at and with the little darlings, worried constantly about them, and... they grew up. The nerve.

It is liberating and kind of scary becoming an empty-nester. For my entire adult life, my time and interests have revolved around three wonderful children. This is the first time in my adult life I will live alone (at least for a few months til Gunslinger and I get married). I am kind of excited. I am kind of sad.

I never thought they would actually grow up and LEAVE.

Woody

This blog is about me and Woody. Okay, about me, Woody and the rest of my family (who put the FUN back into dysfunctional).

I adopted Woody in 1996, when she was a mere six weeks old and weighed 14 pounds. She was the runt of a litter of 7. Woody hit her pinnacle of girth at 114 a few years ago and now is a much more manageable 97 pounds. I think this is a normal size for a dog, but when she is next to other "normal sized" canines, she more closely resembles a mini-horse (more on mini-horses later. I promise).

Why is a female named Woody? Well, why was there a boy named Sue? Sheesh. My father's nickname was Woody, and he passed away about two weeks before the dog adoption. No, the dog is not named for my father. The kids (more on them later) thought it was a great name, and Toy Story being the hit kid movie of the year, well... I gave in.

Woody has been my one constant companion since 1996. Now the rest of you, you have been there, some most of the time, some part of the time, but Woody doesn't have much of a social life, so in all seriousness, she has been a constant companion.

In her younger days, she would hop the wall in the backyard (as soon as we all drove off in the morning) to hang out next door with a lesbian Black Lab, but aside from that, here she sits. I mean, here she lays. She's not much for sitting. Back to her fence hopping days - one day I came back to the house unexpectedly - and found my 100 pound dog balancing herself on top of the 3 inch wide block wall. She looked embarrassed that I was on to her secret shame.

Dog farts. Woody claimed Grand Pooba of Fartland status a few years ago. She can clear a room, peel the paint and give you that look like "what?" Sometimes she clears herself out of the room, too.

The vet says Woody is now in her "sunset years." She is 10.5 and starting to really show her age. Her markings are all white - even her eyelashes. She still has some bounce and energy - but for the most part, she is a couch dog.

Woody has many nicknames: Wooey, Wooey Woo, Woodmeister, Woodrow Wilson Dog, and others that are just too silly to post to the general public. She endures the constant baby talk yet understands some plain English vocab: bath, vet, walk, puppy crunchies. And her amazing hearing when a food package is being opened will ensure a large Akita head in your lap, regardless of what you are eating. She doesn't care for cucumbers, but grapes and bananas are fine. See "dog farts" above.

Beth - My Best Friend and Sister At The Same Time

Beth and I are 15 years apart in age, which means that in our formative years, we didn't have much of a relationship. Beth assures me that she was my primary babysitter and walked 500 miles with me screaming on her shoulder, but yet... no evidence of this has yet surfaced. No pix or videos. Boo Yah.

During the 80's, Beth and I "officially met" each other in her home in Michigan. I was 17, and she was 32. Highlights of that Michigan visit: my must-have makeup kit the size of a large pizza; a 65 degree summer yet I was in my Caribbean bikini and sporting a walnut tan; no male under 30 in sight (except for the mentally-challenged group home down the street, which was not an option); The Rocky Horror Picture Show initiation; the MTV initiation; the "club" we went to where I was asked "You aren't from around here are you?" ... (I guess my mini skirt and blue moccasins threw them off in the Heartland).

Since then, she has married a wonderful man, Jeff, and he will get his own post. More on Jeff later.

I am sorry I missed their wedding, but I WAS 8 months pregnant at the time. More on that later, too.

Beth has the life I always wanted (and still do): years of education, reading time, the time and ability to be creative and an assortment of eclectic friends.

Since the 90's, Beth and I have become very close. She and I were the pillars of normalcy during our parents' deaths... that alone could bond sisters together, but... given the circumstances, SUPER GLUE.

She and I have spent too few hours laughing and talking... I am soooo glad we are related and sooo sorry we missed so many years of sisterhood.

Eventually, I will post my all-time favorite video of Beth, trying to help me out with some wine on our visit in 2003. I could watch this video forever and never stop laughing. I am having technical issues.

Needless to say, sommelier she is NOT. But my sister she IS and I am forever glad of that fact.

I love you Beth.

Why Blog?

Why blog? Aren't I busy enough with my life already?

I think life moves a little too fast and my brain is going to forget some of these wonderful (and not so wonderful) moments if I don't write them down. Besides, everyone keeps telling me I should write a book.