Laxie through the Looking Glass

[RED-DOG]

Happy Birthday Sarah!

+1

[Laxie]

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone.  She was dead chuffed.  Although, she'd like to meet pleno for a wee debate regarding school some day.   


Michael, Sarah, Sheila & Sinéad

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[Karabiner]

Just caught up the last few days Dawn, I'm really loving this thread.

XX

[pleno1]

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone.  She was dead chuffed.  Although, she'd like to meet pleno for a wee debate regarding school some day.   


Michael, Sarah, Sheila & Sinéad

Click to see full-size image.

Wow so jealous of that cake!

Ok, well if she wants to come and do my dissertation then I'll pop over to Ireland and go to school. It's a deal.

[Laxie]

Whenever I'm in a mood to give the house a proper tidy, first things first.  Off to the desktop where we have an obscene amount of music stored to pick my cleaning music.  The music changes from session to session, but I've two or three that never get the boot from the list.  There's a old memory to go with every song I play, volume pumped up to the last and I tend to dance around the house as I go.  Lily's well used to it and takes no notice.  Cassie was just introduced to it today.  She wasn't at all impressed with the first song, but by the fourth song the pair of them joined in chasing me around the kitchen...tail and stump wagging mad.  Amazing how much cleaning you can get done if you're having fun doing it.  Apologies in advance...lol

 

[Laxie]

Blimey...almost forgot one of my abso FAVS!!!

[Laxie]

I was feeling a wee pang of guilt for about 30 seconds the other day when I was hoping to swerve that team meeting.  But then I thought about it.  My kids really are lucky.  For the most part I'm always here for them.  I've not worked a proper job in years.  Not because I don't want to, but because the kids wanted me home...and we could just about afford to make that happen.  I rarely miss a match or anything else important in their lives and for that I'm grateful. 

It wasn't like that for me growing up.  My parents were divorced by the time I was four.  Had the pleasure (NOT) of being asked to sit in a court room and announce who I'd rather live with - as was the way back then.  Marv.  I picked my Mom and as my brother was too young to have a say, the decision of a four year old stood and off we went to live with her. 

My Mom was broker than broke.  She was working full time for the phone company but also going to night school which is where the 'broke' bit came in.  She had an apartment she could afford on her own, but not with two small kids.  So at first, the three of us went to live in a convent.

Sr. Marie was one of my Mom's teachers in High School and they remained good friends after her graduation.  She had it worked out that the retired nuns would mind us during the day while Sr. Marie was at school.  Then she'd take over once her classes finished until my Mom returned from her own night classes.  We managed this until my brother reached school age, but then it got too much and my Mom had to make the tough decision and sent us to live with the dad. 

Those few years are a bit of a blur.  He'd re-married to a widow who had three kids of her own by her deceased husband.  They weren't too keen to see us land on the scene.  To be fair, they didn't like him at all so they reckoned 'same cloth' and all that...as kids do. 

Bonnie had a horse farm which was established during her previous marriage.  Apparently her husband was a lovely man who died very young of cancer, but he worked his tail off while he was alive.  Good thing, because the same couldn't be said for Bonnie's second husband.  Sean and I got through those years, just about. 

We lived in the middle of nowhere.  Halloween was a total bust for us back then.  Not at all like what you see on the telly.  Our nearest neighbours were a mile away...in each direction!  It took fecking AGES just to visit 4 houses on the night and we'd be collected by our step-brother on the tractor once we reached the last house.  But that was the highlight of our year, every year while we lived there.     

Eventually Mom got herself sorted and was doing well enough to take us back.  By then we were just about old enough to make our own way home from school where we'd do our lessons until she arrived from work.  She really did work her tail off to make sure we got to stay this time and we did what we could to pick up odd jobs to help out with our own spending money. 

By the time I was 12, I was delivering the daily newspapers door to door each morning before school and at week-ends.  In the summer I managed to get a gig as a golf caddy.  Not a proper one, mind.  Basically just a donkey carrying around clubs for a couple of old men out for their day's leisure.  Would do an 18 hole round in the morning for 2, quick lunch and back out for another 18.  At first they gave out to the Club Manager over a 12 year old girl walking the course carrying two golf bags, but once they got to know me I ended up with a regular list of customers who didn't mind the wee girl.

That's about the time I got into sports.  I was into just about everything going.  Soccer, baseball, basketball, track...and those were just a few.  Luckily we went to a school where the team were carried on a bus to away games and we lived close enough I could walk to the home games.  My Mom was always working and looking back, I'm not sure if she ever saw a game.  It was kind of gutting at the time.  All the team had at least one parent there to cheer them on.  I had me. 

On the plus side, I never felt pressure to play a certain way.  No eyes were on me apart from the coach, so I was pretty fearless.  Senior year in High School, I'd moved out of our house and was still motoring on with things when a call came from a University.  They'd seen me play at a basketball match and wanted to know if I'd be interested in a full college scholarship to play for them.  'No thanks.  Appreciate the offer, but I have some living to do.'

[RED-DOG]

Good stuff Dawn. Keep it coming.

[Laxie]

I've a call put in with Mike the Vet.  Even brought out the big guns and sent him a text.  I'd imagine it'll be another while before I hear back.  It's Friday and he will no doubt stop off for 'lunch' and a pre weekend chat in the pub.  Ah well, at least he's a couple options to focus on when he surfaces.  Just hope he can focus!  lol

Lily's lump hasn't shrunk and she's been limping around a bit for the past couple of days.  She may have pulled a muscle from all the running or it could just be old age proper creeping up on her, but will leave it to Mike to figure out.  He's in charge of keeping them going and I'm in charge of the cuddles.  Wonder if Cassie will run for the hills when she sees Mike?  Will let ye know how we get on once the dust settles.

[Laxie]

Mike phoned at 8:45pm.  He was here 10 minutes later.  Cassie went tearing road up the stairs 30 seconds after that.  No way, no how was she going to be seen in the same room.

He had a good check over Lily and he reckons the lump is stagnant so no need to tear into her just yet.  I'm not to be checking daily for fear I'd upset it, but about every two weeks give an old grope to see how it's going.  If it stays the same, we'll leave her be.  The minute it grows, it's out.  Until then, great news and no panic.

As for the limp?  That's where the bad news comes in.  No big deal in the grand scheme of things and not unexpected, but Lily has arthritis.  Apparently she has it bad.  He gave her an injection and another week's worth of tablets to help her feel better. 

Normally, you'd say 'Great!  She's sorted so.'  Except he dished out the meds with a new rule to boot.  She's not allowed to run any more.  Try telling that to a dog who's just found her youth again.  Sigh.  We're to keep her on the lead in future so she won't try to keep up with Cassie.  Even the kids knew this request was going to cause problems.  Double sigh.

Thing is, since Cassie landed Lily reckons she's invincible.  And to be honest, we've been blinded by the pair of them and hoping upon hope Lily would last another good while due to Cassie's arrival.  As it turns out, Cassie's arrival has done more harm than good.  Lily's arthritis has flared double time trying to keep up with a Greyhound, but at the same time Lily has never felt more alive.  Sighhhhhhhhhhhhh

Mike gave her an injection and gave us another week's worth of tablets with instructions to hold her back.  Marv.  On the plus side, he only charged €20 for the house call.  Granted, he was fed another tenner in drinks.  Only in Ireland.

So now we're to stifle her new found love for life...just to try and save her from more pain.  Lily's going to be gutted.  And so are we.     

[Claw75]

loving the life stories Dawn.  Sorry to hear about Lily

[Laxie]

All is not lost, it seems.  Today we waited until Lily hobbled her way upstairs so we could sneak out with Cassie.  Once she got to the field, Cassie ran more than she ever has!  She didn't have to worry about Lily cutting her off at the pass so she was delighted and just kept going for what seemed like ages.  Was great fun to watch, but of course I forgot to take the phone for pics, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.  When we returned home, Lily was still upstairs oblivious to what she'd missed. 

We've decided we'll take Cassie for the sneaky run in future, then come back and get Lily for a stroll around the village.  She's still to be walked, she's just not allowed to run. 

Meanwhile, I'm not long back from shopping in Killarney where I bought a big old bottle of cod liver oil tablets.  I'm to put one a day in their food from now on.  Supposed to be good for their joints and stuff, so we'll see.

[Laxie]

We've the whole 'separate walks' thing down to a fine science now.  Cassie gets to have fun and Lily doesn't feel left out, so all is right in doggy world again.  Sarah and her friend Laura took Cassie to the field just now while I kept Lily company at home.  Laura managed to get a couple of good shots on her phone and here they are.


Tearing through the trees.....

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Hide and seek....

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Caught!....

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Worn out.....

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[Laxie]

Shopping.  Man, I hate it.  No...seriously.  I REALLY don't like shopping.  Would much rather have a tooth extraction.  

This past week-end, I had no choice.  After sifting through the wardrobe on Friday night, it occurred to me I haven't been worried about new clothes for two years.  Had a wee debate in me own mind, 'Pleeeeeeeeeease don't make me do it!'  'But it must be done.'  'Sigh.  Ok then.'  And with that, off I went Saturday afternoon into the depths of hell.

I treat clothes shopping like a military operation.  If I have to do it, it's going to be done in the quickest most efficient manner possible.  First and most important rule - no shopaholic friends are permitted to join me.  I'm not messing about for the day.  Get in, get out.  End of.  I won't visit more than 3 shops and this is where bringing a shopaholic friend along can be dangerous.  No thank you.  

It doesn't take me long to scope out an entire shop.  I grab what I like and head for the dressing rooms as quick as can be.  No doubt trying clothes on wastes time.  But I live too far away to risk bringing them home, only to find out I must go back to return something.  Sooooo...loose clothing worn for ease of trying on new items.  Also, loose clothing must be of a neutral style so as not to clash with new items.  Once in the dressing room, I've a five second rule.  If you aren't in love with it within five seconds of putting it on, it's not coming home with you.  Move on to the next item.  Why do people insist on standing in front of the mirror twisting and turning, tugging and pulling?!  Fer feck sake!  It's not rocket science and yes...it makes you look fat.  Now get out of me way so I can try this pile of stuff on.

The dressing room clerks are evil.  They smile, but you know they don't mean it.  Well, not until they tell you with great pleasure you're only permitted to carry four items into the dressing room...and you have 10.  This is where I turn it around for my own entertainment.  As she takes all but four items off me, I sweetly say 'I'll give you a shout when I'm ready for the next four.  Thanks, yer a star.'  It drives them batty to do anything other than give hassle.  You hassle me, I'll hassle you Sunshine.

I haven't even touched on the sizing debate yet.  Just the thought of it riles me right up, so will spare you.  

No.  I lied.  Can't help it.  Has to be said.  Why does sizing vary by shop/brand?  How hard is it to come up with a universal sizing scale and stick to the fecking thing?!  Luckily I'm wise to this after years of experience.  You call into one shop and try on what you reckon is your size with ease.  In the next shop, you suddenly morph into a Sumo wrestler and the same size might (if you're lucky) fit over yer ankle.  How is this possible?  I haven't even had lunch yet.

In the end, I managed to find two tops and a pair of capri pants for the summer.  My neighbour Bridget was disgusted with my lack of effort on the day.  She has no idea how much effort it took just to get into the car.  Now she's threatening to take me to Cork City on Thursday for a 'proper day of it'.  [ ] I can't wait.
 

[Claw75]

urgh - with you on the sizing thing.  I'm a size 12/14.  In some shops I need a 16.  In Sainsbury's I can get away with a 10.  Sainsbury's are right imo.