Everybody is Irish for the Day

Hey blog readers...I know it has been a long time since I last posted, but here we go. It may get a little long, so I feel like I should apologize early.

It has been a busy time in our little lives. Lots going on, and I am sure everyone was ready for this little taste of spring that we are getting. I feel like I am pointing out the obvious, but, the weather has been delightful. Sun out, mild temperatures and the kids are outside playing. I am excited about the warm weather just around the corner. I often, in the throws of winter blahs, wonder why we continue to live in this Northwest Indiana climate. But after contemplation this weekend on the deck. Bathed in sunshine, mild weather settled in, cigar in hand and glass of Gentleman Jack on ice nestled within reach and chicken on the grill. I was reminded exactly why. Season changes. I will not lie, I dreamt many times this winter of a life in a tropical climate. Never shoveling not so much as another flake of snow or scraping ice from my windshield. But alas I am reminded that without snow, I wouldn't have that dream. What is life without dreams. I am pretty sure people who live in Florida never wake up and say, "man I wish it would snow". I on the other hand have the opposite of that dream. If you have everything nice weather, sunshine and palm trees, my friends...there is only difficult things to dream for. World peace, infinite wealth and unending health. I my friends like my dreams of eventual sunshine, vacations to Florida(I never said I didn't like Florida) and summer on the horizon. So bring on the sunshine, the summer weather and the pending fall(don't get mad...it is months away) so we can start this whole dream over again.

Sharkboy is loving this weather. He has been playing with the neighbor kids and they don't have to bundle up to do it. It has been 3 days without any mention of the Wii, and I don't even think he has noticed it. Soccer balls, baseballs and bikes are out in force in the neighborhood. They are getting out more at school so bedtime comes too soon for him, but he is asleep before the lights are off and door closed. He is excited about St. Patrick's Day today. He insisted on wearing green, and after I calmed his fears of Leprechaun abductions he was on his way to school. This afternoon we may go to Tractor Supply or Rural King and look at baby Chicks, a true sign that spring is here. But one thing is for sure we will be outside...soaking up the warm weather and sun.

Daisy had her fixator removed on the 9th. We took the trek east to Fort Wayne one more time and in true Daisy fashion she stood up for the whole trip. If one thing has occurred during this injury, her love for car rides has dwindled. I think she cringes any time we coax her into the vehicles for a ride. At the end she either ends up being poked with a needle, sedated and wakes up with a contraption screwed to her leg, groggy for a terrifying car ride home or another pill emerges that night at feeding time to be crammed down her throat. As you can imagine we are experts at the art of medicating our dog. On the other side though Daisy is an expert at detecting medication in it's many forms. We first did the wrap in cheese trick, but when the pills became too numerous and began poking out of the cheese, she no longer took the cheese with any gusto. We then wrapped in bread, however that was short lived once one of her teeth punctured our little carbohydrate wrapper and she tasted the medicine. So we were left with the pry her jaws open, plunge our otherwise clean hands in her mouth and deposit the pills beyond the back of her tongue. We have, as you can imagine, experienced more of our share of dog slobber coated pills being dispensed wherever we are trying to administer said medications. So all medications are now administered on the safety of our kitchen's tiled floor. She is in rehab now. She tentatively uses her leg and we have started short, slow walks and she uses her leg more and more every day. I think her greatest joy with the lack of restriction of movement is that she can now curl into her puppy ball and sleep. Oh the joys of being a dog.

In reflection to all things that have happened with Daisy and the cost of her injury I have conjured these thoughts using these questions. Would I do this differently if it happened again? The answer, absolutely not. The care we received was top notch by human standards and was more than we ever expected. What was the true affect on the family? We missed our trip to Disney. However a trip to Disney never greats you at the door with the enthusiasm and love that she manages to conjure every time we go away. I mean every time, it could be her in her crate for 6 hours while we are at work or a trip to Walgreens lasting 10 min and she greets us with the enthusiasm only matched by screaming fans of rock bands or celebrities. She truly lives a life of unqualified love for her family. Is she better after he surgery? Well that is yet to be determined. But everyday she improves and everyday she uses her leg more. So, so far...I would say yes. What is the greatest accomplishment of this surgery? We have realized how much we love our dog. She has cemented a place in our lives for a dog. I think we were on the fence on whether we would have another dog, should the tragic loss of our Daisy occur. I think in our little piece of the world the answer is a resounding YES.

I sadly have little to report. Life is trudging along happily as a member our little family. Life is unfolding gently for me. Work is good, life is good and most importantly family is good. A list of projects is piling up for this spring/summer, but I am excited to chip away at them. The bathroom in the basement now has a deadline and we are moving ahead. The Master Bedroom needs a new color(paint job), the current bribe to hurry this process is a new flat screen TV for the wall. So that has been moved up in the list of priorities. The shed has been selected and now it is a matter of buying it, building it and painting it. That will be followed by a reorganization of garage dwelling vs. shed dwelling assets, with the ultimate goal of having a 2 car garage (again) in the fall to tuck my truck into. Then the garage will get the drywall finished (complete the taping and mudding process) and then a complete paint job and organization of the garage. Sounds daunting, but it will be a great summer of accomplishment.

Well, I am procrastinating my projects for the day. I need to go to the upholsterer and drop off the Gazebo top to have some fall wind damaged repair. Then it is an afternoon with the family of spring time fun.

Enjoy your St. Patrick's day, your spring weather...and most importantly.

Be Kind, Be SAFE....

Shalom my Peeps.