27 January 2012

The Last Winter


current state of mind: inquisitive

I see you the only one who knew me
But now your eyes see through me
I guess I was wrong
So what now it's plain to see we're over
And I hate when things are over
When so much is left undone
~ ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ by Deep Blue Something

We have a family dog! His name is Sleepy McJoe and he is a pretty incredible dog. Without genetic test results in hand, I am making an educated guess that he is a Lab-Chow mix. That is what I tell people and I always follow it up with “And Chows are biters.”  You see, Sleepy McJoe was an abused puppy and when we rescued him from the Humane Society, they warned us that he did not like to be touched around his neck.  Sleepy still doesn’t like to be touched around the neck unless you are just hugging him and saying his name really sweet-like.  Oh, and you are in our immediate family.  That last part is pretty important, because if you aren’t and you try to hug him, he’ll bite your face off.  That’s really the point I am trying to make here.  Sleepy is a great dog, but Sleepy will bite your face off if he wants.  I am pretty sure everyone in the fam, except ‘Mi Madre’, has a scar or two from Sleepy’s canines. 

So, now, Sleepy is 14 or 15.  He’s arthritic and slower than he used to be. He can still climb on the couch with ease when no one is around; but he is a lot slower getting off the couch when he gets caught than he has been in years past.  He pretty much does what he wants when he wants and we just smile at him.  For the past 3 years, I have often made the comment “Well, this is his last ^insert season here^, so we can let him do what he wants.”  Sometimes peeps get upset that I choose to imply that Sleepy may die soon, forcing me to explain that I have to prepare myself in this way.  It makes every day we have him with us a special one. 

I am not in any way suggesting that everyone should just start introducing people and pets in this manner.  “Hey, this is my friend, Bobby; it’s his last winter.”  But, I do suggest that you treat people in your life with the care and devotion that one would treat am aging pet:  Give lots of affection, Cherish the time you spend with them; Buy them Tempurpedic beds; and let them sleep on your couch when they are over.

PERSONAL NOTE: I am looking forward to date night!

CONFIDENTIAL NOTE: You are rocking it in those jeans, girlfriend!

Eidetic Vision

Main Entry: ei·det·ic Pronunciation: I-'det-ik Function: adjective : marked by or involving extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall especially of visual images - an eidetic memory Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.