Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. As a child, we would dress up and spend the entire evening trick-or-treating. It used to be safe to go without parents, and we would not come home until 8:30 or 9:00, bags filled completely full of candy. Once I started teaching, I would dress up in crazy costumes, and at The Independent School, people could count on me becoming Cousin Itt, a dwarf, a shark, or something else! It was great wandering around the school, and usually people couldn't figure out who was under that costume until they saw my shoes!
Unfortunately, for the past 12 years, Halloween has been a holiday of mixed and conflicting feelings. In 2000, I had taken my shark costume to school, but I had a meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Garvey first. I was going to wander the halls after that. It never happened, as about 9:00 that morning I received a phone call that my dad had passed away unexpectedly. Mr. and Mrs. Garvey were with me when I received my news, and suddenly, I was on auto-pilot. I will never forget it. We flew home that day, passed out candy that night in Albuquerque, and proceeded with funeral arrangements. Mind you, this was 9 days after Don's mom had passed away.
Needless to say, Halloween is also sad for me.
But Dad would have hated to think his passing would make us quit enjoying the fun of Halloween. So after two years or so, I decided I needed to go on with dressing up because it is fun. Since I have retired, I pull out the costumes and visit businesses and people I know, cookies in hand. This year I mixed it up a little, appearing as Cheesie, the dwarf, at a few places, and Cousin Itt at others. I even went to Rotary as Cousin Itt. It unnerved a few people since Cousin Itt only squeaks and they had no idea who was under Cousin Itt's crazy costume. Eventually a few people figured it out . . . but if I had taken off my purple shirt, I am not sure anyone, except Don, would have known!
Dad's passing was very sad and shocking, and I will never forget him, but I know he would say, "Life goes on, Karen; get with living it." So I do my best to enjoy every day, just the way he would have wanted it.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Octoberfest
This year's football schedule was a challenge. After last year's Octoberfest, we knew it would become an annual celebration. But we only had two home games in October. When the KU game was at 11:00, we were left with October 27 - the Texas Tech game. Once it was announced that the game would be at 2:30, we were on.
At 11:30 the party began when the host, Kenneth, came out of the RV, lederhosen dressed, to the tunes of Octoberfest blaring out of the speakers. Roll out the barrel, we'll have a barrel of fun . . . In heaven there is no beer, that's why we drink it here . . . along with the chicken dance and other polkas. Next year, we will do the chicken dance!
After the brats were all cooked, the German potato salad eaten, the mini-German chocolate cupcakes devoured, the pumpkin whoopie pies gobbled, the home-made pretzels enjoyed, and the German beer finished, we were all able to indulge in a fabulous game against Texas Tech. I think I can safely say, a good time was had by all!
At 11:30 the party began when the host, Kenneth, came out of the RV, lederhosen dressed, to the tunes of Octoberfest blaring out of the speakers. Roll out the barrel, we'll have a barrel of fun . . . In heaven there is no beer, that's why we drink it here . . . along with the chicken dance and other polkas. Next year, we will do the chicken dance!
After the brats were all cooked, the German potato salad eaten, the mini-German chocolate cupcakes devoured, the pumpkin whoopie pies gobbled, the home-made pretzels enjoyed, and the German beer finished, we were all able to indulge in a fabulous game against Texas Tech. I think I can safely say, a good time was had by all!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Hedging One's Bets
One thing I have learned after 6 1/2 years of retirement is that the t-shirts that say, "Let the dog in, let the dog out" really did know something about animals. Get one dementia-fied 15-year-old dog and one two-year-old active Springer in the same household, and I could perpetually be opening and closing the sliding door.
Bella solved the problem for me . . . at least while the weather cooperated.
I would open the door, and she would go partway out . . . and then stop. Soon she would lie down, making sure she had her nose out the door. That way, she could go in and out as she pleased.
Good thing the weather was good most of the days she was here. She is much happier this way!
Bella solved the problem for me . . . at least while the weather cooperated.
I would open the door, and she would go partway out . . . and then stop. Soon she would lie down, making sure she had her nose out the door. That way, she could go in and out as she pleased.
Good thing the weather was good most of the days she was here. She is much happier this way!
Friday, October 26, 2012
The Two Bad Bs
There must have been something in the air on Thursday. The temperature was cooler, for sure, the wind was blowing, a front was blowing in. That must be what got into the two Bs at our house - Bella and Babs.
Babs has had a number of tummy issues for which she has been taking a medication. We have had several indications that it has been helping - she is no longer spitting up, she is eating well, and she is gaining weight. All good signs. Unfortunately, she has also begun to eat gross things in the backyard. She had a habit of that, but it had stopped, I thought. Wrong. At least wrong yesterday. Yech. I guess I am glad she is feeling better, but isn't there a better way to show it?
Then there's Bella. She has been a very good dog all week. She hasn't gotten on the bed once, she hasn't jumped on people (much), she played nicely with PattySue. I had noticed yesterday morning when she went out she was much more active in the backyard. She was crawling under the stairs, which she hadn't done in some time, and she was running around crazy, as if a rabbit was everywhere and she couldn't decide which one to chase - but there weren't any! I should have known she was not her normal self. So when I came home yesterday from a short errand, this is what I found:
Yes, Bella had gotten into the trash. I think she was after the McDonald's box (to the right), but I don't know for sure. She didn't make nearly as bad a mess as Sepia used to, so I wasn't really upset, but she knew immediately that she had been naughty. She got the "I am ashamed" look and rolled over. Of course, could I get her to do that with the camera turned on? No, but you get the idea. It was easily cleaned up, and how could I be angry with such a sweet girl?
Today, they both are being their very cute selves . . . so it must have been the change of weather that brought the devil out in both of them!
Babs has had a number of tummy issues for which she has been taking a medication. We have had several indications that it has been helping - she is no longer spitting up, she is eating well, and she is gaining weight. All good signs. Unfortunately, she has also begun to eat gross things in the backyard. She had a habit of that, but it had stopped, I thought. Wrong. At least wrong yesterday. Yech. I guess I am glad she is feeling better, but isn't there a better way to show it?
Then there's Bella. She has been a very good dog all week. She hasn't gotten on the bed once, she hasn't jumped on people (much), she played nicely with PattySue. I had noticed yesterday morning when she went out she was much more active in the backyard. She was crawling under the stairs, which she hadn't done in some time, and she was running around crazy, as if a rabbit was everywhere and she couldn't decide which one to chase - but there weren't any! I should have known she was not her normal self. So when I came home yesterday from a short errand, this is what I found:
Yes, Bella had gotten into the trash. I think she was after the McDonald's box (to the right), but I don't know for sure. She didn't make nearly as bad a mess as Sepia used to, so I wasn't really upset, but she knew immediately that she had been naughty. She got the "I am ashamed" look and rolled over. Of course, could I get her to do that with the camera turned on? No, but you get the idea. It was easily cleaned up, and how could I be angry with such a sweet girl?
Today, they both are being their very cute selves . . . so it must have been the change of weather that brought the devil out in both of them!
Monday, October 22, 2012
How Do People Think of These Things
I am frequently amazed by how clever people are. They think of the funniest captions for pictures. In light of the Wildcats' most recent win, I got quite a chuckle out of this picture. Enjoy!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Bella, the Flatulent Dog
If Walter, the Farting Dog had not been written, I would write my own book. It would be called Bella, the Flatulent Dog, or Bella, the Dog That Lets Beans, or maybe Gassy Bella. All work.
We have never had a dog that lets gas a lot. Occasionally, sure . . . but not every day and certainly not ones that smell like the water treatment plant. But Bella . . . wow! Hers definitely do not smell like roses.
The Gaskills had mentioned that she seems to have this problem . . . and it is becoming more and more apparent!
Good thing she is very loveable . . .
We have never had a dog that lets gas a lot. Occasionally, sure . . . but not every day and certainly not ones that smell like the water treatment plant. But Bella . . . wow! Hers definitely do not smell like roses.
The Gaskills had mentioned that she seems to have this problem . . . and it is becoming more and more apparent!
Good thing she is very loveable . . .
Friday, October 19, 2012
Funny Stories from the Last Few Days
It has been a few days of visiting with people in meetings, lunches, or other venues. I came across a few stories that I have loved and need to share them (so I will remember them!)
At a meeting a woman (a K-State fan) was telling about her granddaughter who had fallen and scraped her arm. The scrape was bleeding and bleeding, and as it did so, the little girl cried harder and harder. Her mom tried to clean her up, but the little girl was inconsolable. Sobbing, she finally explained to her mother, "But Mommy, I am not bleeding purple like Grandma."
At lunch with Mrs. Garvey, I was told about her new puppy, a Chin. I had never heard of a Chin before, but it apparently is a Japanese dog of royalty that becomes a lap dog. This puppy, however, is a little too rambunctious to be a lap dog yet. It leaps around, licking Mrs. G on the face, jumping up and down. They named the dog Willard, and they call him Willie. One of the grandchildren tried to convince Mrs. G to let the dog sleep with her. Her response? "I need to get to know him better before that happens." Don't tell me you have to lose your sense of humor as you age!
Another friend of mine is painting her house. She and her husband chose what they thought would be the perfect shade of green. Unfortunately, the color wasn't exactly what they had thought, and it turned out to be a bright lime green. We were all out front discussing her predicament, and different ones of us were more politic than others. Don, however, wins the prize for political correctness. He hadn't heard the story of the colors and how the paint store agreed to fix the paint, so when asked what color he liked he responded, "Whatever color B. likes."
I hope you enjoy my stories!
At a meeting a woman (a K-State fan) was telling about her granddaughter who had fallen and scraped her arm. The scrape was bleeding and bleeding, and as it did so, the little girl cried harder and harder. Her mom tried to clean her up, but the little girl was inconsolable. Sobbing, she finally explained to her mother, "But Mommy, I am not bleeding purple like Grandma."
At lunch with Mrs. Garvey, I was told about her new puppy, a Chin. I had never heard of a Chin before, but it apparently is a Japanese dog of royalty that becomes a lap dog. This puppy, however, is a little too rambunctious to be a lap dog yet. It leaps around, licking Mrs. G on the face, jumping up and down. They named the dog Willard, and they call him Willie. One of the grandchildren tried to convince Mrs. G to let the dog sleep with her. Her response? "I need to get to know him better before that happens." Don't tell me you have to lose your sense of humor as you age!
Another friend of mine is painting her house. She and her husband chose what they thought would be the perfect shade of green. Unfortunately, the color wasn't exactly what they had thought, and it turned out to be a bright lime green. We were all out front discussing her predicament, and different ones of us were more politic than others. Don, however, wins the prize for political correctness. He hadn't heard the story of the colors and how the paint store agreed to fix the paint, so when asked what color he liked he responded, "Whatever color B. likes."
I hope you enjoy my stories!
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