So, you get a puppy, and over the course of a few months you try to leash train your puppy, but your puppy is part velociraptor and part Tasmanian Devil and just eats all the leashes. until you give up. And then when the puppy is right around two years old, and you’re cleaning up all the old dog stuff he randomly spots his old collar and last surviving leash and randomly takes them from the pile, and brings them, gently offering them to his person, and his person flabberghastedly puts the collar on, and said puppy now wants to be walked around like a show pony and seems like he’s having the time of his life, to the point that your kids decide he can be trusted to walk on the sidewalk in front…
Yeah, the damned dog just randomly leash trained himself. Now I have to buy him a new collar that fits his two year old neck, and a new leash that isn’t half chewed through so he can go for daily walkies. I wonder how he’ll do with a harness instead of a collar?
And the neurotic old dog that would never go for a walk anywhere and always had to be carried back to the house is like, wait, what about me? I want to go walkies… Yeah, this is going to be fun.
I wonder if the cat wants to go walkies, I mean she’s more of a dog than either dog is. And she does not like to be left out.
My animals are weird.
It is what it is.
Speaking of weird… tomorrow the small child is off to Prom!
We pieced together a suit from the thrift stores. Black jacket, black vest, black pants, purple shirt. No tie. I think they’re doing a dragon brooch instead. A pair of funky as hell pointed toe black leather booties with silver buckles and studs from Plato’s Closet, that were originally two hundred bucks that we got for 18 bucks in great shape, and a silver chain belt from the Target little girls section, because there were no funky chain belts in the adult sections, and they can still wear belts from the little girls section. Not pants or tops, not that they’d want too, but belts, and shoes.
And after years of having no interest what-so-ever in going to dances or anything remotely dressy or social, they are going to prom. Tomorrow. And that’s it. That’s the first step to the end.
I knew it was coming. It’s been coming since August. The first day of the last year. The college applications, made it very clear time was moving inexorably in that direction, college acceptance sealed the deal. But here we are, tomorrow is the final day of the third quarter of the last semester of their senior year. Tuesday is the first day of the last everything. The final day for seniors is April 26th. So a month and a half. Final spring break will fall in there. Then graduation on May 13th. Then 18th birthday in June… and that’s it.
My last baby will be all grown up.
I’m so happy, and proud, but at the same time, I’m sad. So very sad. It hurts. It hurt with the other three too, but that first one to go, and this last one… yeah, these hurt the most. Not in a bad way hurt… just that… my babies are grown bittersweet way.
Sometimes I think they’re still the little towheaded curly tops with pudgy faces and little legs committing mayhem and cuteness… the next they’re taller than me, and full fledged adults.
And you think about your parents, who are now gone, and wonder if they felt the same when it was you.
And that’s where we are right now… free falling into adulthood…
SIGHS!
Random big thoughts on the middle Thursday in March…
But life goes on, and dogs must have collars, and kids must leave the nest… it is what it is.
Peace,
Mercy
disclaimer: not my dogs
