Goodbye Old Friend

When I was 16 years old I brought home a puppy. My mom was not thrilled with the idea and told me to find him a new home while she and my dad went to the mall for dinner. I found him a home while they were out, but my Dad worked his magic on my mom and I got to go retrieve him back from the friend who said they would take him and keep him. I named him Otis, but he was never called that. His real name was Puppy.

You see, Puppy, was half Jack Russell terrier and half Poodle. He was a mixture of hyperactivity and intelligence. He would drive you completely insane with his energy level, but was smart enough to know exactly what he was doing. He would growl when you said the word "bath", he would look out the window if you said "squirrel", he loved tennis balls like they were some form of dog class A narcotics, and he could run like a gazelle. He was an awesome dog.

When I left home, it was decided that he was too used to being in my mother's house and that he should just stay with her. I don't think the military life would have suited him at all. He would still be my dog, but my mom would have custody. I always loved coming back to my parents house, sitting down on the sofa and having to restrain my Puppy from licking me to death because he was so excited to see me.

This past year he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. It was kept in check with medicines and he continued for the most part to be his happy, bouncy, sometimes crotchety old self. I saw him over the summer and had made a few more memories with him.

Yesterday my mother called and said that Puppy was not doing well and was going to be taken to the vet. She didn't have much hope that he would recover and had a feeling that she would probably have to put him to sleep in order to prevent him from suffering. The vet however suggested a change to his medicines and said he was resting comfortably and that she could pick him back up around 5:30pm. About 15 minutes before she was due to pick him up from the vet's office, his little heart gave out on him.

I am sad of course, but I know that he did not suffer. He lived 14 wonderful years. He had a great home. He had a family that loved him. He was one lucky dog.

Rest well you little hellion. We're going to miss you.

Dear So and So...On The Fly

Dear 7:15 AM,

So we meet again old enemy.... you know my feelings about you. I hate how you taunt me with the ringing of my alarm and the way my eyes won't quite open properly at that time. Can't you just let me sleep just a bit longer?

Groggy, Kat

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Dear School,

Could we start the day at a more reasonable hour. Let's say 10 AM? That way I don't have to get out of bed until 9am. That sounds a lot more sensible. Kids get more sleep. Parents get more sleep. It sounds like a win win situation to me.

Just Sayin', Kat

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Dear Children of Mine,

"Time to get up" isn't a suggestion.

I Really Mean It, Mom

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Dear Rain,

Hold off until after tomorrow say 4ish. I need to mow the lawn... yet again.

I'm Begging You A Little Here, Kat

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Dear Grass,

Could you quit growing now? I know all this rain has fueled your growth to ridiculous levels, but have some mercy! I am only one person.

Pleading With You, Kat

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Dear Readers,

I hope you have a lovely weekend full of fun. Don't forget to link up if you have letters of your own.

Love, Kat

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Mommy Neurosis

It's not very often that my neurotic mommy side completely takes hold and I have a complete panic attack about things. However, this morning it did. Today, KiKi was on the bus for the very first time. My baby is getting on the bus! Of course when I realized all this I had a complete melt down. Is the bus driver just going to throw her on the playground and hope that she makes it to her class? Will she remember to line up with her class? Will she forget her things on the playground? Will she cry? Will she wonder where I am? Gah!!!!

So of course I did what any logical parent who is having a massive crisis of convictions does, I called my best friend who's child is also on the bus and made her ask her daughter to look out for my daughter. Then I made LaLa promise that she wouldn't abandon her sister on the playground and look out for her. Then I talked to KiKi and explained that I wouldn't be there and that she was a big girl and that she needed to find her teacher on the playground.

I am still sitting here panicking a bit. I am sure she will be fine. I am still panicking though. She's gonna be OK, right?

Lost chair from Daisuke Motogi

An exhibit at Cheongju international craft here http://eng.okcj.org/home/main.do

The Lost chair is a great idea. It shape and feel reminds of the B&B Italia tufty range which I've blogged on here twice ( I do love it that much)

Anyway the designer Daisuke Motogi born in 1981 whom started Daisuke Motogi Architecture in 2010 and has some stunning ideas already on the site.

I love the way you can add books flowers, whatever you want in to the chair.

For more great inspiration check out other works from Daisuke here  

What I Plan On Doing The First Day of School

My kids start school tomorrow. They need to go to school. They want to go to school. I am tremendously excited for them and for me. I am already planning for my first day of freedom in 6 weeks their first day of school.

8:45- Take kids to school

9:15- Arrive home

9:16- Check email and Facebook

9:16:05-Send tweet about my kids being at school.

9:30- Watch a movie. Probably tweet while watching the movie.

11:30- Contemplate lunch.

11:35- Make lunch and eat without interruption.

12:00- Consider a nap

12:05- Take nap.

2:00- Wake up. Watch more TV.

3:00- Remember that I have to get the kids from school.

3:15- Go get kids.

Basically, I am doing all the things that I couldn't do while they were on their summer break. I don't normally have a day like this, but I think I will make an exception for tomorrow. An entire day of laziness without having to hear this:

Did I mention that they totally want to go back to school? Happy days!

What The Hell Is Wrong With The Mummyblogging Community Lately??

*This post is a bit sweary. If you don't like it, sorry.

I have seen so much discourse on Facebook and Twitter lately between mummybloggers in the UK. Epic proportions of sniping, bitching, going behind backs, and outright mean spirited remarks have been happening. It is happening between well established bloggers and newbie bloggers a like. I can feel an under current of meanness now that I have never before felt in this community. People playing fast and loose with the hurtful words. Enough of the bullshit. Be nice to each other. We're all bloggers. We're all mums. All this infighting? It gets us nowhere. In fact, when it happens out in public forums such as Twitter, it can has serious consequences for your online reputation. I know this is not a utopia and not everyone is going to get along, but for goodness sake send an email and not a tweet.

I have seen the effects of personal attacks on bloggers in the past. It isn't nice. There have been some bloggers who have stopped blogging because they have been basically run out of town by a lynch mob. Some bloggers who are attacked keep blogging, but sometimes they are afraid to state their real feelings; afraid of being attacked once again. Your blog, your voice. Where is the fun of blogging if you can't even express yourself? Other bloggers have in the past turned off comments because they didn't want their comments sections to be hijacked by nasty comments. Some can let it roll off their back like water on a duck. Just keep in mind, there are real people behind your computer screen. Feelings get hurt.

For goodness sake help each other out. No blogger has all the answers. If we did we would all be making money from PR companies and brands hand over fist. OK, well maybe Dooce over in the US had all the answers; she seems to be doing alright with this lark. If you have a question ask it? I am personally saying, that if you have a question, email me. I will do my best to answer it. If I can't answer it*, I will ask someone who I think could answer your question. If someone asks you a question, try to help out. I know quite a few bloggers who help out quite a lot and I think that is awesome. Be a nice person. Remember there is enough room in the blogging community for everyone. Also, try not to take direct comments (just direct, not mean) comments too personally. Sometimes the computer does not inflect the tone of the author.

Just a little bit of advise from little old me. Of course, you have the right to disagree with me, but that is your prerogative.

*I am really bad at stats and SEO for the record, but Nickie over at Typecast is really good at it.

Silent Sunday