Sorry, not sorry

 Four years ago my daughter vowed she would get a dog when she graduated from college. 

At the time I remember I advised her to be out on her own for awhile and make sure that was what she wanted.  She would need a yard, or at least a place to walk said doggie.  Time to spend playing with it.  Money to afford taking care of it.  Its a commitment, not just something to play with every now and then -  but I think she knew that.

 Thanksgiving 2011

Fast forward to last September, and she got herself a dog.  A very nice rescue border collie.  Meek and loving, he fills a need in her.  And, I'm sure she feels like, in her Big Girl World, she should be able to make all of her own decisions, including getting herself a dog.  I support that.  But I'm still going to give her advice and try to steer her away from some of the mistakes I made - after all, I am on her side.  Because would I love for her to have a PERSON in her life, too?  Well, yes.  But, a second dog?  Not so much.

But since every day is apparently Opposite Day in her world, she decided a second dog was just the ticket, and plunged headlong into a hasty decision.  This time it went wrong.  And I am sad for her.  But not sorry.  She was angry with me, and Mark counseled me for being frank and honest with her about it.  I thought she wasn't really thinking a second dog through, considering where she lives and how many hours she works. And I thought that driving from Houston to DFW to pick up a dog she had never spent time with, nor introduced her other dog to, was a mistake.  She blew me off, then complained to her dad.  Then it went to hell in a handbag, like I feared. 

Do I still have to say I was sorry, even if I was dead on target?  I do feel sad for her bad experience. Did she say "I'm sorry I shit on your good advice which I flat out refused to take"?  Um, no.  If she thinks that makes it less likely that I will voice my opinions in the future, no matter how unpopular they are, she is mistaken.  If I'm sorry for anything, it's that I was unable to convince her to reconsider it from the get-go.  But I guess it's how some people learn Life Lessons. 
Seems like it shouldn't have to be so hard, though. 

Silver Spurs

Mark and I are having a fine time in the Silver Spurs wine club of Driftwood Estates.  Every three months we attend the wine partay to pick up our three bottles and  enjoy another two while snacking and listening to music.  This last time we set up a little folding table we could stow a bottle in.  

 

The party comes with a free tasting or a glass of your choice of wine - we took the glass.  Plus a lunch - this time around we had the Chicken Tinga nachos and stuffed avocados from Trudy's.  Aaanddd... we may have brought some cheese, crackers, and sausage of our own to snack on.  Death by cheese!  Note to self:  pack the cooler and get it ready for next time.  We will need napkins, hand sanitizer, extra cash, sunscreen, water...

 

 It started out overcast but breezy and pleasant.  But by mid-afternoon the sun was blazing.  

We situated our chairs and table near a low rock wall that overlooks the bluff and the vineyard. The place fills up quickly, so we try to get there early and stake a claim.  I think next time we will have to find shade!

 Sigh.  So pretty out here.  So wonderful to sit and sip your vino while listening to live music.  Everyone we meet out here is friendly, too.  We chatted up the people sitting next to us for about an hour.

And yes, I got sunburned in February!  But such a great afternoon. 

I so love it out here.

Stitchin a fit

There has been a butt load of change recently at work.  I'm not on board with all of it.  I was accustomed to feeling like I was on a certain path.  It was an easy route, and I was OK with it.  And it's not just me - Mark has had his share of change, work-wise.  Seems like this is the year we go fast-forward ahead.  However annoying it may be.

I'm just go ahead and say it:  I'm not a huge fan of change.  I know that sounds silly.  you would think that at this late date, I would understand the need for change.  I get that it moves us into the future, and that you can either fight it, or go with it.  Change is inevitable, struggle is optional, blah blah blah.  I'm trying to get past my initial struggles with it.  I know that better days are ahead, and that these are not necessarily bad days.  It's all in how you look at it.  I know this.  But I also know that your body doesn't see good stress as any different from bad stress.  So I am doing things that I hope will help see me through.  Might have to stitch more sarcasm and swear words.  Might have to get better at walking each day.  Might have to do some more meditating.  Might have to get a damn grip.

More and more

My mother turns 86 today.

Every passing birthday I realize that she won't be around forever, and I resolve to get up to see her more often.  And yet, she is a pretty healthy 86 year old.  Growing her own veggies, tending chickens, taking herself in her pickup truck to play 42 and to the library.  Her handwriting is as neat as always, her hearing intact, and she doesn't complain of anything more than feeling tired after working outside.  But even I feel tired after that.

But every time I visit her, she will ask me to take her shopping.  Which in itself, is not an issue, but it makes me worry.  I only visit her every couple of weeks at the most.  Surely she has shopping to do more often than that?  I just get this feeling that she isn't as comfortable getting out and about by herself as much as she used to.  And last time I visited, she mentioned that she wished I lived closer.  Of course, I had brought her lunch and done some cleaning.  Who WOULDN'T want to live closer to a little extra love and help?  

So, more and more I think about it.  And sometime sooner, rather than later, we might have to look into getting her a little closer to Austin.