In other news ...
A SAD DOG DAY
Our dear Jack is getting old. Our vet believes he's getting senile as well, due to the lovely conversation we had about his -- ah -- eating habits in the back yard. He's simply doing gross things that even dogs don't usually do. I've even caught him trying to scrape off a dead, dried-out worm that had gotten plastered onto the sidewalk. That's not what I'd call a "normal" dog snack.
About two weeks ago it finally dawned on me that Jack wasn't simply ignoring me when I would call him away from some nasty tidbit. After a few experiments, I came to the sad realization that Jack is now deaf, or at least losing his hearing. For about a week I watched him sadly, my heart breaking for my poor dog. He was depressed, his already-sad-looking big brown eyes looking even more forlorn. His ears remained flat -- no "radar ears," as my kids say -- not even a twitch when I said his favorite words like "food" or "walk." Nothing. Head down; tail down. It broke my heart.
Thankfully, though, I believe some of his hearing is returning. He had been suffering from the worst ear infection he'd ever had, so I think some of that was temporary -- either due to the infection or the medication. He now barks at the doorbell again; he looks up when I clap. He's not 100%, though, nor will he ever be. Jack is an old dog. I know I have a heart that is sometimes too big, too soft, too breakable. And Jack has wiggled his way into completely it, making this all the more difficult.
Jack will be 12 on June 4. 84 years old in "people years." In a way, it shouldn't be a surprise that he can't hear and is scraping petrified worms off the sidewalk. All sorts of oddities go on in nursing homes, I'm sure. But it's hard to watch. It's hard to know what's coming someday. I'm not so sure I agree with Alfred Lord Tennyson: "'Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all."
TO SEE OR NOT TO SEE
Yes, that was the question for me. Oh, I could see all right -- it was more of the fact that I hadn't gotten my eyes check in 12 years! And yes, in case you were wondering, my glasses are also 12 years old. My prescription sunglasses -- ahem! -- go back even farther, to the good old Seminary days of 1996! Right ... time for new glasses. If you recall, I tried to venture down this path last summer, but with school starting shortly thereafter (or shall we just name it for what it is? Cowardice? Fear of change?!) I never made it back. But leave it to my family to hold my feet to the proverbial fire ... and of course, who could EVER resist Grace's subliminal messages to me?
Yes, every single day Grace dons her glasses. She even wears them to school. I took the hint, and took the plunge. I figured that if I'm making a change, I might as well embrace it completely. Rimless? Nah. That's so 1998. I've gone for metallic -- copper, to be exact, the same shade as my hair. Funky. Angular. Quite "in your face." But I think it's the right choice -- I hope it's the right choice -- because I'm banking on Don's comment in response to my (albeit unfairly loaded) question:"If you didn't know me and saw me walking down the street, what would you think?"
(Incorrect answer would be: Ugh, there's a Soccer Mom wearing dumb glasses.")
He beamed. "I'd think you must be a very interesting person. I'd be intrigued. And I'd really want to get to know you."
Bingo! I should be getting them this week. Update to follow!
HE'S THERE, I'M HERE
All right, all right ... I will confess. I'm jealous. Really jealous. I'm here in cold, dreary NJ. Don is in beautiful San Francisco, CA. And in typical Don-fashion, he documents his goings-on, emailing photos or little videos of what he's seen, including what he eats. There is no malice to his sharing; I know he wishes we were with him. I wish that too. This is what I see in NJ:
This is what Don sees in CA:The Golden Gate Bridge
Chinatown
He/We have a "thing" for churches
Not unlike SoHo ...
Alcatraz
I like this quote by Erica Jong: "Jealousy is all the fun you think they had."In this case, it's fun that I KNOW he's having ...
2 comments:
If it makes you feel better, it's cold and dreary here in SF too. We got hail today which I can't remember the last time we got hail.
Sorry to hear about Jack. We lost our Homer 2 years ago, the week after Riley's tenotomy and it is never easy. He was my first baby. But I will never regret letting him into my heart, no matter how heartbreaking it was to watch him get older and age. I hope that having his ear infection cleared up lifts his spirits!
I can't wait to see you and catch up! San Francisco is one of my all-time favorite cities, so I'm joining you in your envy. Let's think about Sunday evening for a get-together! Let me know if this works for you. Smiles. :)
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