THE GOOD LIFE

Tillie had a stroke this week. 

Thankfully it was not a bad enough stroke that she had to be put down. But a stroke is a stroke and once it hits, there is not a full recovery, no matter how severe. This is true for Tillie. 

She is a 12 year old Great Dane/Weimaraner mix. We got her as a puppy in Arizona and she has been a close companion to all of us, especially me. While I love all of our pets, she has to be my favorite, or at least my favorite dog. It is really sad to see the changes in her behavior since Tuesday’s incident. 

Before…

• she was silly; now she is quite
• she had facial expressions; now only blank stares
• she was a talker; now she is silent
• she liked being outside, now she likes to be inside
• she loved to play, but now she has to lay low

Here is a video, nothing fancy, that shows her playing with our former dog Mazie. Tillie loved to play, especially tug-of-war. (Tillie is the fat black dog!):

It is really upsetting to see your pet getting old. You know they are going to pass, it is just how things work; the circle of life. The thing is that you don’t expect it. You are with your pets every single day and their oldness just kind of makes slow and steady progress, you become used to the small things and they go unnoticed (like the grey areas around the eyes and lips, the saggy belly and rickety bones and popping joints). They become a day to day event and we become desensitized. Then, something major happens and you then realize that your pal is older than you think.

Tillie has always been in great health except for a few ear infections. Bandit however, a 14 year old St. Bernard/Dalmatian mix has bone cancer and hip dysplasia and we though for sure he would be the first to go. But, the doctor gave him a clean bill of health and said that he is doing remarkably well! But for Tillie, the vet said that she will probably only be alive for a few more months. That makes me really sad.

But, all great things must come to an end. She is an old dog and has had a lot of great years behind her. She is a part of the family as all dogs become. I hope that she will be around for several more months, but can’t imagine not having the old Tillie around, the one that used to be silly, “talk” all the time (making noises, growling, squeaking etc.) and be so full of life, even in her old years. We have always hoped though that when our dogs pass away, the go quietly, not in pain, and during their sleep. I hope that this will be true for Tillie.

I want to break this post into a few topics, so here we go!

The Election Results

Well, the Republican party did not fair well this election as we all know. This includes Senate and House races where a lot of seats were lost to the Left. I know that everyone who is reading this knows it, but for those who are reading this but don’t know it, I am a conservative. I guess you could call me moderate due to the fact that I am very much into the “Green” movement and saving the Earth among my other political and personal views. Any how, I was not a supporter, and am still not a supporter of Barack Obama. If you want to know why, shoot me an email or comment on this post and I will explain.

But, I can be anti-Obama, and still support him as President. I will be praying every day that God brings him wisdom and guidence, and that Obama’s policies and actions continue to keep our country safe from any harm. I believe in the power of prayer and will practice it to the full extent! Lord knows the county needs our prayers!

Gas Prices

This evening, on my way home, I noticed that grade 85, the lowest grade in Colorado, is at $2.03 per gallon. The price has been steadily declining on an almost daily basis, which is really exciting! The bummer thing is that I am now riding public transportation to and from work every day. Taking public transportation is not the bummer part (because I am saving gas and the environment…that is my green side coming out!) but I am now taking public transportation with gas prices as low as they are. I was driving to and from work when the prices were at $3.99 per gallon just a few months ago! Oh well, I like to save the Earth any way I can, and that includes lifting the lever on that toilet in my office building that gets stuck on a regular basis and runs water constantly!

Jon’s Suprise News

The summer of my 8th grade graduation, my family and I came up to Colorado to spend time at Elitch Garden’s (the Six Flags) and see a friend Jenny who lived here in Aurora. I knew her grandparents in Arizona who went to our church, and met her the first time when she went to AZ to visit. We became good friends through the mail, a domestic pen-pal friend. We would decorate our envelopes in pretty colors and drawings, and I even sent her a paper plate once with my letter written on the inside, and the address and stamp on the outside! We eventually lost track of each other. She got married and had a kid and that was the last I heard of her status.

Well, on Monday, Jon emailed me at work and told me that he saw someone that I know in the branch that he works at. I had no idea who that might be, and when I saw him that evening, Jon said that it was Jenny! Well, I was surprised because I though that I would never see her again! So, she was surprised to see Jon, and remembered me (she was a little upset apparently that I didn’t respond to her last letter). She works in Parker at a men’s salon, and perhaps still lives in Aurora. So, I am going to try and find her this weekend at her workplace so we can catch up. I don’t know that she is married still (Jon didn’t see a ring and her last name is the same as her maiden). 

So, I guess that is all I wanted to say tonight! I am enjoying the light rail, and am anxious for snow. Thanksgiving is coming up which I am very excited for, and the grandparents will be up in just about 2 weeks. Oh, and don’t forget, MY BIRTHDAY IS ON NOVEMBER 16TH, ONLY ABOUT 9 DAYS AWAY! Don’t forget to send me a present!