Seven years feels like yesterday.

    It's hard to believe that yesterday marked the seventh anniversary of your going home to heaven to reunite with the love of your life, but I want you to know that when you left, a void was created that can never be replaced.

    I'll never forget that fateful day that I left my house keys in my dorm room and needed to come over to borrow yours. I had planned on a visit anyway, but the situation prompted me to come over sooner in the day. I'm glad that I was there, but sad that I didn't understand the severity of the situation until later. At first, I thought you were sleeping, but the look on your face told me something was wrong. The look in your eyes and the urgency in your grasp is an image and a sadness that will haunt me forever. I wish I could have brought you some comfort in your time of need as you did so often for me.  The ensuing week was one of the worst of my life, but knowing that you were heading home has brought me great comfort. Time may heal pain, but on the day you left, you took a piece of my heart. It's a piece that always belonged to you as my Nanny, my family and my confidant.

    I'll always cherish the conversations we had about your childhood and how you grew into the strong, spunky and beloved woman that you were. The sound of your voice still rings in my ears, because some of my favorite memories involved sitting with you and talking - talking about today, talking about yesterday, talking about Papa and how he would drive you mad, but it didn't matter because you loved him with every fiber in your being. With these talks came life lessons and it's because of these lessons that you taught me to be strong and independent; to be spunky and fun; to be kind and to love from the tips of my fingers to the depths of my soul. You taught me to have faith in Christ and the Blessed Mother, and you taught me that the power of prayer can help conquer any roadblock that may come my way. The life lessons that you gave to me will always be present in the decisions that I make.

I love you today as much as I did then, and I hope that I have made you proud. Miss you always and forever.

suicide hotline for dogs?

    So, I'm pretty sure that my dog is suicidal, since she just loves to get into things that could potentially kill her. Yesterday, while I was in the shower getting ready for work, I heard my hubby start yelling at Marley that she's a nut case with a serious screw loose. Then, he called for me to get out of the shower, because Marley managed to get an unopened bottle of aspirin off the counter and proceeded to eat the 32 pills contained inside.

    First of all, I thought these bottles were child proof? Apparently that does not mean they are dog proof. Hair still soapy, I immediately got out the peroxide to induce vomiting. The first spoonful, I had help from the husband because I thought Marley would fight tooth and nail to not swallow it. Not my dog, she enjoyed the taste and wanted more. After 7 minutes of no throw up, I called the vet to explain the predicament we were in. I gave her a few more spoonfuls of the peroxide and finally she started to puke. The vet told me to bring her in right away, so I rinsed the remaining suds out of my hair, threw it back in a ponytail and got Marley into the car. She vomited two more times on the floor in the car and was ready to go once we got to the office. After an evaluation, we decided to keep her hospitalized for the day with fluids and another "coal" diet to help induce more vomiting. I went to work and kept the cell phone glued to my hip.

   At 4:30 the vet called to say Marley was ready to come home and she was quite a handful while there. I asked the vet if there was a suicide hotline for pets we could call, and while she laughed, she explained that some dogs are just destructive. She then told me that Marley is the first dog they have ever seen that wanted more coal after her first bowl to help get her to vomit. After her stomach was cleared, she pretty much wanted to play all day, making it difficult to keep the IV with fluids in. She barked most of the day and kept the vet techs amused with her usual antics. Eric picked her up and when I got home she was happy and the same old puppy as usual. Later in the day I noticed she looked a little queasy, and it's my hope that she learned her lesson. I know that I have - when I get medicine it needs to be immediately locked away in the medicine cabinet. I don't have children yet, but I guess I need to start child proofing the house for the 66 lbs Labradoodle-terror that I have living with us.

   We have her in obedience classes, and she's definitely made progress, but maybe she needs therapy, too. Anyone know of a dog psychologist they can recommend? We definitely have our hands full.

The morning routine

Today was one of those mornings where I just did not want to get out of bed. My alarm was set for just before 7 a.m., but my biological clock woke me at 6:30 a.m. in preparation of the day. I closed my eyes and attempted to go back to sleep until the buzz of the daily wake up call, especially since I had every intention of hitting the snooze at least twice before getting ready for my work day.

Unfortunately, I have learned that I really don't need the alarm clock as I have a 70 lbs. dog who suffices just fine. As I lay there pretending to sleep, Marley inched her way closer and closer to the nape of my neck as she does most mornings, regardless if it's a work day or a weekend, and she nuzzles, then loudly yawns, then scoots her butt so it lands on top of me, then she nudges me with her paw, and then she sits above me and stares. It's the creepiest feeling in the world to have something hover over your resting body watching, waiting and breathing on your skin. But her persistence always pays off, because every morning I relent and get up. Eric has tried countless times to get up with her when she starts her antics, but that darn dog is adamant that I be the one to get up, let her out and feed her growling stomach that she will not move from her crouched position above my head until I get up with her. It's a wonderful feeling being loved so much, but on days like today when I want to snooze just a wee bit longer, it becomes a drag.

Thankful to the driver in front

This morning I decided that the cup of coffee I had at home before I left for work was not enough to get myself prepared for the day. Marley, love her dearly, might be the WORST sleep partner ever - whose idea was it to let her sleep in bed with us, anyway? Eric, if you're reading this DO NOT answer! You see, Marley refuses to sleep at the edge of the bed like a normal dog. (However, if you've read any of my previous posts, you know she's not a normal dog.) Instead, she insists on sleeping right smack between us, and if Eric and I try to cuddle, she noses and wedges her way in between, even resorting to plopping herself down right on top of me in a last ditch ever to make me move over. And let me tell you, 70 pounds of Labradoodle can do a number on your back, so she usually wins that battle. Most nights, she snores and snuggles up next to my ear, which I usually don't mind in the winter because she becomes another source of body heat.  However last night, while resting comfortably in her usual spot, Marley got a bad case of hairball and was hacking up a storm. Eric, afraid she was going to puke, started yelling for me to get the dog out of the bed because she was going to throw up. How am I going to get the dog out of the bed any faster than he would? I digress... Long story short she did not end up tossing her cookies, but nonetheless I was awoken from my dreams and therefore extra tired this morning.

So back to the coffee... I stopped at Manhattan Bagel, which is right next to my office for a breakfast sandwich and medium double double. After an excessively long wait, I received my sandwich sans the coffee which had not been charged to my order. Since there was a long line behind me, I decided I would drive to the other side of my office building to McDonalds to get my .79 cent coffee instead. I pulled into the drive thru with just one vehicle in front of me, placed my order and waited... and waited... what the heck was taking so long? Apparently the proud Marine mom in front of me had a rather large drive thru order, and it is because of that, that she paid for my coffee. I was so grateful and as I poked my head out the window, she called back for me to have a great day. I said thank you for the coffee and thank you for your child's service to our country. As the decals on her minivan said, Semper Fi! She was a proud Marine mom, and she was doing what she could to make her mark on the world. She certainly left a great impression on me this morning, and a little less grumpy me at that.

Happy New Year?

There has been much speculation that 2012 will be the last year of our existence. I can't say that I believe this to be true, but nonetheless it encourages me to live life to its very fullest.

My husband and I recently watched a "Decoded" show on the end of the world according to Mayan calculations, and I found it hilarious when Eric suggested that we stock up on water and canned food, but had laughed at me just a few months prior when I told him that we should stock up "just in case" the prediction comes true.  Heck, I should laugh at him a bit harder, because if the end of the world does indeed come, then who the heck needs food and water if we're all moving on to the world beyond.

Truthfully, I type this in jest, because although I found most of the "predictions" to be pretty far fetched, it is only a matter of time before some catastrophic event changes the world as we know it. I highly doubt the human race will be completely eliminated, and I truly do pray that I do not live to see the end of the world no matter if it's in totality or just as we see it today. No matter the means I pray that the "end" comes many, many years after my family is long gone, including extended family and that of my future children, their future children, their future children and so on.

However, should the end be near, I have made a list of ways I can self improve to better my standing with the big guy upstairs. That, and it's never a bad thing to want to live life a little healthier, wealthier and have a better outlook

1) I will think before I speak and consider the person's feelings on the other end of the conversation
2) I will put family first no matter the circumstances
3) I will be a better friend, partner, daughter, sister and aunt
4) I will clean more often
5) I will put the clothes away, if not immediately, within two days of drying, folding and bringing the clothes upstairs
6) I will be a mother (before I am 30) and be a damn good one at that
7) I will exercise at least 3 times a week and eat healthier
8) I will be better with finances by saving for our future - no matter how soon or far away it may be
9) I will spend more time with my nephew and neices
10) I will have more patience

This list is in no particular order, but some items do carry more weight than others. Some may be negotiable, while others are not. And some, one in particular, is out of my control, but would thrill me if it comes true.

Finally, I will do better at living this quote:
“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”

Happy New Year!

Horrible Customer Service!

Two weeks ago, a deer literally ran into my car as I was turning onto my street and caused $4,000 worth of damage to my vehicle. After calling my insurance provider, I was advised to go to Gabes Collision on Genesee Street in Cheektowaga because it would "cut back on the paperwork." Ok, I am all about skipping signing on the dotted line a thousand times, and since my insurance "guarantees" their work, I figured I'd give them a try.

I dropped my car off the Tuesday after the accident and was told it would take about a week to finish because of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. My claims adjuster would be in touch though with up-to-date information throughout the whole process. The adjuster called me every other day until Wednesday the following week when he called to let me know the car wasn't quite ready and it could be finished by EOD Thursday but he would call me to verify. Thursday came and went, then most of Friday and by 4 p.m. I called him to find out the status of Big Red. I left a voicemail, and received a call a short while later telling me to call Gabes myself to find out the status. Strike 1.

It was 4:30 p.m. when I called Gabes to find out that my car was indeed ready for pick up, but I had to get there by 5 p.m. when they closed... well, I work about a 1/2 hour away, so there was no chance that I'd get there by closing time. So Saturday morning, I picked up my car and headed to my mother's for a full day of Christmas shopping. As I drove, I realized that my heat no longer works and in fact cold air blows out of the vent. By the time I was able to call Gabes, the shop had closed for the day and would not reopen until Monday morning at 8 a.m.. Strike 2.

Monday morning, I called and left a message at 8:05 a.m. that someone should call me as soon as possible, because my heat was not working properly, and I had found two random car parts (small caps) in my cup holder that led me to believe that the car was not put back together properly. I left home by 8:30 a.m. because I had to get to work. On my way, it was freezing rain with no heat, which is bad enough, but now I also discovered another problem, my defogger was also not in working order. So, I have no heat, my windows are fogging up and freezing rain is sticking to my windshield. After taking extra precautions, I finally arrived at work, but I still have not received a phone call back from Gabes Collision and it's now after 9 a.m.

I waited until 9:30 a.m. and tried again. Amazingly, the shop was open and someone answered on the second ring. I asked to speak to a manager and explained my dilemmas. After telling the manager that I did not feel safe driving the vehicle, I was told that they would not send a tow truck and I would have to essentially suck it up, put my safety and others safety at risk, and make my way back to Cheektowaga. Strike 4 and 5.

Now for the kicker, after a 2 hour wait, I was then told the problem was fixed and that it was just an air pocket and those left over pieces were really no big deal, but they put them back in place to make me feel better. OK this now strike 6,7 and a million.

Are you kidding me!?!?! DO NOT tell me that these parts are not necessary. How dare you tell me that they are no big deal. Would you feel ok driving a vehicle that may or may not have missing parts no matter how superfluous these parts may be? I highly doubt that. Would you feel safe driving a vehicle with fogged up windows and no heat in the beginning of winter? I highly doubt that, too. And finally, would you be ok with someone speaking to your daughter or wife as you have addressed me. I highly doubt that also. Moral of the story. Do not take your vehicle to Gabes Collision on Genesee Street in Cheektowaga. They have horrible costumer service, and from what I can see, are highly incompetent.

Dog-Eat-Ring World Out There

Well, Thanksgiving left me little to be thankful for... other than my family and friends of course. Thursday morning, I woke up, made breakfast, watched a little of the parade and started to get ready for the day. I had a lot to do and not much time. Eric, against my advice, decided to go play in the "Turkey Bowl," which is a group of  now 30 somethings playing two hand touch and running around like they're in their 20s again. Sidebar: this the same Turkey Bowl game that Eric tore his rotator cuff just the year before. I digress.

While he got ready for the game, I started baking and getting the food ready for the scheduled family visits later in the day. Eric left his wedding ring on the end table, put his spikes on and left for the big game.

As I baked, Marley sat by my side hoping I'd drop some tasty scraps for her to eat. Occasionally, I'd take a break and play chase or catch with her and also let her outside so she could go to the bathroom. All in all, it was a relatively quite day, which I should learn by now is always the kiss of death.

Eric returned home around 1:30, just in time for the asparagus to come out of the oven, and for me to jump in the shower so we could leave on time at 2:15. As I began the "beautifying process - washing hair, shaving legs, getting dressed and putting on make up, Eric was downstairs frantically searching for his wedding ring. He called up to me, asking me where I had put it... of course, I hadn't known that he didn't have it on, so naturally, I didn't put it anywhere. We moved furniture, searched other areas of the house, but to no avail. During our search, I went into the kitchen and noticed that while my asparagus were untouched, my oven mitt did not fair so well. All that was left was the bottom half of the mitt as the top half was consumed with no trace of its existence.

Frustrated and late, we left thinking maybe just maybe Marley ate the ring, too, but we still had faith that our "little" pup knew better. We came home between family meals to check on our dear labradoodle, but Marley seemed fine, so we went to Eric's side for dessert. However, still racking our brains to see if maybe one of us misplaced the band. We returned home, and I took Marley for a much-needed walk, then we went to bed with no ring and fearing the worst - that one of us would have to search for the ring after it has passed.

The next morning, Marley ate breakfast and I went Black Friday shopping with my mom. When I returned home a few hours later, Marley had already thrown up twice and was on her way to throwing up some more. It was time to call the vet. At the doctor's office, we were told that there was no evidence that pointed to bloat or a blockage, but we needed to be leery of the oven mitt, and not the wedding band. So we authorized an xray, so we could rule out emergency surgery, and right there on the screen was the evidence we needed - she did indeed eat the symbol of our vows and lifelong commitment to eachother. The good news, she didn't need surgery, the bad news we were $200 poorer and we'd be looking through her poop for the next few days.

Marley felt much better after the doctor gave her a shot and some fluids, and was up to her old antics... causing a raucous. Saturday came, and by 6 p.m. Marley had eaten two meals and digested them. I had the unfortunate luck of taking her outside when it was time to pass the ring and the remaining bits of oven mitt. Not only was I thoroughly disgusted because of what I was doing but also, because I had to pull the ring off of the oven mitt like it was a finger. I couldn't look at my pup for two days and I can only hope that she learned her lesson and will not be eating valuables or oven mitts anytime in the future... this better not be another kiss of death statement or Marley will have some splainin' to do!