Dragon asked us that on Wednesday night after we told the boys that Cami (my sweet, old dog) probably has cancer. I had just received the phone call from my vet. And after sitting on the bed for a bit,  being held tightly by my tender, understanding husband, it was bedtime for the boys. 

We talked to them and explained that Cami was very sick and probably hurting. We are going to the vet on Saturday for some x-rays to see if we can see what is going on. We will decide what to do from there. I told Dragon that if he believes that animals have souls, then yes…they go to heaven. At least that’s what I belive. I know so. I don’t know how. I just do. They are God’s creatures just like we are. 

While we were all sitting on the twin bed, we had a big family hug.

Wildcat said (from the inside of the hug) “It will all be fine.”

I won’t ever forget that moment.

OK, when we last spoke, I was getting the good ol espresso buzz and picking up my 6 yr old.

For some reason, past few days, the only time when I’ve had the spare brainpower and the spare time to post was waiting in the car line, posting on my Treo.  Luckily, it does a decent jobo, but still isn’t as nice as the ol’ lappy.   A whole lot more portable, tho, since the battery died (which, um, I got 5 months ago as a replacement for the first battery, which died under warranty) I now have to keep the lappy tied into its mighty grid umbilical cord.  Sure, every once in a while I can unplug it, and it flies freely, but only for about 5 minutes.  Then it warns me that is going to shut off as its shutting off.

Bummer.

So, anyway, espresso.

Right.

Bad stuff.

I got the jitters so badly, I had to lay down after I got back home.  No good, man, no good. However, I did manage to pass Netmom about 4 minutes before her car broke down.

Hmm… no point present.

Or maybe there are too many points.   They just blend together into a tapestry of make-no-sense, until both you and I are completely lost, in some tangent so far out that the thing I was trying to get out onto the internets is gone.

Hmm.

Hey, we had tacos last night!

Boys and girls, these rainy days are hard on me. I’ve been in a constant state of running late and misunderstanding things.

However, I’m now all jacked up on espresso, so things should be operating smoothly…

I love having a stick shift.

It means that if you’re tailgating me when I’m driving (ahem) 35 on Tennessee Ave at 3:15 PM, as the winner in the red pickup found, I will be able to immediately drop my speed to 20.

And then immediately bring it back up to 35.

Still there? Well how bout that, I just did it again.

Frustrating, huh sport?

Course, the stick isn’t much fun in the stop and go car line, but it was worth it to watch you bang your wheel on the curb when you tried to pass me as I turned left…

Each week we try to plan out our meals. Some weeks we go with all the ol’ stand-bys. They are favorites around here. But sometimes we feel the itch to try new things… they are fun for us to make together (and cooking is something we LOVE to do together) and it’s always interesting to eat the final product.

My mom grew up in Rock Island, Illinois. Everytime we go up to visit family, we eat at Maid-Rite. It’s awesome, yummy steamed, seasoned ground beef served on a bun with mustard, onions and pickles. Kind of like a sloppy joe without the sauce.

So, tonight we decided to try to make some . Since we don’t have Maid-Rite’s down here, it doesn’t really matter if they are taste exactly like them. We really wouldn’t know the difference. BUT- the idea of it was intriguing to our tummies.

I googled and came up with some different approaches to these lil sammiches. And we just kinda did what sounded yummy to us.

2 lbs. ground beef
3/4 cp. of chopped onion
1 can chicken broth
4 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T A-1 steak sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef. Add onions and cook until they are clear. Drain.
Add Worcestershire, steak sauce and chicken broth. Simmer covered for 30-45 min. Remove cover and reduce juices.
Serve onto hamburger buns with spoon and add mustard, onions, ketchup, dill pickles….or whatever floats your boat.

We ate them with homemade onion rings and french fries. Sweet tea topped it off.

It was yummy, yummy. And the boys loved it (which is awesome). Dragon couldn’t contain himself. Each bite made him wiggle around in his seat and go “Mmmmmmmmmm”

Score.

I’ve always felt that motherhood is the most challenging, exacting, important, amazing role that any person can play in the world. Don’t get me wrong, as a father myself, I’m a fan of good daddies, but theres something in the way that little kids (and big kids) look at a mom, whether its when they’re doing homework, or clearing a table, or asking whats for supper, or being tucked in at night, thats completely different from the way they look at a dad.

Moms (and I’m not talking about people that just give birth to kids… theres a lot of people out there that can squeeze a kid out of their body and not be a mom at all, just a baby machine) have shaped my life, and made me what I am. I’m inspired by my own mother, as well as the other mothers in my life. I watch my siblings who are mothers with their own kids, and I see somebody greater, bigger, than the little sister I grew up with. I see a MOM.

I look at my friends who have kids, whether I knew them before childbirth or not, and can’t help but be drawn to the way they treat their babys, my babies, and babies in general.

But this year, this year I’m watching this cute little pet store girl that I fell madly in love with last year, who hasn’t yet had a full year as a Mom, but kisses the boo-boos, and chides for not flushing the potty, and helps with homework, and is told “I love you, mommy” at bedtime. Its the most amazing thing, the most wonderful thing that I’ve ever seen.

She wasn’t a mom this time last year, nor had she ever been before.

But now, she’s every bit as much a Mom to two little boys as the lady who gave birth to them. She loves them fiercely. She protects them, she watches them play at the beach, she gives them kisses, she gets onto them when they need it, and she guides them. Most importantly, she guides them.

Its so beautiful. Its truly an amazing thing.

And it makes me even more madly in love with her. I fell in love with a cute little redhead girl, but I married a cute little redhead mom.

Its awesome.

It’s another birthday day at our house. My rotti-lab mix is 12 years old today. Cami’s been with me since my sophomore year in college. What a wonderful soul to have traveled with me through so many different stages in life!

She’s patient and loving. She’s the smartest dog I’ve ever known. Of course, she knows it.

Cami’s doing ok for an old, large breed dog. I’ve been really lucky. Aside from getting lost for 3 days…and the time she ate everything in my make-up bag (including about 60 Tylenol)… she has never given me any trouble. And, in all kinds of aspects, she is my first child. We’ve grown and learned together.

She’s having a few health problems now. It all just started since the first of the year. She has a hard growth on one of her back leg joints. It’s not bothering her, but it’s something that is being watched. Her bloodwork is pretty normal for an old dog. She started steriods and painkillers for her arthritis a couple of months ago. We’ve added a Pepcid regiment now, too….cause the steriods make her tummy sour.

Pilling twice a day has been going smoothly to begin with…but now she’s figured out all the games. At least one of the two “pillings” get shoved down her throat. She doesn’t want pill pockets, or breadballs, or cheese, or peanut butter…or hamburger… and the wet food she’s picking through watching for the tablets. It’s a bit frustrating.

Yep. Wet food. Ugg.. She’s never been a picky eater, but she started that a couple of weeks ago. Won’t eat her dry food. Stopped eating her food completely- to the point where she needs something in her belly. She’s too old to play the “who is stronger” game. I tell my customers that have picky dogs that we are all just “well-trained owners.” I never have had to play that game with Cami. And now- since she’s old and doesn’t feel 100% — I’m feeding her whatever she’ll eat. Cause it’s needful.

Anyway. We’re getting through each day one at time. She’s still happy. She’s still mobile. She’s still loving and excited to see us…and to be around the family. She’s the best dog ever.

And today she’s 12 (84 in dog years)

Happy Birthday, my Cami-girl! I love you.

Quick, watch this.

Yeah, it was a bit too big for the theme, I know, and I’m working on on that, thanks.

But the point is, it was a great freakin video. I just found it this morning, and enjoyed the hell out of it. Hot Chip has been one of my favoritist musical treats for only a few months now.

Actually, I’ve had a number of new favoritist musical thingys lately. Gnarls Barkley came out with a new record a while back, and while I have to admit I still prefer their first album, St. Elsewhere, over The Odd Couple, it still has some good songs, and I’m liking the freakydeaky of this video:

Good stuff, good stuff.

And then the other week I got hold of ol’ Jack White’s other band Raconteurs’ second album, and its been the best thing on my ears in many moons.

Ah, Jacky White. We haven’t heard you say “woo” like that since 2002. Kudos.

BTW, the beautiful thing about life right now is that all of these bands are going to be at the Austin City Limits Festival in Austin, Tehas, in September. So, we sold the Bonnaroo tickets (Pearl Jam, Metallica, Widespread Panic, if you recall. No thank you) and are looking into the feasibility of driving 16 hours for a big ass weekend party in the Weird part of Texas.

Sweet.

The “burn” of the sunburn is about cleared up. Now we have itchies…

Don’t be surprised to see anyone one of us (except Wildcat, of course) using buildings, trees or any textured surface to scratch our peeling sunburn….

These guys have figured it out..

Well, Notat had the evening at home tonight while I am pulling the weekly closing shift.

I got these text messages a couple hours ago… he had just gotten home from work and picking up the boys. These span over about 20 minutes. (note: we keep the pup in the kitchen when gone for more than 4 hours, on account that he can’t hold it that long in his crate, yet)… AND- it’s raining today…

“Big ol kitchen poop”
“No pee tho”
“Awesome”
“Shat in the dining room. Yay!”
“I am the master of poo!!!!!”
“Poo in the den. Going a little crazy. Dishes, laundry, poo, homework, supper….”
“Remind me that I wuz once a single parent? I think I’ve lost it… Still in a happy mood tho, woot!”

And then- about 1 hour later - he and the boys brought me dinner at the store. Like they always do.
He DEFINITELY hasn’t lost it.

You rock, baby!