We Are Blending

Am pretty recovered from yesterday's irritation with Hobbes. Somehow he gathered that he was not my favorite dog just then and he stayed byy side being sweet and looking at me with his secret weapon: those melty, tawny brown eyes. *sigh* Jake wants to take him to special training classes, which might help.
Plus everyhing's just so much better this morning. Swine flu came back for round two, but I seem to be beating it down faster. I even feel like baking bisquits after having tea. Not much productive happens until after caffeine has been prepared and drank.
Jake and I also went driving for Christmas light displays in people's yards last night. My favorite!!!! More on that soon. Meanwhile, I hope your day is "merry and bright." Today feels better than I've felt all November.

Is it ever wrong to be completely irritated with a dog?  When it's your boyfriend's dog?  And you're trying to make everything work, but tired of the added excitement the dog inevitably brings?

If so, then you'll understand my angst.  Hobbes, the hound mix who wasn't facing the camera for this pic, is, well . . . dull.  That's putting it nicely.  Jake says the Vet himself said that Hobbes "would never win any spelling bees."  I think that about covers it.

At first, it just seemed like good natured kidding.  After several weeks of observation, however, I've concluded that everyone's right and that Hobbes is, in fact, irretrievably stupid.  And friendly to "his" people and dogs.  Everyone else is a deathly threat, including our friends at the door . . .  As I said, he's not very bright.

And add to all this charm the fact that he steals food like no other creature I know, except for my ex, Justin, but at least Justin is a lot cleaner and invited into the kitchen.  Hobbes was never invited to graze off the kitchen counter when my back is turned.

The thing that gets me about him is the fact that no matter what he does and how he's disciplined, he gets that same sweet, stupid look on his face and seems to have no idea of what's going on.  Stupid.  And it's hard to stay mad at that, but it sure is irritating!!!

So I finally said something about it more directly today so that we can figure some sane way out of this situation.  Hobbes is indeed dumb (though charming at times).  It would be dumber to stay silent on the subject.

Gahhhh!!! I'm just coming up out of a terrible, achy, sore-throated session with a virus, complete with chills and feeling like I may never have the energy to smile or open my eyes again.

Just after highly productive work/cleaning/cooking sessions on Monday, this terrible virus attacked, like that vampire actor on Halloween, and sucked the energy and color right out of me for a good 36 hours. Now I'm pale, but at least dressed and out of bed. (reaches for tea)

Jake was there. He took care of me (and the kids when they needed someone) while I drank lots of Emergen-C, hot tea, and dozed off to favorite movies. If there had been any doubt left about what kind of person he is, this evaporated. He was patient, knew when to leave me alone and when to offer help. Since I'm usually the person taking care of others, it was strangely nice.

He's a keeper.

Halloween night I popped a vampire on the jaw because he wouldn't stop touching me. It was surprising, really. It seems as though that particular fight or flight impulse is still in order.

Jake (my bf), and a few friends of ours went to Netherworld, one of the top haunted houses in the nation, on Halloween night. It was my first night with grown ups doing fun things on Halloween in about 20 years because Justin (my ex) drove to the house to be with the kids, hand out candy, and keep the terriers from dying of a heart attack.

Darcy, the older terrier, threatens a coronary every Halloween. You'd think its doomsday every time the doorbell rings (which is almost non-stop) and costumed kids show up. His eyes bug out and he shakes. I'm not much better after the basement flash flooded a couple of years on Halloween night, but I digress. Apparently this year it went better. The puppy (Pico) barked and ran to the door and Darcy took the night off from his responsibilities as intrepid, vicious guard dog.

Meanwhile, Jake, Jason, Angie, Cynthia, and I had a marvelous time waiting in the cold rain at Netherworld. We actually did! We were all worrried about Cynthia popping an actor, because of her finely honed skills as a rugby player, but I surprised everyone, including the genuinely scary vampire by popping him with a well placed jab along his jaw when he ignored my warning to "stop touching me." Kapow!!
I controlled the punch, but gave him enough to get his caped arse away from me. I guess I forgot to mention that I used to have a black belt in TaeKwonDo. :p

And while on the subject of arses, I never swore this would be a family blog, but a blog about family, which is very different! The whole question about doing this while remaining sane is central to this whole foray into the unknown.


Most of us celebrated Halloween a new way that night. Don got to intimidate slouchy, uncostumed, older kids who normally attempt breaking and entering in their glee for free candy. Jake and I got to have a real night out with friends having fun. The kids pretty much did their usual thing as if I'd been there instead without having to leave their friends in order to go their Dad's place. It was good.

So I guess that when it came to the parking lot vampire at Netherworld, I chose to fight. Flight was my choice this year when it came to Halloween at the house. Sometimes fighting for what you want is the best thing in the world, even when so much is new and undefined. I'm fighting for sanity. Every day. It's not easy bringing up teenagers, working a commission job, staying in shape, and keeping the house together every day. Many days I feel ineffectual. But I chose to fight.