Pets are always a mixed blessing. Like children, once you get one, you fall in love. If you avoid having children and dodge pet ownership, you have less love in your life, and nobody to take care of but yourself. Like I said...mixed blessings. I like taking care of myself...often and at great expense.
Once our children were truly out of the house, I started to actually enjoy having our own schedule and the flexibility to be spontaneous; let's just have martinis for dinner tonight, honey...
Spending money on movies and dinner out instead of used cars, insurance and cell phones. However, we still had the family dog.
When daughter Jenny was 10 years old, she became fed-up with our excuses NOT to have a pet. She had owned every kind of rodent, Walmart goldfish, and creepy crawling crab-like crustacean the pet store had to offer. She wanted a real animal with a licky tongue and a warm body. The following is an example of before bed conversations; Jenny: "Mom, how about a kittie. They can kinda take care of themselves." Mom: "Sweetheart, cats aren't that friendly, they shed horribly and they poop in a sand box." Jenny, in a desperate, tear-filled, whiny voice, " Can we pleeeeease get a non-shitting kittie?" I later learned what she meant to say was non-shedding, but I had retreated to the family room and was laughing with real tears.
What all moms and dads eventually learn about their children is there are ways to circumvent a parent if it's for the greater good. Jenny was our child that always found a way, where there was a will. She called her grandparents. Jenny: "Grandpa, can you pick me up from daycare today? Mom said I could go look at pets at the Humane Society." Grandpa: "Did your Mom say you could have a dog?" Jenny: " Mom says that all people who want pets should adopt one that needs a loving home." Grandpa: "I'll pick you up right after lunch."
The phone call I received at work about 2:00 that day went something like this: Jenny: "Moooooooommmmm, I found the cutest, nicest puppie in North Dakota, and if we don't buy her in the next 10 minutes, someone else is coming back to get her. Oh, and mom, they are keeping her in a little tiny cage and her little tiny paws are falling through the grids...and she's the runt and she's a mutt so she's only $50. The rest of the story brings us to this morning, February 12, 2012.
It's Sunday. We like to sleep in until at least 8:00. We aren't allowed to sleep in. No, not infants crying and needing to be fed. No, not toddlers up and around needing supervision. No, not kids needing to be readied for school or church. Our bauzer, (Beagle/Schnauzer), Maggie, wants her morning treats. NOW!! Maggie: " You neglectful, lazy parents. Don't you know you have a 14 year old dog that has needs..." Parents: "This dog has taken control of our lives. She tells us when it's time for dinner, when it's time for US to go to bed, (she wants my chair with the crocheted throw,) and when we are going to get up and start catering to her for another day." Our lives are totally devoted to this aging, shedding, poop producing animal who "belonged" to our now 24 year old daughter who hasn't lived at home for 6 years. It's all my dad's fault.
This year alone, I have spent more money on vaccinations, teeth cleaning and special food and treats for Maggie than I have spent at Chicos. That is truly "mother" abuse. I demand equal rights! I spent 25 years raising children and a husband, and now my life is devoted to an aging dog. When will it be my turn?
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Way to go girl, you're back in the groove; more than I can say for my blog. You're not alone in the pet world. We have a "shitting/shedding" kitty who tells time. Walks by my head the same time every morning informing me "it is time to get up and feed me." Keep up the writing!
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