Hallelujah! Finally had that poop that I wrote about and sung about, and hoped for so dearly 🙂

Early this morning, I got this text.

I have a “what will be what will be” attitude, but it still amazes me that people apply for dogs when they are clearly not in position to take them. Perhaps they  don’t understand how much behind the scenes work goes into the application process. That said, it is a very nice note.  

I just got a voice message from Rabbi Randy Brown from Arlington. I left him a voice message in response. As you might remember, we waited a long time to hear from Arlington to get Dad buried. In fact,  it’ll be 18 months by the time we do get him there. A couple months ago, a nice young man from Arlington called to schedule the memorial with me. He explained that they were doing 30+ funerals per day and the chaplain was very very busy so we would have limited  dates  to choose from. “Oh” I said, my dad was Jewish”   “Great!” he said enthusiastically ”Our rabbi is not as busy as the chaplain, so we have more dates to choose from.” and he offered up the day before Veterans Day.  Score!😜

I stopped off at the shelter to pick up the Disney basket and spent considerable amount of time with my friend Kassandra, the President of friends of Manatee County Animal Services.  She  has taken on such an emotionally challenging role that you can feel her exhaustion as well as her dedication. When I look back at my younger self, raising three young boys and visiting the Tulsa shelter, every four days and involved in the school, etc. etc. I am amazed. how did I ever do that?  That’s Kassandra. And get this. She lives in freaking Tampa. She’s driving in God awful traffic a long way to do what she does.

Her shoulders shook a little and she teared up when I acknowledged that I had been where she was and that I understood how overwhelming it all can be. The people on her board are more peripheral and very specific on what they handle   Kassandra is the person that walks the dogs knows the dogs loves the dogs and cats, and make sure they get the medical help that they need. She confided in me that almost all the money raised from the auction Saturday night will be going for urgent surgery.  In fact, the surgery staff called her about what she calls “broken kitties”. Six kitties that need various operations —just one of the operations will cost $8000!  She said she cannot say no to saving the life of an animal that is highly adaptable and can go on to lead a great life. 

I recommended that she take some time to unpack everything she does at the shelter and figure out what she can delegate. I told her that I know it was hard to let go of things, but pointed out that I had offered many many times to take some things off her shoulders and she never took me up on it. 

I know the feeling when you feel like you’re the best person for the job, and it’s easier just to do it yourself but in the long run, that’s an unsustainable lifestyle.  I imagine if I spoke to my earlier self, I might have advised me to slow it down a bit. My over busy lifestyle probably contributed to the demise of my marriage… I wasn’t paying enough attention :-(. That said,  when I look back at my life and some of the things that I did, that might be considered questionable, I know that I wouldn’t change a thing. Every event and moment had to go exactly as it did for me to be where I am today.. loving Hans and my children and having an amazing support system of true friends. 

If things had not unfolded exactly like they did, they would be no Abigail. Krista  and Jake would’ve never met. Zachary and Caro would’ve never met. I feel blessed.

Later in the afternoon, Hans was kind enough to drive one hour each way to deliver the puppies to a foster in Tampa. Sarah, the Foster, has two of Paddington and Penelope’s brothers   Hans and I wondered if the puppies would recognize each other and if there would be a cheerful reunion. In reality, the puppies were a little shy for two or three minutes and then start walking around and smelling, wagging, and quickly became  buddies.  Sarah is young and has two small children and lots of foster puppies. She also works from home.  She plans on placing the puppies quickly so her husband doesn’t blow a fuse :-). 

I’m having some considerable pain, so I’m laying down now. Not sure if it’s cancer or diet related. I feel like I’m 83 packing all of the medicines that I’m taking along with me hopefully, I will rally and be pain-free for the trip ….either that or everyone is going to have to get used to me being quite stoned!