Sleep Well My Sweet Girl Mindy - Feb 98 - Mar 10

We knew this day would come sooner rather than later but it doesn't make it any easier. Mindy's tumour was starting to make her breathing laboured and we decided she had had enough. She spent the last 12 years attached to my hip. Even though she was the quietest dog the house seems so quiet without her.

Nearly as hard as letting her go was calling the boys. One of the things my own parents do that angers me is not tell me things I think I should know (like when my mom has open heart surgery for instance) and I never want to be that parent. I'm glad Engineering Guy had been able to be home for the weekend.

Engineering Guy was home for the weekend. It was rather inconvenient for him but he had an interview and the company wasn't willing to do it by phone. It was nice to see him though and we went and picked up Computer Dude and went to The Keg for my birthday supper (my third birthday supper actually - I don't suppose I can drag my birthday on much longer).

I always said I wouldn't be one of "those" people. I finally broke down and got Mindy a stroller. It was breaking my heart that she hasn't been able to go for walks with us. She just isn't strong enough to walk too far. Here she is in her new chariot - with the two pesky boys waiting patiently.

Miss Mindy

Miss Mindy is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She turned twelve last month. She is the most incredible dog. I've never trained her to do anything but she has always done anything I ask. I swear she can read my mind. Mindy has cancer. Her health is fading. She has had a long happy life and been the best companion anyone could wish for. I've promised her not to let her suffer unduly. Mindy has always been a quiet dog but the cancer has taken her voice. She sleeps a lot now but otherwise seems happy. She wags her tail, never misses a meal and insists on having her walk. It's hard to know whether she is suffering or not.

The top picture is Mindy on her twelfth birthday.

I thought I'd try and resurrect this blog. My nest is still empty of human kids. Computer Dude and Engineering Guy are continuing studies in their respective fields. I'm incredibly proud of them but every time they come home I have to make rules around appropriate dinner table conversation. Some people have rules involving politics and religion. I have rules regarding calculus and physics. Every time our dinner table conversation falls to that level my head explodes. I really don't know how I gave birth to such mathy kids. Oh yeah - maybe Engineering Dad had a hand in the genes.

Anyway - now that my kids don't need my help getting themselves through each day I've had to find something else to do with my free time.

When our Golden passed away shortly after Engineering Guy left the next Miss Mindy and I started agility training. Mindy was nearly eleven. She blew everyone away. Not that she was fast - far from it - but she did every single thing I ever asked of her the very first time. Tunnel? Piece of cake. Teeter? No problem. As my instructor still tells people - the minute she realized there was food involved she would do anything. Agility classes also gave Mindy some time away from the pesky puppy Max, I insisted on bringing home for company. She was all for company but she did draw the line at ear pulling and proved she could still take a round out of a smaller dog. Max was a pretty lively pup - more so than I ever remembered Mindy being so we took lots of obedience training and then started agility training together. Mindy retired from agility after two session of class because doing agility in the summer sun was too much for her. Max loves agility and he loves his momma. He is rarely far from my side and would do anything I ask. He is hoping to become a therapy dog this year. Of course having two such wonderful dogs we (as in Engineering Dad rarely argues with me when I have my mind made up) decided that Max needed a puppy to run off some of his energy. Enter Rylie. Rylie is a black dog. I've never had a black dog before. I don't thing Rylie has stopped moving since he joined our family in August 2009. He is OCD about balls, sticks, and frisbees. He can be an absolute brat in obedience class and have the instructor ask to pick him up to cuddle him because "he's just so cute". Needless to say he has the rest of us wrapped around his little black and tan paw.

Back to the empty nest

After having Engineering Guy home all summer and Computer Dude home for a couple of weeks between his school term and work term our nest is empty again. Well except for the three dogs...........I got a crazy idea during the summer that we needed another puppy. That definitely keeps me busy.

Engineering Guy has been in his new (old) house for a week now and it's been rather eventful (and expensive). First of all his new bed that was being delivered wouldn't fit up the stairs. Not only did the box spring not fit but neither did the mattress. In the grand scheme of things it's not a huge deal but it means he has been without a bed for over a week. Oh well - his back is young and that's what air mattresses are for. It's like indoor camping.

The boys learned a couple of adult lessons. First of all - when your internet provider gives you an eight hour window to come to hook up that means someone has to be there for the entire eight hours. Murphy's Law guarantees that if someone slips out for ten minutes that will be when the internet people show up. They can't come again until Saturday. Luckily, the library is two minutes from their house and Engineering Guy has a laptop. Or maybe not so lucky. He phoned home tonight and told Engineering Dad that the laptop has a virus and it will cost $50 to have someone even look at it. I don't see that he has any options. He also has a big beautiful IMac sitting in his room as a paperweight until the internet gets connected.

Their house also got a noise violation ticket. Ooops. That's $235 split six ways. Their neighbourhood is entirely students and I think the police were making a stand early in the year in the hopes of keeping control. Engineering Guy said they didn't realize how loud their music actually was - but they thought they'd at least get a warning first. Now they know better.

I'm hoping his bed gets delivered tomorrow without any glitches and his week gets better from then.

Computer Dude is working at the same company that he worked at for his last work term. He is also taking a French course to knock off an elective. I convinced him (and I think he is beginning to think I know a thing or two) that French would probably be far less work than Physics........ Who the heck takes physics as an elective anyway?

The Nest Is Half Full

Time flies.  Engineering Guy is home after finishing his first year of school.  He is more convinced than ever that engineering is the right program for him.  He's signed a lease with five friends for next year.  We picked him up a week and a half ago and he is lucky to be one of the few of his friends to have a full time job for the summer.  He'll be able to live at home so that's great.

Computer Dude was home for the weekend.  He has just finished a four month co-op term and tomorrow he'll head back to school for four months.  He loved this co-op job but is also excited to go back to school.  This will be his first term at school in the summer (in a house with no A/C) to boot so he'll see how he likes being on a campus that's much quieter than he is used to.