A SHORT UPDATE

Organized chaos is what we could call it. Daddy has to have the boys up and dressed and fed and armed with lunches and schoolbags and out into his truck before 7 AM every morning, then he drives them the 35 KM to their two different schools  before going to his own job. I can usually  time it so that the doggies are either still in my room or having breakfast in their crates when the alarms go off; six rambunctious bodies interacting at that hour is a bit much for any of us to handle and stay sane.

Usually I am the first one back home by the end of the day, and I try to have supper ready when they return. It needs planning ahead, a déjà-vu to when my own children were that age. No more just throwing whatever is handy in the fridge onto a plate and/or snacking while watching the hockey game! The Rug rats have always enjoyed Mémère’s cooking, so I have a reputation to uphold. They’re quick to tell me if the meal is not up to my usual standards.

Once again I am astounded by the ease with which we all settled in together; two adults working full time (and more!), 3 energetic young lads and 3 just as energetic pit bulls. We have our moments, of course, but more of them laughing together than not. My son is a loving and responsible dad, the boys are older now (12, 9 and 7), and Mémère is...just mémère. She can sneak you a treat to bring back a smile, or give you THAT look so you straighten up or else. So far they have never really attempted to explore the ‘or else’.

Other things are happening at the moment – I am presently without a vehicle. The tire broke right off my truck carriage a couple of weeks back, yes, while I was driving it, but fortunately on our winding country road so I was not driving fast, and my ‘Dukes of Hazard’ moves kept me from becoming part of the landscape. There is more to the story, but for another time. The company has loaned me a car so that I can get back and forth to work.

I never did get my vacation, and that means coming on 4 years without one. There may be a longer one in the very near future. That, too, is a post for another time.

I believe I hear movement – so I’ll get my post in before the whole house comes alive. Thanks again, Blogit family, for being there when this old gal needs to chill out and relax. Coming in here daily and reading you all is chicken soup for the soul. Sending you all a whopper of a SMILE and hoping it makes your day a little better!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

THEY'RE GONE.

Not very far, but still…

Since October, not long after my son’s transfer, he and his little family have been sharing my home, living in the basement apartment, but not really; most of the time we were all upstairs in the kitchen/dining area.

It was a bit hard on the three doggies at the beginning. They were not used to a tyke smaller than them running around, and she wasn’t used to dogs. It didn’t take long before everyone could move about freely. Miko learned to step aside when the dogs were barreling through, and she and Sam, my 100 lb pittie mix who thinks he’s a Chihuahua, fell in love. If Miko woke and cried during the night, Sam would be down off the bed and at the apartment door, cocking his head and listening. He would return to the bedroom and look at me. ‘Are you coming? She wants us down there.’ When I didn’t move to get up, back he would go to the door, then come and try to rouse me again. This would go on until one of her parents would rise and he could no longer hear her.

For the past two weeks the family have been spending their days painting and readying their new house in the village, and we would meet for supper when I’d get home from the office. Last night was the first time they were actually sleeping there. Last night was moving out.

Yesterday it was as if Miko knew the change was happening. She came to climb on my knee more often than usual.  Sam, too, sensed something, because he followed her around constantly.

For nine months, each evening after bath, Daddy and Miko would come into the kitchen and that sweet child would wave nite-nite and blow me kisses before going down to bed. It became a ritual. When Daddy picked her up to leave last night, telling her to say bye to Mémère, she turned and put her arms out to me. I took her, and she hugged me close, putting her head down on my shoulder and not moving. It was a prolonged farewell, and the love swirled in my soul and out through my eyes as tears. Glancing at my son I saw that his eyes were as wet as mine. It became a group hug.

They’re only moving a half hour away, and we’ll see each other often. Imagine how I would feel if they were moving to Japan, where her maternal grandparents wait for their yearly visit?

When the car left the yard, the doggies and I came back inside. I was still for a moment, listening to the silence.  The three of them stood watching me. What now? Sam turned back to the window, staring down the lane.

‘Doors.’ I said aloud. ‘Doors and squeaky balls. You guys can make as much noise as you want tonight!’ They followed as I opened the doors to every room. Stairs were no longer a problem with little Miko gone. When the balls hit the floor they were off, racing back and forth from kitchen to the living room that had been closed to them for this long. The racket they were making was a happy one and bothered nobody.

We were once again alone until....who knows??  I turned the music up loud, and I smiled.

LUV FROM THE BUSH IN QUEBEC

EASTER THIS YEAR

Grrrr.

My brain is whirling with numbers and I am slightly fed up. Once again I have made the decision to slow down, to let go of some work. We’ll see if I can manage to do it this time. Well, after this weekend.

Because I was working, I’ve spent Easter alone with the doggies and my son’s kitties. They are under my care while he is in Japan. The oldest one needs to take pills every day, twice a day, so you can imagine the mini-battle going on here each morning and evening. Unlike dogs, who are usually fooled into swallowing the medication disguised in tasty treats, this cat waits until I let go of him, then spits out the offending object. And the process starts all over again. I hold him, force his jaw open while avoiding batting paws, attempt to shove the pill into his mouth without touching those sharp fangs, then hold his mouth closed and rub his throat and belly for a few minutes. When it seems safe, I let him go and listen for the sound of the pill hitting the floor, which happens 2 times out of three. The third time is what counts, and he keeps it in (or will have to give up breathing altogether!), so should still be healthy when his family returns from holiday.

Our youngest baby, my great grandson, Zack, is in the hospital with pneumonia. Big sister Léna is staying with her Mamie, my daughter, while Mommy and Daddy take turns keeping Zack company. Poor wee tyke; poor parents. I can remember going through that with my own son.  It’s scary and family support is very important during the ordeal. We all keep in touch to be updated. My son and his Japanese father-in-law went to a temple and asked Buddha that Zack heal quickly and well. My son is not religious, but he is very family-oriented and compassionate and decided that it could possible help, and certainly not harm, especially with his FIL being such a devout believer.

It’s still raining here, melting all the once-sparkling-but-now-dirty muddy snow from my hills. Actually, it is removing the snow and leaving the mud! Ah well. I’ll cheer up when I see the dandelions’ yellow heads dancing on those same hills in a couple of weeks. Canadian geese have already started flying overhead, and that’s a sure sign.

And speaking of Canadian, have you seen our hockey teams on a roll?? The Habs will be playing again tonight. I’m loving it, and because they won the last game, I’m SMILING!!

Sending that SMILE out to y’all, wrapped in a yellow ribbon and carried by a bunnywabbit!

LUV FROM THE BUSH IN QUEBEC.

MORPHEUS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING...

It’s 4 AM and here I am, needing to be alert for the drive to work in a couple of hours, which is probably the exact time I COULD sleep. The house is quiet; my little Miko and her parents are on holiday in Japan; my youngest son and his rugrats spend most of their time with his new lady friend at her house now; that leaves my three doggies, my son’s two kitties, and me. I do miss the family, but this comfortable silence is also very welcome.

Both the office at work and at home are sky high with papers, stuff all to be done yesterday. I plow through so much of it during the day and most evenings, only taking timeout to watch hockey, but never seem to get ahead. I don’t even dare peek at what needs to be done for house cleaning except the bare minimum. When I have a brain freeze I pop into Facebook or Blogit to relax it a bit, a mental breathing through the nose.

My Mommy (the first pit rescue) has been having problems. She’s suffering from separation anxiety, badly. She ate through 3 of my walls, right down to the wiring and struts, even with my DIL trying to calm her down. I have been bringing her to work with me while waiting on the trainer to come back from vacation. We’re not sure what set it off, but when we take in rescues there is always the possibility of former trauma rearing its head.  I tried a crate, but she pulled a Houdini and escaped, hurting herself while doing so. She’s fine as long as I am with her or she can hear me close by, but goes into frenzy when I’m not around. The trainer I have chosen is young and cheerful and, from what I’ve seen so far, quite competent. Hopefully we’ll bring Mommy back to the confident, sweet girl she was up to a couple of months ago.

My health problems are resolved for the most part, and for that I am very grateful. No surgery required for the moment. The specialist was surprised when I hugged him, LOL! I came out of his office with the biggest SMILE!

That SMILE is still on my face, and I’m sharing it with y’all!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

WHAT IS HAPPY?

I had been having health problems off and on during the past year and suspected that a low immune system caused by the various medications I was taking was the culprit. A month ago it all caught up to me. It was a chore to drive home from the office, and when I finally did arrive, it was straight to bed. I stayed there for 3 days while my flock gathered, braving the doggies who surrounded me in protection mode,  worrying but not quite sure how to deal with my refusal to do anything but groan and sleep. My daughter finally put her foot down and said she would be here early the next morning to take me to the hospital – be ready or she was calling an ambulance. Oops! I was ready.

A day at the hospital did give me results. Scans, tests, examinations...then another long period of antibiotics, which my system constantly fights, and a meeting with the surgeon scheduled for the end of February. I am surprised but appreciate that things are moving right along considering the lamentable state of our provincial medical program. 

The house was full that night when I arrived from the hospital – my youngest son was preparing supper in the kitchen with the rest of the offspring playing or sitting around chatting. I changed into p.j.’s and housecoat and joined the crowd.  I was leaning on the fridge when my second Rug rat, the little blonde bombshell, touched my arm in passing and said ‘Hello, Mémère!’, his grin a mile wide. I responded with my own grin, and he turned back to me and threw his arms around my waist.

“We haven’t seen you for a long time, I want a hug.” I hugged him. He pulled away to leave, then decided he wanted more. “But it’s been too long,” he said. “I need a bigger hug!” I obliged, of course, and it was the beginning, because what one sibling does needs to be copied by the others. Little Miko was the last one to emulate her cousins, and their daddy’s decided they would keep it going. Ha-ha-ha and I love you too but now I need to breathe so back off, boys!!

I really don’t know what I’ll do when they all go on their merry ways, although this house has a way of alternating between quite empty to quite full, LOL! We never know what tomorrow brings, but another adventure is sure to come knocking on the door.

What do you think, folks? Does this keep me SMILING? And y’all know I’m sharing it – it’s winging its way to you as you read!

Love from the Bush in Quebec.

PITBULLS AND KIDDIES

Once again it has been awhile. My life seems to rotate in cycles of busy, very busy, and extreme busy with short breaks where there is total quiet. I can’t remember many of the latter.

Our oldest Rugrat was at first quite reluctant to join us. Life was much easier living with a permissive Mommy who let him do pretty well whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.  Knowing that there were feelings resulting from the separation, my son didn’t pressure him. The school called a meeting and stressed that, yes, the boys needed to follow along – his grades were plummeting and his attitude was deteriorating. He needed his Dad. The first day of his arrival was a little tense; he was keeping his distance from all of us. It didn’t take long for that to change. It’s very difficult to fight attention, especially when it’s what you want anyway. I knew it would turn out fine. This was the Rugrat, after all, who had once told me that he really loved his life while living here.

Little Miko is thriving in these surroundings, and how could she not? She bosses the dogs around when they are in her way, will hug them when they’re not, and has learned to hit the floor and throw her arms up to hide her head when she sees Eli come running at her. She isn’t crazy about the ear washes Eli bestows each time there is an opportunity, LOL! She’ll look around and make sure it’s all clear before getting up to resume her play.

Eli and the youngest Rugrat have made their peace. The child has realized that one needs to be kind to animals, and Eli has decided that he too is one of her pack, so all is well. Sam, except for his size (he thinks he’s a Chihuahua), was never a problem – he’s just big and noisy but extremely affectionate, and is now Miko’s guardian. If she even whimpers he is beside her immediately, and he checks out anyone else approaching her with a stern eye.  Mommy always was a sweetie, and when she gets tired of all the activity she’ll disappear to relax on my bed.

Working full time, then coming home to a full house means very few free hours for anything other than sleeping, but I’ve never done much of that anyway. I do miss writing, but I read daily in Blogit so keep up on your doings at least.

People shake their head when they hear about the situation, wondering aloud how I am able to handle it at my age. Handle it??? I love every minute of it, and it shows by the size of my SMILE!

Sharing it with y’all, aren’t I??

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It’s New Year’s Eve – just another hour to go before we’ll be in 2017. I’ve been alone with my doggies since late afternoon. The kids are out and about at different parties. I was invited to at least 3 of them, but refused. Pyjamas, a glass of eggnog and rum, the hockey game, then listening to music I used to enjoy with my mom and brother and sister once upon a time. This is exactly what I wanted.

I’m amazed at how well all of us have been able to adjust to the recent changes in our lives. The Rugrats are quite calm in spite of the separation, and the more I watch their dad (my youngest son), the more I admire him as a father; my oldest son and wife and little Miko deal very well with the noise created by so many in one house (there are 8 of us, 4 being children), the doggies are enjoying the extra attention, and Mémère? Well, she grins and repeats what she seems to have been saying forever: “The more, the merrier!”

Blessed – that is what we are. A close and loving family facing together whatever comes our way, which, thankfully, has been mostly all good. We’ll greet 2017 with SMILES!!

Sending lots of them out to you all, with the best wishes for a great NEW YEAR!!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.