These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Random ramblings

Sam and the shoes

If you've read my blog for a while, you might remember that when I began bringing home my current pack of rescued dogs, I had a problem with Sam. He kept chewing up my shoes! If I remember correctly, he destroyed 10-12 pairs, some he mangled both shoes, others he mess with just one, but .... I think it was all part of his anxiety after being taken from the previous, assumedly horrible setting (based on the behavioral problems the poor guy had in the beginning). I had to be very careful to put all shoes in the closet and c.l.o.s.e the door. If I left the door slightly ajar, he would pull a shoe out.

Eventually, he stopped chewing them up on occasions I goofed and left them where he could reach them, but if I did so, he has carried them to the deck or the back yard, and there is often evidence of some sort of "mouth action" because I find them wet. Now, he may be just licking them, because they haven't shown tooth marks. Thank goodness!

Well, yesterday I left my sandals out when I changed after work. A couple hours later I was on the couch, watching a movie, and Sam came up to my feet with his head hanging low. And in his mouth was one of my sandals! I checked it over, and it was OK, so I told him "No, Sam, no shoes." His hanging head never came up, and I thought it was odd that he brought me the shoe, already knowing it was a no-no. I walked to the bedroom to put it away, and discovered the other one was missing. Oh, no.

I found the second shoe on the deck, totally saturated with slobber, but not harmed!! Funny little dog! Do you suppose his hanging head and bringing me the shoe was his way of saying, "Mom, PLEASE put your shoes away so I don't get in trouble!"? I'm kinda leaning that way!


Stay in your lane and keep to the right

This morning I was going to work, driving up a long, steep, very curvy hill. Like many mountain highways, this one has two lanes going up and one going down. A car behind me was driving in the left hand or inside lane, as I see so many people doing. Makes me crazy. We are supposed to stay right except to pass, aren't we? So many drive in the inside lane, regardless of whether there is a slower vehicle in the outside or right lane. This car was about 2-3 car lengths behind me, and it was not gaining on me, so it should have pulled right.

Suddenly, a car bound down the hill came around the corner, flashers on, and it was in our uphill lanes! Yes, not just the inner lane, but it was over in my lane, the outside one! The driver swerved back to the correct lane, but it also forced the car behind me to swerve into my lane, too. Whew!  Near miss! Had I been in the inside lane, I would have been hit! I could not have avoided it.

But then, do you know what the car following me did? Pulled back into the inside lane!! WTF?? I would think the driver would have been happy to stay in the right lane after that! The rest of the way up the mountainside, it stayed in the left lane! It didn't pass me until just before the road narrows to 2 lanes on the flat area, and the driver suddenly goosed it to get in front of me! Goofy driving! I don't get why someone purposely drives in the inside lane, as this event proves. I don't know if the downward bound car was having trouble, thus the flashers being on, but I prefer to be as far from that possibility as I can. I stick to the right lane unless I'm passing a slower vehicle.


Thin skin

I recently had to go to the police department to be fingerprinted. Don't get excited. I didn't do anything wrong. With the agency being acquired but the big corporation, all of us had to be fingerprinted for a background check, even though our previous ones were on file. Whatever.

During the process, the technician was having trouble getting my prints to show up on some fingers. She is probably within 10 years of my age, and she said, "As we age our skin thins, and it is harder to get readable prints on us." Well, that makes sense. Over and done.

Then just a couple days ago I noticed something else. I've been a barefooter all my life. When it is cold, of course I put on shoes and socks, if appropriate. Otherwise, I love being free of footwear. Recently, I have been opting to slip into a house shoe or sandals, even around the house. And when I wear sandals outside, I am very sensitive to a bit of sand that gets between my foot and the shoe. Oh, sure, it bothers most of us, but I used to be able to tolerate it better than I do now. I absolutely have to stop and shake out the sandal. There's that thin skin again!


Hmmmmm

I thought I had something else, but I'm drawing a blank. OK, so I'll see you in the next go-round!  Be happy, everyone!



10 comments:

  1. That;s a real bummer about the thin skin. I love to go barefoot too and I wouldn't like to be deprived of that....

    ReplyDelete
  2. It kinda is, Jenny, but there is the other side of aging that is so cool! I found this quote this morning, and it says so much:

    "One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young. Ah, being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

    ~unknown"

    ReplyDelete
  3. From dear Linda:

    "Your chronicle of Sam and shoes is endearing. And I love that you
    nurture these previously unloved creations with an abundance of TLC.

    I think Ronni Bennett at Time Goes By posted about a similar experience.

    I am with you on the driving (except I'm not driving yet, maybe
    never). People take such unnecessary chances. I feel most safe with my
    husband driving. He is the best defensive, careful and observant
    driver I have ever ridden with.

    --
    Blogging at www.retirementdaze.com"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda, I find it easy to be kind to those who have had a rough life, 2-leggers or 4-leggers. Of course, I occasionally get my hand bitten (figure of speech), but I'll never stop. We all need kindness when we are down.

      I'm thinking of taking a defensive driving course. I think it would be a good idea. I think I'm a good driver, but I believe I could learn more safety techniques.

      Delete
  4. Oh that Sam. I'm glad he remembered the rules before you had your shoes chewed up. My dog is finally leaving my shoes alone. He ruined a pair of sandals last year, but thankfully that all ended with his puppy days.

    Those drivers on mountains roads that don't know how to follow the rules really are a danger. Be careful out there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought it was really sweet that he brought it to me. Speaking of "puppy days," I think Sam had to live out his puppyhood after coming to me, although he was already about 4 years old. I believe his development was truly arrested where he was before. It took him a couple years to "grown up." But he's such a good guy now!

      I will be careful. Thanks.

      Delete
  5. I enjoyed the random updates. The puppy with the shoe story is priceless. He was trying so hard.... :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dakota, he is my greatest reward, simply because he has advanced so amazingly. He is an amazing and very funny little guy!

      Delete
  6. Can't remember our dog being a shoe-chewer, except maybe when he was a puppy. He chewed everything then.

    Wondering if the guy taking the inside lane is a white-knuckle type. I have to admit that if I'm climbing a pretty steep mountain with winding roads, I might be tempted to do the same, hug the inside lane. The farther from the cliff I am, the better. Don't trust guardrails.

    I didn't realize that about skin. As a diabetic however, I really shouldn't go barefoot anyway.

    Hope all is well with you and your's. My grandson sleeps as I write this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dave,I think Sammy was like a puppy when he came to me. His abuse was so horrendous that he truly has a case of arrested development. I believe that is why he chewed shoes, and now he is still fighting the habits of those old behaviors.

      On the inside lane driver, perhaps that is so, but it is so dangerous to hog that lane! And of course, we see people in flatland Kansas who do the same thing. I'm old enough to remember when almost all roads were 2 lane, period, and you only pulled left to pass. Old school, ya know!

      Delete

If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!