How It All Began

Due to the events of the past weekend I feel that I need to tell my friends how important they all are to me. They all have been such a huge part of my family and my life, and I don't want to say it when it's too late.
We all came together through our kids. First we met Debbie and John through soccer and baseball, with Robby when he was six. Then we met Carolyn and Steve through Debbie, and our boys ended up being best buddies and Bri and Keenan best friends. We met Susie and Tim at swimming,but really became friends when our kids were in college together. We met Debbie and Tim through swimming,and became friends through the swimming years,but really became close after the kids graduated. So the kids were the reason,but we all have stayed connected because of us. All of these people are very special to me ,and if I would loose one of them it would be tragic.
We have shared holidays,graduations, weddings. I'm not ready for funerals yet.
Hell, Debbie Beck helped me and Carolyn clean the boy's freak'n house when they graduated from IU. That's crazy! Debbie Beck just being an hour away has truly helped me with the big Jasper move. We had a couple of "girl talk" nights that definitely eased the transition.I am not ready to give that up.I'm over the transition now, I just like our visits.
So here goes.....
Debbie Horan You are a wonderful friend, you taught me how to bowl and I'll never forget that.You challenge me and make me be a better person.Thank you for talking to me in the Boston bleachers all those years ago. You have made my life fun and I have been so lucky to know you and watch your kids grow up.

Steve, Go Hawks! I love how you argue with Rob. And I love that play guitar, eventhough your boy plays better.You are a great friend and a tender heart. I know we can count on you for anything. You always make me feel special. "Way to be."

Miss Carolyn, you make me laugh, dance,and sing.(off key)With you,I can be myself and you still like me.You have made us feel like family in your home and in your heart.It is the wonderful memories that we share that make you so special to me. I'm looking forward to making lots more of them.I love laughing with you.

Tim O'Maley, you have a heart of gold and always a case of beer. (a true Irishman)You see the good in every person.You have a smile that never stops.

Susie,your love of family and caring for all of the kids made me love you. Your home was open to all the kids no matter what time what day. You are so generous with compliments and gifts. I have a special place for you and Tim because you took care of my girl when I couldn't be there. You have a special bond with Robby....I love that.

Tim Beck, You are who you are. You are a gracious host.You have opened your homes to us( in Richmond and Bloomington) You are straight up and honest. Your antics always amaze me. You are a good old boy that likes to skydive.You have two great kids.

Debbie, you are an amazing person. I love what a great mom you are. I love the fact that we have the Richmond connection, and that you also have a Bloomington connection for things to do. You have been a special part of this new world that I am now living,called Southern Indiana.And I was sad when you and Tim were going to move to Florida, can you imagine how I felt when I thought I would never see you again?
These are our friends. And I have lots more nice things to say, and maybe nit so nice cause that's how we are,but I love them with all my heart. And you all better stick around for a long time ,because I'm not ready to let go for awhile.

Back In The Saddle Again

I have finally felt good about my job. It was certainly adjustment from the past fifteen years at Reid . Going from boss, to staff therapist was quite an adjustment.Especially at this stage of my life. I don't know if it was an ego thing or a confidence thing, but I'm okay now.
I suppose I had a preconceived notion of PRN staff. They really don't have a commitment to the job. I wasn't sure if I could actually do what I used to do clinically, when I was young. But I can. I wasn't sure if I could still draw a blood gas, well I can. I wasn't sure if I could handle a code -blue, well it came back.. And if a doctor yelled at me , well it happened, I'm okay. And I forgot why I really got into healthcare....the patients. I loved working with patients and family members and making them feel better. And I forgot that I was good.
A lady that works at the hospital came up to me and told me her baby was doing well, and I asked her why she didn't tell me when I was treating her child that she worked at the hospital, she said she didn't have to say that. She got wonderful care without telling us.I made me feel so good. So, right now, I like my job.

We finally had a weekend at home. No big travels and no physical visitors. That's okay we needed just some down time. I was puttsing around the kitchen Saturday morning and smelled an odd familiar odor. What is that smell? It was gone as quickly as it came, and I forgot about it. A short time later I was walking passed my dining area and smelled it again. I knew that smell, but couldn't really put my finger on it. I know I used to smell that odor a lot. What was it? I know,

it smelled like Kayla. My old dog that I had put to sleep a year ago. Now those of you that know me, know that I truly believe in supernatural signs or messages whatnots. And for that moment I thought little Kayla was going to limp around the corner and stare at me with those big cataract eyes of hers and bark like a seal. (she was a Shelty but she really did bark like a seal) And I thought Kayla is trying to contact me because Robby got a new dog. And she is sad because he replaced her with a youthful good smelling golden lab. Oh my gosh, Kayla is going to haunt me because I put her to sleep.
It is hardest thing in the world to make the decision to put a dog down. She was 17 years old and couldn't make it up and down steps anymore. Now our family disagrees as to how old she was but is was any where from 15 to 18 , that's why I am going with 17. What is that in dog years? Whatever. She was way old. And it was time.
Ask John Burkett. He saw her go half way down our steps and give up, she threw herself down the rest of the way. (we talk about it everytime he's here.)
So I stood in the dining area for awhile and the smell became a little stronger. It smelled like Kayla's poo. Oh my God that was perfect, she would always poo poo in our diningroom on Birchard ave. Hell, that was her freakin toilet. I had it figured out...I was going to have this smell as Kayla's revenge. The odor was exact. Good Lord it's a bad smell.
Did I ever tell you about the time we were showing the house on Quail Ridge to a lovely asian couple and Kayla puked on the man's shoes. No lie! Talk bout bad Feng shui. So I know she could be vindictive. Okay back to the now.
I called downstairs to Rob. What if I can only smell this? You know Rob didn't kill Kayla. I think spirits can put all of the messages to just one person. "Rob, do you smell something bad? Something smells really bad here in the diningroom." Well as I opened the door, whoooo..it smelled bad down there.
Come to find out, my handyman,Rob had been working on the water pipes that come from my dishwasher that we have been having trouble with for several weeks. The answer to the nasty smell. I didn't share with him my whole Kayla visitation scenario. If we communicated more often and I knew what he was doing around the house, I wouldn't be going off on "spirit visitation " tangients and he wouldn't get stuck on roofs . (another story, no time)
You know the more I thought about it , in way it was a

visitation,because it reminded me of our time with her. She wasn't always a smelly old dog. She was actually a pretty frisky thing that would play soccer and frisbie, and barked when the phone rang. Robby always said because she lived with a deaf lady who couldn't hear the phone. I'm not quite sure about that one,but isn't that a sweet story to remember her by?