Category Archives: Butters the dog
“As perfect days are few …”
I was driving home from work today, admiring the shadows cast on the mountains by the clouds hung in the sky … and thought “It has been a perfect day.”
I instantly knew I would be writing tonight.
I have a peace about me today.
Nothing extraordinary happened.
I am just very aware of how blessed I am.
______________________
I awoke before my alarm – took my time getting ready.
Received an email that ended in ‘In deep love’ from someone special.
And actually smiled at the mess that Nicholas’ birthday had left in its wake.
Yesterday was pretty amazing. My son said he had one of his best birthdays ever – and it wasn’t because of any material thing.
He spent time with people he loves. During the day, with his first love – Chelsea, they’ll be celebrating 1 year together this month. Then I arrived home and he was with my mom.
I was aware in that moment that he’s grown. That he appreciates that what matters are people not things.
______________________
Back to today.
So I’m reflecting on the day – the interactions with my co-workers/friends.
The successful meeting we had this morning, one of the guest speakers being a dear friend who I’m always glad to see.
Happy about the fact that our place of business is going to be of service in the community.
Happy that I was busy, productive.
Happy that I felt genuine joy returning from lunch and seeing the cars of the ‘family’ I work with – knowing I was going into a building full of people I like.
Then how fortunate I was to be driving a car in working order – to have a job to drive home from – to be able to stop off at the pharmacy and afford to collect my medicine.
I was full of gratitude for every little thing.
Grate FULL.
Then I checked the mail.
There was a brown package for me.
It was from a friend I’ve known for years and years.
She had told me a while ago she saw something and thought of me – and asked for my address.
This was in the package.
Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives.
Years ago, books like those wouldn’t have anyone thinking of me.
I was humbled.
Then I opened it.
Inside was a letter – and a check.
‘Dear Amanda (+Nic)
The book is for you – enjoy and pass on. The check is for Butters. Took up a collection, please put towards bill to get snip snip done. Have a great day.’
(I’ll keep her anonymity.)
I’ve been struggling trying to find the ‘extra’ money to have Butters spayed.
I came very close to looking for another home for her. I’m a firm believer that if you can’t afford to provide for an animal – can’t afford health care, food or time – then you should not have one!
When Butters showed up in my yard, I went to great lengths to find her owners. Even using a connection I have at a television station to have her shown on a morning show.
No owners came forward.
I then went to great lengths to find her a forever home. No takers.
I could not bring myself to take her to the pound, a definite death sentence.
So, 3 years later, we’ve been her ‘better than the pound’ solution.
But I’ve hated, simply hated that I haven’t been able to have her spayed or provided her with shots!!
It all came to a head a while back – I was frustrated when I had to chase her down the street when she jumped our frail fence. I panicked. She can’t get pregnant! She hasn’t had her shots! What if she is injured?!
Of course she wants to jump! Of course she wants to play with other dogs!
I knew all of this and felt SO inadequate as a pet mom. She deserved better I concluded.
That conclusion was shared with my friends and clearly made an impression.
______________________
So here I am, having my ‘perfect day’ added to by this amazing person – and then I see her Facebook status.
And apparently something has happened.
Her recent status alluded to that and ended with “May the journey we all travel be peaceful as perfect days are few and sometimes far between.”
This friend, who managed to make my perfect day end on such a sweet note is not having a perfect day.
She wrote inside the book ‘Because you just never know! Pay it forward’
To her I say, “I will. I promise you I will.”
And I ask now for anyone reading this to just take a second and send love and light into the universe to all those in our hearts, on our minds – and in the world.
Butters – and how I’m not going to be eaten by cats
I always assumed I’d meet my end dying unnoticed in my house, then being partially eaten by my copious amount of future cats. My body perhaps found by the Laundromat Lady when I didn’t show up on a Sunday to muse?
Turns out Butters is what I have to worry about.
I know this because last night as I was on my belly, inching across the floor – she tried to eat me.
Okay – rewind.
You might like a little back story.
(And funnily enough, that’s what it is.)
I was in my sons room saying ‘goodnight’ and asked ‘Can you crack my back without lifting me?’
Nothing worked, so I lay down on the floor and Nic stepped on me. I was stretched out and pulled myself forward on my elbows to lengthen my spine. It felt good.
So while I was down there – of course, I went into tangent mode.
‘What if I had a broken leg and had to get to the door??’
Only way to find out if I could reach the front door was to try it.
You know, like anyone laying on their childs bedroom floor would think to do. Nothing weird here.
So I’m pulling myself using only upper body strength across his carpet.
A military belly crawl, only, I wasn’t allowing myself to use my legs – they remained dead weight. (Remember, my imaginary broken leg … of course, I wasn’t factoring in the pain I’d have to contend with should I actually have a broken leg, but we work with what we have.)
I encountered tile and was unable to get a grip due to my flannel pajama bottoms and fleece sweatshirt. (*Note to self, break leg in clothing with more traction.)
I should have stopped there – experiment over. I was screwed once I hit a slippery surface.
But Nic’s in the spirit of things now and pulls me across that obstacle.
Next the kitchen.
By now – Butters has noticed me in a vulnerable position on the ground. Does she worry? Look upon me in curiosity? Go for help?
No! She attacks.
I’m scooting across the kitchen rug and intermittently having my head chewed on.
I tried playing dead – but she just kept running off and returning to gnaw on me.
“I’ve got her! Go! Go!”
Nic held her back as I inched into the living room.
Why am I still doing this?!? Because I’d come that far – that’s why.
I wasn’t exactly sure where I was going now, but it was very apparent that if I were home alone and did have to wriggle to a phone or an exit without using my legs, Butters would be the reason I wouldn’t succeed.
Experiment over.
I hadn’t quite forgiven her after I climbed into bed.
I lay there on my stomach, getting comfortable, my head turned to the right when I heard snorting and felt warmth on the back of my head.
*sigh*
Really??
I sleep on a California King sized mattress – there’s enough room for me, Butters and both sets of Charlie Buckets’ grandparents!
Yet, Butters, obviously exhausted from attacking me, was snoring less than 5 inches from the back of my head.
She has a side! This is ‘homeless dog’ that I took in that now has a side of my bed.
She doesn’t like to cuddle, so I decided it was likely she was guarding me like one of her bones.
(Oh gawd, what if my imaginary broken leg is a compound fracture?!?! She’ll try to drag my sticky-out bone off!)
Anyway, she was still tired this morning (good!) so I managed to capture evidence of her close proximity. Then I just pestered her for photos to be annoying.
She’s getting really sick of the camera.
Perhaps I need to remember to break my leg in clothes with traction and a camera around my neck … then I stand a chance.
Butters on the left, my pillow on the right.
Me being happy I was annoying the dog
Musings from the Laundromat: Cake, foot-in-mouth and Mr. Stare edition
Had to do some serious motivational speeches in my head this morning to get out of bed and to the laundromat. Mostly they consisted of: ‘when you get everything done, you can have cake.’
Some were more along the lines of ‘You get out of life what you put into it’ and ‘you’ll feel better after your chores are done and you can relax’ but, mostly they all ended with cake.
So here I am. Things weren’t looking good when I arrived.
Someone was at my table. (‘My’ table, lol)
Not just anybody – but a male who, I felt looking at me the whole time I was putting my items in the washing machines. I tried not to look up, but eventually had to and when I made eye contact, he didn’t break it!
Creeped me out. I felt his stare and could see his focus on me in my peripheral vision.
I hurried to the rainbow umbrella table and stared ahead. At this lovely sight.
Yes, the laundromat bathrooms are ready for Halloween. Good grief.
Normally this would please me – but sitting under the giant rainbow umbrella juxtaposed with staring at such a dank, yellowed, dismal view left me feeling uncomfortable.
Especially since Mr. Stare was still staring at me from MY table.
The view and the sensation were about as pleasant as finding a Band Aid in the dryer, after drying your clothes and knowing no one at your house injured themselves.
Yeah.
That kind of unpleasant.
Anyway – he’s gone now.
So back to motivation and cake.
My son’s girlfriend turned 19 yesterday and when they returned from a day at her house and dinner – they sat and we chatted and laughed AND … she had brought me a piece of saved cake.
It wasn’t until she left and Nic squirreled his way under my tin foiled treasure, that it was revealed in all it’s cakey glory that it came with candles.
How adorable is that? Who thinks to leave them in?
Well, it certainly had the appropriate number of candles because I behaved as if I were three yesterday.
I have this annoying habit of speaking my mind.
I really try not to! I do!
I sit myself down and explain why it is not a good time to bring something up, or why I should not say what’s on my mind. I nod at myself and agree – then proceed to do it anyway.
I infuriate me sometimes. But I can never stay mad at me long.
So the weekend has pretty much consisted of me behaving like a 3 year-old – being extra emotional – feeling insecure, crying at animal videos and craving cake.
Wonderful.
Even Butters has been in an odd mood. She took herself off to bed last night after giving up waiting on me and she’s doing her really good imitation one of those poor, unloved animals you see on those gut wrenching commercials.
Notice she’s being very ‘unloved’ from her spot on my bed. Which I’m allowing even though she’s shedding like crazy.
I’m hoping to cheer myself and the dog up by cleaning when I get home with the laundry and letting some light and fresh air into the house.
And! By removing the foot from my mouth and inserting cake.
Musings from the Laundromat: Vultures and Sleeping Dogs edition
Ah Sunday.
I stayed up until 2 in the morning last night completing a side job I’d committed myself to. It helped that The Breakfast Club was on.
Some of my favorite dialogue from that movie:
John Bender: YOU ARE A BITCH.
Claire Standish: Why? ‘Cause I’m telling the truth, that makes me a bitch?
John Bender: NO. ‘Cause you know how shitty that is to do someone, and you don’t got the balls to stand up to your friends and tell them you’re gonna like who you wanna like.
Yeah! Go John! But, Claire was just being honest.
I digress.
I stayed up late and mentioned online that I could sleep in. A friend pointed out that I wouldn’t. True. This is true. I awoke at 7-ish.
Not so much the dog – she was sleeping in.
For her to stay still for a photo op is a feat, for her to stay still with her eyes closed is a freaking phenomenon, so I’ll share the moment.
I decided to let sleeping dogs lie and gather the laundry.
I live on a dirt road – in the desert. As I turned left onto the paved road, something caught my eye to my right.
I checked my rear view mirror and spotted the eye catchers.
Vultures.
A U-turn was in order.
I could not let a moment like that pass without being photographed.
I pulled up next to them as ninja-like as I could in a PT Cruiser and turned off the car, and waited.
And waited.
And wished I had my ‘real’ camera.
And wished I had my tripod.
And waited.
I began to feel the vulture’s frustration as car after car came along to keep them away from the kill.
The kill by the way, was a rabbit. Well, part of a rabbit. It was mostly the head and some torso … a leg was about a foot away from it. (No pun intended)
Every time a car came along, I looked away … I didn’t want to see it run over. My stomach can only stomach so much.
At last a brave vulture decided, ‘screw this – I’m getting the rabbit’ and swooped majestically down and took hold of the carcass in its beak.
And I wished again that I had my camera.
Vultures are an awesome sight to behold. They’re HUGE and gorgeous.
I did not do them justice with my ipad – but you use what you have.
Here’s what I have:
Circling the kill
The brave vulture telling the not so brave vulture to back off.
Success!
“Talk to the wing!” Didn’t that latecomer ever read ‘The Little Red Hen’? Probably he’s eaten one … but everyone should read ‘The Little Red Hen’.
You don’t get something for nothing people.
Got to help plant, harvest and bake if you want that bread. Or, get off your telephone pole if you want rabbit.
Musings from the Laundromat: Simple pleasures & silver trolleys edition
It has been a perfect morning.
I walked into the laundromat today with happy in my heart and relaxed in my step. ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ was playing on the laundromat’s radio. I greeted the lady who works behind the counter – noticing her bright pink top. “Hi” I said, “I like your top!” “Thank you” she smiled.
She walked away with a hint of a smile still on her lips as I grabbed my cash card with the yellow wrist coil. I always pick yellow if it’s available.
I loaded five dollars onto the card and toted my laundry over to my favorite machines.
And here I sit at my favorite spot about to share my morning with you.
I’m reading an amazing book ‘The Glass Castle’ by Jeannette Walls. My friend Betty gave it to me to borrow last week.
I love that I have friends who enjoy a good book. I love the fact that they think of me when they’re finished with that same book.
I woke at 7 this morning. I slept in. After making a pot of coffee and letting the dog outside, I crawled back into bed to read.
A little while later, after retrieving a cup of the freshly brewed coffee, feeding the dog and laying back down on my bed – Nic appeared in my room.
“Hey” I said, as I let my book holding arm flop down onto the bed.
He joined me and rested his head on my chest. I put my free arm around him, patting his back.
We lay there, quietly, as he blinked at the wall.
“What are you thinking about?”
“The words on the painting … looks like it says Edward Woot”
I shifted my gaze to the painting as he continued,, “I think it is Woot”.
We both knew it wasn’t. But we considered the painting until we were joined by the dog.
“Aw! Now the whole family is here!” I said.
We focused our quiet gazes on Butters. Then back to nothing. Just enjoying the moment.
Not a thing was lost on me. I held carefully and quietly in my heart the following thoughts, not wanting them to disappear.
I held the gratitude that my son still looks for me in the morning. That he likes me and wants to have a moment with me. I held the joy that we were both looking at a painting together – one he gave me for Christmas – that we both appreciate art. I savored the fact that I was holding a book – that I get such immense pleasure from reading. I was grateful for my ‘boy’ in my arms and my dog at our feet.
I digested everything about that moment – while managing to stay in it.
Our silence gave way to laughter when Butters started nibbling on her leg and I announced it was obviously bath day.
By the look of the sky, I needed to take care of that quickly. The clouds outside were grey and looked heavy with rain. I suggested to Nic that we could just pour her shampoo over her and put her out when the rain began.
I got up instead and carried my 70 pound, hairy, leg nibbling manatee into the tub.
What began as a bath for Butters gave way to cleaning – I threw myself into the task, taking the large rug from the kitchen outside so I could wash the floor. Of course, Nic took that opportunity to make himself something to eat. His timing is impeccable. I worked around him – so very grateful to have a kitchen to clean. And too grateful for the food and my son to be annoyed by his timing.
Satisfied with the clean dog, the clean house and my fed and occupied son I took my turn in the tub. So grateful for the soothing stream of water on my back.
I’ll be making a small pork roast today – and enjoying my son in between his games and the book in between time with my son.
And speaking of that book – the friend that loaned it to me finished a particularly difficult book this morning (due to the content.) She commented to me:
“By the way, I finished the horrible one I was reading this a.m. I had to see how it ended and be done with it. I learned a grocery cart in Great Britain is a trolley. I was trying to find some lil gems in it to get through it :)”
I love that she said that. That’s what we do isn’t it? Look for the gems when things are tough? Well it’s what we should do.
I replied to her:
“There’s always a silver trolley if you look hard enough.”
Debauchery Soup 