I have always been terrible with goodbyes. I had a roommate for a week about ten years ago, and she decided to move back to Texas. I barely knew the girl and the day she left, I bawled my eyes out. I am extremely worse with animals.
This is my class red eared slider (who has had so many names I can’t even remember its name) and she came home with me this summer along with four other animals. She is the messiest eater and the dirtiest reptile I have had to take care of. When you walk in the room, she gets really excited and swims to the side of the cage and goes crazy. The problem is, I would have to change her 20 gallon tank once a week. After going through three filters, I couldn’t do it anymore. Long story short, I found a sanctuary for her. When I took her, I was really sad. I stood there for 15 minutes watching her swim around. Thankfully, I held my composure, but I hate to say it, I cried a little in the car on the way home.
I am such a softie for animals. This is why I could never work at a vet or zoo. I would take ALL of the animals home with me.
Meanwhile, I dusted off the mountain bike and took it out for a Tuesday night ride. I’ve been preparing myself mentally for a time trial in a few weeks, so I’ve been dissing Safire (the name of my mountain bike). It was so fun and beautiful out! I’m starting to feel better after the terrible 12 pound weight gain my job created for me this year.
There was a beeeaautiful sunset that night. Only in New Mexico.
Last situation of the week, my kitchen sink. In the last year, our microwave, garbage disposal, and dishwasher have died on us. I woke up yesterday and turned on the kitchen sink and got sprayed in the face like in the cartoons when they are playing practical jokes on each other. No, the joke was that the sink was next to go.
So here is what my kitchen looks like now. I never realized how much I use a kitchen sink until we’ve been without one!
I love how Barney has to be part of things.
P.S. Leftover pulled pork with mushrooms on a mini tortilla pizza. Good stuff. Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce makes an excellent pizza sauce!
Question: Have you ever had to say goodbye to a pet? How did you handle it?
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You know how I love horses and so it’s not suprising that saying goodbye to them is the hardest for me. Really it’s too painful even to tell about the details of each goodbye. I wish I could just collect horses and never let any of them go, but that’s not reality. It takes me a long time to let go, but knowing they’ve gone to a good home really helps. The hardest goodbye ever for me was with a horse that I had for many years. Over time he became very arthritic and crippled. Eventually it got so bad that he could barely get around. He could have stayed alive like that for a long time, but in pain. The hardest decision I’ve ever had to make was with him. When the disease progresses very slowly and day to day there is not much change, but month to month there is, how do you know when it’s time to put them down? And how exactly should it be done? Those are the hardest questions.
You may have been too young to remember, Liz. But when our first dog, Mitzy, died, I cried as we buried her and said goodbye. She lived with Mom and me for more than 10 years. That almost made me swear off having any pets again. But then you came along, the biggest animal lover and kindest heart I’ve ever known. And you’re my daughter! So we had to have dogs and cats and fish and more.
I’m glad.