Seasons of a Dog

I took our Good Boy Jacob to the vet today. He goes monthly for his Librella shot, which is used in pups with bad hips. Jake has always had bad hips, and I wish this med had been around in his younger days! Jacob was born in the spring. We brought him home mid May, which is the best time (in both our opinions) for a pup. In the springtime of his life his hips were already wonky, but never bothered him, or slowed him down at all. 

In the summer years Jacob s hips didn't visibly affect him, but we started a regimen of glucosamine, condroitin, and fish oil, to keep things limber, and they did. Jake has always been an extremely healthy boy, and we made sure to keep him a healthy weight, knowing those hips would thank us later. In his late summer years we also got him a baby brother,  Loki. Same breed, Great Pyr- German Shep mix, but good, solid hips. Solid. That's a good word to describe Loki. 106 pounds of love, and loyalty. We thought Jake was smart, Loki is smarter, and not as opinionated. Jacob has his own ideas, especially when it comes to listening to me. 

During the fall of his life, we noticed a little tenderness, but no real slow down, and the Dr. prescribed Carprofen,(kinda like ibuprofen for dogs) which he has been on since, along with supplements. Jake and Loki continued their daily play battles, and patrols of the border, and Jake helped Loki  to be a Good Boy too. In fact it wasn't until Jake was somewhere in his 10th year, the Winter of his life, where we started to see a decline. 

Jake is 12 and a half now. Fully into his winter season. I requested a "geriatric appointment" at Librella time this month, because I don't think the once a year physical is good enough when your Good Old Boy is in his final season. The librella was a wonder at first, but the last six weeks have been a backslide, and we are back to square one. We'll continue the shot, to get whatever benefit we can. His carprofin is at its max, so we will add some Gabbapentin as needed. That's about all we can do. Otherwise, he is a healthy, very happy Good Boy.

In this final season, he can get a little goofy at night, but we have a supplement that handles that. He now hates storms, which never bothered him before. His eyes and ears are not what they were, but he's maintaining weight, so that's good. He still only listens when it suits him. We are laser focused on giving him the best Winter we can,  making sure he has the best quality of life possible. When quality comes into question, I'll handle it with a heavy heart, but it's my job. A large dog like Jake usually doesn't live this long, we know how blessed we are. 

Winter, the actual season, is Jacob's very favorite thing. I was suprised that we still had him last winter. I'm just hoping he has another chance to play in the snow. ❤️ 

On Being Me

Every year on my birthday eve I post something on Facebook, and/or write a blog post that briefly encapsulates the year gone by. Since Cece died in October '22, there have been no blog posts, because how could I continue writing about my life, without speaking about this devastating loss, and the struggle to get my head up above the ocean of grief that engulfed me. I'm not sure that I will ever put more than the above into words on a page, but let's just say that it knocked me off my path and into the woods for awhile. 

In mid April of this year, as the earth was waking up from her winter slumber, so was I. It was like I had just been floating on auto pilot for a year and a half, until the day I could not physically get on the floor to play with my Great nephew, Henry.(wlWho just turned two, and now has an 8 month old sister, Ruth!) Then, I woke up. 

I took a hard look in the mirror, and thought, "Who is this fat old lady?" Sorry, but that's what I thought. Then I realized enough was enough. I'm not going to watch life on the sidelines because I have too many aches and pains to play and enjoy it. Yes, that comes with the territory of gaining years, but for the most part that isn't the case here, yet. 

My deep issue is rewarding myself with food. Maybe consoling myself with food is a better way to explain that. You had to do something you didn't like today? That's ok honey, you can have a Big Mac for dinner. So for a year and a half, while floating around in this ocean of grief, I consoled myself with every comfort food available, and as much as I wanted. 

Two pants sizes later, and I was not able get down and play play with Henry. (It's the getting up that's the problem.)I couldn't do a lot of other things either, but I didn't care. Not being able to be an active participant in the kids lives, that kicked my butt into gear. 

I have always been, and I'm sure I will continue to be, a curvy gal, and I'm cool with that. I just needed to make a giant shift, and some lifestyle changes to be a healthier gal, with curves.  

So, how am I doing? Great! Twenty five pounds are gone, and so are those two pants sizes. I can get on the floor and play with the kids, and we even went to the zoo a few weeks back, which I walked without difficulty.  How am I doing it? Counting calories on a free ap, which keeps my portion sizes where they belong, and keeps me accountable to myself. I make better choices, and still have anything i want, in moderation. I have a new scale, and I make myself get on it, because it matters. Now that I can move, I do. Formal exercise gives me gives me hives, (figuratively) so I don't see that happening any time soon. I just want to enjoy the rest of my years in a healthy way. Body and mind. 

So, as I rock in my chair, on my porch, on the last day of 54, I am very proud of myself. My mantra always has been, "Be who you are!" There will be a lot more of that around here, from now on. Inside, and out. ❤️ 

That time when I crawled on the floor at Aldi

I was just going to do a Facebook post, but this one deserves a longer space. 

Many of you know that my sister Kate has had several brain aneurysms operated on over the years. She had one repaired a little over a week ago down in Minneapolis at Abbott Northwestern. It's amazing what they can do these days, and she was only in the hospital over night. She's also well on the road to recovery!

I work as a PCA (personal care assistant) for my sister's 17 year old daughter Cece. So when things pop up, Auntie Jojo comes to stay. (That's always the way it has been, well before actually getting paid for part of it. ) I slept over on Wednesday and Thursday night last week, and then stayed until Kate, and her husband Tom were settled in on Friday.

 I guess the universe thought there wasn't enough going on, so their older dog had a cancerous tumor open up (all over the house) while Cece and I were out in the country at my house. Thankfully Kate and Tom were only an hour from home when it happened, so they were able to say good bye. That one is going to stay with me for awhile. 

Tom went back to work (railroad engineer,  so away from home) Sunday night, and again Auntie Jojo's bags appeared at Cece's house. We spent the week hanging out, taking care of Mama, and running out to the country to let Jake and Loki out each day. My fabulous niece Tater, whom Cece adores, came along to help. Handling the dogs and Cece trying to get in and out of the house is not a one woman job! 

Cece was good for the most part, but for whatever reason on Tuesday she had enough of the world and was crabby all day. Yelling, not listening, refusing to leave my house when it was time to go. Demanding radio changes all the way home at the top of her lungs. When we finally got settled back at her house she started the same with the TV and I put my foot down. She had her iPad, so she could do what she wanted, I was watching what I wanted. I told her to put her attitude in her back pocket and sit on it. She screamed at me one last time and threw herself on the loveseat, where she slept like this for an hour! She woke up in a much better mood! (Teenagers......)

So today I had some time to myself, and of course, I had errands. I bought some goodies at Aldi, and as I strolled up to the checkout it went like this:

Oh look! There's a 12 pack of Summer Shandy way back in on the bottom of that display! (I'm not a beer drinker, but I like this one. ) I haven't had any this summer! I'm going to have to get on my hands and knees to reach that box, but I'm going to do it! So I did it. Got down in my hands and knees and crawled in and got it out! 

The lady in front of me said "Oh gosh, I would never be able to get up again!" I just beamed at her with my prize and popped back up and put it in my cart. 

"Aren't you Katy's sister?" 

"Yep" is what I said out loud.  "This is what they've driven me to. " is what I thought.  I laughed all the way home. 

So yeah.....Kate? Jen says "Hi!" 

Bunnies and Babies

Happy Easter everyone! 

I have a done a few blog posts about our family Easter traditions over the years, and my plan this year was to continue on with that theme, but instead, I'm going to tell a different story! 

Once upon a time (twenty five years ago) I became an Aunt. It has been the most wonderful thing! Over the years four more Nibblings were added, and then oldest married, giving me one more. These six humans are everything to me!

Time marched on, as time does, and many Easter dinners have been shared,  eggs colored,  kites flown, and now the "babies" are 16. How on earth did we get here?? Luckily for me, they still aren't too old for eggs and kites! It's going to be 34 degrees tomorrow and the oldest still insist they are going out to try their luck with a kite! "It's tradition!"

Two months ago we celebrated my sister Kate's 50th birthday. While opening gifts she read her card from our niece Ashlyn, and her husband, Anthony aloud.  It said, "Your real gift isn't here yet, but we'll bring it over when it arrives." The bag it came from contained one lemon. 

Kate held the lemon in her hand, confused.  I looked at the lemon, confused. What was the joke? I'm usually in on the jokes, or I pick up on them quick, but I could not fathom what was going on. Then Ashlyn said, "That's the size our baby is right now!"

Wait.... WHAT?! To say there were tears is an understatement. 

I'M GOING TO BE A GREAT AUNTIE!!!!!!!!!!!

Ashlyn and Anthony made it Facebook official tonight, so I can finally talk about it!

PJ (my nick name for the lil nugget) is a purple egg, because Mom and Dad are waiting to find out if they are a boy or a girl. My original, immediate feeling was boy, now I feel like it's a girl. We'll find out by summers end. No matter, PJ is already adored! My crochet hook is going to be busy.

Congratulations Ashlyn and Anthony, we love you so much, and can not wait to meet Baby P!! ❤️ 

My Grapes Aren't Sour

I am so frustrated with the community that I live in today that I could throw the biggest toddler tantrum ever seen, complete with all the swears. Honestly. What on earth is wrong with people?

Yesterday was the Spring Primary election in these parts of Northern Wisconsin. Almost every position up for election was running unopposed, except for two school board seats. One vacant, one a 19 year incumbent up for re election. 

When this all began there were three candidates running. The incumbent, Chris Kintop, and two others. I know Chris, have known her most of my life. She's smart, she has been a tireless advocate for the children in this community, is a huge supporter of the LBGTQ community, and disenfranchised children in general. She had my vote, no question. There is so much more work to do in the fight to get special education fully funded in our district, and Chris was leading that charge. 

Being the informed voter that I strive to be, I began looking at Brooke Taylor and Ed Gallagher, to see who else I would choose to guide policy in this district. My first impression was that they appeared to be friends, and running together. Hmmm.... interesting. That could work for you, or against you.  Upon further research, and from out of their own mouths, I quickly realized their religious and political ideals do not align with my own, and are in no way neutral.  Neither of them have a quarter of the experience to qualify them, for me anyway, as candidates. 

I started reaching out to teacher friends, as I usually do prior to a school board election. I know how hard our teachers work, and I feel a responsibility to support them, however I can. I was basically asking which of the two newbies was the lessor of two evils. The reply was unanimous. Our only hope is a write in candidate. We don't want either one. 

The thought crossed my mind seriously for about two minutes. No... I don't think that's my path. I don't suffer fools lightly, or at all really. I'm a better behind the scenes player. If you're acting like an idiot, I'll probably call you one, and if you are acting like a child I will definitely treat you like one. 

Fast forward to two weeks before election. A friend of mine, Melinda Yingling reached out to me, and said that a few people were writing her in because they couldn't vote for either of other two candidates running against Chris, so feel free to add her name too if we felt like it. I was elated! So, in fact,  were many teachers, some of whom got her quickly set up in proper form to be a write in candidate, or else the votes wouldn't count. 

In a two week whirlwind she actually received over 900 votes. When you consider that the others received roughly 2500 each, that's huge! She is the perfect person for the school board, and I really hope that she runs again, from the beginning, next time around. She listens, and genuinely cares. She's active in PTA, works for the college directly with students,  and has been active in various groups, including the LGBTQ community. I don't think I've ever met a more empathetic soul. My only honest concern was for her own well being. 

In the end, the new candidates went for the mud slinging angle, which played to their group, and they won both seats. Chris went high when they went low, and I'm proud of her for that, and for everything she has accomplished. I hope it's only the starting point for bigger and better things. Our kids need this kind of champion in their corner. She will always have my full support, whatever it is. 

Now let's side bar on something else. There are 30 some thousand in the city of Superior. This election includes portions of Douglas County whose kids are also in the districts schools. So....50 thousand maybe? At least 45. There were 10,000 votes, give or take. Where in God's green earth were the rest of you? Why can't you pay attention for 10 minutes to learn about candidates and get off your asses for 15 minutes to vote? Why??? It's the only power you have and you're too apathetic to care. I can't understand, or excuse it. This was important. It matters who is on the school board. It matters who shapes these policies. Voter apathy makes my blood boil. Because

PEOPLE WHO HAVE RELIGIOUS POLITICAL AGENDA DO NOT BELONG ON A PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD.  

Last time I checked, that's what private school is for. I know, I went to one. Actually, to both. My world view expanded quickly once I got to public school, and I never looked back. Those last three years of high school taught me more about life than the first nine could have hoped to, but that's a blog for a different day. 

Yes, my candidates lost. It happens. This really isn't sour grapes, but genuine concern for the direction things are taking. I don't mind telling you that I'm glad the youngest two in my larger family graduate next year, but I've had a hand in raising oh...a hundred or so more, who are still in school, and I'm part of a community, so I'll be paying VERY close attention to how we move forward. I'm not sure what that means today, but I'll figure it out, have no doubt!