Yasashiikuma

Chai – the Hebrew symbol for “Life”

I love the fall colours, the crispness in the air, and the beautiful Indian Summer days. In fact for many reasons fall should be my favourite season, except that the period from August 14 – October 17 the calendar is spotted with far too many sad anniversaries – the loss of my mother, father, Bill & Chris. That, combined with the declining daylight hours, make it a hard period to get through.

Yesterday was one of those sad days. Eight years ago someone I loved very much made the choice to end, what he felt, was unbearable suffering. I’ve never talked much about this with anyone, because its always been a “taboo” subject, as well as a controversy. Did he die of natural causes as the pulmonary embolism indicated, or did he die as a result of the massive doses of drugs he took? We’ll never really know. I just know that he chose death, when there could have been so much more life available to him.

In another 30 days, it will be the one year anniversary of Chris’ death. Again Chris made choices through his life, some of which contributed to his untimely death. The choice to not refuse the morphine that he became addicted to at the end, and which eventually killed him, was again a sad choice ending a special life far too soon.

Right now I should be packing for a trip to Europe. I had planned on going on a cruise on which James Van Praagh would be holding seminars for people who booked with his group. Unfortunately I had to make a choice also, and my choice was to save a little red dog who had a great joy for life, and a deadly condition. Perhaps I’m crazy, but I just couldn’t handle any more death.

Someone else in my life has made a choice – and I’m proud of her. My sister has been diagnosed with breast cancer – and she’s chosen to fight it in every possible way available to her. Talk about not taking any bull!! She doesn’t take “we don’t know” for an answer, and she is just amazing as she battles this. I can’t say that I would have her courage. Love you Phyllise!

As I brought the dogs in tonight, Jaime took one wild frap around the yard at full tilt, barking and weaving around Rocky, who I think and hope is also perpetuating the Circle of Life. As she barked and ran with such joy all the questions in my mind fell away.

There was no “choice”. To choose life is the only answer.

Well you did well with the picture a year older than the reunion class. How well can you do with the picture a year younger?

Actually I could make this really fun and say:

1. Find a lawyer (you have your choice of a few)
2. Find a dentist
3. Find a movie producer
4. Find a surgeon
5. Find a a singer
6. Find a Lawyer/Accountant

Does that make it tough enough?

It looks like Chris has decided that I’m not quite ready to do without him. Today I went shopping with a dragonfly. For anyone who is a new reader to the blog you should read the posts here and here and here to underestand the significance.

Once again the gardens have been stripped of the excess growth, and unfortunately a large number of the perennials that had not yet identified themselves clearly. So I had to go shopping to buy replacements, and some annuals to add some colour to the garden.

I went to the Walmart garden centre down in Orangeville, and as I was looking at a plant trying to decide if I wanted it – a small dragonfly landed on it and looked right at me. It only lighted for a second and then hovered over to a slightly healthier pot of the same plant. So I picked it up instead.

This happened during my entire shopping trip. This dragonfly stayed with me, hovering from plant to plant drawing my attention to a few I hadn’t even considered.

I think I have a screw that is working itself loose, but these are Chris’ (or the dragonfly’s) choices for the garden this year

This is my second Dragonfly encounter this week. On Tuesday I had to go down to Toronto for a job interview. Having to drive in Toronto traffic, as well as getting stuck in a construction zone, made me a little rattled, since instead of having 45 minutes till my interview I was down to 10 and I still needed to park and figure out where the offices were. I finally found a parking spot, and a dragonfly landed on my windshield. It hovered up and down a few times, and when I got out of the truck, it came within 3 inches of my face – and then flew off.

If it was meant to calm me, it did. If it was a dragonfly version of a goodluck kiss, it worked. More next week.

Today promises to be another brutally hot day outside. At 10:30 it was already 92 degrees, so the dogs are staying in the house even though their new kennel runs are finished.

Below are three pictures of where the kennel is at. I still need to get the doors finished and the interior in shape for the dogs to be in there during the day.

There are now 4 runs – 2 that are 10×10 and 2 that are 8×8. All of the runs will have a door to go into a separate interior pen in the building.

Between the two 10×10 runs is a 4 foot high wall. In this way none of the occupants of the runs can see the occupants of any other run. That should hopefully prevent the Fun Police (aka Rocky) from engaging in any prolonged barking because someone else is playing in which she isn’t included.

The remaining area is one huge gravel play area where puppies can play, or the big guy can be loose in.

Along with the kennel – the gardens are being whipped into shape in the front. The problem is that every year a pile of the prior years perennials get pulled out This is getting to be expensive!

The grass in the rear is still being left for the horses. Here is Manitou, first just after the vet and now two weeks past his dental work. The poor old guy was looking very rough – but from the second picture you can see that he is starting to get some shine back into his coat and some more weight on his bones. Hopefully another few weeks and he’ll be back to himself fully again. This winter I am going to have no choice but to find somewhere to board them….it is impossible to find a reliable person to look after them while I am at work.