As The World Turns: Doggy Style

You are in luck, because I speak dog and I am fluent in golden retriever, I will be able to interpret this Wordless Wednesday story for you today..........................I am also participating in the daily posting for the Ultimate Blog Challenge:

 The storyline is an all-time classic, two best friends living life to the fullest.....with not a care in the world.  In this story, the two boys names are Wrigley and Tucker.

 Just two months apart, they play ball and take daily walks together........................

And yet, their interests differ greatly.  One lives for a tennis ball, the other.....it's all about food!



"Say, Tucker.....did your Mum bring out the Charlie Bears tonight?"

""Who the heck cares, I've got my tennis ball".

"Stop smiling like a Cheshire cat", Wrigley groans as his stomach growls.



"Whatever, dude".  Tucker steps away slightly annoyed that his best friend cannot understand his love for the sport of running after tennis balls and wearing grass on your tongue.

"Sometimes, I just don't understand old Wriggs"...Tucker mumbles as he begs his Mum to stop gabbing and throw the ball.

 All of sudden a new face appears at the evening affair.  Enter Rosebud.........

She's different...............she's a bitch!  And she likes chasing the ball.  She immediately takes to Tucker and his speed and agility has her all in a fit.

"Why, Tucker is just dreamy!" At first, Tucker finds her to be fun and rather cute.  He enjoys her affections. Her "body bumps" were fun....at first.

 

 But, Tucker is a serious guy and nothing could ever really get between his tennis ball playing in the evenings.  By three years old, he was rather set in his ways.

Rosie was younger and just simply would not give up.  At first, she just nibbled at his ears.  But when he ignored her she was left with no choice than to bite hard and hang on tight.

Then, one night, Tucker was AT HIS WITS END!

"Rosie girl", Tucker started out saying, "Don't take this wrong, but I am just not that into you.  I have my priorities and they are always yellow and round-shaped, of which you are neither!"

Rosebud's world was shattered.  Her heart pounded so hard she could hardly think.  Her world seemed dark and lonely as she scanned the golf course, looking for answers to her life's struggles.

                                                                                                                                                                        

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Tucker's best friend.  He's bigger and reminds her of a rugby player.  "Why, he's dreamy!  Why didn't I notice Wrigley before?"  

She sounders over and gives him a sniff.  Wrigley is oblivious. He has watched Rosie drive Tucker crazy and is leery to her advances.  Still, she seems nice....not like his best buddy, who often smells like freshly cut grass.

 

     He ignores her in his childish ways.

"I know he sees me, why does he simply stare into space.....like some simpleton?!", Rosie says more frustrated than usual.  But Wrigley is determined his simple plan will work.  "Just keep acting like she's not standing right by you and maybe she will go away", Wrigley thinks to himself.


Finally, she gives up.

"I will never capture the attention of Wrigley unless I bathe in bacon!"

Stayed tuned for more 'As The World Turns: Doggy Style' when Rosie asks:

"Is Rocco too old for me?"

"Is this neighborhood too boring for me?"
 
and, "What's a girl like me to do????"

A Look Ten Years From Now

Day 21 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge asks us where might we be 5, 10 years from now....and what would our lives and our blog look like............................

There's a very important saying, "Be careful what you ask for....you just might get it".  Everyday, I hope and pray for better economic times.  I work everyday with that goal in mind.  But perhaps I should be careful......as we look into my Emtnester future............................

October 21, 2021

"Kisses, kisses my darlings!  I cannot believe it's been almost 10 years since I posted here on my little blog.  I've missed you so, but darlings, my life has been a whirlwind!  I only have a few moments to spare, so let me share the highlights......

Bill's work took off in a hurry.  And once I finally convinced him to shed his Levis, khakis and button downs, he went a teensy bit crazy with the couture clothes.  Why, his Chinese tailor moved in with us in 2013!  Some habits were harder to correct....he still wears the same Washington & Lee sweatshirt every evening, but now he owns 45 of them.  

We decided to move into a mega-mansion once we paid off our house that was underwater and it really is quite divine.  Only, we don't know any of our new neighbors and there is no place for Wrigley to run free in the mornings and at night.  We bought him a treadmill which he doesn't seem to enjoy very much.

Bill has taken to playing this ridiculous game of hid-and-seek after dinner.  The house is so enormous I can never find him.  Lately, I think he's not even trying to find me. 

Now that I have very little time constraints and all the money in the world, I can finally go visit my Mom in Florida, any time I want.  Only now, she doesn't recognize who I am! 

I have had just the perfect amount of plastic work done and I look much younger than I did back in my blogging days.  Nothing moves.  Anywhere. Seriously.  Except for the tragic little experiment with my lips.  Why, I went from Angelina Jolie and her lush lip look to a no-lip Mitt Romney look in one month's time.  Quite painful, really darlings!

My children are spread around the globe and I've filled their flats and apartments to the brim with furniture and possessions and now there's little room for me to visit.  They are all happy as can be, which is comforting in itself, I guess you could say.

You may be asking why did I stop writing my Emtnester blog?  Well, sometimes the pain and strain of all this success has made me to sad to think about....much less write about.  It's all terribly exhausting to ponder now, so I really must scoot.  Ciao!"

Dear Bethy Answers Your Most Pressing Halloween Questions

For Day 14 in the Ultimate Blog Challenge, it is suggested that we write an advice column, which is so up my alley...........................

Dear Bethy:

The Halloween season is upon us and I would love your suggestion as to which type of candy I should over-indulge in this year? signed-frustrated..............................

Image via Wikipedia

 

Dear Frustrated: The answer is quite simple.  You should run to the store and stock up on Candy Corn. With only 150 for every 22 pieces, you will hard it hard to go over the daily recommended 2000 calorie count before you get sick on such sweet goodness! I find eating candy that resembles my physical shape very comforting.  I do however, warn you against getting creative and making decorations with candy corn; you may start acting all "sticky-witchy".....watch what happens towards the end of this video:


http://www.thatsfit.com/videos-partner/how-to-make-a-halloween-candy-corn-tree-517169684-62  (Hope you can see this; it would not embed properly for me)

Dear Bethy:

I am 52 years old and have been invited to an adult Halloween costume party and wondering if you think its a good idea to go as a sexy nurse or a purty cat?  My legs are still in pretty decent shape. signed- sexy Momma

Dear Sexy Momma:


I suggest you have your decent shaped legs walk you straight to the psychologists office!  Do you have any idea why so many people secretly wish to be a tramp for one night a year?  Either do I!  Besides, you could get hurt or worse yet, you could hurt someone wearing that sort of outfit.  I would prefer you dress as Mr. Green Jeans or a wicked witch or better yet, a ghost! 

Dear Bethy:

My kids are all grown up and not living at home any more.  Do I still have to use up all my monthly disposable income on candy for the neighborhood kids?  And do I have to waste the whole night hanging around the front door, ready to give the candy to the trick-or-treaters....while my husband sits comfortably in front of the TV in the den? signed-tortured

Dear Tortured:


Why..............YES and YES!!!!

Bethy wishes everyone a happy, safe Halloween! 

Striving To Be Perfect

Photo by Laura Stone

Day 12 of Daily Blog Posting with the Ultimate Blog Challenge:

No one ever said I was perfect, well maybe one of two may have said that, but it doesn't really count when they are in a drunken stupor. But, I strive for perfection every day.  All around me I have examples of perfection to look to for inspiration and guidance.  The key is to not be disappointed when, by the end of the day, you are no closer to being a perfect human being than you were when you woke up in the morning.  The central point is that you tried and that you enjoyed trying to be good, better, best.

I am often inspired by the sheer beauty of things...objects....around me.  Take the full moon hanging longer than usual in the sky this morning.  It was 6:25 am and the sky was a noncommittal shade of blue.  Below, the recently seeded winter lawn popped up to say, "I may be young and weak now but soon I will fill in and provide golfers with a plush landing for their golf balls".  (Yes, the grass does talk to me!)

The morning walks with the neighbors and their dogs is filled with relaxing commentary on all things political while we are entertained by the constant frolicking of our four-legged friends.  Animals make you be better people by sharing the master-servant positions; we dutifully pick up their "deposits" in small plastic bags without hesitation.

I am inspired by the writing in the Wall Street Journal each morning and get excited to put something down in writing. I am inspired as I flip through the gorgeous pages of this month's Architectural Digest magazine.  While I may never have a room with furniture that looks cohesive, my home can be clean and organized and I can be appreciative of the items I have collected to date. 

There is a laser-like focus when it comes to the work I do with clients.  Every word on their website or sell sheet must feel perfect for their business objectives.  Sometimes, I have written and rewritten a paragraph so many times that my head spins, but in the end, I feel good that the effort put forth has produced something good and decent.

Parenting is perhaps the hardest area to prefect.  The presentation to the kids is often times derailed and off-target, but you always mean well!  Tell that to a child who you have just told they look like s**t or that they are not trying hard enough, and their feelings are hurt!  But, you keep trying by repeating that you love them dearly and that you only mean well.

It is the process of becoming a better, more perfect being that I find fascinating.  It never gets boring.  It is a worthy cause.  It lasts forever........

The Meaning Behind The Name of Your Child's Teddy Bear

It's Day 11 for the Ultimate Blog Challenge and our fearless leaders have suggested writing today's post involving teddy bears, so here goes:

There is one very special teddy bear that lives in our house.  He was given to my oldest son at the hospital one day after he was born from a good friend my husband was training under.  He was fluffy and pure white and stood about a foot tall.  He held a prominent place in Andy's bassinet, then crib, then first twin big-boy bed.  He quickly became Andy's go-to bear, security blanket and all-around best friend.  At 18 months old, Andy would drag this poor bear to the dinner table every night.  I said, "If this bear is going to be a true member of the family, he'll need a name.  What shall we call your bear friend, Andy?"  Andy said, with authority, "His name is MONEY BEAR!" We had no idea where this name would come from....being a resident in general surgery and an at-home-Mom, money was not an issue around the house.  We simply laughed at the name our son had selected and moved on.

For the next several years, Money Bear and Andy were inseparable; they were together in every Christmas picture, together every night and he was often dragged to the park to play on the swings and slide down the slide.

Money Bear has survived living with the three dogs who were also members of our family, although not without some considerable damage.  Our first golden retriever decided his right arm looked tasty enough for an evening treat; luckily Andy was 14 years old and was only slightly angered at this aggressive move by the family pet.

Wrigley is more curious about this special bear:






The name Andy selected all those years.....Money Bear......is special in our family history because it is so in keeping with Andy's life history to date.  He has had a special relationship with money his whole life: he is a saver, he is thrifty, he was a business/finance major at ASU Honors, he went to work for Ernst & Young and now he is attending Columbia University MBA Grad School.....specializing in real estate finance, so yes, it's still all about the money!  Some things just stick in your lifetime.  Andy knew he loved money at 18 months old and he's followed through in this interest his whole life.  I think that's very remarkable and interesting. 

I keep Money Bear in a safe spot in Andy's old room closet and may bring him out once Andy and Kim have their first child. Or maybe when Andy lands his next big job. Or, maybe I'll wait until he becomes CEO of a large company.  That could be fun and have good "embarrass-your-child" potential.  But, he will always have a place in our lives. 

So, all you young bloggers out there.....pay close attention to what your children name their teddy bears.  It might just give you some insight into their futures!