Staying Positive

If you know me or read about me, you know I'm just a naturally optimistic person, 100% of the time, never waiting for the other shoe to drop.

OK, now that you stopped laughing...yeah, this week was very odd.

G-dog's health isn't great. She has lost a ton of weight in the past year (18 pounds), when she was supposed to gain (5). So I'm resigned to the fact the end is near, I just don't know when. D was on vacation this past week, and I think wasn't as "comfortable" as I was with this news. He took her to the vet on Tuesday when she lost yet another pound. I tried not to think about it, because this was about the same time last year that Porter started on her vet visits, and we all know how that ended up. Anyway, D called me and said G has a sore left hip and he got her appetite stimulants. We looked up the appetite stimulant and it is an anti-depressant. So...is your dog supposed to look like you, because I thought you were supposed to look like your dog? But G has sore hips and is now on "Doggie Prozac." She has eaten some, but today she wants to be left alone. So that's what she is up too. Although the other day, the dog was so high, I swear she would have eaten the shit out of a bag of Doritos.

On the hip front (mine, not hers), it still hurts. 2 more PT visits done. I was really confused as it is more my butt (piriformis) than my hip at this point. So should I get a cortisone shot? What would it do? What wouldn't it do? So I called my dad and asked him. He said at this point, doing nothing but PT was not working. Get the shot and the worst it would do is not work. So I called the doctor and I should get a shot Tuesday. I should mention that I saw the doctor before starting PT. Xrays were normal. And I didn't have arthritis. I think it is my hips are uneven, combined with the over-usage. But I don't have a medical degree, so what do I know?

I was supposed to go to a 5K on Saturday to support D and a friend. On Friday, D and I were looking at the website. The start and finish were 2 miles apart (not following the course). The T-shirt and after-party were 1/2 mile away from the finish. I knew from the after party to the start (where you would park) was straight uphill. There was a bus option, but seriously? Would you like a non-participant on the bus? I wouldn't. So D and I decided I would stay home.

So these types of things usually set me off. And I was more happy. Why? Because I worked late every day. Seriously, this made me happy. I can't remember the last time I worked this hard, and didn't notice the clock. The only reason I know it is 6PM, is that the AC goes off at 6. So by 630 it is really hot. But my brain is being tested, I'm being tested, and I'm doing something that has some sort of benefit to the company. I feel useful. It kind of overshadows the crap in my life. (Remember this for a later time, when I bitch about work).

So on Saturday, D went to the 5K. Of course he got a PR. He never found my friend, so he just came home. While he was there though, I had 2 pups looking at me like, "Mom, puh-leeeze let us go out!" So I leashed them up. I think I made it 200 feet. I felt that I looked ridiculous. I was practically using Scuttlebutt as a cane. And Guinness was upset because her buddy Mooshu was out and I wouldn't let them play. My other neighbor who is a runner was out. He showed me a stretch that I am already doing, but it is good to know I'm not doing some whacked exercise. We talked a few minutes. G acted foolish still yearning for Mooshu, while Scuttlebutt sat on the sidewalk and behaved.

D came home and we went to our friends' house to watch Georgia Tech lose to Kansas. Yes, Kansas. I know, Kansas! Then we came home and D made dinner. (Really glad it wasn't James Madison they lost to, but Kansas?)

Then we went out to a concert. I used to hear this guy in his band Angie's Hope back in college. For whatever reason, he has been solo, for a really long time (Angie Aparo). I could go look it up why he is solo, but I don't really care. If you ever heard Faith Hill's "Cry," he wrote it (and performs it so much better).

So we left of course too early. So we swung by to say hi to Clay for about 30 minutes. He had spent 5 weeks in Asia. It sounded like a wonderful exciting trip. Then we left and went to Park Tavern. D and I had our wedding reception there 7+ years ago. We hadn't been back since. We had to park far away because parking was $10. Since the concert tickets were only $10, I wasn't going to pay for parking. So we walked further than I walked the dogs. I was pretty much done when we got there. D got us Pale Ales. They brew their own beer. Their beer is good. The Pale is not hoppy, but yet has a good hop flavor, if that makes any sense. I meant to try the IPA, but D was getting my beers, and I forgot to ask for a change.

The first band we heard (I think we missed one) was "Better than the Beatles." They were just a fun cover band of 70s music (but not disco, more Classic Rock). Angie Aparo was really good. He is a good story teller. I had fun (and a lot to drink). D had fun. The walk back to the car was fine, except we were adopted by a cat. Seriously, D had to walk past the car while I got in, so the cat wouldn't get in the car. He was cute, but we aren't cat people, and neither is Guinness. And I don't want to find out if Scuttlebutt likes cats or not.

So when I look back on the week, I had a really good week. I'm really positive about that.