Sunday, er, Monday Salon, March 27

Long-time friends

Weather...guess. You are right. It is raining, again. It is so soggy outside. Yesterday two ducks were swimming in an impromptu pond at the curb in front of my parents' house in Eugene.

Hard week: Last Sunday I reported that my dog's cancer was spreading and the vet warned us it was time to start thinking about euthanasia. We still thought we had a few weeks. By Tuesday that timeline got shaved down to two days and on Thursday we had her put down. It just broke our hearts to make the decision but we couldn't stand to see her suffer either. I wrote a blogpost Saying Goodbye to Muffy which was both heartbreakingly hard but also cathartic to write. I'd be honored if you would read it by clicking on the hyperlink. Rita, Don, and I were with her at the end. Carly, living in New York, had called in and spent some FaceTime with Muffy the day before. (I admit that FaceTime is not very satisfying with a dog.) Now we are rearranging our lives around a dogless house. We cleaned up her dog toys and bedding, removed her crate, washed and put away the dog dishes, and tossed the rugs we had placed on the hardwood so she could actually walk around. We even moved the cat food bowls down to the floor. Cat food bowls have been on the counter for years. If we left them on the floor, Muffy would eat their food. This morning both cats stood on the counter meowing, wondering where we had put their food. Sigh.

Muffy and one of her girls. Last day.

Best and longest friend visit: My best friend from junior high school through college days drove up from Portland on Wednesday for a walk and visit. She lives in Singapore, was in Portland for a conference, and decided to reconnect for a lovely afternoon. Unfortunately the weather didn't hold so we sat in a  Italian bakery and ate pastries and drank tea for hours. We had so much to talk about, we could have talked for days rather than hours. Thanks for the visit, Rita, I love you.

Trip to Oregon: We drove south to help my mother celebrate her 88th birthday and to make sure that my father was doing as well as she reported, after a health scare earlier in the month. Dad looked good. Mom was jubilant. My younger sister drove over from Boise, my older sister hosted a party for mom and we had some wonderful together time.

60 for my 60th: My afternoon visit with my friend Rita and the week-end visit with my sisters and parents brings my total over 20. This is so much fun reconnecting with friends. I recommend it.

Spring Break next week: We are heading to New York to see Carly. I am looking forward to seeing my girl!

University of Oregon basketball: The UO Men's basketball team is going to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament. Yippee! In case you want to see a sped up version of the whole game (with every score), here you go:


and the UO Women's Basketball team is going to the Elite Eight game tonight against UConn. The clip is from the locker room after their Sweet Sixteen game against Temple.



Books read this week:

• Long May She Wave: a graphic history of the American flag by Kit Hinrichs---I enjoyed this over-sized book which highlights the history of the US flag and all the paraphernalia related to it.
• Dog Heaven by Cynthia Ryalant---a children's book which came along at just the time I need it to give me a perspective on heaven for dogs. Thanks, Theresa, for the recommendation.
• Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo---a middle grade book about a remarkable dog, Winn-Dixie, who helps a young girl make friends and find her place in a new community. Another sweet dog book to help me cope with the week.
• Dog Songs by Mary Oliver---I read a few poems from this small volume. Oliver is a great dog lover, too, and has experienced the death of a beloved pet, eulogizing it in poetry.
• Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach---this is the Pierce County Reads! book for the year. Don and I listened to it going to and returning from Oregon. We got trapped in traffic so we were able to finish the whole thing on the one trip. I like Mary Roach's approach to research and her writing style is inviting, even funny at times. Some of the subjects in this book, though, were pretty disgusting.

Currently reading:

• Homegoing by Gyassi---I missed the book club where this book was discussed but I am determined to finish it. 80% complete. Audio.
• Tales of the South Pacific by James Michener---this is my Classics Club Spin book for the quarter. It is short stories of sailors fighting in the Pacific in WWII. So far my imagination hasn't been piqued but I haven't gotten far. 15%. Print.
• If I was Your Girl by Meredith Russo. I just picked this book back up after a month-long hiatus where I had to set it aside. My goal is to finish it by Friday. 23%. Print.

What I hope to read/finish during Spring Break:

• Dear Bob and Sue by Matt Smith. A book club selection for the upcoming month. Print.
• Tales from the South Pacific by James Michener. Don't know if I can finish it but I'd like to complete a fair chunk of it during my week off from school. Print.
• When We Collided by Emery Lord...a YA book which won the Schneider Family Book Award last year. It has been on my bedside table for far too long. Print.
• I also want to find an audio book to listen to and a e-book to download on my iPad. I guess I'll have to do a little shopping on the library catalog.

Have a good week!