Eastern Utah
EMAIL ME AT: mgypsy97 at aol dot com

Friday, December 30, 2016

Resolutions

Does anyone else go through the farce of making resolutions at the New Year?  If you make them, do you keep them, and for how long.  I've never been very good at it but this year I have to do something and I might as well start the year out right.

I have to clean and organize my house!  I began doing that when I read Marie Kondo's book (The Magical Art of Tidying Up), but I got thrown off course with trying to sort and organized photographs - probably got 1/4 to 1/3 of them done.  But other things have sprung up to take their place, specifically artists canvases of all sizes, paints, and all the necessities  to calling oneself a bona fide beginner artist!

I am on a registry for adoptable pets, and yesterday was notified of my dream dog:  a black labrador retriever, between 6 mos and 1 yr old, a beautiful boy who looks just like my Smoky.   I contacted the organization who is responsible for him and they asked me to submit the required info so they could have me come and meet him soon.

In the meantime I wrote to my son Steve, who was the one that got Smoky at the pound in Richmond, VA.  That dog owned my heart from the minute I laid eyes on him, and fortunately Steve needed to give temporary custody to someone when he decided to move to NY for a job.  When the job moved him to Columbus, Ohio a couple of years later, Steve said he'd take his dog back, and I told him his dog was now my dog.    So Steve is a dog lover and understands why I want a black lab.  When I sent him a link to this particular dog, with all the info, he took a long time to respond and then in only a sentence or two.  I wrote him again with more reasons why this was the dog for me, and he gave me another noncommittal answer.  There is a reason he doesn't think I should take this dog and he isn't telling me.  Maybe I'm too old for an energetic young dog?

In the meantime I've been in contact with the woman in charge of adoptions and told her that I reconsidered overnight, realizing that I have many tubes of acrylic paint, some with cadmium and titanium among their contents.  This is no problem for me, but as anyone who has ever had a labrador retriever knows, their appetites are insatiable, and they will eat anything.  There is no way I can secure all the painting stuff to keep a lab puppy away from it if he wants it.

I had a friend at work with a black lab and we used to have lunch together and laugh about our labs and the things they ate.  She came home from work one day to find that Jake had eaten an entire bag of dried beans, and she found him standing over the empty bag barely able to move.  She rushed him to the vet, who sort of chuckled and said he didn't know, but definitely not to give him any water for a while.  I fell out of my chair laughing at that!  So those lovable labs get into trouble very easily and i don't know if I can handle it.  

The lady wrote me back and sent a photo of what she thought would be the perfect dog for me - a 10# chihuahua!  Anyone who knows me would get a laugh from that.  I like big dogs that don't bark at everyone and everything they see.   I've always had big dogs, and even as a kid we had big dogs.

So in my own wordy way, I'm getting back around to my original thought about needing to thoroughly clean my house.  Even if I don't get a dog it needs to be done.  At least last night I had wonderful dreams of taking my dog on camping trips and maybe even a longer road trip.   Morning always brings an end to the best of dreams, and now I just have to get on with my regular life.

Now get busy and make those New Year's resolutions that probably won't last through the month of January!

17 comments:

  1. I gave up on New Year's resolutions a long time ago but I do try to set myself some reasonable goals... they have to be reasonable as you get older I have found out good luck on yours... and I do hope you find the right black lab for you it would enrich your life a lot as you already know... Happy New Year

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    1. I think "reasonable goals" sounds much better than "resolutions". I was just writing someone that if I ever get a dog again it will have to be one that just walks into my life. With all the strays there are I need to get outdoors this summer where the perfect one can find me!

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    2. There is a Lab/Sarah in our family and she can't be topped for showing her love for all of us. She filled the hole in our heart when a Rottweiler left us. Sarah has never been destructive; guess we are lucky with that. As for the other BIG dogs living with her ...I'll make no comment. :)

      I could say a lot about mine. It took me an hour this morning to splice and repair my salt lamp cord. The vacuum cord is next on the agenda, then a fan and, What Else? Yorkie Poo pups are treacherous youngins, no doubt. I'm too old for this! I do hope you find your Furchild soon. As for resolutions - I don't ever make one - Come what may - too old for this too.

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    3. In my experience labs can be destructive with their chewing when they are very young, but when they grow out of that stage they are wonderful pets. I may never find another dog to steal my heart and love, but I hope I do.

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  2. A #10 chi can be trained. Now can you? People let little dogs get by with shit just like they let little petite people get by with crap they would never allow from a larger person.

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  3. Perhaps you could put all the painting things in a room and keep the door shut. Or what about adopting a lab old enough to be beyond that stage? Hope you are going to ask Steve straight out why he doesn't think you should get the dog. At our age, it's also important to have someone in the family who will give the dog a loving home if we no longer can. Hope it all works out. House cleaning.....YUCK!

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  4. I have most of the painting stuff in one room but the doors don't shut very well because the house needs leveling, I think. Also, most labs don't let doors stop them - I don't know how he did it but the lab I had could get through any door. No, I won't ask Steve why - he has his reasons and also his reasons for not being totally forthcoming about it. He probably realizes I shouldn't be dealing with all that puppy energy. And I know he would take care of my dog if I should be unable to do so - either himself or find a good home. I've received a very good proposition from Adopt-a-Pet on another dog who needs a home - 10 day free trial, plus dog food, and they will drive him to me. I just don't know what to do so I will sleep on it tonight.

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  5. I'm not going to make any resolutions I won't even keep for a week. Just try to do better things for myself.

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    1. That's the way to go at it. And while doing better things for yourself, you will do better things for others as well - you might not even be aware of it.

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  6. OH I don't think I could ever have a young dog again. We were so very lucky to find our Max and Maya. They were 4 (Maya the Border Collie Cross with Irish Setter) and 5 (Max the Black Lab cross Beagle). They have no issues from their previous owners who surrendered them both together. They stole my heart in an instant. No resolutions for me. I am always trying to be a better person everyday. Happy New Year to you Gypsy!!!

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    1. That is a wonderful attitude, Brenda. As for dogs, you are so fortunate to have room for them. My place is very small to begin with and the lot is virtually non-existent. In the city that means keeping them on a leash. Happy New Year to you also!

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  7. Resolutions are a non existent word in our house. Not happening. I think you should get an older dog (by that I mean, not a puppy). I know we could not handle another puppy. There are times when I want another dog so badly but rationally I know that is not a good idea for us. Like you, it would have to crawl up to my doorway. Happy New Year and I hope you find a wonderful dog because you would give him/her a fantastic home filled with lots of love.

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    1. I think I'm going to forget the dog idea for a while, but it pops up now and then and I get to wanting one all over again. Hope the New Year treats you and Jim well.

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  8. I am too old and set in my ways to try to change just by making some resolutions. So, no resolutions this year. I just make my resolutions, if any, throughout the year as I go.

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    1. Just please resolve to keep up with your blog. I always enjoy it, and usually have a good laugh!

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  9. I have never made New Year's resolutions and I am too old to start now.

    Happy New Year's to you and yours Gypsy!

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