Brief Update

I’m sick again with vertigo also. Really sucks. Have an appointment with an ENT Dr. Thursday. Part of me wants it to stick around so the Dr. gets a good look, but most of me really wants this to go away NOW.

Working like crazy. Jen’s part-time gig has gone full-time temporarily in an effort to get our office moved from the lovely golf course I never look at (everybody hates on me cause I have huge windows over looking the pond, but never open the blinds) to the stark corporate park I used to work in (even to the same building). The move should take place Thursday and taper into next week.

I have lots of code to rewrite in an effort to keep up with all the code that’s been rewritten on the backend (frontend, backend are the terms we use to describe the different parts of the application. Frontend is the UI (i.e. user fields, forms, experience). Backend is the server side stuff that does all the “processing”). Unfortunately it’s a moving target.

Went to visit my Mother for her birthday. That was nice. More on all that later, but I will comment on Abigail’s first trip to McDonald’s.

It was kind of cool. Kind of freaky and scary all at once.

She obviously had none of it.

I obviously regretted having any of it.

The weirdest part was the anxiety I felt having her out in public. She seemed too small or too exposed in that McDondalds. Not sure if it was Martinsburg, WV, a bad part of Martinsburg or I was just overwhelmed by all of Abigail’s “exposure” that weekend. It may have just been a case of “she’s growing up so fast”. Being in McDonalds in a strange place, playing with her cousin all weekend, brought out a lot of realities I’m probably not completely prepared for as a parent.

Speaking of maturity and life exposures – no sooner did we make CJ a ramp to get on and off our deck comfortably

did we learn he has another tumor. This one is significantly more aggressive/dangerous than the last and will surely kill him. It’s a bone cancer that’s currently in his hind right leg. It’s very painful and most certainly will spread to other parts. He’s currently on an opiate to make him more comfortable, but the pain and spreading is still real and the possibility his leg will break more grave.

We’ve scheduled to euthanize him Wednesday. Thankfully I have two good friends that are veterinarians. The one has been a great help and comfort through this last year caring for CJ and making him comfortable. The other has offered to come to our house Wednesday for the procedure. It’s very comforting knowing CJ’s last experience won’t be a trip to the vet, but a restful slumber in his bed. We are very lucky and CJ’s lived a very long and adventurous life for a dog. It will be sad, but it’s time.

And since today’s my birthday, I’m posting my birthday present in action.

The hitch my Dad made for my tractor works wonderfully. I threw it all together last night to haul our old basement carpet to the curb. Very nice and very convenient. Next plan is to hitch the trailer to the car, load the tractor and take it to Grandmas locally. Unload the tractor, hook the trailer to it and collect all the fallen limbs she has. Should go without a “hitch” so to speak.

– b