Chez Rozarie

Been thinking about ashes for awhile now, especially as the year ends, and I reflect upon those who are no longer physically with us. It's also anniversary time for deaths, which I try not to think about. I prefer to remember birth dates which seem to be embedded in my head, but those loss dates for some people just stick like they're held with Gorilla Glue. Of course, we have a stash of ash, like folks do today. Used to be you went to a cemetery to pay your respects, leave love and flowers. Now, we have little bottles in our homes that carry the remains of our loved ones. It probably started for some of us with our pets. We have our Bama girl. She's in a tin, like the kind you used to put recipes in. You know, you'd write them out, or yank 'em out of magazines. Now we use Pinterest or leave them in our email. Once in a while I print one out, and put it in my nearly antique BH&G cookbook that was my Mom's. Bama floats around the house. Sometimes the tin ...

As promised, here is an account of our recent road trip. Dad and I went first to Southern Pines, North Carolina, then to Gettysburg for those of you not keeping track. For about 3 months, Dad has mentioned that he was thinking of going to see his sister-in-law, Mom's sister Dee. He and I drove down there 2 years ago to see her and her husband where they live in a little town not far from Fort Bragg, NC. It is in the midst of golf country (Pinehurst ring a bell?). Aunt Dee and family lived in Southern Pines for a long time...back when I was 19, I drove down there by myself, and hung out with my cousins and had a great time. This episode does stand out though: My Uncle Paul (passed away 16 or 17 years ago) took me with him to spread pine straw on the yard of a house on the golf course at Pinehurst. Not having a clue what that meant, I hopped in the southern version of a Cadillac (pick up truck) in my halter top and short shorts (hey - I was 19 and svelte). We picked up a few bale...

We are so sad...bereft.  Yet, we move on in life.  If you don't think dogs have souls, or are family members, you had best leave this post here.  Santana, our 12 year old German Shepherd that we rescued when he was one, died at home on July 28th.  He was hospiced by our youngest daughter, who stayed with him as he grew weak.  While he tried to stay alive just one more day, that heart of his just quit.  We missed him by about 18 hours. When a big dog's heart starts to quit, it is fast, faster than I admitted to myself that it would go.  We knew he was not as strong as he'd been, nor was he as agile.  His back end was a bit tough for him to raise up these past few months.  While he continued to be playful with the puppydog (2 year old Jupiter - boxer mix) he sometimes just plopped down in the midst of the action.  He didn't huff and puff until a week ago last Friday. At the vet's for his kennel shots (the plan was for the pups to be ke...

Last week, we said goodbye to a man who has been part of my life since I was 13.  We met in 7th grade, during a cross class discussion in Social Studies at Johnson Junior High.  It was in June as we finished our 7th grade year up. Of course, if you are a teacher, work in a school, or remember your own school days, you know about June in school.  Nearly impossible to keep kids learning once the warm weather hits, teachers will do just about anything to keep those kids busy.  So our Social Studies teachers paired up kids from each class, and set topics for discussion.  No, of course I don't remember the topic! I do, thought, remember that we argued for the better part of 30 minutes.  It set up our relationship for the rest of his life.  It also taught me that one can argue with people and still be friends. We argued about the weather.  Was it going to rain?  What was the pollen count?  Tree or grass?  He had wicked bad allergies...

Wow...guess life has taken over, huh?  Been awhile since I had the opportunity to sit and think and write.  Working as a substitute teacher these days - every day.  Love the kids, like most of the teachers, and love what I am teaching (Global Studies and Civics).  People freak out when I say I work in Bridgeport, but come on. To paraphrase Lin-Manuel Miranda, kids are kids are kids are kids...Sure, there are difficulties in kids' families and households, but there are difficulties in the richest towns, too.  Those folks just sweep them up a bit quicker. Also got a kid back in the house with us.  We are quickly becoming the "old folks" around here.  The youngest is baaaaack from her southern life, with her animals.  Excitement abounds, as the southern dog and the northern dog play and fight and play and fight.  I watch the southern dog (all 40 pounds of her 18 month old self) take on the northern dog (90 pounds of his 11 year old self) regul...