Bloggers... question for you...

When a reader makes a comment to your blog that sort of requires a response, do you respond by commenting on your own blog or on theirs? Or do you do something else? Thanks!

Cloudy with a chance for secrets

Part ten of Rebecca's Saga... Thank you to Bonnie and GMOM for uhm - "nudging" me forward a bit. Comments, requests, suggestions etc are appreciated... want to read more? Please, see the sidebar!

Rebecca felt almost guilty knowing more about this girl's life than she did. Why would Vince have told her about Caterina without cautioning her not to tell Becky? Or maybe he meant to but was interrupted by Becky's call than night? In any event, Rebecca felt awkward having been burdened with this huge secret.

Mercifully, Becky changed the subject - talking once more about band camp. Rebecca never knew there was so much drama among musicians. She was grateful for the distraction however and listened intently.

After lunch, Rebecca walked Becky back to the shop. She noticed an old sign in the window that she hadn't noticed the day before: Garrett Glass ~ Garrett Lewsinski Proprietor. She smiled a faint smile and as she traced his name with her finger she realized how odd it was that she had just assumed that Garrett Glass was "her" Garrett's. Sort of arrogant in a way - assuming that the universe is ordered the way she imagined.

Rebecca headed back to her house. There would be no time for her to investigate at the library. She still had wallpaper to scrape in the halls, and linoleum to rip up. Her mind wandered to the possibilities of what could be under that awful floor. She concentrated so intently on the possibility of beautiful wood flooring that she didn't notice the blue truck edging up beside her.

"Rebecca!" Vince's voice startled her from her daydream. "Need a lift?" He asked.
"No, Vince. I do not."
"I was headed to your house - to finish the estimate" Vince offered, not noticing the edge in her voice. Rebecca's bike stopped quickly scattering gravel onto the asphalt. Vince pulled the truck off to the side of the road and put on his hazard lights. Rebecca suddenly felt trapped. She was going to have to talk to him - but she desperately wanted to avoid it.

"Flat tire?" He asked innocently.
"No, Vince. Not a flat tire." Rebecca's curt reply startled Vince. He stopped a few feet away.
"What is it then?" he asked.
"Vince - I am not going to have this conversation with you here. Not now." Rebecca started to pedal away again.
"What conversation?" Vince tried to follow her on foot, but the bike took on speed as she went down a small hill so Vince hopped in his truck. Rebecca's mind was racing. Maybe it would be better to have the conversation away from her house - here in the middle of the road. Neutral territory and all. She felt irrationally angry with him and knew she was really angry with Garrett. But DAMN IT he was not here to yell at and SOMEONE had it coming.

She skidded to a stop again - Vince passed her again in his truck and pulled over again. For a moment - neither one of them moved. Vince watched her in his rearview mirror. Rebecca straddled her bike with her arms crossed.

"I'm not getting out, Rebecca."
"Well, I am not moving."
"What is the problem?"
"How could you?"
"How could I... what exactly?!"
"Not tell her!"
"Ah." Vince opened the door and slowly walked toward Rebecca. She didn't move - only her eyes grew wider.
"It wasn't my idea, Rebecca -"
"Don't you think I realize that? But you could have told her anyway. After. Maybe she would have liked to meet her mother after she lost her father, Vince! Her MOTHER!!!"
"It's not like you think it is."
"Oh really?" Rebecca moved away from the bike and shook her hair out of her helmet and moved her hands to her hips "How is it then?"
"She's a drunk, Rebecca."
"Becky's a drunk?"
"No - my sister. Becky's mother. Caterina is a drunk."

Rebecca didn't know how to feel. She was confused. The Garrett she knew would not have been involved with a drunk. He was the cleanest, most straight-laced kid she knew - too smart for that stuff... How did he let that happen? While her mind raced, she didn't notice Vince putting her bike in the back of his truck or the dark clouds looming overhead.

"Please get in the truck Rebecca"
"No - I am almost home. I'll just - " Rebecca noticed her bike was not where she left it - "Vince - put my bike back. I want to ride home. You can't just assume that I want a ride. You -"
"Rebecca - it is going to pour in about a minute. You have at least a half a mile to go. Let me drive you home."
"No. Give me my bike."
"Rebecca - it doesn't -"
"VINCE" she was extremely agitated with him now "Just give me my bike!"
Vince took the bike out of the truck and returned it to her side. Then he got in his truck and drive off.
"Good." She thought and put her helmet on.

As she pulled away the skies opened up and she was drenched. By the time she got home there were puddles in her sneakers and enough rain running down her face to hide the tears. A little bit down the road she could see Vince's truck slowly pull away as she pulled into her driveway.

She parked her bike in the shed and ran into the house, quickly closing the door behind her and shrinking to the floor exhausted and emotional. She sat very still - waiting to hear his truck pull into the driveway. It never did. She knew he had waited to make sure she got home okay and while she was somewhat touched by his kind gesture she was equally relieved she wouldn't have to hear more about his sister, Becky's mother, the drunk. Not today at least.

Simple Magic

Hopping back in on the Weekend Wordsmith Challenge this week... the prompt is "Laughing Baby". Couldn't resist a couple cue pictures of William giggling - he was such a happy smiley baby... Anyway - here is my poem, Simple Magic... Enjoy!

Simple Magic

Simple, magical laugh
Erases sorrow,
Distracts pain.

A reciprocal joy
In innocent eyes
Responding with glee
to my giddy gaze.

It's all worth it
In the end.

Work in Progress

Thought I would share with you my most recent project... I am working on a parade banner for the Karate School, William is my assistant of course! I don't know where I get these ideas in my head - but sometimes I just can see it in my head and basically - with no experience whatsoever, just will it into existence.

Have I mentioned recently how much I love felt? Felt is amazing! You can make almost anything out of felt - it is incredibly versatile and cheap and just fantastic. If you use a sewing machine to finish it actually has a bit of a high-end sort of appearance to it. My goal with THIS banner is to ensure it does not look home made.

Incidentally - the logo is designed to appear as handwriting. You will be able to tell that a bit more once the word "institute: is added under "karate" as well as the phone number. I am pleased with the project so far and am hoping that we can use it, if not at the Waterford Township Days in September - at least in the Halloween parade in October!

Never is a long, long time.

I would say I will never have another dog, but my grandmother used to say "Never is a long, long time." and what'ya know?! She was right!

Gunther (my dog) has diabetes and I am no longer coming unglued. I have a tentative plan.

The first part of this plan was to get a new vet. Several reasons for that - the first and most practical reason is that I can no longer afford to travel a half hour one way for a visit. Not with the visits that we will need to make. There is a vet a few blocks away - the Proximity Principle (sort of like Acoms Razor) has worked for us with Karate and chiropractic care - let's give it a try for veterinary care. I went down there and talked to the nice girl this morning - got a good positive vibe and made an appointment for Tuesday morning.

The other reasons for needing to switch relate to deteriorating service at our current vet office. Waiting more than a half hour for an appointment to start, another 15 minutes for them to find our chart so we can fork over HUGE amounts of money while they hand you a receipt that attempts to scare you into not saving some money by ordering meds on the internet. UGH! You know - if you didn't charge me $55 for a 10 minute visit, maybe I could afford to buy my meds there... just a thought.

Gunther is an otherwise healthy dog. He is a Shepherd mix and he is 11 years old. I am realistic. I want to try giving him the shots along with finding a balance with maybe a more appropriate diet for him. I can't see him going through glucose curves. He doesn't poop or eat if he is not at home. He just doesn't. This is why we never take him camping. If he responds positively to the treatment, we continue. If he is not happy with the treatment after a reasonable adjustment period - maybe a month or so - or if it changes him, like makes him nasty or if he simply deteriorates, then I will have to consider putting him down. When he reaches the next stage of the disease, I will put him down. I am not delusional. He is a senior dog. I want to help him maintain a happy life but we are not going to make a monstrous battle out of this. I knew from the beginning that he is mine only for a while and then it will be over - but I seriously never thought it would be something like diabetes! He has NEVER been overweight and he has never been fed table scraps - I have done everything I have been asked to do - he is not considered a high risk for the disease - and yet he has it. And it sucks. And it pisses me off - BIG time.

But I digress - for now... the plan is to provide him with care and then go day by day from there.

Back to the title of this post... I am fairly sure Gunther is destined to be my only dog. Never had one before - had a LOT of cats - but there is something different about a dog - maybe it is that they actually notice and care if you are not around. I don't know - but THIS is absolutely excruciating. Don't think I can live through this again. I won't say "never" but...