My Dog Turned into Frankenstein

When I had my greyhound pups I walked outside one day to find that one of them had turned into Frankenstein overnight! Her forehead was huge and overlapping her eyes just like the monster of lore.

I thought for sure she must have been running at 40 mph (or so) and ran directly into a tree. I put her on antibiotics and the swelling went down. As soon as I took her off of them the swelling came back so I put her on them again. Once again when I took her off of them the swelling came back, so this time I took her to the vet.

He started to laugh as soon as he saw her. He asked if she had been chewing any wood and as a matter of fact she had. She had really done a number on my steps and rails going up to my trailer. The vet told me that she had lodged a splinter in her gum. The only place the swelling had to go was behind her eye socket. He assurred me that with some minor surgery (dislodge the splinter and drill a hole from her eye socket to her mouth for drainage) that she would be fine in a matter of days.

And she was. It was one of the freakiest sights that I ever saw in my 13 years as a greyhound trainer.

My Friend Roger

This is another lost 360 blog that I thought about the other day.

I owe my friend, Roger, a great debt. Roger is my friend, Kathy's, brother. Roger had no idea who in the world I was. When Kathy realized that I didn't have anyone to help me when I was sick and that I was homeless, she called her brother, Roger, and asked him to let me move in with him. He didn't hesitate.

I moved into his small apartment complete with my oxygen machine late one evening. Roger did what he could to make me comfortable even though he is disabled and doesn't have much himself. He even quit smoking in his own home and wouldn't allow any of his party hardy friends to smoke inside as well.

He wouldn't take any rent from me either. He told me to just save my money to get my own place. He was also a perfect gentlemen in every way. I was so grateful to him for taking me in that a couple of weeks after I moved in he asked me to go to the store for him. He gave me his foodstamp card but when I bought his groceries I paid for them out of my own pocket as a thank you, thinking he wouldn't notice. He did notice and when he did he made me take his card any buy myself some groceries with it. If I didn't he said he would ask me to leave.

I was with him about 6 weeks when I got my Social Security Disability. He allowed me to pay some of his utilities that he was behind on and I was glad to do it. Also he asked me if I wanted to just stay with him and pay him rent which was fine with me because I knew it would help us both out.

Then Roger got cancer in his eye. I took him back and forth to Dr. appointments and helped care for him after his surgery as best I could.

We eventually parted ways but we are still very good friends. I go see him a couple of times a year and I try to have some little do dad for one of his collections when I go. He has an extensive album collection as well as a Playboy magazine collection that dates back to the 40's. He even has the Marilyn Monroe edition as well as the Anna Nicole Smith editions.

A Last Conversation With my Mother-in-law

This is one of the blogs that were lost when 360 shut down. I just realized that I didn't have it anymore.

I called my mother-in-law. I hadn't spoken with her in the 10 years since I left my ex even though she and I had built a good relationship over the years. I couldn't contact anyone in his family because the circumstances under which our relationship ended.

We had a wonderful conversation. She told me she was glad to hear from me and that she had missed me. She also told me that I was her favorite daughter-in-law.

I told her that I had always told people that I had a good mother-in-law...when I had one (which was the truth). She laughed about it. We talked about 10 minutes before we hung up the phone and she told me she would pass my message on to my ex.

When my ex called me a few weeks later he told me that his mom had just been diagnosed with cancer. He said my call meant the world to her.

Sometimes I think the universe has a way of stepping in and this was one of those times. I'm glad I got to speak with her and let her know there had never been any animosity toward her. She understood.

My Favorite Halloween

I went to the nursing home and picked up daddy and took him to dinner at the Waffle House. He had biscuits and gravy and all the things he wasn't supposed to have. It was one of his favorite restaurants. It was a holiday and I wasn't going to say anything about his choice of food and he knew it.

I took him home and set him up with a giant bowl of candy on the front porch so he could dole out the candy to the trick or treaters. I dressed up his little yorkie, Katie, in her Halloween costume. It was a little devil hood, complete with horns, and a t-shirt that said "killer". I put Nikita, the Chinese Crested, in the pen beside the porch because I figured that all the excitement would be too much for her. That way she could hide in the dog house if she wanted but she was still outside so she could be with us if she felt like it.

Daddy had a ball giving out the candy. For every piece he gave each kid he probably ate two himself. Everytime someone in a mask came to the porch the dogs would freak out and he would have a ball keeping his "killer" under control. (she was prone to ankle biting afterall) We laughed and had a high old time until trick or treat was over and then I took him back to the nursing home.

I met a goal...

...something I so seldom do.

My medical expenses can be deducted from my rent after the first 3 percent. So the more I can spend on medical the better because that gives me that much more to spend every year. The review is once a year. If I don't spend the money on medical expenses then I have to pay the same amount in rent anyway so, of course, the only smart thing to do is to spend the money.

I just had my review. My rent is going down to $276 monthly starting in December. The most my rent can cost me is $335 so I am saving $59 monthly. I need about $1300 worth of dental work so I will be able to do that now. IF MY CAR DOESN'T ACT UP AND FORCE ME TO USE THE MONEY THERE.

I knew I was going to have to buy 2 new tires before winter. I bought 2 last March. So what happens? I ran over something and now I have to buy 3 new tires. I'll get 2 this month (my original plan) and I'll get one in December. The bed of my truck is rusting and I have to buy a bedliner after I patch the hole. That will be a couple hundred at least.

The good news is I paid the truck off last April. That is why I could afford to pay more on medical expenses. Hopefully by this time next year I will be able to deduct even more from my rent. Maybe then I can afford to get heart rehab therapy, something I need because I don't seem to be able to get well on my own and the insurance will not pay for it.

They Never Figured It Out and I Won't Tell Them

Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Jane has type A blood. Her parents both have type O blood.

Anyone who has had a basic biology class knows this is impossible. One or both of her parents must be a type A.

The other siblings have type O. They have never figured out that Jane can't have the same father as they do. (since they definitely know who the mother was)

They have always treated her like a black sheep How would they act if they knew? I don't want to find out.

satisfaction

I finally gave him a taste of his own medicine

He's not liking life too much today.

Usually I take the high road. Not this time. I feel better for it. I wish I had done it a long time ago.

Sorry this post is so general but I don't want to go into detail about what I did just that I am glad I did it.

Maybe now he will finally leave me alone. Asking nicely has not worked.