Pets ~ 6/23/2010

It's always so sad when you have to put a beloved pet down. Today, Benny had to put down his little friend, Rascal.

Rascal was one of the best rats we've met. He was very docile, much like his owner. We aren't sure what happened to Rascal, but it sort of looked like a stroke. He had a hard time getting his left side to work. What set us off in worry was his left eye. It would no longer close, so it looked bad. It must have watered constantly, since it wouldn't close. That, in turn made it feel irritated and Rascal must have kept on rubbing it - that's what made it look bad. However, the wobbly left side also indicated a stroke.

We got Rascal as a rescue, along with Templeton. They didn't have a good healthy start due to their first owners' ingnorance. So, we rescued them and got their health to be the best that we could. Obviously, the damage of malnutrition was irreversible, since they both had some minor rat health issues. However, you did a wonderful job loving them and being a good friend. Rascal had a fun life with you as his best friend and he got to eats lots of healthy food and snacks. I'm very proud of the way you took care of him.
I've been writing children's stories with Rascal as the main character, now he can live 'forever' in the books that I hope to have published.


Today though, I thought of one more story for Rascal and that would be about how strong and caring his beloved human was to him. Good job Honey. I really believe that Jazzy met up with Rascal today. I picture him riding on her back and they are no longer in pain and they are happy chasing squirrels.

Fast Freddie ~ 1978/1979 and 1984

People have a hard time believing some of my stories. However, I swear that this one is true. You can ask Mindy anytime and she will tell you the same thing.

When we were younger, Mindy lived on Elm Street in Horicon. We'd often spend long weekends at Gramma's house and since it was well before MTV, video games and the internet, we had to invent our own games. Some of the games reflected TV shows we watched; others were more simple like Hide and Go Seek or Toss Across. Incredibly enough, there was one game that we played that was a scary game. We didn't tell ghost stories, instead we'd play scary games. One such game was called Fast Freddie. Now, it doesn't sound scary, but Fast Freddie was a child killer. For some reason he was scary to look at, like he was ugly, burned, disfigured or something. He had razors for fingers that cut you into pieces. Sometimes he'd stab you with his fingers and always, he'd chase you until you no longer had the strength to keep going.

Eventually, our pretend games gave way to the other things I mentioned. Table top video games were invented - miniatures of the arcade games that sat on your table at home. MTV first began - with videos by Rick Springfield, Duran Duran, Wham, Cindy Lauper and Madonna. We turned towards the things that teenagers turned to in the early 80's and kept going.

Suddenly we were old enough to babysit at someone else's house and we got paid for it! This meant that our free weekends were spent going to the mall, eating at the food court and then to a movie. All this on $5.00 or so for the whole weekend. The 80's were awesome! Totally!

The year was 1984. I was in the 9th grade. It was a cold autumn weekend - a Friday night. My best friend, Cheryl, her sister, Heather and myself went to the Fond du Lac Mall. Of course, Cheryl's parents had to drive us. We went to see a scary movie called, Nightmare on Elm Street. I could not believe what the story line was!!! A creepy burned man named Freddie killed kids with his razor hands!!!!!!!!! I was so freaked out by the movie. On the way home I told Cheryl's parents about the game we used to play. Cheryl's Dad, being the forever prankster, slowly put his hand down along the side of his seat... we never noticed... and then in the middle of our jabber, he suddenly grabbed my foot! I SCREAMED!! Then Cheryl and Heather SCREAMED TOO!!! Cheryl's Dad just kept on laughing at us, but I think I peed my pants! He didn't even know who's foot he was gonna get, but he said my reaction was great!

When I got home after my sleepover, I called Mindy and told her the whole thing. At first I don't think she believed me, but eventually news of the movie got out. She was just as creeped out as I was!

Mindy and I like to think that someone heard us playing and turned our game into their own movie idea. How else does something that horrible come to be???

Creeepyyy!!

My Driver's License ~ 1986

Right now Rick has his temps. Ben is next. When the time came for me to take Behind-the-Wheel, I was in California living with my Dad. I didn't want to drive on the freeways, so I skipped that part. When I got back to Wisconsin though, my Mom made me get back into it all. So I took Behind-the-wheel with the next class. I already had my class time in, all that was left was Behind-the-wheel.

This was the hard part. I was supposed to put in so much time every week with my Mom. The hard part was that she didn't believe in me. She claimed I was terrible and she was terrified and just couldn't do it. So, I didn't get any practice time in between classes. I don't know how she could have know I was terrible because she only got in the car with me two times. My Gramma took me out three times. Gramma let me drive to Beaver Dam and practice there, since that was the city where I'd take my driver's test. Gramma was smart! At any rate, no one else would take me out, not even my Mom's boyfriend.

When it was my turn to drive for Behind-the-wheel I was so nervous. I tried to act calm, but then the instructor asked me for my time sheets. I didn't have anything recorded on it. He kinda yelled, but didn't. I'm sure he knew that I had to have a parent take me out and that it wasn't my fault. I think he called my Mom to tell her to take me out - that's when Gramma started taking me out. Gramma lived in Horicon. She had to drive 20 min. to our house, drive me back to Horicon to practice there and then she had to take me back to our house! She never complained to me, but I sure would have liked to hear the earful she gave my Mom!

So, I was able to somehow pass the Behind-the-Wheel portion of the class. When it came time to take my Driver's Test I couldn't parallel park, so the guy flunked me.

The second time I had a different instructor. A lady! I told her that I still couldn't parallel park very well and that I didn't have anyone to take me out to practice. How can I get practice without a licensed adult to take me? She said that if I was like any normal woman, that I'd NOT parallel park anyway - that I'd drive around the block until I found a place I could park in. whew! I passed that time!

Having my license was so freeing at first. I saved up my money from my job at Main Street Pizza and I got my own car - a HUGE light blue station wagon! I paid for my own insurance, gas and I got a pair of eye glasses that year too! (good thing!) It was freeing to me, because I knew that I could pack up my stuff and drive anywhere I had to, if I needed to run away again.

Thankfully, I didn't have to run very far. Your Daddy saved me!

Yes, the sun does rise and set on your.... tush!

There's a scripture, John 14:6 ... No one comes to the Father except through me. That 'me' being Jesus.

I have a saying that you both just laugh and laugh about: "You cannot get to the son, without going through the Momma!"

What I mean is, there isn't a girl out there that will be good for you... UNTIL after she's my friend.

Yes, my dear sons, your Mother fully believes that the sun rises and sets on your ass. I used to be so protective. I would even take your Daddy aside, after he was disciplining you; I'd say to him, "Why/What are you doing/saying to my son?!!!" I wasn't very nice about it either!!! I'm waay more relaxed now and YOUR Dad and I are STILL married and happy! L&L&LOL

I know you can both be poop-heads and I know that you aren't perfect, but I sure do have fun being your Momma!

Warm Oranges ~ 1985

When I lived in California with Dad and his family, it was 1984/1985. I met Mario for the first time. I spoke with him for the first time. He was 3 years old by the time I knew about him. I think Dad tried to tell me, but my Mom never let me know. I loved Mario so much. He was so cute! Claudia had three other children, Anthony, Greg and Shauna. Me the oldest and Mario the youngest. (By-the-way, I got the orange tree photo from lovethatfeeling.com, they were very nice and said I could use it! ~ special thanks to them!~)
It was when we lived on Poplar Street in Vacaville that we had an orange tree and a lemon tree in the backyard. Claudia and I sang a song for the lemon tree. It went like this: Lemon tree, very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat. But the flowers did smell beautiful in the Pacific breeze.
Our orange tree, now that was something! That tree was taller than the ranch-style home we lived in! The oranges were bigger than softballs, but smaller than volleyballs.

I asked Claudia if we could eat them, she said we could. So, I climbed up on the picnic table and picked oranges for all of us. We ate them fresh off of the tree. They were the juiciest oranges - the sweetest and they were sun-warmed. It was wonderful! The best oranges I've ever eaten.

Here in Wisconsin, we don't get to grow orange trees, nor do we get to experience fresh oranges off of the tree that are sun-warmed. That's why I wanted to include this memory in my blog.