Desert Diva

Today I woke up to my dog Cali licking her “nether region.”  OK, she was licking her butt.  I wasn’t too excited for two reasons…  One, she likes to give me “puppy kisses” in the morning, and two, I had no COFFEE!

Last summer, she had a trauma where one of her anal sacs burst and I took her to the vet.  A round of antibiotics and a shot later (and about $100.00) it was discovered that one of her anal sacs had ruptured.  She recovered and I always ask the groomer to “check” to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

However, due to the excessive “licking” I decided to “take a look.”  The good news is that I took her right to the vet and the anal sac was inflamed, but hadn’t burst.  The bad news is that it cost approximately $83.00.   I suppose the best thing to do is to learn (ugh) how to express my dear Cali’s anal glands.  I suppose we’re connected for life – she, to let me mess with her butt and me to do the “icky” deed…

is hosted by the delightful Fleur-de-Lisa!

If you could only have one section of the bookstore to visit, which section would it be?

• That’s difficult because I love bookstores.  However, I think it would have to be the travel section – I’m always dreaming of an exotic trip.

If you could only subscribe to one publication for the rest of your life, what would it be?

• The Christian Science Monitor – it’s one of the few publications that reports the news without bias.

What activity always makes you lose track of time?

• Taking photographs – sometimes there’s almost a zen-like feeling to capturing images.  The practice takes me out of myself and into a whole new place…

A month ago I visited Puerto Vallarta for the day.  I’d been there before and knew exactly what I wanted to do.  When I stepped off the cruise ship the weather was balmy and in the eighties – perfect for a homegrown Indiana girl.

It was like spending one day in paradise.  First, my friend (and cabin mate) visited Wal*Mart for an extra bottle of vino and some Mexican Renova.  Since Wal*Mart was literally “just across the street” from the cruise ship, we did our shopping and then dropped off our purchases.

My next item on my “list” was to have some fish tacos from Marisma - side street taqueria off the beaten path.  My friend D. was a wonderful sport – obliging the long walk (even though she didn’t partake) and my frequenting the grocery story nearby for a cerveza to wash it all down.  If you’re ever in Puerto Vallarta – run, don’t walk for the best fish tacos in the whole world.

I then had a wonderful hot stones massage, facial, and pedicure at a wonderful little day spa.  My tummy was fish taco happy, and my body was relaxed to take in the beautiful sunset.  What more could a girl want?

Today it’s a cloudy, windy day in January and the remembrance of my lovely day is only a faint memory.

I yearn to be free.

Free of the constraints of mean evil spirited people who apparently can sleep at night knowing what they are doing is morally wrong.  Free of worrying about growing older (without a partner) and have I prepared adequately for my retirement.  Free to be who I am and still know that there are people who love and value me.

I will survive…

Alexander Pope once wrote  that “Hope Springs Eternal.”  However, this is the time of year when I seriously challenge what he was referencing to in his writing.

This is the time of year when people seem to get the “blahs.”  Cold, short winter days and long black nights can attack even the hardiest souls.  The holidays are over – either one feels “let down” after the warm fuzzy feeling of family and friends or just relieved to “get through” yet another less than happy holiday season.

Recently, Lisa (who writes a Manic Monday meme) wrote a though provoking question – “Do you believe everything happens for a reason?”  My response was that some things happen for a “good” reason and some for a “bad” reason.  As much as I would love to retreat into a Pollyanna mentality, the “sun shines” on both good and bad people.  Additionally, evil is alive and well in the world today.

So, what is one to do?

You have hope.  You have hope that God, the universe, or a power greater than you predestines your life – that you are on a journey to contribute and learn to the greatest extent possible.  You realize that obstacles to your path are just “stones in the road,” and that no one can take away your spirit and the sense of who you really are.  That doesn’t mean that you sit helpless and allow evil to consume you.  You “do what you have to do” and rest in the fact that there is a karmic nature to the world and we truly “sow what we reap.”

Most importantly you realize that Dame Julian of Norwich (an English mystic)  was light years beyond her time when she said, “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”

is hosted by the delightful  Fleur-de-Lisa!

Growing up, what was your favorite sitcom?

• It really wasn’t when I was “growing up,” but I loved the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

What’s your idea of a romantic date?

• What’s a date?  I haven’t had one in so long I’ve forgotten…

What are you most afraid to lose?

• Seeing my mother battle Alzheimer’s/Senile Dementia makes me fearful of that disease.   When you lose the sense of who you really are you lose everything…