Dear Readers,
First of all, that is NOT my tree. No, that's my sister's which is always so artfully designed and lovingly decorated. This year's tree at my house was thrown up haphazard and never really decorated or photographing it for that matter. I did put on some lights and red ribbon but I never got around to decorating it. Then I never got around to taking it down, until today, the day after Valentine's Day.
You see today began as any typical day for me. I got up at around 4, made coffee, did wash, did dishes, ran my daughter to school, saw Jay off to work, then ran my Jack Russell dog, Snickie, to Jay's uncle the vet sobbing the whole way thinking I was going to have to put the dog down.
When I got to the vet, Bruce and the vet tech's, Mona and Julie thought perhaps the dog was more likely having an allergic reaction to something. You see he was all puffed up, at first I thought our dog wasn't our dog. He stood in the driveway and I blinked hard. He looked like our dog on steroids. Kind of a Arnold Swarzenegger dog, pumped up! The I blinked again, he was all blown up and looked in the face like he might of been snake bit. Bruce immediately gave him some shots and I felt hope rise in my heart. Jay had me convinced our dog was suffering from congestive heart failure I was going to have to put the dog to sleep to take it out of it's misery.. He didn't seem to be suffering anymore than I am when stuffed from a gigantic Valentine box of chocolates, but he did look truly pathetic. The girls at the vet office even had me laughing at poor Snickie with his puffed up face as I wiped the snot off my nose with my coat sleeve. Perhaps, our little pet would make it through once again. You see this is normal at our house. We have had a cat die of a brain aneurysm right before a Good Morning America shoot. My beloved black kitty, Harlequin, died in my arms as my husband was trying to get me to sign our income tax papers. A pet squirrel I was bottle feeding got pneumonia to tragic results. Life at the Patrick household is day to day life and death my friends.
We now have two dogs, the other an outdoor poodle, that have had more lives than cats. Shoot, I could write a book on my pet stories but as you know, all pet books end up being tearjerkers. I'll write that one after I take out stock in Kleenix! Today's ordeal was no exception.
So now back at the house relieved that Snickie has will live yet another day and contemplating all the space that is now open where the tree once stood fairly undecorated. You see that's how my mind works. Oh, the drama and the glamour! One minute I'm gulping back sobs over my dog and the next I'm adjusting to reclaimed space in my house.
When did life get so complicated and crazy that you can't decorate your tree or then have the time to take it down. I mean yesterday was Valentine's Day for goodness sake. I had already pushed the limits by throwing some Mardi Gras masks on it for that celebration. Why can't I just have one story going on the Christmas tree rather than two going on Snickie's vet adventures and that damn tree!
Who is with me on this? When did we get so busy in our life that we couldn't enjoy the simple joys of a Christmas tree. I mean, I tossed and turned all night over my little Snoopy dog.
That's it! Life is complicated, messy, erratic, and sometimes sad and sometimes full of joy.
So now as I do wash and listen for the ring from the vet's, I thought I would take some time out of my busy, busy schedule of tree vs. dog and vet and post this message from Pulpwood Queen Peggy Greenawalt of our Austin, Texas chapter. It's always so nice to know that book club members are also sharing their lives and all that we do and out there in the trenches promoting literacy. Besides, this story is uplifting where the tree and dog story are real downers:
Hi...am so sorry I missed the fun in Jefferson (was on a cruise), but the ladies from Austin, TX loved it. Below is an article I wrote for the WHPC Echo. Gloria will be sending you the photos in the mail. She does not have them on her computer. Anyway,thanks for a great event. Hope I got all my facts right...let me know. I write a small article each month for our church newspaper....mostly book reviews. Here is the latest....thought you would enjoy it.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Peggy Greenawalt
Library Corner
By Peggy Greenawalt
The Pulpwood Queen’s Tiara Wearing Book Sharing Guide to Life
By Kathy Patrick
Author, Kathy Patrick lives in Jefferson, Texas and is a hairdresser, but she is also an amazing advocate for books and reading. In January 2000, she opened the first ever Hair Salon/Book Store and called it Beauty and the Book, and has started book clubs all across the nation. Her work received national attention, and since then Kathy has written her own book, The Pulpwood Queen’s Tiara Wearing Book Sharing Guide to Life, which celebrates female friendship, sisterhood, and the transformative power of reading. It includes life principles and motivational anecdotes, funny and heart-warming friendship stories, and lists of books that have inspired Kathy throughout her life.
Kathy just celebrated her 10th Anniversary Girlfriend Weekend Author Extravaganza. Six women from the WHPC Daytime Book Club traveled to Jefferson for this January event. Authors, Elizabeth Berg and Pat Conroy were two of the many authors that spoke and brought their books to sign. Below is a photo of the group with Kathy Patrick. They are from left to right Marguerite Dabbs, Cile Ramey, Kathy Patrick, Nikki Kriss, Gloria Hoover, Vada Boehme, and Shirley Smith.
The Pulpwood Queen’s Tiara Wearing Book sharing Guide to Life can be found in the WHPC library. Stop in to check out this book and others that Kathy recommends. For WHPC Library hours and book club information go to: www.whpc.org and to learn more about Kathy’s work go to: http://www.beautyandthebook.com/
As you remember just a short time ago I was frantically looking for my cat, Paul Newman, as somehow he got outside during Girlfriend Weekend and had disappeared. Paul was found. The minute I stepped in the front door from the weekend, he was scratching at the back door. I am embarrassed to say I had Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys scouring the neighborhood for poor Paul. Paul is safe at home and flopped out on the back of the loveseat directly across from me in my maroon wingbacked writing chair. What pet tragedy lies ahead? What holiday will I NOT have time to decorate for or take down decorations. Only tomorrows blog will tell, as the Pulpwood Queens stomach churns.
Tiara wearing and Book sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
Founder of the Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Clubs
Owner of two dogs, three cats, and one beta fish
Reporting from my house, Grand Central Station. Tune in tomorrow for the continuting saga of Pulpwood Queen dealing with pets, life, kids, church, decorating, reading and writing, yours truly!
http://www.beautyandthebook.com/
http://www.pulpwoodqueen.com/
0 comments:
Post a Comment