July 7

July 7
Happy Birthday!!!
I love you
I miss you.

Well, will I manage to write something every day?

I don't know. I'm already two days behind.

The new foster dog is both a joy and a terror. She is a love, easy (mostly) to handle, seems to know a few basic commands. And I guessed she was house trained.

Then she walked right in front of me and pooped in the dust pan! I don't know what I ought to think. House trained? Upset at me? did I miss her asking to go out?

I wish I had known about belly bands when we first got Ricky. But he caught on fairly quickly. Not as fast as Harley, but not bad. And at least w male dogs, if you catch them lifting a leg, just tapping or pushing (gently) the leg down helps.

I remember the first night he was here, and how he wasn't settling down. Your laughter at his antics was like the ringing of hundreds of golden bells; absolutely beautiful..

Forks with round handles make me feel sad. I still am kinda shocked, and a little disappointed that you were deliberately giving me that dang fork, just to see my reaction.

And every time I got that stupid fork, I'd just quietly return it to the drawer and take out one I liked better. I never said anything. I had no clue as to what to say. I didn't want to offend you. And I was never sure what you were going to be offended by.

Sure, it's one thing for you to tell me how I was too - can't recall the exact word - but like irrational? to drive that rolling deathtrap of a toyota. And when I had hit that dog and hated myself for it; instead of saying offering an iota of compassion, you focused on how ridiculous I was for momentarily thinking my splashed water was blood. You maybe could have shown some compassion?

So, not knowing what to say, not knowing if you'd be offended if I said anything, I said nothing. But then, as we were driving by that building I assumed was used for apartments, I took a page from the Andy Griffith Show: "fake balconies the look pretty but are useless make me feed sad," taking a cue from Charlene Darling.

So, when the fork inevitably showed up on my tray, I said "forks with round handles make me feel sad." That’s when you said you were doing an experiment. Really? Really?!? Gee, thanks.

🙄

Hibiscus are very strange. Small trees, shrubs, vines?!? and of course, many annuals .

Your Rose of Sharon bloomed well before your birthday. It has been a good year for rain, and that set the start. But the last week or so has been a bit dry. So I don't know how long the blooms will last. But the magnolias have bloomed well, too. So maybe there will be more magnolia seeds I can gather. Someday I'll have a magnolia tree. One of the type w thick leaves and the giant flowers.

I love you, I do. And I miss you. I miss the camaraderie.

Happy Birthday.