memorial day

I guess today's as good a day as any.

Todat is Memorial Day... a good day to remember and move on. I haven't posted since my Jefe died - I really guess I didn't have anything to say really without addressing that first, and I just haven't felt like it. But we really do have to move on, even when we're desperate to hang on to the past, and this is my attempt.

Jefe was one of the best dogs I've ever known. He had some very annoying qualities, but his sweetness balanced out his neurosis. He was deaf, and I think that made him much more of a velcro-dog than Dalmatians are to begin with... which was both annoying and endearing. He was a beautiful dog - he was lean and muscular and had the most beautiful face and ears. He knew sign language... the last one he saw was hand-clapping, for "good boy." And he was a good boy. He did not like getting a bath, but he would eventually give up and walk himself into the bathtub. He was obedient - most of the time - but especially when treats were involved. When he wanted somthing really badly, he would get this yippie-bark... a really high-pitched, annoyingly insistent bark that usually got him what he wanted. He loved tennis balls... well, balls of all types. He loved bones of all types - nylabones, rubber bones and milkbones. He loved his Kong stuffed with peanut butter. Oh - and he LOVED peanut butter. He would salivate and drool out of both sides of his mouth! He loved homemade peanut butter or pumpkin cookies. He loved my sister dearly, and he tended to break stuff with my brother-in-law. He was a cuddle-bug. He slept with his mouth open, and sometimes on his back. If he couldn't sleep touching you, he'd sleep with one eye open. He hated to miss out on anything!

I could keep going... on and on... and probably never really capture the wonderful personality of this dog or the reasons why I loved him so. It has been two months, date-wise, and almost nine weeks in true count. It's hard to believe it's been that long, but it's beyond time to move on. I guess I just need to convince myself that moving on doesn't mean that he's forgotten... but also that obsessing over all the details doesn't remember him well. Don't misunderstand: I really have moved on in most regards, but there are parts of me that need to catch up with the rest of me. It'll happen one day... and today's as good a day as any. Here's to Memorial Day.

And now for the real reason for Memorial Day. I have a friend who just joined the Army and is at basic training at Fort Benning, GA. He's been there for a couple of weeks, and I've had his address for several days... on my to-do list for today is to write him a letter. I want to tell him about watching the shuttle land on tv, planting my garden, and reading his "diary" from Ft. Benning after his wife posted it to Facebook - things to hopefully distract him for a few minutes from his sore body and tired mind. I also want to tell him that I'm proud of him for wanting to serve his country at age 32, and I want to thank him and his wife (who is also in the Army and is currently stationed in Iraq) for their service to our country. I have two other friends who are Air Force and Navy and stationed in Europe that I need to thank. I know veterans... too many to name here. I will take this opportunity to replace our worn flag with a new one and thank those who serve our country, but more importantly, remember those who served our country and are no longer with us. They are the real reason. Here's to Memorial Day.