Diary of B

Saturday, February 28, 2015

tsest

Monday, January 2, 2012

Here We Go Again: Announcement

Yeah, so I've been maintaining two blogs for the past year or so. I intended Diary of B to be like a private spot that I could spill my innermost thoughts, and I did some of that. But now that I'm working, I just don't have time for both. So my semi-private (just leaving out my last name to make it less googable) is Adam and Brittany. And I blog pretty steadily over there. So pretty, pretty please follow me over there, and I promise this is the last blog I will move to.
I'm also sorry I haven't been by your blogs lately, I've been really sick and then on vacation and then had company for the holidays, so there has been no time. But I promise to catch up soon. Thanks everyone!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sarah Lee

On Friday morning, we lost our beautiful dog, Sarah Lee. I wasn't sure I would write this post or what it would even say, but it felt wrong not to say a few words about the special little animal that was such a big part of our life. Sarah had been diagnosed with an inoperable bladder tumor a few months ago, and we knew eventually the tumor would get so big that she would no longer be able to function. But she had been trucking along just fine recently, and we had hoped that would last till Christmas.

But last week she started getting sick, bladder infection we thought. So we gave her medicine, it didn't help, and she just got worse and worse. By Thursday, she couldn't pee at all, and she literally spent all night outside trying to pee and throwing up. It was pitiful. And that night, I just knew it was over. I knew when I took her to the vet in the morning, she would be gone. The worst part of it all was A. was out-of-town, so I had to be the one (although we talked about it, and he even said goodbye to her over the phone, she was so excited to hear her daddy's voice) to make the call. And I was the one in the room with her, holding her, when she drifted off.

During the whole process, I stayed upbeat with her because I didn't want her to pick up on my sadness and be upset. But after she was gone, I couldn't believe I could cry so much or so hard. I couldn't believe A. could cry so much or so hard.

Although there aren't that many tears left that I can cry, there are few moments when her absence isn't noticed. There is no one to wake me up way too early in the morning because she wants to go on a walk (something that used to annoy me, but now I miss desperately), there is no one to feed, no one to give belly rubs to, no one to laugh at because of the way she scratches her back, or talk to in annoying baby voices. Sometimes A. and my's mind will trick us for a split second, and we will look up to see what she is doing only to be faced with the reality that she is gone.

She was the sweetest, gentlest, kindest dog, and anyone who ever got the pleasure of meeting her couldn't help but fall head over heels in love with her.

So rest in peace our Sarah Lee. You were our baby, our precious goldie, and you will be forever missed.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Bueller? Bueller?

As a child born in the 80's, who came of age in the 90's there are certain things I hold near and dear to my heart. Like pop-up music video (and pop-up Brady Bunch), fruit roll-ups, beanie babies, tamigotchas, the game dream phone (which I played in college with my girls occasionally), and the phrase "Da Bomb." By the way, do you know that the kids from the 90's totally started the phrase "Da Bomb." And now the teens I work with have shortened it to "Bomb," and they try to pass it off as their own personal contribution to society. No respect for the ones that came before them I'm tellin you.

But one of the best things about this time period was definitely the movies! We had The Goonies! Pretty in Pink! The Breakfast Club! And one of my all-time favorites, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I mean who can forget the hypochondriac Cameron Fry? The German American Parade Scene? The annoying sister? The Save Ferris campaign? The young Charlie Sheen sighting? I know I can't.

Last week I watched Ferris Bueller's Day off with the teens at work on a VHS tape. VHS, baby. Does that blow your mind? It blows mine. Before that day, I don't even remember the last time I saw a VHS tape. And the sound of the the tape rewinding in the tape player was really nostalgic for me. I don't know if the teens really enjoyed the movie like I used to. It is not as in your face as comedy movies are nowadays. Which makes me a little sad, but oh well. There is no accounting for bad taste. Just kidding. Sorta.

When I got home from work that day, I decided to Wikipedia the movie just for fun. One of the things I learned is that while most of the film was made in Chicago, Ferris Bueller's house was actually a home here in Long Beach! I had to go see it! So after some long hours of stealthy googling (OK, it was really easy), I found the address. It is located in a swankier part of Long Beach. And last Sunday, we went to check out Ferris Bueller's house, which looks exactly like it did in the movie!

I didn't pose in front of the house because obviously someone was home, and I didn't want to appear like some crazy person cheesin' in front of their house on a seemingly random Sunday (although I'm sure they have seen their fair share of those). But I thought it was pretty darn cool to see a little glimpse of Hollywood history.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

For The Love of The Dog

Lately, I've been walking our dog in the evenings more and more on my own. I don't exactly know how it happened, but over the years it has just become A.'s "job" to walk the dog. You know just like it became A.'s job to wash all the dishes because one time he overheard me telling someone dishes disgust me (and he is sweet like that). Also in his job description? Hanging pictures and killing any spider I see, even if I see it in the middle of the night and he is dead asleep (it is not like he is going to stay asleep through all that screeching anyway, let's be real).

I decided to start walking Sarah because I could use the exercise, and it is nice to give A. the occasional break. However, I feel like for the entire 45 minutes or so I'm gone this is A.'s thought process:

(via)

I always take my tunes with me when I'm walking with Sarah because there is no interacting with her on the walk. Sarah considers her walks her time. Meaning she doesn't want to be talked to, she doesn't want to be petted, and she for sure doesn't want you to walk ahead of her. No, she just wants to sniff, to hunt for cats, and to search for abandoned chicken wings on the side of the road (by the way, how in the world are there so many chicken wings to be found?!?)

One night last week I was walking with Sarah, blasting my really deep, mind-opening music (e.g.-Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson). I was stopped at a traffic light when I could tell this young man was trying to get my attention. I am not one to talk to strangers, heck I don't even like talking to my friends on the phone. Plus, most people in Long Beach only gesture at you like that when they are homeless and want money. Which is always bad news for me, because I am notoriously bad at giving away my money out of either guilt or the want to just stop talking.

So I was very skeptical and very, very trapped. I couldn't pretend not to hear/see him because I was stuck at a traffic light. But I sized him up, he was well-dressed, and there were tons of people milling around. So I slipped off one of my ear buds and he simply asked, "Could you love a man as much as you love your dog?"

I don't know what his motivation for asking me this was. Was he flirting with me? I'm never good at recognizing flirtations unless they are REALLY direct. Basically, a guy has to actually tell me they are flirting with me for me to get it. Or had he been burned by an ex-girlfriend that chose her frilly-dressed, pocket-sized, miniature chihuahua over him and he was looking for answers? Or is he some kind of anonymous, secret, underground Sex in the City type blogger working on his next story? I guess I'll never know. I just answered, "Of course, I could love a man more than my dog." And then I added, "But I'm already married.." Just in case he was flirting and walked away.

I thought about the question on the rest of the walk. I could see why some people might find it easier to live with a dog rather than a spouse. I look at it this way. If it was only the dog and me, I would never have to worry about someone not putting their clothes away right after they wash them, which is my ultimate pet peeve, like some people do in this household. *Cough, Cough. A.* And I'm sure A. would say if he lived with only the dog, he could play video games all the time with no judgement.

But no as much as I love my dog, and believe me I love Sarah. In fact, I'm quite obsessed with her. I could never love her more than A.. And I know A. could never love her more than me! Or at least I think I know that. But maybe I better ask him....

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! What is everyone's plans? We aren't doing much of anything tonight. We aren't passing out candy, we aren't dressing up, and we aren't going to party all night long. And yes this is kind of sad. There was a lot I meant to get around to this Halloween season. I wanted to go to a pumpkin patch, I wanted to go to a corn maze, and I wanted to carve some pumpkins. But time just got away from us, I mean tomorrow is November 1st! Where is this year going?

But I did want to carve some pumpkins. I even asked A. if he wanted to yesterday, but he was being a fuddy duddy who didn't want to do anything at all, and it is no fun to carve pumpkins all on your own. So we didn't. But next year he owes me. Next year we will carve pumpkins and visit haunted houses and dress in cutesy, couple costumes. So help me Bob.

But for now, my Halloween celebration will include FABULOUS spiced apple cider, character lollipops, my orange jack o'latern t-shirt, and dancing to the songs Monster Mash and Thriller!