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| Rosh Hashanah centerpiece |
I put down a deposit on a white Lab mix who reminded me of Maddie. When I went to get the dog at a local rescue, the woman had accidentally given the puppy (6 months old or so) to someone else. I looked at another, older dog, who, when let out to run in the small yard, jumped on me and pushed me backward. I did the mature thing, which was to start crying. I left and said I would come back when more dogs become available.
If had gotten the dog then, the timing would have been bad, anyway. Due to Yom Kippur, I'd be out of the house for a good part of the day tomorrow, for going to services, and for dinner and services tonight.
I'm just starting to look, and as one friend keeps saying, my dog is out there. Still, when the Lab fell through, it was like losing Maddie all over again. There is a school of thought that holds that I should not get another dog, especially not a puppy, because of how it ties you down. And the other school's theory is that I am a dog person, I live alone, and I need a dog. I am in the second camp. One friend put it this way: The cure for losing your dog is to get a puppy.
You would not believe, or maybe you would, the number of questions that you need to answer when applying to adopt a dog. It's like applying for a mortgage, what with references and questions such as, if you don't have a fenced yard, where and for how long will you walk the dog? I've had five dogs in this house and have aways walked these dogs here, there and everywhere. Well, mostly to the lake at Mount Holyoke. I've been told that the questions are to weed out people who are not qualified to have a dog, so, I get it. You don't want to rescue a dog into a worse situation. But there should be an application like the Common Application for college. I thought of copying one application and sending it around but I don't want to offend anyone.
I especially like the question, how many dogs have you had and where are they now? Answer: I've had five in this house, AND THEY ARE ALL IN MY BASEMENT NOW. I GO DOWN THERE AND COMMUNE WITH THEM EVERY NOW AND THEN. Seriously, though, I list them and say they are in dog Heaven.
I had a lovely Rosh Hashanah, with a total of eight people here for dinner. I channeled my Mom to make a centerpiece. I love it when all three kids are together. The others were extended family and partners. We had a round challah, and I asked Ben to do my father's part about why we have it, which is for a year with no sharp edges. The sunsets have been amazing. Here's a photo from the other evening at the Lower Lake.
Next time I buy salvia for my buckets, I better look at how tall they grow. Or maybe it's kind of fun to have them so tall? They are good for cutting and putting into arrangements.
