Safe Travels, Buddy

Our oldest wiener dog, Norman, lost his life on Monday morning. He had been sick for a while, congestive heart failure. We knew the time would come when we would need to make that tough decision to keep him alive or let him go.

We bought Norman in January 1997, about 6 months after we were married. He was our "first" child. We added him to our family as a companion for the dachshund Jennifer had growing up. Junior hated him at first sight, but eventually grew to love his "Nor-Nor". Norman was a miniature black and tan dachshund. He had two little tan marks over his eyes on a black background that looked like little devil horns. And they were fitting for him. Norman was into everything, causing mischief and mayhem all over the house.

Norman had 2 different back surgeries, which cut down on his activity in later life, but he still had a good life. He was up and active on Saturday, running outside and barking at the world.

On Sunday morning I woke up and Norman wouldn't move or get out of his overnight house. He spent all day just laying in his bed, not eating, drinking or sleeping.

He began whining in pain around 1:00 AM Monday morning, so Jennifer took him into the vet and helped him on his path.

There is a website, www.rainbowbridge.org, that we found when Junior died 6 years ago. We like to believe that the rainbow bridge is real, and all Norman's pain is gone, and he is chasing a tennis ball with Junior.

Rest in Peace, Norman. You were a great companion for us, and will always carry a special place in our hearts. Enjoy the bridge, and tell Junior we said hello.

Norman Winchester Peterson August 1996-August 2008.

Where's my Week?

Wow. What a long, crazy week. I haven't had a chance to breathe this week, never mind post any new entries. I have 3 open positions in my accounting department at work, and trying to do the work and interview candidates takes a toll.

My company is in the midst of a merger, so tensions and anxiety are high. Nobody is sure if there will be jobs in my office after the merger, so getting my group to perform up to par is challenging. I try to keep in mind that for the most part, my staff are clerical employees worried about feeding families. I'm worried as well, but not so much that it affects job performance. The easiest to make the decision to not have a job after a merger is to perform poorly prior to it.

So I stay calm, and let my group know that the best thing they can do is their job. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. We just keep our heads down and move along.

Where Are My Rights

I'm watching the news yesterday, and there is a story about a pharmacy in Michigan that is no longer selling birth control pills or contraceptive items. Birth control apparently goes against the pharmacy owner's beliefs.

A customer of this business has filed a complaint against him, because he is no longer filling her prescription. Apparently there are a few states (including California, go figure) that require pharmacies to fill all prescriptions.

I don't agree with the pharmacist's beliefs regarding contraception. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't have the right to run his business his way. If he doesn't want to sell a product, there shouldn't be a law enacted that makes him.

We are already losing rights in this country. From the 2nd amendment to privacy, we need to hold on to what we have. The government interfering in the products a pharmacy chooses not to sell is ridiculous. There was a women's group complaining that with this pharmacy's decision to not sell contraception women would now pursue "unsafe" alternatives.

Give me a break. If women cannot get their birth control filled at this pharmacy, they can go across the street to the other. I guarantee not every pharmacist holds the same beliefs. Someone will sell contraception.

I'm just tired of people getting up in arms and/or filing complaints because they don't like somebody's decision. Get over it, take your business elsewhere. Life is too short to be miserable.

Practice Begins

It's finally here. The start of fall football practice. 2-a-days are a right of passage for any boy interested in the game. Grueling heat, starting at dawn when it's only 90 outside instead of 105, running bleachers and gassers. All of this torture is what we live for.

I am several years (20 or so) out of my prime, but I still remember the feeling of pure excitement and joy you get from the start of practice. The season is full of hope and possibilities. You never know how it will turn out, or whether you will accomplish your goals.

Football taught me lessons I still use today. The ability to work as a team, the idea that you don't succeed until everyone is across the goal line, and the desire to sacrifice and pay a high price for a reward. All these help me daily in my professional and family life.

To the uninitiated, football seems like a violent game for adolescents. But it truly is a training ground for future success.

My son (Jay) is now 3 1/2. I wonder if it's too early to make him start running gassers?

Birthday Girl

Today is Jennifer's birthday. She doesn't look a day over 25, although she disagrees. The last year has not been a great one, with my new job, the move, buying a house with issues and the fact that she loves to do water aerobics, and the only available program in Mansfield at this time is for senior citizens at the YMCA.

We both agree this coming year will be better. The new Lifetime Fitness opens later this year, and we will be able to exercise and improve our health. The house is coming along and major repair items should be completed.

I am taking Jennifer to the Kimball Art Museum to see the impressionist exhibit, then out to dinner. The kids are spending the night with their Poppy. We may pick them up tomorrow, or we may not. Regardless, we are celebrating tonight, the successful passing of another year and the hopes and dreams for the coming one.

Happy Birthday Honey.

Back to the Grindstone

I've been on vacation this past week. I made the mistake of taking 5 days off, starting last Friday. This means I have to go back to work on a Friday. Because of my job, I feel I need to be in the office during month-end close of the financial books. That starts tomorrow, so I am headed back.

I didn't do a whole lot on vacation. We stayed at home, and just kicked around the house mostly. We did some shopping, went to visit Austin, did some more shopping, read a book, joined the local library and generally relaxed.

It may sound boring, but this is the first week long vacation I have taken in 3 years. I was excited to do nothing, and find that to be a reasonable payoff for the hours and stress of my job during the other 51 weeks of the year.

Now, I just need to figure out how to make doing nothing a paying job, so I can feel good about accomplishing something when I take a vacation.

Home at the Ranch

In an effort to increase our pretentiousness, Jennifer and I have decided to name our house and land.

Henceforth, the Peterson's live at the Rockin' P Ranch. Keep in mind we have a 2,500 square foot house on less than 1/3 of an acre. But, we have decided it is our ranch.

We're thinking about having the local blacksmith create our brand on a sign for the electric gate. The neighbors will be so envious.

They may own larger homes than us, but we have a ranch.

You Can't Go Home Again

We drove to Austin on Saturday, to visit both my dad's grave and our old house. The cemetery in Bartlett looked good, and our flowers were still at my dad's headstone. I don't think anyone but me and Jennifer ever go out to visit. I don't understand why no one else makes the trip. I always find it cathartic.

We made the further drive to our old neighborhood in Leander. Our old house looks really good. The young couple we sold it to has taken good care of it. Our flowers and shrubs are still alive, and the flagpole is being used.

The neighborhood on the other hand was a disaster. I'm not sure if it was this bad when we lived there, and we were just used to it, or if it has gotten worse. The yards were in a bad way, cars all over the streets, it just looked like a rundown area.

On arriving back in Mansfield, we drove into our new neighborhood. We immediately felt a sense of belonging. The yards are all clean and freshly mowed, flowers blooming and the houses taken care of.

I realized you can't go home again, but that is really okay. You should always strive to move forward, and sometimes home is actually ahead of you.

And They're Off

I went to the horse races the other night. My company had a party, and provided barbeque and $20 for either drinks or gambling.

I drank the first 6 dollars, a cup of ice and splash of Crown. I can get more alcohol from a bottle of vanilla extract than I did from the $6 Crown, but I digress.

I gambled the rest of the funny money, losing spectacularly on each race I bet. I ended up bored.

I just don't see the allure of gambling on the ponies. Wasting my hard-earned money on the vagaries of some four-legged animals seems the height of insanity. I'm sure you can make money doing it, perhaps even get rich. But the stress of putting your money down on a horse you never heard of, ridden by a jockey you haven't met, overrides any joy from watching them run.

When was the last time you saw a section in your local sports store with hats and t-shirts from the best racing stables in the country?

I prefer to watch and gamble on football. While I am wasting my hard-earned money on the vagaries of 18-22 year-old college students, at least I can wear a cool hat with their logo.

Kids and the Kitchen

Why is it so hard to get your kids to help out around the house? If you ask them to do anything, they act like you are the worst parents in the world.

Jennifer cooked dinner tonight, a wonderful chicken with Marsala glaze, roasted potatoes with onion and green beans. After riding herd on the kids all day, baking a plum cake tatan and then cooking dinner, she is tired.

I worked all day, getting to my office at 6:30 as usual. Work through lunch, fight traffic all the way home, eat Jennifer's wonderful dinner. I'm tired.

We asked Megan to clean the kitchen after dinner, while the cake finished cooking. She looked exasperated, and whined that she wanted to rest for 2 minutes before starting on the kitchen.

10 minutes later, the cake was ready and everyone enjoyed a piece. After we finished, we again asked Megan to clean the kitchen while Jennifer and I bathed Jacob and relaxed. Megan proceeded to whine about how tired she was (having worked very hard all day being 9 years old), too tired to clean the kitchen.

Jennifer and I were fed up, so we sent Megan to bed and took care of the kitchen ourselves.

I don't know what the right answer is in this situation, or how best to get Megan to accept responsibility. I do know that I sure hope Jennifer isn't too tired to cook Megan dinner tomorrow, or wash her clothes.

That would be horrible.

Burnt Orange

I love the Texas Longhorns. I grew up in Austin, and some of my best memories are going to Disch-Faulk field to watch the 'Horns play baseball with my dad. We would sit in the stands, talking about the players and strategy, he taught me to keep score, and how to eat peanuts right from the shell.

In the fall we would sit together at home, watching college football and just hanging out. Winter brought basketball, going to the Erwin Center and catching a Sunday afternoon game.

I lost my dad in '95, and I can't help but think about how much he would have enjoyed the current success of the Longhorns. He wasn't around for the football championship in '05, or the baseball championships in '02 and '05. That would have thrilled him to no end.

As this year's football season draws closer, I think about my dad, and realize he is up in Heaven, watching his 'Horns and doing all he can to help them win.

Talking Toilets

I have hit a new low in disgusting cleanups. A friend of ours stopped by the other day. While they were here, a trip to the bathroom was necessary. I'm sure after they finished, they assumed the flush had cleared everything up.

It hadn't.

The family went to dinner, and when we got back the whole house smelled. Megan (the daughter) came screaming into the family room talking about the toilet overflowing. I went to look at it, and sure enough, there was a surprise.

I worked on the problem for 3 hours, letting some water drain, using the plunger, praying, nothing seemed to work.

Turns out, I don't have the correct plunger for our toilet style. After we picked up a new plunger, everything seemed to work out.

The lesson here is to pick your friends very carefully. Only invite neurotic people who can't use any bathroom but their own to your house.

Musings from the Chair

Why is it that rain only comes the day you water?

Why are pickled vegetables given that name, i.e. pickeled onions, pickled beets, pickled tomatoes, pickled okra, but pickled cucumbers are just called pickles?

Why are dried fruits given that name, i.e. dried apples, dried peaches, dried bananas, but dried grapes are called raisins?

How can you get 8 hours of sleep, but still wake up tired?

Why is it that on the one weekend a year my wife goes out of town, there is no NASCAR race to watch?

Questions without answers, enough to keep you up at night.

Talking Trash

I haven't mentioned it before, but I work for a trash company. When I first interviewed with them, it was more for the experience than anything else. The pay is good, but the thought of working for the trash company was not that appealing.

As it turns out, it's pretty darn interesting. There are a lot more items involved in getting the trash picked up than you would think. Between making sure the drivers show up, the trucks are in running condition, and there is gas in the tank, everything must be planned for.

I truly enjoy my job. I deal with customers, collect money, pay the bills, and make sure we are charging enough for our service. The responsibility is stressful, but at the end of the day the trash is picked up and we make a profit.

That's a good day's work.

Friday

I love Fridays. The joy you feel at the end of the workday, knowing your time belongs to you for the next 2 days, cannot be beat.

Leaving the parking lot turns into a demolition derby, every person trying to get out first, thus starting their freedom as soon as possible.

As I drive home I can't help but plan my weekend, wondering what I will do, or not do. Get home, see the kids, drink a little something, kiss the wife and BAM!, stress relieved.

Enjoy your time while you can, because it only comes around 1 every 7 days.

Sweet Relief

It's raining. This is such a welcome sight during July in Texas. Any chance of rain is latched on to like a 2 for 1 coupon from Taco Bell. The mere thought of moisture falling from the sky is enough to make grownups giddy, dancing and skipping around the house.

The reason? It costs so darn much to water the yard, it is almost the brown grass to save the money. It shouldn't cost more to water your grass than it does to buy a car. But it does. And we pay it, just to enjoy some greenery in the backyard. I'm not sure what is so wrong about making the kids play in a dust bowl, but the wife has spoken.

So I watch the weather report, plead and beg for rain, and then sit on the back porch and watch it come down. Nirvana. Until we get 5 straight days of it in November, then it's complaining about the rain and wishing for some heat and sun.

Sleepovers Rock

My son, 3 1/2 years old, spent the night with his Poppy (grandfather) yesterday. He was so excited. Jay had been asking to have special time with Poppy for weeks. Last night was finally a good time. Jay spent the entire day talking about it. He packed a little suitcase, and was ready to roll.

We dropped him off and he ran to his Poppy's lap. They ate ice cream and watched a movie. Jay got to sleep in the big bed with Poppy. This morning they ate a big breakfast of grapes, pancakes and Kefir.

Times like these make me miss being a child. The utter joy of just spending time with a loved one, looking forward all day to a special event are the memories we recall when reviewing the good times of our lives.

I'm very thankful my kids have the ability to make those memories with their grandfather at this stage of their lives.

Fireworks and BBQ

Happy 4th of July.

This day always takes me back to my childhood. I can distinctly remember being 5 years old, dressed in a batman costume and riding my batman Hotwheel cycle in the neighborhood parade.

That seems to be something we just don't do anymore. Living in the hustle and bustle of a big city (or at least a big city suburb) seems to preclude my neighborhood from doing anything special. I miss the carefree days of my youth when you knew your neighbors, played outside all day long with no worries and planned neighborhood parades and cookouts.

For myself, I am grilling something today for the family, watching fireworks tonight and hoping somehow we can return to a more carefree, simple life.

Hurry Up and Slow Down

Here's what I don't understand. Why is it impossible for people on the road during rush hour to drive courteously? Nobody wants to let anybody in, everybody tailgates, and the lane changing.

I understand you want to get home. So do I. But you're not getting there any faster by not letting people merge off the on-ramp. It seems to me that one of the downfalls of our society today is the lack of common courtesy. Let one person in, then continue on your way. Traffic will flow so much smoother and everybody wins.

Let's get home safely, as quick as possible, and with a little human decency.

Ahhh, July

Is there really anything better than the month of July. We get a day off work, the vacation season is in full swing so there is a lot less traffic on the roads, and the kids are out of school.

The only problem is the heat. Why exactly does it need to be so darn hot? It's not like the heat has any redeeming value to us here in Texas. We don't really need to thaw out from the winter. The only purpose seems to be increasing the profit at the energy company.

Our house (10 years old but new to us in March) turns out to be very energy inefficient. To quote my father, "you are air conditioning the whole neighborhood." I'm keeping the air on 80 constantly, trying to stay ahead of our budget.

Oh well. This heat will pass, and then I can complain about the cost to warm the house when it's 50` outside.

Beauty Secrets

Why is it that women feel the need to smear paste on their faces in the name of beauty?

My daughter and wife decide tonight to put on a mask, proceeding to scare the bejeebers out of me with their ghost white faces. I can't imagine men putting themselves through this. "Hey Bob, pass me that stinkbait, oil and Simply Green mask. My pores are clogged." Never happen. Just another example of the whole Mars and Venus argument.

Women are odd.

Welcome to my world

Hey y'all. Welcome to my world. As a happily married dad, and accountant, my days and nights run pretty full. My goal is to use this blog as a way to clear my head, pass on some wisdom, and hopefully bring some joy and laughter to people.

Kick back in your favorite chair, relax, and join me on my travels through this crazy world.