Old Acquaintances, New Friends?

Of course, there have been things going on since I last wrote in June.  I want to mention them, so I'll remember to write about them, and then I'll go on with my topic.  Canon's performance in agility- the thrill of double Q's.  Our trip to Seattle.  Poodles.  Caprice's heart.  Gifted education- my reply to Donna.  The change to fall. That's what I can remember for now. So now onward...

Last month and this month, I was invited to "mini-reunions" with women with whom I had graduated from Highland High School.  I had reservations about going.  Of the people I knew were coming, these were not people I socialized with in high school.  There weren't many of those. These weren't even people I was interested in knowing in high school.  I knew their names.  They were the "popular" kids, the pretty girls- cheerleaders, homecoming princesses, movers and shakers of the high school sort.  Not my fit. 

So I ran into one of these "popular" girls, Debbie, after getting a bone density scan.  I've been FaceBook "friends" with her, but that hardly requires any familiarity.  Anyway, I got a message from Debbie asking if I'd be interested in the "mini-reunion."  Apparently, a group of women who went from elementary school to high school got together once in awhile to reminisce, and they'd decided to branch out.  Shirley, who, I'd grown up in Sunday school with, was going to be there, and I was curious, so going beyond my comfort level, I joined these people for dinner at Eileen's house.

Although none of these people had been close to me in high school, I enjoyed myself.  Everyone's a "friend" in some way after 40+ years. I knew their names, if nothing else. I found it interesting, and was amazed at how nice I found people.

With Susan McInveney Davis and Jerri Teresi



After dinner, someone suggested going around the table and telling a little bit about what we had been doing and answering the question, "How have I changed since high school?"  I thoroughly enjoyed it and found I liked most of the people there.  Enough that I'd be willing to see them again, which for me is unusual.

Moved to this past weekend.  Lunch at El Pinto with 22 classmates.  Again, I enjoyed my time with these people. I brought along my friend, Wanda, but unlike me, did not cling to her, and again, enjoyed the new people were there, and was glad to see the ones I had met a few weeks ago.

With Peggy Ratcliff Serns and Donna Fossum

It's been nice to be with familiar faces.  

Summer Evenings

After a muggy, hot day, evening was wonderful- cooler, a very slight breeze.  It was getting dark as we walked Canon around the block. It made me think of childhood, when we'd play outside until it got too dark to see.  Those are some wonderful memories- playing baseball with a tennis ball, either in our yard, between the willow trees, the Daulton's yard or the mesa;  hanging out in front, talking, walking up and down the street.

I remember a great game of capture the flag at the Hanna's house and thereabouts.  Running down to the Beckley's house to visit.  Trying out a skateboard.  Coming in when we couldn't see anymore.

Sweet memories.  A time I wouldn't mind revisiting...

Close to my Heart

I don't own a heart locket.  I recently was given a heart pendant to symbolize appreciation for chairing the technology committee for Assistance League.  I don't know if I've ever had a heart pendant, or a heart locket.  This may have started me thinking about how necklaces are often close to our hearts, which led me to think about what is close to my heart.

The most obvious my dogs.   Literally my tripawd pendant necklace remembering Rondo which I wore today.  And that, of course, leads me to Caprice and Canon.

Friends.    I have my family, my dogs, things to do.  Friends fill out the corners of my life.

Sweet family memories.  Memories of growing up.

This post is unfinished...

My Heroes

For a long time I've adhered to a classical/literary defintion of hero- one who endangers himself or encounters adversity for the benefit of others (not that I've looked it up lately).  For that reason, athletes are usually not heroes to me, or the President of the US, or most famous people.  Lately, with some of the sadness around me, I've been thinking about my own list of heroes.

Of course, Rondo, and the other BCD dogs (and other dogs with problems and disabilities come to mind, maybe dogs in general).  Their existence is to please their humans.  Rondo, for example, must have had great pain, and had his share of trouble, but he was always there to way his tail and lick my ear.  These animals, by their nature, take their adversity in their stride and don't let it define their lives.  They are heroes.

My friends and the countless others I have know who deal with cancer in their lives.  Because this has been on my mind lately, I want to write about them.

Clara Shwartz, my mother's friend-- that in itself is heroic because it took drawing my mother out, making an effort to talk to her and go out to lunch with her.  I don't know that she got anything in return for her efforts.  After Clara was diagnosed with cancer, she tried to remain positive, although she admitted she was scared.   Clara carried on with her life, as my realtor, taking me to see houses when the effort exhausted her.  At the time, I saw a pushy realtor.  Now I think of a hero.

This is unfinished...

Campus Walk

Because of the weather and the distance from the UNM campus, we haven't had a walk around in some time.  I forgot how many things there are to enjoy on a sunny, warm spring Sunday afternoon.

New Lobos on Campus

 

Fountains

 

 

The Duck Pond (with spring ducklings)

 

The Birds (and the Bees)

 

 

 The Flowers

 

The pictures are enough to make me smile all over again!

 

 

 



Road Kill

How to get back to regular blogging?  I've had lots of ideas for writing, but didn't sit down at the right time to put them down.  Now, oddly, here I am, and my topic--road kill.

Today (or yesterday) I drove past yet another dead rabbit in the middle of the road.  This always disturbs me, even if it's been there awhile.  Obviously it's been run over more than once, and it makes me wonder about the value of life, any life.  It seems a travesty to leave a dead animal in the road to be run over and over again. Disrespect for life.  I find myself apologizing to the dead animal for the indignity of being smashed in the road and lying there until it is unrecognizable.

 

And then I choose to look up an image for road kill, where there are rows and rows of pictures of dead animals, jokes about picking up and eating road kill.  I chose to use one of those for my blog.  I see road kill stuffed toys.   I even have a pair of road kill rabbit earrings that I bought years ago. 

 

I remember hearing how some native Americans apologized to the animals they killed for food, and showed their respect for not wasting any part of the animal.  Is today's attitude desensitization?  Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?  Road kill isn't funny to me anymore.  Do I need to lighten up?