The House

We have been busy the past few weeks, working as feverishly as possible, to clean out the house that Janell's mother owns in Bryan, TX. We have been doing this off and on for the past year, but have hit it hard this past month. It has been difficult for Janell as she lived here for many years. Her parents bought the house around 1960. Needless to say, we had forty seven years of accumulation to go through. Lots of papers, books, photographs, and miscellanea to decide on. Janell's mother hasn't said much, but I'm sure that it's been hard for her to know what is happening. Don't ask, don't tell. Much has hit the landfill because we just can't absorb everything.

Janell will get the house put on the market tomorrow, and we will enter a new chapter. Once it's sold, we will complete the process by selling off the remaining furniture and household items.

Janell and I were talking about the process of life. You think about the stability your parents and their home provided for so much of your life as their child. Now, we are standing in a nearly empty house, knowing that it will no longer be there to come home to. Parents are almost all gone, and we are caring for her mother at our house. Change is always with us.

One thing that has made this effort easier, both emotionally and physically, is that Sean and Tara have been so welcoming to us. We have stayed with them during our visits, and they have provided a welcome haven for us. It's just so wonderful to have them. And, I must say, their dog, Scooby, seems to like having us there, too. He's a hoot.

The Birthday Dog

Ollie is thirteen today. He came to live with us in August of 1996. Now, normally I don't make much of a deal about a dog's birthday since they don't really care. But this time I feel a little different because we're growing older together.

Ollie is one dog that seems as cute today as he was when he was a mere pup. Always curious, up for anything, and living large. Now he's a bit slower, can't hear very well, doesn't carry two tennis balls as often, and doesn't race through the house at breakneck speed. He's just content with life and enjoys his days with us. He still looks forward to a walk and works very hard to get one. When asked his name, I've taken more to telling folks it's Oliver because it sounds more distinguished for a boy of his age.

Happy Birthday, Ollie. To you, your special day will mean as much to you as all the other days of your life. You have everything you need in your family, a tennis ball, and maybe something to eat. Life is good.