Sadly, no nap was had yesterday, with or without electric blanket or pooches. Although they did nap in every available sunspot - all day, lazy dawgs.
I did lots of household chores and kept Youngest Son company. He was suffering with stomach cramps but he never made it to worshipping the porcelain god phase, thank goodness. SoccerGirl came "home" after school. I guess I should just accept she lives here. Permission is not even asked for any longer, it's just assumed she can be here. I don't mind but she's a girlie with expensive taste buds. I am feeding four adult sized picky eaters, plus me (but I'm easy, of course).
This will all change when Patty, SG's mom, gets her own place. I hope.
I have groomed animals for-ev-ah, since I was a little kid. In all my time I've nicked a bloodline (in the nail) once. What did I do to my poor Minnie yesterday? Yep. She squealed, I quickly pressed my thumb on her nail and she just laid there looking at me with sad, betrayed eyes. I comb the dogs and clip their nails so often that we just sprawl out on the family room floor and I turn them over like sides of beef when I need to comb the other side. It's all very spa-like. I lost my good reputation yesterday.
Her little bloodline bled like I had just docked her tail. The three teens were home and retrieved the paper towels, water, anticeptic wipes and Kwik Stop for me. And looked at me with disbelief in their eyes. YS even said, "How could you, Mom?" as if I did it on purpose and needed to feel worse.
Twist was last to be groomed. He is usually the laziest, needing me to push and pull him around like he is a passed out cow. Instead he was tense, didn't want to be combed and was actually shaking when I was nipping his nails. Goober.
All was well within minutes but Minnie just followed me around for the rest of the day, staying just a little out of my reach unless I asked her to come to me. (She's usually very pushy - always in everyone else's space, invited or not). When I stopped at the counter to make dinner, she laid down a couple feet away with her head turned slightly away from me but allowing her to see when I turned toward her. Every single time I looked in her direction she would slowly move her face toward me, sigh and rest her head on her front paw!
Even my dogs work the guilt factor!
I am venturing out today, I need to do a little food shopping. And a little window shopping - this is part of one of my resolutions - expect more, not less. I am building the nerve to ask Hubby for a wedding ring worthy of a *Hubby's whole name* purchase. He is rather legendary in his generous spending habits but it has always been on stuff that pleases him. And (he says) it annoys him I "never spend money" on myself. Remember that quote! I think this wedding ring would be a good place to begin. It's something I've wanted for years and years but didn't have the nerve to ask for, kind of weasling out of it by thinking "he should know, he should just get it for me." I have a $30 band and a $32 "engagement" ring. I can't wear them any longer due to swelling from a bit of arthritis in my knuckle.
Well, anyway, I am thinking for lots of reasons I don't need to go into here, I deserve a piece of bling. What I've been doing is window shopping to see what I like and what looks okay on my short, stumpy finger. This alone has been a WAY out of my comfort zone experience. If it was for someone else, I'd be all over it with facts, figures and photographs, but this is s-e-l-f-i-s-h. But I deserve it. I do.
Today I would like to finish getting shops, sku numbers and prices. Then I will present the business cards to Hubby. He knows I've been looking but I doubt he has any idea of the price range. He knows me well and is probably thinking I'm looking in the $100 range. I'm not. Nope, not even close. We've been together for nearly twenty-six years, married for nearly twenty-two. I'd like that represented on my wedding ring finger. I keep reminding myself he spends this kind of money at the drop of the hat - on his Harleys, on the boat, in his shop and on his own bling.
Phew, okay, steady breathing.
I should not be getting worked up about it. But I am because, you know, I'm putting myself out there, in the open - waiting for the rejection to happen. To be proven I am unworthy of such a nice thing. That's the bottom line here. I do want the ring, really want it, but in my mind it will measure if he thinks I deserve it. It - the ring - and his love. It's all too complicated and confused in my brain. I just hope he doesn't fail me here or cheapen things up because it will hurt.
I guess one of my resolutions should have been "taking big chances with my heart."
He just called to cancel our regular Tuesday night dinner date. He is having dinner with a client/good friend instead, which is actually okay with me. I have to go meet Patty for coffee in a little while (heavy, sad things going on in her life - I just listen, I never share my crap), then do the food and "window" shopping. Too much time in the cold for this old body. Staying home tonight with a hot chocolate and the tivo'd Heroes episode sounds just about perfect to me.