Mama Bear on the prowl...

Is anyone wondering what prompted yesterday's post about Clay?  We found out that he had been slacking off in a couple of classes....and then...I found out that one of his teachers (who I've had issues with before) called my son a deadbeat in front of the class.  !!!!  We are scheduling a conference with this woman to try to find out what is going on.  There are many other things that have happened - don't worry, I won't go into nauseating detail.  But, oh, that just infuriates me.  It gets my back up.  Brings out the mama bear in me.  I'm like that with both of my children.  I know they're not perfect (c'mon - none of us are) but NO ONE gets to call my children names (except us) and belittle them.  Grrrr.....


OK.  So.  Other than our upcoming conference, not too much is going on.  Paige is still plugging away with schoolwork, my house is still a mess, Tim is home - trying to get the taxes done along with various and sundry other things.  Speaking of Tim - our 20th anniversary  is Saturday.  I can't believe it has been 20 years!  Wow.  Just wow.  


Also, I am re-reading Watchers by Dean Koontz, which I last read in 1988.  What a good book.  And yes, I am so on the "Let's get a sweet, smart Golden Retriever like Einstein" bandwagon.  If you don't know what I am talking about - you must read this book!  I have been searching on craigslist and petfinder for a Golden.  We DO NOT want another puppy.  I prefer an younger adult who is already housebroken and past the chewing stage.  Been there, done that.  Another "Gus" would be great.....no, not Gus the kitten - the original Gus Van Kuiken was a 5 year old Golden retriever that we got when Clay was about a year old.  He was wonderful.

Now, don't get me wrong - he wasn't a perfect dog.  He went through a stage where he would find dirty diapers (that didn't get put right away into the Diaper Genie) and shred them thoughout the house.  Also sippy cups.  I didn't really feel the love for him during that phase.

But, he is in all the toddler/pre school photos of my kids.  Always there.  Watching them, playing with them, letting them climb on him and "ride" him.  Patient and gentle and sweet.

In his older years, after we had moved to Florida, he started really putting on weight.  We couldn't figure out why, because he was on the reduced calorie dog food and we were very careful....we finally figured out what was going on.  Paige (who was 3 at the time) was  filling his bowl with food whenever she would walk past it.  "Because he looked hungry".  And Gus was eating it all up!  No wonder he was following her around everywhere!

Old Gussie died when Clay was in 1st grade, and Clay was heartbroken.  We all were.  Gus was a good old dog, and when we do finally get another dog we want one just like him.

Love ya, Gussie.