Holiday Blues: Farewell to the Family Pet

Maybe I should have gone for the Christmas song on my Battle of the Band perhaps I jinxed myself.  Like most people the Holiday's are a busy time of year. I have a lot going on at work, outside of the work, my daughter's performance, family and the list goes on.

Christmas was going to be busy in a good way. My daughter and I both having important parts in the Christmas Eve late service. I was planning to get her a new laptop and few more items on her Christmas list. That was before it all came crashing down.

                                                   Our cat in his younger days...

     

I had just gotten home from work and a delivery man had just arrived.  I got out of my car and signed for the package. While I was signing I heard our cat, Bandit meowing from inside. It was unusual for him to meow that loud. Granted he was sick the day before actually turning down treats. He had been vomiting before that. I thought he was just sick and would get over whatever he had. A cat vomiting isn't unusual they get fur balls. When I got inside I could tell my little buddy wasn't doing well. Didn't think it was as dire as it was but  I did think he needed to see someone. I called a few Vet's and they were all about to close so they all recommended an emergency animal hospital. The cat had moved eight feet I put an extra pad of carpet in his carrier and got him to move into it. I contacted the wife to make sure my daughter would be picked up. The ride to the animal hospital was about 30 minutes. I took the ride nice and smooth, talking to bandit. He talked back with some meows and he appeared to get calmer.

At the animal hospital I filled out all the paper work. It was just like going to urgent care. We waited in the waiting room. I opened the carrier and petted him. He wasn't going anywhere. I think I even got him to purr. We both watched as some lady carried a big dog to back. Finally they called us back.

I knew from the get go the evening was not going to be cheap. It was $95 just to be seen. They told me there were 2 or 3 animals ahead of us. They took his temperature the old fashioned way, he meowed a couple of times to say that wasn't nice. Well his temperature came in low and they stated he was dehydrated. He jumped the line as they said he was critical. They wanted to give him an IV and get him warmed up. The price went up to $214. Then they came back and started talking about life support options.

I'm like my cat is going to be fine. They are going to give him some fluids and find out what is wrong with him. Then they come back with the medical plan. $1300 to $2300. At this point the cat is already back in the treatment area. That's crazy money for a cat. However he was more than a cat. They needed an $1800 dollar deposit to take care of him.

$1800 is a lot of money too me. What do I do take him home and hope he makes it? Mind you I have a wife who loves that cat, a stepson who won't admit it who loves that cat, and an 11-year old daughter who has spent 8.5 years with that cat. What do I tell my daughter? I pull out my card and pay the $1800. They had to keep him overnight. They did let me see him before I left. He was in a cage close to the nurses station. A heat lamp shining in the cage and a blanket on him. He was alert. I saw his paw bandaged and an IV attached. Pitiful thing to see a cat with an IV. I got the chance to pet him a few more times before I left.

He was going to be alright and I would be picking him up on Thursday. Most of the time being a Dad is a great thing. This night it wasn't so great. I went home and told my daughter Bandit is in the hospital. I told her somethings are more important than a nice Christmas and I asked her if Bandit was more important. She agreed. I told her he was in critical care, I spent a lot of money and the Doctors were working on him.

Somehow everyone got to sleep. Somewhere past 2:30 my phone rang. I missed the call. I called it back and it was the animal hospital. They were using a breathing tube to keep him alive. He had turned for the worst. They said it didn't look good. I'm relaying this to my hysterical wife.
The Doctors are asking me what I want to do. I'm like save my cat. While we are on the call it gets worse. They tell me his heart stopped. Nothing left to do he has expired. I ask if we can see him and the financial questions. Also discuss his cremation. My wife is getting dressed and I go to wake my daughter.

By this point the whole Dad thing kind of stinks. I've never seen anything flex to people like Bandit. He flexed to all of our personalities. He would let Evelyn carry him around like a ragdoll his entire life. He didn't play rough with her. He knew Mama didn't play. He knew me as playtime (and food). He could be himself with me. Claws came out occasionally. My daughter would laugh at us playing because we would chase each other around. She loved it when he would get on his hindlegs and chase me like he was a bear.

Anyway I woke her up and told her what happened.  It was not a fun conversation. We got dressed and drove to the animal hospital. We got to see Bandit one more time and say our goodbyes. He was already on his way to Cat Heaven. We drove home our hearts low and my debt higher. Still in shock he had turned sick so fast. They think his kidneys went bad. They said his vitals and everything were coming up. The believe he had a seizure, stroke and a blood clot. I just hope he knows he was loved.

A to Z Challenge 2016: It takes a Village and other Its

There is an African proverb stating "it takes a village to raise a child." There is a lot of truth to that proverb. There is also a lot of truth in that there are children who are being raised by single parents. In this day and age regardless if a child has one or two parents it is hard to find the village!

I'm blessed with a healthy, intelligent child who doesn't have any major problems. I know that is despite what the child may think. She has two parents who love her very much. That being said it still isn't easy to be a parent and it still takes a village to raise her!

It is my daughter's birthday and she is on my mind. It is true my inspiration came for this post came from dropping off cupcakes for her entire class. The poor teacher is going to have a class full of sugared high students all because of me. Parents are going to hate me because I provided their kids with junk food. Yes I'm bad like Jesse James! But this post isn't about my daughter or being bad. It is about what I witnessed.

In the adult world it is so easy to complain. The teacher isn't doing her job! The administration isn't helping my child. Does any of that sound familiar? It might. Don't worry you don't have to answer that. That is not what this post is about. It is about teachers doing their job! It is about other students.

When I brought the cupcakes to my child's class as a visitor. The school day had just started. Most of the students were in class. I ran into one student who was late who looked like he was having a rough morning but that isn't what my post is about. I noticed a couple of teachers escorting some children to class. This is what my post is about.

The students I observed had special needs. The ones I watched appeared to have some physical issues. I don't know if they had any mental problems. It really wasn't my business what needs they had. The first one I passed went out of his way to wave at me and he had a big smile. I waved back and said "Hi!" or "Good Morning!" and returned the wave. I smiled back too but I wasn't the only one with a smile. The teacher escorting the young scholar was also smiling. The next student I watched being escort I waved at! I guess waving is contagious. The child and teacher were already smiling.

I don't know how these teachers teach these students that have their special needs. All the natural smiles indicated to me that they are taught with a lot of love. It was apparent these children were being treated special just like my daughter! The dedication, the passion, the love these teachers working with children who have special needs was apparent to me as I watched the smiles and waves.
The children with even more needs than normal children really do need a village and I am glad I found the village.

It impressed me this morning. It was the children and the teachers!

A Day in My Life: Easter Funday!

Sundays in general is my family day. There are exceptions. However, with Sunday being my only set off day it is the day that I am most available. My random day off in general is my day. Of course my day sometimes gets taken over by errands and family when available.

Well today was Easter Sunday, a traditional family day which we spent together as a family. The family day was much needed since my daughter just got back from a week long trip to Texas. Unfortunately for us the weather decided to rain most of the day.

My girls woke up to Easter baskets over flowing with goodies. Though the wife said the Easter bunt didn't like her as much this year as there was no wine in the basket. Well the girls all got all fancied up and we went to the traditional Easter Sunday Church service.



The church Easter Egg hunt was moved inside and then we went home and changed. Due to the weather her other Easter Egg hunt was postponed until the evening.

Then on to the less traditional things on the schedule. Certainly the Easter Bunny is important but sometimes it is important to realize other things hop, like a kangaroo...



I never knew kangaroos were so soft!

However, Easter has a lot to do with eating. I thought I would let my daughter feed a kitty cat...



I tried to explain to her that handling a tiger is a once in a lifetime opportunity. However, it was just two years ago when this happened...



I told her the fine print to that was unless you have a Dad like me! As for the Easter Egg hunt my daughter did pretty good finding 89 of the 97 Easter Eggs. Needless to say she is sound asleep as I write that. Well I hope your Sunday was fun as well!

Bad Day, Good Day

My morning was put on hold waiting for the Air Conditioning repair man. Florida is not the place to be with no Air Conditioning. Of course he needed to order a part so it could not be fixed today or this week!

Weather forecast this time of year upper 80s low 90s and plenty of humidity. Of course I had to pay for the service fee and the part will be half a grand. So, like I said bad day.

Well I was off from my day job. I could stay home. However it is hot in the house. Of course I could go fishing. I mean it is hot outside too. So do you melt inside or melt outside? My choice lets go fishing.

The fishing wasn't great. Early morning, night time usually is better. However, I did get to see some friends...



A pod of playful dolphins. Humans were scarce. Work week and the heat of the day probably playing factors.

I did catch a nice size hardhead catfish..



Still I made it home in time to pick up my daughter from daycare. Was able to let her play outside for a while and catch a short nap. Then I got to play Magna-tiles with her. I then treated her and her brother to dinner where I played cards with the kids for a while.

So yes it was a bad day but in the end I ended up winning. I was able to fish, take a nap, and spend times with the kids. That is a good day anyway you look at it!

Birthday Thoughts

I received over 75 birthday wishes from people on facebook. I am humbled that many folks would take time from their busy day to give me wishes. Friends from all faces of my life, including the good times and the bad times.

Ski friends, fraternity friends, family, other college buddies, writers ,editors, musicians, actors and actresses. People from old jobs and current jobs. People it is nice to hear from.

I celebrated my birthday over the weekend. A day at the beach on Saturday. Still a tad cold for swimming but still a fun time with family. Sunday my wife took me to a fancy Brazilian restaurant. A true carnivore's feast. She made it special, dressing up and all.

Sunday I did cook a special lunch just for me..



Black drum that I cooked. A tad over spiced and a tad over cooked. Still wasn't bad. If I didn't second guess myself it would have been better and if I wasn't so heavy fisted on the spices. Maybe some good advice for life in those lines.

Well my actual birthday turned out to be the greatest gift and biggest disaster rolled into one. My daughter ended up having the flu. So, I stayed home with her I was supposed to go to work. On the plus side I did have the flue shot. So, I got to spend the day snuggling with my daughter. I will take that any day! Of course I wish she felt better.

In my life the older you get the less material gifts you get. However the gentle reminders of the gifts of friends and family you have are so much greater. The gifts that really matter,

Support the Arts for Great Performances Now and in the Future

My son had his Holiday Concert last night with his his high school orchestra. The concert was held at a local church known for having some of the biggest Christian concerts and entertainment performed at their venue. In other words a venue with great sound!

The show highlighted the choirs and orchestra of the high school. The seats were filled. The Super Attendant of Schools showed up for the concert. It is no secret school systems across the country are cutting costs in this economy. Arts and music is one area that is often hit hard by these cuts.

If the large crowd from the local community and the many standing ovations meant anything at all, they  meant that these school programs are important to the community! They are also important to the students as the learn to develop their talents, they learn the discipline required to learn a musical instrument, they learn dedication, and they also develop self esteem. Studies have also shown music helps students to become smarter.

I was awed by how well these students sounded! I was proud by the show of community support. Of course I am concerned if arts and music will continue to be available in schools.

I urge you to attend your local schools concerts, dramas, and other events! Show the schools what is important. Help them financially. They could be your kids, your neighbors and friends. Encourage the next generation!

Perfect Day

I'm exhausted. These long road trips wear me out. Add in factors such as it being late, darkness, fog and it makes it even worse. However, the day was perfect.

I took my daughter to the beach as we visited with my parents. We walked along the way we saw a Wood Stork not something you see everyday..




A picture from two years ago from the same park. We also so lots of turtles. Then once we got to the beach the water was really calm for the ocean. Great for taking a younger kid swimming. However, in the water we were not alone. A pair of Dolphins were swimming a short distance away from us. A very cool experience to share with my daughter. We also saw pelicans and a couple of Ospreys who were catching fish!

Nice to share adventures with your kid! Then we made it back home for her swim lessons. I think she learned the duck paddle...



Like I said a magical day!

Four Very Different Musicians

Lionel Richie, Ozzie Osbourne, Elton John, and John Elefante are musicians that have had their fair share of success. They also produce music that is quite different. However, they all have one thing in common they have all adopted children. You can read more about this in my latest article here. Just in time for Father's Day.

Let me post some videos..

Lionel Richie.."All Night Long"

Elton John "Rocket Man"

Ozzy Osbourne "Shot in the Dark"

John Elefante "Carry on Wayward Son"

A to Z Challenge: Fairs and rain

I knew the rain was going to come. It was never a question of if it was going to rain but when it would come. My little girl knew a fair  was in the area and she really wanted to go. She opened up the door and saw the rain was holding off. While my tired bones were trying to sneak in some extra rest her methods were more convincing. Methods that might lead me to need traction.

 Finding the county fairgrounds was a bit of adventure since I went Old School to find it without modern navigational tools. I did end up giving a stranger a ride and it did provide more time for Daddy and daughter to connect.

The first exhibit, a kids farming  activity captivated my daughter with hands on activities. Planting seeds, digging potatoes, gathering eggs, milking cows and being buried in corn. The eggs and cow weren't real but the fun was very real. This simple activity was probably the most enjoyable ne for my daughter.

She was able to feed some horses and pet some ponies before we caught a wolf show. Next we made are way to the rides.

Per her request we did this super shake ride. Then we rode probably the scariest ride at the fair. I knew it was scary I rode it with her friend's dad last summer. But I think the pride of being tall enough to ride the ride got the best of her. She was trembling when she got in the ride. Honestly it was too much for her. Locked in the cage of the machine there was no way out.

She did well. When it started to really scare her I put my arm around her told her it would be alright. Sure she was scared as we tumbled upside down together she told me it was going to make her throw up! Thankfully, she did not vomit. We made it off the ride alive! The ride operator mentioned she conquered the scariest ride. However, she wasn't ready for a second try. I talked to her and she felt accomplished by the time the day was done which made it woth with. Then again a probably should have put my foot down and said no. I guess you could have said it was a coin flip kind of decision. However, the self-confidence and accomplishment she got out of i made it the right decision.

We did the other rides. Then we took in a dirt bike trick show. Real daredevils showing off on big jumps.
Then she played some games, had a pony ride, and went to the petting zoo. This in when the skies opened up. We tried a few more rides without much luck and decided to call it a day.

We both were happy for the time spent together. She had fun! She even fell a sleep on the ride home.

Despicable Me

The trailer for "Despicable Me"

Summer time means some movie theaters play special kids movies during the week. This week a movie theater in Frederick was showing "Despicable Me" for a $1.

As a parent it is a struggle to find things my six year old daughter and 16 year old son both want to do that doesn't bleed the budget way into the red. I lucked out! It was a movie my son could enjoy with his girlfriend and I could enjoy with my daughter. All the kids got up early and rushed me out of the house. It must be payback for the school year. Still I was able to take them to the movie and treat them for lunch cheaper than than a first run movie. Run a few more errands for the kids and they turn it into an all day event. Surprisingly none of us had seen the movie before.

Father's Day

I'm lucky! I was able to spend Father's Day with my daughter. My life is like many other folks with a lot of bumps in the road. That being said I make an effort to be the best Dad that I can be. There are many people who are not able o spend Father's Day wih their kids.

There are Dad's in the military who are stationed across the countery, overseas, and in war zones who are not able to be with their kids. Many of them try to be ther best dad they can be while serving their country.

There are seperated Dad's who are still greaat Dads. Who might not be aable to see their kids on Father's Day. There are Dad's who are on travel for work.

Well you get my point. Not every Dad is able to be with their kids on Father's Day. I am one of the lucky ones who got to spend the day with mine. I'm lucky and it is a blessing! 

A to Z: Young, Youth

Nothing will demonstrate how old or out of shape you are then playing a gme of tag with a six year old in the park. My out of shape, graying haired, 40 something body doesn't have the energy to keep up. My joints don't take the impacts of jumping off playground equipment like it used too. The short sprints leave me gasping for air like I was a chain smoker.

Yes, I know my daughter is growing and I am weakening. Picking her up and pushing her isn't as easy as it used to be. Some of it is my own darn fault, some of it is people get to busy to go to the gym, the cost of doing the activities you want to do is too much. We all have excuses.Not saying they are not legit. It is just part of life, once you stop doing physical things it is easy for your body to "rust."

Yes my youthful days might be behind me but I have a youthful heart. My bodsy might be closer to old than young but I 'm not done. I still give it a try. I am a lucky man to be able to play with my daughter. So, if you are in a park and you see a grizzly, middle age man, weezing as he chases a little girl around it might just be me. I suppose it is good for me. Running, jumping, shocking my body (which is saying "What the heck are you doing? You know you aren't young anymore) is all worth it. I just wish my daughter would share some of that energy she has with me. Since the bottom line is my daughter is happy, we are having fun, and I am spending time we can both cherrish before it slips away.

A to Z: Kids

It was my daughter's birthday on the 11th. So what was going to be a night out with just the family at Chuck E. Cheese became an impromptu birthday party when my daughter told the neighbors. So, I ended up piling in a three year old, and two six year olds in my car. My wife ended up running late so I had the kids for a half hour trip plus another 45 minutes by myself before my partner showed up. Needless to say the kids wore me out. (or maybe I hit the Street Ball Game and football toss game a bit hard for an out of shape 40 something year old kid.) Oh well kids...

A to Z: Chick-fil-A

Well, I've been in a rut on this blog writing mainly about music with theatre thrown in here and there. There used to be more sports and more me. This challenge will provide a chance to include a bit of everything. Now that I am older and have a daughter one of my main hang outs is the local ChicK-fil-A:

Where I get to sit and watch my daughter chase the cow around! They do a lot of cool things on Tuesday Family Nights. The one near me frequently has face painting and balloon animals. Sometimes they have giant inflatable slides and pony rides.

Which makes my little girl look like this...

So yes I wait around for hours in the restaurant as my daughter plays but after the day is done I am her hero and it makes it all worth while!

A to Z: Dad and Daughter

Here is a picture of me and my daughter last week at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia, during the Phillies

 home opening weekend. 

We have a great relationship, I hope that it lasts a life time. Besides hanging out with me at baseball games we also have weekly outings on family days to the local Chick-fil-A, which does an incredible job of activities. they have provided face painting nights, pony rides, petting zoos, giant slides, balloon animals and more. It is an activity we both Daddy and Daughter enjoy  together. She is at great age where she can have blast with simple trips to a park. the activities don't need  to be huge, the key is spending quality time together. 

Play Till You Drop

I came home from work yesterday and took my daughter to Chick-Fill-a. Where she had diner and was able o play on the playground. She also got a balloon toy. After about 2 hours there we stopped and checked the mail at the Post Office. The girl saw he park and wanted to play at the park. Who am I to say no? (yes I know I am the dad, the parent..) So we ended up going to the park for another hour. She was able to swing, climb on the fish, go down the slide, and spin around on the merry-go-round. When it was all said and done, the girl was a sleep in the car before we were home. When you are 2 you are supposed to play hard and have fun. When your a Dad your supposed to watch your daughter having fun and enjoy the moment.

The Substitute

Tough morning. Both my wife and I are working today. Our regular daycare person is taking the day off for the Holiday. Our normal backups fell through so the scramble was on..I ended up finding someone.

It is tough enough to leave your child with a total stranger. I am sure she is fine and there will be no problems. She did have references and provided a website where I could search her out. However, it is still tough to drop a child off.

My daughter didn't make it easy either. She acted very shy in this persons apartment. She was very clingy. I walked her through the place. Showed her the puppy. However, she was still clingy. I waited with her 10-15 minutes and she was still clingy. Then I handed her off at the door, my daughter was not happy and I saw the big old tears coming. She did not make it easy.

I will pick her up early today since I am not working late. So, she won't be gone as long as usual.