The worst chore

Record player on skip… I loathe laundry. I, like most of the people out there are NOT fans of laundry, in the sense of putting it away. I am pretty damn lazy about it. Nope, I won’t even make up excuses. I SUCK at laundry.

To the point where Blue has (FINALLY) decided that he will do his own, now make sure to note in the picture his clothes are on the top of the closet, nice, neat and ready to wear.

He does one to two loads a week. He irons and hangs 5 work days of clothes on his weekend off. I am inspired by his routine.

Now I’ve got Tink and Buzz’s clothes, in which I keep clean, and put away, my laziness lands there in the fact that I have an issue with parting with old clothes. I mean Tink is in 5T clothes, and since she’s a wee 35 lbs. she can still wear SO many smaller clothes. Especially in her sundresses, and shorts.

Now me… well there is the weight issue. Like most, I have the clothes from when I was 35 lbs. lighter, and I do NOT keep the ones from when I was bigger then I am now. I am NOT going back to that weight. But the span of clothes over 35 lbs. is… well… a lot of clothes.

Why are the clothes on the floor? Well I’m too damn lazy to put them away. Yep, I try on something,and put it on the floor. So yes this is all clean clothes. (Again note Blue’s nice space above)

So this is what I’m up to today, it’s taken a whole pot of coffee to motivate me to start this project…

I removed all the clothes from inside the closet. And put them on my bed, I’m going to try on what I don’t know. If I will wear it. It goes in. If not it goes OUT the door for donation. (I’ve got a bag started already)

I thought I share this, not because I’m proud, and not because I’m procrastinating (well maybe a bit) but it’s helpful to me to post a before, and hear from my super organized friends, who root me on, and then I give you an after picture… fingers crossed I can make my carpet here appear again!

JCat McGack

One for another

In this life there is the quote about when one life is lost, another is created.

In our life, we lost our Maggie May. She was our boxer for 7 1/2 years, and she was lost suddenly to cancer. The loss of our Maggie hurt, the loss was most painful to myself and our other boxer Sophie.

In my husbands defense, he was working back to back shifts for the weeks around her passing, and said that the fact that he worked so much, he hadn’t had the same time we did, sitting around the house thinking about her.

The children at the time were 4 and 2, so they at the time knew she was gone, to be in dog heaven and wait for us there. Where she is happy and healthy again. They were not upset, more so would say they missed her being around.

So you ask what is the new life created here? This is…

 

Sophie has lost her best friend Maggie, for 6 1/2 years they were inseparable. Play, sleep and live side by side. Now with being alone and as Buzz get’s older (he will be 4 in April) he grows more and more attached to Sophie. They play more, he learns to respect her, and she couldn’t be more gentle with him even though she’s a 60 pound solid energy bound dog.

The two have the perfect chance to spend ALL day together. With me being a Stay At Home Mom to these two, and while Blue is at work all day, and Tink is in full time Kindergarten, the day is there’s to explore, play and bond.

I find that in the healing process for Sophie and I is to remember our Maggie, but at the same time to create a new way to move on. And thanks to Buzz, I think Sophie has found just what she needed. A new chapter in her life. She is learning how strange a little boy is, but she goes on any adventure he leads her on.

I won’t lie, my heart is scared for the fact that Sophie is 7 1/2. And boxers are only averaged to a life of 8-9 years, I fear on how crushed my little boy will be when he looses his first best friend.

But for now, we will enjoy our Sophie, every wiggle, every head turn, every snuggle, every jumping, barking happy moment she gives.

JCat McGack

Let it…

Snow.

GASP! NO! Snow?! Who asks for it? Well there IS a percentage of us that live here in Chicagoland that, while we are SERIOUSLY loving these 50+ degree days in January, are ready to embrace winter.

YES, snow, that blows and drifts. YES the cold that makes it hard to breathe, YES the winds, and ice and make you count down till spring weather. I’ll take it.

I was born with that inner love for all the seasons. I NEED them. I NEED the newest of spring, the anticipation of my flowers to peek from the dirt, for the sunshine to be warm again, and for hoodies to work their way to just t-shirts, warm days but with a chill that makes you look forward to the summer.

Then that urge for heat. Not just a warm day, but that HOT, HUMID, nasty summer, because those are few and only last a short while here. Most summer days are sunny, and warm, 80’s and beautiful. Green grass (sometimes fried brown) but biking, swimming, walking, windows down kind of weather. The it’s SO nice out I can’t stay inside to read this book, I MUST go out and enjoy it nice weather.

And then comes the end of September, when I’m tired of heat, tired of shorts and t-shirts. When I yearn for hoodies, sweat pants, and a coat. Some warm cider and getting ready for the crazy Holiday season.

And then after the Holidays, I am ready for winter. I’ll have to say while winter and snow and blizzards are at the bottom of my wish list for seasons, it’s not one I hate. I’ve never hated snow, and I’ve never wished to live somewhere warm year round. I’m seriously in love with this winter, since we were given and extra month of warm weather, and when I say warm I mean 50’s. We don’t get that here!

My sister, Frances, her birthday is January 7th, and ever since I can remember some sort of ice, snow or horrible sleet storm of sorts comes through. This year? I was outside in a t-shirt and sweats, taking down my Christmas lights and cutting back some plants I had missed. How crazy, to have such a warm winter.

But today is our last day of 50’s. It’s been so sunny and warm out. But 4-8 inches of snow, and 30 degree weather being the warmest are coming tomorrow, and Friday. This weekend will be bitter cold. And again not that I’m asking for it, but let’s just say I’ll take it.

It’s why we love to live where we live. I don’t really get the people who HATE winter, who BITCH about it constantly, if you hate it SO much then MOVE AWAY from it! Maybe it’s the optimist in me. (and note as much as I don’t have to drive to work every day, I HAVE driven to work, I HAVE driven in more then one white out, I have spun out on black ice, slipped and landed on my back on ice. YES winter is mean, but so are sun burns. I just choose NOT to rag about it. So quiteyerbitchin)

Well here’s to the snow, the green grass, lazy days in the pool, and cool days by the fire pit! Now, instead of whining about it, let me know what your FAVORITE part of winter is. No matter where you live… and go… (leave it in the comments below!)

JCat McGack

“SUNSHINE!”

 

Around our house it’s all about the sunshine, in the winter months here in south of Chicago, it’s gloomy more days then it’s sunny. So we take what we can get.

As a human you know that a bit of sunshine is good for our soul, it brightens and makes the day better.

Now as my Sophie, our beloved Boxer the sunshine has ALWAYS been a big part of her life. On the days when it’s warm outside she waits. Patiently. For the sun to come across the deck in the back. (the sun rises in the front of our house, so it’s often not until 11 am when she can finally lay right at the very edge of the deck for the sunshine)

She’s often been called ‘Solar Sophie’ because I swear she needs sunshine to exist. If there is no sunshine, she is indoors all day, and has Buzz to keep her company.

She loves it warm, hot and sunny. Cold rainy days just seem to make her sad and mopy. It’s become a tradition around our house, that the first sign of sunlight you yell “SUNSHINE!”

We are often in the loft on the second floor in the morning, and all of a sudden the rising sun comes through the upstairs window and floods the loft with warm sunshine, kids yelling “SUNSHINE! SOPHIE!! SUNSHINE!” we run to the front door, pull it open and push her bed into the sunshine.

And right on cue, she runs to her bed, does her traditional dog circles and gets comfy.

I know Sophie’s never been a fan of rainy days, or gloomy overcast days. I do believe that when her sister Maggie became super sick, it was a 3 week span of more rain then sun.

And on April 19th 2011 it was cold, dark and gloomy. That was the day we decided that the cancer was too much. And we took her Maggie away. After leaving the vets office, I remember it was pouring rain. It rained the rest of that day, and then the next two days till Maggie’s birthday on April 21st.

And then the sun came out. To me I think it’s her Maggie coming by to say good morning, I miss you, take care of them for me.

The sunshine to me often reminds me of those gone from this world, and my Maggie May is no exception to this. To me personally as a child, I lost my Grandma Wanda to cancer at the young age of 11, I’ve always thought of her when I saw sunshine. As if she was watching over me. I do think Sophie thinks the same way, sunshine has always been a love of hers, but she knows too now that it’s her Maggie as well watching over her.

So a day where a sunbeam lands on you, remember loved ones past, they are shining down on you. Keeping you safe, and warm.

Hope you have a sunshine filled day,

JCat McGack