Another Year, Where Did the Last One Go?

My first post here to this group. Thanks to fil for inviting me. I sit here wondering where a year has gone. Trying to recollect all that happened in 08. Some of the things only being from a couple a months to a year just seem like a blur, some seem so long ago and yet some things like yesterday. Funny how our minds perceive time. A year ago on this very night a bitter cold airmass spilled into the Fl Keys like a damn bursting. New Years Day 2008 we had temperatures of 90 degrees. The morning of January 3rd the 2nd coldest temperature of 37 degrees was recorded for Key Largo. I distinctly remember a year ago tonight. The north winds howled almost to gale force and temps plummeted into the 40's. As all things seem relative. To my norhern friends this is a balmy day in January. In the tropics this is considered bitter cold and it sure felt it. I slept in my jeans, tshirt, long sleeve thermal shirt and quilted flannel shirt and my cap on!!. I had just about every dog in bed with me trying to snuggle up and keep warm. It was short lived and by the weekend it was back in the 70's. My next recollection of 2008 was April when I was feeling really good. I was at a crossroads at making a career change. Went up to the local construction company, filled out an app. I was prepared to do anything at that point other than landscaping which I was so tired of. Going through mid life crisis sucks. You wake up one day and suddenly you realize your own mortatlity. You realize that some of the things you used to could do you no longer can and that opportunities that were always there are now behind you and becoming increasingly outta reach. You realize that you can't keep starting over. My hard hat in one hand, wearin an orange hi viz vest I liked the look on me. It definitely fit me. Had this been 20+ years ago? I would have jumped at the chance and dove right into working heavy construction. Where would I go at age 45. I have no CDL licences and by the time I learned to operate heavy equipment and become proficient at it I'd probably be too old to jump up and down off the rigs. So mowin lawns and trimming hedges, manicuring yards it is. I realized if it ain't broke dont go tryin to fix it. So hey.. I still wear my hard hat and orange vest doing yards. At least the "Yard Guy" is clearly visible. Watch out for those falling coconuts!!! they will knock you out, not me!!! LOL. One nice thing is there is a new federal law that all people workin on federal, state right of ways must wear a high viz vest..you know those fluroscent orange or yellow vests with the gray reflective stripes?. Hey there the in thing for 2009..LOL I'm a little eccentric anyways so who is gonna pay a never mind to the yard dude wearin a hard hat. Never been asked as to why and if I was I would tell them the truth, I'm having a mid life crisis that would stop the conversation..LOL Be that as it may I stuck with the business. March was a tragic time loosing our 10 year old Rottweiler "Drake" to bone cancer. It was a very aggressive cancer and we only had 1-2 months left with him and made the best of our time left with Drake. Soon even the pain meds weren't working, his quality of life was no longer quality. He was in pain and it was time to send him home. It was my parnters dog so I did't have to make that decision. That day came in March when we said "till we meet again Drake" I was numb for days afterward. Picked myself up by the bootstraps and carried onward and forward. Soon summer was upon us and that dreaded heat and humidity had set in. We didn't know if we would have a home one month to the next just stayin one step ahead of the Foreclosure process, no money for back taxes, property taxes. We was at wits end and continuously fighting, bickerin which was not at all produtive. What worked out with a family member getting us a loan at the last minute, temporary band aid fix but kept the roof over our heads so far. July 2008 more tradgedy hit. My beloved black lab of 12 years "Pedro" had congestive heart failure. He was an aging dog and his health deteriorating. My guides spoke to me many months before and said "Enjoy the time you have with him now" That I did. One day in early July I heard a commotion during the night. Thought Pedro was having a seizure, he had a heart attack. The following day he lay listless, breathin fast and shallow. I knew the time had come and now it was my decision what to do. He was in pain, he was non responsive. I knew the following day it was time to send him home with Drake. It was the hardest decision I EVER had to make in my entire life. I knew there was no hope for recovery, he was suffering. I spent the night on the floor with him and we talked and he communicated telepathically. He told me thank you for a wonderul and fullfilling life. He said it was okay to get a new boy, he would pick him out for me and I would know. Pedro said "Look for me dad in the new boy" I was devastated having to put Pedro down. 3 weeks later a friend took us up to the pet store in Miami. We decided to get a new Rottie pup and a new Black Lab pup. We thought it be fun for them to grow up together. That good friend used her 'stimulus" check to get us the puppies as otherwise we could have never done it on our own. When I met "Rebel" our eyes locked. He was so excited as if he knew I came just for him. He was just over 3 months old and we bonded INSTANTLY. My black lab pup was perfect in every way. That day Kriten (The Rottie pup) and Rebel both came home. There age only seperated by 2 days. Double the trouble, Frick and Frack and the Monster Pups. Never regret a moment, depsite holes chewed in dry wall, throw rugs eaten, pillows, cushions destroyed and quite a bit of landscaping becoming chew toys. The one thing Pedro used to do was at feeding time he would bark. Bark just to be obnoxious as if he was saying. ME FIRST, FEED ME FIRST!!!.. the barking was incessant until the feed bowl was placed on the floor. Rebel a 3½ month old black lab puppy on his 2 nd day in his new home we was preparing breakfast for them. Rebel started barking incessantly. The hairs on my arms stood up and tears in my eyes. Pedro did tell me during his last hours "Look for me in the new boy, You will know it's me" The barking!!!. None of our other dogs bark like that at feeding time, only Rebel. The hurricanes came and went in 2009. Everyone threatened us and everyone missed us. Yeah we got some winds, rain but getting so used to these things I really didn't pay it a no never mind. There was no danger of life/property so we took it in stride. Yeah it made a mess of branches, leaves but getting so used to that anymore.. I never totally lifted outta the funk I got in right after July 4th. I let things go around the house, the yard, everything. Living was just existing day to day. The new pups was the only thing that kept me going from day to day. Make matters worse I came down with a serious lung infection (Walking Pneumonia) and a persistent, constant, dry cough, hard to breathe. No anti biotics would knock it out. Phooie on antibiotics. Got ole fil's Colloidal Silver making device out and started making colloidal silver and took it sublingually, sprayed it up my nose every 1/2 hour to 1 hour and 10,000 mg Vit C a day. In a weeks time it was totally knocked out of me after 3 non stop months and at times I was very sick to the point in bed. That depressed funk finally started lifting in December. It was as though the dark storms clouds had finally parted and were clearing. Once again I have regained my productive self and ways. Things are back in order again and I feel like the old me or new me. Christmas came and Christmas went. Didn't do a thing in regards to celebrating this year. Havin no money it just didn't make sense to celebrate it. So here we is exactly one year later. What a year it's been. The highlight being the 2 beautiful pups that are turning into very large puppies that are so full of love. Where will 2009 bring us?, What will it bring us?. I know time is speeding up faster and faster as we rapidly approach 2012. I look forward to the coming year. Look forward to new opportunities. Despite the doom and gloom with the ecnomoy which we all know HAS to come. This will be a good and better year. Well hope I didn't do too bad for my first post here. Glad to see you fil, matt, brigit (sp?) JD