Completing the Circle

What goes around, comes around.  I complained about my mother's poor driving skills yesterday and the gods exacted their revenge on me today.  I took DS out to dinner tonight and couldn't find street parking, so I had to park in a garage.  The driver who attempted to enter the garage before us was having all sorts of trouble getting in, and she was getting really angry about it, so I moved into another lane and zoomed right into the garage, feeling quite superior, really.  As soon as we got into the garage, DS started to ask me about pushing the buttons on the garage elevator, which he loves because its exterior wall is glass so you can watch the street as you ascend or descend.  I got busy talking to him and I started getting annoyed that everyone in the garage was driving in the wrong direction.  That, combined with the lady who couldn't get *into* the garage, had me feeling like the superior driver that I like to think I am.  That is, until I noticed that I was the one who was driving against the flow of traffic.  All of the yellow arrows on the garage floor pointed in the opposite direction from the one in which I was driving.  I was mortified.  And this garage has angle parking, so I was at the wrong angle to pull into a space.  Finally, I found an empty spot and backed in at the proper angle.  I figured that on the way out, the garage would be less crowded and I'd have room to make a wide left turn and align my travel direction with the arrows.  And I was right about that.  But I've never done anything like that before.  I am appropriately humbled.

My driving mojo might have been off today, but knitting mojo was right on.  I started the second Conwy sock today while listening to an online lecture and I finished the cuff before I had to put it away.  I also started to attach the second sleeve to Childhood.  This cardi is at a difficult point to photograph because of the hood and the unsewn seams.  However, since it last appeared on the blog, I knitted the button bands and the hood, sewed the button bands and one sleeve on, and sewed in some other loose ends.  At this point, I only need to sew the other sleeve on, finish seaming, and get the fasteners on the front bands.  It's been a gorgeous week here, too warm for even a cotton sweater, but next week we should be back to normal, slightly cooler temps and DS should be able to wear this, so I will soldier on, even though that sock is calling to me.

Finally, I've got a little Dogs on Thursday photo for the first time in a long time.  This is the Beast.   You can click to make the photo bigger.  We picked up his ashes today.  I remember the first time I saw one of my pet's ashes.  I was surprised that they looked like sand and not like fireplace ashes.  Beast is in a convenience urn while we attempt to order him an urn like the ones our other deceased pets have.  I put a tape measure in the photo so you can see how big the convenience urn is.  Beast weighed 80 pounds when he died.  The cremains of cats and small dogs are returned in convenience urns that are almost the exact same shape and size as a Big Mac box from McDonald's.  Let me tell you, *that* was a surprise the first time I saw it. 

After we picked up the ashes, DH took me out to lunch before he went to work.  I brought the urn into the restaurant with me and put it on a chair at our table.  I couldn't bear to think about leaving Beast's cremains in the car.  We were going to stop at Target on the way home, but when I told DH that I hoped they didn't hassle me about bringing the urn into Target, he said he didn't need to go there as much as he thought he did, so we'd just go straight home. Hmph!  Imagine, being embarrassed that your wife wants to bring your beloved dog's ashes into a store instead of leaving them in the car.  As if that's the worst thing I could do to him!

Here's the last photo of Beast, just before we took our last trip to the hospital:

Today we got a sympathy card from the hospital.  I would like to share with you the quote printed inside the card, and then some quotes from the many doctors and technicians who wrote personal messages on the card.

"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own live within a fragile circle easily and often breached.  Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still live no other way.  We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan."

-- Irving Townsend

"We are so sorry for the loss of your Beast.  He was such a trooper and has surprised us all!"

"Beast was such a sweetie.  Always tail wagging.  I'm happy I got to know him."

"Beast was a lovely dog."

"He was a very sweet old gentleman."

"I will miss his cute face and happiness."

"He was a special guy...our friend with blondish highlights.  We will all miss him here.  I have always admired your commitment to him. . . I know much you miss him and how important he was to you -- that bond will last forever."

"He was such a special dog and will be sorely missed.  You did everything you could for him, and may you feel peace in knowing this.  May all of the happy memories of him live on forever."

I have to say, I lost two other pets at this hospital, and this is the nicest sympathy card that I ever received from them.  Part of it is because they knew him for longer and he was a very regular visitor after he got cancer (versus the other two pets, who died after very brief hospitalizations), but part of it also was because of his sunny disposition, no matter what the circumstances.  The Beast is well and truly missed.

Comments

[Karen]

Beast touched a lot of lives.
The cardigan is so cute and I'm sure it will get plenty of wearing before spring is over.

[Danielle]

Beast sounds like a true friend. THe cardi is looking good!

[monica]

Actually I wouldn't feel so bad about driving the opposite direction as long as I didn't injure anyone.

That is such a sweet card that you got from the hospital. I'm tearing up again.

[lynette]

what a wonderful card from the hospital. that really means a lot.

[Dave Daniels]

That reminds me of a cute story. I once worked with a man who would ride with his cat on his motorcycle. When the cat passed away, he carried the urn on the front of his Harley where the cat used to ride. (And, when he was off the bike, he carried the urn under his arm like a football.)

[Kim]

Now I want to cry all over again. I shared your story about Beast with my mom, sister & daughter while I was in Maryland visiting and they all teared up at his passing too. I would have done the same thing when I went out to eat and at Target too. Beast was lucky to have you as his mom. Take care. Wilbur & Char send puppy kisses your way too.

[Rosanne]

It seemed so much easier when we had a farm. If a pet died, we buried it under a tree or in some other favored spot. Even though the farm is now a subdivision I still don't feel too badly about leaving them there. But, we buried Riley in our front yard (back yard is too steep) and now I hate the thought of leaving him here when we sell. Maybe we will have to dig up the wooden box my OH made for him and have what's left of everything cremated.

I'm sorry for your loss and although the card can't take the place of the Beast, the folks at your vet's office were very kind. They must have liked him very much.

[--Deb]

(Sniffle)

[2paw]

Oh I am so glad it is all sorted out. I don't think you had an unreasonable request to take Beast with you!!! I would have.
What lovely comments on your card. Beast was a wonderful dog: and even more so when other people recognised it too.
It is dogs' only fault- that they don't last as long as we want them to. I know.

[CindyCindy]

I miss your Beast, too. He was a joy to visit on Thursdays. And, I find nothing odd about taking your dog's ashes into Target.

[Norma]

It seems like a little thing, but those sympathy cards from the vet hospitals really mean a lot, don't they?