SNEEZES

My cold feels a lot better today. Not 100% but definitely better. I was miserable this past week. On Friday I think I broke every record I ever had of total sneezes in one day. I do not exaggerate when I say I sneezed BIG SNEEZES at least 50 times that day. My head was running all over the place and I did not feel like doing anything. 

Bubbles, still in her cone of shame, was tolerating mediocre life well. She is used to heavy play throughout the day and she sure hasn't been getting it. Between husband and me both being sick at different times and her own very limited activity due to the cone... well... life has been dull for her.

GP (husband).  I like the initials. I think it adds mystery to his existence ;-) Anyway - GP woke up sick again today after being up all night. Oh no! Not again! My heart is heavy for him because he works so hard and he does so much. The pool is open and ready, thanks to his dedicated efforts to keep life flowing as smoothly as possible. Bubbles will be overjoyed to be jumping in that pool after a year of not understanding why no pool all of a sudden.

The last couple of days I've been giving Bubbles a break with the cone. All day without it, but then at night I put it on her. She is such a good girl. She jumps right up and offers her head for me to slip it over. She was truly heaven sent.

Bubbles, thoughts?

Gracie told me she has a lot of furrriends on here and that I should embrace the love and ... sorry guys... but she said I need to be a bit sassy to carry on in her absence. No can do, Gracie. I'm a lover not a fighter.

See Gracie's memory table in back?

I sleep now

I'm Hideous!

 So how is everybody doing with this new world of AI generated stuff? It's hard to get away from, right? 

This is something I discovered today with my Canva app: It will soften 'me' photos. Ha! 

Today's camera's be it phone or computer ---- have taken the liberty of making our mugshots way too crisp --- don't you agree? I mean, I can see age spots beneath my skin that I do not detect in a mirror. Now for those younger kiddos with the soft, beautiful skin that is flawless - sure - a sharp image is captivating. 

However.

For old people like myself, I am cringing at every single selfie. Maybe it's time to put the selfie stick away OR maybe AI can be an acquaintance, 'one' I call on for a little facial time and time again.

I'm hideous

That's better

Bubble's Thoughts:

You don't have a problem taking an embarrassing photo of me in this stupid lampshade, yet you'll go to extreme lengths to fix your own flaws. Gracie was right. We'll discuss this later. 

Laughing at Myself

I'm pretty sure I have husband's cold. Though he thought it was a side effect of the drug he was taking for cholesterol - and I thought so too - but now that I have 'it' I'm thinking maybe it's just a bug of some kind. Ugh.

What got me back into blogging? You ask.

Okay, you didn't ask. But I'm going to tell you anyway :-)  

Years ago I decided to have my blogs printed into volumes and books. 

Yes, I did. 

It was at a time when I was still working and had a little extra money to throw around. I barely looked at the books after they were made, but my daughter pulls them out and studies them often when she is here. 

Stay with me.

So after Gracie died I seldom blogged. She was my inspiration and the personality behind the entire blog. I felt like I had lost my identity and purpose. My heart. 

A few days ago, still looking for that peaceful place I once had when blogging, I pulled out one of the volumes and started reading. Several things clicked.

1. I enjoy my own writing. I found myself laughing at myself and boy, did I need that!

2. Gracie returned. Sassy and cute and larger than life.

3. Memories. They were all there. 

4. You. I missed you and your pets and your kindness and how you could make me laugh by sharing simple shenanigans of your pets. I missed knowing about your life. Watching you navigate life and often learning ways to better navigate my own life. 

5. And finally, there were those who had befriended me on blogger whom I grew to care for them deeply... who are gone. But their comments, those heartfelt, warming, and sometimes funny comments live on between the pages of each one of those book volumes GRACIE OWNS ME and GROWING OLD WITH GRACIE. 

Be still my heart.

I have found blogging to be getting to know a person from the inside out, and that's the best way! All other avenues of social media have been more the opposite. Does that make sense to you?  

Well. It does to me.

And that is why I am back.  Thank you for welcoming me back. 

My old computer crashed last week and I had to get a new one. So here's to hoping this one allows me to continue blogging and get back on track.