Girl Power!

It's been awhile since I've posted about my sweet girls.  And this recent pic sent by Laura is a great time to stop and take a moment to ponder how things are going.

Olivia is no longer a baby...and at four she's well on her way to being a young lady.  The colorful character standing in front is our Ava! 

What strikes me about this snap, isn't the cuteness of the girls so much as it seems you can see a relationship has developed between these two individuals.  It's the magic of the bonding that I find so interesting.  These two have become sisters in spirit as well as by genetics.

How does that magic happen?  Through daily interaction.  Through guidance by the individuals around them.  But mostly by the threads of connection we all share when we agree to come to this earth and share a lifetime with each other.

What I also like about this pic is the sense of fun and attachment to each other the girls exhibit.  But mostly what I like is the chance to share them with you and hope they bring a smile to your face as they did to mine.

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka Livy & Ava's Great Aunt Hol

And They Ask Me Why I Drink!

Ring.....Ring....Ring.... "Good morning, Lakeview Animal Hospital. How can I help you?"
"Do you know Who this is?"
"Ohhh...why certainly, Princess Fiona, how may I serve you?"
"Please ask him to come to the phone."
"Your Highness, I'm sorry he's with a client at the moment."
DEEP ROYAL SILENCE and then, "HUMPH!"
"Of course Princess, forgive me, I don't know what I was thinking, I'll get him right now!"
Scant seconds later...
"Princess Fiona, I am here, how can I serve?"
"Good Day Doctor Ro, We wish to let you know that We have, once again, done our part.  We believe you have a child who is in need of a college fund, is this correct?"
"It is indeed, Highness!"
"Well, we have taken care of that.  Be ready when we come in to see you yet again."
"Princess Fiona, how would my family or I ever live without your grand patronage.  We are so very grateful!"
"Of course you are.  That will be all."

That toy?  The one at the top?  It languished in the toy box for months.  No one bothered with it.  Last night, we watched as Fiona ferreted it out and began softly gnawing on it.

This morning, Michael says, "You know that ring Fi got out of the box last night?  Take a look at it now."
"Holy crow!  Where are the pieces," I ask.
He just looks at me, "What pieces?"
And, if anyone asks me why I drink?  This would be a good example...very good example.

Thanks a heap Fiona.  I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm hoping that poop patrol this week will be a very pink and colorful event.  Because I sure don't need another vet bill.  You and Doctor Ro are spending way too much time together of late.

Namaste' TIll Next Time,
Holly aka Fiona's Handmaiden

Silent Sermon Sunday

Rory shows baby Argyle the garden wall...

 

Whenever possible, take time to help another find their way.

Take time to help another learn.

Take time to care through sharing.

 

 

Namaste' Till Next Time,

Holly

It's A Door, Not Effin' Rocket Science!

 My Lion, the other night, declares, "That's IT!  I am going to Lowe's tomorrow and buying a pet door and we're going to pay to have it installed.  I'm heating the entire outside leaving that door ajar so we don't have to act like the doorman at the Ritz so Argyle can go in and out and in and out!" 

"Fine by me," I think.  I get weary trying to keep up with Argyle.  He's one of those dogs who doesn't really wish to be out or in.  What he likes is the process of going out to in and in to out.  Over.  And over.  And over again.  What he really needs is a revolving door but we opted to the pet door instead, which was successfully added to the back door a few days ago.  It's not the most comely thing I've added to my decor, but if it keeps me from opening the door a million time a day, hey, I'll get over it.

Fiona and Rory watch me closely while I explain that this new door is the bomb and will make their life so much better.  "You can go out anytime you want to now and you can jet in when you'd like!  This is going to be great!"  As you can see by their faces, they're not really buying in to my enthusiasm.

 Even Argyle, who was the instigator of this purchase looks a little excuse the expression, hang dogged, when I take him to show him his new escape hatch.  WTF, what do you mean you're not sure about it?!

The directions that came with said wonderful invention explain that you need to use treats to lure your dog through it the first few times so it can catch on to how it operates.  Okay, I figure I'll use the one thing I know that will entice....liver treats!!  Rory, who is the most finicky eater ever, will never turn down a liver treat.  Hell, he'd stab Fiona to get to one of these things.

I don't wish to tell you how many of these things were ingested those first hours of training.  Let's just say that I'm afraid my fingers may well smell like this forever....eww....

 And, still, this is how the door looks most of the time.  Not because the dogs don't want to go out, oh no, they'll sit there and whine for me to come and do my Humanly duties.  I was saying on FB, "Come on, Rory, just use the effin' door!!!"  To which a friend of mine retorted, "Rory is most likely saying the same to you!"  Thanks a heap.  Okay, I admit that was funny.  Rory, it's a door...just go through it; it's not rocket science, there's no secret code, just push it with your nose and go!

At any rate, as the time ticked on, Argyle the youngest and most energetic, figures out that he can go outside and bark his butt off anytime he feels like it.  So he's taking to it; every morning, though, he sits at the door and looks at me waiting for it to be opened.  I go over and push the flap and it's like he recalls "Oh yeah, that's right, I can do it this way now," as he pushes it and jets out.  He's learned the secret-  NO HESITATION!  Don't stop half-way, just go;  done that way, and the flap doesn't press down on your head.

Fiona, the Princess, is not as amused by it all.  However, if Argyle is out barking, Bossy Bess simply must go to supervise so she'll push and not very gracefully stumble out barking the entire time.

Rory? You have got to be kidding.  No way he wants anything to do with it.  Rory is 'head-shy' and he ducks if you put your hand over his head.  He's been this way since he was a pup; he hates anything to press down on his head.  The flap made of heavy, flexible plastic, is meant to bend easily as the dog pushes on it.  That means it will touch his head!!!  He looks at me as if to say, "Tis a bleedin' death trrrrap!  If tis all the same tu ye, ah wheel juz let me kidneys burrrst.  Ah wheelna use the fashing thing!" 

If you look up the word, 'stubborn', there's most likely a picture of a Scottish Terrier next to it to illustrate the definition.

Rory, you're going to become the poster child for the axiom, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks,"!!!  This leads me to consider, "Am I like that?"  When something new comes along, a way that could make my life easier and more in my control, do I dismiss it out of hand because it's not the way I've always done things?

I hope not, but I'd have to be honest and say that I know I do it more than is good for me.  Just because it's the way I've always done it, doesn't mean it's the way I should do it going forward.  I think that is true for anything, including relationships.  When new and credible information comes to you, allowing you to reconsider your circumstances, at the very least, give it a good consideration.  Maybe you'll decide that you're too old a dog to change, but at least you'll make a conscious decision. 

Do not say a word.  Not one single word!!  Sometimes a parent or owner or senior Human Being has to do what it takes to help another move past their trepidation.  I'm not a saint.  I simply am not going to waste the money invested and I'm giving up my doorman's great coat.  That dog is going to learn to use this door or this old dog, (by that I mean me,) is going to die trying.  Lead by example, I say!

And, sometimes, being brave enough to set an example of the willingness to try new things is all that is needed.  Good boy, Rory, I KNEW you could do it!


Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly  aka Mum

Silent Sermon Sunday

"Let yourself be silently drawn

By the stronger pull of 

What you really love.

~ Rumi

Namaste' Till Next Time,

Holly

Image courtesy of the Internet, Cloister Garden at Versailles

Okay, So I Caved

 So, last night after many months of thinking it's totally stupid, I finally caved and set up a Twitter account.  My first Tweet was deeply profound, so I will share it here with all of you, "It was time.  I finally joined.  Welcome, Holly to the Twitter world."  I know, right?  Where do I come up with this stuff?!

The reason I avoided it for so long is that it is technology that totally alludes me in terms of its importance and necessity.  I mean, really, it's like a drive-by strafing of thoughts.  Who cares, I think, WTF?  What does this add to my life except one more responsibility and chance to make noise?

The other reason I waited is because I don't own a smart phone.  I don't even have a texting package on my phone.  I used to have an iPhone, but when I got my iPad, in an effort to cut down on expenses, I opted to only pay for one data package and I use my iPad more than I ever use a phone.  Twitter was built for on the fly communications via phones.  You can even post pics with the phone, upload via Instagram and wham, the link is up on Twitter with a quick caption.  No phone? Didn't seem to make a a lot of sense.  But, then I thought, "Well, I suppose I could use it on my iPad and laptop, but why the hell would I do that?!"

 The more I pondered it, the more I realized I had the very same reaction when a few years back, a communication professional I really respect asked me, "Why aren't you blogging?  You should be.  You have a great writing style that is totally in sync with blogging."  In my head where I live and it's sunny all the time, I was saying, "WTF?  Who cares what I think and what difference would what I say mean to the world except to clog up the Internet even further?!  Why would I ever blog?!" 

I started to think about it and I had to admit, probably for the same reason some of us keep a journal.  I stopped doing that years ago, and I now realize that blogging has become my open journal that I invite you to come and snoop around.  I don't really think I'm an exhibitionist, but neither do I shun the hot spot light.  And, I have often wondered why I even bother.  That's when I realize that at some point, blogging stopped being solely for my amusement and more about my need to feel validated and heard.  My need to be part of the big world.  To my mind, that's when the slippery slope started on so many levels. 

My first venture into socializing via media was with Facebook as it was for millions of us.  I can't imagine not checking in on my loved ones this way now, but I'd be fibbing if I told you it isn't a total mind suck sometimes.  And, I'd be misleading if I didn't admit I don't know what it's really good for and why I bother. 

My friend, Toni, the other day openly and candidly announced on her wall, "Still trying, and failing, to understand Facebook."    If you are over the age of 40 something, you're lying if you don't admit to the same.

It took me a long period of questions from Michael about the use of it all before he decided to take the plunge and open his own fb account.  Now he uses it all the time, but the reason he does is because his company is into it big time. He has a Twitter account, but never uses it.

Most likely because I was on fb, I started getting invites from LinkedIn and because I have worked independently for years and it seems to be the site where professionals go to connect up, I decided to join.  However, I get very little action from it, most likely because I don't really understand its benefit.

I was surprised the other day when I saw that my account had been viewed by a job recruiter.  She had done this prior to our conversation.  I wish I'd received better news from her than I did, but I'm left with the impression that it's most likely time to reinvent myself professionally now that I'm a senior in the job market world.  And I most likely need to modify my expectations and desires.  Sad to say. 

The point is, that after I realized that my profile on that site was looked at prior to a conversation, I got on it right away to freshen it up and added to it.  It reminded me of a very valuable point- if you put your info out there, you must do regular house-keeping and maintenance!   Or, if you decide it's not of value, take it down!  You wouldn't leave important documents out on the street, would you?

Here's one I also joined, and admit I totally don't get.  If you do and you like it, let me know what I'm missing and how I can make it better or I think it will have to go.  What's different about it than Linked In is a mystery to me.

Anyone?
No?  Hello? 

Here's one I really thought I'd like after I kept reading about it on my friends' walls and in their blogs.  Some people have found this to be like crack...they simply can't leave it alone and find that they lose hours a day drifting on here.  Turns out, this one I haven't really got the knack for.  It's a highly visual site; think of it as a virtual bulletin board where you can pin/post the most wonderful things that capture your interest.  Sounds good, yes?  But you have to be willing to search the Internet like a blood hound to find stuff.  At least that's how it feels to me.

Now, friend Toni who is still attempting to understand fb?  Well, she's outstanding at this Pinterest thing because, although she is good with words, she is a highly creative, visual person and her art leads her in that direction with no effort.  Me?  Not so much.  We all know words are my wheel house.

This is my friend, Annie.  You can tell that she is young and full of excitement about life.  I love her; she keeps me fresh in my thinking.  Many moments have been spent in discussion about these various outlets for crazy I've listed here.  To her credit, when she doesn't know, she'll say so, however she knows way more than I ever will.  When I listen to her talk about what she does with all of this stuff, she fuels my interest in trying.  She is my social networking muse!  She never gets down on me for not understanding...very patient is my Annie and her enthusiasm is infectious so I keep at it. 

It strikes me that all of these Social Media tools, for us of a certain age, are no different than the telephone effected people when they became available for in-home installation.  Most people said, "I've never had one, I don't need it, and I don't want that contraption in my house!"  When something is new, brand new, it's hard to imagine what benefit it can have to your daily life.  I maintain, however,  that even though some of the technology is absolutely not relevant to you, it doesn't mean you shouldn't poke around in it to learn how it works. I'm sure when Human Beings first got up off four feet and onto the back two, they couldn't imagine how important that would be to things, either!

The fact is, we do not yet know what Social Media is going to mean to us and our lives.  We're just at the beginning of it and it's being invented as we go.  You can choose to stay out of it until the bugs are worked out, or you can get in it now and paddle around in the pool.  Up to you.

But, let me remind you, this is different from a car or a widget you might wish to buy.  It's not an inanimate object.  What this is, is Human Beings relating in a digital age.  It's their voices you hear, even though you're reading the words or viewing the images they post.  It is how they are connecting to each other.  It might seem cold and impersonal to us who grew up in a different age and stage, but if you ask someone like Annie, she would find it hard to imagine life any other way.  Relationships and life for her is done through tweets and walls and pinning and linking in.  Her tools for reaching out and touching and hugging are via a computer and her phone.

And yet, she finds the best of all communication is face to face.  However, unlike most of us, she'll more than reach for the chance to keep in touch via electronics and social media instead of waiting until she can have that face to face encounter.  I think my young friend is most certainly wiser than I am in this regard.

So, I'm going to follow her lead, feeling truly stumbly and stupid while I do.  Hell, I really don't have many people who will follow me on any of these sites so my blunders will go unnoticed-- I hope.  I can at least put myself out there.  And, that's why I caved and joined Twitter. If nothing else, Twitter will teach me to express myself in a very narrow format; you only have 140 characters to work with!   If you care to follow me there to see how it goes, it's @HollyDietor.

Oh, and by the way, if you decide to follow me on this blog or anywhere else now that you've seen Annie, I'll be pissed that you didn't do it for my wit and wisdom, but I'll understand.  She is gorgeous, isn't she?!  And, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to connect.

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka She Who Is Stumbling Through The Digital Age