the "dogio"

I was down at Mom and Dad's today and so as not to let any minute waste, I constructed a "dogio" for Addie. Never was a dog so undeserving as she. A "dogio," if you wonder, is simply a patio made like a mini-deck for in front of the dog house. The purpose, of course, is so that Addie doesn't end up with a mud puddle in front of her house through which to track mud every time she comes in the door. Mom sat in a chair in front of me and watched with great interest, handing me nails throughout. She also chuckled to herself every time I bent one over and continued to laugh as I grunted, spit, and growled, trying to get it out. Considering I was putting nails into the hardest oak scrap-wood, she was amused for quite some time, sad to say.

Mom was always been the Handyman. She actually belonged to a wood-working group once---I believe the only woman there. She was never afraid to give any tool a try and developed skills in building that would put most men to shame. I am amazed at all that she has constructed in her lifetime and sorry that now that she is retired, and has money and time to do things, she is not able. Sometimes I sigh and am frustrated about this. Her mom is 97 years old and is doing great. Her grandpa lived until he was 92, I believe, and his mind was sharp 'til the end. So naturally, I assumed she would also be blessed with a very long life with all her faculties in working order. For this reason it is sometimes easy to feel "short-changed." I have to remind myself that no one is promised a long life, and it was my own presumption that causes my disappointment. And besides that, nobody said life was fair. I think to myself, "If I had had any clue that you were going away, Mom, I would have told you goodbye----but I didn't know.....and then it was too late." I get whiney sometimes, especially when the day is quiet and I have time to think about the whole situation without distraction. When I start thinking like this I tell myself, "You need to go spend a few weeks in Haiti and get your head screwed on right, you spoiled brat." Then afterwards I am more able think about how nice it is to have Mom here handing me nails and laughing at me. And it's not so bad, really, all things considered.