Friday, January 10, 2025

Friday, January 10, 2025

Tonight's picture was taken in January of 2004. Mattie was almost two years old. I snapped this photo of him to capture the moment!  When it came to boxes, Mattie was all business. He absolutely gravitated to boxes. To him they were the ideal building material! I loved to see Mattie's creativity unfold, and nurtured that instinct! Ironically I will always be grateful for Mattie's creativity and love for boxes. Because when he was going through his cancer journey, I can't tell you how many boxes within the hospital Mattie transformed!!! So many, that Mattie's psychosocial team knew to save any and all packing boxes that came into the clinic!

Quote of the day: It's very hard not to be condescending when you're explaining something to an idiot. ~ Bill Maher

Why did I select tonight's quote? Because I thought it was brilliant. I have never been called condescending before, so today was a new one for me. This afternoon, I took my mom to Starbuck's. It was our first day that my dad was back at the memory care center, and there are times we must leave the house for our own mental sanity. I love our local Starbuck's, but the interior is small. Meaning it is hard to get a table and chairs. If it was just me, I would sit anywhere, but when I am with my mom or both of my parents, I really need a table and chairs with backs. 

When we got into the store today, all the tables were taken. However, I saw a man sitting by himself at a table for four (two tables put together, with four chairs). So I went over to him and literally said in a kind manner....... Do you need both tables? I would really love to take one, pull it aside, so that my mom has a place to sit. Mind you I can't tell you how many times I do this on a weekly basis, and each time I ask people, they are usually very happy to accommodate the request, as they see my mom in tow. Want to know his response today? It was so noteworthy that everyone was watching us!

He said to me.... NO I will not give you the table, as you are very condescending. What makes you think with the way you are asking that I will give you a table. Then he went on to tell me that he has actually helped me in the past and accommodated my request. But he will no longer share his tables with me because he feels when I ask him that I have a superior tone. Literally I was in no mood for him today! I am dealing with so so much, and to be judged unfairly, truly was hurtful. 

Instead of getting into it with him, I basically said.... I hear you, and I will never bother you again with a table request. I then walked away. If my life wasn't crashing down besides me, I may have had the wherewithal to try to reason with him. But I myself am fragile. I have been beat figuratively to a pulp, so my compassionate meter is lower than usual. I am quite certain in the past, I would have apologized that he felt I had a tone and I would have tried to understand where he was coming from. But that is NO LONGER me! I am not sure if I will ever return to the former Vicki, because the current Vicki carries too much emotional hurt, baggage, and at this point I view everyone (who I don't know well) as having an agenda. Then I ask myself, where was his respect in talking to me or having an iota of concern for my mom and her physical needs?

When I went up to the counter to order my mom's tea, the staff behind the counter heard the upsetting conversation that just had taken place and their response to me was.... people! I am sure they get all kinds on a daily basis. Any case they started talking to me and we got into a conversation about other things, and I put this disgruntled individual out of my mind. Seems to me the best we can do when faced with an unfair or difficult person, who wishes to wrongly judge us, is to remove ourselves from the scene. There was nothing I could have said to him, that was going to back him down. 

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Today marks the one year anniversary of Sunny's death. I still can't get over my boy is gone. There isn't a day I don't think about him. It is my hope that Sunny and Mattie have united in heaven, and that Mattie finally got the dog he always wanted. In memory of Sunny, I share some photos of his amazing life!

This was the photo I fell in love with on Facebook! When I adopted Sunny in 2016, I never met him! Instead, a friend of mine shared this photo with me on Facebook, as she knew I wanted to adopt a dog. Ironically Sunny got lots of likes on Facebook, but there wasn't as much interest in adopting a five year old dog. Most people want younger dogs. But I liked the notion that Sunny was more mature. I truly believe in love at first sight, because it happened with Sunny. I fell in love with his beautiful soulful eyes and his spots around his nose! 

Sunny and me! We successfully completed the good citizen certification and Sunny passed with flying colors. No surprise, as he was the best dog! Sunny got along with everyone. If Sunny had an issue with you, then it was a red flag to me, that something was wrong! 

Dog ownership means walking by day and night, in all kinds of weather! Sunny absolutely loved outdoor time. Not unlike Mattie. I can't tell you how many times we walked the National Mall with Mattie. After Mattie died, my ability to interact with the outside world declined! I had no interest! But in 2016, after adopting Sunny, I had to push through my feelings and open up and let the outside in! Which is why I always say......... I may have adopted Sunny, but Sunny rescued me. 

Sunny was featured as the dog of the week at his doggie day care. They listed Sunny as a Border Collie, but after genetic testing, we learned that Sunny was actually an Australian Shepherd! 

Sunny underwent physical therapy twice, for knee surgery. His therapist LOVED him. She called him the professor! Why? Because she felt Sunny was always analyzing and studying her! It was around Halloween and the therapist dressed Sunny up as a firefighter! 

Sunny always accompanied me on Mattie memorial days and holidays. Sunny visited Mattie's memorial tree often and was a good boy! He understood that going to the tree wasn't about walking and sniffing. It was about visiting, reflecting, and decorating. 

This was a classic Sunny pose. I would be working on Mattie Miracle tasks upstairs in my office. Sunny wanted to keep a bead on me (not unlike Mattie by the way) and also did not want to miss the opportunity to go out! Because when I would walk down the stairs, I would have to pass him, and he was there to remind me.... hey you have a dog and he wants to go out!

Scout, the handbag company, is based in Georgetown, Washington, DC. That day, I was picking up a Scout donation to the Foundation. When all the ladies saw Sunny, they made a big deal over him and wanted him featured in the photo! Sunny never turned down the attention!

What was Sunny doing!? Well he was trying to get my attention. That day he was in my office (Mattie's bedroom), and literally he would park himself right behind my desk chair. When he wanted me to stop working, he would roll over and give me this cute look! Who could resist!? 

The beauty of spring at our townhouse in Washington, DC. Sunny loved when we had the front door open and he could catch fresh breezes and be on the look out for squirrels who occasionally would visit our deck. 

I snapped this quintessential photo of Sunny! Nothing like spring time in Washington, DC and exploring it with Sunny. 

This red wagon was given to Mattie when he was in the hospital. I still have this wagon! This wagon carried Mattie and then it carried Sunny. This photo was taken during one of Sunny's knee surgery recovery periods. He couldn't walk, so when he needed to go out to relieve himself, he was wheeled out to the grass. 

Every September 8th, on the anniversary of Mattie's death, I would go to the hospital (where he was treated) and visit Mattie's memorial paver. Sunny was always with me and you can see that his paws were on Mattie's memorial paver. Sunny became a part of my Mattie legacy making! 

Sunny's groomer, LOVED him! She called him her Sunny Bunny! That July 4th, she dressed him up and sent me this amazing photo!

One of my favorites.... Sunny's downward dog (yoga pose)!

Every Sunny birthday was celebrated with a special baked treat! Sunny LOVED food and he never turned down a treat. 

Who says TV is just for humans? Sunny was transfixed with the image of a squirrel on TV. 

Sunny is captured in my heart and on canvas. 

This is the Sunny portrait that sits in my office now! He will never be forgotten, is missed every day, and the spirit he instilled in our home and hearts will always be cherished.