Goin' to See My Babies

My father has a tender heart after all.  Who would have guessed that?  We were talking about them getting a small dog because they both grew so attached to Kita and I think that it would do them both a lot of good.  My father started to say, "Yeah, but what happens if he runs out the door like Kita did?  All I did was open the door a little and she went running out.  And now all I hear is you (me) screaming 'No, no!' and I can't get that picture out of my head!"  I felt like a priest in a confessional - it was very weird.  I said again, "Dad, I don't blame you for Kita's death - you didn't know and she was so fast you couldn't catch her.  But I still think you and mom should get a small dog because it's just so dead around here."  Maybe I shouldn't have said "dead," but what I meant was that a dog gives "life" to a household and something else you can focus on instead of yourself.  I watch my dad and he is depressed.  He has also admitted to a neighbor friend that he is afraid of dying.  He will sit in his office with the computer on the desktop page, with his legs propped up on the desk and he is just staring at the computer.  He needs to love something other than himself. 

I had sent a letter to the editor of the newspaper here and my mom got the paper today, saying that the letter was in the paper.  My dad read it and I think it really touched him although he didn't say much.  It was a short, but to the point letter that I have copied and pasted here:

"On Friday, December 2, 2011, in the middle of the morning, my little dog and best friend, Kita, was struck and killed by a motorist driving fast on S. Gondola Drive in Venice. She ran out the door through a small opening and as much as I tried to get her back, she kept going toward the street. I was shouting and walking towards her when the car hit her, so they must have seen me shouting, as well as her, as she was all black. It would have been impossible to not have at least seen me. The motorist never stopped - they just kept on going. There was another motorist coming by the same way at the same time and they slowed down but they didn't stop. They saw me pick her dead body up and carry it into the house. Blood was coming out of her mouth and head, her tongue was hanging out and her eyes were open and glazed over. Unfortunately, I will never forget that picture. It would be nice if the person who hit her would at least apologize for not stopping. There's nothing that can be done now, but apparently this isn't the first time a dog has been hit and killed on this street. There are speed bumps in the road, but that doesn't stop most motorists from speeding. Mine and my parents' hearts are broken because someone was too distracted not to see her or me and then just drive away. If they didn't see her, they must have heard and felt her because she went right under their tires. Please, please slow down on these streets. And if you happen to see a dog or cat or any animal for that matter, PLEASE slow down and stop if you have to. That animal is somone's best friend."

 

So when I return in January, I will do searches at the shelters in this area to find a little dog who is already potty trained for my parents.  I think they can find the perfect dog in one of the shelters.  I am a huge advocate to try and locate dogs in shelters first, because most of those dogs have been abused or neglected and desparately need a home.  I'm not against buying dogs from reputable breeders, but I am against buying dogs from pet stores and puppy mills.  Puppy mills are horrendous places and pet stores get their puppies from these mills.  Just thinking about it, makes me crazy.

 

So I am leaving tomorrow for home and I'm really looking forward to it.  I have missed my kids and my grandkids and looking forward to spending Christmas with them.  I will be returning to Florida in the middle of January, and hopefully everything will be well with my parents.  If that is the case, I will move back home permanently, probably in February.

 

My parents are taking me to the airport tomorrow - I'm driving there and my mom will drive home.  She's been driving locally here and doing fine - a little slow, but fine.  I'm a little concerned about her driving home, but she will not take the highway because she says she's not ready for that yet.  She will however, take 41 all the way home in busy traffic.  She can see ok, whereas my father can't see in front of his nose.  But he will feel the need to yell at her if he thinks she's not doing something right, so it should be a fun-filled ride back home.  I won't be there to referee, but my mom can stand up to him when she wants to.  All she has to do is give him one of her "Eunice-glares" and they'll be just fine.