Weekend Update

Well I haven't checked in here in a while and it's been good to catch up with everyone this Saturday morning.

Yesterday I had a little surgical procedure to rid myself of the kidney stone about which I wrote a few weeks ago.

I arrived at the surgery center yesterday morning at 6:30 and was home by 10 with some good drugs that enabled me to sleep most of the day. There has been some discomfort with bodily function (putting it quite delicately) that continues a bit today, and I'm still a little tired but, for the most part, I am on the mend.

My urologist has a warped sense of humor but I guess that comes with the territory. I guess when you're doing your urology residency they give you all the standard jokes.

The only bright spot in all of this would be the wonderful IV drugs I get to have between the time they start getting me ready and the time they put me to sleep. During those minutes, I have not a care in the world and the least little thing will make me laugh. And I take no responsibility for anything I might have said.

I would never consider doing recreational drugs but if anyone ever approached me in the dark of night with some of this stuff when I'm particularly stressed . . . . well I just hope that never happens.

######################################################

The renovation is about done at our house and we said goodbye to the painters yesterday. By the time the new floors were installed; the old ones were stripped and sanded; all of the floors were stained; the new lights were installed; and the painting was done, we probably had about 20 people in the house. They were all very friendly too. People who do this type of work just really seem to enjoy what they do and I am very envious of their skills. I am pleased to say, also, that the quality of work on this project has been excellent.

Wife is anxious to get things back "in order" and I am trying to oblige her. We have had this running joke during the 26 years we have been married about "when things slow down" we'll do this, this and this. I keep waiting for that to happen.

#######################################################

And finally, the best news of all. Ralph has made great progress with his crate-training! Ralph is between 12 and 13 years old and has proven that it's never too late!

It was slow going at first and was at times reminiscent of having a new baby in the house

He would look at us with those longing eyes as if to say, "After all these years, you've decided to put me in a cage?! After all I've done for you?"

There have been some compromises along the way. We have a sectional sofa in the playroom. Ralph has never been allowed on this sofa. About a week into the crate-training Ralph hopped up on the sofa and looked dead-on at his mother. She looked back. She tried to get mad but she ended up laughing.

Ralph 1, Wife 0.

Wife said she would cave on the sofa but held fast on the crate. The crate now resides in our bedroom where Ralph seems happiest. He did not like being left in it downstairs when we would go upstairs to bed.

Until early this week, Ralph would go into the crate at bedtime and when we would leave the house for several hours. It took some coaxing, though, and it was not voluntary on his part. He would always wail a bit when he first entered but eventually began to settle down pretty quickly.

This past Tuesday, however, Wife was in the shower and when she got out, there was Ralph curled up in his crate, having entered it on his own. Now we just say, "Time for bed" and Ralph goes right into his crate.

Wife and Ralph have made great strides in their relationship and we are now confident that Ralph will be able to live out the rest of his days with this family to whom he has been such a faithful friend and companion. I'm very pleased about that.