Puppy Love.

Tomorrow MJB is home for good, well 6 weeks for sure anyway. He is going back to school to get his refrigeration ticket. He is already a journeyman plumber and gas fitter. I am excited for him to be able to put the next notch on his belt, and I think this break from work, while it will not be easy, will be good for him. Not to mention what having him home will be like for me. I can hardly contain myself! He won't have to leave so early in the morning while he's in school, so I hope to take the opportunity to get up an hour before I normally do, and go for a morning walk. I have 6 weeks, so we'll see what kind of damage I can do to the scale in that period of time.

I am really hankering for a dog, I almost feel as though having a dog, completes a home. Growing up we always had a dog or two. I have had a dog in the past, and while I loved her with all my heart, I neglected her needs because I was just too busy with the kids. Plus our back yard neighbour was a miserable old cow who called the pound every time she made a peep. Yet she thought it was a good idea to hit the fence with the hose or a rake to scare our dog off. Of course she's going to bark at you lady! Anyway it's here nor there, I am still bitter though, obviously. Anyway I found a dog, a boxer just like our last dog, and I want her. But I have visions of myself in the bitter cold winter at 3am with my housecoat on, saying "go pee, go pee, make a poo poo", and I shudder at the thought. Spring time is a much better time to acquire a puppy. Case closed, put it our of your mind Shaunna. (Unless this dog who cleans up it's own poop is available...)

While Hunny and I were at Strong Start (a free parent and tot playgroup) today, I got to talking to the other Moms about how kids are "growing up" too fast these days, and what we can do to deter them from drinking, smoking, drugs, and sex. How young is too young for these things, at what age do we "lose" that control over them? I don't want to be that parent with rose-colored glasses on who thinks their kid is too smart or to good to get into any bad situations. I was a kid once, I know what they are exposed to and the pressure they face from peers, and the media. I thought to myself, "well I guess it's far to early to be worried about it yet", and then I realised Roonie is 9 and in 2 years she'll be in middle school. Now IS the time, not to have "the talk" necessarily, but to make sure she has the value in herself to recognize that she owes herself the respect to stay away from grown-up things until she is emotionally, mentally,and physically ready for them. It is sad that the window of youth is getting smaller and smaller, I just want my kids to have a real chance at being young. Above all though, I hope I raise kids who know they can tell me anything, because while I don't want them doing these things, what I want less is for them to hide it from me completely.