Something's New Around Here

Since I took my little hiatus, there have been a lot of new things going on here at Commonplace Crazy. Without a doubt, one thing stands out above the rest.

We have a new granddaughter!

We'll temporarily call her #6

#6 was born in September. She's the baby sister of The Model.

Of course you all remember the first five grandchildren (Look out! I've found an excuse for grandchild pictures!) In addition to the model, we have:

#6's big sister, The Model.

 

The Princess. Can you believe she's going to be 8 in March?

The Princess's baby brother, The Monster (You just have to take my word for it.)

Miss Sunshine and big sister The Athlete

So hang around and find out what the girls and The Monster have been up to lately, and how The Monster has been handling being outnumbered five to one.

Anything new with you since we last chatted?

The Curse of Expectations

Two little boys, ages 2 and 5, were being taken on their first fishing trip. The five-year-old had great expectations. He told everyone who would listen that he was going to catch a big fish. Excitement oozed from every pore.

The two-year-old, of course, had little idea of what was going on. He only knew that the family was going somewhere and that his big brother was excited, so they must be going to have fun.

The family began fishing, and the boys threw out their lines. The older boy slowly reeled his line in and was disappointed to find no fish, but cast out his bait again. Maybe this time.

As the toddler reeled in his line his eyes widened, and with excitement he shouted, "I caught a worm!"

By Hillebrand Steve, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The day wore on and the five-year-old's enthusiasm diminished. His fishing trip was a failure in his eyes.

The younger brother continued to catch worms all day. What a wonderful fishing trip he was having!
He never even noticed that it was actually the same worm, time after time.

By Hillebrand Steve, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The two boys went home weary at the end of the day. They had each experienced the exact same thing, but each went home with completely different feelings about the day.

How often do we let our expectations ruin a perfectly good day? Instead, we would feel so much better if we let go of our expectations and simply experienced whatever good we could find in the moment.

Wouldn't we all be happier if we just enjoyed catching a few worms?

The Hillbilly Hangs with the Beasts

It's been a while since you've heard from him, but My Hillbilly is still here being just as wonderful as ever. Today he wants to talk to you about...this:


In my business of driving and picking up various types of samples from veterinary clinics, I have seen all types of animals, people, and events.   Some are sad, as some people lose their pets, and others are quite funny and adorable.  I have chosen to write about the funny or adorable ones.

I arrived at one clinic that had a glass front.  As I stepped out of the car, I noticed that there was a golden cocker spaniel inside that had decided I was coming to see him -- while I was still 30 feet away.  

He was so excited!  He was one of those dogs that didn’t just wag his tail, he wagged all over!  Look!  He is coming!  I love him!  Who is coming?  I don’t know but I love him and he will love me!  I step inside the veterinary and the owner says to his dog ---- Kill!  His dog continues to wag all over, and I told the owner, "I guess that he might kill a dog biscuit!"

I continue on to pick up the lab samples and then come back to the front.  This time the dog jumps on me and wraps his legs around my leg to try to keep me from leaving.  I said to the owner, “Friendly dog”.  

The owner then says, “If you think this one is friendly, you should see his brother.”  Yep, you guessed it, they would be great team of watch dogs!  You can see them reacting to burglars.  Oh!  Oh!  I am so happy that you have come to see us!  I love you!  Do you need help carrying out that TV!  Did I mention that there is another TV upstairs?  Did I mention that  I love you!  Don’t go!  Please come see me again!  Plea---se!!!

At another veterinary to get the samples, I walk by the cages where animals are kept overnight. I stepped through the door and a dog, which I hadn’t yet seen, crashed into the cage door right by my head to try get me by the throat.  That was only funny from the standpoint that this brave hillbilly almost messed his pants.

At another veterinary, where I walk by the cages, there was a Great Dane with its head down, legs sprawled, leaning against the cage gate, that appeared to be completely oblivious.  I asked what was going on with it and was told it was liking its medicine ---- really liking its medicine!  I suspect the dog left there and began looking for the local doggie drug dealer!

One night as I was picking up samples, the vet and assistants asked me to come look.  They were having a good night.  They showed me 12 newborn Pitbull puppies and were doing a c-section delivery on a cat.  As it would for most of us, the wonder of life and cuteness of about anything newborn had them all in a great mood.  It improved Hillbilly’s mood also!

For my last and probably funniest event at a vet, I was walking in front of another glass fronted veterinary.  I was looking in, when I noticed a (probably 18-20 year old) girl who almost seemed to be dancing in front of the counter.  It looked kinda like an odd (really odd but somehow appealing) mating ritual dance.  The woman attendant was laughing.  I walked in and asked what was going on.  I was told that the girl had a pet rat which was in her sweater  -- which she was wearing!  

She was going through all kinds of motions and gyrations to try to get it out.  The rat was smelling cats, dogs, and strange humans and was doing everything it could to not be taken out.  I then, in a questioning voice, said something to the effect, you have a rat in your sweater?  And she said, "Yes --- he is quite a handsome thing." Then she asked if I wanted to see him.

My first thought was that rats are not handsome!   They are beady eyed little rodents which we did not want to have around our houses, barns, and feed sheds back on our Missouri farm.  But I told the girl, sure, let us see it! After a couple more minutes of watching her continued dancing about to try to remove the rat, and joining the attendant in laughter, I decided that this was going to take more time than I had and I left .  

As I left, I thought to myself that if there had been young men there at the time, they probably would have overlooked the strange dance because she was cute, sweet and hilarious.  And who knows?  If they were beady eyed with eyes close together, and had odd whiskers, she might have gone out with them!

I hope everyone has a great new year!
From the Hillbilly’s corner!


Have you seen anything cute, funny, or interesting during a trip to the vet? Share in the comments!