Eating Tuesday

Monday on Monday underwear days are always good days.

I didn’t realize True’s new underwear was stamped with a day of the week until she held a pair up high, bubbling with victorious laughter.

“Monday!”
“Huh?”
“My underwear, it's MONDAY!” She reached over to show me the backside where a kitty-cat face smiled above the word “Monday”.
“Oh, yeah…and it’s also Monday?”
“Yes!”

Because she unintentionally grabbed the Monday underwear out of the dryer, on Monday, good fortune would shine upon her. Monday on Monday underwear days are good days. Our German Shepherd, Dandelion, had other plans for Tuesday. She’s always enjoyed eating True’s clothing. She would probably lay on top of her and spend all day licking her face if True allowed it, so it's no surprise that anything that smells of True finds its way into D’s mouth.

“True, Dandelion is eating Tuesday!”
“Meh.”

Underwear is a special, if slightly disgusting, delicacy for Dandelion. It's just the right balance of odiferous chewability. Kinda like a True-flavored cotton gummy. She was happily working on Tuesday beside my chair before I realized that Tuesday was basically toast. True didn’t seem to care too much about the loss of Tuesday.

Wednesday landed right where it should, so the rest of the week was looking good. Maybe we can all just forget about Tuesday, wipe it permanently from the week. I believe she was wearing Fridays underwear on her last day of Horse Camp, which was indeed on a Friday. She’s really too good a rider to get much out of that camp, she’s the oldest and best rider by a good stretch. But she is never so excited as when she’s gathered together with a group of girls on horseback.

“We’re almost there almost there almost there almost there!” She squeals the last mile every day as we drive up.
“BYE-SEE-YA!” There was an actual cloud of dust trailing her as she ran off to feed and saddle up Aladdin.

Yes, that's the Aladdin she wept over for hours after camp ended. She is going to see Aladdin next Tuesday (probably wearing Wednesdays underwear), but that didn't matter. Their souls had clearly bonded, become one in the five days they'd spent together. Nothing could console her. I drove all the way home with one hand on the wheel, the other holding hers as the tears kept coming and coming.

Tadg asked her what the problem was. I told him and he gave a knowing grunt. It wasn't strange for True to be crying over an animal. He didn't feel the need to console her this time. This would be a quickly passing loss.

Tadg attended a friends quinceanera this summer, his first. He dressed up, spent his own money on a nice gift, and made sure he looked painfully cool when he stepped into the dance hall at the fairgrounds. Fifteen and he's already got his swagger down. He's going to fly by himself for the first time this Wednesday (his underwear is too cool for days of the week). He'll go visit his aunt and uncle in LA, along with cousins. They'll drag him from one end of that town to the other, insisting he eat and indulge at every opportunity. He'll see his first live pop concert, try to stand up on a surfboard, and eat and eat and eat.

as much of Tadg as he'll let me show

Our home and his life here will look a lot smaller when he gets back. That's OK, its inevitable. He's made for the world, not just a small town life.

He's been letting me back in more. His Freshman year of high school was all about proving he didn't need me. I gave him space. Now he's OK with asking for what he needs. He knows I won't pull at him too hard.

He is still embarrassed by his little family. He's most embarrassed by Truly who has the horrifying habit of being ten years old. I suppose having her talk loudly about what day of the week her underwear is doesn't help. He's embarrassed by me for being an old white guy. I try to take it in stride, he's not rude about it. I'm just sad that he's less inclined to spend time with me and his friends in the same room. But then again, at his age I was much, much worse. So ... that's karma for ya.

Now, when it's just the two of us hanging out, we talk more, about everything. Food, music, politics, anime, gaming, history, it all flows together. It's so comforting to know we can still discover things through each other, enjoy moments together.

I can feel his excitement building for his solo flight to LA. He has no fear that I can see. I wonder if this will be like the way he learned to walk. He went through the process most kids do of pulling himself to his feet using furniture and then launching himself sideways to the next piece of furniture. It's a kind of crab-walking dance throughout the house. Once he'd gotten that down he just started running. It was that quick. He only started walking after he'd run a good amount. Walking was an afterthought.

He's ready to fly.

I have been lapping up the delight of jogging again. My achilles tear last September has healed enough that I can start a couch to 5k program. Dandelion and I are on week three. Its feels luxurious to walk then run then walk then run then walk. Dandelion has done great, except for this morning when she was distracted and cut in front of me, causing me to faceplant on the pavement. It was a very satisfying fall. I was fully sprawled out, glasses besides me with a dog licking my face. Straight out of a movie.

Par for the course. No blood, no foul. Lets keep going.

Truly got to ride Aladdin again on Tuesday, despite her underwear being all out of order. She swears he nuzzled her as soon as she walked up, I'm sure she's right. I bet she'll remember every horse she falls in love with when she's older and ready to fly herself.

"It's so important honey, when you find something you love to honor that. It feeds you without even trying. There are many people in the world who have nothing that gives them joy. Thats why its so important to support you in your riding. You just walk up to a horse and you're happy."

May we all have lucky Monday underwear days when everything comes together and we fall in love with another beautiful non-human creature. And may there be enough Tuesday underwear in the world to satisfy Dandelion for the rest of her days.

Blessings to you and yours during this time of great change.