Yesterday wore me out. It's after 9:00 am and I just feel like going back to bed. Emotion drains you more than most anything.
When the boys got home last night, they all came into my room and the news was given to them. As expected, the youngest didn't seem to care one way or the other, the oldest burst out into tears, sobbing greatly which went on in waves for quite a while, while questions were proceeding from his mouth.
I don't know if dogs go to heaven, but there is mention of animals in heaven with the lion laying down next to the deer, I think it says. It's easy to just tell them yes, but if you don't really know what happens to them, it's easier to let the child think it through themselves, come up with their own conclusions and let them believe what they will.
He decided he would get a rock - a big rock - and make a memorial for him. He wanted a pic of him from the printer, so I took the one from my Facebook post and printed that. Next, it will be put into a plastic sheath and sealed and it will be at this memorial he wants to build. Then, daddy said they could go to Hobby Lobby and get (fake) flowers to put on the memorial. If we are going to that much trouble, I am making a cross with his name and birth and death dates on it.
You have to remember, this is the first death this boy has experienced in the family, even if a dog. And, this dog has been around his entire life. He decided that I needed to do something with his full dog dish, so I dumped it back into the stainless steel container. He then started moving his beds - no. I'm not ready for that yet. So he put them back. I'll get rid of them when I can fully release him and right now, that hasn't happened yet.
He then started discussing getting another dog. I said yes, I probably will, but I'm definitely not there yet. Give me some time. He didn't understand that, which is fine, he doesn't have to. I would feel like I'm somehow betraying Addler to just get up and go out and get another dog, like I just threw his memory in the trash can. I did tell him if I get another dog, it's very likely going to be another Great Dane. It's my favorite breed and even tho they don't live as long as other breeds, it's just what I like.
That's a bridge I will cross when I get there. I don't want to spend 2 grand on a dog, so getting one usually takes some time. I like to adopt other people's throwaways. People that get a big dog and then realize they weren't prepared for all of it. Space, food, everything. I've only done one Dane puppy and that was the first one the family had. It tore everything up including a 9 foot long couch and was a disaster zone his first couple of years. It's why I like to adopt somewhere around a year old. Get some of that puppy stuff out of them.
I just got really lucky when I got Addler. He didn't do hardly any of that even tho he was only a year old. He learned quickly my rules and he gelled into the family atmosphere quickly. This is why it will be a minute before I get another dog. It will be starting all over from scratch. Have to teach the dog how to walk on a leash and more importantly, how to be under voice command. That means that you can let the dog off of a leash and he won't go running off and have to chase him down. He will stop in his tracks when called and come trotting back.
It takes quite a bit of training to get them there, but after I figured out how to do it with Prince and Duke (other Danes that crossed the Rainbow Bridge long ago), I decided all of my dogs would learn that.
Regardless, we all seem to be in much better control of our emotions today. I'm just worn out from yesterday. I feel like I had the same emotion as I would have if a person had died that is close to me. Addler and I were tight, close, he was always at my side, leaning up against me, practically knocking me over lol.
Unfortunately, sitting around the house and just taking it easy is out of the question. I have a 30 amp box to install and finish the sewer line. That's "it", but that will entail going to the property, determining where I want the outlet, measuring the distance and then going to Lowe's for the appropriate length of wiring. I have today and tomorrow to get this situation completed, including moving the trailer.
Soon, however, I will have 4 lots available? But I'll have 12 lots filled with at long term. I have one guy going around telling all of his friends that when they come down here? Move into my park. I have another that was extremely appreciative that I checked in on his dog yesterday - he said most park owners wouldn't do that. He also said Lyle - the RV repairguy - would be out tomorrow checking everything. Although I disagree, the man seems to think it's the power company's issue. Not my park wiring, but the amount of power coming through the lines.
Although I could agree with that, no one else said they had any problems. Further, the breakers were frying pan hot, meaning far too much amperage trying to flow through it. I have spoken with SWEPCO workers in the past who say that somewhere up the line, they increase the power to deal with the other RV (private) park down the road. Well, they at least know that a lot more power is going through those lines and even more so now with my park there. Maybe they'll up their game and install another line. We only have 1 power line and a neutral line coming down our street. It is out in the county and lots of streets only have 2 lines, but we have businesses on this street and they use enough power. They said at some point they will probably do that.
Of course, that will cost a lot of money and they just got through a huge storm and having to bring in crews from all over the country, spending a lot of money on such. At the same time, they just upped the electric rates by 8% by some people's info, 28% by others. I don't see how you can hike rates by 28%, I wouldn't think the utility oversight would allow that.
Well, I guess we're going rock hunting for this memorial, I have been informed. I guess I'll just do that stuff at the park later on today.
