Since I’ve resigned to never leave my house again you should know the main players on my stage.
Miho. Beagle/Boxer mix. Sweet, stupid, overly affectionate, very social. 7ish years old, brindle with white socks & perfect ears. About 22 lbs. Frequently referred to
as Mimi, Dummy, Shut Up, or Don’t Eat That. She is so stupid, I absolutely love her.
Hurley. Cavalier/Bichon mix. Loyal, reserved, very snugly, doesn't kiss or make eye contact. Little white dude is always either totally overgrown or completely shaved. There's no in between. The only frill he has is a wicked biker stash and a frequently colored mohawk. About 14 lbs & 10ish years old. Frequently referred to as HB, Mommy’s soulmate, Squirrel, or Shut Up.
Bones. My oldest daughter. She’s 10, awesomely weird and funny. Equally lazy and always plugged in. Also thinks I'm a total embarrassment. Frequently referred to as Blondie.
Goldie. My youngest, 9 years old. Endlessly energetic, never stops talking. Can be found within ten feet of my person at all times. Frequently referred to as Mini, Stink, or Please-Don’t-Talk-To-Me-From-The-Other-Room.
These are obviously nicknames. They're minors, dudes, get real. I'm not using their real names.
TJB. My husband. Tall, handsome, completely devoted to his friends and family. Seriously, he took the girls on a 2.5 hour road trip to see my mother for mother's day. During quarantine. Without me. And, NO, it was not my idea, he's just thoughtful like that.
Cay. Former coworker, bather extraordinaire, work soulmate. I don't know what I'll do without her. It's the absolute worst part of leaving my job. I'll miss being swiftly put in my place when I'm being a sharp asshole. I'll miss the nonverbal efficiency of our teamwork. I need a new word to describe my withdrawal from her, it's that significant.
These people will either kill me or make me during this experiment/permanent life change.
But most importantly, there are the dogs. The ridiculous sweet dogs who give me everything my soul needs not to feel lonely or unloved or useless or tedious. High-five for me! I’m changing my life to be around creatures I love with a business of my own. I’ve never been so scared in my life!
I suppose that really sums up my central support team. There are various parents, siblings and friends who all enrich or inspire me everyday. Some for whom I want to be my best and others who boost me to achieve it. For such an uncertain time in my life, not to exclude the our current state of the world which brings its own daily and insurmountable uncertainty, I can honestly say that I am cautiously optimistic. Through the ongoing COVID crisis my family is managing to have a great summer. We've got our quarenTEAM of neighborhood kids whose parents are also beloved, beautiful warm days have allowed us to visit parks & beaches and this new business which is allowing me to keep my kids out of camp, all conducive to maintaining significant social distancing.
(Secret: my original ending was “Winner, winner, chicken dinner” but I figured my editor would give me a well-earned “NO”.)