I'm Just A Singer In A Rock 'N Roll Band

It's Saturday night and my brother doesn't want to sit in the house any more so we decide to go to The Melting Pot for dessert (fondue..... YUM). I'm up in my room getting ready to go and I hear music from the local carnival (mind you, my new town is one square mile). I put my ear by the open window and hear "Still Of The Night" by the Five Satins and then "Back In The USSR" by the Beatles. I'm thinking "that sounds like my old band" which consisted of my high school music teacher, English teacher, and three other alumni. They sang a lot of oldies (doo wop) - four and five part harmonies - the most fun I've had in any band I've been in. So Matty and I leave and I make him do a drive by so I can see if it's them or not. Mind you, I haven't spoken to any of them since I moved six years ago. We drive by and there's no one playing so I figure they're on a break - or whoever it was. So I take a walk into the carnival. I see both of my old teachers standing up by the stage and walk up to them and say "how are me two favorite teachers?". WELL.... they were so happy to see me and I was just blown away. What happened next was just a whirlwind. One of the teachers walked away and came back with the other three alumni and they thought it was crazy that I was back in town considering they had just gotten back together. They told me I had to sing - like right then - and of course, I agreed. It was insane. I sang "my song" - "Please Mr. Postman" and it was like we never parted ways. It was so great. I couldn't stop smiling. In fact, I don't remember the last time I was so genuinely happy. The welcoming I received from all of them just by being back in town was overwhelming and absolutely incredible. I couldn't have felt any more loved at that moment.

Well, my song was over and I left the stage (and was told not to leave town) and as I was waving goodbye, I got waved up to the stage and was told "practice is on Tuesday at 7:00pm". And just like that, I got my old band back. I don't think I stopped smiling for the rest of the night. Life just didn't get any better at that point.

The Electronic Fence

I called Hidden Fence and the next day a man was in my yard to install the electronic fence for my dog. He needs to be able to go hang out in the yard and be safe. My Wilmington home has a fenced backyard but here in New Jersey, there is none. And since this is where I'm living, we make the proper adjustments. It's more for my mom. When I return to Corporate America, I want it to be as easy for her as possible to help me care for her new security system. :) All she'll have to do is open the door and Har can hang out in the yard for as long as he likes.

So now comes the training for the fence. Now Harrison has his Canine Good Citizen Certification with the AKC (American Kennel Club) so he is very well trained but I've never used an electronic collar on him for anything. And, the reason he is CGC certified is because he was going to be a certified Therapy Dog - only certain dogs have the right temperament to do this and Harrison was always a very sensitive pup. Well, hell fire! That collar was on 2.5 out of 10 - extremely low (I put it on myself and walked near the flags)... he goes near the perimeter of the yard and gets zapped and you'd think we were killing him! The crying and jumping - all fours came off the ground - and that was the FOURTH time he got zapped. It's now Day 3 and this dog will not walk anywhere near those flags and I've not moved the setting from 2.5 even though I was advised to do so. Yesterday, the neighbor's dog came into the yard and Harrison walked slowly toward him, got a zap and said "Pft - you're SO not worth it" and turned around and came back. I know they say I should turn that collar up but can you imagine if he got zapped with it on, say, 5? I think the neighbors might call the cops at that point.

The Big Move

On Tuesday Sept 8, the day after Labor Day, at 2:15 in the morning, I loaded my dog in the Penske truck that was parked in my driveway and we started our 10 hour trip from Wilmington, NC to New Jersey, my beautiful home getting further and further with each passing mile.... but Harrison was there by my side, ready to take on whatever adventure came our way. We should have the same enthusiasm for life as dogs. Even when it seems things can't get any worse, a car ride will cure all your worries.

12 hours later (I had to nap) we arrived at our destination, car in tow, to my welcoming parents. If I've learned one thing over the last six years, it's that husbands and friends will come and go but your family is there to stay and they'll never let you fall (not even at age 40 and you need to move back home... with your dog... and all your crap).

That was a little more than a week ago and I'm just about all unpacked and settled into my room. I talked the lady of the house into letting the dog upstairs, but only in my room. It only took three hours of barking and howling while we tried to sleep for that compromise to take place (way to go, Har!). The bed is nice and high and he sleeps under me every night. He's happy, I'm happy, my parents sleep with no howling so they're happy.