Kids and Adults and Itchy Dogs, Oh My!

It’s been an interesting couple weeks. Interesting as in sometimes not so great and sometimes just it is what it is. A couple weekends ago my good friend and nearly quarter century work pal had a get-together at his place. It was a celebration of the fact that he is officially cancer-free. He spent January through April going through a very serious surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his neck, which was then followed by 8 weeks of radiation and chemo. He went from a svelte 190 to a withering 150 lbs, but it was worth it as the cancer was eradicated. The docs said it was caused by the HPV virus, which is a sexually-transmitted virus. So listen up parents, when your pediatrician brings up having your teen girl or boy get this vaccination make sure you do it. Even if you think your kids are good boys and girls, you really don’t know what happens when you’re not around. Better to be safe than sorry.

The Sunday after that my wife, son, and I met with the same work pal and we saw Oppenheimer in IMAX. It was absolutely amazing and horrifying. If you were considering seeing Oppenheimer in the theater I highly recommend you do. So worth the time and money. I will say regarding the 3-hour runtime; while the film didn’t feel three hours long my ass in that theater seat definitely made it feel like it was. I felt every minute of it, as those theater seats are a little old and worn out. Hey AMC at Jefferson Pointe in Fort Wayne, IN….maybe update those seats.

This past weekend wasn’t too bad. Friday was spent watching 2016 Blair Witch and BBQ chicken flatbread pizza was on the menu. Saturday I had coffee with my dad, and then my son and I headed to Goshen to the Linway Theater and watched Talk To Me. I can’t recommend that film enough. Creepy, original take on the seance/possession genre. Loved every minute of it, and there’s both a sequel coming, as well as a prequel the filmmakers have made that will see the light of day soon. Excellent film. When we got home it was chicken tacos and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol : 3. I saw it back in May with my best friend. Two grown men may have teared up more than once during that viewing. It was just as good the second time. If every Marvel and DC film was written and directed by James Gunn I’d be perfectly happy with that.

About 11:30 Saturday night my wife comes into the bedroom as I was starting to fall asleep and told me our 20-year old daughter had just broken up with her boyfriend. She asked if my wife could come over(she lives about 30 minutes away.) So my wife headed over there and was gone until nearly 3pm the next day.

So, the boyfriend situation:

Is any guy ever good enough for your daughter? I don’t think so. But I love my daughter and want her to make her own decisions. She’s known this guy for probably close to three years. They worked together during high school, him being a year younger. By the time our daughter went off to college in the fall of 2021, apparently they were dating(unknown to us.) In December of 2022 they got an apartment together and it seems to have been learning curve after another from there.

He’s younger for one. His mom did everything for him, too. Not much of a house cleaner, and not too good with saving/spending money. He makes his part of the rent(I think), but groceries are questionable. When he’s come over to our house he doesn’t say a whole lot. He seems disinterested. And he spends a lot of time with his cousin playing videogames, leaving our daughter at home. He’s just not good boyfriend material. There’s a lot more I could get into, but I won’t.

So apparently she’d finally had enough and told him Saturday night. I guess it didn’t go well so my wife went over to be with her. My daughter’s friends came over Sunday and took her to the mall to get her mind off of the situation(even took her phone so he couldn’t keep texting her.)

I don’t know what the situation is right now. I want to be “Dad” and tell her she’s better off without him, but that kind of thing doesn’t go over well when the wounds are still fresh. I just text her and tell her I’m checking in and that I love her.

Then last week our senior Miniature Schnauzer had his yearly check up. It went okay, but this was the year for his rabies vaccination(he gets those every 3 years.) Since 2014 when he’d get that booster, within three or four days of getting the shot he’d break out in hives and was itchy as hell for a day or two. Well, Tuesday he broke out and was itchy and uncomfortable. My wife and I get little to no sleep last night. I came into work like I’d been up all night with a newborn. Except, it was a 12-year old schnauzer that wouldn’t lie down and sleep for nothing.

Unrelated from the booster, my wife bought him a foam step so it would be easier for him to get up on the couch. It came in the mail on Tuesday. I don’t know if it was because he was already itchy and uncomfortable, but he really wanted nothing to do with those steps. He’d jump up on the couch next to it.

As I’m typing this he’s snoring on the floor next to the couch, with a Benadryl and a pooch CBD treat in him. I’m hoping tonight is better(please Jebus, let it be better.)

It’s not easy being the parent of adult kids with lives and minds of their own. And it’s not easy being the parent of an elder pooch. I can’t fix problems like I used to. All I can do is hope that they’ll come to me when they need support and will ask when they need help. I mean, the dog won’t ask me but I’m hoping the kids will. I’ll be here for them whenever they need me.

Until then, I’ll be sitting here hoping everyone from the two-legged to the four-legged variety can get a decent night of sleep.