Getting Tutored
14th September, 2006
by Moni Schilller
A cartoon that Denis and I found particularly funny shows a picture of a dog in a car. His owner is driving, and as they pass another dog on the sidewalk, the dog in the car shouts out “I’m goin’ to the vet to get tutored!” He’s all excited and happy, but the dog on the sidewalk’s face is like, “yikes,” because he knows the error his friend is making.
So, yesterday it was Ricky’s turn to “get tutored” by the vet. We were worried about our little dwarf dachshund, but when we picked him up he seemed to be perfectly fine. We have therefore survived another animal milestone.
We passed a happy milestone on Sunday when Luke turned 20. Nicky, Luke and I drove to Penticton to meet mom and Gerry for lunch. Denis was away on some idiot motorcycle trip with his eccentric friend Andy. The five of us had a lovely lunch at the Delta Hotel, right on Okanagan Lake. They serve gorgeous Martini’s—two ounces, with four olives on the toothpick.
Because Nicky has his Learner’s License, I let him drive to and from Penticton. It was a harrowing experience. Luke and I were trying to offer him some advice, such as that he should start to brake prior to arriving at the red light, but he said some nasty words to us, and so we decided to just let the kid kill us. Sometimes with Nicky, it’s just not worth it.
My mom has always said that she wouldn’t know how to handle Gerry if not for having assisted in the raising of Nicky. Now, when Gerry wants something, I say to my mom, “Just get it right away. It’s not worth it.” And she totally agrees, and says it’s just so much easier that way. Why fight a personality that’s made from steel?
It’s a dark and rainy day. I sometimes wonder about my chenille sweater, Liz Claiborne outfit, and pashmina shawl. They’ve been stored along with the rest of my winter clothes in our old van for the past nine weeks, awaiting the end of the basement renovation so that they can be hung into a proper closet. Alas. I now see the contractor and his young assistant as Mr. Lahey and Randy on Trailer Park Boys. The picture isn’t filling me with confidence, and makes me wonder how many more weeks I can take.
However, I can’t dwell on that, as I have a complicated form to fill out for Urban Fare, labels to proof and order for the front and back of my boxes, supplies to purchase for tomorrow’s Baking Day, and three wonderful dogs to kiss several hundred times. Life is good, albeit rather busy!