The Dept. Of Nance Turns 21

 

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 The Dept. of Nance is 21! My blog can legally drink, so grab yourself an Adult Beverage and let's celebrate.

When I first started writing here, I had no idea (or desire, really) that I'd last this long, offering my perspectives, opinions, thoughts, and glimpses into my life. In 2005 I was the mother of two sons, aged 17 and 20. I was teaching English and Creative Writing at our city's only public high school, which educated over 2000 students a year on a campus of an entire city block, comprising three buildings (one dating back to 1894). I saw an average of 120 students a day, and you can only imagine my nightly load of papers to grade. What on Earth was I thinking, starting a blog? Still, I maintained a publishing schedule of twice a week back then. Clearly, I was...younger? more energetic? striving to be heard? As many of my longtime readers know, I started writing mainly to take the advice I always gave to my Creative Writers:  Writers write; if you want to be known as a writer, start writing.

And I did--start writing, that is. Think of almost any topic, and I'm pretty sure you can find it in my archives here. At one point I had three blogs:  one written with my eldest son Jared, this one, and one that gained a lot of national attention after a syndicated columnist found it and interviewed me for an article that was later picked up by a lot of national newspapers. It was even featured on a segment of the Today Show, the TV Guide Hot List, and Conan O'Brien's late night show. Our local Cleveland Magazine interviewed me (twice!), and in one surreal moment, I was interviewed by producers for a possible guest spot on Jay Leno's Tonight Show (that fell through because he was replaced). Quite a heady time. 

These days, I am a different sort of blogger. Back then, I was more of a cultural commentator. I wrote a lot about politics, for instance. Can you imagine that I used to call George W. Bush The Angel of Death? Little did I know how tame he'd seem almost 20 years later. My disdain for republicans (nope; not gonna capitalize that, ever) was distinctly apparent, and that hasn't changed. Now, however, I don't write about The Politics. I feel a bit guilty about that because I pride myself on my Political Awareness and Political Activism. Things are so completely fucked up and horrible now, though, that I can't bring myself to inflict any more stress on my readers or myself. (I'm so sorry, my Canadian friends, and to my US readers, VOTE BLUE.)

Now my sons, Jared and Sam, are 41 and 38 respectively. (By the way, how did that happen?!) I have two adorable grandsons, Theo Davis and Griffin Leo, the latter appearing on the scene only three weeks ago. Jared left his position as COO of a multi-million dollar company to be a Stay At Home Dad. Sam bought a house almost a year ago, an old colonial of three floors and beautiful woodwork only five blocks away. Zydrunas, my exuberant granddog, is an old man now and barely listens to my commands anymore. Oh! I cannot neglect my grandcat, George, who rounds out Jared's family. He is beautiful and temperamental and, when he allows it, magnificently cuddly. 

Rick, who I've known now for an astonishing 49 years and have been married to for 45 of those, is now retired and a very proud grandfather. He's had to shoulder a lot more duties since my illness, but he does so uncomplainingly. We greatly enjoy spending time at the lakehouse and with family whenever possible. Years ago, he indulged me and goodnaturedly adopted Emily and Travis, our first two cats, and later, when I desperately missed having a pet, happily made room for Marlowe and Piper (even though they both vastly preferred me to him). We've been through a lot, and we are such a Good Team.

One of the things I love the most about writing here is our community. I've made so many friends via this blog. I've been fortunate enough to meet many of them. You are all very important to me, and I so appreciate your Comments here as well as our other communications. Even though I value and keep my privacy, I've opened my life up more and more, thanks to the kindness and support of this community. I am beyond grateful.

Thank you for a rewarding and fun 21 years.  

Piper

 Sixteen years ago I adopted this pair of siblings from our local pet rescue. They were the last two left from a litter of porch cats. Their shelter names were Dusty and Nike, but once I chose them, I renamed them both using my usual method of looking directly into their eyes and letting their names come to me. Piper and Marlowe, each so very different despite being brother and sister, adapted almost immediately to our home and family. 

Piper became very ill in the next week or two, and he had to be taken to the vet where he was given fluids under the skin and diagnosed with FHV-1 (or FVR), a lifelong illness that would flare up now and then, especially after any stress. I left there feeling very sad and overwhelmed, but resolute in my desire to keep him. I had become attached almost immediately, and nothing could make me return him to the shelter or give up on him. Rick was dispatched to get jars of baby food meats, and I stayed up practically around the clock, feeding him small amounts and making sure he drank water. Happily, he recovered and began to thrive.

That tummy! 

Thrive might be an understatement. Piper was never shy about food or about taking a big nap on my lap. He continued to ... expand regardless of being placed on diet food. He and his sister were simply big and tall cats, and I often wondered about their heritage. Yet despite his size, Piper's feet remained dainty and almost laughably tiny for all of his size elsewhere.

Probably because of my intensive care of him early on, Piper became extremely attached to me, both emotionally and physically. He followed me everywhere, earning him the nickname of PuppyCat. If Marlowe was in my lap for a cuddle, Piper would simply walk on top of her and take her place, regardless of any negative or violent reaction on her part. If Rick dared sit with me or show me any affection, Piper would be right there, complaining and shoving his way between us. I belonged to him and him alone.

After Marlowe passed away last year, Piper became even more attached, if that were even possible. He grieved the loss of his sister, his constant companion. He got some comfort from his PuppyDog and from being allowed to sleep with me at night.

I got one for Zydrunas, the granddog, too, but it no longer looks like this one.

A little over a month ago, Piper started yowling in the nighttime--a lot and often. I also noticed that he wasn't hearing me--or anything, for that matter--even the vacuum. I also realized that he wasn't seeing much anymore and was relying on scent to locate his wet food when I set it down. He often wandered the house, scared and confused. I took him to the vet and learned that, overall, he was physically doing well but was suffering from feline dementia and symptoms of aging, including arthritis. It was terrible to hear his joints crack. After some advice and research, I made sure nightlights were on in key places so that he could navigate more easily, and I made his food available 24 hours a day since his appetite was sporadic. In addition to his supplement for FVR, I gave him feline glucosamine, hoping to ease his arthritis pain. His gait became more laboured, and the yowling did not abate. Despite regularly losing sleep and worrying all the time, I was determined to do whatever necessary to accommodate him. Chronic stress and fatigue didn't help my own condition, but I was determined to be there for him. I found he relaxed and very much enjoyed being outdoors with me, especially in the back yard near our little pond.

Of course there is ice in his water!

Sadly, his condition did not improve, and neither did mine. His FVR flared, too, worse than ever despite having been on an l-Lysine supplement. I called the vet again and requested an appointment; I was hopeful that there would be something more to alleviate his stress and calm his yowling. I hated seeing him so lost, confused, and fearful--like a lost child. I'm sure you have already guessed that Piper did not come home with us after yesterday's appointment. 

It was a heartbreaking decision to let him go. I am weeping as I write this despite knowing that I did the right thing. He was merely existing, and that existence was a profoundly altered one. He was taking no pleasure in anything anymore--he even refused going outdoors. He was almost gone from me; I was missing My Piper so much already. Our veterinarian was incredibly kind, gentle, and supportive, telling us at every moment to take as much time as we needed. When it came time to leave him, I wrapped him up in the exam room fleece blanket. I had felt his paw, and it was cold; I couldn't stand to leave him that way.

Piper is my last pet forever. Not only can I never go through that again, I am also considering my age and health. I would be possibly leaving this Earth before that pet would, and I cannot bear to think about that. I know I gave Piper a very good life, and I'm forever grateful that I could do that. My memories will be comforting and happy, two words that describe him perfectly.

As I said before, when we adopt our pets, they are ours for better or worse, and we love and care for them in sickness and in health...'til death do us part. It's a sacred yet unspoken vow, and they depend upon us entirely. I'm glad I did not fail Piper.

This is the last photo I have; he joined me in the front yard briefly on Wednesday.

Five On Friday: Where I've Been, What I've Been Doing And Reading, and Always Abraham Lincoln

 

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Goodness! June is practically over and I'm just now showing up here. Absolutely ridiculous. Let's jump right in and get caught up.

1. We just returned from a 3.5 day jaunt up to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. It had been over a year since we had last been, and our wine cellar showed it. The drive up was...difficult. I was in some pain and had had no meaningful sleep the night before. I admit that I was worried about taking the trip and how I'd do on a ride that long. Luckily, we always seemed to find a stop just when I needed one to stretch. As usual, we stayed in the same little inn and visited our favourite winery where we bought So. Much. Wine. I fretted about getting it all across the border--I always worry about being pulled over and put in jail or something--but it was fine. Will we try it with 7 cases again? Probably not. 

Our tasting there with my Canadian husband was, as usual, wonderful. Rick and I are wine nerds, and Andrzej goes into great depth talking about his wines, how he makes them, how they are aged (in oak [French, American, Slovenian], steel, terracotta, even concrete!), and lots of other oenological tidbits. Nothing makes me happier as I sip than to hear terms like sur lees, malolactic fermentation, terroir, and residual sugar. 

We ended up meeting another couple at the inn who were there during our stay once before, and the wife is an avid reader. We talked books, books, and more books at breakfast every morning. What a delight. And a movie is being filmed in downtown NotL--a screen version of the book Beach Read. It was fascinating to see all the cameras and crew members and to note what locations were being used. I was glad, however, to get back home--to my own bed, my own routine, my porch and patio, my herb garden, and my orange cat. Which leads me to...

2.  Piper, the aforementioned orange cat. He is 16 now, and he has started to show it more and more. He crackles when he stretches; he won't get up onto the couch or anything without help; he is yowling at absolutely nothing, even in the middle of the night. He was never this vocal when Marlowe, his sister, was still with us. I'm pretty sure he's lost some of his hearing as well. We do everything we must to keep him comfortable, including this:

Nothing like a backyard nap beside the pond

"Do NOT mow my spot!"

He loves being outdoors, and he especially likes the pond. Sam took care of him while we were in NotL, and Piper was fine. He continues to eat well and demand ice in his water. I was worried he'd be standoffish or accusatory when I got home, but 

That evening

I was forgiven. Clearly, though, he's letting me know that I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

3. And that's very true. Unfortunately, Jared has to have yet another operation on his foot. Back in February he had lisfranc surgery, but now a ruptured tendon has been discovered, one that has made it impossible for him to move his toes or lift his foot while resting on the heel. Surgery is soon, and we will be needed a great deal for childcare. Fingers crossed that this is The Last One and that his recovery is uneventful and speedy. Caring for Theo is always fun, usually very easy, but often very tiring for me. He is a busy, smart, and verbal toddler, and keeping up with him can be a lot. Do I love it? Yes! He recently has taken to calling me My Friend Nana. And hearing him recite passages from his favourite books is almost alarming. His memory is scary. I try to remember that and do what I can to make sure all his memories with me are good ones.

4. Speaking of Good Ones, I just finished reading Here, There, And Everywhere:  My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles by Geoff Emerick. Yes, I was on a bit of a Beatles nostalgia run there for a time. The writer was The Beatles sound engineer for the bulk of their albums and singles. Not only does he provide a great deal of insight into the band's (and its members') personality, creative process, rise and breakup, he also explains the whole inner workings of making recordings--the sound, the special effects they requested, the process, and how he came to be a sound engineer. I love books like this, ones that teach me something I have no idea about. Even the technical stuff was never dry or boring because he always explained it in the context of making The Beatles music their own. (Julie, I think Ted would enjoy this book very much.) I've since gotten three more books, Whistler by Ann Patchett, Land by Maggie O'Farrell, and the one I'm reading now, The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout. I think I was sort of warned off of the Strout book by a blogfriend because it wasn't very uplifting or fun and it does deal with our current politics (pre-2024 election); however, I'm enjoying its thoughtful and perceptive tone and story. My Favourites Shelf is two deep with some stacked in front now. 

5. I also have a shelf devoted solely to books about President Lincoln/Mary Lincoln/the Civil War. Recently, Jared recommended a Netflix docu-series to me entitled simply Lincoln. It has three episodes and a cadre of elite historians including Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of the excellent Lincoln book Team of Rivals. The actor who plays Pres. Lincoln looks astonishingly like him, and the entire series is superbly acted and presented. Also included are many photos, some of which I hadn't seen before and found extremely moving. (And those of you that have been reading me here forever know how I get about photographs of some people.) Highly recommend.

Okay! I feel like I've caught you up. And on a Lot Of Stuff! But we can always talk some more in Comments.