Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[BitterApple]

Thanks everyone. Even though our vet told us putting Bossy to sleep was the humane option, it still sucked to make that call. We keep second guessing ourselves wondering if we jumped the gun.

As for Spam and Coke, I have a Hawaiian friend who likens Spam to rare truffles, lol. I've personally never had it. I like Coke but I'm super sensitive to caffeine so I usually buy caffeine free Diet Coke or Coke Zero.

[Micks Picks]

In So CA there is a chain called L&L barbecue, and I order their kalua pork (pulled pork) with a scoop of rice and scoop of macaroni salad.  I share with my dog Mikey because I can only eat small amounts, and he loves macaroni salad.  He's kind of a vegetarian dog.

[zenme]

Thanks everyone. Even though our vet told us putting Bossy to sleep was the humane option, it still sucked to make that call. We keep second guessing ourselves wondering if we jumped the gun.

 

Don't second-guess, BitterApple.  Had you done of opposite of the vet's recommendations, you'd still be second-guessing.  I'm sure you did the right thing by your Bossy.  Sounds like you gave him a great life, and because of your unselfishness he never lived in pain or suffering. 

[GEML]

Sorry about the pet losses. Never easy, and we never forget them no matter how many years go by.

[Cherrio]

Bitter Apple

 I am so sorry about Bossy.   

 Cherrio

[Happyfatchick]

Is this a regional thing or a religious thing?  It seems like it ought to be regional, but I find it so weird that the shows I notice the hard G on are this one and that Preachers Daughters show (if it's still on, not sure).  Most of the girls on that show had it too, especially when they were whining to their parents about "but we're just hanginG out!"

I don't honestly know if it's regional or religious - I never noticed M or JB doinG that. But some part of my brain says it reminds me of what we used to call the "hard core bark" when I was a kid. An old-timely holiness preacher will get going at full volume, with the red face and veins popping, and are preaching SO furiously that they YELL-uh and Extra-uh syllable-uh at the end-duh of every third or fourth word-duh. And the extra syllable is on an uphill slant, almost like a question-nuh!!! Remember Ernest Ansley (Angley?)? Probably not. He was GREAT at the hard core bark.

What kind of coke?  Why pepsi of course.

  My father hated it after the army, so we never ate it.

. Mine too! My Daddy was raised Amish, and they are taught to eat what's before them and be grateful. (No mention of the starving kids in third world countries who'd LOVE to have that right now... because one of these other 12'kids will certainly take that off your hands... Pass it to the left". I digress (as usual). From the Amish, he went in the Army and served 23 years. SPAM was the ONE thing my mother never served at our table. After 23 years of the army, spam was - maybe not forbidden - but actively discouraged.

[BitterApple]

Thanks GEML and Cherrio. I think the hardest part about losing a loved one, pet or human is missing all the unique personality quirks that made them special. I support several local rescues and made a donation to one today in Boss's memory. The money will go to help three dogs that were just confiscated in a cruelty case.

Regarding hard or soft "g's" I'm not sure if any of you remember the uproar several years back on Wheel of Fortune. A contestant with a heavy Southern accent was told she was incorrect when she solved a puzzle but pronounced an -ing word as an -in. She clearly knew the answer but didn't enunciate the syllables properly.

[Micks Picks]

Bitter Apple, you've done the right thing.  I've kept mine too long before putting them down, hoping against hope they had a chance to get better.  They didn't.  I've only had a couple of animals who died without being put down.  We have to do it.  We love them.  Bless you.

[NikSac]

Thanks everyone. Even though our vet told us putting Bossy to sleep was the humane option, it still sucked to make that call. We keep second guessing ourselves wondering if we jumped the gun.

As for Spam and Coke, I have a Hawaiian friend who likens Spam to rare truffles, lol. I've personally never had it. I like Coke but I'm super sensitive to caffeine so I usually buy caffeine free Diet Coke or Coke Zero.

 

I'm so sorry for your loss.  Please know you did the right thing. I'm pretty sure it always sucks to make that call.  When we lost our last dog I remember calling to tell the vet "never mind she's doing better" only to call back an hour later and beg her to keep the appointment.  If only you could calculate it down to the minute. Not to get all off on a tangent, but when I see how hard it is to make that choice for pets it's pretty eye opening how difficult it would be for people, too.

[Happyfatchick]

Bitter, it SO sucks to make that call, I'm sorry you had to do it. Dogs just fill up the holes in our lives, don't they?

We have 3, the alpha is Rocky (pit/boxer mix). His sole purpose in life (other than being KING, I mean) is to look furocious. He's REALLY good at his job. People who are terrified of him confuse him a lot. You can see the doggie wheels turning and him thinking..."what??? I'm just tryin-a SMELL you, for crying out loud!"

Bossy is a great name for a dog, by the way. I'll have to keep that for later.

[zenme]

Thanks GEML and Cherrio. I think the hardest part about losing a loved one, pet or human is missing all the unique personality quirks that made them special. I support several local rescues and made a donation to one today in Boss's memory. The money will go to help three dogs that were just confiscated in a cruelty case.

 

Yes! I think those who don't have dogs or pets don't understand that these animals have real personalities--like people.  They give such unconditional love, and they're so sensitive to how you're feeling.  They're like little angels. 

 

I think that's a wonderful thing you did in Bossy's memory.  If ANYthing positive can come out of your loss, it's that inspiration of helping those poor dogs. 

 

(By the way, my profile pic is not posed.  My daughter was working on her homework, left her computer, and when she came back there was Zoey! Sitting at the computer as though she belonged there! )

[BitterApple]

Zenme, your profile pic is adorable. My sister had a cat who hated to be ignored. If you were working on the computer he'd walk back and forth over the keyboard or just lay down across it until you paid attention to him. He was a real character.

Edited June 19, 2015 by BitterApple

[MargeGunderson]

Hugs to all of you who have recently lost a furry family member, from me and my baby kitty Emma (almost 19 now).

[BradandJanet]

     I grew up in Indiana and moved far, far away half a lifetime ago. I always thought I'd go back to Indiana to live one day but now I know it won't--or shouldn't--happen. There's no family left there. 

     A carbonated beverage was always a soft drink when I was young. Now, I've learned to call it soda--a once-a-month diet one. I remember Dr. Pepper. I see it sometimes but haven't had one in years. 

     A big hug to all those who have lost pets. Sometimes I swear I hear our sweet kitty thumping up the stairs in the house late at night :-)

[Wellfleet]

     I grew up in Indiana and moved far, far away half a lifetime ago. I always thought I'd go back to Indiana to live one day but now I know it won't--or shouldn't--happen. There's no family left there. 

     A carbonated beverage was always a soft drink when I was young. Now, I've learned to call it soda--a once-a-month diet one. I remember Dr. Pepper. I see it sometimes but haven't had one in years. 

     A big hug to all those who have lost pets. Sometimes I swear I hear our sweet kitty thumping up the stairs in the house late at night :-)

 

Maybe she is thumping up your stairs at night, just letting you know she's still around - giving you a warm, heartening memory...

[BradandJanet]

I do think Sweet Kitty is still with us. She lived a long life but was failing at the end. The vet encouraged me not to put her down, but it seemed wrong. I remember her last wide-eyed, questioning look the night before she left us. I made the decision to end her suffering the next day, and my son took her up to his room for the night. She passed away, and we buried her in the garden the following day. 

 

It's nice to share this memory. Our pets give us so much love and comfort. How can we not miss them?

[NextIteration]

More hugs about pet losses.

 

I'm laughing hysterically about the love of Spam, it's a homestate original - bless Hormel down in Austin.  My son and mother love the stuff, I can't even stand the smell of it cooking.

 

Dr Pepper is my Coke.. but isn't it Dr Pepper in Texas as it is Coke in Atlanta?  Meaning all soda (pop is what I should say being Minnesotan) in Texas is Dr Pepper as it is Coke in Atlanta/GA?

[Happyfatchick]

More hugs about pet losses.

 

Dr Pepper is my Coke.. but isn't it Dr Pepper in Texas as it is Coke in Atlanta?  Meaning all soda (pop is what I should say being Minnesotan) in Texas is Dr Pepper as it is Coke in Atlanta/GA?

Oh, I hope not. That is so wrong.

[kalamac]

I never want to live in a place where people ask if you want a coke, only to have it turn out it isn't actually coke on offer. Here in Aus, we say "Do you want a drink?" and then tell people what's available. Diet coke for me.

[Happyfatchick]

You'd want the Mrs. first, because you can't separate the Mr. from husband's first and last name. To get real old school, I've seen some conservative Christian circles where the wife is always addressed as Mrs. John Doe, for example. She doesn't even use her own first name. I haven't seen any young people doing that, though.

I used to work in a great big area where our bosses had real offices around the perimeter, and the secretaries were all in the common middle area separated by cubicles (near our respective boss's office). In another cube just across the way was another secretary named Sue Snarker. (I totally made up that name to protect the innocent). She referred to herself by HIS name every time she made a phone call. At the office. As if the copy repair people need to know your husbands name. Are you KIDDING ME??? And she pronounced "Mrs." as "Mizz-Rez". One day, I actually heard her call the trash pickup people and identify herself as "Mizzrez Brian L. Snarker".

Because you KNOW the person receiving that call sat up straighter and went to full alert... OOOOH!!! WELL THEN!!!

It happens that her husband was a Lt. Colonel in the Army. I was always waiting/listening for her to say "this is Missrez Lt. Col Brian L. Snarker". Pretty sure I would have lobbed something over that cube wall.

Edited June 20, 2015 by Happyfatchick

[anony mouse]

I used to work in a great big area where our bosses had real offices around the perimeter, and the secretaries were all in the common middle area separated by cubicles (near our respective boss's office). In another cube just across the way was another secretary named Sue Snarker. (I totally made up that name to protect the innocent). She referred to herself by HIS name every time she made a phone call. At the office. As if the copy repair people need to know your husbands name. Are you KIDDING ME??? And she pronounced "Mrs." as "Mizz-Rez". One day, I actually heard her call the trash pickup people and identify herself as "Mizzrez Brian L. Snarker".

Because you KNOW the person receiving that call sat up straighter and went to full alert... OOOOH!!! WELL THEN!!!

It happens that her husband was a Lt. Colonel in the Army. I was always waiting/listening for her to say "this is Missrez Lt. Col Brian L. Snarker". Pretty sure I would have lobbed something over that cube wall.

Ha! I would have liked to see her reaction to "enemy fire!"

[Love2dance]

I am old enough to remember writing "Mrs. John Doe" over and over and over on a sheet of paper for each new "John Doe" boyfriend.

[lookeyloo]

Lookey - I hear Twilight Zone music.  Is that you???

Listen again. Is there a theme song from the Pollyanna movie?

Closed on the house. Now have to get it painted etc and sell other house and arrange move.

[RedPonyDriver]

Dr Pepper is my Coke.. but isn't it Dr Pepper in Texas as it is Coke in Atlanta?  Meaning all soda (pop is what I should say being Minnesotan) in Texas is Dr Pepper as it is Coke in Atlanta/GA?

 

Where I'm from, in Virginia, "Coke" is the generic label for anything carbonated. It doesn't translate well anywhere else in the country. Imagine my surprise when I ordered a Coke in Indiana and actually got a Coca-cola! 

[lookeyloo]

I used to work in a great big area where our bosses had real offices around the perimeter, and the secretaries were all in the common middle area separated by cubicles (near our respective boss's office). In another cube just across the way was another secretary named Sue Snarker. (I totally made up that name to protect the innocent). She referred to herself by HIS name every time she made a phone call. At the office. As if the copy repair people need to know your husbands name. Are you KIDDING ME??? And she pronounced "Mrs." as "Mizz-Rez". One day, I actually heard her call the trash pickup people and identify herself as "Mizzrez Brian L. Snarker".

Because you KNOW the person receiving that call sat up straighter and went to full alert... OOOOH!!! WELL THEN!!!

It happens that her husband was a Lt. Colonel in the Army. I was always waiting/listening for her to say "this is Missrez Lt. Col Brian L. Snarker". Pretty sure I would have lobbed something over that cube wall.

My ex husband (now deceased) was a doctor. The nurse he left me for signed her name as Mrs John Doe, MD. Really? She wasn't the MD. But oh well.

[msblossom]

Bitter Apple & Seashell Lover,

I'm so sorry for the loss of your sweet pets. They're just like family members, only they're covered in fur. And let's be honest, they're a lot more loving than some family members, but that's a different story!

(((HUGS)))

[msblossom]

For me, Coke is Coke. But for my husband everything from Root Beer to Mountain Dew is a Coke. He makes fun of me and over exaggerates my non-accent "accent" and tries to mimic me by saying paaap, like I'm from Chicago. It's pop and I'm from the PNW.

I'd rather drink water.

Edited June 20, 2015 by msblossom

[ChocolateAddict]

When I went to the US (I'm in Aus) I had no idea what "pop" was and "soda" makes me think of baking soda.  Here they ask what you would like to drink and Coke, Sprite, Pepsi and so on is called "soft drink".   

Also - Dr Pepper is horrible and I have no idea why people like it. 

Edited June 20, 2015 by ChocolateAddict

[Abstract]

Happyfatchick, your post reminded me that my late father said "Meerzes" for Mrs. when he slipped into his hometown accent.

[GEML]

I had an old time Southern grandmother. If you send her a letter addressed to anyone but Mrs. John Smith (obviously a pseudonym) it was likely to returned "addressee unknown!

[GeeGolly]

My mother-in-law would send my birthday cards to addressed as Mrs. Her son's name, last name. How personal those cards felt. ;)

[anony mouse]

My ex husband (now deceased) was a doctor. The nurse he left me for signed her name as Mrs John Doe, MD. Really? She wasn't the MD. But oh well.

Reminds me of the later Anne of Green Gables books where Anne is married to Gilbert and he's a doctor, and her housekeeper refers to her as "Mrs. Dr. dear."

[lookeyloo]

Bitter Apple - so sorry about your loss - we had a similar hard decision with our German Shepherd. Great dog. Still miss him.

[latetotheparty]

My mother-in-law would send my birthday cards to addressed as Mrs. Her son's name, last name. How personal those cards felt. ;)

My aunt did this.  MY AUNT.  I think it might have been leftover boarding school etiquette.

Not much of a pop drinker but when I do my Coke is Vernor's Ginger Ale.  You can take the gal out of Detroit but you can't take Detroit out of the gal. :)

Edited June 20, 2015 by latetotheparty

[CalicoKitty]

I have to add my 2 cents on the soda discussion.  My favorite "bubbly drink" is anything that I make in my Soda Stream machine.  Their caffeine-free diet soda is pretty good, as is the lemon-lime (think 7-UP) and root beer.  Mostly I just make bubbly water, which I really like.  No cans or bottles to deal with, and the drinks stay fizzy for several days.

[Jellybeans]

My favorite coke is unsweetened tea.

[Happyfatchick]

I guess I started this whole discussion about Coke, so I ought to weigh in... Except (imagine I'm speaking in a stage whisper...) I don't drink Coke. Haha! I really do not drink poppy, fizzy cola-type drinks. The hubs and I used to consume 3-4 cartons a week. One day, I guess I reached my load limit and quit. Can't stand the smell of it now, isn't that something? I've always been a water girl and I drink a gallon or more a day. Doc says it's not enough, I'm always a hair shy of dehydrated. I do love lemonade, however. my "drink" drink would be lemonade/diet sprite with a "splash". (Don't tell anybody: baptists don't drink).

Know how to tell the difference between Baptists and Methodists in a liquor store? The Methodists speak to each other.

[Jellybeans]

I can't stand any kind of coke but when I was little I loved Chocolate Soldiers. It was a kind of coke. Anyone remember those?

[amitville]

I can't stand any kind of coke but when I was little I loved Chocolate Soldiers. It was a kind of coke. Anyone remember those?

I love diet coke but drink water all day I remember chocolate soldiers but as I got older I lost my taste for chocolate

I guess I started this whole discussion about Coke, so I ought to weigh in... Except (imagine I'm speaking in a stage whisper...) I don't drink Coke. Haha! I really do not drink poppy, fizzy cola-type drinks. The hubs and I used to consume 3-4 cartons a week. One day, I guess I reached my load limit and quit. Can't stand the smell of it now, isn't that something? I've always been a water girl and I drink a gallon or more a day. Doc says it's not enough, I'm always a hair shy of dehydrated. I do love lemonade, however. my "drink" drink would be lemonade/diet sprite with a "splash". (Don't tell anybody: baptists don't drink).

Know how to tell the difference between Baptists and Methodists in a liquor store? The Methodists speak to each other.

Happy you make me smile.  I look forward to your posts.

Edited June 20, 2015 by amitville

[msblossom]

I guess I started this whole discussion about Coke, so I ought to weigh in... Except (imagine I'm speaking in a stage whisper...) I don't drink Coke. Haha! I really do not drink poppy, fizzy cola-type drinks. The hubs and I used to consume 3-4 cartons a week. One day, I guess I reached my load limit and quit. Can't stand the smell of it now, isn't that something? I've always been a water girl and I drink a gallon or more a day. Doc says it's not enough, I'm always a hair shy of dehydrated. I do love lemonade, however. my "drink" drink would be lemonade/diet sprite with a "splash". (Don't tell anybody: baptists don't drink).

Know how to tell the difference between Baptists and Methodists in a liquor store? The Methodists speak to each other.

I can relate, I used to drink Diet Coke moderately until about 10 years ago because I heard the artificial sweeteners make you stupid. I quit cold turkey after that and just drink water. I don't miss pop. Every now and then I'll take a sip of my husband's regular Mexican Coke we buy for him on occasion because it's sweetened with sugar instead of corn syrup.

Hee, we're Baptists too, but our church doesn't prohibit alcohol. We're served wine at communion, or if you're conscience doesn't permit you can opt for grape juice. Our Baptist pastors and leadership drink wine, whiskey & beer, as do church members. Nowhere in the bible prohibits it, but it does set our church apart from other Baptist churches in the area.

[Westiepeach]

My aunt did this.  MY AUNT.  I think it might have been leftover boarding school etiquette.

Not much of a pop drinker but when I do my Coke is Vernor's Ginger Ale.  You can take the gal out of Detroit but you can't take Detroit out of the gal. :)

In my world, Vernor's is "sick pop." Seriously, you had the flu, you had Vernor's.

I can relate, I used to drink Diet Coke moderately until about 10 years ago because I heard the artificial sweeteners make you stupid. I quit cold turkey after that and just drink water. I don't miss pop. Every now and then I'll take a sip of my husband's regular Mexican Coke we buy for him on occasion because it's sweetened with sugar instead of corn syrup.

Hee, we're Baptists too, but our church doesn't prohibit alcohol. We're served wine at communion, or if you're conscience doesn't permit you can opt for grape juice. Our Baptist pastors and leadership drink wine, whiskey & beer, as do church members. Nowhere in the bible prohibits it, but it does set our church apart from other Baptist churches in the area.

I am seriously back into water now. I bought one of those water diffuser things. I fill it with fruit and herbs. Drink a TON of water now. Pee a lot more, but, oh well :)

[Jellybeans]

Yeah, my favorite coke now is water. I put out a pre-meadured pitcher on the counter and know I better drink it or I will be sorry.

[truthtalk2014]

I guess I started this whole discussion about Coke, so I ought to weigh in... Except (imagine I'm speaking in a stage whisper...) I don't drink Coke. Haha! I really do not drink poppy, fizzy cola-type drinks. The hubs and I used to consume 3-4 cartons a week. One day, I guess I reached my load limit and quit. Can't stand the smell of it now, isn't that something? I've always been a water girl and I drink a gallon or more a day. Doc says it's not enough, I'm always a hair shy of dehydrated. I do love lemonade, however. my "drink" drink would be lemonade/diet sprite with a "splash". (Don't tell anybody: baptists don't drink).

Know how to tell the difference between Baptists and Methodists in a liquor store? The Methodists speak to each other.

I can relate.  Years ago, hubby and I bought Coke Zero and such in multiple 12 packs.  We were healthy in regards to what we ate, but it was typically the first thing we would drink when we would get out of bed. Someone showed us how you can clean your toilets with it and other crazy stuff.  We eased off and eventually stopped buying it.  My body genuinely craved it at that time.  I could not quench my thirst without it.  

 

Now, I feel the same about water. I get out of bed and crave two tall glasses of ice water.  Not to say that I never have a Coke, because I do. (I grew up in the south and we call everything a Coke- Pepsi products included). 

 

The liquor store joke is hilarious and so true. 

Edited June 21, 2015 by truthtalk2014

[kalamac]

The cleaning. Back in the day, I had a housemate who would open a can of coke, sip on it until it went warm (which didn't take long in an unairconditioned house, in Australian summers), and then open a new one without finishing the old one. All the flat surfaces of her room would be covered in half filled cans of coke. When there was about 20, I'd collect them, put the plug in the bathtub, pour in the coke, let it sit for about half an hour, then wash the tub. It'd be sparkly clean.

That wasn't what stopped me drinking diet coke though. I used to live on the stuff, until a few years ago, when it started making the inside of my mouth feel weird if I had any more than about a cup full. I still drink it sometimes with meals, but I'm mostly on water the rest of the time.

[Love2dance]

I wonder how all the soda/pop/coke-pepsi companies are staying in business with all of us switching to water?

[mbutterfly]

I guess I started this whole discussion about Coke, so I ought to weigh in... Except (imagine I'm speaking in a stage whisper...) I don't drink Coke. Haha! I really do not drink poppy, fizzy cola-type drinks. The hubs and I used to consume 3-4 cartons a week. One day, I guess I reached my load limit and quit. Can't stand the smell of it now, isn't that something? I've always been a water girl and I drink a gallon or more a day. Doc says it's not enough, I'm always a hair shy of dehydrated. I do love lemonade, however. my "drink" drink would be lemonade/diet sprite with a "splash". (Don't tell anybody: baptists don't drink).

Know how to tell the difference between Baptists and Methodists in a liquor store? The Methodists speak to each other.

LOL, we didn't before 1968. 

[truthtalk2014]

I wonder how all the soda/pop/coke-pepsi companies are staying in business with all of us switching to water?

Oh they are making just as much by draining our lakes dry.

 

Coca-cola owns Dasani and Pepsi owns Aquafina.  I try to filter my own water now after seeing Blue Gold- World Water Wars.  

 

Water is the new oil.  I believe it.  ( Had to check the topic because this is so far off topic! :))

[P2C2E]

I love water, as long as it's cold. I fill nalgenes every day at home to stick in my work fridge so i can have cold filtered water all day long. My partner likes the flavored carbonated water so we keep a lot of that in the house too. I can't drink it straight because my brain thinks fizzy should be sweet and so it tastes wrong. I do love mixing it with lemonade or juice. Also, it's the best way to drink Emergen-C. I can't stand Emergen-C in regular water, but I don't mind it in the fizzy stuff. 

[MrsMommy]

I used to drink a 24 box of mountain dew a week. I became a team beach body member last year and haven't touched a single soda since! I'm now a coach and encourage people to at least slow down on the carbonated beverages, it's very unhealthy and cutting back will literally pill the inches off of you. I'm not a fan of water and never have been but I'm a big fan if being healthier for my family.

[Happyfatchick]

I love water, as long as it's cold. I fill nalgenes every day at home to stick in my work fridge so i can have cold filtered water all day long.

I know I'm going to sound stupid, but I'm going in... What is a "nalgene"? Ah, I don't feel so bad now, spellcheck didn't like it either!