A Full House

always beats

A Pair

It occured to me yesterday, how I had gone from loner to one of a pair to a full house and, I had thought, back to a pair.

Back in the day, I was a loner. I spent so much time by myself because I had unique interests and couldn't find others with whom to persue them. This was not a pathological isolation. I still had tons of friends, played ball and did all the normal stuff. It's just that there were things calling me to places where I had to go alone.

It wasn't until I was in my mid 30's that I met and married Lady Linda (no jokes here about finally meeting the one person with whom you want to be miserable the rest of your life...we're going on 30 years as a pair).

Not being the youngest newly weds, and both wanting children, we decided two would be the ideal number. Linda thought I would want a boy and a girl, but I surprised her with, "I just want daughters." I told her that men with daughters live longer and that daughters are forever and take care of their dads. My two real reasons for wanting girls were a, mom would have to take them to the bathroom in resturants and b, I didn't want to ever have to send a son off to war...having been myself. Now, when I complain about our girls, Linda reminds me that that is what I wanted, 2 girls. Yes, I answer, but not necessarily those two.

It wasn't too long until we adopted Lady, a Lab mix who was with us 17 years. She has since been succeeded by Ansel, the son I never had.

Suddenly, I was holding a full house. Then the years went quickly and the girls grew, if not up, older, and went off on their own. Just as suddenly, we had a near-empty nest. Ansel decided to live at home.

Well, yesterday, Carri and her husband, Scott were here.

So, was Tammy whom you've seen paddling in previous blogs. So was Tofi (pictured, a bitchy cat born in Israel and who meows from right to left) and A'nan (not pictured), a gentle white male cat.

Again, suddenly, I had a full house. There was energy and talk, and kidding, and laughter, and food, etc. The place was alive, and I realized that our home, and the one in which we previously lived, had enjoyed some of the best times when they were full of friends and family. It makes sense. No man is an island or, for that matter, a land fill. We are social beings and tend to seek out the succor and companionship of others (screw the philosophy, I just wanted to use the word succor).

So, I will enjoy these few days holding a full house during this holiday. And, when they've left, I will remember all the other full houses we've enjoyed. Salute.

Paddle safe...with someone.

DS