“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.” -Charles Dickens
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of Tara being foolish, it was the age of Paige being foolish. It was the epoch of flying dogs through the air, it was the season of idiocy, it was the season of shame, it was the spring of another generation of dim women, we had everything before us, especially an ass-load of stress, the period was so much like the period that proceeded it that some of its noisiest authorities insisted history was repeating itself, for good, or for stupidity, there was much to be compared. -Tara Livesay
The Bible speaks of the sins of the fathers being visited upon the sons.
Today we lament the poor decisions of the mother becoming the poor decisions of the daughter. In an effort to preserve history for the next generation, I bring you this story wherein my daughter Paige is doing EXACTLY the incommodious thing that I did back in Aught-Seven. And there is nothing I can do to stop her.
In 2007 Brittany, Paige's big sister, was 17 years old and leaving for college at Baylor University. She was to have a three month period in the USA before she began her University classes. During those three months we would welcome Lydia to the world and reside mainly in Minnesota. Brittany played on all my Mom guilt and sorrows over the ending of her childhood and she insisted her 130 pound Mastiff be in the USA with her for three months.
I wrote about it here.
That decision became one of the greatest debacles and sources of shame of my life, but I learned, by God, I learned. (Being by yourself, at the mercy of an airline employee, without a car, a home, or cash, at 5am with a three month old baby and a giant sedated dog and far too much luggage will teach you something, by-golly.)
Sadly, my learning is not transferrable to Paige.
Paige announced to me that her dog was going to go to South Korea with them. It was over the internet and just a voice message.
I physically cringed. I forced my lips together and said nothing. I continued like this for a commendable time period. (I was commended by KJ.)
I only lamented and complained to Troy and KJ. “WHY would she do that?", I asked repeatedly.
And so, like sand through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives. History has a way of repeating itself. She will do it because she wants her kids to have their dog. The same reason I did it. Mother guilt. The strongest force in the universe. Two generations of loving, guilt-ridden, mothers.
Paige’s dog, Cooper, is going to South Korea.
A poorly behaved dog from the humane society in Waco, TX is moving abroad, seeing the world as it were.
And what dog shouldn’t see the world? What are you doing for your pet, exactly? If your pet has not left the country in which it was born, please explain yourself.
Cooper the humane society dog cannot fly out of Texas because of course he can’t. (You may recall the Mastiff debacle of Aught-Seven included driving from MN to TX because MN was TOO COLD for the dog to fly out and return to Haiti with us.)
Texas is too hot in the summer. August is no joke. Just try to find a Texas tarmac that is not hotter than the center of the sun.
Originally we were to drive all the way to Seattle. My girlfriends heckled me and said, "My Lord, Tara, why would you do that? Haha, I guess you are a supportive Mom, but, I mean, where is your sense of pride?"
Anna, a Heartline donor, stepped in. She couldn't allow a four year old, a two year old and a poorly behaved dog road trip of 34 hours. She researched temperatures and weather patterns. She all but laid down her life for the cause. She booked us tickets from a slightly cooler city in the midwest.
Later in August, we (Paige and I) will drive Cooper and his favorite boys to Kansas City, where, if God loves us, it will be under 85 degrees on the morning we fly out of that airport at 6am. We then fly direct to Seattle for a couple days before Paige, her boys, and her Humane Society dog fly away to South Korea.
Obviously, before arriving in Korea, Cooper the poorly behaved dog has requested a chance to see the Space Needle and Pike Place Market and Puget Sound. (Der.)
The newest PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) initiative is being headed up by Cooper. He is calling it DETA - (Dogs Enjoying Traveling Abroad).
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of Tara being foolish, it was the age of Paige being foolish. It was the epoch of flying dogs through the air, it was the season of idiocy, it was the season of shame, it was the spring of another generation of dim women, we had everything before us, especially an ass-load of stress, the period was so much like the period that proceeded it that some of its noisiest authorities insisted history was repeating itself, for good, or for stupidity, there was much to be compared.
