Great Day with Dobbie

A short clip showing Dobbie doing what he did best...chase the ball, swim and entertain me.

Superdog...Dobbie.

It has been a rough couple of days in Soulshine Land.

My little wonder dog, Dobbie, was hit by a car at the family farm in Michigan. Dobbie was a great dog that we adopted when he was nearly a year old. He was a Jack Russell Terrier with the classic personality of a that breed. He was three years old at the time of his tragic end. I have cried my tears and am ready to share his story.

Bill actually brought him home in Nov of 2006. A coworker had bought him while she was pregnant with her first child, not knowing how high maintenance a Jack can be. Once baby was born, Dobbie became too much work for her. Bill told me that she had a YORKIE and was looking for a good home. Knowing how much my mother in law adored yorkies I suggested bringing it to her when we went north for thanksgiving. Several days later Bill comes home with Dobbie, NOT a YORKIE! He was so ugly and scared....I fell in love immediately. Dobbie had a couple bad habits that had to be addressed. He had a little problem with his bladder control. He got excited or scared and he would pee.

One afternoon, Dobbie, Derek and I were sitting at home and the front doorbell rang. I was working on teaching Dobbie that when the someone was at the door he was not allowed pass the TV. I get him into position and open the door. At the door are two nicely dressed Jehovah Witness's wanting to spread the word. Dobbie lasted for about 5 seconds and he bolted out the door to greet our guest. He did his little happy dance and pee'd on the mans shoes. Oh my God, my dog just pee'd on the Jehovah Dude. After scooping up the dog and apologizing like a newly born again Baptist. I shut the door and nearly pee'd my own pants from laughing so hard. From that moment forward Dobbie was one of us. Angel accepted the little hyper creature and Boudreaux, The Cat was slower to accept but came to terms with the new canine. Dobbie got fixed, learn some self control and was a constant source of entertainment.

He loved his tennis balls. Everyone wants a dog that will play fetch. Truly play fetch, throw the ball, chase the ball and return the ball. Dobbie was an artist. He would fly up in the air like Superman, flip around and bring the ball back. You could spend hours playing catch and he would not quit. He slept with his ball, ate with his ball and drank with his ball. Literally, he would drop it in the water bowl - drink and grab it back out. If I was busy he would go to the second floor and push the ball through the railing and race down the stairs to grab it before it bounced. He could even flip the ball on his right side of his head and catch it on his left. SUPERDOG.

When we decided to make the move to China I had to make arrangements for the pets. Since we were going to be living in an apartment (we are on the sixth floor) it was decided the dogs would be better off at the family farm in Michigan. I spent my last few weeks with them training them on where they could and could not go....to the barn, yes...in the barn, no. Warren built a large pen for all the dogs to stay in when no one was home. Dobbie was doing great minus one episode where the neighbors dog came into the yard and Dobbie was protecting his women. Dobbie was very smart and very much a Houdini. No pen was going to contain him but he never went anywhere. He always stayed with Angel and she wouldn't break out of a pen due to her hips being old and worn. For some unknown reason on that day, Dobbie went across a field and through a grove of trees onto the roadway.

We will never know what happened but we will always miss the ugly dog that stole our hearts. I am going to post his picture and a small video clip (if I can) both were taken at camp. We taught Dobbie how to swim before I left. He loved it, he got to the point that he would follow Derek across the Paint River. Big river - little dog - huge heart.

First Day of School

Derek started school this past week; he is attending The Nanjing International IBS.
No, IBS does not stand for Irritable Bowel Syndrome; it is an acronym for International Baccalaureate School. The IBS program is academic minded balanced with intercultural understanding. It makes you think of a hippie school with great academics, is it too late to go back to high school?
The campus is amazing. It is a new facility with lovely gardens and water features. There is a gym with all the bells and whistles. The labs, computer rooms and common areas are all state of the art – right down to the flat screen TV’s hanging around the campus. 24/7 security on campus, even the drivers have to have clearance to pick the kids up. So warm fuzzy on that one. Derek has a good course load this half of the year to include: English (Lit), Advance Math, Physics, Chemistry, PE, IT, Performing Arts and Mandarin Chinese. I know this isn’t everything; Geography is the one I am missing. I think.
He seems to like the classes and is making friends easy. In fact, as I type he ran in and out already. There are a couple guys at the apartments at the end of the block that he is going to hang out with. They talked about taking a taxi to the computer road; blocks and blocks of techie stuff. Or they may just hang out. The guys are from Germany and in the same year as Derek, 10th and 11th.
I think Derek is going to be okay. I am the one trying not to hyperventilate.
The photos are from the first day of school. Xue is going to be driving Derek and the kids from upstairs to school each morning and bringing home in the afternoon. The photo of Derek is exhausted after the first day. Poor thing had to wake up at 6am.

Nanny, Maid or Residential Technician?

Aye, not her real name just the name that the last American family gave her, is a Chinese woman who started work for our family this week. It is my understanding that Aye would loosely translate to Auntie/Nanny. Aye is pronounced “eye E” which for you fellow Cajun’s that would be the same as our drunken battle cry – “Aiiiieeeeee!” Keep in mind – I am probably mispronouncing it. Aye acknowledges me when I call her by name so we will go with that. She still hasn’t figured out how to pronounce my name, even at its basic level of “Tee”. I really must pick out my Chinese name soon.
Yes, you get to pick out your own name. We will address that later.
My history on Aye is slim. She worked for a family that returned to the US a couple weeks ago. They had several children, thus the nanny title. Aye has worked production before but was not working at the time they hired her. She was introduced to them in 2006. She is single mom of a disabled daughter. She and her sister take care of the daughter that is in her late teens or early 20’s. That is all I know. The family was very pleased with her work and the kids seemed to adore her. As I said that family left and Aye was trying to find new employment.
Many of the things we as American see on TV in regards to the Chinese are from a true but some is not so true. Yes, China is full of have and has not. Yes, general speaking they do make wages that would make an American wouldn’t even bother to collect from the floor boards of the car when you get it detailed. Yes, Americans have lost jobs to China and other countries…I get that. I am aware of the disharmony on this topic but the big answer is… in today’s market, to be cost effective, you not only have to make the product cheaper but you also have to keep up the quality and the workers have to be actually willing to work. Americans to do not want to work, we - when I say we I mean ME too – are lazy and if we can find a way to piss off most of the day-we do. In countries like China or India the over population is likely the root of the low wages. 10 billion people fighting for 1 billion jobs – you will be under bid - every time. It is not the workers idea; it is not in their best interest to make such low wages; yet it is enough to “live” on by China standards. China enacted the One Baby Rule in 1978 due to some not so cool ideas and overpopulation. I don’t agree with it but I can see where it could be beneficial for future generations. Again, Western Ideals 101 does not merge with Orient 101.
Where does that put Aye?
We were told that she could not find work that would pay her comparable to what she was making for the previous family. I had to hire her. How could we not? Remember the money is not a major issue. I won’t say what she is making a month –put it in terms my friends can understand- dinner for four, PF Cheng’s, a couple grey goose martinis, a couple glasses of medium grade wine, appetizers, four dishes, no dessert. That is what she makes a month. That is phenomenal money for her considering I cut her hours from 6 days a week to three.
Please note: I am having major ethical/moral panic attacks over hiring someone to clean up after our family. I am sure that if my mother reads this she would say, in that voice,” It never bothered you when I did all those years. You never paid me a dime, just heart ache and disrespect.” Do you think I should’ve quit therapy?
I digress…
My big issue is that I could not imagine having another person in my home cleaning my stuff. I am borderline (DENIAL) bipolar personality with an emphasis on social anxiety disorder. That is what the therapist told me to say. I freak out a little when I have to deal with public. Which most of you that will read this are thinking that I don’t have a problem like that… and the Oscar goes to: ME!!! My home is my haven. I control my space. It is all about control people. How can I have this stranger come into my safety zone, she doesn’t speak English, she is going to touch my stuff, how can I do this? What happens when I don’t want to get dressed that day and I sit around in my PJ’s typing on my blog or watching TV and I do NOTHING, what then? What happens when I lay in bed because I got the new Stephenie Meyer book downloaded and I cannot even brush my teeth till I find out what is going to happen to Edward and Bella? Will Jake find his happy place? (Read the Twilight Series!) What do I do when I have been irresponsible and drank too much and I physically cannot get out of bed? Please realize this is all about me…really. Control.
What about the moral and ethical idea of a maid? Isn’t it cosmically wrong to have someone clean your underwear or match your socks? Iron your family’s clothes for the cost of an egg roll, literally. What is this doing to my karma?
Through an interpreter – we sat down made an arrangement for a trial run. We are on our fourth day and to be honest, the place has never looked better. I like the benefits of having Aye around but I am still uncomfortable with having someone in the house all the time. Last week I ran errands most of the first day and the second day she worked I actually stayed in bed all day with a reaction to one of the series of shots – I was not a healthy person. The third day she worked I again was out of the house most of the day. Today is the first day that I have stayed home for the full day. I have been on the internet most of the day but I have been in the house. After the month, if I haven’t freaked her out, we will continue.

As I said the house looks great, laundry is done, ironed and our socks are mated. That has not happened in 17 years or more.