My Rambling Thoughts

  10 years ago, today, the Keresty Family was finishing their incredible 3-week European vacation.  Even with  experiencing record lows and unheard-of snow accumulation it had been a trip beyond description.  We were ready to come home and driving toward Paris to catch a flight in 2 days.  Zipping along in the rental Audi (for those of you who read my posts, that Audi word is important) and singing The Yodeling Veterinarian of the Alps Song by VeggieTales.  How could you NOT be singing that – I mean – the Alps are RIGHT THERE!  We were about an hour away from our stop for the night, Belfort, France when there was a POP and immediately Kaitlin said I smell smoke.  I pulled over as soon as I could and sure enough, blown out tire.  I need to mention here that when we were planning this trip, Joe and I agreed to divide the driving since we did 7 countries in 3 weeks and while countries are like states here, that is a bit of driving.  Howev...

       “Can I have a puppy?” This became the mantra of our 6-year-old daughter for the next 4 years. We bought her an entire set of stuffed black Labradors (all named Blackie) that ranged in size from “it fits in my hand” to “there is no room for me in the bed.” “Can I have a puppy?” We bought her a  computerized dog that followed her everywhere and barked at the appropriate dog barking times. “Can I have a puppy?”      When she was 8 she doggie sat for a friend’s cocker spaniel named Harry and did her best to show us that she could walk him and feed him and clean up after him. Still, no giving in to the daily “Can I have a puppy? As she was nearing her 10th birthday Kaitlin decided to adopt the lizards living in our back-yard block wall. She named them and did her best to feed them potato chips. “Can I have a puppy?”        A writing assignment was given at school to all the students to form a persuasive paragraph. Kaitlin us...