With the advent of Spring, thoughts turn to new birth – flowers in the garden, puppies on the lawn. All around me, people have one of two thoughts on their mind “what can I buy at the garden centre today?” or “oh, I just LOVE my little pet”. Yup, even in the blogging world, I’m surrounded by people who are either plant lovers or pet lovers, or (cringe) BOTH. Even my friend Michele, who, though I knew she loves to garden, I was SURE would continue to be my compadre in the “don’t want a pet” category, has fallen head over heels in love with a puppy. She’s even become a POSTER CHILD for petlovers everywhere. Yeesh! I have been abandoned.
I am neither a plant lover nor a pet lover. Well, that’s not entirely true, I do love plants, I just don’t particularly like to plant them, prune them, weed them, water them, or worship them. I like plants that grow green and lush on their OWN accord with no input from me. It’s why I live in a house with huge maple trees all around it – no work on my part, and they look fabulous.
Sometimes I think there must have been a flaw in the gene pool that I got neither plant-loving nor pet-loving genes. But then I just have to remind myself that bbb (my big brother) is on my side, so the gene pool essentially got cut in half on that particular gene. Don’t you DARE fall in love with that puppy, bbb, that you have the AUDACITY to let into your house or I may never speak to you again!
My friend and colleague Dan tells me that kids who grow up with pets grow up more well adjusted. So, in other words, I’m cheating my kids out of their adjustment, and they’ll probably need therapy. Dan also has an organic farm, so he heaps the guilt on on BOTH counts. Did I just call him my FRIEND? Sheesh!
Fortunately, my husband and oldest daughter didn’t get the genes either, so I’m not outnumbered in my house. So far, we haven’t had to give in to the pressure from the other two girls to get a puppy, and when Julie needs a gardening fix, we just send her to her grandparents’ house.
Sometimes I wonder… do I lack compassion if I can’t get all warm and fuzzy about a pet and I’ve killed more house plants than most people ever own? Am I a cold fish? Am I stunting my children’s growth by passing on my cold-hearted ways? Oh, the guilt. (What’s a mom without a healthy heaping of guilt?)
Seriously though, I will embrace my gene pool, I will stand tall and proud in my uniqueness, and I will not let all this plant/pet craziness beat me down. You have your plants and pets to connect you to Spring, I have my bike rides down river pathways and, starting this weekend, sleeping in a tent! I LOVE sleeping in a tent!
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9 comments:
wondering if you are a cold fish just the day after posting "warm and fuzzy?"
my suggestion: get a reptile and a cactus. no guilt, easy care. and then you can say you've "got it all."
from the poster child
Pets and plants lover here!
But I do tend to plant things that don't require a lot of maintainance. And I only have a couple house plants.
To each her own! :-)
(Grrr, this is my 3rd try with your word verification...why can't I read the letters right???)
If I let a puppy into our household because I think it's better for the kids, will I lose my pet-hater image? :-)
Lover of both here, although I do envy my friend who would never allow an animal in her home. She does not have to vaccum or lint roll 12 pounds of white cat hair every week, and deal with all the other responsibilities.
There are times that I rush out the door, look back, two cats and a dog sprawling in the sunshine,
"I'm going to work now pets, to make sure you can keep up your standard of living."
There is a lot to be said about having a pet-free home. I have never been one with the houseplants. My husband keeps them alive. I have a little rose garden at the front of the house which I haven't pruned way too long and the bermuda grass is threatening to take over.
Before my recent babies I had a time of being a bit of a gardener. Seeing as how I live in the desert..the front yard is rock and cactus..the backyard is dead grass.
Everything in its time and season.
I love planting pets. When I was married to Kelly, I planted a hamster, four goldfish, and a Guinea pig.
We never had pets at home when we were kids, while ex-wife and emotional basketcase Kelly had both dog and cat.
"Kids who grow up with pets grow up more well adjusted"?
Not always.
Relax, girl. You're a good mum!
The gardening bug got to me about 8 years ago and left me some years later. Maybe it will return? I don't know. We (or at least I) go through phases in this life; maybe your gardening phase is yet to come.
I like animals in general and really like our cat. I think that I would like a dog someday (and just how many soemdays do I have left?), but I have met some unlovable dogs lately, and that may be dissauding me.
We are all so unique in our passions. If we were all the same.. what a boring world this would be. But I must admit to being one of those pet/plant people. :-)
I like plants and pets, but they are especially nice in someone elses house!!!
We now have a postage stamp back yard, and an even smaller front yard, so one hanging basket and four small bedding plants are the only things I have to water and tend to this summer. Yahoo,that suits me just fine.
Our Rockster is a very special cat and we love him dearly, but I don't think we will get another cat when he makes his trip to the great beyond. We shall see. AC would love to have a dog, but they are a lot more work than a cat and tend to put a crimp in your freedom to travel.
Yep, best to enjoy other people's dogs and gardens right now.
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