Tag Archives: Junior Seau

May 3 – A bittersweet birthday – with more pee!


After yet another puddle of pee was found when I got downstairs this morning I’ve made an appointment for Chip to go to the vet tomorrow morning to check for any health issues causing the unapproved peeing. Honestly I hope there is something psychically wrong because while that may cost $$, at leas it would be a concrete explanation for the recent accidents. I’m not sure what we would do if he was simply being an asshole! Damn cats.

The ONLY other thing that could be bugging him about the litter box might be the litter itself. So, I will also completely dump it out and clean it this weekend and fill it back up with Fresh Step Multi Cat which I was using regularly until I found something cheaper that it seemed like they were totally willing to accept.

I do think it’s a UTI though or perhaps crystals – something male cats can get. He was certainly having issues in December with constipation and I suspect that set him off on a round of other issues that has just spiraled into this week which is the worst ever. 3 puddles in 4 days. All in different places so now I have to treat 3 spots on the floor to remove the odor. Thankfully all on the laminate and not on carpet, but the puddles seeped under pieces of furniture or onto something which also needs to be decontaminated too. Bleargh!

So today as the Junior Seau news continued to cloud the airwaves, just happens to also be my dear friend Jacqueline’s birthday. She would have been 47. I would have sent her our traditional George Clooney birthday card (she sent me one every year and I reciprocated in kind exactly 5 months later). There is no question that Jax fought inner demons. All of us who were close to her knew that. We have all admitted that deep down we were not shocked she died as she did – it was just a question on when and really we know there was nothing we could do for her. That Seau’s demons were more hidden makes his death so much more unfathomable for everyone. So far, NO ONE has indicated they had a clue.  I hope his family does let the Boston clinic have his brain for study as has been requested. I think it would give them some comfort to have an explanation. At least, it would for me.

Anyhow…..thankfully the night was mostly peaceful at home. It’s amazing what flopping on the sofa with 15 and watching, Criminal Minds, CSI, Modern Family and Big Bang Theory will do to lift the spirits. A little intrigue, a lot of creepy and a ton of laughter. So I am bringing the color condition to blue today. Specifically turquoise blue for Jax – a jewelry color she loved to wear. Happy Birthday Jax – I’ll go gaze at some Clooney pics in your honor. It’s a sacrifice that must be made ;-)

Oh look! Clooney – in a pool of BLUE water – yes, that will do nicely:

 

May 2 – A city mourns & a bonfire


If you’ve lived in San Diego and only marginally paid attention to sports and local celebrities then you know the name Junior Seau. Not only a star football player from high school through an amazing career in the NFL, the man was a local boy who stayed local. Even after hanging up his cleats he stayed in Oceanside. His community work – hands on, not just giving money – cannot be matched. He was always open & giving of himself and his time. And yet….today he gave up and gave in to some apparently unbeatable demons inside and took his own life. His son – in my sons grade at the same school – finds out in 1st period today. My son found out right after since his friend is best buds with young Seau. Tells his teacher that he needs to keep his phone on because his best friend’s dad just committed suicide. Hellavu thing for 15 year olds to process. He also left behind a 19 year old daughter and 12 year old son. Reports are he hadn’t seen the kids in three weeks, but he did text message all three of them last night one by one, telling them he loved them. Then this morning he is gone.
My heart aches for his family. So much. I’m sad for what the city & people he gave so much to has lost.
And I wonder – did the sports he loved do this to him? He had plenty to do after retirement. A successful restaurant, all the charities, the kids, some tv work. Yet in the last year he had largely drifted out of the limelight. A man who was a natural leader with a bigger than life personality just closed himself in. Like previous players before him – two more died at their own hands in the last year alone – he was done. Was it the blows to the head? You have to wonder. Post traumatic brain injury has shortened the lives of many NFL players. Time will tell. Or, we may never know.

I suppose with that news dominating the day I would have colored this day black. But…..

I’ll upgrade it a bit to gray. Because the end was brightened by spending time with my boy and our friends. First Wednesday of every month we help Tanja run a time trial bike race on Fiesta Island and then follow it up with a bonfire after. There was plenty of goofy fun that shook off the malaise. Here’s a shot I took of the sun disappearing behind some gray clouds at the bonfire. Let’s all wake up tomorrow and great the sunrise with a smile shall we?

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