24 Comments
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Will Bain's avatar

Yes, Wendy, I am inextricably bound to you and Tock.

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

Forever!

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Zeina Jaffar's avatar

As always, wonderful writing!! You & Tock are great together. Sorry you guys had a difficult year and glad your surgery went well (didn't know). Hope you are feeling well. x

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

Stitches out and feeling much better. Thanks, Zeina!

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Mark Kolke's avatar

I think, sometimes when we are laid low by circumstances, we are reminded how simple we are, how uncomplicated we are and how easy we are to figure out. And sometimes those closest to us fail to see it or understand us - at a time when we crave it most and even more when we are paralyzed and unable to ask for what we obviously need so badly. Dogs, somehow, get past all that human-horseshit and 'just know' what we need and they give it to us unconditionally. Every time.

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

Yep, dogs are the best! (you said it much more eloquently)

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Melissa Parson's avatar

As usual, so well said, dear Wendy.

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

Thanks so much, Melissa!

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Carol A Foote's avatar

I love how you always share so much of yourself, Wendy. I'm so sorry it's been a rough year and that you need surgery at all, but I'm glad the first one is done and with sutures. Life has so many pitfalls, doesn't it?

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

It sure does - good thing we have a lot of time to figure out how to climb out of them!

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Glad the first surgery is done and all went well. I’m guessing there’s another location that needs excavating?

I hear you with the fur baby. Apollo gets me out of bed every day. A two hour walk in the freezing cold??? Not sure I could do that. I miss Apollo when he’s out for 3 hours at his grooming appt. Hehe.

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

Wow, 3 hours is a long time!

I'm glad I inherited an Antarctic Expedition jacket from my mom. With that on and the hood up, I can stay pretty comfortable even in a strong wind in subzero conditions.

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Suzanne Morrone's avatar

As always you elicit such emotion with your beautiful writing. And of course seeing how you link Tock to your point is always satisfying, since dogs are the bond our friendship was built on. Well. that and writing. I have to say Blueberry had to be in the bathroom with me when I showered. Which was fine with me. I loved having a velcro dog. He and Hopidog were the two most constant - Hopi was the one dog I could let run off leash anywhere, anytime. He wouldn't leave me.

But what you say about losing part of yourself, that's how I felt when I stopped painting. It was who I was. Probably much like you were a musician, something we'd both done since we were young, and studied and excelled at. Accepting change is hard. I'm so grateful our constant is "the heartbeat at our side" as someone once described our dogs. ❤️

You are a wonderful, wonderful writer.

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

Yes, the heartbeat at our side is the perfect way to describe it! Thanks, Suzy.

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Janet Fox's avatar

Wendy - sending you all the healing vibes and so glad you have Tock in your life!

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

Thanks, Janet!

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Jim Melvin's avatar

Wow, Wendy .... this is a really great post. And you ask some fascinating questions. The older a person gets (not that you're old 😀), the more he or she ponders such things. Since I also have written some middle grade fiction, if you're ever in need of a beta reader, please let me know.

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

Ha, I must be ancient because I seem to spend my days pondering! Thanks for reading and for the offer to beta read - always nice to have a beta reader in the wings.

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Priscilla Cogan, Ph.D.'s avatar

Wonderful post, Wendy. Duncan’s Moh surgeries on his face tend to show no scars so I am hopeful. You and I understand that incredible distress of the man whose two dogs were back at his LA house that burned down, his joy that a fireman opened the door to let them out and his tearful reunion with his two dogs, one of whom had retreated to a neighbor’s yard.

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

The pets left behind just kills me. I don't understand how people can do that - I'd stay and burn up with them instead.

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Priscilla Cogan, Ph.D.'s avatar

No, you ‘d get all of them out of there with you!

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Carol A Foote's avatar

At least one woman did. Heartbreaking.

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Wendy Parciak's avatar

That is very sad.

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Jan 28
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Wendy Parciak's avatar

I'm feeling much better as of yesterday, thanks (stitches out). I discovered that the scalp is surprisingly painful. And yes, it is quite hard to be apart from Tock, but the reunion is fantastic!

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