2022 Monday — T-shirt Story

The ad for this t-shirt caught my attention several weeks ago as I scrolled thru social media. I stopped strolling, planning to only look for a moment. Then I realized that the ad let me have options — lots of them.

I could choose from dozens of dog breeds; dozens of hairstyles and hair colors for the image of me; each of us could be named; the front or the back of the t-shirt could be the palette. The word "dog" could be changed to "dogs." And best of all, the product would ship from the USA, not overseas; so I wouldn't be waiting for umpteen weeks or months for the package to arrive (I have waited in the past for long periods of time).

So, I fiddled with the design for long enough to create what I liked and then the webpage offered me a big discount. I rarely buy online. I'm not a shopper. I window shop or as we call it in this family "doodah shopping." I'm a saver not a spender. That's not a brag; it is simply my DNA. Sometimes I go back to get something later. This time I did the very unusual for me -- I signed the deal! I'm so glad I did.

Since 1996 when a little blonde Lhasa apso male canine that our toddler grandson named "Bob," joined our family, pups have been a wonderful part of our lives. We brought Bob home from the shelter. In June of 2010 our hearts broke when we said "goodbye" to him. His story is recorded in my early blips. Then the day after Christmas in 2010 a little white fuzz ball named Chloe adopted us. A colleague of mine had found her walking the street in Riverside, California, and brought her home and advertised her need for a home in our college newsletter. My colleague already had 3 dogs and couldn't keep another; I'm so glad. Then 6 weeks later we were notified that a shih tzu needed a home. The people had 2 but they had moved into a mobile home community that only allowed 1 pup per home. We went to get "Max," and "Mitzi" was a bonus because the owners didn't want to separate them. Instantly we were a family of 3 pups.

We were having crazy fun; and we were crazy in love with each of them. We realized quickly that going on vacation with 3 canines was almost impossible. That's when I made the decision to do the impossible -- buy a beach house. We hunted for 12 months and found a shack that was just outside of reason. We asked our financial advisor and our insurance man for advice; they both said buy it. We did not ask anyone else; we didn't need any naysayers, there were already enough living in our heads.

The 2 of us and 3 pups became the overwhelmed, but thrilled, owners of a shack on California's Central Coast. The pups love it. For 8 years it was a fabulous place to vacation. Now it is our home. Our SoCal place is our "home away from home." Two years ago, we said "goodbye" to Max when liver disease had overcome his sweet little body; he had been blind for almost a year. In all of our lives we've never felt the grief that that "goodbye" produced. We still cry.

So that is the story of my new t-shirt, which really is a shirt that tells a story. If you've read this far, I'm amazed and grateful. Writing is in my DNA. I will include the link to the t-shirt company in the post script.

Not so mono Monday,
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol
and Chloe & Mitzi too!

P.S. https://gossby.com
(585) 366-8844