Murphy, Mr. Meow, and Tabby’s Dream House

Photo by Srgjan Spasik As you may have read me mention before, we’re moving. This has posed a variety of problems, from getting the pets out of the picture to showing issues. But it’s also generating some happy excitement as well. We haven’t even sold our current house yet, but that’s not stopping us from dreaming about all we hope for our new one. And when I say “we,” I do mean the entire Team Pryor clan. Murphy Dreams Of… A large fenced-in backyard. One with trees full of lots of squirrels (and maybe an opossum or two) for chasing, … Continue reading

The Pets Blog Week in Review for Jul 30 – Aug 5

Goodbye July, hello the hot, hot heat of August. Things were not too hot last week in the Pets Blog. Aimee and I tried to keep things cool. Although we did sort of get off on a morbid tangent at one point during the week. (I should say I did, in respect to the matter of pet’s dying.) Happily we also covered plenty of other, less sad, topics too. Monday, July 30 Sharks fascinate me so I was pretty excited about Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. But when I watched their inaugural program, Oceans of Fear, I couldn’t help but wonder … Continue reading

The Problem of Selling a House with Pets: Showings

Previously I talked about some of the problems of selling a house with pets, and the difficulty we had getting them out of the picture (literally), but lately we’ve experienced some other snags. Evacuating the House Murph is a 65 pound bluetick coonhound with a deep, loud bark. He’s shy of men, but is generally friendly towards women and children. He’s never showed signs of aggression towards a human, but many people are afraid of him, mainly due to his size. We don’t want to take any chances –-either scaring away potential buyers or having someone either intentionally or unintentionally … Continue reading

Reunited and It Feels So…Good? – Learning to Be a Couple Again

After enduring months of separation due to job circumstances, late last November my commuter marriage came to an end. Wayne got back his old job, quit the new one, and came home. It’s been an adjustment ever since. Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled he’s home. I’m thrilled I don’t have the hassle of dealing with showings and fretting about doing certain things by myself anymore. (Like hurrying to tidy up any messes when a showing appointment was made.) Basically, I’m just thrilled he’s around to help with certain chores (like walking Murph in the mornings) and we’re back together … Continue reading

Dear Santa, May I Please Have Some Patience?

Dear Santa, I know this is a last minute request seeing how it’s Christmas Eve and all. I’m sure the elves already have your sleigh loaded and ready to make tonight’s rounds. But I was wondering if you could possibly spare room for one last thing? I’m not asking for a lot. Just a little Patience to get me through until I can refill my reserves on my own. A smidge stuffed in my stocking should do me. You see, I’ve tried very hard to be patient with my husband this year, but now I’m about all tapped out. First, … Continue reading

Life Imitating Art: My Marriage and Friday Night Lights

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how I could relate to an ordeal that Tami Taylor, a character on NBC’s Friday Night Lights, was going through. She and her husband were having a commuter marriage because he had accepted a coaching job in another town. Still in Texas but about two hours away from their home. She stayed behind so that her daughter could stay at her high school with her friends and so that Tami could keep her job. Being apart while a spouse is working elsewhere was something I could definitely relate to. Except in my … Continue reading

Thoughts on Long-Distancing It: How Commuter Marriages Are Born

Since July Wayne and I have had a long distance marriage. This past Friday night as I watched Friday Night Lights, I found myself sympathizing to the Kleenex degree with one of the show’s characters: Tami Taylor, played by Connie Britton. Tami’s Story of Separation On the show, Tami’s husband, Coach Taylor, got offered a coaching job at another school, this time a college but not one in their current hometown. It’s an offer he doesn’t want to pass up. However, instead of following him yet again like she has all through their marriage and his career, she decides to … Continue reading

Is it Wise to Have Everything at Once?

When I say “everything” I’m not talking about material things, I’m talking about celebratory events. Birthdays, anniversaries, that sort of thing. Case in Point September is a big month for Wayne and I. • Wayne’s birthday is September 7th • My birthday is September 14th • Our wedding anniversary is September 16th • Murphy’s birthday (well, the day we got him) is September 23rd How’d You Manage That? Let me tell you, it was a complete fluke. All except for our anniversary. If we’d thought more about it, we might have picked a different day. As it was, we held … Continue reading

The Single Fantasy

National Singles Week runs from September 15-21. This year the National Singles Association is hosting events in Atlanta from September 17 thru 23. Unmarried America is also celebrating singles during the same time period, with what they call National Unmarried and Single Americans Week. “Why the fascination with Singles Week, Courtney? I thought you were happily married? And didn’t you just celebrate an anniversary?” Yes, I am happily married and, yes, we did just celebrate an anniversary, our 12th in fact. But sometimes I have this fantasy of what it would be like to be footloose and fancy free… The … Continue reading

How Wii Are Celebrating Pleasure Your Mate Month (Among Other Things)

In addition to Pleasure Your Mate Month, the Team Pryor household has other super September celebrations underway. Wayne’s birthday on Friday basically kicked off the fiesta. My birthday comes next, exactly one week after Wayne’s. Two days after that we celebrate our wedding anniversary. Four days after that is my dad’s birthday. Three days later, on the 23rd, the festivities conclude with Murph’s birthday. Phew! What a month. Buying presents for my dad and Murph is easy. Exchanging gifts between Wayne and myself? Well, that’s never easy. And complicating it even more than usual this year is our impending move. … Continue reading