# Happy Doper Milestones thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 11, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442 "2012-10-11T18:30:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 25
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/493 "2022-10-05T05:46:13Z")
Congratulations to **Spice Weasel** and **Roderick Femm**! ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/494 "2022-10-05T19:28:53Z")
Congratulations **Spice Weasel** on the promotion! Congratulations **Roderick Femm** on the anniversary. May you have many more happy years together. My husband and I had our 30 year anniversary earlier this year. Somehow it doesn’t seem like that much time has passed, but here we are. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/495 "2022-10-07T13:49:00Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Somehow it doesn’t seem like that much time has passed, but here we are. It’s funny, I used to think my husband and I were together for soooo long. When we celebrated our 16th/20th, I was like… “Sixteen years just doesn’t seem like that much time anymore.” We’re the olds. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/496 "2022-10-07T21:56:41Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > We’re the olds. It happens to us all. I’m told it isn’t because we are older, but because time is creeping up on us, going faster and faster but because we are living in it, we don’t notice. I was told pretty soon, everything will happen at once. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/497 "2022-11-17T08:08:53Z")
I retired today!! Woo-hoo! I’m 61 and I’m done! I posted about it in MPSIMS here: > [@Whoa — I just retired today! How did your life change after retirement?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-just-retired-today-how-did-your-life-change-after-retirement/975070): > > I’m 61 and my wife is 57. I’ve been thinking about retiring for a couple of months, and then my wife and I talked about it for a few weeks. She’s still working and she wants to continue working for awhile, so I’ll get my coverage from her. A week ago we decided together that I should retire. Ever since that decision I’ve been feeling great about it. We both have. Today I met with my boss and my plan was to tell him that I’m retiring effective immediately. But I don’t know how such things are do… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/498 "2023-01-04T02:59:18Z")
I officially retired today. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/499 "2023-01-04T03:00:48Z")
Hooray! I officially retired 3 days ago. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/500 "2023-01-04T06:36:38Z")
Woo-hoo!! Let’s have a party! We may be older, but we’ll always be young at heart right? Woo-hoo! ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/501 "2023-01-04T19:11:01Z")
Congratulations @RealityChuck and @susan! Goals! ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/502 "2023-01-04T22:49:41Z")
Congrats to all! How many people have asked you “Won’t you be bored?” or said “I don’t know what I’d do with all that free time?” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/503 "2023-01-05T00:29:50Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I officially retired today. Nice! I have 8 1/2 more school years and I should be retiring from teaching. I’ll be 53. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/504 "2023-04-23T21:28:46Z")
To quote Mother Teresa, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” And sometimes great love comes in small packages: meet [Ruth](https://imgur.com/8sQ6dzd) [Bader](https://imgur.com/APy548N) [Ginsburg](https://imgur.com/yX8f8aw). (Why isn’t this in the Pet Pictures thread or something similar? Because this is something of a milestone with a considerable backstory — which I’ve tried to condense, with mixed success. So, onward …) The story actually begins in 2005, when the Younger Ottlet fell desperately ill with what turned out to be Crohn’s. I’ve dealt with that subject elsewhere, and there’s no need to recapitulate here; what’s relevant is that between her second and third surgeries she got something she’d wanted for a long time: a Pug she named Oscar. And for the next 15+ years, through all the surgeries, anemia, blood transfusions, iron infusions, pain and general misery he was always there to snuggle, comfort and console. At times it seemed he was the only thing keeping her going. But Time is a right bastard, and after a year of declining health Oscar took his final breath in YO’s arms on 27 September last. At the risk of sounding overdramatic, she was devastated (even though she knew the end was fast approaching). Since he died in her room, she went to stay with her boyfriend, returning only to tend her plants. Fast forward to November. One evening she looked out the window and noticed a small black and white dog attached by a leash to the bus stop bench across the street. Early the next morning she saw the dog was still there, which caused her some concern. Later the dog _wasn’t_ there … because she’d freed herself and was running around in traffic. Which was the proverbial last straw. Fortunately the leash was still attached so boyfriend could stomp on it before the dog was hit. A quick exam and some inquiry revealed that a) she was in poor shape (very thin, poor coat and a bad cough), and b) her owner was a nutcase who was barely capable of taking care of herself, let alone a dog. YO was pretty sure she wasn’t ready for another dog, but couldn’t let things continue as they were. She found a vet who had open clinic hours and took the dog in; the vet confirmed the URI but said there were no other serious health issues aside from obvious neglect. Given the neglect, he said that if YO paid for her care she would legally be considered the dog’s owner. Still not sure about what to do eventually, YO gave the go-ahead. That was November. Any doubts about Ruthie’s status dissolved before she was done recovering from the URI; now she’s embedded in the family, healthy, happy and insanely energetic (one of her favorite pastimes is to cannonball around the yard faster than the eye can follow, then collapse in any convenient lap). Consensus is that she’s a Papillon mix — probably a [Papijack](https://www.dogproductpicker.com/papijack-dog-breed-info) — with appearance mostly Papillon and temperament about 50/50. What’s most important, though, is what she’s done for YO. She’ll probably never really stop grieving for Oscar, and will always have a Pug-shaped hole in her heart; but she smiles and laughs a lot more, and has a greatly improved outlook on life. Amazing what a small package of love can do. (Believe it or not, this is the condensed version. Thanks for any/all who made it through.) ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/505 "2023-04-23T21:34:48Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > Amazing what a small package of love can do. Indeed ! 👍 ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/506 "2023-04-23T21:50:56Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > Amazing what a small package of love can do. In both directions. Congratulations to all of you! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/507 "2023-04-23T21:51:53Z")
That’s really fantastic. Thank you for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/508 "2023-04-23T22:30:20Z")
Awww. Confirms my belief. Sometimes the dog/love finds you. May they both have a long, healthy and fun relationship. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/509 "2023-04-24T17:49:20Z")
A wonderful story. An awesome reality. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/510 "2023-07-02T20:36:48Z")
In June 1983, a young man married his sweetheart. Everything was going for them. Similar socioeconomic background, same religion, his parents loved her and hers loved him. Big church wedding. A month later, his sister married her sweetheart. Her parents were horrified. He was shorter than her. He was still in grad school. He was a very different religious background. They were married by the magistrate at the police station as her parents watched in despair. It was clearly not going to last - anyone could see that. We are celebrating our 40th anniversary today. My brother and his wife didn’t quite make 20. @Typo_Knig, you are the best “life- wrecking mistake” I could have ever made! ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/511 "2023-07-02T20:40:32Z")
That calls for cake … 🎂 Congratumalations. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442/512 "2023-07-02T22:52:21Z")
Cake has been acquired! I celebrate another year of winning the spouse lottery! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442.md?page=24) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-doper-milestones-thread/637442.md?page=26)