109 posts from 2009

"Rescuing Sprite"

Yesterday
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So, another tear-jerker dog book. As I stated in my last post, this one is much more "to-the-point". It is the author's recollections of his family, and dogs, and having to make the tough, end of life decisions for one of them (one of the dogs, that is). There really isn't a story to it or a plot, it was just a guy talking about his love for his dogs, but it was still a good read. My only real gripe with it is that there seemed to be some serious name-dropping going on in a few sections. But it could also be that this guy really is good friend's with these folks and that they played an important part to his coping with his grief. The problem is, I didn't get that sense from it...it really just seemed like name-dropping in the middle of a sad memoir.

If you have dogs, I would recommend this as a good read...it touches on the inevitable and as the author even says, it is nice to know we are not along in our fears of losing our favorite pals.

Oh yeah, and this one is SUPER short...he even states that it started as an essay...which is pretty much what this book is, an expanded essay.

Turkey Day & Life Update

6 days ago
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I got to go home for Thanksgiving this year (unexpectedly)...it was a whirlwind trip, but I am SO glad I got to go. Monday was spent traveling for the most part and working in the afternoon. Then Monday night my mom and sister came up to meet me for dinner (I stayed up north because it would have been insanely silly to try to fight rush-hour traffic both ways since I had to be back up there Tuesday morning). Then Tuesday, I actually got done with the work stuff early which was great because it meant more time with my sister and nephew.

After that it was a blur of staying at my mom's and sister's houses, playing with my nephew, shopping for last minute fixings and hanging out with the rest of the family. My sister and I (and respective partners) all went in on getting my mom a new TV since hers is finally dying. Since I won't be home for Christmas we decided to give it to her on Thursday...it was awesome. :) We found a nice 32" at Costco for a fantastic deal.

We had dinner at my sisters with Mom and Nick's family all there. It was so fun to get to see Nick's mom and dad with Caleb. His dad was grinning ear to ear the entire evening! (He's a very serious sort of fella normally.) Traditional menu of turkey, stuffing, and cranberries. There were also carrots, green beans, asparagus, potatoes (mashed and scalloped), and a green salad. For desert, Nick's mom brought pecan pie and a berry pie. I don't do the pecan pie, but the berry pie was tasty.

Caleb has changed SO much in the past few months...he is smiling now, can sit up (mostly) on his own...he at least holds his head up now...and he is SO alert. He looks at whomever it talking in the room, will follow your finger if you point at something, etc. His eyes are the EXACT same color as my sister's - gorgeous steel grey-blue, but otherwise he looks mostly like his dad. I have tons of photos to sort through so those will be coming later. He is also starting to teeth! Poor guy. Amy went to wipe up some drool and he just started screaming. We think maybe she rubbed against his gums which hurt. However, he is easy to soothe and calmed right down once we got his cold teething ring to him.

Travel this time of year sucks...especially when having a 2+ hour layover in Dallas. But it was all well worth it. Now I am back home and today has been (and will continue to be) spent cleaning and doing laundry. Moo has an upset stomach (was up barfing all night), so later I have to go out and buy more carpet cleaner. I think maybe the kennel gave them special Thanksgiving treats - there were bits of bone in the barf. I am going to talk to them when I drop her off for my overnight trip this coming week and remind them that she doesn't get treats (other than do biscuits).

This coming Thursday morning she is going in for her knee surgery. I am still unsure whether or not I will be making the Christmas trip to New Orleans...but really, after being away this week, Moo being relatively fresh out of surgery, and with upcoming work travel, I am not too bummed about it. With next year being Neil's year with Chloe which means a big, chaotic family Christmas, I am really OK with staying home and having a quiet Christmas by myself this year (which I had been under the impression was the plan all along - the staying home for a quiet Christmas part - until the trip got dropped on me). Traveling and staying in a place other than my own house and bed instantly removes the "quiet" part of anything for me even if there is no additional family involved. Dealing with airlines and packing and hauling dogs to and from the kennel and then having to come home and do laundry from the trip, clean the house from having two bored cats cooped up in it, etc. There is nothing restful or quiet about any of that. *sigh*

Speaking of cleaning - time to get back to cleaning out the fridge. Some lettuce went bad and stank up the whole thing...which got me scrubbing. Once that is done it will be time to vacuum and scrub floors and then bathrooms. Whhheeee! Oh, and more laundry, of course.

ARRRRGGGHHHH!!!

Nov 21, 2009
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Just when things seem to be on a financial up-swing. I've got savings again. Bills are paid on-time without sweating whether I would have the cash to do so. Heck, I've even been able to spend a little on some extras for myself again.

And now this. Exactly what I feared in my gut. Moo tore her ACL. The way she's been holding her leg and the funky way it makes her hip feel, I was really hoping it was just a dislocated hip. But nooooo, of course not.

This all stems back to a tumble she took by running full speed out to the end of her leash. I blame myself really, if I had just taken her out myself that evening, it probably wouldn't have happened because I know she does that when the neighbor dogs are out.

Of course, this comes right at the holidays. I am going to have to see about canceling my trip to New Orleans...I need to keep her at home and not at the kennel as much as I can for the next month or so. Assuming I can work out the financing for the surgery, I will try scheduling it for a week from Thursday.

Luckily, I think January should (hopefully) be full of local branches for me to review so I won't be gone overnight much. Again, I hope.

I was going to be pitching in with my sister on a new TV for my mom (her's is rapidly dying) and of course, m nephew was going to be getting some cool stuff. But, it looks like all that is down the proverbial drain. Some people buy houses that are money pits...I seem to acquire dogs that do that. Don't get me wrong, I love them both dearly, but really. This is ridiculous - Moo isn't even 2 and a half yet.

There were other things I wanted to save the rest of my newly found money for...for instance, the possibility of a trip to Africa this next year. But that is all also down the drain. I guess the only good part is that I can use the value of my Christmas trip ticket toward a trip home later in 2010.

And I still need to get an electrician out here...but that doesn't seem like it is going to ever happen either. I really just want to go crawl under a rock and cry. But I need to get my house clean (so I can leave it again) and get myself packed for Monday.

Oh yeah, and I am still waiting for Neil to finally get home - he got stuck overnight in Cincinnati due to airline fail. Their first flight out today was supposed to be at 8:55am...now they are sitting on the tarmac waiting for a 9:41am takeoff time. (I don't know if this is Delta fail or if this is due to the FAA fail with their computer outage. Either way...it sucks.) The most awesome part of all that is last I checked, Delta's website showed the flight arriving here at 9:59am (even leaving at 8:55am, the arrival was scheduled for 10:40am). So who knows what is going on there. I am just glad I have a 2 hour layover in Dallas on Monday. Apparently, I am going to need it if things are still going this way. Though, I am flying American which should help (a little).

Productive...

Nov 14, 2009
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Today was a better day. I got my hair done this morning which always feels good. Then I got a bunch of errands taken care of. It was time to replace some make-up items and restock on groceries.

I am also so thrilled! Rusk has started making a line of hair products free of "harsh chemicals". Paraben free, sulfate free, etc. and are also made with organic main ingredients. They smell mighty nice too. I highly recommend if anyone is looking for new products.

After the hair I went to *gasp* the mall!! I never go to the mall, but it is easier than trying to order my MAC make-up online. MAC has retro white eyeliner! I am so stoked. (Yes, I am a geek when it comes to cosmetics.) I also picked up a basic bronze/brown eyeliner and a couple jars of foundation (one stays packed for travel, the other goes in my bathroom). And while I was there, I made a quick stop by the Philosophy counter too. I needed some more eye cream and lip gloss. The gal there was very cool (and good with the suggestive selling I might add) and introduced me to the new cherry scented Christmas body wash. YUM! So I left with a bottle of that too.

Then I tackled Costco and the grocery store.

Now I am back home, groceries are put away (mostly) and I made a late lunch. Time to go play with the dogs and kitties and then maybe watch a movie later.

Gah!

Nov 13, 2009
4 comments

I had a down and out panic attack this evening...somehow I feel like I am forgetting some major deadline for work. But I am not. I don't think. I think maybe it has to do with wrapping up this big joint venture project that I've been working on. There were so many document due dates and database update requests - now that they are over my brain doesn't know what to focus on. My adrenaline is STILL pumping...I want to go to bed at a reasonable hour because I have a busy morning tomorrow, but I don't think sleep will be coming anytime soon.

Of course, I still have a crap-load of stuff to do on Monday before I leave town again, but nothing that can't wait until then to get done, and nothing Earth shattering if it doesn't get done then. So, I don't really know what my deal is. I think maybe that it might be that I agreed to help out my sales partner at work and do a coaching call with one of her branches in the very near future (a yet to be determined date). I love what I do because it is mostly one on one and face to face. I dislike group conference calls with people I have not met.

That and I think I am stressing out about the up coming year. We have a TON of changes coming at us and I don't think our team has the manpower to handle them all.

Also, there is Thanksgiving...and Christmas. So, my big plan was that this year was my year to relax...no family, no big functions. Just some peace and quiet with the dogs...well, OK, romping and playing too. Instead, my quiet Christmas turned into a trip to New Orleans and Thanksgiving week I am going to Seattle - I will work out there Monday and Tuesday and then spend Wed and Thursday with family and then travel home (an all day trip) on Friday. It is going to be a whirlwind trip...the cost of extending the ticket over the weekend was insane...and it would also have put Moo at the kennel for almost two weeks straight due to a work trip the following week. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful and even excited to get to go home for turkey day. And Christmas should be neat. I've never been to New Orleans before - we will be staying in the French Quarter - but I seriously feel like I was cornered into going. As much as I want to see the place, this isn't the time of year or way I wanted to do it. And both trips mean that Sadie will be with friends the entire week of Thanksgiving and at the kennel with Moo over Christmas...and Moo is at the kennel for both trips. That added with all the travel for work that has come up and I feel like she is ALWAYS at the kennel and that I am NEVER at home.

And next year, I had hoped to get home a few times throughout the year to see Caleb - but we are now being pressured (at least I feel like we are being pressured) into saving our PTO for the end of the year since it is dead around Christmas and New Years. Except that that isn't my problem and I shouldn't be expected to use MY time off because of planning and management issues. Bah. I guess I just have a lot frustrating me right now...mostly these holiday trips. So much for a nice quiet season at home.

And don't get me started on the electrician issues. I am never here and since Neil said he'd be taking care of it, trying to coordinate with his recent travel isn't something I want to try to do. He knows (or ought to know) what his schedule is...since he needs to be here, it seems that it would be easiest for him to just call and schedule. But between the first guy never calling back and then more travel, it just isn't getting done. The next major fiasco is going to be replacing the carpet since it is all fraying at the seams and along the room edges...the list is never-ending.

Right now I just need to focus on not completely losing my cool over the holidays. And my New Years resolution is going to be to just say no next year. I WILL have my peaceful holiday at home...even if I celebrate it all by myself (with the critters, of course!).

"Blah blah blah, Ginger."

Nov 12, 2009
4 comments

(If you're wondering about the subject line...go look up Gary Larson's Far Side comic about what dogs hear.) :)

Not much new happening here - yesterday was Veteran's Day, as you all probably know...it is a new "paid holiday" for us which was strange. I did end up doing a tiny bit of work, but then spent the rest of the day watching movies and doing laundry.

Last night Neil took me out to a Spanish tapas place. The food was great, but I think all the staff was on heroin. No one was talking to each other, the guy who sat us looked annoyed that there were people there he had to deal with...you know, those pesky customers and all! And you'd think for a place that makes its money selling small portions/plates of food they would check back regularly to see what else they could bring out...but no. That was not the case here, unless of course you were the two, blonde thirty-something females at the table behind us. I'm guessing we won't be back since there are plenty of other places with great food and matching service that are easier to get to.

Work is...work. Lots of travel through the end of the year. Lots of change. Lots of people stressing out. Eh, it pays the bills. Right now I hesitate to move to any other team because who knows what is going to get reorged after the first of the year. Right now, I figure better safe than sorry, even if it is a lot of travel. And today I finally wrapped up my portion of a huge project, so that feels good. Now tomorrow I just have to do some second level file reviews for a couple team members and sit through a couple con calls before the weekend is finally here.

The doing laundry part (from above) was largely washing clothes that had been sorted into piles for organizing that the cats had decided to pee on. Not sure what is up with that, but it all got a good soaking in enzyme odor remover and washed. And now I have learned to only organize what I can get put away the same day.

I am almost done going through all my clothing. I have t-shirts, shorts, and sweaters left. And then a huge trip to Goodwill to drop off all the excess. It feels good to get it all cleaned out, if not a bit depressing when looking how much I am getting rid of. However, if I am to be realistic, they are items I will never wear...ever. Or they are items that I simply will never fit into comfortably again, no matter how much weight I loose.

Both dogs seem to have gotten past whatever made them runny yesterday which is good. Now if this weather would just move along...the post-Ida dreariness is getting old. I feel like I am back in the Northwest again!

I have nothing else to report. Just plugging away at life, one day at a time.

Random Saturday Stuff

Nov 7, 2009
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It is a gorgeous fall day outside today...mid-60's with a light breeze. I love it! I've opened all the windows to air the place out and it feels good. The cats are loving it as well...lounging on the windowsills, smelling outside smells and sleeping in the sun.

Mostly working on getting laundry done - the big stuff, like all the animal blankets and bed covers. Maybe later I will do something exhilarating like clean out the litter boxes or vacuum. Heh. Sometime today or tomorrow I also need to finish going through my clothes. I have sweaters, t-shirts, and shorts left to do.

For entertainment I am watching stupid, thriller-type movies and having romp sessions with the dogs. Sadie LOVES chasing the laser-pointer dot (aka The Dot) around the house. The cats like to join in too...Moo will then grab the nearest toy and chase Sadie with it. She doesn't get The Dot, but she does get that Sadie is playing and so she tries to play with her. Sometimes Moo will decide the kitties are more fun to play with than a toy and then things get a little crazy for a bit. Bonnie doesn't mind, but OP gets a little freaked out. It isn't nice, I know, but it is pretty funny to watch.

While scooping the yard today, I noticed a bunch of small "den" holes all over the side yard and down the hill a ways. I have no idea what made the holes...I am hoping something cute and furry and not slithery with fangs. I'll be keeping an eye out for the residents. It is bigger than an insect type thing (which is good!) and doesn't look like any kind of mole hills I've seen. Maybe a gopher type thing? I don't know. We'll see.

Time to change out the laundry.

Food

Nov 6, 2009
5 comments

I find people (and by people, I mean people who are mere acquaintances or even perfect strangers...I find I have a different set of 'rules' for people whom I consider friends) who openly admonish another's eating choices to be interesting (in an annoying sort of way). This week while I was on the road, the manager of the branch I was reviewing caught me eating a Clif Bar for breakfast. She very quickly jumped into a diatribe about how much sugar they had in them and how I really ought to be eating something else. She then went to her office and came back with three different "protein" bars that she likes.

Two were Special K bars...one was their meal bar, the other a smaller "snack bar"...and the third was an Atkins Advantage bar. What I had to explain to her was a) I wasn't eating the Clif Bar as a "protein" supplement or anything like that...that it was simply my way of getting some nutrition in me in the mornings when I am on the road (I really don't do breakfast...ever). And that b) though the Clif Bar maybe has more sugars and thus a few more calories in it, it has WAY less fat, more potassium and less sodium than any of the bars she was offering me (the Atkins bar is only 170 calories, but of that 100 are from fat...in my opinion, unless you are actually ON the Atkins diet, this is not really the way you want to be eating on a regular basis). Of course, my most adamant argument with all foods, was that my Clif Bar was made with "real food" ingredients...like organic rolled oats, organic soy beans, and sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup and the other myriad of unpronounceable ingredients in her bars. And because my bar was packed full of real soy and rolled oats, it actually filled me up rather than me having to try to pretend I was full after eating a much smaller, much more chemical bar. I mean really, why does a protein bar need dye in it?

Anyway, I am sure she thought I was nuts, but in the end conceded that I did know about what I was eating and took her bars back to her office.

She is a nice enough lady and we got along great regardless of the crazy food incident, but it isn't the first time that has come up during my travels. I am also somewhat amused because she was telling me about her personal training sessions and how she is disappointed that she isn't loosing more weight with the work she's been putting in. I kept my mouth shut and just did the generalized sympathizing thing, but if I remember correctly, sugar is much easier to burn overall than fat is...and based on the way she told me she was eating these protein bars (like in between meals rather than as meal substitutes) I wasn't all that surprised that she wasn't shedding the pounds.

I mean, it is all in moderation, right. If all I eat is sugar and no fat, I will still have issues. Whatever. You go do what you think is best for you, and I will go do what I think is best for me. Now, if we could just get an electrician to call us back so I could have use of my treadmill once again...

Labs

Nov 6, 2009
5 comments

This morning as I took first Moo then Sadie out for their mid morning potty breaks there was a TON of crashing through the bushes down in the clearing. Finally, I caught a glimpse of two, very happy, very free yellow labs! LOL They both look healthy - one is definitely younger than the other. My guess is maybe mom and kid or something like that. The younger one was bouncing and jumping on the other one and putting on play moves. The older one was just enjoying being out and smelling smells.

I called to them, but they just looked up at me and then went romping off the other way. I will check around this afternoon while I am out and about to make sure there aren't any posters up looking for them. And I will check to see if they are still around this afternoon/evening...if so, I will try to entice them with some food and will put an old dog bed and some blankets on the patio for them since it is getting really chilly overnight.

Sadie wanted to go play with them - Moo didn't see them, but I think she smelled them because she got into an excited play stance too.

I am hoping they live around here and just made a quick break for it and will be back home safe and sound soon! Seeing them has made me realize that I am really not set up to help pups if they come along. I am not sure how Moo would be with another dog or dogs in her house...she definitely gets scared-agressive toward unknown people. I wouldn't have worried about dogs except after the attack by the neighbor dog, I think she is more on edge about that sort of thing now. Hopefully, we won't ever have to find out, but I'd also like to be more able to help if dogs came along that really needed it. I guess it is time to finally get around to cleaning out the garage...if I do, there is plenty of safe shelter room out there.

I got hung up on...

Oct 29, 2009
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in favor of the pizza delivery guy. Joy.