DOG SITTER NEW HOME

Today we went to check out the dog sitter's new digs.  She moved in with her boyfriend in his house.  It is a great location with a great backyard.  There were four dogs at the house.  I always get worried when my dogs are going to be around other dogs.  I know they will be fine but I only really see them in our area and they are relentless about protecting me.  They think our whole block is their yard and they treat all dogs as intruders.  They loved playing with all those dogs!  There were three bigger dogs and one small dog.  Lucky just lost it when she saw her Auntie R.  Both dogs just love her.  It makes me happy to know that our dog sitter takes such good care of my babies. 

Until tomorrow...

SAFETY DRILL

Today we had our city wide safety drill.  It is so important to be ready for all emergencies.  If you participate in drills then when the emergency happens it will be rote. 

Years ago my apartment burned and it really made me realize how important it is to be ready.  I have my go-bag all ready for if something happens.  It has all my safety equipment in it.  Then we have our emergency box with all our emergency items.  Food, plastic bags, batteries, flashlights, first aid items, insurance documents and pet documents.  We have water stashed.  We could survive for three days.  We have a charger that has a USB plug so we can charge a phone by winding a crank.  I won't be able to have long conversations but I could send a text. 

For the first day or so we could barbecue/cook on the barbecue a bunch of food.  Or hook up our camp stove.  After that we will be eating a bunch of soup and canned veggies.  It will not be exciting food but it will be food.  We buy canned food at Costco and in a pinch we can always eat that.  Take some canned tomatoes and mix in some canned corn and peas and heat it up.  Maybe throw in some canned black olives.  Then depending on the situation, if we have water and can heat it up, cook some pasta and voila! dinner!

The drill went well and I had a good time.  At first when I got there I was not that thrilled about being there.  I sat back and watched everyone at the drill mill around.  Then I got involved and began to have fun.  I did triage, put out a fire and learned all about how to get someone out of a car with a live electrical wire in the immediate vicinity.  (the bunny hop, believe it or not).  The day ended up being fun and interesting.

Until tomorrow...

JUST SO TIRED

I had a hard time sleeping last night.  I won't go into why but suffice it to say I am exhausted today.  Plus I had to get up extra early for a 8 am phone call, then a 8:30 phone call, then a client at 10 am one hour drive away.  It was go, go, go all day.  Some one told me I looked mad but I was just tired.

I just want to sleep tonight. Wish me luck!

Until tomorrow...

MY LEG FEELS BETTER

Today my leg feels better already.  Yesterday I slipped on the hardwood floor and pulled a muscle in my leg.  I was having a problem getting up from the seated position and walking.  Today I am feeling better so I think I am on the road to recovery. 

Until tomorrow...

PULLED A MUSCULE, I THINK

Last night I slipped on the floor.  Okay, it was stupid.  I was wearing socks and we have hardwood floors.  I got off balance and next thing I know, my foot slipped and now the inside of my thigh is killing me when I walk, get up, sit down.  Basically do anything but sit still. 

Last night I took two Advil PMs but still I must have woken up 10 times.  Every time I rolled over I think.  Makes me wish I had some of those pain killers left over!  Ha ha.  I am sure in a few days I will be good as new.  I think it is a pulled muscle.  At least I hope it is.   We shall see.

Until tomorrow...

PHILOMENA

I thought I had written about this before but I can't find the post so maybe I didn't.   Today I viewed part of the movie Philomena.  If you have never see bit, it is about a woman who got pregnant when she was a teenager in Ireland.  In those days girls were taken to convents or homes for unwed mothers.  These places kept the girls until they gave birth.  As soon as the babies were born, the child was ripped from the mother and adopted out. Many times to American families.  There was no consent, no paperwork in many cases.  Many of the girls were cast out by their families.  Philomena was one of these girls and she decided to go in search of her son in America.

Years ago I had a volunteer who found out from his adopted parents that he was born in Ireland.  Little by little the story came out that he was a baby born to a teenage mom in a convent home for unwed mothers.  He did some searching and found his mom.  She came over from Ireland.  It is was so interesting to be his friend while he went through this process.  He was so brave.  It must have been so hard to learn all this information and then meet your biological mother.

Until tomorrow...

HILLARY RUNNING

Okay, however you want to vote is none of my business.  I just have an interesting comment. 

So Hillary Clinton announces she is running for president and the first news story I read is about her logo.  Not about her policies or her stance on Cuba or ISIS.  No.  Her logo.  Do we like it?  Why is the arrow pointing to the right? Is it ripped off from Wikileaks. 

I guess we have come a long way (said with sarcasm) from the days when the first thing we talked about was what she was wearing and what her hair looked like.  Will women ever be treated the same way as men?  I can't wait until the day comes when the Fashion Police rips apart what Jeb Bush is wearing to an event or talks about the fact that the hair dye he uses just isn't the right shade.  Or Marco Rubio didn't wear the right color shoes with that suit or his lapels were too big for this season.

Or maybe we could just stop caring about this trivial stuff in our politicians and care if they are spending our money wisely and keeping our troops safe and doing OUR bidding instead of their own on matters of policy.  Hey, do what we elected them to do.  Wouldn't that be nice?  Hey, just my opinion.  I think her logo looks just fine.  In two years no one is going to care anyway. 

Until tomorrow...

WALKED A STREET FAIR

Today I went to a street fair to take photos and walk around.  It was a nice day and it had great potential.  I packed a lunch and took a few buses to my destination.  I really should have driven but in the spirit of the day I wanted to save on fossil fuels. 

I got to my destination after two buses, a shuttle and short walk.  I began walking and quickly realized I was not going to get many photos.  I like to take photos of things.  Kids doing things, interesting murals, pets, foliage, landscapes and such.  This street fair was in a bit of a downtrodden part of town along a street car line.  One side of the street was closed to traffic and the other still had the train going and cars driving.  There were long expanses between tents and activities where there was nothing going on and there were no buildings but overgrown lots and broken down or boarded up buildings.  Closed shops and closed up shops were everywhere.  As you can gather it was a nice place to bike and walk but not an over abundance of photo opportunities for me.  I walked a far distance and enjoyed my picnic lunch in a small park-let.  I got to see another part of town that I usually drive through, when I go there at all.  There are some cute little restaurants that I may check out in the future.  Overall it was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.  I took a faster way back using the train.
Until tomorrow... 

GARAGE SALE

Today I had a garage sale.  My whole neighborhood had a garage sale.  I made a whole $4.  There was not a very good turnout for the stuff I was selling.  I had audio books on CD and frames (nice ones) and some other stuff like a room shampooer and a hot tub cover.  None of this stuff sold.  I sold some painted decorative shovels, a wine rack and a child's toy.  I am taking all the leftover stuff to the Goodwill.  I will take the tax write off just to get it out of the house.  I may keep one of the audiobooks for my car.  I have been getting tired of listening to the radio.  Maybe an audiobook would be fun.  I spend about 1.5 hours in the car a day.  I could finish an audiobook a week. 
It was fun sitting outside seeing my neighbors.  Where will I spend all my profits?? 

Until tomorrow...

I HAVE BEEN AWAY FOR SOME TIME

I know I have been inconsistent for some time now.  It is a combination of things.  Life, lots of work, training Lucky, being a bit tired.  All of these things have made me very inconsistent with blog posting. Some days I write the post but I am so far behind on my posts from other days that it takes me days to catch up.  Last week I wrote a post and needed a photo and it took me all week to download the photo from my camera.  I need to get more organized.

Until tomorrow...

SNEAKERS

Today I went shopping for a new pair of sneakers.  My current sneakers should have been given a burial quite some time ago.  The seems have split and the treads are worn out.   They are also not so white anymore.

I went to Footlocker and they didn't have the model that I wanted.  I have always bought New Balance made for Arthritis wearers.  Footlocker didn't have the model in the store.  I came home and ordered the sneakers online.  I bought a better model after reading the reviews.  They should arrive in about 5 days.  They are white with light blue.  I am excited to get new sneakers.

Until tomorrow...

A FULL NIGHTS SLEEP

Lucky got a full night's sleep.  We moved her cage downstairs and she slept in the cage.  I thought it would be hard to get Lucky in the cage but the opposite occurred.  She ran in the cage and laid down.  She was so happy to sleep in the cage.  No more getting up all night, patrolling the bedroom.  She only has to patrol her cage.  I slept the whole night too.  It was great!

I went to see my dermatologist today.  I have not been to her office for one year.  It was like arriving at Cheers.  The whole staff was giving me hugs and welcoming me.  We missed you!  How have you been!?  It was very nice.  Turns out I have a bit of rosacea.  Nothing serious.

Until tomorrow...

SKYPE WITH BEHAVIORIST

Today was the Skype meeting with the behaviorist for Lucky.  It was very informative.  I showed the behaviorist the layout of the house and Lucky's new pen and cage.  We made some adjustments, moving the cage into the corner and the pen out of the middle of the living room.  Lucky seems to like the adjustments and is less growly but it has only been a few hours.

The plan is to decrease her anxiety so she will be calmer.  A calmer dog is a happy dog.  With these pens and cages Lucky is happier that she doesn't have to patrol the whole house.  She only has to monitor her pen and cage.  She is so much calmer.

Another check in in two weeks!

Until tomorrow...

TEA CUP MISSING

I lost my tea cup.  I am devastated.  Okay maybe not devastated but really, really upset.  I know what happened to it but I can't get it back.  I was in a parking garage and I had to pay for my ticket.  I kept pushing the receipt button but nothing came out.  I put my tea cup on top of the machine where you pay for the parking ticket in order to try to get the receipt.

No receipt came out and I took the parking ticket over to take a photo of it so I would have some evidence for tax purposes.  While doing all this, I forgot about my tea cup sitting on top of the machine.

Hours later I remembered about the tea cup and asked someone to run down and look for it.  It was gone.  Two days later I went to the building and asked if there was a lost and found.  There isn't.  So the tea cup is gone.

Now you are probably asking why I am making such a big deal.  Go buy another tea cup.  My car has a very small cup holder and a low threshold for any cup height.  It took me forever to find a stainless tea cup with a top that fit in my car.   I bought that one years ago.  I worry I won't find another one that will fit.  It can't be bigger than a soda can.  I have not seen another like the one I owned.

I looked on Amazon but I could not find one.  I will have to go from store to store and try to find one.  Ergh!

Until tomorrow...

MADE SOME AWESOME SOUP

I was thinking about what to make for Easter and then it rained.  It rained.  IT RAINED!!  So I decided to make soup.  It just seemed like a day to make soup.  It is supposed to rain tomorrow too so soup seems like a good thing to have around to eat.  Let's hope it rains a lot, my pond could use the water.

The soup I made was a Chard, White Bean and Potato Soup.  I got it from Vegetarian Times.  It turned out really good.  Ripping up the chard took the longest time.  It was really easy to cook and it tastes great.

Until tomorrow...

DRESSED LIKE A BUNNY

Today I went grocery shopping and I got a funny surprise.  My grocery clerk was dressed in a Easter bunny costume.  It was cute although some might say spooky.  I think dressing up in costume is fun and whimsical.  As long as it isn't spooky clown costumes.  They creep me out.

Happy Easter!

Until tomorrow...

GOOD FRIDAY

It is interesting to me how different things are important in different parts of the country.  Back East Easter is a big thing.  I don't know if it is a big thing in the Mid-West or the South but I know it is a big thing in the East.  The Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Maundy Thursday, and Easter Sunday.  The whole tradition of it.  Buying an Easter outfit with new shoes.  The dying Easter eggs, Easter egg hunt and Easter candy in a basket.  The ham and green bean casserole and pie.  Deviled Eggs with the dye soaked through.

On the West Coast it just isn't such a thing.  Sure people have Easter but it isn't such a big thing on such a mass scale.  I am not sure why but I find it interesting.  

Happy Easter Weekend!

Until tomorrow...

LUCKYS PEN

Lucky got more than a new cage but she also got a new pen.  Kind of like a baby pen for a toddler.  She seems to be fine with it.  I didn't think she would like it but she goes right in and goes to sleep.  It keeps her contained and keeps her from running around being anxious all the time.  Here is a picture of it:

She has her little bed and she gets some sun in the afternoon.  She is not in it all day just for part of the day.

Until tomorrow...

TAIKO

I can't believe it has been 9 years since our dog Taiko passed away.  For those of you new to my blog, Taiko was my neighbor's dog.  My neighbor Todd passed away from lung cancer (despite never smoking) at the age of 36.  His family could not take his dog after he passed so we adopted his dog.  We had Taiko 9 months before Taiko passed away also from cancer. He was a very sweet dog who took every opportunity to steal food. 

Until tomorrow...