HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND THE CONTINUING SAND SITUATION

Happy Halloween!  It was a slightly rainy evening so there were only a handful of trick-or-treaters.  I have a ton of candy left for my candy bowl.  Lots of laffy taffy, bottle caps, gobstoppers, smarties, and sweettarts leftover.

The sand will be delivered around 9 am tomorrow.  I drained the pond the best I could.  I reserved the three people to come move the sand.  I moved my car into the spot where the sand will be delivered.  Everything is set. Now if Mother Nature will cooperate, it will not rain. 

I was just thinking about something that happened this weekend.  I wanted your feedback.  I was at a gathering where there were a small group of people who didn't know each other very well.  I brought vegetables and dip.  One of the people there started eating the vegetables and he started double dipping in the dip.  He would take a bite of the celery and then dip the part where he just bit in the dip.  He then picked up these bread sticks and started doing it with the bread sticks double dipping two and three times with each bread stick.  Also, when we arrived, he mentioned that his son was ill and he was coming down with it.

If I was at home and I was the only person eating my tub of hummus, in my opinion, it is fine to double or triple dip.  But in a group setting, in my opinion, it is inappropriate to double dip.  Especially if you are "coming down with something."  Sorry I don't want to eat dip with your germs on it.

What is your opinion on this riveting subject?  Many of you have compromised immune systems.  What would you do in this situation?

I didn't eat any of the dip or the vegetables.  When I was leaving there was dip and veggies remaining and I left it with the host.

Until tomorrow...

FOSTER/ADOPT GROUP MEETING

Today was the foster/adopt training group meeting.  It was many of the folks from our month long training on how to be a foster/adopt parent.  We got together to talk about where we were in the process, what to expect in the process, etc. 

As I suspected I was the furthest along.  There were others who had their first homestudy and others who just finished their paperwork.  Everyone had a ton of questions for me. 

We talked about who was going to the holiday party and that we needed to keep in touch.

I realized that I forgot to buy Halloween candy.  I had to rush out and get some vegan candy.  Laffy Taffy, Smarties, Bottle Caps, Gobstoppers, Nerds, Sweettarts.  Let's hope it doesn't rain.

Until tomorrow...

SAND, SAND AND MORE SAND

I finally ordered the sand to fill the pond.  I have 3.7 cubic yards of sand being delivered on Tuesday.  I have to hire some workers to move the sand from the street to the backyard but that can't happen until I know the delivery time.  I am just so excited that it is going to happen.   I had to chose the type of sand that I wanted.  Who knew there were so many types of sand?  I got the cheapest type of sand to fill the pond and will put the nice kind on the top to make it look pretty.

I met a friend D for tea and I watched the movie "Lucy".  It was a wild movie. 

Until tomorrow...

BRACE YOURSELF

Today is the day Happi got her wrist brace. We went to the orthopedic prosthetic specialist and she had made a little brace for Happi's front leg. It took a while to get it on Happi's leg. It reminded me of that movie , Dolphin Tale, where the dolphin was born without a tail and they put a prosthetic on his tail to allow him to swim.

It took forever to get the brace on Happi, she didn't like it, then she had to get used to walking with it on.  It took much longer than the doctor anticipated.  Poor Happi was getting tired but the biscuits kept her going.  Finally the brace fit and it was my turn to try to put the brace on her leg.   I would give myself a Grade C+.  I'm going to have to work on it.

This evening I met up with someone I have not seen for almost 15 years. It was super fun to catch up. We have vowed to stay I touch.  It was like the last 12 years never happened.

Until tomorrow...

EVIL SQUIRREL

The Evil Squirrel. 

Today I came home and rushed to let Happi outside.  She ran down the stairs.  I opened the door and she ran out on the deck.  She turned the corner and stopped short.  I saw a streak of gray go flying past.  Happi screamed and cried.  She ran back inside.  She ran up the stairs and went on her bed.  Her fur was up on her back and she was still crying.  I thought she was hurt.  She was not hurt so I went outside.  I had an idea what it was but I wanted to check it out.  Up in a tree was a mean squirrel.  The Evil Squirrel.  He jumped from branch to branch.  I squirted him with my Super Soaker and off he went to terrorize another animal.

I convinced Happi to come downstairs and carried her down to the backyard.  She was terrified.  I think she thought the Evil Squirrel would jump out and scare her again.  Once she peed she ran like a bat out of h*ll back in the house.  My poor baby.

Until tomorrow...

HOME STUDY #2

Today was my second home study for my foster/adoption.  Today's appointment was all about telling my story.  Who am I from conception to now.  Who is in my family.  Where did I work and go to school.  That sort of thing.  It was a longer appointment than last time probably because I had a lot to say.  I told her I would rather get it done faster.

I have one home study appointment to go.  It will include the inspection of the house.  I can't do it until I deal with the pond.  I have to fill in the pond.  I appreciate everyone's suggestions but they have told me I have to fill it with sand.  Now I am on a mission to find someone as soon as possible.

Then I have to get someone to take one photo and my neighbor will photoshop them into my profile.

Tonight my friend H and I went to a "special event" at a local movie theater.  It was a secret event and we had no idea what was going to happen.  We kind of assumed it would be a movie but it was not.  It was a viewer feedback session.  We watched a 10 minute pre-movie preview and then filled out a questionnaire.  The preview was the part of the pre-movie where they show the trivia questions, how they make the movies, commercials, etc.  In my opinion what they showed us was very chaotic.  I only liked the trivia part and the movie preview/how to make the movies section.  The rest I could have done without. 

After watching this 10 minute clip and spending 5 minutes filling out the questionnaire, we were each given 2 movies passes.  Now we are planning our movie watching before they expire on 12/31. 

Since we were done in 45 minutes, we went to get some food and talk.  

Until tomorrow...

LOCKS: THE FINAL CHAPTER

Today my kindly neighbor showed up to finish the Lock Project.  It has only taken four days to complete this project but all of my cabinets and drawers now have secure locks on them.  No human or dog will be getting in a cabinet or drawer they should not.  hurrah!

I also went this morning to the first of my two flu shots.  Due to having RA, I get two flu shots each year.  I get the first shot in October and then in December I get a "boost" shot that gets me through the rest of the year.  I have been doing this for years and other than this past year when I had meningitis, I have not gotten the flu. I guess it is working.

Until tomorrow...

LOCKS PART 3

Today we tried to install the magnetic locks again.  Unfortunately the new locks didn't arrive in time for installation.  This project feels like it is taking longer than my month of training!  Tomorrow we will try again.  Thank goodness I have a patient neighbor helping me.

Until tomorrow...

ICE CUBE TRAY CHOCOLATES

I decided to make Ice Cube Tray Chocolate Candy today.  Once I bought an ice cube tray, it was really easy.  They are really good.  I made smores and peanut butter.  In the smores I put marshmallow and graham cracker.  In the other I put peanut butter.  Yum!

I also had my helper come over and we worked on the garage again.  It is looking so good.  We found boxes of old stuff that can be shredded.  I love finding things to shred.  Get rid of it. 

Until tomorrow...

TRAINED TO SAVE A LIFE

Today I took a CPR/First Aid class for adults and pediatrics.  It was a day long class and hopefully my last day long course for a long time!  I feel like I have been in day long Saturday classes forever.  When you work all week and take day long classes on the weekend, the week never seems to end.

I now have free weekends for a while.  This was also my last course hurdle for my foster/adoption.

I learned how to do CPR, what to do if someone is bleeding, choking,and having an allergic reaction.

Until tomorrow...