WAS THAT A MOUNTAIN LION?

At 2:15 am I let Happi out to pee before I caught my flight to Arizona.  While she was peeing, I heard a deep growl somewhere high like up in a tree or on a fence.  I grabbed my supersoaker and started spraying the area with water.  I rushed her inside.  The growl was like the type you hear in the big cat section in the zoo.  We have coyotes but it didn’t sound like a coyote.  We have raccoons but it didn’t sound like a raccoon.  

I filed it away and finished packing and went to the airport.  I discussed it with my taxi driver.  There had been a mountain lion sighting a ways away but that would have been a far way to travel.  I warned my dog sitter and that was that. 

I arrived in Flagstaff, Arizona after a quick change of planes in Phoenix.  I am in Sedona for a vortex healing retreat.  When I got to Flagstaff, I decided that since my hotel room was not available until 4pm I would drive to The Grand Canyon.  I had been there 25 years ago when I drove across the country by myself. 

Well, the Grand Canyon has not changed.  It looks exactly the same.  The only difference is that it costs $30 now to see it.  I hear come January 1, it will cost $70 so I guess I got a bargain! After walking around the south rim and Mather point, I got back in my car and drove to Sedona.  

I got to my hotel at exactly 4pm for check in.  It was a lovely Best Western.  I was now starving.  One of the best attributes of this hotel was the shuttle.  Their shuttle would drive you anywhere on the half hour.  Sedona is broken up into four sections: Uptown (which should be called downtown), West Sedona, Tlaquepaque and another I can’t remember.  I went to Uptown to get some food.  Uptown has a bunch of shops that sell t-shirts and tchotchke ( you know do-dads, key rings, crystals, jewelry, etc.).  It also has some restaurants.  I found a pizza place that had vegan pizza.  It was the flat crust kind.  I ate the whole pie.  I had not eaten a meal in 14 hours.  I was starving.  I went back to the hotel and went to sleep.  It has been a long day.

The view from my hotel

 Until tomorrow…

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

I was doing laundry and the washer was acting up.  The clothes were coming out more wet than they should have after a full cycle.  The washer was making noise like it was off kilter. I checked it with a level and it is level.  I am worried it is something worse.  The book says it could be that the drum is out of whack.  It gives directions on how to fix it.  Maybe a neighbor will help me try to fix it.

If not I have two choices: get a technician to come fix it or chuck it and get a whole new washer.

I kinda feel like everything is starting to fall apart.  I guess it is that time.  Kind of like when you buy a car and have it for a number of years.  At a certain point things start to happen.  The breaks go, the clutch goes, the shocks need replacing.  My home is at this point.  Cracks in the stucco, it needs to be painted, the washer is dying, I need a plumber to fix the downstairs. 

Until tomorrow...

ROOFER CAME TO HELP

I called the roofer first thing in the morning and he came right over.  Last night I looked up and saw that my living room ceiling had some bubbling.  It was dried bubbling but I had never seen it before.  It rained about 1-1/2 weeks ago.  Is my roof leaking?  I thought my roofer said my roof would last for many years.

The roofer got up on the roof and checked it out.  He said the roof looked good.  It is going to last for many more years.  The problem is my stucco cracked along the top of my house and the water is probably leaking in there.  The roofer came down and got his caulking and went back up and caulked the cracks.  He said I was such a good customer that he did it for me (I think he felt bad for me!) and would not take any money.  He knows I will call him in a few years to get my roof done again.

Until tomorrow...

AGILITY SET SOON TO ARRIVE

I decided that Lucky needs to do some work.  She gets bored sometimes and gets in trouble.  She steals pieces of paper and pens and other things.  She chews on them and just tries to get my attention.

I bought an agility set.  It has a high jump, tunnel and weave poles.  She will be learning to jump over a pole, go through a tunnel and run through poles.  It should be fun.  She needs some exercise.  Happi can also work on the easy stuff.

I can't wait to get the set.

Until tomorrow...

EMILY SALIERS CONCERT

I visited with some friends this afternoon.  It was nice to catch up.

In the evening I went with H to see Emily Saliers (one half of the Indigo Girls) perform.  Her opening act  was Lucy Wainright Roche, the daughter of one of The Roche's.  I have seen Lucy perform before and I thought she was much better this time.  Maybe it was because I had seats this time and I was now familiar with her music.

Emily Saliers was good.  Her solo music is interesting.  Some of it I liked a lot and some of it was a bit out there.  Overall it was a good night.  For the second half I had a person sitting next to me who was texting and facebooking throughout.  I find that so annoying and distracting.

Until tomorrow...

HAIRCUT FINALLY

After three months, I finally got my haircut.  There are a few reasons I haven't gotten a haircut. 1) I was saving money, and 2) I missed the "zone" to get my haircut.  The zone is when you have a certain time frame to get your haircut that leaves you enough time to get your haircut again before an event. 

Example: a week before your event you want your haircut so you would get your haircut approximately 6 weeks before that. If you miss that window, it starts to not make sense to get your haircut as each week goes by since you will have to get a haircut at 3 weeks and at 1 week before your event.  I would rather just wait.

The hair stylist told me he cut off about three inches of hair.  More hair was on the floor than on my head!

I felt so much lighter.

Until tomorrow...

THOR

 I went to see Thor: Ragnarok today with some friends. We went to the 3D IMAX.  In the past I have not been too thrilled with the IMAX seats. They don't recline and are very upright. This time I didn't mind it so much because the movie was not as long.

I loved Thor. I really liked the 3D. If you follow my blog, you know I don't always think 3D is necessary. The 3D in this movie really enhanced it.  I recommend this movie.

There was also a preview for the upcoming Black Panther. I am super excited for that movie. The 3D effects in the preview we're amazing!

Until tomorrow...

UPDATE ON HAPPI

I spoke to the veterinarian today about Happi. I told him that Happi had been vomiting in the morning.  He said to stop the Pepcid for now. He had never heard of Pepcid upsetting any dogs tummy.

If that did not work, we would have to stop one of her painkillers that might be upsetting her tummy.

We have a doggie dental appointment on November 28th. Too bad we have to wait so long but the holiday is causing a scheduling problem.

Until tomorrow...

NEW GARDENER

My new gardener came today to clear out the yard.  My old gardener moved to the mid west to go to grad school.  The new gardener is very nice and worked out great.  She got rid of most of the ivy (that drives me nuts!) and weeded the yard.  The yard looks fabulous.

Until tomorrow...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The day started out with an emergency trip to the vet for Happi.  Poor Happi has been licking her lips for weeks now.  At first I thought it was from the medicine she was taking but she does it all night long and drives me crazy.  She has been begging for her medicine.

She has also been having shaky legs during her walks.  I know she is getting older and things are going to happen.  I saw a doctor a month or so ago and he said he thought it was just her back pain.

Today I went to see the doctor that she has seen for years at the same practice.  He knows her well.  I told him she is getting older now and he said she is in such good health she has many years ahead.  He said he thinks it may be her teeth.  She has had such good teeth she has never had to have them cleaned but just recently they have looked not so good.  The other doctor said he would not clean them.  Her regular doctor said of course he would clean them and tried to get her in today as an emergency cleaning.  They could not but they are going to try to fit her in as soon as possible.  He thinks maybe her teeth are bothering her.  She could have an infection that we can't see and that is why she is licking her lips.  Also why she wants more medicine at night.

So the plan is to 1) give her some pepcid to see if it is a tummy issue for a week.  2) get a teeth cleaning as soon as possible. 3) after the pepcid give her some more painkillers as needed.  That should get her fixed up.

Halloween was not as busy as I expected.  I put a sign at the end of the block pointing kids down the block so they would come down and get candy.  I bought three bags and gave away 1.75 bags.  I bought 1 bag too many.

Until tomorrow...