The Adventures of a K9 Mom

Day 4

2011-05-04T22:01:00.000-04:00

Days 2 and 3 were just too painful to write about! :-) On a serious note, this is a lot harder than I thought. My compulsion to turn on the TV has been overwhelming...until today. Today I came home, fed the dogs, took a walk, worked on laundry...all good stuff. I still wanted to watch TV, but it wasn't an overwhelming desire. For now, I am content to watch Indiana fight with her pink dinosaur, the cats goofing around in the bath tub and Chloe and Bunnie running while they dream doggie dreams...way better than TV.

The Challenge

2011-05-02T16:57:00.000-04:00

OK, the challenge that I was given is as follows: Youmay not watch any TV for 31 days-so the entire month of May. By no TV, I mean no TV shows, no movies, no video games etc. That includes no watching shows online. When I accepted the challenge, I really did not think it was going to be too hard for me. I mean, I do watch TV every now and again, but I did not think it was a big deal. I thought, sure, this will be no problem. WELL I WAS WRONG! This is only day 2 and I am already considering caving in. I was supposed to be doing this with 2 co-works, but they abandoned this challenge for another one that includes not eating sugar, grains, dairy etc for 31 days. So, I am faced with a choice, 31 days of no TV or 31 days of eating meat and vegetables. OK, I will take the no TV challenge! I mean if I am not watching TV, I need chocolate or chips or SOMETHING! Agent Booth, I will miss you and Dr. Brennan. Until June 1st....

The Day Before...

2011-04-21T16:34:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow my office is closed for the Easter holiday. A bonus day to get all of my chores done! I have a huge to do list. My house is a disaster. There is laundry that needs to be washed, vacumming that needs to be done, garbage that needs to be taken out, a ton of stuff that needs to be put away. But, I know what will happen instead. I will go home, curl up with the fur kids and enjoy an evening where I don't have to be anywhere, think about anything, clean anything or do anything. Ahhh....

Indiana Dandelion

2011-04-11T16:08:00.000-04:00

We have a new addition! Indiana, or Indi for short. She is a sweet Border Collie girl with LOTS of personality! Everyone is settling in well. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by to visit. Indi LOVES company!

The NEW Adventures of a K9 mom

2011-01-03T16:40:00.000-05:00

So, it is a new year. We all know what that means...new year resolutions. And mine always include some kind of weight loss/fittness one. And this year is no different. This time I am taking a new approach. I am only resolving to TRY and eat better. To TRY and exercise. Maybe with less pressure I will succeed? One can always hope! The shoes are out of the box, the new exercise pants have been purchased and washed, the pedometer has a new battery and my iPod has a sleeve to rest in on my arm as I run.

Here is to trying!

2 new fur kids

2010-09-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

Here are the new members of the tribe! Oscar and Felix. I adopted them from Purr Partners Rescue. They are 7 month old litter mates that were rescued from a local shelter.

After we lost Otto, the girls and I really needed some new life in the house. We were not ready for a new dog (and still aren't) but I thought kittens might be ok. And it turned out to be a match made in furry heaven! Of course my being allergic to cats presented a problem, but it was nothing that Benedryl and Zyrtec couldn't fix! They are so much fun and make me laugh all the time. I will write more about their antics and I think Bunnie and Chloe probably have a few words to say about them, but for right now, just check out their incredible cuteness!

In the negative

2010-09-01T14:50:00.000-04:00

I have had a rough couple of days. So, to rid my karma of all of this negative energy, I am going to post all the things that are driving me crazy right now:
It is illegal to drive while listening to an iPod, yet I can’t find any specific information on it being illegal to READ THE NEWSPAPER WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 540 at 70 miles per hour. I think listening to my iPod is way less distracting.

It annoys me that my car has to be safety inspected. Really? How about inspecting the guy reading the paper…

When you see a sign that says FREE FLOW LANE-that means you FREELY FLOW INTO THE NEXT LANE!!! Don’t stop. That is what a STOP sign is for.

My car is not invisible. Please do not cut me off. I am trying to get somewhere just like you are.

Also, tailgating is annoying. If I can see you picking your nose when I look in my rearview mirror you are too close. BACK OFF!!!!

Hmmmm….I see a pattern here….

In honor of Otto

2010-08-20T13:59:00.000-04:00

On July 11, 2010 I lost my Otto. He went to the Rainbow Bridge with me holding him and telling him how much I loved him. I know it was the right thing to do-to let him go-but it was the hardest thing I have ever done. I always wondered how I would know when the time came. How do you make a decision like that? I have been afraid of that day for years. And it finally came. I never thought Otto would be the first of my fur kids to leave me, but he was so sick. I just could not let him suffer. He was the best boy and I miss him every single day. I know he is running around Dog Heaven (yes, I do truly believe there is one) barking and eating as many treats as he wants. His friends are there: Finn, Zack, Sophie, Beau and Max and so many others. I will never forget how soft his ears were or how sweet he was when you got one of his very rare kisses. Otto, I will always love you and you always be my most special boy.

Where am I?

2010-08-09T15:09:00.000-04:00

Wow, it has been a long time since I blogged. And so much has happened (some happy and some down right AWFUL)! I guess I need to update the 3 people who read this. So here it goes, hold on because it is going to be a bumpy ride!

A Short Ode to Chloe, on Her Birthday

2010-03-30T10:43:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Chloe! You turn 14 today. I am so proud to be your dog mom. You are such a good girl and I love you so much. You have been with me through the darkest times of my life and have been my comfort and joy. I can only hope that I have been half as good to you as you have been to me.

I love you Bumble Bee!!

Happy Moment # 1

2010-02-18T09:39:00.000-05:00

The look on my niece's face when she saw that I was still wearing the plastic pony bead bracelet that she made me for Valentine's Day.

Let it Snow

2010-01-30T11:43:00.001-05:00

Well, we have our first official snow stormof 2010 here in North Carolina. And I already have cabin fever. In theory, I love a good snow storm and resulting snow days. It is so comforting to think about staying home, cozy in flannel pjs bottoms, sweatshirts and socks. Watching t.v. shows on dvr, taking naps whenever you want, eating cereal for dinner and pizza for breakfast. And then there is the reality; dogs constantly wanting to go out, tracking in snow every 30 minutes, worrying about the power going out because it is sleeting, empty dvr and not being able to go anywhere. This time, I am going to try and make this snow day a day I always want. A day where I don't worry about getting here and going there, trying to get 500 things done and worried about what time it is.

It is noon-time for breakfast!

2009-12-08T10:09:00.000-05:00

So, I have been very neglectful of my blog lately. I think it is because I feel like I have to post something meaningful or wise each time. And lets be honest; I am neither wise nor do I think meaningful things all the time. So, I decided to do my blog a little more like Facebook or Twitter. You know, little short updates, or goofy things I am thinking about. We will see how this goes. Here is the first one: (I know, you are super excited, right? Ha ha)

I went to Target last night to get some Christmas lights. Just the basic 100 lights on green wire type. I know I should buy the expensive LED lights, they are more energy efficient and better for the environment. And if you know me, you know I am all about being green, recycling, reducing my carbon foot print…except when it comes to Christmas lights. I can’t see paying $14.99 for 100 LED lights when I can pay $2.49 for 100 regular lights. I know the other ones last longer but really? I mean they come out once a year and half the time you have to replace bulbs etc. I just don’t have time for that. I know I am lazy. but the regular ones do say they are now 40% more energy efficient. But I am getting off topic…

So I went to Target and could not find the lights that I wanted. There were, net lights, icicle lights, Fancy LED lights for inside in all shapes and colors, rope lights…but no regular, run of the mill multi lights on green wire. So I asked the salesperson about it. The conversation went something like this:

Me: “Hi, I can’t seem to find the boxes of 100 multi lights”.
Mr. Target: “That is because we don’t have any out”.
Me: “Oh, well do you know when they will put more out”?
Mr. Target: “Nope. I don’t think we will be re-stocking”.
Me: “Oh, so you are not re=stocking tonight”?
Mr. Target: “Nope, we are not re-stocking at all. We are sold out and no, I don’t think we will be getting any more of those lights”
Me: “but it is only December 7th. There are almost 3 weeks left until Christmas”…
Mr. Target: Shrugs and walks off

So, I am perplexed as to how Target can be sold out of lights. I mean come on folks. There are 17 more days until Christmas! What do you mean you are out of lights? I had to go to another Target where I did find them but even there, they had very few. I heard that stores were going to be ordering less merchandise this year so as not to be stuck with a whole lot after Christmas. I get that. But there should still be basic lights available. Bah Humbug!

Looks like "I need a little Christmas NOW"!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T09:07:00.000-05:00

Well it is that time of year again when families and friends gather for a big turkey dinner and plan their shopping strategy for "Black Friday" (ok, at least that is what my family does after dinner)!

I started to think about Thanksgiving and everything that I have to be thankful for. And really, there were too many things to think about! And that is a good thing. No a great thing! I am thankful for everything that I have (family, dogs, friends, house, car, job..) and everything that I don't (illness, strife, loneliness, poverty..).

I wish for you all things to be thankful for.

Do you ever feel like this?

2009-11-02T09:46:00.000-05:00

Hair Dos

2009-10-02T09:51:00.000-04:00

I am obsessed with my hair. That sounds so vain doesn’t it? And if you know me than you know "vain" is not a word that describes me. However, when it comes to my hair, I guess that I am. And I freely admit that...

For example, I very rarely wear make up on the weekend. Maybe for church, but even that is rare. But my hair has to look good. I can have some ratty tshirt and old sweat pants on but my hair has to be just so. I am not sure how this happened. But I can remember even being that way in high school.

My bathroom is full of hair products from shampoos and conditioners to pomades and hair sprays. I have flat irons and round brushes and flat brushes and hair clips of every type. And I am always looking for new stuff. A spray to make your hair shiney...I want that!

Maybe I am this way because my hair and my eyes are the only two parts of me that I really like. Maybe it is because I feel like that is one thing that I have control over.

So if you see me, tell me my hair looks good. ;-)

2009-09-04T10:48:00.000-04:00

My sister-in-law wrote a post on her blog today that got me thinking. (If I was smart enough I would link to it, but I am not today.) The gist was that there are professional sports people out there making millions of dollars for playing a game-that’s right it is only a game-and we have people in this country that can’t go to the doctor because they have no health insurance. There are elderly people who have worked their entire lives and they are faced with having to chose between buying their medications or food for the week. I can’t fathom it. And yes, I know there are people out there trying to beat the system and get something for nothing but seriously how many of those do you think there are? There are always going to be those that want to take the easy way out, but for the majority, they are out there working as hard as they can to make it, and all it takes is one illness to destroy everything. And that is not right. It should not be that way.

Do I have the answer for this problem? No, I don’t. In fact I don’t even understand all of the jargon that is being used in the healthcare debate. But what I do know, is that something has to change.

Worry Wart

2009-08-24T11:30:00.000-04:00

So I am an overachiever when it comes to worrying. I mean I am an expert at it – which is why this weekend was a marathon for me.

I found fleas on 2 of my dogs last Wednesday. I can not tolerate fleas. Not even one. They disturb me. So I have been vacuuming 3 times per day, pouring Borax powder all over the carpets and then vacuuming it up, washing all of the throw rugs, and dog beds and sheets, constantly checking the dogs for fleas, put Frontline on them as well as gave them a new pill called Capstar which kills all adult fleas on the dog. Now for most people, this would suffice. But not me. Instead, I am online researching flea infestations and what can you do to prevent them and then if you have one what can you do to stop it.

I am exhausted and worried. I mean sometimes the internet is detrimental to my psyche.

A First Time for Everything

2009-08-11T09:08:00.001-04:00

I did something this weekend that I have never done before: I went to the movies by myself. And the interesting thing is that I loved it! There was no one to wait for, no one to save a seat for, no long discussion about where to sit. I did not have to figure out who was getting the popcorn and drinks ( I just got a large cola ICEE) and who was finding the seats. It is so much easier. I think I will definitely be doing that again! And the movie was very funny. I had no idea how cute Ryan Reynolds is!

1 Hit Wonders

2009-07-09T10:17:00.000-04:00

I am so tired this morning. Why you ask? Because last night I got sucked in to watching 100 1 Hit Wonders of the 80’s on VH1 Classic. As a child of the 80’s I am pretty fascinated with anything from that era. I mean I lived it, so I like seeing things from when I was growing up For instance, parachute pants (yes, I had 2 pairs!), jazz shoes, 500 rubber bracelets, bug huge earrings…yep I had it all. And then there were the music videos. To me, still the best music ever. But I guess everyone feels that way no matter era they were a product of…

So last night I could not tear myself away from them! Here were a few of the highlights:

I Ran – A Flock of Seagulls (I saw them in concert at Duke University. Fantastic!)
I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow
Take On Me – Aha
Shake you Down – Gregory Abbott (Still like this song)
Beat So Lonely – Charlie Sexton (I don’t think I have heard this song since 1985)
They Don’t Know – Tracey Ullman (A goofy song but seriously good!)
True - Spandau Ballet
Beds are Burning – Midnight Oil (A seriously great song)
Buffalo Stance – Neneh Cherry
Video Killed the Radio Star – Buggles (The first video I ever saw, and not on MTV mind you, and still a great tune to sing a long to)
Genius of Love – Tom Tom Club (Complete “Genuis”!)
I Know What Boys Like – The Waitresses
Under the Milky Way – The Church (Still sounds amazing)
Wouldn’t It Be Good - Nick Kershaw
Voices Carry – Til Tuesday (Ok , who didn’t want to stand up in the middle of a crowded theater and sing “Hush, Hush…)

So if you were a child of the 80’s rush over to vh1.com and look for VH1 Classics. You can watch all 100 videos. You won’t be sorry. Just don’t stay up too late! ;-)

Rest in Peace MJ

2009-07-08T15:03:00.002-04:00

I was never a HUGE Michael Jackson fan although I liked his music and still do today (Smooth Criminal is an AWESOME song and the video...wow). I didn't have posters of him taped up to the walls (that space was reserved for Duran Duran, the Police and U2) but I remember heading over to the tv to see the debut of the Thriller video.

Michael Jackson and I are from the same place. He was from Gary, I was from Hammond. A few miles apart and all steel mills and refineries. His dad worked at the mills; my grandfathers, uncles and even my dad for a while did too. That is what you did when you were from "the region". I left for NC when I was 8. I think MJ left for CA when he was 9. I don't know why I felt it important to say that. I didn't know him-obviously. But I am proud to be from the Midwest, maybe he was too? Anyway...

I have heard all the stories of all the weirdness and all the scandal-how could you not? Do I believe it all? No, not all of it. Do I think he had some problems...that is an understatement. but of all the bad stuff that has been said, true or not, there is one thing that I always go back to. His children. And if you saw his daughter Paris at the memorial you can see how much they loved and adored him. And that is how it should be. He was obviously a devoted, caring, involved father. And they loved him. And that to me is what ought to be remembered right now. Was he a bad guy? Honestly, I don't know. I guess that is between God and MJ. But I came accross this in an online article:

"And all at once, Jackson wasn't the larger-than-life King of Pop, or Wacko Jacko the tabloid freak. He was a doting father who had left three adoring young children behind.
He was "Daddy."

And to me, that is it. Let his memory and his children be.

2009-06-30T16:15:00.003-04:00

I am having one of those moments. Where nothing seems to go right. Nothing. Work life, home life, financial life, you name it and it is going wrong. I get in the car after working all day and my rearview mirror falls off or I want to make a cheese sandwich and the bread is moldy and I can't buy any more because my funds are really low because I have just paid for all of Otto's meds, syringes and vet bills. But then I think about all that is good and that is what is important. I need to keep remembering all the "good stuff":

My dogs and how excited they are to see me when I get home from work.

Family dinners at my parents house and watching funny videos.

My nieces yelling "Mimi"! when I walk in the door and running over to me and give me a hug.

My friends who randomly tell me I am awesome, funny, kind or telling me "love your guts, ass eyes" (Yes, that's right, my best friends ever calls me Ass Eyes among other terms of endearment...)

Coming home to a house that is mine. It might be a mess but it is mine and comfortable and I love it.

Having a Frosty from Wendy's with my friends from work.

There are lots more and I will try to keep all of those in mind before I jump in bed, pull the covers over my head and vow to never leave the house again! :-)

2009-06-16T13:54:00.002-04:00

It has been so long since I have blogged! I can’t believe almost a month! Truth be told, I am just exhausted. Work, pet sitting, home...from everything. And then last week I learned that poor Otto is Hypothyroid and diabetic. He is being such a good boy. I am so proud of him. Hopefully he will continue to do well once I start his insulin shots.

The summer always makes me feel lazy. It is too hot to go outside and do anything, and if I do have to go out it is to do a chore like mowing the grass or picking the millons of weeds that have sprung up all over. I should be exercising. I even bought new running shoes to, well, run in. But it is either way too hot or raining-like today. Maybe it is a sign not to run! :-)

Well, to the 3 people who read this blog, I promise to try and be better about updating it!

Things I love right now...

2009-05-18T19:52:00.002-04:00

1. Poker Face by Lady Gaga-I am so addicted to this song!

2. The New Bachelorette that starts tonight on ABC. I know, I know but Jillian rocks! Everyone needs a little reality tv in their lives right?

3. One Hit Wonders from the 80s on VH1. This show brings back so many memories of sitting in my room, writing 20 page notes to my friend Susie (who I had just seen 3 hours before and would see the next morning) and wishing that Greg L would like me....Oh those were the days...

4. Malted Milk Balls from Fresh Market...still my favorite...

5. My virtual Pet Turtle George on Super Poke Pets...Yep, another time waster! :-) But it is free, fun and cute!!!

6. Lucky Brand Purses. So Awesome.

7. PTO. In other words...Paid Time Off

8. The Big Breakfast from McDonalds. Eggs, hashbrowns and a biscuit. YUM!

9. My new doctor, Dr. K. Just a great guy.

10. The show Being Erica on Soapnet. It is a bout a girl who gets to go back in time and redo the things that she regrets. Oh I so wish I could do that!

Happy Birthday

2009-04-28T09:24:00.004-04:00

Well I feel a little bad that I did not do this for Chloe and Bunnie's is just around the corner so who knows if I will remember next week so ...here are 3 birthday posts in one.

Happy 13th Birthday Chloe! You are such a good girl. So sweet and loving to your family and everyone you meet! It is hard to imagine that someone could throw you in the dumpster and you will never know how glad I am that the lady rescued you from the trash and that I adopted you. Every day that I get to spend with you and looking at your cute face is a treasure for me. I hope you are with us for many more years to come. Happy Birthday Princess Chloe Bumblebee!

Happy 10th Birthday Otto! There were times when I really wondered if you would make it through all of your illnesses but you always did and you never complained. I know that you are misunderstood by many and I wish that I could do something to change that. But always know that I love you so very much and I know what a smart, loving, happy boy that you are. You have been such a trooper about all the meds and vet visits that you have endured. It is clear how much you love your mommy and I love you too! You and your sisters never let me be lonely and I am so grateful for that.

Happy 11th Birthday Bunnie! I can't believe it has been that long since I found you lost and wandering around the front yard covered in fleas, missing big spots of hair from mange and sick. It took 3 weeks to get you to come and stay inside the house with us, but once you did I knew you would be with us forever! You are a good leader and so sweet and loving. You are always on the go and you are a master at scaring all the birds out of "your yard". You always know when I need a "kiss" and when you give me the "moo cow eyes" you know that you will get whatever you want! Thanks for helping keep everyone in line Ms. Alpha! I love you!

I know it is probably weird to some to send a post to your dogs that obviously don't read. But, these 3 have been with me through the hardest times of my life. I mean they are my kids. They never judged me or lost faith in me, even when I lost faith in myself. They are always there to help me pick up the pieces or do something goofy because they know I need a laugh. So, Happy Birthday to all of my "kids". I love you all lots and lots!

2009-04-15T19:38:00.000-04:00

I know, I am super cute!

2009-04-15T19:36:00.000-04:00

This is my studious look. Don't I look smart?

2009-04-15T19:33:00.001-04:00

Hello! I am sooooo happy that it is spring!

Like the Weather

2009-03-23T19:50:00.002-04:00

"The color of the sky as far as I can see is coal grey. Lift my head from the pillow and then fall again. With a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather. A quiver in my lips as if I might cry. Well by the force of will my lungs are filled and so I breathe. Lately it seems this big bed is where I never leave. Shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather. Quiver in my voice as I cry, "What a cold and rainy day. Where on earth is the sun hid away." I hear the sound of a noon bell chime. Now I'm far behind. You've put in 'bout half a day while here I lie with a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather. A quiver in my lip as if I might cry, "What a cold and rainy day. Where on earth is the sun hid away?"Do I need someone here to scold me or do I need someone who'll grab and pull me out of this four poster dull torpor pulling downward. For it is such a long time since my better days. I say my prayers nightly this will pass away.The color of the sky is grey as I can see through the blinds. Lift my head from the pillow and then fall again with a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather. A quiver in my voice as I cry, "What a cold and rainy day. Where on earth is the sun hid away?" I shiver, quiver, and try to wake" Like the Weather by 10,000 Maniacs

We have all heard a song and thought "That is the greaset song EVER" and then precede to play it 500 times on the CD player (ok well now an MP3 or iPod but you get it) and it becomes your favorite. And you don't really know what it means but you just love it, and it doesn't matter what it means.

I have A LOT of favorite songs and they are favorite songs for different reason but there are a few that really stand out and Like the Weather by 10,000 Maniacs is one of those songs for me. When I was younger (ok "college age") I didn't understand what the words meant. But as I got older there was this moment where I just got it. I always new the song was about someone not wanting to get up. It never occured to me that it was because she was depressed. And I don't mean depressed as in oh, I am so depressed that I don't have money for those shoes. I think when people hear someone say "I am depressed" that is what they think. And I guess it does mean that but not for me or the thousands and thousands of others that suffer from depression. I suffer from both depression and anxiety. And I mean the not able to get out of bed because you just can't face anything kind of depression. Medication helps a lot but I still struggle. Someone once asked me why I wasn't embarrased to be on medication for my depression. It's funny because until that person said that to me it never occured to me that I should be embarrased (which I'm not). Why would I be? They never explained what they meant-we kind of dropped it. But I guess that is the perception people have. Like you should just be able to get over it and move on. And there are days where I do make myself get over it, get up and go to work. Now I have coping mechanisms that I didn't have before. And I am not embarrased to admit that I need help. I don't think it makes me weak-I think it makes me stronger because I know how to fix it. So the next time you find yourself agreeing with Tom Cruise and others that people don't need a magic pill to make them feel better-remember that you have no idea what someone goes through until you walk in their shoes. And I promise that you would not want to walk in mine during that.

The Tax Man

2009-03-11T09:03:00.001-04:00

So, I am a little annoyed. At whom you ask? Well it is the NC Department of Revenue.
I filed my tax return back in February and I have not received my refund yet. I received my Federal refund in a few days. But, it appears that the state is having financial difficulties-just like the rest of us. Only unlike the rest of us, they can defer paying me my tax refund until June of this year without having to pay me interest. I guess my problem is this: it is my money. They have held on to it all year and now I need it. I have bills to pay, dogs to feed, food to buy. Don’t get me wrong, I am fine paying taxes. But when I pay more than my share I expect my refund in a timely manner. A month is not timely to me especially when you consider that the Federal Government has WAY MORE refunds to issue and they did it with no problem. So, I sit here and wait. And wait…

Snow Day in March

2009-03-04T13:33:00.005-05:00

What is up with that?

2009-02-18T11:42:00.002-05:00

What is up with the new, very weird IKEA commercials? You know the one with the “invisible” woman talking to the people who have bought their IKEA bed or cabinet? There is one where she is watching a couple sleep in their new IKEA bed and makes supposed “calming whale noises” or something to that effect. I have to say it kind of makes me not want IKEA furniture in case it comes with an invisible woman talking to me. ICK!

25 Notes about me

2009-02-12T09:15:00.003-05:00

I have been meaning to put this up for weeks now but as usual my life is crazy busy. which is great. It is better than being bored! this 25 Notes thing is going around FAcebook andI thought it was kind of fun. So here are 25 very random things about me:

25 Notes About Amy

1. I have green eyes.
2. My family calls me Mimi and I love it!
3. I have a purse problem...I like them! A lot!
4. I make jewelry and it is called Dog*Ma Etc.
5. I have 3 dogs and I love them more than anything!
6. I have the best family EVER!!! And I love them more than anything!
7. My dream vacation is to go to Wolf Park in Indiana.
8. My favorite things to eat are french fries and Nerds Ropes.
9. I have a pet sitting business.
10. I love polar bears, wolves, moose, owls, rabbits...ok all animals!
11. I want to be debt free by Christmas 2010.
12. My very best friends are my brother Chris, his wife Krista and Jenn. I can tell them anything..and have.
13. If there was a fire and I could only save one material thing it would be my baby blanket (suprised it wasn't a purse?)
14. I have a blog
15. Some of my favorite songs are "Walking on Broken Glass" by Annie Lennox, The Look of Love by ABC, and "Come and Get your Love by Redbone" (I think that is the artist)
16. I don't like mashed potatoes
17. I don't like pepper, or peppers
18. I do like tshirts and jeans and sweatshirts
19. I sing to my dogs while I vacuum
20. One of my goals for 2009 is to simplify my life-from stuff to money!
21. I take care of a feral cat colony
22. I am named after 2 of my great grandmas
23. I like naps. A LOT!
24. I go to Perpetual Adoration at church every Friday night at midnight...ok well actually it is Saturday morning
25. I am really shy

A Random Act of Kindness

2009-02-03T14:58:00.000-05:00

To Whom it May Concern:

I don’t know who you are or if you read my blog but this is the only way that I could thank you for what you did. I am completely humbled by your actions. You will never know how grateful I am for what you did. Thank you does not seem to be enough but it is all I have. So, THANK YOU.

Sincerely-

Me

If I Didn't Have Dogs. . .

2009-01-14T08:59:00.003-05:00

Someone sent this to me and I thought it was cute...and true! I don't know who wrote it, so I can't give anyone credit but I like it! Enjoy!

If I Didn't Have a Dog. . .

I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety.

My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated.

All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair.

When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel.

When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading through fuzzy bodies who beat me there.

I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I want, without taking into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.

I would have money and no guilt to go on a real vacation.

I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grandkids through college.

The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE.

My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers.

I would not talk 'baby talk'. 'Eat your din din'. 'Yummy yummy for the tummy'..

My house would not look like a day care center, toys everywhere.

My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash.

I would no longer have to spell the words B-A-L-L, F-R-I-S-B-E- E, W-A-L-K, T-R-E-A-T, B-I-K-E, G-O, R-I-D-E.

I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside.

I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties them down too much.

I'd look forward to spring and the rainy season instead of dreading 'mud' season.

I would not have to answer the question 'Why do you have so many animals?' from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.

How very EMPTY my life would be!!

A Hotel for Dogs?

2009-01-09T12:19:00.001-05:00

There is a new movie coming out next Friday called Hotel for Dogs. It is about a brother and sister who are in foster care and are not allowed to bring their dog Friday to their new home. So, they find an abandon hotel and make it in to a home for Friday and as many stray dogs as they can find around the city. This is totally something that I would have liked to have done! Except I am not smart enough to make all the gadgets the kids make. I was looking forward to taking my nieces to see this movie and then I came across this:

http://www.pedigree.com/03Adoption/Hotel%20For%20Dogs/Default.aspx?zjxj=01300004W100070W883W0

And now I am so EXCITED to take them! The Pedigree Foundation has done a lot to bring to light the plight of homeless dogs in this country. With their commercials (seriously, just thinking about the commercials make me cry…) and the money that is donated through their foundation, they have done so much to help homeless pets. Now, with every ticket to the movie that is purchased, Pedigree will make a donation up to $250,000. I think that is just amazing. Seriously, I really don’t have the extra money to be going to the movies but this is definitely an exception that I have to make! Even if the movie is dumb (which I highly doubt) I will be happy to have gone. I sort of feel like it is me giving my support to this cause-finding homes for homeless animals. And anyone who reads this blog knows how I feel about that!

You go Pedigree! (I wish I could feed my dogs your dog food but they are allergic to corn! Sorry!)

2009-01-06T18:57:00.002-05:00

I am not sure what to title this as I am not sure what I am going to say. My gramma's funeral was yesterday and there is a lot I want to say but not sure how to say it. My brother did a eulogy for my gramma and it was perfect. Sincere, emotional and even funny in all the right places. It was a perfect testament to her. I am a terrible writer. I am not good at organizing my thoughts and things just come out and it goes all over the place. Funny, that is just like my life! Anyway...

My gramma, Loretta Helen Michna Kmak was a great lady. A fitting description of her would be "a fine southern lady" except my gramma wasn't southern. She was Polish and from the "region". That is what we call the area right outside of Chicago where all the steel mill and oil refineries are and where the people who work in them live and where I am from. I am not going to go into all of that because it would take hours. But my gramma was pretty amazing. She was always dressed like she was going to church. Not a hair out of place or a fuzz on her clothes. She always looked perfect. She could cook for just one or for 50. It didn't matter. Her house was always meticulous. Not a dish in the sink or a leaf on the carpet. My grmma was a strong person. Like no one I have ever met. She put up with so much and it just made her stronger. She went out and got a job and worked to make her own money so she did not have to ask my grandpa for any.

I remember when I was first separated from my ex. I used to go to my parent's house every Saturday night and spend it with my gramma so my parents could go out to a movie. I always picked up take out from somewhere and we ate and watched Lawrence Welk on PBS. On this particular night, my brother was not there it was just me and my gramma. She asked how I was doing and I remember telling her how I did not know how I was going to get through this. I remember she told me that I was a good girl and smart and that of course I would get through it. She also told me that I didn't need a man to take care of me, I could take care of myself. And she was right.
I still struggle every day with being alone, not having money for things like vacations, lunches out or new fancy clothes. But I have something so much more and that is my family. When we finally had to put her in to a facility we went to see her every Sunday. I treasure those times because no matter what, we were all together. The last thing my gramma said to me the night before she died was "Be good" and then she hugged me and wouldn't let me go. Like she knew that was the last time she would see me. I just hope that I make her proud.

Gramma, I am trying to be good. Thanks for all you taught me. I just wish your cleaning habits would have rubbed off on me more. :-) I love you. I hope you are in peace up there with your mom and dad and brother. I will never forget you. You were a great grandma.

2009 Here I come!

2008-12-30T10:19:00.000-05:00

Wow! It has been a long time since I have posted! I guess one of my resolutions should be to pay more attention to my blog! Well, I promise to try in 2009. So I guess I have 2 days to think of some topics. Hmm…..

2008-12-18T10:45:00.001-05:00

This is going to sound goofy but I am so excited! I just my very first eagle in the wild here at work. Our building is on a lake so we see lots of wildlife; deer, fox, snakes, woodchucks and now finally an eagle. It was the most amazing thing to see it soaring out over the lake. And, it had 2 companions. Just amazing.

Good Deed # 1

2008-12-12T11:16:00.002-05:00

At this time of year lots of people donate to different causes. I thought I would higlight a few here on my blog during the weeks leading up to Christmas. I saw this on the Ihasahotdog email and it just touched my heart. So, if you can help, please do.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

2008-12-09T14:50:00.002-05:00

WOW

2008-12-03T11:57:00.001-05:00

Or in other words, Watch Out for Wildlife!

It is that time of year when it is not unusual to see deer along side the roads. It is also not unusual to see large numbers of dead wildlife on the roadsides.

Did you know that every year....

* an estimated 1.5 million animals are hit on U.S. roads?
* more than 200 people are killed in collisions with deer, elk and other wildlife?
* wildlife-vehicle collisions cause $1 billion in property damage each year? (from Defenders of Wildlife)

But what can you do to avoid these encounters? Well there are a few things:

1. First and foremost SLOW DOWN! Reducing your speed and increasing following distance between you and other cars will increase your ability to avoid colliding with a crossing animal.

2. Don’t Litter. Some species like human food and will be attracted to the scent of a tossed cheeseburger wrapper, apple core, soda bottle or piece of gum. This increases the chances of wildlife being drawn to the litter and puts them in harms way.

3. Make yourself familiar with wildlife behavior. Many species of wildlife travel in groups or herds. So if you see one there are probably more around. If one deer crosses in front of you, look for others about to cross. Most animals do not see cars as predators so they don’t know they need to move. So the deer might see you but she does not know that she needs to get out of the way. If I see deer on the roadside, I will stop my car, put on my hazard lights on to warn other drivers. Make sure if you chose this course of action that it is safe to do so. There have been numerous times that I have helped several cars avoid collisions with herds of deer by doing this.

And even thought we have the best of intentions, some times a collision is unavoidable. What should you do if you do hit an animal? There are several common sense things like pull over and put on your flashers. If the animal is injured, call a wildlife rehabilitator. I carry a list in my car that has all the numbers that I might need in a situation like that.

If you hit an animal PLEASE take responsibility for that. Of course it is an accident and unavoidable but by not dealing with an injured animal you are not only prolonging that animals suffering but you are putting other motorists in danger. For example, one morning I found an injured adolescent deer on the roadside. Someone had hit and fractured it’s leg and promptly drove off. This poor creature was lying in the cold rain and had no idea how to help itself. I ended up staying outside in the rain watching over her until the sheriff could come and put it out of its misery. It is one of the saddest things I have done but as I was standing there sobbing (you knew there would be sobbing from me right?) someone from one of the neighboring houses came out to stand with me. She thanked me for staying there with the poor little girl and also for having the courage to do the right thing. I don’t know about the courage part but when the sheriff arrived and I explained what happened, I became the coward and asked him to wait until I drove away before he did what needed to be done.

What does all this mean? Just be careful. Be observant. Be aware. You along with countless other species will be safer for it.

Want more info? Check out http://www.defenders.org

A Few of my Favorite Things

2008-11-12T14:56:00.002-05:00

Wow, it has a been a LONG time since I have done a favorite things list! Here are the latest:

Nerds Ropes-These ROCK! Little Nerd candy stuck on a Twizzler type red licorice rope. Man are they good. And the whole thing is only 2 WW points. I think. Maybe it is only 1? I might have to recalculate

Owls: As you know I love all wildlife but I seem to be having an affinity for owls these days. I made the mistake fo doing a search on etsy.com and got several hundred pages of results. Lots of cute owl stuff out there!

My new Rocket Dog shoes that my mom bought me @ TJ Maxx for $10! They are so neat!

Ihasahotdog.com This webiste makes me laugh out loud every single day!

Fuzzy, soft Pajama bottoms

My Honeywell portable ceramic space heater. It works great, helps me save propane AND makes things cozy. Love it!

100 Calorie pack of Twinkies. Need I say more?

Taking a nap in my bed...zzzzzz...

Election 08

2008-11-07T13:45:00.003-05:00

So, I have not posted anything on the election yet because, well, I just don’t know what to say. It was such a historic moment. Not only because President-Elect Obama is the first black President but for many other personal reasons for me.

For instance, this is the first time in 12 years (since the 1996 Election) that I voted for some one that I TRULY believed in. Yes, I did believe in Al Gore and to a lesser extent John Kerry, but I saw/see something in Barack Obama that I did not see in the others: passion.

Whether you like him or not, President-Elect Obama has that something. Yes, there is charisma. Yes, there is his amazing oratory skills but when he tells me that YES, WE CAN; I believe that yes we can. It isn't just words to me. We can fix the economy. We can create more jobs. We can provide health care for all the children in this country. We can save our environment and the animals that are in peril. We can find alternate forms of energy and become less dependant on foreign oil. Yes, we can. But it is going to take work. A lot of work. And sacrifice. And it won’t happen overnight.

There are those people that say we are doomed. Who knows, maybe we are. But we can't continue to travel down this same road and I don't think it will be because Senator Obama and his family is in the White House. There is the charge that we are going to become a socialist country because the new president wants to spread the wealth around. Seriously? First, I didn’t take what he said to mean that he is going to take all the money that the rich people make and give it to the poor. I think of it more along the lines that the more money you earn, the more tax you pay. That is progressive income tax. Why should rich people get all the tax breaks? And no, because you make $250,000.00 or more does not mean that you work harder than I do because I only make $35,000. I work very hard to support myself and my furry family.

I think it is time that we, as Americans, start looking inward at ourselves and see how we live. On the whole, we are a wasteful, egotistical, selfish society. And before you start cursing me, I include myself in that description. To be completely honest, I see the error in my ways and I am trying to make an effort to change. It is hard to change. And a little scary too. I get that. But something has to be done to fix the 8 years of damage that has been done to this country; monetarily, emotionally, psychologically etc… Can we do it? I hope so. Because I love my country and the planet in which I live and I hate to see it so divided, sad and unhealthy.

Adopt a Shelter Animal, Save a Life!

2008-11-03T15:42:00.001-05:00

(from I has a hotdog)

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T14:13:00.002-04:00

How cute! This photo was released by the Wildlife Conservation Society. It is a walrus baby named Akitusaaq, at the New York Aquarium. The jack-o-lantern bucket is filled with squid(AP Photo/WCS, Julie Larsen Maher) How about THAT for a treat!

Thoughts by K9 Mom

2008-10-26T21:08:00.003-04:00

Standing in Walmart buying 5 yards of hot pink tule: "I wondered if when my nieces are moms and have kids if they will tell them about their Great Aunt Mimi who dressed up like Lola from Hannah Montana and went trick-o-treating with them". And will that make Great Aunt Mimi a complete weirdo!

2008-10-16T20:22:00.004-04:00

Well, it has been quite a while since I actually wrote a post. Saying things have been crazy here would be an understatement. But, I am taking a break from the craziness to write because stuff of a political nature is bothering me. And here is that stuff:

1. All of the eye rolling by Senator John McCain in the presidential debate last night. I thought his eye balls might roll right out of his head. Yikes!

2. Same debte. Why did Senator McCain keep interupting Senator Obama? Didn't anyone ever tell him it is rude to interupt someone?

3. If someone says "Joe the Plumber" one more time, I am going stick them in the eye with Governor Palin's Polar Bear pin.

4. And speaking of that pin, can't she wear an elephant instead? I mean a Polar Bear? Really? Well, at least it isn't a wolf. Then I would REALLY have to go all "angry left" on her.

5. Have you ever seen Mrs. McCain wear the same outfit twice? Not that it bothers me, mind you. She has beautiful clothes. But wow! I have seen her A LOT, and never in the same outfit...

6. This isn't something that bothers me but I want to say it. Keith Olberman is AWESOME! MSNBC is much more fun than CNN.

7. Ok something else that doesn't bother but I want to say: Anyone want to go see "W" with me?

8. If I have to see one more negative political ad, by any party, I might need to poke my eye with Governor Palin's Polar Bear pin!

9. Oh, and if I hear "pork", "pork barrel spending" or anything else relating to pork.....well see number 3.

10. Senator McCain's laugh is SOOOOOO annoying.

11. Sarcastic "air quotes" during the debate, Senator McCain? Really? Tacky. Very tacky.

12. Why do candidates or campaign workers feel the need to put out 5-10 campaign signs in a row? I got that your candidate was running with THE FIRST SIGN!

13. Oh and could the Republicans please stop sending me glossy flyers about their candidates? You will not change my mind. Stop killing trees for me.

14. A serious Shout Out to Senator McCain who was speaking at the Alfred Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in NYC. You were funny. I mean REALLY funny! And the nice things you said about Senator Obama were touching. I may not agree with your politics but that was big of you.

15. And Senator Obama, you rocked! And your giggling was so cute! Maybe I shouldn't say cute and giggling in regards to a presidential candidate. But I do think it was cute!
Honestly, it was pretty neat to see the candiates in this type of setting. This should have been broadcast on all the networks.

LOL Part Two

2008-10-09T22:22:00.001-04:00

The best one yet! Maybe I need to stay up on Saturday and watch it live!

LOL

2008-09-30T21:02:00.001-04:00

I REALLY needed this laugh out loud moment.

sigh...sad...boo...hoo

2008-09-29T20:46:00.002-04:00

Well, I have really neglected the old blog lately. Sorry. It is just that I am uninspired. Sad really. The stock market took it's biggest fall ever, the economy stinks, oil went up again and places are running out of gas, my dog Chloe had seizures last week and I am struggling to find a bright spot. I know I am lucky and seriously I feel selfish because there are so many people who have it so much worse than me, and yet here I am wallowing in self pitty eating Buffalo Pretzel Pieces and Keeble Grasshopper cookies. So, I am going to try and get my crap together and come back cheerful, fun and who knows maybe happy!

Pieces of Flair

2008-09-18T20:44:00.004-04:00

If you are on Facebook than you know all about Pieces of Flair. They are little "buttons" that you can send to a friend for their "bulletin board" or put on your own "bulletin board". Some of them are completely disgusting and obnoxious but for the most part they crack me up. There are hundreds and hundreds to choose from and I could literlly spend hours looking through them. There are political ones. love ones. friend ones, Cookie Monster ones, I mean seriously, if you can think of it, someone has probably made a piece of flair of it. Maybe next week I will post my favorite pieces of flair. Hey, Facebook, is that cool with you?

Oh, and Monster, thanks for sending me my first pieces of flair! You rock! And I got you a Batman Happy Meal toy tonight. Another damn Penquin mobile thing, but hey, I tried!

Personal Space?

2008-09-12T10:25:00.003-04:00

This picture cracks me up because as you know I have a lab mix and an Aussie. Labs know nothing about personal space, and Aussies demand theirs! :-) (this picture is from the LOLDOGS website)

Farewell Sophie.

2008-09-03T13:45:00.001-04:00

Well, my “parent’s” dog died. Sophie (a Schnauzer) was actually my grandparent’s dog. They developed Alzheimer’s and when they had to go into assisted living, they could not take Sophie so she stayed with my mom and dad.

I went with my dad to the small town of Pine Level to pick her up one very cold day in November. This was my first “backyard breeder, puppy mill” experience and I was seriously unprepared. The breeder was old, could barely get around and I could not even see all the dogs but I could hear them and it broke my heart. Anyway, about Sophie. As I said, it was freezing, there was no food or water to be seen and my dad asked if we should get her. I said something to the effect of “I wish I did not have to leave any dog here, but we are definitely taking one, I grabbed Sophie and went to the truck. The next day I reported him but I am sure nothing came out of it. We were giving Sophie to my grandparents for Christmas so we had to keep her until they came down. Sophie was sweet, and cute. I had her crate trained, housebroken etc by the time they got there.

And then Sophie went home with them. And she was spoiled rotten, which made me happy at first because my grandparents took her EVERYWHERE with them and gave her everything she wanted. But as Sophie got older, and my grandparents became more confused, things went down hill. When she got to us, Sophie was so over weight she could barely get around (you would too if you constantly ate hot dogs and ham). She was so matted that it took my dad and I 3-4 days of grooming her to get her to a point where she looked like a dog. There were issues but Sophie finally settled in and became my parent’s dog. She was a staple of the household.

And so every time I go over there now I get a little sad feeling when she doesn’t come running out, barking her head off to meet me. Sophie, we all loved you, you were a good girl. And I miss you.

"Mommy, can you make the thunder stop? I 'fraid..."

2008-08-31T08:29:00.002-04:00

All about me

2008-08-31T08:12:00.003-04:00

So, I am sure you have gotten this in your email in-box 100 times. But I thought it would be fun so here are my answers! DO yours at home!

:-)

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My two great grandmothers

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Thursday

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Not particularly

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Turkey if I have to pick one. Otherwise I just eat cheese or peanut butter.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS ? 3 furry canine ones, 1 furry feline one and I am not sure how many furry feral ones there are in the colony right now. They hide!

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yep!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Not a lot but is has been known to happen

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? nope!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Cheerios

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Sort of.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Vanilla

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? eyes

15. RED OR PINK? Red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My love of shopping

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST my grandpa Francus

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? sure

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? I am not wearing shoes

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A Ham biscuit

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW ? Nothing. It is actually quiet

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? A green one

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Fresh cut grass and baby powder

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My friend Jane

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? NASCAR

27. Hair Color? Many shades of natural blonde (And Grey!).

28. EYE COLOR? green

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no

30. FAVORITE FOOD ? Fired shrimp and french fries

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings of course!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Pride and Prejudice

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? white shirt

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter

35. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate chip cookies

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Well since this is a blog no one.

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND Same as above

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW ? Mad Dash

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I don't have one. I use the built in one on my lap top

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? iCarly with my niece.

42. FAVORITE SOUND? The sounds my dogs make when they are sleeping and content

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? Chicago or Vermont

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I think I good at taking care of animals

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Hammond, IN

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Again with thee blog thing.....

I am a Democrat and I am proud of it!

2008-08-29T16:22:00.006-04:00

I don’t post very much on here about my religious or political beliefs. Not because I don’t have them, or feel strongly about them, but because I don’t always feel like going down that seriously heavy road. The whole intent and purpose of my blog (for me) is to write about things that I am thinking about, and I try to make them fun, upbeat things so I write about my hobbies, the antics of my dogs and nieces, things I like, things I don’t, but the main thing I try to do is entertain. Yes, even if the only people who read this are me and my sister-in-law. I write this blog for me. But for the most part, I am off the soap box because I am not always comfortable up on it. It isn’t that I don’t have strong feelings, I just don’t find it necessary to push those feelings and beliefs on others. And of course no one is forced to read my blog but I think you get where I am coming from. I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable. In addition, and this is a bit ridiculous but true none the less, when people say mean things about something I like or believe in (and I don’t mean disagree with what I think, I mean really nasty things) it hurts my heart. Am I over sensitive? Maybe but what it wrong with being nice? So I am breaking my tradition and saying a few words about me.

1. I am a Democrat

2. I am a Catholic

And I am proud of it. And those 2 do not always go together. And trust me, I struggle with that during election times. I am of the mind that you need to vote for the person that MOST CLOSELY fits what you believe because you will never find anyone who fits it perfectly, well, unless you are voting for yourself.

I have read lots of very negative stuff about Senator Obama, Senator Biden and Democrats in general and you know what? I am sick and tired of it. Seriously. I am so done with all the negativity and that is why I don’t jump in to the fray. It simply pisses me off. And I don’t like to feel that way. Trust me, I have enough to be pissed off about without being mad that someone, who doesn't even know me, thinks I am a bleeding heart liberal and stupid because I believe that global warming is real, wolves and polar bears should be considered endangered species, and that the country needs a new direction. I don’t go around saying I think it was a bit heartless that when John McCain returned home from being a POW and found his wife had been disfigured and crippled in a terrible accident, he then had an affair and left her for his current rich, beauty queen wife who at one time was addicted to pain killers that she stole from her own medical charity. Oh, I guess I just did. Well, let me get back up on the high road…it may take a minute. It will be a long climb.

I don’t dislike John McCain personally. I mean I don’t know him. I don’t dislike his VP pick, Gov. Palin. Don’t know her either. But I don’t like what they stand for. Gov. Palin is so proud to be a member of the NRA and her hobbies which include hunting and fishing. Hey, good for you. Not so much for the wolves of Alaska since she had the chance to stop the aerial hunting of wolves and didn't. I mean it is so fun (not to mention sportsman-like) to chase a wolf (minding it’s own wolf business) in a helicopter until it is completely exhausted and can’t run anymore and then shoot it. FOR NOTHING. Not to eat, not because it was bothering your livestock, not even for it’s coat. Only because you think it is fun to kill something. And her strong political background? A MAYOR of a town with barely 7,000 people and then Governor of a Alaska for 2 years? I also find it amusing that according to the Republicans, the liberal media has no right to question anything about her children, they are completely off limits (which I agree with) BUT she parades them around at every opportunity, including her pregnant daughter. If I were Bristol I would be embarrassed. Not because I was 17 and pregnant, but because my mom thought it was ok to sit my boyfriend and I together so we could hold hands and play the part of the happy couple for a photo op. I mean having a baby is stress enough. To have to do it in front of millions of people is frightening. And I think it is great that she is a mother of 5 and that her son is in the army, but honestly, what does that have to do with being the next in line as President should the Republicans win and something happens to John McCain? Seriously that scares the crap out of me. And do they think that the women in this country are dumb enough to simply vote for the ticket because she is a woman? I hope not. If you feel like McCain/Palin are best for the job because you agree with their policies, that is great. YOu should vote for them. But don't think that I (a woman) will over look everything thing else and vote for them because Gov. Palin could be the first woman Vice President. My mom taught me better than that. Oh, there I go falling off the high road again. I guess it is easy to do. I guess that is why the McCain camp is so good at it. It’s easy. Just like following President Bush’s current agenda for the next 4 years if elected.

And what I just did above completely proves my point. It is easy to say the mean stuff and make ourselves feel better. It is easy to get all worked up and say hurtful things because you feel like you are right. It is easy to feel superior because your way is the right way, the only way, or so you think. Well friends, that is what makes us Americans. We have the freedom in this country to believe what we want, and to a large degree to say what we want. But as for me, I will vote for who I believe in, and I will try and keep my mean thoughts and ideas to my self. Because we all have them, it is what we choose to do with them that matters.

Things I Am Loving Right Now

2008-08-22T15:27:00.002-04:00

Nick and Nora pajama bottoms from Target: I have rubber ducky ones, pink elephants on roller skates ones, sock monkey ones, pink flamingo ones, dogs having a cook out ones and many others. Do I wear them all you ask? Yep!! Just not at the same time! :-)

Pilot Precise Grip BOLD Pens in blue ink: I love the way they write! Nice and bold.

Weight Watcher Double Chocolate Delight 2 point bars: I am not sure why I like these so much, I just know that I do!

Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad: I crave this salad all the time. The Chinese Vinaigrette dressing is great, the sliced almonds give it a nice crunch and the little fried chicken pieces are wonderful. I am not sure how good this salad is for me in regards to Weight Watcher points but it counts as veggies right?

Golden Gourmet Peanuts from the Peanut Roaster: Crunchy with just the right amount of salt and they are grown/made right here in NC!

Coca Cola flavored ICEEs: Great on those 100 degree days.

Flip Flops: I was never much a of a flip flop wearer but I made myself wear a pair the summer before last and now I am all about the flip flop!

The Family Desk Planner by Sandra Boynton: Actually it is really called the Mom's Family Desk Planner but I write DOG on every page (yes, I have no life) so it says Dog Mom's Family Desk Planner. It has great art work on every other page and it is a perfect size with lots of space to write stuff. We Likey!

The Tudors on showtime: I am watching Season 1 via Netflix and it is very good. I question the historical aspects of some of it, but it is VERY entertaining and Jonathan Rhys Myers is easy on the eyes.

What?

2008-08-19T15:16:00.000-04:00

Mamma Mia! (A Review)

2008-08-11T19:45:00.003-04:00

You know my love of cheesey 70s music and the epitome of cheesy 70's music for me is ABBA. I love ABBA. I always have. One of my favorite movies "Muriel's Wedding" has a soundtrack comprised of almost all ABBA songs. Check it out. It features Toni Collete before her big roles.

So when I found out they were doing a musical based on the music of ABBA called "Mamma Mia" I was so excited! Not that I ever thought I would get to go to Broadway to see it, but I hoped they would make a movie. AND THEY TOTALLY DID! I went with a friend to see it on Saturday and I LOVED IT!! In fact I want to go see it again! ("J" you name the time and day and I am so there! Oh and "M.A." if you haven't seen it yet, I am there with you too!!)

First, the scenery is just breath taking. But what suprised me was how good Meryl Streep sings! Amanda Seyfried is beautiful. Julie Walters and Christine Baranski were hysterical. Now, Pierce Brosnan left a bit to be desired singing wise but I still loved it! Plus, the man is damn good looking along with Colin Firth so who cares about the singing! Actually Colin Firth was pretty good. Then add Dominic Cooper without a shirt, HOLY CRAP! Seriously though, I think what made the movie is that they did not pick "singers". They picked actors. And it works.

So, I am off to lip sync Waterloo and Mamma Mia while I vacuum. I know, I live on the edge.

Back to School

2008-08-11T06:33:00.004-04:00

from http://ihasahotdog.com/

Time Flies...

2008-08-05T09:19:00.001-04:00

So, my 20 Year Class Reunion is in September. Seriously, I find it hard to believe. I just don’t know where the 20 years has gone! As I look back at the past 20 years it strikes that I am not anywhere that I thought I would be or doing what I thought I would be doing. What did I think? Well, here are a few things:

1. I thought I would be living in the city in Chicago. I have no clue why I thought this. Maybe because I just love that city.

2. I thought I would be married with kids. I had the married part-I just didn’t see divorce in my future! And I would never have guessed that I wouldn’t be a mom to human kids (just fuzzy ones!)

3. I thought I would be teaching History to High School students who would have a love of the subject because I made it exciting and fun.

4. I never thought I would have done all the volunteering or work with animals that I have done.

5. I never thought I would have rescued as many animals as I have: birds, opossums, lizards, turtles, dogs, cats and snakes just to name a few. Yes, I have gotten out of the car to carry a snake out of harms way. Anyone who knew me then would probably find this one hard to believe!

6. I never thought I would live alone.

7. I never thought I could/would need to make it on my own.

But I guess that is what reunions are for. Showing us how much we have changed (me, hopefully for the better) and how far (or not) we have come. I try to think back about my days at Cardinal Gibbons and remember certain details, but realize that most have become fuzzy over time. I hope I will have fun at the reunion. I hope to see some of my old friends and the boys I had crushes on. But most importantly, I hope to go and come a way with the sense of fulfillment and contentment I have about my life. Because even though very few ideas that I had about myself came to be and things have not been easy, I realize I am in the place that I was meant to be, doing exactly what I was meant to do, loved by my family, my dogs, and my friends. And I couldn’t ask for more than that.

Scrubbing Bubbles

2008-07-24T21:19:00.003-04:00

So, I promised to explain the scrubbing bubbles. You know the bathroom cleaner that "works so you don't have to"? Well, it kills bugs-or at least stops them enough for you to drown them in more scrubbing bubbles until they expire. This allows you to stand fairly far away from the offending pest and get rid of it. Hey, don't knock it until you have tried it. Well, it works for me! Don't laugh.

Gee, how many posts have I done today?

Terror in the Shed

2008-07-24T20:45:00.003-04:00

So, if you read my blog at all you know that I am quite the animal-nature lover. I help turtles and opossums, rescue snakes from the road, let the very back of my yard get a bit overgrown so that little creatures have places to live, let the deer eat all my pants and never complain and take injured birds to the emergency vet. I say this so you understand my dedication to the flora and fauna of Wake Forest. Ok but there are three things I can not abide; spiders, camel back cave crickets and roaches. I am not crazy about insects in general but lady bugs and butterflies are ok. Also, I try not to do anything too damaging to the environment as far as pest control. I use Sevins Dust to keep the ants out of the feral cats food (safe for animals by the way)and to control the hoppers under house. I also keep the grass short to keep the flea and tick population down. Other than that, I don;t do anything.

As much as I hate spiders I leave them alone outside. I have a rule for spiders, you don't bother me, I don't bother you. Period. You stay outside, I let you live. You come inside and depending on the look of you I MIGHT take you outside. MIGHT. Camel back cave crickets and roaches well, there is no mercy for you. Sorry. You get the Scrubbing Bubbles (I will have to explain that later).

So, I am sure you are wondering "what is the terror in the shed"? Well, WAIT I AM GETTING TO THAT!

So, tonight was grass cutting night. I donned my baseball cap, holey t-shirt and stretched out yoga pants and sauntered out to the shed. I throw open the doors to the shed and immediately stop and check for crawling things. I saw one little woodland roach, ok just step over him. No big deal. And then something black over in the corner catches my eye. Upon closer inspection I start to silently freak out. "HOLY CRAP THERE IS A HUGE BLACK WIDOW IN A WEB UNDER ONE OF THE EXTRA KITCHEN CHAIRS"! OMG! HOLY SHIT!!!!" Ok, I stand there at a loss for at least 3 minutes. Which is a long time when you are scared to death to move because the 12 inch black widow (exaggeration) might jump for me while saying in a raspy voice "why are you disturbing me"-think Aragog from Harry Potter or the spider from Lord of the Rings.

Now, if you have been paying attention, you know my issue with spiders. It has invaded my space so it must be destroyed. I have no idea how to kill it because I am afraid to get closer than 25 feet from it. But, I also understand that I have to kill it. My scrubbing bubbles is in the car port so I am defenseless. I grab one of those paint stirrer things but realize if I used that I would have to get closer than I am comfortable with. So I fnd a 2 foot piece of wood and get it on there. Then I squish the hell out if it until there is nothing left. I feel bad...for about 5 seconds where I ask God, Virgin Mary and Saint Francis to forgive me, but they know my feelings on the matter. So I mow the grass and come inside. I shower, eat some cheerios and get on my laptop. And what do I do? I Google Black Widow Spider where I spend the next 10 minutes reading and looking at webpages dedicated to Black Widows and Brown Recluse Spiders. "Ok Seriously, WHAT IN THE HELL AM I THINKING!" I will never sleep now. So, long about 1:00 a.m., feel free to call me. I guarantee I will up!

Now that's Karma

2008-07-24T13:45:00.003-04:00

In an effort to start living a simple life (that is a whole other post!) I have been going through all of my stuff one little section at a time. The first section was my jewelry. I don’t have a lot of “fine” jewelry. What I do have is mostly from my ex-husband. So, I decided to get rid of the bad karma and sell it or pawn it. During my lunch hour I went to visit the local pawn shop in the town where I work. The guy was nice and told me he would give me $60 for a garnet bracelet, gold wedding band, gold cladaugh sun, moon, stars pin and cross. All of these are at least 10k gold. I am not doing it so much for the money but for the principle of it, the ridding the house of the bad karma, but then I think the bracelet is worth $75 on it's own! So, I thanked him and I decided to try and sell them on ebay first. If they don’t sell than I will take them back to the pawn shop. At least I know how much I will get. So after that I decided to go get some comfort food (Bojangle’s. YUM!). This whole ordeal has been bringing back thoughts that I don’t want, and in an effort to “get over it” for today,
I decided to do a big Weight Watchers no-no and use food as my security blanket. As I am turning left, I look over at the car in the next lane who is waiting to turn left, and I will give you one guess who it was. Yep, the ex-husband. So, as I sat in Bojangle’s I wondered what it meant. I mean he lives in this area and I have not run in to him in over a year so how odd that I should see him on this particular day. So as I ponder the universe and it’s connections and randomness, let me know if you want to buy a gold bracelet with garnets! It really is pretty!

2008-07-23T10:23:00.000-04:00

K9 Mom's Thoughts While Mowing the Lawn

2008-07-19T20:18:00.000-04:00

*WARNING* If curse words offend you, please skip this one. And, if anyone from work is reading this, I don't think the "Swear Jar" applies here right? Because, I don't think my pay check will cover it!

Walking to the shed (sigh...didn't I just mow this freakin' lawn?)

Opening the shed (Crap, I hope there are no spiders in here. Ok well I don't see any-something crawls on my shoe-HOLY CRAP WHAT WAS THAT!?! Seriously, beetle don't even think about crawling me. I don't want to scream and then squish you.)

Sitting on the tractor trying to start it ("Look Beast, please start before I start to scream! Oh wait, maybe there isn't any gas...")

Trying to take off the gas cap ("ok did Hercules put the damn thing on here or what?! Oh wait, it was dad...DAD!" (say this like Jerry Seinfield would say "Newman")

Ok look- there is gas in here so start damn you START!" Oh good here we go...

K9 Mom backs out of the shed hitting the fence a bit ("SHIT..Again with the damn fence...")

"So, I did diagonal last time...maybe straight lines? Yes I think so".

Here is where I turn on the MP3 Player and start to get in the mowing groove...

Humming...OH I LOVE THIS SONG!! Annie Lennox you completely rock"! Ok I sing here for a while, I must admit to a hand movement or two..Bunnie doesn't care she is trying catch a cat..who is about 100 feet on the other side of the fence but I applaud her dedication..

"Ok favorite part...And if you're trying to cut me down, You know that I might bleed, Cause if your trying to cut me down, I know that you;ll succeed.And if you want to hurt me, there's nothing left to fear. Cause if you want to hurt me, you're doing really well my dearrrr..." I think I should you tube that when I get in. John Malkovich and Hugh Laurie I think...OUTSTANDING!!

Author's note: Yes, I really think words like outstanding, he is a gem etc. I am a goof ball.

So from here, I pretty much just sing and hum and drive around.

"Oh man I hate the push mower part...but here we go..Bunnie stop trying to bite the lawn mower. Trust me it won't end well for you"...

I mow for a while, sweat A LOT and then... KURPLUNK!!! Mower stops.

"What the hell...oh crap, crap crap I hit that stump. CRAP!!! Please start. Please START!!!! I don't want to have to call dad. "Ok maybe I should go in for a Dr. Pepper and feed the dogs. I will give it a chance to rest".

I get a drink and go back out. It starts.

"Hmmm My hydrangeas are lovely..I should cut some, whoa watch the hose! Um excuse me, person turning around in my drive way-really? Should you be doing that while I am standing right here? I mean go down to the next street and turn around why don't you?" "One day I am going to catch the damn individuals who throw litter in my yard and throw their beer bottles right back at them!!! Littering is against the law DAMN YOU!!" Ok just calm down and keep on mowing...Mowing, mowing and more mowing...

SO, on this outing I almost ran over my croc wearing foot while trying to open the gate and push the mower through without turning it off, I hit my head on a low branch, ran into a bush that had lots of thorns on it and got a blister from holding the handle down.

And the best part, is I get to do this ALL over again in 4 more days! But, my lawn looks super good. Even my mom said it looked nice while she was cutting hydrangeas. Now THAT my friends is quite the compliment!

Adventures in Lawn Mowing

2008-07-17T20:30:00.004-04:00

I think a few posts in regards to lawn mowing are way over due! Why? Well, because I want to! And it is my blog.

Let me give you all a little background.

1. I mow my lawn every week. Even when I was married (to...well let us call him Mr. Lazy for this post), I was the one out in 100 degree heat cutting the grass with help from my dad (good ole' dad. The man is an absolute gem).

2. I have a biggish yard (.75 acres)

3. I have become very particular about pattern in the back yard. No idea why. I mean who cares as long as it is short right? Wrong!

4. I THINK I have a mixture of St. Augustine and Bermuda grass. Oh with Wild Onions (the bane of my existence) and weeds. This means when it is hot outside and wet it THRIVES.

So, Thursday was the night I was mowing this week. Now let me mention that I had just mowed the back yard on Sunday and the lawn was LONG.. So the first course of action is to jump on my tractor/riding mower. An orange Husqvarna. Please reference picture above and then imagine one faded orange and that doesn't always start or just stops in the middle of the yard, and you will have mine. It's name? The Beast of course!

Funny aside here-There is this great couple that lives next door to me and the menagerie. They are funny, friendly and always willing to chat when outside on the porch. Great, down to earth, country people who like animals. LOVE THE NEIGHBORS. Anyway, one night I had just finished and was talking over the fence To Lady Neighbor and Guy Neighbor started singing "She Thinks My Tractors' Sexy-by Kenny Chesney only with "he". This cracked me up and now every time I start the tractor up, I think about that and laugh my ass off. Because seriously, there is nothing less sexy than me on my tractor. Ok, maybe you can think of something but you get my point.)

There isn't much to do when you are sitting on the tractor except try not to hit the fence, propane tank, shed etc and keep your mowing lines either in a diagonal (my personal favorite), picture frame or straight up and down. Why so many designs you ask? Because you are never supposed to cut your grass the same direction every time. You gotta change it up! And no,I don't know why. Google it! Oh, and try not to let anything touch you (bugs, grass, limbs hanging from trees) especially the poison ivy growing over the fence that you are extremely allergic to and dad has not killed yet. So, I listen to my MP3 player,sing really loud and with feeling because no one can hear me over the "beast" (At least I don't think so. Oh that would be embarrassing!) and think about stuff. And that is what the next post will be about...

If it is not one thing it's Otto

2008-07-17T16:24:00.004-04:00

(I know my deck looks a complete mess but it is clean now. Well except for 100 dog toys!)

This is a well worn statement in our house. I love all 3 of my dogs. I always say they are my kids. And Otto is the "baby" so of course he is spoiled and as much as I hate to admit this; maybe a smidge more than the others. It is not intentional but Otto has a medical condition and so he gets pampered a bit. I call Otto the "million dollar dog" because I have spent so much money on his vet care. Otto has epilepsy and takes meds to control his seizures, and they work pretty well.

I have been very concerned about him for the past several weeks because he has been having some real trouble walking. I have been having scary thoughts of brain tumors, seizures and strokes and basically worrying myself sick. We went to see Otto's vet today (who has to be the most patient, kind man in the universe to deal with me)for some help. I don't know a whole lot more than I did before except that Otto is ok as far as we know. Dr. B said that we could have a $1200 MRI done (I barely scraped together the $50 for the office visit) that would probably tell us what was what wrong but would not change anything. Sigh. So for now, I am going to be happy in the knowledge that I am doing everything I can to keep him happy and healthy and I will just need to get used to his funny walk and stumbling. I also learned that Otto is happy (well as far Dr. B and I know)and not suffering and besides a little arthritis in his right hip, he isn't in any pain. In other words, Otto's quality of life is good. And so I will continue to keep him and Bunnie and Chloe happy and comfortable and love them all way too much. And maybe that is all we can hope for in life. To have someone try and keep us happy and comfortable and love us too much. Well, it is one of the things I hope for.

P.S. Thanks to everyone for all their good thoughts today. It meant a lot to Otto and more to me.

Nerd with a capital N

2008-07-09T21:25:00.000-04:00

As I sit here listening to my MP3 player, it dawns on me just how much of a "nerd" I really am. I mean who just LOVES to listen to John Denver's Annie's Song or Rick Springfield's Human Touch? Well, I do! And I feel there are other signs as well. Here are a few:

I only like to use pens that write a certain way. And if they don't, they go to the big pen grave yard. (Ok, really a great big tin bucket. Anyone need a pen?)

I get teary every single time I hear "God Bless America"or "The Gift".

I have to sleep with wrist braces at night because of carpal tunnel. Hey, at least it isn't head gear!

When I mow the grass, I have to wear a hat, long pants and if it isn't 100 degrees a long sleeve shirt. Why? Because if a tree branch, bug, anything touches my hair, arm, leg etc; I have to shower immediately.

I have 3 stuffed animals on my bed right now. I KNOW!! I know what you are going to say, you don't need to tell me!

I love to watch PBS. and not just Masterpiece theater but Nature and Painting with Bob Ross ("OK, lets put a happy tree right here by this big strong mountain").

I collect Children's Books. That is quite the hobby to get the gentlemen calling!:-)

When walking down a sidewalk or walkway I won't step on any cracks or lines. You know in case it "breaks my mother's back or father's spine" Who thought that up and told it to little kids any way?

I sleep with a pair of scissors next to my bed. You know, in case the monster under my bed decides to come out.

I have a scrapbook with an example of every card I have ever sent out at Chritmas for the last 15 years or so..

Oh and the posts on this blog.

So, for the four people that read this, "Welcome to Nerdville. Population, ME!"

Ihasahotdog

2008-07-05T21:45:00.003-04:00

I stumbled upon this website (http://ihasahotdog.com/)one night while surfing and I am just in love with it! I liked it so much I signed up for daily updates! If you need a laugh, check it out.

Things I have learned this week

2008-07-02T19:37:00.002-04:00

1. You can never have enough paper towels when pet sitting for 10 puppies. NEVER!

2. No matter how tired you are, how hot, how sweaty, how sad, kisses from 10 puppies, 1 golden retriever and my dog tribe will cheer me up in about 10 seconds!

3. If you stop drinking regular soda and drink diet soda and water, you will lose weight.

4. Nothing feels as good as a hot shower after cleaning up after 10 puppies!

5. When someone tells you that you have disappointed them, it stinks. No matter how they say it or how they spin it. It stinks. Period.

6. Sometimes you just have to go out for Bojangles at lunch with a friend.

7. Applying for a new job is scary and kind of exciting! :-) Especially one that seems like it was made just for you.

8. You gotta have friends.

9. And sometimes, you have to stop pretending to be fine and just ask your friends for a shoulder.

10. At the end of day, it doesn't matter how much money you have made, how many things you have screwed up or done right, who you have impressed or failed to impress, how many things that you have or how much work you have done. What matters is that you can say that someone, anyone, loves you. For you.

And I think that (#10) is the most important thing I have remembered this week. Because that isn't something that I learned. I always knew it. But sometimes, it stays buried under so many layers of things like exhaustion, disappointment, resentment, self loathing, anger, jealousy, selfishness, grudges, (add your own here) that we forget. But as long as we can remember than we will be ok.

You know it is going to be a weird day when...

2008-06-23T13:01:00.002-04:00

you show up to work on your day off. Yep, that is what I did this morning. We have something where I work called "Summer Schedule". This means that you work 45 minutes extra for 9 days and then you get a Monday or a Friday off. So today was supposed to be my day. I am not sure how I got so mixed up but I did and here I am. So, I am taking my day on Thursday. Not a 3 weekday weekend but oh well. A day off just the same. Never look a "gift day off" in the mouth! :-)

To post or not to post. That is MY question

2008-06-13T20:56:00.002-04:00

Have you ever been in a quandary about posting something to your blog? You know, you have to say something to get it off of your mind but you wonder if it is the ok thing to do? You have not mentioned any names or told any untruths, it basically your feelings about a situation, but you still worry about it? Well I just wrote a post like that and I am not sure I should publish it. I mean I wasn't awful, I didn't call anyone names and certainly did not give details, but I feel a little weird. And I shouldn't because this is MY blog. And in my opinion I think I should be able to say whatever I want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone or defame their character. Maybe I will post it. I haven't decided. Maybe I should sleep on it, re-read the post and then decide? So maybe it will be posted here tomorrow. Or maybe not. What do you think?

Things I Am Loving Right Now

2008-06-13T13:52:00.000-04:00

Nick and Nora pajama bottoms from Target: I have rubber ducky ones, pink elephants on roller skates ones, sock monkey ones, pink flamingo ones, dogs having a cook out ones and many others. Do I wear them all you ask? Yep!! Just not at the same time! :-)

Pilot Precise Grip BOLD Pens in blue ink: I love the way they write! Nice and bold.

Weight Watcher Double Chocolate Delight 2 point bars: I am not sure why I like these so much, I just know that I do!

Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad: I crave this salad all the time. The Chinese Vinegrete dressing is great, the sliced almonds give it a nice crunch and the little fried chicken pieces are wonderful. I am not sure how good this salad is for me in regards to Weight Watcher points but it counts as veggies right?

Golden Gourmet Peanuts from the Peanut Roaster: Crunchy with just the right amount of salt and they are grown/made right here in NC!

Coca Cola flavored ICEEs: Great on those 100 degree days.

Flip Flops: I was never much a of a flip flop wearer but I made myself wear a pair the summer before last and now I am all about the flip flop!

Candy Land: My niece “M” is all about playing Candy Land these days and I have to say it has awakened my love of board games. I just don’t remember my back and knees hurting so much from sitting on the floor!

My SIGG water bottle: My nieces gave me one and it is great. Easy to clean, doesn’t get funky smelling, just a great all around water bottle.

He is just not that in to you.

2008-06-04T21:49:00.004-04:00

So, I have been divorced for almost 3 years. Honestly it seems like 10 years but parts of it have been fairly difficult so that is understandable. But now I am starting to get the "So, are you dating" question. And I just look like a deer caught in headlights and change the subject. I am not sure why this freaks me out. Oh, wait; I know exactly why it does! Frankly, dating is a pain in the ass. I know, I know it can be wonderful and great and birdies and flowers in a field but not for me.

Maybe I haven't met the right person but I am tired of waiting. Not only that but I wasted (trust me, wasted is the right word)11 years of my 38 with Mr. WRONG. Mr. Wrong convinced me that I was unattractive, lazy, inconsiderate, selfish, and well, stupid. Now, I know all those things and everything else that he said wasn't true BUT knowing and believing are 2 different things. Now I am not trying to get sympathy because I am fairly happy with the status quo. But, there is always that teeny tiny part of me that wants a Valentine or dinner (sushi please!)and a movie on Saturday night. But the actual thought of having to go some where with someone I don't know is enough to make me get under the quilt on my bed and not come out for at least a week. I tried the online thing for a short time but it just wasn't for me. I want Fitzwilliam Darcy or Don Hollinger (if you don't know who they are, google please!)and instead I was contacted by Mr. "I'm Too Sexy for Everyone". Which also lead me to want to ask "So why don't you post a picture? It was exhausting. All of my friends are married most with kids so it isn't like I have some pals to go out with. Plus trolling the bars just isn't my thing.

So, if you know Don Hollinger or Mr. Drcy feel free to give him my number. Otherwise, it is another Saturday night with Netflix and 13 Cheese Doodles for 3 points!

Sigh...

2008-06-04T21:32:00.004-04:00

That is not a bad sigh, it is a tired one. I just got done with a busy week. Pretty much a 14 hour work day for the past 7 days straight. I have been pet sitting and with a full time job, it is a lot of work. I get a lot of "I just don't know how you do it". Honestly, I don't either sometimes (especially yesterday when it was 90 degrees and I just locked my car keys in the car because I was so tired I wasn't thinking, and my dad had to come rescue me). But, I know WHY I do it, and I guess for me that is the most important part and gets me through the tired bits. And to be honest, I love it. I love getting to love on all the dogs and a few cats and know that their people are on vacation and not worrying about them. Because I can't do that. When I was married, I had no problem going off on a day trip with a friend or an overnight because I knew there was someone home with my guys all the time. Of course I still called and checked up that Otto got his medicine and they were happy, but other than that, I was good. Now, I worry constantly. My dad is the one who cares for them if I have to be gone for long periods of time and he is great with them. Not only that but they LOVE him. So really there is nothing to worry about. As time goes on, I will get better. At least I hope I will.

Sniff, Sniff do I smell biscuits?

2008-05-28T15:30:00.000-04:00

Do you ever find that certain smells remind you things? Bring back memories? Well, this morning I was making some biscuits for breakfast (2 for 2 WW points!) and the smell reminded me of my grandma’s house. When we were younger, my grandparents would send me and my brother plane tickets to Chicago and we would stay with them for a month or so during our summer break from school. I loved going! We got to fly by ourselves (weren’t we big shots!), eat whatever we wanted, go to White Sox games and the zoo. But the most fun thing for me was getting to go to work with grandma downtown Chicago. She worked in a huge building in the Loop. My grandma’s boss was Mr. Blevins. He was such a nice man. He used to let us come to work with my grandma every day (if we wanted, and I always did!) and I remember when he would go out to lunch he always bring us some treat back; popcorn a lollipop etc. But the most fun thing for me was I got to play office IN A REAL OFFICE!!! I mean what other 10 year old doesn’t love that! I got to play with the adding machine, and the Xerox machine (the old kind where the copies came out a little wet) and all of the office supplies that there were. At lunch we would go to Weibolt’s Department store, hit the toy section and then back to work.

How this ties in with baking biscuits…Biscuits have been a favorite food of mine for as long as I can remember. And my grandma would get up and make a pan of biscuits (the Pilsbury type) before we had to leave to catch the train. (The train was totally fun and could be a little weird!) I can remember waking up to the smell of the biscuits baking and the radio on in the kitchen. I would always lay there awhile listening to my grandparents talking while my grandpa got ready to go to work at the steel mill. Those summers were so much fun. I always missed my mom and dad but my brother and I had such a good time together. Sometimes I miss those days. Hanging out with my brother on my grandparent’s front porch (it was all enclosed so sometimes we would sleep out there) reading or drawing or playing Connect Four. I always had a collection of stuffed animals with me (yes, I had the obsession even back then!) and my brother always had some comics or some such thing. Sometimes I wish I could go back to that time, just for the day. So my grandpa and I could watch a nature show together or go shopping with my grandma. My grandpa is gone now and my grandma has Alzhiemers so she doesn’t even know who I am. It makes me sad, but I always all the good memories.

Parachute Pants and Swatches

2008-05-21T15:42:00.001-04:00

So, today I feel old. This whole thing started because Duran Duran is in town tonight and an old friend contacted me to go. I can’t (tickets are way expensive) but it has been nice to be back in touch and to think about all the things we did. So yesterday at work I was talking about re-connecting with S which led to a conversation about the 80’s. One of my co-workers (whom I love dearly) requested to see pictures of me from my high school years. So, I went home and pulled out a few. I had several thoughts:

1. Why did I always have BIG hair? I am not saying it wasn’t cute or in style, just BIG and fluffy and curly (thanks to a perm I had to have every few weeks).

2. I didn’t realize it then but I was quite stylish! Thanks mom for buying me all those Esprit clothes!

3. What was up with all the necklaces? I wore a lot of them all at one time, not to mention lots of rubber bracelets.

4. No matter what anyone says my black parachute pants were WAY COOL! Oh as well as white nylons with socks and my jazz shoes.

5. Why did I find it necessary to wear more than one Swatch Watch at a time? I mean really.

6. Tight rolled jeans. Need I say more?

7. Popped Collars, so stylish!

8. Big Earrings. That is all.

The weird thing is it doesn’t seem like all this happened over 20 years ago. Where did the time go? I have no idea. But if I could go back I would STILL wear those Esprit paint splattered cropped pants with zippers on the bottom!

2008-05-19T11:56:00.001-04:00

I want to give a Shout Out to the staff of After Hours Small Animal Emergency Clinic in Raleigh, NC. You ROCK! (Well, not that they read this, but still, I wanted to give them kudos.)

Not only did you take the opossum that I brought in to you on Wednesday at midnight that my dogs “played” with too much (Mr. Opossum will be fine, but the opossums really need to learn that fences are there for a reason!) but you took the turtle that I found on the side of interstate 540 with a fractured face. You provide and invaluable service to the indigenous wildlife in this area and I for one am grateful. I know that you can’t save all of them but to know that there is someone out there who is responsible enough to end an animal’s suffering or help make them better, well there are just aren’t words. There will be a special place in Heaven for you.

To be or not to be…a vegetarian

2008-05-12T14:31:00.001-04:00

Well, I think I am going back to being a vegetarian. Let me start this off by saying that I have been a vegetarian in the past-I was one of the ones that would eat eggs, cheese, shrimp, and drink milk but would not eat “animals with faces”. Seriously, shrimp have no faces. They are bugs of the sea…at least this is how I rationalize it to myself! (and no, I am not a huge fan of fish if I can help it. If that is my only non-meat choice than I go for it, but would rather not). So, I know that I can do it. The problem for me is I actually like meat. I just don’t like knowing where the meat comes from. It makes me sad that a cow who has big beautiful eyes had to die for me to have a cheeseburger. I don’t dislike people who like meat or hold it against them. I also don’t mind that they eat meat in my presence. I do mind if they make fun of me or others who choose this lifestyle. Or those people with stupid bumper stickers that say things like “I like animals, they taste great!” or whatever other stupid thing they say. Keep your personal food habits to your self buddy. But I digress…

The reason for my post today is something that happened to me this morning which got me to thinking. As I was cruising down 540 on my way to work this morning I passed a semi. As I got closer I knew it was a semi carrying some type of livestock. It happened to be filled with pigs. Huge pink pigs, with numbers spray painted on their backs. And they were looking right me as I drove by. I mean right in to my eyes (I was being careful while driving I promise!) And then I started to cry. A lot. Because I knew where they were going.
I just don’t want to be the cause of another living things suffering. And I know there are people out there who say they don’t have feelings blah blah blah. But, animals do feel pain. And I don’t want to be the cause of anything’s pain, physical or emotional. I try not to buy things made of leather or that have fur. I do drink milk but I am going to try soy milk and see if I can handle that. So, here I go again. I would be really happy if sticks this time…but I am still eating shrimp! :-)

Observations and Things I Have Learned This Week:

2008-05-07T16:13:00.001-04:00

1. My car is one giant purse. Tissues, change, lip gloss, pens…you get my drift.

2. Trees look so much prettier when a breeze is blowing their leaves and branches around. (Good grief that sounds like a Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy skit)

3. I can not go in to DSW and buy just 1 pair of shoes. There must be at least 3 pairs and one of those must be a pair of Rocket Dogs that are completely impractical but so incredibly cute!

4. Before I joined Weight Watchers, I never thought that much about food. I ate when I was hungry. Period. Then I joined Weight Watchers, and food is all I think about. Constantly. Hungry or not. Wait, I am always hungry now!

5. If you are going to use self-tanner, please read the directions and go sparingly lest you have orange, blotchy legs when it is 85 degrees and you can’t wear shorts. Trust me on this.

6. Same self-tanner subject, just be VERY careful on knees and elbows. VERY careful indeed!

7. Rocking back on your heels in Advanced Microsoft Excel class while wearing high heels will snap them right off. I mean right off, which then prompts an emergency trip to DSW for a replacement… and then see #3!

8. Some days Kohl’s has 100 things that I want to buy, and then other’s nothing. Not even for $1.00. What is up with Kohl’s?

9. Why do designers think that “plus sized” ladies want to wear huge hideous flower prints in awful colors. I mean really. Come on! How about a lovely black or nice shade of green?

10. Why can’t someone make a decent throw rug? One that can be thrown in the washing machine and looks just great when you take it out?

2008-04-30T16:05:00.001-04:00

I have really been struggling with updating my blog. Not because I have nothing to say but because I have too much to say. The other day I came across this website:

http://www.petsofhomeless.com/default.htm

I was completely taken aback. Not because I was unaware of the problem, I just didn’t realize how much bigger the problem is getting. Homeless people owning pets is actually a controversial subject to some. Many think that they don’t deserve to have pets or that it is unfair for the pet to have to live this type of lifestyle. I completely disagree. I understand why some might feel like if a person can’t take care of themselves, how or why would they try and take care of an animal. But I look at it like this: in some cases that animal or even that animal’s human is the only living, breathing, loving being that they know. This is their only companion. Most homeless people are not homeless by choice. I don’t think they should be punished or denied companionship because of those circumstances. Would it better to take the animal away, making both miserable and then taking the pet to a shelter only to be put to asleep after 5 days unless adopted? Also, the housing foreclosure situation has compounded the problem of abandoned pets. Honestly, if I had to leave and had the choice of living in my car with my pets or an apartment without them, I can honestly, with all candor, say that I would live in my car. I am lucky that I have family that loves me and would take me and pets in if necessary but the thought has crossed my mind.

Now there does beg the question “if they can’t feed themselves how can they feed a pet or pay for vet care”? Well, it is hard if not almost impossible. I have been asking myself for the past few days, how do I help? So for the next few weeks I will be on a fact finding mission on how to partner with Pets of the Homeless in my part of the US. I don’t think getting food donated would be the biggest task, I think it will be finding someone who knows how to find the section of the population that needs this type of assistance. So, wish me luck and I will try to keep my blog updated in a more timely manner! Also, visit the website if this subject interests you, as they say it so much better than I can.

Merry Earth Day!

2008-04-23T08:27:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was Earth Day and of course every one on TV had a story about it. What you can do to save the environment, ways to reduce your carbon foot print…and the like. I am glad that everyone is thinking about it today. The problem is that everyone needs to think about it ALL THE TIME.

I have read over some of my past posts about what I am going to do to help save the Earth. And I have to say that I am fairly proud of the fact that I have kept up with a lot of my “promises”. Of course there is room for improvement, especially when it comes to reusable bags. But I am vigilant about unplugging things when not in use, trying to conserve water and changing all of my light bulbs over.

But now there is a whole other realm of things that I never thought about, that worries me. The environmental safety of my shampoo, tooth paste etc. I mean it all goes down the drain, and thus in to the ground water. So if you know of a good eco friendly shampoo, that I don;t have to buy online, please let me know.

Something else that I never thought about was how to make my pets "green". Here is a cool link to that info:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/how-to-green-your-pet.php

Hmm... I wonder how Bunnie, Chloe and Otto will feel about new hemp beds?

The Mystery Guest

2008-04-16T11:23:00.002-04:00

My sister-in-law called me the other day and said that she had a story to tell me. When she went to pick up my niece from school, M informed her that she was bringing a Mystery Guest to school. K asked her who the Mystery Guest was…and M proceeded to tell explain. More or less this is what she said:

I am going to hide my Mystery Guest behind some desks and then I will say “ My Mystery guest is 30 years old, with 3 dogs and 11 cats and it is (big build up here) and then Mimi will jump out from behind the desks and say Tada!

I am not sure what credentials I have to be a Mystery Guest but I was thrilled! I mean have never been a Mystery Guest before, plus she made me 8 years younger! :-) I don’t have 11 cats but I do have 3 dogs so not so bad!

I wonder what goes through a 6 year olds mind in order to create a whole scenario about a Mystery Guest. I think it was probably show and tell but the creativity that she showed was amazing! Both of nieces are very creative and I love that about them. They have such great imaginations.

So, let me know if you need a Mystery Guest for any occasion. I am happy to volunteer. You might want to check with "M", my agent. I might be booked!

Happy Trails Oswald

2008-04-07T11:45:00.001-04:00

For those of you who read this blog, (all 3 of you!) I have some happy news. Oswald has been adopted by a family! I got to say goodbye to him yesterday and he was as sweet as ever. This is the happy ending to sort of a sad story. Good Luck Oswald! I will miss you but I know you will be happy. I love you and you will always be my fuzzy face!

2008-03-28T08:48:00.000-04:00

Well, I have been sitting here for 2 weeks trying to figure out what to write. And since nothing is posted, clearly nothing has come to mind. So here are some random thoughts that I have been having:

*Do you remember when as a kid you thought 38 was EXTREMELY old? I mean you might as well be in a retirement home old? I am turning 38 in a few days and I don’t feel old. Well my knees feel old but you know what I mean. When did my idea of what old was change?

*Why does the NC DOT think it is ok to completely mess up the immediate area that I live in to put in a bypass? Now don’t get me wrong. I understand progress, even if I don’t agree with it but they clearly gave no thought about the people who have to live near it. And I am really lucky because it isn’t in my back yard. Instead, they are going to permanently close my street to thru traffic (which is great) but only leaving us with one way to get anywhere (not great at all). Seriously the saying “having to go around your ass to get to your elbow” really applies here.

*I want to give a shout out to the guy who gave me the finger yesterday on the way to work. I was going straight and he was turning left. Evidently because I did not hit the gas and take off at breakneck speed, he thought it was cool to give me the finger as he was turning in front of me. Dude, you need to lighten up. And I hope you noticed that I slowed down to let you turn in front of me so I didn’t hit you and mess up your day. I hope that made you feel better…jerk. Ok that made me feel better!

*Can you ever have too many t-shirts? I think I am there but not sure. Should I throw the “holey” ones out? I have a weird attachment to the holey t-shirts.
Should I really have driven 10 miles to spend my last $4 on milk chocolate malted milk balls at Fresh Market?

*Can I take a nap now? It is 8:46 a.m. and I have been at work for 46 minutes.

For the love of paper...

2008-03-17T19:56:00.002-04:00

If you know me, you know I have a love affair with paper. Which is odd since I am "Don't print that! Save a Tree" at work. For some reason I (selfishly) view my note card, notebook, journal obsession differently. I am not sure why. I mean I know they are made out of paper. I know that paper is made out of tree parts. So, here I am, recycling chip board (IE: cereal boxes, dog biscuit boxes, Little Debbie boxes...YES, I EAT THE SMORE ONES!) writing lists on the back of back of junk mail, going online and requesting that I get all my bill statements via email, taking my bags to the store so as not to use paper or plastic...yet I have stacks of note cards and the like.

As an example, I have been spring cleaning (I know don't pass out from shock) and when I cleaned off the kitchen table I found 7 spiral notebooks (polar bear ones, dog ones and even a plain one), 2 spiral journals, 7 note pads and 2 things of post it notes. Now I didn't buy all of these, some were given to me and some were left over from a function I was at and no one took them (No one took a note pad. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!). I stroll the aisles of Target looking for that clearance sticker on hot pink note cards with green trim. School supply season can send me in a swoon over the latest and greatest Trapper Keeper like notebooks. (Ah...the Trapper Keeper, genius) I love the idea of a blank note book and what it can become...a home for the millions of stickers that I think are too cute to use, or somewhere to write my thoughts and feelings. A place to make my infamous lists: shopping lists, list of groceries, lists of things to look up on the net, lists of books to look for, a place to doodle curlicues in different color Sharpie. I think it is the possibility of what it could be.

So, I guess I will continue my recycling habits and I will try to curb my desire for more notebook, paper and the like. And if you see a cute journal....

Beary Lucky Indeed

2008-03-13T12:10:00.004-04:00

As I have stated here before, I have issues with depression (yes, I take anti depressants. Sorry Tom Cruise, you just don’t get it!) And some days my coping mechanisms are off. Monday and Tuesday happened to be two of those days. I won‘t go in to why but suffice it to say, it was several random things that when put together was too much for me. So I drove home from work and pet sitting and was pretty down. When I walked in the door there was a beautifully wrapped box with my name on it! (My dad brought it in when he went to let my dogs out). I had no idea who it was from so I opened it up! The box was from Build a Bear and was beautifully colored. Inside was a note that said this person was “Beary Lucky” to have me as a friend and also inside was a bear covered in shamrocks. It was from my best friend “J”.

I have known “J” since college. We lost touch for a few years after graduation. Then one day out of the blue I got a call from her, and she said that she was moving to Wake Forest. We went out to dinner and it was like we had never been apart! We have been through a lot together through the years. But the most amazing thing about J and I is that without saying a word, we just know what the other person is feeling. We know what the other needs. It might be a card in the mail or a message on the answering machine. It wasn’t the fact that J bought me something, it was the fact that she was at work, thought of me, had her sweet kiddos color the box and dropped it off at my house.

So J, if you are reading this, know that I love you. You mean the world to me and I am the lucky one to have YOU for a friend.

With Love,

Regina Phalange
(And no, I am not going to explain that!) :-)

And then when I thought my day could not get any better, my niece M called me to say that she wanted me to come over! I was feeling pretty special at that point! I mean it is not every day that a 6 year old wants to hang out with you, the old auntie.

So I am beary luck indeed to have my family, my friends, and my dogs. What more is there?

Otto says Ouch!

2008-03-10T19:34:00.006-04:00

Don't Tell Bunnie or Chloe but mommy went to do something and I jumped on her computer. I think she went outside to visit our cat Flounder. Flounder is sort of mean. He likes to tease me a lot by walking right up to the glass door so that I think that I can get him. I forget about the glass door all the time. I need one of those post it note things to remind me. Mommy has post it notes everywhere. Maybe she would write one for me.

Anyway, I had to go to the vet this weekend for a check up. I don't like to go to the vet, although Dr. Brian is super nice to me! He always make sure he has all natural treats for me! What a great guy! But I had to have some tests and that involves needles. Ick! I was a good boy though and mommy gave me a special treat. A great big carrot! I am a lucky boy!

This weekend we also got to try and trap the feral cats so they could be fixed. Bunnie thought mommy was going to let her chase them. I swear Bunnie only thinks about that. B: No I don't. I think about chasing the birds in the bushes too! Oh, and I like 2 chase you all over! O: Yes, I know and it is annoying. C: Absolutely! B: Oh what do you 2 know. You just like to lay on mommy's bed all day. Can you say BORING? C: No but we can say COMFORTABLE! O: Good one Chloe. Well mommy is done outside playing with Flounder the cat. B: One day I am going to chase him. O: OH FORGET IT ALREADY! She loves him and she won't let you!

Mommy: I love all of you, now get off the couch and away from my laptop. You are getting fur all over it!

What is in my closet

2008-03-04T22:49:00.002-05:00

Catz tagged me with a meme on what is in my closet. This could be a scary post but here is goes:

8 things you have stuffed away in a back closet and tag three people.

1. Assorted shoes in different states. Some REALLY need to be thrown away (like my black polka dot flip flops. YIKES!

2. A big suit case that I bought and only used once to go to visit my grandma in Chicago.

3. Dog hair. And lots of it I am afraid.

4. A box of old letters from the college years. Most from "a boy" that I loved, and who decided he loved me too late. :-(

5. A big basket of clean socks.

6. Lots of clothes that I DON'T wear.

7. 2 stuffed animals that Otto hid in there for some reason or other.

8. Did I say dog hair?

I tag:
"K" of Always Remember That
"M" of A Coffee to go
and
Char of Charlene's Web

So what is in your closet!

Update on Oswald

2008-02-27T16:11:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to give you a quick update on Oswald. He had surgery on Monday, and is recovering at the rescue volunteer's home. He had a fractured hip, cracked pubic bone, lots of bruises and the gash on his eye. We are fairly certain that he was hit by a car. MY POOR OSWALD! It is really incredible that he was able to make it back to the laundry room and in to the bed I keep in there for them. He is one tough cat! The best part of this whole thing is that rescue is going to put him up for adoption. He will have a real home! I am so sad to see him go because I love him so much. But, because I love him so much I have to let him go. That is what I always wanted for him...a good home. And I guess that is what being a "good mom" is all about.

Good thoughts for Oswald

2008-02-23T22:21:00.003-05:00

My feral cat Oswald has been hurt badly. I think he was hit by a car. I am devastated. It is a long story and maybe when I am not so tired I will blog it. Right now he is in my outside laundry room in a bed I made for him out of blankets and those heat patches you put on sore muscles. I think they are safer than a heating pad and seem to be doing the trick. I think he has a broken back leg. I am hoping that he gets a vet appointment for Monday. Right now he is stable. Eating and drinking and purring like crazy when I go in to see him. He was always the friendliest of the ferals.

What has really been bothering me is that a lot of vets will not treat feral cats. And if you find one that will, without being a part of a rescue group they charge you a lot. Unfortunately, I don't have extra money. In fact each month it is a bit difficult to feed myself, my dogs, my cat and the ferals. (Feral cats eat A LOT!) Ferals lead a very difficult life. Trying to find food and shelter every day in every kind of weather. Avoiding the humans that hate them, avoiding cars and predators etc. But the real rub is that it is not their fault. They did not ask to be let go in an inhospitable world. Again it is humans that did that. And they did not even have the decency to fix them so they did not reproduce and just make the cycle more far reaching. I am doing everything I can for him right now as I wait and see. Checking on him every 2-3 hours, sitting with him so he knows that someone cares about him, bringing the electric heater out there to take the chill out of the damp cold laundry room. Changing his blankets and towels and adding more heat patches to keep him warm, feeding him by hand...But it still feels like not enough. I feel my attempts are completely inadequate.

So, please think good thoughts for us. Even though they are not technically my cats, I love them like they are. And seeing him hurt is killing me.

Dress Code

2008-02-21T11:58:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, we received an email from the powers that be in regards to our dress code policy. I completely understand the need for a dress code. But some of the things that they single out just baffle me. For instance:

No bedroom shoes, flip-flops, or “Birkenstock”-style shoes should be worn to work unless medically necessary with a note from your physician.

Hmm…I know, how about if we focus on people wearing shoes that don’t fit properly so their toes hang off the edge like CLAWS. It is unsightly and to me more of a problem for an employee's overall appearance than say a “Birkenstock” style shoe. And, seriously, we have to worry about people wearing BEDROOM SLIPPERS? I understand if you have some sort of foot injury, you might need to modify your footwear. BUT BEDROOM SLIPPERS?

All employees: Denim jeans of any color, 5 pocket pants (with the small coin pocket that look like jeans regardless of the material, including corduroy), t-shirts, and tennis shoes are prohibited unless expected by job requirements. Midriff tops or any tops that show an employee’s mid-section are also prohibited.

Ok several things here. I have a problem with the 5 pocket pants. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?! I mean there are some 5 pocket pants that are a whole nicer than some denim skirts that I have seen! (Denim skirts ARE permitted). And why is it only 5 pocket ones? Why not “more than 2 pockets”. I would never wear cargo pants to work, but they have 6 pockets so does that qualify as permissible? I mean they are not 5 pocket pants and they are not made of denim? And I can’t believe there is a problem with midriff tops or tops that show an employees midsection. Do they even make those anymore? I thought they went out in the early 90s.

Avoid clothing that is too revealing, tight fitting, see-through, or too short.

No visible tattoo(s) or body piercing(s), other than earrings, are permitted

These 2 I completely agree with. I guess what perplexes me is that our company finds it necessary to single out these things. See-through tops? Good grief, when is a see-through shirt ok to wear EVER? Trolling the bars for a date maybe, but work? Please people who wear see-through shirts, use some common sense! And I really do not want to see anyone’s tattoos or piercings. They creep me out. I was married to a man with several tattoos and again, they creeped me out. Especially when I found out one had the name of an old girlfriend on it that was now covered up. So I feel qualified to make this statement.

OK, everyone get out those see-through, midriff tops and your 5 pocket pants and go to work! I mean they can’t send everyone home can they? :-)

Mr. Darcy

2008-02-14T19:44:00.006-05:00

(And YES! I am STILL on the Jane Austen thing!)

But seriously, I feel a little crazy. Crazier than usual you ask? Yes, because I have become obsessed with a movie. The movie is Pride and Prejudice with Matthew Macfadyen as Fitzwilliam Darcy. I can't stop watching it. Maybe obsessed is a strong word. I don't think about it all day or leave work early to watch it. But, when I want to turn on the tv, I find myself always turning on that movie. I mean it hasn't left the dvd player in quite a while. I think it is partly because in my mind, it is the perfect love story. And if I am being completely honest, who could get tired of watching Matthew Macfadyen? I think he is just to die for! But he plays Darcy so well. He makes Darcy seem likable, sympathetic, caring, soft and well, human. Colin Firth (whom I love) really shows no emotion when playing Mr. Darcy. In the end, when they (Jennifer Ehl) both profess their love for one another, it is just...flat. But, when Matthew Macfadyen is walking toward Kiera Knightly in that early morning scene where they tell each other they love the other?...Holy Crap! I mean even I get butterflies! I guess in some way, I wish there was a Mr. Darcy for me. Someone who would "ardently love me". It wouldn't hurt for him to look like Mr. Macfadyen either! But I am perfectly happy in my little green house with my three fuzzy dogs, 1 cat and a feral cat colony...oh gee I hope I am not turning into the crazy cat lady! :-) I guess there are worse thing to be.

I am going to be so busy this weekend, I won't have time to watch movies. Maybe that will break the Pride & Prejudice spell. I don't know but I think I have worn out my dvd. It is a good thing I have a back up! ;-)

Too

2008-02-11T19:37:00.000-05:00

You know there are times where there just aren't words to describe your day. Sometimes life is just...too much.

One of the definitions of too is: to an excessive extent or degree; beyond what is desirable, fitting, or right.

We are too busy, too tired, too lcrabby, too mad, too emotional, too selfish, too sick, too lonely, too far, too hot, too cold, too whatever...Today is one of those days where everything is just "too". That's it. Just too.

I hope tomorrow is a little less "too".

In every life a tear must fall

2008-02-02T17:03:00.000-05:00

I am a cryer. I can cry at the drop of a hat. I guess it is because I have a sensitive nature. I cry over the Pedigree "Help us help dogs" comercials, I cry when someone else is crying, I cry when a classmate is mean to my 6 year old niece, I cry at movies, I cry when I read a good book, I cry when one of my dogs is hurt or sick. So I think you get my point; I am an accomplished cryer. Now that is not to say I am a "faker". I guess I am easily moved to tears. I am usually a silent cryer. Lots of tears and not a lot of noise. I am not one of the those "boo hoo hoo" ers

Today I watched one of my all time favorite movies "Sense & Sensibility (yes, I am still on the Jane Austen thing). There is a scene almost at the end of the movie where Edward Farris (Hugh Grant) comes to tell Elinor (Emma Thompson) that he loves her-he did not marry that icky Miss Steel, his heart belongs now and always to. That is all I need to turn on the water works. But, Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood has the best cry I have ever seen. It is so...real. I mean I know she is an actress and all but it is absolutely perfect. So if you want to see or need a good cry go rent Sense & Sensibility.

From the Heart Tag

2008-02-02T16:40:00.000-05:00

I have been "tagged" by my blogging friend Catz.. I am not sure what this means but I know what I am supposed to do. "Post a quote that speaks from and to your heart and dedicate it to at least three other bloggers."

So, I dedicate this quote, my favorite one, to Catz and Krista (sorry I only have 2)

"In life it is not possible to do great things. But it is possible to do small things with great love". Mother Teresa (1910 - 1998)

And one more that means a lot to me:

"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving". Also by Mother Teresa

Ok, I thought you said no one would see us!!

2008-01-30T21:25:00.001-05:00

Someone sent this to me in an email. You know the kind, they have a cute little poem, and funny animal pictures with cute captions. Well, I just love this one! So I thought I would share.

The Complete Jane Austen

2008-01-28T20:24:00.000-05:00

Every Sunday night I watch Masterpiece Theater or Mystery on PBS. The next day, I call my mom and discuss with her. Right now Masterpiece Theater is showing The Complete Jane Austen. SO far they have shown Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, and Mansfield Park. I LOVE JANE AUSTEN! Well, I should say that I am a huge fan of the movie adaptations of her books. All of them! I have Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride & Prejudice-the BBC mini-series and the new movie that came out in 2006. I have watched all of these about 10 times...yes even the mini series. But, I am ashamed to say that I have never read the books. So, I am on a quest to read all the Jane Austen novels. I am not sure what it is about them that I love so much. I think part of it is there is always a happy ending. The girl gets the boy and everyone is happy. I love that! And Seriously, Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. I am swooning right now! Of course Matthew MacFadyen is quiet swoonable too! (I know swoonable is not a word!) And the women are strong. They are smart, generous and caring. They wear these great dresses. They get to sit around and do needlepoint or take walks, go on picnics, horse rides etc. Of course their lives are not perfect, some have really mean parents, or just stupid ones. Some are poor and have terrible familes. But they are always better for it in the end. They know exactly what to say...Oh to be Anne from Persuasion...sigh

Well I should get going. I have ALOT of reading to do. I wonder if I should get some Cliffs notes?