I have to say that I'm glad today is the end of the holiday season. And while I enjoyed certain perks during our wonderfully low key holiday break, I can still honestly say that I just don't like the holiday season and I would prefer that it didn't exist. I like every day life. I really do. I like the ins and outs of normal existance. I'm fine with stepping out of that for trips to places I want to go, or things I particularly want to do, but just because it's December and everyone else is doing it isn't a good enough reason for me. I think maybe I prefer to keep things on an even keel … [Read more...]
I swear this isn’t a dog blog
But, I am writing about dogs a whole lot, huh? Argo had surgery again yesterday to remove a lump that may or may not be a tumor. It takes 14 days for the biopsy results. I swear, if someone invented a process for getting instant biopsy results, I would pay three times the amount just to avoid the wait, and I'm a pretty frugal person. The other lumps he's had have just been tested with a needle biopsy, but this one just looked wrong and the vet said it would be best to remove it. Basically, if it is something, even if they don't get all of it, getting the big part out could limit the spread … [Read more...]
And out come the wolves. . .
Howling Hill recommended that I read Cesar Milan's books on dog training to help with Stella, and it was a fantastic suggestion. All the Dog Whisperer stuff has been so hyped, and I tend to be skeptical of anyone who is selling posters of themselves, but I actually really like where he's coming from, and just making some subtle changes in my mindset has made a huge difference with Stella. I am the pack leader. I. Am. The. Pack. Leader. And as crazy as it sounds, when I think that and look at Stella, she pays attention. We've also been taking long walks, and I simply expect her to walk … [Read more...]
Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood? – The Garden Gnome Edition
Stella comes with some fun habits. She won't do her business while attached to leash, but she won't necessarily come in when called. We don't have a fenced in yard, so this makes things tricky. She was doing better with it, but then the storm door swung shut and scared her and now coming in through the door at all is a tough sell.The other night she took off and ran through The Crap Garden next door, and it reminded me that I should tell you about The Crap Garden.The Crap Garden is carved out of the land behind our next door neighbor's house (even though they do not own said land). It's … [Read more...]
The Goal for Next Weekend
I am keeping things simple. My goal for next weekend is that no one from this household will go to any emergency room of any kind. And yes, I am knocking on wood about it. Last weekend I ended up in the ER for my turkey burned hand. This weekend, I went to run errands on Saturday and came home to find J out in the yard with the dogs. He said he'd been worried about Argo because he was acting funny. Argo was sluggish and crabby and kept making a hacking noise, but then when J brought him outside, he acted fairly normal. I decided that Argo just missed me and missed getting individual … [Read more...]
Stella!
Argo the Wonderdog has a a trusty sidekick. Two Sundays ago, the woman who trains Argo at the kennel called saying, "Please tell me you didn't get another dog." One of the kennel's clients had to work too much and needed a new home for her 13 month old German Shepherd. We hadn't gotten another dog, so Argo and I went out to the kennel that afternoon to meet Luna. They seemed to get along well, although it was hard to tell because Argo insisted on making sure that some part of his body was touching my leg at all given times (I have mentioned that Argo and I are sickeningly codependent, … [Read more...]
Let it go already
There's this weird transition going from the editing stage of an ongoing writing project to the first draft stage of a new one. In editing, you're striving to make things perfect, or at least closer to perfect (I'm big on multiple drafts), but in the actual writing of the first draft, you're just feeling things out and trying to figure out where it's all going to go. I am SO excited about my new project. The idea evolved from that first line while I pulled dead marigolds, into a pitch-type outline while I was in the shower, into some pages that have a tone and pace I'm starting to like. … [Read more...]
100 Things – 46-55
Here's a pic from the hike Argo and I took the other day. I'm obsessed with the yellow/blue dusk combo that was going on in the sky and in the reflection on the creek. It only sort of showed up in the picture. Figured I'd get back to my 100 Things list46. I hate the sound of our doorbell, so I unplugged it.47. I'm not good with tradition. I have a hard time doing something simply because that's how it's been done in the past if it doesn't make sense to me.48. I used to have a sweet tooth that would put Willy Wonka to shame, but I've pretty much conquered it at this point.49. I think there … [Read more...]
Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood?
My neighbors are a very odd collection of people. The neighborhood is a combo of people who built these houses as their dream houses almost 40 years ago and still reside here, and the people who have filled in the spaces when someone has died or moved to a Boca. I often describe our neighborhood as a retirement community without the benefits of water aerobics classes and a shuffleboard court. It's not a bad place to live, really. I can't say I love it, but it's perfectly adequate. It is, however, strange. People here aren't very open or friendly. We've lived in our house for almost six … [Read more...]
It’s all good . . .
I'm feeling better now. Thank you for indulging my mopiness. To be completely honest, it probably had more to do with the trip I took two weekends ago, and less to do with what I looked like on TV. I feel a little sheepish about the whole thing now. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out what's bugging me, and I should have taken a step back and given everything a look before I started spouting off about my cankle chin or lack thereof. I had to go to a place I've avoided like the plague for the past decade or so, with an old friend I hadn't seen in a long time, and with whom I have an … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- Next Page »