This truly is my favorite time of the year. The evenings are cool ( low 40's ) and the days are comfortable. The leaves have only just begun their long slow slide into gold. Odd how only a few leaves on each tree have decided to make the change while their neighbor trees have not. I do wonder what sends the clue that fall is falling when the trees are only feet apart.
The hummingbirds have gone and the chickadees are back, as are the Stellar's Jays and the Magpies ( love them best...amazing tails!!). The chipmunks are stealing birdseed like mad and are willing to risk death-by-Pom to get them. Our fierce hunter, Bikki, has two "kills" this week...a bird and a chipmunk. She is willing to sit for hours, motionless until the strike. Amazing since she is the most overweight and least likely hunter in the gang. For the record, the Rotties are willing and able to chase but sloooooow. They do bark a mean game though...
It has taken two years to ( sorta, kinda ) acclimate but at least this year I actually busted out the shorts and am wearing them still , albeit with a sweatshirt. After the visit to Hawaii I am THRILLED with this weather and these temps....I had forgotten ( how???) that August in the Aloha state is miserable. Hot, muggy, rainy then steamy. Ackkkkk.
Am I ready for snow ? Not exactly but I won't complain when it comes....unless it stays till April again!!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Processing.......or not
This has been a time of testing for me. I pretty much feel that I have and am failing. I am not processing the " events " of the last few weeks all that well.
My Dad, who had been diagnosed with cancer that was deemed treatable, died suddenly in his sleep in late July. The lady he loved very dearly ( I dont recall ever seeing him as happy as he was with Rita ) was kicked to the curb by step-sibs I have never met. I do not now, nor will I probably ever, have the urge to do so. What comes to mind is cursing them butt I am trying not to do that.
We were expecting grandkidlets # 11 and #12. I was ( and am ) still in shock about my Dad when we got a call on 9 August that Ezra James had arrived...9 days early. I left NM on the 10th , arriving in Hawaii the same day and Joseph Paul was born the next evening....9 days late on 11 Aug. We had 9-11 babies but I did not think on that then. One daughter ended up in the hospital....either shocky or infected ( there was never a clear diagnosis ) without her baby ..Ezra. It was an extremely hard time for his Mom, Dad and sibs since as a newborn he could not be at the hospital ( sick people are there and he could have been infected with any number of horrid things)...and little Joseph, born 2 days later, had swallowed meconium in utero, resulting in lung lesions, pneumonia and acidotic bloodwork. For days he was confined to the nursery with IV's and constant heel stabs and could not be picked up. It was a blessing they were at the same hospital.
In truth, I have not processed any of this. Not any of it. John was here in NM, dealing with dogs that drove him crazy while I was gone and left to go see a car ( go, go , little GTO ) in AZ, which he did not buy, only to return and leave for Hawaii.
I have been picking up rocks since I got back to NM. Really. The back "yard" of our house has the most amazing collection of rocks I have ever seen. I think NM grows them. Mostly they are ankle breakers. They hid under snow and you only know you have found one as your ankle goes south when you are heading north. Did I mention that rocks are heavy and do not qualify as "pebbles" if they take two hands to lift them ( honey !!!! )?
I may post about the wonderful weather or the crazy dogs but the things that are weighing so heavy on my soul.....I am simply not processing quite yet.
Prayers would be greatly appreciated.
My Dad, who had been diagnosed with cancer that was deemed treatable, died suddenly in his sleep in late July. The lady he loved very dearly ( I dont recall ever seeing him as happy as he was with Rita ) was kicked to the curb by step-sibs I have never met. I do not now, nor will I probably ever, have the urge to do so. What comes to mind is cursing them butt I am trying not to do that.
We were expecting grandkidlets # 11 and #12. I was ( and am ) still in shock about my Dad when we got a call on 9 August that Ezra James had arrived...9 days early. I left NM on the 10th , arriving in Hawaii the same day and Joseph Paul was born the next evening....9 days late on 11 Aug. We had 9-11 babies but I did not think on that then. One daughter ended up in the hospital....either shocky or infected ( there was never a clear diagnosis ) without her baby ..Ezra. It was an extremely hard time for his Mom, Dad and sibs since as a newborn he could not be at the hospital ( sick people are there and he could have been infected with any number of horrid things)...and little Joseph, born 2 days later, had swallowed meconium in utero, resulting in lung lesions, pneumonia and acidotic bloodwork. For days he was confined to the nursery with IV's and constant heel stabs and could not be picked up. It was a blessing they were at the same hospital.
In truth, I have not processed any of this. Not any of it. John was here in NM, dealing with dogs that drove him crazy while I was gone and left to go see a car ( go, go , little GTO ) in AZ, which he did not buy, only to return and leave for Hawaii.
I have been picking up rocks since I got back to NM. Really. The back "yard" of our house has the most amazing collection of rocks I have ever seen. I think NM grows them. Mostly they are ankle breakers. They hid under snow and you only know you have found one as your ankle goes south when you are heading north. Did I mention that rocks are heavy and do not qualify as "pebbles" if they take two hands to lift them ( honey !!!! )?
I may post about the wonderful weather or the crazy dogs but the things that are weighing so heavy on my soul.....I am simply not processing quite yet.
Prayers would be greatly appreciated.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Rufous...a mean lil hummingbird
You cannot tell by looking at this little guy that he is MEAN.
Gorgeous but nasty when it comes to other hummingbirds.
\
When he flashes his throat colors he is even more beautiful.......ever tried to catch a hummingbird in flight with a camera that does not "get it" ?
That being said I love them...all of them. You can sit and watch a Mama bird come and literally "fill her belly" and watch said tiny tummy get bigger and bigger. Bless her lil heart. The Red Devil (male, 'natch ) chases all the other humming away.
Mean
Dominant.
Sigh
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Mani/Pedi....Rottie style
As you can see, Schatzi has grown....while Stryker is a pretty big boy at 113.7 lbs, Schatzi is an itty bitty 67.1 lbs. By comparison she is almost a Pom. Ok..not quite but still smaller than Thud. They have killer nails/claws, as is evidenced by the constant scrapes on my legs and arms. Not intentionally mind you....they just dont know they have razors on their paws. Most of the time they are very laid back and calm. Not so much when it comes to clipping said claws.
I tried to do it myself ( snortgigglelaugh) but unfortunately Stryker has decided he prefers NOT to have his nails " done ". No , I do not paint them although with Schatzi ( dare I even admit this ? ) I have been tempted since they do make polish expressly for dogs and she is not the most feminine lil thing. The only time since we got him that Stryker literally scared the snot out of me was the last time I tried to clip his nails.
After the scare I took him to the Vet who managed, just, to get the job done several weeks ago. OK, says I to me, I will take both for Mani/Pedi again, since John is gone and the cost ($12 per dog ) seemed worth not risking life and definately limb to do it myself and the nails are long again.
Let me just mention our Vet is a woman who makes me, at 5'4", look tall. And she is in a walking cast as a horse had the bad manners to step on her tiny little foot, breaking who knows how many bones.
I separated the double leash and sent Stryker into the bowels of hell ( or so one would have thought ) to have the evil, nasty, horrible Vet clip his claws. Have I mentioned that he is a TOTAL wimp ? Wussie ? Ok...just let me say it..he is MALE and has absolutely no tolerance for pain or even the suggestion of it ? Sexist ? You betcha!!!! But all too true.
The exam rooms at the Vet's office have swinging doors...kinda dumb unless you only deal with Poms or Chihuahuas. While Schatzi sat in the waiting area, and her head swung back and forth like Obama reading off a teleprompter, the doors kept flipping open, closed, open, closed and he was crying ( yes, crying ) like a little girl.
Soon thereafter the Vet appeared and informed me that to have Thud's claws clipped, she would have to put him under anesthesia to accomplish the clipping. Wow....really ? Not exactly suprised...I DID try and tell her it was not possible but what do I know.
Schatzi went in after he did and with nary a whimper or whine, got her nails done. Still thinking about the polish but I know I would have to explain to John why her nails are pink or purple and probably wont do it....probably.
Here is the kicker...Stryker will let me FILE his nails ( have you any idea what kind of file or effort that takes....just sayin' ) so for the next several days, since he will only let me file one or two at any given time, I will probably be found sitting on the floor, filing dog nails. I'm thinking he deserves to get HIS nails painted some obnoxious color just for being such a wuss.
Good thing they are sweet and otherwise gentle dogs.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Mountain time vs Hawaiian time......
When I lived in Hawaii there was a standing joke ( and I assume its still standing ) about how things got done on Hawaiian time. Meaning if someone providing a service was scheduled to arrive at 9am you could pretty much add an hour or two to that scheduled time before actually expecting someone to show up.
I have come to find that Mountain time lags behind Hawaiian time by days and weeks, not hours. Who knew. We are still in the process of enclosing the area under the master bath, an area that was built on columns, allowing winter winds to blow through and making it impossible to heat (this is the same bathroom that the shower froze solid for a few weeks ) and very uncomfortable to use. The contractor who put up the walls to enclose it was very timely....here at the house by 7:30am and working till daylight waned. This was done before winter arrived last year and although ugly, it did wonders in keeping out the wind and we were able to use the shower and toilet without risking frostbite. Once spring arrived said contractor recommended a drywall company to stucco and finish the walls...okey-dokey.
Little did we know that the work ethic of the contractor was a rare and unusual thing. The drywall crew set up scaffolding, if thats what it can be called, that would give an OSHA inspector heart failure. Although they did cover the ground with plastic it appears to have served little purpose as there is so much spilled stucco on the ground I dont know if it can be cleaned up. And this scaffolding and plastic has been down there for weeks. They showed up today ( they have been saying they would be here " tomorrow" for days) and told John it would only take them a few hours this morning to put the finish coat on. Seriously?
In the meantime, the Village of Angel Fire officials noticed, at least 6 months after it started, that work was being done and decided to fine us for not asking nice and getting a permit. Apparently you cant do anything here without a permit and we didnt know this. It is my fault....I want a fence in the back so the mutts can go out unattended and ask at the Village offices about building one. Gotta have a permit. Got the permit and it was the same week some high and mighty Village official took the road less traveled ( that would be ours ), saw the scaffolding and plastic and sent a letter saying we were in deep kim-chee. A $500 permit and $300 fine. Sigh.
Here we are, in a place where elk and deer and bears roam freely, what some would consider wilderness, and we are controlled by bureaucrats. It's almost funny....we couldnt get the drywall guys up here to finish the stupid job quickly but the officials are johnny on the spot. Usually bureaucrats are slower than molasses but there is money involved and that tends to speed them up a bit. Almost funny but not quite.
I would never in a million years have believed Hawaiian time was quicker but its true....Mountain time is manana....maybe, if you are lucky.
I have come to find that Mountain time lags behind Hawaiian time by days and weeks, not hours. Who knew. We are still in the process of enclosing the area under the master bath, an area that was built on columns, allowing winter winds to blow through and making it impossible to heat (this is the same bathroom that the shower froze solid for a few weeks ) and very uncomfortable to use. The contractor who put up the walls to enclose it was very timely....here at the house by 7:30am and working till daylight waned. This was done before winter arrived last year and although ugly, it did wonders in keeping out the wind and we were able to use the shower and toilet without risking frostbite. Once spring arrived said contractor recommended a drywall company to stucco and finish the walls...okey-dokey.
Little did we know that the work ethic of the contractor was a rare and unusual thing. The drywall crew set up scaffolding, if thats what it can be called, that would give an OSHA inspector heart failure. Although they did cover the ground with plastic it appears to have served little purpose as there is so much spilled stucco on the ground I dont know if it can be cleaned up. And this scaffolding and plastic has been down there for weeks. They showed up today ( they have been saying they would be here " tomorrow" for days) and told John it would only take them a few hours this morning to put the finish coat on. Seriously?
In the meantime, the Village of Angel Fire officials noticed, at least 6 months after it started, that work was being done and decided to fine us for not asking nice and getting a permit. Apparently you cant do anything here without a permit and we didnt know this. It is my fault....I want a fence in the back so the mutts can go out unattended and ask at the Village offices about building one. Gotta have a permit. Got the permit and it was the same week some high and mighty Village official took the road less traveled ( that would be ours ), saw the scaffolding and plastic and sent a letter saying we were in deep kim-chee. A $500 permit and $300 fine. Sigh.
Here we are, in a place where elk and deer and bears roam freely, what some would consider wilderness, and we are controlled by bureaucrats. It's almost funny....we couldnt get the drywall guys up here to finish the stupid job quickly but the officials are johnny on the spot. Usually bureaucrats are slower than molasses but there is money involved and that tends to speed them up a bit. Almost funny but not quite.
I would never in a million years have believed Hawaiian time was quicker but its true....Mountain time is manana....maybe, if you are lucky.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
He IS a purty boy!!!
We took Stryker to the dog show in Albuquerque and he did so well. John and Zack dragged his crate into the show hall and we kept him there for a little while. One of the Rottweiler club members who is a judge ( not in the Rot ring ) suggested we take him out of the crate and see how he did. No barking, no aggression ( although he was super interested in the English bulldogs and the Poodles - probably thought those lil balls on Poodles hind ends were chew toys of some sort ) but interest only. Very calm and very good. Both judges and handlers thought he was beautiful. One of the top handlers in the country has said he would take him, train him for the ring and show him.
I am conflicted. I dont want to send him away and I dont want him shown without being there. The handler goes to shows all over the country and it is tempting to just say yes. Stryker is only 14 months old...still a big baby but he looks like the adult dogs we saw, except, of course, better looking. Still mulling things over....
I am conflicted. I dont want to send him away and I dont want him shown without being there. The handler goes to shows all over the country and it is tempting to just say yes. Stryker is only 14 months old...still a big baby but he looks like the adult dogs we saw, except, of course, better looking. Still mulling things over....
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Just can't do it ...
What I posted yesterday still holds true...there will be no puppies. However, comma, it will not be Stryker going under the knife. Schatzi will, when she is old enough, be the one who is neutered. With her shy, retiring attitude I dont think she would make the best of mothers. Rotties shouldn't be agressive but they shouldnt be wussies either. I know she is very young ( not yet 5 months old ) and her attitude could change but at this point I do not see her as a Rot-mom ( and I still do NOT want to mid-wife a dozen+ pups )!!!
Tomorrow we are taking Stryker to Albuquerque for a meet and greet with the NM Rottweiler club members and some handlers to see if they think he is as gorgeous as I do ( Westminster Dog Show anyone ??? ). If he is show material I think I will be getting involved doing that. I have way too much time on my hands and need something more than chipmunk counting to occupy my days when John is gone. We shall see....
Stryker may not know it but he is one lucky dog !!
Tomorrow we are taking Stryker to Albuquerque for a meet and greet with the NM Rottweiler club members and some handlers to see if they think he is as gorgeous as I do ( Westminster Dog Show anyone ??? ). If he is show material I think I will be getting involved doing that. I have way too much time on my hands and need something more than chipmunk counting to occupy my days when John is gone. We shall see....
Stryker may not know it but he is one lucky dog !!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
No puppies!!!
I know for a fact that rotties have HUGE litters....10-12 is not at all unusual. I know how cute puppies are and I do love them but I am soooo not doing the midwife thing again. It was bad enough when my poms had big litters ( 5 is a big litter for them ) and I was changing the birthing box papers 3 times a day, cleaning up the food they walked in, the water they spilled and the crap they spread through all of the above.
That being said, I still feel very guilty about doing what we are going to do to Stryker on Friday. Ok, we arent personally gonna be doing the chopping off of things but still....I feel bad. Mostly because he is the brightest, sweetest and most loving dog I have even owned. He would make an excellent stud and his pups would be gorgeous but I just can not allow it.
Part of that reasoning is Schatzi....as I mentioned before, she is sweet and has a beautiful face but as for brains....well, not so much. All the lights are on but we are pretty sure nobody is home. How a dog can have a blank look I do not know butt she does...huh???? Then there is the issue of trying to keep a 106lb dog from doing what comes naturally for the next year and a half. Right.
Surgery is Friday. Sigh. I know this is the right thing to do but I still feel awful about it.
That being said, I still feel very guilty about doing what we are going to do to Stryker on Friday. Ok, we arent personally gonna be doing the chopping off of things but still....I feel bad. Mostly because he is the brightest, sweetest and most loving dog I have even owned. He would make an excellent stud and his pups would be gorgeous but I just can not allow it.
Part of that reasoning is Schatzi....as I mentioned before, she is sweet and has a beautiful face but as for brains....well, not so much. All the lights are on but we are pretty sure nobody is home. How a dog can have a blank look I do not know butt she does...huh???? Then there is the issue of trying to keep a 106lb dog from doing what comes naturally for the next year and a half. Right.
Surgery is Friday. Sigh. I know this is the right thing to do but I still feel awful about it.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
It's a good thing she is cute
Bless her heart...she does have a sweet face. This is a good thing because sometimes I think the lights are on but nobody is home. Stryker, by comparison is an Einstein of the canine world. Is it possible for a Rottie to be blonde? If so, then Schatzi is one. Not just a blonde but a dumb one. Sweet but stupid. I know, I know...she is young, she will learn and it is just wrong to lable her as a dummy. However.....she still doesnt know her name ( of course I call her many things....Schnitzel, Saurkraut and Liverwurst among them, so maybe she is just confused ), goes potty whenever, whereever she pleases ( then runs like the dickens to the garage where she SHOULD go if she cant get outside ), has decided kleenex and toilet paper are tasty treats, loves carrying my shoes around - she doesnt eat them, just makes sure I can only ever find one shoe of any pair....
The list is long but she is undeniably sweet. Sigh. Why in the world did I think I needed another dog??? This I do know...there will be no baby Rotties from these two. Just the thought of a dozen puppies makes me shudder.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
It's only money...
There came a time, several years ago, when we decided that instead of giving presents on Christmas and birthdays we would give cash. Ok...checks actually but not gifts, per se. And at that time it was a good thing to do. Some of the kids and grands lived so far away that postage on said gifts would have been as expensive as whatever we sent.
This has worked well...until now. We are coming to the end of active earning years and the grandkidlets just keep coming with no end in sight (11 and 12 are due this summer/fall). It makes me very sad to think that we won't be able to "give" the way we used to but the reality is that we can't. I guess what I fear is the resentment or anger that might be leveled at us since cash cow has been our role for so long. And this is my fault. Need something ? Call mom.
I dont know why I have enabled so many for so long. We certainly didnt depend on our parents to provide trips or gifts or clothes....they did give to our children but we were the primary providers. I feel like a miserable failure, something familiar to me as I have failed in spectacular fashion, repeatedly, as a parent.
And I dont know how to fix this....
Guess I could win a few hundred million in the lottery....too bad I dont gamble.
This has worked well...until now. We are coming to the end of active earning years and the grandkidlets just keep coming with no end in sight (11 and 12 are due this summer/fall). It makes me very sad to think that we won't be able to "give" the way we used to but the reality is that we can't. I guess what I fear is the resentment or anger that might be leveled at us since cash cow has been our role for so long. And this is my fault. Need something ? Call mom.
I dont know why I have enabled so many for so long. We certainly didnt depend on our parents to provide trips or gifts or clothes....they did give to our children but we were the primary providers. I feel like a miserable failure, something familiar to me as I have failed in spectacular fashion, repeatedly, as a parent.
And I dont know how to fix this....
Guess I could win a few hundred million in the lottery....too bad I dont gamble.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Has spring sprung ?
Nope.
I went to Oregon for two weeks to meet the newest grandkidlet, Jacob John Wyman. What a cutie!!! He is a little guy but strong and loud : )
I had hoped the weather there would be warmer than Angel Fire but ( rolling eyes ) they got snow. And its a "wet cold" so it feels colder than here at home even though the thermometer says otherwise.
The day I got home ( April 2nd ) I drove into a whiteout. Visibility down to a few feet and slip sliding all the way. Actually went off the road twice...grateful we left the sand bag in the back as I am sure it helped with what little traction the car had. All told we got 18-20 inches of the white stuff. Have I mentioned I am sick of snow? No? I AM SICK OF SNOW. It's not just the snow...its the ice when it partially melts and the muck when it finally does melt.
We did get the tulips and hydrangas into the ground just before the first frost and several of them have poked tenative leaves above the mulch. Then yesterday it snowed again...only 4 or 5 inches this time. Hoping they didn't freeze and die....sigh. I guess time will tell.
We dont really get "spring" as such.....we have mud season. The dogs dont mind ( either the mud or me ) but it gets tiring when there are 20 paws tracking the great outdoors inside: leaves, twigs and assorted things I cannot identify. I have never given the poms seriously short coats but this year they may look like Mexican Hairless when I am done with them. Guess I have to wait till the snow stops since I dont want Pom-cicles but once it warms up the shears are going to fly and so will the fur.
I went to Oregon for two weeks to meet the newest grandkidlet, Jacob John Wyman. What a cutie!!! He is a little guy but strong and loud : )
I had hoped the weather there would be warmer than Angel Fire but ( rolling eyes ) they got snow. And its a "wet cold" so it feels colder than here at home even though the thermometer says otherwise.
The day I got home ( April 2nd ) I drove into a whiteout. Visibility down to a few feet and slip sliding all the way. Actually went off the road twice...grateful we left the sand bag in the back as I am sure it helped with what little traction the car had. All told we got 18-20 inches of the white stuff. Have I mentioned I am sick of snow? No? I AM SICK OF SNOW. It's not just the snow...its the ice when it partially melts and the muck when it finally does melt.
We did get the tulips and hydrangas into the ground just before the first frost and several of them have poked tenative leaves above the mulch. Then yesterday it snowed again...only 4 or 5 inches this time. Hoping they didn't freeze and die....sigh. I guess time will tell.
We dont really get "spring" as such.....we have mud season. The dogs dont mind ( either the mud or me ) but it gets tiring when there are 20 paws tracking the great outdoors inside: leaves, twigs and assorted things I cannot identify. I have never given the poms seriously short coats but this year they may look like Mexican Hairless when I am done with them. Guess I have to wait till the snow stops since I dont want Pom-cicles but once it warms up the shears are going to fly and so will the fur.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Good and bad....health
It has been a stressful few weeks. I had my carotid doppler...the good was actually watching. My own personal internal volcano, schussing through my veins. I didn't know it would be in living color...reds and yellows and oranges. Amazing. What was not so amazing was when I saw a section that was narrowed and asked if that was bad. The tech doing the test was not supposed to give me a diagnosis ( which technically he did not ) said, no it wasnt good. Sigh. At least I didnt have to wonder for the next week until I saw the doctor : I knew something was amiss. Apparently my high good cholestrol didnt cancel out the high bad.
Doc put me on a statin drug and after a few days I was walking on jello legs. Muscle weakness is one of those little signs letting you know the drug is not ok. Off the statin. Back to the doctor...and on to another statin ( I guess they have many, many varieties), this time a generic version of Lipitor. All of them have side effects that seem worse than the medical problem they address...." may cause heart attack, stroke or death...call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the above ".
Then there is the blood pressure. Which is high. Which is new to me...all my life I have had the opposite. And now , in a few weeks he wants to put me on medication for that too....assuming the other meds havent killed me first.
I will only briefly mention an emergency visit to the dentist...one of my teeth hurt so bad I thought my head was going to explode. After many more than the normal number of xrays ( I think I glowed in the dark that night ) he couldnt find anything. I mentioned I had been sick with a cold for over 3 weeks and Mr.Dentist decided it could be my sinuses pressuring the teeth. After a week on antibiotics...presto...no pain. Who knew your sinuses could make your teeth hurt?!
Add to all the above a puppy who thinks she needs to get up before dawn, not just to pee, poo and eat....but to play. I am not my most playful at 3:40 am ( that was her wake-up time today) and laying down on the couch to try and catch a few more winks of sleep is out of the question. Stryker's face and mine are at the same level when I recline on said couch and he feels the need, every 3-4 minutes, to lick my face, just to see if I am ok. Schatzi pulls on the blanket and Lady tries to get under it with me. Loki barks at nothing which sets off Bikki.
I am tired and cranky and wishing I could look forward to retirement....unfortunately women dont get to retire. There will always be cooking, cleaning, laundry and dog poop to clean up not to mention snow to shovel ( its snowing again so at least the flood is over for the time being ).
On the bright side, I am still breathing. Yay. Thank you Lord for small favors.
Doc put me on a statin drug and after a few days I was walking on jello legs. Muscle weakness is one of those little signs letting you know the drug is not ok. Off the statin. Back to the doctor...and on to another statin ( I guess they have many, many varieties), this time a generic version of Lipitor. All of them have side effects that seem worse than the medical problem they address...." may cause heart attack, stroke or death...call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the above ".
Then there is the blood pressure. Which is high. Which is new to me...all my life I have had the opposite. And now , in a few weeks he wants to put me on medication for that too....assuming the other meds havent killed me first.
I will only briefly mention an emergency visit to the dentist...one of my teeth hurt so bad I thought my head was going to explode. After many more than the normal number of xrays ( I think I glowed in the dark that night ) he couldnt find anything. I mentioned I had been sick with a cold for over 3 weeks and Mr.Dentist decided it could be my sinuses pressuring the teeth. After a week on antibiotics...presto...no pain. Who knew your sinuses could make your teeth hurt?!
Add to all the above a puppy who thinks she needs to get up before dawn, not just to pee, poo and eat....but to play. I am not my most playful at 3:40 am ( that was her wake-up time today) and laying down on the couch to try and catch a few more winks of sleep is out of the question. Stryker's face and mine are at the same level when I recline on said couch and he feels the need, every 3-4 minutes, to lick my face, just to see if I am ok. Schatzi pulls on the blanket and Lady tries to get under it with me. Loki barks at nothing which sets off Bikki.
I am tired and cranky and wishing I could look forward to retirement....unfortunately women dont get to retire. There will always be cooking, cleaning, laundry and dog poop to clean up not to mention snow to shovel ( its snowing again so at least the flood is over for the time being ).
On the bright side, I am still breathing. Yay. Thank you Lord for small favors.
Monday, March 5, 2012
400 lbs later......
Not talking about my weight....Although I am no scientist, I have figured out that gravity is not a suggestion but indeed a law. When you get 8-10 inches of snow and the temps are in the teens all is well...except for the layer of ice underneath. Even then it is bearable. However, when you get said snow and then temps in the high 40's and you live at the bottom of a driveway that is equal to a black diamond ski slope, that gravational law kicks in. The snow and ice melt.
The garage floods. It does not matter how much you dig ditches to "redirect" said melt and no matter how much you try and broom it away, there is more. Much, much more.
The dogs had a great time : wading pool/drinking water ( ack ) but me, not so much. I bought 8 - 50lb bags of sand with which to blockade my garage. The kid who loaded them into my car was thrilled. He wasnt here to unload them. I had that dubious pleasure. woo freakin' hoo.
It does seem to be working....the flood has mostly abated and what was left under the wood pile ( and I wonder why it won't light ) I absorbed with dog piddle pads. Just as well since baby girl Schatzi - she should have been named Schnitzel since she is such a little porker - seems to think they are for snacking on. Oh well.....
Unfortunately we are expecting a new snow storm on Wednesday. Who would ever have thought I would look forward to mud season also known in these parts as spring.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Storm tossed and wind blown
...and I am not talking about the clouds. What has been storm tossed this past year has been my faith. Kindly let me explain.....
Say we are talking about a man....dont prejudge.....who is supposed to be in a position of authority. Who is supposed to show Christ's love and kindness.
Now let us supppose this man is not American ( not usually a problem...) who has a limited verbal usage of the english language, who comes from a culture where he was not just adulated ( which he was ) but taken care of, in every sense of the word. His house was cleaned, his laundry done, his ironing ironed, his food cooked, his dishes washed and last but not least, his EVERY WORD WAS TAKEN FOR LAW AND HE WAS A SEMI-GOD.
His wishes were basically law.
Now let us suppose this man was put in a position of authourity in a place that has rarely seen a black man from Africa. A place where the Catholic faith has been the only faith for 200 years. Let us further assume this man has no respect for the faith as it has been for two centuries but also thinks we should have no church here. And yet he is the vicar of the faith......
I came back to the Catholic church only in the last few years although I have been a silent, condeming, angry member since I was a child. What I found in Hawaii was an RCIA program that explained and confirmed, not only my faith but me as a person. And a sponsor who, although crushed by a marriage that failed, supported me through the process. My marriage was con-validated and I was confirmed in the Church, putting me in full communion. Yayyyyy !!
Then I came here to the mountains. Where I expected peace and a loving church community. While there are members of this community, within this church (which is not yet but is trying hard to be a church ) who do love the Lord and want His will done and want a place where all can be free to worship Him, our dear leader does not share this view.
It has been killing me, that this person who is supposed to be my spiritual leader is such a failure when it comes to loving...not just the community but the Lord.....I am shredded and torn, like the clouds...even while knowing that it is not a person I should be watching. That I need to listen to the leading of the Spirit....and that while I fail, I need to keep looking to Him.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Oddly silent ?
To be completely honest, the odd part is, for me, normal. I have always been the round peg that doesnt fit in the square hole. Ever. The silent part is a bit out of the ordinary. Usually my mouth engages before my brain does...as one of my brilliant daughters says " mom, you have to practice using your INNER voice instead of your outer voice." I know...I do know. Not that I do it well but I do understand.
Sooooo. John has been home, come and gone. But before he left he gave me a gift...something that will stand in stead of valentines day, anniversary, birthday and Christmas gifts. You may say I have lost my mind ( really...what, after 5 teens is left ???), am crazy ( a given ) and that I am trying to replace my 5 kids, none of whom live with me ( thank you Lord ) with 5 dogs. Maybe...but the dogs dont care what I am wearing ( and are therefore never embarassed by me ) dont care what I smell like , what car I drive ( and dont want to borrow it ) , dont care who I talk to on the phone ( nor for how long, as long as the food bowls are filled ) and never, ever need to borrow money.
Yes, we have a new puppy. She is a Rottie. Same age when we got her as Stryker was but half the weight...not half the attitude. She is already trying to steal Stryker's toys and sleeping in his bed. As for him, he is smitten. I dont know about breed awareness but he seems to know she is what he is. Her name is Schatzi....sweetheart or darling in German. And she is.
I am doing the whole baby-in-the-middle-of -the-night thing again and I must say, it was easier when I was younger. Still....she will never borrow the car and just might keep Stryker on his toes ( and off mine !!).
Sunday, February 5, 2012
I couldn't make this up......
Makeup....something that has been a part of my life forever. I grew up in a house with a Mother who would not, under any circumstances, leave the house without her "face" on. Now we are not talking about the kind applied with a trowel, so heavy you can't see the women underneath. No....just enough to put a bit more emphasis on her natural beauty. However, she slept in it , woke up in the morning, removed whatever was left ( most of which ended up on her pillow ) and would immediately reapply. She never, ever let water touch her face....she used some sort of greasy cream to wipe it off. Why she never had skin problems is beyond me. I leave something on my skin and by morning ( even in my late 50's ....ackkkk ) I have what is gently referred to as a blemish aka a zit!!!
Now I do realize that back in those days women took great care in how they presented themselves in public and part of that was cosmetics. Look back at pictures of Liz Taylor, with whom my mother shared a birthday, and one sees that makeup was the standard of the day, although not to the extent Hollywood embraced. Still, no woman was seen in public without her foundation, lipstick , her eyebrows groomed, mascara and probably blush and powder ( to "set" the whole thing ). Even my grandmothers adhered to this standard.
I never took it that far. I have been washing my face, morning and night, all my life and so far I dont look like an armadillo in the skin department. I am ( still sorta, though there is gray in there too ) blonde and so are my brows and lashes. For many years my makeup "routine" was basically some kind of moisture and some mascara ( you cannot see the lashes otherwise ) and some blush. I never "did" my brows until a daughter convinced me that brows frame the eyes so I kind of draw over the few sparse hairs that reside over my eyes and they look ok. I have always thought I looked funny in lipstick, hated the nasty feel of foundation and likewise with the whole powder thing.
Now I do try and cover up the dark circles and use a bit of color on the eyes ( bland basics like tan and brown...no greens or purples ), still use something to moisturize with an SPF of at least 25 and blush. However, I decided to try a foundation since these too have a sun protective factor. Ok....I found one that is described as a "mousse", something that used to involve chocolate and was eaten...not applied to hair or face. Light in texture ( the package assured me ) not cakey or heavy. Okie dokie...sold. And it is...there is hardly any difference with or without it and that is a good thing.
But things have changed. I am pretty sure that never, ever, in the history of the world, has any form of makeup come with a warning that it might, if exposed to heat, EXPLODE. I kid you not. There is a red label on the bottle which cannot be seen prior to opening, that says if you heat it ( and really, why would you do that ?) it can blow up. Seriously. Pow, bam, KABLOOY.
Not sure I will use this stuff often but I know for a fact that I will not be storing it next to the stove.
Now I do realize that back in those days women took great care in how they presented themselves in public and part of that was cosmetics. Look back at pictures of Liz Taylor, with whom my mother shared a birthday, and one sees that makeup was the standard of the day, although not to the extent Hollywood embraced. Still, no woman was seen in public without her foundation, lipstick , her eyebrows groomed, mascara and probably blush and powder ( to "set" the whole thing ). Even my grandmothers adhered to this standard.
I never took it that far. I have been washing my face, morning and night, all my life and so far I dont look like an armadillo in the skin department. I am ( still sorta, though there is gray in there too ) blonde and so are my brows and lashes. For many years my makeup "routine" was basically some kind of moisture and some mascara ( you cannot see the lashes otherwise ) and some blush. I never "did" my brows until a daughter convinced me that brows frame the eyes so I kind of draw over the few sparse hairs that reside over my eyes and they look ok. I have always thought I looked funny in lipstick, hated the nasty feel of foundation and likewise with the whole powder thing.
Now I do try and cover up the dark circles and use a bit of color on the eyes ( bland basics like tan and brown...no greens or purples ), still use something to moisturize with an SPF of at least 25 and blush. However, I decided to try a foundation since these too have a sun protective factor. Ok....I found one that is described as a "mousse", something that used to involve chocolate and was eaten...not applied to hair or face. Light in texture ( the package assured me ) not cakey or heavy. Okie dokie...sold. And it is...there is hardly any difference with or without it and that is a good thing.
But things have changed. I am pretty sure that never, ever, in the history of the world, has any form of makeup come with a warning that it might, if exposed to heat, EXPLODE. I kid you not. There is a red label on the bottle which cannot be seen prior to opening, that says if you heat it ( and really, why would you do that ?) it can blow up. Seriously. Pow, bam, KABLOOY.
Not sure I will use this stuff often but I know for a fact that I will not be storing it next to the stove.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The "big nasty" took three hours.....
Don't know where your head went but I am talking about doing the floors in this house. They are the" big nasty" here. I have vacuumed more than once since the herd left after the holidays and swiffered twice weekly. That means I have gotten the dust mastadons out from under the big pieces of furniture. However, comma, I had not mopped. After all these years ( and I am talking almost 40 years ) I still hate mopping. But there comes a time, even before John returns, that I cannot stand the stuff that is still stuck on the floor. I had hoped, when I was young, that there would come a time when a maid ( like the one on the "Jetsons"...completely mobile and very computerized ) would do this.
Ha ha. Well...it is still just me. I am pretty sure that John has never....ok almost never....mopped a floor. At this age, I am sooooo tired of it. Not that I do it that often, it is just that I still HATE IT. That being said, I hate having my shoes ( one does not go barefoot here unless one wants to experience frostbite ) stick to the floor.
The good thing about this new house is that most of the floors are not carpeted. Some is slate...good and bad : the good is that slate does not show dirt...the bad is that even after mopping they look the same as before you mopped.
I found half calcified cookies...no telling what they were prior to dropping under the sofa...the bad is that the dogs never found them. Not that they would have eaten them as they had no interest in the flour and butter left on same floor from making perroggis (sp?). That is now gone. Good I guess. Or not. I also vacuumed and mopped up half a ton of glitter ( apparently the Chinese, who now make all of our Christmas stuff thinks everything must be covered in same ). I have found glitter in pots and pans and under all the furniture. Oh joy.
I will mop again before John comes home next Monday and no telling what I will find. Hopefully no more flour or glitter....but I have my doubts.
Ha ha. Well...it is still just me. I am pretty sure that John has never....ok almost never....mopped a floor. At this age, I am sooooo tired of it. Not that I do it that often, it is just that I still HATE IT. That being said, I hate having my shoes ( one does not go barefoot here unless one wants to experience frostbite ) stick to the floor.
The good thing about this new house is that most of the floors are not carpeted. Some is slate...good and bad : the good is that slate does not show dirt...the bad is that even after mopping they look the same as before you mopped.
I found half calcified cookies...no telling what they were prior to dropping under the sofa...the bad is that the dogs never found them. Not that they would have eaten them as they had no interest in the flour and butter left on same floor from making perroggis (sp?). That is now gone. Good I guess. Or not. I also vacuumed and mopped up half a ton of glitter ( apparently the Chinese, who now make all of our Christmas stuff thinks everything must be covered in same ). I have found glitter in pots and pans and under all the furniture. Oh joy.
I will mop again before John comes home next Monday and no telling what I will find. Hopefully no more flour or glitter....but I have my doubts.
Monday, January 23, 2012
If I had an Indian name....
It would be "stupid white woman who can kill any fire". It's not that I dont try. I have been counseled by many, many people. I know how to lay the wood, placing it just so with the small stuff on the bottom and the bigger wood above, put paper and/or cardboard under it, make sure there is enough room between all of it to draft up the chimney. Make sure the flu is open. All of these things I do, faithfully. That being said, the fires never want to catch. A bit of flame then nothing. Poke and prod with stoker, a bit of flame then nothing. Move logs around...same bit of flame then nothing.
I know if I had to count on fire for warmth I would freeze to death and if I had to cook with it the food would be au natural ( aka raw ). I eventually do get the flames going and then I dont let it die. John wonders how I can go through so much wood but once I get it going, there is no way I am going to let it die.
The really pitiful part of this whole thing is that there is a propane starter inside the fireplace and one would think that should make it easier. I dont know why it doesnt but all the situations above include the use of said starter. Maybe I should forget the wood and just enjoy the gas flames.
I know if I had to count on fire for warmth I would freeze to death and if I had to cook with it the food would be au natural ( aka raw ). I eventually do get the flames going and then I dont let it die. John wonders how I can go through so much wood but once I get it going, there is no way I am going to let it die.
The really pitiful part of this whole thing is that there is a propane starter inside the fireplace and one would think that should make it easier. I dont know why it doesnt but all the situations above include the use of said starter. Maybe I should forget the wood and just enjoy the gas flames.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens....
Ok, neither of those are my "favorite things" and neither is visiting the doctor to " get results of blood tests". Not that wet roses or kitten whiskers are bad things and neither is getting results of tests I already knew I didnt pass with flying colors . I knew my bad cholesterol was high and so was my good. That, in my mind, should somehow have balanced out and, teeter-totter style, have been okie dokie. No?
Apparently not. Next week I get to go get a doppler on my carotid (?)...sounds new age but it's more about old age and I am a bit less than thrilled. If the doc isn't happy with the results he is going to put me on "meds".
Now I may be old(er) but I am not stupid. I watch TV and I KNOW what the side effects of " meds " are. Do you have dry eyes? Well, we have "meds" for that however you may experience dry mouth, dry skin, your eyeballs may explode, you might wet/poop your pants ( especially if your "pipes leak " ) you may experience flatulence, nausea, vomiting or you might DIE! Personally, I think I will stick with dry eyes. Not that any "meds" they might put me on would have such insignifigant side effects...nay, nay...these would be worse! I guess not as bad as the men's meds where you have to sit in a tub of cold water on a cliff waiting for 4 hours and getting pruney....all things considered, I guess it could be worse. Still.....
I am happy to say I do like the doctor I have I just would prefer not to be any more medicated than I am ...Lunesta, the iron butterfly that knocks the crap out of your brain and lets you sleep more than three hours, is the only prescription drug I am on and I am fine with that. Sleep is highly overrated but it is a good thing to get some every night and I am happy to say that it does help . That being said, it should be an interesting visit next week since I am just a tad resistant to new "meds". If my eyes explode you will all know why.
Apparently not. Next week I get to go get a doppler on my carotid (?)...sounds new age but it's more about old age and I am a bit less than thrilled. If the doc isn't happy with the results he is going to put me on "meds".
Now I may be old(er) but I am not stupid. I watch TV and I KNOW what the side effects of " meds " are. Do you have dry eyes? Well, we have "meds" for that however you may experience dry mouth, dry skin, your eyeballs may explode, you might wet/poop your pants ( especially if your "pipes leak " ) you may experience flatulence, nausea, vomiting or you might DIE! Personally, I think I will stick with dry eyes. Not that any "meds" they might put me on would have such insignifigant side effects...nay, nay...these would be worse! I guess not as bad as the men's meds where you have to sit in a tub of cold water on a cliff waiting for 4 hours and getting pruney....all things considered, I guess it could be worse. Still.....
I am happy to say I do like the doctor I have I just would prefer not to be any more medicated than I am ...Lunesta, the iron butterfly that knocks the crap out of your brain and lets you sleep more than three hours, is the only prescription drug I am on and I am fine with that. Sleep is highly overrated but it is a good thing to get some every night and I am happy to say that it does help . That being said, it should be an interesting visit next week since I am just a tad resistant to new "meds". If my eyes explode you will all know why.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Trying "new" things in the New Year.....sigh
Everyone who has seen the master bathroom here has commented on the "view" from the tub. "How gorgeous...how amazing". Uh huh. Not being one who "bathes" frequently ( I do shower daily but have always felt that taking a bath amounts to sitting in one's own filth ) I have avoided filling the tub and soaking. Ack.
Yes, I know, Calgon has been extolling the virtues of doing just that for decades, with lit candles and an aura of relaxation that soothes ones mind and body.
Horsefeathers!!!
All the dogs wanted in on the action, with Stryker being the only one who actually tried to join in said "fun". Just keeping him out of the water was a chore. When I finally did make it into the water I hit the jacuzzi jets. Blast to the face since the water was not deep enough. Filled it a bit more and still got a blast..apparently you have to have the tub almost drowning deep to keep that from happening. Oh joy.
As to the "view", unless you are over 7 ft tall all you see is sky and that is in the 40 seconds before the window steams up.
Nothing has changed regarding my opinion of the luxurious bath...forget the candles ( Stryker would either eat them or start a fire trying to find out what they are )...and forget feeling clean ( although my face was spotless ) as I took a shower immediately after since I did not feel very fresh.
It is a great place to defrost frozen turkeys...and you can do several at once. Not a total waste of space, right?
Yes, I know, Calgon has been extolling the virtues of doing just that for decades, with lit candles and an aura of relaxation that soothes ones mind and body.
Horsefeathers!!!
All the dogs wanted in on the action, with Stryker being the only one who actually tried to join in said "fun". Just keeping him out of the water was a chore. When I finally did make it into the water I hit the jacuzzi jets. Blast to the face since the water was not deep enough. Filled it a bit more and still got a blast..apparently you have to have the tub almost drowning deep to keep that from happening. Oh joy.
As to the "view", unless you are over 7 ft tall all you see is sky and that is in the 40 seconds before the window steams up.
Nothing has changed regarding my opinion of the luxurious bath...forget the candles ( Stryker would either eat them or start a fire trying to find out what they are )...and forget feeling clean ( although my face was spotless ) as I took a shower immediately after since I did not feel very fresh.
It is a great place to defrost frozen turkeys...and you can do several at once. Not a total waste of space, right?
Sunday, January 8, 2012
In with a bang...out with a whimper
The Christmas season started here with a bang.....21 on "our" side of the family and 13 on John's sister Becky's side. Thirty four, not counting the two babies on the way we did not know about till after the New Year.
All arrived within days of each other and we went from echoing in an empty house to total mayhem ( crazy good but still crazy!!). I have never cooked for that many and it showed. Either we were scraping the bottom of the cooking pot or we had tons of leftovers ....some of which are changing life forms in my fridge as I type. John hates throwing food away but I say when the color changes and they start climbing out of the tupperware its time to say good-bye. Now that he and Zack have gone back to Hawaii its hasta la vista baby for most of the stuff still fermenting.
I must say, thanks to my friend Cindy, that not only were the stockings hung but every room and window was decked out,both here and at the condo. We found an amazing tree ( not locally grown...since some of them are decades old and I was loath to cut one of them ) and it was beautiful. I do prefer "farmed" trees since I know they will be replanted but also because they are perfect. Ours was a Scotch Pine and though it lacked the fragrance of most pines it did not shed many needles and the shape was grand. That being said, I know I will still be finding needles in June but that is another matter.
This was actually our first Christmas in the house...last was in North Carolina for the birth of Mr. Thomas John McKenna and only New Year was spent here. Wonderful....lovely...and nuts. At least this time the condo was ready for guests....much better than family arriving to locked doors, no food, cold condo and us stuck in NC. Stockings were indeed hung by the chimmney with ( much love ) care. All the necessities for getting through the mornings and lunches were there. New heater for the cold bathroom and goodies ( vanilla, chocolate and bubble bath...and thats just the bathing stuff!!) for the family.
The family arrived in waves and at times I did feel swamped but I had tons of help from my daughters and sons. For the first time ever we had a peroggi night....almost ten pounds of flour ( much of which found its way to the floor ...and as an aside, dogs do NOT eat flour ) and four pounds of butter. Wow. Who knew it would take so much time and labor but it was definately a new experience for all of us ( except Tom ) and I think next time we should buy the frozen kind...just sayin' !
We also found out...after all had left, that not only Liz is expecting but also Tia and Melissa. That will bring our grand (kidlet) total to 12 in 2012. Good thing I have a perpetual calendar...there is no way I could remember all of the birthdays without one. I have been asked if this means I will be moving back to Hawaii. Um , no. Might change my P.O. Box, make the phone number unlisted and unplug the computer but no, I will not be moving back to "paradise". I do love this place even if it brings the unexpected.
Unexpected being another unwanted visitor to the garage. As you might recall in an earlier post, I bashed up the front end of my Escape ( aptly named, I might add ) and duct taped it back together. The auto body guy here in Angel Fire, and the only one in the village, said he could fix it. No problem and he did fix the body of the car. He ordered the pump for the window wash stuff and said it was good to go. We got home, poured the wash stuff in the hole and VOILA it poured right back out ( John managed to catch most of it in a bucket ) . Called the guy back and he said "whoops...I forgot to hook the pump up" . HUH??? Ok, so before we go to pick it up again, he tells me over the phone we have a new pet. Again, HUH?? Apparently during all the times the garage door was open for kidlets snowboarding, sledding and just plain freezing ( did I mention Jonah took his shoes and socks off outside in sub-zero weather?? ) we had an uninvited guest take up residence. The little pest found the dog food and proceeded to fill every opening under the hood of my car with it. There was at least a pound under there, scattered in every available hole and some may be there forever...the vacuum cant get it and I have no idea what else to try. I have found my inner killer instinct and we put out poison again....and one whole block was gone this morning. Meaning I will probably find a body of some sort, sooner rather than later..this beast is hungry!!!
There are many aspects to living in the mountains I had no idea about but I must say, I am never, ever bored.
As to the whimpering....that would be me, rattling around in this empty house ( ok , not exactly empty with the Rottie "baby" ..now close to 100 lbs. and the three poms ). I dont miss the screaming from both parents and kids and I dont miss cooking for a literal army but I do miss them all.
This is me whimpering .....
All arrived within days of each other and we went from echoing in an empty house to total mayhem ( crazy good but still crazy!!). I have never cooked for that many and it showed. Either we were scraping the bottom of the cooking pot or we had tons of leftovers ....some of which are changing life forms in my fridge as I type. John hates throwing food away but I say when the color changes and they start climbing out of the tupperware its time to say good-bye. Now that he and Zack have gone back to Hawaii its hasta la vista baby for most of the stuff still fermenting.
I must say, thanks to my friend Cindy, that not only were the stockings hung but every room and window was decked out,both here and at the condo. We found an amazing tree ( not locally grown...since some of them are decades old and I was loath to cut one of them ) and it was beautiful. I do prefer "farmed" trees since I know they will be replanted but also because they are perfect. Ours was a Scotch Pine and though it lacked the fragrance of most pines it did not shed many needles and the shape was grand. That being said, I know I will still be finding needles in June but that is another matter.
This was actually our first Christmas in the house...last was in North Carolina for the birth of Mr. Thomas John McKenna and only New Year was spent here. Wonderful....lovely...and nuts. At least this time the condo was ready for guests....much better than family arriving to locked doors, no food, cold condo and us stuck in NC. Stockings were indeed hung by the chimmney with ( much love ) care. All the necessities for getting through the mornings and lunches were there. New heater for the cold bathroom and goodies ( vanilla, chocolate and bubble bath...and thats just the bathing stuff!!) for the family.
The family arrived in waves and at times I did feel swamped but I had tons of help from my daughters and sons. For the first time ever we had a peroggi night....almost ten pounds of flour ( much of which found its way to the floor ...and as an aside, dogs do NOT eat flour ) and four pounds of butter. Wow. Who knew it would take so much time and labor but it was definately a new experience for all of us ( except Tom ) and I think next time we should buy the frozen kind...just sayin' !
We also found out...after all had left, that not only Liz is expecting but also Tia and Melissa. That will bring our grand (kidlet) total to 12 in 2012. Good thing I have a perpetual calendar...there is no way I could remember all of the birthdays without one. I have been asked if this means I will be moving back to Hawaii. Um , no. Might change my P.O. Box, make the phone number unlisted and unplug the computer but no, I will not be moving back to "paradise". I do love this place even if it brings the unexpected.
Unexpected being another unwanted visitor to the garage. As you might recall in an earlier post, I bashed up the front end of my Escape ( aptly named, I might add ) and duct taped it back together. The auto body guy here in Angel Fire, and the only one in the village, said he could fix it. No problem and he did fix the body of the car. He ordered the pump for the window wash stuff and said it was good to go. We got home, poured the wash stuff in the hole and VOILA it poured right back out ( John managed to catch most of it in a bucket ) . Called the guy back and he said "whoops...I forgot to hook the pump up" . HUH??? Ok, so before we go to pick it up again, he tells me over the phone we have a new pet. Again, HUH?? Apparently during all the times the garage door was open for kidlets snowboarding, sledding and just plain freezing ( did I mention Jonah took his shoes and socks off outside in sub-zero weather?? ) we had an uninvited guest take up residence. The little pest found the dog food and proceeded to fill every opening under the hood of my car with it. There was at least a pound under there, scattered in every available hole and some may be there forever...the vacuum cant get it and I have no idea what else to try. I have found my inner killer instinct and we put out poison again....and one whole block was gone this morning. Meaning I will probably find a body of some sort, sooner rather than later..this beast is hungry!!!
There are many aspects to living in the mountains I had no idea about but I must say, I am never, ever bored.
As to the whimpering....that would be me, rattling around in this empty house ( ok , not exactly empty with the Rottie "baby" ..now close to 100 lbs. and the three poms ). I dont miss the screaming from both parents and kids and I dont miss cooking for a literal army but I do miss them all.
This is me whimpering .....
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