Category Archives: Misc
We are gonna get some warmer weather
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Over the next few days, we’re supposed to see a steady rise in the temperature. Need I say yippee? I can’t wait it’s been far too cold for my taste lately. We might even see it hit fifty degrees by Thursday. Wow, that means I can…do…some…yard…work—oh, crap.
The Koi will be happy because it means I’ll be able to add fresh water to the pond and back wash the filters. They should thaw by then. Not only will they be happy but also the wild birds who have been trying to find water at the top of the falls will be too. I’ve seen the poor things leaning way over the edge of the pond to sip. The littlest ones do have trouble reaching it.
The pups will be thrilled. They have not been pleased with the extreme cold we’ve had the last several weeks. I’ve never seen them hurry so much to get back inside as they have during this cold spell. Yes, they are spoiled. They love the comfort of the furniture and the heat. Same as they do the AC in the summer.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, my garden, Weather related, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Fish, Home, Koi, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
The week in review
Posted by doggonedmysteries
This has been a long week. Very cold weather and now today, more snow. Dang, we were just getting to see some grass peek through the last dumping of snow we got. The furnace has been working overtime keeping the house warm. Eeks! We have frigid weather and another inch or two of snow predicted for this weekend. Take note people, with this surge in cold weather stocks in long underwear companies should rocket. Hurry up spring!
Meanwhile back at the pond, the waterfall is frozen but the fountains are running. We need a few days above freezing to thaw the filters and the waterfall. There’s no ice on the pond, due to the cattle trough heater, but leaves clogged the basket on top of the pump, thus the frozen filters. It took me two hours to get the fountains flowing. Ah, wet hands and frigid weather, what a lovely combination.
Gavin and Patty are as sick of snow as we are. Neither one wants to be outside long. Our normally quiet dog barked when she saw some people outside today. It seems that Patty has taken to complaining to the neighbors about the weather.
DH had a bad week. We’re hoping next week will be a better one for him. He’s going to skip his Avonex dose on Monday. We’ll see how that goes.
Here’s hoping for warmer days, melted snow, and DH feeling better.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Rescue Dogs, Snow, weather, Writer, Writing
Driver license pictures—Oh, crap
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Smile for the camera!
It’s driver license photo time again. Groan. The last one I had done was horrible. This time I think I’ll try to get to my hair stylist before I go for the picture. I will try to remember to wear a flattering colored top and not the neon green T-shirt I wore last time. Looking back at the last time, I do remember I wasn’t in any mood to have it done. It shows.
The poor woman took three pictures and not one of them was good so we picked the best of the three. She was willing to try for more but I wasn’t. By that time, I just wanted to go home, crawl into bed, and pull the covers over my head. I prayed I’d never have to show my license to anyone. No such luck. It seems that ever since that awful picture became my ID everyone has asked for it.
At least I have over two months to get the picture done so I have time to plan. Oh, sure, like that ever works in this house. The best laid plans and all that malarkey.
Posted in Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, comedy, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Humor, Life, Love, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Beeps and buzzes that run our lives
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Today G mentioned that her new coffee pot started beeping and flashing a clean me light. Holy cow, talk about having a machine tell you what to do. At the time, we were waiting for my coffee pot to beep and let us know the pot was ready. Then our discussion went into other forms of beeps and buzzes that run our lives.
I complained that due to people having laundry rooms near their bedrooms manufacturers of dryers have done away with the loud buzzer that lets you know it has finished with the cycle. It’s now an anemic chime. I hate it. Why do I hate it? My dryer is in the basement. The old dryer had a loud buzzer that I could actually hear and respond to; taking my clothes out, before they became wrinkled.
I wish the manufacturer had asked me about the chime before they produced the new dryers. I would have told them to put an optional chime or buzzer switch on them.
Consequently, what beeps, buzzes, or chimes run our lives? Our list consisted of the coffee pot, the dryer, the microwave, alarm clocks, cell phones, and timers for everything. What beeps, buzzes, or chimes run your life?
Posted in Misc, My blog, Uncategorized
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Coffee, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
It’s time for a party.
Posted by doggonedmysteries
A few posts back I wrote that I’d party when certain renters moved. They moved out tonight. Midnight movers—probably two steps ahead of their landlord. It’s so quiet around here now that you could hear that proverbial pin drop.
I’m calling G tomorrow so we can celebrate together. Since she lived behind them, she got all the incessant barking dog and kid noise. Whereas since I live in front of them, I got the dog, kids, and the car stereos blasting so loud they rattled my windows and the gunning of the car engine by the hour at all hours.
Pop that champagne cork peace is back again. Yippee! Now that’s the way to start the New Year.
When the landlord rents the place out again I do hope it’s to a nice, quiet family. People who don’t leave litter everywhere all the time like this last family did. Speaking of that problem, I hope they took that tire they’ve had out by the curb for months. If not we’ll put it on the porch and let the landlord worry about it.
Posted in Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Cold weather dogs? No sirree.
Posted by doggonedmysteries
How fitting that I have dogs who don’t like the cold. Bull Terriers are not cold weather dogs. Believe me the days are very cold right now, colder than we’ve seen in many years. Neither Gavin nor Patty will tolerate a coat even on the coldest of days. They give that ‘she’s-crazy if she thinks I’m going to wear that’ look.
I’ve never seen either of the pups so quick to go out and come back in. Miss Patty, of the very thin coat, goes a few yards into the yard, does her business, and comes flying in the back door as if shot from cannon. Gavin walks only a few feet from the back steps, squats like a puppy and trots back in. He wants us to think that the cold is no big deal to him.
Miss Patty heads for DH’s lap or the settee, which is warmed by the radiator behind it. (Gavin hasn’t discovered that feature yet.) Gavin wants his chair or my lap, preferably the latter. I’ve resorted to turning the space heater on for a few hours at night in the kitchen since that’s the coldest room and is where Gavin’s crate is. Even though his crate is next to the radiator in there, he is noticeably quieter when the space heater is on. Therefore, I know he’s more comfortable.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, My blog, Weather related
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
What if people hibernated?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I don’t know about you but it’s during cold weather like this when I often wish that we were creatures who hibernate. No shoveling snow, slip sliding on ice, or braving 40 mph winds to go to the store. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to crawl into a nice warm bed, pull the covers up, and sleep until spring? Then we’d wake up slim and ready for warm weather.
Yes, I think about these things.
I think about this when I’m snuggled deep under my covers. Warm and snug not wanting to get out of bed knowing that the wind I hear outside is as cold and fierce as it sounds. Knowing I have to go and face the cold as soon as one of the pups wants out, I want to pull the covers over my head and doze some more.
Isn’t it spring yet?
Posted in Misc, My blog, Weather related, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Snow, Writer, Writing
Ten resolutions
Posted by doggonedmysteries
With the New Year fast approaching, I thought I’d write down 10 New Year resolutions I intend to keep.
- When Dear Hubby is having a bad day I will try harder to make things more comfortable for him
- I will tell my loved ones ‘I love you’ often
- I will remember to seize the joy in life
- I will forget resentments, anger, and hard feelings and release them to the winds
- I will walk more
- I will take time to smell the roses even though they make me sneeze
- When the neighbors get on my last nerve, I will find something constructive to do rather than b**ch about it.
- I will eat more veggies and fruit
- I will speak my mind
- I will take time for me and write more
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
Posted in Holidays, Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Holidays, Home, Life, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, New Year's Resolutions, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
A soggy trip
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It is still raining and our yard is soggy. After my last trip out there with Gavin so am I. I do mean trip. Gavin was wandering along the fence line and I walked back toward the shed. The wind we had last night knocked a small branch or two off the magnolia, I didn’t see the one that sent me flying until after I’d landed splat in the deepest puddle out there.
Gavin is always ready to play and when he saw me hit the ground, he thought PLAY TIME! Sixty five pounds of wet dog landed on me. I started laughing, I was laughing so hard I couldn’t get up. Well, let’s say that the laughing and the extra sixty five pounds didn’t help my efforts. Never laugh at or with a Bull Terrier, it makes them sillier.
By the time we made it back inside, I was soaked, muddy, and cold. Gavin was muddy, wet, and full of himself. Furthermore, he had the nerve to beg for a cookie.
I was about to remove my muddy coat when Patty rang the bells—she wanted her turn out. She had a quick trip.
My coat and jeans went into the washer. After a hot shower and a cup of Bengal Spice tea, I was feeling warmer.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Old friends finally meet
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Years ago, I met Jackie online. We’ve instant messaged and talked in chat rooms for ages and ages. We even talked on the phone once or twice. Today, we finally met in person. We had a great time visiting over many cups of coffee.
Gavin and Patty were ecstatic over meeting someone who knew all the right places to scratch them and didn’t mind a few puppy kisses. Although there were a couple of times that I had to send the pups to their crates to calm down because each wanted the pets the other was getting from Jackie they were well behaved for the most part.
I’m not sure if we were what Jackie expected but then I have no idea what she expected. 😉
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, friends, friendships, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, old friends, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Enough snow already.
Posted by doggonedmysteries
the pond is somewhere out there--follow the pawprints
We’ve had quite a snowstorm come through here. It finally stopped around 2 a.m. I, being the fool that I am, went outside and shoveled. I shoveled, and I shoveled, and by gum I shoveled some more. I completed a 150 foot+ long by 3 foot wide path through snow about one foot deep. (Okay, officially it was only 4 to 5 inches deep here but at 3 a.m. it sure looked like a foot of snow.) It’s legal, I’m pooped, and I know I’m gonna feel it when I wake up.
Dear Mother Nature,
We have enough snow for a white Christmas, so when people are wishing for one, please don’t listen. We have enough snow for sledding, so when the children ask for more, please don’t listen. Since Dave so gleefully E-mailed me about let it snow, let it snow, etc. IF you must dump more snow around here, please target Dave’s house and skip mine. (Quit laughing Lee, you’re next on my list.)
Sincerely,
MWH
By the way everyone, today is Elena’s birthday. Happy Birthday E!
Posted in Holidays, Misc, My blog, Weather related, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, Mother Nature, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Snow, weather, Writer, Writing
To Bo-tax or not to Bo-tax that is the question
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I’m all for a tax on elective cosmetic procedures. Don’t tell me that Botox injections and plastic er um fake tatas aren’t a luxury. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about reconstructive surgery after breast cancer or some other problem that causes a real need.
I’m talking about when Mummsy and Daddy buy Muffy a new set of tatas for her sixteenth birthday because she absolutely can’t go through life with a 34B bust line and she’ll just die if she doesn’t have those 38DDs. They’d be smarter to buy her a brain.
I’m talking about when Mrs. Rich Bitch decides her 40 year old bust line needs to be as perky as nineteen year olds are so her hubby doesn’t find himself another piece of arm candy. How about when Mrs. I’m So Vain’s wrinkle spackle isn’t working and she wants to Botox the hell out of her face? Oh, hell yes tax her a$$. Tax the elective procedures and use that money for good healthcare for everyone.
Boobs sag, wrinkles deepen, and one should live with it. It’s life. It’s proof you’ve lived, loved, and have experience. Get over it.
Posted in Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
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