Category Archives: Misc
Healthy dog and no oven light
Posted by doggonedmysteries
As we begin a new week, I’m happy to note that Gavin seems to be back to 100%. There is no swelling in his face or neck and he’s been full of himself all day with this cooler weather. He’s felt so good that he completely wound up Patty. I’m lucky to have a stick left standing in the house. What a pair of loons.
The light in my oven blew tonight. The original light that came with the oven several years back. The oven is a wall oven and the light is in the back, I’m short I can’t reach it without a ladder. Hell, I can’t reach it WITH a ladder.
Dear Hubby decided to come to the rescue. He removed the light cover and went to remove the bulb. The bulb broke at the base. No, the potato trick wouldn’t work. We can’t get the base of the light out. It is well and truly stuck, and now quite a mess, since he tried to remove it with tools. He tried pliers, needle nosed pliers, even a friggin’ chisel for heaven’s sake. I have no light in my oven. I have a mangled, completely stuck, base of a light bulb, but no light.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, My blog
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
Return of the klutz
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I fell the other day. Stepping off the back porch steps, I hit that uneven bit of sidewalk again, the same place where I sprained both ankles last summer. Down I went, this time my ankles were spared, but not my right butt cheek, my hand, and shoulder. I landed on my butt, broke a vein in the palm of my hand (it’s quite a lovely shade of purple now), and I jounced my shoulder.
I’m certain I was quite a sight for my neighbors as I landed splat on my backside. I was taking Gavin out at the time. Delighted to have me on his level, he raced over, began to lick my face, and tried to crawl into my lap. I went into a fit of the giggles. Gavin took that as a good sign and he scoured my face with more enthusiasm. By then I was so weak from the giggles I couldn’t push him off me so we ended up rolling around on the grass.
The neighbors are probably convinced that I’m certifiable.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, 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
Gavin, Lee Lofland, Castle, and more
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Gavin’s face look less swollen today and he actually stole a Nylabone from Patty to chew on it for a bit. She was very sweet and let him take it. I think she’s as glad as we are that he’s feeling better.
I adore Lee Lofland’s site, The Graveyard Shift. Heck, I adore Lee. I met him at a Pennwriters conference. Last TV season Lee ran a critique of Castle every week—one of my favorite new shows. He’s started doing a critique of it again this season. I enjoy his insights and those of the others who comment there. Having a retired cop in the house, I see (or have them pointed out to me) most of the blips in the crime shows.
I’ve begun the fall cleaning cycle in my house. I tackled my desk yesterday and cleared it of an over abundance of crap paper work, magazines, and reference books that I put back in their proper places in the bookcase. I then dusted and cleaned the entire desk. Wow, I can see under my monitor now and the glass desk top gleams. Tomorrow I’ll work on the rest of the living room.
Posted in Dog related, Favorite TV shows, Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Castle, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Favorite TV shows, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pets, Rescue Dogs, TV, Writer, Writing
A very long and hectic day indeed
Posted by doggonedmysteries
After a mere three hours of sleep, I woke to Dear Hubby telling me we had to be at the oral surgeon’s office at 11 a.m. So tell me, why was he waking me at 8? It doesn’t take me three hours to get dressed and toss back a cup of coffee or two. Ack. I tried to go back to sleep for a bit but that didn’t work. I dragged my butt downstairs, foraged for coffee, and told him, “Do not speak to me until I’ve had a second cup or you won’t need to go to a surgeon to have those teeth removed.” Have I mentioned I had only three hours of sleep and I am NOT a morning person?
We arrived on time. They gave him some paperwork to fill out and took him back to check the damaged teeth. Meanwhile, I sat in the waiting room and watched salt water fish swim around in a huge tank. They were lovely, the music was gentle old time jazz, and I almost dozed off. That’s not easy to do in those hard plastic chairs with low backs.
Dear Hubby goes back October 13th. They will knock him out—they have to or he’ll flip out. I think this time I’ll grab a book to read and, hopefully, will have slept a few hours longer than I did last night. No, I didn’t get a nap after we got home.
Then tonight Gavin was acting out of sorts. He even had trouble eating his dinner. I went to look at his mouth to see what was wrong and he yipped when I touched his lower lip. That’s when I noticed that the right side of his face was swollen. That’s something not easy to spot on a BT by the way. I’m praying it’s a bee sting and will be gone by morning. However, Dear Hubby has instructions that if it’s still bothering Gavin in the morning he’s to call the vet and wake me. Geez, I hope it’s just a bee sting and will be gone by morning I’m not up to another hectic day.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, MS related
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, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pets, Writer, Writing
Weekend wrap
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I added two new pictures to the Bull Pen the other night. They are of Madison a little Bull Terrier gal who walks her human past our house. She’s not a mini bull she’s a very small standard, cute as a button and a real sweetie. When she sees me out in the yard, she drags her human to the gate so she can have some water and cookies. I always have some for her. Today she met the little Papillion, Spot who lives next door to me.
I ordered my Halloween costume. It will be a change from the old one and might come in handy if they do another costume party at the writer’s conference.
The night time temperatures have dropped from the mid sixties to the mid fifties and below. We’ve been in the seventies during the day. The pups do enjoy the cooler temperatures. Both of them are becoming quite spunky.
The rewrite on Doggoned Dead is going slow but I think the book is stronger and has a better flow. I can’t believe how killing off a lackluster character causes so many small changes.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, 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
Scurvy dogs and bilge rats
Posted by doggonedmysteries
ARRR it’s International Talk Like A Pirate Day. I hopes that ye’ve had fun today. Swash me buckle but I sure will. I’m out of the galley and on deck ready for some silliness.
“Ahoy, you scurvy dogs what say we go clear the decks of bilge rats?” I asked when I took the dogs for their 2 a.m. last out. The dogs had no idea what I meant they were just glad I was walking them out to the poop deck. I can imagine what Dear Hubby will say when I greet him today with a few arrrs and shiver me timbers.
Have fun me hearties!
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, fun, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, silliness, Talk Like Pirate Day, Writer, Writing
Chocolate is brain food
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Okay, that may not necessarily be true, but it works for me. I inherited the chocolate loving gene from my grandmother. I don’t eat so much of it as to gain weight I eat only a little each day. I can claim chocolate as part of the vegetable food group, can’t I? It comes from a bean…. Vegetable. It relaxes me, it helps me think, and I love it.
( Hey, Jennie, tonight I finished that dark chocolate bar you sent. It was yummy!)
Hmm. Therefore, if I follow that same form of logic as is found in the first paragraph, it means that coffee is vegetable juice. Oh, goody. I’ll tell that one to Dear Hubby’s doctor, it will crack him up for sure.
I drink gallons of coffee. Ask Dave he’ll tell you how I carry coffee with me at all times. When I visit the Aunts, I phone them from down the road a piece from the house and ask them if they have the coffee on. They always do.
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Chocolate, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, gifts, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
My fantasy vacations. What are yours?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
My dream vacation would be a trip to Ireland, England, and Wales. Dear Hubby can’t travel, there’s no way with his MS that he’d be able to sit through such a long plane flight. Therefore, it’s a fantasy but sometimes dreams can come true.
Another fantasy I have is going to the writers’ conference in Maui. I drool over the conference information each year. The only way I’d ever make it there is as a guest speaker with all expenses paid—yeah, like that’s going to happen. Dream on!
At one time, I fantasized about a trip to Japan but the older I get the more I dislike crowds and it is definitely crowded there.
The best I can hope for is a fishing trip to a nearby river or lake. I can live with that. I’d enjoy the serenity of sitting on a river bank or a lake dock with a fishing pole and a notebook. In fact, most summers I do just that. However, these last two summers I somehow haven’t found the time to go. When spring rolls around again the first thing I’m going to do is get a fishing license.
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, Writer, Writing
A little of this and that
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I received a lovely surprise in my mailbox today. The prize package from Jennie arrived. She’s such a dear. She didn’t have to send the package all the way here from Cardiff, Wales. She could’ve fibbed and sent it to someone closer. I’m glad she did send it to me though because it’s a delightful little treasure trove.
The news that one of my favorite actors has died threw me for a loop. I’ve always adored Patrick Swayze and kept hoping he’d beat that nasty pancreatic cancer.
We’ve had two sunny days in a row now—Hooray for the sun! I managed to backwash the pond filters, pick five tomatoes and a dozen or so grape tomatoes. There’s still more out there that aren’t ready yet. The first hint of a frost around here and I’ll scrabble to pick all the green tomatoes—we do love fried green tomatoes.
After I finished the yard work, I went straight to my computer and spent several hours reading and critiquing one of Dave’s books. He’s truly an excellent writer. In fact, I think I used ‘excellent’ more than once in my comments on his manuscript. I’m telling you people, when his books are published, you have to read them.
Posted in In memory of..., Misc, My blog, 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, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
Whatever happened to service with a smile?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Linda from over on Crone and Bear it got me thinking about this tonight. It seems to me that the term service with a smile has gone away. Today rude, snide, snot nosed brats (even 70 year olds can be brats) are the norm wherever you go. When I worked where I had to answer a phone our instructions were to answer with a smile. When one answers a phone with a smile pasted on his/her face, it does make one feel and sound more pleasant to the caller.
“The customer is always right.” You’ve all heard this one. That too has fallen by the wayside. It’s a darned shame that so many people, so often have to ask for the manager because whomever they are dealing with has forgotten this rule.
Something a dear friend of great age taught me long ago was that you’ll get a lot farther in this world with a smile and a kind word than you ever will by being nasty. Of course, that old gal could tell you to go to hell in such a way that you’d actually look forward to the trip—it’s called diplomacy.
Posted in Misc
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
Dirty jobs—have to love them
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I’m hooked on the show Dirty Jobs probably because I’ve done so many of them over the years. Who doesn’t love watching someone else do an icky job? Oh, come on. I’d bet most of you do.
I’ve mucked out horse stalls and have been a trail guide for both a mule stable and a horse stable. I’ve been a gopher for a ceramic tile mechanic—read this as I did all the lifting and carrying of boxes of tile, grout, and thin set. I’ve cleaned homes and offices, worked in a veterinary lab—I was the person who ran all those fecal sample tests. I cleaned cages in an animal shelter, and later managed a pet store—I was the only person there most of the time so I was also the kennel help. Those are just a few of the dirty jobs I’ve had.
Funny thing is I got more satisfaction out of doing those dirty jobs than I ever did working in an office.
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Dirty jobs, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
No Facebook, thank you
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I have enough things draining my time. The last thing I need is something else. Lately it seems everyone and their brother is sending me ‘join me at Facebook or____, you fill in the blank’ notices. I’m here to tell all of you who have sent me these requests that I love you but no, I don’t want to join.
I seldom chat online any more as many of my friends have noticed. Managing my time has become a difficult enough task. I get giddy if I can get dinner on the table before 6:30 p.m. Dear Hubby never complains although I’ve seen him look longingly at the kitchen when I’m typing away on one of my books.
The only ones who complain if their dinner is late are the dogs. If I don’t start fixing their dinners by 5p.m. I get all sorts of grief from Gavin. He starts by poking me with his nose and if that doesn’t get my attention he barks at me until I look at the clock and realize his tummy alarm has gone off. Thank goodness, Patty stands back and lets him do the bitching although there have been days where she will nudge me a bit too.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, My blog
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
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