Blog Archives
I am not a domestic Goddess
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I hate to clean. Don’t get me wrong, I love a clean house but I hate doing the work to get it clean.
Dusting, oh, I’d rather play with the dogs. Running the vacuum, yuck, it’s so noisy, wouldn’t it be better to sit and read a book? Sweeping, it’s quieter but wasn’t there something I meant to write about? Washing windows? Do I really need to see outside? If I wash the dogs’ nose prints off the windows, they’re back there in an hour anyway. They call it decorating and I tend to agree with them.
Who wants to schlep baskets of laundry down and back up two flights of stairs when there’s gardening to do? I can go outside, pull a few weeds, daydream, and play with the Koi and the bullfrogs. Therefore, the laundry piles up and when I finally break down to do it; I’m at it all day. It’s a good thing to do on a rainy day. I can cuddle with the dogs in between loads. No, I didn’t say dust, vacuum, sweep, or wash windows.
Posted in Misc
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, Fish, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Koi, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
We’re having a heat wave
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Oh yeah, it looks as though we’re going to have a heck of one. Today was hot, humid, and too much for the dogs and Dear Hubby. Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter and so on for the next week or so. I don’t mind the heat, but DH and the dogs do. The three wimps will stay inside in the AC as much as they possibly can.
Gavin will only go out if his bladder is screaming. Patty will go out whenever you want her to but she’s at the door to come in, in an instant. They’d never survive living in the south. This is fine with me I have no plans to move south. However, I’d love to send this weather back there where it belongs.
I’m no Southern belle. I’ve lived in the south and I prefer to stay in the north. I love the change of seasons. Sure, I’ll complain about the winter snow but the worst snow and a million bucks couldn’t move me south. Sorry, my southern friends I’m a Yankee through and through and can’t change.
Posted in Dog related, Misc
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
The green stalker
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I have a stalker. It seems I can’t weed the gardens now without feeling as though I’m being watched. Yes, that creepy sensation of eyes boring into your back that makes you turn to see who it is. Slowly I turn and, and, and….
GAH! He has webbed feet and a green complexion. It’s Goliath Frog. He’s crept up behind me and is waiting for me to toss him some worms. I can’t go anywhere near the gardens now without his sudden appearance near me. Yes, I’ve told him I won’t kiss him, I’ve already found my prince.
The idea of a stalker frog cracks up Dear Hubby. I’ve had to prove it to him. This man knows that bull frogs are smart — he told me about them using a dead bird as bait for a fly feast. Yeah, I know. How gross!
I’ve seen them stalk and catch starlings. We now have six big bullfrogs and three medium sized ones. However, Goliath makes the five other large frogs look small. I’m hoping that one day we can find tadpoles for the pond that will produce small frogs. I’m tired of relocating bullfrogs.
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
Heat, humidity, and MS
Posted by doggonedmysteries
We had a couple of days where we didn’t need to turn on the AC. It was nice to have the house opened and all that fresh air. However, the temperature has climbed again, as well as the humidity, and the AC is back on. One of the most unfortunate things about Dear Hubby’s MS is how the warm weather affects him.
He used to enjoy being outside during the warm weather. Now he can’t take it. Only a few minutes outside on a hot and humid day and his legs weaken to the point of collapse. His pain triples and he is exhausted.
It’s during this sort of weather that he becomes most depressed. Yes, he’s on antidepressants. They help some. The pups try to help by doing everything they can to make him laugh. I swear they do. Tonight Patty was hucklebutting it on the couch and had him laughing. Once she’d acquired that reaction, she then jumped up on his chair and settled down next to him. I’ve never seen a more self satisfied look on a dog’s face. Gavin had joined in on her session by racing back and forth from the living room to the kitchen. When she stopped so did he. He crawled under DH’s foot rest for a nap.
Posted in Dog related, 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, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Is there a decent program for my needs?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I just spent way too many hours trying to put together a photo slide show of my cousin’s wedding. Only to find that the program I have on my computer won’t burn the slide show onto a DVD.
If I want to do that, I have to buy the program–well gee whiz, Batman, I thought I did when it was installed in my computer. Yep, it pays to read the fine print.
So, here’s what I’m looking for: a program that makes it easy for me to turn digital photos into a slide show and will burn them onto a DVD. I’d also like to be able to add music to the slide show too.
Any ideas people? Do you know of a suitable program?
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, digital photos, 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
Was it idiot day today?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I set my alarm so I wouldn’t sleep the entire day away today. I knew I had to run over to the vet’s office to pick up heartworm pills for the dogs. I think I would’ve been better off staying in bed.
It seems that every idiot in this city was out. As I left my neighborhood, two kids darted out in front of my car from between two parked vans. I slammed on the brakes and singed my headliner with a few choice words.
As I arrived at the first street light, I watched some fool make a right turn on red directly in front of an oncoming car. Idiot number three. I do believe I saw smoke come out of the ears of the driver of the oncoming car who had the right of way. At the next light, a woman, without looking, threw open her door and stepped out of her car directly in front of the car that was ahead of me. We both slammed on our brakes. She had the nerve to glare at the driver.
I wasn’t even halfway to the vet’s office when I’d witnessed idiot number four’s dumb act. By this time, I was considering turning around and going home. Had it not been that the dogs needed to take their heartworm pills today I would have. With only five blocks to go, I continued on my way.
Idiot number five was talking on his cell phone and ran a red light nearly taking out a car in front of me. Yep, I slammed the brakes on again. I think I need a new headliner mine is looking a bit scorched.
Posted in Misc
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
August already?!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s hard to believe that it’s August already. This summer has swooped past at top speed. We were lucky that for the most part the weather was mild. However, that does make one wonder what this winter will be like.
My gardens are now full of marigolds from last year’s seed heads, red sage, purple Echinacea, multicolored snap dragons, and the mums are beginning to bloom. As I dead head flowers, I have a habit of dropping the seeds from all my annuals right onto the ground. I have been lucky to have the flowers return each year. It saves me a fortune since I haven’t had to buy these annuals for several years now.
I spent several hours weeding the pond garden and trimming back the Lizard Tail in the pond. The Lizard Tail is in a pot on a shelf in the pond. It was getting huge and taking up a lot of space both in and out of the pond.
The Koi seem happy that I trimmed back the Lizard Tail but I think the frogs are upset that they lost some hiding places. They’ll get over it.
Posted in 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, Fish, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Koi, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
Rest in peace, Mom
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Yesterday would’ve been my mother’s 94th birthday had she not died Jan. 1st 2007. Not a day goes by without me thinking of her at least once. When she’d visit me we would spend our evenings sitting near the pond enjoying each others company.
While I was visiting my Aunts and cousins a couple of weeks ago we talked about her and my father. They had some wonderful memories to share.
Happy Birthday, Mom. I put some roses by the pond for you.
Posted in In memory of...
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, Elder Care, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Shhh, I’m trying to watch the movie
Posted by doggonedmysteries
We had temperatures in the 90’s and plenty of humidity. It was a good day to go to a movie. My neighbor and I went to see the Harry Potter movie. I loaded my purse with cough drops so I could sit through it without driving everyone crazy by coughing during the show.
I needn’t have worried about that. There were three young gals seated off to our right, across the aisle, and back two rows, whose mother’s had never taught them proper manners. Through the entire movie, we heard them chewing their pop corn, candy and slurping their drinks. My mother always told us to chew our food with our mouths closed I guess theirs never did.
There’s nothing like listening to dialogue punctuated with, “Chomp, chomp, chomp. Sluuuurp.” Mind you, I said they were across the aisle and two rows back. My neighbor and I were both wishing for a mute button. Then there was their stage whispered argument that almost made me throw a few cough drops at them.
How was the movie? I liked it even with the extra sound effects.
Posted in 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
The weeds and frogs didn’t miss me
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s hot, humid, and miserable outside. I can’t go out to weed the garden because when I go outside I can’t breathe. All I do is cough up my lungs. The weeds don’t mind, they are gleefully invading every area I didn’t get to mulch. (This is most of the gardens.)
My neighbor’s son gave us a half truck load of lovely mulch before I went on my road trip. He dumped it in the middle back section of our driveway. I’m dying to get that black gold into the gardens. Maybe next week when I’m fully recuperated and have enough energy to get at the weeds.
Our bullfrogs haven’t minded that I’m seldom outside lately. In fact, they’ve become quite bold. Tonight there were two close to the back porch steps catching bugs under the light. It was a shame I had to take the dogs out and in doing so scare them. However, it was funny to watch them scurry for the pond and leap into it.
Posted in 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
I wish I could read my notes…
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I may have written some brilliant stuff this past week. I have a notebook jam-packed with handwritten notes. However, now there is the problem of deciphering all that chicken scratch and turning it into something eloquent. That’s not going to happen soon since I’m still under the influence, which could explain the tons of chicken scratch notes.
Perhaps I can locate a chicken scratch interpreter. Then again, maybe I don’t want to know what it says. This all goes back to the post the other day and that wondrous word ‘gibberish.’ What I wrote in that chicken scratch could be nothing but gibberish.
Once my head clears, once I can breathe again, I will try to sit down and puzzle out what I wrote in this notebook. You never know, it could be brilliant.
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, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Will those horse pills ever be gone?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I swear that bottle of antibiotic, horse pill/capsules hasn’t seemed to go down. I even went so far as to count them today just to be sure they were. These things are huge. Heck, I think they’d choke a horse. (Dave, they are 500 mg Cefadroxil. Dave is not only a mystery writer but he’s a retired pharmacist.) I’m so very glad I only have to take one every twelve hours. They aren’t what are kicking my ass though, it’s the cough medicine that’s doing that.
I won’t be writing this for long because I took some of that cough medicine a few minutes ago. Just call me wheezy woozy. Hmm, the label says, don’t drink alcohol with this stuff—um, no kidding you did that and you’d be passed out within two steps. Don’t drive a car or operate heavy machinery while taking this—another word to the wise. Take this stuff, try to drive, and you’ll be playing bumper cars. As for operating heavy machinery—I don’t do that anyway, so you people are all quite safe. Now it’s time to say good bye to all our company…The eyelids are slamming shut. Have a good day. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
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