Blog Archives
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
Need ten days of sleep?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I now know why the doctor asked me if I needed a note for work. Holy crap, these meds knock me ass over tin cups. I struggle to keep my eyes open for more than five minutes. I have nine more days to go on them.
Let’s see, that could mean nine days of sporadic and silly posts. It could mean nine days of gibberish. Gee, I like that word. Gibberish, it sounds more interesting than rubbish or twaddle.
You would think that with all the wonderful fresh vegetables and fruits my family plied me with while I was up there visiting that I’d have been bursting at the seams with great health. There’s nothing like fresh cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, watermelon, red raspberries, and blueberries freshly picked. I picked a quart of blueberries Sunday afternoon, packed it in the back of the van, and one of the cousins stashed a couple of large zucchinis in there too.
Now, I’m going to go back to sleep.
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
I spent my anniversary in the doctor’s office
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Here it was, our 36th wedding anniversary and what did we do? Nothing. I was too sick to do anything other than sleep.
I should’ve called and made an appointment to see the doctor. I had no idea it would be so busy there today. I sat in the waiting room for two hours, which is the longest I’ve ever had to wait as a walk in. I was quickly diagnosed with pharyingitis, laryngitis, and bronchitis. Oh joy.
The nurse came in and gave me a shot. I was handed two prescriptions and sent on my merry way. Truly not so merry since I’m feeling miserable. Dear Hubby is a doll he kept getting me things to drink when I’d become conscious. The cough medicine and the antibiotic are both taken once every twelve hours. They are kicking my ass.
They told me if don’t feel better in three days I should go back. As it is, I feel as though there’s an elephant on my chest and I have a throat full of feathers. They are tickling me into coughing fits.
We will celebrate our anniversary AFTER I get through this nasty crap.
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
Taking a break for the ROADTRIP!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The suitcase is packed, the car will be loaded tomorrow, and then I’ll be on my way. In the meantime, I hope you all have a good time while I’m gone. I’ll post when I get home.
Dear Hubby is in charge of the house and dogs while I’m gone—I hope to heaven the dogs behave for him. They can be a handful when I’m not around. (When the alpha dog’s away…and all that.) Hey, I even have an ‘Alpha Dog’ T-shirt and DH bought it for me.
I’ve left DH a list—it’s not long, just reminders as to what to do with the dog’s water, the fish, and to remember to water the potted vegetable garden and the flowers in the pots on the front porch every afternoon once the sun is off them. I know him, without a list he’d forget to water the plants. He wouldn’t add the cider vinegar to the dog’s water, which, by the way, has cleared up Gavin’s chronic ear infection. So we don’t want to stop doing that do we? He’d also ignore the fish and they’d have to live on algae—they would not be pleased.
Posted in Dog related, MS related, 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, Koi, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
There’s nothing like a klutz owning a klutzy dog…
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I’ve said it many times I am a klutz. Now I’m telling you so is Gavin. Occasionally Gavin follows Dear Hubby upstairs when he comes to wake me. Gavin loves the idea of a good bed bouncing wake up call for me. This morning was one of those days. Even Patty got into the act.
So there I was, helpless, under my covers, with two dogs and a husband pouncing on me. DH thinks it’s hysterical because when they get the chance it is dogs gone wild. It is on the bed, off the bed, on the bed, off the bed, leaping higher and higher, getting wilder with each leap…you get the idea. Meanwhile I’m getting bruised, bashed, and smooched on by the two idiot dogs and DH is giggling like a fool.
Finally, after I’ve suffered enough DH yells, “downstairs!” And the pups are off down the hall and the steps like a shot.
I weakly crawled out from under the covers and I notice a bit of blood on my bottom sheet near where they’d been hopping about. Great, I strip the bed so I can get the bloodstain out of my BRAND NEW sheets. I get dressed and carry the bedding down the hall. I notice more blood—not a lot just spots of it on the floor.
I called downstairs, “Honey, check the dogs someone is bleeding. Better check Gavin first.”
I was right it was Gavin. He broke a claw again. Normally when Gavin does it, it means a vet run because the broken claw is never completely broken off. At least this time he did it right, and we were easily able to stop the bleeding—dang, broken claws bleed like crazy. He does this often, don’t know why, how, or how to stop it from happening. It’s like me spraining ankles—I do it with great frequency.
Posted in Dog related, 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 gardens needed the rain
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It was almost time to drag out the hose and water the gardens. After so much rain there for a while, we had a nice dry spell, but we were due for some rain. The rain began around seven tonight and I’m jumping in here in between storm cells.
During one break between downpours, I went outside with the flashlight and checked around the pond. Dear Hubby calls this doing my frog count because I always tell him how many I’ve seen after I do my walk around each night. They certainly were active in the yard tonight. I think they were enjoying the rain. I counted nine bullfrogs. I don’t often see more than four or five most nights.
One small bullfrog took my presence as a threat. He panicked, screamed, and took off as if the hounds of hell were on his water tight butt. The poor thing careened into a plastic coffee can (we have it near the pond for the worms I catch to feed the fish), then he bounced off of a piece of slate, took a high flying leap, and landed with a loud splash in the pond. The bigger frogs have more sense.
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, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
It is a long trip but worth it!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
In seven days, I’ll be driving three hundred and fifty miles by myself. I’m driving that far to attend my cousin’s wedding. Gee, last year I did the trip twice (once by plane) to attend his brothers’ weddings. I wouldn’t make a trip like this for just anyone but I do adore my cousins and can’t wait to get there.
I was supposed to have a friend drive with me but she’s injured, and she can’t travel. Dear Hubby can’t make the trip because he doesn’t dare leave his mother alone for four days in a row. She’s not up to that yet. He calls her every day and goes over to her house every other day now. Therefore, once again I do the trip alone.
I don’t mind. It’s a lovely drive and I’ll get to see all my aunts and many of my cousins. Since I’m a night owl I’ll be traveling at night and arrive there in the morning the day before the wedding. My dear, sweet Auntie, the mother of the groom, promises she’ll have coffee ready for me when I get there. I’ll need it and a nap.
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
You know the animals are spoiled when…
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The dogs bark at you when dinner isn’t in their dishes by five-thirty at the latest and you hurry up to give it to them.
The neighbor’s cat looks at you, at his treats, then at you again, and you give him some.
The Koi beg for worms as soon as you walk near the pond so you go dig some out of the compost heap.
The frog expects you to throw him some worms when you are feeding them to the Koi and you do it.
The squirrels jump on the neighbor’s screen door when the corn cob she puts out for them is empty and she brings them a fresh cob.
The poodle across the street expects you to have cookies in your pocket and you do.
The basset hound whose owner walks him by on a regular basis wants to take a water break at your house on hot days and you have the dish filled and ready.
The cat birds clean the blueberries off the bushes right under your nose, and you don’t chase them away. Instead, you sigh, and think it’s a good thing you have bags of frozen blueberries in the freezer.
Posted in Dog related, 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, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Kiss my arse Martha Stewart!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Dear Hubby is often frustrated that he can longer do the things he did years ago. Sometimes I share that frustration when I need something done around here.
I’ve found that if I can’t find help, I have to adapt, improvise, and overcome. Today I overcame the broken table out in the yard.
Less than two summers ago, we bought a Martha Stewart table for the outdoors. What a huge mistake! Here we were thinking how great it was that we bought this lovely, large wood outdoor table on sale. Well, kiss my arse Martha…it has fallen apart in less than two seasons. (I’m so glad we bought it on sale for a super cheap price, it certainly wasn’t worth the regular price.) Today, since I couldn’t find anyone to help, I took it apart. It took me a bit of time, some struggle, the right tools, and brute strength, but I managed. Then I had to carry the darned unwieldy thing out of the yard. It is sitting against the side of the house with its removed legs and will go out for garbage tomorrow night.
DH was very surprised and quite pleased to have the table gone because he can now run the riding mower over the spot where it stood. I’m pleased to have it gone because I don’t have to run the weed eater underneath it any more.
Posted in 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, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
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